Whispers of Fate (Shui Long Yin)

The rain seemed to have lasted a long time, and the sky gradually brightened.

Chi Yun lay on the stone, his fingers trembling slightly. Having been drenched all night, most of the grime on his body had been washed away, and the red patches from the poison outbreak on his skin had faded. However, due to the cold, his face was deathly pale. Tang Lici leaned against the stone, his sleeves pooling on the ground. As the sunlight gradually illuminated his soaked sleeves, compared to Chi Yun's pallid complexion, his face remained fair. After basking in the sunlight for a while, he seemed to have warmed up. He turned his gaze to Chi Yun, the corner of his lips curling slightly in an unreadable expression. "Still not getting up?"

Chi Yun trembled all over, his right hand twitching as if trying to grasp something. He turned his head and slowly opened his eyes, lifting his right hand to cover his face. His voice was hoarse as he spoke, "I... how did I end up... here..."

Tang Lici glanced at him sideways and chuckled lightly. "Naturally, I brought you back."

"What the hell... what the hell did I do?" Chi Yun sat up. "Where's my blade?" Tang Lici didn't answer. After a long pause, he asked, "What do you remember now, and what don't you?" Chi Yun frowned, coughed a few times, and shook his head. "Cough... I remember jumping off that damn prison. The moment I left Good Cloud Mountain, I was chased all the way by people whose martial arts were inhumanly strong, and all of them were masked. I couldn't hold them off, so I jumped into that... flower prison." Tang Lici's brow furrowed slightly. "You don't remember what happened after that?" Chi Yun stared at him blankly. "How did you save me? That pit on the mountaintop was bottomless. Did you break through the peak?"

"I've told you before—I'm a master strategist, peerless in martial arts," Tang Lici said flatly, his tone impossible to discern whether he was joking or not. "Saving you wasn't difficult." Chi Yun let out a long sigh. "What happened after I jumped into Camellia Prison?" Tang Lici looked at him again, his eyes shifting unpredictably, a fleeting hint of indescribable coldness flashing through them. "What happened after you jumped into Camellia Prison—if you don't know, how would I?" Chi Yun froze, clutching his head as he racked his brain, but his mind was blank. Apart from the darkness the moment he jumped into Camellia Prison, it was as if countless figures flickered in his mind, yet he couldn't grasp a single fragment, as though a shackle barred him from accessing any of them. The more he thought, the more confused and uneasy he became. "I..."

"After you jumped into Camellia Prison, you hit your head on the ground, knocked yourself out, and nothing happened until I rescued you," Tang Lici said coldly. "So don't think about it. Nothing happened."

Chi Yun frowned. "Really... really?" Tang Lici's lips curved into a faint smile, devoid of warmth, the corners of his eyes and brows lifting with an icy edge. "Really." Chi Yun shook his head vigorously, still dazed. "Did I hit it that hard?" Tang Lici studied him for a long time, his gaze gradually softening from its initial frigidity. After a long while, he said, "Yes."

Had he really knocked himself out? Listening to Tang Lici's explanation, Chi Yun felt an inexplicable unease. Suddenly, he turned his head, and his eyes fell upon the ruined and collapsed houses. His heart jolted violently. "This is—""That was me who dismantled it." Tang Lici slowly rose from the ground, lifting Chi Yun off the large rock in one swift motion. "Since you're awake, let's go." Chi Yun's vital acupoint at the back of his neck was seized unexpectedly, and he was hoisted up before he could react. Shock and fury mingled as his mouth gaped open— "Ah—" Before he could utter a word, Tang Lici dashed forward with him in tow, the fierce wind choking his voice, rendering him speechless.

Many things felt wrong. He couldn’t recall anything after jumping into Camellia Prison, and the unease in his heart grew stronger. Yet he refused to dwell on it, his mind alternating between chaos and blankness. In mere moments, Tang Lici had hauled him into another chamber. The room’s occupant was startled by their sudden intrusion. "Young Master Tang..."

"Master Shao," Tang Lici stepped into Shao Yanping’s quarters, his expression softening with a faint smile. "Chi Yun is awake. Would you kindly arrange for hot water so he can freshen up?" Shao Yanping had just risen and inwardly sighed—this young lord seemed to assume no one needed sleep just because he didn’t. Fortunately, he was an early riser by habit. Seeing Chi Yun lucid, he was overjoyed. "He’s recovered?"

