Chapter 10: The Lovesick Knot Weaves Threads of Longing
Chapter 10: The Lovesick Knot Weaves Threads of Longing
The group moved with uniform precision and synchronized steps—clear signs of rigorous training. Yet Gu Fengchen could see raw terror flashing in most of their eyes. Though blades were drawn, their swords trembled slightly, betraying overwhelming fear.
Gu Fengchen felt no dread himself. “What are you doing?” he shouted. All eyes fixed on a short, severely wounded man—the ugliest of them—clearly their leader.
The man gritted his teeth, gaze darting around suspiciously, likely scanning for Gu Fengchen’s allies. Concluding he was alone, fire ignited in his eyes. “Kill him!” he roared. “Avenge our sect leader!”
With a collective shout, they charged forward, hacking wildly with their blades.
Fury surged through Gu Fengchen. Attacking without even asking questions? They’re no righteous sect! For scum like this in the Jianghu, mercy was wasted.
He yanked the reins, making his horse rear. Its front hooves slammed into one man’s chest. Screaming, the man dropped his sword, clutched his torso, and collapsed—likely with broken ribs.
Gu Fengchen leaped from the saddle. Two sabers sliced toward him, weaponless. Yet since mastering the Heaven-Defying Divine Art, his senses were preternaturally sharp. He circled both hands outward, seizing each blade’s spine with a single finger.
The attackers strained to pull back, their efforts as useless as a dragonfly shaking a tree. With a flick of his fingers, snap! snap!, both sabers broke cleanly in half.
Shattering steel was no rare skill among claw-and-palm specialists in the Jianghu. But his technique was unique: the blades didn’t snap where his fingers held them—they fractured precisely at the junction between blade and hilt.
This blend of finesse and Internal Energy was astounding.
The two men stared dumbly at hilts in their hands, blades now in the enemy’s grip. Before they could react, Gu Fengchen knocked them unconscious with their own broken weapons.
Gripping the broken spines, Gu Fengchen charged the crowd. Infused with the Heaven-Defying Divine Art’s power, any weapon touching his shattered instantly. Mercifully, he chose only to stun or paralyze them. Half collapsed before the rest fled like scattered birds, leaving only the short man and seventeen unconscious thugs.
Clang! Gu Fengchen tossed the broken blades aside and strode toward the leader. Defiantly rooted, the man’s small eyes bulged like bloodshot bronze bells—a caged beast’s glare.
Gu Fengchen hoisted him up. The man flailed his stubby legs, aiming kicks at Gu Fengchen’s stomach. Channeling his Internal Energy, a wave of icy force surged into Zheng Hun’s meridians, sealing over a dozen acupoints instantly. The man froze.
This acupoint-sealing echoed his earlier blade-breaking, yet used cold Yin energy instead of Yang force. It chilled Zheng Hun’s blood near-freezing, making him shake violently.
Watching the man’s chattering teeth, Gu Fengchen barked, “Thug! Attacking a stranger proves your vile nature! Name yourself!” “Name yourself!” boomed like thunder across the valleys, startling the man momentarily from his misery.
Trembling uncontrollably, he managed through clattering teeth: “This… master… is… Zheng Hun… Iron Fist… Subduer… of Six Realms…!”
Gu Fengchen scoffed. “An ‘Iron Fist’ who trembles and stammers? Seems like hollow bragging!” Enraged, Zheng Hun spat, “I’m… n-not stammering! Y-you did this… But I face… death fearlessly… Won’t… be mocked!”
Suppressing a smile, Gu Fengchen withdrew his energy. As Zheng Hun slumped to the ground, he demanded, “What sect? Why such ruin?”
Still paralyzed from sealed meridians, Zheng Hun could only shout, “Deputy leader of Mount Huang Sect! Days ago, your Red Lotus Sect attacked our mountain! Our leader Hai Tianyun died defending us! You steal our home—and come to hunt survivors?!”
Gu Fengchen blinked. “Red Lotus Sect seized Mount Huang? But didn’t they occupy it until leaving over a decade ago? You robbed an empty nest.” “Bullshit!” Zheng Hun’s fury overrode his tremors. “Mount Huang is our ancestral home! Red Lotus stole it twenty years back! They are the thieves—not us!”
Only then did Gu Fengchen understand: Mount Huang Sect recognized his robe’s red lotus emblem and attacked, fresh from a brutal defeat days earlier.
