Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Reflection

Could it be that Old Master Chang still has other issues?

This seemed to be the only possible explanation. However, they had already left Guang'an Fu City, and even if they discovered any suspicious points, it would be hard to verify them. Moreover, they had both personally seen the scene where Lady Liu burned Old Master Chang with a ghostly fire. Even if they rushed back now, it would be of no use.

Bai Zhengliu slowly exhaled a breath and said, "Perhaps I'm overthinking it. After all, no one has seen what Old Master Chang’s true form was like. Maybe a wandering soul really is like this... It's just one of those things that can’t be explained."

Mei Yinghan comforted him, "If we come across another 'wandering soul' in the future, we can catch it and test it to find out."

Bai Zhengliu smiled faintly, "What you're saying, Mei Xiong, makes it sound like it's such an easy thing."

Mei Yinghan chuckled in response, "I know it’s not an easy matter. But if we don’t encounter it again, that would be one less problem."

Bai Zhengliu was convinced by his reasoning, "Indeed."

The two of them exchanged words for a while, quickly brushing past the topic and carrying the straw into the farmhouse kitchen.

But just because they didn’t speak of it didn’t mean it wasn’t on their minds.

Later that night, after the family who had given up their side room had gone to sleep, the side room remained lit for a long time.

The two visitors, one sat at the window sill lost in thought, while the other took out paper and ink, not knowing what he was writing.

When Bai Zhengliu finally crushed the last piece of straw in his palm, he pulled his attention back and noticed Mei Yinghan's actions.

He was slightly puzzled, "Mei Xiong, what is this?"

Mei Yinghan did not lift his head, replying, "I want to silently memorize that 'Star Selection Record' while I still remember it. This is another clue."

As he spoke, his hand remained steady, writing carefully on the paper.

Bai Zhengliu suddenly realized, "I see—Mei Xiong, do you still have any extra paper and ink?"

"Hmm?" Mei Yinghan finally lifted his head to look at him.

In the dim light, their gazes met.

Bai Zhengliu jumped down from the windowsill with a very graceful posture—Mei Yinghan thought to himself that although he had never seen Bai Xiong’s master, the person must be a master of incredible lightness skill.He had noticed this point a long time ago. It wasn’t just when wielding the sword, Bai Zhengliu’s usual movements were always so graceful and nimble, with a certain crispness that made them look extremely clean and pleasant.

At this moment, the light-footed and elegant swordsman approached Mei Yinghan, placing one hand on the table beside him, lowering his head to look at the content Mei Yinghan had silently recited: “First, the formation we noted down… Hm, I guessed it was for possession, but I just had a hunch, and now it’s written down?”

Mei Yinghan smiled, shifting his body slightly to make it easier for Bai Zhengliu to see everything: "Look. I’ve also marked beside it, that this idea came from the situation at Chang Manor."

Bai Zhengliu blinked, "Good. So many symbols and spells? Mei Xiong’s memory is really something."

Mei Yinghan sighed softly, "The rest are just temporary titles; I don’t know how much I’ll actually remember."

Bai Zhengliu said, "I’ll do it together with you."

"Together?" Mei Yinghan asked.

"Yeah," as he spoke, Bai Zhengliu had already sat down. "Two people always remember more than one. Also, if we make any mistakes, we can check and supplement each other."

Mei Yinghan pressed his lips together, a smile spreading across his eyes, "Thank you."

Bai Zhengliu shook his head, "What are you thanking me for?" After a brief pause, he sighed, "This is a disaster of the world… If we really never encounter such things again, that would be a blessing."

From that day on, "Reflecting on what was written in the 'Star Selection Record'" became a regular activity between the swordsman and the swordswoman.

By day, they had to travel, and by evening, they would find a place to rest. Whether staying at a family’s house or setting up camp in the wild, there was always a lot to prepare. Only in the brief moments before sleep would they have the time to calmly organize everything they had remembered throughout the day into writing.

With Bai Zhengliu’s help, Mei Yinghan’s process of organizing things became much faster. However, they hadn’t spent much time actually reading the original 'Star Selection Record'. Apart from the formation that seemed related to possession, which they could replicate almost perfectly, the rest were just vague impressions.

Another problem was—

Bai Zhengliu: “Lan Liuxiang, Nan Linshi, Zi Wu... Hm, these are the few things I remember.”

Mei Yinghan added, “Huo Wei, Tu Fuyong…”

Bai Zhengliu watched as Mei Yinghan wrote down these unfamiliar names one by one on the paper, sighing, “Even though we remember these, we still don’t know what they actually are.”

Mei Yinghan’s attitude was more relaxed, "Let’s write them down first. Maybe we’ll find out what they are later."Bai Zhengliu smiled: "That's true."

As he spoke, he straightened his posture and poked at the fire with a nearby wooden stick.

The two of them had spent the night in an abandoned temple. Not far from them, in the dark, was a large Buddha statue that seemed to be silently watching over them.

Before the Buddha, they had placed some wild fruits as offerings, which Bai and Mei had put there not long ago. Additionally, the fire in front of the swordsman and swordswoman was roasting a wild chicken they had hunted along the way. The chicken had already begun to emit a savory aroma, with oil dripping down along the texture of the meat.

