He buried Xiao Xia and her father, setting up two wooden grave markers.
The plaques read 【Grave of Xiao Xia】 and 【Grave of Xiao Xia’s Father】 respectively.
The ironic part was that he still didn’t know Xiao Xia’s full name, and he didn’t even dare to write the name of the person who erected the tombstones.
“Xiao Xia Sister, is this enough…?”
Jiang Che stood guard by the graves, his mind seemingly empty, hollow. Before he knew it, he curled up and fell asleep beside the graves.
His body was exhausted from digging two graves, and with the night deepening, he collapsed from the strain right there at the graveside.
Just as Yun Fan was about to step forward, a dark green figure suddenly appeared, blocking his way.
He recognized her—Xu Qianlan, Head of Xuandan Peak.
Xu Qianlan made a shushing gesture. She had seen everything just now and wasn’t Lin Yin; watching this scene brought not heartbreak, but a bittersweet feeling.
She and Jiang Che had known each other for ten years, yet they still couldn’t compare to an ordinary person.
“You’re not allowed to tell anyone about your Senior Brother’s situation. Understood?”
“Understood!”
Yun Fan cupped his hands in acknowledgment. At least he knew Xu Qianlan wouldn’t harm his Senior Brother.
With that, Xu Qianlan lifted Jiang Che and hurried back to Xuandan Peak.
Passing by the mountain gate, she spotted something strange crawling up the stairs.
The creature was pure white, clumsily stretching out its paws as if using its last ounce of strength to climb the final step.
It expended every last bit of energy to haul itself up.
Xu Qianlan recognized it as a snow-white rabbit.
The rabbit lay sprawled on the ground, gasping heavily. No one knew how long it had taken to climb nearly a thousand meters up the mountain.
Xu Qianlan paid it little mind and flew toward Xuandan Peak.
She placed Jiang Che gently on a bed. He slept quietly. Seeing the cloth covering his eyes, she carefully removed it, revealing bloodstained tears.
“It’s so unfair. I’ve been so good to you, but all you think about is others. I’m afraid even your Junior Brother isn’t comparable to you.”
She gently caressed Jiang Che’s cheek, her eyes soft as silk.
“With such a handsome face, why won’t you smile anymore?”
Before, Xu Qianlan had been jealous of Lin Yin, but now her feelings were complicated. She could only smile bitterly to herself.
“Looks like I’m not much better than Lin Yin.”
After saying that, she lightly kissed Jiang Che’s forehead.
The night passed without a word.
Jiang Che dreamed, and once again it was a nightmare—as if his entire life was one.
He even dreamt of the imagined Hu Qiao’er.
The kind-hearted girl next door.
If only he could go back! That was truly his home.
When Jiang Che woke, he found himself back in Xu Qianlan’s wooden hut. The scent of spiritual herbs was strong and familiar.
But he still couldn’t figure out what Xu Qianlan wanted.
“Awake? It’s already noon and you really can sleep!”
Hearing Xu Qianlan’s voice, Jiang Che’s first thought was to check if he was still properly dressed.
Finding his clothes intact on the bed, he exhaled in relief.
This made Xu Qianlan laugh.
“All right, I didn’t undress you, but I changed the cloth over your eyes.
I have things to do. Your Junior Brother will come looking for you later. I’m leaving first. Oh! Don’t reveal your identity to anyone! And be good while waiting for me.”
Xu Qianlan had stayed by Jiang Che’s side all night and had made a decision—to take Jiang Che as her personal disciple before Lin Yin returned!
Once the matter was settled, she could use various excuses to persuade Lin Yin, saying it was for Jiang Che’s future. Even if Lin Yin objected, she’d have to agree!
And tomorrow was the Shenxiao Sect’s disciple recruitment day. Once that was over, she would hold a grand ceremony to officially accept Jiang Che as her disciple!
Xu Qianlan resolutely stepped out of the hut and opened the door, only to see Yun Fan waiting outside.
“Good morning, Master Uncle Xu.”
Yun Fan hadn’t practiced swordsmanship all morning. He had rushed back without rest to prepare a bowl of plain noodles for Jiang Che’s breakfast.
Xu Qianlan looked at the bowl of noodles, then glanced inside the hut at Jiang Che. Her eyes seemed to hide an unspoken comment.
Let’s see what kind of mess you’ve made of the boy.
“Take good care of your Senior Brother.”
With that, Xu Qianlan left without looking back.
“Senior Brother, you must be hungry. Junior Brother made you something to eat.”
Hearing Yun Fan’s voice, Jiang Che felt a twinge inside.
His mind had been in turmoil these past days. The matter of Xiao Xia weighed heavily on him. Last night, he acted for Xiao Xia’s sake and to calm himself.
But all the while, he had neglected his Junior Brother.
The aroma of plain noodles stirred his appetite.
Even though these past days he had been well cared for by Xu Qianlan, Jiang Che did not find this simple meal unappealing.
“Yun Fan, how have you been these three years?”
“Hehe.”
Yun Fan scratched his head.
“Senior Brother, I’ve been okay these three years. Since you left, no one’s bullied me. I kept doing menial tasks, and Master has been searching for you all this time.
Now only me and Second Senior Sister are left on Lingjian Peak, but life isn’t hard at all.
The only trouble is some outer or menial disciples sneak into our Lingjian Peak Scripture Repository when Second Senior Sister is in seclusion to steal sword techniques. But the Jin Zhi always repels them. Several even got struck by lightning—it was hilarious!”
Jiang Che instinctively took on the role of Senior Brother and ruffled Yun Fan’s head, who was much taller than him.
“Didn’t they bully you?”
Hearing this, Yun Fan looked sheepish.
“No, Senior Brother, I’m already Qi Refining Fifth Layer. I can protect myself now.”
Jiang Che smiled bitterly inside.
Menial disciples in Shenxiao Sect with Qi Refining Seventh or Eighth Layer were everywhere, and he was claiming he could protect himself.
He also realized the current state of Shenxiao Sect was worse than he had thought—perhaps because he had been Senior Brother, he hadn’t noticed.
“Senior Brother, I really wasn’t bullied. Second Senior Sister often instructs me in cultivation.
But I haven’t seen her in over a year now. Sigh, she knows your character well but doesn’t speak up for you, making things difficult for you…”
“All right, enough. That girl always thought I was frivolous and not serious enough. Now that she’s in charge, maybe she’s gotten what she wanted.”
Sensing Jiang Che’s mood, Yun Fan didn’t continue.
He wanted to say things weren’t as Jiang Che imagined.
Since that day, Second Senior Sister Bai Rushuang hadn’t managed Lingjian Peak as orderly as she had expected.
The overwhelming affairs wore her down, and she had changed completely. Yun Fan just didn’t know how to tell Jiang Che.
“By the way, Senior Brother! Is this return meant to be a fresh start to clear past shame under a new identity?
There’s a disciple recruitment soon. With your skills, you’ll surely stand out!
And you look so different now, I’m sure no one will recognize you!”
Jiang Che twitched at the words. Yeah, right. It was Lin Yin and Xu Qianlan who had recognized him right away.
“Sigh, I never planned to come back. I’m just an ordinary person now. You should be able to tell.”