Chapter 8: Icicle

I strained to lift my head and look at Bu Sha, opening my mouth: "How…… was it taken out?"

Bu Sha gave a faint smile; it was only the few smiles on his face, yet it was infinitely bleak and self-mocking.

"Blood Gu is hard to remove, because it lives attached to blood; as soon as it meets air it will immediately backlash. So everyone thinks Blood Gu has no cure. Yet they do not know that someone in the world can think what others cannot think, do what others cannot do—using blood to lure the Gu."

Bu Sha's voice was calm and low, but the words "using blood to lure the Gu" struck my ears like a heavy bomb, making my whole body tremble.

Bu Sha gave another bitter smile: "Just to save a passerby assassin he happened to meet, he actually spared no effort to use his own life to lure the Blood Gu, even unwilling to fall from heaven into hell!"

"Bu—" Qi Ran shouted, cutting him off: "Don't say any more; that place is not heaven, and moreover, it could never be!"

Bu Sha paid no heed; his smile grew richer, his mockery deeper, looking at me, he said word by word: "That assassin, even, at the moment he used blood to lure the Gu, still struck to kill him."

"Only because, he was the last target."

I looked at Bu Sha, and the guilt on his face that almost tormented him to madness made my heart ache as if it were being crushed.

I clenched the hand hanging at my side, digging my nails deep into my flesh, only then did I regain my senses, and turned to stare deeply at Qi Ran.

Qi Ran had already returned to his usual self, a flawless face, a warm smile, gentle eyes. It seemed as if nothing had changed, but my heart had changed; my chest ached with sour numbness.

He rose and came over to embrace me, a light smile, truly faint, as if everything had calmed down, even his expression showed no fluctuation.

"The Blood Gu is indeed inside my body, but because of my special constitution, it will not be immediately fatal, nor is it as terrifying as Bu Sha said. It only disturbed my internal energy and changed the color of my eyes—nothing more. Now I feel fine, truly."

So that is the origin of his ice-blue pupils. So that is why he would vomit blood and faint after just blocking a palm strike.

Tears welled up involuntarily; I shoved him away, choking: "Where are you okay now? Are you an idiot? Are you a moron? Keeping something like this inside you and still saying you're fine? You said Bu Sha doesn't know what he's doing, but from start to finish, the one who knows least is you!"

"Even if, even if you are a doctor, you shouldn't trade your life for another's!"

"Even if it's my life, even if it's Bu Sha's life, it's not allowed! Do you understand? Not allowed!"

Qi Ran, heartbroken, pulled me back into his embrace; I kept pushing and hitting him, but he remained firmly and gently holding me tight.

Once again I let myself go, sobbing silently in his arms: "You indulgent good person! Why are you kind to everyone, yet you don't know how to be kind to yourself?"

Qi Ran finally settled me in his arms, his clear, spring-like voice sounding in my ear: "Silly girl, I'm just like you—I simply don't want to watch you die."

I sat quietly, knees hugged, on the artificial stone by the lake, staring blankly at the rippling lake surface. The sky was gray-blue, gray-blue, just like my mood right now.

Fine, relentless rain struck my face and head; my long hair, damp, hung over my forehead, blurring the world before my eyes into a hazy confusion.

My finger brushed the stone edge; the fingertip instantly split, bright blood mixing with rain droplets, trickling down the stone crevice and fading away.

My thoughts suddenly drifted to a certain day long ago, when Qi Ran saw my accidentally cut finger, his blue eyes full of worry…

Qi Ran anxiously grabbed my hand to staunch the bleeding, so he didn't see those two drops of milk-and-water mingling blood, those two fates destined to entwine. But I saw it—the shock and joy of that moment, as if a heavenly coincidence.

Rh-negative Bombay blood type—how many people in this world could possibly have such a one-in-ten-thousand blood type?

A faint footstep, as light as nothing, slowly approached and stopped just a step behind me.

I buried my head deep between my knees, asking in a muffled voice: "Bu Sha, how much longer can Qi Ran live?"

The person behind fell silent for a moment, then let out a barely perceptible sigh, asking: "You…… how do you know?"

Why would I know? I lifted my head, because I am Qi Ran's disciple! Now, looking back, why was I startled? As for the pulse of life—whether vigorous or lifeless—how could I not know?

I couldn't tell whether it was tears or rain in my eyes, making the willow trees swaying in the fine rain on the far shore seem to have multiple layers of shadow. My heart suddenly ached unbearably; I picked up a fallen willow leaf beside me and involuntarily began to chant:

Let us weak ones learn cruelty

Face life's every cold harshly

Those we loved reluctantly

Often have affinity but no destiny

Who truly regards whom as real

Who pities whom

Who is the only one's person

……

Suddenly, a melodious flute sound rose from behind.

My singing stopped abruptly, I turned back to look.

In the fine rain, Qi Ran let his hands hang, smiling faintly at me. In his crystal-clear, slender hands he held a wholly green jade flute, peacefully amidst the sparkling starlight leaping from raindrops.

Without a mask to conceal him, his peerless visage flickered in the misty water vapor, seeming not of this world.

I unconsciously narrowed my eyes, repeatedly thinking in my heart the four characters: "As if entering a dream."

"Why did you stop singing?" Qi Ran lifted his jade flute, "Don't you want to witness my flute skill?"

My gaze pierced Bu Sha's insubstantial, chilly form, deeply fixed on him, my vermilion lips parting slightly.

