Chapter 39: Going South While Heading North

Fang Nandan was considered Yi Chenlan’s half-master in the book, one who had instructed him in the art of poison.

Why only a “half-master”? First, because Yi Chenlan had mastered the art of poison entirely through self-study; and second, because Yi Chenlan had not voluntarily chosen to study the Poison Scripture in the beginning—he had been forced into it by Fang Nandan.

He had been gravely injured during the Memorial Conference, left on the verge of death, and thrown into the canyon of Snowy Night Mountain by others. However, he had survived the ordeal and was later rescued by a subordinate of Yi Heng, who had remained stationed at Snowy Night Mountain.

That marked the beginning of his rise, where he would later trounce the martial world’s finest. Everyone at Snowy Night Mountain had contributed to his growth, though the path to that growth had been filled with suffering.

Take Fang Nandan, for instance—this man’s martial arts were decent, but his poison skills were truly extraordinary. One often could not even tell when he had been poisoned. Fang Nandan’s method of teaching was quite straightforward: he poisoned Yi Chenlan, then tossed him a pile of medicinal herbs and the Poison Scripture, leaving him to figure it out on his own.

If he failed to cure himself, he had no choice but to endure the torment of the poison.

Yi Chenlan, being exceptionally intelligent and of resolute character, had adapted to this forced method of rapid development. Though he had suffered greatly, his progress had been swift, soon surpassing his so-called teacher.

Upon realizing he was no match for Yi Chenlan and fearing retribution, Fang Nandan had silently fled and wandered the world.

Shu Wan had never expected that they would encounter Fang Nandan so soon—much less that he would inexplicably capture them. She had no idea what his intentions were.

But Fang Nandan was unfortunate as well. He had acted rashly, only to be detected early by Yi Chenlan. Having taken the Heaven Forging Pill, Yi Chenlan was immune to all poisons and could easily defend against Fang Nandan’s methods. Shu Wan herself had just been given one of those pills by Yi Chenlan too. As a result, Fang Nandan’s poison was rendered useless, and he stood no chance against them.

Shu Wan quietly pondered to herself:  

“Although Senior Brother Ah Lan had learned those poison techniques on his own, there’s no point in keeping Fang Nandan around just to teach him. But since Fang Nandan was once Yi Heng’s subordinate, having an extra ally is better than an extra enemy. For now, best not to act rashly—let’s see what he’s trying to do.”

The two had remained silent for too long—so long that Fang Nandan was the first to lose his patience. He found an excuse for himself to break the silence:

“Fine, you’re both still too green. I suppose you’ve never heard of my name. Hmph, I can’t be bothered to explain it all to you. That girl—let me ask you—are you the daughter of that scoundrel Shu Qi?”

He had been looking directly at Shu Wan when he spoke, causing her to freeze for a moment.  

“Yes, I am. What of it? What do you want?”

“What do I want? Do you not know that my Snowy Night Mountain and your Zhongshan Sect are irreconcilable enemies? Hah, no doubt about it—I infiltrated your birthday banquet last year. I remember your face.”

Fang Nandan narrowed his eyes as he examined Shu Wan.  

“I’ve long heard that Shu Qi, that wretched scoundrel, guards his daughter like his own eyeball. Heaven has eyes—today, I’ve finally picked up a bargain. Now that you’re in my hands, won’t that dog be forced to comply?”

That sentence Shu Wan understood clearly. She raised an eyebrow slightly and asked,  

“You intend to use me to threaten him? Threaten him for what? Don’t tell me… are you looking for your young master?”

Although Fang Nandan had an eccentric temperament and a highly questionable method of teaching, he had indeed enabled Yi Chenlan to master everything he knew in the shortest amount of time. Toward his young master, he had poured in a rather unique form of devotion. Besides, there was likely nothing else that would make him go to such lengths to threaten Shu Qi.

