After My Thoughts Were Read, My Master Led Me to Change My Fate - Chapter 82

Lin Yuxue was startled, then immediately followed Ran Fanyin, leaping out the window. What in the world was so urgent? Not only did she leave without packing, but she didn’t even use the front door—she just climbed out the window?

Ran Fanyin’s qinggong (light-body technique) was excellent. In the blink of an eye, she was reduced to a white speck. Lin Yuxue channeled all his internal energy to keep up, but at best, he could only keep Ran Fanyin within sight; he couldn’t catch up to her at all.

Cheng Yunhuan happened to return. His sharp eyes caught a fleeting glimpse of Ran Fanyin’s familiar figure. Thinking some abnormality had occurred or that people from Fen Tian Sect had appeared, he also followed suit.

“Ran Fanyin!” Cheng Yunhuan called out loudly.

Hearing the summons, Ran Fanyin had no choice but to stop, turning back with a frown.

Lin Yuxue also caught up, breathing slightly, though faintly panting.

“What happened? Why are you running? Why have you stopped now?”

Ran Fanyin was anxious in her heart, and her tone was cold: “I just received news from the sect that something has happened, and I must return first.”

Cheng Yunhuan said: “What matter has you so frantic? You must leave tonight?” Cheng Yunhuan paused, then lowered his voice slightly: “Is that matter more important than this one? I just led some disciples to scout the eastern side of the Yin Yang Path and discovered traces of Wen Jinglei!”

“What? Wen Jinglei is also in the city?” Lin Yuxue exclaimed.

“It is still unclear. If confirmed, things will become much more difficult. Ran Fanyin, do you still insist on leaving now?” Cheng Yunhuan looked at Ran Fanyin.

Ran Fanyin lowered her eyes, contemplating silently. The complex and tense situation in Luo City meant she should not leave without authorization, but how could the situation back in Bei Fa be delayed? Here in Luo City, she knew nothing. What had happened to Ning Songwu, what injuries she had sustained, how severe they were, whether she was awake or comatose—she was completely ignorant of it all.

After a long time, Ran Fanyin finally said softly: “Senior Brother, Ning Songwu is critically injured, her life is hanging by a thread. If I were to stay, and only return after a period of time, what would I do if I only saw her corpse?”

“Ning Songwu? Your little disciple?” Cheng Yunhuan sighed, “…Ran Fanyin, my position on this matter is different from yours. You must weigh the advantages and disadvantages yourself.”

Ran Fanyin lifted her pine-tea-colored eyes, which held a trace of apology, yet also an unshakeable resolve: “I apologize, Senior Brother. After I deal with the matter back there, I will return to Luo City as quickly as possible to continue assisting you.”

Cheng Yunhuan waved his sleeve, giving his tacit permission.

Lin Yuxue, however, pulled on Ran Fanyin’s sleeve and said: “No matter how urgent it is, you should still take some money, right? If you get tired from flying, buying a horse to ride will be more convenient.” Saying this, Lin Yuxue slipped some large-denomination silver notes into Ran Fanyin’s hand.

Ran Fanyin nodded: “Thank you.”

With that, she turned, pushed off the ground with her toe, and melted into the desolate night.

Ran Fanyin journeyed ceaselessly for several days, without rest day or night, constantly in a state of high concentration. She didn’t even take the time to change the dressing on her hand injury.

She hadn’t realized the distance from Bei Fa to Yu Shui Pass was so great when she first came. She had chosen the shortest route, yet it felt as though she would never reach the end.

Occasionally, on the road, she thought: So many days have passed. Perhaps Ning Songwu has already passed out of danger. Perhaps my returning or not is no longer so important. After all, how seriously could one be injured in Bei Fa? Moreover, she had faith in the Elixir Workshop’s medical skills.

But what if…

The journey that took seven days on the way here, she completed in only three days on the return. Even so, she still felt she had wasted a great deal of time. The closer she got to Bei Fa, the colder the weather became. Unlike the sheltered environment of the carriage when she came down the mountain, Ran Fanyin now watched firsthand as the ground transitioned from being covered in yellow leaves to mountains blanketed in heavy snow.

