Cherry Blossoms Upon a Wintry Sword

The date that Lin Rufei was going to leave the mountain was set.

The most beloved younger brother of the family was going away, the older siblings naturally wanted to pile all the best things on him. Just a talisman that could transmit voice, they brought 500 of them. The price of this talisman was expensive, 500 could be worth a small sect’s one-year expenses. Lin Bianyu even wanted to find a sword for Lin Rufei, but when Lin Rufei strolled around in their family’s warehouse, he did not see one to his liking. In fact, it wasn’t that he didn’t like these swords, it was just that he couldn’t lift up any of them.  

Originally, an ordinary sword that was sheathed seemed to have been glued to the scabbard. Lin Rufei reached out to pull but it would not budge. 

Lin Bianyu was so angry that he almost broke all these swords that didn’t give his brother any face.

But even without a sword, it shouldn’t be too big of a deal. Lin Rufei felt that the cherry blossom branch was quite useful so he opened his mouth to comfort Lin Bianyu, saying that with all the spiritual treasures he gave him, it was enough. 

Lin Bianyu was still sulking, saying that the idea of letting Lin Rufei leave the mountain was suggested by Wan Yao. Wan Yao said that Kunlun Mountain was just a pool of stagnant water for Lin Rufei. Lin Rufei’s chance of life was at the foot of the mountain. With these words and seeing Lin Rufei defeat Wang Teng, the older siblings reluctantly agreed to let Lin Rufei travel down the mountain.

However, Lin Bianyu had something weighing heavy in his heart. Jianghu was dangerous, he was afraid that Lin Rufei would not return once he left, and that he would never see him again.  

Lin Rufei was well aware. He smiled at Lin Bianyu and said not to worry. Even with a few more Wang Tengs, he could still fight back. Furthermore, there aren’t that many Wang Tengs in the world. 

Lin Bianyu sighed and said nothing.

In these two or three days, Lin Rufei’s dimensional ring was stuffed to the brim. The clothes that he was wearing were also replaced with spiritual treasures. Even his underclothes were wrapped in soft golden armor. Making Lin Rufei feel like a fully-armored big turtle[1].  

Just from what he was carrying on him right now, if he encountered any cultivators, most likely they couldn’t even break Lin Rufei’s outermost layer of defense, let alone hurt him. 

But the older siblings were still very worried and he was warned of the rules in Jianghu. They said that if outsiders offered him wine, to not easily accept it. If he encountered any roadside travelers that could not easily be trusted or if he encountered people he couldn’t beat, to immediately run. The items inside his dimensional ring were enough to get him back to Kunlun Mountain.  

Lin Rufei was taught a lesson by the three people in turn. His head was as big as a bucket and before he had even left he already wilted a lot. He sat on a chair and dozed off.

As a result, he was woken up again by Lin Weirui pulling on his cheek. She started reciting the lessons again.

Lin Rufei did not want to take Fu Hua and Yu Rui with him. The two little girls stopped talking and started crying tears. Yu Rui was easy to send off, he just had to shove two pieces of corn candy into her mouth and she couldn’t cry anymore. But Fu Hua was not easy. She looked sadly at Lin Rufei and was crying while preparing Lin Rufei’s travel bag.

Lin Rufei’s brain hurt from their crying and said, “What are you crying about?”

“Fu Hua has been taking care of young master for more than ten years. When young master leaves, who knows when you will return. Are you still not allowing Fu Hua to shed a tear or two?” Fu Hua choked out a sob.

Lin Rufei was in the wrong and he hurriedly shut up.

Fu Hua said again: “Why doesn’t young master want to take us with him? We can also take care of young master along the way. Although we won’t be of much help, but if something really were to happen, at least there is someone there to send for help.” 

Lin Rufei was about to say something, but Lin Minzhi, who was sitting next to him, opened his mouth and asked Lin Rufei to take Fu Hua and Yu Rui with him. The two of them had already passed the fifth level of cultivation, so they would not hold Lin Rufei back. And if Lin Rufei was sick, they could also take good care of him.

Lin Rufei could not refuse and was forced to accept.

So the originally planned chivalrous trip turned into a noble young master’s Spring excursion. 

On the day of departure, it rained a little and the mountain path was a little muddy.

Lin Minzhi and the others sent Lin Rufei to town and watched him get into a beautiful vermillion carriage. Fu Hua was the coachman. She was wearing a bamboo hat and straw coat[2] with a sword around her waist. She looked more like a chivalrous man than Lin Rufei. Lin Rufei was dressed in a white Spring outfit, his black hair was held up with an ebony hairpin. As he sat in the carriage, he lifted the curtain and looked at Lin Minzhi and the two others standing on the roadside.

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All three of them did not have an umbrella and the rain dripped down from their hair—reflecting shimmering light particles. They looked at Lin Rufei with a gentle expression of reluctance. 

“Xiao Jiu—come back early.” Lin Bianyu’s voice was hoarse.

“Yes, come back early!” Lin Weirui rubbed her red eyes, “If you encounter someone bullying you, send us a message!”

“Go early and come back early.” Lin Minzhi also said.

“Okay—you guys wait for me to come back.” Lin Rufei had a sour feeling at the bottom of his heart, this was the first time he had left home in twenty years.

Fu Hua swung the whip and the carriage gradually moved away.

Lin Rufei didn’t want to let down the curtain. He watched the three figures gradually become smaller, blurred, and finally merging into the turquoise mountains and forests.

The rain gradually got a little heavier and fell onto the roof of the carriage with a crackle.

Yu Rui sat on the opposite side of Lin Rufei. No one was paying attention so she continuously ate corn candy, stuffing her cheeks into a bulge. She was like a gluttonous little mouse and vaguely said: “Young master, are we heading to Moyu first?”

