Chapter 52: Alone Together

Chapter 52: Alone Together

Lin Ye and Xue Li descended Nangong Mountain together, heading northwest toward Jinzhou.

Along the way, Xue Li noticed Lin Ye attempting to contact the peace convoy—they used eagles to relay messages, summoning them with whistles, the birds swooping swiftly between them.

Only the military was accustomed to using eagles for communication.

Back when they were in Huanchuan and Xiangzhou, he had still used pigeons. Unexpectedly, as they neared Jinzhou, he began calling for eagles.

Lin Ye seemed very familiar with this place.

Seeing how quickly Lin Ye could establish contact with those people, Xue Li wondered if traveling with her had been Lin Ye’s own objective all along. After all, they were now near Jinzhou, and so was the peace convoy.

What was Lin Ye really after?

Hmm… perhaps traveling with her was safer than staying with the convoy.

After his public meltdown in Xiangzhou, there were surely many who were after his blood’s power.

Xue Li pondered these thoughts but did not dwell much on feeling deceived. Her expression remained listless, her heart gone cold, reverting to how she had been before drinking Lin Ye’s blood—

The fact that her master’s corpse was not truly her master had shattered her.

She might not even realize it herself.

But Lin Ye had.

As they descended the mountain, Lin Ye deliberately feigned curiosity, coaxing her to speak about her sect: “…So, the renowned Master Yulong was truly a woman? I always thought she was a man. She was so mysterious, so extraordinary, even having ties with Emperor Xuanming… —ahem—I clearly underestimated the women of this world.”

Xue Li gave a hollow nod. “She was a woman.”

Lin Ye gazed at her gently, urging her to continue: “How much older was your master than you?”

Xue Li thought for a moment. “She said she found me in the snow when she was fifteen. We lived on Nangong Mountain for a few years before she took me and Song Wanfeng further north to the Tianshan Snow Sea. I always called it ‘Snow Mountain.’”

Lin Ye calculated—Master Yulong must have founded Qin Yueye during the "Snow Mountain" period.

"The moon over Qin, the frontier of Han"—what exactly did that signify?

Lin Ye blinked. “Was your master beautiful?”

Xue Li hesitated.

In her memories, there was only a blurred shadow behind the bamboo curtain. When she lost interest in the world, she had also lost the ability to judge whether Yulong was beautiful or not. Only now did Xue Li begin to recall her master’s appearance…

Before she could summon a clear image, the young man beside her eagerly offered his own opinion: “If your master were alive, she’d only be in her early thirties today. Martial artists age slowly, and she was unrivaled in her craft—she must have looked even younger. She raised the two of you, and from what little you’ve said, I can’t tell much, but… she rarely lost her temper, didn’t she?”

Xue Li wasn’t sure what he was getting at, so she nodded faintly.

Though Yulong had been strict with her, she had never truly been angry. She treated her disciples as duty demanded—never letting emotions interfere.

Now it dawned on Xue Li: was her master’s detachment due to the Heartless Art?

Her master had always said that she herself could not master the Heartless Art—only Xue Li, who had studied it since childhood, could. Yet, her master had also possessed the Heartless Art.

Her master, whose fate remained unknown—how many layers of the Heartless Art had she cultivated by now?

The road ahead was long. Lin Ye grew more confident, straightening his back as he spoke eloquently: “People who seldom get angry have fewer wrinkles. Master Yulong must’ve been a real force of nature.”

Xue Li's calm gaze fell upon Lin Ye.

Deep in thought, she recalled how many wanderers in the past had praised her master to the skies—just like Lin Ye now, with bright, admiring eyes.

Xue Li then asked, "Do you want to marry my master?"

Lin Ye choked on his spit and coughed violently.

He turned to stare at her in shock, his widened eyes full of indignation, utterly baffled by her conclusion. The young master bristled. "You’re accusing me unfairly... I’m not even twenty this year."

Xue Li thought to herself that age didn’t matter.

But judging by his strong reaction, she must have misunderstood.

His shimmering eyes fixed on her, their light glinting under the sunlight, strikingly beautiful.

Xue Li gazed, mesmerized, while he, embarrassed, turned his face away and waved his sleeve to cool himself.

The young master muttered something about "so hot."

Xue Li snapped out of it and said, "Just as well. You're destined for the political marriage. If you fancied my master, who would go through with it?"

Hearing her mention the "political marriage," Lin Ye felt a flare of frustration.

How strange. He was set on the political marriage, determined to leverage the Northern Zhou princess for his plans. That determination had held firm—until now. When others brought it up, he would laugh it off. But perhaps because Lu Qingmei had recently reminded him that "one who hides a beauty cannot go through with a political marriage," and now Xue Li, the person involved, said it too... It gnawed at him.

Others could say it, but how could she?

What was she to him...?

Lin Ye lost himself in thought, pressing a hand to his tight chest, pondering: What did he feel for her? And what did he want? She practiced the Heartless Art—she could never grasp his feelings.

