After My Thoughts Were Read, My Master Led Me to Change My Fate - Chapter 70

When Cang Min reached the cave entrance, she saw an exceptionally weak Ning Songwu kneeling in the deep snow, a layer of fresh snow having settled on her black hair and the collar of her white fur robe. She was no longer shouting; her body no longer permitted such an action.

Cen Ran and Jing Hu stood far away, their expressions indiscernible.

Cang Min sat down on the steps of the cave entrance, adjusted her collar, and said slowly, “It’s you, the one with the cinnabar mole on your brow. We’ve met.”

Ning Songwu slightly raised her head and looked at Cang Min. “It’s you… Senior Cang Min…”

“Tsk, it’s already dark, and the snow is falling quite heavily. Are you burning up? You look terrible.”

Ning Songwu shook her head, feeling only a dizzy ache in her mind. Her limbs, immersed in the snow, were already numb.

“I guess you won’t make it through tonight. A’yin doesn’t want you, why don’t you leave?”

“If… she didn’t like me, I would definitely leave…” Ning Songwu looked at Cang Min with feverish, red eyes. “But she likes me, so I absolutely cannot give up.”

“So you’re betting your own life to win her affection?” Cang Min reached out her hand, her fingertips touching the cinnabar mole on Ning Songwu’s brow. “But what if you really die? Since you are so convinced that she likes you, what if you die? What will she do?”

Ning Songwu replied in a deep voice, word by word, “I love her.”

“It’s no use. I advise you, go back. A’yin can’t get past the obstacle in her heart. Even if she likes you, she will never be with you.” Cang Min gently stroked Ning Songwu’s face with pity.

“I won’t leave. If she doesn’t leave, I won’t leave.” Ning Songwu’s voice was already extremely hoarse. Her eyes were fixed on the snow on the ground, her body like a faded, pathetic flower.

Cang Min withdrew her hand, propped up her chin, and stopped speaking. She merely gazed into the distance, as if waiting for someone.

“Senior Cang Min… what are you doing here?” Ning Songwu asked softly.

“Waiting for someone.”

“Waiting for… who?”

“An old friend.” Cang Min’s eyes softened. “I wait every day. It’s probably… been decades now.”

Ning Songwu clutched her chest, her brows tightly furrowed.

Cang Min fell silent again, no longer speaking to Ning Songwu.

After a long while, Ning Songwu spoke again, “Why doesn’t she come back?”

Cang Min curved her lips into a smile, lowered her head, and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “Because she loves me.”

“Why… why…”

“The dead are having the most peaceful and beautiful dreams, while the living are trapped in the most desperate, eternal solitude,” Cang Min said slowly.

Ning Songwu stopped asking. Her consciousness began to blur, unable to think clearly about any questions.

The frail figure in the snow-white fur robe was humbled to the dust, using all its strength to maintain the kneeling posture. The snow grew heavier.

Time dragged on until late at night.

Cang Min stood up, smoothed her robe, and turned to leave.

Ning Songwu remained kneeling.

Cang Min walked into the Huaxu Realm, blowing on her hands to warm them. In the pitch darkness, Ran Fanyin was still sitting upright, just as she had left her, like a statue.

“A’yin, go to sleep. It’s very late,” Cang Min said faintly.

Ran Fanyin looked up at her. “…How is she?”

Cang Min replied casually, as if nothing were amiss, “Your little disciple? Dead.”

Ran Fanyin’s body trembled. She stood up stiffly, articulating each word, “You’re lying to me.”

“Yes, I’m lying to you.” Cang Min said flatly, “But by tomorrow morning, I won’t be lying anymore.”

Ran Fanyin leaned on the table. In the darkness, her expression was invisible.

Ning Songwu felt her body had been pushed to its limit. The wound on her chest ached, almost tearing her ribcage apart. Her mind was foggy from the fever, and every movement required exhausting all her strength.

She knelt in the snow. The thick snow was nearly up to her thighs. Large, goose-feather-sized snowflakes swirled before her eyes, making her dizzy and nauseous.

Ning Songwu suddenly mustered the last breath in her body and screamed in anguish:

“Ran Fanyin!!! Ran Fanyin!!! You coward!!! You coward!!!”

