Chapter 34: Mutual Secret Technique

The Linquan River babbled as it flowed, and in the distance the ruined Linquan Town was gradually beginning to show signs of life again. The setting sun sank in the west, reflecting a rosy hue on the water, and a small cottage lay quietly hidden between the river and the forest. Not far away, a line of wild geese drifted slowly across.

Luoshan stared at the gravely wounded girl lying on the bed, his heart a swirl of emotions. He recalled that only a few months earlier, the one lying helplessly and severely injured was himself, and that girl had tended to him day after day, teaching him sword techniques that restored his life and strength. If the brief days he spent with Qinyan were the happiest of his life, then the two months by the Linquan River were the most tranquil of his existence.

Peace, contentment, comfort, serenity—everything stemmed from the golden‑haired girl before him. Yet she was the one gravely wounded now, and Luoshan himself lacked the power to heal her lifeless body.

Viscount Luo Fugude's "Dark Arrow" is a spell saturated with destructive energy; if it were cast on Luoshan himself, even with imperial‑grade magical power it would be hard to recover. Even without losing his life, at least his entire magical strength would be drained, just as the Spirit Temple Goth had been when Luoshan severely wounded him. Yet Pei Er knew nothing of spells— even a simple light strike from an ordinary mage could gravely injure her, let alone the most dark and perilous Dark Arrow. The destructive magical force raged through her body, tearing her organs to shreds; outward it appeared only as a tiny wound, but the internal damage was unimaginable. Luoshan exhausted every method, channeling magical power into Pei Er to mend her injured body, but the Dark Arrow's power was so great that no matter how much magic he infused, it was like a stone sinking in the sea—no effect at all, while he grew exhausted, collapsed onto Pei Er's bedside, and fell into a deep sleep.

"Luoshan." After an unknown amount of time, a low voice suddenly sounded, waking him from his sleep. Luoshan opened his eyes and saw Pei Er barely opening hers, looking at him with a half‑smile. "Pei Er." He was both startled and delighted, and hurriedly continued to channel magic. "How do you feel?" "Much better." she replied with a faint smile. "Don't waste your power on me, it's useless."

"What do you mean 'useless'?" A chill rose in Luoshan's heart, and he intensified the flow of magical power. "Pei Er, listen to me—my magical power now is already no worse than Viscount Luo Fugude's. If I push a little harder, in a day… in another day, your wound will be fully healed, I promise…" "Fine, stop bullying me for not knowing magic; I… I know my own limits," Pei Er said, but she only shook her head lightly, a bitter smile on her pale face. "I know my own body better than anyone. My heart aches… my organs feel as if they've been cut open, my eyes are blurry, only my mind still understands. Luoshan, this wound of mine you cannot cure—not just you, no one can. I am near death. People say that when a person is about to die, their mind becomes clear; that's called a 'returning light.' …right?" "Don't speak nonsense," Luoshan felt his heart like a knife. "Don't say such things; I will heal you."

"Luoshan." Pei Er sighed softly. "Actually, dying for you makes me feel incredibly happy. You… please don't be sad; at least when I die, you'll still be by my side, and I'll finally know who my father really is." She stretched out her right hand and gently brushed Luoshan's face. "Luoshan, listen to me, I am truly, truly happy. After I'm gone… you… you must live well."

"I… I saw that Qinyan of yours, at the Lovegood Villa, when you both walked in side by side. She was truly beautiful, far more beautiful than I. When Viscount Luo Fugude plotted against you, a servant carried her out; her body was still, but tears streamed from her eyes. She truly loved you; even though her father was intent on harming you, her feelings were sincere. Luoshan, in every way she surpasses me, and seeing you with her puts my mind at ease."

"Pei Er." Luoshan clasped her pale, icy hand. "I'm sorry for you."

