Chapter Seventy-Four: Daily Life

Since that accident, the bond between Gu Fanshuang and Su Bai had only grown deeper. Every day, they delved into martial arts together, inseparable, becoming the pair most envied by all. In the eyes of outsiders, Su Bai had already reached the sixth level of the Bone Tempering Realm, making his appointment as the Chief of the Southern Courtyard a matter of course.

Blood River Tower was divided into four courtyards—East, West, South, and North. The Southern Courtyard was where apprentice disciples lived and studied, the Eastern Courtyard housed the inner disciples and training grounds, while the Western Courtyard was reserved for the few true disciples. Each of these true disciples had their own separate residence, usually the personal students of elders or the sect leader. It was said, however, that the Vice Sect Master had never taken any disciples; no one knew if, after this seven-year trial, an exception would occur.

The Northern Courtyard was the largest, home to the elders, stewards, and the sect leader himself. Every courtyard had its own chief, except for the Northern one. At the heart of Blood River Tower stood a tall tower, rising more than ten yards high, used to imprison criminals and those guilty of major offenses. Internally, it also served as the detention center for the Six Gates, but only those at the rank of Outer Officer or above, holding the Six Gates’ waist plaque, could enter. Thus, the disciples of Blood River Tower hardly knew what truly happened within, only that those who committed grave errors would be confined there.

Autumn faded into winter. For reasons unknown, the south was suddenly blanketed in heavy snow, allowing Su Bai to once again experience the wintry spectacle he remembered from the far north. He and Gu Fanshuang, both wrapped in thick coats, strolled hand in hand through the sect, savoring the snowy landscape. Gu Fanshuang gazed up at the sky, her eyes tinged with melancholy, tightening her grip on Su Bai’s hand as if afraid he might leave.

The departures of Xue Jiahuan and Baxi left her with lingering regrets and a heightened sense of crisis. In Blood River Tower, one was bound sooner or later to face perilous missions; she feared that she and Su Bai might one day follow in Xue Jiahuan’s footsteps.

Lost in thought, Gu Fanshuang asked quietly, “Where do you think we’ll end up if we keep walking together like this?”

“I imagine we’ll walk until our hair turns white,” Su Bai replied, pointing to his head, now dusted with snow, and then to the swirling snowflakes all around, smiling playfully—a rare moment of levity from him.

Gu Fanshuang turned to look at Su Bai, a blush coloring her cheeks, making her appear even more radiant amidst the icy world. Flustered by his sudden, corny words, she scolded, “Since when does the Chief of the Southern Courtyard speak so carelessly? Can’t you set a better example for the disciples?” Yet her body, nestling closer into his embrace, betrayed her true feelings.

“Shall I take back what I just said?” Su Bai teased, feigning ignorance.

“That’s not allowed! You said it yourself—a man’s word is his bond. How could you go back on it?” Gu Fanshuang replied, a rare hint of childishness in her voice. Leaning against Su Bai, her bright eyes gazed at him with quiet affection.

“Alright, alright. I give you my word—I will never go back on it,” Su Bai said tenderly, his left hand gently stroking her long, dark hair. He wrapped her tightly in his arms and closed his eyes, listening to the steady beat of their hearts. The heavy snow settled softly on them, but it could not chill the warmth between them.

After a long while, they separated.

“Didn’t you say the Vice Sect Master wanted to see you after the New Year? It’s already the eve of the festival. How do you plan to meet him?” Gu Fanshuang asked, worry clouding her face. The Vice Sect Master was notoriously elusive, even beyond the control of the Sect Master himself. Su Bai’s intention to approach him so directly made her anxious.

“Don’t worry,” Su Bai replied with a gentle smile. “The Vice Sect Master has been helping me conceal my true strength, and my nominal master seems to be under his command. Lately, I’ve been learning all sorts of secret martial arts from Blood River Tower, and all my questions about martial cultivation have been answered in detail. Just a few days ago, I broke through to the seventh level of the Marrow Refining Realm.”

He sighed, “I owe much to that life-and-death battle. My state of mind has changed immensely since then, and even the bottleneck at the second level, which had troubled me for so long, was overcome during that fight. It seems only through brushing with death can one truly progress.”

Hearing this, Gu Fanshuang immediately countered, “With your cultivation speed, you could reach great heights even without such dangers.” She feared he might take reckless risks behind her back. With a year and a half left before the final trial, and their team now reduced to just the two of them, the challenge would only be greater. She knew Su Bai would never willingly face death with her on the dueling stage, but she worried that in the last trial, something might go wrong, especially since her own strength lagged behind his—what if she held him back, as had happened during their last mission?

Su Bai stroked her hair soothingly. “Alright, alright. If I ever take on such a mission, I’ll let you know in advance. Why are you getting more cautious as you grow older?”

He thought of the missing Soft Finger Whip and the Su family jade ring—remnants of his past, ticking time bombs he could neither find nor safely discard.

Noticing his distraction, Gu Fanshuang waved her hand before his eyes. “What are you thinking about? So lost in thought?”

“Oh, nothing—just some trivial matters,” Su Bai replied with a forced smile. He remembered all too well the lonely, drifting years he had spent in the martial world, meeting with hardship at every turn. Now, with Gu Fanshuang—gifted, of noble birth, and fond of him—by his side, and the Vice Sect Master secretly supporting him, everything sometimes felt unreal.

“Am I just overthinking things?” Su Bai often asked himself. Yet he knew hidden dangers had merely not yet surfaced, so he dared not slack off, training diligently every day.

