164 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

"Cen Ran jie brought me these chive buns... Hey, what's with that face? You look down on chive buns?" "I'm not looking down on them... Enjoy your meal. I'll leave the room to you and Senior Sister. See you later." Ning Songwu, with a grim expression, turned to leave. Helan Mianmian still held onto her, "Hey, what's with that face? You've been practicing your swordsmanship so intensely these past days that you've gone a bit mad. You need a break. It's been a couple of months since you've seen the Master, right? Since you have some free time tonight, why don't you go to the Rongku Pavilion and check on her?" "Master wouldn't want to see me." Ning Songwu pouted. "Why do you always jump to conclusions? You seem so restless these days. A glimpse of the Master might help you relax. You can just sneak a peek, treat it as a little reward for yourself." "That makes sense. Alright." Ning Songwu nodded, watching Helan Mianmian chew with delight. Clicked her tongue twice, then turned and walked away. Helan Mianmian called out while clutching the chive buns, "Come back early!" As Ning Songwu remembered something, she quickly turned back, "Hey! Don't you dare eat that stuff in the room, or I swear I'll kill you!" "Okay..." Helan Mianmian took another chive bun from the paper bag, stuffing it into her mouth obediently while standing by the door. Ning Songwu, satisfied, nodded and left with peace of mind. Not long after, Cen Ran arrived. Seeing Helan Mianmian standing at the door, clutching a bag of buns and eating, she couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing here? Waiting for me?" "Absolutely not... Ning Songwu said if I ate inside, she'd kill me." Helan Mianmian rolled her eyes. Cen Ran chuckled and patted Helan Mianmian's head, "You're quite obedient, aren't you? How come you're not usually this obedient?... Come inside. Stand here too long; the wind might make you sick." "What if Ning Songwu really kills me? Will you avenge me?" Helan Mianmian teased, blinking provocatively at Cen Ran. "She wouldn't dare. I won't return to the Rongku Pavilion today and see if she has the guts to kill you." "Cen Ran jie..." Helan Mianmian buried her head into Cen Ran's chest, rubbing like a little kitten. It was getting late. The chess game had long since ended, and Cang Min tidyed up and went back to his room. Cranfan Yin and Lin Yuxue stayed, brewing tea under the ancient tree. Darkness fell, and the snow around them reflected the bright moonlight, creating a serene and peaceful ambiance. Lin Yuxue drank quite a bit of tea, appreciating its rich flavor that lingered on her tongue with a subtle pine aroma. She exclaimed, "Cranfan Yin, your tea-making skills are truly admirable. Do you have any special techniques?" "The Beifa Mountain, home to Daoists, is filled with spiritual energy. The spirit mountain nurtures the spirit water, which then brings forth lotus flowers. The dew gathered from the tips of the lotus petals makes for extraordinary tea. Without Beifa, I doubt I would ever taste such tea in my lifetime." "Who knew the Young Valley Master also had a love for tea." Cranfan Yin smiled faintly. Cranfan Yin rarely smiled; at least Lin Yuxue had seldom seen her smile. Under the vast snow and darkness, that slight, almost imperceptible smile on her lips was like the lone blue lotus blooming in a frozen land, ethereal and otherworldly, unparalleled in elegance. "Cranfan Yin, have you changed the dressing on your wound?" Lin Yuxue asked softly. Cranfan Yin was taken aback and shook her head, "Not yet..." Lin Yuxue grasped Cranfan Yin's wrist, and Cranfan Yin instinctively tried to pull away. Lin Yuxue said, "What are you dodging for? Wasn't it me who treated your hand injury years ago? I didn't bring mech rats this time, so I can't coax you." Cranfan Yin's ears reddened, and she lowered her head, "No... there's no need to trouble you, Young Valley Master..." "Since that incident, I always carry ointment for external injuries with me, just in case. If you ever get hurt again and I'm around, at least I'll have the medicine." Lin Yuxue uncapped a bottle of ointment. Snap. A faint sound of a branch breaking echoed, which, in the still and secluded surroundings, was particularly noticeable. Cranfan Yin frowned. With her keen hearing, she instantly identified where the sound came from and moved towards it. "Who's there?" Cranfan Yin parted the bushes with her sleeve, her frown freezing in place. Ning Songwu stood there, biting her lip and staring fixedly at her. Lin Yuxue walked over, "What happened? Who is it?" Ning Songwu shifted her gaze to Lin Yuxue and chuckled, "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude." Cranfan Yin cleared her throat and turned to Lin Yuxue, "My apologies, Young Valley Master. This is my disciple. Perhaps she saw me talking with you and hesitated to approach." "Your disciple? Hmm..." Lin Yuxue nodded. For some reason, she felt that Ning Songwu's words carried a hint of jealousy. "Young Valley Master, it's getting late. Perhaps we can meet again another day." Cranfan Yin said politely. Lin Yuxue smiled, "Of course. It's late. Rest well, Cranfan Yin, and don't forget to change the dressing." "Yes, I'll remember." Cranfan Yin bowed courteously. After bidding farewell, Lin Yuxue walked away from the courtyard. Ning Songwu snorted through her nose and turned to leave as well. Almost instinctively, Cranfan Yin stepped forward and grabbed Ning Songwu's hand. The slightly cold fingers of the night touched Ning Songwu's warm hand lightly, like a snowflake gently falling, causing a flutter in one's heart. Chapter 65: Acting Ning Songwu hurriedly descended the stairs following Helan Mianmian's frantic steps. As she ran, her mind gradually cleared, and she came to her senses, "Was there someone just now?" "I don't know. I heard something. Let's head back quickly. We can visit again another time." "Next time... you go by yourself. I'm not going..." Ning Songwu's face flushed again as she spoke. Seeing Ning Songwu's shy demeanor, Helan Mianmian thought for a moment and suddenly understood, she laughed, "Oh... just what did you see back there?" Ning Songwu glared at Helan Mianmian, "Seeing you laugh like that, haven't you figured it out yourself?"