Love and Crown

For the past two days, wandering around Hangzhou with Xiao Huan, Cang Cang had only thought that the weather was getting colder. But she hadn’t expected it to be this cold—now she was huddled on the inn’s bed, wrapped in a blanket, dripping wet, sneezing while enduring the sensation of the rough fabric rubbing against her hair.

Xiao Huan stood before the bed, unceremoniously using the blanket to shake her head back and forth. He wasn’t much better off—his Blue Gown was soaked through, and water droplets still clung to his face, unbrushed away.

Cang Cang hugged her knees sullenly, letting Xiao Huan tousle her hair.

While boating with him, she had seen someone drowning and, without a second thought, leaped into the water to save them. Unexpectedly, the lake was freezing, and her legs cramped the moment she jumped in. In the end, she failed to rescue the person and nearly drowned herself—until Xiao Huan dove in and pulled both her and the drowning victim ashore.

"Sorry… I didn’t mean to," Cang Cang finally mumbled under her breath.

Xiao Huan paused in drying her hair, glancing down at her through the folds of the blanket, his expression indifferent. "Why apologize? I’m not blaming you."

"Then why do you look so upset?" she muttered, still quiet, as his hands resumed their work.

Her head swayed with the motion, and suddenly, she remembered something. "I didn’t think you could swim! I was sure you couldn’t! When I fell in, I thought, ‘This is it, I’m done for,’ and then I grabbed your arm. How did you get me ashore? It felt like I was floating, and then suddenly we were on land. For a second, I even thought you knew martial arts…"

"You certainly assume a lot," Xiao Huan sighed, his tone still flat, betraying no anger.

But after two days together, Cang Cang had learned that he never let emotions seep into his voice. The only times he’d spoken like this were when he rescued her from the Salt Gang’s headquarters and now. She stuck out her tongue discreetly. "You are mad… and you said you weren’t blaming me…"

"I’m not saying saving someone was wrong," Xiao Huan sighed again, finally explaining. "But even in an emergency, you shouldn’t act so recklessly. If you had just stretched your limbs before jumping in, your legs wouldn’t have cramped, and I wouldn’t have had to dive in to rescue both of you."

With that, his hands stilled, and he draped the blanket over her head. "The dry clothes haven’t arrived yet. Take off your wet ones first, or you’ll catch a cold."

Cang Cang obediently listened, murmuring an "Okay" as she untied her sash, stealing a glance at Xiao Huan.

His face, dotted with water droplets, was expressionless. Strands of wet black hair had escaped his topknot, partially obscuring his eyes. Whether it was the light by the bed or the water, Cang Cang thought his skin looked almost translucent. Her heart raced, and she swallowed hard. "You’re only worrying about me—aren’t you going to take off your wet clothes too? Isn’t your health weak? What if you get sick?"

"Shall we undress together, then?" A faint smile finally touched Xiao Huan’s lips as he countered lightly.Cang Cang was taken aback, still trying to comprehend the meaning of those words when the bed curtains suddenly fell before her. Xiao Huan's voice came from behind the drapes, "Put the wet clothes you take off on the stool by the bed. I'll leave fresh clothes there too—you can take them yourself."

With that, he turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Cang Cang let out an earth-shaking sneeze before it dawned on her: for unmarried men and women, this was called "avoiding impropriety."

"Tch, 'undress together'? Who wants to see you undress anyway!" she grumbled indignantly. Yet the image of him standing by her bed with damp hair and half-lowered lashes flashed before her eyes. She couldn't help biting her lip, her eyes narrowing mischievously.

That guy had been wearing wet clothes for so long—wouldn't he catch a cold and get feverish? Lying helpless in bed with flushed cheeks, how high and mighty would he be then? When that happened, not only would she get to see him in such a pathetic state, but she'd also yank the blankets off to feast her eyes on him in just his underclothes. Wouldn't let her look? What was so special about him anyway?

The more she thought about it, the more gleeful she became. Cackling aloud, she flopped onto the bed, still wrapped in the blanket.

Before evening even arrived, someone did indeed fall ill with fever, lying helpless in bed—but that someone wasn't Xiao Huan.

Perhaps it was the accumulated strain of fighting, jailbreaks, poor food, and sleepless nights over the past few days. While smugly anticipating Xiao Huan's illness, Cang Cang—who always prided herself on being as sturdy as an ox—drifted off contentedly, only to soon find herself alternating between chills and feverish sweats beneath the covers.

Just as she extended her arm from the blankets for the umpteenth time, a voice reached her ears: "Cang Cang?"

Without caring who it was, she immediately clung to the arm that had reached to check her forehead, pressing her cheek against the cool palm. "So nice and cool," she murmured.

So she really had developed a fever. Xiao Huan let her pull his hand against her flushed face, torn between amusement and exasperation.

