After My Thoughts Were Read, My Master Led Me to Change My Fate - Chapter 73

Jiang Yue executed light-foot skill (Qing Gong) all the way, holding the already weak and unconscious Ran Fanyin, reaching the Pill and Elixir Pavilion at the fastest possible speed. The junior disciple guarding the door, seeing the sight, rushed forward to inquire, “Venerable Jiang Yue, what happened to Venerable Ran Fanyin…?”

“Where is the Senior Disciple Brother?” Jiang Yue was desperate enough to grab the door-guarding disciple by the collar.

The disciple, frightened by Jiang Yue’s gaze, recoiled: “Venerable Cheng Yunhuan… Venerable Cheng Yunhuan is at the Main Sect Master Hall…”

“Go summon him immediately!” Jiang Yue exclaimed, then hastily carried Ran Fanyin into the Pill and Elixir Pavilion. He found a bed, carefully placed Ran Fanyin down, and rushed to rummage through the medicine cabinets.

Jiang Yue pulled out several bottles of Blood Replenishing Pills, poured them all out, and shoved them into Ran Fanyin’s mouth. He pinched her throat to help her swallow them.

Qing Muzi heard the commotion and put down what he was doing to rush over. He glanced at Ran Fanyin and said in astonishment, “What happened to Venerable Ran Fanyin? What injury did she suffer to lose so much blood!”

“Qing Muzi, you examine her first. I will find bandages to stop the bleeding on her wrist.” Jiang Yue’s cuffs and lapels were stained with large patches of Ran Fanyin’s blood. The bright red color against the white clothes was strikingly noticeable.

Qing Muzi stepped forward, pressed several major acupuncture points on Ran Fanyin’s body, and reached out to touch the side of her neck.

“How… could a dignified Venerable Lord end up like this…” Qing Muzi sighed, his hands busy helping Jiang Yue stop the bleeding and bandage Ran Fanyin’s wounds.

Jiang Yue then transmitted a large amount of vital energy (Zhenqi) to Ran Fanyin, but her complexion remained deathly pale.

Cheng Yunhuan arrived very quickly at this moment. He, who was usually solemn, showed a rare look of panic. He strode to the bedside, took out a bottle of medicine, poured out two white pills, and placed them into Ran Fanyin’s mouth.

“Jiang Yue! How did you look after Ran Fanyin!” Cheng Yunhuan roared at Jiang Yue.

“It is my fault… it is my fault…” Jiang Yue said guiltily. Chen Siting felt extremely confused. She believed she had only dealt with some wicked people. The present was different from the past; Chen Siting was no longer the mute girl who was bullied at will. She activated an illusionary technique and killed two disciples of the Lishui Sect.

Subsequently, the Lishui Sect sent more people. Chen Siting executed all of them. Each person killed claimed they were doing so for the sake of all living beings under heaven, to execute justice on behalf of the Heavens. Chen Siting felt intensely angry. When she was deeply in peril, no one came to save her. Now that she had finally exacted great vengeance, she was deemed someone everyone should execute.

“Does the Venerable still believe she is saving all living beings?”

Chen Siting supported herself against the stone wall. She looked at Ran Fanyin with a distorted expression, desperate for an answer from her.

Hearing this, Ning Songwu also became curious. She wanted to hear Ran Fanyin’s thoughts. She looked back, only to see Ran Fanyin lowering her head, seemingly lost in thought.

At the same time, Ning Songwu noticed that her body temperature was dropping rapidly, alarmingly low.

Ning Songwu thought, ‘This cheap Master is not going to kick the bucket right here, is she?’ ‘The number one fighting force of the Human Race is far too weak.’

Ning Songwu nudged Ran Fanyin with her shoulder and quietly called out twice: “Master? Master!”

Ran Fanyin made no reaction.

In Chen Siting’s eyes, this scene looked like Ran Fanyin was guilty and chose to evade the question.

Chen Siting gave a satisfied, mocking smile: “Admit it. You are all a bunch of hypocrites who pretend to be virtuous. All that talk about the world’s well-being and upholding justice is nonsense.”

Ran Fanyin still did not react. Ning Songwu’s hand, touching her hand, felt icy cold.

Putting aside the question of what was wrong with Ran Fanyin for now, Chen Siting’s current form was that of a young girl, but from her own account, Ning Songwu guessed she had died during childhood. Yet, she claimed to be a demon on the one hand and a vengeful ghost on the other.

