Chapter 9
Chapter 9
The deepest hour of the night passed. The sky hinted at light beyond the horizon, coalescing faintly like the mist hovering in the mountain valleys.
The horse, oblivious to the night’s ordeal, remained immersed in feasting on the lush wild grass of the gully. He Yu tugged the reins. It plodded forward a few steps, then obstinately halted again, lowering its head to nibble grass beneath a different tree. No amount of pulling could budge it now, testing He Yu’s patience until he could merely stand aside, silently staring.
Yun Shen, witnessing this, secured the carriage holding the three Mounted Bandits with a firm slam. He patted Chen Shu’s back, signaling her to lend a hand. He patted twice, but Chen Shu gave no response, still engrossed in fiddling with that broken iron dagger, her gaze distant as she watched He Yu.
On the third pat, she snapped out of her daze. Befuddled, she turned to Yun Shen.
“What’s got you spacing out?” Yun Shen queried, surprised. “Aren’t you going over?”
“Going over?” Chen Shu echoed, her face clouding with sudden hesitation. She glanced at He Yu, who stood akimbo beside the horses. “Then I should speak up? Wouldn’t that be too… rash?”
“Rash?” Yun Shen was momentarily speechless. “What exactly are you intending to do? Acknowledge him as long-lost kin? Beg to become his disciple? Or perhaps… are you smitten? I just asked you to help with the horse!”
“Where did you get those ideas!” Chen Shu retorted, her own temper flaring. “Didn’t you listen to a word he said earlier?”
“…I certainly listened. I just didn’t catch which part warranted the word ‘rash’.”
Chen Shu grew flustered, her hands moving agitatedly as if emphasizing her point toward Yun Shen. “Diancang Pass! He’s going to Diancang Pass!”
“What about Diancang Pass?”
“Oh heavens, are you really this dense!” Chen Shu flicked her sleeve in exasperation, pointing at He Yu. “…Him! A knight-errant! Skilled in martial arts! Trained by a renowned master! And what’s more—he stayed at the same inn as us! Correct?”
“Correct,” Yun Shen conceded, observing Chen Shu’s frustration. A glimmer of understanding seemed to dawn. “You can’t possibly think…”
“How could it just be what I think? The facts are laid bare, utterly obvious now!” Chen Shu argued. “Think about Zhanglin Village—a small village on a hillside. Just one mountain path, one inn. How many knightly travelers could possibly lodge there per day?”
“…Admittedly few,” Yun Shen replied slowly.
“Furthermore…” Chen Shu wasn’t finished. “Do you recall what the pawnshop owner said? He mentioned the man who pawned the tassel came alone, and he was masked. Initially, I couldn’t fathom why one would need a mask just to pawn a scavenged sword ornament. It’s hardly criminal! But seeing this gentleman, everything clicked.”
“…Are you saying,” Yun Shen paused, piecing it together after a moment’s silence, “his facial injury is conspicuous? He donned the mask to avoid recognition while pawning the tassel?”
“See! Your mind is sharp—once prodded!” Chen Shu exclaimed triumphantly. “Am I not spot on?”
Yun Shen looked at her, scanning her from head to toe. After a sigh, he fell silent for a moment and finally said, “Yes, you are absolutely right.”
“What is absolutely right?” He Yu asked with a smile as he approached, stopping with a teasing tone. “You two share such an enviable bond! My junior sister hardly ever says more than a word to me.”
“He’s not my senior brother,” Chen Shu blurted out. She was usually quite straightforward, and this statement slipped out without thinking. However, upon realizing He Yu was in front of her, she hesitated and began to stammer, “…We were just saying… saying you’re not going to Diancang Pass… so… we were just wondering if…”
“…You would be willing to travel with us,” Yun Shen interjected when Chen Shu could not find her words. Chen Shu immediately shut her mouth and nodded vigorously.
“Of course, I would!” He Yu replied cheerfully. “I represent my sect to attend the Sword Duel Conference. I saw that you both have impressive skills; do you have similar plans?”
“We are just a small sect with limited abilities, unlike your level of confidence. We’re merely going to enjoy the commotion,” Yun Shen replied, patting the foolish-looking Chen Shu. “Right?”
“Uh? Yes,” Chen Shu said, “Yes, that’s right.”
“Haha, you misunderstood me,” He Yu chuckled, pausing for a moment, and politely continued, “You see, I don’t have that much confidence. Look at me; I ride a little horse alone on this journey. Other sects send numerous talented individuals, not just three to five excellent fighters, unlike me.”
Even if he had not thought from this perspective earlier, upon hearing it now, Yun Shen understood. He smiled apologetically, obviously intending to skip that topic. However, the two of them had a tacit understanding, and since the matter wasn’t explicitly stated, one person naturally didn’t grasp it and suddenly spoke up.
“Why don’t you have confidence?” Chen Shu asked. “Brother He should be more confident, as the competition isn’t about numbers. Even if I stood alone on the stage, I would still dare to say I have confidence.”
Yun Shen usually didn’t have time to stop her and gave He Yu another smile. “This girl has a good heart… she speaks a bit too bluntly; please don’t mind her, Brother.”
