After My Thoughts Were Read, My Master Led Me to Change My Fate - Chapter 55

The group led by Lin Yuxue felt the air grow increasingly damp the further south they traveled. The journey passed quickly, and it was the morning of the fifth day in a blink of an eye, meaning they were very close to the Valley of Chaotic Flowers.

The weather suddenly changed drastically. It should have been a bright, sunny morning, but now the wind was stirring, and the sky was dark and oppressive, as if covered in a thick layer of ink. Before long, it started to rain outside. It wasn’t a violent downpour, but it was by no means light. The raindrops hitting the sturdy carriage roof produced a dense thud, thud sound, like someone beating a drum incessantly.

Due to the muddy roads and the misty rain, Wu Ji and his two companions slowed down. The carriage moved with some difficulty along the slightly uphill road. The wind and rain, seeping in through the window cracks, brought with them a chill that filled the carriage.

Ning Songwu considerately closed the window lattice tightly and pulled the curtain to cover it completely. She had a chessboard spread out beside her; Ran Fanyin and Lin Yuxue sat at opposite ends, locked in an intense game.

Lin Yuxue held a smooth white piece, frowning in deep thought, hesitant to place it on the board. Ran Fanyin looked composed; she withdrew her slender fingers from the chess basket and made a gesture to Ning Songwu.

Ning Songwu, understanding implicitly, picked up the teapot, depressed the anti-spill mechanism, poured a cup of tea, and placed it in Ran Fanyin’s hand.

“Master, are you cold? Would you like another layer?” Ning Songwu asked softly, keeping her voice low.

“The temperature is just right; there is no need to add clothes,” Ran Fanyin replied. She held the cup lid, gently blowing on the tea. Her posture and actions displayed a grace and elegance developed from years of training.

Lin Yuxue relaxed her brow, dropped the white piece onto the board, and smiled as she looked up. “The Valley of Chaotic Flowers is often like this in this season—mostly overcast and rainy. It will clear up after a while.”

“Speaking of which, shouldn’t the Valley of Chaotic Flowers be a valley? Why does it feel like we are constantly going uphill?” Ning Songwu asked curiously, pouring another cup of tea and handing it to Lin Yuxue.

“It is truly a unique terrain. Where did your ancestors find such a location?” Ning Songwu mused, imagining the layout of the Valley of Chaotic Flowers.

“My great-grandfather built the Valley of Chaotic Flowers here. As for how he discovered it, the clan records do not say. However, my Lin family ancestors have always been adept at calculating geomancy and manipulating construction, so I doubt it was by chance.”

The front door of the carriage suddenly opened a crack. A strong blast of wind and rain rushed in, causing Ning Songwu to shiver. Still, she instinctively leaned forward, shielding Ran Fanyin behind her.

Wu Ji’s face was partially visible in the door crack. His voice was as gloomy as the terrible weather. “Young Valley Mistress, we will reach the North Entrance Mechanism Rope Ladder in another quarter of an hour. Your subordinates faintly spotted blurry hoof marks on the nearby road. The rainwater is flowing and washing them away quickly, so they shouldn’t have been left too long ago. Furthermore, the route matches ours. Because the marks are severely blurred, it is difficult to estimate the exact number of people, but there should be more than five.”

“People from outside the Valley have entered?” Lin Yuxue pondered for a moment. “No matter. The Valley’s defenses are tight. Perhaps members of other sects have come to visit on business. Since they arrived shortly before us, I will conveniently meet them when I return to the Valley. We shall address everything after we are back.”

“Understood.” Wu Ji nodded and closed the carriage door.

Ran Fanyin began gathering the chess pieces on the board, lowering her head as she asked, “Are we almost there?”

“We’ll be there soon. I had Wu Ji prepare three thick cloaks earlier. Remember to put one on when you alight from the carriage. The cold here is unlike the North Fa Sect’s—it’s damp and bone-chilling. Poor protection can easily lead to a persistent illness.”

