The lunch dishes proved to be as mediocre and uninspired as the earlier snacks. Cai Zhao disappointedly filled her stomach, while Cai Han, facing months of vegetarian meals, indulged in a feast. He finally collapsed before a porcelain bowl of braised crystal pork knuckle, gazing at it longingly. Cai Zhao had to request tangerine peel soup from a servant to aid his digestion.
Even after rubbing Cai Han’s stomach until it stopped hurting, the siblings still hadn’t seen their parents return. Fan Xing Jia came back from the main hall, sweating profusely, and began wolfing down a fresh bowl of rice, devouring the leftover dishes like a whirlwind. Cai Zhao generously moved the intact pork knuckle to Fan Xing Jia’s bowl, causing Chang Ning to frown.
“Thanks, Sister Cai. I haven’t eaten since dawn, and it’s been more exhausting than training. Luckily, Master sent me to find you, so I could catch a break. Poor Senior Brother is still working without rest,” Fan Xing Jia mumbled, his cheeks bulging and almost filling his dimples. “Don’t wait for Valley Master Cai and the others. Your Luoying Valley hasn’t sent anyone out in years, so many elders want to catch up with your parents. They might not be free even by evening.”
Cai Zhao quickly asked what they should do now. Fan Xing Jia replied, “It’s chaotic outside with disciples from various sects coming and going. You don’t know many people, so to avoid conflicts, Senior Brother suggested you stay in the guest rooms of Muwei Palace’s side hall. After the ceremony, you can move to the ‘Chunling Cottage’ that Master prepared for you, Sister Cai.”
Cai Zhao nodded repeatedly, ready to drag her dazed brother for a nap to recover from the past two hours’ ordeal. However, Chang Ning grabbed her sleeve. She asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong now?”
Chang Ning said, “What about me if you leave?”
“What do you mean? I promised to protect you, didn’t I?” Cai Zhao felt proud of her words.
Chang Ning frowned, “You’re going to the guest rooms, and I’m returning to the medicine pavilion. What if they come to harass me? Even if you break their bones for soup afterward, I’d still have suffered. So, your earlier promise wasn’t about protecting me completely, but avenging me after the fact?”
Cai Zhao’s eyes widened, thinking the situation wasn’t that serious.
Chang Ning stared back unapologetically, indicating it was indeed that serious.
Finally, Cai Zhao surrendered, “Fine, fine, we’ll go together. Brother Fan, can Brother Chang stay in the room next to mine?”
Fan Xing Jia, catching Chang Ning’s cold gaze, felt a chill despite the boy’s weakened state. He quickly agreed.
The group, each lost in their thoughts, followed Fan Xing Jia to Muwei Palace’s side hall. Seeing that neither the new sister nor the sore-covered brother were peacekeepers, Fan Xing Jia carefully avoided crowds, finally reaching the side hall peacefully.
Looking at the clean, adjoining guest rooms, Cai Zhao sincerely thanked him, “Brother Fan, you’ve worked hard. I hope preparing two adjacent rooms wasn’t too troublesome. With so many guests these days, if there’s not enough space…”
“It’s fine,” Fan Xing Jia smiled. “The hall is quieter these days. Senior Brother arranged for disciples from different sects to stay in separate courtyards to avoid… misunderstandings.”
“Misunderstandings,” Chang Ning finished for him, smiling charmingly. “People in the martial world are prone to ‘misunderstandings.’ Senior Brother and Brother Fan have thought this through.”
Fan Xing Jia wiped his sweat with an awkward smile, quickly instructing servants to bring Cai Zhao, her brother, and Chang Ning’s belongings.
While Fan Xing Jia was busy directing the room setup, Cai Zhao whispered to Chang Ning, “Can you stop antagonizing people? Don’t you know harmony brings wealth? Brother Fan isn’t the one who ‘misunderstood’ you, so why provoke him?”