He'd worried that her weakened state from days of hardship would leave her vulnerable to illness after the river plunge. That was why he'd immediately wrapped her in a blanket and rushed her back to the inn—yet despite his precautions, this had still happened.

"Cang Cang, don't sleep. Wake up for a moment." Noticing the untouched clean clothes still neatly folded on the bedside stool, then seeing both her arms exposed above the blankets—this girl was undoubtedly wearing nothing underneath.

Xiao Huan softened his voice helplessly, "Cang Cang, wake up and put some clothes on."

"No! Too hot!" she protested without opening her eyes, her arms coiling around his like snakes around a branch, pulling his entire arm against her.

His body nearly toppled onto the bed from her tugging. Securing the blanket that had slipped from her shoulders, he resignedly soothed her, "Fine, no clothes. Just keep the blanket on."

Cang Cang responded with a drowsy murmur, nuzzling his arm. "Grandma, my head hurts..."

Xiao Huan paused, then sat on the bedside, gently tucking stray hairs behind her ear. "Be good. Let go of my hand so I can fetch medicine to help your headache."

Pouting, she petulantly tightened her grip. "No!"Xiao Huan knew she was being unreasonable due to discomfort, so he coaxed and gently pulled his hand from her embrace. First, he persuaded her to drink the bowl of ginger water he had brought, then wrote a prescription and handed it to the inn attendant to fetch the medicine, carefully explaining the required quality of each herb.

He fetched a basin of cold water himself, wrapping Cang Cang's forehead, wrists, and calves with damp cloths. When the attendant returned with the medicine, he personally brewed it over the stove.

The damp cloths on Cang Cang needed frequent changing. After the medicine was ready, Xiao Huan coaxed her into drinking it and then persuaded her to drink more water.

Perhaps because of the fever, Cang Cang slept restlessly, and Xiao Huan had to repeatedly tuck her limbs back under the covers when she kicked them out.

It wasn’t until late into the night that Cang Cang’s fever finally broke, and she fell into a deep sleep. By then, she had transformed into an octopus, clinging tightly to Xiao Huan, whose body temperature was naturally cooler.

A small village surrounded by streams, the fragrance of wheat wafting into the lanes, the kindly smile of Granny under the locust tree—Granny was always so patient, never angry no matter how much she clung to her all day. When she was sick, Granny would hold her in her arms. Granny also made sweet osmanthus candy, layering osmanthus flowers with sugar in a jar. She would dip her finger in and taste the sweetness...

Waking from the dream, Cang Cang smacked her lips. No, there was no sweetness in her mouth—only the bitter aftertaste of medicine. She tried opening her eyes, greeted by a reddish glow. The unfamiliar furnishings slowly came into focus—she was in an inn in Hangzhou, not in her childhood village, not by Granny’s side.

Turning her gaze, she finally saw the face of the person she was tightly clinging to.

Xiao Huan lay beside her, asleep, his back slightly bent, his head resting against the hard wooden bed frame, completely accommodating her terrible sleeping posture. His arm encircled her shoulders, tucking the edges of the quilt to keep out the cold.

From Cang Cang’s angle, she could see the faint shadows cast by his long lashes on his face. She tilted her head slightly, watching the light dance across his face, scattering a soft white glow.

Sensing she was awake, Xiao Huan opened his eyes to find Cang Cang’s bright, wide eyes fixed on his face.

He smiled, reaching out to touch her forehead. "The fever’s gone."

Cang Cang continued staring at him, making no move to release her grip on him. After a moment of silence, she suddenly spoke. "I dreamed about Granny."

Xiao Huan smiled, his deep black pupils softening. "Did you sleep well?"

Cang Cang nodded in answer, then continued, "Before I was four, I lived in my hometown with Granny. I never saw my mother. Granny said she had gone on a long journey, but I knew—I didn’t have a mother. From birth until I was five, I never met my father either. I had nothing—just Granny. The village kids called me a worthless bastard, so I fought them until no one dared say it again."

"So you were already that fierce as a child," Xiao Huan interjected lightly with a chuckle.

"Of course!" Cang Cang immediately brightened, grinning at him. "Anyone who dares laugh at me should watch out for a beating!"

After laughing, she looked at Xiao Huan. "Want to know why I hated marrying you so much?"

Xiao Huan smiled. "You can tell me."Cang Cang's expression was uncharacteristically serious: "Since I was very young, I swore that if I ever got married when I grew up, it would have to be to someone I truly liked, who also truly liked me. Then we'd spend every day together happily. I'd stay with him forever, and our children would have both a father's and a mother's love."

"The thought of marrying you made me think—you don't like me, and I don't like you, so why should I marry you? Besides, if I married you, you'd just take on many concubines afterward. I refuse to fight other women for a husband! The idea disgusted me, so I simply ran away."