When Ran Fanyin arrived at the gate of Bei Fa Mountain, Luo Sheng had been waiting there for a long time. Cen Ran was still in Hong Fei Pavilion looking after Ning Songwu, so he had sent Luo Sheng to wait for Shifu at the gate. Luo Sheng had been doubtful at first, wondering if Shifu, who was busy with a vital matter, would return immediately. Cen Ran had told Luo Sheng with absolute certainty: “Just go wait at the mountain gate. In no more than five days, you will surely see Shifu.”

Indeed, it had only been three days, and Shifu had truly returned.

Ran Fanyin forcibly concealed her body’s fatigue. As she walked with Luo Sheng, she asked: “What exactly happened? How is Ning Songwu now?”

“She sustained rod injuries. She woke up once a few days ago, then fell back into a coma. The injuries are very severe. At their worst, her life was sustained entirely by the Flowing Jade. Now, thankfully, her life is no longer threatened, but…”

Ran Fanyin saw Luo Sheng hesitate and asked, “What is it?”

Luo Sheng sighed: “When she woke up, she only ate a little food. She didn’t say a single word. Her eyes were vacant, and she didn’t respond when called.”

“Was she hit on the head?” Ran Fanyin suddenly grew anxious.

“No. Perhaps a psychological shadow was left on her heart… Shifu, you returned in a hurry. Did you conclude the matter there?”

Ran Fanyin said softly: “It’s very troublesome. Senior Brother Cheng Yunhuan is in great danger. Go to the Sword Forging Pool, find Senior Brother Jiang Yue, and tell him that I have returned first, and that Wen Jinglei is currently in Luo City and the Vice Hall Master of the Raging Fire Banner is dead. He will understand what to do. Then, you find Senior Brother Cheng Yunhuan’s eldest disciple, Jing Xu. The two of you must immediately descend the mountain to Yu Shui Pass to assist Senior Brother Cheng Yunhuan.”

Luo Sheng accepted the order and immediately changed course for the Sword Forging Pool.

Ran Fanyin followed her memory to Ning Songwu’s sleeping quarters. Pushing the door open, the first person she saw was Cen Ran, sitting by the table, stirring a bowl of black, murky medicinal soup.

Cen Ran looked up and saw Ran Fanyin: “Shifu! You’ve returned?”

Ran Fanyin nodded to acknowledge him and immediately cast her gaze toward the bed, quickly walking over.

Ning Songwu was sleeping with her eyes closed.

The child’s face was visibly thinner. The quilt only covered her chest. Her exposed shoulders were wrapped in thick gauze, with blood faintly showing through. Her complexion was frighteningly pale, which only made the cinnabar mole between her brows appear as red as blood.

Ran Fanyin suddenly felt that it had indeed been a while since she had seen Ning Songwu. This face, which was originally innocently cute, was gradually developing sharper features. However, seeing her lying lifelessly on the sickbed made her heart feel inexpressibly heavy, as if she had returned to three years ago when Ning Songwu lay injured in Rong Ku Pavilion. Although she was a Venerable Lord of Bei Fa, she felt a deep sense of powerlessness regarding the ailing child.

“Shifu! Your… your hand is wrapped in gauze?” Cen Ran asked in surprise.

“A minor injury, it’s nothing,” Ran Fanyin kept her gaze firmly fixed on the sleeping Ning Songwu’s face. At least the person is right in front of me. She finally sighed in relief, but then asked, “Why did she receive rod injuries?”

“Ning Songwu got into a fight with another disciple and stubbornly refused to admit her mistake, so she went to the Discipline Chamber to receive rod punishment.”

Ran Fanyin’s eyes narrowed, revealing a chilling aura: “I didn’t realize what kind of heinous crime warranted such a heavy hand. Does everyone in Bei Fa not know she is my disciple, Ran Fanyin? Who gave him the audacity!”

Cen Ran stammered: “Shifu… if you speak so openly… won’t the other disciples feel it’s unfair…”

“Ning Songwu is my disciple. She inherently possesses the privilege of a Venerable Lord’s personal disciple. I never intended for others to feel it’s fair. I don’t believe Ning Songwu would do such a thing without reason. You have time; go investigate thoroughly.”

Cen Ran had never imagined Ran Fanyin would change completely when truly angered. Sweat broke out on his forehead: “Yes, Shifu.”

