Chapter 171: Three Days of Time

Inside the room, the hourglass ticked away, letting the sands of time filter down grain by grain.

Unhurried and unforced, neither chasing nor fleeing.

Passing little by little, drop by drop, thread by thread.

Only three days of time remained to them, and even if cupped within the palms of their hands, it could not prevent time from slipping quietly through the gaps of their fingers.

Jiang Li had moved into Mu Qing’s room.

Aside from going out on errands, Mu Qing spent all his remaining time imparting martial arts formulas and combat stances to him. He had previously thought there would be ample time for slow and steady guidance, but now, he had no idea if there would even be such an opportunity in the future.

Therefore, without caring whether Jiang Li could fully digest the teachings, Mu Qing wished he could split every single minute in half, cramming all of his life’s most adept, proudest, and thoroughly mastered self-created techniques directly into Jiang Li’s mind in one go.

He was leaving himself a way out. If he truly could not return, if all of them were to depart, at least there would still be one disciple capable of inheriting his mantle, carrying on his martial arts, and perhaps even bringing them to greater glory.

Though Jiang Li could not fully comprehend his master’s profound intentions, he deeply cherished the time spent with him. He was like a sponge, tirelessly absorbing everything his master taught—absorbing, wringing himself dry, absorbing again, and wringing himself dry once more... Not knowing how to repay his master’s profound grace, he could only push himself to the absolute limit, hoping to earn a look of satisfaction from his master.

Throughout these three days, Xiao Wu remained virtually inseparable from Liu Qin.

Although neither asked questions nor brought up the subject, both knew very well in their hearts that once he left this time, they had no idea when they would meet again—or if they would ever even have the chance to meet again.

Xiao Wu had found his family; he would remain in the Li Kingdom and seize every possible opportunity to seek vengeance.

If he failed to find his family, he would still remain in the Li Kingdom, and he would still go to seek vengeance.

Vengeance was his destiny, a responsibility from which he could never escape.

Liu Qin could not persuade him otherwise, nor could she stop him; she could not even voice her anxieties. The only thing she could do was silently pray and offer her blessings for him.

And another thing she could do was spend these three days properly accompanying him.

Right now, the two of them were walking hand in hand down the bustling streets of Wucheng, retracing the paths they had walked before and eating the snacks they had tasted together in the past.

"Brother Xiao Wu, this sesame cake is quite delicious. Have a bite."

Liu Qin held the sesame cake in her hand, bringing it to Xiao Wu's lips. Deliberately being mischievous, she offered the side she had just bitten into. Xiao Wu, who stood slightly taller than Jiang Li, lowered his head slightly and took a bite right where her teeth had left an imprint.

Liu Qin could not help but freeze in surprise. She had only meant to tease the young boy; based on her understanding, Xiao Wu would certainly have pushed her hand away in disdain. Who could have expected that he would actually take a bite?

Didn't he have mysophobia?

Now, she was left at a complete loss, unsure whether she should throw away the remaining sesame cake in her hand or continue eating it as if nothing had happened.

"Junior Sister, watch out."

A carriage swept past them, and had it not been for Xiao Wu's lightning-fast reflexes, she might well have been struck. Liu Qin managed to dodge it, but the sesame cake flew out of her hand and dropped to the ground.

"Are you blind or what?"

While Liu Qin stamped her feet and shouted angrily in the direction of the departing carriage, Xiao Wu scooped up the sesame cake with incredible speed and secretly tucked it inside his tunic.

Aside from strolling through the streets and eating, Liu Qin also secretly made a trip to Guiyuan Temple on Qixia Mountain, accompanied by Xiao Wu.

Uncle Niu drove them to the foot of the mountain in a carriage. After the two of them climbed a stretch of the mountain path, Liu Qin began to pant slightly.

"Junior Sister, let me carry you on my back." Xiao Wu squatted down.

Liu Qin shook her head. She had come to Guiyuan Temple to pray for a protective amulet, and walking up the mountain step by step was the only way to show her sincerity; otherwise, she would have hired a mountain sedan chair earlier.

The scenery on the mountain was at its most enchanting, with red leaves blanketing the mountains and plains like clouds and rosy mist, glowing brilliantly—a truly breathtaking sight to behold.