Chang Ning turned, surprised, his clear eyes seeming hurt, “You’ve known Brother Fan for barely half an hour, but we’ve known each other for an hour and a half. You’re scolding me for him?!” With that, he angrily swept his sleeve and entered the room.
Cai Zhao stood there, bewildered. Is there such a big difference between half an hour and an hour and a half?
Chang Ning approached Fan Xing Jia and made a deep bow, startling him. Fan Xing Jia hurriedly said, “Brother Chang, what’s this about? There’s no need for such formality!”
Chang Ning straightened up, “Brother Fan, please understand. I can handle myself, but Sister Cai is new here. She offended Sister Qi because of me. Please keep a close eye on things, so there are no ‘misunderstandings’ with the food and drinks sent to us.”
Cai Zhao’s ears perked up, and she quickly caught up, “Brother Fan, have people who bullied Brother Chang tampered with his food before?”
Fan Xing Jia awkwardly replied, “Uh, yes, two or three times—but Master immediately severely punished those who harmed Brother Chang! It hasn’t happened… uh, there haven’t been any ‘misunderstandings’ since then.”
Chang Ning glanced at her, frowning, “And the medicinal soups. I need to drink them several times a day, and they’ve been tampered with too.”
Cai Zhao turned to question again, “Brother Fan, are they insane? They dare to mess with healing and detoxifying soups?!”
Fan Xing Jia waved his hands, “No, no, it’s not poisoning. They just added some disgusting things, like…”
“Like grasshoppers and stink bugs,” Chang Ning smiled.
Cai Zhao’s face darkened, “Brother Fan, isn’t this going too far?”
Fan Xing Jia explained with difficulty, “It only happened once or twice. Master has already punished them severely. Now, Brother Chang’s medicinal soups are sent from the medicine pavilion under Elder Lei’s supervision. It won’t happen again.”
Chang Ning seemed pleased and pressed on, “At night, while I slept, they’ve thrown scorpions and venomous snakes onto my bed…”
“This is outrageous!” Cai Zhao slammed the table, this time speaking before Fan Xing Jia could, “Brother Fan, don’t tell me Master has punished them again. Unless the ringleaders are removed, these minions will keep coming!”
Fan Xing Jia smiled apologetically, “Master has been harsh, but Brother Chang always avoided harm, so Madam stopped Master from severe punishment, saying it was just childish mischief…”
Cai Zhao disagreed loudly, “Brother Fan, that’s not right! Not causing harm and not intending to cause harm are different! Is there no justice in the Qingque Sect?!”
Fan Xing Jia looked at Chang Ning, then at Cai Zhao, before saying softly, “Because of these issues, Master and Madam have been arguing fiercely. Now… now they’re living in separate quarters.”
Cai Zhao was speechless.
She finally understood why her mother always disliked Qi Yunke. Her future master was undoubtedly a good person but lacked authority and decisiveness, often constrained by face and relationships. It was infuriating.
“The Sect Leader’s wife says it’s childish mischief, right? Fine,” Cai Zhao narrowed her eyes, speaking deliberately, “Mischief it is. When I join the sect, I’ll be the youngest. Surely I won’t be severely punished for my mischief either.”
Fan Xing Jia understood her implication and anxiously said, “…It’s best not to harm the harmony among fellow disciples.”
Cai Zhao smiled sweetly, “Don’t worry, Brother Fan. Brotherly love grows stronger with playful fights.” Though she enjoyed comfort and ease, years of influence from Cai Pingzhu hadn’t been wasted. She still had a basic sense of chivalry and justice, sympathizing with the weak and despising evil.
Fan Xing Jia wiped the sweat from his brow, laughing nervously.
He had already heard from Zeng Dalou about Cai Zhao’s display of skill in front of everyone. With Qi Yunke’s protection, if trouble broke out, Qi Lingbo would likely suffer. But if Qi Lingbo was hurt, Madam would surely intervene, causing future turmoil in the sect.
