Chapter 80

Chapter 80

“… Haven’t you recognized me yet?”

At first, Chen Shu remained frozen. Her large, round eyes stared fixedly at the masked man opposite her, her dark pupils utterly still. Even after his voice faded, she didn’t move, only her mouth parting slightly, then opening wider and wider until finally, she let out a strange sound—something like the cry of a small animal, or perhaps vanishing on the wind.

“Big Brother He!” she cried out crisply.

He Yu naturally responded with a smile, replying energetically, “It’s me!” He used his other hand to remove the black cloth that masked his face.

It had been quite some time since he last saw Chen Shu, and he must have truly forgotten her unrestrained nature. This sudden move was indeed a “miscalculation.” As he reached out to remove the face covering, he naturally had to close his eyes again. Chen Shu, however, paid no heed to such things. Overjoyed, she was like a horse let loose in a field—utterly carefree — she flung herself bodily at him!

He Yu’s response was cut off midway through the last syllable by this abrupt rush: “It’s me—oh, oh, Little Shu, don’t rush—”

Thus, He Yu’s raised hand, halfway to its goal, curled back hastily to catch Chen Shu, lest she tumble. Though petite, her strength was anything but ordinary, and this leap nearly crashed her straight into He Yu’s chest. Coupled with his distraction in protecting her, he was nearly overwhelmed. The two of them came perilously close to tumbling head over heels to the ground.

Never mind the jade in He Yu’s hand.

This piece of jade, passed down through generations of Tianyu Mountain’s successive sect leaders until Chen Shu tucked it away and brought it down the mountain, had likely never before faced such indifference. He Yu, while possessing some skill, was no seasoned martial artist, and caught utterly off guard, fumbled the stone. The force nearly sent it flying.

One must realize, the courtyard was strewn with debris washed there by the flood. Forget jade; even a mere tile or pebble, if not especially sturdy, could shatter upon impact against a jagged edge. Centuries upon centuries of heritage could crumble away in that single moment.

Ever meticulous, He Yu likely realized this, for a cold sweat broke out. Snapping back to his senses, he swiftly tucked the jade, along with the red cord adorning his robe, back into his sleeve. His other hand steadied Chen Shu, setting this little macaque, half-hanging off him, firmly back on the ground. He chuckled helplessly.

“What’s got you this overjoyed? I might be sturdy enough, but watch out for your own jade.” Saying this, he carefully drew out the jade once more and handed it to Chen Shu.

Overjoyed? That was an understatement. Prompted by his words, her grin widened further, her smile stretching ear to ear. She snatched the jade without even a glance, casually hooking it onto her Daoist robes. As she fumbled with the cord, her words poured out in a torrent, as if she wished to spill every sight and sound of the past fortnight to He Yu:

“How could I not be overjoyed? You’ve no idea the troubles I faced after you and Yun Shen left! So many matters in Diancang Pass needed my decisions! There was Li Chou, and Yan Ji—us three spent ages investigating, went to great lengths, before we uncovered… oh, right! Lord Shen went back to the capital? Did you know? She took a trip with me to Yingqiu City, and we actually found something! Then, back at Diancang Pass, Li Chou sought me out and said—”

She didn’t truly trust others, but He Yu was different. Therefore, this stream of words probably spilled forth before she’d even sorted their sequence clearly in her mind. Right now, where was the thought for Shen Jie’s warnings? Where was the care to untangle her tale? Mid-sentence, He Yu, just barely catching a few names, interrupted her, half-amused, half-helpless.

“Slow down, don’t rush. It’s not like seeing me means I’ll vanish immediately. I came looking for you specially.”

Hearing this, Chen Shu turned her head curiously. The carelessly hung jade dangled forgotten. “You came specially looking for me? But why? Didn’t you return to the sect?”

As she spoke, the jade nestled at her waist swayed with her movements.

The sunlight filtered through it gathered on her robe’s hem, the small halo of light shimmering faintly along with her motions. He Yu’s gaze drifted unconsciously to the spot. He watched it for a moment before replying to Chen Shu, his Adam’s apple bobbing visibly first. Then he lowered himself, kneeling before Chen Shu. Carefully, attentively, he undid the knot she had hastily tied, retied it securely, and only then looked up. From his kneeling position, he gazed up at her.

“I returned to the sect… and got chased back.” He said, forcing a dry chuckle as if embarrassed by the admission, quickly shifting topics. “This trip was specifically to see you—I ran into Li Chou again in Mengcheng.” This wasn’t so strange. Leaving Cold Pine Glen and returning to Biyang Valley, there was indeed a stretch of overlapping roads. Mengcheng was simply one of the busier spots, making encounters at the docks more likely.

“Oh,” Chen Shu replied, sounding somewhat confused. “Did Li Chou tell you about the clue regarding the sword?”

“Actually, no,” He Yu answered. “It was about the corpse you found within Liu Mao’s magistracy. That corpse bore a pattern. You—or rather, should I say Lord Shen?—suspect this flood in Diancang Pass was because someone wanted to… silence them?”

Before He Yu could even finish, Chen Shu’s head bobbed like a chicken pecking at rice. “Right, right, right! That’s exactly what I wanted to tell you! It’s really peculiar, that pattern on the corpse—”

“I know,” He Yu cut her off, still kneeling. Placing a hand gently on her arm, he seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing, “I told Li Chou to draw the pattern for me. Tell me, is it circular? Like a character?”