“Young lady, don’t ask so many questions. Once I bind the two of you and throw you before Shu Qi, let him witness his beloved daughter tormented by deadly poison—then you’ll know what I truly want.” Fang Nandan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Though injured, he looked quite pleased with himself.

Upon hearing this, Yi Chenlan frowned and reached out to pull Shu Wan behind him, speaking coldly to Fang Nandan,  

“Put away all those filthy poisons of yours.”

“Hah! Why should I listen to you? The ignorance and arrogance of youth—how amusing.” Fang Nandan said as he wiped the blood from his mouth again.  

“You two are new to the Jianghu. You’ve likely no idea how dangerous the world outside really is, do you? Hahahahaha… I’ll count to three. I guarantee you’ll be on your knees, begging for mercy!”

“Three—”

“Two—”

“One—”

After the count, Shu Wan and Yi Chenlan still stood perfectly fine where they were, showing not the slightest hint of suffering. The proud smile on Fang Nandan’s face finally cracked.  

“You… tsk… you two…”

“What about us?” Shu Wan smiled.  

“Senior Brother Ah Lan already warned you to put away your poisons, but you wouldn’t listen. Now they’ve all gone to waste, haven’t they?”

“Honestly, you didn’t need to go through all this trouble. The one you’re looking for is standing right in front of you.”

“Him?” Fang Nandan pointed at Yi Chenlan, squinting as he studied him carefully, still doubtful.  

“Little girl, don’t try to trick me. Don’t just point at some random person and say he’s my young master.”

Shu Wan was momentarily speechless. At that moment, she truly couldn’t produce any evidence to convince him, which made her a little anxious.  

“He really is Yi Chenlan—I’m not lying to you. Didn’t you sneak into my birthday banquet last year? Didn’t you see him there?”

“If I had seen him, I would’ve found a way to bring him back. You think I’d leave him to be abused by the likes of you?” Fang Nandan eyed Yi Chenlan with suspicion.  

“He doesn’t quite look the part… Are you Yi Chenlan?”

Yi Chenlan replied: “Yes.”

Fang Nandan thought cautiously for a while, stroking his chin as he spoke.  

“Very well, let me test you. Don’t try to claim you were too young to remember—if you can’t answer, then you’re a fake. And that girl—step aside. Don’t go eavesdropping on the secrets of our mountain.”

Shu Wan turned slightly, warily shielding Yi Chenlan with her body.  

“Why should I listen to you? I’m not going anywhere. What if you attack him the moment I leave?”

“If he’s really Yi Chenlan, why would I hurt him? If he isn’t… hmph, of course I won’t let him off.” Fang Nandan replied, furrowing his brows at Shu Wan.  

“You still won’t leave? Feeling guilty, are you?”

Shu Wan wasn’t feeling guilty in the slightest. She simply didn’t trust Fang Nandan. In the book, Yi Chenlan’s punishment before Snowy Night Mountain was something Fang Nandan knew well, so his identity needed no proof back then. But now… she dared not walk away so carelessly.

“Wan Wan, it’s alright.” Yi Chenlan suddenly spoke, offering her a reassuring smile.  

“I’ll go speak with him over there. You stay here and wait for me.”

“But…” Shu Wan whispered worriedly: “his martial arts… they’re not weak.”

Yi Chenlan gave a slight nod and replied with a gentle smile,  

“I know. Don’t worry. It’ll be fine—trust me.”

Shu Wan pressed her lips together and looked at him with reluctance.  

“Then… alright. I’ll stay here and watch. If anything seems off, I’ll rush over immediately.”

Yi Chenlan nodded with a smile, then turned and walked several dozen steps away with Fang Nandan. During that time, Fang Nandan glanced at him suspiciously more than once, until they finally came to a stop.  

“Stop staring. I’m not planning anything else. Ask whatever you want.” Yi Chenlan said.

He was willing to cooperate only because Fang Nandan’s questions were not meant for Wan Wan to hear.

Now Fang Nandan dropped his posturing. Unable to contain himself, he quickly asked,  

“You say you’re Yi Chenlan. Then tell me—which of the forty-eight gates of Snowy Night Mountain is the main gate?”

