Chapter 107: Rebirth

A gentle summer rain began to fall from the sky at an unknown hour. Summer clouds drifted lazily, and the wind carried whispers imbued with the essence of summer. Looking up, the moonlight remained unchanged, yet carried a slight chill. As the rain passed, it washed away the oppressive heat; all living things reveled in the soft shower, cleansing not only the dust in the air but also the oppressive burdens within their hearts. It was as if life itself was being reborn with newfound meaning.

Beneath a willow tree, a man gazed upward into the vast sky, allowing raindrops to fall into his eyes. His dark robe, once pristine, was stained with fresh blood. He bowed to the moon and sighed deeply, words lost to the night.

“The wind stirs ancient trees, bringing rain on a clear day; the moon shines on the level sands, like frost on a summer night.” The man in black slowly closed his eyes, then suddenly curled his lips into a faint smile. “Don’t be angry anymore. Next time, I’ll surely listen to you.”

Su Bai shook his head helplessly, rising to continue his journey. He knew that the horse had been tampered with, which was why, after finding the jade pendant, he had left the horse behind without a second thought.

However, Qu Qiuzhuo was furious with him this time; it seemed she would not forgive him anytime soon.

Night had fallen, and Su Bai sought shelter at a common household. Fortunately, the outskirts of Qingzhou were not yet completely desolate; before midnight, he found a humble home and paid a small silver coin to stay in the firewood shed for the night.

Lying down on a mat of straw, arms behind his head, Su Bai closed his eyes slowly. But he did not drift to sleep directly—instead, he relaxed his consciousness and entered the world within the jade pendant.

Inside the pendant, everything remained as before. Qu Qiuzhuo sat cross-legged atop an icy coffin, ignoring Su Bai’s arrival without even lifting her eyelids. She turned her back to him without a word.

“Oh, my dear sister, please forgive me just this once,” Su Bai chuckled awkwardly, patting his thigh with exaggerated force. “Ouch! It’s all my fault. See how hard I’m hitting myself? My face is about to twitch. Please forgive me.”

“What are you here for? Haven’t you done enough? Why do you still need me, an old woman?” Qu Qiuzhuo muttered sternly. Although Su Bai could not see her expression, her tone made it clear she was truly angry.

“Hmph!” Su Bai snorted coldly and turned away. “I never imagined someone as stunningly beautiful as you—like a flower shamed by the moon, a fish sunk from view, possessing a heavenly face—would be so petty. It’s a disappointment, a mere empty shell of a beauty.”

Back turned, Qu Qiuzhuo’s lower lip twitched upward as she fought hard to suppress a smile at the fool’s words.

Sneaking a glance at her, Su Bai cleared his throat and continued, “When I saved Shang Wenyu, I told her I came because the most beautiful woman in the Great Wei had appeared to me in a dream. Where else in the world could there be another with such immortal grace?”

Qu Qiuzhuo pinched her own cheek, silently reminding herself not to be swayed by this brat’s sweet talk. “A dog wouldn’t believe a word he says,” she thought.

Su Bai, not adept at such matters, found Qu Qiuzhuo’s continued stubbornness exasperating. He turned around and pleaded from across her, “Ah, my dear sister, I was truly wrong. Don’t give me the cold shoulder—just a little response, please.”

“Get lost!” Qu Qiuzhuo kicked him hard, sending him flying backwards.

Luckily, Su Bai’s spirit form was unaffected by the blow, even when he hit the wall. Still, he clutched his chest and shouted, “Ah! That really hurt! You’re merciless! If you don’t forgive me today, and don’t pay me back a thousand or so taels, I won’t let this go!”

Watching Su Bai’s antics, Qu Qiuzhuo finally broke into laughter, scolding, “Get up quickly! You’re acting like a weaned child.”

Seeing this worked, Su Bai rolled around more and said, “I don’t care. If the fairy sister won’t forgive me, I won’t get up!”

Qu Qiuzhuo, truly impressed by how fast Su Bai gave her nicknames, finally gave in and muttered two words, “Get up.”

“Alright, alright!” Su Bai immediately flipped over and squatted before Qu Qiuzhuo.

His playful grin made her chide him sweetly, “I’m only forgiving you this once—don’t make it a habit.”

“I’ll definitely listen to you. When would I dare defy the fairy sister?” Su Bai said, putting his arm around her, causing Qu Qiuzhuo to break out in goosebumps.

“Get away from me! I haven’t fully forgiven you yet.”

“Yes, yes! Whatever you say, I won’t say no once,” Su Bai said, crouching back down with his hands behind his head, stealing glances at her.

Qu Qiuzhuo sighed softly. “You’re right. I have been too reliant on my calculations and predictions, ignoring many other elements of fate.”

She looked deeply into Su Bai’s eyes, which were as profound as a thousand-year-old icy pond, thinking, *Perhaps your father was right; choosing you was not a mistake.*

Then she asked, “How confident are you that Shang Wenyu can succeed?”

Su Bai frowned slightly and lowered his head to think. “It’s hard to say. Changing oneself quickly is difficult. Although I’ve given her everything, whether she can stand on her own depends on her.”

He looked up at Qu Qiuzhuo and held up two fingers. “But I believe she has about an eighty percent chance. If she can overcome this hurdle, it will be a rebirth for her.”

They gazed at each other silently for a long moment, then suddenly shared a knowing smile.

***

Elsewhere, Shang Wenyu and others rested at a waystation inn.

Shang Wenyu sat alone in her room, her eyes vacant and dull, still unable to shake off the shock of recent events. After all, such sudden turmoil was hard for anyone to accept immediately.

Clutching a painting tightly, she seemed lost in thought.

A shiver ran through her, waking her from her reverie. She touched her cheeks with both hands, then picked up the painting and slowly approached the table, pulling out an envelope that hung from her chest.