And were his feelings merely because she was beautiful?

If she lost her beauty, would he lose interest?

Lin Ye paled, clutching his chest, his forehead slick with sweat. Seeing this, Xue Li assumed he was about to fall ill again. After spending so much time together, she’d gotten used to his delicate constitution. Without hesitation, she reached out and pressed two fingers to his chest, then deftly slipped her hand into his collar to retrieve a pill, feeding it to him.

Xue Li said, "Steady your heart. If you want to maintain your current state, you must stay composed."

Lin Ye recovered slightly and muttered, "Then I’d end up like you..."

Heartless and desireless...

Xue Li glanced at him, and Lin Ye immediately declared loudly, "I said nothing!"

He was a master at changing the subject. Barely steady, he was already curious about something else. Confidently, he speculated, "If Master Yulong is a woman, then the Wind Master must be one too, right? That way, the three of you—master and disciples—would have an easier dynamic."

Xue Li replied, "Song Wanfeng is a man."

Lin Ye: "..."

The young master froze, his smile stiffening.

Disbelieving, he exclaimed, "You lived together for over a decade... You spent over a decade with a man... Your master is a woman, but the Wind Master is a man? Since when does that make sense?!"

Xue Li: "..."

She didn't quite understand what he was so shocked, doubtful, or indignant about.

Lin Ye grew restless inside, no longer as composed as before. Seeing Xue Li walk ahead, he hurried after her, tugging at her sleeve and whining, "Wait for me! Poor me."

Without waiting for Xue Li to ask why he was "poor," he eagerly inquired about Song Wanfeng: "Is he around your master’s age? The age gap between you two must be pretty big, right? You probably don’t click day-to-day—after all, you’re so skilled in martial arts, and from what you’ve said before, your senior brother’s nothing to write home about.

"Is he mean to you? Does he bully you often? Do you dislike him? Because you always talk about your master and rarely mention your senior brother. You must really hate him, right?

"Is his background strange, making you all wary of him? You said his father is the Prefect of Jinzhou... Why would some prefect send his son to an assassin sect like yours? That’s fishy. What rich family would go for that?

"Or maybe you just don’t interact much, right? As the son of a prefect, he must often leave the mountain. He probably acts all high-and-mighty, different from you martial arts sect members. In the end, you’re just not on the same page."

Xue Li, her sleeve still in his grip, felt his words pour out like a rapid stream, rattling past her ears like a runaway train.

Luckily, she was unflappable.

Because she was so calm, she could clearly hear Lin Ye’s words and patiently answer them one by one:

"Song Wanfeng is only five years older than me. I’m quiet, but Song Wanfeng’s a chatterbox... Well, not as much as you.

"He treats me well. He doesn’t bully me, and I don’t dislike him. I rarely mention my senior brother because... I used to hardly remember him. My master kicking me out stuck with me, but Song Wanfeng didn’t.

"I’m not wary of him. Song Wanfeng says we’re family. His father is indeed the Prefect of Jinzhou, but Song Wanfeng has always stayed with us and rarely sees his father. I don’t know the reason—maybe there’s bad blood in the family—but I never paid attention. He only discusses such things with our master, not me.

"We’ve always been together. He does often leave the mountain, but every time he returns, he brings me new things from the outside world. Our master scolds him, saying he shouldn’t put ideas in my head. So Song Wanfeng avoids our master and secretly gives me gifts."

Xue Li said softly, "It’s going on a year since I last saw Song Wanfeng."

Even when Yu Long died—such a major event that required all four seasonal envoys to act—Song Wanfeng still didn’t appear.

Before, Xue Li never gave it a second thought.

But now, she couldn’t help but wonder: What kind of mission had Song Wanfeng been on a year ago that kept him away for so long? Missing even their master’s funeral and showing no concern for Xue Li’s affairs?

As Xue Li reminisced about Song Wanfeng, Lin Ye only stewed harder.

He sulked, puffing his cheeks.

After a long silence, Lin Ye pressed on stubbornly: "You wreck people and don’t even notice. How do you know Song Wanfeng was giving you gifts? Maybe he was messing with you? Back when I—"

Lin Ye’s eyes rolled upward.

His beautiful gaze turned skyward as he shamelessly used his own past misdeeds as an example: "When I was young and foolish, I’d stick caterpillars down people’s collars. When my mother scolded me, I’d say it was a ‘gift.’ But A Xue, that wasn’t a gift—it was straight-up trolling. You got played, and you don’t even realize it."

Xue Li didn’t understand why he was so determined to prove Song Wanfeng was bad.

She simply gave one example: "My journal was a gift from him. Why’d he give it to me if he meant harm?"

Lin Ye: "..."

Unable to lie, he forced out, "Well... that is indeed nice."

