We came out of the hidden chamber, and I studied the secret door more closely as Bai Ye shut it behind us. Its paint and texture were exactly the same as the wall, and the seal was so tight and sleek that once the door was closed, it was almost impossible to find the seam. I marveled at the skills behind such superb craftsmanship. Who knew Bai Ye had a talent for woodwork as well?
He saw my lingering gaze, though he seemed to have mistaken it for reluctance of letting Twin Stars go. "Like I said, you can come back for them anytime you want," he smiled. "Just remember one thing: don't continue with the meditation technique, since further bonding is no longer necessary for you at this point."
Those words sounded familiar … I remembered with a start that he had said something similar to that girl in my visions. I looked at him, puzzled. "Even if I were to use Twin Stars again?"
"Even if you use them again. That technique … works differently from regular meditation, and it's easy for things to go awry. Promise me that you won't try it without me watching over you."
More questions started bubbling up in my head, though I only nodded in the end. I shouldn't distract him with more concerns while he was at the critical moment of a breakthrough. "I promise," I said. "Don't be too worried about me, I'll stay safe while you're away."
"You need to do more than stay safe." He took my hand and led me out of the vault. "I have a long list of things to show you. I guarantee they'll keep you busy."
~ ~
He certainly kept me busy for the rest of the day. We stopped by the rare herbs garden first, where he went over everything from how to take care of the plants to which potions and pills I might need for which situation. Then he took me to the library and showed me a pile of books to follow for my self-training, and another pile to refer to if I needed extra information. When he pointed me to an illustrated tome of sword moves, I finally started feeling a bit uneasy.
He was being too thorough, going into so much detail that I didn't even think I would ever need it. He couldn't be planning on leaving me for years, could he? I quickly shook that thought out of my head. A retreat would take as long as it needed to, and there was no way for him to know the exact amount of time either. It was only natural that he wanted to prepare for the worst.
"If you have any questions on any of these techniques," he said, rearranging all the books he just showed me onto a separate shelf, "you can ask Teng Yuan. Out of everyone at Mount Hua, he knows my sword style the best, so he should be able to help you if you run into any trouble or feel your progress stagnate."
I nodded for the hundredth time today. "But it should be expected that my progress stagnates, shouldn't it? If I stop using Twin Stars …"
"The power of Twin Stars has been absorbed into your body enough. It should have compensated for your spiritual root by now, and your advancements won't be inhibited even if you stop using it."
He straightened, scanning the library carefully once more. "I think this should be it … Remember to practice every day. It's important now that your ascension would come much sooner than planned. Don't go too easy on yourself just because I'm not here, but don't push it either. Take good care of your body. After you stop your regular medicine, keep brewing the tuber fleece flower until it's used up. It's good for you that way. And—"
"Bai Ye," I interrupted him, suddenly unable to listen quietly any longer. I strode forward and looped my arms around him. "Don't say things like that … This is not the first time I'll be staying by myself. It's just like all those other trips you went on during the past years, isn't it? Nothing else changes … I just do whatever needs to be done on a normal day and wait for you to come back. Maybe this one will be a bit longer than usual … but don't talk like you'll be gone for years. It scares me."
He stiffened in my embrace. Then he let out a soft chuckle, and I felt the warmth of his palm landing on the top of my head. "You're right," he said. "It's been a while since my last retreat. I'm probably just too anxious about it, and that made me overthink things. I'm sorry if that made you feel stressed."
I shook my head. "Don't worry about me. It's dangerous to be distracted before a breakthrough. Concentrate on yourself. The sooner you can finish it safely, the sooner you can come out. I promise I won't get into any trouble this time, and I'll stay with friends I can trust. All I need is you to come back to me as soon as you can, safe and sound."
He rubbed my head gently, wrapping his other arm around my shoulders. "I'll be back as soon as I can." His voice was so soft that it was barely audible. Then he went quiet, as if debating with himself about something. After a long pause, he added, "Come spend the night with me, Qing-er."
I straightened to stare into his eyes. "You need to say that?" I gave him a glare. "What else are you expecting me to do on the last night before you disappear for who knows how long?"
Well, that was unlike anything I had ever said to him. He blinked, speechless for a moment before he let out a laugh.. A deep, ringing melody that echoed in the library for long after the last of our words.
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