Tang Lici’s gaze lowered slightly. "He’s finally awake after being knocked unconscious." Shao Yanping paused, quick-witted as he was, immediately catching the implication. He laughed it off. "Hero Chi has been out cold for so long. It’s a relief he’s fine now. Congratulations! Please wait a moment; I’ll have hot water sent right away." Chi Yun frowned. Shao Yanping’s words sounded off, but his mind was still foggy from waking, and he couldn’t quite pinpoint why. Soon, servants brought hot water, and Chi Yun began to bathe. Steam rose, shrouding everything in mist. As the scalding water splashed onto his skin, sharp pain flared—he was covered in wounds he didn’t remember acquiring. He spat in annoyance, pouring a ladle of hot water over his head. That white-fox and Shao Yanping were far from honest, speaking in half-truths. One day, he’d remember exactly what had happened.

Outside, Shao Yanping and Tang Lici walked a dozen paces away before the former’s expression darkened. "Chi Yun, he..." Tang Lici murmured, "He’s forgotten." Shao Yanping gasped. "Forgotten? He forgot that he was poisoned by the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill and Gu Spider Poison, refined into a Gu Human, and slaughtered hundreds in Camellia Prison—even tried to kill you?" Tang Lici kept his back to Shao Yanping. "Yes. He couldn’t bear to acknowledge what happened, so he forced himself to forget."

"Forgotten?" Shao Yanping gave a bitter laugh. "Perhaps it’s for the best. Hero Chi is a man of righteousness. If he were destroyed by the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill and Gu Spider Poison, it would truly be heaven’s cruelty. It’s better forgotten." Tang Lici slowly turned around. "He hasn’t truly forgotten—he just refuses to admit it. But whether forgotten or unacknowledged, what happened won’t change." His tone was calm. "One must learn to endure, not escape." Shao Yanping’s smile faded as he sighed. "But not everyone starts with such clarity. Escaping is instinct.""Once you escape once, it becomes very difficult to stand up again, and even harder to respect yourself," Tang Lici said flatly, his tone devoid of emotion. "He has disappointed me greatly." Shao Yanping's bitter smile deepened. "Hero Cheng has suffered a great calamity; surviving alone is a miracle. Besides, he's still young. Young Master Tang's expectation for him to accept everything that happened the moment he regains consciousness is perhaps too harsh." Tang Lici replied slowly, "Can't do it? If he can't, then he's immature—he's weak." Shao Yanping was inwardly horrified and glanced at Tang Lici, whose eyes held no warmth, though his lips curved into a faint smile. That smile sent a chill down Shao Yanping's spine. It was one thing for Tang Lici to hold himself to high standards, but if he judged others with such harsh and extreme criteria, how many could possibly meet his expectations? How many people in this world could measure up in his eyes?

"What are you thinking?" Suddenly, Tang Lici's piercing gaze locked onto him. Shao Yanping felt a cold sweat break out but forced a laugh. "I was just thinking... haha... it's dawn." Tang Lici studied him for a long moment before turning away with a faint smile. "Indeed, it's dawn." Shao Yanping exhaled deeply in relief. The closer he got to this young master, the more he understood him—and the more he feared him. There was an indescribable coldness about Tang Lici, a solitary chill that radiated from within, like the biting wind atop a high peak, looking down upon the distant world below. Because he stood too high, too far, too aloof, it bred a deep distrust of others. Shao Yanping had seen much of the world and encountered many proud, self-assured swordsmen, but none carried the same coldness as Tang Lici. It wasn’t always obvious, but in moments like this, it cut to the bone.

It was as if he stood at an immeasurable distance from everything in this world, and what he desired was beyond what any person or thing here could provide—a hollow solitude, an unsolvable loneliness.

A clarity bordering on despair.

That was why it was so cold.

So chilling.