Gu Fanshuang pouted at his half-hearted reply but said nothing more. She knew little of his past, only that his father had served in the army and, after dying in battle, left the family in ruins, forcing Su Bai to seek refuge here.

As dusk fell, Su Bai found an excuse to go to the canteen with Gu Fanshuang, avoiding further questions. There, they laughed and talked, savoring one of their few moments of peace.

After their meal, they parted swiftly and returned to their rooms to meditate and train. Sitting on his bed, Su Bai fell silent, his gaze lingering on the empty bed beside his. Gu Fanshuang likewise gazed at Xue Jiahuan’s vacant bunk with a soft sigh.

Their last mission had cost them two teammates—two friends. Su Bai, accustomed as he was to partings, was not immune to sorrow; he simply concealed it better than Gu Fanshuang.

As Chief, he could have moved to a private courtyard, but he preferred the familiar space, now that he was its sole occupant.

“In six or seven days, the New Year will be here. The Vice Sect Master will have my nominal master summon me. I’d best prepare.” For some reason, Su Bai recalled the letter of introduction Dong Muming had given him.

“What was written in that letter? The Vice Sect Master can’t have gone to such lengths for me based only on my recent performance. Did Dong Muming write something about my past? What could it be?” The more he pondered, the more mysterious it seemed, but he could not unravel the truth.

In fact, Dong Muming, who had been Azure Dragon’s Left Envoy, suspected Su Bai’s true identity after meeting him. He wrote his suspicions in a letter and, through Su Bai’s nominal master (who was the Right Envoy, later promoted after Dong Muming’s death), delivered it to Azure Dragon. Following the clues, Azure Dragon discovered who Su Bai really was.

The snow fell relentlessly through the night—a sign of good fortune for the coming year. Many families gathered indoors, enjoying the warmth of hearth and kin, relishing this rare peace.

But not everyone was so fortunate.

At the heart of Blood River Tower, a tall tower stood against the storm. At its summit, a lone figure faced the wind in little more than summer garb, his slender frame unbowed amid the biting cold, gazing down at the Southern Courtyard below.

This was none other than the elusive Vice Sect Master—the Azure Dragon, one of the Four Great Constables of the Six Gates.

“The year is ending,” Azure Dragon sighed, sorrow etched in his eyes. “Some will rejoice, others will grieve.”

Suddenly, a stooped figure appeared behind him, bowing respectfully. “Sir, everything is arranged.”

“Good. Now, let’s see if the young lord has the fortune to seize his chance.” Azure Dragon’s gaze toward the Southern Courtyard brightened.

Then, as if recalling something, he smiled. “I hear the Embroidered Guards are pulling out all the stops this time, sending seven of the Thirteen Protectors. I wonder what chaos they’ll stir up in Wei.”

“I’ve heard some rumors,” the stooped man answered.

“Oh? Speak,” Azure Dragon said, turning to him, his maskless face strikingly handsome, all the more so in the wind and snow.

“After the head of the Huo family died, the young emperor of Wei seeks to reclaim the military authority Huo commanded. The Embroidered Guards want to use this to destabilize Wei and are backing Huo Wujie, the family’s only heir. The emperor and the young lord have agreed: if Huo Wujie reaches the Spirit-Focusing Realm within five years, the Huo family will be spared. Refusal means the emperor will do whatever it takes to eliminate them.” The stooped man paused.

Azure Dragon waved his hand, “Go on—I asked, so speak freely. There’ll be no consequences.”

The man nodded. “I’ve discovered that Lord White Tiger and the Vermilion Bird Envoy are involved as well. Both tried to harm Huo Wujie, but the Embroidered Guards foiled their plans. I’m not sure if the commander will confront the Chief Constable. As for Huo Wujie, he’s talented, but accepting such an impossible agreement seems...” He trailed off.

Azure Dragon chuckled. “You don’t understand. That boy is clever.”

“Oh? I’d like to hear more,” the man replied, puzzled.

Azure Dragon turned back to the Southern Courtyard, prompting the man to follow his gaze. At length, he explained, “It seems an impossible deal, but five years is enough for the young lord to secure his position in the Huo family. If he can’t survive in Wei, he can defect to our Ming. It’s a classic delaying tactic, exploiting the emperor’s fear of mutual destruction. At the same time, with the Embroidered Guards’ support, the emperor has no choice but to agree; otherwise, Huo Wujie would surely take his clan to Ming. With Huo’s influence in Wei, he could rally tens of thousands with a word. No ambitious emperor could tolerate that.”

“I see. I have learned much,” the man responded.

“But it’s not so simple,” Azure Dragon continued. “The Huo family is fiercely loyal. Their last patriarch went to his death by the emperor’s own hand but still wrote to his son, forbidding rebellion. Whether the young lord can make the right choice in five years remains to be seen.”

He shook his head. “But these matters are not ours to meddle in. If the Chief Constable sent White Tiger and Vermilion Bird, he has his reasons. Besides, the succession struggle in Wei is at least out in the open—the situation there is far clearer than ours.”

The stooped man’s eyes grew wistful. “Marshal Su was a remarkable man in his day. It’s a pity about the young lord...”

“Mind your words!” Azure Dragon snapped, his tone stern. “The young lord barely understands the Marshal’s plans. All we can do is guide him as he learns the truth. Compared to Huo, his position is even more perilous. And to be honest,” he paused, “Marshal Su himself wasn’t this accomplished at such a young age. Only through hardship does one reach the summit. The young lord has done well not to stumble so far; the rest is up to us and how well we can keep the secrets.”

The snow continued to fall, blanketing the night in silence.