Supreme Swordsman of the Nine Heavens

Chapter 40

News on Lie Shang

Mu Yu accompanied Tian Ran on her journey to ask cultivators as he was bored. They asked everyone he came across and could ask. Besides that, he inquired about General Manager Xun but was told the kind elder was no longer the manager at the academy. Reportedly, he never returned from a job he went out on.

Tian Ran, adopting a gravity-drawn shoulders form, sat on a rock. Nobody had heard of or knew what Celestial Sword Nine Guides or Sword Shadow Dust Gale were. She was told Sword Shadow Dust Gale was in the city, but it didn’t seem to be the case, baffling her.

“Sword Shadow Dust Gale is a person, right?” questioned Mu Yu.

Tian Ran nodded. “He’s supposed to be an incredible cultivator everyone knows. I don’t understand why none of you know him.”

By logic, he couldn’t have been that renowned if nobody at the academy recognised the name.

“How does he look? Does he have big eyes, big ears or bushy eyebrows?”

Tian Ran never described appearances. She’d just ask people if they recognised the names.

“I’ve never met him before. I need him for something, though.”

There went any desire Mu Yu had to help Tian Ran. Before he had another issue on his hands, he made up his mind to get moving and expressed, “Keep trying, then. I’m going to look for my senior sister. If anything comes up, you can find me at Dustfallen Sect’s courtyard.”

“Sure.” Tian Ran waved goodbye.

Every sect was granted their own courtyard at the academy. Their disciples out on jobs were allowed to use them whenever. Mu Yu was impressed with the qi coming from Green Pine Sect’s courtyard when he passed by. A sect’s standing influenced the quality of the courtyard they were given access to. For instance, Green Pine Sect and Dustfallen Sect’s courtyards were a far cry from one another. Each sect would decorate their own courtyard to their liking.

“Senior Sister, I’m here.”

Mu Yu pushed the door to their courtyard open. He didn’t have to jump through any hoops since Lan Ling’er already brought down the formation. He was glad their impoverished sect had to live in houses of hay. He spotted Lan Ling’er sitting on a stone chair, fingers intertwined and gaze on the distant sky. Though Mu Yu was reluctant to be there, he casually asked, “So, did you find out anything about your dear Second Brother?”

Mu Yu only intended to get Lan Ling’er’s attention, but her eyes suddenly burnt. She bolted over and hugged him, wailing on his shoulder. God forbid he knew what was going on. He froze up, unsure what to do with his hands. His heart pounded in his chest. He couldn’t process what was transpiring. A part of him was happy she hugged him; he liked being in her arms and watching her sleep in peace for some reason.

“Say, uh, did you miss me or something?” clumsily questioned Mu Yu.

“I… I finally have news on Second Brother.”

All of Lan Ling’er’s pent-up emotions gushed out from her eyes similarly to a dam that had been waiting to burst. Mu Yu’s question was merely the trigger. Mu Yu froze stiff. He knew she was attached to him but not to that extent. A part of him didn’t want Lie Shang, whom was often a victim of his quarrels with her, to come back.

Mu Yu didn’t know how to feel about Lan Ling’er hugging him. Her embrace brought deep-seated feelings up to the surface, but the fact she hugged him because of Lie Shang left a bitter taste in his mouth. He thought he disliked her; the bizarre feelings didn’t correspond.

“There’s finally news of him? I thought he was sold off.”

Mu Yu regretted saying that as Lan Ling’er soon realised what she was doing and let go.

“Sorry, I wanted to find… I couldn’t control myself… Just… Just pretend nothing happened!”

Lan Ling’er didn’t flip out in response to what Mu Yu said. The joyous news deprived her of sleep. She didn’t expect herself to bawl her eyes out on Mu Yu’s shoulder at all. She wiped her eyes and sat back down, fronting as if nothing ever happened.

A smile came to Mu Yu’s lips. “I’ve never seen you cry. Which refugee camp did he come from?”

Mu Yu didn’t want to say that. Howbeit, he wanted to somehow erase the bitter feelings and to hide the fact that Lan Ling’er’s hug got to him. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect and rubbed salt onto his wound.

“Shut up! Once he comes back, you’ll know what shame is.” Lan Ling’er gave Mu Yu a fierce glare. “Tell anyone I cried, and I’ll have you know my fury!”

Lan Ling’er was her usual self, but Mu Yu wasn’t his usual self.

Before Mu Yu knew it, Lan Ling’er occupied a place in his heart. He never knew why he was fond of lampooning her. He didn’t mind belittling himself for the bit of fun, either. However, he hated Lie Shang the moment he learnt she hugged him for Lie Shang’s sake. Even so, he forced a smile. “How did you find out? Don’t tell me you have interlinked hearts. I don’t subscribe to superstitious rubbish.”

Lan Ling’er looked at Mu Yu through her peripherals. “He must’ve been here recently. Shifu personally set the formation in our courtyard. Hence, we’re the only ones who know how to enter. There are no signs of anyone breaking in, meaning somebody entered the proper way. When I entered, I noticed the blanket folded differently to how I folded it. That’s how Second Brother folds blankets!”

“You haven’t been here in almost a year. How do you know that? You could’ve been the one who folded it.” Mu Yu judged Lan Ling’er to be convoluting the entire plot if not deluding herself.

Lan Ling’er shook her head. “I didn’t gold it. Shifu came here last month for the annual recruitment, remember? He’s not one to fold blankets. He pulls his blankets off and rolls right out of bed. Second Brother is cautious and orderly. Only he folds his blankets that style and sets them in that exact position every time. He taught me to fold them, so my memory wouldn’t fail me. I fold in the opposite direction to him…”

Lan Ling’er’s eyes turned red again as she recalled their time growing up alongside each other and his silent departure that shattered her dream. Mu Yu wanted to argue their Shifu might’ve folded it that way in memory of Lie Shang but stopped himself from dealing a mental blow to her. Yearning could lead to stubbornness. There was no reason to step on her feelings.

“I spent three days searching for Second Brother in the city to no avail. I thought he’d come here…”  Lan Ling’er’s voice gradually tapered off as she spoke. She had been praying Lie Shang would suddenly show up and take her hand to explain why he left. She had so much to say and wanted just a glimpse of him. Alas, Mu Yu was the only one to appear.

Suddenly, Lan Ling’er raised her head enthusiastically and jumped to her feet. “Ah! He might’ve returned to the mountain. What am I still doing here? I’m sure he’s gone back. I need to ask Shifu if he folded the blankets next month. That’ll affirm my suspicions…”

Mu Yu sighed.

“You’re not going anywhere,” someone suddenly threatened, tone frigid.

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