Chapter 52.3

Xue Ming thought it would be nice to pick a few flowers and put them in a vase, so she squatted in the grass, using her umbrella to shield her back from the sun, and leisurely began selecting flowers.

At this moment, she heard voices behind her. She intended to stand up and see who it was, but then she overheard a conversation about Yan Yuhe and herself.

“Is that woman still living in Senior Brother’s courtyard?”

“Yes, it’s said that since she came up the mountain, she has been living there and hasn’t gone to the front mountain. Not many people have seen her. It’s said she has blood-red eyes and black claws, looking like a ghost. Who knows if it’s true.”

“You know that our Senior Brother has always been dedicated to cultivation, indifferent to desires, and has gone down the mountain many times to exterminate evil. His eyes have always been only for his sword, not for anyone. Why was he bewitched by that woman this time and lost his Dao’s heart? What if she ruins his past achievements?”

“Worldly desires have always tempted people. Even if Senior Brother is pure-hearted, he is still human. There’s nothing strange about it. Besides, Senior Brother is about to become immortal, and his ascension is certain. How could that woman ruin his future? You’re worrying unnecessarily.”

“That’s true. Senior Brother is a role model for us disciples of the Tai Xu Sect. He certainly wouldn’t do anything out of line. His infatuation with the mortal world is just temporary. There’s no need to worry.”

The two disciples ended their conversation, knocked on the door, and left when no one answered. Xue Ming squatted there for a long time, then stood up and threw away the flowers she had picked. She turned to the courtyard gate and found a sheathed long sword hanging on the door.
This was Yan Yuhe’s sword, previously taken to Emperor Qing Chao for repair. It seemed to have been fixed and sent back.

Xue Ming remembered how Yan Yuhe always cherished the sword, so she took it down and brought it into the courtyard. Previously, she always felt uncomfortable near the sword, but now that her body was much better, she no longer had that feeling. Curious about the sword’s repair, she unsheathed it. With a light sound, the sword hummed slightly, appearing extremely sharp and fierce in the sunlight.

Xue Ming was incredibly impressed. It was indeed a beautiful treasure!
She had never seen such a precious item up close before. Instinctively, she reached out to touch it. As soon as she grasped the blade, a sharp pain shot through her hand. She cried out in pain, her hands trembling violently, and the sword fell to the ground along with the umbrella. Looking at her hand, she saw that in just a moment, her palm was torn and bleeding profusely, like being burned by a hot iron, with bright red blood flowing down her fair arm.

It hurt, and Xue Ming started crying, regretting her impulsiveness. She had learned a hard lesson. As the pain became unbearable, the courtyard door opened, and Yan Yuhe stood at the entrance. Xue Ming turned to look at him, her eyes filled with tears, her hands covered in blood, staining her sleeves and dress, making for a shocking sight. Yan Yuhe immediately frowned.

“Senior Brother, we brought your sword. We just hung it on the door,” said the two young disciples following Yan Yuhe. They saw the scene inside the courtyard and exclaimed in surprise when they saw the blood-stained sword on the ground, “Senior Brother, your sword!”

Yan Yuhe stepped in, his expression dark and his face more severe than ever.

Xue Ming wanted to say something, but her hand hurt too much, and the sunlight made her uncomfortable. Her mind was a bit unclear, and she could only take two steps forward and cry out, “It hurts.”

Yan Yuhe didn’t even glance at the sword on the ground. He immediately picked Xue Ming up and carried her into the hall. He pressed a few points on her arm, took out a medicine jar from his sleeve, and sprinkled the powder generously on her wounded palm, leaving the two disciples behind him dumbfounded. Then he took out a white cloth and wrapped it around her hand several times, simply stopping the bleeding and treating the wound. He moved quickly, remaining silent throughout, his expression not softening, looking somewhat angry.

Whatever the medicine was, it worked very quickly. Xue Ming immediately felt no pain, and the burning sensation in her wound was replaced by a cool feeling that spread and brought comfort, alleviating the pain.

One of the young disciples picked up the sword, wiped the blood off it, and respectfully handed it to Yan Yuhe, saying, “Senior Brother.”

Yan Yuhe responded coldly, took the sword, and said, “Close the door when you leave.”

The two young disciples responded affirmatively, glanced at Xue Ming, and then turned to leave. The hall fell silent.

Xue Ming looked at her bandaged hand, wiped away her tears, and said, “I thought I was better. I forgot for a moment and accidentally touched your sword, which is why it hurt me.”

Yan Yuhe replied, “You still have a lot of ghost energy inside you. It just looks much better on the outside.”

“Oh, I understand,” Xue Ming said. “I won’t touch your sword next time. It was hanging on the door, and I just wanted to bring it in for you.”

“You don’t need to worry about these things in the future,” Yan Yuhe suddenly said.

After a moment of silence, Xue Ming replied, “Okay.”

Yan Yuhe returned only to retrieve his sword, knowing it had been delivered. He left shortly after, and Xue Ming obediently lay in her room reading a book and eating snacks. Then, feeling full, she fell asleep.
When she woke up, it was getting dark, and Yan Yuhe had not returned.
He must be swamped, being the senior brother of the Tai Xu Sect and having been away from the mountain for so long, so there must be many things to handle. Xue Ming understood this, but she still had trouble sleeping at night. She sat on the threshold of the main hall, looking up at the moon. The scenery here was beautiful and being on a high mountain; it seemed very close to the moon. The clear, bright moonlight illuminated the earth, making it possible to see the surroundings clearly without a lamp. Such a bright and clear moon was rare in modern times.

