After My Thoughts Were Read, My Master Led Me to Change My Fate - Chapter 80

Ning Songwu sat properly in front of the dressing mirror, curiously examining herself in the glass and Ran Fanyin standing behind her. Ran Fanyin held a wooden comb, gently stroking Ning Songwu’s hair. Her snowy-white sleeves were rolled up a few turns and secured at the elbow, revealing a segment of her perfectly curved, fair forearm. A hair tie was fastened around her slender, jade-white wrist.

Ning Songwu was unaccustomed to having maidservants dress or comb her hair. Therefore, Ran Fanyin learned these simple tasks from the maidservants and personally came to fasten Ning Songwu’s hair. Though she had lived a life of comfort on Mount Bei Fa for so many years, she had never meticulously cared for another person this way.

After her hair was done, Ning Songwu habitually turned around, meeting Ran Fanyin’s eyes—which were as cool and indifferent as the color of pine tea (songcha)—and her small hand took Ran Fanyin’s right hand. Ran Fanyin had wielded a sword for many years, so the tiger’s mouth (the web between thumb and forefinger) and the outside of her index finger had a thin layer of calluses, which surprisingly felt pleasant to the touch.

Ran Fanyin produced the solidified ring-shaped Flowing Jade. The originally pristine white jade had incorporated her blood, turning it a translucent red. The small, beautiful piece of jade was strung on a black cord and hung around Ning Songwu’s neck, making the child appear even more delicate and sculpted.

The moment the blood-red jade stone touched her skin, Ning Songwu felt something stirring in her mind, only to gently melt away. The Flowing Jade emitted a soft warmth and contained a drop of Ran Fanyin’s blood sealed within it.

“Shi… Shi…” Ning Songwu looked earnestly at Ran Fanyin, struggling to vocalize the syllables.

Ran Fanyin was slightly startled to hear Ning Songwu speak for the first time and concentrated on discerning what she was trying to say.

“Shi… Shi… Fu…” Ning Songwu articulated the two characters with great difficulty, and then broke into a silly smile.

In truth, she didn’t understand the meaning of these two words, just as she didn’t know the meaning of the two characters that made up the name Ning Songwu. However, she knew that Ning Songwu was calling out to her. She had simply heard Luo Sheng and Cen Ran address Ran Fanyin this way and wished to speak Ran Fanyin’s name as well.

Ran Fanyin’s mind was blank for a brief moment. Ning Songwu’s soft, tender, and childish voice calling out those two words flowed slowly into her heart, like the warm water of spring, gently striking her consciousness.

She didn’t know what to say at that moment. Instead, she gently pulled Ning Songwu into her embrace, her hand lightly stroking Ning Songwu’s back.

Cen Ran happened to walk in: “Ning Songwu, are you awake… Shizun! You…”

Ran Fanyin turned her head to look at Cen Ran upon hearing the voice: “What is it?”

Cen Ran pouted, looking slightly wronged: “Shizun, are you seriously hugging Ning Songwu like that? Brother Zisheng and I have been disciples under you for so long, and you’ve never held us that way.”

“Ning Songwu just spoke. She called me ‘Shifu’ (Master/Teacher),” Ran Fanyin said, mentioning the matter. Her eyes, like ice and snow at the first thaw, unconsciously flowed with traces of tenderness.

Ning Songwu smiled mischievously, suddenly jumped up, wrapped her arms around Ran Fanyin’s neck, and buried her little head into her, rubbing vigorously. She truly liked this person very much. Ran Fanyin’s scent of plum blossoms and the warmth of her neck made Ning Songwu reluctant to let go.

“It seems we can slowly teach her to write and practice the sword now…” Cen Ran laughed. Zhen Qi Sect had initially planned a banquet to host Ran Fanyin and the others, but it was politely declined. The reason, of course, was that Ran Fanyin preferred quietude. She liked to speak plainly and disliked unnecessary socializing.

The people of Zhen Qi Sect were quite sensible and summarized the sequence of events concisely.

This array had been discovered before the one in Wan Jia Village, but Zhen Qi Sect specialized in arrays and artifact forging. Since this array was new, no record of it could be found in ancient texts.