Ning Songwu took the cloaks, handing a sky-blue one to Lin Yuxue. She then unfolded a pure-white one, stood up slightly, and draped it over Ran Fanyin’s shoulders.

Ran Fanyin’s expression remained unchanged; she seemed completely accustomed to Ning Songwu’s meticulous service. She remained focused on gathering the chess pieces, her expression placid. The line of her face, from her jawline to her ear, was exquisite and sharp, every inch perfectly formed. She possessed an air that naturally commanded reverence, as if she were born to be carefully tended to.

Ning Songwu’s movements were gentle as she delicately fastened the cloak’s neck clasp for Ran Fanyin, carefully smoothed Ran Fanyin’s long hair, and then placed the wide hood over her head. Only after everything was neatly arranged for Ran Fanyin did she start to put on her own moonlight-white cloak.

As they finished dressing, the carriage had arrived at the North Entrance Mechanism Rope Ladder. The three stepped out of the carriage, each holding an umbrella.

The sky was overcast and heavy, and the road surface was slick with rainwater. The carriage was stopped in front of what looked exactly like a sinkhole, where the mountain had seemingly been cut off, leading anyone who saw it to believe it was a bottomless abyss.

About ten steps from the mouth of the pass stood an oddly shaped pavilion. It was the size of an ordinary kiosk, but behind its precisely crafted elevated wooden frame, one could vaguely see complex and ingenious mechanisms. The principles of its operation were incredibly complicated—something no ordinary person could have built.

The wind outside was fierce, and the raindrops flew in diagonally, largely unaffected by the umbrellas. Ran Fanyin was momentarily careless, and her boot slipped on the mud. Ning Songwu was quick, stepping forward to firmly grasp Ran Fanyin’s arm. “Be careful.”

“Mm.” Ran Fanyin looked at Ning Songwu and nodded. She paused, then raised her hand to Ning Songwu’s cheek, brushing away a drop of cold rainwater.

Ning Songwu pressed her lips together, seemingly suppressing a smile. She quietly lowered her umbrella, stepping under Ran Fanyin’s, and then meticulously adjusted the cloak that the wind had tousled on Ran Fanyin.

Ran Fanyin glanced at her, a hint of softness in her slightly curved, light-colored eyes. She tilted the umbrella edge slightly toward Ning Songwu. Nevertheless, the rain flew in at an angle, silently soaking half of Ran Fanyin’s shoulder.

Wu Ji, at the very front, held a handheld wind-rain lamp and squatted by the pavilion, inspecting it closely. After a moment, he said to Lin Yuxue, who stood beside him, “Young Valley Mistress, there is fresh mud on the platform edge. The group of people must have entered the Valley.”

“Was the mechanism damaged?”

“The rope ladder is intact.”

“The saint says, ‘One who stands on tiptoes is not steady; one who strides is not walking. One who sees only oneself is not enlightened; one who is self-righteous does not shine; one who boasts of his own work has no merit; one who is self-conceited will not endure.’ Regarding the Dao, these are like leftover food and tumorous growths; things may detest them…” Hong Shengcen paused his lecture here, his sharp eyes darting toward Ran Fanyin seated below him.

“Ran Fanyin, what was your master just speaking about?”

Ran Fanyin’s wandering gaze instantly returned. She rose from her seat, clasped her hands, and bowed slightly. “Master, your disciple is ashamed.”

Hong Shengcen’s expression showed neither anger nor helplessness; it was as peaceful as ever. “Go back to your seat. Since your heart is not set on cultivation, let us talk about matters outside of it.”

Below Hong Shengcen, Cheng Yunhuan, in flowing blue-and-white robes, sat properly on Hong Shengcen’s right; Jiang Yue and Ran Fanyin, both in pure white attire, sat on his left. The three respectfully listened.