She looked at Xiao Huan and suddenly smiled: "But now, you don't seem so bad... After my grandmother passed away and my father brought me to the capital, I've been sleeping alone. Holding you while sleeping is really comfortable—you remind me of my grandmother."

Xiao Huan hadn't expected her to end with that remark and found it somewhat amusing: "After all that, you're just saying I resemble your grandmother?"

Cang Cang widened her eyes: "I loved my grandmother very much."

Xiao Huan chuckled: "I know you loved her... After talking so much, aren't you hungry?"

At his reminder, Cang Cang finally noticed the emptiness in her stomach and nodded eagerly: "I'm starving. I want to eat."

Xiao Huan patted her head with a smile: "Then would you let go of me so I can get out of bed and call for food?"

Cang Cang gasped, "Ah!" before releasing him and sitting up: "Sorry, I forgot."

Xiao Huan propped himself up on the edge of the bed, stretching his stiff shoulders slightly, then reached out to pull the brocade quilt that was slipping off Cang Cang's shoulders back up: "Your fever just broke—don't catch another chill." He smiled faintly. "You're a girl—letting me take advantage of you isn't good."

Only then did Cang Cang realize she was barely dressed—likely because she had been too dizzy after removing her wet clothes yesterday and had simply wrapped herself in the quilt to sleep. She stuck out her tongue sheepishly. Recalling their sleeping position, she realized that while she had been hugging Xiao Huan, he had carefully wrapped the quilt around her, ensuring no drafts could get in—let alone any real skin-to-skin contact.

Had he just rested in that thin robe by the bed last night? As she hurriedly dressed, another thought struck her: "Aren't you supposed to be sickly? How come after falling into the water, I'm the one who got a fever, not you?"

Xiao Huan, who had walked to the window and opened it, turned back with a smile: "I don't get fevers."

Cang Cang hopped off the bed, eyeing him suspiciously: "Don't get fevers? Now that I think about it, I haven't seen you show any sign of illness these past few days. Is your poor health just a lie?"

Xiao Huan turned fully toward her, his face half-bathed in sunlight from the window, smiling but ignoring her question: "Do you still want two baskets of chicken broth buns for breakfast? Though it's practically noon now. Since you're recovering from a cold, some foods might not suit you—shall I pick something more appropriate?"

Cang Cang grew even more suspicious: "Did the doctor who treated me last night say that?"

Xiao Huan smiled. "No, I did. The medicine you took last night was also my prescription."

Cang Cang gasped. "You actually prescribed me random medicine! Do you think reading medical books alone makes you a doctor? Were you experimenting on me?""Don't worry, I won't use you to test medicines," Xiao Huan said with a somewhat helpless smile. "I haven't just been reading medical texts either. Six years ago, I already started traveling to practice medicine with my teacher."

"You've left the Forbidden Palace?" Cang Cang exclaimed in even greater surprise. "You've practiced medicine? Then doesn't that mean you've wandered the Martial World too? Didn't anyone in the palace notice? What if others realized you were missing? Do you come out often? How many times have you been out? How did you manage to—"

Before she could finish, another flick landed on her forehead. Xiao Huan withdrew his hand. "They don't notice. Many times. Sneaking out... Don't shout 'Forbidden Palace' so loudly outside." He then smiled wryly. "Wait here in the room for a bit. I'll go order some food."

Cang Cang rubbed her forehead and muttered, "When you're angry, you're a lot like my grandma... She also liked flicking my head... You'll knock me stupid at this rate..."

Xiao Huan coughed, giving her an exasperated yet amused look before opening the door and leaving.

Still muttering to herself in the room, Cang Cang said, "Seems I said something wrong the other day... But it's fine, he probably won't remember anyway... Might as well pretend it never happened." She giggled quietly to herself. "I never said I couldn't like him, right?"

In the inn's guest room, the black-clad Imperial Bodyguard and commander of the Venom Battalion, Ban Fangyuan, quickly finished his report in a low voice and waited silently for a response.

"So, they went to Phoenix Come Pavilion," Xiao Huan murmured, frowning slightly before relaxing with a smile. His gaze fell on Ban Fangyuan's left arm. "Are you injured?"

Ban Fangyuan nodded. "Yes, a careless stab to the shoulder. It doesn't hinder movement."

"The people Phoenix Come Pavilion sent aren't easy to deal with," Xiao Huan said, still smiling. "Fangyuan, you don't need to come anymore. The Venom Battalion can all return as well."

Ban Fangyuan stiffened visibly. "Young Master."

"This isn't your affair. I can't drag you into it," Xiao Huan replied with a faint smile. "From now on, don't concern yourself with matters here."