Lin Rufei said, “Yes, we are going to see Xie Zhiyao.”

“Moyu is close to Kunlun, it takes half a day to get there by sword, but by carriage, it will take more days, maybe a day or two.” Yu Rui said, “But it’s okay, we have a lot of things prepared. Even if we walk in the mountains and forests for six months, there is nothing to fear.”

Lin Rufei said, “Your corn candy won’t last six months.”

When Yu Rui heard this, she immediately wrinkled her face. The corn candy was a specialty in the town below Kunlun. It was soft and sticky, sweet and fragrant. She liked it the most. If there wasn’t any more corn candy, it would be a big matter. However…..if she could accompany her young master, then corn candy didn’t seem as important. 

When her thoughts stopped there, Yu Rui was happy again. Her mouth was chewing the soft candy: “No worries. If there is no more, then there is no more. If I want to eat then I just have to look at young master a few times, then I won’t be hungry anymore.” 

(t/n: smooth Yu Rui, smooth XD)

Lin Rufei laughed.

The mountain road was sparsely populated and the road was bumpy. Good thing the carriage had a special talisman placed on it, so those sitting inside felt the road was as smooth as if they were on flat ground. Lin Rufei felt strange and curious about his surroundings from his first trip down the mountain. Sitting by the window, he couldn’t look away until the depths of night. Yu Rui went out to switch with Fu Hua who came inside to rest. At the urging of Fu Hua, he was ready to go to sleep. 

The wind was a bit cool during the night, so Fu Hua added bedding for Lin Rufei. She burned a pot of charcoal and heated water for Lin Rufei to wash up.

Lin Rufei finished washing up and lay down on the bedding in his single layer. After blinking his eyes he said, “It seems to be no different from the mountains.”

Fu Hua looked at Lin Rufei’s cute face wrapped in the bedding and laughed, “It’s only the first day we’ve left. Young master, don’t be hasty.”

Lin Rufei yawned and fell into a deep sleep.

In the middle of the night, the rain gradually grew heavier. The mountain wind was cold, making the woods rustle.

However, amid the rain and wind, there seemed to be another sound mixed in. This sound was like the sound of human music, it wasn’t unpleasant, it was just that in this dark night, it felt ghostly. 

Lin Rufei was already a light sleeper and when the sound appeared, he immediately woke up. He saw Yu Rui lying on the table sleeping soundly. He softly called out to Fu Hua, and the maid answered, “Why did young master wake up?”

“Do you hear anything?” Lin Rufei asked

Fu Hua was silent for a moment and whispered, “It seems like the villagers who live around the mountain path are holding a funeral.”

Lin Rufei raised his hand and lifted the carriage curtain. Indeed, on the dark mountain path, he saw a string of bright and flickering fires. The figures walking through the lights were dressed in white, holding torches as they walked on the dark mountain path. A few people up ahead seemed to be carrying a black coffin.

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“The pattern on the mourning clothes that these people are wearing look somewhat familiar.” Fu Hua murmured, “I seem to have seen it somewhere.”

Lin Rufei questioned: “Familiar?”

“Yes.” Fu Hua said, “Xie family’s pattern is very special. Many years have passed and I still remember it exactly …… the corners of those people’s clothes are indeed embroidered with such a pattern.”

The Xie family was a large family. They had strict discipline and a lot of rules. Especially the main family. Food, clothing, everything was strictly in accordance with the regulations. This group of people had the Xie family’s pattern embroidered on their clothes, most likely they had a relationship with the Xie family.

As the two were still talking, the funeral mourners on the mountain road noticed them and the firelight stopped for a moment before quickly gathering towards them.

Fu Hua frowned. She gripped the sword at the side of her waist and said: “Young master, wait a moment, I’ll ask them what they want to do.”

Lin Rufei said, “There’s no hurry, just let them come over.”

Those people indeed quickly arrived at the front of the mountain road and surrounded Lin Rufei’s carriage.

“Who are you guys?” The man at the head of the group asked in a stern voice, “Why are you still on the mountain road at this time.”

When Fu Hua heard his questioning tone, she knitted her brows and frowned heavily. She was about to attack, but she saw Lin Rufei shake his head, signaling her to back off. Lin Rufei lifted the carriage curtain and saw the person who had stopped the carriage. He said, “I am Lin Rufei, the fourth son of the Lin family of Kunlun sect. I was ordered by the Sect Leader to deliver the invitations for the next sword competition to the Xie family.”

Hearing this, the man looked slightly startled and looked carefully again before he balled his hand and bowed. He said, “Sorry, Lin gongzi. It was our rudeness, but recently this area is not peaceful, so remember to be careful on your way.”

Lin Rufei raised his eyes and looked at the dark coffin. He asked, “If you don’t mind me asking, you guys are……”

The man hesitated, seemingly unsure whether to say or not.

Lin Rufei also did not force him to say: “It’s fine if you don’t want to say. You guys can continue on, I’ll just continue on my way.”

The man gritted his teeth and opened his mouth anyway. He said, “We are burying the family’s eldest son, Xie Kongcheng.”

Lin Rufei was stunned: “Xie Kongcheng?”

“Yes.” The man affirmed.

When Lin Rufei heard this, he knew that the Xie family must have gotten into big trouble this time.

Xie Kongcheng was Xie Zhiyao’s elder brother. He was arguably the most powerful person in the Xie family’s younger generation, and with a cultivation level like theirs, it was never possible to die of illness and only possible to be injured by external forces.

And looking at the wretched funeral the Xie family was holding in the middle of the night, most likely this bloodshed was not a simple rivalry feud.

After bidding farewell to the Xie family, the carriage was once again on the road. The rain was still falling, making the Spring day somewhat cold.