“Some time ago, Cheng Yunhuan brought back news that the Heaven-Burning Sect and the Valley of Chaotic Flowers have become hostile. Your Master heard that just yesterday, the Valley Master’s wife of the Valley of Chaotic Flowers died from poisoning.”

Jiang Yue frowned. “Poison? Could it be…”

Hong Shengcen nodded. “Precisely. The Yellow Springs Gu, unique to the Heaven-Burning Sect.”

“So it was the Heaven-Burning Sect that assassinated the Valley Master’s wife. No wonder the Young Valley Mistress of the Valley of Chaotic Flowers has been searching everywhere for Wen Jinglei,” Cheng Yunhuan said calmly. He had already guessed it, but the name Yellow Springs Gu still shocked him.

Hong Shengcen sighed. “Everything has its cause and effect. This matter is a seed that our North Fa Sect and the Valley of Chaotic Flowers planted together. Seven years ago, had our two major sects not joined forces to completely slaughter the entire Sky Falcon Cult, including Wen Jinglei’s family, who served as the Left Protector…”

Cheng Yunhuan shook his head. “Master, seven years ago, the Sky Falcon Cult brought disaster upon the Central Plains, causing widespread suffering, and thus deserved to be wiped out. Who would have thought that Wen Jinglei alone would be overlooked? These past few years, he has actively recruited the remnants of the old demonic cult, continuously growing the Heaven-Burning Sect. He is preparing to establish a second Sky Falcon Cult!”

Jiang Yue looked worried. “Master, we were the ones who personally caused Wen Jinglei to lose his wife and children and his family to be destroyed. Since he has begun his revenge against the Valley of Chaotic Flowers, I fear it will not be long before he turns his attention to our North Fa Sect.”

Hong Shengcen narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard. “Indeed. An open spear is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to guard against. I fear Wen Jinglei’s clandestine actions. With tens of thousands of disciples in our North Fa Sect, he can easily strike. Cheng Yunhuan, be vigilant and protect the younger disciples.”

Cheng Yunhuan pondered for a moment and asked, “Master, why are we so passive? We should take the initiative to eradicate the Heaven-Burning Sect as soon as possible, while its momentum has yet to reach its peak.”

Hong Shengcen did not answer directly, but looked toward Ran Fanyin. “Ran Fanyin, what are your thoughts?”

“Your disciple only returned from Mount Hua a few days ago and heard some rumors about the current state of the martial world. The Heaven-Burning Sect is established in the Eastern Sea, with numerous islands, making it extremely difficult to conquer. Furthermore, the Heaven-Burning Sect’s current power already surpasses that of the former Sky Falcon Cult. They also have alliances with many Central Plains sects and cannot be attacked rashly.”

Hong Shengcen agreed. “Ran Fanyin is right. Times have changed; the Heaven-Burning Sect’s power is not what it used to be. The most crucial thing we should do now is wait for the situation to develop and then act.”

Ran Fanyin walked out of the main hall of the sect master, thinking involuntarily of the past where she and her two senior brothers fought the enemy seven years ago. Slightly distracted, she didn’t even notice she was about to step off the edge of the stone stairs.

Suddenly, she felt a warm hand firmly grasp her arm and gently pull her back. She nearly bumped into the person behind her.

Jiang Yue released Ran Fanyin and stepped back a little. His tone was caring. “What are you thinking about? You almost fell down the steps.”

Ran Fanyin lowered her head and said, “Nothing. Thank you, Senior Brother.”

Jiang Yue carefully examined Ran Fanyin’s softly contoured face. He suddenly reached out a hand and spread his palm open toward Ran Fanyin. “Put your hand on mine.”

Ran Fanyin hesitated for a moment but slowly placed her slender, beautiful hand into Jiang Yue’s broad palm.

A fierce, mighty internal energy surged forward. Ran Fanyin instinctively channeled her gongfu to resist. At first, they were evenly matched, but soon she could no longer hold out. It forced sweat to break out on her forehead and caused her palm to tremble slightly.

