Chapter Thirteen

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Spring had arrived, and this year the branches sprouted tender buds—a promising sign! Amid a heavy rainstorm, during a dark and terrifying night, two familiar figures suddenly dashed past, running with desperate haste and incredible speed.

“Father! Mother!”

He chased them, shouting frantically, but they seemed deaf to his cries. The more fiercely he called out, the faster they ran. Hand in hand, they did not look back.

Lin He fell to his knees, roaring in anguish, “Why? Why?!” He pounded his fists against the ground repeatedly, splashing mud that dripped down his face like tears. Behind him, a group of more than ten horsemen armed with weapons was closing in. Lin He stood up, his gaze turning ferocious like a starving wolf eyeing its prey. Drawing the sword hidden on his back, he prepared to fight.

The horsemen halted; a fierce battle was imminent. Lin He’s movements were graceful and fluid, his swordplay like a dance—one man against a hundred, cutting through obstacles with ease. The entire storm was soon tinged with the scent of blood.

A dream...

The rain had passed; the sky was still dim. At the foot of the towering Jiuling Peak, where the sun set early and rose late, the landscape possessed a distinct beauty. A young man was scaling the smooth cliff face with agile grace, a long sword in hand. The nearly vertical wall was like flat ground to him.

Reaching a certain height, he began to wield his sword, its movements light and lively, like the wind dancing. His form was like a dragon weaving through the air or a leopard sprinting—a perfect fusion of swordsmanship and agility. His sharp eyes fixed on a massive rock on the cliff face. When he was less than three feet away from colliding with it, Lin He executed the final stroke of his “Turning Back from the Sea of Bitterness” technique—a fierce strike like a dragon soaring through the heavens. A thunderous crack tore through the air, shattering the boulder into pieces. Amid the flying debris, Lin He emerged unscathed.

He landed.

Lin He had decided to leave this place today. For days, he had been haunted by the same dream and could no longer stay. He needed to reunite quickly with his master and Mu Xiangming, and find Senior Deng.

Sheathing his sword, Lin He reflected on the nearly thirty days spent here—from late winter to early spring, from snowy fields to open ground. Every day, he rose early and worked late, practicing sword techniques in the cave until he was confident. Finally, he mastered the last move of “Turning Back from the Sea of Bitterness.” This was thanks to the mysterious cave, which accelerated his training beyond normal limits. Under usual circumstances, it would have taken him a year of hard work; now, less than thirty days sufficed.

“Why are you up so early today?” Lin He asked with a wry smile.

The old woman looked at him and said, “I’m afraid you’ll leave without a word.”

Lin He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Grandma, you really are wise beyond words.”

The old woman narrowed her eyes, scolding him, “You spent half the night piling firewood outside the door—wasn’t that just to cover your tracks for this old lady?”

Lin He chuckled foolishly. “You speak so formally again, Grandma!”

Stretching her waist, the old woman asked, “Do you have time to take a walk with this old woman?”

Lin He replied decisively, “If you wish, I am certainly willing.”

The old woman gazed at the brightening sky. “Let’s walk north.”

She led the way as Lin He followed, the two walking one after the other through the gentle spring breeze of the valley below. The scene was serene and pleasant—an old and a young figure beneath this tranquil valley.

Lin He looked around. After the heavy rain, everything seemed to be awakening anew, vibrant and flourishing. The valley was peaceful and beautiful, as if signaling that all good things were just beginning. Lin He should have enjoyed this moment, but inexplicably, a profound sense of emptiness weighed on his heart.

The old woman spoke, “The past is the past, and it is a chain. If you want to make a choice, you must not be bound by the past... Perhaps choosing a new life is the right path.”

Lin He pondered for a moment and said, “People must sometimes make choices they dislike—not for themselves, but in the end, for themselves.”

The old woman said, “Emotions are the barriers to sword intent. If you want to surpass yourself, you must not let feelings sway you even an inch.”

