48 Sadness can be defeated (1/2)

It was on the same night that Peng Jipei left the place he spent his entire life calling home. A deep vacant despair filled him, and he was left without the willpower to do anything at all. Even becoming Zhao Fanyu's lifelong slave didn't daunt him, didn't scare him. After all, what could be more terrible than his mother passing? He even tried to kill his own brother and failed. What could he do now? There was nothing. Nothing at all.

He was supposed to pack, but there were no things he felt like bringing. He already had with him a locket with some strands of his mother's hair. That was all he wanted. So he only sat there on his bed and waited to be summoned.

A dark figure crept up from the shadows of his own room but Peng Jipei didn't have it in him to feel scared.

This stranger was tall and wore a black butterfly mask upon his face and loomed over the seated Peng Jipei. He had no energy to feel alarmed and instead had his eyes glued to the little silver bell that hung from the scabbard of the man's scimitar, ”Where did you get that?” he croaked, his voice was hoarse from crying.

The stranger hummed. From his sleeve, he fished out a small wooden idol. The god depicted was not one that Peng Jipei could recognize and danced with a fan of feathers in one hand and a bell in the other. The details were exquisitely refined on the tiny statuette, and the god's face was life-like as though he might come to life at any moment.

Peng Jipei found himself inexplicably drawn toward this unknown god. The stranger whispered with a low and mysterious tone, ”The Golden God will receive your prayers and ease your pain. He will give you the power to defeat your enemies.”

Peng Jipei furrowed his brows. He had no enemies, only those he despised. But they weren't the same as enemies, for they weren't obstacles for him to defeat.

Seeing the boy's hesitance, the man explained, ”Sadness, as well, can be defeated.”

Hesitantly, the boy reached out and accepted the idol from the mysterious man. The silver bell on his scabbard made a sharp and clean sound that resonated only in his mind. There was a distinct scent of peonies and ginseng. The stranger melted back into the shadow and Peng Jipei was left there with only his sorrows and the idol of a mysterious Golden God.

...

In a different province, Liu Langce beat both Liu Sumeng and Yuan Xuelan back to Wangyun Peak and he was coughing up a storm.

”Ugh, I'm really getting on with my age,” he groaned and glared at the tea that offered to him by his disciple, as though offended. The Guanghai Elder sat at the table in a reclined pose, neither proper nor elegant. He had an arm draped over his knee and another supporting his head against the table. The robes he wore were a myriad of colors, from the beige outer jacket with green trimmings and silver inner tunic. His belt was blue and unlike anyone else from the Heavenly Sword Sect, he did not carry a blade at his hip. It was rumored that the Guanghai Elder was at least three centuries old but numbers varied between fifty all the way up to five hundred. No one really knew what was true.

”I swear you've gotten worse and not better,” Liu Suye sat down with the Guanghai Elder at the table and set down a tray of snacks. There were peanuts, melon seeds as well as some sweets the Elder had gotten from a distant province. ”I thought you went to Haishang Province to get some medicine?”

Liu Langce grumbled, ”I did. Xiao Yu'er wasn't there though.” Another coughing fit assaulted him and finally prompted him to take a sip at the hot tea. Liu Langce was never much of a fan of tea and preferred wine at all hours of the day. Unfortunately for him, his constitution would not hold candle to either of the younger Liu's.

”I know that the Wayward Wind Sect has had it rough in recent years but…couldn't you have bought medicine from someone else? I'm sure there are people there who would have been willing to help you. Your relationship with Sect Leader Zhao is pretty good.” Liu Suye hummed, if it wasn't for his gentle tone it would have sounded like he was scolding.

…Except he was totally scolding. And Liu Langce who brought this kid up from when he was wearing only a bib glared at him with all his strength, ”Do you think me an idiot? I'm not going to waste my time on some airheads who don't even know left from right. Xiao Yu'er's the only trustworthy one left from that pitiful sect. I'll trust his opinion and his opinion alone.” He made a dismissing motion with his hand that Liu Suye ignored.

Liu Suye waited for his Shizun to stop coughing before he skillfully veered the conversation elsewhere, ”In all honesty, I'm surprised you've returned. A-Chao is returning soon.”

”Ah, did you think I was afraid of Liu Chao?” Liu Langce scoffed and reached for one of the sweets. He forgot to chew and swallowed much too quickly, which only incited another coughing fit.

Liu Suye laughed at him. ”Aren't you?”

”I'm not.”

The Guanghai Elder narrowed his eyes while he stuffed another sweet into his mouth. Liu Suye chuckled as though innocent. ”I suppose you had to return for his wedding one way or the other.”

”Hmm, I feel bad for that Chen girl.”

”Oh, she likes him though.”

”Really?” Liu Langce raised a brow as though not entirely convinced.

”Have you not met her? She's been working hard to become stronger for his sake. She's quite keen on earning his affection.”

Liu Langce scoffed and rolled his eyes, ”Is she even aware of his true personality? Wait no. That kid has no personality. He's basically a rock. The most disagreeable disciple I've ever taught!”