Chapter 76: Parting and Reunion
"And you? What are your plans next?"
Ji Lingxiu pressed down the turmoil in her heart and suddenly asked.
Though they had only spent a few days together, the two women had gotten along well. Ji Lingxiu naturally already knew Ling Zhanshu's true gender.
Ling Zhanshu was silent for a moment, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the family crest carved on her scabbard—a plum blossom of the Ling clan, sculpted from frost and snow.
"Go home." Her voice was faint, yet firm beyond doubt. "In truth, ever since I joined Great Zhou years ago, my parents have urged me to return. Now… I no longer have any reason not to."
She gazed out the window, as if she could see the Ling family manor thousands of miles away, eternally buried in snow. Once, she had left home to chase her dreams. Now that Great Zhou had fallen, she truly had no reason not to return.
"But what about you?" Ling Zhanshu turned her head, for once taking the initiative to ask. "Where will you go next?"
Ji Lingxiu rested her chin on her hand, drawing idle circles on the table with her fingertip. The tea reflected her wavering silhouette, just like the restless state of her heart these past few days.
"Who knows?" she suddenly laughed, her eyes curving like a crescent moon. "I'll take it one step at a time."
The smile was too radiant, causing Ling Zhanshu to frown.
Though they had not known each other long, she could tell the princess before her—this seeming carefreeness never reached her eyes.
But remembering what the other had endured, Ling Zhanshu knew only time could soothe such wounds.
"So… you came to say farewell?" Ji Lingxiu asked again.
Ling Zhanshu nodded silently.
"Then let me see you off?"
…
The sun dipped in the west, dusk deepening.
Ji Lingxiu stood outside the city gates, watching Ling Zhanshu's figure gradually disappear along the distant mountain path. The cold wind lifted her robes and stirred her hair, yet she remained motionless, as though frozen within the vast heavens and earth.
"Everyone has their place to return to…"
Ling Zhanshu to her clan, Fu Yunlan founding a sect, Xuan Tianjun taking control of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion… even the Six Pillar Armies that once swore loyalty to Great Zhou now each supported new masters.
But her own path—where was it?
She stood beneath the city gates, staring into the distance in a daze, until the setting sun stretched her shadow longer and longer.
As night fell and the evening wind cooled, Ji Lingxiu drew a deep breath. At last, resolve flickered in her eyes.
"Return to Central State first."
She still had a debt to settle with a certain woman. After all, the pain of a pierced heart in her previous life was not so easily forgotten.
More importantly—she believed that amidst that night of blood and fire, some of the Imperial Guards must have survived! If she could find them, she could gather her old followers again. Even if only a handful remained, it was better than being utterly alone.
She turned, preparing to leave.
Yet just as she took her first step—
Whoosh!
A faint tearing sound of air echoed from afar.
Inexplicably, Ji Lingxiu raised her head.
Her pupils shrank violently.
On the horizon, a familiar figure strode across the skies, robes billowing, sword light gleaming like snow!
"That is…"
Her heart jolted fiercely, her fingers tightening involuntarily.
"Impossible…"
Three days earlier, after finding Ling Zhanshu, she had immediately turned back to search for Chen Chang'an.
But when she arrived, the entire mountain forest had been razed to the ground. The scorched earth bore nothing but crisscrossing sword scars, and the lingering fluctuation of true essence in the air still pricked at the skin.
As she stood upon that charred land, her boots crushing shards of broken black armor with a harsh crack, memory replayed before her eyes.
That night, the moonlight was ghastly pale, shining upon four charred corpses.
Even in death, they still held fighting stances, their twisted bones frozen as though still struggling in their final moments.
And that man—there had not even been bones left behind.
She had crouched down, fingertips brushing the scorched earth, as though she could still feel the lingering heat of that sword strike.
At last, she had swung her sleeve sharply, sword qi sweeping forth, grinding the four enemy corpses into dust.
Even without seeing it firsthand, she could deeply sense how brutal that battle had been!
He—there was absolutely no chance of survival!
Yet now, that familiar figure striding through the sky, who could it be?
His robes billowed, cutting a streak of light through the clouds and sunset glow.
Ji Lingxiu stood frozen, fingertips trembling slightly. She had seen that charred wasteland with her own eyes, felt the lingering sword qi, even… even grieved so much she could not sleep through the night.
But now, he stood alive before her!
And when he spotted her, his eyes lit up with excitement, waving his arms recklessly in joy.
Her vision blurred with heat, and as she instinctively raised her hand to wipe, her fingertips came away wet with tears.
She was crying…
When had she last shed tears?
Not when Great Zhou fell. Not when Fu Yunlan hunted her down. Not even when Ling Zhanshu departed—then, she had only watched silently.
But now, seeing the one who should have died bounding toward her with life, she could no longer restrain the flood in her eyes.
Was this… a miracle?
Before she could gather her thoughts, she recalled the promise she had once made with him.
In that instant, the face of the fallen princess flushed crimson, her heartbeat pounding like a drum.
Could it be… could it be that he truly intended to demand that sort of request?!
She was once the noble Princess Jin Xiu!
How could she… how could she let him…
Yet the oath before heaven had been sworn. She had no way to refuse.
So even if… it was something she could not avoid…
As her thoughts twisted endlessly—
The streak of light finally broke through the clouds, descending before her.
"You… you…" her voice quivered, tangled with shyness and indignation, yet faintly carrying an indescribable anticipation.
…
Elsewhere, a man who feared losing his beloved disciple had, after his previous incarnation dissipated days ago, hastily summoned a new avatar. Without rest, he rushed through the night to arrive.
When he saw that his target happened to be right at the city gate, the excitement in his heart was indescribable.
Too overcome with joy, he descended immediately, not even noticing the girl's flushed ears and shy expression.
Instead, he leaned in without hesitation, lowered his voice with a smile, and said: "That 'any request' you promised me before—does it still count?"
After receiving the girl's repeated nods of confirmation… he drew a deep breath, steadying his racing emotions. His expression grew utterly solemn as he locked eyes with her ink-black gaze.
"Since that's the case… become my disciple."
…
…
…
"Ha!!?"
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