Chapter 10: Parting from the Mortal World Beneath the Cloudy Mountains (I)

I couldn't help but chuckle

I trembled as I looked at him; his gaze was clear and his expression serene. I had never known whether he was in pain, for six years ago, that hurried meeting with my mother was a farewell. But now I think, just as I lost my mother on this very night six years ago, he too will recall the conversation by the bamboo shadows in front of the long window as the final echo. He searches again in the vastness of the azure sky, knowing that the short hair he sees in the morning must be frosted, while the person of the past is long gone.

That black dot hangs at the lower end of the cloud clinging to the ancient pine on the mountaintop, swaying and floating with the branches of the pine.

Xumi Sword Technique

Jinxie still had that jade-like handsome face, which was also jade-like in its expressionless demeanor: "Because I regret it."

A drop of morning dew trembled at the tip of the pine needle for a long time before finally falling.

I prefer the mornings at Juwu Mountain Villa

I always practice swordsmanship at this moment, as the sun shines upon the horizon, increasingly illuminating the autumn waters with a chill. The slender and delicate blade unfurls a spectrum of seven colors, transforming in myriad ways

Amidst the ever-green pines and cypress trees of the four seasons, a round red sun rises slowly, large and full, piercing through the vast, endless mountain range like a flame, instantly dispersing the morning's milky white mist, while birds gracefully glide by, tracing beautiful silhouettes in the clouds and rosy skies

It is said that he is my father

If Yunnan Rona is smooth and soft silk, then the deep mountains of the north are like loosely woven fabric, pleasing to the eye and refreshing to the touch

Regretting having spoken too much and having recited too many poems

Thus, he subdued his brilliance, smoothed out his sharp edges, and withheld many words that could have been spoken, all for that night, for the woman from www.hetushu.com, whom he had not cherished properly

I really like the mountains of the northern region

I languidly drew my long sword, a flash of cold light gleaming.

The pine branches extend at an angle, below them lies an abyss of immeasurable depth

Bang

I naturally know that the old man has taken advantage of me

Our memories and our pain are, in fact, the same

Someone clapped vigorously, reciting with a tinge of bitterness: "Like Hou Yi shooting down the nine suns, majestic as the emperors riding dragons soaring, coming like thunder to quell anger, departing like rivers and seas gathering clear light

No one pays attention to me, the cold moon and empty wind remain as they are, and then, someone knocks on the tree trunk, with a sound of a sudden impact.

I raised my eyebrows in slight surprise as I saw a young man in splendid attire emerge from behind the cliff. His appearance could barely be considered handsome, but he was so thin that he resembled a plucked rooster that hadn't eaten for three days. He was swaying unsteadily in a silver and vermilion brocade robe adorned with cloud patterns, making the robe appear excessively large; when the mountain wind blew, it seemed as if it might be swept away.

The old man is quite proud, raising his head to look at me when others are around, and surprisingly managing to force a smile in front of people, though his complexion is a bit purple.

The round and lustrous water droplet landed perfectly on the tip of the sword, rolling smoothly as if it were a fine pearl resting on a jade plate, glistening and sleek

A slender branch fell lightly, yet a dark shadow sprang up, as if a wisp of cloud turned in mid-air, landing beside me

Birds perch as the moon moves, the moon illuminates the empty mountains, there is nothing outside the self, within this space there is only the zither. The seven strings serve as good friends, the two ears are the confidants, when the heart is tranquil, the sound becomes faint, its resonance transcends time.

It is said that he is planning to go up the mountain again soon

When I learned this set of sword techniques from the cult, I was almost overwhelmed by that unparalleled, delicate, and flexible body movement

Looking up at that black dot, he shook his head helplessly, took the unparalleled famous qin "Xiangquan" and placed it across his knees

I sat down with a compassionate expression, smiling, drinking and eating peanuts

In the end, the old man still cares for me

Regret? I find it quite strange. Over the years, I have rarely mentioned the events of that time, so this question has lingered in my heart for a long time without my willingness to ask it. However, tonight is a special occasion, and I believe I have the right to indulge myself for once

I sighed, drew my sword, and sheathed it again

Crack, stab, cut, wipe, swift as the flying wind

In spring, there are abundant flowers; in winter, there is snow; in summer, there is a cool breeze; and in autumn, there is the moon. The flowers endure the cold, the snow is pure, the wind is lofty, and the moon is clear and transparent, embodying a kind of grand and expansive beauty

After taking just a few steps, I heard footsteps behind me; that person had caught up, panting from the effort of those few steps: "Miss, please wait. Are you the young lady named Huaisu?"

There is a moon at the horizon

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It is hard to imagine that a man can bend his body in such a way, with a sword capable of thrusting from the elbow, the waist, the soles of the feet, and even from the hair, striking with an unimaginable swiftness from angles that are difficult to anticipate, as if possessed by a ghostly and capricious nature, both eerie and enchanting

That person considered himself quite dashing, wielding a large fan made of mud gold and jade bone, with a delicate painting of a flower-adorned lady on the white silk surface. Unfortunately, the wind was not in his favor, constantly pushing his fan backward. The young man, flustered, tried to fan it back, but ultimately, with a crack, the fan's bone broke.