"Heh… stop saying that, there's nothing to apologize for; matters of the heart are always like this," Pei Er murmured, her expression sorrowful. "My master once said, love is the thing that hurts the most. I hadn't grasped its deep meaning before, but now I truly understand. When you love someone, you devote yourself to them, your heart filled with that person, and as long as they are happy… even if you can't be with them in the end, that's enough. Even if… even if you're the only one being hurt, even if the whole world becomes harmonious, you're still alone, desolate, a solitary soul…"

Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke, yet she forced herself not to close them, fearing that closing them would plunge her into endless darkness. "You fool… I'm so cold, will you hold me?"

"Hmm." Luoshan, suppressing the searing pain inside him, sat on the edge of Pei Er's bed and pulled her icy body into his arms. Pei Er felt every organ throbbing with intense pain, as if blood were spilling from her heart. Yet in Luoshan's warm embrace, the cold that had pervaded her body lessened somewhat. "So warm…" she murmured, gently grasping Luoshan's hand. "You fool… do you know what exactly I like about you?"

"I don't know. What could someone like me be worth liking?" Luoshan closed his eyes and forced a wry smile. "Pei Er, your taste isn't great."

"Heh… I… I truly don't understand either," Pei Er said, laughing through tears. "Someone like you… foolish and clumsy, with no scheming, yet your heart still… still harbors another woman. I… I am, after all, a disciple of the Sword God, how could I… fall for you, you fool?"

"But perhaps love is something that can never be explained by reason."

"You may not know, but since my master left, my life has been dull and endless—hunting, sword practice, sleeping day after day, so mechanical that I barely felt time passing. Until… until I met you."

"Even if… even if you always love Qinyan, I still have no regrets. Being with you for so long already satisfies me."

"You fool… I'm about to collapse. Could you promise me one thing?"

"Tell me. Whatever it is, I'll definitely do it for you," Luoshan said, holding Pei Er's body, tears streaming down his face.

"In the future… if one day you challenge the Spirit Temple to rescue your parents, could you spare my father?" Pei Er's voice had become very soft. "Although I've only met him a few times, he is still my father. Even though he never visited me for years, I don't hate him."

"Please don't kill him… No matter what, this is my final request to you."

"Pei Er, you silly girl," Luoshan said, laughing bitterly through tears. "Can't you worry more about yourself? Why do you always care about others?" "Why," Pei Er laughed. "Because that makes me happy. The only thing I care about is whether the people I love can live happily and peacefully."

"Luoshan… you fool… please never forget me."

Pei Er's grip on Luoshan's hand gradually loosened, and the light in her eyes faded. Outside the cottage, the setting sun sank below the horizon, and night slowly spread across the land. Pei Er nestled in Luoshan's arms, a faint curve lifting the corner of her mouth.

"You fool, don't forget me."

Darkness gradually seeped into every corner; between heaven and earth, only that solitary cottage remained, with the boy and girl seated silently inside.

"This is the outskirts of Linquan Town. I am Pei Er, Pei Er-Andrea-Awenshi."

"And you, fool, what's your name?"

"Luoshan… but do you know, I fell for you the moment I first saw you. Since then, every minute, every second, up to now, even when we're apart, I'm constantly thinking of you. The days with you feel endless; I wish the sun would set later. I love you, love you so much I'd die for you, do you understand?"

"I know you don't love me… I know, I accept it, it's my fault I appeared in your world too late. You said, if I had met you before that Qinyan, would your heart have been only for me?"

"When we get out… if it's truly possible. As long as we can leave, I promise I won't trouble you. I know you love her, so you should be with her. I don't mind… I won't be sad, because it's your choice. I'll wish you happiness. But… I'll keep waiting for you."

"After all, at least you'll remember me for the rest of your life, won't you?"

"Remember, there was once a woman named Pei Er-Andrea-Awenshi who sacrificed her life for you."

Countless memories flickered before his eyes like fleeting shadows; Pei Er, exhausted, closed her eyes, her severely wounded body numbing, yet her soul no longer felt that heart‑splitting pain.

I am Pei Er, Pei Er-Andrea-Awenshi.

A woman who died for love.