Reminisce the Forgotten Days ~ Return of the Mount Hua Sect

chapter 17

The night was quiet, with only the gentle sound of the river's water and the soft glow of the moon to keep him company. Moyong Jing took a deep breath and stared at his reflection in the water, his brow furrowed with concern. For a moment, he couldn't bear to look at himself. He'd always struggled to fulfill his father's expectations, but now it seemed like everything was falling apart.

Moyong Jing's eyes widened as the sound of a rock hitting the water echoed through the night. As its ripples spread, he noticed the stone was in the shape of a sword, the symbol of their family. He looked up and saw the reflection of the sword staring back at him, its blade shone brightly as if one touch would slice a whole arm off.

"Father... what has happened to you?" Moyong Jing muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. It was as if the sword's reflection was asking him the same question, mirroring his own internal conflicts. He reached out a hand to touch the water but pulled it back, feeling like he was in a dream that could end at any moment. Then he sighed, his chest heavy with the weight of everything that was happening in the sect.

The air was still, the night was quiet, and the only sound was the gentle lapping of water against the shore. Moyong Jing stood at the edge of the river, his eyes fixed on his own reflection. He was lost in thought, his mind consumed by the troubles that plagued the sect. As the water rippled, the lights from the lanterns above made it seem as if the pond was alive.

Moyong Jing let out a sigh of relief as he saw that the person approaching him was none other than his cousin, Moyong Yue. He was grateful to have someone who could understand what he was going through, but he was still wary of opening up to her about the conversation he had with his Lord.

Moyong Yue's expression was filled with concern as she saw her cousin's exhausted expression. She knew that something was bothering him, and she wanted to be there for him more than ever. She took a step closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Where were you the whole day?" she asked, her voice strained. "I've been looking for you. I was worried sick."

Moyong Jing looked up at his cousin and saw the genuine concern in her eyes. He felt a small sense of relief, knowing that he wasn't alone in this.

"I was with Father," he replied, the words tasting like bile in his mouth. "I wanted to confront him about what he's been doing to the sect."

Moyong Yue's expression turned into a scowl as she heard her cousin's words. She knew that the sect had changed since her uncle had taken over, but she didn't realize how severe the situation was.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice growing increasingly frustrated. "Why did he change so much? Why doesn't he care about the sect anymore?"

Moyong Jing sighed, feeling the weight of the situation bearing down on him. He didn't have any answers for his cousin, but he knew that he had to find a way to fix things before it was too late.

"I don't know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I won't give up. I'll find a way to make things right."

The gentle rustling of leaves in the wind and the sound of a distant crow brought Moyong Jing to his senses as he sat by the pond. His thoughts were interrupted suddenly as Moyong Yue emerged from the darkness, joining him at the edge of the water.

His cousin's presence brought him a sense of comfort, but he couldn't help feeling restless. The weight of the sect's troubles seemed to weigh heavily on his shoulders. As he looked at the water's reflection, he saw a determined yet exhausted expression on Moyong Yue's face.

She spoke first, breaking the silence between them. "We can't let the sect weaken like that..." She continued, her voice low and serious.

Moyong Jing nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of relief knowing that he wasn't alone in his worries. Then he dropped a bombshell that caught Moyong Yue off guard.