“Mingwang Gate.” Yi Chenlan answered in a steady voice.

Fang Nandan froze, his eyes shifting slightly before he followed up with another question.  

“What are the words inscribed on the plaque above the summit hall of Snowy Night Mountain?”

Yi Chenlan glanced at him, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips.  

“Under Heaven, All Is Clear.”

Fang Nandan was silent for a longer moment this time. At last, he furrowed his brows and made one more request.  

“Roll up your sleeve. Let me see your arm.”

Shu Wan had been watching them intently from afar. When she saw Yi Chenlan suddenly roll up his sleeve for some unknown reason, a sense of unease struck her heart. She couldn’t help but walk over quickly.

She did not know what Fang Nandan had said to Yi Chenlan moments ago. However, when Yi Chenlan lightly rolled up his sleeve and revealed his arm, she suddenly froze, her mind going blank for a moment—she understood how Fang Nandan had confirmed Yi Chenlan’s identity.

Yi Chenlan’s arm was covered in scars.

He had never exposed his scars in front of her, so she had never directly faced these bloody remnants of the past. But now, just one glimpse—and Shu Wan’s eyes instantly turned sore with emotion. Even with just that small section shown, it was clear that old wounds layered upon new ones, leaving barely a patch of intact skin. And who knew how many more scars lay hidden across the rest of his body?

Fang Nandan took a sharp breath, completely convinced now.  

“Damn that Shu Qi, he really is worthless! Young master, I never expected our reunion to be so coincidental, without any effort at all. Since it’s come to this, there’s no need to threaten that old dog anymore. We’ll just chop up his daughter into pieces and toss her in front of him, as repayment for all the suffering you’ve endured over the years.”

Yi Chenlan stared at him and repeated coldly,  

“Put your poison away and stop talking nonsense.”

After he finished speaking, he turned to look at Shu Wan, who had just walked over, only to find her eyes reddened, on the verge of tears, looking as pitiable as a little abandoned rabbit.

Seeing her like this, Yi Chenlan felt momentarily at a loss. He gently patted her little head, flustered and almost stammering.  

“Wan Wan, what’s wrong? Don’t listen to him, I won’t treat you like that.”

Shu Wan shook her head and wrapped her arms around Yi Chenlan’s, lightly touching his arm through the fabric. The sensation under her fingertips was immediately uneven and bumpy. Her nose tingled, and her vision blurred with tears.

Yi Chenlan froze for a moment. When he realized that she was touching his scars through his sleeve, it dawned on him why Shu Wan was crying.

He sighed softly and helplessly.  

“Wan Wan, are you… are you feeling sorry for me? Don’t cry… it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Yi Chenlan gently lifted his hand to wipe away the wetness from Shu Wan’s face, carefully brushing away the tear hanging at her chin.  

“Don’t cry… Wan Wan, please don’t cry.”

“It will get better.” Shu Wan, both angry and heartbroken, wiped her tears with her sleeve and looked at Yi Chenlan seriously.  

“Senior Brother Ah Lan, everything will get better, I promise.”

“I know. It’ll be fine. So don’t cry, alright?” Yi Chenlan smiled gently at her.

“Ahem… uh, that…” Fang Nandan furrowed his brows deeply, looking at the two of them in utter confusion. Unable to hold back, he asked,  

“Are… are you really Yi Chenlan? The young master? Why are you so good to her? She’s Shu Qi’s daughter.”

“She saved my life.” Yi Chenlan glanced at Fang Nandan with a deep gaze.  

“Don’t get any ideas about her.”

“Oh… alright.” Fang Nandan reluctantly agreed.  

“Anyway, I was just testing my luck. Finding the young master already feels like a stroke of fortune. If we’re not going to touch her, then I won’t.”

Fang Nandan comforted himself with some regret, then finally remembered to get back to business.  

