Chapter 119

Chapter 119

Chapter 119: Setting Out

“…Since this is something Song Lang gave her,” Bai Zhengliu said, “it naturally can be used with that method of using objects to find their owner. When she drew the formation earlier, I had already thought of trying it here.”

Mei Yinghan: “Mm.”

Bai Zhengliu: “I originally thought ‘East of the city’ was a ruse, that the real Song Lang must be hiding somewhere in the city. Unexpectedly, the bit of red sand I used to test kept drifting westward.”

Mei Yinghan: “Uh-huh.”

Bai Zhengliu: “I can see it drifting out of the city now.” He pondered. “Looks like we really have to go there ourselves.”

Mei Yinghan: “Alright.”

Bai Zhengliu: “…”

The swordsman smiled at his lover.

By this time, the two of them had already brought their horses back from the inn and began leading them out of the city.

Seeing them again, the innkeeper’s expression was hard to describe. If one had to put it into words, it would be: “—Sir, I thought you were… uh, the matter happened so suddenly, you just hurried off like that!”

Meaning, he had almost sold off Bai and Mei’s belongings left at the inn, and the two horses nearly ended up at the city’s trading market.

Unexpectedly, before the innkeeper could figure out how to spend this sudden gain, the owners showed up in person.

Now it was even worse—he had to return the items and do so nervously, fearing that the two martial travelers might report him to the authorities. If it went to court, even if he wasn’t jailed, he’d probably get a dozen or two lashes from the big board.

Or worse, the two martial travelers might not care about “the honorable magistrate” at all and could deal with it privately.

Just thinking about that made the innkeeper nearly break down in tears and snot.

Bai and Mei could only laugh and shake their heads. Angry? Not entirely. But were they going to fuss? They didn’t have the time.

In the end, they only took back what the innkeeper returned, plus the three taels of silver he offered as compensation, along with a warning: “Next time, I’ll hold you responsible.”

Even now, Bai Zhengliu remembered how the innkeeper had looked so pitiful. The three taels of silver, however, he didn’t keep. Despite being in a hurry to leave the city, the swordsman found a moment to visit the city’s relief house and placed the money on the desk of the relief manager.

After that, they were on their way.

Bai Zhengliu put the red sand oiled-paper packet away and mused: “Did you know from the beginning?”

Mei Yinghan smiled and said, “I saw you using that technique beside Lady Cheng.”That was when the swordsman crouched down, lips moving slightly.

Once those words were spoken, what else did Bai Zhengliu not understand? He didn’t feel that he had wasted his words earlier; instead, seeing his lover smile like that made him think he looked handsome and graceful.

“Good,” Bai Zhengliu said. “Now everything is clear. Whatever Lady Cheng or the theater troupe indicated as the ‘southeast direction,’ we won’t go there. If it doesn’t suit their intentions, whatever they left for us there naturally won’t matter.”

Mei Yinghan: “Exactly. We follow the red sand and explore westward.”

Bai Zhengliu muttered: “Hopefully it’s not too far.” Otherwise, the red sand might run out.

Mei Yinghan also thought of this problem. After some thought, when Bai Zhengliu next paused to take red sand and point out the direction for the two of them, he made a move that Bai Zhengliu did not expect.

The red sand floated up, flying forward… about a foot, when a hand appeared, just in time to block its path.

Mei Yinghan cupped his hand and absorbed the spiritual energy carried by the red sand into his own meridians. In this way, the red sand returned to being an ordinary object.

Bai Zhengliu watched the scene, his eyes brightening.

Mei Yinghan came over to pull him. Their palms met, and the spiritual energy that the swordsman had taken earlier returned to Bai Zhengliu’s body.

Now Bai Zhengliu’s mood shifted from “I see” to “but it’s unnecessary.”

Bai Zhengliu: “It’s only this little bit of spiritual energy—”

Mei Yinghan: “Just a little, so I give it back to you.”

Bai Zhengliu: “Hm?”

Mei Yinghan smiled at him: “If I gave you more, you surely wouldn’t want it. This way, you get back just the bit that’s yours.”

Bai Zhengliu: “…” He pursed his lips for a moment, then couldn’t help but smile. “You’ve got me there. But giving it back and forth like this is too troublesome. How about this: from now on, we take turns reciting the incantation for the red sand, and take turns holding it. How’s that?”

Mei Yinghan thought for a moment, then agreed: “Alright.” After a pause, he added, “I just wonder—since you took so much red sand from Lady Cheng, would she notice?”

Bai Zhengliu was slightly silent: “At the time, things were urgent. I thought about replacing it or covering it up for her, but after all, it’s something she personally keeps close… never mind. Let’s hope we’re in time this trip.”

Mei Yinghan nodded: “Let’s set out then. At least the red sand is pointing toward whoever is behind the trouble at the Cheng residence—that much is certain.”

With that agreed, they set off.

