One month later.
"Young Palace Mistress."
"Is there any news of Ruo’er?"
A-Yue’s expression was grim. "Not... not yet."
Nan Muxue remained expressionless, her brush moving steadily as she reviewed sect affairs. She did not even look up. "Then continue the—"
"Xue’er!" Outside, Yin Liuli and Duan Ning could no longer restrain themselves. They pushed the door open and burst in. "You’ve locked yourself in this room for days without taking a single step outside, doing nothing but burying yourself in paperwork. You’ve been at the branch sect long enough; it’s time to return. The main palace cannot remain without you indefinitely. Without a leader, things will fall into chaos."
"Get out," Nan Muxue said, continuing her review. "Do not disturb me until there is news of Ruo’er."
Duan Ning, fueled by frustration, stepped forward and slammed her hands onto the desk. The loud crack startled everyone in the room except for the woman at the desk. Nan Muxue remained as calm as a stagnant pool. Finally, she looked up at them. "If you still respect me as your Young Palace Mistress, then leave. There is nothing more to say."
Sensing the volatile atmosphere, A-Yue realized her presence was superfluous. She gave a small, quiet bow, exited the room, and closed the door behind her to wait outside.
"Beyond honoring you as the Young Palace Mistress of the Hundred Flowers Sect, we are sisters who grew up together. Liuli, Yan’er, and I are all worried about you. So are the other disciples. They need you."
"The sect can watch over them. Yunshuang and Yan’er will manage. Besides, I have been handling the sect’s affairs from here."
Yin Liuli sighed. "You are merely numbing yourself, Xue’er. It is fine for now while the Old Palace Mistress is still in secluded meditation, but if she emerges and finds you in this state..."
"Ruo’er needs me," Nan Muxue interrupted. "I will stay here and wait for her return."
"Enough!" Duan Ning’s voice bordered on hysterical. "Why must you keep deceiving yourself? You went down to the bottom of that cliff yourself days ago. You know in your heart that it’s impossible for Chu Ruo to still be ali—"
"Silence!" Her composure shattered, Nan Muxue finally roared. "Ruo’er is fine!"
A few days ago, they had finally finished constructing a path down the cliff. Nan Muxue had been the first to descend, unable to wait a moment longer. The abyss was terrifyingly deep; shrouded in mist, the top and bottom were worlds apart. To a casual observer, the bottom was almost beautiful—a deep pool, distant mountains, lush bamboo groves, and the scent of wildflowers.
However, that beauty was marred by scattered corpses. Some were animals, others were humans who had fallen from various heights. They were in different stages of decay; some were mere bleached bones, some were fresh, and others emitted the foul stench of rot, casting a ghoulish shadow over the scenery. Among them were disciples from the branch sect—those who had likely jumped during the chaos to avoid dishonor. Blood stained the jagged rocks by the pool. Mangled heaps of flesh were piled upon one another, making it a nauseating task to discern who belonged to which "ball of meat."
It was a sight to turn the stomach, yet Nan Muxue had searched with frantic desperation. Usually so fastidious about cleanliness, she had ignored the filth, turning over every corpse herself. With every body she checked, her heart tightened further. *Ruo’er...* She searched like a woman possessed. Chu Ruo’s clothing and belongings were of the finest quality, making her easy to identify.
Finally, by the pool, she had found a blood-stained robe. It was tangled within a gruesome mass of unrecognizable remains. In the water lay a bloated corpse, its face destroyed beyond recognition, but its build was eighty to ninety percent similar to Chu Ruo’s. Crucially, the body wore only inner garments; it appeared the outer robe had been torn away during the struggle of the fall, snagging by the pool while the person plunged into the water. Several disciples had been unable to stop themselves from retching. Nan Muxue had nearly fainted, her legs turning to lead. She had turned away then, declaring, "Ruo’er is not among them. Keep searching. Spread out—she must have been rescued. Find her!"
