Chapter 47: A Past Unveiled and a Sweet Distraction

“Your Senior Sister’s Master? Are you asking about Martial Aunt Jiang?”

Lin Qianqian paused, startled by Hua Yan’s question, before a realization dawned on her.

“Oh, right. Fellow Daoist Hua returned to Sleepless Cloud Peak with Senior Sister yesterday. You must have noticed how quiet it was on the peak, which is why you’re asking, aren’t you?”

Hua Yan nodded silently.

“Then why didn’t you ask Senior Sister directly?”

“I did ask her. She only said she was harmed by demonic cultivators, without elaborating. I felt it wasn’t appropriate to press her further, so I came to you for information instead.”

Hua Yan replied, then paused, as if remembering something, and added, “Of course, it’s not that I’m concerned about her. I’m merely a little curious.”

“Mm-hmm, I understand. Fellow Daoist Hua, you’re absolutely right.”

Lin Qianqian nodded knowingly, then let out a soft sigh. “Actually, Senior Sister’s past isn’t much of a secret within the Carefree Sword Sect. Most in the sect are aware of it—after all, it’s only been two *jiazi* since Senior Sister joined the sect.”

“Fellow Daoist Hua, Senior Sister must have mentioned that she followed Martial Aunt Jiang to cultivate in the sect from a young age, didn’t she?”

Hua Yan recalled Yun Xueshang’s words from the Mid-Autumn Festival. [‘I’ve cultivated in the sect with my Master since I was young, rarely descending the mountain. That journey ten years ago was merely a round trip between various immortal sects; I never lingered long in the mortal world.’]

“Indeed,” Hua Yan affirmed.

“Then, regarding Martial Aunt Jiang Changge, how much do you know about her?”

Hua Yan hesitated.

‘Ugh, when Grandma used to spank me as a child, she often brought up that name, saying that if I didn’t behave, I’d turn out like Jiang Changge of the Carefree Sword Sect.’

Naturally, this was not something she could say aloud. She simply stated,

“When I was young, I heard my grandmother mention a few things, saying she had formidable swordsmanship and an uninhibited nature… but it was just childhood hearsay. I never specifically inquired about her later.”

“To put it this way might be disrespectful to the deceased elder, but to describe Martial Aunt Jiang as ‘uninhibited’ is truly an understatement.”

Lin Qianqian shook her head helplessly.

“Martial Aunt Jiang… she was more like a female version of a passionate wanderer. She loved to seek out beautiful female cultivators for romance, but once she grew tired of a relationship, she would find a new love, accumulating many romantic debts.”

“Precisely because she spent her days indulging in romantic escapades, never tiring of it, she never took on a disciple before, despite her profound cultivation at the Void Glimpse stage.”

“Such a Martial Aunt Jiang was quite a headache for the sect. However, firstly, she was the sole Peak Master of Sleepless Cloud Peak, with high seniority and deep cultivation. Aside from the Sect Master and a few elders, no one could control her.”

“Secondly, her strength was formidable, and few could suppress her, so the sect simply let her be.”

“Until one day, Martial Aunt Jiang returned from an outing, not with a new confidante, but with a small girl with white hair and red eyes.”

‘That couldn’t be…’

Hua Yan’s heart stirred.

“Precisely. That was Senior Sister Yun.”

Lin Qianqian nodded.

“No one knew where Martial Aunt Jiang found Senior Sister. They only knew that she personally raised Senior Sister on Sleepless Cloud Peak. Once Senior Sister’s cultivation broke through to the Core Formation stage, Martial Aunt Jiang formally accepted Senior Sister and several other disciples into the sect during the disciple-acceptance ceremony.”

“At that time, my Master and the other peak masters and elders were overjoyed, believing that Martial Aunt Jiang had finally settled down. They even set off firecrackers throughout the sect.”

“In the years that followed, Martial Aunt Jiang indeed stopped her romantic wanderings. She quietly remained on the peak, teaching her disciples, and in her leisure, she would enjoy tea and play chess with the Sect Master and others.”

“But who would have known… on a New Year’s Eve, Martial Aunt Jiang took her Sleepless Cloud Peak disciples down the mountain to celebrate in the mortal world, only to be ambushed by demonic cultivators en route.”

“Demonic cultivators?” Hua Yan was startled.

“Yes. Those demonic cultivators, through some unknown means, had tracked Martial Aunt Jiang’s party and set up an ambush in advance.”

Lin Qianqian’s tone deepened. “Even with Martial Aunt Jiang’s heaven-defying abilities, she was ultimately outnumbered and had to divide her attention to protect Senior Sister and the others. In the end…”

She paused at this point, a flicker of regret and sorrow passing through her eyes, and said no more.

