jdhmnovel Chapter 30: A Talented Person
Chapter 30: A Talented Person
Twelve days ago, on Lunar New Year's Eve, Fei Xi did not stay in the hall to celebrate the New Year with her junior brothers and sisters.
She was almost out of her medicine, and feeling her uncontrollable heartbeat, she knew that one of the side effects of the medication, palpitations, had started again.
Her junior brothers and sisters understood and told her to go back to her room to rest first. Mu Qingfeng patted her chest and said that she would personally go and call her senior sister when it was time.
With a smile on her face, Fei Xi returned to her room alone, her smile unchanged as she opened the door.
Reaching the round wooden table in the outer cubicle, her smile faded, her brow furrowed, and she touched her chest, feeling her heart pounding faster. Suppressing her discomfort, she rose and lit a candle. In the candlelight, her face appeared exceptionally clear. The flickering candlelight added a touch of mystery to her features. The light and shadow danced across her face, making her features even more defined, each line delicately outlined.
Fei Xi sat at the table waiting for her heart palpitations to subside. As if thinking of something, her lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile.
A moment later, with a thud, a heavy object fell from the roof beam inside the room.
Fei Xi didn't immediately go over to check what was going on, but instead poured herself a glass of water. After finishing the water, she walked over to the uninvited guest. The visitor still had a look of surprise on his face, and his narrow, fox-like eyes were wider than usual.
Without uttering a word, Fei Xi took out the martial arts manual, which had been cut in half, from her bosom and placed it along with a letter on the visitor. She then blew out the candle, yawned, and went to the inner cubicle to lie down and rest. She didn't say a word, nor did she pay any attention to the people in the outer cubicle.
It's already New Year's Eve, those working overtime are truly pitiful, she'd better not make any sarcastic remarks.
Half an hour passed before Cui Chou finally started to feel something in his fingers. Hearing the steady breathing three meters away, his teeth itched; he really wanted to bite the sleeping woman inside to death.
He picked up the things the woman had placed on him, and with his excellent eyesight, he used the moonlight to read the words on the cover of the manual.
The moment he saw it clearly, his pupils contracted sharply, and his breath caught in his throat. He realized there was another letter in his hand, a letter for him.
Cui Chou tore open the letter and quickly read through the two pages, skimming three lines at a glance. After pondering for a moment, he decided that even if he fell for it again, he would wake the woman in the inner cubicle and get to the bottom of things.
After taking only two steps, a languid, soft murmur, as if someone was still half-asleep, drifted from behind the screen:
"There are two jugs of wine on the desk, which are the reward for the kind people who helped me."
……
An hour later, Mu Qingfeng's voice rang out from outside the door. Fei Xi rubbed her eyes and sat up. A quarter of an hour earlier, she had been woken up by the sounds of firecrackers and fireworks outside, but she was too lazy to move at all.
My junior sister pulled me to the courtyard, where sparkling fireworks, dazzling and shimmering, flew one after another into the dark sky, illuminating the purest joy on people's faces.
This was the first time Mo Wensang had ever played with so many fireworks. He had just finished setting off five "Su Xian Plum Blossoms" when his incense stick was snatched away by his junior brother Yu Mu behind him.
This brat not only snatched it away but also said, "I can't bear to see my senior brother working so hard, so I'll share the burden."
Beside the two vying for the fireworks, Yang Hu quietly lit the "Threaded Peony." Mu Qingfeng placed two flower tubes in Fei Xi's hands, while Fei Xi ran off to light the flower box with Junior Brother Ji. Several junior brothers and sisters were still setting up fireworks frames nearby.
Caught up in the excitement, Fei Xi snatched the incense sticks that her junior brother had just taken back from his hand, lit the flower tube, and, with her junior brother's mournful gaze, the shimmering light bloomed in the girl's eyes.
Unnoticed by anyone on the rooftop, the swordsman downed the wine in one gulp. The cool moonlight, falling on him, seemed to be moved by the laughter and chatter in the courtyard, adding a touch of warmth to the otherwise cold world. Tossing aside the wine jug, the swordsman glanced at the smiling faces in the courtyard, a cryptic smile playing on his otherwise effeminate features. In the blink of an eye, only two empty wine jugs remained on the rooftop; the swordsman was nowhere to be seen.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
The overwhelming aura of the blade clashed with the chilling, bone-piercing energy of the sword, shattering half the street into pieces from the force of the impact. A deep, rough voice, tinged with a hint of deliberate intent, echoed from the end of the street:
"There's something I forgot to mention: the woman who gave me the secret manual was Wei Jiucheng's apprentice."
The swordsman arrived before the man, glancing at the woman being protected behind the Taoist priest.
Hearing his friend's words, the swordsman remained unmoved. He looked at the weakened Taoist priest before him, his already cold voice growing even colder:
"Xiao Jianshan, you're still alive!"
He coughed violently a few times, then stopped, and looked at the swordsman before him with a kind expression. After avenging her, he had retired to the mountains and never met anyone again.
Unexpectedly, the first old friend I met on this trip down the mountain was the swordsman. Ten years had passed since we last met, and the swordsman's martial arts skills had far surpassed mine back then.
Everyone is moving forward; aren't those left behind the most pitiful?