Jiang Yue retracted his power in time, stopping the flow of internal energy. He frowned and shook his head. “Ran Fanyin, why has your gongfu stagnated for the past three years?”

“What?” Ran Fanyin was a little stunned.

“You know that cultivation requires a heart free of distractions, a mind as still as water, to achieve the most natural integration with heaven and earth. Have you not realized that although you have been cultivating, you haven’t made any substantial progress?”

Ran Fanyin stared at her palm, muttering softly, “No way… Why…”

“Your heart is burdened with attachments. It’s visible in your demeanor—your inner state is not pure. Go back and think deeply about it,” Jiang Yue said, patting Ran Fanyin’s shoulder in gentle consolation.

Cheng Yunhuan only now emerged from the main hall. He paused as he walked past Jiang Yue and Ran Fanyin, looking at Ran Fanyin.

“Junior Sister, you seem prone to spacing out recently. Are you not resting well?”

“Senior Brother, why don’t you refine some of your good calming elixirs and give a few appropriate bottles to Ran Fanyin?” Jiang Yue suggested.

Cheng Yunhuan nodded in agreement. The three siblings chatted casually at the entrance to the main hall. Cheng Yunhuan leaned against the stone railing, his expression as serious as usual. Jiang Yue stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his cultured, gentle demeanor giving him an ethereal quality. Ran Fanyin stood relatively quietly and properly beside Jiang Yue.

The low-level disciples passing the main hall could not help but look their way. Although they couldn’t hear what the three venerables were saying, the sheer presence of the three of them standing there was captivating, like a beautiful ink-wash painting.

Cen Ran looked at Ning Songwu, who stubbornly remained at the entrance of the Rongku Pavilion, and helplessly tried to persuade her. “Ning Songwu, Master said she went to the main hall today and might not return all day. Master instructed me that I must take you to the Hongfei Pavilion today. Just listen to Master.”

Ning Songwu’s eyes were red, as if she had just been crying. “Master lied to me. I’m not going.”

“Master is doing this for your own good, too.” Cen Ran felt a bit sad as well. When Master told her of this arrangement this morning, she was truly shocked; she hadn’t expected Master would be willing to send Ning Songwu out of the Rongku Pavilion.

In fact, Ran Fanyin’s action was not to expel Ning Songwu from the sect. Hongfei Pavilion was a very special place, yet also a very common one. All newly initiated disciples had to go there, where they were organized into different ‘Houses’ of thirty people, and taught skills by several knowledgeable Daoist masters.

From now on, Ning Songwu would have to lodge in the Hongfei Pavilion. Her daily routine, morning lessons, and evening lessons would be the same as any ordinary disciple. They might not see each other for ten days or half a month.

However, Ran Fanyin was still Ning Songwu’s direct master throughout. Pin Ziluo of Hongfei Pavilion was only a temporary master for Ning Songwu’s teaching and practice.

But Ning Songwu clearly couldn’t understand. In her heart, she felt that Ran Fanyin genuinely didn’t want her anymore and was no longer willing to be her Master. She wouldn’t listen to a single word of Cen Ran’s persuasion.

Ning Songwu sniffled and started to cry. “Senior Sister… I’ll practice my sword well, and I’ll listen to Master… I’ll use my right hand. I’ll listen to everything Master says. Senior Sister, please, please talk to Master and tell her not to send me to someone else, alright…”

“Master is not giving you away!” Cen Ran felt overwhelmed. Why couldn’t this child listen to her explanation?

Luo Sheng spat out the piece of grass he was chewing and said casually, “Junior Sister, why are you crying? Cen Ran and I both came from the Hongfei Pavilion. What’s there to be afraid of? Cen Ran, why are you still talking so much to her? Taking her there quickly is the proper thing to do.”