“Young master, I didn’t expect things to be so coincidental this time. I wasn’t prepared for anything… I’ve actually been trying to find you. Please, return to the mountain with me.”

He nervously rubbed his hands together.  

“Though there won’t be a formal return ceremony and it’s all a bit rushed… You may not know, but Snowy Night Mountain is now leaderless. The others are just sitting around, waiting for death. They neither care about finding you nor about restoring our sect. Only I’ve been running around, searching high and low these years, and now, I’ve finally found you—someone to rally behind. They said that if we really bring back the young master, they won’t just sit idly at Snowy Night Mountain anymore. We’ll rise together and stir up an unprecedented storm in the Jianghu!”

As he spoke further, Fang Nandan’s eyes grew brighter, and anyone could tell that he was eager to get started.

Yi Chenlan didn’t respond immediately to Fang Nandan’s words. After a moment of contemplation, he said,  

“Since we’re not far from Yunzhou, we’ll head there first to rest for the night. Tomorrow, we’ll take the water route, from Pingyuan River to Qujing, and then make our way up to Snowy Night Mountain from there. Wan Wan, what do you think?” The last sentence was directed at Shu Wan.

Shu Wan nodded: “Senior Brother Ah Lan, I’ll follow your lead.” The place names Yi Chenlan mentioned were all unfamiliar to her, none of which appeared in the book. Naturally, she had no objections to his decision.

“Alright, then it’s settled.”

“Wait! Wait!” Fang Nandan suddenly extended his hand to stop their conversation. His face was full of hesitation. After a moment, he awkwardly spoke up.

“Uh… I’m really sorry… but… this isn’t Yunzhou.” Fang Nandan scratched his head, trying hard to organize his words. “You see… the Jinghe Sword Tournament is about to begin, and all the major sects from the Jianghu will be attending. Shu Qi’s Zhongshan Sect will be no exception. I was planning to kidnap his daughter to threaten him and make him embarrass himself… so… we’ve already entered Jinghe’s territory, and just ten more miles ahead is the main city of Jinghe…”

Fang Nandan’s voice grew softer as he realized how embarrassing the situation had become. If he had known the person accompanying Shu Wan wasn’t just any random disciple, but Yi Chenlan, he would never have led them to Jinghe.

“You!” Shu Wan stared at Fang Nandan in disbelief. “You brought us to Jinghe?” She couldn’t hide her shock. “Do you have any idea how many people from the Jianghu will be at the Jinghe Sword Tournament? What if—”

What if Shu Qi finds out Yi Chenlan is here? They had finally managed to escape, only to have such bad luck and end up in this bizarre situation.

Shu Wan was furious, feeling a sharp pain in her chest. They were supposed to travel quietly toward Snowy Night Mountain, but who would have guessed this unassuming coachman, who had been helping them, was a spy sent by Ge Qing, stirring up this mess.

Fang Nandan pouted, clearly displeased as well. Who knew how many self-righteous people from the Jianghu would be gathered here? The Jinghe Sword Tournament had no strict entry requirements, and even the smallest sects could participate. The entire Jianghu’s top fighters would likely be here. After finally finding the young master, now it felt like they had stumbled into a den of wolves. If Yi Chenlan were caught by Shu Qi again, where would they go to reason with him?

Yi Chenlan frowned slightly, his expression dark and menacing. After a brief moment of contemplation, he spoke in a deep voice: “It’s just Jinghe. We can make some changes to our appearance, keep a low profile, avoid the crowd, and quietly leave the city. It’s not likely we’ll be discovered.” Moreover, at this time, Shu Qi probably still didn’t know they were alive, so slipping away should still be relatively easy.

Fang Nandan’s expression became even more conflicted as he heard Yi Chenlan’s words. His lips pressed tight, and after a long pause, he finally spoke the truth.

“But… but I’ve already sent out letters, saying that Shu Qi’s daughter is in my hands and that this Jinghe Sword Tournament is for him to suffer. Every sect has received the letters… including Zhongshan Sect…”