Thinking of what Song Lang had once told Lady Cheng—“…southeast direction, about four or five days’ journey”—Bai Zhengliu now had a rough estimate of “four or five days” for their current route.They really hadn’t expected it. Earlier, they had been anxious to head east, eager to reach Jingzhou City and check on the Cheng family’s situation. Now, their focus was on leaving quickly, to see what vengeful spirits might be at work along their route.

Bai Zhengliu couldn’t help but sigh. Looking at the sky, he realized, without noticing, that another night had fallen.

Mei Yinghan said, “Let’s rest for today.”

Bai Zhengliu: “Mm.”

Neither wasted words. After dismounting, they efficiently built a fire and looked for water. They tied their horses to nearby trees and checked for any edible plants in the vicinity.

Although they had dry provisions on hand, if there were extras to be had, they would gladly accept them.

Sure enough, as Bai Zhengliu filled his water pouch from a nearby stream and returned, even before reaching the fire, he smelled the aroma of cooking meat.

His Adam’s apple bobbed immediately. He quickened his pace toward the fire and saw Mei Yinghan carefully turning a wooden stick, on which sat a wild rabbit already three-quarters cooked.

Bai Zhengliu, surprised: “How did you find it?”

Mei Yinghan: “Not long after you left, I heard some movement in the grass…” Seeing Bai Zhengliu approach, looking like he wanted to pinch the rabbit’s leg, he stopped him. “Don’t rush. Look, it still has some blood on it.”

Bai Zhengliu glanced over—it was indeed so.

He felt a slight disappointment, but the sense of satisfaction in his heart was genuine. Sitting down beside his lover, they spoke back and forth casually.

Bai Zhengliu: “If we can handle this smoothly, when we return to Tianshan, we should also receive some replies from the sects, right?”

Mei Yinghan turned the stick again. “Perhaps,” he paused, smiling, “maybe on the way back we’ll meet junior brothers and sisters from the sect.”

Bai Zhengliu stroked his chin: “They still don’t know about our relationship. If I just call them junior brothers and sisters, will it scare them?”

Mei Yinghan pondered. “Perhaps…?”

Bai Zhengliu laughed: “Then we’ll just leave it unsaid for now?”

Mei Yinghan: “Hm? Of course it should be said.”

Bai Zhengliu propped his chin and teased: “You, Big Senior Brother, really don’t know how to consider others.”

Mei Yinghan said calmly: “Since they know I am their senior brother, they should also respect me… and my lover.”

At the end, a faint smile curved Mei Yinghan’s lips as he turned his head to look at Bai Zhengliu.

Bai Zhengliu’s pupils trembled slightly.He had felt this way many times before, and he clearly knew that the softness and collapse in his heart at this moment symbolized his feelings for the swordsman. But so what? He had felt it many times before—what difference did it make? It didn’t stop him from feeling the same stirring whenever he faced Mei Yinghan.

“This batch of skewers is about ready,” Mei Yinghan said, seemingly unaware of Bai Zhengliu’s expression, handing him a skewer with smaller, more easily cooked pieces. “Try it. I salted it; it should taste better than the snake meat from the mountains.”

Bai Zhengliu slowly blinked, gathering his composure. “Alright, you eat too.”

As he spoke, Mei Yinghan raised his hand, as if to touch him.

Bai Zhengliu’s heart, which had calmed, stirred again. He sat still, quietly watching Mei Yinghan. The firelight reflected in his pupils, as if reflecting his lover’s face as well.

It made Mei Yinghan unsure whether to laugh or feel something else.

The swordsman whispered, “I hadn’t intended…”—but the words vanished between their lips before they fully left his mouth.

And this was the most ordinary night of their journey.

……

……

While Bai and Mei continued their journey, the three Cheng family members remained at home as usual.

It wasn’t that they hadn’t considered moving—either outside the city or to an inn—but thinking back to the first day the wandering heroes arrived, when they clearly left Yao’s room and yet the vengeful spirit still found her precisely, the Cheng couple realized that wherever their family went, it wouldn’t matter.

The only solution was for the two wandering heroes to truly defeat the vengeful spirit.

But could they really do it?… It wasn’t that they lacked confidence in Bai and Mei’s abilities. It was that the matter concerned their daughter’s life, and no amount of worry was ever enough for Cheng Laoye and Madam Cheng.

They spent the night in anxious concern, the fatigue in their features impossible to hide. Meanwhile, Cheng Yao leaned against her bedhead, groggy, drifting into another dream.

The spirit stone assigned to her rolled out from her sleeve.

She didn’t notice.

Her mind was full of thoughts of her lover. Was Song Lang safe now? Had the vengeful spirit found him? Had the two wandering heroes encountered him or helped him?

Many questions lingered in Cheng Yao’s heart. When they truly met, she was eager to speak.

But alas, she was a step slower than her lover. Before she could say anything, she heard him ask, “Did the two wandering heroes really come looking for me? Why haven’t they arrived yet?”

Author’s note:See you tomorrow.