Cherry Blossoms Upon a Wintry Sword

Chapter 5: Heavy Sword, Heavy Edge

Let’s go back in time. Lin Rufei was sitting in the loft and was looking at his brother who was chatting with Gu Feiyu on the wrecked platform. He noticed that Gu Feiyu seemed to be planning to take off the heavy sword he was carrying on his back. Lin Rufei felt bored, so he picked up a piece of mung bean cake and put it against his lips to take a bite. Just from the taste, he knew that Fu Hua had made it. It was moderately sweet and carried a light fragrance.

Before he even had the chance to swallow the mung bean cake, Lin Rufei heard a long, sharp whistle of a weapon breaking through the air. It was followed by a residual shadow that suddenly appeared in front of him. With a muffled thud, the green stone flooring below Lin Rufei’s feet was pierced. Under the golden sunlight with fine dust hovering in the air, Lin Rufei focused his eyes to see a giant black sword. It was stuck diagonally just an inch from his feet, body as black as ink, emitting a buzzing chirp.

Then Gu Feiyu, who was originally standing on stage, sped towards him only to be stopped by Fu Hua. 

“What do you mean my young master seduced your sword!” Fu Hua angrily rebuked, “You are simply too rude.”

Gu Feiyu muttered, “How would I know that there was an expert sitting here …… Besides, your young master is powerful, how could he be injured by a sword?” He said and looked at the indifferent Lin Rufei, who was sitting in a wheelchair. He saluted with his closed fist. “My name is Gu Feiyu. May I know this senior’s name?”

Although Gu Feiyu is straightforward by nature, he wasn’t someone that was not knowledgeable. This Lin family loft above the stage was not a loft that just anyone could stay in. Although Lin Rufei looked young and didn’t have a good complexion, his body was still surrounded by a noble aura. Not just any small family could possess that. Although Gu Feiyu could see that Fu Hua was a level six cultivator, he could not see the level that Lin Rufei possessed. But to be able to use a level six cultivator as a maid……they are naturally someone that should not be provoked. 

“This is my younger brother, Lin Rufei.” Lin Bianyu said indifferently. “He has been in poor health since childhood and rarely sees people. Young master Gu, you’d better quickly fetch your sword and leave here early.”

Although Gu Feiyu was innocent, Lin Bianyu’s face still showed some faint trace of displeasure. How could he not know about Lin Rufei’s health condition, now that Gu Feiyu’s sword had an accident, and was still addressing Lin Rufei as a senior it made people think that he was very rude. 

“So this is the legendary Lin San Gongzi[1]. ” Gu Feiyu revealed a look of realization.

He noticed that Lin Bianyu seemed to be a bit unhappy, so he said no more. He took a few steps towards his sword and chided: “Zhongfeng[2], let’s go!” He reached out to hold the hilt of the sword, wanting to □□. However, no matter how much force Gu Feiyu exerted, the black-colored sword didn’t move an inch. It even occasionally let out a few buzzing sounds, seemingly trying to provoke him. 

Gu Feiyu pulled for a while, however, no matter how much he pulled, it would not budge. His complexion finally turned ugly and started cursing. He was originally from the countryside, and only in recent years did he return to the Gu family. He was accustomed to those shrewd cursed words he heard on the streets, such as ones about trashy goods and other b***** related words. 

This made Fu Hua’s eyes glaze around. She had never, in almost her entire life, ever heard such blatant cursing. 

However, the sword still did not budge. This angered Gu Feiyu to the point that he started stomping. Finally, Lin Bianyu couldn’t stand it any longer. In a few steps, he grasped the sword hilt, wanting to end this farce. 

Gu Feiyu didn’t bother stopping him, he just stood at the side howling and said: “This doesn’t make sense, ah. I raised you for so many years, and just with one look, you took a liking to him. You, you thousand sword killer—”

Lin Rufei sat in the wheelchair, the mung bean cake in his hand was almost all melted. He felt that putting it down was no good, and eating it was also no good. 

