Watching the Mountain

"I said," Ye Qingxue looked at him and enunciated each word with perfect clarity, "Senior Brother, be my Dao Companion."

Ye Shan’s mouth fell open. He wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

He stared at her for a long time before he finally managed to stammer out, "Junior Sister, you... were you scared stupid by the Demon Beast?"

"No." Ye Qingxue shook her head. "I’m perfectly clear-headed."

"Then why did you..."

"I like you," Ye Qingxue interrupted him, her voice soft but exceptionally firm. "I want to be with you. I want to become your Dao Companion."

Ye Shan was stunned.

He looked at her, at her clear eyes, at the faint mole between her brows, at the slight smile on her lips.

After a long moment, he snapped back to his senses and shook his head sharply.

"No," he said. "No, no, Junior Sister. This can’t happen."

"Why not?" Ye Qingxue asked.

"Because..." Ye Shan ran a hand through his hair, his face a mask of frustration. "Because we’re Senior Brother and Junior Sister! How could we..."

"Why can’t we?" Ye Qingxue looked at him. "Plenty of senior and junior disciples in the Sect have become Dao Companions."

"That’s different," Ye Shan said. "They’re them, and we’re us."

"How is it different?"

"It just is." Ye Shan couldn’t explain it, so he could only keep shaking his head. "Anyway, it can’t happen. Junior Sister, stop joking around."

"I’m not joking." Ye Qingxue stood up, walked right in front of him, and tilted her head up to look him in the eye. "I’m serious."

Ye Shan took a step back, avoiding her gaze.

"Junior Sister, listen to me." He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "I held you just now to save you, not... not what you think."

"I know." Ye Qingxue nodded. "But you did hold me."

"That was an emergency!"

"You held me."

"I..."

"And you even agreed."

"I was just caught off guard!"

"But you said it."

Ye Shan opened his mouth to object, but he didn’t know what to say.

Ye Qingxue watched him in silence. After a long while, she spoke softly, "I see."

She turned and started walking down the mountain.

After a few steps, she stopped again and looked back at him.

"But, Senior Brother," she said, "you held me. You agreed. I remember all of it."

With that, she turned and walked away.

Her footsteps were light, her plain white dress fluttering slightly in the evening breeze, like a cloud slowly drifting away.

Ye Shan stood rooted to the spot, watching her retreating figure for a long time.

The mountain wind blew past, carrying the faint scent of blood, and that incredibly faint, fresh scent of hers.

He raised a hand and touched his chest.

His heart was pounding.

Impossibly fast.

’I’m done for.’

’Now I’m really done for.’

He remembered her eyes, astonishingly bright, as she said, "I like you."

He took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the sword in his hand, then shook his head and turned to walk down the mountain.

His green robes gradually blurred in the twilight.

And in the forests of South Slope Mountain, only the rustling of leaves in the wind remained.

It was as if nothing had happened.

And yet, it was as if something had quietly changed, never to be the same again.

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[Seven]:

Ye Qingxue closed the door and leaned her back against it, her face burning.

’How could I have just blurted that out?’

She walked to the window and sat down, burying her face in her arms.

Her mind was a chaotic mess, filled with the image of Ye Shan’s astonished eyes.

’I like you.’

Those three words had simply tumbled out of her mouth, and as soon as she’d said them, she’d run away.

’Thinking back on it now, I’m so embarrassed I just want to find a hole and crawl into it.’

’This isn’t me at all.’

She had always been quiet. To take the initiative and confess her feelings like that, and to be so persistent even after being rejected... just thinking about it felt completely alien.

’How strange.’

She lifted her head slightly.

’Maybe I should go explain things to Ye Shan.’

’I’ll just say I was confused, that I was only joking, and that he shouldn’t take it seriously.’

’Yes, that’s it.’

’Once I clear things up, everything can go back to how it was.’

As soon as this thought occurred, she immediately stood up, pulled the door open, and was about to head out.

But, just as her foot crossed the threshold, she froze.

The cool night wind blew on her face. She stood by the door, unable to take a second step.

’Why should I explain?’

’Every word I said was absolutely true.’

’I like him.’

’Since it’s true, why should I deny it?’

’Instead of wasting my breath explaining a joke that was never a joke, I should be thinking about how to make him like me back.’

As this thought surfaced, her earlier shyness and panic began to fade.

’Yes, that’s right.’

’Senior Brother Ye Shan is single-mindedly devoted to the Great Dao. So the first thing I have to do is get stronger, to keep pace with him and not fall too far behind.’

’But how do I get stronger?’

Ye Qingxue was a little frustrated.

She could clearly understand any Cultivation Technique with a single look and could instantly grasp instructors’ key points. Yet, once she began to cultivate, her Spiritual Qi circulation would always become sluggish and difficult. She could never make it go any faster.

The next day, she went to the small courtyard of her master, Nine Profound True Monarch.

Nine Profound True Monarch was brewing tea. Seeing her arrive, he smiled gently and gestured for her to sit down.

Ye Qingxue held the teacup, hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly, "Master, I would like to ask how I might cultivate a bit faster."

Nine Profound True Monarch’s movements paused. He looked up and studied her carefully. "Your foundation is extremely stable, which is a good thing. Cultivation is like climbing a mountain; only a steady and solid approach can take you far. Why the sudden urgency?"

Ye Qingxue pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Nine Profound True Monarch set down the teapot. "Observing your aura, I see your Spiritual Power circulates smoothly, without any obstruction. And yet, your progress seems to be hindered by an invisible membrane."

He pondered for a moment. "Perhaps the problem isn’t how you walk, but which path you want to take."