Chapter 102 - Epilogue Volume 2 (II), a Smile of Bliss

A full moon with a halo around it is suspended alone in the night.

Today is a starless night.

Instead, there is flickering candlelight at the Snow-facing Abode.

Following the pace of Qi Qiqi, Shui Yuner left the Snow-facing Abode and walked into the woods submerged in darkness.

The faint aroma of trees and leaves permeating the air soothed her tangled heart a little.

After sleeping in bed for two weeks, Shui Yuner feels a little weak, and her joints make noise with every step she takes. Her heavy head still feels a little dizzy.

Even so, she still holds the pipa specially taken out from her room tightly in her arms and follows the red figure leading by half a step.

The two walked silently.

It didn’t take long before the field of vision widened, and light suddenly struck and almost blinded Shui Yuner. She looked away until her eyes slowly adjusted to the dazzling light.

A dreamlike scene appeared in front of them.

On the open grassland surrounded by trees, a petite lass stands in the middle.

The virtually transparent pale moonlight shakes gently, making her outline indistinct. Resembling fireflies, countless water droplets reflecting the moonlight float around her.

At the lass’s feet, there is an intricate totem depicted by water, and it radiates an incredible water-colored glow.

A pair of big sleeves almost touching the ground and swaying gently in the air. A pair of glimmering bright yellow eyes met the gazes of the two people.

“You guys came.”

Xue Qilin parted her moist, full lips and weaved out ethereal-sounding words.

Then, she smiled.

The smile makes her look unreal, like a mirage that will shatter at the first touch.

At this time, Shui Yuner’s impression of her changed drastically.

Due to this, the girl truly realized the fact that Xue Qilin is indeed Merak Temple’s Young Ancestor.

Following an “um” sound, Shui Yuner subconsciously averted her gaze.

She suddenly felt that she is unclean, fearing that her gaze will sully the lass before her.

… She feels guilty after all.

Fragmented footsteps erased the silence.

“Little Yun, come with me.”

Xue Qilin came to Shui Yuner and looked up at her.

“I…”

Both Shui Yuner’s mouth and her heart trembled.

There are clearly a lot of things I want to say to her… Shui Yuner bit her lower lip and scolded herself for being a letdown.

… She wants to thank the lass, to thank the lass for taking care of her.

… She wants to apologize to the lass, to apologize for the fact that she hurt the lass

However, no matter whether it is apology or gratitude, she can’t bring herself to voice them. Words full of emotion disappeared as soon as they reached the throat.

She could only hand the pipa in her arms to Xue Qilin.

“Hidden inside… is my…”

“It’s enough.”

Xue Qilin just shook her head gently, and didn’t let Shui Yuner continue.

It’s enough? I clearly haven’t said anything yet… nothing… Shui Yuner doesn’t know how to express the feeling in her heart – a mixture of the contradictory emotions of relief and guilt.

“Your past, that’s not something I care about.”

What do you care about? Shui Yuner wanted to ask, but Xue Qilin beat her to the punch with her answer.

“… I only care about your present and future.” The lass said.

The present and future.

How much do you have to like someone to ignore their past? Shui Yuner doesn’t know.

“Why do you… treat me so good?”

The good here doesn’t conform to convention.

Xue Qilin wrinkled her nose. At this time, she seems to have changed back to “Xue Jiujiu” – the person who made Shui Yuner feel warmth.

No, perhaps this is the lass’s disposition from the get go.

Um, it has never changed.

“Because you are my disciple!”

Xue Qilin replied in this way.

Is this the answer? Shui Yuner stared blankly at Xue Qilin.

Then she lowered her gaze.

“You are really… too cunning.”

“What? Are you not my disciple?”

Shui Yuner gazed at Xue Qilin. There is an unsightly smile on her face, as if she’s about to cry. She gripped her dress tightly.

“I’m not… worthy.”

She who hurt the lass isn’t worthy.

However…

“The most important thing is whether you want to or not, not whether you are worthy or not.”