Now that Ran Fanyin’s life status was unknown, Ning Songwu was also facing a fatal situation. Fortunately, this entity, neither demon nor ghost, was still wary of Ran Fanyin and had not stepped forward to check Ran Fanyin’s condition. Thus, Ning Songwu could still pretend to rely on her Master’s power for a while.

To satisfy her own curiosity, Ning Songwu directly asked: “Then, beautiful Senior, when did you pass away? And what caused your death?”

Chen Siting, who had been sneering, suddenly froze. A look of confusion appeared on her face. She was puzzled: “How did I die… I do not remember.”

A look of pain surfaced on Chen Siting’s face. She grabbed her hair, pulling and screaming with an unusually sharp voice: “How did I die! How did I die!”

During this time, her form continuously shifted: one moment a great beauty, the next a withered skeleton, looking extremely frightening.

Ning Songwu had not expected her seemingly random question to hit the mark. It seemed an opportunity to survive had appeared again. Since Ran Fanyin also seemed unwell, if she could escape from here, no one would force her to practice cultivation anymore. A human life was only a hundred years or so. Mount Cangjun could surely afford to support a good-for-nothing.

Ning Songwu felt a beautiful future glittering before her. As long as she overcame this hurdle, she would have a happy life afterward.

Ning Songwu decided to throw out all her questions, stimulating Chen Siting: “Then, Senior, are you a demon or a ghost?”

Chen Siting completely ignored Ning Songwu. She was still fixated on the previous question. Perhaps the pain was too much. Chen Siting smashed her head against the stone wall, leaving herself bloody.

Ning Songwu noticed that Chen Siting had a physical body, making her seem more like a demon.

“Senior has not answered my question. Are you a human or a demon? If what you say is true, we can also go to the Lishui Sect to demand an explanation for you. May I ask your mother’s name?”

Chen Siting suddenly stopped. Another voice abruptly inserted itself into her mind. That voice told her that she was a demon.

Strangely, Chen Siting no longer felt a headache, but she still could not recall the specific details of her death. Even her mother’s name was very vague.

Before she could contemplate further, the voice in her mind rang out again, carrying a thick seductive tone: “Do not think about it. Forget it.”

Chen Siting’s eyes were dull. She emotionlessly repeated: “Do not think about it. Must forget.”

Ning Songwu found it increasingly strange. She could not help but speak again: “Has the Senior figured it out?”

Chen Siting slowly got up, supporting herself against the wall. She waved her hand and healed the wound on her head. Then, she walked step by step toward Ran Fanyin and Ning Songwu. First, she crouched in front of Ran Fanyin and lifted Ran Fanyin’s head. She saw that her face was deathly pale, and she no longer had any signs of life.

“So, she is already dead. You had me worried for nothing.”

Chen Siting forcefully threw Ran Fanyin’s head, which limply turned to one side.

“You speak quite well for a little doll. You do not need to know if I am a demon or a ghost. In short, I am here to take your life.”

It had come to this point; Ning Songwu was no longer interested in pretending. She felt Chen Siting’s killing intent and knew she was doomed this time.

Ning Songwu was never afraid of death. She sneered twice: “What if you take my life? At least it is a better fate than yours.”

“The little one is quite arrogant. Too bad your Master died too early. I was hoping to torment her slowly.”

Chen Siting was very displeased that Ran Fanyin had died just like that.

Ning Songwu glared fiercely at Ran Fanyin behind her and cursed: “The strongest human, indeed. A useless thing.”

Chen Siting covered her mouth: “Won’t your Master be so angry she comes back to life? Never mind, you will meet her in the underworld very soon.”

Hearing this, Ning Songwu looked disgusted: “Who wants to meet her in the underworld?”

Chen Siting did not want to waste any more words with Ning Songwu. She curled her fingers into a claw and aimed for Ning Songwu’s cranial crown. Looking at the approaching ghostly claw, Ning Songwu suddenly stopped struggling. A wisp of crimson silently crept into the depths of her eyes.

In this moment of crisis, a loud rumbling suddenly came from outside the cave. The stone chamber shook violently along with the sound. Dust fell constantly. Chen Siting lost her balance and stopped her attack.

The crimson color in Ning Songwu’s eyes silently receded. She looked somewhat dazed, as if she had just woken up.

Chen Siting panicked. She shouted with forced authority: “Who is it! If you have the guts, come out!”

There was another loud crash. Accompanied by the stone chamber’s violent shaking, Chen Siting fell onto the ground. Shortly after, a hole opened above the stone chamber, and sunlight shone directly onto Chen Siting.

