Chapter 407 - 215: Wuchen’s Decision

Chapter 407: Chapter 215: Wuchen’s Decision

The little girl shyly shrank back, only to be pushed forward a staggering step by her companion behind her.

"Are... are you the Sect Leader’s daughter?" Her voice was as faint as a newly hatched chick’s.

Ye Qingyue smiled and shook her head, taking out a few pieces of Spirit Honey Candy from her Storage Bag.

"I’m your Sect Leader’s disciple. I suppose that makes me your... Senior Sister."

The children looked at each other and cautiously accepted the candy.

As the sweetness melted on their tongues, their eyes lit up.

Leaning against the headboard, Su Yingxue beckoned to them.

The children immediately scampered to the bedside, like a flock of sparrows returning to their nest.

"This is Senior Sister Qingyue." Su Yingxue’s gaunt hand patted the shoulder of a girl with pigtails, her voice gentle.

"Back when she was your age, she was always picking the Insect-Repelling Grass in the Spirit Field and bringing it back, thinking it was Spirit Medicine."

The children giggled.

The tips of Ye Qingyue’s ears turned faintly red.

"Master," she protested quietly.

A long-absent light twinkled in Su Yingxue’s eyes.

"Why don’t you take your Senior Sister to see the Spirit Field? She’s the best Spirit Plant Master in the Profound Pure Sect."

The children cheered and tugged at Ye Qingyue’s sleeves.

"This way, Senior Sister. Our Spirit Field is behind the rocks."

After following a newly cleared path, Ye Qingyue was led to a patch of sloped land.

Dozens of youths were busy among the field’s rows, which were enclosed by rocks.

Some were on their tiptoes, covering the Spirit Grain Seedlings with sand protection nets.

Others were squatting to check the soil’s moisture.

The sea breeze carried the sound of their discussion over to her.

"This stalk of Dragon Beard Grass has wilted again."

"You must have given it too much salt water yesterday."

"I did not!" The freckled boy stomped his foot in exasperation.

Ye Qingyue walked to the edge of the field and crouched down.

She rubbed the pale soil between her fingers.

"The sea breeze is too harsh." She untied her hair ribbon and gently tied it around the stem of the wilted plant.

"Find some seashells to weigh down the roots, then build a small shelter to block the wind. That should do it."

The youths gathered around to look.

The freckled boy suddenly clapped his hands.

"I know who you are! Last night, the Sect Leader said you know magic, that you can make Spiritual Plants obediently grow tall."

Ye Qingyue couldn’t help but laugh.

She took out the Profound Pure Sect’s Spiritual Fertilizer from her Storage Bag.

"It’s not magic, just an improved fertilizer recipe from my fellow sect members at the Profound Pure Sect." She demonstrated how to mix the Spiritual Fertilizer into the sandy soil.

The youths immediately lined up to get some, like chicks waiting to be fed.

From the other side of the rocks came the sound of Sword Qi slicing through the air.

Shen Wuchen was practicing his sword in the morning light.

His white robes billowed like a seagull spreading its wings.

Three boys holding swords stood at a distance, their eyes glued to the tip of his whirling sword.

"Lower your wrist another half-inch," Shen Wuchen said, suddenly retracting his sword.

The three boys jumped in surprise.

The boldest one tentatively practiced the motion.

Shen Wuchen walked over and silently adjusted his posture.

Not far away, Zhang Zhentian was mending a broken fence.

Chu Lingxiao silently helped him twist the tough Sea Vines into rope.

Several girls from the Wangyue Sect pretended to pass by, stealing glances at the distinctively shaped Silver Sword Hairpin Chu Lingxiao used to tie up his hair.

"That hairpin glows! It’s brighter than a pearl," they whispered, huddling together in a fit of giggles.

「Noon.」

The aroma of rice drifted from the humble mess hall.

Ye Qingyue was surrounded by the children.

A round-faced girl came forward, presenting a ceramic bowl as if it were a treasure.

"Senior Sister, try this." The bowl was filled with amber-colored nectar.

"It’s nectar from the Moonflowers we gathered. The Sect Leader says it calms the spirit."

Ye Qingyue dipped a little on her finger to taste.

Within the pure sweetness was the faint, salty tang of the sea breeze.

It was a flavor unique to the island.

Su Yingxue leaned against the doorframe, supporting herself with a wooden staff as she watched them.

Her white hair stirred gently in the sea breeze.

"They always save the best nectar for me, saying that drinking it will make my hair grow back black."

Ye Qingyue brought the bowl of nectar to her Master.

"Maybe it really works," she said, scooping up a spoonful.

Su Yingxue smiled and shook her head.

"Let the children have it."

The last spoonful of nectar was given to the youngest child.

He licked the spoon with a silly grin.

The corners of his mouth glistened.

By the evening bonfire, the aroma of grilled fish filled the air.

The new disciples finally dared to approach Ye Qingyue.

"Does the Profound Pure Sect have an ocean, too?"

"Is the moon bigger there?" The boys’ questions came one after another, like waves lapping at the shore.

Ye Qingyue used a branch to draw in the sand.

"The Profound Pure Sect has very tall mountains, and in the spring, they’re covered in peach blossoms. When the wind blows, it’s like it’s snowing pink."

The girl with the pigtails fell asleep, her head resting on Ye Qingyue’s lap.

She still clutched a half-eaten Spirit Honey Candy in her hand.

On the outskirts of the crowd, Shen Wuchen quietly whittled a Wooden Sword.

He was whittling one for each of the boys who had been learning the sword during the day.

Zhang Zhentian taught a few of the children how to arrange seashells into a simple defensive array.

The girls had borrowed Chu Lingxiao’s Silver Sword Hairpin and were passing it around.

In the firelight, it refracted scattered slivers of silver.

Su Yingxue watched the scene before her.

She slowly sipped the warm Spirit Rice Porridge that Ye Qingyue had handed her.

Ye Qingyue gently adjusted the position of the girl sleeping on her lap.

Amidst the sound of the tide, a disciple began to hum an old ballad from the Wangyue Sect.

The tune started a bit off-key.

It drew a round of good-natured laughter.

Ye Qingyue gently hummed along.

Su Yingxue’s gaunt fingers tapped out the beat on her knee.

The firelight illuminated everyone’s smiling faces.

In that moment, there was none of the heavy burden of a life nearing its end.

There was only the feeling of scattered birds returning to their branch, with fledglings snuggled under their wings.

The ocean waves beat tirelessly against the rocks, like a lullaby sung for a thousand years.

The next day found them once again on the shallow beach outside the Wangyue Sect’s temporary encampment.

Zhang Zhentian and Chu Lingxiao stood guard a short distance away, vigilantly scanning the unfamiliar waters.

Shen Wuchen, meanwhile, was a moderate distance away, leaning against a rock polished smooth by the waves. His calm gaze was fixed on the simple wooden hut ahead.

The wooden hut was newly built, and the wood was still damp.

Ye Qingyue carefully helped Su Yingxue inside.

Su Yingxue’s body was so light it made Ye Qingyue’s heart clench.

She helped her Master sit on the only bed in the room—a wooden frame covered with a straw mat.