Chapter 23 - Heavy Snowstorm

Playing with the little girl was quite amusing, and that was enough for Chen Xia.　　Just because Huang Qingyue was beautiful didn't mean he intended to act on anything. He certainly could, but it wasn't necessary. Appreciating beauty was sufficient for him; he didn't want to procreate without an emotional foundation. He was deeply self-assured, with his actions always governed by his mind rather than impulses.　　Kneeling nearby, Huang Qingyue poured a pot of tea for Chen Xia, stifling a yawn and rubbing her eyes. She had stayed up all night playing chess with him and was exhausted.　　"Go rest on the bed," Chen Xia said, taking a small sip from his tea.　　"No, no, if you're not resting, how could I?"Huang Qingyue shook her head and refused, rubbing her tired eyes and trying to stay alert.　　Setting down the cup, Chen Xia tapped the table lightly with his fingers and smiled.　　"When you're hungry, you eat; when you're tired, you rest; when you're sleepy, you sleep. Don't worry about me—I'm not tired."　　After hesitating, Huang Qingyue glanced around and timidly suggested, "Then I'll sleep on the carpet."　　"Suit yourself," Chen Xia said, getting up and waving as he walked to the door. "You rest; I'm going out for a stroll."　　Without waiting for a response, he walked out leisurely. Huang Qingyue watched the closed door, dazed, before curling up on the carpet and falling asleep.　　The palace was vast, and Chen Xia roamed as if he were alone. No one dared to stop him. Maids and eunuchs would immediately kneel and bow whenever they saw his languid figure, respectfully greeting him.　　Chen Xia would return their greetings politely but wouldn't kneel in return. Everyone in the palace, even Emperor Song Wei, was required to bow to him.　　He stood as the highest person in the land.　　But as the saying goes, the higher you stand, the lonelier it gets. When you reach unmatched heights, all you see around you are respectful smiles.　　And that was fine by Chen Xia. He liked smiles—without the hint of reverence would be even better.　　"My godfather, I have ordered statues of you to be erected in every county of the Song Dynasty. Every year, the people will bow to them. Choose a date, and I'll arrange for it to be observed," Emperor Song Wei suggested.　　Chen Xia was slightly surprised. "Why bow to me? I can't grant wishes."　　"But you're the national guardian of the Song Dynasty!"Song Wei exclaimed. "You single-handedly drove away the barbarians and safeguarded all of Song. You're our protector, and it's only right for the people to bow to you!"　　Chen Xia rubbed his nose, a bit flustered by Song Wei's flattery, and waved dismissively. "Pick whatever day you like. I don't mind."　　"Alright, I'll prepare immediately and won't bother you further."With that, Song Wei quickly departed.　　Standing on the steps, Chen Xia slowly descended, thinking about his retreat and the plans he had ahead. It was his first year residing in the imperial city. Statues of him had been erected in every county across the Song Dynasty, and May 3rd had been designated as National Guardian Day, when all people were to bow to his statues, led by Emperor Song Wei and the court officials.　　While sitting quietly at home that day, Chen Xia received a notification:　　"Due to collective reverence on National Guardian Day, Dragon Energy: 100/100."　　It was full.　　Chen Xia blinked, then smiled—seemed like he could get stronger just by doing nothing.　　"Spirit Dragon Energy 0/1000."Another prompt came, indicating his Dragon Energy had evolved to Spirit Dragon Energy, now green instead of yellow. His eyes sparkled as the green Spirit Dragon Energy circulated within them before settling.　　[Spirit Dragon Energy: Third-tier dragon energy, capable of harnessing nature and blending with the universe.]　　It was a simple explanation. Chen Xia didn't have the chance to practice with it yet, but he'd explore it someday.　　"Chen, I've set up the board again—how about another game?"Huang Qingyue called out in her cheerful voice, inviting Chen Xia to join her.　　Now his maidservant, Huang Qingyue had, after a year of knowing him, come to understand that Chen Xia was a relaxed person without any airs, even asking her to call him simply "Chen."　　Chen Xia replied and sauntered over to play. Their chess skills were now about the same, as neither of them followed the rules. Chen Xia would let his "king" rush out to capture pieces under the pretense of "leading the troops personally," while Huang Qingyue moved her knight two spaces, claiming it was an Akhal-Teke horse. It was just fun between them, without strict rules.　　