"I heard Master Pu Zhu has returned to Shaolin?" Tang Lici stood quietly for a moment before turning back, his expression now serene. Shao Yanping nodded. "Based on the schedule, he should arrive soon." Tang Lici inclined his head slightly. "The next few days will be critical for the Martial Arts World." Shao Yanping's interest piqued. "The Shaolin Abbot's assembly—should the Sword Association send representatives?" Tang Lici's gaze flickered. "Master Shao may attend on behalf of the Sword Association to express the Central Plains Sword Association's respect for Shaolin." Shao Yanping was delighted. "That was precisely my thought. I’ll take ten disciples with me. With Young Master Tang overseeing the Hall of Sharp Virtue, I have no concerns." Tang Lici replied calmly, "Go without worry. I will handle matters here."

"The Sword Association still has Cheng Daxia and Peach Girl, and Elder Dong is returning from Luoyang. The remaining sixty-six disciples are all under your command." Shao Yanping had been waiting for this very moment—the Central Plains Sword Association was a hot potato he had been desperate to pass to Tang Lici. "I’ll set out for Shaolin tomorrow. As for Hero Cheng's poisoning...""Don't worry. Even if he can't remember now, he will eventually." Tang Lici spoke slowly. "As for that black-clad figure lurking around the Hall of Sharp Virtue, I guarantee he won't appear at Shaolin Temple and will never dare attack you again." His tone was mild, yet Shao Yanping was startled. "You—you know who that masked man in black is?" Tang Lici smiled faintly. "I do." Shao Yanping widened his eyes. "Who is it?" Tang Lici's gaze shifted, his eyes deep and unreadable. "This... it's best not to say until the new abbot of Shaolin is chosen. If you trust me, Brother Shao, you may proceed without concern."

"Of course I trust you." Shao Yanping laughed awkwardly. While he did trust Tang Lici, it wasn't a trust born of admiration—rather, it was tinged with fear. If Tang Lici were a general, Shao Yanping would never lay down his life for him. But if Cheng Yunpao were the general, the situation might be different. Tang Lici took a few light steps forward before suddenly smiling. "Are you afraid of me?"

After a brief hesitation, Shao Yanping admitted frankly, "Very much so." Tang Lici walked away leisurely, his figure elegant and poised. "Those who fear me are all intelligent people."

Shao Yanping was left speechless. The words struck a strange chord in his heart, and with a bitter laugh, he returned to check on Chi Yun's condition before gathering his men and preparing for the journey to Shaolin Temple.

Autumn deepened, and the mists of Good Cloud Mountain grew colder, the dampness intensifying the chill tenfold.

The weeping willows frosted over, their leaves turning white, transforming the lush greenery of the garden into a scene of desolation. Inside the bamboo pavilion stood a woman in peach-colored robes, as picturesque as a painting, holding a pale purple lined jacket. Whether viewed from afar or up close, she was a peerless beauty, graceful in every way.

She was, of course, Xifang Tao.

She was waiting for someone.

The mist thickened, condensing into droplets that fell from the treetops like rain. A figure approached under an umbrella, dressed in gray robes and cloth shoes, emerging through the haze like a scene from a Jiangnan watercolor.

"Peach Girl." The newcomer closed his umbrella, his smile gentle and composed. "Have you been waiting long?"

Xifang Tao smiled sweetly, her charm boundless. "When waiting for Young Master Tang, no amount of time could ever weary me." She turned to face the silver-haired Tang Lici in gray. "Young Master Tang is truly formidable, surpassing my expectations once again," she sighed softly. "I thought the many experts outside Camellia Prison, combined with the poisoned Chi Yun inside, would surely claim your life. Yet... you emerged unscathed..."

"Are you disappointed?"

"No," Xifang Tao replied tenderly. "I'm delighted. In life... it's rare to meet an opponent one truly wishes to defeat..." She lifted a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "These past few days, I've had many chances to kill Chi Yun—especially that night you were unconscious. Does it surprise you that I didn't act?"

"Chi Yun's current state benefits you more than harms you. I never worried you'd kill him." Tang Lici sat down in the pavilion, his figure framed by the dappled shadows. His eyes lowered slightly, and though his lips didn't curve, the faintest hint of a smile could be seen in the downward tilt of his lashes. "The one you wish to kill... was never Chi Yun."

"Oh?" Xifang Tao's smile was enigmatic as she flicked her sleeve. "Then who is it I wish to kill?""Peach Girl's target has never changed. Without killing Shao Yanping, you'd have no chance to meddle with the Central Plains Sword Association, isn't that so?" Tang Lici's eyes shimmered as he glanced at Xifang Tao with an ambiguous smile. "Pity you've never found the opportunity."

