A Decade of Nightscape Lights

At that moment, whispers began to rise around them—

"People say Fallen Blossom Valley has declined ever since Cai Pingshu was crippled, that they have no real skills left and only rely on Sect Leader Qi of Azure Tower Sect to maintain appearances. But look at that girl just now—could any of you pull off those moves she made…"

"What decline? Fallen Blossom Valley has always kept to itself and stayed aloof from the Martial World. That doesn’t mean they lack ability."

"Exactly! I’ve heard Cai Pingchun has made tremendous progress over the years. Otherwise, why have so many challengers who went to Fallen Blossom Valley never been heard from again? If they had won, wouldn’t they be boasting about it?"

"Cai Pingchun? He’s never been seen in the Martial World. Maybe it was Cai Pingshu who dealt with them."

"Didn’t you just say Cai Pingshu was crippled?"

"Enough nonsense! Wasn’t that girl just now using the ‘Dragon Grasping Hand’ technique Cai Pingshu created herself? The first move was ‘Singular Merit Stance,’ but what was the second one? ‘Gentle Breeze Unfolding’? Back then, Cai Pingshu used this palm technique to wipe out thirteen bandit strongholds in the Northern Wastes within half a month—leaving none alive, not even chickens or dogs!"

"But I heard Cai Pingshu fought those bandit strongholds alone with a great saber!"

"What difference does it make whether she used a saber or her palms!"

"Impressive, truly impressive! The Cai Family is remarkable!"

Yin Sulian’s face turned from green to pale as she forced a smile. "I heard you were spoiled since childhood. Martial training is so arduous—how could your aunt bear to force you to practice?"

Cai Zhao slowly sheathed her dagger, her smile not reaching her eyes. "Auntie said that in this world, mountains may crumble and seas may dry—it’s safest to rely on oneself."

In her carefree childhood, her aunt, who had never allowed her to suffer the slightest grievance, had only ever forced her to do one thing in over a decade—train in martial arts, without pause through heat or cold, dawn or dusk.

She remembered once when she had cried from exhaustion, Cai Pingshu had massaged the back of her neck and whispered, ‘Whether you walk the Martial World or not, you must have the ability to protect yourself. If I only let you live a lazy, carefree life, I would be failing you.’

Yin Sulian struggled to maintain her smile. "That does sound like something your aunt would say. But as a woman, there isn’t just one path in life. Having someone to rely on isn’t necessarily bad. Well then, since this is our first meeting, take this jade bracelet as a gift." She removed the bracelet from her wrist.

Cai Zhao accepted it quietly, examining its quality under the lamplight and expertly estimating its pawnshop value.

Seeing the tension ease, Zeng Dalou quickly interjected, "Master, Junior Sister is young and must be hungry. Let’s take her to the back for some refreshments."

Qi Yunke nodded. Before Cai Zhao left, he brought Chang Ning to her and said quietly, "Your senior brother Chang Ning is still severely injured, with lingering poison in his system. During the Ancestor’s memorial, I fear I won’t be able to tend to him properly. Please keep an eye on him."

Qi Lingbo was clearly not an obedient daughter, and with a biased mother to boot, if she tried to bully Chang Ning again in secret, the other disciples—either unwilling or unable to intervene out of respect for their mistress—wouldn’t stop her. Only Cai Zhao had no reason to fear.

Cai Zhao understood his meaning, her expression faintly mocking.

Qi Yunke coughed awkwardly. "Once Chang Ning recovers, no one will dare bully him. Alas, it’s my fault for failing to discipline my daughter and manage my household. If your aunt found out, she’d surely scold me first for being useless…"Cai Zhao said coolly, "All these years, when has Auntie ever said a single bad word about you? It's always been my mother who scolds you."

Qi Yunke waved his hand. "Ah, your mother speaks without thinking. I never take it to heart. But when your aunt says something, I truly feel ashamed beyond words. Zhao Zhao, the great hero Chang Haosheng and his family met a tragic end, and their blood debt remains unavenged to this day. Pitiful that such a righteous man, who never shirked his duty to uphold justice and protect the weak—at least for his sake, you should look after Chang Ning a little more..."