Since returning that day, Nan Muxue had locked herself in the room Chu Ruo once occupied. She worked day and night, as if her life consisted of nothing else. Aside from asking for news of Chu Ruo when her meals were delivered, she spoke to no one.
"Wake up! We both know Chu Ruo is de—"
*Whish!* A silver needle flew past. Duan Ning dodged it with lightning speed, and Yin Liuli immediately pulled her into a protective embrace.
"Ning’er!" Yin Liuli frowned. "Xue’er, calm down!" The needle hadn't been thrown with lethal force, and there was only one. Knowing Nan Muxue’s current state of mind, they didn't hold a grudge.
"Ruo’er is not dead!" Nan Muxue shouted, before whispering to herself, "She promised me. She said she would stay by my side for a lifetime. She won't break her word. Ruo’er never lies to me. Never."
"Xue’er," Duan Ning stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. "Pull yourself together! The Hundred Flowers Sect and the other disciples need you. You cannot collapse, Xue’er!"
"Need me? Ha..." Nan Muxue laughed, a sound of pure desolation. She pried Duan Ning’s hands off her with a weak, trembling strength. "What has the Hundred Flowers Sect ever given me? From childhood until now, my entire existence has been defined by those three words. Right now, the one who needs me most is Ruo’er! But I am not by her side. I am useless. I couldn't protect her when she needed me most. I am her master; I should have protected her, yet it was this very sect that destroyed her! The sect, the sect, the sect... I have slaved for twenty years, and what has it given me? I can't even protect the one person I want to! I have no right to be the Young Palace Mistress, no right to protect any disciples! I am doing my best to handle the affairs—what more do you want from me?"
"Do the tens of thousands of disciples in this sect mean nothing to you compared to a mere Chu Ruo?"
"The moment I moved against you, Liuli became this anxious. Now think of my Ruo’er—she jumped off a cliff for me!"
Yin Liuli’s expression turned awkward. "Xue’er, I was just acting out of instinct..."
"She is already dead! What more do you want?"
"She is not dead! She promised me she would stay with me forever. Ruo’er is not dead! Mobilize all disciples. Bring her back."
Duan Ning was losing her temper. "You... you are being utterly unreasonable! Do you realize what it means to mobilize every single disciple? Don't forget the Old Palace Mistress is above you. Even if she is in seclusion, don't forget Yunshuang. She may not be able to control you now, but what happens when the Old Palace Mistress emerges? I’m telling you, even if she wasn't among those bodies, even if she survived the fall and was rescued, she won't live long. She—"
"That’s enough, Ning’er." Seeing that Duan Ning was about to blurt out that they had found the pouch containing the Hundred Flowers Venom antidote, Yin Liuli stopped her with a sharp look and a shake of her head. "Xue’er is grieving. Do not speak nonsense."
"Young Palace Mistress," A-Yue knocked on the door. "A messenger from Feipeng Fortress seeks an audience. They say... they wish to negotiate for peace."
"Peace?" Duan Ning sneered. "We’ve only destroyed three of their branches and they already want to call it quits? They’re dreaming!"
"You two handle it," Nan Muxue said, turning her back to them, clearly finished with the conversation.
Yin Liuli felt a pang of pity. "Fine. Ning’er and I will go. But Xue’er, please maintain some perspective. We won't say more, but take care of your health. We will continue the search."
"Liuli," Duan Ning said once they were out of earshot, still fuming. "Why did you stop me from telling her?"
Yin Liuli gave a helpless smile. "Who was the one who insisted we shouldn't tell her before? You said it was better to let her have hope."
"I... I didn't expect the bottom of the cliff to look like that. You saw it too. Anyone falling from that height would be smashed to pieces. They’d be dead for sure. And that body in the pool—you saw how much it looked like Chu Ruo. Even if she were miraculously alive, there’s still the matter of the venom." She touched the pouch she kept hidden against her chest. "And look at Xue’er. If this continues, I’m afraid she’ll go mad."
