The Blood of Youth – CH 056

Chapter 56: Flying Ye Ruoyi

Since Lei Wujie last parted and went up the mountain, another month has passed by quickly.

The whole of Snow Moon City entered the most beautiful season of the year. The flowers of the Upper Pass were in full bloom, the winds of the Lower Pass remained strong, and the fragrance of flowers filled the entire city, carried by the wind.

Although Snow Moon City was beautiful, Cangshan was even more beautiful.

Presently, Lei Wujie was sitting leisurely on a tree, smelling the fragrance of flowers and feeling the wind in his hair. When he thought back to the days when he was training in the Lei Clan, compared to cultivating sword arts from the Snow Moon Sword Immortal, he was a lot more relaxed now. Lei Wujie closed his eyes and relished in the feeling of the flowers in the mountain and the wind in the city.

Half a month ago, Li Hanyi had asked him, “How far away can you smell the fragrance of flowers?” Lei Wujie replied, “Probably everything on this hillside. Shifu, how about you?” Li Hanyi chuckled and replied unhurriedly, “I can smell the entire Cangshan.”

Li Hanyi told him. The reason why the sword of a sword immortal was supremely powerful when executed was because their swords were in harmony with the Heavenly Law. Among the sword immortals, the Daoist Sword Immortal Zhao Yuzhen had been guarding Qingcheng Mountain for decades and had never stepped one foot off the mountain. His sword was in harmony with Qingcheng Mountain’s Daoism, so his sword was the strongest when he was on Qingcheng Mountain. As for Snow Moon Sword Immortal Li Hanyi, who spent his life practicing his sword on Cangshan, his sword was in harmony with every grass and tree and every flower and river on Cangshan. That’s why when he executed a sword, he could gather all the camellia flowers on the mountain. Among the five great sword immortals, the one who turned his back on life the most was Solitary Sword Immortal Luo Qingyang. He lived alone in a city and monopolized the loneliness of the city. Hence, it was said that anyone who went to challenge his sword could feel the wave of loneliness when they got within a hundred steps of the city, to the point where tears would start flowing uncontrollably. But every single sword immortal could make use of Heavenly Law, depending only on the duration. But, there were also sword immortals who were different. The Confucian Sword Immortal attained the Unfettered Heavenly Realm just by studying his books.

So what Lei Wujie had to do now was to make himself harmonize with the Heavenly Law of Cangshan. Although Lei Wujie didn’t really understand it, he simply practiced Li Hanyi’s core internal strength formula every day, then sat on the tree to breathe in and out.

“Someone’s here.” Lei Wujie suddenly opened his eyes.

Someone was coming up the mountain, and there were two of them. Their pace was extremely fast, but one person kept up a steady and vigorous pace, while the other was a little light and seemed to float on air. Lei Wujie reacted immediately and called out loudly, “Da-shixiong! Third… Xiao-xiongdi!”

The two people travelling up the path exchanged a glance, and Xiao Se frowned slightly. “How did he know the two of us were coming?”

Tang Lian grinned, his expression pleased. “I believe he’s entered the first stage of Second Shizun’s River Impeding Sword Realm. Who would have thought that after a month, he’d have made so much progress? Unlike some people who are only good at running away faster.”

Xiao Se ignored Tang Lian’s taunt but accelerated his pace further.

When the two of them arrived, Lei Wujie was sitting leisurely on the tree as he held up a finger that was slightly hooked, and a beautiful little butterfly was resting on it. Tang Lian smiled at the sight. “Second Shidi looks very relaxed, huh?”

Lei Wujie scratched his head. “Every day, Shifu tells me not to practice my sword but to sit here and smell the flowers. What kind of martial arts can be practiced using such relaxing methods?”

“This martial art is not as easy to practice as you think. All the animals on Cangshan are spiritual in nature. The butterfly is resting on your fingertip instead of getting alarmed and flying off. Not many people can achieve that.” Tang Lian’s smile suddenly vanished as he leaped into the air and his fingers flashed with a silver light. His fingertip blades were already armed and aimed at the butterfly. “I want its wings.”

“Da-shixiong, why have you become so cruel?” Lei Wujie laughed and somersaulted to land on the ground. He waved his hand lightly, and the butterfly fluttered away slowly.