Ning Songwu’s qi and blood surged upward. She spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, the intensely striking crimson splattering onto the bright white snow, sinking into a terrifying shape in the soft surface.

Ning Songwu felt all strength leave her body and collapsed softly into the snow.

Her eyes were half-closed, her gaze hazy and scattered. The cinnabar mole between her brows was covered by frost and snow, entirely devoid of life.

Ning Songwu’s consciousness gradually faded. Her mouth still mumbled, “Master… why don’t you want me… why don’t you want me…”

A pair of ink-jade-like eyes finally closed. The moment they shut, a line of tears spilled from the corner of her eye, melting into the snow, blending into the blood.

Why does everyone not want her?

She had originally thought that even if her parents didn’t want her, and the whole world didn’t want her, at least Master wanted her.

Now, Master didn’t want her either.

Jing Hu, who had been standing nearby and hadn’t rested, rushed over when he saw this. He embraced Ning Songwu, cradling her head. “Ning Songwu! Ning Songwu!”

The Huaxu Realm cave door opened simultaneously. Ran Fanyin, dressed in her long white crane-patterned robe, walked out stiffly, her expression restrained, her gaze fixed on the unconscious Ning Songwu.

Jing Hu’s eyes stung with unshed tears. He held the Ning Songwu in his arms tightly. “Aunt Ran Fanyin, have you finally come out?”

In the heavy snow, the image of the tall, handsome man holding the exquisite, weak woman in the snow was as beautiful as a painting, inviting admiration.

This kind of affection is the right one.

A Master and a disciple being together, and both being women—that is completely and utterly wrong.

After a moment, the decision Ran Fanyin made felt like a dagger piercing her heart. She closed her clear-tea-like eyes, every word she uttered a needle plunging into her own spirit:

“Will you… take good care of her?”

Jing Hu looked at Ran Fanyin in disbelief. Why, why was Aunt Ran Fanyin still so cold-hearted when Ning Songwu had gone this far! Ning Songwu is a woman, a fragile woman who needs kindness and pity. Why should she endure so much suffering?

Jing Hu gave a cold laugh. He lifted Ning Songwu into a princess carry and looked intently at Ran Fanyin:

“I will marry her.”

With that, Jing Hu, holding Ning Songwu, turned and walked away resolutely.

Ran Fanyin leaned against the Huaxu Realm cave entrance, covering her mouth, sobbing uncontrollably.

She had never understood her own heart as clearly as she did at this moment.

She loved Ning Songwu.

Because she loved her, she took care of her for ten years.

Because she loved her, she spent seven years, even sacrificing her own blood to forge a sword for her.

Because she loved her, every time she touched her, she would have the urge to cry.

Because she loved her, she placed her in the most precious spot in her heart.

Because she loved her, she desperately wanted to bear all her sickness and pain.

Because she loved her, she initiated the kiss.

She wanted Ning Songwu to stay by her side forever.

She absolutely could not tolerate Ning Songwu being possessed by anyone else, absolutely could not tolerate it.

Cang Min’s words flashed through her mind:

“What limits you is not moral ethics, not the Master-disciple relationship, not violating the Yin and Yang—it is your own heart.”

It is my own heart.

The most scorching, dazzling cinnabar mole in the center of her brows, which hadn’t changed in ten years in her memory, burned her eyes like a flame.

Ran Fanyin flicked her sleeve, flew to catch up with Jing Hu, and, amidst the heavy snow, blocked his path.

Her gaze was burning, fixed intently on Ning Songwu’s pale cheeks. She said sternly, “Give her to me.”

Jing Hu was surprised. “…But…”

Ran Fanyin swiftly cut him off. “I regret it.”

Jing Hu’s hand trembled.

Ran Fanyin’s sharp gaze swept over Jing Hu:

“Give her back to me.”

Jing Hu refused. “Since you don’t love her, why…”

“I love her.” Ran Fanyin reached out her hand, her tone utterly resolute, as if speaking an eternal vow she would never break. “I love her. Give her to me.”

In the swirling snow, the transcendent woman in white stood before the tall, handsome man, saying this to the beautiful, unconscious woman in his arms.

I love you.

Ning Songwu only felt that her head and chest ached intolerably. The sound of the wind whistled past her ears, and some voices kept speaking to her, but she couldn’t make out anything. She didn’t even know when she had lost consciousness.

