281 Farewell at Snow Moon
Before they knew it, they were deep into winter.
Snow Moon City also ushered in the first snow of winter.
"The winds of the Lower Pass, the flowers of the Upper Pass, the snow on Cangshan and the Moon in Erhai." Sikong Changfeng sat on the stone bench outside the little hut on Mount Cangshan, drinking his wine slowly as he said, "The four great sceneries of Snow Moon City. I think you haven’t seen the moon in Erhai."
"The moon in Erhai can be seen during all four seasons," Xiao Se, who was sitting across from him, said lightly.
"Yeah, and because it can be seen during all four seasons, you could have gone to see it anytime. But, one year has passed, and this Erhai moon is the last one you’ve yet to see. Such is the logic when it comes to everything else in this world." Sikong Changfeng reached out his right hand and watched the snowflakes melt in his palm. "How’s your training going lately?"
"Just passed the first level," Xiao Se replied. "It's a little slow. But thanks to the wisp of qi gifted by Mo Yi, I barely managed to retain the Vajra Mortal Realm."
"This Ji Ruofeng, I don't know where he came from, what sect he’s from and who his master is. Yet, he’s proficient in nearly eight-tenths of all martial arts under Heaven. Which school of internal strength core formula did he pass to you?" Sikong Changfeng asked.
"Huanglong Mountain, Bagua Core Method," Xiao Se replied.
Sikong Changfeng was stunned. "A Daoism core formula? Huanglong Mountain? Hasn't Huanglong Mountain been extinct for decades?"
Xiao Se shook his head. "I had no idea about this either. Coming back this time, I heard that the Golden Lists have been updated. Shifu must also be back. I have a lot of questions and I want to look for him."
"Do you know where Bai Xiao Hall is?" Sikong Changfeng asked in confusion.
Bai Xiao Hall, all-knowing of everything under Heaven. But all under Heaven did not know Bai Xiao Hall.
"I know." Xiao Se watched a snowflake fall into his cup. The snowfall suddenly grew heavier. "In Heavenly Revelations."
Sikong Changfeng smiled and said, "No wonder you’re not leaving now."
Xiao Se put down his wine cup and looked at the flying snow in the sky.
Sikong Changfeng stood up. "I heard that when you first met him, the sky was full of snow as well. Aren’t you going to see him off?"
Xiao Se also stood up and hid his hands inside his sleeves. His injuries were already healed, but he still put on an air of laziness. "What’s the point of seeing him off? For the last year, I’ve been seeing him every single day. Now that I don’t have to see him anymore, I finally have some peace of mind."
Although that’s what he said, both of them got up and walked down the mountain.
Outside Snow Moon City at the foot of the mountain, a carriage was parked there quietly.
Sikong Qianluo stood by the carriage with a sad expression on her face. "First, it was da-shixiong who suddenly had to hurry back to his Tang Clan, and today, you’re leaving too. You’re all leaving me alone in Snow Moon City. That’s so mean."
"Qianluo-shijie, if you’re pretending to be sad, can you make it more convincing, please?" Lei Wujie scratched his head. "Look at the grin on your face. You can barely hide your smile. You’re just waiting for me to go so that you can play with Xiao Se every day. Don’t be too pleased with yourself though. Xiao Se needs to train now so you’d better not bother him all the time."
"You’re dead!" Sikong Qianluo grabbed her spear.
"Don't, don't, don't." Lei Wujie hurriedly covered his head. "My sword is damaged now. I’m no match for shijie."
"Xiao-Jie, it's time to go." A wan and swallow voice came out of the carriage.
"Okay. Jiejie. I’ll be right there," Lei Wujie replied, then looked into the distance and muttered, "Why isn't he here yet?"
"Today, he's training in that hut, right? Anyway, you won’t be gone for long." Sikong Qianluo waved her hand. "Hurry up and go."
"Qianluo-shijie, didn't you hear what my sister said?" Lei Wujie smiled wryly. "This time we’re going to Sword Heart Tomb not just to repair the sword."
