Song of Everlasting Regret - Chapter 11

Lou Xuanzhi saw Cao Bo off, his expression grave. Cao Bo had not resorted to force; he knew that if the two families fought, it would inevitably lead to mutual destruction. He was not a man to act on impulse.

But ultimately, he had suffered the painful loss of a beloved son. Regardless of whether Lou Jing had killed him, this grudge had been formed.

Lou Xuanzhi was rubbing his brow when a disciple entered the study to present a letter. Lou Xuanzhi took the letter; the envelope was not signed. He looked at the disciple, who said: “A guest came, saying it was sent from the south.”

“The south…” Lou Xuanzhi murmured. Suddenly, his body jolted. He dismissed the disciple and hurriedly tore open the letter. After reading it through, he pressed it face-down on the table and stared blankly into space for a long time. With a sigh, he burned the letter.

After Cao Bo left, Lou Xuanzhi sent word for Yu Jingqiu and the others to return to the sect.

When the group reached the mountain gate, Lou Xuanzhi was standing there. Everyone felt the guilty conscience of children caught doing something wrong and acted exceptionally obediently. However, though Lou Xuanzhi’s face looked unwell, he did not scold them, nor did he mention the Jade Buddha Hand or the Cao Ruxu incident.

“You have traveled a long way and are tired. Go back and rest.” Lou Xuanzhi waved his hand, letting them return to Xiangri Peak, mentioning not a word of anything else.

Lou Xuanzhi only called Yu Jingqiu to stay, saying: “Shan Jun, come, walk with Master for a bit.”

Lang Ye, Yun Yao, and Di Hou had already headed toward the back mountain. Lou Jing stopped, standing alone under the shade of a tree, watching the silhouette of Lou Xuanzhi leading Yu Jingqiu away.

Lou Xuanzhi grasped Yu Jingqiu’s wrist, checking her pulse, and asked gently about her injuries from the journey. His eyes softened considerably.

No longer able to hear what they were saying, Lou Jing lowered her eyelashes and turned to head back to Xiangri Peak.

Lou Xuanzhi and Yu Jingqiu walked up the mountain steps to a fork in the road—one path led to the training grounds, the other to the back mountain. They stopped there. Lou Xuanzhi asked about the night the Jade Buddha Hand was stolen, telling her to recount every detail. Because of the involvement of Cao Ruxu’s death, Yu Jingqiu did not dare hide a thing and told him everything.

“That woman said her name was Xuan Ying?”

“Yes.”

Lou Xuanzhi nodded. He seemed not to care much about the theft of the Jade Buddha Hand. After a long silence, he said to Yu Jingqiu: “I understand. Go back now. Your injuries still need care; do not focus solely on practicing your sword.”

Yu Jingqiu bid him farewell and returned to Xiangri Peak.

The next day, Lou Xuanzhi called only Lou Jing and Lang Ye to the study. Lou Xuanzhi stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from them. Lou Yan stood on the left, tapping his palm with a folding fan, looking very troubled. Yu Xiu was on the right, brows knitted and lips pressed tight.

Lou Jing saw this setup of a “trial by three judges” and already guessed what was to be interrogated.

Lou Xuanzhi did not speak; Lou Yan spoke on his behalf, asking Lang Ye and Lou Jing to recount the night’s events in detail. Lou Jing simply repeated what she had told Yu Xiu. When she mentioned the strange man she encountered and the state of Cao Ruxu’s subordinates’ corpses, Lou Yan and Yu Xiu both looked toward Lou Xuanzhi.

Lou Yan hesitated for a moment and said: “Brother, that person is… I’d say there is an eighty percent chance it is related to him. Could Cao Bo really not know? He mentions not a word about the state of the other corpses and insists that Jing’er killed his son. I think he is intentionally making things difficult for the Qian Yuan Sect.”

Yu Xiu said: “That man has always only used palm techniques, but Cao Ruxu died of a sword wound. I fear Cao Bo suspects Jing’er and him…”

Lou Xuanzhi interrupted Yu Xiu, his voice cold and hard. He asked Lou Jing: “Did you exchange moves with Cao Ruxu?”

“Yes. I stabbed him once and struck him once with a palm.”

“What? From your tone, do you feel you held back too much?” Lou Xuanzhi finally turned around. “Kneel!”

That shout made the hearts of everyone present tremble. Lou Jing had never seen Lou Xuanzhi’s expression so stern and cold, as if covered by a dark cloud. She knelt down.

“Good, very good! I thought that even if you were a handful when I let you down the mountain, could you really tear a hole in the sky? It seems I still underestimated you.” Lou Xuanzhi glanced at Lou Jing’s face and sneered: “Do you still feel you are not at fault at all?”

Though Lou Jing was kneeling, her back was ramrod straight. A young person’s blood runs hot; the more he opposed and suppressed her, the more she wanted to defy him. “Yes, I am not wrong.”

“Heh! You are not wrong. What did I say before you left? Did I not tell you to listen to your Senior Sister and Senior Brother? How did you act! Well? Speak! Are you speechless now!” Lou Xuanzhi slammed the table so hard the tea lid flipped over. “The Jade Buddha Hand was stolen; your Senior Sister told you to stop and not pursue, fearing a conflict between you two would cause more trouble. You knew yourself that your temperament clashed with Cao Ruxu’s—why did you not listen!”

