That voice... it was so familiar. It was...
Chu Ruo’s voice trembled with a hint of excitement. "Duan Ning! You’re alive! You really didn't die!"
She was still alive. Her Little Scorpion had been right. Although she had heard that Nan Yunshuang had killed Duan Ning to convince Nan Menghua to let Nangong Yan leave the mountain, how could Nan Yunshuang, having finally won back Nangong Yan’s heart, allow the woman to hate her for a lifetime? In the end, Nan Menghua had been too conceited; even those she had raised from childhood had eventually betrayed her.
But it wasn't just Duan Ning. As the figures approached, Chu Ruo realized Yin Liuli and Nangong Yan were there as well. Having all narrowly escaped death, their emotions were understandably high. "How are you two doing?"
Hearing those familiar voices, which brought back memories of their time together at the Hundred Flowers Palace, Chu Ruo’s eyes instantly welled with tears. "Is everyone... is everyone okay?"
Nangong Yan’s eyes were also brimming with tears. "We’re alright."
"How did you find us?"
Yin Liuli replied, "We’ve been hiding and moving around while searching for word of you two. After you fell from the cliff, we went to look for you immediately, but we couldn't find your bodies. With the Palace Master’s people searching everywhere, we had to keep a low profile. we’ve been surreptitiously tracing the path from the Hundred Flowers Palace until today, when we happened upon those people. Yan’er overheard them talking and suspected they were from the Miaojiang region. Since people from Miaojiang rarely venture outside their lands, we thought it was suspicious and followed them. It really is you."
"You’ve all suffered so much during this time," Chu Ruo murmured.
Duan Ning shook her head, her gaze falling on Chu Ruo. "Your eyes..."
Chu Ruo gave a bitter smile. "This time, I’m really blind. No joking around."
The three newcomers were saddened by the news. Just then, Nan Muxue spoke up. "Since you are here, stay for a while."
Yin Liuli was puzzled. "Muxue, these are turbulent times. We should find a safer place to regroup and plan our next move."
"Whatever happens outside has nothing to do with me," Nan Muxue said coldly.
"You—"
"Ruo’er’s injuries haven't fully healed. She needs rest. I’m taking her inside..."
"No need, I'm fine..." Chu Ruo started to say.
However, Nan Muxue gave her no chance to argue, leading her straight back to their room and leaving Duan Ning, Yin Liuli, and Nangong Yan staring at each other in bewilderment.
"Muxue~" Once they were inside, Chu Ruo caught Nan Muxue’s hand. "I don't want to lie down."
"Sitting is fine, too."
"...You know that’s not what I meant."
"You need not concern yourself with other matters."
Chu Ruo sighed softly. "Can we really spend the rest of our lives here?"
"Ruo’er," Nan Muxue stepped forward and gently kissed her lover. "As long as you wish it, we can."
***
When Nan Muxue emerged from the room again, Duan Ning asked with concern, "Muxue, how are you?"
The other woman’s expression was indifferent. "I have lost my martial arts."
"Is there no way to recover them?"
Nan Muxue didn't answer directly. She simply said, "Ruo’er and I intend to stay here. We will no longer involve ourselves in anything else."
Nangong Yan stood up abruptly. "Do you mean you’re just going to abandon the Hundred Flowers Palace?"
"Ruo’er is blind and I am crippled. She was fed Soft Bone Powder and her martial arts were sealed. If we go out there, what could we possibly do?"
"But all those people... the disciples... and Yunshuang..."
"Mother won't hurt her. Yunshuang was raised by her hand. If she didn't care for her, you would never have had the chance to leave the mountain."
Duan Ning sighed. "It’s all thanks to her. That night, she didn't use her Blood Sword; she used a dagger. It was a telescopic blade that only pierced half an inch into my abdomen. She covered my mouth, but she was actually stuffing a blood pack and a Fake Death Pill into my throat. That’s how I knew to play along. I thought I was a goner for sure. Yunshuang... she’s enduring so much humiliation for our sake..."
Yin Liuli nodded. "Actually, I was going to go that night, but Yunshuang stopped me. She said the Palace Master wanted nothing more than to see us kill each other, and if we all went, none of us might return. She came up with this plan to go up the mountain alone while I waited at the base to receive her. Fortunately, we survived, but Muxue, can you really just watch the Palace Master wreak havoc on the martial arts world and ignore the disciples?"
"What can I do? We were no match for her before, let alone now."
"But—"
"Enough," Nan Muxue interrupted coldly. "Ruo’er nearly died for me. I said I would never let anything happen to her again. She likes it here, so I will stay with her. We are never leaving."
Nangong Yan was fuming. "You’re going to ignore everything just for her?"
"Yes."
The crisp, decisive answer left Nangong Yan speechless with rage. "You!"
"None of you will ever understand," Nan Muxue continued, her voice devoid of warmth. "I watched her fall off a cliff for me, watched her use her own body as a cushion to protect mine. I stayed by her side through countless nights while she lingered between life and death. Time and again, she has risked everything for me, nearly losing her life every single time. Now, I ask for nothing more than to be with her. I do not want any of you mentioning the outside world to her again."
"You’re so selfish," Nangong Yan spat.
Nan Muxue admitted it without a flicker of emotion. "Yes. I, Nan Muxue, have never been a good person. I have always been selfish. Ruo’er is my everything. I will not let her come to harm."
Seeing the tension rising, Yin Liuli hurriedly intervened. "Alright, Yan’er. Look at the state Chu Ruo is in, and Muxue has lost her martial arts. Going out now wouldn't help anything. Besides, you and Ning’er need to recover from your injuries as well..."
