Watching the Mountain

He paused, scratching his head. "You might be a bit mild-mannered when you fight, but... so what if someone with a mountain in their heart moves a little slower? The mountain isn’t going anywhere."

He finished speaking and broke into a laugh, revealing a set of bright white teeth.

Ye Qingxue clutched the green jujube, her fingertips tightening slightly.

’A mountain in her heart.’

’Unmoved by the wind.’

She suddenly recalled her master’s words: "Your steadiness is a trait unique to you."

’So... is that what he meant?’

"Ye Shan." She said his name again.

"Hm?"

"In your eyes... what does the world look like?"

Ye Shan turned his head, his eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "The world? It’s just... the world."

"There are mountains, there’s water, and, hmm..." He thought for a moment, then added, "Oh, and there’s Master always nagging that the canteen’s congee is too bland."

He said it so simply, so matter-of-factly.

Ye Qingxue looked at him and suddenly let out a soft laugh.

It was a faint, faint smile, like moonlight skimming across the water’s surface.

"Yes," she said. "I understand now."

That night, Ye Qingxue had a dream.

In the dream, there were no Demon Beasts, no fighting arenas, and none of the whispering gossip.

There was only a vast lake, its surface as calm as a mirror, reflecting a sky full of starlight.

She stood by the shore, looking at her reflection in the water. In the reflection, the faint mole between her brows seemed a little darker, and her eyes held a light, as if they had captured the stars.

When she awoke, the sky was not yet light.

She lay in bed, listening to the faint chirping of insects outside, and for the first time, felt that the empty, vast silence in her heart now held something more.

She couldn’t say what it was, exactly.

She just remembered the young man’s profile as he looked up at the stars in the bamboo forest last night, and his words: "So what if someone with a mountain in their heart moves a little slower?"

A spot over her heart grew faintly warm.

It was as if a small, warm pebble had finally sunk to the bottom of the lake.

It no longer stirred any ripples, but it lent its warmth to the entire lake.

*

*

*

Four: Sprouting

Her previous interactions with Ye Shan had given Ye Qingxue the mistaken impression that he was an understanding junior brother.

But as time went on, she discovered that she was wrong—and spectacularly so.

This junior brother, Ye Shan, was just infuriating to talk to.

Another mission came, and once again, her performance was less than stellar, as if her previous competence had been a fluke.

After returning from the mission, Ye Qingxue once again happened to overhear gossip near the Instructor Hall’s teahouse.

Some said she was dragging the team down, while others said she was a disgrace to Ancestor Nine Profound’s teachings.

Those words were like fine needles pricking her heart, leaving invisible marks. Her master told her not to mind them, but it was precisely because of his kindness that she was even more unwilling to let him suffer criticism on her account.

That afternoon, the Instructor Hall held a lecture on Defense Arrays.

Ye Qingxue learned quickly and well, laying out the Array on the sand table with flawless precision, earning frequent nods from the instructor.

After class, she walked back with her Jade Scroll in her arms, her mood brightening a little.

"Senior Sister."

Ye Shan popped out from a side path, a stalk of grass dangling from his mouth. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead, a clear sign that he had just finished his sword practice.

"Mhm," Ye Qingxue acknowledged, not breaking her stride.

Ye Shan fell into step beside her, tilting his head to look at her. "Senior Sister, I heard you got talked about again?"

Ye Qingxue’s steps faltered. "How do you know?"

"The Instructor Hall is only so big." Ye Shan shrugged, stating the obvious. "Besides, those people were talking so loud, it’d be hard not to hear them."

Ye Qingxue lowered her gaze, her voice soft. "Am I... really that useless?"

Ye Shan blinked, thought about it with great seriousness for a moment, and then said, "Yeah, you’re pretty useless."

Ye Qingxue: "..."

Her chest tightened, feeling as if she’d been struck by a solid wooden mallet. She had expected at least a denial, even if it was just a perfunctory one.

But Ye Shan didn’t notice her pale face. He kept walking, saying, "But so what if you’re useless? It’s not like Master is going to abandon you. Besides, you’re pretty. You can just stand there and be decorative. That’s pretty good too."

Ye Qingxue stood frozen in place, feeling as though a breath was caught in her throat, unable to go up or down.

She stared at the back of Ye Shan’s green robes, suddenly possessed by the urge to hurl the Jade Scroll in her hand at him.

"Ye Shan!" she raised her voice, a hint of irritation in it that she herself hadn’t noticed.

"Hm?" Ye Shan turned back, his eyes sparkling, a look of pure innocence on his face. "What’s wrong, Senior Sister?"

"You..." Ye Qingxue opened her mouth, but didn’t know what to say.

’Scold him?’

’But he was telling the truth.’

’Hit him?’

’Probably not a good idea.’

In the end, all she could manage was, "...Could you not be so harsh with your words?"

Ye Shan scratched his head, looking completely baffled. "Harsh? But I was just telling the truth."

Ye Qingxue took a deep breath, turned, and walked away.

She decided she didn’t want to see this junior brother today, tomorrow, or the day after.

However, Divine Sword Peak was only so big; avoiding him would be difficult.

The next evening, Ye Qingxue was sitting in quiet meditation by a spring on the back mountain.

The setting sun dyed the pool’s water gold. She watched her reflection, the faint mole between her brows shimmering in the glittering light.

"Senior Sister, want some grilled fish?"

Ye Shan’s voice came from behind her again.

He had somehow gotten his hands on two Spirit Fish, grilled to fragrant, crispy perfection, and was carrying them on a large leaf. The aroma was tantalizing.

Ye Qingxue had intended to stubbornly refuse, but her stomach betrayed her with a growl.

She pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Ye Shan had already sat down beside her, holding out one of the fish. "Just caught them. They’re super fresh."

After a moment’s hesitation, Ye Qingxue took it. The fish was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. One bite filled her mouth with savory flavor.

She ate in small bites, the stuffiness in her chest dissipating without her realizing it.

"Ye Shan," she said suddenly.