Its formidable power further intensified the research interest of all the array masters in Zhen Qi. Hence, they had not sought assistance from Cang Jun Mountain, reasoning that the Lord of Cang Jun Mountain was primarily a sword cultivator and might not be able to help.

However, the array masters could not find a way to crack it. Furthermore, the range over which the array consumed spiritual energy was gradually expanding. After the same kind of array appeared in Wan Jia Village, the rate of consumption accelerated even more.

Just as everyone was becoming frantic, they received an invitation from Cang Jun Mountain. The matter of Venerable Qing Shuang accepting a disciple was, of course, no small matter. What intrigued them even more was that this Ning Songwu possessed a living Spirit-Devouring Body.

Therefore, they seized the opportunity of the master-disciple ceremony to discuss this matter with Cen Ran.

For some reason, He Lan Mianmian kept staring at Ran Fanyin all along the journey. Ran Fanyin seemed to be deep in thought and didn’t notice, but Ning Songwu’s entire focus was on her Shifu. She was certainly aware of He Lan Mianmian’s “wolfish and tiger-like” gaze.

Infinite displeasure surged in Ning Songwu’s heart. She glared fiercely at him, causing He Lan Mianmian to nervously touch his nose and turn his head, daring not to look again.

Ning Songwu thought: This fellow couldn’t possibly want to become my Junior Brother, could he? But doesn’t he already have a master? Fickle and shameless!

But if he doesn’t want to be my Junior Brother… could he perhaps want to be my Shifu, and then the ‘tender ox’ will try to eat the ‘old grass’?

Ning Songwu’s sense of crisis suddenly spiked. She decided she must keep a close watch on her Shifu, lest some ‘tender ox’ covet her ‘old grass’.

Sensing her disciple’s sudden tension, Ran Fanyin snapped out of her thoughts: “What’s wrong?”

Ning Songwu certainly couldn’t voice this concern. She admitted that she possessed some possessiveness, and the thought that her Shifu might not be solely her Shifu was somewhat unbearable.

Ning Songwu couldn’t understand why she was so petty. If others found out, they would surely laugh at her.

Thus, Ning Songwu smiled and said, “Nothing, Shifu. I’m just afraid I won’t be able to do well and will fail to meet Shifu’s expectations.”

Ning Songwu was quite the expert at lying, and deceiving a Shifu who was inexperienced in worldly affairs was no problem at all.

Ran Fanyin reached out and lightly stroked Ning Songwu’s head—a small gesture she used to express care: “No need to worry. If it doesn’t work out, there’s no need to force it.”

Ning Songwu stuck out her tongue, looking utterly playful: “Yes, Shifu.”

As the two were speaking, He Lan Mianmian secretly glanced over again, only to be glared back by Ning Songwu.

He Lan Mianmian felt uneasy inside, only thinking that Venerable Qing Shuang’s disciple was a little too fierce. However, he felt a strange familiarity about Venerable Qing Shuang herself.

The feeling was not strong that day during the master-disciple ceremony because they were too far away. Now that they were closer, this strange feeling was very apparent.

The further they went, the sparser the spiritual energy became. For safety, everyone dismounted their flying swords and continued on foot.

They traveled through the forest. The trees went from vibrant green to withered yellow, and at the very edge, only dead trees remained.

Stepping out of the forest, the group arrived at their destination. Ahead stood a city. The city was bustling with people, and soldiers guarded the gate, making it appear perfectly normal.

Above the city gate hung a plaque with the three bold and flowing characters: “Jing Guang City.”

He Lan Mianmian didn’t explain. Instead, he took several spirit stones from his storage ring and, under the puzzled gazes of the group, began to set up an array.

He arranged the spirit stones into an inverted pentagon, then added another stone in the center. A small-scale dispersion array was complete.

A sudden gust of wind rose from the flat ground, causing everyone except Ran Fanyin to squint their eyes.

When they opened them again, Jing Guang City was nowhere near a bustling scene. Just like Wan Jia Village, the city was filled with resentment, even more so here. Roaring sounds emanated from the black mist, chilling them to the bone.