"One must be obsessed to achieve greatness. Xue’er has been exhausted for so many years, both in body and mind. She finally found someone... honestly, I can understand her. Chu Ruo is the last sliver of hope in her heart, her only beam of light. Ning’er, you care for Xue’er too, don't you? Let’s keep it a secret. At least she has hope. If we shatter it, I fear she truly will lose her mind."
"She’s just deceiving herself. Chu Ruo’s bloodied robe was right there in that pile of... forget it, it’s nauseating," Duan Ning rubbed her forehead. "I don't want to hurt her either. I’m just afraid she’ll waste away. Fine, fine. Let’s go deal with the rest."
***
"A-Yue," Nan Muxue called. "What time is it?"
"Nearly noon."
"Prepare the meal," she murmured to herself. "Ruo’er always said we must eat on time. Oh, where is Xiao Guo’er?"
A-Yue was curious. In the past, the Young Palace Mistress would become so engrossed in work that she forgot to eat or sleep. Now, she didn't miss a single meal and was incredibly punctual. Furthermore, she used to only order meat dishes when dining with Chu Ruo, but now she ordered them every time. "She is practicing her martial arts."
"Tell her to come and eat with me."
"Yes." A-Yue didn't dare show it, but her jaw nearly dropped. Without Chu Ruo, the Young Palace Mistress had become even more unpredictable. It wasn't just that; the change in her was profound. A-Yue was frightened; her mistress’s thoughts had always been hard to read, and those disciples she had personally punished... though she had never turned that wrath on A-Yue, she knew how much Chu Ruo meant to her. To lose a loved one—everyone could see Chu Ruo couldn't have survived—had made the Young Palace Mistress even more somber. She could go an entire day without speaking, and often didn't respond when called. Fate was cruel; why bring Chu Ruo here only to snatch her away?
"Young Palace Mistress," Xiao Guo’er said timidly.
"Come, sit. Eat."
"I... I wouldn't dare."
"Sit." Nan Muxue’s words were absolute. Though her voice was soft, no one in the Hundred Flowers Sect dared disobey.
Xiao Guo’er sat down, trembling. "Yes."
The Young Palace Mistress picked up her chopsticks with an expressionless face, and only then did Xiao Guo’er dare to lift her bowl. "How has your training been lately?"
"The techniques you taught me... I haven't dared to neglect them. I practice day and night." As she ate, Xiao Guo’er relaxed slightly. Faced with delicious food, her true nature soon emerged, and she began to eat heartily.
After a few bites, she realized Nan Muxue was watching her. She immediately froze and put down her bowl, her mouth still full of rice. "Young... Young Palace Mistress..."
"Eat," the other woman gestured for her to stay seated. A rare, faint curve appeared at the corner of her lips, but her gaze didn't linger. She looked blankly ahead, remembering the person who used to sit beside her. A simple thing like a meal had become a distant luxury. "You and Ruo’er... even your eating habits are the same. No wonder you were so close."
Xiao Guo’er didn't know how to respond. She felt it would be rude not to say anything, but her mouth was full. Her expression shifted through a dozen emotions, looking quite comical.
"When Ruo’er ate with you, what did she usually talk about?"
"Nothing much, just idle chatter," Xiao Guo’er said, the floodgates opening. "She’d complain if a dish was too bland, or say all sorts of strange things. She’d get off-topic and then..."
*"These chicken wings aren't great. Next time I'll make honey-glazed ones for you. Too bad there's no Coke. No, wait, honey is too sweet; you'd find it cloying,"* that person had said, sitting right there. *"I'll improve the recipe. Here, you eat some too. Have a piece of Saliva Chicken."* She would put food in Nan Muxue’s bowl and then bury her head in her own rice. *"You're really too thin. I have to fatten you up. I'll make you nice and plump. Plump like Tang Sanzang... or Zhu Bajie, hahahaha..."*
"Ruo’er," Nan Muxue called out happily, only for reality to come crashing back. The person she longed for was not there.