Yu Jingqiu. It was always Yu Jingqiu.

Yesterday, Lou Xuanzhi’s expression was gentle as he asked about Yu Jingqiu’s injuries and health. Today, facing her, it was a torrent of blame before she could even speak, as if she had committed some heinous crime.

Her heart ached, twisting with pain. “Cao Ruxu’s subordinates had filthy mouths; they slandered us!”

“Did that one sentence make you lose flesh or break a bone? You couldn’t even stand it and had to go up to have a showdown. You chased him, and as expected, you started a dispute! Now look—the man is dead, and they are throwing the whole bucket of filthy water onto your head!”

Lou Jing gritted her teeth: “It wasn’t that I wanted to fight him. Later, he wouldn’t let it go and pestered me with a brawl. Was I supposed to not strike back?”

“I thought you were impulsive but knew how to prioritize. Facing a powerful enemy, you should have known whether it was more important to fight the enemy together and capture the Feihua Alliance members, or to have internal strife over a moment of pride.” Lou Xuanzhi’s eyes were full of disappointment. “You want to win everything; you just had to win this one argument. You won’t admit fault; you think you are completely in the right, don’t you? As if you are the most wronged person in the world. Is that it?”

Lou Jing was still young. She saw things partially and defensively; she felt that since the trouble didn’t start with her, any fault she had was a minor one. Why did he treat others with a light touch, yet treat her with thunderous fury? She was also extremely proud. Lou Xuanzhi’s public scolding made her face burn as if pricked by a thousand tiny needles.

“It wasn’t my fault, so why should I admit it? They bullied me, why should I endure it!” Lou Xuanzhi’s cold, sharp words cut her deeply. her eyes burned, and she gripped the fabric of her pants tightly, her voice choking up.

She was a sharp and intense character; when hurt, she wanted to strike back. Acting on impulse, if she was miserable, she wanted the person who hurt her to feel the same pain.

“Fight the enemy together?” Lou Jing looked up at Lou Xuanzhi and gave a cold laugh. “That Cao Ruxu had no shame. As long as it touched the name ‘Feihua Alliance,’ he would kill indiscriminately, not even sparing an unborn child. How are his actions any different from the ‘Evil Path’ demons of the Feihua Alliance they despise? Conversely, Long Chou’s subordinate was willing to die to protect that woman, showing even more sentiment and justice. Who is the true ‘Evil Path’? My elders taught me that chivalry is the foundation—tell me, which enemy should I have fought…”

CRASH.

Lou Xuanzhi slammed the table. His chest heaved as he glared at Lou Jing. Everyone knew Lou Xuanzhi hated the Feihua Alliance.

The atmosphere dropped to freezing point. Lou Yan originally wanted to step in to mediate. “Different? The Feihua Alliance has ravaged the martial world and incurred blood debts—that is the Cause. Martial artists seek to eliminate them for blood repayment—that is the Effect. The Feihua Alliance committed evil first, which is why martial artists eradicate them at any cost. That is the difference. Even if what Cao Ruxu did was improper, Jing’er, how can you compare him to the Feihua Alliance…”

“A person is a person; they can be compared! I’d rather be a member of the Feihua Alliance! Then if I killed Cao Ruxu, there would be no ‘Cause’ or ‘Effect,’ no ‘enduring’ or ‘not enduring’—people would only clap and cheer!” At Lou Jing’s age, she was in the height of her rebellious phase.

“You want to join the Feihua Alliance? Fine! Why don’t I just expel you from the Qian Yuan Sect right now! I’ll give you your wish and clear a mess for the sect! You created this trouble; deal with it yourself!” Lou Xuanzhi looked at her sinister gaze and felt as if his chest had been struck by a heavy hammer; he could barely stand. He was truly enraged to the extreme. “I have been too indulgent with you in the past!”

He had always used minor punishments as warnings, but now, if he didn’t wake her up with a heavy blow, he feared she would stray onto a crooked path.

Lou Xuanzhi walked toward Lou Jing.

Lang Ye, Lou Yan, and Yu Xiu all stepped forward to stop him. Yu Xiu pleaded: “Brother, she is just speaking out of anger, it’s childish talk!”

Lou Yan shouted: “Jing’er! You’re still here making your father angry? Get out to the ancestral hall and reflect!”

However, Lou Jing stubbornly refused to move, stretching her neck out, waiting for Lou Xuanzhi’s cane to fall.

Hit me, then. No one will care.

She actually wanted to feel some physical pain, so she could indulge in self-pity.

But Lou Xuanzhi rushed forward and did not strike her. Instead, he grabbed her sword and snatched it away. Lou Jing was stunned, her face turning ashen. Now she began to feel afraid, trembling as she called out: “Father…”

Lou Xuanzhi drew the sword, looking at the inscription “Xue Po” (Snow Spirit). He had originally asked the Nanye Sect to forge swords for his disciples. For two of them, the inscriptions were “Bing Hun” (Ice Soul) and “Xue Po.” One was given to Yu Jingqiu, the other to Lou Jing.