Ban Fangyuan was silent for a moment. For the first time since entering, he raised his head to look at Xiao Huan, then quickly lowered it again and clasped his fists. "This subordinate understands." After a pause, he added, "Please take care, Young Master."

With that, he saluted with his sword and swiftly withdrew.

Watching his retreating figure, Xiao Huan's brows furrowed lightly again. His gaze shifted to the wall beside him—Cang Cang was in the room just beyond it.

It seemed the days of leisure could no longer continue.

His calm eyes swept over the furnishings in the room before turning toward the pitch-black night outside the open window. Somewhere in the unseen, it felt as though a hand had reached out, placing a piece onto the chessboard.

They all knew this game had only just begun.

West Lake's Unreturned Manor—the premier estate of the Martial World.

The residence of the world's greatest swordsman, Wen Yuxian, a legendary sanctuary of the Martial World.

Every newly debuted swordsman took pride in lasting three moves against Wen Yuxian's Overcoming Evil Sword.

Wen Yuxian was the undefeated myth of this Martial World, and the Overcoming Evil Sword was a sacred artifact in the eyes of all martial artists.

Cang Cang sat in the waterside pavilion of Unreturned Manor, having done nothing but wait for half an hour.

Half an hour ago, Xiao Huan and Wen Yuxian had walked together toward the courtyard on the other side of the lotus pond.

Half an hour had passed, and they still hadn't returned.

Cang Cang had already slumped onto the table, idly playing with her nails out of boredom.As she picked at the fingers of her right hand for the third time, the faint sound of footsteps approached. Cang Cang quickly looked up and saw Xiao Huan.

He still wore the same faint smile as when he had entered half an hour ago, except now he held a long sword in his hand.

It was an ancient-looking sword, its scabbard covered in verdigris, with a fierce taotie pattern coiled around the hilt.

Cang Cang jumped up, eyeing the sword suspiciously. "What's this?"

"The Overcoming Evil Sword," Xiao Huan replied with his usual gentle tone. "I borrowed it from Manor Master Wen."

"You just asked, and he lent it to you?" Cang Cang studied Xiao Huan thoughtfully, her gaze sweeping over him. Whether it was the clear sunlight spilling from outside the waterside pavilion or not, she thought his complexion seemed paler than before. She pursed her lips and said, "Didn’t realize you had such influence."

She stood up, brushed off her skirt, and turned to leave without waiting. "Let’s go. This Manor Master Wen is really stingy—not even inviting us to stay for a meal. I’m starving!"

Behind her, Xiao Huan hesitated for a moment before following.

Their figures, one in front of the other, gradually disappeared into the lush foliage by the lotus pond.

On the other side of the pond, in the Sword Hall, Wen Yuxian sat by the stone table at the center of the room.

Before him stood a wooden stand, made of black-lacquered rosewood, gleaming with a deep sheen.

This was the stand for the Overcoming Evil Sword. When the legendary blade was not in Wen Yuxian’s hand, it rested silently on this stand, exuding the solemn, ancient aura of a weapon steeped in history within the dim and vast hall.

Now, the stand was empty.

The twilight had long painted the emerald lake and towering pavilions in dusky hues, yet Wen Yuxian remained motionless. His slightly clouded gaze pierced through the lotus pond before him, fixed on some distant unknown.

He had lost.

When the short sword hidden in the young man’s sleeve sliced through the radiance of the Overcoming Evil Sword, Wen Yuxian felt as though he could hear the sound of his era slipping away.

In that moment, as he and the young man passed each other, the Overcoming Evil Sword let out a dull hum in his grasp. The passage of time suddenly became starkly apparent—the legends of the Martial World had changed hands.

The swordsman, his hair long turned gray, lowered his head to look at his calloused hands. A faint smile suddenly touched his lips. He rose and walked out of the hall, now hollow without the chilling Sword Energy of the Overcoming Evil Sword, without looking back.

By the time they returned from the Weigui Manor at the foot of Phoenix Mountain to the city of Hangzhou, night had fallen.

Walking under the dim streetlights, Cang Cang suddenly stopped and called out, "Xiao Huan."

Xiao Huan halted and turned slightly.

Cang Cang swung her arm in a wide arc, hurling her money pouch straight at Xiao Huan’s head.

It didn’t hit its mark. The pouch, filled with momentum, landed securely in a waiting hand. Xiao Huan caught it and slowly lowered his arm.

Cang Cang spread her hands. "So you really know martial arts. Last night, I heard noises outside and saw a shadow—was that you?"

Xiao Huan didn’t answer. His head was bowed, his expression unreadable.

Cang Cang then planted her hands on her hips. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner?""I'm sorry," Xiao Huan suddenly spoke, his voice as calm and steady as ever. He raised his head with a faint smile. "It was my fault for not telling you sooner." The streetlights cast shadows beneath his eyes—pale, almost bluish—against his illuminated yet somewhat pallid cheeks.

