Truth to be told, Ziyu has every reason to avoid Peak Lord Bai’s territory.
At the same time though, he has a fair number of reasons to avoid other places as well.
Master Jiao likes to bring him along to all sorts of places though, both around the Green Jade Peaks and elsewhere. He even drags Ziyu into various pleasure houses, claiming it’ll help him obtain valuable life experience.
Surprisingly, it does. It also serves to rehabilitate Ziyu’s souring opinion of Master Jiao.
Because yes, Master Jiao has an undeniable fondness for beautiful women. However, to date, Ziyu hasn’t really seen him do anything beyond flirt. And sure, maybe that’s in part because Ziyu is there – quietly watching and judging his every move. Still, what he hears and sees and otherwise perceives strongly hints at certain things, leaving him with certain suspicions.
These suspicions are eventually proven correct when Master Jiao one day calls him over and tells him to take care of his contacts for a bit while he’s away on a mission – and he often gets sent out on such, especially these days.
He’s not the only one sent out either, because Peak Lord Bai has also been sent out more frequently and for longer periods at that, leaving another to look after things in the meantime. And this someone is his one and only disciple – Bai Mingyue.
Ziyu had been worried for him, at least at first. He’d been quite quick to discover that his worries had been largely unfounded however – because although Mingyue is young, he’s apparently a prodigy and also a quite self-sufficient at that, meaning that Ziyu had worried for nothing. Still⸺
As far as Ziyu knew, Mingyue has never left the Green Jade Peaks since Peak Lord Bai had brought him in. In fact, Ziyu isn’t even sure that the other has even left his master’s peak more than maybe a handful of times and always with the latter escorting him. Mingyue obviously wouldn’t leave either, and Ziyu obviously wouldn’t dream of bringing Mingyue outside without Peak Lord Bai’s explicit knowledge and permission. So⸺
It starts with small things – candies, food, small trinkets – and although Mingyue doesn’t seem particularly impressed with most of them, he still accepts them, and doesn’t indicate that Ziyu should leave. And so, naturally, Ziyu would come over more often, and he would stay longer, provided that Peak Lord Bai wasn’t around.
As for Master Jiao, the latter obviously finds out about things pretty early on, and by no means discourages him. No, if anything, then it would rather been the opposite.
“Cultivators! Masters! Wait!”
Ziyu turns, and he’s not the only one. He’d descended the Green Jade Peaks in order to check in with Master Jiao’s network. But along the way, he’d been side-tracked, stumbling upon some case involving a travelling merchant. He ultimately hadn’t been the only one becoming embroiled in it either, since Elder Huang had apparently decided to come and see what all the fuss was about.
To this point, Ziyu had only been marginally familiar with the other, who was also a Peak Lord at the Green Jade Peaks. They’d exchanged greetings, yes, but they’d never really been properly involved with one another, and Ziyu had seen little reason to change that.
Now however, as the recipient of some very interesting experimental talismans, Ziyu feels ready to re-evaluate his earlier convictions, having learned far more useful things from the old master within the last day than he had from his own master in recent months.
Idly, he wonders if it isn’t too late to request a transfer. He even goes as far as to insinuate that he would be perfectly ready to do any amount of paperwork necessary in order to get a chance to learn from Elder Huang directly.
The other had just laughed though, hinting that he might consider it if Ziyu ever managed to win against him – which was basically the same as saying no, because only a fool would bet against Elder Huang, who’d since a long time ago been banned from all gambling establishments in the region yet kept sneaking back in using increasingly elaborate disguises.
It doesn’t really matter though. Ziyu had been a fool for asking.
“Master cultivators,” the merchant gasps, bowing deeply before them. “Please, allow this humble servant some way of providing compensation for your vital assistance!”
Well, truth to be told, Ziyu’s contributions had been relatively minor, and without Elder Huang’s assistance, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything. Thus, Ziyu looks to Elder Huang, who in turn hums, thoughtfully stroking his beard.
“Well,” the old man finally says. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Hearing this, Ziyu looks at him, startled. Because to his ears, it sounds an awful lot like Elder Huang is planning on⸺
The merchant quickly gets out a sizeable collection of jewellery and other trinkets and then rubs his hands anxiously. Because while the man figures this will probably end as a loss to him, without their help, there would’ve been nothing left to lose. Thus, he smiles, trying to hide his nervousness with extremely limited success.
“Hoh,” Elder Huang says, leaning in to take a closer look. Then, after staring impassively at the quite impressive assortment of riches, he straightens back up and then turns towards Ziyu. “Why don’t you pick one, Little Ziyu?”
Ziyu would rather not, but since Elder Huang is asking, he leans in and allows his eyes to wander over the numerous rings and necklaces and bracelets and other trinkets.
With a mere glance, even an amateur like him can tell that the things laid out before them are probably worth more than a small village might earn within a whole year, which obviously begs the question as to what this merchant is doing, travelling around without an escort.
Of course, Ziyu doesn’t really need to ask, because part of the case had involved just what had happened to said escort, which although small had certainly existed at one point.
In any case, there are many beautiful pieces of jewellery laid out before him, and if this sort of opportunity had presented itself before Ziyu before he’d entered the sect, then he would’ve likely snatched something expensive-looking and taken off before they’d had the opportunity to change their mind.
Now however, after careful consideration, Ziyu finds himself reaching for something else – a relatively simple, silver hairpin. Picking it up though, Ziyu notes that although simple, the quality is not bad.