“Ice Soul and Snow Spirit” symbolized a character of high purity—this was the great hope Lou Xuanzhi had bestowed upon them.

Lou Xuanzhi said coldly: “Are you even worthy of using this sword?”

“Father, no!” Lou Jing scrambled to her feet and rushed to stop him, but her hand was a step too slow.

Lou Xuanzhi pulled the blade back slightly and pushed outward. With a jolt of energy, the blade shattered into four pieces like brittle ice. A fragment of the blade flew backward, grazing Lou Jing’s hairline. The sharp edge severed her hair ribbon. Her dark hair cascaded down like flowing clouds.

Lou Jing felt as if she had been struck heavily across the face. Her expression went blank. She stared at the fragments on the ground for a long time before slowly picking up the piece with the inscription. She gripped it tightly in her hand; the sharp corner pierced her palm, and a streak of crimson blood dripped from the edge of her hand.

Lou Xuanzhi had already turned his back, his chest still heaving slightly as he struggled to calm himself.

“He called me a bastard!”

Lou Xuanzhi’s whole body jolted. He spun around. “What?”

Tears streamed from Lou Jing’s eyes, her gaze savage. “Cao Ruxu called me a bastard. He insulted my mother. He insulted you…”

Adulterers and harlots—everyone knows.

You are a half-breed; Lou Xuanzhi is a joke.

Bloodshot veins appeared in her eyes as she hissed through gritted teeth: “I was wrong. My mistake was not stabbing him twice more before he died!”

“You… he…” Lou Xuanzhi stared at Lou Jing, his eyes containing too many emotions, though his face was a ghostly white.

“He… he…” Lou Xuanzhi could not seem to finish the sentence, his breath failing halfway. He coughed twice, seeming to have phlegm. He turned to the spittoon to spit it out, but it was blood.

He tried to force it down, but the extreme grief and rage had struck his heart. He could not endure it. His coughing grew violent, as if he might stop breathing at any moment, and blood streamed directly from his mouth.

“Senior Brother!”

“Brother!”

Lou Jing lost her composure and rushed forward. “Father! Father!”

“Everyone out, everyone out! Don’t crowd around here.” Yu Xiu, who also studied medicine and managed the herb shop on the mountain, supported Lou Xuanzhi to lie down on the inner couch and hurried everyone out.

The study at the main peak was in total chaos, startling everyone. Meanwhile, at the Cuiniao Pavilion on Xiangri Peak, the mountain scenery was quiet and the spiritual birds chirped—a beautiful sight that soothed the mind.

Han Ling sat with a scroll in his hand, fidgeting with anxiety. Yu Jingqiu held a handful of millet, feeding the kingfishers perched on the pavilion.

A kingfisher landed familiarly on Yu Jingqiu’s finger. She stood sideways, her features as beautiful as the spiritual mountain. The sunlight grew hazy through the thin mist, draped over her like a veil of light. Her hair ribbon wound through her dark hair down to her waist; she looked ethereal, like an immortal standing aloof from the world.

Han Ling stared at her, his gaze fixed. It wasn’t until Yu Jingqiu finished feeding the birds and turned around that he spoke: “Senior Sister, today’s meeting was promised when we went down the mountain.”

Han Ling snapped out of it. “Yes, yes, it was promised.”

“I saw how solemn you were then, as if there was something important to discuss. You needn’t hesitate. We are fellow disciples; whatever difficulty you have, speak frankly. If I can help, I certainly will not refuse.”

“I…” Han Ling’s face reddened. Yu Jingqiu was being so serious that he felt even more ashamed to speak.

But on second thought, if he, the man, didn’t take the initiative in such a matter, could he expect the girl to speak? It wasn’t even certain what Yu Jingqiu’s feelings were.

Han Ling took a deep breath, gathered his spirit, and was about to speak. “Senior Sister, I…”

“Senior Sister!” A figure leaped onto the mountain path. Before the person even arrived, a long, drawn-out call preceded them.

Yu Jingqiu stood up and walked over. She saw Yun Yao running toward her, gasping for breath when she stopped. “Senior Sister! Master called Second Senior Brother and A’Jing away!”

Yu Jingqiu said: “It should be to ask about the Cao Ruxu matter.”

Yun Yao said: “I heard from the brother who came to summon them that Master’s face was extremely poor. I’m afraid he’s very angry. If he believes Manor Lord Cao and thinks A’Jing really killed Cao Ruxu, will Master…”

Yu Jingqiu consoled her: “Master is not someone who listens blindly to one side, otherwise Manor Lord Cao wouldn’t have left so quickly. Do not worry; I will go take a look first.”

Yu Jingqiu bid farewell to Han Ling in the pavilion. “Junior Brother Han, something sudden has come up. I must go to Master’s study.”

“Senior Sister, but I… I still have words unsaid.”

“Let it wait until afterward.”

With that, she headed toward Lou Xuanzhi’s study. Han Ling watched her departing silhouette, half-raising his hand before letting it drop again. There was only a sigh.