Under the moonlight, we quickly left the city and descended into the outskirts. There, I found a dilapidated house. Despite its ruinous state, traces of human habitation lingered, though no one seemed to be present at the moment. After a brief consideration, I led Ling Xuan towards the back of the house.
Behind the house, a narrow path led into the mountains. At the foot of the mountain, we found a cave, with a faint glow of firelight emanating from within. I called out softly, "Master, are you there? It's me, Hongkeng…" With that, we entered the cave.
"Cough… cough…" Inside, we heard the sound of an elderly person coughing, followed by a voice saying, "Ah, you've come. Come in."
An elderly man, about seventy years old, appeared before us. His prominent cheekbones and simple clothing gave him a humble appearance. Though his hair and beard were completely white, his eyes were sharp and clear, showing no sign of age-induced weariness. Upon closer inspection, there was something otherworldly about him. As the saying goes, you can't judge a person by their appearance, and this seemingly ordinary old man was far from what he appeared. Ling Xuan knew well that this man was my revered master, so she dared not underestimate him in the slightest.
A fire was burning nearby, probably to provide warmth. Master sat cross-legged by the fire, with a deep brown gourd beside him. The faint aroma of alcohol still lingered in the air.
"Disciple has long dwelled in the mortal world since leaving the mountain and has not been able to fulfill his filial duties. Tonight, under the beautiful moon, I've come to pay my respects to Master. I hope you can forgive me." I gestured for Ling Xuan to sit cross-legged beside me, and spoke respectfully.
Master shot me a stern glance, clearly a bit annoyed. "You ungrateful disciple! You know it's been ages since you've come to see me, and now, instead of gallivanting about, you've finally remembered your old master."
Though his words were harsh, I knew his temperament well. He was just trying to show some authority, to curb my unruliness. After all, I've been a mischievous spirit since birth, and if there was one person in the world I feared, it was Master. Despite his stern tone, I knew he wasn't truly angry.
I scooted closer to him, grabbing his hand with a playful grin. "Hehe, Master, I'm here now, aren't I? I know it's been a while, but look, today I've brought my girlfriend with me. Her name is Youqin. Isn't she beautiful? When you're old, we'll both take care of you. Doesn't that sound good?"
Master glared at me once more before turning his attention to Ling Xuan. He looked her over, making her face flush red from embarrassment, before finally speaking. "No wonder you haven't visited for so long—you found yourself such a beautiful girlfriend. Ah, children grow up, and there's no controlling them anymore." He sighed, shaking his head.
Noticing his change in mood, I quickly shot Ling Xuan a glance. She caught on, flashing a sweet smile and respectfully calling him "Master," which made him burst out in laughter. After all, he had raised me like both a father and a teacher, so seeing me find such a lovely girlfriend was a great joy to him. He pulled out a peace knot from his robe and handed it to Ling Xuan, who knew well that anything Master gave was no ordinary trinket. She sweetly thanked him with a few more flattering words.
Master took a swig from the gourd, coughing slightly before his face returned to its usual calm. "You didn't come all this way just to visit me, did you? If there's something important you need help with, speak up. If I can assist, I will."
Ling Xuan looked at me, puzzled. She had no idea why I brought her here tonight.
I chuckled. "As expected of you, Master. Indeed, there is something I need."
"What is it?"
My expression grew serious, and I spoke in a solemn tone. "Master, you're likely aware that a great catastrophe is looming over the mortal world. I was born with a destiny to bring peace to the world, but since leaving the mountain, I've come to realize how vast the world is, and how limited my own abilities are. Frankly, I've only begun to grasp just how small my power is. I know that you have guarded this cave for years because of the ancient, nameless sword within. In my youth, I once tried to draw that sword, but I quickly learned that I was powerless to do so. Whenever I approached the sword, a fierce beast, a Qiongqi, would appear. At first, I was puzzled, but later I realized that the beast had manifested to protect the sword. Back then, I lacked the strength to confront it, but now that I've improved my skills, I've come with the intention of battling that beast. If I can claim the sword, it will aid me greatly in the battles to come."
Master had been listening with a sidelong glance, but when I mentioned the nameless sword, he suddenly paused. After I finished speaking, he took another swig from the gourd, leaving both Ling Xuan and me unsure of what he was thinking.
What I didn't know was that Master had sighed silently to himself. After a brief pause, he spoke slowly. "Very well. Since you've brought it up, I won't hide it from you any longer. With your current cultivation, you should indeed be able to draw that sword. As for the Qiongqi beast, I killed it two years ago…"
"Really?" My eyes lit up, and I couldn't help but exclaim in excitement. But I didn't notice the subtle change in Master's gaze, as if a hint of sorrow had appeared.
Master nodded, looking at me with a quiet expression. "Yes, the sword remains untouched in the cave. There's no rush. You haven't visited me in a long time—how about playing a few rounds of chess with me before you go?" He pulled out a chessboard from who knows where and laid it on the ground.
Seeing that there was still time, I glanced at Ling Xuan and then sat down to play with Master.
This felt like something from a distant past. During my time training with Master, life had been monotonous, but Master had taught me to play chess, which became a pastime for us. In the midst of our boredom, we would often play, back and forth, enjoying each other's company. However, I was never particularly interested in chess, and I lost to Master nine times out of ten. He always seemed to turn the game around just when I thought I was about to win. In my memory, I had never once beaten him.
Tonight was no exception.
My chess skills hadn't improved, and Master's had not declined. When he placed the final piece, I had clearly lost. Master shook his head and sighed. "All these years, and your chess skills haven't improved. You're too impatient. How can you win a game like that? Even if you were slightly better than me, with such a mindset, you would still end up fleeing in defeat."
I smiled lightly. "Master, chess is meant to be enjoyed. Why worry about winning or losing? We are all players in the game, but they say the bystander sees more clearly than those involved. While we are engrossed in victory or defeat, Ling Xuan, who knows nothing of chess, has probably gained more than we have."
Master paused, glancing at the bewildered Ling Xuan before stroking his beard with a chuckle. "A good saying indeed—'the bystander sees more clearly.' It seems your time in the mortal world has benefited you greatly. Perhaps I am too old and have become overly fixated."
I nodded to Ling Xuan with a smile. "You're too kind, Master."
Master looked at the sky outside the cave and said, "It's getting late. If you wish to take the sword, go ahead. Once you've retrieved it, it will be time for you to leave."
I nodded, pulling Ling Xuan along as we walked deeper into the cave. Master watched us until we disappeared into the darkness, and for some reason, he sighed. Yet, there was a rare look of contentment and affection in his eyes.