“There is a person above a person, and a sky above a sky.” Yun Qian Yu simply says.
(TN: It means there will always be a person better than you out there.)
Just like Gong Sang Mo. It has been three years and Yun Qian Yu still cannot sees through him. On the outside, he appears gentle like a jade but he is actually very crafty like a fox. Yun Qian Yu has no idea how high his martial art capabilities are.
Yun Qian Yu frowns, why is she suddenly thinking about him?
Hearing what she said, Man Er clicks her tongue, looking disheartened.
“You should go and bath first. We will set out soon.” Chen Xiang gently pushes Man Er and reminds her.
“What of that intruder?” Man Er hesitates.
“Not many people are capable enough to break through your matrix formation, this kind of person are not the kind that you can handle. A person who dares to risk his life and breaks into Yun Valley, his identity should not be ordinary.”
After Chen Xiang’s gentle prodding, Man Er finally understands. “Oh, I get it now. I will go and bathe first! Don’t leave without me!” Her voice is still echoing inside the hall and yet the person is no longer there.
Yun Qian Yu gives the perceptive Chen Xiang an appreciative glance.
“Chen Xiang, let Uncle Chai checks it out.”
Now that Yun Qian Yu has made a high profile comeback, she knows it is hard for Yun Valley to be peaceful again. It has been a month, the ‘killing fowls to warn monkeys’ has really played it’s effect.
After receiving Yun Qian Yu’s instruction, Chen Xiang heads out. Yu Nuo receives the grape that hasn’t been fully peeled and peels it for her.
Yun Qian Yu looks at Feng Ran who is sitting next to her.
He says, “I have selected twenty escorting guards for the trip to the capital this time. We shall gauge the situation first before determining what to do next. What do Mistress think?”
“Alright. After all, I will be living in the palace. Bringing Chen Xiang and the other three with me, and you with your twenty guards, our number is considered big.”
Yun Qian Yu is very touched at Feng Ran’s careful consideration. Thinking of Feng Ran’s talent, she says, “Feng Ran, you are so talented and yet your talent is wasted at just being a guard in Yun Valley. This time going out, I can let you go if you wants to.”
Even though she will lose a capable helper, she knows that Feng Ran had done too much for Yun Valley. He is not one of those abandoned babies accepted by Yun Valley, he was already eight years old when he came here. He came from an esteemed clan too.
Feng Ran blanks out, his eyes dimming, “Mistress does not trust Feng Ran?”
Yun Qian Yu realizes that Feng Ran has misunderstood her.
“Feng Ran, we grew up together, I never considered you my subject, I consider you my friend. All men wants to have glorious professions. I don’t want you to spend your entire life in grievance here just because you wants to repay my parents. Life is fleeting, with a blink of an eye, a couple of years has passed. I want you to spend your life happily, with no regrets.” In Yun Qian Yu’s eyes, each person has their own ideal view of the life they wants, if they both want to walk the same road, then fine. But it not, she will give total liberation.
Feng Ran’s eyes is dense with warmth, he flashes a brilliant smile, “Fame and fortune is just a passing cloud for me, what I am doing right now is what I want to do the most. I am very happy.”
Actually, what he wanted to say was: Protecting you is the thing I want to do the most.
He has lived in Yun Valley for twelve years. He remembers his first day in Yun Valley. He was hiding in a corner while sobbing upon remembering his parents. Yun Qian Yu was just three years old then, beautiful like a porcelain doll. She was carrying a bowl of grapes while running to him in small steps. She gave him a sweet smile.
“Brother, are you hungry? Here, this is my most beloved grapes. I am giving them all to you, so please don’t cry.” Her delicate voice flows like a stream into his heart. At that time, he secretly swore to himself that he will protect this little girl after completing his revenge; as a mean to repay his savior’s grace.
Twelve years has passed and that little girl has gone through the grief of losing her parents and a broken engagement. She has grown now and has grown to be a tall and slender maiden whose face can ruin cities and overturn kingdoms. Not only has she grown, she has also practice Zi Yu Xin Jing, the practice that belongs exclusively to Yun Valley. She is also wise, like a thousand year old demoness. He is disheartened, seems like she didn’t need his protection that much.