Lin Bianyu gripped the sword hilt, and after exerting some power his face became more and more sullen. He was already in the eighth level of cultivation, had the power to move mountains yet this seemingly ordinary sword in his hand just would not budge. It was as if a thousand mountains were hidden inside. 

“I can’t pull it out, can’t pull it out.” Gu Feiyu was not surprised by Lin Bianyu’s lack of results. He squatted on the floor, pulling hard at his disorganized long, black hair, and said in pain, “People are not as good as new, clothes are not as good as the old ah—”

Then he lifted his head and begged pitifully to Lin Rufei, “Lin San Gongzi, there’s a saying that a gentleman does not take away the love of others, so please help and tell him to give up on this idea.”

Lin Rufei sighed, in the end, he put down the mung bean cake in his hand. He softly said: “Young master Gu, it’s not that I do not want to help. I was born weak and have never partaken in swordplay. If my second brother could not pull out this sword, I’m afraid I won’t be of much help.”

“Lin San Gongzi, please don’t tease me.” Gu Feiyu exclaimed miserably, “If you had never practice swordplay, how could he have possibly taken a liking to you—”

When Lin Rufei heard this, he looked at his second brother who was still wrestling with the sword. He gently coughed a little, and patted the crumbs from his hands before standing up, “Okay, then I will give it a try.” 

Lin Bianyu heard Lin Rufei’s voice and his face sank. He was about to speak but Lin Rufei spoke up first:  “Second brother, since young master Gu has already proposed this, I will give it a try, it’s better to let him give up his affections.”

Lin Bianyu frowned, but seeing Lin Rufei’s frank look and that he did not seem upset, he finally let it go. “Then try it.”

The curtain was ripped, the loft was suspended in the air and it carried the Spring wind inside. Lin Rufei slowly got up, his originally neat head of black was blown into a mess by the wind. Zhongfeng was still buzzing. As Lin Rufei came closer, his buzzing was getting more excited, almost like he wanted to fly up from the ground and rub a corner of Lin Rufei’s clothes.

Lin Rufei coughed weakly a few times and raised his hand to reposition the fox fur. Finally, he reached out his long, pale hand and gripped the hilt of Zhongfeng with heavy force. 

The hilt was cool and smooth to the touch, but the moment Lin Rufei gripped it, he felt as if he had grasped a piece of frozen ice. But in the next moment, a strange heat flowed out into his hand. This heat flowed through his entire body. Zhongfeng started buzzing even louder and on the hard green stone floor, an obvious crack started to form. 

Lin Rufei frowned and raised his hand to draw the sword.

Gu Feiyu, who was standing on the side, sucked in a breath of cold air. He watched helplessly as Lin Rufei easily pulled out Zhongfeng, who was once unbudging, from out of the floor. The sword that was supposed to be heavier than a mountain, turned into a falling feather in Lin Rufei’s hand. It traced a gentle arc in mid-air. 

Several people in the room were not expecting this scene, even Lin Rufei himself showed a slightly bewildered expression.

Gu Feiyu immediately burst into tears, he almost started rolling on the ground: “Lin Er Gongzi[3] —you have really cheated me!”

Lin Bianyu had a complicated expression, he seemed to have wanted to say something to Lin Rufei but swallowed his words back.

It must be said that the heavy black body of Zhongfeng next to the weak and frail Lin Rufei was really out of place. Lin Rufei’s sword-holding posture was like a weak scholar holding a long burning stick. And on his handsome face, was a look of innocence. 

This scene made Gu Feiyu want to cry.

“Young master Gu—” Lin Rufei was a little overwhelmed, he wanted to hand the sword to Gu Feiyu.

Gu Feiyu saw the situation and quickly reached out to take it, but who knew that the moment the sword was in his hand, it would fall straight to the ground—making another huge hole. No matter how much force Gu Feiyu exerted, the sword remained still. 

