This was the first time I heard Wen Shiyin mention her past with Xie Lun. I considered my response carefully. "Senior Xie seems to enjoy teaching others," I said. "Every time I see Qi Lian, he's always excited to show off the new techniques he learned from Senior Xie."
Wen Shiyin chuckled. "Master Teng Yuan has too many disciples and too little time to spare. Xie Lun likes helping others. He says going over a technique with someone else refreshes it for himself as well, so he's always been like a second master to his juniors."
"He has the skills for it," I smiled. "It's a title well deserved."
Wen Shiyin nodded. "It was different for me though … I was only ten when I first came to Mount Hua, too much younger than most other disciples. None of them wanted to practice swords with a child. Xie Lun was the only one around my age, so we naturally spent a lot of time together."
"Ten?" I gasped. Most disciples started at Mount Hua between fourteen to sixteen. Even in my case, thirteen was on the younger side, though not unheard of. But ten?
"My master said waiting any longer would be a waste of my talent. I wonder if she still thinks that way right now—I never made it to the top disciples, after all." Wen Shiyin gave me a wry grimace. "But Xie Lun was different. He was a true genius even at such a young age. We used to get into fights with disciples much older than us, and he had never lost against any of them."
Xie Lun getting into fights with other disciples was a scene that I could barely imagine, and I found the thought amusing. "It's hard to believe Senior Xie was also a little brat once," I said.
Wen Shiyin didn't respond immediately. Instead, she tilted her head back and looked up into the forest canopy above us. The openings between treetops had grown wider as we walked. Afternoon sunlight spilled through the ceiling of leaves, falling onto her face and tinting her cheeks a rosy blush.
"He was never brash, even as a boy," she said softly. "Those older disciples … liked to talk down to us and make us feel small. One of them called me a pretty doll that would fit in better at a toy shop … He got a broken nose the day Xie Lun heard what he said." She smiled as if enjoying the memory. "Xie Lun learned his share of wicked spells just for those disciples: how to make someone choke while drinking water, how to give them nightmares, how to make their skin itch for days … that was when he learned the light spell as well."
Even though the story she was recounting wasn't a pretty one—I knew exactly how much those experiences hurt—the tone that she spoke of Xie Lun with was so warm and affectionate that it almost didn't sound like her. I wondered how long ago it was that she had drifted apart from him. Considering that Xie Lun had nothing but praises and respect for her, it pained me a little to see the two of them ending up like this.
"Senior Wen," I ventured, "I think Senior Xie—"
"Xie Lun is overpraised." Li Yuxian's voice interrupted us. "A cultivator's time is precious. Learning spells for pranks is such a waste of our lives." He caught up with us and offered a luring smile to Wen Shiyin. "I can teach you better skills if you like. Anything from defending yourself against much stronger opponents, to the quickest way of enhancing your spiritual power. I won't hold back any techniques that the Gatekeeper taught me."
The way he ogled Wen Shiyin made my skin crawl. He was certainly looking for a new dual cultivation partner, I thought with a shudder. I had to warn Wen Shiyin after this trip. But as I fumbled for a way to sidetrack the conversation, she only gave him a slanted glance.
"Only the techniques that the Gatekeeper taught you?" she asked. "I remember hearing Xiao Jing and Lin Xueyi discuss some technique that you've taught them … privately, and those two girls ended up in such a big fight that I thought they'd kill each other. Which technique was that again? Did you learn it from the Gatekeeper as well?"
The perfect smile on Li Yuxian's face cracked. "Xiao Jing and Lin Xueyi?" He repeated the names as the measured confidence drained from his voice. "I-I barely know them … You must be mistaken."
Wen Shiyin giggled. "Looks like you've been teaching so many that you can barely remember them yourself, Li Yuxian. I think I'll save you the trouble then, and not add myself to the long list."
Li Yuxian's smile turned uglier than a cry. I almost couldn't hold back a laugh. Well, I suppose there was no more need to worry about Wen Shiyin falling for his traps.
~ ~
We didn't run into any more demons or strange creatures for the next few days, only a few ferocious mountain beasts and some inclement weather. But the lack of danger actually gave everyone more time to get to know each other, and by the fifth day, all the senior disciples got together and decided that the purpose of the trip had been achieved. Everyone made excited promises about working together again at the Jade Temple, and we all dispersed back to our halls at Mount Hua.
Wen Shiyin was wise to organize such a trip, I thought as I made my way back on my flying sword. The benefit was obvious—even Guo Lingling's grudges against me seemed to have trailed off in the end. If things continued this way, the invitation to Jade Temple would truly be something to look forward to.
The sweet autumn breeze was cool on my face as I drew closer to Mount Hua. I wondered what Bai Ye was doing right now. Last time when I returned from East Village, he had already been waiting for me with a prepared bath. But would he know when I'd be returning this time? Would he be ready for me or would he—
"Would you not consider it?" A woman's voice suddenly came into my ears as I started to descend.
I looked down. The gate was open. Bai Ye stood behind it, and a woman was standing across from him over the threshold. "Just once?" she added.
I stumbled and almost fell off my sword before it made its landing.. I didn't need to guess to know who our guest might be.
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