Lin Yuxue felt a degree of admiration for He Lan Mianmian. She enjoyed reading miscellaneous books, and the technique he just used should be ‘breaking array with array.’

Ran Fanyin wouldn’t have understood these things, yet she also hadn’t been fooled by the surrounding illusion.

Gazing at the dilapidated city gate, Ran Fanyin led the way in.

Seeing her Shifu enter, Ning Songwu quickly followed, and then the rest of the group entered the city together.

Upon entering, Ran Fanyin felt uncomfortable. This array was more mature than the last one. Since entering, the voices of resentful spirits kept ringing in her mind.

He Lan Mianmian, being physically weaker, fell to the back. Gasping for breath, he caught up to the others and then slipped a spirit stone to each of them.

Seeing him slip something into her Shifu’s hand, a little jealousy flared up in Ning Songwu’s heart. But then He Lan Mianmian gave the same spirit stones to her and her two Senior Sisters, and her mood suddenly improved.

It looks like he’s not trying to curry favor with Shifu, but that this stone has some use.

Indeed, the chaotic voices in her head were gone.

Just as Ning Songwu had that thought, the spirit stone in her hand turned into powder.

Ning Songwu: “…”

She suspected He Lan Mianmian was getting revenge for the glares she had given him.

He Lan Mianmian’s eyes lit up: “Immortal Ning’s Spirit-Devouring Body is truly impressive! The array’s speed of absorbing spiritual energy can’t keep up with yours. I even carved a Spirit-Locking Array on the stones, and they couldn’t be preserved.”

Ning Songwu did not want this kind of talent. She felt her cultivation base had increased slightly again.

Is there really no side effect? It feels a little too heaven-defying.

The noisy voices of the resentful spirits rang out in her mind again. Although they dared not approach, they were attempting to drive Ning Songwu out of the array using this method.

Ning Songwu couldn’t help but frown and rub her temple.

Seeing Ning Songwu look as though she had a headache, Ran Fanyin asked He Lan Mianmian: “How can her suffering be alleviated?”

“She simply needs to not focus her attention on the spirit stone in her hand. It’s just that I only prepared these five pieces.”

The implication was that there were no spares. Without a word, Ran Fanyin handed her own spirit stone to Ning Songwu: “Listen to him, don’t focus on the object in your hand.”

Ning Songwu nodded. Her attention was now on her Shifu, and the spirit stone was naturally ignored.

Having dealt with this small interruption, the group continued toward the center of the array. The deeper they moved, the denser the fog became, and the more numerous and stronger the resentful spirits were. Ran Fanyin attempted to disperse the mist, only to find that her spiritual energy was absorbed by the array as soon as it was released.

It seemed that the array in Wan Jia Village was incomplete, and this one was the finished version.

The spiritual energy absorbed from the outside world nurtured these vengeful ghosts and roaming corpses. No one dared to use spiritual energy again, lest they invite greater disaster.

Ran Fanyin sent a roaming corpse flying with a palm strike. She looked at her hand: “This roaming corpse’s power has reached the Nascent Soul realm.”

Everyone’s expressions changed simultaneously. This was not even the innermost area yet.

Suddenly, a flute sound emerged from the dense fog—the sound was mournful and plaintive.

Ran Fanyin looked in the direction of the flute with disbelief: “Did anyone hear a flute sound?”

Seeing Ran Fanyin’s panicked expression, Ning Songwu, who hadn’t heard any flute sound, was about to answer when she was suddenly struck by a headache. Bells rang incessantly in her ears, making her head spin.

When Ran Fanyin received no answer, she looked behind her, but the figures of the group were gone. Yet, the flute sound persisted, and a familiar figure gradually appeared before her.

She clearly felt that this was not an illusion. That person was truly present.

Ran Fanyin looked at the person with the gentle face ahead of her, a thousand thoughts tangled in her heart. Finally, she only said, with a hint of grievance: “Shifu.”

A maidservant suddenly hurried in and said to Ran Fanyin: “Revered One, Revered One Jiang Yue is here to see you.”

