Chapter 109

Chapter 109

“…Then he went off in such a rage, like I’d tarnished some innocence of his.”

He Yu gave a chuckle, about to jest, when he saw Yun Shen beside him purse his lips, clearly holding back a smile, then say:

“You truly didn’t tarnish his innocence?”

With that, not only the always steady He Yu fell silent, but even Chen Shu, who was mid-sentence and ready to keep “denouncing” Li Chou, froze. A moment later, she suddenly drew a sharp breath, as if only then grasping the words’ meaning, her face flushing a vibrant red.

“How could I possibly tarnish anyone’s innocence!” she snapped angrily. “Am I that kind of person?! I treat even wild rabbits in the hunting woods with extra care—”

For a while, He Yu opened his mouth to advise but stopped, falling speechless. Never mind him; even if the usually smooth Liu Mao were there, he probably wouldn’t know whether to tell Yun Shen not to joke about such matters first or to correct Chen Shu’s bizarrely peculiar reasoning.

—How could wild rabbits from mountain hunts be compared to Li Chou, the distinguished Young Valley Master of Biyang Valley?

But if he thought that way, perhaps they should first be glad Li Chou never heard Chen Shu’s defense. At worst, he was outraged and stormed off, not collapsing in the street like that old farmer, turning into a “legendary tale.”

After weighing both sides, He Yu closed his mouth and quietly let the two before him bicker a few more words.

Actually, Yun Shen and Chen Shu often argued, only each time, it seemed slightly different. Previously, with the three traveling together, any differences were too faint to notice; naturally, he never paid attention. But in the past two days, since that thoughtful moment a while back, he might at last have sluggishly sensed something amiss, growing even more cautious than before.

Had it been before, even during the Sword Discussion Tournament, Yun Shen would have immediately detected his concerns, likely lifting his head to meet his gaze with a knowing smile. But now, engaging Chen Shu with just a few words, he managed to both annoy and fluster her to such an extent that she almost pressed him down onto the bed, feigning ferocity to force him to admit that she was actually very tolerant and friendly. He paid no attention at all to He Yu’s searching gaze, his once-sharp eyes seeming to hold only Chen Shu.

Their final exchange of quips ended with Yun Shen pretending defeat as Chen Shu triumphantly straddled him, loudly proclaiming her victory. Yun Shen then reached up, lightly caught her fingers, drew them downwards until they rested in his palm, and before she could realize what he was doing, gave them a swift tickling.

They say defeat crumbles like an army collapsing. Chen Shu yanked her hand back as if struck by lightning, nearly tumbling backwards onto the floor. But He Yu, quick as ever, darted forward to catch her, steadying her fall so she landed softly within the crook of his arm.

Yun Shen cast a glance at He Yu, a smile playing on his lips. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you.”

Naturally, Chen Shu wouldn’t let it end there. She scrambled to sit up again, ready to renew her verbal assault, but before she could utter a word, Yun Shen effortlessly deflected her with another remark, instantly recapturing her attention.

“So, what’s the plan?” he asked. “Someone has to enter this ‘Bride’s Blade Challenge’, right? Otherwise, that sword will surely end up back in the hands of that ‘Strategist’?”

He Yu, desperate for a way to ease the tension, instantly seized the offered topic. Hoping to pass the focus to Chen Shu, he spoke up even though it was awkward. “Exactly! Since it’s a martial contest to win a bride, the emphasis is naturally on martial prowess. If it were a contest of literature, well, your humble servants here might have a chance! But for true combat prowess, we’d be far better off calling Li Chou back! Young Little Shu’s question to him earlier, while perhaps a bit… unconventional, also held a kernel of truth!”

Unexpectedly, Chen Shu seemed entirely oblivious to his poorly constructed flattery. Her focus shifted. “Hold on—what do you mean ‘no chance’ when it’s focused on martial skills? Me asking Li Chou was just idle chatter, I didn’t actually mean to rely on him! Martial contest? Fine! I just won first place in the Sword Discussion Tournament! Why do I need Li Chou—I’m the one giving him pointers anyway!”