Cai Zhao felt it was time to express her noble righteousness before her future master: "Uncle, you don't need to say more. Zhao Zhao understands. Auntie often told me that what she was most proud of in her life wasn't slaying Nie Hengcheng, but that no matter how urgent the situation, she never sacrificed the innocent while roaming the Martial World, and no matter how reluctant she was to get involved, she never stood by idly when the innocent suffered. Uncle, rest assured, I'll keep an eye on Senior Brother Chang. Those of us who cultivate martial arts may not seek to awe the martial world or achieve fame, but at the very least, we must aid the weak, relieve the suffering, and uphold justice." She spoke with passionate righteousness, perfectly matching the tone Cai Pingshu would have idealized.

"Good! Well said!" Qi Yunke was delighted and pulled Chang Ning over to have him bow to Cai Zhao.

Chang Ning gave a faint smile and bowed gracefully, his posture straight.

A sudden inexplicable discomfort rose in Cai Zhao's heart. Thinking of the truly heroic Chang Haosheng, she felt her earlier words had been somewhat hypocritical. She hastily bid farewell to Qi Yunke and tugged at Chang Ning's sleeve to leave together.

Chang Ning stiffened slightly, staring blankly at the small hand gripping his sleeve.

Seeing Qi Yunke about to attend to guests, Yin Sulian quickly pulled Dai Fengchi to her husband's side, urging him to accompany his father in meeting the martial world elders. She then nudged her daughter and gestured toward Cai Zhao and Chang Ning. Understanding her mother's hint, Qi Lingbo gritted her teeth and followed them.

The rear hall had many side rooms. Zeng Dalou found a quiet and elegant one for the three of them, instructing servants to attend to their needs before hurrying off to handle other matters.

The so-called family tradition—whatever Cai Zhao learned from Cai Pingshu, Qi Lingbo learned from Yin Sulian. Within half a cup of tea, Qi Lingbo had already transformed from calling her "Junior Sister Cai" to "Zhao Zhao, dear sister," and from "that meddlesome little wretch" to "a youthful misunderstanding."

Unfortunately, the transition was too abrupt, her logic unclear. Having just called her a wretch and even attempted to teach her a lesson, now trying to brush it off with a mere "misunderstanding" lacked sincerity. Clearly, this Miss Qi's skill in winning over sisters was less than a tenth of her ability to string along admirers.

Any other hot-tempered martial arts girl would have spat in Qi Lingbo's face by now, but Cai Zhao certainly wouldn't. Since childhood, she had aspired to become the overseer of Fallen Blossom Town's seventy-two shops. In business, harmony brings wealth—see through it but don't expose it.

Thus, Cai Zhao put on her most welcoming smile, playing along with Miss Qi's narrative.

Qi Lingbo said, "Speaking of which, my mother and Heroine Cai shared decades of friendship. Alas, when we heard three years ago of her passing, my mother was so grief-stricken she couldn't eat or take her medicine, nearly falling gravely ill. That's why she couldn't attend your aunt's funeral."Cai Zhao: "Look what you're saying, Senior Sister. Given the mountain-high and sea-deep friendship between our two elders, if your mother weren't too ill to rise, how could she not come to Fallen Blossom Valley? Of course I understand this."

Qi Lingbo (wondering if she's being too sensitive and feeling subtly insulted): "My mother has always been frail. When she went to Jade Pendant Mountain Manor for treatment at twelve, she formed a profound friendship with Heroine Cai. My mother often says that Heroine Cai has been righteous and chivalrous since childhood, earning universal praise. With my mother's limited martial skills, she relied many times on Heroine Cai's assistance to stand here today."

Cai Zhao: "My aunt entered Old Master Zhou's tutelage at Jade Pendant Mountain at ten. Though there were other young sisters in the manor, none were as clever, sweet, and understanding as your mother—she particularly clicked with my aunt. My mother once said that when the young sisters encountered danger, your mother nearly fell into the hands of the chief disciple of some 'Heavenly' Elder from the Demonic Cult. This forced my aunt to create several moves of the Dragon Grasping Hand within days to resolve the crisis—a life-saving bond indeed!"

