Chapter 373 - Ice Jade Fairy (2/2)
The rain seemed to have gotten even heavier. Raindrops fell heavily on the tree leaves in the same way they seemed to pelt Xiao Chen’s heart. Everywhere he could see was mist. He quietly walked toward the source of the voices and saw the five people standing in the distance: Brother Yifeng, Qingyu, Zhou Li, Mu Shaoai, and… Senior Sister Luo.
The wind was also picking up, willfully making a mess of his hair under the conical bamboo hat. The mist around him was gradually turning into a fog. Everything became indistinct. In the haziness, however, he saw Luo Shangyan noticing him. He immediately turned away and disappeared amid the rain and mist.
“Junior Sister Luo! It’s dangerous! Where are you going?”
“Junior Sister Luo! Come back!”
Xiao Chen dashed through the rain, ignoring the sound of the wind and the shouting behind him. Soon, the rain soaked through his woven raincoat and drenched his layers of clothes inside. Raindrops swept past his cheeks. In the end, after his feet had carried 1,000 to 1,500 meters away, he came up to a large tree. He hid behind it.
The rain was picking up and the fog was getting denser. He could hear the sound of a group of people running over, and then Yu Yifeng’s panicked voice, “Junior Sister Luo, what are you doing?!”
“It’s him. It’s him…”
A brief silence later, Yu Yifeng said, “Come on, Junior Sister Luo. Let’s go. Xiao Chen…”
“No! It’s him! Junior Brother Xiao!” “I know it’s you! Come out! Come out!”
Her voice echoed in the empty valley, every word following the one before it. Xiao Chen felt like she had grabbed tight onto his heart, squeezing it again and again. The lady in purple looked confused. She was about to poke her head out for a look when Xiao Chen stopped her and shook his head at her.
“Luo Shangyan, are you insane? Shut up! Not only will you catch the devils’ attention, but you’ll even attract vicious beasts…”
The sudden condemnation made Xiao Chen furious. He was pinching his fingers when his heartstrings tightened. The jade note was crushed. The jade note that he had given Luo Shangyan was crushed. He remembered what he told her then, “Crush this jade note if you find yourself in danger and I’ll come to you immediately…”
Xiao Chen sat under the tree, his head raised to look at the falling rain. He allowed the rain to hit his face, over and over, for a very long time until he heard Luo Shangyan’s voice again. “Why? Why won’t you meet us? Why…?”
It felt as if his heart was cleaved. He recalled the days they spent at the Three Pure Sect but a persistent voice told him that he couldn’t return anymore, never again…
“Lunatic…”
He didn’t know how much time had passed before the group finally walked far away. Xiao Chen stood up and stepped out from behind the tree. He walked up to where Yu Yifeng and the rest previously stood and slowly squatted down to pick up the pieces of the crushed jade note from the muddy water.
“I bet if they meet Seven Killings, they’ll die within 30 minutes.” The lady in purple joined him, oil-paper umbrella in hand. Xiao Chen turned around. “What are you trying to say?”
“A lonesome man in a raincoat walking among the bleak wind and icy rain. I never expected such a sentimental side from you, God of Murder.”
The lady in purple strolled up to him and titled the oil-paper umbrella to cover him with a faint smile. Even before, Xiao Chen was pretty sure that the lady was the Ice Jade Fairy of the Fort Raksasa, Su Lianyue. Of course, he learned this from the information that Qingluan provided.
He turned around and said, “Few know the true use of this reed; from the frigid jade comes autumn breeze. I never imagined that the fearsome Ice Jade Fairy would save a stranger.”
Su Lianyue giggled and the cyan oil-paper umbrella in her hand trembled along with it, shedding raindrops. The droplets didn’t move away this time and fell on her face, lending her an ethereal beauty. She said, “Ice Jade Fairy? In such chaotic times, all I hope for is a refuge.” She continued, “That said, who was that earlier? Your lover?”
Su Lianyue was right in front of him again and smiling faintly at him. She looked him up and down with great interest as if she found Xiao Chen to be quite different from the God of Murder in the rumors.
Xiao Chen once again spun around and walked some ten feet away. With his back against her, he replied indifferently, “Senior Sister.”
“My, you’re so strange. Do you like talking with your back against people that much? But Senior Sister, is it? That’s disappointing. You came from the Orthodox Path and yet it was the Orthodox Path that abandoned you…”
This time, Xiao Chen finally turned around to look at her. However, his gaze was ice-cold. “What exactly are you trying to say…?”
Su Lianyue was all smiles even in the face of a stifling-cold gaze. “I told you. People who walk different paths might not necessarily be unable to work together.” She flicked her sleeves and an object flew toward Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen caught the object between his fingers. It wasn’t a concealed weapon, but a neatly-folded letter. He opened it and gave the contents a quick scan. His expression swiftly turned solemn.