Feng Ran glances at the plate in front of Yun Qian Yu. The grapes that Yu Nuo peels enters her small mouth one by one. Over the years, this is the one thing that hasn’t changed. Because of this, he collected a large variety of grape seeds and planted them in Yun Valley. They are meticulously taken care of by servants. This is to enable her to eat grapes throughout the year, no matter what season it is.
“As long as you like it. I also don’t want to lose such a capable right-hand man.” Yun Qian Yu finishes the last piece of grape.
Yu Nuo looks outside and says, “Mistress, Uncle Chai has arrived.”
Yun Qian Yu looks up to the entrance.
Uncle Chai enters with an indifferent face. Chen Xiang follows him from behind.
Feng Ran gets up and pays his respect. Yun Tian once told him that he can choose any teacher he wants to practice martial arts. The person he chose will have to unconditionally teach him their personal method. Because of that, Uncle Chai is considered one of his shifus.
Uncle Chai nods, and then pays respect to Yun Qian Yu, “Mistress, this subject has taken the liberty to let the person stays in the outer valley.”
Yun Qian Yu knows that there are always reasons behind Uncle Chai’s action, so she waits for him to finish.
“Perhaps, it will be better if Mistress personally meet him.” Uncle Chai adds.
“Why is that so?”
Yun Qin Yu ponders for a while, everyone within the Yun Valley thinks really highly of her. Not everyone who wants to meet her can meet her. The seven elders and Uncle Chai will usually sift through the people first to see if they are worthy enough to meet Yun Qian Yu. Within these three years, under the elders’ protection and Uncle Chai’s eyes, no one has met that requirement until today. Even if that person needs medical help, the elders’ are more than enough to heal him, there is no need for her to go and see him.
“Because that person has Xiang Yun Ling.” The First Elder says from outside the door.
“Xiang Yun Ling?” From Uncle Chai and the First Elder’s expression, this Xiang Yun Ling is a pretty important thing, yet she, this master of the valley has no clue what that means.
The First Elder enters, followed by the six other elders. Such an array of entourage, this Xiang Yun Ling must be really imperative.
Feng Ran and Uncle Chai stands behind Yun Qian Yu. Once the seven elders take their seats, the First Elder opens his mouth. “Your grandfather splits a cold jade into three parts in the past. After that, he used Zi Yu Xin Jing and infused his powers into those three pieces of jade. From the outside, clouds will appear to be floating inside the jade parts. Because of that, those three jades are called Xiang Yun Ling.”
He then takes a deep breath before continuing, “The old master was young and vigorous then, in order to give his wife a blood fox, he went to Cai Xia Island on his own. But then, the old master faced a situation that almost endangered his life and was saved by three other people who were there.”
There is a helpless expression on the First Elder’s face, everyone within Yun Family all prioritize feelings and justice. “In order to repay those three people, he gave them a piece of Xiang Yun Ling each. He promised them, they can come to seek medicinal help once for each jade. But if all three jades are carried by one person, then Yun Valley’s master will fulfill that person’s one wish. It has been forty years and yet not a single Xiang Yun Ling appears before.”
Once the First Elder reaches that point, Yun Qian Yu finally understands. What he is trying to say is, if a person brings all three Xiang Yun Ling, that person can asks anything from her; even Yun Valley, or her own life.
But since that person carries only one Xiang Yun Ling, then that person must be seeking medicinal help. This one piece of Xiang Yun Ling is very important. Once she recovers it, the entire Yun Valley will be within her control again.
Yun Qian Yu cannot help but blame this grandfather of hers a little. He gave away his promises so easily like that, weren’t he afraid it will adversely affect his children and grandchildren?
But now, there is an even more pressing matter. The elders and Uncle Chai all wants her to meet that person, what does that means? That means things are even more complicated than this.
As expected, traces of worry can be seen on the elders’ faces, especially the Seventh Elder, the one with the best medicinal skills.