The short sword danced, tracing a colorful fan-shaped arc of light. Just as the light and shadow flashed before my eyes, in an instant, they vanished beneath my sleeves. The wide sleeves, swirling and fluttering, gradually descended, and the moon-white skirt, sprinkled with purple cherry blossoms, slowly unfurled, blooming like a delicate flower amidst the verdant cliffs.

There are clouds at the end of the month

My resentment suddenly blazed like a raging fire, yet it is not directed at the wicked. Who, then, is the person I should cherish the most, if not my mother?

I smiled faintly, and with a barely noticeable flick of my wrist, the pearl instantly vanished from the tip of the sword, leaving the blade pristine, as if it had never been touched by dew

What is this supposed to be

There is a small black dot beneath the cloud

Thus, the old man quickly fell into my trap, captured by a bowl of candied lotus seeds, collapsing at the entrance of the secret chamber he vowed to protect with his life, allowing me to take away his beloved Zhaori with great ease

The Western clock thus fell victim to my malicious hands, being dismantled beyond recognition. There was no other choice; the old man was not only renowned for his wisdom and strategies, but also possessed remarkable skills in the art of Qi Men Dun Jia, as well as in the intricate techniques of situational feng shui and mechanisms, of which few in this world can rival.

As the last note fades, I set down the qin and smile gently: "The Book of Documents states: 'Shun played the five-stringed qin and sang the poems of the southern lands, and thus the world was governed.' Yet here I am, with a seven-stringed qin, playing the beautiful and serene 'Lushui,' yet I cannot even persuade a single person

The young man was initially quite embarrassed, holding the broken fan, unsure whether to leave or stay. He glanced at me from left to right, observing my expression. At that moment, when he saw me smile, he was completely taken aback, staring at me without blinking, his eyes filled with infatuation.

I leaped, jumped back, and my long sword rolled back.

I frowned, and the sword tip, bright as autumn water, lifted the greasy peanuts.

The man who believes that his words "Tomorrow, separated by mountains and peaks, the affairs of the world are both vague and distant" have come true, bringing an ominous omen to his mother, has he, all these years, been living in a state of longing and regret

The approaching evil will surely cause dizziness, and it will certainly weigh down like a thousand pounds. That frail branch will undoubtedly be unable to bear the burden, and it will certainly...

Snap

A sudden shout.

From a distance, that black dot sways in the wind, as if it has been shaken into the moon.

The wine has reached the treetops

All things are like Mount Sumeru, martial skills are like a mustard seed, when the mustard seed enters Mount Sumeru, the five senses cannot seek it

Close to evil, do not engage: "Tampering."

The white-haired figure with a sinister demeanor looked down at me and said, "You need to be persuaded"

Extend your fingers, gently caress and twist, the seven strings and thirteen frets produce a clear and distant sound, within the clarity lies a profound richness, the lingering echoes waft softly, meandering and winding, endlessly circling the mountains

This is a defensive sword technique, advantageous for defeating the enemy with a single strike. The sword should be short, sharp, and slender

I stood up and saw myself in the cold, crystal-like eyes of Jin Xie. Seven years had passed, skillfully shedding the innocence and naivety of youth. The woman standing vividly in Jin Xie's eyes was tall, with brows and eyes darker than the night. Dressed in white, her garments fluttered in the wind at the cliff's edge, while her flowing hair, like strands of black chrysanthemum, blossomed behind her slender shoulders and in the illustrations, coldly beautiful and infinitely flamboyant

Yesterday marked the anniversary of my mother's passing

When Jin Xie saw my sword, he simply said two words: "Cheap"

I was filled with rage and kicked the tree trunk, causing a loud clamor. The protruding branch trembled violently a few times, and it seemed as if it would send that man in black into an irreversible abyss.

If he did not know that I had learned this set of swordsmanship and needed a short sword, and if he had not sworn that he would not give this sword to anyone, how could it be so coincidental that at the moment I was captivated by him, his little finger was pointing directly at the Western clock on the wall

Yet it does not startle the roosting birds, nor does it tear the blades of grass; within its dimensions, it shifts and maneuvers, while beyond its dimensions, it remains as stable as ever

I maliciously think that I fear the mountain wind may be too strong, sweeping away the robe and leaving only the person, which would not be a pleasant sight

I frowned at him: "Master, I remember the first time I met you seven years ago, outside my mother's window. At that time, you spoke quite a bit, so why is it that shortly after, you stopped speaking?"

I sit cross-legged beneath the pine tree, with a qin, wine, sword, and peanuts laid out before me.

A sudden shout.

Then I proudly hung the sword at my waist, boasting to everyone about the old gentleman's generosity and selflessness

The cliff suddenly fell silent, with only the faint sound of the wind. Naturally, I did not wish to face a repugnant stranger, nor did I appreciate such a direct gaze. I averted my eyes from him and turned to leave.

I raised my head and lifted the wine jug in my hand: "Master, the old man has been sent to the Tianshan Mountains to gather herbs, and Yuan Zhen has gone to Jiangnan for some unknown business. I feel very lonely. As your disciple, I am worried about your well-being; you must accompany me for a drink"