The revelation stirred respect. This short man showed unwavering nerve against an enemy who could kill him with a flick. True courage.
Gu Fengchen grasped Zheng Hun’s hand, channeling pure Yang energy to unblock his meridians. Warmth cascaded through Zheng Hun’s body, soothing as hot springs and summer sun.
Expecting death, Zheng Hun sneered, “My life is yours! Kill me—spare your false mercy!” “I’m no Red Lotus member,” Gu Fengchen laughed. “We’ve no quarrel.”
Stunned, Zheng Hun stammered, “Then… that robe?” “Found it on the road. I’m poor—wear whatever’s available. Almost got chopped to mince because of it!”
After profuse apologies, Zheng Hun recounted Mount Huang’s defeat. Reluctantly, he described how two Red Lotus masters appeared days prior, demanding Mount Huang Sect’s surrender. When their hundred disciples refused, both masters felled them easily. In the final clash, leader Hai Tianyun’s powerful strikes met a two-palm counterattack that shattered his organs.
“His palms were renowned across the Martial World,” Zheng Hun muttered bitterly. “Yet he lasted two blows. Shows our enemy’s horror.”
With no choice, Zheng Hun led the survivors toward his homestead at Mount Heng. Less injured disciples passed Mount Jiuhua earlier. This heavily wounded group lagged, crossing paths with Gu Fengchen.
Gu Fengchen recalled the fierce fight with the Yang Guan Thief at that village inn and asked whether one of those villains wore a large hat. Zheng Hun nodded—that man was the culprit behind Haily Yun’s death by two palm strikes. Gu Fengchen remembered how, using just forty percent of his strength, he’d made the Yang Guan Thief cough up blood and suffer injuries. With such powerful palm force, killing Haily Yun would have been effortless.
After seeing Zheng Hun off, Gu Fengchen understood that the Red Lotus Sect must already have established their base in Mount Huang. Driving out the Mount Huang Sect was just the first step; their main force surely had already ascended the mountain to set up defenses. This time, the Red Lotus Sect was openly challenging the Four Great Clans and the righteous sects, which meant their plans were thoroughly laid with audacious ambition.
However, second thoughts came to him. Since the Red Lotus Sect was determined to undertake such a grand scheme, then Lian’er seemed utterly insignificant. The Sect would not mobilize for something this trivial. As long as he didn’t anger Hong Linger, getting Lian’er back was not impossible. As long as Lian’er was safe, and he could deliver her to her mother, then he could withdraw entirely from the Jianghu (Martial World), let the storm rage, let rivers of blood flow!
To avoid encountering other people from the Jianghu and causing misunderstandings, Gu Fengchen took off that robe and stuffed it into his bag before mounting his horse and continuing his journey. After passing through a valley, the sound of rushing water met his ears, revealing a clear, serene pool.
Seeing the purity of the pool’s water, and having ridden for several days with little chance to stay at inns and no chance to bathe, Gu Fengchen felt the present water was a perfect opportunity to wash away the dust of his journey.
Seeing no one around, he tethered his horse beneath a tree by the pool, removed his clothes, and slowly waded into the water. The cool, refreshing pond water enveloped him, bringing immense comfort. Gu Fengchen tested the depth, took a breath, dove down, then resurfaced, swimming with great joy.
After swimming for a while, he felt refreshed all over. He surfaced, wiped the water droplets from his face, and happened to glance back. To his surprise, he saw his clothes, which he had left by the poolside, lazily floating up into the air.
Gu Fengchen rubbed his eyes, thinking he must be mistaken. Clothes didn’t have wings; how could they fly? When he focused his gaze, he finally noticed a silken thread above the clothes. Following it upwards, he saw the thread attached to a long pole held in someone’s hand.
Someone sat half-reclined on a branch, using the fishing pole to lift his clothes into the air, swaying them back and forth.
Gu Fengchen watched for a moment, concluding this person wasn’t trying to steal his clothes, merely wanting to get his attention—or perhaps just indulging in boredom.
The person seemed thoroughly amused, swinging the clothes rhythmically. The garment billowed in the wind, looking like a human figure dancing.