He shot her a glare, no longer holding back his affection, and without hesitation bapped her forehead. To avoid her retaliation, he immediately darted away, blasting back with qinggong several yards—

*Tap.*

Xue Li felt a light bap on her forehead.

Her eyes widened as she caught the faint, elegant scent from Lin Ye’s sleeves.

The fragrance made her heart waver—but the next moment, she saw Lin Ye already several yards away, eyeing her like a startled cat.

Seeing she didn't retaliate, Lin Ye pressed on: "Then what kind of person is Song Wanfeng really?"

Xue Li pondered: "People say Song Wanfeng is gentle and kind, not at all like an assassin."

Lin Ye caught the key point in her words: "People say?"

Xue Li nodded: "Mm. Because I can't feel it myself."

The frustrated look on Lin Ye's face dissolved at her words. His expression softened again, like gentle clouds drifting toward Xue Li. The young master sighed and returned to her side.

Lin Ye just said: "So, you're going to Jinzhou to find Song Wanfeng?"

Xue Li nodded: "I need to find out the truth about Master's death."

When she resolved to act, she was always calm and clear: "The coffin doesn't contain Master's body—that corpse must come from somewhere. A body appearing in the Assassins' Guild... I might not recognize it, but Song Wanfeng might. He's always paid more attention to people and matters around him than I have. That corpse died from the Heartless Art—I need to figure out how it's connected to Master. That connection might lead me to Master."

Xue Li: "Dead or alive, I will find Master."

After a long pause, Lin Ye said: "If your master's still alive, I'll draw blood to save her. Don't worry - I gave you my word."

Xue Li looked at him and made a face.

He immediately exaggerated: "Wow, you're giving me those sad eyes again."

Xue Li: "?"

Xue Li touched her face: "Did I make the wrong expression again... ah."

Her cheek was pinched by his hand, and he ran away laughing.

The setting sun fell upon the youth. Bathed in golden light, Lin Ye glowed, reminding Xue Li of a moment in the past when she thought golden insects had landed on his face. She mistook them for fireflies, but it was actually Lin Ye's own radiance.

Standing in the sunset, with his hair ribbon fluttering and sleeves billowing, Lin Ye looked otherworldly and full of life: "Come on, A Xue, town's just ahead. We can rest there tonight and have some hot meals."

Entering a town... Xue Li lowered her head.

Lin Ye: "What's wrong?"

Xue Li: "I can't really read people's expressions. I'm a bit..."

Lin Ye realized: "Afraid?"

With hands on hips, he lifted his chin and laughed proudly: "What does that matter? That's what I'm here for. If you don't understand something, just ask me. I'm great at reading people."

Had Liang Chen been present, he surely would have mocked the young master, saying someone so arrogant could never read people well.

But Xue Li wasn't Liang Chen. Drawn by Lin Ye's smile, she obediently followed him.

Lin Ye looked the natural, makeup-free girl up and down, imagining her as a colorful female peacock after his styling.

The youth's heart raced, his cheeks flushed, and he muttered softly: "I'll get you some new clothes too."

Xue Li: "Hmm?"

Lin Ye's face burned as he avoided her gaze. Trying to sound serious, he added: "Since you don't know what you like or dislike, we'll try things one by one. Pay attention to how you feel—you might figure it out."

Xue Li thought: No, I'm beginning to understand now.

She didn't elaborate. She simply followed him.

The only thing she was curious about was: "Are we going to have fun all the way to Jinzhou like this? Aren’t you really in a hurry? Back on Nangong Mountain, when you received that letter, your expression clearly changed."

"Oh my, you even noticed my expression changed—That’s sweet of you," the young master first exaggerated his reaction, then explained with total ease, "I’m truly not in a hurry. We’ll just follow the normal itinerary to Jinzhou, and that’ll be fine."

He told Xue Li: "A Xue, this world isn’t mine, nor is it yours. When we’re helping others, we shouldn’t risk our own lives. My health is so poor—of course I have to prioritize my own comfort before considering others.

"Emperor Guangyi might be in trouble, but I didn’t cause it, nor am I his royal cavalry. If I make it in time to save him, I’ll earn some merit. If I don’t, then so be it.

"In this world, nothing is more important than ourselves.

"So, A Xue, cheer up. Stop thinking about your master—think about your senior brother instead. Think about—what inn we’ll stay in tonight, what delicacies we’ll eat, what night scenery we’ll admire; tomorrow, how we’ll swindle Lin Ye’s money to buy you something nice and fun. Lin Ye is so rich, always dressing up in fancy clothes—why not dress you up too?"

His mindset was unlike others’, exceptionally carefree. After delivering this speech, the young gentleman didn’t blush or pant, even nodding his head playfully as he spoke of himself. When her bright eyes met his, he made a silly face at her.

Xue Li liked seeing him like this.

So she learned to relax as well.

She let him pull her into town, watching him nitpick about the inn. No matter how difficult others claimed he was, she always found him easygoing.