34 This is more importan

He set down his teacup, now empty, and was about to excuse himself. Liu Sumeng seemed to pick up on his intentions pretty quickly. "Wait."

Impatience surged within Yuan Xuelan, but it was mostly with himself, "What is it?" The itch to flee wound his muscles tight, his voice became clipped.

Liu Sumeng chewed his bottom lip but eventually brought out the Tiger Hear Amethyst with his interspacial ring. The treasure, a shining golden jewel as big as his palm, had a miniature storm that rumbled and crackled inside.

"What in the…" Yuan Xuelan's attention was instantly captivated and his guards lowered as he leaned in, eyeing the mystical jewel. "Is this the Tiger Heart Amethyst?"

Entranced with wonder he poked and prodded the jewel, as if trying to lure the storm out with his finger. It grumbled in response, the storm curling like cat trying to sleep. "Is this why you went to Boling? Why didn't you say so sooner! I would have gone with you!"

"..." Liu Sumeng's body tensed.

"I mean! I know you wouldn't have asked me anyway but next time just take me along."

"It's for you."

Yuan Xuelan thought he heard wrong, "Huh?"

"..." The Ivory Sword Saint took a shuddering breath. Heavens, did Yuan Xuelan never notice how gorgeous this person was? "It's yours." The Tiger Heart Amethyst was shoved into Yuan Xuelan's hands and he froze, shocked and wondering if he was imagining this sequence of events.

"Huh?" he repeated dumbly as the weight of the Tiger Heart Amethyst burned through his palms, "Huh!? What do you mean it's mine? Are you stupid? Are you just giving this sacred treasure to me!?"

Liu Sumeng looked at a loss, those rigid brows downturned and lips pulled into a frown. Liu Sumeng, dammit! Could he please not look at Yuan Xuelan like that! Yuan Xuelan wanted to scream. "Do you…not like it?" the Ivory Sword Said asked.

Yuan Xuelan's patience ran out. "Not like it!? How could I not like it, dumbass! Who do you think I am? Why the hell do you think you can just give a sacred treasure away!? To me of all people! How can my heart feel at ease with something like this? You must be brain dead!"

Liu Sumeng was taken aback, his expression was one shocked, pitiful, like a scolded child. Yuan Xuelan couldn't stand it any longer and leaped to his feet. "I, Yuan Xuelan, refuse to let this absurdity stand! Just you wait, Ivory Sword Saint! I'll pay you back tenfold!" Satisfied with his passionate declaration he rushed out the door. Only to return seconds later to close it.

And Liu Sumeng was left on his own.

Just what had happened? Was he hated? Or was he not? Did things improve? Or did they not?

Liu Sumeng felt a bit dizzy. He climbed to his feet and massaged his temples. It was about time he went and drew that bath. Maybe then, he could understand things a little bit better.

It was after the first snowfall when Yuan Xuelan received the news. Liu Suye waved him over after a sparring session with Xu Hexian, his expression was graver than usual. "I have a message for you," he said, "Peng Zhugen sends his regards."

Yuan Xuelan frowed. The courtyard was awash with a thin layer of white that the disciples slaved to sweep off the paths as more fluttered down from gray skies. "Peng Zhugen? Not Peng Jipei? I don't really know Peng Zhugen."

Xu Hexian looked over, curious but Liu Suye shook his head, reminding him that it wasn't his place. "Wufang wants to let you know that Cao Hong is not doing so well. Her days are numbered."

"...Oh."

"You should go and visit her."

Yuan Xuelan thought he should probably feel sad, "I understand."

So he had packed up to leave the very next day. Chen Anyue fixed his robes and drape a heavy pelt around him, insisting he would need it against the biting northern chill. She also packed him way more food than he needed. "Take care, A-Zhang. Say hi to A-Huan for me."

"Yeah, no worries," he paused, "but what about you?"

Chen Anyue tilted her head. She was different lately, with the way she laughed and walked down the halls with a brisk and quickened pace. Her aura glowed like a caged bird having grown wings. But Yuan Xuelan had also caught her looking listless at times, mind lost in a trance and he couldn't tell if his Shijie was happy or sad. She would never tell him out right either.

"What did I tell you about worrying about yourself?" She giggled, voice high and pleasant, her doe eyes curving into two lovely crescents. "I am more than happy here."

He didn't quite understand what more meant, but it also felt strange to ask. So he pulled his Shijie into an embrace and bid her farewell one last time. She chuckled and reminded him it was only a short trip before Yuan Xuelan grinned back, and left the snow-dusted manor.

He did not expect to have Liu Sumeng waiting for him at the gates. The Ivory Sword Saint's white robes blended in with dull cast of winter's air, his breath misted against the chill. Yuan Xuelan thought he was beautiful. "What are you doing here? Seeing me off?" The words came out in a scoff, that bad habit he still hadn't been able to shake off.

"No. I'm going with you."