The letter had already been opened and read, while the painting lay quietly on the table.

“This is evidence sent by my second brother. If I submit this directly, it won’t affect him much. Instead, it would provoke even fiercer attacks from my other brothers,” Shang Wenyu muttered, resting her cheek on her hand as she pondered.

Her gaze then shifted to the portrait Su Bai had given her.

Her delicate fingers gently stroked the woman’s face in the painting. Once pure and beautiful, it was now stained with blood, a chilling reminder of cruelty.

“Sorry,” Shang Wenyu whispered, then tore the painting apart slowly.

As she tore it open, a letter hidden inside was revealed.

She immediately picked it up and read aloud silently: *If you are reading this, it means I have left your side. Your position is precarious; you have no loyal confidants capable of standing alone. This is your weakness, but it could also be your strength.*

*As expected, upon returning home, the family head will suppress your influence. But none of this will be in vain.*

*Hold this letter tightly. When you return, observe which young master the head favors most. Find that person and hand him this letter from the second brother aiming to harm you.*

*Not only will you cultivate good relations with this young master, but more importantly, you will show the head that you share the same vision for the future heir. The head will reduce his attacks on you, and your five brothers will be busy with their own internal conflicts.*

*This is the time to begin building your own power base. Most martial arts sects are contested by the young masters. With your limited resources, you cannot recruit many allies and may instead become a source of intelligence leaks.*

*I suggest you forge ties with the Six Doors. When trading, cooperate closely with them. The Six Doors have long been despised by the martial world, so the young masters will likely abandon them.*

*This is your opportunity; whether you grasp it depends on your actions.*

*Allow me a word of caution: the higher your status, the more complex your interests. You surely understand this well. Only the winner in this power struggle will survive unscathed; others will find no good end.*

*Never show mercy.*

Shang Wenyu placed the letter face down on the table, contemplating deeply before looking at the flickering candlelight. She slowly stood and held the letter above the flame.

The paper caught fire and burned steadily toward her delicate hand. When the heat finally stung her skin, she let go, murmuring, “Never show mercy.”

After washing her face, she lay down on the bed, those words echoing in her mind.

“Was everything I did before wrong?”

---

“Are you not afraid she will become overly emotional and turn into a fanatic?”

“Wise people know the appropriate limits.”

“That’s true.”

Qu Qiuzhuo nodded with a faint smile. “Well done, but next time, inform me clearly before acting.”

“Yes, yes, my great aunt.”

“Go.”

---

Lying on the straw mat, Su Bai slowly opened his eyes. The firewood shed’s window was wide open, and a gentle evening breeze brushed past. He quietly admired the bright moonlight.

He softly recited, “A beautiful moment cannot be forced by heaven; joyful pleasures belong to one’s own courtyard.”

---

The first rays of sunlight pierced the paper window of a guest room on the second floor of the waystation inn. A fair-haired young woman propped herself up on the bed, her gaze vacant, lost in thought.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door. Yan Qing was waiting outside. “Miss, it’s time to set off.”

Creak—

The door opened slowly from the inside. Shang Wenyu’s expression was stern; she glanced sideways at Yan Qing and whispered, “Lead the way.”

The fine horses galloped swiftly, day and night, until half a month later the group finally reached the Shang family estate.

Shang Wenyu was somewhat dazed as she looked at the bustling commercial street—perhaps she had spent most nights on the carriage, deprived of restful sleep.

“Miss, we will leave you here. Please rest at the inn tonight; we will enter the estate tomorrow.”

Shang Wenyu knew she could not enter the Shang estate in her disheveled state. She nodded and said, “Thank you, Uncle Yan, for your care along the way.”

“You’re welcome, Miss,” Yan Qing replied politely. Then, looking at those behind him, he whispered, “Let’s go.”

Watching Yan Qing and the others depart, Shang Wenyu took a deep breath and walked alone through the lively streets.

Despite the bustling crowd, her mood remained unsettled.

“Did I really make a mistake?” The question haunted her relentlessly, as if someone were constantly pressing her, trapping her in her own world.

“Miss, please have mercy on me,” a ragged old woman suddenly grabbed her ankle.

The woman was filthy, her hair gray and unkempt, tears swirling in her eyes.

Feeling pity, Shang Wenyu immediately took out silver coins and gave them to the old woman. Seeing the woman’s profuse thanks and even kowtowing, Shang Wenyu helped her to her feet without a hint of disdain.

Turning away, she headed toward the nearby inn.

But upon reaching the door and preparing to pay, she suddenly realized she had already given all her money to the old woman.

Embarrassed, she asked, “Grandmother, could you please return some of the money I just gave you? I need some silver to stay at the inn. I promise to give you more tomorrow.”

The old woman looked at Shang Wenyu blankly. “What are you talking about? When did you give me any money?”

Her feigned ignorance was so convincing that, if Shang Wenyu did not know better, she might have thought she was mistaken.

“These are the silver coins I gave you. The three taels in your bowl came from me,” Shang Wenyu said, eyes wide in confusion.

When Shang Wenyu insisted on clearing up the matter, the old woman clutched the silver to her chest, leaving only a few copper coins in the bowl.

Then, before Shang Wenyu’s astonished eyes, the old woman threw a tantrum, shouting, “Help! Someone’s stealing my hard-earned begging money! What kind of world is this? Come have a look!”

Shang Wenyu was stunned. At that moment, she felt like a clown.

“So I have always been this ridiculous.”

In that instant, she no longer cared about the pointing fingers or the old woman’s shameless performance.

She understood how absurd all her past efforts had been—like a child naively believing the world was so beautiful.

At that moment, she seemed to grasp the path Su Bai had spoken of.

A door opened before her. Today was the first day she would step through and into a new world.