"With Young Master Tang present, even if I spotted a chance, I wouldn't dare make a move." Xifang Tao smiled sweetly. "But sending him out to Shaolin Temple—aren't you afraid I might set an ambush along the way and quietly eliminate him?" Tang Lici leaned against the bamboo pavilion railing, fingers resting on his cheek as he gazed at the distant misty waters, his lips curved in a faint smile. "Killing Shao Yanping is one matter... I suspect your inaction these past days stems not just from lack of opportunity or suspicion of my feints, but because you've conceived a brilliant plan..." He slowly turned his head, his beautiful, profound eyes meeting hers. "You intend to kill Shao Yanping and frame me for it—killing two birds with one stone, an excellent scheme."

A flicker of surprise crossed Xifang Tao's eyes, her cherry lips parting slightly. "Sometimes... one truly wonders whether you're human or ghost..." Tang Lici smiled gently. "My purpose in inviting Peach Girl here today is to remind you of one thing—" Xifang Tao's eyes gleamed. "What might that be?" Tang Lici replied, "If you kill Shao Yanping but fail to successfully pin it on me, you'll only pave my way to assuming control of the Central Plains Sword Association..." He exhaled softly, his breath forming a white mist in the chilly air. "Once I truly hold power, I kill whomever I wish without regard for anyone's opinion. Do you understand?"

Xifang Tao's expression shifted slightly as she bit her lip in silence. Tang Lici rose slowly, turning his back to her. "The reason I haven't dealt with you as I did Yu Qifeng is simply to avoid destabilizing the Sword Association and weakening orthodox martial forces. But if I were to become its master... my first act to establish authority would be to kill you." With that, he suddenly turned his profile toward her, his snow-white cheek tinged with a delicate flush, strikingly beautiful, before walking away with graceful, unhurried steps.

Xifang Tao watched his retreating figure, a murderous glint flashing through her eyes—chillingly terrifying. Her peach-colored sleeves concealed clenched fists, knuckles cracking audibly before she abruptly turned away with a long exhale. Moments later, her slender fingers lightly tapped the bamboo pillar twice—tap, tap—her mind made up. Shaking open her purple-lined jacket, a tiny greenish-yellow bird took flight from within, soaring freely into the sky.

Much later.

"Peach Girl." A cold voice approached. "The Hall of Sharp Virtue faces turbulent times. You'd do well to remain in your quarters and venture out less." The speaker was none other than Cheng Yunpao. Since masked figures in black had begun appearing at night during the Sword Assembly, he had abandoned plans to return to his sect, staying instead to bolster the Association's strength.

Xifang Tao turned, her expression troubled. "Cheng Daxia, I was thinking... during my journey with Puzhu Shangshi, we encountered several female attendants from the Dissolute Shop. From their private chatter, they mentioned a place called 'Feng Yi.' I paid it no mind at the time, but today it struck me—that might be the location of the Jianghu's 'Valley of Renowned Physicians.' So I wondered... could those retired physicians, withdrawn from the martial world for years, have some connection with the Dissolute Shop? Or perhaps the Shop's remnants have set their sights on the Valley as their next target?"Cheng Yunpao was slightly taken aback. "This... did the young lady mention it to Mr. Shao?" Xifang Tao shook her head and sighed softly, "By the time I remembered, Mr. Shao had already left for Shaolin, and Young Master Tang... he... he..." Her cheeks flushed, her expression tinged with melancholy. "He doesn't listen to me anymore. I think... he's starting to dislike me."

Cheng Yunpao was quite surprised. Not long ago, he had seen the two of them embracing, very affectionate. Could something have gone wrong in just a few days? Was Xifang Tao exaggerating or harboring ulterior motives? Or was Tang Lici truly a philanderer who toyed with people's affections? Seeing Xifang Tao's flushed cheeks and bashful demeanor, Cheng Yunpao didn't press further. Though filled with doubts, he bid her farewell, thinking he should find time to visit Feng Yi. Feng Yi wasn't far from here, and though the old master of the Valley of Renowned Physicians had long withdrawn from the martial world, he ought to be warned.

Watching Cheng Yunpao leave in contemplation, Xifang Tao smiled faintly, her mood suddenly lifting again.