Xue Ming propped her chin with one hand, looked at the sky, and wondered what she would be doing in the modern world.

Would she be working overtime, attending a mandatory company dinner, or sitting in front of her computer watching a movie?

Her life had always been monotonous and dull. During her school days, she had to find ways to do jobs that didn’t match her labor to earn a meager income for the next day’s meals. She also faced endless exercises and knowledge, trying hard not to be overwhelmed by the mundane tide.
After starting work, she was always trying to make money, occasionally giving herself some leisure time, mostly spent in her rented small apartment. She rarely went out, had no social life, and avoided all unnecessary expenses. In comparison, the short time she had spent here was more exciting and colorful than her previous twenty-odd years, though it was also more dangerous, constantly worrying about her life. She didn’t know when she fell asleep but heard rustling sounds beside her. She opened her eyes from her drowsiness and saw Yan Yuhe sitting beside her, their shoulders touching. He was silent, the moonlight outlining his handsome face, looking just like someone from a dream.

“Yan Yuhe,” Xue Ming called him softly and in a hoarse voice.

Yan Yuhe slightly tilted his head, responding to her call.

Xue Ming said, “Actually, I’m very strong.”

Yan Yuhe didn’t respond, and his ear tilted as if waiting for her to continue.

“I don’t get sad for long over one thing,” Xue Ming continued as if listing her strengths. “I’ve often lived a hard life, so I rarely break down emotionally because of it. I don’t need an exciting life; a simple life is good enough for me.”

Yan Yuhe still didn’t answer.

Xue Ming continued, “I am easily satisfied. I long for love in my life, but it’s okay if I don’t have it. I also long for wealth, but it’s fine if I don’t get it. I would be thrilled to have those things, but losing them wouldn’t break me. I am an ordinary person, and my only notable quality is my resilience. No matter what environment I’m in or how much I lose, I will live well.”

“Not for anyone else, just for myself,” Xue Ming said.

Yan Yuhe looked at her, his eyes cold but seemingly stirred by unknown emotions, his gaze becoming clouded.

“So, when you’re done with your work, can we have a good talk?” Xue Ming asked gently.

After a long silence, Yan Yuhe finally replied, “Tomorrow.”

Xue Ming agreed, then stretched and yawned, leaning against Yan Yuhe, who was too lazy to walk the few steps to bed and letting him carry her to sleep. She slept well, and when she woke up, she was still alone in the room.

Xue Ming changed her clothes, took her umbrella, and went out. Today, she had arranged to play with Liu Mengyuan and a few other junior brothers and sisters, so she went to the bamboo forest to meet them.

Liu Mengyuan had nothing to do lately and often walked to the back mountain, usually bringing a few senior or junior sisters with him. These young disciples had great personalities. Knowing her relationship with Yan Yuhe, they were respectful at first but soon found Xue Ming to be very gentle and humorous, and they quickly became close.

Liu Mengyuan was the first to notice Xue Ming’s bandaged right hand. Yan Yuhe had already changed her dressing once in the morning while she was still half asleep. Upon closer inspection, it was even more tightly wrapped than the day before, with no regard for aesthetics.

Xue Ming smiled and explained that she had accidentally cut herself on Yan Yuhe’s sword, and it was nothing serious. However, Liu Mengyuan and the others frowned upon hearing this, exchanging glances with somber expressions.

“What’s wrong?” Xue Ming asked, noticing their hesitation.

Liu Mengyuan only shook his head and said it was nothing. Then, a few girls gathered around to check on her injury, each giving her some small gifts. They played in the pavilion for half an hour, and as the sun began shining brightly, they thoughtfully suggested Xue Ming return.

Xue Ming thought that since Yan Yuhe was never home during the day, she had nothing to do alone, so she invited the children to her room to play.

Yan Yuhe usually kept a distance from others in the Sect, and no junior brothers or sisters had ever been invited to his room. Even Liu Mengyuan, who shared the same master, didn’t have this privilege. Hearing Xue Ming’s generous invitation, they were excited, chatting around her as they followed her to the courtyard gate.

Instead of high walls, a bamboo fence encircled the courtyard, and they could see Yan Yuhe standing there doing something from a distance. They all feared Senior Brother Yan Yuhe, and seeing him at home, they immediately became cautious, lining up behind Xue Ming like schoolchildren after school.

Xue Ming led them to the door and heard a “clang, clang, clang” sound from inside, like the clear, penetrating sound of metal striking metal. With Yan Yuhe’s keen hearing, he must have already known they were coming, so Xue Ming directly pushed the door open. She saw Yan Yuhe standing in the center of the courtyard, in front of a cylindrical iron block about waist-high. He was wearing a long, dark blue-black robe, his long hair tied up high. Bright sunlight enveloped him. He held a sword in one hand and a hammer in the other, his sleeves rolled up, muscles showing as he struck the sword with the hammer.

Before Xue Ming could look closer, she heard several gasps beside her, followed by Liu Mengyuan’s loud exclamation, “Senior Brother—!”

Then came a loud “clang!” as the sword in Yan Yuhe’s hand broke into several pieces, scattering on the ground, the fragments reflecting the sunlight.

Only then did Yan Yuhe look up towards the door, his gaze falling on Xue Ming. His eyes were still calm as he casually asked, “Are you tired?”

Xue Ming didn’t respond because she realized that the sword Yan Yuhe had just broken was the one he had always cherished and sent to Emperor Qing Chao for repair. Everyone in the Tai Xu Sect knew he valued it greatly. It was the sword he had carried since childhood, the one his mother had left him before she passed away.