The moment her bright, clear declaration rang out, a silence deeper than before fell over the room. He Yu’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly. He looked from Chen Shu to Yun Shen and back again, utterly at a loss. Pure confusion was written across his face. Yun Shen, who had just sat up from where he’d been pressed back, looked at Chen Shu—who was now bolt upright, leaning slightly against the bedside—first with astonishment. Then, seeming to grasp the full implication of her words, he silently chuckled. Pressing his lips together, he nodded wordlessly. He then deliberately shifted his gaze from Chen Shu to He Yu, clearly appreciating the look of shock causing He Yu’s jaw to hang open.

Such a muted, almost icy response was the last thing Chen Shu expected. Leaving aside everything else, her martial prowess? Praised and doted on like a precious jewel since childhood. Since leaving her mountain home, her fists had fought their way from Zhanglin Village to the Valley of Villains. She only ever held back; she had never been found wanting. When had she ever experienced such a reaction?

She froze momentarily, then her lips quivered. Just as she was about to voice her immense displeasure, she heard Yun Shen—the only one of the three who truly understood—finally burst into laughter.

“So,” he said, clearly amused and pronouncing the next word with deliberate emphasis, “You are saying you intend to participate in this ‘Bride’s Blade Challenge’?” He Yu couldn’t help but laugh in response.

“And whyever not?” Chen Shu huffed, her flush deepening as she realized they were laughing specifically at her. She puffed her cheeks indignantly. “Just look at you two laughing! You can’t even hold out for two moves against me if you teamed up!”

“…We weren’t laughing at that,” He Yu said, managing to suppress his own chuckles first.

He turned towards her and seemed about to casually ruffle her hair, but Yun Shen beat him to it. Reaching out, he gently wiped away a single tear that had escaped during Chen Shu’s earlier fluster, still smiling. “You go? What kind of marriage are you seeking then?”

“Doesn’t matter what kind!” Chen Shu declared with a grand sweep of her hand. “Anyway, I get my sword back, and I get to capture that nasty ‘Strategist’ on the competition ring—two birds with one stone! As for the marrying part, it’s not like the Leader of the Martial Arts Alliance actually intends to marry his daughter off; he’s just luring that wretch out. If I have to, I can just sleep on the floor in the young lord’s bridal chamber for the night—that wouldn’t break the promise!”

Yun Shen made a show of nodding thoughtfully again. “Mm,” he acknowledged. “Leaving aside how many contestants in such challenges are men versus women, just focusing on this instance, since the goal is to lure the ‘Strategist’, do you even know if the ‘Strategist’ is a man or a woman?”

Every tidbit Chen Shu had about the “Strategist” came from offhand remarks dropped by Shen Jie and Liu Mao. How could she possibly know their gender? She stared blankly, blinking rapidly.

Thankfully, one of the three actually had bothered to investigate. He Yu leaned close and whispered a prompt in her ear: “A man.”

“I know! A man!” Chen Shu instantly declared loudly, her confidence bolstered as she tilted her chin challengingly towards Yun Shen.

Their whispered exchange was unmistakable, and Yun Shen’s indulgent smile didn’t waver. He didn’t call them out on it, merely continued to watch Chen Shu with that gentle amusement. Which only made Chen Shu’s mind work frantically again. After a brief moment, she sniffed sharply, then suddenly smacked her own forehead with a muffled cry of exasperated realization.

If the “Strategist” was a man, then the marriage being offered was naturally for a prospective husband for the daughter’s hand. No matter how formidable Chen Shu’s martial skills were, she wouldn’t even get past the barrier of signing up.

“Figure it out now?” Yun Shen inquired softly.

“…Figured it out,” Chen Shu admitted, her voice subdued.

Resentment, however, wasn’t so easily quenched. Her gaze darted between Yun Shen and He Yu, fiercely hoping one of them might spontaneously reveal some hidden martial genius, becoming a peerless grandmaster in a mere ten days to half a month. But daydreams remained daydreams. While Yun Shen simply tilted an eyebrow, clearly waiting with composed interest for her next words, He Yu actually coughed awkwardly and averted his eyes, his avoidance instantly draining the fire from Chen Shu.

She sighed, heavy with gloom. “So, there’s really no other way?” she mumbled dejectedly. “If it’s his daughter choosing a groom, why would they forbid girls from signing up? Makes sense, right?”