Yuan Xuelan was seriously tired of this fellow. Though, privately he thought, maybe he should grow used to the absurd things that come out of Liu Sumeng's mouth, "Don't be ridiculous. Why would you come with me?"

"I must." Liu Sumeng stepped close to him, trailing after even as he walked down the winding path of Wangyun Peak.

Yuan Xuelan rolled his eyes, "What, and leave my poor Shijie here? Are you dumb?" But why did Yuan Xuelan feel secretly happy? "Don't you have the Supreme Hunting Tournament to worry about too?"

"..." Liu Sumeng was silent at first. He couldn't really say that he didn't specify his reason for leaving to a misty-eyed Chen Anyue, who promised with fervor that she would improve herself upon his return, and that he would definitely come to love her. Did that count as hurting her? If he told Yuan Xuelan, then he might as well be asking for death.

And Liu Fumao was another person Liu Sumeng had scorned when he announced his departure, who cursed and screamed at him for turning becoming so irresponsible and neglectful. Liu Sumeng despised the shame, and his uncle's disapproval and rage. But he was resolute, and receiving one hundred lashes as punishment was something he could bear to sit through. "This is more important to me."

"...Stupid." But he didn't stop Liu Sumeng from following him, even as they descended from Wangyung Peak and the mountain became nothing more than a wispy figure in the distance. "This won't be an interesting trip. It's not like I'm going to collecting some cool magical treasure or exorcising demons or something else fun."

Forest surrounded the mountain and there was a small hiking trail that lead towards the main road. The Hidden Mist Manor was long way on foot but they could easily shorten the journey by hopping onto their flying swords. Yuan Xuelan didn't particularly feel in the mood. "But it's important to you," Liu Sumeng's voice was calming and lyrical. Yuan Xuelan couldn't tell if the Ivory Sword Saint was becoming more talkative or if it was he who became better at understanding the man.

"Yeah well, I suppose it's not much of a secret that Cao Hong is my aunt. She's always been a sickly person so I'm not surprised things have come to this."

"Are you sad?"

Was he sad? Why did that feel like such a difficult question to answer? "I guess so, she took good care of me when my mother couldn't."

Their journey was mostly traveled in silence. Sometimes the Ivory Sword Saint would bring up useless mundane topics and allow Yuan Xuelan to ramble on. At some point they took to their flying swords, making quick of their journey.

But it was a long way to the Hidden Mist Manor and they found a small, run down cabin by the roads to take shelter from the winter night. It was snowing, and hard, wind gusting up a storm in violent flurries. Liu Sumeng moved a large wooden board against the window that did the barest minimum when it came to shielding them against the wind.

Yuan Xuelan shivered and grumbled while he cast a spell to warm the room. But he was still unsatisfied and curled up into a ball at the farthest corner, tugging the fur pelt his Shijie gave him around his body.

The cabin was barely big enough for the two of them, and had been ransacked of valuables too many times to count. It was a miracle that it even stood for as long as it did. And tonight it would be tested again, barraged by snow and wind as it lent safety to travelers.

Liu Sumeng offered him a charm in the form of a bracelet that would warm the body but Yuan Xuelan snapped at him in refusal, "Stop giving me things! It's so annoying. How the heck do you expect me to ever pay you back?" He received a look that made him roll up even tighter into a ball, pulling the pelt around his face, "And plus, I can just write a talisman for warmth, easy."

"...then why don't you do it?"

"...I used too many last time. I'm broke," Yuan Xuelan whined, his entire face disappearing under the pelt and only a messy tangle of black hair was left visible.

Liu Sumeng couldn't help himself. He sat down next to Yuan Xuelan and reached for those long black locks, fingers running through the tangles. Yuan Xuelan flinched but said nothing. "That's difficult to imagine," the Ivory Sword Saint hummed, his voice so light that they were almost lost to the howling wind.

Two dark eyes, knitted brows emerged from the fur, "If you're thinking that the Ascending Dawn Sect has some sort of unlimited treasury and wealth, then you're wrong."

Liu Sumeng was not entirely convinced, "…"

His lids turned heavy, Yuan Xuelan suppressed a yawn. With Liu Sumeng sitting so close to him, it didn't feel as cold anymore. Those long fingers were going to lull him to sleep, "I just," a yawn, "don't want to trouble Sect Leader Chen more than I have…"

"I don't think he's troubled."

"..." Yuan Xuelan didn't reply. His breathing slowed, eyelids closed. Liu Sumeng smiled and kissed his crown.

And though the wind screeched and roared through the crooks and cracks of a moldy unkempt shed, Liu Sumeng was neither chilled nor disturbed.

But the dream that haunted Yuan Xuelan that night was one without warmth. He was trudging through a field, feet catching on the limbs and clothes of fallen men and women. Demons too. The stench of rot was rancid, vivid and much too real. Snow tumbled down from a gloomy sky. Yuan Xuelan was cold. And he hated the cold.