Chen Siting shielded her eyes with her hand and looked up. She saw one person standing in the place that had been violently breached. Her eyes widened in disbelief: “You are not dead!”

Ning Songwu, still confused, also looked up. Was not the blue-robed woman standing at the opening her cheap Master?

Ning Songwu suddenly snapped awake. Ran Fanyin had clearly been captured with her, and she was still tied up now. Ning Songwu looked behind her. The person behind her had not vanished.

Could Ran Fanyin possibly have a twin sister, or was it a form of body doubles spell?

Neither answer was correct. The Ran Fanyin who was captured was a puppet. The one standing at the entrance now was the real her.

Ran Fanyin had originally thought this mission would not be difficult, so she let the puppet bring Ning Songwu to give her some experience, to increase Ning Songwu’s interest in cultivation. At the same time, the puppet and the main body shared sensory perception, allowing Ran Fanyin to monitor the situation this way. However, the intelligence was wrong. This particular evil entity was somewhat tricky.

Nonetheless, Ning Songwu had not shown any abnormal behavior throughout the journey.

Ran Fanyin looked at the two astonished people in the cave. Her expression was normal. She flicked her sleeve, collecting the puppet into her spatial storage, and also pulled Ning Songwu up.

Ning Songwu belatedly realized she had been rescued, but her mood was complex. She did not know how much of the abusive remarks she had just made had been heard, and whether her persona as a perfect, filial apprentice could still be used.

“Master, I…”

“No need for further words.”

Ning Songwu obediently shut up.

Chen Siting tried to activate her illusionary technique to escape again. Ran Fanyin waved her hand and swatted her against the wall like a fly. Chen Siting then passed out.

Ning Songwu shivered, feeling as if the person swatted like a fly was herself.

Ran Fanyin did not choose to kill Chen Siting. She took out a white jade bottle and collected Chen Siting inside.

She carefully sensed the spiritual energy around the area. It was much sparser than in other places. Even after subduing Chen Siting, this place was still rampant with resentment, clearly indicating that the problem did not stem from her.

Ran Fanyin was not adept at pondering these kinds of things, so she prepared to hand the entire matter over to her Junior Disciple Brother.

The burden on her shoulder suddenly lessened, giving her a feeling of renewal. Ran Fanyin could not help but curl the corner of her mouth slightly. Her entire demeanor became a little softer.

However, Ning Songwu, watching this, felt cold sweat pouring down her back. She thought Ran Fanyin was sneering and was preparing to settle the score with her later.

Ran Fanyin turned around, seeing Ning Songwu’s terrified expression. She thought the child had been frightened by Chen Siting.

After thinking about it, she concluded that it was her own lack of foresight. Ran Fanyin’s voice remained cool but carried a hint of guilt: “This time, my considerations were incomplete.”

Ning Songwu was stunned for a moment before replying: “It is not Master’s fault.”

The girl’s voice was soft, and her lowered head made her look very obedient. Ran Fanyin wrongly believed that she was feeling somewhat wronged and did not dare to look at her, making her feel even more guilty. But she did not know how to handle this matter, so she could only stiffly untie the ropes wound around Ning Songwu and say, “Let us go back.”

After putting the ropes away, Ran Fanyin left by herself first. This place was ominously eerie. Since Ran Fanyin had left, Ning Songwu did not want to stay either. She stepped forward quickly and followed Ran Fanyin.

As she walked with her head lowered in thought, a cool sensation suddenly came from her palm. Ning Songwu looked up in surprise at the hand gripping hers. She then heard Ran Fanyin’s voice again: “Do not be afraid. I am here.”

This was like comforting a child, yet Ning Songwu’s height was similar to Ran Fanyin’s, only slightly shorter. Holding hands like this felt subtly different.

But Ning Songwu had no intention of letting go. She noticed that Ran Fanyin’s ears, hidden beneath her ink-black hair, had turned red. Ning Songwu found it amusing and was no longer averse to this kind of contact. Instead, she maintained a disposition of watching a good show.

“Having gone through this, what enlightenment have you gained?”

Ning Songwu looked innocent and harmless: “Master is so formidable. Being by Master’s side is the safest place.”

Ran Fanyin: ……

She suddenly tasted the feeling of being disappointed in a pupil’s failure to meet expectations. Still unwilling to give up, she asked again: “Nothing else?”

“Mmm, nothing else.”

After saying this, Ning Songwu felt Ran Fanyin’s grip on her hand tighten for an instant, suggesting she was angry.