As he watched, Gu Fengchen suddenly gave a start. After mastering the Heaven-Defying Divine Art, his eyesight had also greatly improved. He could now see that his clothes weren’t just blown by the wind or tugged by the pole—in that case, the sleeves would move erratically. Instead, those limp, empty sleeves seemed to move as if draped over two actual arms, performing an elegant dance.
The pole-wielder was actually using Internal Energy to manipulate this light, intangible piece of clothing.
This implied the person practiced a soft, Yin style Internal Energy, capable of flowing through a thin silken thread, contracting and expanding like flickering light, advancing and retreating freely.
Although Gu Fengchen possessed both Yang and Yin varieties of Internal Energy, he leaned predominantly towards intense Yang. Even his pure Yin energy was incredibly forceful. The art practiced before him was entirely new to his experience.
After observing a while longer, he called out loudly, “Have you finished playing? I’m done washing and need my clothes.”
A silvery laughter, bell-like and clear, drifted from the branches: “Wanting your clothes back is simple. Just answer a few questions for me.”
It turned out the person was a girl—judging by her voice, no more than seventeen or eighteen.
Gu Fengchen’s heart tightened instantly. Imagining himself stark naked with a young maiden nearby—if he were to emerge like a blooming lotus from the water, it would be deeply improper. “Alright, ask,” he said.
The girl continued swaying the fishing pole, her bell-like voice coming through the branches: “What’s your name, Sir Knight of the Waters?” Gu Fengchen gave his name and said, “Could you ask something useful, young lady?”
The girl said, “This is the most useful. If I don’t even know your name, killing you wouldn’t bring much satisfaction!” Gu Fengchen was taken aback: “You mean to kill me?” The girl replied, “Perhaps. If you won’t do as I say, I might kill someone.”
Gu Fengchen laughed, “Then come and kill me. I won’t do as you say.” The girl asked, “Do you know who I am? Why I’m bothering you?”
Gu Fengchen shook his head. The girl said, “Exactly! You don’t know my name, nor why I sought you out. So how can you assert you won’t yield to me?”
Gu Fengchen conceded, “A fair point. I wouldn’t mind hearing what you say next.”
The girl asked, “Are you with the Red Lotus Sect?” Gu Fengchen replied, “No, I’m not.” The girl pondered, “Yet, your skills resemble theirs.” Gu Fengchen countered, “Resemble how? I know nothing of the Red Lotus Sect’s martial arts. Do you?”
The girl answered, “I’ve some knowledge, yes. Like this technique—‘Reverse Blooming Lotus’. Don’t I perform it well?”
Gu Fengchen inquired, “What is Reverse Blooming Lotus?” The girl explained, “Reverse Blooming Lotus is an Internal Energy cultivation method of the Red Lotus Sect. The energy manifests like a lotus blossoming upside down, enabling control over physical objects. Like, say… your clothes!”
Gu Fengchen conceded, “Impressive technique, profound Internal Energy. In that case, are you of the Red Lotus Sect, miss?”
The girl retorted, “Me? I’m not.” Gu Fengchen mused, “An interesting symmetry. I am not of the Red Lotus Sect, yet I wore their robes; you are not of their Sect, yet you wield their arts. We parallel each other.”
The girl posed her next question: “If you’re not with the Sect, why travel to Mount Huang?” Gu Fengchen stiffened: “How do you know I go to Mount Huang?” The girl replied, “You asked directions from some woodcutters. I happen to know one among them.”
Gu Fengchen chuckled lightly, “Is Mount Huang barred to those outside the Red Lotus Sect?”
The girl stated plainly, “It may have been accessible before, but no longer now. Haven’t you heard? Mount Huang has already been retaken by the Red Lotus Sect. Their stronghold is fully restored.”
Gu Fengchen said, “He can tend to his foundations, I’m going to my Mount Huang. Does the Red Lotus Sect forbid sightseeing outright once they occupy a mountain?”
The girl replied, “Exactly. From the base to the summit, Mount Huang is now crawling with killers every step of the way. Even if there had been any tourists, they’d have fled in terror long ago. Didn’t you know?”
Gu Fengchen answered, “I’ve been traveling nonstop these past days and hardly met anyone, so I didn’t know.”
The girl asked, “So will you listen to me now? Forget Mount Huang?”
Gu Fengchen laughed. “I made a vow earlier. Even if it’s a mountain of daggers and sea of fire, there’s no turning back. I appreciate your concern, miss. I’ll repay your kindness some other time.”