“I’m dead, I’m dead! Zhongfeng you heartless son of a b****—” Gu Feiyu sat down on his butt, hugged Zhongfeng like he was hugging his wife who just came back from her illicit lover, “You heartless bastard—”

Lin Rufei looked helpless, he actually felt that he stole someone’s wife. 

The atmosphere was frighteningly quiet in the loft, and only Gu Feiyu’s crying could be heard. Lin Bianyu asked helplessly: “Is there no other way?”

Gu Feiyu wiped away his tears: “Well, there is one.”

“What method?” Lin Bianyu asked.

“I would have to trouble Lin San Gongzi.” Gu Feiyu said, “You just have to make it clear to him that you don’t love him and it’s fruitless with him—”

Lin Rufei: “……”

Lin Bianyu: “……”

Fu Hua: “……”

The three of them—master and servant, were all speechless by Gu Feiyu’s unconventional words. It was Fu Hua who reacted first with a very strange expression, “Can he understand human speech? Would it even be useful if my young master said those words to him?”

“I don’t know either, it was what my ancestor said.” Gu Feiyu sat on the ground and had no intention of getting up, “It’s just that my ancestor was on the verge of senility when he gave me this sword, so I don’t know if he was talking nonsense or not.” As he spoke, he completely laid down on the ground and muttered. “But that said, it’s also the fate of Lin San Gongzi .” He turned his face sideways and looked at Lin Rufei anxiously. “Lin San Gongzi , can you use Zhongfeng and give it a swing—so I can completely give up on it?”

Lin Rufei looked at Lin Bianyu, seeking his opinion. Lin Bianyu thought for a moment before nodding slightly and said: “There is no harm in trying.” Lin Rufei did not have any cultivation in his body, lifting up the blade could be considered lucky, but if he could actually swing Zhongfeng, then it wouldn’t be easily explained by “luck.”

Lin Rufei reached out and once again grabbed Zhongfeng’s hilt. 

Like before, the heavy sword in his hand was weightless. He effortlessly pulled it from the green stone floor. The crowd’s eyes all fell upon him. Lin Rufei felt a tickle in his throat again. He could not hold it in and ended up coughing a few times, a sickly blush soon rose onto his pale cheeks. 

Lin Bianyu saw this and was about to say something when the heavy sword in Lin Rufei’s hand was already outside, swinging down at the side of the loft.

Gu Feiyu waited with bated breath, but Zhongfeng still swung down. It was silent, even if he pricked up his ears, he could only hear the sound of the wind outside.

Nothing happened.

Gu Feiyu was thankful, but also a little upset.

When the old ancestor passed Zhongfeng to Gu Feiyu, he had told him that Zhongfeng contained the power of creation. It could break mountains and cut yin and yang. Yet, when the first person recognized by Zhongfeng had swung it, nothing happened. 

Lin Rufei did not know what Gu Feiyu was thinking, he just lowered his eyes and gazed at the heavy sword in his hand.

The last time he held a sword was more than ten years ago on the night of his tenth birthday party.

He will always remember that memory. It was a clear night, he and his second brother sat on the highest pine tree on Kunlun Mountain. He pouted and begged his second brother to let him touch Tianxiao. 

Lin Bianyu was the one that spoiled Lin Rufei the most, how could he stand his brother’s begging? So he handed Lin Rufei his sheathed sword. 

Lin Rufei gladly accepted it. But who knew that the moment Tianxiao was in his hand, Lin Rufei felt that the sword was as heavy as a thousand pounds. He failed to steadily hold it and tumbled down the tree. Good thing Lin Bianyu was there to save him in time, but he was also scared to the point that his whole head was covered in a layer of cold sweat.

“The better the sword, the heavier it will be.” —Later, Lin Rufei’s mother said to him, “Xiao Jiu, let’s not touch any swords from now on, okay?”

“Yes.” Lin Rufei heard himself in his reminisce of the past. 