“In any case, the rod punishment was ordered by Ping Zilai, wasn’t it? To fail to thoroughly investigate the cause and effect and impose such a heavy punishment on a ten-year-old disciple—how can he serve as a Pavilion Master? Pass on my order: dismiss him from his Pavilion Master position for one month, and send him to the Scripture Repository to copy scriptures for a month!”

Cen Ran immediately agreed. On the surface, Shifu appeared to be only twenty years old, while Ping Zilai was twenty-six or twenty-seven, older than Ran Fanyin. However, Ran Fanyin was actually over one hundred and ten years old and one of the Three Venerable Ones. Before her, Ping Zilai was merely a junior among juniors, both in age and status.

Cen Ran wiped the sweat from his brow, sighing in sympathy for Ping Zilai.

Ran Fanyin looked back at Ning Songwu on the bed. Her tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and her gaze was like ice and snow at the first thaw. After a long silence, she spoke to Cen Ran again in her normal, calm voice: “That bowl you were holding just now—was that her medicine?”

Cen Ran nodded.

“I see it is no longer steaming. Take it down and brew another bowl. Have it ready for when she wakes up.”

Cen Ran acknowledged with a “Yes” and withdrew, carrying the medicine bowl.

Before closing the door, Cen Ran looked at Ran Fanyin, who was standing facing the bed. No matter how much Shifu tried to conceal it, she couldn’t hide her haggard appearance. How much hardship must she have endured rushing back here?

Cen Ran suddenly felt that only Shifu’s truly angry demeanor just now made her seem like a real person. Shifu’s usual state wasn’t truly cold in nature; she was just indifferent to everything and never experienced great joy or sorrow, which led others to perceive it as coldness.

So, Shifu truly likes Ning Songwu very much.

After Cen Ran left, and with no one else in the room, the deep exhaustion slowly drained from Ran Fanyin’s eyes. She sat down gently on the edge of the bed, pressing her fingers against her temples.

The residual poison in her wrist had never fully dissipated. This hurried, exhausting journey had caused the poison, which should have been gradually subsiding, to grow stronger, corroding her tendons and bones, making the pain feel like they were about to break. She felt her body was almost completely spent; three days and three nights of continuous energy circulation had nearly depleted her internal power.

But she couldn’t rest yet—at least, not right now.

Ning Songwu felt as though she had an endless dream.

The dream was strange—a boundless darkness. She sat alone on the ground. She couldn’t see anything, but she could hear terrifying sounds of slaughter and the clanging of weapons colliding.

Yet, all she saw was darkness. This oppressive feeling was truly unbearable. The fierce fighting and the constant wails of those being killed around her made her feel, wrongly, that she would be the next one to die.

But soon, she understood this wouldn’t just be a feeling.

A clamorous noise came closer, seemingly discussing something, which eventually escalated into a quarrel. The voices of several men grew louder and sharper, as if they would tear her eardrums, making her feel an inexplicable terror.

This stifling environment lasted for an unknown period, long enough that Ning Songwu felt she had gone mad.

Suddenly, a cool and exceptionally familiar voice rang out: “Three Swords Heavenly Punishment Array, take formation!”

The voice was like floating ice and shattering snow, clear and ethereal. To the listener, it was like snowflakes lightly tapping a window sill, striking a long, drawn-out rhythm, cool and unusually comforting to hear.

Such a familiar voice… such a familiar voice… But who is it? She tried hard to remember, thinking until her head hurt, but she still couldn’t recall.

Immediately, she felt a cold, sharp object pressed against her neck, accompanied by a sinister, chilling laugh. The person’s other hand grasped the top of her head. Hot, damp, and turbid air suddenly puffed against her ear, sickeningly thick:

“Die…”

As the sinister echo of the final word trailed off in her ear, the sharp weapon at her neck whistled and plunged fiercely—!

Ning Songwu woke up in a cold sweat, startled out of her nightmare. Her eyes instantly snapped open!

Pain.

Her entire body ached.

Due to the nightmare, Ning Songwu was gasping for air. Each violent movement of her chest exacerbated the wounds all over her body. She was in so much pain that she wanted to scream, but found her throat was burning and so dry she couldn’t utter a single word.

But a faint, familiar plum fragrance entered her nose, like a calming incense, gradually soothing her. Her breathing slowed, and she couldn’t help but swallow.

…Plum fragrance?

Ning Songwu moved her head to look to the side.

