That night, Xuanji packed some clothes, preparing to ascend to Mingxia Cave early the next morning.
He Danping wiped her tears while packing some tasty dry food for her, then said, "From now on, you must practice diligently... Don't make your father angry again. When you're alone in Mingxia Cave, don't let your thoughts wander or be afraid, your mother will surely fetch you down soon."
Xuanji nodded in silence, agreeing.
Linglong quickly arranged her loose hair into pigtails and said childishly, "Xuanji, don't be scared. I'll come to the cave to keep you company in a couple of days! Just wait for me! I'll take care of you."
He Danping, who was originally wiping away tears, couldn't help but laugh at this remark and said softly, "Silly child, not everyone can go to Mingxia Cave! Xuanji, don't blame your father for being heartless. That cave was established by our ancestors as a place to train one's willpower, specially designed for disciples lacking in focus. Your father sent you there for your own good. As the daughter of the Sect Leader, you might not need to add glory to your father's reputation, but at least don't bring him shame. Incidents like what happened today at the Martial Arts Training Field must not happen again, understood?"
Before Xuanji could speak, Linglong rushed to say, "Father only cares about face! My sister clearly has a frail body and isn't suitable for training, yet he doesn't feel sorry for her at all!"
He Danping frowned and said, "Linglong, mind your words! What business is it of yours to comment on your father's actions?"
Still feeling indignant, Linglong pouted away to mutter to herself.
He Danping held Xuanji's hand and added, "The cave is cold and damp, remember to wear more clothes. Your Sixth Brother will deliver food to you daily, and if you fall ill, make sure to tell him so we can bring you down." Her motherly heart showed as she rambled on about many meticulous little things.
It wasn't until a few junior disciples came to call them for dinner that she stopped talking, only heaving a sigh and caressing Xuanji's head.
"Madam, the Master said he's dining at Little Yang Peak today and will also discuss next month's Flower Pinning Conference with Master Yang and the others, so he won't be coming back tonight. Please, Madam and the two young mistresses, make yourselves comfortable."
A disciple spoke from outside the door, his voice recognizable as the sixth, Zhong Minyan.
Upon hearing it was him, Linglong cheerfully lifted the curtain and ran out, saying, "Then Xiao Liuzi can have dinner with us today."
Zhong Minyan made a face at her silently, not uttering a word. He Danping walked out with Xuanji, smiling, "You child, Brother Zhong is three years older than you! Mind your manners! Min Yan, since your eldest brother and your master aren't at the other residence, call your brothers to come home for dinner. It'll be livelier with everyone together."
Zhong Minyan laughed and agreed, then straightened himself up. Out of all the disciples of the Min Generation, he was the youngest, with Linglong and Xuanji following him. Handsome, sharp, and sweet-talking, he was well-liked by the Master and Madam, and Linglong was especially fond of his company, always teasing and bantering with him.
Seeing Xuanji standing next to the Madam, her face pale and expressionless as if made of transparent porcelain, he couldn't help feeling repulsed.
He disliked Zhe Xuanji; she always wore a blank expression, never smiled, and seemed like a wooden dummy. Being near her, his mood inevitably turned sour, and the air around them stagnated. He himself was naturally eloquent and persuasive, able to sway even the Master, but he was unable to reason with Xuanji. She was irritating, nodding her head all the time as if extremely receptive, but immediately returned to her own ways once out of sight.
Zhong Minyan decided she was cunning and duplicitous and since then had stopped talking to her. Linglong was better - a young girl should be naive and bold. Otherwise, what's the difference between her and a puppet?
He was about to turn and call his senior brothers to dinner when something occurred to him, and he turned back to add quietly, "Ah, the Master did have a few words for me to pass on to Xuanji. He said: Don't think about being lazy and resistant, reflect on your actions and practice well in the cave. If by the next inspection you still can't perform Xuanming Fist, don't expect to leave the cave."
Xuanji uttered an "Oh," showing little reaction, and Zhong Minyan, who had hoped to see her break down in tears, found the situation utterly uninteresting and left.
As a result, Zhong Minyan's delivery of the message rendered the dinner atmosphere extremely heavy. The Madam's eyes were red, probably from crying in secret again, and even Linglong sat with a bitter face, silent. Regretting his actions, Zhong Minyan secretly kicked Second Senior Brother Chen Minjue under the table, trying to get him to crack jokes to lighten the mood.
Second Senior Brother Chen Minjue, before becoming an apprentice, used to assist a storyteller, and thus he grew up listening to all sorts of fascinating tales and jokes, making him quite skilled at speaking. Seeing that no one else dared to speak and being the oldest among his peers, except for Madam Sect Leader, he couldn't help but clear his throat and said with an air of mystery, "Hey, do you guys know there's a big event coming up in our sect?"
Linglong, the most quick-witted among them, eagerly replied, "I know! It's the Flower Pinning Conference next month, right?"
Chen Minjue, with a grin and stroking his beardless chin, shook his head and said, "True, the Flower Pinning Conference is happening, but do you know what the highlight of this year's conference is?"
Linglong furrowed her brows in thought and said, "Highlight? Isn't it where the elite disciples from the five great sects spar with each other to showcase their martial skills and Immortal Law? Our brothers of the Min generation aren't old enough to compete yet, could it be that our eldest brother was selected?"
Chen Minjue didn't respond, just shook his head with that annoying, secretive smile on his face, making an impatient Linglong almost want to grab him by the collar and force him to spill the beans.
He Danping smiled and said, "Your eldest brother is indeed a rare talent, but he's also not of age to participate in the Flower Pinning Conference. One has to be at least eighteen. Stop teasing, Min Jue, just tell us."
Unruffled, Chen Minjue first asked, "Do you all know why the conference is named 'Flower Pinning'?"
Zhong Minyan answered, "I do know that one. The champion of the martial contest will be personally awarded a peony flower pinned onto his robe by Valley Master Rong of Dianjing Valley, hence the name Flower Pinning."
Chen Minjue laughed and said, "Wrong! That flower is not something you can pin on just because you're the champion! Otherwise, why didn't Valley Master Rong pin a flower on the champion from Fuyu Island during the last conference? You should know that this flower not only represents the peony, but it also symbolizes the final challenge that the champion must face after winning."
The crowd, hearing about this so-called final challenge for the first time, couldn't help but ask curiously, even Xuanji stared wide-eyed at the Second Senior Brother. He Danping, naturally as clear-headed as a mirror, just smiled and did not reveal the truth, letting the kids enjoy the suspense.
Having piqued everyone's curiosity, Chen Minjue finally said, "This final challenge is for the martial contest champion to fight a Great Demon! Of course, the demon is one that our predecessors have already captured and greatly weakened of its essence, otherwise how could an ordinary disciple subdue it? But don't underestimate the power of an injured demon. Even with its essence severely depleted and only twenty to thirty percent of its power remaining, few young disciples can defeat it single-handedly. If the conference was just about sparring, why would there be such grandeur? Since the beginning of this competition, less than ten people have truly managed to pin the peony flower. So, it's not as easy as you think!"
The crowd sighed in admiration, now understanding that the Flower Pinning Conference had such an exciting element. Linglong, fascinated, kept asking, "Then Second Senior Brother, do you know what demon will be at this year's Flower Pinning Conference?"
Chen Minjue replied, "That, I'm not sure about yet. But there have been reports of a Heavenly Dog causing trouble on Lutai Mountain recently, rendering the locals' lives miserable. I guess it's likely to be that one."
Full of interest, Linglong pressed Chen Minjue for more details, and he replied with a pained expression, "Junior Sister, I don't know any more! You might as well ask Madam Sect Leader; she's bound to know more about the Flower Pinning Conference."
He Danping nodded and said, "Second Senior Brother is right; if one cannot defeat the demon, they cannot pin the flower. Your father also participated in the Flower Pinning Conference back then. He was the youngest competitor but excelled in talent, nearly winning by a landslide. Yet, he suffered a setback against the demon and almost lost his life. There is still a long scar on his body from that battle!"
"What demon did Father face back then? Did he get the peony flower?"
"It was a notorious demon called Feiyi. It had plagued the northwest for three full years, causing not a single drop of rain to fall. Finally, your Sect Grandmaster and other elders from various sects exerted all their strength to subdue it for the grand finale of that year's Flower Pinning Conference. Your father fought with it for two days and nights, and only then did he prevail. When he emerged, his skin was cracked all over, and he was nearly dead. Then I..."
She suddenly stopped, her face flushing slightly. How could she tell these younger ones about what happened next, that she had dashed over, regardless of everything, and embraced him as he cried. Yet, he held onto that hard-won peony flower, tremblingly pinning it on her forehead, smiling and saying, "I've wanted to say this for a long time... fragrant flowers suit a beautiful woman. Now... I've finally found a flower that matches your beauty."
Ah, those sweet memories, also faded in color as time passed. But in the depths of her heart, those precious memories remained as vivid as if they had occurred only yesterday.
After dinner, everyone chatted for a while, comforted Xuanji, and then retired to rest.
That night, He Danping shed countless tears of heartache, speaking many words of worry to her daughter, hating that the night seemed especially short as daylight approached.
Xuanji, carrying a small bundle, opened the door and saw several disciples of her Uncle Master He Yang from Zhenxia Hall on the mountainside, standing at the doorstep. Dressed neatly in white robes with red trim, they greeted He Danping with respectful salutes and said, "Greetings, Sect Leader's Wife. We are ordered by the Sect Leader to escort Junior Sister Xuanji to her residence in Mingxia Cave."
Zhenxia Hall was in charge of the punishment for disciples who broke the rules. Zhe Lei having them come to pick up Xuanji clearly showed his impartiality. Unable to help herself, He Danping shed tears as she gave a few words of advice. Then, holding onto Linglong, who was crying profusely, she stood aside and watched them bind Xuanji with a golden rope, lift her onto the Black Jade Sedan, with one person on each side of the sedan holding the rails, channeling their energy in unison, and the heavy sedan started to float up into the air.
"Xuanji, don't be afraid! I will come to fetch you very soon!" He Danping waved vigorously at her from the ground.
Xuanji scooted to the side of the sedan, pale-faced, but luckily not showing any signs of sadness or fear. Seeing her mother and sister crying bitterly, although she didn't understand why, she felt a hint of sorrow and thus declared loudly, "I'll be fine! Mother, sister! Don't worry about me!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the Black Jade Sedan shot up into the sky, quickly becoming a black dot and disappearing from sight.
As for the legends of Mingxia Cave, Xuanji had only heard of them and never actually visited, so she didn't find the punishment to be terrifying. On the contrary, she felt relieved; after all, solitary confinement was much better than being beaten. She definitely didn't want to endure a slap from her father, that would be truly terrifying.
Her mother had packed her two bundles, one with clothing and another filled with dry food; her sleeves and chest pocket were also stuffed, which were trinkets from Linglong to alleviate her boredom. Unfortunately, she was tied up now and couldn't examine them closely.
But it turned out that Mingxia Cave was on Sun Peak. Sun Peak was the shortest peak of Shouyang Mountain, and strangely, there weren't many trees here, yet it was the area most frequented by wild beasts. Moreover, there were many naturally formed caves, with Mingxia Cave being the deepest and largest.
The Black Jade Sedan carried her, and in less than a moment, they arrived at the entrance of Mingxia Cave. Xuanji stuck her head out of the sedan to look around and saw a flat area encircled by pine trees. Oddly, the ground three feet in front of the cave entrance was barren, deep red in color like dried blood.
The four Zhenxia Hall disciples put the sedan down; one of them untied her, another picked up her two bundles, and they descended from the sedan before saying, "Junior Sister Xuanji, we must take you further into the cave."
She nodded obediently but did not ask why they needed to escort her. Could it be that they were afraid she would run away?
Only when she entered the cave did she realize that there was a Mystic Iron Gate installed inside, ten yards high, with locks thicker than her thigh. Whether entering or exiting, without a key, one could only stare blankly; the place was essentially a dungeon, belying its beautiful name of Mingxia.
After walking inside for less than fifteen minutes as the light dimmed and one could barely make out faces within five steps, Xuanji looked around and saw the ceiling and walls covered in moss, thankfully devoid of bats, presumably due to regular clearing.
Walking further, she suddenly heard the tinkling sound of water ahead, suggesting there was an underground spring.
Xuanji hadn't expected Mingxia Cave to have so many features. Not only was the entrance locked with an iron door, but upon entering, one also needed to row a boat for a quarter of an hour to reach the destination. By then, she couldn't see anything at all, putting her hand in front of her face and squinting yielded no sight.
The four men struck flint to light torches, and a simple stone house came into view, furnished primitively with stone beds and chairs. The so-called bed was just a smoother stone slab covered with a layer of damp straw; there wasn't even a blanket.
