“No, no, I’m just going up to take a look.” Hua Yan waved her hand dismissively, seemingly uninterested in what Qi Xiusi was saying. “I’m heading up now, you can go!”
With that, she eagerly grabbed the food box and dashed toward the mountain peak. It was already night, the sky was starless and moonless, shrouded in darkness like fog. The higher she went, the colder it became, but fortunately, Hua Yan still had the inner strength Qi Xiusi had given her.
There was no one along the way. As she climbed to the top, the temperature dropped sharply, with sporadic snowflakes falling. The water on the ground had turned into ice, and her breath formed visible white mist.
Hua Yan began to doubt if the season had suddenly changed.
Mist filled the air ahead, and pine trees lined the path, covered with a thin layer of frost. The surroundings were desolate and silent, devoid of any signs of life, as if she had stepped into another world.
At the top of the mountain, there was indeed a cave, but it was so large it couldn’t be called a cave. It resembled a half-open sail-shaped arc.
There were no lamps or lights, only the faint starlight reflecting in the sky.
Hua Yan stopped in her tracks. She saw a black silhouette sitting with its back facing the stone cave. The shoulders and head were covered with frost and snow. His black hair was blown by the cold wind, but he remained motionless, as if he had turned into a stone statue.
He looked so cold.
Hua Yan’s heart suddenly tightened.
Although she knew he had profound inner strength and wouldn’t feel cold no matter how long he sat there, she couldn’t help but worry.
Snapping back to reality, Hua Yan carried the food box and quickly walked over.
“Great Hero Lu!” she called out, but the surroundings were so empty that her voice echoed, distant and vast.
As she approached, she discovered that the cave had some simple furnishings: a stone table, a stone chair, and a stone bed. On the table were a white steamed bun and a bowl of water, but it still looked like a prison cell.
Worried that he hadn’t eaten all day, Hua Yan walked up to Lu Chengsha. His face seemed to be covered with frost and snow as well, his lips colorless and slightly cracked.
It was only when Hua Yan appeared that Lu Chengsha slowly opened his eyes, though his pupils remained motionless.
“Great Hero Lu?” she tried calling him again, waving her hand in front of his eyes. “Can you see me?”
Lu Chengsha still didn’t move.
Impossible!
Did Tingjian Manor drug him and make him dumb?
Hua Yan put down the food box and leaned in closer to look at Lu Chengsha, her big eyes unblinking. Seeing that he still had no reaction, she reached out to brush the frost off his shoulder. When she brushed to the top of his head, he suddenly moved.
He grabbed Hua Yan’s hand abruptly.
His fingers were icy cold.
So cold!
Instinctively, Hua Yan tightened her grip, trying to warm his hand. She saw Lu Chengsha’s eyes move. He seemed somewhat confused, his gaze falling on their clasped hands. Hua Yan then heard him murmur softly, “It’s real…”
“Of course I’m real!” Hua Yan huffed, cupping his hand with both of hers and rubbing it. Only then did she realize how unusually cold he was. “Why are you so cold!”
Lu Chengsha said nothing, just stared at her unblinkingly.
Hua Yan felt for his pulse and understood the situation.
His inner strength had been sealed by acupressure, unlike Hua Yan, who was poisoned by Yu Ye. This sealing method only required circulating inner strength to unblock the acupoints, which could be resolved in a short time.
No wonder his hands were so cold and his complexion so pale—he really was freezing!
“Why are you here?” Lu Chengsha asked softly, his voice slightly hoarse.
Hua Yan replied, “Never mind that! Hurry and restore your inner strength, or you’ll really freeze to death!”
Lu Chengsha said, “I’m being punished.” After a pause, he added, “I won’t freeze to death.”
“Of course you will!” Hua Yan pressed down on his shoulder and arm, feeling his body stiff and cold. The next moment, she grabbed his arm and dragged him into the cave. “Stop staying outside, it’s too cold!”
Although it was cold inside too, at least there was no chilling wind.
Lu Chengsha stumbled as she dragged him along.
Hua Yan opened the food box on the stone table and said, “The dishes are still warm, hurry and eat something!”
Lu Chengsha stared at the array of dishes on the stone table, seeming momentarily dazed. “I’m being punished.”
Hua Yan righteously retorted, “Being punished doesn’t mean being mistreated!”
In the Zhengyi Sect, they also had punishments, but everyone tried their best to find ways to reduce the severity. Even the elders in the punishment department racked their brains to prevent people from exploiting loopholes… How could Great Hero Lu be so honest!
“If you don’t eat, I’ll force it into your mouth!” Hua Yan said, hands on her hips. “Anyway, you have no inner strength right now.”
Of course, she was just saying that. Even without inner strength, Lu Chengsha’s martial skills alone were formidable.
Lu Chengsha seemed somewhat at a loss. Hua Yan directly shoved the chopsticks into his hand.
“Actually, I haven’t eaten either.” Hua Yan picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth. The sweet and sour sauce was just right, and the meat was tender and well-cooked. She ate quickly, the dish still steaming. “The taste is pretty good! You should try it!”
