231 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

Cen Ran was so astonished that her jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "M-Master!" Chapter 89: Response Ning Songwu carefully chose from more than a dozen different rulers of varying lengths and weights, and then lined them up. He pulled Cen Ran over and seriously pointed at the row of rulers. "Senior Sister, which one do you think would hurt the least when hitting?" Cen Ran burst out laughing. "What kind of nonsense are you up to now? Have I spoiled you too much, and now you're getting restless?" "No, not at all." Ning Songwu sighed, thinking of his master's cold demeanor. He must be angry. "I did something wrong, and Master wants to punish me." "Master has such a detached personality; how could he be angry with you? You little troublemaker, what did you do that was so unforgivable?" "Well..." Ning Songwu reddened, muttering incoherently, "Senior Sister, don't ask..." "Alright then. Take this one with you; it shows sincerity." Cen Ran mischievously picked out the thickest and heaviest ruler. Ning Songwu's expression was almost tearful. "This thick one? It'll break my bones!" Cen Ran raised an eyebrow. "Then pick the lightest one? Long and thin, it’ll sting more when used." Ning Songwu's mind raced. Actually, both thick and thin ones would hurt. Maybe taking all of them would show sincerity, and maybe Master would be moved by his earnestness and not punish him after all. With a sly smile, Ning Songwu gathered up all the rulers and made his way, struggling, to Ran Fanyan's chambers. Ran Fanyan had clearly already forgotten her earlier playful comment. Exhausted from her travels, she wanted nothing more than to bathe and cleanse herself upon returning to her chambers. Sending away all the attendants, Ran Fanyan stood alone by the bath, preparing to undress. Piece by piece, her white robes were gracefully removed, revealing her slender, jade-like neck and perfectly shaped shoulders. Her long, soft black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, her slender, enticing waist just faintly visible. The beautiful butterfly bones on her back moved with her actions, and the curves of her waist were enough to stir anyone's deepest desires. Ran Fanyan’s physique was extremely well-proportioned; her abdomen, honed by sword practice, was delicate and firm, her muscles subtly forming the shape of a "川." Who would have thought that beneath her ethereal, ascetic white robes lay such an alluring sight? Ran Fanyan immersed half of her body in the steaming bath, closing her eyes to meditate. Her mind unexpectedly wandered back to half a month ago. It had taken her five days to reach Mount Hua, where she should have stayed for at least a month to observe proper etiquette. But during that time, she continuously received pigeon-carried letters from Cen Ran, making her unable to meditate in peace even for a single day. Nine out of ten letters were about Ning Songwu. Cen Ran wrote that ever since she went to Mount Hua, Ning Songwu often stared into space, sometimes waking up crying at night and occasionally muttering his master's name in his sleep. He wasn't eating well either. Not long after Ran Fanyan left, Ning Songwu's face visibly grew thinner. Ran Fanyan felt like she went to Mount Hua and did nothing but spend five days traveling there, stayed for a while, ate a few meals with the Mount Hua disciples, and realized that Mount Hua's dishes had more potatoes while Northying's dishes had more greens—nothing else was gained. She always felt like something was gnawing at her heart, or as if she were waiting for something. The steam in the bath enveloped her, tinting Ran Fanyan's fair face with a slight blush. The ethereal beauty of her face now seemed to have a touch of gentleness. "Master..." "Hey, you can't go in, the master is bathing..." "Master called for me, don’t stop me." Voices suddenly reached the threshold. Ran Fanyan furrowed her brow, rising quickly and causing a loud splash. In the blink of an eye, the white robe on the clothing rack flew through the air and instantly wrapped around Ran Fanyan's graceful body. The thin wet fabric clung tightly to her form, with the hair tips and neck still dripping water, and her partially open collar revealing snow-white skin. Ning Songwu had just stepped over the threshold and, seeing Ran Fanyan like this, was dumbfounded, standing there with a pile of rulers in his arms. "I told you to come in the evening. What time is it now?" Ran Fanyan asked with a frown, glancing outside. The sky was dark with a thin crescent moon hanging, and not a single star in sight. Her voice abruptly stopped, and the atmosphere grew silent. The air seemed to become stifling. Ning Songwu gulped nervously, acutely aware of his heart pounding in his chest. After a long while, Ran Fanyan snapped back to reality. "Oh... it's already dark." "It is… I'm sorry for intruding..." Ning Songwu found it surprisingly hard to speak, nearly biting his tongue. Master really was the most beautiful person he'd ever seen. Even though he spent all his time in Northying and hadn’t seen many people, Ning Songwu shook his head, feeling strange, a bit dizzy. Maybe the steam from the bath was too thick. "What are you doing holding so many wooden rods?" Ran Fanyan asked, puzzled. "Master... Master told me earlier to bring the rulers and find you..." Ning Songwu stammered. Ran Fanyan stepped closer, leaning slightly towards Ning Songwu. The still-wet white robe and the strong scent of plum blossoms from her freshly bathed body made Ning Songwu's heart stop. "I remember now. Just take this one." Ran Fanyan selected a slender, lightweight ruler and placed it on a nearby table. Ning Songwu nodded dumbly. "Oh..." "Take it to the plum blossom garden and wait for me. Today, I'll teach you the initiation sword technique of Northying." Ning Songwu was stunned. He quickly knelt respectfully. "Thank you, Master." The cold evening breeze stirred the fallen plum petals, gently swirling. The fragrance, refreshing and invigorating, wafted into Ning Songwu's nostrils, exactly like the scent on Ran Fanyan. Northying was located in the extreme north, where it snowed year-round. Ordinary flowers and plants couldn't survive, but a garden full of plum trees thrived, their pink and white blossoms adding a touch of color to the snowy landscape. Ran Fanyan loved plum blossoms and often meditated in the garden. The ground, covered with pink and white petals, resembled a fairyland. The small blossoms were not only beautiful but often used in her sword practice. There was a period when Ran Fanyan was obsessed with carving characters into the delicate petals with her sword, the petals remaining unscathed on the branches from the force exerted.