“You truly insist on going?” the girl pressed.
“Of course,” said Gu Fengchen.
“Since you won’t heed my words…” the girl began.
“Are you going to kill me?” Gu Fengchen interrupted.
“Kill you?” the girl scoffed. “I wouldn’t dirty my own hands for that.”
Gu Fengchen asked, “Then which master has that honor? Invite them out.”
The girl glanced at the sky and giggled. “They’ll arrive soon enough. If you’ve got the nerve, stay in that pond another quarter-hour.”
Gu Fengchen retorted, “Without my clothes returned and under your wide-eyed stare, naturally I dare not emerge. Staying put a while longer is no hardship. But… has this ‘master’ of yours ever battled within the pond as well?”
The girl only giggled again, shaking his clothes even faster.
At that moment, Gu Fengchen suddenly sensed something wrong—the sensation came from the pond water around him.
The once-cool water had grown warm without his notice, and it was steadily growing hotter.
Unbeknownst to him, beneath this pond lay a hot spring that erupted daily at fixed times. Its temperature soared, near-boiling.
No one could endure a quarter-hour immersed in such water. A single droplet splashed on skin would raise huge, blistering burns. No matter what kind of divine kung fu one possessed, it offered no defense.
Now, the water’s heat was spiking rapidly. It stung the skin.
Gu Fengchen hurried toward the shore, wishing he could leap clear in one stride.
But just as he neared the bank, the girl’s voice rang out: “What’s wrong? Scared? Didn’t you say you’d stay in for a quarter-hour? Taking back your word the moment it’s spoken? Are all men so spineless?”
Her words struck a chord deep within Gu Fengchen. Somehow, he thought of Hua Yuehen. He’d just become an honored guest of Broken Heart City, yet here he was, going back on his word—becoming precisely the kind of man he’d always despised. How utterly pathetic.
Hmph. Even if Hua Yuehen isn’t here, I’ll show this brat what a real man looks like. Let her see I surpass other men tenfold.
His resolve steeled, Gu Fengchen halted abruptly. He took not a single further step toward shore. Waist-deep now, the water began to emit wisps of steam around him.
The girl’s voice fell silent. She seemed to be watching, dumbstruck. She couldn’t fathom what Gu Fengchen intended! But one thing was certain: If he lingered even half a quarter-hour, the man’s flesh would cook medium rare.
Gu Fengchen was starkly aware. While he refused to lose face before the girl, he had no desire to be simmered into broth. As the scalding heat intensified, it felt like the fury of the “Red Yang Immortal” surging through him. Instinctively, he channeled his pure Yin Internal Energy to resist. The fiercer the heat grew, the colder, more potent his Yin energy became. Eventually, the boiling water surrounding him chilled to icy coolness.
Slowly, the girl ceased fueling the heat with her internal energy. Gu Fengchen’s clothes ceased dancing. In fact, utter silence descended over the entire pond, as if even the birds were dumbstruck by a naked man standing impassively in near-boiling water.
An extraordinary spectacle unfolded: While the water a foot beyond Gu Fengchen’s body roiled and steamed as if lava, the area immediately around him remained utterly calm. Not only did the temperature resist rising, it steadily dropped. Ice crystals began forming at his feet.
As the water froze, his Yin power intensified. Concentrating, Gu Fengchen accelerated the effect. In the blink of an eye, the ice sheet climbed from his feet to his waist. The clash of extreme cold meeting scalding heat caused the surrounding water to swirl violently around this sudden pillar of ice, creating a churning vortex.
In moments, the entire pond spiraled around Gu Fengchen like a vast, liquid tornado—as if a slumbering dragon had erupted from the depths. Flap! Flap! Flap! Birds burst forth screaming from the surrounding woods, panicked by the unnatural sight.
Not just the birds fell silent. Breathless stillness hung from the branches where the girl perched. Young as she was, even the most seasoned veterans of the Jianghu (Martial World) had likely never witnessed such Divine Kung Fu.
Purely in terms of Internal Energy cultivation, Gu Fengchen had mastered the Heaven-Defying Divine Art, amplified by the opposing Yin and Yang toxins within him. He now ranked among the foremost masters under heaven. With such profound internal power, exotic combat techniques became superfluous; even a basic move like “Black Tiger Steals the Heart,” backed by his strength, would overwhelm any foe lacking comparable energy.
