Yan Hui was also startled by the sword movement. She knew her senior disciple was a solemn and upstanding person. However she would've never guessed he would become so short-tempered after only a few months. Only a few words were exchanged before he swung.
Yan Hui hurriedly moved forward to block him: "Head Senior Disciple, calm down."
Zi Chen's anger blazed high. He gathered magic into his hand and pushed Yan Hui aside: "Move."
Yan Hui hadn't expected that and really was shoved aside.
Tian Yao's eyebrows furrowed at this sight.
When Yan Hui steadied herself and turned to look, Zi Chen was striking at Tian Yao. Tian Yao slightly shifted. It was a small movement, yet Zi Chen's sword completely missed Tian Yao. When Zi Chen was trying to reel in his momentum, Tian Yao raised his hand and lightly hit Zi Chen's wrist on its weakest point. There wasn't much power behind the blow, but Zi Chen's entire wrist became numb.
Zi Chen retreated. He clutched his wrist and sarcastically laughed: "An ordinary person."
His words his their mark, and Yan Hui felt her face sting. She put up a stubborn front: "He's, he's just good at martial arts. He doesn't have magic."
Zi Chen didn't want to hear Yan Hui's chatter. He only glared at Tian Yao: "My junior's messy aura is something you taught, isn't it?" His eyes darkened. "What are your intentions?" Zi Chen's tone was cold and flat.
"Intentions?" Tian Yao steadily looked back at Zi Chen. Although Tian Yao had no magic, it didn't affect his presence. "So what if her aura is because of my teachings? Ten years worth of your Chen Xing Mountain's teachings can't compare to a night of mine. I am not ashamed."
Zi Chen was angered by those words: "Let's see how long you can keep up that arrogance."
Magic gathered around Zi Chen's sword. The aura around it started to flow faster and faster. Even the naked eye could see the wind magic coating the blade's edge.
Zi Chen studied wind-related magic since young. Yan Hui could tell Zi Chen was going to truly face-off against Tian Yao. She looked all around in fear. Yan Hui kicked a rock that happened to be next to her. The rock hit Zi Chen's wrist right where Tian Yao had struck earlier. Zi Chen was distracted by the pain and looked at Yan Hui.
Yan Hui flashed and suddenly appeared behind Zi Chen. With a rapid movement, Yan Hui ruthlessly chopped Zi Chen's neck with the side of her hand.
With muddied magic and a muffled mutter, red light traced down Zi Chen's channels and burned throughout his entire body.
In a split second, the wind magic around Zi Chen's sword dispersed. The swirling magic also quieted. Zi Chen's body froze in place. The anger in his eyes seemed like it would torch whatever he saw.
"Yan Hui."
Yan Hui lazily apologized: "Sorry, sorry. I sealed your channels. You'll be able to move after an hour. There's nothing to fear, Head Senior Disciple."
How could he not worry? Zi Chen had always been steady and solemn. He was even more controlled than Ling Xiao. But now he was so angry that even words failed him: "You....you...." Zi Chen couldn't get the rest out. He didn't even know what to say.
Yan Hui sighed and walked off to the side to pick up a random stick:
"Head Senior Disciple, stop trying to impose on me. Now that I can no longer go back to Chen Xing Mountain, don't try to find me again. That way, the other shifus won't suspicions about you. I haven't thought about returning since I've left. Just count this meeting as making up for not seeing me off when I left the mountain. There are many miles to wander in the jianghu. From henceforth, we are strangers to each other."
Yan Hui truly decided to sever ties with Chen Xing Mountain.
After the fox demon matter, she didn't want to nor was willing to hear any news regarding Ling Xiao. She feared one more small piece of news would thoroughly shatter her carefully protected image of her shifu.
Yan Hui leaving Wang Yu Luo, where information was gathered, was the start of her plan to avoid investigating the "truth".
She feared there would be a day when she found out the entire truth. That she wouldn't be able to bear the truth. Therefore, she might as well flee, might as well avoid it. Pretending like nothing was the matter was the best plan Yan Hui came up with.
Zi Chen's expression changed at Yan Hui's words. He didn't get his words out before Yan Hui brushed off the branch and flung it upwards. The branch immediately hovered in mid-air.
Yan Hui grabbed Tian Yao's hand and lithely jumped onto the branch. She didn't spare Zi Chen a look. Treating the branch as a sword, she summoned a wind and used the Propelling Sword Technique.
Zi Chen's channels were sealed, so he could only stand frozen in place. The wind ruffled his hair. He was a combination of fury, helplessness, and ruefulness.
Up to now, the only person in his class who could easily use wood as a sword and fly to her heart's content was Yan Hui. She was extremely gifted, and if she stayed in Chen Xing Mountain, she might be able to overtake Zhenren Su Ying. There was a real possibly, not empty conjecture.
Furthermore, Zi Chen had hoped Yan Hui would stay in Chen Xing Mountain. How could she so casually learn things from that unknown person? What if he was a bad person? What if he had.....bad intentions toward her?
Yan Hui brought Tian Yao along with the Propelling Sword Technique for two hours without rest. As the branch was in mid-air, standing space was limited. Yan Hui was smaller of frame than Tian Yao. Although Yan Hui was the one piloting the branch with magic, her entire body was wrapped in Tian Yao's embrace.
