Song of Silent Promise

4. Fu Siblings

"Yan, did you finish your assignment?" Another female voice, calm and steady, alerted Fu Yan of another person's presence.

A young woman with a heroic and straight appearance was sitting by the bed, her hand steadily wiping a sword using a polishing cloth. She was slim and could almost pass as a good-looking young man if not for her slightly protruding chest, small waist, and softer facial features. One could see some resemblance between her and Fu Yan, especially their sharp pointy eyebrows and thin lips. Her long hair was half-tied into a knot, pinned by a simple coronet with a cauldron engraving, the rest of her dark tresses fell towards her waist.

Fu Yan greeted the person, "Chun, you're here."

"Chun-jie has always been here. Are you free from now on, Yan-xiong?" Xu Yejing's lips were unmoving as she tilted her head slightly in an asking gesture. She propped her chin on her hand as she sat languidly, exposing her porcelain-smooth pale left wrist.

Fu Yan nodded, his line of sight falling onto the jade bangle on Xu Yejing's wrist. Noticing the slight curl of his lips, Xu Yejing sighed without a sound and hid her wrist inside her robe-sleeve.

The bangle was her first year birthday present from the mysterious Saint of Flaming Cauldron Sect. For as long as she could remember, Fu Yan and Fu Chun had stressed to her, time and again, to never remove the bangle. Xu Yejing had never actually met the present giver but was constantly told the bangle was a precious artifact, capable of transmitting what the wearer thought to the people who had signed a blood contract with the bangle.

Xu Yejing did not know exactly how many people had this ability. Fu Yan was definitely one, as she had heard from her father the youth had been around ever since she was able to open her eyes. The other one was Fu Chun, Fu Yan's twin sister who had also been assigned by the sect for the past few years to look after Xu Yejing's womanly needs.

Fu Yan had just returned from his travels - one of many he had to do for Flaming Cauldron Sect.

"It seems that cultivators are always busy, huh," Xu Yejing teased her senior brother.

Fu Yan and Fu Chun looked outstanding and seemed to never age - one of the enviable traits of being a cultivator. Fu Chun had always been around Xu Yejing since she reached puberty, but Fu Yan's disappearances to do various missions had become more often lately.

Fu Yan soon grumbled, "Who's to blame? Master decided to open a branch close to Xinlu City. As one of the more senior disciples in the area, I have to constantly run around to take care of things."

Xu Yejing knew, 'close to Xinlu City' was the appropriate term for cultivators. But for normal people like herself, that still means at least ten days journey by fast horse carriage. Such was the preference of cultivation sects, they tend to stay away from main populated towns.

Why did a prominent powerhouse like Flaming Cauldron Sect assign two disciples to watch over her? She could never understand, merely attributing it to the sect Saints' whims.

"I've been waiting for you to arrive, Yan-xiong. Can we leave now?" Xu Yejing asked again.

Fu Yan complained again, "Really, why can't that kid take a hint... . How long have his servants been waiting for?"

Xu Yejing was about to answer, when a sound was heard from outside her room, "Seventh Young Miss, the Young Master Qin's men have been waiting for half a day... ."

A flash of indescribable emotion flashed through Xu Yejing's eyes when she heard the soft female's voice, then it was quickly replaced by her usual indifference. Fu Chun stayed silent and handed a veiled hat to Xu Yejing. Fu Yan only opened the door after he saw Xu Yejing putting the hat on properly.