He Yu didn’t answer, forcing a hollow chuckle. Yun Shen, however, pursed his lips slightly and reached out to smooth the wrinkles Chen Shu had made in the bedding earlier.

“…Are you truly so desperate for that sword?” he asked quietly. “You must realize marriage is not a trifling matter.”

“I know!” Chen Shu exclaimed. “But what choice do I have? If it gets my sword back, married I’ll be! So what if it means responsibility? Even if I have to support ten dependents, I’d just slay a few more pigs—easy enough!”

Yun Shen shook his head with a soft laugh, sighing lightly.

“It’s more than just responsibility,” he said slowly, his voice grave. “Are you genuinely willing? Even if it means spending every day together, bound by duty? Loving them, respecting them—”

“Why wouldn’t I be willing?” Chen Shu interrupted. Her voice held a stubborn earnestness. “I may not fully understand it all yet, but I’m definitely willing to learn! As long as she’s a good person, why couldn’t I love and respect her? What’s the problem then?”

After Yun Shen finished speaking, he kept staring at her. Moments later, he composed himself and said, “Fine.” Then, softly, he added, “…Since that’s the case, there is a way to find the sword after all.”

He Yu looked down in shock, only to see Yun Shen gazing steadily at Chen Shu as he slowly smiled.

——

Despite Yun Shen’s words, since the proposed Bride’s Blade Challenge remained uncertain, he naturally hadn’t breathed a word about what that way might be.

Yet Fangcheng grew livelier by the day.

Within three days, word arrived that on her way back to the capital, Shen Jie had tried every corrupt official in Yingqiu City, extracting confessions. Armed with these records, she’d ascended to the capital, adding yet another stain to the Valley of Villains’ long list of crimes.

Upon hearing the news, the town naturally rejoiced. Some residents originally from Yingqiu City and Mijiang Slope even packed their belongings, flowing out of the city alongside the martial world figures returning to their respective sects.

Thus, by the time they noticed, only Chen Shu and her two companions remained in Fangcheng.

The lingering purpose for them staying so long had always, besides Chen Shu gathering news, held another, far more important reason.

Two weeks had passed before He Yu finally completed carving the tombstone’s inscription. Carrying the thick slab of rock, he climbed step by step up the mountain. He couldn’t recall the exact spot on their journey back to the sect where his junior sect-sister had drawn the Valley of Villains’ ire protecting him. After half a day of fruitless searching, he simply chose a serene mountaintop with picturesque scenery. A place overlooking the Yushui River, overlooking the boatmen’s vessels that could carry one home. Beside a large tree sturdy enough to provide shelter from wind and rain, he hastily erected her stone.

Perhaps swayed by his somber mood, though Chen Shu didn’t know this disciple of Cold Pine Glen, she and Yun Shen stood a few paces away, silently waiting as He Yu set the stele, paid his respects, then crouched silently before it. A thousand words seemed poised on the tip of his tongue, but in the end, it was only a soft, bitter chuckle.

By the time He Yu turned back, his face was wreathed in a broad smile, expression perfectly composed. Brushing the dirt from his hands, he called out cheerfully for them to set off. Only then did the other two follow him back down the mountain.

The weather today was pleasant. Sunlight spilled over the winding downward path, guiding them back towards the distant Fangcheng where faint trails of smoke curled upwards into the sky. With his past matters now closed and no lingering attachments, He Yu walked with lightness. Chen Shu’s spirits also lifted; she skipped merrily along behind him down the trail. Only Yun Shen, before leaving, turned back once more to gaze at the tombstone. He gave an almost imperceptible nod. It might have been a quiet farewell. It might simply have been a reflexive shiver, a reaction to the mountain wind’s icy bite against his neck.

Winter had truly arrived. The emerald hues in the mountains had long washed away like an ebbing tide, leaving only scattered patches. A bitter wind raked the slopes, scattering clumps of brown that were dried leaves or dead grass. Most of these fragments sank into the frozen earth. Some whirled a few times in the wind, danced over the fresh grave, then, after drifting aimlessly, finally settled back into the dirt.

Deep silence reigned all around. Yet the characters carved starkly onto the gravestone seemed to tell a silent story, standing stark and clear:

Grave of Deceased Younger Sister Wei Mian.