"Young Palace Mistress, are you... alright?"
"I am fine," she turned her head away. "Eat."
"Yes." Xiao Guo’er lowered her head to eat, stealing a few glances at the other woman. After much hesitation, she spoke. "Young Palace Mistress, do you... do you miss Chu Ruo very much?"
Nan Muxue’s hand froze.
Xiao Guo’er continued, "I miss her too. So do the other disciples we used to play with. They wrote to me a few days ago asking about her. Even though she hasn't been found, I believe Chu Ruo must be okay."
"Everyone else says she is dead. You believe she is fine?"
Xiao Guo’er shook her head. "She won't die. She has such great luck. You saved her at the foot of Cloud-Entering Peak, and she was fine when we ran into danger after leaving the mountain. Besides, she is so kind-hearted and good to us disciples. Someone as good as her, with the Young Palace Mistress keeping her in her heart... she will surely turn bad luck into good. She will definitely be reunited with you."
*You brat, do you hear that? There are still people waiting for you. Come back quickly. You always did like to ignore my warnings and get too close to the other disciples. I’ll deal with you when you return. Ruo’er, come back to me.*
***
"Xiao Guo’er," A-Yue whispered, calling her over. "How is the Young Palace Mistress?"
"She’s taking a nap."
"A nap? The Young Palace Mistress?"
"Yes, why?"
A-Yue shook her head. "I understand her less and less. When did you ever see her take a nap before? In the past, she wished she could turn one hour into two."
Xiao Guo’er shrugged. "I think she’s doing well now. She’s been through so much. It’s good that she’s finally eating and resting properly. At least she’s looking after herself."
"Do you really believe Chu Ruo isn't dead?"
"Yes," Xiao Guo’er nodded firmly. "I do. I have a feeling. She’s blessed; she won't die. Oh, Sister A-Yue, the Young Palace Mistress said we should pack up. We’re returning to the Hundred Flowers Sect in two days."
"Really?" A-Yue was surprised. "She really changed her mind?"
"Mhm. She said since Chu Ruo isn't down there, she must have been rescued. It’s time to go back."
"Good. I’ll go pack immediately." A-Yue finally felt a weight lift from her chest. "Xiao Guo’er, the Young Palace Mistress favors you now. Try to talk to her when you can. Don't let her be so sad."
"I know. Don't worry, Sister A-Yue." Xiao Guo’er nodded. Others thought she was being favored because she had helped save the disciples, but she knew the truth: it was because of Chu Ruo. She was the one the Young Palace Mistress had assigned to care for Chu Ruo, the one who had been close to her. She could see it clearly now—the Young Palace Mistress’s every word revolved around Chu Ruo. *You weirdo, you were so capable, where on earth are you hiding?*
Inside the room, Nan Muxue lay on the bed, staring blankly as she hugged the bolster. She smiled. "I remembered to nap. How can I look for you if I don't take care of myself?" She sat up and went back to the desk. On the white paper, she had drawn a picture. It was Chu Ruo, dressed in white, with clear, bright eyes. Her fingers brushed over the portrait. "I’m going back to the Hundred Flowers Sect first to settle the trivial matters. Didn't you want me to release Caifeng? Once these things are resolved, I will come find you, alright? Don't be afraid. Master will never abandon her Ruo’er."
***
Rewind to one month ago, the day Chu Ruo fell off the cliff.
As she plummeted, she estimated that the people above could no longer see her. She tried to reach out and grab any protruding rocks or vines—anything at all. She was willing to sacrifice herself for Nan Muxue, but she’d rather not die if she could help it. She couldn't bear to leave Nan Muxue, especially since she’d just revealed her identity as both the "Little Scorpion" and "Yan’er." They hadn't even had a chance to talk properly; the excitement hadn't even worn off before this happened.