Ran Fanyin was quietly lying face-down by the bed, her face turned, resting on her arm, sleeping profoundly. The rare sunlight outside the window streamed in, bathing half of Ran Fanyin’s face in a halo of light and concealing the other half in shadow, outlining her features exquisitely. The white clothes she wore seemed to have collected some dust, completely unlike her usual clean-loving nature.

Ning Songwu’s fingers moved slightly.

It was strange. There was no overwhelming ecstasy as expected, nor the urge to rush up and show affection to her Shifu as usual. It was as if she had known all along that when she woke up, her Shifu would be sleeping beside her.

Ning Songwu’s eyes felt sore. She strongly drew in a shaky breath, holding back her tears.

Why did Shifu leave without telling her, and why did she return without telling her?

And why, seeing Shifu right in front of her, did she feel this sour, indescribable ache in her heart?

A voice vaguely echoed in her mind—

“Is there a person whose heart you are always focused on, whom you want to see, and with whom you would be willing to spend your entire life?”

Shifu.

Shifu…

Ran Fanyin’s usual expressions and smiles intruded into her mind without warning. Past moments of tenderness flashed rapidly, the shifting images making her soul restless. She wanted to grasp something for support. Her hand fumbled around, finally clutching the Flowing Jade around her neck. The jade, which contained human blood, was surprisingly warm, almost hot, to the touch.

Ning Songwu turned her head to look. Seeing Shifu sleeping soundly, seeing Shifu’s softly contoured face, she swallowed. A feeling of affection suddenly arose in her mind, even an impulse to stroke or kiss her!

Why! Why! Why would she have such a strange feeling for her own Shifu?!

No, no, this is not romantic love. How could it be that kind of feeling?

She is just dependent on Shifu. That is all. That is all.

Ran Fanyin’s eyelashes suddenly fluttered. As if sensing something, her breathing quickened slightly, and she slowly started to wake up.

Regaining partial consciousness, Ran Fanyin keenly sensed the change in the sleeping person’s breathing. She suddenly lifted her head, her gaze meeting Ning Songwu’s exactly.

Ran Fanyin was stunned for a moment. A gentle smile curved her lips, though the mouth that rarely smiled was a little stiff: “You’re awake? When did you wake up? Are you thirsty?”

Ning Songwu only widened her eyes slightly, looking at Ran Fanyin, but didn’t speak.

Ran Fanyin reached out, wanting to hold Ning Songwu’s hand, but the moment she touched her fingertips, Ning Songwu recoiled as if shocked, looking at her with some vigilance.

Ran Fanyin felt an emptiness in her hand and looked at Ning Songwu in astonishment: “What is it? Did your head really get damaged? …Do you still recognize me?”

Ning Songwu desperately wanted to hug Ran Fanyin, to cry out in her arms that it hurt, and have Ran Fanyin gently coax her, just like when she used to get injured. But no… this is wrong… She couldn’t be too dependent on Shifu, or that strange feeling would arise again, and that feeling was wrong.

“Shi… Shifu… I… I…” Ning Songwu didn’t know what to say.

Ran Fanyin heard her hoarse throat, so she got up and poured a cup of water from the table. She brought it over and offered it to Ning Songwu’s lips: “It’s good that you recognize me. Open your mouth.”

Ning Songwu frantically pushed Ran Fanyin’s hand away. The water in the cup, due to the sudden shove, spilled out, wetting the quilt and splashing Ran Fanyin’s hand.

Ran Fanyin’s heart clenched. Her movement froze, her partially bent posture suddenly rigid. …Ning Songwu was avoiding her.

Why?

Normally, when Ning Songwu saw her, wouldn’t she smile brightly and rush over to hug her? Before, Ran Fanyin even found that contact a little too intimate. Now, however, Ning Songwu… didn’t want to touch her?

Ran Fanyin pondered for a long time, slowly stood up, placed the cup down nearby, and spoke slowly:

“Are you upset with me for not telling you when I left Bei Fa?”

Ning Songwu only shrank further into herself, turning her head away from Ran Fanyin. I can’t get closer to Shifu. If I minimize contact, maybe my heart won’t be so troubled.

Ran Fanyin sighed: “It was my fault. I should have told you. It’s my mistake that caused you to be injured like this.”

Ning Songwu frantically shook her head, tears still escaping uncontrollably. She opened her mouth but failed to say anything.