She looked eagerly at Lu Chengsha.
Lu Chengsha held the chopsticks awkwardly for a moment, then finally took a bite.
Once he started, the rest came easily.
Outside, the snow had unknowingly become heavier. As night fell, the wind and snow intensified, but the stone cave began to feel a bit warmer.
Hua Yan, now full, noticed that Lu Chengsha was still eating. His eyes were slightly lowered, with tiny frost flowers on his thick eyelashes. He was eating quickly, clearly quite hungry, which was unusual for him. Normally, he would have put down his chopsticks by now.
Martial artists aren’t immortals; they still get hungry.
Hua Yan propped her chin in her hands, watching Lu Chengsha eat.
She had been delayed for several days on her way here. Who knew how long Lu Chengsha had been in this state? If she hadn’t come, would he have continued like this indefinitely?
She felt a pang of sadness amidst her thousandth wave of relief that she had come.
“Do you really have to stay up here for a year?” she asked.
Lu Chengsha paused, then replied, “Yes.”
Hua Yan looked around. “There’s nothing up here. Won’t you get bored?”
Lu Chengsha said, “No.”
His voice was calm and unruffled, as if this were perfectly ordinary.
Hua Yan asked, “Can’t you leave here at all?”
The answer was as expected.
Lu Chengsha said, “No.”
He finished all the dishes, and his face finally showed a bit of color.
Hua Yan packed up the dishes and asked, “Do you want me to get more?”
Lu Chengsha, looking a bit embarrassed, said, “No need.”
Hua Yan immediately decided to get a few more plates. “I’ll head down now. Wait for me!”
Before she had gone far, she heard Lu Chengsha’s voice from behind her. “You don’t have to worry about me. It’s very dull up here. When my time is up, I’ll come down to find you.”
Hua Yan suddenly turned back and couldn’t help but say, “Then why don’t you just come down with me now!” She had already thought it through. “If you’re worried about that disciple who brings your meals discovering us, we can just come back up when he delivers the food each day! We won’t be found out!”
However, Lu Chengsha remained silent.
Hua Yan couldn’t hold back any longer. She sat back down in front of Lu Chengsha, trying to persuade him. “You didn’t do anything wrong, so why should you be punished by staying in this awful place for a year? It’s Tingjian Manor that’s being unreasonable! Cutting a little corner shouldn’t matter!”
Lu Chengsha still said nothing.
Hua Yan talked until her mouth was dry. She picked up a bowl of water next to her to take a sip, only to find it was full of ice.
Frustrated, she packed up her things and went down the mountain.
Lu Chengsha watched Hua Yan’s departing figure and thought, she probably won’t come back.
However, in less than half an hour, he saw her angrily carrying a bunch of items back up.
Hua Yan plopped the food box back on the stone table, grumbling, “There are no dishes left, only some snacks.” Then she opened her bundle and pulled out a quilt, tossing it onto Lu Chengsha’s head. “This should make it less cold.”
Lu Chengsha, holding the quilt in his arms, looked a bit dazed. After hesitating for a moment, he said, “You don’t need to…”
Hua Yan had also brought a sealed lantern, which she lit with a fire striker and placed on the stone table.
The light was dim but warm and bright.
She was indeed a bit angry, but not at Lu Chengsha.
Great Hero Lu might be very skilled in martial arts, but he was clueless about taking care of himself, not even as capable as she was!
Thinking this, Hua Yan pulled out another quilt from her bundle.
Although she had the inner strength Qi Xiusi had given her, she had asked him for a bit more when she went down earlier. However, it wouldn’t last long, and a quilt was more reliable for keeping warm.
Lu Chengsha looked at the quilt for a moment, then said, “Are you… staying here?” His tone was rather strange.
Hua Yan wrapped the quilt around her head, leaving only her small face exposed. “There’s no place for me to stay down below!”
Lu Chengsha said, “It’s very cold up here.”
Oh, so you know it’s cold too!
Hua Yan immediately said, “Then why don’t you come down with me!”
Lu Chengsha fell silent again.
After a day of climbing up and down the mountain, Hua Yan was exhausted.
Wrapped in the quilt, feeling warm, the dim light made her drowsy. It didn’t take long before she started to feel sleepy.
She walked over and leaned against the stone bed, yawning, her head nodding off.
Lu Chengsha didn’t touch the food box, just quietly watched Hua Yan for a while, looking a bit unsure.
Outside the stone cave, the wind and snow continued to fall, landing just a foot away from the entrance. The cold wind howled, stinging her ears, while the faint light from the lantern seemed like the only warmth in the cold night, casting a soft glow on the half-asleep girl’s face. She looked truly exhausted, her usually meticulously groomed hair slightly disheveled, and wearing a coarse cloth outfit he had never seen her in before.
Lu Chengsha couldn’t help it.
He walked over and patted her shoulder.
Hua Yan woke up with a start, blinking sleepily. “What’s wrong?”
Lu Chengsha said, “I’ll take you down.”
Hua Yan hadn’t quite processed it. “Huh? What did you say!?”
