225 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

"Your cultivation can wait just a bit longer. Stay put and behave! As a disciple of your master uncle, you can't be looking so unkempt!" "You’re making me look like I'm about to get married. And by the way, how come you know how to do everything except fight? You're always hiding behind Sister Luo during battles—do you even look like a cultivator?" "Who are you to tell me how a cultivator should act?" Amid their bickering, the makeup was finally done. Lin Yuxue glanced at Ning Songwu's face and nodded in satisfaction. She then produced a bronze mirror for Ning Songwu to see for herself. Ning Songwu stared at her reflection, a bit dazed. The person in the mirror had slightly opened almond eyes and a slightly parted mouth, imbued with a certain innocent charm. "Junior Sister, you look so beautiful like this. You should pay more attention to your appearance usually; think about how many people you could captivate." Ning Songwu knew that she was presentable, but in her past, beauty often brought disaster. To protect herself, she had strived to remain inconspicuous. Putting down the bronze mirror, Ning Songwu said calmly, "Not as beautiful as you, Senior Sister. Don’t you know you’re the goddess to many disciples on Cangjun Mountain?" Ning Songwu wasn't lying. Lin Yuxue was cute, kind-hearted, held a high position, and had advanced cultivation—her popularity on Cangjun Mountain was sky-high. Lin Yuxue was well aware of her situation. Seeing Ning Songwu's displeased look, she asked, "What's wrong? Are you not pleased? You’re not thinking of refusing to take a master, are you?" Ning Songwu immediately denied, "No, I just think appearance doesn't matter much." Lin Yuxue looked at Ning Songwu and suddenly felt a bit lost. She carefully asked, "Do you dislike me dressing you up? Let me change it back for you." As she spoke, she reached out to undo Ning Songwu's hairdo. Ning Songwu turned her head to avoid her hand, a smile reappearing on her face. "Who said I dislike it? I love it! Senior Sister, you’re in trouble now. Whenever there's a big event, you’ll be doing my makeup." Lin Yuxue, seeing her cheer up, breathed a sigh of relief. She glared playfully and pretended to be fierce, "In your dreams! I'm not your maid. You have hands and feet; learn to do it yourself!" Ran Fanyin, standing outside the door, watched their playful exchange. Because she rarely smiled, the disciples of Cangjun Mountain were terrified of her. Even the usually lively Lin Yuxue was no exception. But ever since she took Ning Songwu as her disciple, Lin Yuxue often visited Chaozi Peak, which Ran Fanyin thought was good and did not stop her. However, Ning Songwu’s behavior today made Ran Fanyin alert. She wasn’t good at socializing and feared misleading her student but was a diligent learner. In Cangjun Mountain’s library, she found a book titled "Master and Disciple" and started studying. The book mentioned that apart from imparting knowledge, a master must also keep an eye on the disciple’s mental state to prevent them from straying onto the wrong path. After some thought, Ran Fanyin called out, "Ning Songwu." The two bickering inside froze, then bowed to Ran Fanyin. "Master." "Master Uncle." Ran Fanyin responded softly, "Ning Songwu, I need to speak with you." Lin Yuxue, seeing this, sensibly bade farewell and left the room. "Follow me." Ran Fanyin then walked outside, Ning Songwu catching up in a few steps to follow her. The two arrived at the peak of the mountain. The sun was just rising, mist lifted gently, enveloping the green mountain peaks. Despite the wind, Ning Songwu did not feel cold, only a bit puzzled, wondering what Ran Fanyin wanted to discuss. "What does Master wish to say to her disciple?" Ran Fanyin turned around, looking at the girl, more beautiful than usual. She felt that Ning Songwu must have suffered a lot before coming to Cangjun Mountain, which softened her heart. Ran Fanyin tried to muster a gentle smile, but in Ning Songwu's eyes, it was anything but natural. "We haven't talked much recently. If you encounter any difficulties, you can tell me." Ning Songwu found this awkwardly earnest expression of Ran Fanyin cute. It was hard to imagine using the word 'cute' for someone known as a killing machine, but that's how Ning Songwu felt. She lifted the corners of her mouth. "Master, I have no difficulties. Everyone at Cangjun Mountain treats me well." Ran Fanyin didn’t mean that and felt a bit anxious seeing Ning Songwu’s smiling face. "That's not what I meant." "Then isn't Master concerned about me?" Ning Songwu was now confused about what she did mean. After some inner conflict, Ran Fanyin clarified, "I want to know more about your past." Ning Songwu’s smile gradually faded. Seeing her somber expression, Ran Fanyin wondered if she had said something wrong and debated whether to apologize. Certain things hidden deep within Ning Songwu's heart, she didn't want to mention, yet she kept recalling them, continually licking old wounds that could never heal. "It’s my fault, making you upset." After contemplating, Ran Fanyin decided to apologize. Ning Songwu looked up at her flustered state and suddenly remembered seeing her that day, covered in blood. So be it; it's just a piece of the past. Telling her wouldn’t hurt. Ning Songwu chuckled softly, "Master need not apologize. Luo You wasn’t a big deal." Ning Songwu calmly began recounting her past. She was born in Bailu Village, to simple farming parents. Their family was relatively well-off, owning fertile fields and two yellow oxen. From a young age, Ning Songwu was quite mischievous, adept at climbing trees and rolling in the mud. The villagers often joked she wasn’t a proper girl, and Ning Songwu wasn’t one to take a loss, always returning their teasing with a good scolding. Farming was tough work, so at six, Ning Songwu pestered her parents to let her help. Her mother, unable to refuse, assigned her the task of herding the oxen. Ning Songwu sat by the fields, listening to the bells jingling on the oxen’s necks. She didn’t need to hold their ropes constantly; the two oxen wouldn’t run off. "Xiao Wu! Come home for dinner!" "Alright! Coming, mother." She called back to the woman in worn clothes from afar but suddenly remembered the oxen up in the hills, anxiously adding, "Mother, the oxen..."