The oil dripped onto the fire, making a soft “plop” sound.

While the swordsman was organizing his notes, Bai Zhengliu was in charge of turning the stick to ensure every part of the wild chicken was evenly cooked.

When Mei Yinghan set down his pen, Bai Zhengliu had just finished turning the chicken and pulled it apart into two pieces, placing them on two clean leaves they had picked earlier.

After a moment of thought, he picked out a little more and set it aside as a third portion, which he offered alongside the wild fruits.

Mei Yinghan saw this and couldn’t help but laugh, "Bai Xiong, you are a devout Buddhist."

Bai Zhengliu shrugged helplessly: "Mei Xiong, please don’t make fun of me." He looked around, "Although this is an abandoned temple, it’s still quite clean inside. There’s not much dust, and the roof doesn’t seem to be in bad shape. I think there are probably people who come here to stay regularly."

Mei Yinghan nodded: "That’s good."

Bai Zhengliu smiled slightly: "Those who stay in a place like this are either travelers like us, or homeless beggars. If it’s the former, it’s fine. But if it’s the latter, leaving something behind might just save their lives."

Mei Yinghan heard this and his smile faded, his expression becoming serious: "Bai Xiong, your consideration is truly admirable."

Bai Zhengliu said: "My master used to do this."

Mei Yinghan asked: "You’ve mentioned your senior so many times. The more I hear about them, the more I want to see for myself what kind of person your master was."

Bai Zhengliu shook his head and smiled: "What 'kind of person'? My master took me in when I was very young. Others, when they saw us, would only think of us as a crazy old man and his little follower."

Mei Yinghan said: "Don’t speak like that."

Bai Zhengliu responded: "Do you think I’m being modest?" He tilted his head slightly, his face still smiling. However, in the firelight, the smile seemed somewhat blurred, tinged with a sense of nostalgia and melancholy.

"When I was a child," after mentioning his master so many times, Bai Zhengliu rarely spoke of the less pleasant parts, "At first, I did think of my master as a hero. But as I got older, I could also understand the looks people gave us."Mei Yinghan gently gazed at him. He did not say anything further, simply listening quietly to Bai Zhengliu's story.

Bai Zhengliu slowly untied the water pouch—inside, it wasn’t water, but the wine they had bought from the last town they passed through.

Neither of them were particularly fond of alcohol, but wine had many uses.

It could warm the body in cold weather, disinfect wounds when injured, and was considered an essential item for travelers and martial artists alike.

Bai Zhengliu and Mei Yinghan were heading northwest, and with autumn approaching, the temperature was gradually dropping, making the journey increasingly cold. The swordsman naturally remembered to replenish their water supply frequently.

As Bai Zhengliu mentioned his old master, he was filled with emotion. He poured a cup of wine for both himself and Mei Yinghan and raised his cup, saying, "To Mei Xiong."

Mei Yinghan returned the gesture, and Bai Zhengliu continued: "I think, my master really was just as others said—somewhat mad. Sometimes he was lucid, but at other times, he would mistake me for an old friend. He'd call me his nephew, his grand-nephew... I naturally responded, and when he spoke of his family's past, there was a certain sadness to it.

"My master’s family and friends likely all died in the war, leaving him alone. His swordsmanship is methodical, but when outsiders speak of him as the ‘Sword Immortal’... they didn’t always praise him so highly. He had fought with someone, and that person happened to be a sword expert. That person, unable to admit defeat to an old man, spread the rumor of my master’s fame."

At this point, Bai Zhengliu fell silent for a moment and poured another drink for himself.

Mei Yinghan looked slightly worried: "Bai Xiong!"

Bai Zhengliu reassured him: "It’s nothing—ah, this wine is really spicy!" It wasn’t smooth, but rather a sharp, stinging sensation. Even Bai Zhengliu had to close his eyes for a moment, trying to recover his composure before forcing a smile, "It’s alright, I didn’t mind it for long. Whether my master was lucid or not, he was the one who took me in and raised me. As for the rest, what does it matter to me?

"As for his swordsmanship... I do think it’s somewhat rooted in family tradition. If we could find my master’s living relatives, and teach them what he passed on to me, that would be even better."

Mei Yinghan, reassured, asked: "Do you have any leads?"

Bai Zhengliu didn’t answer right away. After staring at his cup for a moment, he sighed, "No. I only know my master’s surname was Yang, but I don’t even know his full name..." He stopped suddenly, noticing something. "Huh?!"

As Bai Zhengliu spoke, his beloved sword, the "Twenty-Eight Generals," which had been placed beside him, suddenly glowed faintly after many days of silence!

Bai Zhengliu’s attention was immediately drawn to it. After leaving Guang'an Prefecture, he had tried countless ways to communicate with the "Twenty-Eight Generals." From speaking to it, writing, and offering offerings, he had tried many methods, yet the sword had never responded.

But now!

Bai Zhengliu’s heart raced. In an instant, countless thoughts rushed through his mind: Was it something in his words that caught the sword’s attention? Or was there something strange about the wild temple where he and Mei Yinghan had stayed? Or maybe...

"Clip-clop, clip-clop—""Who?!"

Following the sound from outside the wild temple, the swordsman and the swordman both turned towards the temple entrance!