Born into wealth with a harmonious family, Fan Xing Jia developed an optimistic and cheerful disposition.
Originally, he had planned to spend a few years basking in the glory of the world’s top sect before returning home to be a carefree rich man. Who knew he’d show a talent for medicine and Qi cultivation, unwittingly becoming an inner disciple? He silently prayed to the Three Teachings’ Patriarchs and Amitabha Buddha that when they eventually clashed, innocent bystanders like him wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire!
Finally, the servants finished preparing the two guest rooms. Fan Xingjia quickly exchanged a few polite words before hurrying away.
Once they were alone, Cai Zhao dropped her smile and addressed Chang Ning seriously: “Regarding the third rule of our agreement, from now on, you’re not allowed to irritate anyone who means no harm. Can’t you be more agreeable? Otherwise, you’ll end up offending everyone!”
Chang Ning retorted, “Then why aren’t you more agreeable with me? You’re always frowning at me.”
“Even if I were a shopkeeper, you wouldn’t be my customer. There’s no profit in being agreeable with you,” Cai Zhao replied.
“Then what am I to you?” Chang Ning asked.
“A debt collector,” she answered bluntly.
…
Cai Zhao watched as her young brother rolled around in the soft, dry bedding three or four times before falling asleep, resembling a plump dumpling.
Satisfied, Chang Ning also went to take a nap. Having achieved his goal, his demeanor suddenly changed. He became all smiles, and even the sores on his face seemed somewhat endearing. Before sleeping, he reminded Cai Zhao not to forget to wake him for dinner.
In the quiet side hall, Cai Zhao held up a fist-sized night pearl, examining the high dome outside. Ancient, silent beams were adorned with intricate beast patterns, their faces fierce and postures menacing. Ironically, people still considered them auspicious symbols.
She reflected that whether these beasts were truly auspicious or malevolent depended solely on popular opinion. Ultimately, those who survived were the winners, and good and evil were determined by what people said.
The air was filled with a subtle fragrance of incense. The winding corridors of the palace shielded the side hall from the noise of the main hall. Cai Zhao returned to the room, tucked in her younger brother’s blanket, and sat alone at the table, deep in thought.
In the Northern State, six sects reigned supreme, with the Qingque Sect of Mount Jiuli at the top. Below it was the Guangtian Gate, Peiqiong Manor, Siqimen, Taichu Temple, and lastly, the Luoying Valley.
For two hundred years, these six sects had produced exceptional talents. However, the Qingque Sect maintained its supremacy by promoting talent regardless of background. While other sects allowed hereditary succession, Qingque selected its next leader through open competition, choosing the most skilled in both martial arts and strategy.
This policy led to the unexpected rise of Qi Yunke, a previously unknown outer disciple. When he broke through the limitations of the “Heavenly Fire Dragon” technique, the old sect leader Yin Dai had no choice but to accept him as a close disciple, despite any personal preferences.
According to Ning Xiaofeng, Qi Yunke’s meteoric rise to sect leader was partly due to the chaos caused by the Demonic Sect. As the saying goes, “In times of crisis, loyal ministers emerge.” Without the looming threat, Qi Yunke might not have had the chance to showcase his abilities.
Beyond the six sects, two other righteous factions held sway in the martial world: the Changchun Temple in Qingxi Hollow and the Xuankong Nunnery in Yinxiu Ravine.
The Changchun Temple was built 160 years ago, coinciding with the havoc wreaked by the first-generation sorceress of Luoying Valley. When the six sects were about to unite against Luoying Valley, the first abbot of Changchun Temple mediated, resulting in a compromise.
Since then, Luoying Valley and Changchun Temple formed a deep bond. It’s said that the eighteen oldest and sturdiest pine trees in the temple, known as the Eighteen Arhat Pines, were planted with Luoying Valley’s help.
