The second senior brother returned, only to glance at my body briefly before turning away again. Was he planning to take me with him, or did he intend to leave my true form with Qing He and Master? Did he even care what would happen to me?
I overheard fragments of conversation between Qing He and the others, and though their words were clearly about Master, I had no way of grasping their meaning. The only thing I heard clearly was Qing He’s agitated exclamation: “You must bring back Master’s essence! There’s no other way!”
Three days passed. I lay on my mat, unable to get up. The sound of swords clashing had long disappeared, and Qing He no longer stood at the doorway. I could see nothing beyond the barren plains.
I didn’t know how much time had passed. I turned my head and realized that Qing He had left me by a small stream nearby. He stood at a distance, gazing out over the horizon, as though he were waiting for something—or someone.
At last, I couldn’t keep silent any longer and said, “Master… Second senior brother left to save Master, didn’t he?”
Qing He lowered his gaze, his lips forming a faint smile that carried no joy. After a long pause, he finally replied, “Yes, I saw him.” He lifted his hand and gestured toward the stream. “Drink first, then we’ll return to the house.”
The stream was silent, and not a single person remained in sight.
I knelt by the water, lowering my head to wash my face. The coldness brought clarity to my thoughts, but it was fleeting. Qing He came over, his presence looming over me as though he were trying to shield me from the wind.
At that moment, I suddenly felt a pang of bitterness toward him. I clenched my fists, wanting to lash out at the world, but all I could manage was a single, broken whisper: “I am still… still me.”
“What’s wrong? You’re safe now,” Qing He said, his tone calm but distant. “Wash up and take a rest.”
Translation of the Provided Text
“Master, this isn’t the time for hesitation. Second Senior Brother has already left…”
I looked at him, refusing to trust any of his emotions. No matter how calm he appeared, Qing He’s gaze was distant and unreadable. He didn’t seem upset, nor did he seem pleased. Toward the second senior brother, he was indifferent, just as he was toward me.
What exactly was happening? It felt as though everything had turned silent, as if the world was holding its breath, waiting for something to shift.
“This has something to do with the events at Mount Tianlu,” Qing He said, adjusting his sleeves. “The Demon Sect has been causing trouble, targeting the spiritual gate. Second Senior Brother has gone to rescue his little sister.”
Wait… I froze, realizing that I had overlooked an important point in his words. A little sister?
I asked carefully, “He’s from the Demon Sect?” My gaze fixed on Qing He.
Qing He’s expression remained calm. He nodded faintly.
Alright, I thought. This explained much of what had been confusing so far. Yet I still couldn’t fully grasp why he had chosen to go, and why such matters had suddenly unfolded at this moment.
Qing He continued, “The spiritual gate serves as a threshold between the mortal realm and the sacred mountains. It has no formal sect; they rely on someone from the Demon Sect to guard the gate. The Demon Sect’s strongest members rotate as the spiritual guardians, enduring harsh trials. They stand at the spiritual gate’s front line, responsible for protecting against external threats.”
This “spiritual gate guardian” turned out to be a woman. And her brother… was the Second Senior Brother. He had returned to save her, his younger sister.
“A demon sect member?” I murmured, watching Qing He.
He remained calm and silent.
Very well. At least it explained why Qing He seemed resigned to letting this matter unfold. Based on the current situation, this was a fate beyond anyone’s control, predetermined by forces greater than us.
0 Comments