When that vast expanse of green unfurled before my eyes, I couldn't help but hold my breath. In that moment, I could think of no other word to describe it but "beautiful."
It was the green of spring—an endless, boundless green that stretched to the very edge of the sky. The air itself seemed to pulse with vibrant life. With every breath, it felt as though I were inhaling something soft and fuzzy that tickled the depths of my heart, making me long to dive headfirst into that thick verdure and run wild.
Just as I was pulling on the reins, restless upon the gentle slope, a troop of galloping horses suddenly appeared in the far distance to our left. Though they were still far off, the passionate energy radiating from the riders stirred me deeply. I couldn't resist waving my arms and shouting at the top of my lungs, "Go! Go! Keep it up!"
I wasn't sure if "Go!" was a common phrase here, but I was past the point of caring.
Master Rong Qin watched the approaching riders with a faint smile, her eyes fixed on the lead.
At the front of the pack was a purplish-red steed, ridden by a middle-aged man of striking presence. His eyes were commanding and majestic. Perhaps because he had soaked up so much sunlight, his entire being seemed to emit an invisible radiance. Seeing him somehow reminded me of the descriptions of Xiao Feng from *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils*.
"So cool!" I shouted excitedly to my master. "I like this cool guy!"
Master Rong Qin seemed to choke on her breath.
Someone burst into a hearty laugh. The "Xiao Feng" figure had already galloped toward us. I couldn't help but marvel, "What a fast horse!"
"This is the famous Azure Dragon of the grasslands," the man said with a laugh. He pulled back the reins, and the Azure Dragon came to a crisp halt before our horses. His gaze turned to Master Rong Qin, and he said with a smile, "Long time no see. Have you been well?"
I looked blankly at him, then at Master Rong Qin, and asked in confusion, "You two... know each other?"
Master Rong Qin looked slightly uncomfortable. She lowered her eyes and said, "This is... my senior fellow disciple, Qiu Lie. And this is my young disciple, Ji Wuchao. You can call her Xixia." Xixia was the alias I had been using since leaving home.
I cupped my fists and gave "Xiao Feng" a cheeky bow. "Xixia greets Senior Uncle Qiu," I said politely. I had been dressed in men's clothing ever since leaving the Valley of Ten Thousand Venoms, but from Senior Uncle Qiu's expression, it seemed he had already realized I was a girl—or perhaps he had known all along that his junior sister had a female disciple.
He looked me up and down and laughed. "Good. I hear your martial arts are quite decent. I'll take you hunting in a few days." As he spoke, the other riders caught up and surrounded us, chatting animatedly with Master Rong Qin while eyeing me with curiosity.
Qiu Lie explained to the group with a chuckle, "I thought it was Master Sima, but to my surprise, it’s my junior sister. What an unexpected joy."
A burly man nearby gave a boisterous laugh. "Any friend of Brother Qiu is a friend of the Linxi tribe. You are all welcome!"
Master Rong Qin greeted everyone with a radiant face, and I followed her lead in saluting them. To be honest, this warm, straightforward atmosphere was something I had never experienced in Zhongjing or Pulin. For a moment, I felt my own heart swelling with a sense of heroic abandon.
The melodious sound of a horn echoed from the distance. Qiu Lie smiled and said, "The Clan Leader is calling for us. Let’s head back."
Someone in the crowd pulled out a bull-horn and blew a responding blast. We followed the large group as they moved slowly into the heart of the grasslands. The deeper we went, the more beautiful the scenery became. Looking out from the low slopes, a winding river meandered through the plains. The riverbanks were dotted with horses and sheep, and not far from the water stood countless colorful tents. Children played outside the tents, and women washed clothes by the river. Wisps of cooking smoke rose from behind the dwellings.
Upon seeing us, the children began to cheer and run toward us, though they didn't dare get too close since we were strangers. However, they clearly adored Qiu Lie; some even lunged forward to hug his legs.
Qiu Lie led us to his tent to rest. It wasn't large, and the floor was covered in furs—coarse, yet soft and comfortable. The furnishings were simple: a writing desk, a few crates of books, a simple wooden bed, and a small clothes chest. It was a pure bachelor's quarters, without a trace of feminine touch.
"Senior Uncle, do you not have a wife?" Though I phrased it as a question, I was already a hundred percent certain.
Master Rong Qin’s expression instantly turned somber. "His wife passed away over ten years ago. Since then, he has lived here with the Linxi people."
I wondered if Master Rong Qin had been secretly in love with him for decades. If so, that would be quite tragic. But seeing the look on her face, she clearly didn't want to discuss the topic further. I had no choice but to shift my attention. Just then, a kind-looking elderly woman arrived with food and a message from Senior Uncle Qiu: to welcome us and the mysterious "Master Sima," the tribe would be holding a gathering that evening, and the Clan Leader invited us to attend.