With that, Luo Sheng strode forward, picked up Ning Songwu as if she were a little chick by the back of her collar, and, ignoring Ning Songwu’s fierce resistance, headed straight for the Hongfei Pavilion.

“Hey, Senior Brother, be gentler…” Cen Ran hurried after him, comforting Ning Songwu on one side while blaming Luo Sheng for his roughness on the other.

Ran Fanyin and Jiang Yue were walking together on the upper-level stacked open walkway. Ran Fanyin had excellent hearing and heard someone arguing on the ground not far away. She paused to look closely. It was Luo Sheng, Cen Ran, and Ning Songwu, walking toward the Hongfei Pavilion.

“What is Luo Sheng doing carrying Ning Songwu?” Jiang Yue stopped alongside Ran Fanyin, asking curiously.

Ran Fanyin’s gaze was fixed on the struggling Ning Songwu. She replied calmly, “I told them to take Ning Songwu to the Hongfei Pavilion.”

Even without listening closely, they could hear the words the child was crying out. Ning Songwu was being effortlessly held up by the collar of her outer robe by the tall Luo Sheng, weeping and shouting heartrendingly:

“Master!!! Master!!!” The noise was loud enough to almost lift the roof of the main hall.

“You’ve finally decided to let go of your precious treasure?” Jiang Yue laughed. “However, this decision is correct. It’s for the child’s own good, too. You should also gather your thoughts and concentrate on your cultivation.”

“Senior Brother is right.”

Ran Fanyin watched as Luo Sheng and the others slowly walked away, and the little flapping creature’s cries gradually faded until they disappeared among the vast buildings.

She suddenly remembered something.

“Oh, right, Senior Brother, do you still have space in your sword-forging pool for a new sword?”

Jiang Yue raised an eyebrow. “Yes. Why?”

Ran Fanyin withdrew her gaze and looked at Jiang Yue seriously, her light-colored, tea-like eyes seeming to hold a subtle light. “I want to personally forge a sword for Ning Songwu.”

“The rain is getting heavier, and the sky is intensely gloomy. There might be changes around us, so it is better to enter the Valley first.”

Lin Yuxue closed her umbrella and entered the pavilion. Ran Fanyin and Ning Songwu followed closely. Once all six people were inside the small room, Wu Ji began operating the mechanism to lower the room into the deep valley.

The Valley of Chaotic Flowers was very deep. The room was a little cramped for six people and very dark. Only Wu Ji’s wind-rain lamp cast a faint, thin light.

Ning Songwu stood tightly pressed against Ran Fanyin. Some time passed, and the room was still slowly descending, showing no sign of reaching the bottom yet. The atmosphere was also very silent. Lin Yuxue and her three guards likely had things on their minds as they were about to return to the Valley, so no one spoke in the room, and a sense of oppression flowed through the air.

Ran Fanyin had been standing quietly in the corner of the room when she suddenly felt a hand groping in the dark to find her face. She instinctively raised her hand to press against it and instantly recognized it as Ning Songwu’s hand.

Ning Songwu’s unique scent slowly pressed closer, causing Ran Fanyin’s face to flush partially. With so many outsiders present, the embarrassment was even greater as she felt herself growing hot.

Lin Yuxue and her three attendants were all hidden in the darkness, and no one was paying attention to them.

Ning Songwu’s other hand moved to Ran Fanyin’s waist, gently kneading it. The hand covering Ran Fanyin’s face turned over to interlace its fingers with Ran Fanyin’s. She then pressed Ran Fanyin’s hand against the wall of the room next to her. Her whole body was pressed tightly against Ran Fanyin’s, and the warm temperature of their bodies seemed ready to ignite a flame.

Ran Fanyin awkwardly wrapped her arms around Ning Songwu’s waist, her breathing growing slightly erratic. Yet, she was surprisingly indulgent toward Ning Songwu, remaining quiet and appearing very compliant. Ning Songwu’s incessant kneading of her waist stimulated her to subtly arch her back, pressing her even closer to Ning Songwu.

