74 Farewell, Yun Yang (1/2)
Yun Yang’s purple robe fluttered as he moved but his heart was heavy as he stepped out of the door a result of having decided to go to the Residence of the Nine Supremes.
He had been extremely reluctant to go to the place ever since after the ninth day of the third month last year. Each time he was near the Residence of the Nine Supremes, he felt ashamed to face his brothers.
What are you doing here? Have you achieved the vengeance that is due to us?
Yun Yang made his way with a heavy heart. Just as he made a turn, he came face to face with a group of people. Both parties were simultaneously stunned.
The person walking at the front of the pack was none other than Ji Ling. She wore a pale purple mask and was dressed in a long black dress. Although the color of her clothes was plain, the otherworldly aura that she exuded when they first met was unmistakably there.
Beside her were five or six girls, each one beautiful with a clear set of eyes and gracefully slim figures. The rest of the group was made up of servants, maids, and guards; there were more than a hundred of them.When they caught sight of Yun Yang walking, deep in thought, the girls’ eyes sparkled gleefully.
They saw a young man dressed in purple strolled amidst the morning fog, his features remarkably handsome and his finesse outstanding; hints of sorrow surrounded him despite his airy robe that fluttered in the wind. The scene looked remarkably like it had come straight from a portrait.
Even the faint morning fog seemed to have turned refined and ethereal.
“Oh, it’s you.” Ji Ling’s gaze gave no hint as to the emotions she was feeling within. “Where are you going?”
Yun Yang replied, “I would ask the same of you. Where are you going this early in the morning?”
The rest of the girls’ eyes danced with merriment when they heard their conversation, watching them with without a word, faint smiles playing on their lips.
Ji Ling’s gaze took on a softer tone before she smiled and said, “I’m walking in this direction so early in the morning which means that I am headed out of the city.”
Surprised, Yun Yang said, “Headed out of the city? Isn't the shorter route on the opposite street?”
Sheepishly, an embarrassed Ji Ling retorted, “What do you care?”
Among the girls, someone chuckled while they covered their mouths.
Their twinkling eyes exchanged knowing looks and winks; although they did not speak, they still buzzed with a noisy chirrup, much like a symphony of grasshoppers.
No wonder this little girl doesn’t want to take the short route and must go out of the city using this path.
The hapless Ji Ling really did not wish to see Yun Yang again yet she had insisted to pass by Yun Yang’s doors before leaving this city.
She had never thought that she would actually come across him so early in the day.
Yun Yang realized then. “You’re leaving?”
The anger that was boiling within Ji Ling vanished without a trace as she nodded lightly and said, “We have heard rumors indicating that a Young Master Lingfeng has appeared in Tiannan. It could be my brother. We are going over to take a look at it.”
Her voice was low, filled with an inexplicable emotion.
Yun Yang’s heart lurched but he said mildly, “Tiannan? That is really very far.”
Ji Ling said, “Yes, that is very far.”
Yun Yang continued calmly, “It is a seventy-five thousand mile journey to Tiannan. Please take good care of yourself.”
Ji Ling’s gaze dropped to her feet, and she replied faintly, “I will. You too.”
Yun Yang nodded, both of them at a loss for words.
A wave of melancholy slowly spread and grew.
Ji Ling’s eyes were downcast, as she felt her heart grow sorrowful and bitter.
You know it’s seventy-five thousand miles, a long and far journey. Have you considered that the chances of me coming back after leaving this time are very little?
Do you know that the chances of us meeting again after I leave this time will be very slim?
A girl who was obviously a little older than the rest, who had a light veil of woe clouding her frown, looked at Ji Ling seriously then at Yun Yang. Suddenly, she blinked and said, “Yes, young sister Ling’er may not ever come back here this life after leaving Tiantang City this time around.”
While she spoke, she carefully watched Yun Yang’s expression.
Yun Yang said softly, “True. We are parted by high mountains and wide oceans from then on, we shall meet should it be our fate...”
This girl in white frowned, thinking in her heart, “Why can’t this child get it?”
She grew slightly put-out, but looking at the pitiful Ji Ling in the morning breeze, her heart softened and she said, “Separation is impending, does this young master not want to say something?”
Yun Yang was stunned. “What should I say?”
Gritting her teeth, the girl said, “Fated to know each other, you should at least leave your mark in each other’s life. Young Sister Ling, I saw you twisting and turning last night. You had that scented sachet, what was that for?”
Ji Ling was so embarrassed she almost screamed, “Sister Lan!”
Sister Lan persistently continued with her questioning as she said, “Since you’ve met face to face, are you really going to throw it away? Even as you are going out of the city? Do you not plan to give it away?”
Ji Ling snorted. Composing her expression to remain stoic, she said with a cold voice, “Young Master Yun, it’s fate that we got to know each other. Now that separation is evident, I have a gift; all I ask is that the young master treat it with respect.”
Her ears were flushed red after she finished speaking. Biting her lips, she took out a small white scented sachet and passed it hesitatingly.
Yun Yang sighed in his heart and said, “Thank you for Lady Ji’s warmth.” He could only extend his arms to receive the gift yet his heart knew fully well what this was.
Is this not simply an infatuation?
However, it was just like what he had said himself. Tiannan was high and far, this journey alone was seventy-five thousand miles; the journey would be hindered by countless mountains and seas. To and fro would make it a hundred and fifty thousand miles!
Even if it were an expert, it would still take a year. Furthermore, both of them had their own matters to attend to. Should there be any feelings, there would be no outcome or future from it.
An infatuation was merely an infatuation.
Seeing that Yun Yang remained motionless after receiving the gift, Sister Lan frowned and said, “Young Master Yun, my younger sister has already given you a scented sachet, don’t you... wish to reciprocate?”
Yun Yang patted himself down; he had not carried anything on his person that was suitable as a gift. With a helpless chuckle, he said, “Luckily I won a saber that last time I placed a bet. This saber is small and delicate, I have no use holding onto it as a man. Let me give this to Lady Ji. I hope that this saber could secure Lady Ji’s safety in the chaos that is the martial arts world.”
As he spoke, he took out the treasured saber, Phoenix’s Cry.