“Then I’ll take your head!” Tang Lian went after it.

“Rainfall!” Lei Wujie called out, and the Rainfall sword that was placed under the tree unsheathed in response.

“Not bad. Not only have you succeeded in drawing your sword, you’ve even managed to control it,” Tang Lian praised.

“Shixiong, watch out. This is my sword, Moonlit Night and Flowering Dawn!” Lei Wujie shouted, his sword filled with power, and he rushed at Tang Lian. However, after the roaring gust of wind, they all witnessed the blade of the sword, and lying serenely on top of it was…

One camellia blossom.

Lei Wujie was stunned.

Tang Lian was also stunned.

Xiao Se turned his head and couldn’t bear to look.

Tang Lian walked forward a few steps, sliced the camellia into shreds with one blade, and said, “You called this Moonlit Night and Flowering Dawn. Did Second Shizun agree?”

Lei Wujie withdrew his sword awkwardly and flapped his hand. “Please don’t tell him.”

Tang Lian also kept his fingertip blade. “Where did Second Shizun go?”

Lei Wujie replied, “Second Shizun would go to the mountains every day to practice his sword. Apart from giving me some instructions every morning, I almost never see him. But he always gets back in time before meals.”

Xiao Se stepped forward and kicked him. “Are you complaining?”

Lei Wujie shook his head. “I wouldn’t dare. I was just thinking, maybe I can stop practicing my sword one day and go down the mountain and become a cook. By the way, did the two of you come up the mountain today to look for me or for Second Shizun?”

“You. To tell you about someone.” Xiao Se grinned.

“Who?” Lei Wujie was puzzled.

“A woman. Her name is Ye Ruoyi,” Tang Lian replied.

Lei Wujie thought for a while. “I don’t know her.”

“No, you know her.” Xiao Se had an ambiguous smile on his face.

“Not only do you know her, but she even bandaged your wounds.” Tang Lian and Xiao Se were very coordinated.

Lei Wujie suddenly remembered the lady in green robes that he met in Snow Moon City that day. Ye Ruoyi? What a nice name. Worthy of her. Lei Wujie blushed slightly, and he scratched his head. “Why are you telling me about her? I didn’t even ask.”

“Alright, then. We’re leaving.” Xiao Se turned around and was about to head down the mountain.

“Okay, okay, you talk, you talk.” Lei Wujie grabbed him hurriedly.

Tang Lian grinned and said, “Ruoyi came to Snow Moon City the same year as I did. All the disciples in Snow Moon City know her identity. She’s not a simple character. She’s the daughter of Ye Xiaoying, the current Defender General-in-Chief of the State.”

“Daughter of the General-in-Chief? Why is she here in Snow Moon City?” Lei Wujie was startled.

“She’s treating her illness,” Tang Lian replied slowly.

Lei Wujie suddenly remembered that when they met, the lady had coughed, and when he asked if she was sick, she nodded her head slightly. But what sort of illness would require her to come to Snow Moon City for treatment?

Tang Lian could tell what Lei Wujie was thinking and added, “Nobody really knows the specifics of her illness, but Third Shizun’s medical skills are second to none. Yet, he had been treating her for so many years, and her health doesn’t seem to be improving. I heard that the celestial masters in the Heavenly Revelations Directorate of Astronomy have also seen her but were unable to cure her illness. I guess this illness is not that simple.”

Lei Wujie frowned slightly and did not speak.

“Well, let’s not think about those things. Do you want to know her?” Xiao Se interjected suddenly.

“Huh?” Lei Wujie was taken aback.

“In three days, Snow Moon City will be hosting our annual Full Blossom Festival, and all the disciples in the city will be attending. Ye Ruoyi, who almost never leaves her house, will also be there. Would you like to attend?” Tang Lian patted Lei Wujie on his shoulder.

“Full Blossom Festival? Will Shifu be attending too?” Lei Wujie asked.

Tang Lian shook his head. “You must not tell your shifu. Third Shizun said that anyone can come, but Li Hanyi must not come.”

“Why not?” Lei Wujie asked in confusion.

Tang Lian grinned. “Probably because he’s afraid that your shifu will execute a sword move. Then, all the flowers at the Full Blossom Festival will be defoliated.”