His lower body now encased solidly in ice, Gu Fengchen had an idea. Step by heavy step, he began wading ashore.
A gasp came from the trees: “You… you shameless…!” The final insult (“scoundrel”) died unspoken on the girl’s lips. She saw that Gu Fengchen seemed to be clad in trousers of ice. More accurately, he wore a hollow ice cylinder around his waist.
Although the pond water was clear, solidified into ice it turned brilliant white and highly reflective, completely opaque. Gu Fengchen was decently covered.
Gu Fengchen chuckled. “See? Kept my word. Said another quarter-hour, stayed another quarter-hour.”
“If this… skill isn’t of the Red Lotus Sect,” the girl countered, suspicion deepening.
“Truthfully,” Gu Fengchen admitted, “I don’t even know what this skill is. Stumbled into it. Surviving it seemed lucky enough—a marvel itself.”
The girl demanded, “Are you friend or foe to the Red Lotus Sect?”
Gu Fengchen said, “What if they’re enemies? And what if they’re friends?” The girl piped up with a silvery laugh, “If they’re enemies? That’s your fortune. If they’re friends? Then that’s my fortune.” Gu Fengchen asked, “What do you mean by that?” The girl said, “Come beneath the tree, and I’ll tell you.”
Gu Fengchen chuckled, “Then you’d better be quick. These ice trousers won’t hold much longer.”
With that, he tugged at his ice trousers and walked to the base of the tree, tilting his head upward to look.
What came into view first was a pair of small feet, pure as jade and glistening like ice.
These feet could almost be called perfect—slender, long, white as freshly fallen snow, smooth as cream. The toes were neat and clean, nails painted with henna in a glaringly bright red. The heels were plump and dainty, the soles proportioned in flesh and bone, all five toes close together, neither long nor short, just right. Around each ankle hung a string of golden bells that jingled pleasantly the moment they stirred.
She wore no shoes, yet her soles were spotlessly clean. As the feet dangled through the leaves, they seemed poised above the clouds, untouched by a particle of dust.
Gu Fengchen had seen women’s feet before, but only those of destitute rural women too poor to afford shoes—far from beautiful. Yet the feet he gazed upon now were as white and tender as a newborn’s, as if they had never walked upon earth.
The girl must surely hail from immense wealth and privilege, or how else could feet remain so pristine after so many years?
Seeing him fall silent, aware he was admiring her feet, the girl showed no shyness. She chuckled, “Do you find my feet pleasing?” Gu Fengchen hardly expected such a bold question. In that era, unmarried women seldom showed their faces in public, and when venturing out, they shrouded themselves in black veils and ample robes, revealing not a sliver of skin. Although Jianghu women were more open, it was incredibly audacious to display oneself this effortlessly.
Faced with what should have been a simple answer, Gu Fengchen found little desire to reply. His thoughts rushed instead towards dressing quickly, rushing to the Bright Summit of Mount Huang to rescue Lian’er. Whether a stranger’s feet were beautiful seemed unrelated to his purpose.
So he said, “Might the lady return my clothes?”
The girl laughed brightly, “If you can reach them, they’re yours.” The clothes hung upon the fishing pole roughly three meters off the ground. This height was nothing to Gu Fengchen. Fixing his eyes upon the garments, he leapt upward lightly, reaching to seize them.
Just as he reached mid-air, a flash of silver suddenly gleamed above him. A large net descended, precisely covering him.
Suspended mid-leap, with no room to evade, he was perfectly ensnared as the girl released the net at the flawless moment.
When the silver glint descended, Gu Fengchen knew he’d been tricked. Unable to escape, he merely cursed his misfortune as he was caught like a monstrous fish at the net’s center.
Trapped, his energy instantly evaporated. He plummeted downward. Intending to rip through the net strands, he grabbed the cords and pulled with all his might—three times—but they refused to yield.
Since mastering the Heaven-Defying Divine Art, Gu Fengchen’s internal energy had grown potent enough to shatter steel chains. Yet this netting, barely thicker than a little finger, stubbornly held against his strength. It seemed inconceivable.
The girl laughed even more delightedly, “If you could snap my Soul-Bonding Thread, that would be truly strange.” Gu Fengchen felt a sudden ripple of thought. Soul-Bonding Thread. What a fitting name. The yearning of mortals—impossible to sever, impossible to rend. It’s exactly like this rope.