"If I die, I die!" Nangong Yan snapped, her words fueled by pique. "I—"
Nan Muxue glanced at her sideways. "Are you doing this for others, or are you also doing it for just one person?"
As Nangong Yan opened her mouth to speak, Nan Muxue cut her off ruthlessly. "You are only doing this for Yunshuang. Everyone is just acting for the sake of the one they love."
"It’s not the same! You’re willing to hide here like a coward, while Yunshuang saved us—"
"She did it for you." It was hard to imagine Nan Muxue speaking this way to them. In the past, even though she was cold, there had been a bond of friendship. Now, her words were bone-chillingly sharp, piercing straight to the heart. "It wasn't for me. You are the one who owes her."
Duan Ning shook her head in disbelief. "Muxue, how can you say that? Yan’er is already hurting..."
"The truth is always unpleasant. I am merely stating facts. Yunshuang will be fine as long as she stays by Mother’s side."
"But that’s not what she wants! She did it for everyone..."
Nan Muxue simply stroked the jade pendant at her waist. "That was her choice, just as this is mine today. You are speaking up for her because you also feel you owe her, do you not?"
This made Duan Ning angry as well. "You are being completely unreasonable!"
Yin Liuli was busy trying to soothe Nangong Yan while attempting to keep the peace, but now that Duan Ning was upset too, she felt helpless. "Muxue..."
"There is nothing more to say." The woman remained unmoved. "I am going to check on Ruo’er. You may stay here if you wish."
"Hmph!" Watching her retreating back, Nangong Yan threw her sleeve. "Who wants to stay in this dump! Let’s go!"
Duan Ning also grumbled about leaving, but Yin Liuli held them back. "You two, calm down."
"Don't try to stop me," Duan Ning said. "Or I'll be mad at you too!"
"Ning’er~" Yin Liuli frowned. "Actually, Muxue is right. we shouldn't blame her. Look at Chu Ruo’er’s condition; how could Muxue possibly be at ease? Put yourselves in her shoes. What if this happened to us?"
The two fell silent for a long moment. Finally, Nangong Yan said petulantly, "Even so, she shouldn't have said those things. Yunshuang did it for everyone."
Having calmed down, Duan Ning spoke more rationally. "The old Palace Master has always favored her, and now that she thinks Yunshuang actually killed me, Yunshuang is essentially the Young Palace Master. She’ll be safe for now. But the old Palace Master is so powerful; how can the few of us possibly face her?"
"Forget the three of us; in the entire martial world, she likely has no equal. Since we’ve found this place, let’s stay for now. You two were captured by the old Palace Master and your injuries need time to heal. With Muxue in her current state, it’s better if we’re all here to look out for one another."
"After what she said, who would want to stay? She probably thinks we’re in the way."
"Yan’er," Yin Liuli said, exasperated. "Muxue is just protective of Ruo’er. Remember, she ran away with Chu Ruo before, but she still went back to the Hundred Flowers Palace. That wasn't just for Chu Ruo; it was for us. She only went up the mountain because you and Ning’er were captured. If she hadn't, the old Palace Master wouldn't have stopped torturing you. And Chu Ruo—that day she charged forward recklessly to tell us to run... if you’ve forgotten that, I’ll have to call you heartless."
Duan Ning nodded. "I don't know if those two are just cursed. So much happened just for them to get married. Chu Ruo is blind, her martial arts are sealed... did you see her walking just now? She was unsteady. Her injuries must be severe. They really are a pair of star-crossed lovers. Thinking back, I was wrong to get angry. Every time, Chu Ruo is just one breath away from death for Muxue’s sake. She’s practically a regular at the Gates of Hell. If I were Muxue, I wouldn't be able to take it either."
"What?" Nangong Yan knew she had overstepped, but she was too embarrassed to admit it. "Then... then why didn't you stop me earlier?"
"She’s worried about her Ruo’er, and aren't you worried about Yunshuang? Or is it because you misunderstood her before and said you’d never forgive her, so now you’re taking your frustration out here?"
"You! At a time like this, you still have the nerve to tease me! I’ll... I’ll kill you!"
***
"Did you have a falling out with them? An argument?"
"You’re wearing a long face, but it’s none of your business."
"How can you say that?"
Nan Muxue caressed Chu Ruo’s face. Her tenderness was reserved solely for her. "I just spoke some truths. It’s only natural they’d feel uncomfortable hearing them."
"They have their own hardships. And they were... we... I should say, everything started because of me. Including you, everyone has been dragged into this because of me. I’ve burdened you all."
"It has nothing to do with you. Don't let your thoughts wander..."
"Muxue, don't try to comfort me."
Nan Muxue stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace. "If you want to blame someone, blame me. Resent me. I shouldn't have let my heart be moved by the mortal world, shouldn't have let myself be entangled in this longing, and certainly shouldn't have dared to dream of a lifetime with you..."
"Hearing you say that makes me feel even more ashamed. I was the one who was proactive that day. I liked you. I knew the Hundred Flowers Palace forbade love, and I knew we were master and disciple, but I couldn't help myself."
"Love is never something that can be controlled," Nan Muxue said with a smile. "Besides, back then, you were clearly calling your Master a 'Little Scorpion.' Where was the love in that?"
Chu Ruo laughed. Even now, her beloved woman was constantly considering her feelings and trying to make her happy. "Mm, you are a Little Scorpion. But I just like you. I love you. I love you so, so much."
"Ruo’er," Nan Muxue leaned in, her lips meeting Chu Ruo’s.
"Muxue, I promise you. I’ll listen to everything you say. I’ll be good and do as you tell me." *Just don't lose me, don't leave me. Then, we will never go anywhere else.*
***