But since she had passed out in Ran Fanyin’s arms, she felt somewhat at peace.

In her unconscious sleep, she saw nothing but darkness, yet many voices encircled her, calling out nothing but one name:

A’luo.

A’luo… A’luo… A’luo… A’luo…

It was like chanting a sutra, or an incessant curse, giving her a splitting headache.

Why are they calling her that name?!

Dimly, she seemed to see Master’s shadow, dressed in white, sitting upright across from her, her gaze light and serene.

She was about to be delighted, wanting to hear that incredibly familiar call, “Ning Songwu,” from Ran Fanyin’s mouth, like grabbing a life raft.

But Ran Fanyin turned her head, looked at her softly, and whispered, as if repeating someone else’s words:

“A’luo.”

Why…

Why… why…

She instinctively wanted to struggle, but a hand tightly held hers, held it very tightly, as if clutching the most precious treasure in the world, making her heart slowly settle down, as if her heart was flowing into the other person’s through that hand.

A faint, clear voice seemed to drift into her ear, forcefully pulling back her sinking consciousness:

“Why is her nose bleeding constantly? Why… why is there so much…”

“Don’t panic. This is caused by internal qi imbalance, where the qi and blood conflict.”

“What exactly is wrong with her? Why did her wound suddenly relapse?”

Ning Songwu struggled to open her eyes and move her fingers to look at Ran Fanyin, but she had no strength in her body.

“…Internal qi exploded, tearing open the wound from the inside…”

“Internal qi explosion?”

“She already had some issues with her body, but they were deeply hidden before and couldn’t be detected… I don’t know what the problem is. It seems to be residual damage from a formation. I can’t figure it out alone. We need to find someone with more refined medical skills.”

“Is it life-threatening?”

“Temporarily unknown.”

“Internal qi explosion… Could it be that the tendons in her hands when she was a child weren’t severed, but…”

Ning Songwu heard vaguely, many words were unclear, but the four words internal qi explosion were heard loud and clear.

Her mind was still very confused, unable to grasp a single thread of logic.

After an unknown period, someone sat on the edge of the bed beside her, lifting her head slightly. Then, the rim of a cup was pressed against her lips. The person’s other hand pinched an acupoint on her neck, helping her swallow the water.

“Cough, cough…” She choked on the water, her body convulsing a few times. Thanks to this precious water, she finally had enough strength to barely open her eyes.

She was lying on a very large bed. Light blue curtains hung around the bed. There was also a round table and several round stools in the room. She thought carefully; it should be her own room in the inn.

A cup was held in front of her. The hand holding the cup was particularly familiar. This familiar scene felt like it had just happened recently. The fair, beautiful wrist faintly revealed a dark red scar, like a cluster of red plum blossoms falling onto the white snow of winter, exquisite and pitiable.

Ran Fanyin’s clear, cold voice was close to her ear, like a wisp of fine wind sweeping across a lake in the spring of Jiangnan: “You’re awake?”

“Mm… Master.” Ning Songwu smiled faintly with her pale face. Her soft, weak appearance, leaning against Ran Fanyin, was exceptionally endearing, like an injured fawn.

Ran Fanyin put the water aside, took out a cloth to wipe the water stains from Ning Songwu’s mouth, her voice still devoid of emotion: “You were very disobedient this time.”

Ning Songwu lowered her head and held Ran Fanyin’s fingers. “You were too.”

“…I am different from you.”

Ning Songwu laughed softly, then whispered, “Are they… still alive?”

“They are all alive, and living well. Except for you.”

“I am… fine too…” Ning Songwu said bitterly.

Ran Fanyin hugged Ning Songwu tightly from behind, resting her chin on Ning Songwu’s shoulder. Their similarly warm side profiles rubbed against each other. “I told you, I love cleanliness very much. When others touch my things, I am very displeased.”

“But if you encounter danger next time… you must leave first…” Ning Songwu’s voice trembled slightly.

“Enough.” Ran Fanyin’s voice instantly turned cold. She released Ning Songwu, gently placed her flat on the bed, and walked away with a cold expression.

Ning Songwu’s eyes smarted. This was the second time she had heard Master say, Enough.

