Chapter Ninety-Seven: Tearful Eyes

Ye Sansi woke up naturally early in the morning. He did not know why, but he felt an irrepressible curiosity about this honored guest. Fangcun Immortal Island stood among the most prestigious powers in the world, on equal footing with Tianluo Mountain and the Divine Sword Villa. Even if their sect leaders or masters were to visit, Fang Jian would not place such great importance on them. This guest was certainly no ordinary person; Ye Sansi surmised that they must be an immortal.

Ye Sansi possessed an innate yearning for the way of the sword and the realm of the immortals. He did not seek immortality for the sake of eternal life, nor did he crave the admiration of the world. He simply wished to protect the innocent and the kind, as well as those he loved. To keep them safe brought him peace of mind, and to see them happy was his own true happiness.

After washing, Ye Sansi pushed open his door, took a deep breath of the fresh morning air, closed it behind him, and went to look for Ling Shuang and Nian'er.

Ye Sansi nodded and said with a smile, "That sounds like a good idea. However, it is getting late. You can finish your embroidery later; let us go to the main hall to meet the guest first. I expect Ling Shuang is finished washing as well; shall we go outside and wait for her?"

"Very well." As the two stepped out and Nian'er closed the door, Ling Shuang happened to emerge. She called out to them, "You two are quite diligent! I thought I was the first to wake, but it seems I am still behind you."

Ye Sansi laughed. "I can hardly call it diligence. I am simply playful and curious about the identity of this guest—someone who could make Fangcun Immortal Island show such courtesy, even my master dares not slight them."

He knocked on Ling Shuang’s door, and she responded from within. After exchanging greetings, he went to call Nian'er, only to find she was already awake with her door open. She sat at the table embroidering. When Ye Sansi knocked on the doorframe, Nian'er saw him and said hurriedly, "Young Master Ye, why are you up so early? Come in, come in."

Ye Sansi walked inside and said, "Isn't it because of what Master said about the honored guest? I am a curious person by nature; I kept thinking about it and naturally woke up when the time came. What about you? Why are you embroidering so early in the morning?"

"I was just thinking about the events of the past few days and felt unsettled. Perhaps I have grown too accustomed to a peaceful life and am not used to being in the midst of conflict. Xiong Gang’s accident a few days ago, and your disappearance the day before yesterday—I fear that one day... Oh, never mind. It is early in the morning, I should not speak such things. I thought I would embroider a handkerchief for each of you to carry for good luck and safety."

Ye Sansi and the others approached Fang Jian, all bowing respectfully. Fang Jian nodded and gestured for them to rise. Ye Sansi smiled and asked, "Master, why are you here so early? Is it because of the honored guest?"

Fang Jian nodded slowly, sipped his tea, and replied, "Indeed. Fang Yuan arrived even earlier; I sent him to escort the guest. They will arrive in the time it takes to burn two incense sticks. I was quite worried you would not make it in time."

"Master, who is coming? Why would you hold them in such high regard?"

The three had eaten well the night before and felt no hunger. They decided to head to the Qiankun Hall; it would be better to arrive early than to keep the guest waiting. This concerned the reputation of Fangcun Immortal Island, so they could not be careless.

They moved quickly and soon reached the Qiankun Training Ground. It was deserted at this hour. They climbed the long flights of stairs and arrived before the Qiankun Hall. Ye Sansi peeked inside and, seeing someone there, stepped in, only to realize it was Fang Jian sitting alone in a chair.

"They are here," Fang Jian said slowly.

Fang Jian sipped his tea again and continued, "This time, the Divine Sword Sect has sent their Third Elder as an envoy. This is a great honor for our Fangcun Immortal Island. Rather than calling it a consultation, it is more like an order. Whatever the Divine Sword Sect intends to do, our Immortal Island will surely assist with all our strength."

Ye Sansi nodded and said, "Master, to be honest, I have had a few encounters with the Divine Sword Sect. They once saved my life and helped me greatly. I told them then that if the Divine Sword Sect ever needed anything, I would do my utmost to assist them."

As he spoke, Fang Yuan led the guest in. Fang Jian quickly stood up to welcome her. Ye Sansi saw that the visitor was a woman dressed in black, her demeanor heroic and spirited. At a glance, one could tell she was a legendary swordswoman. Everyone bowed to welcome her.

"The envoy of the Divine Sword Sect has come at the command of their Sect Leader to discuss vital matters of the world with our Fangcun Immortal Island. I naturally cannot be negligent."

"Master, is the Divine Sword Sect truly that formidable? Does even Fangcun Immortal Island rank below them?"

