After My Thoughts Were Read, My Master Led Me to Change My Fate - Chapter 63

No sooner had Ran Fanyin left than Luo Sheng quickly followed, heading to the mountain gate to meet Jing Hu and proceed to Yushui Pass. In the blink of an eye, only Cen Ran and Ning Songwu remained in the room.

Ning Songwu stared blankly at the closed door, her eyes slightly wide, not saying a word.

Cen Ran walked to the side of the bed and sat down. “Ning Songwu, what are you looking at?”

Ning Songwu bit her lip, shook her head, and lay back down.

“Bang, bang, bang.” There was a slow and even knock on the wooden door. The person outside did not wait for a response and pushed the door open after the three knocks.

Ning Songwu quickly turned to look at the door again, her eyes carrying a hint of expectation.

But it was not the person she was hoping for.

Helan Mianmian slowly walked in, her beautiful small face slightly red from the cold air outside. In her arms, she held an exceptionally thick, large White Crane fur robe, so long it almost dragged on the floor, and it did not look like something she would wear. Since Ning Songwu was injured, Helan Mianmian had moved out to sleep, only occasionally coming over to keep her company.

Seeing that it was Helan Mianmian, Cen Ran asked, “Why are you here now?”

Helan Mianmian handed the White Crane fur robe in her arms to Cen Ran with some effort, and rubbed her red, frozen nose, looking utterly adorable. “Sister Cen Ran came to my place earlier and left this fur robe on my bed. It’s getting dark, and I was afraid you’d be cold when you returned later, so I brought it to you.”

A warmth rose in Cen Ran’s heart. She handed her warming stove to her. “Are you cold? Take this to warm up.”

Helan Mianmian reached out her hands but did not take the warming stove. Instead, she grabbed Cen Ran’s slender fingers directly, pressed Cen Ran’s hand against her own face, and her eyes curved into crescents. “Sister’s hands are so warm.”

Cen Ran’s face briefly flushed but the color quickly vanished. She allowed Helan Mianmian to hold her hand. Furthermore, the small child’s face was very soft and pleasant to touch, which made Cen Ran unable to resist pinching Helan Mianmian’s cheek, though she did not control the force well.

Helan Mianmian hissed, “Ouch, Sister Cen Ran, you have such a strong grip; you hurt me.”

Cen Ran looked guilty and pulled her hand back. “I apologize.”

“It really hurts,” Helan Mianmian said, rubbing her own cheek with her small hand; the skin was already slightly red.

Cen Ran sighed. “Then what do you want?”

Helan Mianmian pointed to her face. “You kiss it, and it won’t hurt anymore.”

“Nonsense!” Cen Ran reprimanded her, seemingly truly angry.

“Sister Cen Ran, you are so fierce.” Helan Mianmian’s beautiful large eyes immediately welled up with moisture, looking so pitiful as if tears would fall in the next second. “Before, when I fell and hurt my face, my mother would kiss me, and my father would kiss me too…”

Her voice even caught with a sob as she spoke.

“Alright. What exactly do you want?” Cen Ran compromised, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe Helan Mianmian’s eyes.

“Sister, hug me,” Helan Mianmian pouted.

Cen Ran could not resist a child’s begging, especially from such a beautiful little doll, as adorable as a white, fluffy rice dumpling. So she bent down and picked Helan Mianmian up. Since she was already sitting on the side of the bed, she placed Helan Mianmian on her lap and held her close.

The child’s body was soft and carried the sweet, sugary scent that children preferred. Cen Ran habitually stroked her back, then suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Ning Songwu.

At some point, Ning Songwu had already fallen asleep.

When Ran Fanyin arrived at the Sword-Casting Pool, Jiang Yue was not merely leaving a small door crack for her, unlike the past when he was reluctant to leave the pool himself. This time, Jiang Yue was waiting early by the stone gate, holding a blue-and-white paper umbrella for her, with one hand behind his back, his expression gentle and refined. Seeing the thin layer of snow on the umbrella’s surface, he must have been waiting for some time.

“You came quickly. Come in,” Jiang Yue nodded to her, leading her inside.

Ran Fanyin closed her umbrella and walked in with Jiang Yue. Jiang Yue’s gaze fell on Ran Fanyin’s wrist, and seeing that the bandages had yellowed slightly and the edges were frayed, he couldn’t help but frown. “How long has it been since you changed the dressing on your wound?”

Ran Fanyin replied faintly, “A few days. It’s nothing.”