Xue Qilin looked back at her deeply.

As if they have some kind of incredible power, the profound eyes make it difficult for Shui Yuner to look away.

“Tell me, do you dislike me? Do you not want to be my disciple?”

“No, of course not!”

“Isn’t it alright then?”

Disregarding the complicated feelings inside Shui Yuner, Xue Qilin just took Shui Yuner’s hand gently.

The warm touch made the palm tremble. The soft warmth penetrated deep into the girl’s heart and enveloped her.

“Come with me.”

“I…”

“Go.”

Qi Qiqi pushed Shui Yuner from behind and made her take a step.

Then, the pace could no longer be stopped.

Her footsteps staggered several times as Shui Yuner was pulled to the grassland – to the center of the totem depicted by water.

“Stand here.”

With this, Xue Qilin let go of Shui Yuner’s hand.

Reluctant to give up that warmth, Shui Yuner almost grabbed the other party’s hand.

“I said I will prove it to you on a night with a full moon…”

Xue Qilin looked up at the moon in the sky.

The moon is large and low, as if it will be bearing down at any time.

“Today is the day when the spiritual qi of Yin [1] is most abundant, and the water element belongs to Yin.”

Her voice suddenly drifted away.

Shui Yuner doesn’t actually understand Xue Qilin’s words. She doesn’t know what “spiritual qi of Yin” is, nor whether the water element belongs to Yin or not.

However, she didn’t voice her doubts, and just listened to Xue Qilin quietly.

“You have innately blocked qi passageways. I don’t have the ability to unblock them for you. However, although qi passageways are the supreme channels for spiritual qi to circulate, but they are not irreplaceable. Do you see the array under your feet? It is made of spirit water. It will be engraved on you as ‘magic lines’, and replace the qi passageways”

Xue Qilin withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Shui Yuner.

“… Do you believe me?”

“I…”

Don’t believe her! Some voice roared in Shui Yuner’s mind.

But…

Shui Yuner nodded her head slowly. It looks like it took her a lot of effort, but she did indeed nod.

If no answer was given, something would surely have been destroyed between the two.

“Good! It might be a bit difficult to bear, but please believe me… hold on.”

“… Okay.”

Xue Qilin smiled.

Then she suddenly remembered something and patted her forehead.

“The clothes must be taken off!”

With that, not bothering whether Shui Yuner agrees or not, Xue Qilin walked towards Qi Qiqi.

“This…”

Shui Yuner thought of the enrollment assembly, where she was also asked to take off her clothes, so she isn’t surprised.

Only this time she feels embarrassed.

Why? As she unbuttoned her clothes, Shui Yuner contemplated the reason behind this.

It’s probably… because of her. The girl glanced at Xue Qilin.

The dress fell softly. She picked it up, folded it, and handed it to Xue Qilin, who for some reason is looking away.

After receiving the clothes, Xue Qilin withdrew from the totem and came to Qi Qiqi’s side. There is a trace of a flush on her face.

“Little Yun, are you ready?”

Xue Qilin coughed, and then asked.

Shui Yuner nodded.

“Let’s begin!”

Xue Qilin glanced at Qi Qiqi, and the latter retreated by a considerable distance.

… like performing some kind of ritual.

Along with the lass’s movement, the big sleeves fluttered gently. She danced and chanted some kind of paean-like eulogy.

As if responding to the lass, the lines of the array suddenly moved up and down, flowed, and extended like they gained life. Leaving their original positions. the lines slowly and silently climbed Shui Yuner’s bare feet, and then went straight to her right chest, from where they expanded to the rest of the body.

She feels like she is wrapped in warm water, like her body and mind are cheering.

It feels very comfortable. Shui Yuner couldn’t help moaning.

However…

“Engrave!”

The chanting stopped, and Xue Qilin shouted loudly.

Everything changed.

The lines crawling all over her body suddenly emitted strong light and slowly seeped into Shui Yuner’s lily-white skin.

A severe pain assaulted the girl.