It was a tight hug. Yan Hui's body heat inevitably transferred to Tian Yao.
Yan Hui's hair blew about in the wind, confusing Tian Yao's line of sight. He looked at the far-off mountains and clouds. Suddenly he spoke: "Didn't you say you wouldn't care about me?"
Yan Hui's thought hadn't been focused on Tian Yao. However after she heard his question, she froze. Then she looked at Tian Yao out of the corner of her eye: "If you have complaints, I don't mind dropping you down here."
Tian Yao's mouth curled into a smile. He didn't ask further and changed the subject: "You didn't go easy against your senior disciple."
"I didn't plan on fighting." Yan Hui was puzzled. "I wanted to run, but who knew that his temper would be so high? I don't know what he was mad about."
Tian Yao's expression slightly changed. That was good. It was best she didn't know what Zi Chen was mad about.
Yan Hui rapidly flew in twisting paths. She made sure Zi Chen wouldn't be able to follow after them before she turned to fly directly southward.
Yan Hui originally thought that since Tian Yao was following her, she wouldn't use Propelling Sword. She didn't think an opportunity would happen. However since she already lost face and ended up using it, she might as well fly straight to Xiang Li Town.
Propelling Sword was fast. The two of them arrived to the town before darkness fell.
This place could be considered Yan Hui's hometown. When she was small, she lived in a small village not far from the town. Yan Hui wasn't prepared to return home tonight. She planned to stay in town for the night.
They paid for two rooms in an inn. Although Yan Hui was the owner of a small jewelry store, she hadn't even seen the store yet. She was still in the habit of being miserly.
Yan Hui warned Tian Yao repeatedly: "For now I'll let it be. But if in the future you become successful, then the past and current expenses for eating, lodging, and traveling need to be repaid."
Tian Yao didn't respond. His eyes were downcast as he went up the stairs, slightly hiding his contemplation.
Upon seeing this, Yan Hui tensed. Things never went well when Tian Yao had that expression. "What is it," asked Yan Hui. She looked all around and sniffed the air. She practically whispered: "Are there demons? I don't sense any."
Tian Yao looked up at Yan Hui: "I'm a demon."
Yan Hui was silent. Now that His Highness got his horns back, he also got his spine back too.
"It's nothing. Let's go to our rooms." Tian Yao reached the second floor. He turned his head. There was a window at the end of the hallway. It was cracked upon to allow fresh air into the inn. "I just feel like this place seems familiar, that's all."
Yan Hui was stunned: "How so?"
Tian Yao shook his head.
Yan Hui thought for a moment and said: "Don't think you can spout off some polished words and I'll forget the matter of you returning money."
"...." Tian Yao shot her a glance and pushed the door open to his room.
Yan Hui got up early the next day. It was rare to have time to properly get up. She even brushed her hair with more care than usual. Upon exiting the room, Yan Hui crashed right into Tian Yao.
Tian Yao was stunned for a moment, but Yan Hui didn't seem to notice. She single-mindedly fell upon the inn's breakfast: "Tian Yao, did you make porridge this morning?"
This place wasn't Wang Yu Lou. They wouldn't casually let anyone use their kitchen.
Tian Yao shook his head: "No."
Yan Hui sighed with extreme pity: "Then let's get some mantou and have breakfast on the go."
The village was very close to the town. There was no need for Propelling Sword. The two of them leisurely walked on the town's road and exited, heading south. The houses got smaller and smaller while the fields got bigger and bigger. The smell of grass was much stronger here than in the town.
There were already people working early in the fields.
Yan Hui was walking slowly. Tian Yao also didn't talk. It was rare of those two to walk so peacefully down a road. There was no arguing nor squabbling. There was no one in pursuit or in suspicion.
"The village is right up ahead." Yan Hui looked down the road. She slightly smiled, revealing a canine tooth. She looked mischievous: "That big tree ahead is a sign we're close to the village. It used to grow quite lushly, but it got burned down."
Tian Yao looked to where Yan Hui was talking about. He immediately narrowed his eyes.
There was a large, broken tree in that direction. All that was left was a jumble of roots and part of a mighty tree trunk. The trunk was so big that it would take five men to entirely encircle it. It could be seen that the tree would've been very lush and green before it burned down.
The two walked closer to the tree after talking. Upon a closer look, there were charcoal traces on the trunk caused by the fire. They had become both smooth and hard after long years in the wind and rain.
Tian Yao silently assessed the tree. Then Yan Hui suddenly spoke: "This is where I first met Ling Xiao and Head Senior Disciple." She reached out and touched the trunk. Her hand seemed especially pale against the bark. "Speaking of, I was the one who burned down the tree. Poor tree."
Tian Yao was stunned by her words. He turned to look at Yan Hui in disbelief: "You burned the tree?"
Perhaps he seemed too disbelieving of Yan Hui. She turned to look at him: "Ya, I burned it down."
Tian Yao blankly stared at Yan Hui when he heard her reply. He was so expressionless that it was like Yan Hui had stolen his soul....
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I wonder if we will meet Yan Hui's dad in the next chapter. I can't remember if he's dead or alive.....