Ran Fanyin stopped at the threshold, turned her head slightly, and looked as if she wanted to speak but stopped herself.

“I was wrong, Master,” Ning Songwu said softly.

The air was silent for a moment.

“…I thought you were really going to die just now.” Ran Fanyin’s voice was faint, yet inexplicably carried a heartbreaking sadness. “You bled a lot, so much blood. I couldn’t stop it. You are always like this, making me very afraid—afraid that you are about to die.”

“I’m sorry…” Ning Songwu’s eyes welled up with bitterness.

“I never knew before what it felt like to be anxious and fearful,” Ran Fanyin’s voice was deep, seemingly merging into the night.

“Are you very angry?” Ning Songwu’s voice was very soft, her gaze fixed on Ran Fanyin.

“Yes, very angry. More angry than when other people touch you.” Ran Fanyin turned back. There was an extremely faint sadness accumulating in her eyes. Ning Songwu had never seen this expression on Ran Fanyin’s face before, and it made her panic.

“Then what should I do for you to forgive me?”

“…I don’t know.” Ran Fanyin turned back, paused, and then finally stepped out of the room.

Ning Songwu clenched her right fist, then released it powerlessly.

Ran Fanyin, her expression reserved, descended the stairs and walked to the inn’s backyard. It was the middle of the night on the following day. The sky was dark and devoid of stars and moon.

A very bizarre scene was unfolding in the backyard.

Wu Ji was holding the headless body of Wu Ming, which he had retrieved, and fiddling with something at Wu Ming’s neck. Wu Gong was holding Wu Ming’s head, yawning while watching Wu Ji work.

Ran Fanyin understood immediately. When Wu Ming’s head flew off, not a single drop of blood splattered. Combined with Wu Ming’s usual silence and his strangely flat, monotone voice, she had guessed that Wu Ming was actually a mechanical automaton.

The engineering skill of Luanhua Valley was indeed terrifying.

“Honored Lord Ran Fanyin, you’ve arrived,” Wu Ji slightly nodded to Ran Fanyin.

“Is the repair going well?” Ran Fanyin asked casually as she walked.

“It’s nothing, a small issue. It was a thread-gu worm set by that woman. It was very potent and literally choked off Wu Ming’s neck. We can even fix Wu Ming when his body is torn in half,” Wu Ji said these horrifying words with an unusually calm expression.

“Where is Lin Yuxue?”

“The Young Valley Master is in the kitchen.”

Ran Fanyin nodded. She was on her way to the kitchen anyway and would coincidentally run into Lin Yuxue.

The Gu (worm poison) that Lin Yuxue had been afflicted with was only a temporary consciousness-loss one. She had recovered after taking medicine and, after checking Ning Songwu’s wounds, had now energetically gone off to the kitchen.

When Ran Fanyin entered the kitchen, Lin Yuxue had her back to her, stirring something in a pot. The half-face white jade mask, with its long tassels, was tied to the sash at her waist.

“Lin Yuxue, what are you making?” Ran Fanyin asked softly.

Lin Yuxue quickly turned around and smiled. “Ning Songwu has been unconscious all day, and you… none of you have eaten much. I came to cook some food. Anyway, I’m just idling.”

“She’s awake now,” Ran Fanyin walked over, looking at the contents of Lin Yuxue’s pot. “She must be hungry.”

“That’s perfect. My dish is almost ready to be served.”

“What you’re cooking is still not bland enough,” Ran Fanyin said faintly. “I’ll do it myself.”

Lin Yuxue looked at Ran Fanyin’s serious profile in some surprise and nodded blankly.

Ran Fanyin picked up an egg, her gaze coolly fixed on it. She looked at it for a long time, but made no move.

“…Ran Fanyin?” Lin Yuxue cautiously called out to her.

Ran Fanyin glanced at Lin Yuxue, pointing at the pot in front of them. “How do I do this?”

Her tone was so flat that it was impossible to tell it was a question.

Lin Yuxue couldn’t help but chuckle. “From your words, I thought you were skilled in the kitchen and was surprised that you, the esteemed Lord, would engage in cooking.”

“It’s normal not to know how to cook, so I am asking you how to do it,” Ran Fanyin said earnestly, holding the egg.