It feels like countless sharp needles are pricking the skin, like someone pulled open her body and stuffed something inside.

Shui Yuner issued a miserable cry. Biting her lower lip, she turned her head and looked at the lass standing not far away.

Xue Qilin just looks at her quietly, expressionless. Only the worry and tension in her eyes betray her feelings.

Cold perspiration gradually blurred her vision, and a growing sense of weakness engulfed her.

“Persevere…”

The lass said nearly in a tone of supplication.

Despite having spoken in a low voice, but Xue Qilin’s voice accurately reached Shui Yuner’s ears.

With just this, Shui Yuner feels that she is able, able to persevere.

Pain makes time extend indefinitely.

After who know how long – maybe thousands of years ago, the light finally faded, and the tattoo-like pattern disappeared.

Shui Yuner slumped on the ground and exhaled heavily.

The breath is mixed with water-colored light.

Then, her world changed.

… specks of light.

Countless water-colored specks of light float in her field of vision.

What is this? Shui Yuner tried to touch the specks of light, yet her hand easily passed through without any sense of touch.

“You should have seen it, haven’t you? That’s water qi – water element spiritual qi.”

Xue Qilin’s voice sounds very distant, as if it comes from another world.

“Water qi?”

“Mhm, that’s ‘true qi’ that belongs to only you, it’s your boundary.”

She said that this is my true qi? Really? Shui Yuner’s eyes widened, and she assumed an expression of incredulity.

As if she sensed the doubts in Shui Yuner’s heart, Xue Qilin walked up to her, draped her with an outer garment, and then spoke softly: “Try to call it… So long as it’s your voice, it will definitely respond.”

“Call…”

Shui Yuner muttered the word.

How do I call?

In fact, the method has been hidden in her heart since long ago.

It’s an instinct, like being born with the understanding on how to move your hands.

Shui Yuner relaxed and cleared her head.

Then the tattoo-like pattern that disappeared from her skin suddenly radiated water-colored light.

Guided by the light, the water qi drifting in the world converged into a torrent that swirled around the girl.

In the center of a whirlpool, Shui Yuner absorbs water qi. Following the magic lines on her body, water qi flows to the spiritual center at her left chest.

… A feeling of warmth like that of the morning sun gradually filled her.

The lines dissipated slowly, and the water qi filling the world returned to a state of tranquility.

Instead, sparkling tears flowed down the girl’s beautiful face.

She feels something wandering inside her.

That must be the so-called water qi – “true qi” that belongs to only her.

For some reason, she just knows, knows that it must be the thing she sought.

So she cried, cried unconsciously.

Xue Qilin squatted down in front of Shui Yuner.

“If words are lackluster, then I will use time to prove my sincerity.”

Warm, so warm… Shui Yuner’s tears came out uncontrollably.

She threw herself into Xue Qilin’s arms, her tears moistening Xue Qilin’s clothes.

“Silly child, why are you crying…”

Unable to bear it, Xue Qilin patted Shui Yuner’s back and comforted her.

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry…”

Shui Yuner grabbed Xue Qilin’s arms, buried herself in her embrace, and expressed her current sentiment.

“Don’t cry…”

Gentle, Xue Qilin lifted Shui Yuner’s chin and wiped her tears. But the tears keep coming.

“So, can you believe me, believe my words, believe my heart?”

Eyes that can penetrate everything are staring deep inside her.

There is only one answer.

“… Mhm!”

Shui Yuner nodded heavily.

… A smile blossomed on Xue Qilin’s face.

That must be a smile of bliss.

Volume 2 Afterword

In this volume, I spent a lot of words on creating a new character – Shui Yuner.

Don’t know if you like it or not?

I recognize my shortcomings in this volume. As such, I will work harder to improve in volume 3.

In order to organize my thoughts and review the outline of volume 3, I will take a break tomorrow.

More new characters will pop up in volume 3. What kind of encounters will they have with Xue Qilin?

Please stay tuned ~

Additionally, I want to thank you for your continued support!

[1] – Yin, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang