Chapter 3 (2/2)

Now that I was finally witnessing this image, without reason, my heart sank.

Yue Chi patiently repeated that familiar movement, time after time. Even though he was unable to touch her, he acted as though she could see him, and murmured soothingly to her, 'Ah Bai, be good. When you are done crying, I will bring you home.'

These words had no effect on Su Bai. After all, she could not hear them. Still, we continued waiting, and at last, we finally saw Su Bai's tears subside. She continued to sit in the rain for a long while, before she eventually stood up.

By that time, the man within the room seemed to have retired for the night, for there was no longer any light from within.

Su Bai stared at the room and smiled faintly. 'Master, I know that I am nothing in your heart. I know that I am worth nothing to you.'

'But, Master,' she said as knelt on the grounds once more, heavily kowtowing. 'To Su Bai, Master, you are my entire life.'

She fought back her tears and cleared her throat as she began to sing a song which originated from her homelands of Great Yue.

She was not gifted with a melodic voice like Ah Lai, but managed to sing an enchanting song which struck the hearts of all who heard it.

She sang: 'Carved into my bones is my unwavering longing for your love, did you know?'

***

Su Bai left before daylight. Yue Chi and I continued to follow her. After last night's events, a crack had appeared on Yue Chi's mask of calm indifference. His gaze, filled with anguish, never once moved away from Su Bai's figure.

He said to me, 'That day, after she left, she never returned.'

Then, he said, 'I never truly intended to trade her for Jue Sha. I planned to send her over to draw out that old fox. Once I obtained the gu, I would execute him on the spot.'

'But she did not trust me.' Yue Chi's breath hitched as he said, 'She really thought I was going to send her to that man, and fled.'

I did not speak, only listening to his words as my eyes followed Su Bai, who staggered ahead in front of us. I knew that before long, this memory would soon come to an end.

Because not long after, we would both discover where Su Bai had gone.

Su Bai walked for a little longer before she stopped in her steps.

Arched tall before her was a magnificent wooden door. Su Bai stood in front of the door, her head held high even as her body trembled, as though she knew what horrors lay within.

Finally, at the precise moment when Su Bai raised her hand to push open that door, the last vestiges of Yue Chi's self-control crumbled as he dashed forward, his movements swift as an arrow, loudly shouting Su Bai's name, 'Ah Bai! Don't!'

I did not understand Yue Chi's sudden agitation, and could only run into this great palace after the two of them. After I made my way in, I saw that Yue Chi was standing next to Su Bai, his expression in agony as he tried desperately to stop Su Bai.

But his attempts were in vain.

Su Bai's face was a picture of unyielding resolution as she slowly walked towards the pond filled with ten thousand venomous gu.

She stared at the ten thousand gu within the pond, her tears silently falling.

But she smiled, and slowly, she whispered, 'Master.'

'No… don't…' Yue Chi stood next to her, frantically trying to grab onto her hands, even as he repeated these words.

But Su Bai could not see him. This had happened a long time ago, and Su Bai's words were a mere soliloquy.

'Master, you wanted me to become a good Gu Master, so I became a good Gu Master. You wanted me to abandon my past and devote myself to Southern Zhao, so I devoted myself to Southern Zhao.'

'Now, you want the Jue Sha gu…' She bowed her head, staring at the ten thousand gu within the pit. A long pause, and finally, she seemed to have steeled her heart. 'I will give you Jue Sha. I will not go to Great Yue, but for you, I can create the best gu.'

'But Master,' she suddenly laughed. 'Don't you agree that my entire life is a tragedy? I also wish to lead a simple life, but now, other than this pit filled with ten thousand venomous creatures, I cannot think of a better home. My home was long destroyed; my country conquered. The person who loved me, was murdered by me in my ignorance; the person I loved, wanted to exchange me for a venomous creature. Master, you said that you would give me a home, but in the end, all that you have given me was a lifetime of sadness.'

'But I do not hate you.' She took a step forward, smiling sadly. 'Even if you have never understood the value of a person's love, still, I wish… to be with you for all eternity.'

Her last words having fallen, Su Bai abruptly jumped into the pond filled with ten thousand gu.

Yue Chi stood rooted in spot. He watched as Su Bai jumped, tears falling from his eyes.

Yet I knew that this entire matter had not been concluded.

I quickly took two urgent steps forward, and clung onto the entirely distraught Yue Chi as we swiftly jumped in after her.

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