Cang Cang looked at him, feeling an inexplicable sense of guilt for reasons she couldn't name. Her tone softened unconsciously. "Well... though you didn't tell me, I suppose I never asked either..."

She suddenly seemed to remember something and said, "Oh right, you really do know martial arts! You never told me... I always thought pretty things were delicate."

Xiao Huan fell silent again.

Cang Cang blinked her eyes at him and spoke in a very earnest tone, "Actually, someone as good-looking as you really should know some martial arts when traveling alone in the Martial World."

Xiao Huan remained silent.

Cang Cang stroked her chin with a serious expression, "Wandering around the Martial World aimlessly, stumbling into shady places where others might see you—it's dangerous! There are so many women who like keeping male concubines, not to mention men who prefer young boys! If they spotted you, it'd be terrible! Wait, have you already encountered—"

"Cang Cang," Xiao Huan gently interrupted her with a soft smile, "Are you getting hungry?"

His smile was warm and tender. Cang Cang nodded blankly, her anger dissipating as she suddenly realized how famished she was.

Xiao Huan casually tucked the money pouch he had caught into his sleeve, his tone still light and gentle, "Since you don’t need it anyway, I’ll keep your money pouch for you."

He smiled again, "Let’s hurry and find a place to eat."

Cang Cang nodded obediently and followed him for a few steps before suddenly remembering something. She jumped up right in the middle of the street, "Why did you take my money pouch? Who said I don’t need it? Give it back!"

Her earlier curiosity, and even the anger from before that, had long since vanished into thin air.

Even at night, the city of Hangzhou was lively.

From the windows of the taverns and songhouses lining the streets, young beauties leaned out, their faces half-hidden behind gauzy fans, listening to scholars recite poetry or play the zither beneath the glow of crystal lamps.

Beside the scholars and beauties hung strings of red lanterns, dangling from the high rooftops all the way down to the ground.

Under the lantern-lit willow trees, small vendors set up their stalls. Their colorful displays boasted the latest silk flowers and fragrant powders, paper kites of every hue, folding fans painted with calligraphy in the slender gold style, and glistening candied hawthorns coated in sugar syrup.

The crowd flowed past these stalls, occasionally pausing—sometimes a man, sometimes a woman, sometimes a pair—to haggle and pick through the wares.

Beyond this street stretched a lakeside embankment lined with alternating willows and peach trees.

Here, it was quieter and dimmer than the bustling streets. Couples whispered to each other as they strolled slowly by.

Their faint silhouettes reflected on the lake’s surface, shimmering under the scattered lights.

In the distance, the jade-green lake stretched deep and tranquil, dotted with the occasional passing boat or painted pleasure barge.

The faint strains of music and women’s singing drifted from the boats before fading away again.

Cang Cang and Xiao Huan walked along the embankment.

Cang Cang wore a scholar’s hat and a long robe, waving a folding fan inscribed with the poetry of Li Houzhu. She had just bought the fan at a stall—not only that, but the line on it, "Life has always been regrets as long as the eastward-flowing river," had been written on the spot by Xiao Huan under her insistence.

The moment she spotted the fan stall, she had pounced on it. After picking through them and complaining about the ugly calligraphy on the fan faces, she grabbed a blank one, snatched a brush from the nearby fortune-teller’s stall, and shoved it into Xiao Huan’s hand, demanding he write something for her.

Holding the brush, Xiao Huan didn’t refuse. Smiling, he asked what she wanted written.

Without hesitation, Cang Cang blurted out, "Life has always been regrets as long as the eastward-flowing river."Xiao Huan let out a soft chuckle, his eyes crinkling with amusement. "How about writing 'In youth, one does not know the taste of sorrow' instead?"

Cang Cang shot him a fierce glare and stomped on his toes. "Just write what I tell you to write!"

With his toes smarting from the stomp, Xiao Huan had no choice but to obediently comply.

After finishing the calligraphy and returning the brush to the fortune-telling old man with thanks, he saw Cang Cang holding the newly inscribed fan up, tilting it this way and that while muttering, "Too rigid and upright."

Indeed, the characters on the fan were a bit too rigid. The line was written in the currently fashionable "Slender Gold" style—elegant and graceful, yet the strokes carried an unyielding, righteous spirit within their bones. It didn't resemble the supple bamboo but rather the steadfast pine and cypress, standing tall through frost and snow. To make Slender Gold script feel as solid as a mountain—one couldn't help but wonder what kind of person had written it.

Cang Cang paused for a brief moment before breaking into a radiant smile. "It's really beautiful. I like it."

The calligraphy was indeed exquisite, drawing repeated nods of admiration even from the fan stall owner.