Let us weak ones learn cruelty

Face life's every cold harshly

Those we loved reluctantly

Often have affinity but no destiny

Who truly regards whom as real

Who pities whom

Who is the only one's person

The innocent soul covered in wounds

Long since no longer acknowledging any gods

A beautiful life

A kind person

Heartache, sorrow, worries are too trivial

You and I, coming and going, have met

Better to meet by gazing and sharing a faint smile than to merely know each other.

Forgetting the worry‑grass is fine.

How much do you know in a dream?

Somewhere at the ends of the earth.

Some small island.

Some year, some month, some day, a certain embrace.

Gentle riverside grass.

Quietly waiting for heaven to age and earth to grow old.

I don't know how Qiran's flute music managed to follow my melody. Because of his miraculousness, his omnipotence, from the very first day I met him I have constantly witnessed it, constantly been shocked, and then gradually grown accustomed.

His medical skill is miraculous—this can be seen from the fact that he can actually extract a blood parasite.

His martial arts even surpass Bu Sha by a notch—if, without …….

His flute music can only be described as heavenly music, making me almost forget all of heaven and earth, leaving only each other.

His photographic memory, his outstanding talent and strategy, his erudition and cultivation—each of these I can only glimpse a fraction, yet I already know he possesses all the myriad blessings heaven has bestowed.

Yet such a person, perfect as a heavenly deity, cannot actually control his own life, and could die at any moment.

Qiran lowered the flute at his lips, let out a long sigh, his damp pure-black eyelashes trembling slightly, and his gentle voice sounded: "Bingyi, this melody is quite strange. The lyrics……did you write them?"

I stared blankly for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh and shake my head: "No, this is a song that has been passed down in our hometown."

The first time I heard Xiao Yu sing Zhou Huajian's "Forget-Worry Grass", I was instantly moved.

"Let us weak ones learn cruelty, harshly face every chill of life."

And from then on, I began to be influenced by Xiao Yu, taking a liking to those popular songs I had never previously paid attention to.

Because I suddenly realized that behind every song lies an unknown life.

I raised my head to look at Bu Sha, who had been silently fading into the air, gave him a slight smile, and said: "Bu Sha, how do you say it? Is it nice to listen?"

He gazed at me expressionlessly, not answering, merely extending one hand toward me.

I stayed still for a while, then silently handed him my hand. His hand was large, icy cold, just like his person. His palm bore a thin callus from years of gripping a sword, which rubbed against my hand, making the wound ache. With a little force, I rose from the rockery.

"There is no forget‑worry grass in this world. Even if there were, some things could not be forgotten." Bu Sha's cold voice sounded in my ear.

I lowered my eyes, withdrew his hand from his icy large hand, and remained silent for a long time.

Qiran's pleasant voice suddenly rang out: "Come down!"

I stared up in shock, only to see a purple-colored figure drifting down from the roof, so ethereal! I was dumbfounded.

Only when she landed on the ground did I get a clear look at her appearance.

She was a woman, and absolutely a first‑class beauty. Her graceful, slender figure was partially concealed by the purple gauze, her black hair soft and lustrous, shimmering faintly in the rain as it fell against her jade‑white cheeks. Her fair, delicate nose was high and straight, her cherry‑small mouth slightly upturned, her long lashes lightly curled, and her lively large eyes sparkled as they gazed at Qiran.

As soon as she landed, she bent her knees and knelt on one knee on the cold, wet ground, her clear, bell‑like voice ringing out excitedly: "Servant Zixuan, I pay my respects to Your Highness."

Qiran put away the jade flute in his hand and said lightly: "Rise."

This…… I blankly stared at the sudden turn of events before me, leaned close to Bu Sha and whispered: "What act is this now? How did Qiran become a prince?"

Bu Sha's expression remained unchanged, his voice still cold as he said: "He is the young master of Bingling."

"Bingling?" I murmured, completely bewildered.

I felt Bu Sha's gaze at me was no different from looking at an idiot; I hurriedly lowered my head, a black line of exasperation. Can this be blamed on me? I too am a newcomer to this world—who knows how many faction names you have.

Zixuan didn't mind Qiran's cool tone at all, leapt up and clung to his arm, acting coquettishly: "Young master, how could you abandon us without a word? You don't even know that everyone in Bingling, high and low, has been searching for you to the point of near madness!" Saying this, the corner of her cute mouth twitched slightly, and her eyes also reddened.

Qiran gently patted her head and said softly: "Silly girl, I'm fine, aren't I?"

I gazed at the tenderness in Qiran's eyes and couldn't help but sigh inwardly. If I had known he was this gentle to anyone, why would I feel this hidden sourness? Could it be that I actually despicably want to monopolize that tenderness?

Sooner or later…… I have to go back!

"She is merely Qiran's personal attendant." Bu Sha said lightly.

What is this, explaining it to me? I retorted angrily: "Is that so? What does it have to do with me?"

"What exactly is Bingling as a faction?"

"Bingling is not a faction, but a country, the strongest nation under heaven."

I blinked: "Isn't the strongest Qi State? How did it become Bingling?"

"Zixuan, how did you find me?"

Zixuan pursed her lips toward us and said resentfully: "Big Sister Lanyan said, weren't you originally going out to save that hateful assassin? Then you disappeared. So for the past half year we've been searching for the whereabouts of the world's top assassin, and just a couple of days ago I managed to find out."

(End of chapter)