Chapter Twenty-Nine: Reflecting on the Past and Present, Seven of Ten Are Missing

“I actually started liking him when I was very young. Back then, I was rather ugly, and no one at the academy wanted to play with me. Only he never minded my appearance and kindly kept me company, talking with me and helping me with my cultivation. I can still vividly remember the first time I met him. It was a beautiful, beautiful night. That day, I was unlucky—bullied by classmates, scolded by my master. I felt so sad and helpless, so I ran aimlessly for quite a while. When I was exhausted and out of strength, I randomly picked a tree, sat down beneath it, and started crying my heart out.

Suddenly, I sensed someone sitting beside me. I thought it was one of those mean children who wanted to see me humiliated, so I quickly wiped away my tears and prepared to scold them away. But when I looked up and saw him in that moment, I felt as if I was suffocating. Never had I seen such a beautiful young man, and most importantly, he was smiling at me so gently. In that instant, I was utterly captivated. He asked me why I was so sad, and I told him the whole story. After listening, he said, 'You’re truly adorable, and if you smile, you’ll be even prettier. Please don’t cry anymore, okay?' That was the first time anyone had ever praised me, the first time anyone had treated me so gently. It was so strange—just moments before, my eyes were clouded with tears, but after hearing those words, I instantly broke into laughter.

From then on, I clung to him, never leaving his side. He never thought I was annoying, instead patiently caring for me. I came to realize that I couldn’t live without him, and my feelings for him only grew stronger.” Meng Youyuan spoke with a slight choke in her voice. It was clear she truly liked Lan Bingxian. Even with tears glistening in her eyes, whenever his name was mentioned, she would smile—that kind of smile overflowing with happiness.

“I’m moved by your story, too. I can almost picture you, lost in the darkness, and then finding a ray of light. Women need companionship most when they are at their weakest, and the one who stands by her during those painful days becomes an unbreakable bond throughout her life,” Yan Xuesu said softly, as if she herself had experienced something similar.

“Though the person who changed my whole life at that time was Leng Huayi, the one who truly changed my heart was Yu Xiaoran. I remember when Leng Huayi first brought me back to Youming City, I secretly decided to start my life anew, to forget everything from before, and to shut my heart away, never letting anyone in again. I had no sense of security then, didn't want to trust anyone, not even Leng Huayi who had rescued me from disaster. Back then, I thought everyone around me approached me with ulterior motives, so I refused to interact with anyone. But eventually, Yu Xiaoran couldn’t stand my cold, indifferent attitude anymore—treating them as if they were air—and he scolded me fiercely, waking me up.

He said, 'What do you have left for anyone to deceive? You’re no longer that wealthy, influential young lady everyone wanted to befriend. Now, you’re nothing, you have nothing. You don’t need to keep everyone at arm’s length, you don’t need to be so wary anymore. Are you afraid we’ll cheat you for your looks? Let me tell you, I have absolutely no interest in you like that. Even if you stood before me without a stitch on, I wouldn’t be moved, so you really don’t need to worry! The posture you carry now is truly revolting. I urge you to think carefully about what good it does you!'

Honestly, although I’d never been pampered as a child—never the kind of person everyone doted on—I was never bullied, and I’d never met someone who spoke so venomously. I was afraid I’d lose my temper and kill him on the spot. But thinking it over, during my time in Youming City, the two of them really took care of me, never asking for anything in return. No matter how coldly I treated them, they remained attentive. I started to wonder if I was really wrong. I pondered it all night, and finally, when I plucked up the courage to find them and sincerely thank them, Yu Xiaoran appeared before me, apologizing in his silly manner. In that moment, I suddenly found him so endearing—his words were harsh, but every one of them was for my own good. He’s just not good at expressing himself, so he can only say things that sound awful to wake others up. Perhaps it was from that moment I began to like him!” Finishing her story, Yan Xuesu let out a foolish laugh, her expression radiating a happiness beyond words.

“Your stories are so warm and romantic—I envy you both so much. Mine is simple and plain. Although Xiao Yin always says I knew him before, honestly, I have no memory of it at all. Who knows if he’s just teasing me, playing a joke,” Lan Wu said helplessly.

“It must be that you, silly girl, only ever thought about your Huayi brother back then and overlooked Xiao Yin, who was always by your side. You’re really heartless—not even remembering he exists!” Yan Xuesu teased Lan Wu with a playful laugh.

“So Lan Wu, you and Huayi brother have a past, too!” Meng Youyuan said with childlike enlightenment.

“It’s nothing, just a one-sided mistake on my part! In my naivety, I confused family affection for love, almost causing trouble for everyone. Thankfully, no one minded, and everything could go back to how it was, otherwise I’d die of embarrassment!” Lan Wu admitted, a little sheepishly.