Thus, dressed in male scholar's robes, Cang Cang fluttered her newly inscribed fan—its golden-edged mottled bamboo frame bearing the line "Life is but long regret, and rivers ever eastward"—as she visited two flower houses, summoned five courtesans in succession, and drank her way down the street until she was hiccuping incessantly. Eventually, Xiao Huan had to drag her to the lakeside to sober up.

Cang Cang staggered unsteadily, her fan swaying along with her. Determined to appear carefree, she adamantly refused Xiao Huan's support. Left with no choice, he let her walk in the middle of the path while he stayed on the side, ready to catch her should she accidentally tumble into the lake for an impromptu wake-up call.

As they meandered drunkenly along the shore, a sudden creak of oars sounded across the water. A small boat had appeared out of nowhere, drifting leisurely to a stop not far from them.

Standing on the boat was a young man dressed entirely in white, the hem of his robe carelessly tucked into his belt. His sword-like brows arched slightly as he lazily raised a hand in greeting. "Brother Xiao, it's been a while."

Xiao Huan, seemingly familiar with him, withdrew his arm from Cang Cang's side and clasped his hands in a slight bow, smiling. "Brother Xu, I trust you've been well?"

The young man in white laughed heartily, shaking a rough ceramic cup in his hand. "Shanxi Bamboo Leaf Green Wine. Care to come aboard?"

Xiao Huan glanced at Cang Cang, who was already too drunk to stand straight and had stumbled off to hug a lakeside willow. With a resigned smile, he replied, "I have a companion here. Might we rest on your boat for a while?"

He didn't say "younger brother" or "friend"—instead, he referred to her outright as "a companion." The young man in white, seasoned in the ways of the Martial World, had sharp eyes. He took one look and immediately recognized Cang Cang as a woman in male disguise. After a brief pause, he chuckled. "Divine Physician Xiao, the girls at our Jianliu Hall still talk about you. And now you've brought back this little lass—what, has the Red String of Fate finally stirred for you?"

Xiao Huan didn't deny it, merely smiling. "She's my betrothed since childhood."

The young man in white seemed momentarily speechless, his expression turning odd. "Tell me, Young Master Xiao, you're not the type to obediently sit at home waiting to marry a woman you wouldn't even want to touch her toes, all because of parental orders and matchmaker's words, are you?"Before Xiao Huan could respond, the drunken and bleary-eyed Cang Cang cut in loudly, "Someone as smart, gentle, beautiful, and adorable as me—whoever dares touch my toes, this lady wouldn’t even let them!"

As she shouted, her body swayed dangerously toward the lake behind the willow tree. Xiao Huan quickly stepped forward to steady her by the shoulders, only to be met with a hiccup that sprayed his face with the scent of alcohol. He could only offer a faintly wry smile to the young man in white and nod. "Apologies for the disturbance, Brother Xu."

Seeing how thoroughly drunk Cang Cang was, the young man in white said nothing more and simply stepped aside. "Board the boat."

Xiao Huan lifted Cang Cang, who had already wrapped her arms around his neck like she had clung to the willow tree earlier, and carried her onto the boat along the plank laid by the boatman.

The small, flat-bottomed boat held only the young man in white and an elderly oarsman. Inside the cabin, spacious enough for two or three people to sit with knees bent, stood a small square table. On it rested a red clay stove, where a coarse porcelain pot held a shimmering golden liquor, steaming warmly over the flame.

Once they were seated in the cabin, the old boatman pushed off from the shore, and the boat glided back into the lake, now shrouded in deepening night mist.

For once, Cang Cang behaved herself, collapsing onto the soft cushions in the cabin and falling soundly asleep without a peep.

The young man in white produced a wooden ladle from somewhere, along with another coarse porcelain cup, and carefully poured the well-heated Bamboo Leaf Green Wine into it. With a smile, he said, "This pot was warmed especially for you, Brother Xiao. Come, taste it and tell me what you think."

Xiao Huan chuckled, took the cup, and sipped a few times before nodding. "This is the premium Bamboo Leaf Green from the Chu family of Shanxi. I’ve heard they brew only a hundred jars of this top-grade liquor each year, reserved exclusively for true connoisseurs. A single jar like this is priceless."

The young man in white clapped his hands and laughed. "As expected, your palate is the most refined—you identified its origin immediately."

Xiao Huan smiled as well. "I have a mentor who is an avid drinker. Once, he traveled all the way to Shanxi and stayed with the Chu family for three months, curing the family head’s heart ailment. In gratitude, the Chu family gave him all hundred jars of Bamboo Leaf Green from that year’s batch."

The young man in white laughed. "Now that’s what I call clever acquisition! Fascinating—I’d truly love to meet this mentor of yours." After his laughter subsided, he downed the entire cup of wine in one gulp, then struck the table in rhythm as he chanted with a melodious voice:

"Why rejoice in life, why grieve in death?