She quickly tried to salvage the situation, blowing a few puffs of warm air onto Ran Fanyin’s hand, successfully turning Ran Fanyin’s face red as well.

Ning Songwu said with a hint of heartache: “Master’s hand is too cold.”

Ran Fanyin’s mind was a little chaotic. She wanted to pull her hand back but was afraid of hurting her apprentice’s feelings. She could only resort to avoidance, trying not to mind these things.

She lowered her eyes and said faintly, “Let us go. We will find your two Senior Sisters.”

Cheng Yunhuan exhaled a long breath and calmed himself down. He said seriously, “She has been weak and deficient in qi and blood for several years. Now, losing so much blood and vital energy all at once, her body was almost hollowed out, do you realize that? What exactly happened?”

“She… consecrated the sword… to forge a sword for Ning Songwu…” Jiang Yue said with difficulty.

“Nonsense! She is making such a fuss, and you let her! You have been forging swords for so many years. How dare you let her perform a sword consecration?!”

“It is my fault, Senior Disciple Brother,” Jiang Yue said in a low voice.

“Now, immediately transmit vital energy to her with me. We must first preserve her cultivation, otherwise, her lifespan will be greatly reduced.” Cheng Yunhuan fed Ran Fanyin a few more pills and began transferring energy to her along with Jiang Yue.

Ran Fanyin remained unconscious the entire time.

Cheng Yunhuan personally went to prepare medicine for Ran Fanyin. Jiang Yue went to the Hongfei Pavilion to notify Cen Ran, who was temporarily residing there.

Cen Ran, Helan Mianmian, and Ning Songwu were practicing swordsmanship in the small bamboo grove behind the disciples’ dormitory when they suddenly saw Jiang Yue appear, lightly splattered with blood. All three were startled.

Cen Ran stopped his sword and hastily asked, “Martial Uncle, what happened?”

“Go to the Pill and Elixir Pavilion immediately. Your Master… she… is severely injured,” Jiang Yue struggled to find the right words.

“What?!” Cen Ran was shocked. “How could Master…”

Ning Songwu trembled all over. The sword in her hand dropped to the ground. She took a step forward: “What did you say? Master… she…”

Jiang Yue looked at Ning Songwu with a complex expression and said, “Stop asking! Wait until your Master wakes up, and ask her yourself.”

“She… she is not awake yet…” Ning Songwu’s eyes instantly turned red. She felt as if her heart had been plunged into an ice cellar. Master, how could… how could this be…

Cen Ran looked at Ning Songwu, who had vanished in a blink, and shouted: “Ning Songwu!” After speaking, he also used light-foot skill to pursue her.

When Ning Songwu pushed open the wooden door of the Pill and Elixir Pavilion, Qing Muzi was tinkering with something near a medicine cabinet. Her gaze frantically searched and quickly found the white-robed woman on a bed in the corner.

Ran Fanyin’s eyes were tightly closed. Her left wrist hung limply off the side of the bed, wrapped in thick gauze. Her face was pale, without a trace of color. Her lips had lost their usual natural redness. Even her breathing was terrifyingly shallow, as if she were already dead.

This scene pierced Ning Songwu’s heart like a steel needle.

Ning Songwu dashed to the bedside. Her eyes were filled with tears of sorrow, but she dared not touch Ran Fanyin.

“Master… Master…” Ning Songwu murmured choked sobs.

Qing Muzi saw her, walked over with a handful of scattered medicinal herbs, and gently patted Ning Songwu’s shoulder: “Do not worry. Your Master is only overly weak. She will be fine after a period of proper rest. She will not die.”

“Why did Master suffer such a severe injury? What happened to her wrist?” Ning Songwu’s voice rose, sounding like an interrogation, her face smeared with tears.

“This… wait until she wakes up and ask her yourself,” Qing Muzi genuinely did not want to get involved, so he could only speak to Ning Songwu this way.

“Why is everyone telling me to ask her myself? Does Master’s injury have something to do with me?!”

“Cough cough…” Ran Fanyin, who had been perfectly still in the bed, suddenly gave a light cough.

Qing Muzi and Ning Songwu’s eyes instantly focused on Ran Fanyin. They saw Ran Fanyin’s body tremble slightly with the two light coughs. Then, her tightly closed eyes slowly opened a fraction, revealing those light brown pupils, clear like tea.

“Master…” Ning Songwu quickly called out.

“Cough… my injury… has nothing to do with you…” Ran Fanyin said very weakly and softly.

“Venerable Ran Fanyin…” Qing Muzi couldn’t help but say.