Hearing the name Jiang Yue, Ran Fanyin felt as though she had forgotten something, but she couldn’t recall what it was. She simply took Ning Songwu’s hand and went to the front hall together.

Jiang Yue was seated at the table, holding a cup of pine tea (songcha). His fingertip held the cup lid, gently scraping the rim of the cup. He slowly blew away the floating tea leaves on the surface and took a sip.

Ran Fanyin entered, leading Ning Songwu. Jiang Yue saw Ning Songwu and flashed his characteristic refined smile: “Is this your newly accepted disciple? This is the first time I’ve seen her today.”

Ran Fanyin nodded and asked, “What brings Senior Brother all the way to Rong Ku Pavilion?”

“Can I not come to chat with my Junior Sister unless there’s a matter?” Jiang Yue looked at Ran Fanyin tenderly, his eyes full of doting affection. “You haven’t left Rong Ku Pavilion for over a month. You were supposed to go to the Sect Leader’s main hall for instruction some days ago. Did you forget that, too?”

Ran Fanyin felt as though a lightbulb had gone off. No wonder she kept feeling she had forgotten something! She had been completely preoccupied with caring for Ning Songwu in Rong Ku Pavilion and had actually forgotten the monthly master-disciple cultivation session in the Sect Leader’s main hall. Ran Fanyin felt a momentary flush of embarrassment, though she didn’t show it on her face: “I forgot. Is Shizun angry?”

“Is Shizun the type of person to get angry easily?” Jiang Yue chuckled softly. This little Junior Sister—her temperament had remained so cool and detached for so many years. It was truly rare to see her seriously caring for someone.

Ning Songwu, having been ignored by Ran Fanyin for quite some time, had a thoroughly displeased, bright little face. She was very angry to see Jiang Yue looking at Ran Fanyin so gently. The crucial point was that Ran Fanyin spoke to Jiang Yue in a gentle manner, just as she spoke to Ning Songwu herself. It felt as if something that rightfully belonged only to her was about to be divided.

Jiang Yue noticed Ning Songwu’s pouting expression. He walked over, bent down, and pinched Ning Songwu’s little cheek: “Ning Songwu? Why the bad mood?”

Ning Songwu wasn’t having any of Jiang Yue’s charm. She raised her little paw and swatted away the hand that touched her face. She disliked anyone other than Ran Fanyin pinching her cheek!

Ran Fanyin frowned: “Ning Songwu, don’t be rude! He is your Martial Senior Brother.”

Although Ning Songwu didn’t quite understand what Ran Fanyin was saying, she could certainly perceive the strict reprimand in her tone. Ning Songwu stared wide-eyed at Ran Fanyin in disbelief. In her memory, since she met Ran Fanyin, Ran Fanyin had never spoken such harsh words to her. Instantly, a film of water welled up in her round, dark eyes. Ning Songwu fiercely shook off Ran Fanyin’s hand and scampered out.

Jiang Yue was a bit awkward: “Haha… This child seems not to like me very much.”

Ran Fanyin didn’t take Ning Songwu’s emotions too seriously. She instructed the maidservants nearby to keep an eye on her, then teased Jiang Yue: “Senior Brother prides himself on being admired by all women, big or small. But you didn’t expect to incur the dislike of a small child, did you?”

“Ran Fanyin, since when do you make fun of me?” Jiang Yue smiled, shook his head, smoothed his robes, and turned to take his leave: “Well, I’ll see you another day. Don’t forget to go to the Sect Leader’s main hall next month.”

Ran Fanyin calmed down and reflected. Since she took Ning Songwu in, she had indeed neglected her cultivation. Previously, in Rong Ku Pavilion, apart from instructing Luo Sheng and Cen Ran in sword practice, she spent most of her time sitting in meditation in the back mountains, cultivating her mind and studying the Dao.

For over a month, Ning Songwu had become increasingly dependent on her. For a time, she had cast aside cultivation and spent her entire day with her disciples. Zisheng and Cen Ran spoiled Ning Songwu even more. It seemed… many things were different from before.

Ran Fanyin decided she could not continue to neglect her practice. She went alone to the back mountain, just as she used to.