“It’s your own courage—everything depends on the state of your heart. If you haven’t let go, no matter what we do, you’ll still feel uneasy; even if we don’t care, you’ll be uncomfortable yourself. Honestly, you’re braver and stronger than so many people. To take up and let go—easy to say, but how many can truly do it?” Yan Xuesu sighed, moved.

“Yes, at least I’m not as brave as Lan Wu and Sister Yan. I don’t dare confess my feelings to him; I’m afraid we won’t even be able to be senior and junior anymore. I’ve always felt unworthy of him—he’s so outstanding, so admired. As for me? To put it nicely, I’m plump and rounded; to be blunt, I’m ugly, as fat as can be. I’m really afraid my foolish longing will scare him away! I’d rather go on calling him brother, always caring for him quietly as his younger sister. That’s enough for me!” Meng Youyuan said softly. So the girl who seemed always happy, carefree, actually carried a great wound inside.

“Though I haven’t lived through what you have, I still believe that in love, everyone is equal. Having flaws doesn’t mean you can’t love or aren’t worthy of love. No one is perfect; you may not stand out on the outside, but that’s far better than those whose hearts are filthy and frightening! I’m not just comforting you—I genuinely think you’re beautiful, especially your heart, pure and unblemished,” Lan Wu said sincerely.

“I agree. You should know, I’m proud by nature, and seldom notice the good in girls my age—let alone praise them so directly. But I don't think you're lacking at all. Those who scorn and mock you are just vulgar and tasteless. Your Brother Xian thinks you’re wonderful, otherwise he wouldn’t dote on you so much! Yuan Yuan, remember: happiness must be fought for—it won’t just walk to you on its own!” Yan Xuesu encouraged her.

“Happiness must be fought for…” Meng Youyuan repeated the phrase, then fell silent.

After a moment’s quiet, the swords at Yan Xuesu and Lan Wu’s sides suddenly rose into the air, shooting out the window, leaving two streaks of purple and green light in the sky before fading away.

“What… what just happened?” Yan Xuesu and Lan Wu asked in unison.

“Let’s chase after them and find out!” Meng Youyuan quickly pulled the other two outside.

Just as they stepped out, they saw Yu Shang controlling his pitch-black primary sword. The sword spun rapidly in mid-air, releasing a strong brilliance that enveloped several swords around it. On closer look, their own swords were among them.

“What are you all doing?” Lan Wu asked, puzzled by the sight.

“We were just discussing—since in the Divine Weapon Pavilion the swords were drawn to their primary sword, maybe if the owner of this primary sword channels his power again, the other three will come too. If we manage to pull those three over, the day of the competition, we’ll truly be unbeatable!” Xiao Yin said proudly, clearly the mastermind behind the idea.

“And Master said—if these ten swords are united, nothing will stand in our way. We’re eager to see what the merged sword will be like, whether it will shake heaven and earth, move gods and spirits,” Leng Huayi added, excitement in his voice.

“I feel a force resisting me—I’m about to lose control. Hurry, help me keep these swords in check!” Yu Shang said, struggling.

Everyone immediately sent their inner energy to control their swords, and colorful lights burst across the sky. Luckily, the bamboo cottage was secluded from the outside world, or such a rare spectacle would have drawn a crowd—and that could have brought trouble from covetous, ill-intentioned people.

“How is it, Brother Yu? Can you sense where the other three swords are?” Yu Xiaoran asked anxiously. He too was nearly exhausted, struggling against the force resisting them.

“Though I can’t sense their exact location, I have a vague feeling. They seem trapped, held by some force. Perhaps their owners are keeping them away from here on purpose,” Yu Shang replied, sending another burst of energy, hoping to strengthen his connection. The light grew brighter, but the resistance grew stronger. The group was nearly at their limit.

“Why do I feel my own sword is resisting us too?” Lan Bingxian wondered aloud.

“I feel it too. Could it be that we’ve activated the seal within the swords and awakened them?” Yan Xuesu guessed.

“Whatever the case, let’s try once more. Everyone, channel your inner energy together—let’s do our best to unite the seven swords!” Yu Shang called. He gathered all his energy and sent it into the sword. The others followed suit, sending their energy in a mighty surge. Streams of energy converged on the swords, creating a truly overwhelming scene.

Under the impact of their energy and the swords, a powerful force erupted, and the blinding light exploded outward, striking all of them. Caught unprepared, they were knocked to the ground by the sudden attack, even Meng Youyuan was injured by the force. With the swords no longer controlled, they fell scattered to the ground. The group looked helplessly at the fallen swords, sighed, then slowly got up and picked up their swords to check for damage.