Princes chase dust, beauties turn to bones,

All rise and fall through ages, ending as yellow earth!"

His voice soared, the final note piercing the clouds.

Once finished, he refilled his cup and raised it in a toast to Xiao Huan from across the table. His clear, storm-like eyes held a flicker of something unspoken.

The young man in white was Xu Lai, the Left Hall Master of the Azure Jade Sect’s Hall of Light. Though the Azure Jade Sect was a faction orthodox sects kept at arm’s length, Xu Lai himself had a wide circle of acquaintances and a decent reputation among the younger generation of martial artists. Three years ago, he had met this young man who called himself Xiao Yuncong by chance.

At the time, Xu Lai had gone alone to the Stormwind Manor, which dominated central Shu, to seek justice for impoverished tenant farmers. His original plan had been to rely on seventy percent reasoning and thirty percent intimidation, but the manor, long accustomed to tyranny, had disregarded martial ethics and set an ambush. Caught off guard, Xu Lai suffered multiple sword wounds and nearly lost his life on the spot.

Battered and bloodied, he fought his way out, his fury driving him into a frenzy. He turned back to strike down the leaders of Stormwind Manor.One by one, the enemies at his side fell as his strength gradually waned. Amidst the sea of blood, he caught sight of the young physician standing silently beside the master of Fengyu Manor—dressed in green robes with a medicine kit slung over his shoulder, as if unwilling to be stained by even a drop of blood.

Assuming the man knew no martial arts, he instinctively avoided him with his frenzied sword. Yet unexpectedly, the young physician behind him suddenly seized his wrist, and with a mere shrug of his shoulder, his sword was effortlessly taken. A clear voice sounded by his ear: "You've killed too many."

Shocked, he mustered all his strength to push the new adversary away with a palm strike, roaring, "If I don’t kill them, should I just wait for these vile, scheming scoundrels to kill me?"

After only a moment’s hesitation, his vision blurred—and his sword flew back into his hand.

The young physician set down his medicine kit and smiled at him. "You’ve killed enough here. Let me help you escape."

Assassins from Fengyu Manor continued to swarm in relentlessly. He had already slain too many within these walls. If they failed to cut him down here, the hard-earned prestige of Fengyu Manor would be lost. It was he who had forced them to fight with everything they had.

Was he truly going to throw his life away for a moment’s righteous fury against these petty villains? Just as regret began to rise in his heart, his back suddenly pressed against another’s. The young physician had unhesitatingly entrusted his own back to him while shielding his in return, calmly assessing the situation: "Exiting through the rear manor will be simpler."

Seeing the physician he had invited now joining the fray, the master of Fengyu Manor showed no hesitation, raising a hand to send even more blades charging toward them.

The situation grew more dire, yet his spirits surged. The despair that had begun to creep in vanished instantly. With a long cry, he brandished his sword and rejoined the battle.

How they managed to fight their way out of the encircling horde that day, he could no longer clearly recall. He only remembered collapsing in exhaustion the moment they escaped the manor, his vision darkening as he lost consciousness. When he awoke again, he was aboard a passenger boat drifting down the Yangtze River, the breathtaking scenery of Wu Gorge unfolding outside.

The young physician, still clad in green robes, sat at the bow with a book in hand, a small stove simmering with medicine beside him. Noticing he was awake, the physician set down his book and turned to him with a faint smile.

Xu Lai had never considered himself weak in all his years—even in the face of death, he would bleed but never shed tears. Yet at that moment, gazing at this young man whose name he didn’t even know, his eyes unexpectedly reddened.

With a physician by his side, his wounds healed swiftly. In the days that followed, as they drifted along the river, they often leaned against the boat’s railings, sharing wine and discussing history, the countless miles of mountains and rivers passing unnoticed.

Three years had passed since their parting, and he had met him twice more—whether by chance or by request—each time parting openly and contentedly after their shared joy.

Those who roamed the Martial World were naturally free-spirited. Having wandered the jianghu for years, Xu Lai was no stranger to friendships forged in life-and-death encounters from the very first meeting, with partings and reunions a common occurrence. Yet today, as he raised his cup to Xiao Huan across from him, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of melancholy.

Seeing Xu Lai’s toast, Xiao Huan smiled, lifting his own cup and draining it in one go. Slowly, he recited:

"Passion unspent, grievances untold,

Princes’ flames, commoners like ants untold,

Setting sun and misty waves bury heroes bold." This was the verse Xiao Huan had responded with when they first met, sailing down to Jiangnan, tipsy with wine, recounting the tales of gallant figures, and Xu Lai spontaneously recited the lines about "what joy is there in life." Neither of them had forgotten the scene from that day.

