Chapter 96: Young Lady, Young Lady, Are You Well?

Night falls, and the moon is like a mirror, casting a layer of silver frost across the courtyard.

In the yard, Zhong Ming drinks to his own company. Having finished a whole jar of green bamboo brew, he is already sixty percent drunk, his breath heavy with the scent of alcohol. Liang Yu had long since been knocked out by Zhong Ming’s pace, now snoring thunderously in the house, his rhythmic snores rising and falling like a symphony.

Fei Dacheng sits beside Zhong Ming, raising his cup. "Brother Ming, let me have a drink with you." He, too, is seventy percent drunk, his eyes hazy; one more cup and he will surely pass out. Neither Liang Yu nor Fei Dacheng can hold their liquor well; together, they are still no match for Zhong Ming.

Zhong Ming smiles and says, "That’s enough. If you get too drunk to make it back, you’ll just be scolded by your master."

"It doesn't matter. Do I look like I’m afraid of that dog-official?" Fei Dacheng hiccups, raising his cup for another drink, but Zhong Ming stops him.

Zhong Ming sets his own cup down and stands up, gazing toward the city of Wangxian. He whispers a word of caution: "From now on, you are not to call Yutu a 'dog-official'—not you, and not your fellow disciples either. Remember, you are now a disciple of White Jade Capital. You must always be mindful of respecting your teacher and the path. Do not give others a reason to criticize you, and certainly do not bring shame upon our Silt Village."

Fei Dacheng pauses, bowing his head. Then, with a determined look, he stands up and vows, "I understand, Brother Ming. I will never bring shame to you or Brother Hei. I am going to make a name for myself in White Jade Capital!"

Zhong Ming smiles slightly and pats Fei Dacheng’s belly. "Big Fool, remember, a name isn't important. As long as you can live well, with enough to eat and drink, I will be at ease."

The moonlight hits Zhong Ming’s face, revealing a warm, tender smile and eyes full of concern. Fei Dacheng is stunned for a moment, his mind suddenly flooded with memories of his long-deceased father. Before the famine, when Fei Dacheng was still a child, his father had worn that same warm smile before heading into the mountains to hunt, saying, "Dacheng, you wait here; I’ll definitely bring back your favorite rabbit meat this time."

But he never returned. There was no rabbit meat, only a leopard and his father’s corpse. Fei Dacheng doesn't remember his father's final appearance clearly; he only remembers that the leopard meat was bitter and astringent, tasting just like tears, making whoever ate it feel even more sorrowful. Fei Dacheng ate that leopard meat for half a month, and he wept for half a month, his eyes swollen like those of a goldfish.

Staring at Zhong Ming’s smile, Fei Dacheng’s lips tremble, but the words catch in his throat. In the end, he can only nod mutely.

On the small path leading to Silt Village, a giant rabbit comes hopping along. There is no one on its back, only a parcel. The giant rabbit stops in front of Zhong Ming’s courtyard and lets out a soft growl. The colorful-feathered rooster immediately flies onto the wall, its neck feathers bristling, crowing defiantly at the rabbit.

Zhong Ming glances at the rabbit and laughs. "Yutu couldn't bring himself to show his face, so he sent a beast to speak for him?"

The rabbit growls in annoyance, but it does not attack; it simply tosses the parcel into the courtyard. Fei Dacheng rushes to pick it up and opens it.

Inside the parcel is a lotus-shaped Daoist crown and a letter. Zhong Ming takes the letter and opens it. It contains only a few dozen characters, the handwriting identical to the inscription on the city gate of Wangxian—clearly written by Yutu himself.

The letter states: From this day forth, Fei Dacheng shall be my closed-door disciple, to follow by my side. I shall teach him personally, imparting all my knowledge and bestowing upon him the method of immortality. How far he travels on the path of the immortals will depend on his own perception.

That lotus-shaped Daoist crown is the ultimate proof of this status. One must know that even Tian Xingjian, the most favored disciple of Fairy Echan, was only bestowed a lotus-shaped crown.

After reading the letter, Zhong Ming carefully folds it and tucks it into his robe. Fei Dacheng asks curiously, "Brother Ming, what does the letter say? Why do you value it so much?"