“I have medicine here. Sit down, and I’ll change it for you.” Jiang Yue brought out a tray of medical supplies, gesturing for Ran Fanyin to come over to treat the wound.

“Did Luo Sheng say that Senior Brother had something important to discuss?” Ran Fanyin asked while watching Jiang Yue unwrap her bandages.

“How many days has it been since you and Senior Brother Cheng Yunhuan left Beifa?” Jiang Yue suddenly asked.

Ran Fanyin thought carefully. “It has been half a month.”

“Yes, half a month. Such a long time,” Jiang Yue murmured.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

“There’s something suspicious about the Fentian Sect’s attack on Yushui Pass and Luo City,” Jiang Yue said with a solemn expression.

Ran Fanyin was puzzled. “Why do you say that?”

“…It’s my fault, I was negligent.” Jiang Yue paused, lowering his voice. “During the days you were away, Master was poisoned by the Yellow Spring Gu!”

Once infected with this Gu, there is no cure unless the Mother Gu is destroyed. Many martial artists have died from this Gu because it is so difficult to detect when contracted. By the time it is noticed, the Gu poison has already entered the bloodstream.

This overbearing poison, which kills without a trace, belongs only to the Fentian Sect. Back then, Lin Yuxue’s mother, the wife of the Luanhua Valley Master, died from this very Gu.

Ran Fanyin’s expression instantly changed. “What?! How could Master… Impossible! How could anyone from the Fentian Sect reach Beifa?”

“That’s why I said there’s something suspicious about the Yushui Pass incident!” Jiang Yue looked angry. “I suspect the Fentian Sect was using a feint. Perhaps Wen Jinglei deliberately showed himself earlier to cause panic in the Imperial Court, which then sent the three of us to Yushui Pass. Master constantly presides over the Main Hall of the Sect Master, which leaves many loopholes! Beifa has tens of thousands of disciples. Who knows when someone of unknown origin managed to infiltrate…”

Ran Fanyin considered this, and realized it must be true. “No wonder, in Luo City, the Fentian Sect’s Blazing Fire Banner only faced us from either side of the Yin-Yang Path, constantly delaying us without directly engaging. It was all a pretense!”

Jiang Yue nodded with a frown. “Exactly. Although I remained in Beifa, I spend all my days in the Sword-Casting Pool, unlike Senior Brother Cheng Yunhuan, who is always by Master’s side handling affairs. A few days ago, I went to the Main Hall and saw a strange look on Master’s face. Only then did Master tell me about this.”

“Yellow Spring Gu… Then how is Master?”

“Master has attained the Dao and is inherently long-lived; his constitution is different from ordinary people. Master only told me not to worry, that he could control it. But Master might be concealing something from me; he wouldn’t necessarily tell me if he were truly in trouble.”

Ran Fanyin lowered her eyes. “Then what should be done? If something were to happen to Master… what would become of Beifa?”

Jiang Yue looked toward the Sword-Casting Pool and sighed deeply. “Do you still remember the sword I’ve been forging all this time? Now that the sword is complete, it is time for it to see some blood.”

“Senior Brother means…?”

Jiang Yue nodded. “I must personally go to the Fentian Sect on the East Sea. How can I rest easy without destroying the Mother Gu?”

“Senior Brother, have you considered this carefully?”

“You know about seven years ago… you know how much Wen Jinglei hates us. Besides… Look at that pool. The sword you are refining is still unsettled there. Have you thought about how much responsibility rests on your shoulders?” Jiang Yue sighed.

Ran Fanyin said softly, “This is the duty of an Honored Lord. Senior Brother, how long will you be gone?”

“How can I know? It could be as quick as a day, or it could take a lifetime to retrieve. But rest assured, I will return as soon as possible. I have examined your sword carefully; it will take at least four more years to complete the refining. You will need to expend some effort looking after it. I’ve left a book on the precautions you need to take. You can read it when you have time.”

Ran Fanyin suddenly felt exhausted, burying her face in her hands. The cool, fresh scent of the new medicine on her hands permeated through the bandage.

She felt an unavoidable burden pressing heavily on her heart. She thought of the long and arduous journey from Luo City back to Beifa, the increasing burning pain of the wound on her wrist, and Ning Songwu’s small, intentional or unintentional movements to avoid her closeness.

A metallic taste rose in her throat, which Ran Fanyin forcefully suppressed. Her body needed rest, but she could not rest.