Xu Lai was momentarily lost in thought. "The setting sun and misty waves bury heroes." Back then, he had wondered why Xiao Huan would utter such words. At their age, shouldn’t they all be clad in fine robes, riding spirited horses, and roaming the land with their swords? Yet this young man, who had thrown aside his medicine chest with a laugh to plunge into a storm of blades and blood to aid him despite being surrounded by formidable foes, spoke of setting suns and weathered heroes in such a detached tone.

They had once been friends who fought back-to-back against enemies, yet he had never truly understood him.

The Xiao Huan before him still wore the same faint smile as three years ago, as if even the hint of indifference hidden beneath the curve of his lips remained unchanged.

Xu Lai drained his cup once more and flicked his wrist, tossing it into the lake.

The porcelain cup sent up a splash before sinking into the dark waters, vanishing without a trace.

Watching him finish the wine and discard the cup, Xiao Huan chuckled softly, lowering his gaze to the cup in his own hand before slowly setting it back on the table. "Brother Xu, did you come all this way just to drink with me?"

Xu Lai didn’t hide it. "Three days ago, I went to the Chu family in Shanxi, smashed their wine cellar, and stole this jar. I only arrived in Hangzhou at Shen hour today."

"Three days ago…" Xiao Huan murmured, then suddenly laughed. "So this jar of Bamboo Leaf Green Wine is now one of a kind?"

Xu Lai laughed heartily. "Naturally. After taking this one, I smashed every remaining jar in the cellar. For the next year, the Chu family won’t have a single drop of fine Bamboo Leaf Green."

Xiao Huan smiled. "Then I must truly thank you, Brother Xu, for this unique jar."

As they spoke, the elderly boatman had already steered the boat back to shore. They had boarded near Gushan, but now they docked at Yingbo Bridge.

Cang Cang, who had been asleep in the cabin, seemed to sense the boat stopping. She rolled over and wrapped her arms around Xiao Huan’s waist, nuzzling into his chest while mumbling in her sleep, "Why are you always so cold? This won’t do."

Xu Lai paused, suddenly recalling something. "You mentioned before that you had a chronic illness as a child."

Xiao Huan gently restrained Cang Cang’s restless arm and smiled. "It was precisely because of that illness that my teacher insisted I study medicine." He met Xu Lai’s gaze and added, "But it’s no longer an issue now."

Xu Lai nodded, momentarily at a loss for words. After a brief silence, he finally lifted his head and looked at Xiao Huan across from him. The words had to be spoken eventually. "Brother Xiao, this is where we part—"

For the first time ever, Xiao Huan didn’t let him finish, interrupting instead. "If the time comes when you and I must cross swords, I will give it my all."

Xu Lai, mid-sentence, suddenly burst into laughter and clapped his hands. "Good! I too will spare no effort!"

Xiao Huan smiled, then picked up Cang Cang and stepped onto the embankment, nodding to Xu Lai in farewell.

Xu Lai cupped his hands in salute and retreated into the cabin. The oar parted the clear lake waters, and the figure of the young man on the shore grew ever more distant under the dim glow of street lamps. Xu Lai did not look back.

Three days earlier, Xu Lai had received a secret order from the lawless headquarters to all branch leaders: the Azure Jade Sect was mobilizing its full strength to hunt down a man named Xiao Yuncong.As his eyes skimmed over the most confidential red-lettered secret message from the Azure Jade Sect, he still hoped he had misread it. But those three characters were written with startling clarity, the dripping ink resembling fresh blood.

The pale golden wine still bubbled on the stove, yet there was no one left to taste it.

On the embankment where the night chill had grown heavy, Xiao Huan watched the small boat drift further away before turning to walk back toward the inn.

Cang Cang was still drunk, yet aware enough to feel the cold. She nestled deeper into Xiao Huan's embrace, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and murmuring incoherently, "Don't worry, I'll keep you warm."

Xiao Huan glanced down at her restless little mouth, the corners of his lips lifting slightly as a trace of amusement flickered in his eyes. He continued walking slowly along the cobblestone street.

Only about ten days had passed since he'd received news that the Phoenix Come Pavilion intended to hunt down Cang Cang and dismissed his Imperial Bodyguards. Yet in these short days, the Azure Jade Sect had already made its move.

He knew perfectly well who had issued the assassination order against Cang Cang days ago. What he understood better than most was that behind that person stood another—someone he'd always known about. Someone who wanted him dead. Someone plotting something even more cruel and terrifying.

Now that shadowy figure was stepping from backstage into the spotlight. Had he forced her out, or had she truly decided this time she wouldn't let him escape?

The road stretched endlessly beneath his feet as Xiao Huan walked at a steady, unhurried pace.

When he'd told Ban Fangyuan to leave, saying this wasn't their affair... truly, this concerned no one except the Xiao family.