Chapter 287: Chapter 173: Senior Sister Is the White Plum; Wordlessness Just Won’t Do_2
"Really?"
Wangshu lifted her head, her eyes showing a hint of vulnerability. Her attempts at poetry were merely to impress her junior. If even You Su said so, she wouldn’t allow herself to be discouraged.
"Indeed, if you don’t believe me, I will boldly recite two lines for you to hear." You Su declared confidently.
"Okay!" Wangshu nodded in response.
"Then I’ll humbly present my modest work."
Suddenly, You Su closed his eyes and gazed at the sky, as if looking through time and space to see his senior sister in white robes, alone in a white world counting snowflakes.
He couldn’t bear to see his senior sister heartbroken, so he gently recited a poem:
"A thousand flakes, ten thousand flakes, countless flakes..."
The Third Elder frowned upon hearing this, sighing inwardly.
He had thought You Su could turn the situation around, but it seems he too was an amateur, merely counting snowflakes like Wangshu. Would the next line say "there are so many to count"?
Yet, You Su’s unexpected next line made the Third Elder stop in his tracks.
"They fly into the plum blossoms and vanish."
Wangshu recited obediently:
"One flake, two flakes, three, four flakes, five flakes, six flakes, seven, eight flakes.
A thousand flakes, ten thousand flakes, countless flakes, fly into the white plum blossoms and vanish."
The Third Elder was taken aback, even Wangshu, who was not sensitive to words, seemed to see the world wrapped in silver, a lone plum blossom standing proud in the snow, its jade-like branches meeting the cold. The snow fell onto the plum blossoms, becoming part of them, making them ’disappear,’ wasn’t it just that?
The last line not only unified the previous lines but elevated these cold numbers to a poetic realm, making the entire piece pure and beautiful.
"On Lotus Peak, there are no white plum blossoms grown, yet you can draw such a connection, truly impressive." The Third Elder exclaimed deeply, You Su not only being blind but Wangshu’s description didn’t mention plum blossoms either. That he could conceive such a harmonious concluding line was indeed a stroke of genius.
Wangshu’s eyes sparkled with admiration for You Su, solidifying her resolve to have him teach her the Literary Dao.
You Su smiled cheerfully and said:
"The figure in the picture, that is the white plum."
Wangshu in her white dress and cloak, as the snow fell on her, it was as though snow melded into the person, and the person melded into the snow.
"Is this written for me?" Wangshu asked hesitantly.
"Of course." You Su affirmed.
Wangshu withdrew her hand from You Su’s sleeve, her jade rabbit mask concealing her face, her lowered head hiding her eyes. Only her tightly entwined pale fingers could be seen, exerting such force that they showed a flush of pink.
The Third Elder didn’t know whether to sigh or be upset, but had to admit this blind fellow really did pull it off this time. Further nit-picking would only show her narrow-mindedness.
"Thank you, junior brother." Wangshu suddenly thanked him, then turned to leave as if fleeing.
"Senior sister..."
You Su was at a loss, wanting to keep her, but Wangshu didn’t look back and quickly returned to her room.
Only the Third Elder in her ink green cheongsam remained in the yard, along with the bewildered You Su:
"Third Elder, what happened with senior sister?"
The Third Elder shook her head sorrowfully, taking a sip from her wine gourd, said:
"You recited your own poem and spoke your own words, do you not know what happened?"
You Su shook his head dazedly, he had never seen his senior sister react this way.
The Third Elder wouldn’t solve You Su’s confusion, she pursed her moist red lips and said:
"If you don’t know, you need to think slowly for yourself, I’m leaving."
After saying that, the elegant woman swayed her hips and left gracefully.
After walking a few steps, she glanced back at the bewildered You Su standing still, feeling pity for the blind fellow, her heart softened:
"Don’t overthink it, little Wangshu is so happy she doesn’t know how to face you, give her time to process."
"Is it really so..." You Su finally realized how much those few lines affected the young girl.
"Besides, find time to come to Bihua Peak in the coming days, you’ve done well, and deserve a reward."
"Third Elder exaggerates, this is just what You Su ought to do."
The Third Elder turned her head again, continuing down the mountain path, her melodious voice echoing in the air:
"In the end, you faced these troubles because of me. If I ignore you, what will those who know the truth think of me? Anyway, if you don’t come, the one who regrets won’t be me."
You Su smiled as he looked in the direction of the departing Third Elder.
The elegant lady may still hold some grudges against him, but her kindness towards him far outweighed any malice.
Lowering herself to plant a special skill within him in a heart-to-heart manner, even though it wasn’t used during the journey to Jade Ring Pool, it was enough to fill You Su with gratitude.
You Su took a deep breath of the mountain’s fragrance, only to feel happiness in the air.
...
The moon is bright, stars are sparse, migratory birds fly south.
Wangshu still hid in her room, not going out, You Su dared not disturb her.
You Su meditated in his room for the first time in ages, although he hadn’t stayed long, the familiar layout made him reminisce about his little home in Chuyun City.
The feeling of home is so wonderful.
At Jade Ring Pool, he had been on edge for more than half a month, never truly relaxing and enjoying that place of beauty.
Only back on the peak, near his master and senior sister, did he feel truly at ease.
He chuckled inwardly at how quickly he felt at home at Lotus Peak despite his short stay.
This is his nature, persistent in his beliefs.
He scanned his Spirit Platform, although still in the Middle Spirit Platform Realm, its height had increased, and Profound Qi concentration had risen, nearly reaching the threshold of Middle Realm Perfection.
It’s notable that he barely cultivated at Jade Ring Pool.
Moreover, his greatest gain at Jade Ring Pool wasn’t the improvement in cultivation nor the treasures given by Chengtao Venerable, but the realm he’d reached in the illusion — Feather Realm Perfection.
It approached the peak achievable below the Void Immortal Realm, a goal many cultivators aspire to, as the elusive Void Realm seems unattainable.
Yet, You Su and Ji Xueruo had already traversed this path once.
This undoubtedly offered a great opportunity, as many are stuck at various realms with no way forward, other’s experiences not necessarily fitting their own.
But You Su, with the insights from the illusion, has a fresh, profound understanding of his future cultivation path.
You Su, eighteen, in the Middle Spirit Platform Realm, considered quite good, but he and Ji Xueruo’s talents in cultivation couldn’t compare to their talents in Sword Dao and Skill Dao.
With this opportunity, their cultivation journeys will soar like never before.
Thinking of this, You Su smiled contentedly.
Ji Xueruo’s image surfaced in his mind, You Su feeling a sense of loss. Perhaps his most significant gain at Jade Ring Pool wasn’t the experience but that proud young girl...
Whether her sisters might encounter each other, and if Xueruo would tell Lingruo remains unknown. Given her nature, she’ll probably pretend ignorance, as such matters are too luxurious for a clan leader with burdens.
You Su resolved to strengthen himself quickly to help Ji Xueruo achieve her goals!
Together with his junior sister!
He suddenly recalled himself in the illusions growing weaker and didn’t want to lose face before his junior sister, thus took out the True Yang Sword Nurturing Spell.
Clearly, he must practice this Sword Nurturing Spell.
As he opened his black eyes to view the text, he found one page unusually prominent, seemingly shining with golden light.
Quickly flipping to that page, it turned out to be the golden paper from Book Mountain Pavilion he had forgotten!
Originally blank, now the surface showed a vivid scene!