Yet neither of them had the state of mind to appreciate the scenery.

Both of their attentions were focused entirely on the path beneath their feet.

"Junior Sister, let's rest for a moment."

"Mn."

Sitting down on a clean blue stone, Xiao Wu pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the fine beads of sweat from her forehead, then unscrewed the waterskin and handed it to her.

"The capital of our Li Kingdom also has a mountain just like this, and in autumn the red leaves cover the entire mountain as well. We call it Fragrant Hill," Xiao Wu said softly, gazing up at the maple trees overhead. "Around this time every year, my mother would bring me to stay at our villa near Fragrant Hill for a few days. Back then, I was still young and exceptionally mischievous, often slipping away from the guards to run around the mountain all by myself."

This was the first time Xiao Wu had ever spoken to her about his childhood and his past.

Liu Qin listened quietly. Aside from the whispering wind, there was only Xiao Wu's soft murmur. "One time, I slipped away again, only to realize I had gotten lost in the mountains. No matter how I wandered, I couldn't find the path back to the villa. It grew darker and darker, and aside from the howling wind, there were only the cries of wild beasts. I was so frightened that I began to cry, but I didn't dare make a sound for fear of attracting a beast to eat me. Junior Sister, do you think I was utterly useless?"

Liu Qin shook her head, even though Xiao Wu was not looking at her.

"I don't know how my mother found me, because I had cried myself to exhaustion and fallen asleep leaning against a large tree. That time, my mother gave me a beating, and because of it, I refused to speak to her for several days. Later, it was my father who told me that after beating me, my mother had secretly gone off by herself to cry. That was when I realized I was in the wrong and wanted to go find my mother, but that very night, that very night..."

Xiao Wu's eyes suddenly turned bloodshot. His gaze grew vacant and fierce as he stared into the distance, until a small hand clasped his fingers tightly and an arm wrapped around his neck. The warmth flowing from that hand caused the crimson in his eyes to gradually recede. Before tears could overflow, he closed his eyes and leaned against her small shoulder.

Gently stroking the young boy's shoulders and back, Liu Qin did not know if this could offer him any comfort. The pain of the past was too deep, a hurt and hatred branded into his very bones and blood—how could it ever be placated by a few mere words?

For this young man, a blood debt could only be paid in blood.

And as for herself, aside from being a helpless bystander, she could do nothing.

The lonely mountain wind sighed through the quiet valley; petals drifted and scattered, dancing lightly on the breeze.

A single red leaf drifted down gently, landing in the young boy's hair—its color the exact shade of blood.

After an unknown length of time, Xiao Wu finally raised his head, gently gathered Liu Qin into his embrace, held her close, and asked softly, "Junior Sister, if I... if I succeed in taking my revenge on this journey and return to find you, will you wait for me?"

Xiao Wu's voice was slightly hoarse, making Liu Qin's heart ache and her eyes sting, forcing her to nod vigorously. "I will! Of course I will! Brother Xiao Wu, you will definitely succeed in your revenge, you will return safe and sound, and I will definitely wait for you."

"Junior Sister, remember your words. You must wait for me."

Xiao Wu suddenly channeled his inner energy, and those words—"You must wait for me"—were amplified by his cultivation, echoing back and forth across the mountain valley until every single echo blended into a chorus of "Wait for me, wait for me, wait for me..."

Releasing Liu Qin, Xiao Wu unfastened a crystal-clear, translucent green jade pendant from his belt and placed it in Liu Qin's palm. "Junior Sister, if I am able to return one day, let this serve as our pledge."

Clasping the jade pendant tightly in her hand, it felt as though she were holding Xiao Wu's very life. Perhaps as long as it remained in her hands, Xiao Wu would remember to return and would protect himself by every possible means.

The jade pendant was carefully tucked away into the pouch at her waist. After a moment of thought, she reached up and unclasped a small pendant from around her neck—a single bead of purple sandalwood. It was a protective amulet that her mother had prayed for in the year she was born, blessed by Master Tianyuan and consecrated before the incense burners for forty-nine days.

With her own hands, she tied the string of the prayer bead around Xiao Wu's neck.