“It’s nothing. I find the two of you quite interesting, so I don’t mind being straightforward,” He Yu replied. Then, pausing, he started to explain to Chen Shu, “You don’t know, it’s not that I belittle myself. Though the competition doesn’t focus on numbers, each sect sends people based on their strength. My sect is among the six major and nine minor factions, and while we look good from the outside, most people in the martial world know our sect has long been on the decline. We don’t have many good apprentices left, and as for my count, we barely rank among the nine minor factions. These two years, we haven’t recruited any new talents, and I’ve been injured. If it weren’t a formal event, my master wouldn’t even think to send anyone to lose face.”
“Ah,” Chen Shu said, awkwardly scratching her head. “I see, my previous remarks may have been offensive. Brother He, please don’t take it to heart. Since we are traveling together, why not consider us as friends of your sect to boost your confidence?” As she spoke, she felt her sincerity still lacked, so she nudged Yun Shen’s arm, urging him to express his agreement.
“I appreciate your goodwill,” He Yu said with a laugh before Yun Shen could respond. “Let’s set aside the discouraging talk. Right now, there’s a challenge waiting for us. Those valuables were probably taken from merchants. They are not many, so it should be easier to handle—just load them onto a cart and take them back. However, we can’t just leave those fine horses here in the wilderness, can we?”
“That’s easy; I can—”
“What can you do?” Yun Shen interrupted Chen Shu, frowning.
Chen Shu glanced at him and then at He Yu. Ultimately, she understood Yun Shen’s signal and lowered her voice, saying, “I can use the reins to lead them back, right?”
He Yu brightened. “I’m not very skilled with horses, so I truly can’t lead them. If you have confidence, you can give it a try!”
With that, he turned and walked toward the horses on the hillside. After taking a few steps, he looked back at Chen Shu, seemingly waiting for her.
The sky brightened gradually, almost tinted with warm hues of dawn. Chen Shu and He Yu, who had hesitated earlier, suddenly made up their minds and shouted, “We’re coming! Wait for us!” As they shouted, they urged Yun Shen forward, pulling him up the hillside.
Seeing her excitement, Yun Shen allowed her to lead the way and quietly asked, “So, you were unsure of what to say earlier but have figured it out now? He Yu doesn’t even have a sword with him.”
“I have it all figured out,” Chen Shu replied, smiling at Yun Shen. “Brother He is an honest person. He said his sect is in decline; otherwise, he wouldn’t have left a message near Diancang Pass. He must want to borrow my fine sword for the duel and will return it afterward. So, he values that sword enough not to carry it with him, which is a sign of its worth. I’m not in a hurry to find my sword, so why not do him a favor and let him use it for a few days? What do you think?”
Yun Shen sighed, “…So, this is what you understood.”
The small grove on the hillside was not far ahead. Once they reached the slope and took a few quick steps, they arrived. Without the reins, one horse even wandered deep into the lush grove, and He Yu approached cautiously to retrieve the reins.
“Take your time, young lady; try to lead this horse by—”
Before He Yu could finish his sentence, Chen Shu abruptly grabbed the reins and yanked them hard. The horse initially resisted, stretching its neck to eat a mouthful of grass, but Chen Shu seized the chance and pulled again, leading it out of the grove obediently.
“Why is it so well-behaved now? Just a moment ago, I could hardly move it…” He Yu said, puzzled.
“I’m not sure,” Chen Shu replied. “Maybe Brother He frightened them earlier.”
He Yu chuckled awkwardly, unsure how to respond. “Is that so?”
As they walked out of the grove, Yun Shen saw them return successfully and turned back toward the cart on the road.
On the way, Chen Shu picked up the reins of several horses. Her slender arms held onto those thick ropes securely, and the horses in her grasp seemed to have completely changed their personalities—calm and silent, not causing any ruckus.
He Yu, who followed behind, was almost dumbfounded. It was only when Chen Shu called back to him that he snapped out of it, replying twice before catching up.
The dawn light was faint, and the gentle breeze was just right. Chen Shu, full of mischief, noticed Yun Shen had already reached the carriage first and turned to look back. She threw the reins aside, jumped, and slid down the small hillside with a laugh, flattening a trail of wild grass behind her until she reached Yun Shen’s feet.
She came to a steady stop right at his feet and reached out her hand to him. But Yun Shen didn’t move. His expression stern, he silently glared at her for a moment. Seeing Yun Shen unmoved, she wasn’t angered; still smiling cheerfully, she bounced up from the ground herself and brushed at the nonexistent dust on her clothes.
“Brother Yun, why didn’t you let me help with the horse earlier?” she asked curiously.
“Heard of the child carrying gold through the market?” Yun Shen retorted, raising his eyes to look up at the burly man He Yu, who was clumsily trying to calm the horses on the slope. “In today’s world, few cultivate the Dao. You possess unusual abilities, just like that child with gold, easy prey for others. You shouldn’t normally reveal yourself to people.”
Chen Shu shook her head and said, “But I’m no child! Not a child, and even if it were you, or even Brother He, you couldn’t harm a single hair on my head, ha!”
Yun Shen gave a light laugh, turning to look at her. “You think violence is the only way in the mortal world? Let me ask you, what if someone seized your beloved treasures, or captured friends and family you care about, used them to threaten you, what would you do then?”
Chen Shu blinked, seeming to understand yet not quite.
“…Brother Yun means, what if one day, you were captured?”