Hearing this question, Fang Jian laughed heartily. "Hahaha, Sansi, you should know of the Divine Sword Sect's reach. Whether it be royalty, the imperial court, martial sects, markets, or villages, the Divine Sword Sect has disciples everywhere. And every disciple is a paragon of kindness, loyalty, and righteousness, fearing neither death nor hardship. For centuries, they have accomplished many great deeds for the world. We ourselves are humbled by comparison and hold them in deep respect."

The woman also stood up and said, "Why are you all standing? Please, sit. These discussions may last half the day; how can you stand? If you all stand, I shall have to stand with you."

Ye Sansi smiled and said, "Senior, we shall sit." After he sat down, Fang Jian nodded slightly, and only then did the others dare to take their seats. In truth, if only the Island Master were present, they would not be so concerned with etiquette, but in front of an outsider, such appearances had to be maintained.

The woman nodded in satisfaction, sat down, sipped her tea, and smiled at Fang Jian. "The disciples of the Immortal Island are indeed different; they understand etiquette so well. Not bad at all. I see these four young people are no ordinary youths. Are they all your beloved disciples?"

The woman waved her hand, walked toward the hall, found a side seat, and sat down. "Do not be so formal, stand up. I am quite thirsty after waking up this morning. Is there water to drink?"

At a signal from Fang Jian, Fang Yuan quickly poured tea. The others approached the hall. Fang Jian sat in the main seat while Ye Sansi and the others remained standing. The woman said, "Hey, hey, why are you not sitting?"

Fang Yuan bowed and replied, "You and the Island Master are both our seniors; how could we dare to sit with you? We shall stand."

"Are you Ye Sansi? The Ye Sansi who was besieged in Jianzhou City?"

Ye Sansi smiled. "Senior, those days of distress are hardly worth mentioning. I must thank the Divine Sword Sect for saving my life."

"A small matter, a small matter. You were the clever one, delivering the message so skillfully and distracting the city guards, allowing our people to enter the city easily and eliminate many of the Iron-Clad Army. If we talk about gratitude, shouldn't the Divine Sword Sect be thanking you?"

Fang Jian shook his head and pointed, saying, "He is my disciple; the others are disciples of my martial brothers."

The woman stared at Ye Sansi and asked, "Young man, what is your name? Where are you from?"

Ye Sansi stood and bowed, replying, "Reporting to Senior, my name is Ye Sansi, and I am from Qingyang."

"Good, good, good. You are an interesting child. You speak as if you were forty years old. Just do as you think; I will not force you. Also, my name is Long Xian. You may call me Elder Long or Grandma Long; this 'Senior' title does not sound pleasant at all."

Liu Lingshuang followed up on Long Xian's words, saying, "Grandma Long? I see that your appearance and figure are those of someone in their early twenties. Why would you like such a title?"

Fang Jian said, "Lingshuang, do not be rude. Elder Long is ten years older than me; how could she be in her early twenties?"

"Hahaha, Senior, eliminating those wicked iron-clad soldiers was doing a service for the people. I merely used your presence to escape. Hearing you speak this way makes me feel truly ashamed."

The woman clapped and laughed heartily. "This boy is truly interesting; I like him. If Fangcun Immortal Island ever abandons you, come to my Divine Sword Sect. With me protecting you, no one will dare to bully you."

This promise from the woman left Ye Sansi at a loss. He quickly stood up again, bowed, and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior. My master treats me very well; why would he abandon me? If there is an opportunity in the future, I will certainly visit the Divine Sword Sect."

"Sister Long, my surname is Liu, and my given name is Lingshuang. I see that you often wear a smile, and you look truly beautiful when you do. I also thought you were about my age."

By worldly standards, Liu Lingshuang's words would be considered rude, but Long Xian did not mind. She found Lingshuang lively and adorable, and her words were pleasant to hear. She was so amused by Lingshuang that she could not stop smiling. After chatting for a while, Long Xian remembered the main business.

Long Xian cleared her throat, leaned toward Fang Jian, and asked, "Are you absolutely certain you can trust these four people present?"

Long Xian smiled again and waved her hand. "This girl also speaks kind words. Who would not want to remain in the beautiful prime of their early twenties? I am truly old now. Though my appearance has not changed, my mind has matured long ago. I can no longer be as carefree as a child. Sigh, just thinking about it is a pity."

Liu Lingshuang smiled. "Grandma Long, that title does not sound good either. Given your appearance, how about I call you Sister?"

"Hahaha, this child is truly interesting. You may call me whatever you wish; I allow it."

"Island Master, do not take this lightly. If they are exposed, I fear these monsters might take action prematurely. We do not know their plans, and if they act early, it will be hard to mitigate the damage. Furthermore, neither you nor I can go, as our presence is too heavy and might be detected by powerful demons. The best candidates are disciples who have just joined and have low cultivation levels."