The men left her a piece of flint and a few candles, saying, "Well, Junior Sister Xuanji, may you cultivate with a peaceful heart here. We must take our leave now."
Xuanji nodded hurriedly; the men placed the bundles on the stone bed. Seeing her lost and disheartened expression, they couldn't bear it, so they left the torch with her and added, "Take care, Junior Sister! We hope you will achieve enlightenment soon."
After they left, silence, or rather, deathly stillness, quickly returned to the cave.
Xuanji had never stayed in such an eerily quiet environment before, where if one lingered too long, even the sound of their own heartbeat seemed like thunder, and the sound of blood flowing through veins could be heard.
She was stunned for a long while before turning to enter the stone house, first feeling the straw on the "bed." As expected, it was damp, and she had no idea how long it had been there. She then took a few pieces of clothing from her bundle to lay on top and tried to lie down, finding it hard and uncomfortable.
She had hardly suffered any hardship since she was a child, but now, confronted with such a strange environment, she finally felt aggrieved and wanted to cry. But then she thought; she was alone here, and crying her heart out would be meaningless. So, she just sniffled and continued to stare blankly. She had no idea when her mother would come to pick her up. Right now, she truly did not want to stay in this place, not at all.
She did not know how much time had passed when she fell asleep in bed and dreamed many strange dreams. It was a blur of her father wanting to scold her, her mother protecting her, and then suddenly, Zhong Minyan appeared from nowhere, looking at her with scorn and said, "It serves you right for being lazy!" After that, he transformed into Big Brother Du Minxing, who patted her head, promising that he would definitely speak on her behalf.
She was about to plead with him to let her out of the cave when suddenly Linglong came with a bucket of water and splashed it on her face, shouting, "You're daydreaming again, wake up!"
She shivered involuntarily and woke up with a start to complete darkness. It took her a long while to realize that the torches had burned out. With great difficulty, she got up, only to feel an icy coldness that seemed to cut to the bone, the dampness of the straw beneath her seeping through her clothing. Her small body could not help shaking, and she hurriedly wrapped herself in several clothes.
There was no sound, not a single one. This terrifying silence and darkness was even more unbearable than death. She curled up on the stone bed but could not suppress the shivering of her body. She could not even tell whether it was the cold that made her shake or the boundless emptiness and fear.
A long time passed before she remembered that the disciples of Zhenxia Hall had left her some candles and flint. After fumbling around on the bed for some time, she finally found the flint and struck it several times before lighting a candle. With light once again, she felt a bit more at ease and sat on the bed, staring blankly at the small orange flame of the candle.
There were only four candles, and she could not use them continuously. Hence, she calculated that she would have to spend most of her time in darkness. She could ask Zhong Minyan, but since he had always disliked her, he certainly would not agree. Rather than humiliating herself by asking, she decided it was better not to say anything at all.
Time in the cave was frozen, barely moving. She had no idea how much time had passed.
With nothing to do, she would usually sit and daydream all day. But now, left to sit by herself, she found herself unable to daydream. She could only take out the toys Linglong had given her: a slingshot, a mud bird, and a small red rattle-drum.
What use were these toys? They truly baffled her.
In desperation, she could only continue to try to sleep. But the stone bed was so cold it chilled her to the core, and no matter how much she tossed and turned, she could not fall asleep, her solitude washed over her, making her tremble uncontrollably.
The rattle-drum fell on the bed, making a crisp sound. She groped in the dark for it and held it in her hand. After a while, she gently gave it a twist.
Thud thud thud, thud thud thud.
The little rattle-drum made a loud noise.
In this dead and dark place, it was the only sound that accompanied her.
She continued to twist it.
Thud thud thud, thud thud thud.
It was as if she could see the lively New Year scene again.
Big Brother pounded the Kui skin drum tied with a large red silk ribbon, while Linglong bounced behind him, clapping her little waist drum. The air was filled with the sweet scent of red bean cakes her mother made, while her father instructed the young disciples to take out the good wine that had been stored in the cellar for a year and open it.
She actually liked the bustling scene too. She enjoyed being a small background color in the lively setting, not being heartlessly excluded, forgotten, and ignored by everyone.
Xuanji's thoughts were all over the place, but eventually, she fell deeply asleep again, unable to remember all these annoying and helpless matters.