*I have a protagonist halo,* she thought. *I must have a 'golden finger' power. People who jump off cliffs in stories never die.* With that thought, she tried to grab the cliff face. Unfortunately, her luck failed her. This section of the cliff was as sheer as if it had been sliced by a blade. Not only were there no handholds, but the surface was covered in moss, making it slick as ice. Her frantic grabbing only coated her hands in slime, making her fall even faster.
She began to think her time was up. She fell for what felt like an eternity until, by some miracle, she slammed into the only stunted little tree growing from the rock face. With a loud *crack*, Chu Ruo felt like her waist had snapped. The pain was agonizing, but the tree snagged her, slowing her descent even as it broke and fell with her. It wasn't much, but it was enough. As the ground rushed up to meet her, she saw a pool nearby. She threw all her weight into shifting her trajectory. Falling through the air, she couldn't change much, but she managed to veer toward the edge of the water.
*BOOM!*
*Damn it... I think I’m done for,* was her last thought. The water at the edge was shallow, and a sharp rock lurked beneath the surface. It sliced deep into her left shoulder. *Pfft!* She sprayed a mouthful of blood and lost consciousness completely.
Some time later, a carriage slowly approached. The horse suddenly stopped. Two women stepped down—one in white, one in red. The one in red walked over and flipped the person in the water over.
"There’s still a breath left. I can't believe they survived a fall from this height. Lucky bast—Sister!" Upon seeing the face, she hurriedly called out to the woman in white. "Sister, come quickly! It’s him!"
The white-dressed woman, confused, hurried over. When she saw the face, she immediately knelt in the mud, ignoring the filth to check the pulse. A look of astonishment crossed her face. She took a silk handkerchief, dampened it in the pool, and squeezed a few drops of water onto Chu Ruo’s parched, blackened lips. It had an immediate effect. Chu Ruo regained a sliver of blurry consciousness. "Cough... cough..."
The woman in white spoke hurriedly. "Miss Chu—" she caught herself, and a second later corrected, "Master Chu, how are you?"
"I... *cough cough*..." Chu Ruo spat out another mouthful of blood and lost consciousness again.
The woman in red also checked the pulse, letting out a confused hum. "He’s actually a..." She smiled. Interesting. This person was actually a woman.
"Shanshan, don't just stand there. She’s badly injured; we have to save her immediately."
"Mhm," the woman in red, Shanshan, nodded solemnly. "Her hand is bleeding." She stripped off Chu Ruo’s outer robe and tossed it aside, paying no mind to the pile of corpses nearby. "There’s no time to go elsewhere, and her internal organs are damaged, so we shouldn't move her too much. It’s too filthy out here; let’s get her into the carriage."
"Alright."
They carried Chu Ruo into the carriage. "We didn't bring much medicine today. Sister, you’re better at treating external wounds than I am; you take care of her. I’ll go look for useful herbs nearby. I’ll start a fire outside. It’s getting late; we might have to spend the night here. She’s too injured to move, and it’s freezing at the bottom of the cliff by the water. She’d freeze to death otherwise."
"Mhm," the woman in white replied, already focused on examining the injuries.
The woman in red stepped out of the carriage but didn't immediately go looking for herbs. Instead, she scrutinized the corpses. Finally, she stopped in front of one, stripped off its outer garment to use as kindling for the fire, and kicked the body into the water. Looking at Chu Ruo’s blood-stained robe, which she had tossed onto the heap of other bodies, a smirk played on one side of her mouth.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
姗姗 | Shanshan | A new character introduced at the end of the chapter, wearing red.
主角光环 | Protagonist Halo | A common trope in web novels where the main character survives impossible odds.
金手指 | Golden Finger | A web novel term for a special power, cheat, or stroke of luck granted to the protagonist.
口水鸡 | Saliva Chicken | A famous Sichuan dish (Mouth-watering chicken).
唐僧 | Tang Sanzang | The monk from Journey to the West.
二师兄 | Second Senior Brother | A nickname for Zhu Bajie (Pigsy) from Journey to the West.