As expected, warm lips and tongue descended, lightly brushing over her nose bridge, and then pressing tightly against her lips. In the chilly air, their intertwined, scorching lips and tongues were incredibly warm, causing Ran Fanyin’s typically cool body to begin to feel a little heated.

Ning Songwu’s hand, which had been interlaced with Ran Fanyin’s, gently pulled away. Instead, she curled her index finger and, while kissing Ran Fanyin, slowly traced characters on Ran Fanyin’s palm—

Carved on jade, I like it very much.

Ran Fanyin’s heart tightened, and her body stiffened with tension. Ning Songwu continued to write in her palm:

Your needlework is quite good; the stitching is very neat.

We haven’t had a proper talk these last two days. Do you miss me?

The feather-light touch tickled Ran Fanyin’s heart. She couldn’t help but tighten the grip of the hand resting on Ning Songwu’s waist. She was about to tilt her head back to return the kiss when Ning Songwu moved her lips away. In the darkness, she meticulously tidied Ran Fanyin’s hair and collar before standing properly back by Ran Fanyin’s side.

Ran Fanyin only felt that her ears were burning fiercely. She clenched her hand and then realized her palm was covered in clammy sweat.

After a moment, she groped for Ning Songwu’s hand and carefully opened Ning Songwu’s palm. Her scorching fingertips slowly wrote upon it:

I do.

The beautiful, elegant characters bloomed slowly in Ning Songwu’s palm. It was as if all the beauty in the world had been gifted to her by this woman right now. The tenderness revealed by a habitually cold person was more pleasing than any gold, silk, or majestic scenery in the world.

She truly adored the way Ran Fanyin was cold and detached in front of everyone, yet soft and accommodating when she was with her.

Ning Songwu squeezed Ran Fanyin’s hand, clutching the characters tightly in her palm. She was reluctant to let go. She wanted to be tangled up with her every day and night, every moment, never to be separated.

The clack, clack sound of the mechanism turning suddenly paused, followed by an abrupt, strange clunk. The wind-rain lamp in Wu Ji’s hand suddenly trembled, and in the dim light, his expression abruptly changed to shock.

“Young Valley Mistress, be careful!!”

“What happened—”

As he finished speaking, the room jerked violently, instantly falling rapidly, completely out of control, as if the attached rope had been cut.

“Damn it…!”

The low curses from Wu Ji and Wu Gong only added to the confusion in the midst of the panic. Lin Yuxue leapt up, clinging to the top of the room. Her voice was urgent. “It’s still fifty feet to the bottom! Quickly use your qinggong to get onto the top of the room!!”

The other five people scrambled to climb onto the roof of the room. The room’s descent speed increased rapidly, and in the space of two blinks, it instantly crashed into the bottom of the valley.

“Boom—!!!”

The intense impact shattered the room. Fortunately, the six people had managed to climb onto the top of the room in time, transferring most of the force of the fall to the lower part of the room, and they used their internal energy to shield themselves. None of them were seriously injured.

Only Wu Ming, who had been climbing lower down, had his left hand completely severed and flung away. But being a mechanism-person, he didn’t make a sound. He simply went to retrieve his own hand and quietly reattached it to his wrist.

Wu Ji climbed out of the splinters, quickly finding the rolling wind-rain lamp. Luckily, the Valley of Chaotic Flowers had made the lamp sturdy enough that it was still intact. Wu Ji held the lamp and carefully inspected the room’s remains. The others found the umbrellas they had brought, carefully shielding themselves from the rain while they waited for Wu Ji.

Lin Yuxue’s brows were furrowed with anger. Ignoring the umbrella, she walked up to Wu Ji. “What is going on? The mechanism rope ladder has never had an accident in a hundred years. It’s regularly maintained every month. What exactly has happened now?”