Since we weren't familiar with the customs of the Linxi tribe, Master Rong Qin and I stayed in the tent. By the time Senior Uncle Qiu came to fetch us, the sun had just dipped below the horizon, leaving a smear of rouge-colored sunset across the western sky.
The sound of melodious music already drifted from afar.
A space had been cleared in front of the Clan Leader’s large tent. Several bonfires had been lit in the center, with more fires burning further away where tribal women were preparing roasted meat for the guests.
The Clan Leader was an elderly man with snowy white hair and a beard, yet he carried himself with great dignity. Several ornately dressed wives and concubines sat beside him. The platform closest to him was reserved for honored guests, and today, those guests were Master Rong Qin and that Master Sima.
Master Sima was a lean, middle-aged man, perhaps in his forties, with long, narrow eyes that were exceptionally sharp. I could tell he was a martial artist, though I couldn't judge exactly how skilled he was.
Because there were so many people and the noise of conversation and music was so loud, everyone took their seats without much talk. Across Qiu Lie, Master Sima said to Master Rong Qin, "I’ve brought my young disciple along this time as well. Perhaps these youngsters can test their skills against one another."
Master Rong Qin glanced at me and nodded with a smile. Qiu Lie, sitting beside her, burst into laughter. "Sima, are you still brooding over losing to Rong Qin twenty years ago? Now you want your disciple to win back your pride?"
Master Rong Qin couldn't help but smile.
Master Sima shot Qiu Lie a childish glare and turned his face away indignantly. From his reaction, it seemed Qiu Lie had hit the nail on the head. *Does he think his disciple will definitely beat me?* I gave him a defiant look and turned to Master Rong Qin and Senior Uncle Qiu, making a "victory" gesture.
However, where was this disciple of Master Sima hiding? I whispered the question to Senior Uncle Qiu, but he shook his head, indicating he didn't know.
The field suddenly fell silent as the Clan Leader prepared to speak.
Despite his advanced age, the Clan Leader spoke with a voice full of vigor. However, I couldn't understand a single word of his guttural language. I assumed he was just welcoming the guests. Seeing everyone raise their cups, I followed suit and took a large gulp.
The grassland liquor had a hint of milky fragrance but was scorching hot as it rushed down my throat. It was very different from the wine in Zhongjing; while Zhongjing’s wine had a soft, mellow sweetness, this was fiercer and coarser. Yet, looking up at the vast, deep blue night sky and feeling the passionate revelry around me, I suddenly felt that under such stars, only this kind of strong liquor was appropriate.
Thus, when everyone raised their cups and cheered again for some unknown reason, I raised mine and downed another large cup.
Master Rong Qin knew I could handle a bit of alcohol, so she didn't stop me. Senior Uncle Qiu, on the other hand, quietly swapped my liquor for hot milk tea and brought over plenty of roasted meat for us.
A group of young women began to dance in the center, and everyone clapped and sang along. Perhaps it was because it was my first time drinking such strong liquor, or perhaps because I drank too quickly, but I suddenly started feeling a bit unwell. I excused myself to Master Rong Qin and slipped away from the feast.
The spring night breeze blew against me, cool yet carrying hints of warmth.
Just as I was about to cut between the tents, I heard the indignant voice of a girl nearby. Surprisingly, she was speaking the official Mandarin tongue: "Are you going to agree or not?!"
I didn't pay much mind at first. From the voice, she seemed to be a local, though she wasn't using their native language...
"I've known you since I was ten," the girl continued angrily. "You clearly know I've always liked you, yet you're always so cold and indifferent. You've been gone for two years, and we finally meet again today..."
What was this? It sounded like someone was being pressured into marriage.
From her words, this person had also just arrived today. Could it be Master Sima’s disciple—the one I was supposed to spar with? My curiosity began to pique.
"Why won't you speak?" the girl's voice grew frantic and angry. "I've been asking you all evening, and you still won't say a word! Am I not beautiful? Is my family not noble enough? What exactly is wrong with me?"
I couldn't help but shake my head. This girl was straightforward to the point of being adorable, but love wasn't something that could be forced like that.
"I'm going to find my father right now," the girl threatened. "I'll tell him you... you molested me! Let's see if you'll marry me then!"
I was startled by her words. Such extreme measures! I couldn't help but pity the poor fellow she had set her sights on. Should I save him?