They even flew kites together in the palace. Holding a large kite, Huang Qingyue looked nervous and asked Chen Xia with concern, "Chen, do you think our kite will fly?"　　"Run a bit, and it'll naturally fly up," Chen Xia said, leaning against the wall with a smile.　　"Did you ever fly kites before?"she asked.　　"I tried once, but it didn't work."　　"Why not?"She looked up at him, curious.　　After a moment, he recalled and replied, smiling, "There was a strong wind, and no sun. I thought it was perfect kite weather, so I went up the mountain. But I forgot…"　　"Before lightning, there's usually a strong wind."　　"Ha-ha!"Huang Qingyue laughed freely, then asked with slight concern, "Were you okay?"　　"Lost the kite," Chen Xia replied simply.　　"Ha-ha."She chuckled again, then started running, but no matter what, the kite wouldn't fly. Breathlessly, she complained to him, "Chen, this kite won't fly!"　　"No wind."He gave a straightforward answer.　　As soon as he said that, Huang Qingyue turned and felt the gust hit her, blowing her hair and skirts. She held her skirt down and shouted through the wind, "Chen, will there be a thunderstorm with this much wind?"　　"No,"he replied gently through the breeze, his eyes gleaming green.　　Today, the wind was strong, and the kite flew high.　　In the wind, Huang Qingyue called out with a smile, "Chen, shall we fly kites together again next time?!"　　The wind swallowed her voice, but Chen Xia still heard it. Leaning against the wall, he nodded with a smile. "Sure."　　He didn't say when "next time"would be, though.　　Life was filled with farewells. With an endless lifespan, Chen Xia knew he shouldn't get too close to people—it wouldn't be good for either side.　　In the third year, during a snow-covered winter, Chen Xia rose early, dressed in a plain robe, and walked slowly out of the imperial city. He left as he had come, carrying nothing.　　The snow soon covered his footprints, erasing his presence completely.　　Perhaps snowy days were indeed perfect for farewells.　　Chen Xia was gone, quietly and without a trace.　　Next door, Huang Qingyue got up and, donning a thick cotton coat, playfully knocked on Chen Xia's door, calling out to wake him. Hearing no response, she laughed, knowing his lazy habits, and called again.　　"Chen, wake up! Chen…"　　No one replied.　　After a moment of doubt, she knocked harder, pushing the door open, only to find an empty room, unchanged except for Chen Xia's absence.　　"Chen, stop hiding—I see you," she called, thinking he was joking. But he never answered.　　Her face turned anxious as she called out louder. "Chen? Chen?!"　　There was no reply.　　She searched around the room until she found a piece of paper on the bed with three large words: "Farewell Letter."　　The letter's content was simple, lazily written in Chen Xia's style:　　"I believe there's no need to write a letter for a farewell since it's not exactly good news, but as a courtesy, here's a reminder: since we met by fate, take a look outside."　　Holding the letter, Huang Qingyue went outside, only to find a crooked snowman about ten meters away with a broom as if it were waving goodbye. Smiling through her tears, she waved back at the snowman.　　Then, suddenly, it collapsed, revealing a book inside. Huang Qingyue picked it up and read the cover: The Profound Tome of Dao.　　—　　News of the National Guardian's departure couldn't be hidden and spread quickly. Soon, the world knew he had gone.　　County officials grew anxious, determined to meet him and make a good impression, but they never did.　　People cannot stay on edge forever, and after a while, life returned to normal.　　But the most noteworthy change was in the martial world of Song.　　Since Chen Xia, the only known immortal, vanished, the martial world came alive again. Many masters established sects, even organizing a new "Top Ten Martial Artists" tournament called the "World's Martial Arts Tournament."　　It was the eighth year since Chen Xia's disappearance.　　The tournament, co-hosted by the imperial family, the Four Great Clans, and the Long Dragon Temple, offered prestigious ranks and rewards for the top ten martial artists, with the chance to serve in the Imperial Guard with high salaries.　　Naturally, it became the ultimate opportunity for martial masters to rise.　　Masters from all over poured into the tournament, held at the Sky Altar Waters—a beautiful place known for attracting idlers.