Chapter 8: Bad News.
Jiang Xue lowered her gaze to the tea, watching the ripples disturb the surface. She hesitated, as if the question had finally pierced through the veil of certainty she had always wrapped around herself. Her lips parted slightly, then pressed together. After a moment, she spoke, but her voice lacked its earlier arrogance.
"He—he always forgives me," she said, almost to herself. "It's Senior Brother Yao. He always does."
Jiang Ma sighed again, though this time, it was not out of frustration but quiet sorrow. His daughter was hopelessly blinded by love, unable or perhaps unwilling to see the depth of the damage she had wrought.
If it had only been about the girl's family, he thought that if it was him, perhaps he could have swallowed his pain and forced himself to move forward. But Jiang Xue had gone beyond cruelty.
She had shattered his Dantain as well, cutting off his chances of ever advancing in his cultivation.
Jiang Ma said nothing of it, but inwardly, he mourned. If only she had not destroyed Yao Zi's dantain. If only she had not severed his martial path. Then, perhaps, Yao Zi might have found a way to forgive her, given time.
But this time…
This time, she had gone too far. Most wouldn't believe it but as the one who had raised Yao Zi from childhood, Jiang Ma had great prospects for him. Yao Zi was naturally talented in martial arts, even if he wasn't as talented as his Xue'er, he was still noteworthy.
Moreover, his charismatic, diligent and caring personality made him think of one day uniting him with his own daughter and officially make him his son. but now that things had gone this way, those dreams of his might not come true.
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A warm breeze rustled through the courtyard, stirring the pink petals of the ancient peach tree. The scent of freshly brewed tea lingered in the air as Jiang Ma lifted his porcelain cup, the rim just brushing his lips. His fingers, long and steady from years of wielding both brush and blade, held the vessel with practiced elegance.
Then, a hesitant shuffle of feet broke the tranquility that had barely managed to return.
A servant girl, her figure small and tense, approached with careful steps. She bowed deeply, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Forgive me for interrupting, Lord Patriarch, Young Miss."
Jiang Ma, who had been quietly sipping his tea, nodded in acknowledgement, his violet eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"You better have a good reason for interrupting us... need I remind you what'll happen if you don't?" Jiang Xue on the other hand wasn't at all pleased as she asked, setting her cup down with a soft clink. The chilling-ghostly side glance she shot the servant girl was enough to tell that she wasn't at all happy with the conversation she'd just had with her father.
The servant girl hesitated, her hands twisting the fabric of her sleeves as she struggled to speak. "I'm truly sorry Young miss but...the three martial servants you sent out have… returned."
For a heartbeat, Jiang Xue was still. Then, as if a spark had ignited within her, she leapt to her feet, excitement washing over her features.
"He's finally back?!" she rejoiced, stepping toward the servant girl, her robes flowing like a violet storm. "Where is Senior Brother Yao?"
But before the girl could answer, a different voice sliced through the air like a cold wind.
"What happened to Yao Zi?"
Jiang Ma's voice was not raised, but it carried the weight of authority, sharp and unwavering. His expression had darkened, his brows drawing together as a foreboding presence settled over him. With all his years of experience, he could easily decipher the servant girls reluctance to speak.
Jiang Xue's exhilaration stilled mid-bloom. The unease in her father's tone sent a strange chill down her spine.
The servant girl swallowed hard, her face paling. "The martial servants… they pursued Young Master Yao like you requested Young miss, all the way to the Qin Mountain Gorge but...." she stammered, her voice trembling. "They unfortunately lost him when he—he jumped off the cliff."
Jiang Ma's face hardened at the end of her sentence, an even more vivid silence than earlier ensued, as if the area had morphed into a grave yard.
Jiang Xue stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat. The words seemed to hang in the air, suspended in an unbearable stillness. A strange ringing filled her ears, drowning out all sound, all thought.
"…What?"
Her voice was eerily calm, almost too soft, as if spoken from somewhere distant.
The servant girl hesitated before repeating, "They chased Young Master Yao to the gorge, but he—"
The servant girl didn't even get the chance to finish her sentence before
Jiang Xue's body swayed, her face losing all color. Then, before anyone could react, she crumpled to the ground like a marionette with its strings severed.
Jiang Ma's breath hitched.
"Xue'er!"
He was on his feet in an instant, dropping his tea as he rushed to her side. His hands trembled as he gathered his daughter into his arms, her body unnervingly limp. The sight of her pale face, so devoid of its usual fire, sent a wave of fear crashing through him.
He turned to the servant girl, his voice urgent. "Hurry! Get the healers now!"
" U-Understood!" The girl barely hesitated before dashing away, her footsteps echoing through the courtyard.
Jiang Ma tightened his grip on Jiang Xue, his usually composed face now contorted with anxiety. He pressed his palm to her forehead, whispering her name like a desperate prayer.
"Xue'er… wake up. Please…" His voice, thick with desperation, was swallowed by the gentle rustling of peach blossoms drifting down around them.
Back within the bottom of the Qin mountain gorge.
Yao Zi stood motionless, his gaze locked onto the hundred-plus spectral spirits swirling around him like a storm given life.
" The Yin Qi they're giving off isn't that big of a deal individually....but when comparing their total output, I'm sure even I wouldn't be able to handle them all even if I recovered my peak stage Martial Apprentice cultivation, and that's if I had a weapon that could harm the phantasmal...." Yao Zi remarked, he could feel the constant waves of Yin Qi they gave off.