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Lin He replied, “I believe the purpose of martial arts and swordsmanship is to protect those you care about. Without feelings, why would one practice swordsmanship at all?”

The sun gradually rose as thick white mist settled over the valley. The two had reached the northern cliff edge.

The old woman pointed at the cliff and said, “Climbing here should be quicker.” Lin He looked toward the cliff, but the dense fog shrouded the rock face, severely limiting visibility. This would make the ascent more perilous.

Lin He bowed deeply to the old woman. “I will never forget your kindness. I know you do not want to climb with me. When the time comes, I will return to repay your teaching.”

The old woman spoke slowly, “That will not be necessary... Remember my words: within ten years from now, you must come here alone. Do not bring anyone else, do not speak of this place to anyone, and never mention me or the sword you carry. If you break this vow, I will personally kill you...”

Without a hint of farewell, she turned and walked away as if Lin He no longer existed, her eyes clouded with a misty gloom.

Lin He instinctively wanted to call out to her but could not. Perhaps unspoken feelings weighed on both of them. Though the old woman had reached the pinnacle of martial cultivation, it was uncertain why she still clung to life. What was she living for?

As the day brightened, the fog thickened. The old woman’s figure gradually faded into the mist. She walked slowly, seemingly toward endless solitude or perhaps her final resting place—an endless horizon.

Lin He watched her departure for a long time. He found no reason to persuade himself otherwise, but he knew more awaited him atop that cliff. He could no longer wait.

Turning his gaze to the cliff, he gently pinched a handful of loose soil. The terrain was unstable. Visibility was no more than thirty feet, increasing the difficulty of the climb.

During these days, Lin He had trained and rested in the cave. His cultivation had advanced unexpectedly; his “Desire Sound Nine Heavens” technique had broken through to its final stage, allowing him to leap over twenty feet—nearly twice the height of both his mother and Mu Xiangming. This was his trump card for scaling the vast valley. Such progress was all thanks to the mysterious cave, which enabled him to open his eighth major meridian without extra training—truly extraordinary.

Drawing the sword from his back, Lin He knew “Desire Sound Nine Heavens” alone would not suffice. He planned to use the sword as a stepping stone, ascending step by step.

Lin He stepped back, seeking a suitable spot. After several attempts, he found the visibility too poor. Looking at the sword in his hand, he winced, “Such a sharp blade, it pains me to use it to stab the rock, but for now, it’s the only option.”

Gripping the sword backward, he adjusted his stance: right foot forward, slightly bent to gain power; left foot straight back to control angle. Without a running start, he pushed off, leaping twenty feet high toward the cliff. Nearing the rock face, he stabbed the sword into a patch of loose earth firmly.

Satisfied with the grip, Lin He pulled down on the sword hilt to gain leverage, then released it. As his legs reached the sword’s position, he bent his knees and pressed down on the sword’s end to push upward. The sword flexed, loosening the soil and bouncing upward, which Lin He caught with his hand. This fluid sequence demonstrated his exceptional agility, his movements sometimes like a soaring eagle, sometimes like a drifting leaf.

Within a single incense stick’s time, Lin He reached the cliff’s edge. The fog had completely cleared. Standing on the sword, he looked down as if atop the clouds, with the old woman beneath.

Just as he prepared to jump, fierce sounds of fighting erupted from the cliff top—many voices, clearly more than a handful.

Before Lin He could guess, a woman’s terrified scream pierced the air. A woman fell from the cliff! Without hesitation, Lin He soared forward, catching her in his arms. Before he could grasp the sword again, their combined weight caused a rapid fall. Alarmed, Lin He grabbed a protruding rock, narrowly averting disaster.

The woman was plain-faced, her hair tied with a scarf. Her crescent-shaped face and brown robe were smeared with yellow earth and scars. Still trembling from fear, her pale face gazed at her savior, a figure like a divine warrior. Exhausted, she barely managed to hold on.