The merchant seems a bit thrown however, even going as far as to ask him if he’s really sure he wants that one, hinting that he would’ve been able to buy ten similar hairpins with one of the others.
Ziyu doesn’t really care though. He’s already made up his mind.
“This one’s fine.”
Taking the thing and putting it inside his spatial ring, Ziyu just about forgets about it. He just about forgets about it until he sees Mingyue blow a lock of ink-black hair aside, clearly irritated as it keeps getting in the way.
“Oh,” he says, reaching inside his sleeve before he can think better of it. “I’ve got something.”
He presents Mingyue with the silver hairpin – an offering which is met by a slight narrowing of the other’s eyes. The other makes no move to take it though, and after standing there just long enough, Ziyu just kind of shrugs and moves to put it away again – which is the exact moment when Mingyue snatches it from his grip.
“It’s silver,” Mingyue says, and Ziyu nods, because yes, it is indeed silver.
“It’s yours if you want it,” he says, smiling as he hides his hands up his sleeves. “If you don’t want it, that’s fine as well. I don’t really need it.”
Saying this, he directs his eyes upwards to indicate his own hair, which is gathered into a tight bun at the top of his head. He’s got no real need for fancy hairpins – those things only draw unnecessary attention after all.
Hearing this, Mingyue hums, turning the pin over in his hand before finally putting it away. He doesn’t even say thanks, but Ziyu doesn’t really mind it – by now, he knows not to expect it.
It’s only later, while visiting the newly established Gentle Springs Pavilion, that a thought finally occurs to him. It occurs to him as he sits off in a quiet corner, quietly observing as a small group of girls titter around one of their fellow sisters.
The latter proudly displays a quite elaborate hairpin in her dainty hand while the others eagerly congratulate her. Because apparently, there’s reason for celebration; a betrothal.
It should be a happy occasion too, and yet Ziyu cannot help but feel like a shard of ice has been driven into his heart. The implications make him freeze up, heart and breath both stuttering to a halt before speeding up as the true force of the terror finally hits.
He’d given Mingyue a silvery hairpin.
He’d given Mingyue a silver hairpin.
He’d given Mingyue a hairpin, which was basically a proposal, and⸺
Well, Mingyue probably doesn’t know – he’s probably much too young and much too sheltered to know about such things.
However, beside Mingyue is another, and what if Peak Lord Bai spotted the thing? What if Mingyue showed him?
Oh, Ziyu quietly thinks to himself, one hand pressed up against his chest. “I am so dead...”
If Ziyu had earnestly believed he’d get away, then he’d probably have started running right then and there.
However, knowing who’d be doing the hunting, Ziyu had figured it would ultimately prove a useless endeavour and as such, he’d opted not to waste any additional energy and to simply wait for the inevitable – for Bai Jixue to seek him out.
And indeed, Peak Lord Bai had come. Bai Jixue had come, and he’d made it abundantly clear that he’d sever several limbs in case Ziyu ever took any sort of liberties with his protégé.
And Ziyu had swallowed and nodded, trying and failing not to look at the seemingly bloodstained shovel the other was leaning against. Because obviously, he didn’t want to end up as a human stick, and so, he’d decided that more distance was in order, but at the same time, he’d found that he couldn’t just cut ties with Mingyue entirely, and⸺
A night hunt. An ambush. Demons. Butterfly Demon Dust.
Mingyue had only been there because Ziyu had convinced him – convinced him and himself that there was merit in spending time with other disciples – and when it had all come down to it, Ziyu had failed – he’d failed, and Mingyue had paid the price for it. Mingyue had paid the price for it, and Ziyu had known nothing – he’d been laid up in bed like the others, feeling scared and sorry for himself. When it had ultimately mattered, he’d been useless – no, even detrimental.
Still, Mingyue had tolerated his presence. Mingyue had tolerated his presence, but then⸺
The Wūtóu poisoning incident, followed by the sudden ascension of Peak Lord Bai.
“Why...? Why did it have to come to this?”
Mingyue is crying. The screen doors are pulled closed but not entirely, meaning that the silencing array won’t fully activate, allowing Ziyu to overhear the conversation taking place within. It isn’t much of a conversation though – mostly, it’s just Master Jiao, speaking softly.
“You know,” Master Jiao says. “I think he’d still have done it, whether you’d been involved or not. I mean, he never liked the guy.”
“But it’s my fault!” Mingyue whispers. “If not for me, then⸺ if not for me, then Master wouldn’t have⸺”
“Frosty made his choice,” Master Jiao says in turn. “His time was almost up anyway.”
Huh?
“But⸺”
“Frosty made his choice,” Master Jiao repeats, with a strange sort of finality. “He knew exactly what’d happen.”
What’d happen?
“It’s not fair!” Mingyue hisses. “It’s my mistake! Why should he be the one to⸺?”
Wrong. This is Ziyu’s mistake. This is a result of Ziyu’s cowardice, however indirect. This is all Ziyu’s⸺
He doesn’t want to hear it. He doesn’t want to hear anything more. He doesn’t want to face it. He knows he should, but before he knows it, his feet are already moving.
Before he knows it, he’s already running. Before he knows it, he’s already⸺
At the bridge, he nearly bumps into another – Yi Yeguang, the late Sect Leader’s disciple⸺
He doesn’t stick around to listen to what the other says though. He just keeps on running. Like a coward, he just⸺
Runs, stumbles, tumbles, falls.