Though trapped within the net, Gu Fengchen remained unafraid. Drawing a deep breath, he prepared to leap again. Suddenly, however, the girl gave the net a casual flick. Instantly, the entire net constricted violently, cutting nearly into his flesh. Thwarted mid-effort, Gu Fengchen spun through the air and crashed to the ground.
The girl remained perched in the tree, one hand holding the net rope as she tossed his clothes back down with the other, giggling, “Here are your clothes. Get dressed.” But trussed up like a zongzi, Gu Fengchen could not move an inch. The clothes lay within reach, yet all he could do was stare.
The layer of ice at Gu Fengchen’s waist was almost completely melted now. The girl declared, “If you wish to dress, you will answer my questions truthfully. Otherwise, I shall hang you here naked.” Gu Fengchen was torn between amusement and chagrin. “Questions are one thing, but is such coercion necessary?” The girl retorted, “To deal with a good man? Naturally not. But for a crafty villain like you? It’s a flawless strategy!” Gu Fengchen countered, “Were I truly a crafty villain, why would baring my chest and belly trouble me? Lady, I fear your strategy may fail.”
The girl suddenly sneered. Applying force, a sharp crack sounded as the ice crust around Gu Fengchen’s waist shattered completely, showering out of the net in tiny shards.
Instantly naked, Gu Fengchen realized the girl had no desire to see a man unclothed herself. With a whoosh, she leapt down from the tree, her grip still firm on the net rope. As she descended, Gu Fengchen was yanked upward: upside down, his head vanishing into the thick foliage.
Securing the net rope around the tree trunk, the girl scoffed coldly, “You think I fear your nakedness? Listen well: evening fast approaches. Should you persist in disobedience, I shall leave you hanging here overnight. At nightfall, a horde of mosquitoes, gadflies, ticks, and leeches will descend upon you, sucking your entire body dry until you’ve not a drop of blood left. When that moment comes, regret will be useless.”
Death itself held little terror for Gu Fengchen. Yet he had a mission unfulfilled, and this unknown girl before him delayed him unnecessarily. Given his current constraints, even with formidable skills, he felt like the Monkey King confined in Laozi’s crucible, utterly stifled. Yet surrender remained utterly alien to his nature.
Watching the sun sink westward, he contemplated silently: if truly hung here for the night, even if he braved the insects, his journey would fail. For Lian’er’s sake, he must swallow his pride and relent—just this once.
Thus he declared, “Ask what you will. I have urgent business. Make no mistake; it is not fear of you that answers.” Even in surrender, he insisted; he would not be mistaken as craven. This was his core.
Now the girl’s smile bloomed brightly. Gu Fengchen’s head remained entangled in the leaves, still hiding her face, but her voice flowed clearly. He could easily tell her mood had lifted—no doubt pleased at subduing a formidable opponent.
She asked, “You journey towards Mount Huang seeking the Red Lotus Sect, am I right?” Gu Fengchen replied, “Yes.” The girl continued, “By your years, you surely cannot be the Red Lotus Sect’s Earthly King, Qin Tangguan. Yet you wear his attire precisely. I wish to know the reason.”
Gu Fengchen answered, “Then I shall tell you.” He recounted forging iron in the village, meeting Feng Jue’s request to escort Lian’er west, and the events they faced along the way. Seeking to avoid implicating the Shaolin Sect, he omitted mention of their name, claiming only a friend’s commission.
Though not eloquently told, the sheer strangeness of their journey drew listeners in despite himself. Reaching dramatic peaks, the girl reacted vividly—gasps, laughter, jumps—each outburst vividly painting her playful, lively spirit.
As his tale concluded, the girl seemed thirsty for more. “By your words, that Heaven-Defying Formula was stolen by someone unknown, and those Twin Shades of the Netherworld have pursued it ever since. Correct?” Gu Fengchen confirmed, “Yes.”
The girl probed, “Do you understand precisely what this Heaven-Defying Formula is?” Gu Fengchen answered, “Rumors say it is the Red Lotus Sect’s most valued secret, reserved solely for the Cult Leader.” The girl nodded. “Exactly. Yet now—you possess the Heaven-Defying Divine Art. What might the Red Lotus Sect think?”
Gu Fengchen said flatly, “Let them dwell upon it as they will. The power is within me, impossible to discard. Unless they slay me—and trust me, that will be no trifling task.”