“I heard that by the time the sect’s reinforcements arrived, the only one left alive… was Senior Sister Yun.”

“From then on, Senior Sister, who was already diligent in her cultivation, became even more obsessed with improving her cultivation and investigating the demonic cultivators.

Day after day, year after year, she became the Yun Xueshang of today—the Sword Head of the Carefree Sword Sect, the foremost expert of the righteous young generation, revered by all.”

After speaking, Lin Qianqian sighed again, then looked up at Hua Yan, her expression earnest.

“Fellow Daoist Hua, before I met you and Rongrong, I was always worried that Senior Sister would be trapped in her past and never move on.

But after the journey to Great Chu and seeing you two interact, I finally understood… that more than swords and obsession, Senior Sister ultimately cares more about the people right in front of her.”

“But I…”

Hua Yan subconsciously wanted to retort, to say that there was no real affection between her and Yun Xueshang, that they were only bound together because of Hua Xiangrong. Yet, the words caught in her throat.

During this time, Yun Xueshang’s clumsy yet meticulous care for Hua Xiangrong flashed through her mind. Hua Yan silently lowered her gaze, a complex feeling stirring in her heart.

‘Perhaps Lin Qianqian is right; that person… truly cares for others.’

‘Though that care has nothing to do with me. I’m merely the mother of her child.’

Yun Xueshang’s earnest promise from the Mid-Autumn Festival suddenly surfaced in her mind. [‘After returning to the valley, we can also treat each other with respect, without truly being husband and wife. I won’t bind you; if you wish to find another Dao Companion, feel free to do so… I just want to be a mother and spend more time with Rongrong.’]

Hua Yan pursed her lips, feeling an inexplicable tightness in her chest.

‘Forget it, why am I thinking about this? Who she likes or dislikes, what does it have to do with me?’

“Um… why don’t you tell me more about her past, then?”

The red-haired girl turned her face away, her voice soft, carrying a hint of awkwardness she herself didn’t notice.

“Ah? Alright.”

Lin Qianqian was first startled, then reacted, pursing her lips into a smile. “But I don’t know everything. I joined the sect later than Senior Sister, so most of what I know is from the elders.”

“Hmm… then I’ll start from the very beginning. My Master said that when Senior Sister Yun was first brought back to the sect by Martial Aunt Jiang…”

***

On Sleepless Cloud Peak, the white-haired immortal, who had been meditating with closed eyes, slowly opened them, gazing at the sun high in the sky.

‘It’s almost noon, and she’s still not back?’

‘If Yan’er isn’t here, I alone can’t make lunch that Rongrong would enjoy…’

Yun Xueshang, who had been staring blankly at the sun, suddenly paused.

‘Oh, right. Starting today, Rongrong is attending school and will eat lunch there.’

‘And Yan’er and I have long since reached the stage of *bigu*; if Rongrong isn’t here, there’s no need to prepare lunch.’

‘Given that, her not returning for lunch is quite normal.’

The serene immortal, with her white robes and white hair, closed her eyes once more.

‘Is it because I’ve spent these past few days with her and Rongrong, cooking and dining together, that I’ve developed this habit?’

‘Never mind. If she’s not returning, she’s simply cultivating alone.’

“Hey, it’s already noon, and you’re still meditating here?”

A bright, slightly teasing voice suddenly broke Yun Xueshang’s meditative state.

She opened her eyes somewhat blankly, her gaze falling upon the familiar red-haired figure. The girl’s lips curved into a smile, her pale golden eyes crescent-shaped, as she stood before her with her hands behind her back, her gaze full of mirth.

“Stop meditating! Quickly, look what I brought you?”

With that, she revealed a string of bright red, glistening candied hawthorns from behind her back.

“*Cough, cough*, th-these… I just saw them in your sect’s mess hall! Uh, I wanted to eat some myself, and I accidentally bought too many! There’s one string left that I can’t finish, so I, I just brought it along for you! You’re not allowed to think anything else!”

Though the girl still held up the candied hawthorns, her face quietly turned away, the tips of her ears faintly red, her fingertips unconsciously twirling a strand of hair by her temple.

To Yun Xueshang, whose eyes had just opened and whose vision was still a little blurry, the red-haired girl in that moment perfectly filled her entire field of vision.

—It made her freeze there for a moment, almost forgetting to look away.

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Please Let Me Go, Investigator!

adventureComedyFemale Protagonist

Read Now →
Not interested