"It contains Yutu’s promise. I must keep it safe. If he ever goes back on his word, I will have evidence when I confront him."

After putting the letter away, Zhong Ming places the crown on Fei Dacheng’s head and nods with satisfaction. "Big Fool, you can go back now."

Fei Dacheng scratches his head, confused, but he is obedient. Taking the property deeds Zhong Ming gave him, he prepares to return to the estate to hand them to Yutu. Before leaving, he climbs onto the giant rabbit. Though the rabbit seems somewhat displeased, it hops toward the city. Fei Dacheng waves his arms vigorously at Zhong Ming, shouting, "Brother Ming, take care! I’ll come back to see you when I have time!"

Zhong Ming stands with his hands behind his back, nodding with a beaming smile. Only when Fei Dacheng completely vanishes into the night does Zhong Ming sigh.

He mutters to himself, "My brother truly has great fortune. He lives up to his heavenly appearance. Perhaps one day, he will be an immortal capable of riding the wind for thousands of miles!"

That is good, too—a fine start. Perhaps once he has secured the future of everyone in Silt Village, he can leave this frontier and travel the world himself.

Under the moonlight, the young man raises his cup again, drinking alone until he is hopelessly drunk, eventually falling asleep on the stone table. How much longer can he live such a carefree life? He will just take it one day at a time.

...

In the dead of night, the breeze turns chilly, causing Zhong Ming to shiver. He slowly opens his eyes to see a slender figure draping a garment over him.

"Miss Yu Bai?"

Zhong Ming’s drunkenness vanishes in an instant, and he snaps to full awareness. The lovely girl before him pauses, then offers an awkward smile.

Sun Luolian says softly, "Brother Zhong, it’s me... Little Lian."

Rubbing his bleary eyes, Zhong Ming feels a sense of embarrassment. He tries to force a smile, but his mouth refuses to cooperate.

"Little Lian, why are you here?"

Zhong Ming is at a loss. He had clearly seen the girl of his dreams in his sleep, and he doesn't know why someone else appeared when he opened his eyes.

Sun Luolian turns her head away, her voice dropping. "I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk. I saw you sleeping here and was afraid you’d catch a cold..."

At this moment, Sun Luolian is wearing only a thin layer of clothing, her outer robe now covering Zhong Ming. Zhong Ming falls silent, the atmosphere growing increasingly awkward. After a long while, Sun Luolian says, "It’s late. I should go home to sleep."

Just as she turns to leave, Zhong Ming calls out, "Little Lian, wait!"

Sun Luolian is overjoyed and turns back, only to see Zhong Ming handing her the robe with a stiff, unnatural smile. "Your clothes..."

She takes the garment without a word and walks away quickly. Zhong Ming watches as she moves faster and faster, disappearing into the darkness within moments. In that instant, Zhong Ming lets out a long, distant sigh.

Upon reaching her door, Sun Luolian stops. She lifts her hand from the gate, covering her mouth as she begins to sob. Her crying grows louder, filling the courtyard, impossible to suppress. That night, Sun Luolian cries until her eyes are red.

Zhong Ming does not sleep at all, the faces of two different girls flickering back and forth in his mind. When dawn breaks, he finally stands up, gazing toward the Suiyun Mountain range, and sighs, "Young lady, young lady... are you well?"

...

On the edge of the Suiyun Mountains, the foot of the green mountain is shrouded in thick fog. A dozen disciples of White Jade Capital sit around the base of the mountain. The night’s campfire has just died out, and the embers hiss as they touch the morning dew.

With a neigh, the old horse, Fire-Cloud, steps out from the fog. Sitting atop it is a relaxed young woman. Her clothes are a bit dusty and disheveled, but her expression is vibrant and spirited.

"Who goes there?" the disciples of White Jade Capital ask, startled and shouting in alarm.

Yu Bai sits on the horse, saying leisurely, "Don't be nervous. I’m just passing through."

A giant bronze sword flashes past Yu Bai, escorting her away from the base of the mountain. Immediately after, the old horse leisurely makes its way toward Silt Village.