“Like is like, dislike is dislike. Is it hard to answer?” Chu Xia was getting anxious. The young master watched her flushed cheeks, with tiny beads of sweat on her nose, clearly in a hurry. His dark pupils contracted slightly, overwhelmed by emotion, and his thin lips pressed against hers. Anticipating her dodge, his hand was already around Chu Xia’s back, not allowing her to move an inch. The kiss landed gently on her forehead, lingering there for a long time—it was like a silent spring rain nurturing all things, not crossing boundaries yet profoundly tender.
Chu Xia felt her mind go blank, her limbs immobilized as if struck by a pressure point. The answer wasn’t given, yet she was taken advantage of. His hand gripped her waist more firmly, the warm breath slowly turning hotter. His lips left her skin, and he lowered his head slightly, touching foreheads with her, smiling, “Isn’t this an answer?”
Chu Xia was speechless, only biting her lip hard. The young master reached out, gently stroking her lips, and said softly, “Biting too hard might break the skin. It’s not a good habit.” Chu Xia quickly pressed her lips together, thought for a moment, then stammered, “But… I…”
“Are you saying, why don’t I ask you?” The young master patiently finished her sentence, his phoenix eyes full of amusement. “Do you blush when you see others? Would you let others… get this close to you? I’m not as foolish as you to need to ask directly.”
“How would I know if you don’t say it?” Chu Xia muttered, her eyes bright, looking quite joyful and content. The young master finally let her go, gently patted her head with affection, “Are you satisfied now?”
Chu Xia just looked at him, her expression suggesting she wanted to say something. The young master sighed softly, “Leave the matter of the engagement to me. Just remember… you like me, that’s all.” Chu Xia’s face turned as red as the sunset clouds, instinctively trying to refute, but stuttered, “I never said that!”
“Alright, you didn’t say it, only I did.” The young master went along with her, escorting her back to her room and watching her fall asleep before leaving.
“Affectionate, my lord?” A shadow stood quietly in the room, his tone indifferent, “I thought you had forgotten other matters.” The young master didn’t respond, picking up the Yu Yang Sword from the table, its coldness spreading through half the room.
“The Heavenly Dipper has been annihilated; the martial world is calm for now.” The black-clothed man’s voice was flat, almost wooden, “The person you wanted to see has been brought here and is settled in the side courtyard of the Jun Mansion.”
The young master seemed lost in thought, a silk cloth fell onto the blade of the Yu Yang Sword, sliced in half by a mere touch, fluttering to the ground. The black-clothed man’s pupils contracted slightly, admiringly, “Indeed, the Yu Yang Sword.”
“We’ll meet tomorrow,” the young master said, nodding slightly as if he hadn’t heard, “You’ve worked hard, go rest.”
Chapter 26 (Part 2)
When Chu Xia woke up the next morning, she lingered in bed for a while, her eyes blinking, a slight feeling of unreality stirring within her. It felt like joy mixed with apprehension, as if after this night, many things had changed. She got up, dressed, and checked the young master’s door, but he was not in his room. At this time… Chu Xia thought while tying her hair, the young master must be practicing swordsmanship. She wasn’t particularly interested in watching him practice, but she had to pass through the bamboo grove to visit Scholar Su, so she paused to look.
From this angle, she could shield herself while clearly seeing the movements in the bamboo grove. Chu Xia had seen the young master wield his sword before, his techniques were simple yet fierce, leaving no unnecessary moves during combat, each stroke with the force of thunder, awe-inspiring. But now, his swordplay was quite different.
It was a perfect day, with the spring sun bright and clear. The young master executed his sword forms slowly, his movements varying between fast and slow. When fast, he seemed like a fish darting through water plants; when slow, he resembled the evening sun reflecting on the reeds, like a painting of landscapes. Chu Xia watched, enchanted, until she noticed the tip of his sword flick, sending a piece of bamboo leaf flying, startling a spring oriole from its perch.
She didn’t realize the young master had noticed her, covered in leaf fragments, she quickly emerged from her hiding spot, hurriedly brushing off her shoulders. A small object, swift as a hidden weapon, flew towards her, aiming straight for her forehead. Chu Xia was startled, wanting to dodge but it was too late. A cool sensation touched her forehead lightly. She touched it, rubbing off a petal of red flower.
The young master sheathed his sword and walked over, squinting slightly with a smile, “Did you enjoy the swordsmanship?”
“It was beautiful, like a landscape painting,” Chu Xia looked up at him, her tone somewhat playful, “Why scare me with a hidden weapon?”
Sunlight filtered through the bamboo leaves, bathing her in its glow, her skin as white as snow, delicate, with a light plum blossom mark on her forehead, her black hair cascading down, her face as if carved. The young master smiled, “Going to see Su Feng Hua?”
“Yes.” Chu Xia, remembering the previous night, suddenly felt shy, “Then I’ll go first.”
The young master did not stop her, and only after she had left did someone emerge from the depths of the bamboo grove. Qinglong spoke with a hint of jealousy, “Young Master, didn’t you say the Mountain-Water Sword Technique was too showy and impractical? Why did you practice it today?” The young master smiled, sheathed his fishing sword, and said, “Come with me to meet someone.” However, Jun Ye’an met an old man in a secluded courtyard. Qinglong had never seen this person before, but he heard the young master say, “Uncle Huang, it must have been a hard journey.”
The old man, flustered, returned the gesture and said, “Young Master, I can hardly bear such honor.” The young master smiled slightly, sat down, served tea, and after some small talk, asked, “I asked Uncle Huang to come to inquire about my father’s life before he passed.” Uncle Huang quickly responded, “Please ask, Young Master, I will tell you everything I know.”
“My father, in his youth, was imprudent while practicing martial arts, leading to a blockage in his vital energy. As he grew older, this condition worsened, ultimately causing him to die of heart disease,” the young master pondered, “Is that so?”
“Indeed,” Uncle Huang said solemnly, “Many famous doctors had diagnosed the old master. Before his death, he sought out Mr. Zhu, the master of the Zhuque Envoy, known for his miraculous medicinal concoctions. Mr. Zhu said there was no cure through conventional medicine, and given his close friendship with the old master, you could verify this with him.”
The young master smiled, “I have no doubts, but I wonder why my father was so imprudent in his practice? The internal energy cultivation of our Jun family is the epitome of balance and harmony; even if one practiced too hastily, it would not result in such symptoms.”
Uncle Huang shook his head, “I am no expert in martial arts, but I remember that year when the old master went to Shaolin to discuss martial arts with Master Huifeng. After returning, he seemed troubled. Two days later, Master Huifeng was killed, and he fell ill. That’s when this condition began.”
The young master nodded slightly, then continued, “Besides Master Huifeng, my father was also close to his junior, wasn’t he?”