"What else are you doing besides repairing the sword?" Sikong Qianluo asked.
"I’m also going to cultivate my sword heart. Jiejie said, I must enter the realm of a sword immortal before I can leave the Tomb. Back then, my mother cultivated her sword for seven days and just barely managed to enter the realm of a sword immortal. My shifu, Lei Hong, also spent ten years before he could enter the realm of a sword immortal. How could it be that simple!" Lei Wujie smiled bitterly.
Sikong Qianluo couldn't stop herself from laughing out loud. "Then when I see you again, you’re going to be an old uncle?"
Lei Wujie pulled a face. "Maybe I’ll be an old grandpa."
"Xiao-Jie." Li Hanyi, who was sitting in the carriage, called again.
"Coming, coming." Lei Wujie sighed and turned around. "Forget it. He’s not Miss Ye anyway. Not worth my time to wait for him."
"With that level of patience, do you think you can court Miss Ye?" A teasing voice sounded and Lei Wujie whipped around. He saw a person floating over from the distance and landing on the ground steadily. His robes were blue, his spirit languid. It was Xiao Se, after all.
"I thought you weren’t coming." Lei Wujie curled his lips.
Xiao Se immediately turned around, bent over and bowed respectfully. "The Second Citymaster is leaving the city. How could I not come."
Li Hanyi smiled and said, "No need for acting. If you have anything to say to Xiao-Jie, just say it. Don’t delay our journey."
"What's the hurry? Best to travel slowly," Sikong Changfeng said to the driver. Somehow, he was already sitting outside the carriage. "Don't let the ride be too bumpy."
The driver nodded hurriedly. "Yes, Third Citymaster."
"Drive faster. I'm the Second Citymater, he’s the Third Citymaster. Follow my orders," Li Hanyi said lightly.
Sikong Changfeng shrugged. "Aren’t you tired of arguing this point after so many years?"
On the other side, Lei Wujie asked Xiao Se softly, "What do you think? How many years will it take me to enter the realm of a sword immortal?"
Xiao Se didn't even bat his eyelids. "Thirty years."
Lei Wujie gave a full-hearted "bah!". "I heard that the kid from Unrivaled City is already half a sword immortal, but I still need another thirty years? Are you looking down on me?"
"Cultivating your sword heart is not cultivating farmland. How can one know how much land you’ll cultivate in a day and how much grain you can plant in a year? Some people stay as half a sword immortal for twenty years, for instance, Song Yanhui, and still can’t enter the sword immortal realm. Some people have been reading books for twenty years and never held a sword, but the day he picked up a sword, he became a sword immortal, for example, Mister Xie Xuan. If you insist that I tell you a time, I can also tell you tomorrow. But would you believe me?" Xiao Se looked at Lei Wujie.
Lei Wujie shook his head. "I won't believe you."
Xiao Se nodded. "Then, get lost."
"I’m thinking whether I should take advantage of the fact that I can overpower you now to give you a sound beating first," Lei Wujie said after a thought.
"Enough nonsense, your sister's temper has its limits." Sikong Changfeng came over, picked up Lei Wujie and flung him into the carriage. "Little Lei Sword Immortal, I hope the next time we meet, your hair is not all gray already."
Lei Wujie sat on the carriage with a wry smile. "Third Citymaster, can’t you have a little more confidence in me?"
"Confidence?" Sikong Changfeng nodded. "Alright, Little Lei Sword Immortal, you’ll be able to enter the sword immortal realm tomorrow."
"Ride!" Lei Wujie grabbed the driver's whip and waved it sharply.
Just as Lei Wujie left, a Snow Moon City disciple stepped forward and reported, "Third Citymaster, we have guests visiting?"
"What guests?"
"Two very strange guests. A blind swordsman and a deaf and mute qin-player."
Sikong Changfeng and Xiao Se exchanged a glance, and the former said pointedly, "Really, that’s very strange."