Xuankong Nunnery was built a few years later and initially remained secluded from martial world conflicts. However, 120 years ago, a prodigious leader emerged in the Demonic Sect. In his teens, he overpowered the sect’s elders, and by twenty, he became an unstoppable force, crushing all opponents.
During this period, the Demonic Sect’s influence was ubiquitous. Even Yinxiu Ravine couldn’t remain neutral, forcing Xuankong Nunnery to join the righteous alliance led by the Northern State’s six sects.
“What happened next?” ten-year-old Cai Zhao had asked eagerly. “Did a great hero from the righteous side defeat this villain, like how Aunt killed Nie Hengcheng?”
Cai Pingzhu had scratched his head and smiled wryly, “I’m not sure. It seems the Demonic Sect fell into internal strife, giving us an opportunity. Who can remember the details of events from over a hundred years ago?”
Cai Zhao still recalled her disappointment then—realizing that sometimes, great villains aren’t defeated by heroes but fall due to their foolishness and infighting.
In the bed, little Cai Han burped contentedly, rolled over, smacked his rosy lips, and fell back into a sweet sleep. However, the neighboring room remained eerily quiet, without even the sound of someone turning over.
Cai Zhao slid open the partition between the two rooms and entered, holding the night pearl. She saw Chang Ning lying on his side, a thin dark blue blanket covering his pale undergarments, revealing his snow-white neck and a crescent of his chest, smooth yet firm.
The young Cai Zhao conscientiously averted her gaze—story books had taught her that leering at others could lead to trouble.
She set down the night pearl and, treating Chang Ning as she would her little brother, carefully tucked in his blanket. His long limbs, caught between youth and adulthood, breathed evenly in deep slumber as if he hadn’t felt this secure in a long time.
Cai Zhao sighed softly and quietly withdrew with the night pearl.
Besides the Northern State’s six sects and the two temples, there were other small factions in the martial world. Most rose quickly but faded just as fast, rarely lasting more than a century. For instance, Cai Zhao’s maternal grandfather’s Ning family was once renowned for both medicine and swordsmanship. But after his passing and with his children either joining monasteries or marrying away, the Ning family name was soon forgotten.
“Is fame really that important?” Cai Pingzhu had asked the melancholic young girl, smiling warmly. “What’s our Luoying Valley’s motto?”
“Flowers bloom and wither in their own time. Let nature take its course; don’t force things,” Cai Zhao had recited.
“Exactly. Let things be. If people remember you, they remember. If they forget, so be it. That’s not what’s important.”
“Then what is important?” she had asked.
“That we lived in this world, that we lived each day with clarity and joy, without regrets. The Ning family may fall, the Cai family may fall, but ‘we’ will never truly perish.”
Cai Zhao snapped out of her reverie, glanced back at the sleeping Chang Ning, and gently closed the partition.
The same fate had befallen the Chang family.
The Chang clan of Wuan had risen to prominence only decades ago. Young Chang Hao, having mastered his skills by twenty, roamed the martial world and gradually built a reputation as a great hero. During this time, he befriended Cai Pingzhu and a group of brothers, some reliable, some less so, before marrying and having a child.
Having witnessed the Demonic Sect’s cruelty, he had taken precautions to hide the Chang family fortress. Ironically, while they escaped Nie Hengcheng’s overwhelming forces, they mysteriously met their demise seventeen years later.
Cai Zhao closed her eyes, leaning against her plump little brother and pretending to sleep.
As she drifted off, she thought about protecting Chang Ning until he recovered. Losing one’s entire family could explain his bitter and eccentric behavior. She reflected that if someone had stolen the pork she had been saving for the New Year feast, she would have wanted to go on a rampage, feeling angry and suspicious of everyone for three months.
So, she decided to be kinder to Chang Ning in the future.
In the inner room, the supposedly deeply asleep figure listened to Cai Zhao’s breathing, a slight smile playing on his lips.