Song of Plum Blossom Mountain (梅花山之歌)

Chapter 3

"I gladly accept the task," Yu TianMin answered sweetly, masking the anger in her voice. Mu RongXue simply nodded and turned around, seemingly to head back to her Pavilion, without sparing the other a single glance.

Yu TianMin let out a long breath and marched forwards into the dense mist as if heading to the gallows, unbeknownst of the concealed figure shadowing her.

Of course Mu RongXue couldn't leave the little protagonist alone! What is she faced some real danger? The person Yu TianMin would hold a grudge against would be her! To be honest, Mu RongXue also didn't know much about sword arts but her muscle memories and naturally high aptitude was enough to ensure Yu TianMin's safety for the most part.

One leading and one discreetly following, the two hadn't wandered for long before they had their encounter. Mu RongXue could only hide behind the nearby foliage and stare dumbstruck at the fierce battle unfolding before her.

"Protagonist's halo is also the protagonist's curse! They had clearly only been walking for fifteen minuets, and suddenly the high-grade Shadow Python, that should only be found in the most inner parts of the forest, popped out as if it weren't the final boss that was supposed to guard the thousand-year fire lotus!" Mu RongXue thought, concentrating her qi around a small leaf, and sending it to stealthily offer the protagonist some assistance.

The demonic beast was unrelenting in its attacks, forcing Yu TianMin, and the hidden Mu RongXue, deeper and deeper into the forest. Yu TianMin had yet to acquire a personal sword and the standard issued sword for young disciples was on the verge of shattering. Yu TianMin grit her teeth and tightened her grip on the sword. Her breathing was getting heavier with every blow she received, her movements dulling as the battle drew out. She'd been quite lucky in avoiding some of the python's attacks, the direction of its tail veering off course at the last moment, as if it hit a barrier, but she felt that her luck was about to run dry. As a final stance Yu TianMin dug into the last of her qi reserve and launched at the snake. The sword sunk cleanly into the underside of the beast and opened a long vertical cut into its body. Drenched in the acrid blood of her kill, Yu TianMin staggered backward and collapsed onto the ground. Completely drained, she lay on the dirt ground, her breath heaving as she tried to recover.

"Watch out!"

The young disciple had barely enough time to sit up before a flurry of blue robes moved to shield her from the Shadow Python's open jaws. Warm arms held her close as a curved fang sunk into her savior's shoulder. Yu TianMin's eyes widened as she registered the voice that had called out to warn her.

"D- Dashijie?" The word had crawled out of her chest weakly bringing with it a mixture of dread and disbelief. The elder drew her sword and decapitated the demonic beast, ensuring it's mortality, and delicately removed the sand from her shoulder, circulating her qi to put pressure on the wound. Yu TianMin felt cold and numb with shock as obsidian eyes finally met her own. The eternally cold expression gave way to a more indulgent and pitying gaze as a word finally left the elder disciple's mouth.

"Foolish."

A voice once filled with nothing but arrogance, apathy, or vitriol, was now full of a tender scolding. Cradled in the other's arms, Yu TianMin found that her never noticed how her dashijie's eyelashes casted a light shadow on her cheeks. She was unwilling to move a single muscle, holding her breath as if she could pause her life in this moment and remain in the other's embrace for eternity. But such things were never meant to last, a sight cringe in Mu RongXue's expression broke the young disciple out of her reverie.

"Dashijie, your injury!" Yu TianMin exclaimed in a panicked manner, moving away from the elder, with a bit of unwillingness, and examining the injured shoulder.