Watching the Mountain

A fellow sect member who knew her well couldn’t help but ask, "Senior Sister Qingxue, aren’t you going to see Senior Brother Ye Shan?"

She just shook her head and offered no explanation.

Others assumed she was just cold by nature, or perhaps too grief-stricken to face him.

But only she knew the truth.

Her senior brother always seemed so carefree and thoughtless, but in reality, he was incredibly considerate of others’ feelings.

It was like that time their master pointed out how harsh his words could be. He truly took it to heart, clumsily learning how to apologize and even secretly preparing a gift to make amends.

She knew him too well.

If she were to see him now, gravely injured and quiescent, she wouldn’t be able to hide the concern and pain in her eyes, no matter how hard she tried.

And once her senior brother noticed, he would certainly take it to heart.

That was just his nature. Even in his condition, he would probably worry about her feelings instead, forcing himself to act cheerful to comfort her, or feeling guilty for making her worry.

She didn’t want that for him.

What he needed most right now was to rest and recover, free from all distractions.

Any external emotions, even goodwill and concern, could become a burden.

So, the best thing to do was not to disturb him.

She believed in him, just as she believed the sun would rise again.

When he returned, he would still be the same indomitable Ye Shan, with bright eyes, looking as if he could do anything.

The war against the demons erupted, and the front lines were strained.

On the battlefield, Ye Qingxue struck fear into the hearts of allies and enemies alike.

She completely abandoned her formerly cold and restrained sword style, her attacks becoming ferocious, violent, and almost crazed.

Most terrifying of all, she developed a Secret Technique of her own, trading injury for injury, aiming directly for the core of the enemy’s Golden Core Cultivators.

It wasn’t just about killing the enemy; at times, it seemed more like a cruel demonstration.

She knew how extreme her actions looked to others, no different from a Witch.

But she didn’t care in the slightest.

This was precisely the effect she wanted.

She wanted everyone to witness this madness.

Ye Shan had fallen silent. The Profound Pure Sect’s sharpest sword was temporarily sheathed.

It was inevitable that some powers would get restless, that some petty villains would start to stir.

So, she would be the one to show them.

The Sect still had her, the Witch.

She might not possess her senior brother’s universally acknowledged invincibility, but she had the ruthless determination to do whatever it took.

She would forge a peaceful and stable environment for him to recover in peace.

Until he returned.

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Xu Ran’s Cave Mansion was always lively, especially after Zhao Wuyang and Liu Yunge arrived.

Ye Qingxue sat on a stone stool, cradling a cup of long-cold tea in her hands, her eyes fixed on the scene across from her.

Zhao Wuyang was bowing his head, rolling up Liu Yunge’s sleeves.

Liu Yunge had gotten dust on her cuffs while practicing her sword forms. As Zhao Wuyang rolled them up, he softly told her to be more careful. The tips of Liu Yunge’s ears turned slightly red, but she didn’t pull her hand away.

Chen Chang’an, who was grinding herbs nearby, would pound the pestle twice, glance up, and then wink at Ye Qingxue, as if to say, ’There they go again.’

Ye Qingxue smiled faintly and lowered her head to sip her tea.

The tea was truly cold. So cold it left an empty feeling in her heart.

She remembered how, back on the rear mountain, a tired Ye Shan would come over after sword practice and ask her, "Junior Sister, got any water?"

She would hand it to him, and he would tilt his head back and chug it down. After wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he’d say, "Thanks, Junior Sister," his eyes sparkling.

Back then, she’d thought he was so crude, but now, she remembered even that crudeness with perfect clarity.

"Senior Sister Qingxue," Liu Yunge suddenly called out to her, her voice soft. "You should try this. Senior Brother Zhao just made some osmanthus cakes."

Zhao Wuyang brought over a small plate of pastries, his gaze still glued to Liu Yunge.

Ye Qingxue thanked him, picked one up, and took a bite. It was sweet, but she felt a lump in her throat as she swallowed.

Chen Chang’an sidled over, grabbed a piece for himself, and said indistinctly through a mouthful, "Junior Brother Zhao’s skills are getting better and better. I wonder if he’s been practicing for someone in particular?"

Liu Yunge’s face grew even redder, but Zhao Wuyang was unperturbed. He simply nodded. "Yun Ge likes sweets."

Just a simple sentence, spoken as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Ye Qingxue, holding the remaining half of the cake, suddenly lost her appetite.

It wasn’t jealousy she felt, but envy.

The scenes she so often imagined were playing out right in front of her, with other people. Meanwhile, she still had no idea when, or if, they would ever come true for her.

Birds chirped outside the window.

Zhao Wuyang and Liu Yunge sat down by the window to play chess. They took turns, one move after another. Occasionally their fingers would touch, and they would quickly pull away, but their gazes remained entwined.

After he finished grinding the herbs, Chen Chang’an leaned in and whispered, "Junior Sister Ye, Junior Brother Xu, don’t you think the rest of us are kind of a third wheel here?"

Ye Qingxue laughed, a real laugh this time. "A little."

But she didn’t leave.

Sitting here, watching the sweet couple, made her heart ache with emptiness, but it also brought back old memories.

Especially memories of the rear mountain, where she and Ye Shan would often sit together, eating the various treats he brought.

Those scenes were so warm, like a puff of white breath in winter—gone in an instant, yet leaving a trace of warmth behind.

But now, that person was gone.

She finished the last of her cold tea and stood up.

’Time to go back.’

With that thought, she pushed the door open and walked out.

Behind her, she could hear Liu Yunge’s soft laughter and Zhao Wuyang’s low-voiced reply.

The wind brushed against her cheek. She took a deep breath and walked toward the silent Cave Mansion.

The night before Ye Shan had unleashed that final sword strike, he had come to see her.

She had asked him then, "Will you stay invincible forever?"

He replied, "Of course. I’m Ye Shan, after all."

After he’d been subdued for so many years, seeing that spirited look on his face once more immersed her in a state of bliss.

Then, the very next day, she witnessed him unleash that dazzling, earth-shattering sword strike.

He had indeed, just as he’d promised, achieved invincibility.

But the Dao she had cultivated was shattered.

Because he disappeared along with that sword strike.

And her Dao no longer had anything to anchor it.

The words of Little Xiyue, which she had overheard from a distance when she went to the rear mountain with Xu Ran, surfaced in her mind:

"Liar! Ye Shan, you’re just a big liar!"

A reminiscent glint flickered in her eyes.

He promised he would be invincible forever, but his invincibility was so fleeting, so brief that he was gone before she even had a chance to catch up.

She gave a light laugh.

’He really is a liar, isn’t he?’