Blood River

Qiantang City, amidst the continuous Grain Rain drizzle.

The Crane Huai Pharmacy felt somewhat desolate without Su Muyu. Not a single patient had come for consultation all morning. Bai Hehuai lay alone on a long chair in the hall, listening to the rain while flipping through a storybook in her hands. It was the very same book she had taken from The Head’s secret chamber. That day, she had only skimmed a little but had been captivated by its tales. Later, after arriving in Qiantang City, she had been too busy with daily "consultations" to read further. Now that she had some leisure, she took it out again.

Listening to the rain while reading, with a plate of Osmanthus Cake placed on the wooden shelf beside the chair—it was truly quite pleasant.

Just as Bai Hehuai was deeply engrossed, she suddenly caught sight of a figure holding an umbrella in the courtyard. She froze. "Su Muyu?" But upon closer inspection, she realized the visitor carried a bookcase on his back. Though as elusive as Su Muyu, his demeanor was far more refined and gentle compared to Su Muyu’s aloofness.

"Confucian Sword Immortal?" Bai Hehuai asked in confusion.

"Just call me Xie Xuan. My apologies for the abrupt visit without prior notice, Miracle Healer," Xie Xuan said with a slight nod.

Bai Hehuai sat up from the long chair. "Then I shall address you as Mr. Xie. Given Mr. Xie’s usual conduct, entering the courtyard without knocking must mean there’s a special reason?"

"Indeed. But I’ve already found my answer," Xie Xuan replied with a nod.

Bai Hehuai smiled. "I suppose Mr. Xie came to see if Su Muyu and the others have truly left? Rest assured. There’s nothing in Qiantang City worth their nostalgia—they left as soon as they decided to. They have more important matters to attend to."

"It seems I’ve been overly suspicious. It’s not that I distrust Su Muyu—he’s an excellent person—but that Su Changhe fellow..." Xie Xuan scratched his head. "Just seeing him makes me feel like something bad is about to happen."

Bai Hehuai nodded vigorously. "Mr. Xie’s intuition is absolutely right. It’s just that the ‘bad thing’ won’t happen here in Qiantang City."

"It seems the young lady also has many grievances against Su Changhe," Xie Xuan said with a faint smile, preparing to take his leave. But then his gaze fell on the book in Bai Hehuai’s hands. "Oh? You were reading earlier? My apologies again for the interruption."

Bai Hehuai paused, then waved the old book in her hand and shook her head. "It’s not exactly a proper book."

"Oh? Not a proper book?" Xie Xuan’s smile took on a knowing edge.

Bai Hehuai’s face flushed slightly, and she stuck out her tongue. "It’s just a storybook. Though the tales are entertaining, they don’t carry any grand morals. For scholars like you, it’s probably considered lowbrow."

"Miracle Healer, you’re mistaken," Xie Xuan said solemnly, shaking his head. "These are precisely the kinds of storybooks I love to read. Morals are hidden within the stories—each tale has its own lesson, and each person may draw different insights from them. True understanding has always come from personal realization, not from being directly told by a book."

Bai Hehuai’s eyes brightened. "As expected of the Confucian Sword Immortal—your insight far surpasses that of ordinary scholars.""Reading should not be a utilitarian pursuit," Xie Xuan stepped forward, taking the ancient book from Bai Hehuai's hands. "The transformation books bring should be like this: after reading thousands of volumes, you suddenly look back one day to realize you've already ascended to the peak of a great mountain."

Seeing how naturally Xie Xuan took the book, Bai Hehuai asked curiously, "Master Xie is also interested in this book?"

"Is it good?" Xie Xuan inquired.

Bai Hehuai nodded: "Yes, it's wonderful. It's a fictional story based on the founding history of Northern Li."

"Then I shall read it," Xie Xuan stretched out his hand, summoning a small stool from the corner with unseen force. He sat down and immediately became engrossed in the book.

Bai Hehuai picked up a piece of Osmanthus Cake and offered it to Xie Xuan: "No need to hurry, Master Xie. The Medicine Manor has been quiet these days. Have some cake and take your time reading."

"Thank you," Xie Xuan accepted the cake and took a bite, though his eyes never left the pages.

Bai Hehuai opened her mouth to speak again but restrained herself upon seeing Xie Xuan's focused expression. She took another piece of cake and lay back on the lounge chair. With no book to read, she hummed a tune until drowsiness overcame her, and she soon fell asleep.

When she awoke, dusk was approaching and the rain had stopped. Sniffing the air, Bai Hehuai caught the aroma of cooked food and immediately sprang up from the lounge. She saw Xie Xuan setting the table, the ancient book neatly placed beside the dishes.

"Master Xie," she called out.

"You're awake. Come join me for dinner. Since it's just the two of us today, I kept the dishes simple," Xie Xuan smiled.

Approaching the table, Bai Hehuai said somewhat sheepishly, "I've troubled you, Master Xie. Thank you so much!"

Xie Xuan shook his head with a gentle smile: "It is I who should thank you. Spending this afternoon with such a fine book was truly worthwhile."

Bai Hehuai was surprised: "You enjoyed this fictional story too?"

"You're mistaken. This isn't fiction," Xie Xuan maintained his calm smile, though his tone grew more solemn. "This is a history book."

"A history book? There's no such account in Northern Li's founding records. If such an organization truly existed, why has no one ever mentioned it?" Bai Hehuai questioned.

"There have always been two versions of history," Xie Xuan replied. "One for the public, and another that records the complete truth."

Bai Hehuai frowned slightly: "So there really was an assassination squad during Northern Li's founding? What became of them? Perhaps it's written in the later volumes... What a pity the Spider Nest burned down, those books are lost forever. Wait... why was this book hidden in Dark River? Could it mean that Dark River is..."

"Let's eat first. Some truths cannot be uncovered through speculation alone," Xie Xuan interrupted her train of thought. "Don't you agree, Elder Su Zhe?"

"Hahaha!" A hearty laugh sounded as the courtyard gate opened, revealing Su Zhe entering with his Buddhist staff. "It's been too long, Confucian Sword Immortal.""In just a few days, I've encountered the three strongest assassins of Dark River in Qiantang City. If not for Su Muyu's promise to me, this would truly be unsettling," Xie Xuan said, lowering his head.

"Daddy," Bai Hehuai called out.

"Hmm? Daddy?" Xie Xuan seemed surprised.

"Yep, this is my daughter," Su Zhe said, taking a puff of his pipe. "Pretty, isn't she?"

"Indeed," Xie Xuan replied.

"Daughter, that book you mentioned earlier," Su Zhe said as he walked into the house. "Let me see it."

Bai Hehuai pouted. "Eat first!"