The girl reasoned, “Precisely their reason for luring you to Mount Huang. Doubtless they will surround you and seek your death. Should they fail, they hold hostage: leverage to extort your compliance.”
Gu Fengchen replied, “I grasp that, but the fire has reached the eyebrows—we deal with the present danger. If I delay and the child dies… I prove faithless to my friend.”
The girl brightened. “Regarding that… I have an idea. A way you might avoid death and save the girl.” Gu Fengchen’s interest sparked. “What brilliant plan? Speak!”
The girl explained, “A plan exists, but I cannot reveal it here. Only once we reach Mount Huang can it proceed.”
Gu Fengchen asked, “Why assist me?”
The girl trilled, “Did I not declare it? Should you oppose the Red Lotus Sect—truly oppose them—well, that’s your blessing: I won’t merely spare you, I will aid you. But should your loyalties lie with the Cult… well then, that becomes my blessing: I shall hold you captive, useful in future schemes. Though I warn you, your misery shall then extend far beyond insect bites.”
Gu Fengchen ventured, “Lady, do you propose traveling with me to Mount Huang?”
The girl replied airily, “Whether I accompany you depends entirely upon my whim. Should I choose differently, I go alone. Still, a companion on the road is hardly a burden.” Gu Fengchen stated, “So we share this journey. If your plan truly promises Lian’er’s rescue, Gu Fengchen willingly serves as your escort.”
The girl giggled, “Tell me… is this offer of escort sincere? Or merely words to secure the child’s life?”
Gu Fengchen hesitated, speechless for a long moment.
The girl queried, “Speechless?”
Gu Fengchen answered gravely, “My offer just now? Empty courtesy, truly. I know nothing of your background, thus where… could sincerity possibly reside?”
The girl challenged, “You… state this so bluntly? Have you no fear I may yet hang you here for endless days and nights?”
Gu Fengchen confessed, “Once, I was a monk; dishonesty held no place. Since returning to worldly life, deceitful words flow too freely—a poor habit indeed. A true man never lies. Especially not to women. Hang me as long as you please. Simply save that child… and even if I perish, gratitude remains.”
The girl surveyed him, a gleam in her eyes. “And these words… born of sincerity?”
Gu Fengchen vowed, “Utterly true.”
The girl smiled, and suddenly her hand flicked. The knots fell away. Gu Fengchen tumbled down through the leaves.
Lacking even a stitch upon him, he stood utterly exposed. Thankfully, the girl had already slipped behind the broad tree trunk. “Hurry and cover yourself! Should someone come… think what they’d assume!”
Fully clothed again, Gu Fengchen called out cheerfully, “It’s safe.”
The girl lingered behind the tree. “You command me to appear? And I must obey? Forget not—you remain my prisoner.” Gu Fengchen conceded, “A fair point. Since entering this Jianghu, victory has proven a rare commodity for me. What right has a seasoned loser to demand another’s presence? No… I shall come to you.”
He stepped behind the great tree and stood directly before her. In that instant, he saw her face for the very first time.
So beautiful.
This face belonged indisputably to the lands south of the Yangtze. Her complexion seemed formed of water—almost fragile. Her immense eyes shone with spirit, dark lashes long and dense. Within every blink dwelt countless sparks of life. Particularly enchanting was her tiny nose, its tip slightly upturned, projecting impossible charm. Her cherry-red lips parted to reveal teeth white as finely crushed jade—true perfection.
Twined above each temple rested delicate Jiangnan knots of hair. She wore a bluish-green short tunic that exposed snow-lotus-like forearms and calves. Golden bells graced her wrists too. Beheld fully, she resembled nothing less than a heavenly child attendant poised beneath Kwan Yin’s gentle gaze.
Gu Fengchen, having once been a monk, held firmly that form was emptiness; the mere appearance of beauty held little significance. He had seen Hong Linger before, perhaps even more beautiful than this woman—though hers was a colder elegance, and she had touched no deeper chord within him.
Observing Gu Fengchen merely sweep his gaze across her face and avert his eyes, devoid of delight or covetousness, the girl experienced the tiniest inner stir. This man was unique.
Gu Fengchen clasped his hands respectfully. “Dare I ask the lady’s honorable name? May I know upon which heroine I have fallen so decisively?”