Lu Chengsha was already heading out. As he moved, the frost and snow on him dissipated, and his cold, formidable aura returned.
Hua Yan immediately threw off the quilt and followed.
Lu Chengsha grasped her wrist, pausing slightly.
Hua Yan quickly explained, “I got some inner strength from a friend; otherwise, I couldn’t have made it up here…”
Lu Chengsha responded with a simple “Hmm,” and Hua Yan felt another surge of inner strength being transferred to her, even more than Qi Xiusi had given.
Huh?
Hua Yan exclaimed, “….??? No need! I have enough!”
Hua Yan felt a bit guilty. Normally, when inner strength is transferred, it can’t be used immediately. She could use it right away because she already had inner strength, which was just temporarily sealed. So, even if someone else transferred their inner strength to her, she could use it as usual.
Typically, martial artists wouldn’t easily transfer their inner strength to others because it could take ten days to a month to recover. There had been cases where people were ambushed while their inner strength was low.
However, Lu Chengsha didn’t seem to care and even gave her a bit more.
Descending the mountain was quick, and soon they reached the outskirts of Tingjian Manor.
It was late at night, the hour unknown, but the lights were out, with only occasional patrols of three disciples each.
Once down, they immediately felt warmer.
Lu Chengsha, familiar with the place, led her through a small gate and walked for a while until they reached a small courtyard. It was in a secluded spot, looked ordinary, but was very neat and tidy, albeit a bit cold and devoid of human presence.
Before Hua Yan could look around, Lu Chengsha led her to one of the rooms and opened the door.
The room was simply furnished with a table, two chairs, a bed, and a cabinet. Everything looked old but clean, and there was a faint clean scent in the air.
Lu Chengsha lit a lamp and said to Hua Yan, “Stay here for tonight.”
Hua Yan had no objections but instinctively asked, “Where is this?”
Lu Chengsha didn’t answer immediately. After a moment, Hua Yan noticed his ears turning slightly red. “It’s my room,” he finally said.
Huh?
Hua Yan blinked and started to seriously look around.
When she first entered, she didn’t notice anything special, but now the room felt different, almost familiar. Even the oil lamp on the table seemed more endearing.
Lu Chengsha seemed to think for a moment and then said, “Don’t open the cabinet.” He then turned to leave.
Hua Yan grabbed his sleeve. “Where are you going?”
Lu Chengsha said, “Back to the mountain.”
He’s going back!
Hua Yan held on tightly, refusing to let go. “You came down! Just sleep here for the night!”
Lu Chengsha couldn’t move because of her grip. With inner strength, Hua Yan was even stronger. He finally said, “I can’t.”
Hua Yan retorted confidently, “Why can’t you stay? You’ve already broken the rules by coming down. Breaking them once or twice doesn’t make a difference!”
Lu Chengsha was naturally unwilling, and they were at a standstill.
Hua Yan had to change her strategy. She took a deep breath and said pitifully, “I’m scared to stay here alone… Tingjian Manor is so frightening! What if a bad person comes while I’m asleep and I don’t even realize it before I’m killed…”
Lu Chengsha froze.
Hua Yan continued, sniffling and looking like she was about to cry.
After a long pause, Lu Chengsha finally said, “Fine, you sleep, and I won’t leave.”
Hua Yan instantly broke into a smile.
…What should she do? She felt that crying and making a fuss might actually work in front of Lu Chengsha.
As Hua Yan prepared to get into bed, she suddenly realized her clothes were dirty from climbing the mountain. It didn’t matter on the stone bed, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for the actual bed.
She looked at Lu Chengsha, a bit troubled, and asked, “Do you have any clean clothes I can borrow?”
Lu Chengsha hesitated for a moment before saying, “Yes.”
Hua Yan immediately said, “Lend me a set to sleep in! I’ll wash it and return it to you later!”
Lu Chengsha: “…”
Hua Yan added, “If you don’t, then I’ll just take these off?”
When she came up the mountain, she didn’t have any inner strength and was worried about the heat, so she was only wearing underpants and a dudou under her coarse clothes.
Lu Chengsha quickly said, “I’ll find some.”
He walked over to the cabinet, hesitating a bit. Hua Yan watched intently and saw him quickly open the cabinet, grab a set of clothes, and then shut the door.
In that brief moment, Hua Yan glimpsed the inside.
The cabinet was crammed with clothes and miscellaneous items, looking quite disorganized.
Was that why he didn’t want her to look?
How adorable.
Hua Yan couldn’t help but laugh internally.
Lu Chengsha handed her the clothes and left the room.
It was a complete set, very clean, with the fresh scent of soap.
Hua Yan took off her dirty clothes, picked out the inner and outer robes, and put them on haphazardly. She called out to the door, “I’m done changing.”
When Lu Chengsha opened the door and came in, he saw her wearing his oversized robes, the belt not tied properly. The two layers of clothing were messily draped over her, exposing her neck and collarbone.
Lu Chengsha quickly shut the door and backed out.
“Put your clothes on properly,” he said in a muffled voice.