“It’s like seeing flowers through the mist. You couldn’t see that flower clearly then, and you still can’t see it clearly now.” Xie Kanhua tilted his head and took a sip of wine, then looked up.
On top of the courtyard wall, a man had appeared at some point. He was wearing a dark green robe that fluttered in the air as if there was a strong wind blowing, even though there was none. His face looked about the same age as Xie Kanhua, but unlike Xie’s scholarly elegance, this person’s eyes were filled with arrogance, a disdainful pride that seemed to look down upon the entire world. He gazed down at Xie Kanhua and uttered softly, “Seeing Flowers in the Mist?”
“Spring breeze is triumphant.” Xie Kanhua tilted his head and drank more wine.
Su Baiyi murmured under his breath, “This wine… wasn’t it meant for me?”
Xie Kanhua put down the wine jar, smiling faintly as he tossed it back to Su Baiyi’s feet. “Disciple, I’ll leave the rest to you. Otherwise, even if I don’t drink it, it will be snatched by this dear friend in front of me, right? The owner of the Spring Breeze Tower, Helian Xiyue.”
Su Baiyi scratched his head, “You never mentioned this name before, master.”
“Seeing flowers in the mist, the spring breeze is triumphant. We used to be called the two marvels of Shanglin, and we were always equally famous. The stories of wandering the world that I told you, at least half of them were actually Helian Xiyue’s stories. That’s why you never heard his name.” Xie Kanhua replied.
Su Baiyi was stunned, “Is he that powerful?”
“Very powerful.Back then, I was renowned for my swordsmanship, my signature technique named ‘Seeing Flowers in the Mist.’ Legends in the martial world spoke of no one being able to see the moment I struck with my sword. And Helian Xiyue relied on his internal strength to travel the world. His skill was called spring breeze is triumphanYou see how his robe dances wildly without any wind? That’s the power of the spring breeze flowing around him. Anything close to him will be shattered.” Xie Kanhua spoke casually, as if he was really just talking about a close friend, with a hint of pride.
“I have a question.”
“What question?”
“If anything close to him will be shattered, why won’t his clothes be shattered? Shouldn’t he be standing there naked?”
“Baiyi, think about what I said to you before they came.”
Su Baiyi quickly lowered his head, “Don’t talk too much, don’t talk too much.”
“Actually, I asked that question myself once, and then got beaten so badly I couldn’t stand up for three days.” Xie Kanhua leaped back to their side and suddenly grabbed Su Baiyi’s hand. “Don’t draw your sword.”
Su Baiyi had been chatting with Xie Kanhua all this time, but he was actually secretly preparing to draw his sword. He didn’t expect to be discovered by Xie Kanhua, and he shook his head at him, his tone firm, “Master, I thought about it, and I think we can’t let them take you away. Let’s fight our way out. If we only seek to escape, there might be a chance.”
Xie Kanhua smiled and spoke gently, “Trust me, I’m telling the truth. I won’t die yet, and we will definitely meet again. Right?” Xie Kanhua turned his head and looked at Helian Xiyue who was standing on the wall.
Helian Xiyue raised his eyebrows, “Right.”
“I’ll go with you, but you can’t harm my disciple.” Xie Kanhua threw his sword up in the air.
Helian Xiyue’s swirling sleeves finally settled, and he reached out to catch the thrown sword, smiling. “Alright.”
“No!” Su Baiyi suddenly shouted, and leaped towards Helian Xiyue, his sword already half drawn. “Master, I said no!”
“Junyu Sword.” Helian Xiyue’s eyes flashed with a touch of tenderness, but he showed no mercy with his hand. He swung his hand and sent Su Baiyi flying.
Su Baiyi hadn’t even drawn his sword completely when he crashed through the wooden window of the study and fell into the school.
Xie Kanhua shook his head repeatedly, “Tsk tsk tsk tsk, I already told you he has the power of the spring breeze. Anything close to him will be shattered.”
“Master.” Su Baiyi gritted his teeth and tried to stand up with his sword as a support.
“Let’s go.” Xie Kanhua jumped onto the wall.
Jie Kong picked up his crescent spade and looked at Su Baiyi in the school building, deep in thought.
“Let’s go!” Helian Xiyue’s gaze fell upon Jie Kong, his tone hardening.
Jie Kong snorted and left with Wen Xi. Helian Xiyue then took Xie Kanhua and leaped away.
“This spring breeze is triumphant thing is too formidable.” Su Baiyi groaned, struggling to stand up a few times before grimacing in pain and settling back down to regulate his breathing. It wasn’t until half an hour later that the sound of a carriage reached him from outside.
“Are they back to kill me?” Su Baiyi hid his sword behind his back.
A woman in purple landed in the courtyard. Although they were some distance apart, Su Baiyi couldn’t quite make out the person’s face, but the figure seemed familiar. He soon realized, “It’s you! You actually followed me here!”
“Where is your master?” The woman in purple asked.
“He was captured… taken away!” Su Baiyi said anxiously. “Oh right, I remember you’re from the academy. Master told me to go to the academy and find Confucian Sage.”
“Which direction did they go?” The woman in purple ignored his latter words.
“They went north. They must be heading back to the Shanglin Heavenly Palace on Weilong Mountain.” Su Baiyi replied.
The woman in purple leaped onto the wall and looked into the distance.
“Miss, take me with you. I want to save my master too.” Su Baiyi shouted.
“Li Kui, take this person back to the academy and treat him as a new disciple. I’ll arrange the rest when I get back to the academy.” The woman in purple said to the person below.
A short and sturdy middle-aged man was holding the reins of the carriage. He was not Feng Zuojun, who had robbed the green-clad youth with the woman in purple that day. He nodded and said, “Yes, ma’am.”
“Miss, the people who took my master away are not simple. You might not be able to handle them alone…” Su Baiyi warned.
“Taking you along would only make it harder.” The woman in purple snorted and jumped away, disappearing from Su Baiyi’s sight.
The short and sturdy man came in from outside and looked at Su Baiyi on the ground. He grabbed him and lifted him up.
“Ow ow ow ow…” Su Baiyi screamed.
The short and sturdy man glanced at him, his expression cold, “With your ability, you still want to see Confucian Sage?” He carried Su Baiyi out of the yard and threw him onto the carriage.
Su Baiyi leaned there, breathing heavily, “By the way, who is that woman? Why does she also want to find my master?”
“She wouldn’t let me speak, so I can’t speak.” The short and sturdy man replied coldly.
“But she didn’t forbid you from saying either, right? So you can say.” Su Baiyi persuaded.
The short and sturdy man was an honest person. He thought for a moment and nodded, “That makes sense.”
“Then tell me.” Su Baiyi urged.
The short and sturdy man turned the carriage around and whipped the reins hard. “But I don’t know either. The woman just asked me to help drive the carriage. I don’t even know who your master is…”
“My master is Xie Kanhua.” Su Baiyi said helplessly.
“Hahahaha, your master is Xie Kanhua?” The short and sturdy man’s demeanor shifted from cold indifference to sudden laughter. “You young folks sure can spin a yarn. In that case, my master is Helian Xiyue!”
“What a coincidence, he just left.” Su Baiyi said sarcastically.
But the short and sturdy man didn’t understand the sarcasm. He just said gloomily, “Who in the world doesn’t know that Xie Kanhua died in the great battle between good and evil of Shanglin Heavenly Palace and Tianmen Holy Sect back then. How can a dead man be your master?”
Thanks.