The past cannot be retrieved, and Xiao Jianshan's kind tone carried a hint of nostalgia:
“It’s been a long time since I’ve heard anyone call me by that name. I remember you used to always follow me around calling me Brother Xiao.”
"Since it's all in the past, why bring it up again?"
Slightly offended by the swordsman's merciless words, Xiao Jianshan remained unperturbed. He noticed that some people in the crowd seemed to recognize them, but dared not approach due to the presence of the two deadly weapons.
"This is not a good place for catching up with old friends, so please come with me. Although I don't know what grudge you have, please let my friend behind me go for my sake."
"The rules of Tianshan cannot be broken!"
Upon hearing Xiao Jianshan's request, the swordsman refused without hesitation. His cold gaze shifted from Xiao Jianshan to the girl behind him, and recalling the knife-wielder's words, a hint of scrutiny flickered in his eyes:
"You're Master Wei's disciple? Since you admit to having secretly read my Tianshan manual, I'll spare your life for your master's sake. Gouge out your eyes, cripple your dantian, or take my sword—the choice is yours."
As soon as the swordsman finished speaking, Ji Zhongxuan strode up to him with overwhelming momentum. Despite the vast difference in their strength, he showed no fear, speaking each word with decisiveness and firmness:
"If you want to mess with my senior sister, you'll have to step over my dead body first!"
"That's right! Anyone who wants to mess with my senior sister will have to step over my dead body first!"
The change happened so fast that Mu Qingfeng, who had barely caught her breath, also stepped forward.
She glared at the swordsman, who then burst into laughter. Fei Xi withdrew her gaze and stepped out from behind Xiao Jianshan. Walking to her junior brother's side, she smiled at Junior Brother Ji and Junior Sister Ji to reassure them.
Looking at the swordsman, she tilted her head, revealing an innocent smile, but her words were extremely arrogant:
"So, being able to heal sword wounds from your Tianshan sect means you've peeked into their secret manuals? Then I must possess the secret manuals of every martial arts sect in the world. I can heal Thunder Fist wounds, Tang Family Fortress poisons, Xiaoyao palm wounds, Taibai sword wounds, Taoyuan leg wounds... If that's the case, wouldn't every sect that loses its manual have to hold me accountable? But wait, it seems only Tianshan has this 'rule.' What, Peak Master Bian, are you so ignorant that you've never seen a genius like me before?"
Although he found it strange that his usually gentle friend was so sharp, he figured anyone would be angry if they were suddenly nearly killed. Sensing his old friend's growing murderous intent, Xiao Jianshan quickly tried to smooth things over:
“Xiao Yuan, I can attest to Fei’s medical skills. You know my physical condition. If it weren’t for your treatment these past few years, I’m afraid that if we met again, you would only see a handful of dust.”
"Mo Wenjian doesn't ask about reasons, only results. Since you've touched my Tianshan secret manual, only you know whether you actually opened it. Your excuses will only get you out of punishment temporarily!"
Although he lacked evidence, the swordsman, with his keen intuition, was certain that the girl before him had definitely consulted the manual. If she weren't his friend's disciple, he wouldn't have bothered arguing any further. The martial world was teeming with despicable smooth talkers, and Mo Wenjian never bothered to reason with such people!
"Perhaps I am young and have only heard of revenge. Today I learned that the Tianshan people repay kindness with enmity for the benefactor who helped them find the secret manual. I have learned something new."
Fei Xi smiled and pretended to be receptive to instruction. The swordsman paused, took off his jade pendant, and tossed it to the girl.
"You only have one chance!"
Fei Xi caught it and handed it to Ji Zhongxuan.
"Junior Brother Ji, Tianshan is really doing you a great favor. If you ever need anything, just ask Peak Master Bian for it."
Ji Zhongxuan glanced at his senior sister with a puzzled look, his eyes flickered a few times, and he did not return the jade pendant.
"Senior Xiao, I am deeply grateful for your help today. I will be at Lushan Villa to welcome you during the grand event."
"I will not break my promise to you, young friend."
"Little girl, I also helped save you."
Ignoring the crazed swordsman, and glancing at the swordsman, Fei Xi bid farewell to her senior. Dragging her junior brother Ji, her junior sister, and a child in between, accompanied by eerie laughter behind them, Fei Xi hurried away from the scene.
Damn, repairing the street on the east side will be incredibly expensive. We should just seek compensation from those two wealthy culprits.
I'm afraid that Lord Jia won't dare to settle scores with the ruthless ones and will instead pick on the weak. If we don't run away quickly, we'll be made scapegoats!
"Senior Sister, who was that unreasonable swordsman who attacked you just now?"
Once she left the place that made her feel depressed, Mu Qingfeng regained her usual cheerfulness and couldn't help but become curious.
Fei Xi was in a daze, and before she could react, Wu Yanluo, whose eyes were gleaming with gossip, answered first:
"The white-robed swordsman is Senior Bian Yuan, the lord of Tianshan. My master says he is the number one martial artist in the world today. Sister Fei, from now on, I, Wu Yanluo, will only respect you, no one else. To survive Senior Bian's sword and even make him owe you a favor, you are truly a role model for us all! Speaking of which, if I'm not mistaken, the androgynous person who attacked alongside True Monarch Baoyi is Butcher Cui Chou, right? My master warned me that this person is too monstrous, and we girls must stay far away from him!"