“Ah, yes!” Chen Shu confirmed, then immediately asked, “Why? You recognize this pattern too?”

“It’s the mark of the Valley of Villains,” He Yu stated. Genuine, visible hesitation flickered across his face. After an inner struggle, he added, “On my way here, I heard rumors spreading in the Yunan region: people from the Valley of Villains had discovered a valuable sword. At first, I dismissed it as mere countryside hearsay. But after meeting Li Chou, and seeing your… your bounty notice… I sensed something was wrong. I had to come find you.

“Notice how the rumor spread—timed perfectly, emerging just days after your bounty notice went up, coinciding with Diancang Pass’s fragile recovery and the increased traffic. It precisely aligned with your discovery of the Valley of Villains clue, just as you prepared to investigate further. If you didn’t recognize that mark as the Valley’s signature, you’d likely be led on, straight into their territory… But the Valley of Villains, especially the leader’s stronghold, is absolutely not a place to tread lightly!”

He spoke fervently at length, getting increasingly agitated himself. Yet when he finally finished and looked at Chen Shu, her face was blank with incomprehension.

Clearly, she hadn’t grasped half of it. Only one thing had registered.

“—Wait, Brother He! How did you know it was the Valley of Villains’ mark?”

Silence settled between them. He Yu’s expression was one of utter helplessness. Chen Shu, too, seemed a little sheepish. She grasped He Yu by his broad shoulders and hauled him upright off the ground as one might pull a radish from the earth. Mimicking a tactic Shen Jie or Yun Shen might use to defuse tension, she quickly proposed a solution.

“How about this? Let’s get some food first. You’ve traveled a long journey, surely by water? Boat food? Utterly tasteless! You must be starved! I’ll take you to someone’s house for a proper meal!”

“—Someone’s house?!”

After the great flood, each household really displayed their own ingenuity to survive and recover.

Fisherfolk returned to their roots, catching fish to make fresh sashimi and stews. Hunters ventured outside the city walls, hauling back game animals—more precious than gold or silver in this climate—and made a handsome profit. Others, those already well-off, had higher buildings; their top-floor grain stores remained untouched by the waters. And there were those with vast connections, relatives and friends scattered throughout Yunan, who managed to procure grain from other towns—shipments that arrived even faster than the official relief supplies.

These individuals, likely having survived a huge disaster, seemed particularly generous now. Having secured their own food and shelter, they always remembered to bring a share to Chen Shu, their “great benefactor.”

Thus, during these days at Diancang Pass, though the accommodations were just as dilapidated and bare as those on Tianyu Mountain—crumbling stone houses empty of any furnishing—Chen Shu thrived like a fish in water. Today she’d eat near the city gate, tomorrow near the magistracy; she never lacked for meals. People even frequently invited her, asking, “Is Little Shu free?” or “Would Hero Chen honor us with some fish tomorrow?” No wonder she lingered at Diancang Pass contentedly for many extra days, nearly forgetting about her sword.

So, on that particular day, she indeed brought He Yu along to dine at one of these homes. He Yu, despite being so tall and sturdy, almost hid behind her, letting her greet the hosts. Thankfully, this family possessed truly good memories. Not only did they recognize Chen Shu, but they also remembered He Yu, who’d rescued many at that time. Their happiness doubled at the pair’s visit.

The meal was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Afterwards, Chen Shu was in the courtyard helping the family move stone bricks that had collapsed earlier, bricks that ordinary people could barely budge.

He Yu was also present. Though it was just the two of them and saving face shouldn’t matter, He Yu was inherently courteous. At first, he tried to help, but his strength—likely less than even Li Chou’s—proved insufficient, forcing him to sheepishly withdraw. Clutching his wine gourd-shaped canteen, he simply dutifully offered it to Chen Shu whenever she paused, allowing her a few sips to quench her thirst.

Soon, Chen Shu had cleared most of the courtyard’s original space. Turning around, she noticed a peculiar look on He Yu’s face, as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.

Or rather, his expression had held this gentle worry since they met and began talking. But Chen Shu had been preoccupied—first with eating quickly, then with rushing to work. Only now, looking back, did she suddenly perceive it.

Thinking more carefully, she realized that the conversation she’d pushed to the back of her mind earlier hadn’t even ended properly!

“Now that I’m full and energized, I’ve really thought it all through,” Chen Shu initiated, “Brother He, did you come to persuade me not to seek the sword in the Valley of Villains?”

He Yu handed the gourd back to her, watching her tilt her head back and gulp down water heedlessly.

“…Yes.”

“But I’m not an ordinary mortal,” Chen Shu said, wiping her mouth and then shaking the now-empty gourd. “I even won first place at the Sword Discussion Tournament! You don’t need to worry. Even if they were luring me into trap, it would be their downfall—”

“No, you underestimate the Valley of Villains,” He Yu interrupted, not taking the gourd she offered but straightening his posture, seemingly steeling his resolve. “It’s a demon’s den that devours people without spitting out the bones.

“Four years ago, my own martial sister was killed by those irredeemable fiends.”