Qi Lingbo (again feeling subtly insulted): "...Zhao Zhao is absolutely right. Actually, my mother and your aunt quarreled in their youth, but they still forged a life-saving friendship later. It shows childhood spats and tantrums don't count, hehe, hehe."

Cai Zhao: "Senior Sister Qi is absolutely right! Not only do childhood quarrels and arguments amount to nothing, even throwing little things at each other was just playful—no one should take it to heart."

Qi Lingbo's smile stiffened: "...Exactly, exactly."—Mother, buttering up a little sister with pleasantries is exhausting!

The two girls exchanged words seamlessly, so harmonious it seemed they'd soon swap hairpins and swear sisterhood. But they forgot there was a third person present. Suddenly, two abrupt, cold chuckles broke the mood.

The Cai and Qi girls turned toward the source.

"Junior Sister Cai is truly heroic in her flexibility," Chang Ning remarked dryly, then pointed at Qi Lingbo. "Just now she called you a 'little bitch.' You're not taking that to heart either?"

Cai Zhao smiled. "A trivial spat isn't worth dwelling on."

Qi Lingbo exhaled in relief.

"And just now, she wanted to gang up and beat you first. You're letting that go too?" Chang Ning pressed.

Cai Zhao sighed. "It didn't happen, did it? Even if it had, they couldn't have beaten me."

"Yes, yes! Junior Sister is absolutely right!" Qi Lingbo laughed nervously.

"What if they could? What if they beat you black and blue?" Chang Ning refused to let up.

"Even if they could, even if they beat me black and blue, it'd just be family squabbles within the Six Sects—water under the bridge." Cai Zhao said this, but inwardly thought, 'As if. I'd hunt down every last one of them and smash their heads in afterward.'

Qi Lingbo seized the moment to praise: "Junior Sister's magnanimity is truly the mark of a hero!"

"Easy, easy. Harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth," Cai Zhao played along, the atmosphere warm.

"What if someone insulted your aunt, Heroine Cai?" Chang Ning suddenly asked.

Cai Zhao's expression darkened.

"What if someone called Heroine Cai a 'bitch who dragged on for over a decade before dying'?" Chang Ning's tone was calm, his long lashes lowered. "Would Zhao Zhao still consider that a trivial spat, not worth dwelling on?"Qi Lingbo jumped up, pointing at Chang Ning's nose and shouting, "Don't you dare spout nonsense!... Junior Sister Cai, don't listen to him! He holds a grudge against me and is just trying to sow discord!"

Cai Zhao ignored her, her face devoid of any trace of a smile. "Senior Brother Chang Ning, explain yourself clearly."

Chang Ning replied, "Three years ago, when Heroine Cai passed away, my father went to pay his respects. On his way back, he fell seriously ill from grief. As they were nearing Nine Conch Mountain, Sect Leader Qi, who was traveling with him, brought my father to the sect to recuperate. One day, Sect Leader Qi and his wife had a fierce argument. Zeng Dalou tried to mediate but failed, so he came to beg my father for help. When my father arrived, he heard Madam Sulian screaming, 'Everyone says Cai Pingshu fought Nie Hengcheng to a standstill for the sake of the world, but that wretched woman dragged on for over a decade before finally dying! And you keep harping on me to remember her kindness—it's utterly infuriating!'"

Qi Lingbo panicked. "Zhao Zhao, don't listen to this lunatic! My mother would never say such things! It's all just—it's all just—"

"Besides my father, Zeng Dalou and Li Shibo from the outer sect were also present," Chang Ning stated bluntly.

Cai Zhao's small, pale hand slowly clenched on the table, her nails digging deep into her palm.

"My father didn't say another word. He immediately left the mountain, still ill," Chang Ning said, his gaze as cold and clear as ice water. "Zhao Zhao, not everyone and everything in this world can be resolved with 'harmony brings wealth.'"