Ran Fanyin interrupted Qing Muzi: “Qing Muzi, please go out first. Guard the door and do not let anyone in for the time being… I have something I need to speak… speak with Ning Songwu alone.”

Qing Muzi sighed, but he could only follow Ran Fanyin’s instruction and left the room.

“Master, what do you need to say?” Ning Songwu sniffled, fiercely holding back her tears. She did not want to cry in front of her Master.

“You… how did you come here?”

“Martial Uncle Jiang Yue was telling Senior Sister Cen Ran at Hongfei Pavilion, and I overheard,” Ning Songwu said. She saw the white clothes Ran Fanyin was wearing were still stained with a lot of blood. “Master, your… your injury…”

“It is nothing. You do not need to worry.”

“…” Ning Songwu looked at Ran Fanyin’s weakly ill state, her pretense of strength, and her mouth still speaking comforting words to her. Tears flowed down her cheeks for a moment.

“Why… why are you crying…” Ran Fanyin’s voice was ethereal, like a wisp of lonely smoke.

“Because I care about Master. I love Master!” Ning Songwu could no longer suppress the emotions in her heart. There had never been a moment when she was so urgently compelled to speak. Ran Fanyin’s fragile appearance deeply wounded her heart. She was truly afraid that in the next moment, Master would close her eyes forever, and she would never be able to say these words.

“Ning Songwu… I love you too…” A tear slipped from Ran Fanyin’s eye, dampening the pillow. “You are my apprentice… my junior, my beloved apprentice…”

“No, it is not, it is not. My love for Master is not the way one loves an elder. I love Master, it is…”

“No… do not say it… You are only my junior, only my apprentice. I am your Master. I am your Master…” Ran Fanyin covered her eyes with the back of her right hand. She did not know why, but she intensely wanted to cry.

“Impossible, Master, impossible. How can you deceive me, and how can you deceive yourself?”

“Ning Songwu…” Ran Fanyin struggled to extend her right hand and touched the top of Ning Songwu’s head. “In my eyes… you will always be a child, always my junior…”

Ning Songwu seemed to suddenly erupt. She grabbed Ran Fanyin’s hand and pressed it to Ran Fanyin’s side. She flipped over, straddling Ran Fanyin, pinched Ran Fanyin’s chin, and forcefully kissed her.

If the last time had the excuse of being drunk, what about this time?

Ran Fanyin could no longer bear it. She struggled and dodged feebly, but it was completely useless.

Ning Songwu forcefully kissed Ran Fanyin while crying: “Master… I love you… I love you…”

Ran Fanyin suddenly used all her strength to violently push Ning Songwu away. She turned her face to the side of the bed and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. The dazzling red blood on the white bedsheet was harshly striking.

Ran Fanyin held the edge of the bed and coughed heavily. Blood overflowed onto her chin. The vital energy in her body was circulating chaotically, continuously impacting her meridians, causing her qi and blood to reverse, leading to endless vomiting of blood.

“Master… Master!” Ning Songwu was badly frightened. She quickly helped Ran Fanyin but did not know how to aid her.

“Cough cough… Ning Songwu, do you still remember what your Master said when I took you in…” Ran Fanyin’s bloodshot eyes stared intently at Ning Songwu.

“Master! … Do not speak anymore, you have vomited so much blood…” Ning Songwu picked up a towel from nearby and frantically wiped the terrifying amount of blood from Ran Fanyin.

“Your Master said… Respect your Master’s teachings, and do not defy your superior… If you… still do not turn back now, your Master will expel you, this rebellious apprentice… from the sect…”

“Master, I was wrong. I was wrong, it was my mistake! Please do not speak anymore. I will never defy you again. Do not expel me from the sect. Do not be angry… do not get angry and vomit blood because of me…” Ning Songwu cried tears all over her face. She saw the terrifying bloodstains crisscrossing Ran Fanyin’s white clothes, which usually remained untouched by a speck of dust. She suddenly hated herself. Why? Why? Everything she did was wrong!

Ran Fanyin bit her lip tightly. Her hand, holding the edge of the bed, trembled uncontrollably. She closed her eyes, and two lines of clear tears spilled down her pale cheeks.

Why do people cry?

Because they are heartbroken. Because they cannot obtain what they seek, because they cannot let go, because they held onto a desire and then lost it. That is why they cry.

Ran Fanyin, who once paid no mind to her own life and death, Ran Fanyin, who was too indifferent to shed a tear even when suffering excruciating pain, was crying now.