I began to calculate rapidly: *If I save him today, he'll surely feel grateful toward me. Then, when it comes time to spar, he'll be too embarrassed to go all out, and my chances of winning will be much higher!*
"You... you still won't pay attention to me?" The girl's voice was thick with tears. Suddenly, there was a sharp *rip*—the sound of fabric tearing. Had she... started getting physical?
I quickly rounded the tent and shouted, "So this is where you are!"
The two people behind the tent turned to look at me. The moon was obscured by clouds and they were far from the bonfires, so I couldn't see their faces clearly. However, their silhouettes showed a tall, upright man and a Linxi girl wearing beaded ornaments. My appearance clearly startled them. The girl asked in a trembling voice, "Who... who are you?"
I ignored her and gave the boy a roguish grin. "Brother, this is where you're wrong. How did you manage to hook up with another little lady in the blink of an eye?"
The boy didn't speak; he just watched me quietly. In the deep night, I could only see his eyes, which shone with a cold light like the stars above the grasslands.
"I never heard that Young Master Shao had a brother," the girl said suspiciously. "And you two..."
Was she going to say we didn't arrive together? I was an old hand at this; did she think I lacked the skill to spin a lie? I pointedly ignored her and looked at the boy, saying with a smirk, "Don't think just because I didn't travel the same route as you that I don't know about your misdeeds. That Lady Hong from the Red Fragrance Pavilion—who was it that booked her for two whole nights?"
The boy looked at me, still unmoving. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him. I was bailing him out, yet he wasn't cooperating at all!
"Red Fragrance Pavilion?" the girl asked in confusion. "What kind of place is that?"
I feigned surprise. "You don't know? That's... a brothel! There are lots of pretty girls inside, and men can pay money to go there and have fun..."
The girl let out a low gasp of horror.
"And..." I racked my brain, trying to think of more scandalous material. "Right after we left home, you seduced a little maidservant on the road. How did you handle that? Did you sell her to a brothel once you got bored of her?"
The girl took a step back, clutching her chest.
The "poor lamb" I was rescuing from the wolf's mouth remained as calm as if he were watching a play, though a faint, amused glint appeared in his eyes as he looked at me.
The alcohol was starting to go to my head; I needed to finish the act and go to sleep. I wobbled a few steps forward and leaned my arm on the "lamb's" shoulder with a thuggish air. Due to my martial arts training, I was tall for my age, but he was still much taller than me, making the lean a bit uncomfortable. Still, it was better than nothing.
What was I saying?
I shook my head. "Brother, when we left, those sisters-in-law of ours all told me to keep an eye on you. Tell me, should I mention tonight's little incident when I get back, or not?"
Before the lamb could speak, the girl cried out again, her tone full of disbelief. "Several... sisters-in-law? Shao Ming, you... you're married?"
I swayed slightly, my balance failing. "Of course he's married. One wife and six concubines. A whole house full. And he's about to become a father. You didn't know?"
The girl covered her face and began to sob.
*How is this girl so persistent?* My plan was to make her run away in anger so I could go back to my tent and sleep... though through my drunken eyes, I could no longer tell which tent was Senior Uncle Qiu's.
I had to drop one last bomb. I looked up at the lamb, preparing to speak, but in that instant, the world suddenly brightened.
The clouds parted, and the moon emerged. His face was inches away, looking like a flawless sculpture in the moonlight, radiating an indescribable brilliance.
I must have drunk too much. How could a person glow?
I stepped back, closed my eyes, and shook my head hard before opening them again.
Shao Ming stood quietly before me under the half-moon. All the moonlight in the world seemed to have gathered upon him.
I shook my head again. "No wonder... no wonder..."
Shao Ming’s cold gaze swept briefly over the weeping girl before landing on me. He asked nonchalantly, "No wonder what?"
I froze again. His voice was truly beautiful—low, deep, and carrying an inexplicable charm. Hearing him speak, the girl cried even harder, finally stomping her foot and running away in tears.
I curled my lip. "For a man to look like this... no wonder you attract so much trouble." After saying that, I realized we were strangers and such words were somewhat inappropriate.
My head felt heavier and heavier; I really couldn't hold on much longer. I waved a hand at him. "No need to thank me. You... take care of yourself."
I turned around, light-headed and heavy-footed, but my foot caught on something. I slammed headfirst into a wooden post beside the tent. "Ouch!" I cried out in pain.
A soft chuckle drifted into my ears.
Anger immediately flared in my heart. *See? No good deed goes unpunished.* I had just saved him, yet he only laughed when I met with misfortune.
I scrambled up and stomped back the way I came, fuming.
Shao Ming called out from behind me, "Are you all right?"
His voice still carried a hint of a smile—that detestable fellow.
***
**Glossary**
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