The dark brown tablecloth was embroidered with golden threads of auspicious clouds, shimmering under the bright lights with a glaring white glare—like the streaks of white hair young Cai Zhao had once discovered in her aunt's temples. Back then, Cai Pingshu was only twenty-five.

Cai Zhao thought of Yin Qinglian, whom she had just seen—her radiant skin, her jet-black hair, living a life of honor and luxury as the revered wife of the world's foremost sect leader. Was there truly such a thing as justice in this world?

"With so many guests today, everyone in the sect is extremely busy. Senior Sister, you should go attend to them," Cai Zhao said indifferently.

"No, no, Zhao Zhao, let me explain! My mother was arguing with my father at the time—she spoke without thinking, it was just a slip of the tongue—" Qi Lingbo floundered.

Cai Zhao replied coolly, "In this vast world, it's not that no one can speak ill of my aunt. But those who have received her kindness cannot. Speaking without thinking is unacceptable. A slip of the tongue is also unacceptable. Senior Sister, please leave."

Qi Lingbo flew into a rage. "Chang, who the hell do you think you are?! Your family suffered a disaster, and you came to the Azure Tower Sect to heal and take refuge—you should be weeping with gratitude and behaving properly! Yet now you dare spread malicious lies to drive a wedge between the brotherhood of our Big Dipper Six Sects! You stray dog, have you no shame?! If you despise me so much, why linger in the sect? If you've got the guts, scram out of here already—stop making a fool of yourself!"

Chang Ning sat upright, unmoving. "I'm not as principled as my father, who felt he was burdening others and never dwelled on the favors he'd done for them. Since Miss Qi has a poor memory, I thought I'd remind her.""Twenty years ago, when your mother, Madam Sulian, left in anger and was nearly assaulted by the Demonic Cult's vile followers, it was my father who came to her aid. Nineteen years ago, when two of the Azure Tower Sect's three elders fell to the Demonic Cult and Nie Hengcheng hung their corpses to whip and humiliate them, and none of the Big Dipper Six Sects dared descend the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff to fight—it was my father who disguised himself, infiltrated their ranks, and at great risk brought back the elders' remains. Sixteen years ago, when Sect Leader Qi laid the Net of Heaven and Earth to avenge Old Sect Leader Yin, my father played a pivotal role..."

With each incident Chang Ning recounted, Qi Lingbo's expression darkened further.

"These are just the well-known instances. There are many more where my father contributed greatly without public recognition." Chang Ning sneered at Qi Lingbo. "Though my father never speaks of these deeds, that doesn’t mean your Azure Tower Sect should forget them. Given all this, my seeking refuge and recovery within your sect is entirely justified."

Qi Lingbo wasn’t unaware of these events—Qi Yunke had drilled them into her countless times. But under the influence of her mother, Yin Sulian, she had come to believe the Azure Tower Sect was the foremost sect in the martial world, and that others serving it was only natural. Unless the sect chose to acknowledge past favors, the beneficiaries shouldn’t mention them.

Chang Ning glanced at Cai Zhao and chuckled lightly. "Justified or not, all those past kindnesses didn’t stop Miss Qi from coveting my heart’s blood, did they? Don’t you agree, Zhao Zhao? Zhao Zhao, little sister..."

Cai Zhao turned her head toward the lamp, lost in thought, and only snapped out of it after being called several times. "Oh, I was just reminded of an opera I once heard in Fallen Blossom Town. There was a line that went, 'You shed your blood for the world, yet how many remember now? Truly, the world is full of ungrateful souls.'"

Chang Ning laughed. "What opera is that? I’ve never heard of it."

Cai Zhao shook her head gently. "My mother wrote it."

Chang Ning was taken aback.

"Now I understand what my mother meant," Cai Zhao sighed.

Their exchange, each word hinting at Yin Sulian’s ingratitude, was more than Qi Lingbo could bear. She sprang to her feet, her beautiful eyes blazing with fury. "...You—just you wait!" She overturned the stool and stormed out of the room.