Fang Jian stood up and said, "Three of these four have just joined, but apart from Sansi, none of them know the Art of Sword Flight."

Long Xian thought for a moment and said to Ye Sansi, "Then... Young Hero Ye, would you be willing to go alone?"

"Elder Long, you may rest assured. I can vouch for these four; there are no spies among them. Whatever important business you have, you may speak it directly; there is no need to avoid them."

Long Xian continued, "Our Divine Sword Sect scouts have reported that a village near the Far North has been occupied by demons who have taken human form and settled there. Our sect leader fears they have a conspiracy and wants to send someone to investigate. However, these demons are alert, and we fear alarming them, so we can only observe from the sky. But our Divine Sword Sect only has a few dozen disciples who know the Art of Sword Flight, and they are all tied up with other assignments. I thought of Fangcun Immortal Island and came to ask the Island Master for help."

Fang Jian laughed, "Is that all? Leave it to me. The Art of Sword Flight is a mandatory skill for my disciples..."

"But, Sansi... this task is dangerous," Fang Jian worried.

"The disciple does not fear danger. I came to Fangcun to learn the immortal arts so that I could benefit the world. Danger is inevitable, and suffering is unavoidable. Thinking back on this past month, we have encountered many perilous situations, yet our group has never shied away. If we see the world in trouble and cannot help with all our might, then I have studied these immortal arts and martial arts in vain. Sansi is willing to go and hopes Master will grant his request."

Ye Sansi's words were magnificent; one could tell from his tone that his mind was made up. Fang Jian sighed, patted Ye Sansi's shoulder, and said slowly, "To be honest, I am truly reluctant to let you face danger alone. But based on what you just said, I am proud of you. Since your mind is set, I shall grant your wish."

Before Ye Sansi could speak, Fang Jian added hurriedly, "Absolutely not! Sansi has only been here for a few days; how can I let him face such danger alone? No, no, absolutely not."

"Then..." Long Xian had no choice. Hearing Fang Jian's firm tone, she could understand his love for his disciple and had to think of another way.

Ye Sansi stood up, bowed to both Fang Jian and Long Xian, and said, "I, your disciple Sansi, am willing to go investigate."

Liu Lingshuang lowered her head and whispered, "Fine, I will listen to you and not make a scene. But when you are investigating, you must be careful. If you encounter danger, do not be reckless. Escape if you can; do not try to be a hero..."

Ye Sansi took Liu Lingshuang's hands and said gently, "Alright, alright, I will listen to everything you say. Think about it—my task is actually quite easy. I am just observing the village's movements from the sky, not fighting the monsters face-to-face. Nothing will happen."

Hearing Ye Sansi's comfort, Liu Lingshuang calmed down. She turned to Long Xian and asked, "Sister Long, how long will this trip take for Sansi?"

"Thank you, Master."

"Silly boy, I want to go with you."

Ye Sansi said sternly, "Don't be ridiculous. You don't know the Art of Sword Flight; how can you go? You heard what Elder Long said—if we are detected by the monsters, the world will suffer. In the face of such important matters, we must not be careless."

Seeing Ye Sansi's regret and Liu Lingshuang in tears, everyone felt helpless. In such a situation, if things remained this way, it would not end well. Long Xian broke the deadlock. "Since Young Hero Ye Sansi has decided to go with me, it is settled. Time is of the essence; the sooner we go, the sooner we return. Let us depart now, shall we?"

Ye Sansi nodded and agreed, "Yes, I will follow your instructions, Senior."

As soon as the words were spoken, Long Xian walked toward the door. Ye Sansi followed closely. Once outside the hall, she grabbed Ye Sansi's clothes, and they took to the sky and flew away.

Long Xian replied, "If the investigation goes well, it will take half a month to return..."

Liu Lingshuang stood on her tiptoes, kissed Ye Sansi on the forehead, then turned away, her voice trembling. "I will give you two months. If you have not returned in two months, I will leave the island and go to the Far North to find you."

"Alright, alright, two months, just two months. I will definitely return to see you." Ye Sansi made the promise, feeling a pang of heartache. He felt for Liu Lingshuang's painful state; perhaps the most powerful pain in the world was longing.

Leaving behind a final word: "Sister Liu, I shall look after your beloved for a while. I will certainly keep him safe, so you need not worry. If I have not gathered the information in two months, I will send him back."

Liu Lingshuang ran out of the Qiankun Hall, watching as Ye Sansi disappeared into the distance. She stared blankly, wiping her teary eyes. Lin Nian'er saw her condition and felt truly sorry for her.

But now that it had come to this, it was impossible to keep Sansi back. Lingshuang could only calm herself, force a smile, and nurse her sorrow in silence.