Lin He barely glanced at her, saying nothing, and pulled her upward. Using the sword as a stepping stone again, the two finally reached the cliff.

Four men were beating another man mercilessly on the cliff top. The victim lay curled on the ground, his clothes torn and soaked in blood. The attackers showed no sign of stopping.

The woman landed first and broke free from Lin He.

“Husband!” she cried.

The beaten man, barely conscious, opened his eyes. Disbelief filled him as he saw the woman who had just fallen from the cliff.

“Zilan! Zilan!” he shouted desperately, trying to rise but too weak.

The four men glanced at each other in shock. The woman they had thrown down had returned unharmed—an unthinkable occurrence.

Lin He stepped forward, sheathing his sword. Judging by their appearance, the four men were farmers in their forties, likely brothers.

The brothers looked at Lin He uncertainly, exchanging glances.

Ignoring them, the woman crawled toward Lin He, clutching his leg and pleading, “Please, hero, save us! We have children!”

Her tear-filled eyes and trembling lips touched Lin He deeply. The heart of a parent always worries for their children; his own mother was no different. He lifted her and was about to speak when they were interrupted.

“Where did this monster come from? Causing trouble everywhere! I’ll report you to the authorities!”

Lin He looked at the four men; though farmers, their faces were hostile and undeserving of mercy.

Seeing Lin He silent, the eldest brother angrily snapped, “Who do you think you are? Is she your mother or your wife?”

Lin He calmly responded, “You four brutally attack an unarmed couple—what heroes you are!”

The eldest brother frowned, “Come, let me show you what a hero is!”

The four brothers advanced to teach Lin He a lesson. The woman moved to shield her husband, while Lin He drew his sword from his back, ready to fight.

But as soon as Lin He unsheathed his blade, the four stopped. The youngest brother said, “Big brother, he’s a martial artist—we really can’t beat him!”

Lin He then swept his sword to the right, releasing a blade aura that carved a shallow line in the ground.

The sight terrified the four men into silence. As common villagers, they knew fighting seriously might cost them their lives, depending entirely on Lin He’s whim.

The eldest brother panicked and fled down the mountain at full speed, the others following in disorder, not daring to delay.

Once they had fled, Lin He sheathed his sword and helped the couple up.

“Are you both alright?”

The woman supported her husband, whose swollen eyes, broken nose, and bleeding mouth left him half-conscious. Tears filled her eyes as she bowed repeatedly in gratitude.

“Thank you, noble hero, thank you for saving our lives!” she sobbed.

Lin He smiled gently, “Just doing a small kindness, no need to thank me.”

The woman hesitated, unsure how to repay him, clearly overwhelmed.

“If you both are truly alright, I must hurry to meet my family,” Lin He said, releasing the man’s hand.

The woman took two baked cakes from her bosom.

“Please accept these as a token of my gratitude for saving us. They are all I have for the journey.”

Lin He looked at the cakes but pushed them back.

“Save them for your children. Instead, tell me why they treated you so cruelly—that will be enough repayment.”

The woman looked toward the distance and explained, “This year, rice seeds are hard to buy. My husband and I tried many times but failed. Today, we planned to cross this mountain to Jiulong Town to buy seeds. We got up early to avoid delay, but those four brothers came with us, claiming they were protecting us from bandits. Yet, once we reached the summit, they robbed us. Those two copper coins we had were all we owned to buy seeds. Without them, how can we survive?”

Her voice was filled with deep helplessness and sorrow, tears streaming down her cheeks. Lin He sympathized deeply.

“Today is both your fortune and misfortune. If trouble comes again, come find me, Lin He!” His newfound skills gave him confidence, making his words bold.

The woman thanked him profusely.

“Thank you, Lin He, thank you!”

After bidding farewell, the woman pointed out a path for Lin He to cross the mountain to Jiulong Town. There was still a long way down, northeast along a small trail through Lingma Village, where villagers could guide him.

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