She sat in meditation from day to night. Spiritual energy permeated the air. In this place of concentrated spiritual essence, sitting quietly in meditation and circulating her energy, time seemed to fly by so quickly—a whole day felt like the blink of an eye.

Meditation emphasizes a mind as still as water, allowing the blood vessels of the body to naturally blend and complement the heavens and earth. A person’s ‘turbid body’ (mortal coil) will age over time due to desires and distractions, but with a clear state of mind, exchanging the ‘five grains and turbid body’ for the Qi of the heavens and earth means that if the heavens and earth are endless, the self is likewise immortal.

When Ran Fanyin opened her eyes, the sky was completely dark. She estimated it was around midnight, and everyone in the palace should be asleep.

Ran Fanyin had intended to return directly to her sleeping quarters, but as she passed Ning Songwu’s room, she couldn’t help but stop. Looking through the window, the room was pitch black. Ning Songwu should be asleep.

She suddenly remembered that she hadn’t spent much time with the child all day. The last time she saw her, this morning, the child had run out in a huff. She wondered if Ning Songwu was still sulking now.

Ran Fanyin stepped into Ning Songwu’s room, wanting to see if she was sleeping peacefully. There were two maidservants keeping watch by the door, but both were leaning on the door frame, asleep. Ran Fanyin had no intention of waking them; she only wanted to glance at Ning Songwu and leave.

Unexpectedly, the quilt on the bed was strewn about, but no one was there.

Ran Fanyin acutely sensed that Ning Songwu’s aura was still within the room. She saw a small figure huddled in a dark corner of the wall, and her brow furrowed involuntarily.

“Why aren’t you sleeping? What are you doing here?” Ran Fanyin walked to Ning Songwu, squatted down, and touched Ning Songwu’s forehead.

Ning Songwu was curled up, hugging her knees, her posture as alert as it was back in the small Northern Border town. Seeing the wariness in her eyes, Ran Fanyin’s heart involuntarily clenched.

Ning Songwu turned her head away stubbornly, refusing to let Ran Fanyin touch her.

She was as gentle to someone else as she is to me today! When I ran away, she didn’t come to coax me. This afternoon, I planned to forgive her, but I couldn’t find her, and I was pinned down by Cen Ran and forcibly fed a big bowl of rice by Luo Sheng! I wanted her to feed me. I didn’t want to be fed so clumsily by Luo Sheng!

“What’s wrong? You were rude to Senior Brother Jiang Yue this morning, and now you won’t sleep properly tonight. Who bullied you?” Ran Fanyin thought hard but couldn’t figure out why Ning Songwu was acting so unusual.

Ran Fanyin grasped Ning Songwu’s hand. Ning Songwu struggled to pull it away, but Ran Fanyin tightened her grip, holding Ning Songwu’s small hand firmly. Ran Fanyin’s expression showed displeasure, and her eyes, like the color of pine tea (songcha), cooled by three degrees: “Stop this nonsense!”

Ning Songwu stared blankly at Ran Fanyin’s cold eyes. A wave of overwhelming grievance surged in her heart. Her eyes immediately turned red, and tears started to fall pat-pat-pat. She kept sobbing and whimpering, her whole body shaking.

Seeing this, Ran Fanyin’s displeasure vanished instantly. She sighed and picked Ning Songwu up, placing her on the bed: “I don’t know what kind of tantrum you’re throwing…”

Through teary eyes, Ning Songwu saw Ran Fanyin pulling out a white handkerchief to wipe her tears. Her mouth pursed, and with a flip, she leapt up and hugged Ran Fanyin’s neck, retaliating by wiping her snot and tears onto Ran Fanyin’s clean clothes. Ran Fanyin smiled wryly, feeling a surge of warmth flow through her heart. She enjoyed the closeness of this little imp. Ran Fanyin followed the motion, holding Ning Songwu’s back and gently patting her to soothe her.

“Shi… Fu… Shi… Shi…” Ning Songwu struggled to call out to Ran Fanyin.

“Mhm, I’m here. I’m here.”

Holding Ning Songwu, Ran Fanyin lay down on the bed as well. This wasn’t the first time she had slept holding the child. She decided to stay the night here.