Lin Rufei could only hold the lightest sword, and in the eyes of a true sword practitioner, even the lightest sword on Kunlun Mountain was not worthy to be used as a toy for a child. 

“I am not a swordsman.” The pale, handsome youth gazed at the heavy black sword in his hand. His voice was gentle as if it were whispering to a lover. He said. “I …… am not suitable for you.”

Zhongfeng buzzed loudly.

“Look, he’s been waiting for you for so long.” The youth caressed the sword blade, soothing the restless Zhongfeng. When his white and slender fingers traced the black blade inch by inch, it inexplicably gave birth to a strange sense of beauty. Gu Feiyu, who looked at it suddenly had red cheeks and averted his gaze in a panic. 

“If you go with me, he will be very sad.” Lin Rufei said in a warm voice, he had previously felt that the words Gu Feiyu said to him were somewhat incomprehensible, but now, he clearly realized that Zhongfeng could understand his words. “My body is so weak, I have no way to use you. If you follow me, it would be too wasteful for you.” He laughed, and his eyes that were lighter than the normal person, also curved into a small arc. “Thank you for liking me. You are the first sword that liked me ……”

Lin Rufei said, then opened his arms and gently embraced Zhongfeng: “I am very happy.”

Zhongfeng shook heavily, it seemed to have understood Lin Rufei’s words and his buzzing gradually quieted. 

Gu Feiyu stood by the side and watched anxiously, like a child guarding a candy bar.

Lin Rufei turned his head to look at him and blinked: “Is it good now?”

“I don’t know.” Gu Feiyu rolled up his sleeves and took a deep breath, “Baby, come back with me. I promise I won’t scold you in the future anymore—I’ll treat you better than I would treat my wife! ” After he said this, his mouth continued to mutter words brokenly, mostly some nonsense for peace.

Only when Lin Bianyu’s eyebrow started furrowed did Gu Feiyu reach out his hand with fear. He was trembling and reverent when the hilt of the sword was handed over by Lin Rufei.

Lin Rufei let go of his hand.

This time, Zhongfeng did not fall to the ground.

Gu Feiyu hugged Zhongfeng and cried with joy. The three people present were all relieved.

Lin Rufei could not help but cough again. Lin Bianyu coldly raised his chin to Fu Hua, who then quickly pushed the wheelchair over and helped Lin Rufei sit down. 

“It seems that we can’t fight today, in that case, let’s fight again some other day.” Lin Bianyu calmly said, “My younger brother is a bit unwell, so I will send him back first.”

Gu Feiyu was a bit embarrassed and nodded in agreement. He had caused so much trouble to others for no reason. Although he still had doubts in his mind, he felt too embarrassed to ask again.

Lin Bianyu pushed Lin Rufei into the air and left, while Gu Feiyu, who was lost in thought, held Zhongfeng in the loft.

The spectators watching the sword competition also gradually dispersed, and everything seemed to be returning back to a calm normal.

However, at this time, the sky suddenly resounded with a loud sound. It was as if thunder was rolling, but also as if a million tides were surging—continuously and from far to near.

Gu Feiyu heard this daylight thunder and looked towards the sound. His eyes showed a stunned look—the northern peak of Kunlun Mountain had actually collapsed in half. 

He was first shocked, and then suddenly realized. His heart could not help but give birth to a sense of horror……the direction where the north peak was located, was the direction that Lin Rufei had swung the sword.

********

The author has something to say:

Zhongfeng: Buzz, Buzz, Buzz, Buzz (Is the beauty here? Does the beauty want to go on a date? Does the beauty want to eat? Does the beauty want to have a sword dance? Look at me beauty)

Gu Feiyu: Where exactly am I not as good-looking as Lin Rufei, even my chest is bigger, right? !

Lin Rufei: ? ? ? ? ?

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[1] Third young master of the Lin Family

[2] “Heavy Edge” like in the chapter title.

[3] Second young master of the Lin Family