Chapter 112: The Tale of the Fleeting Fireflies in the Wind

For some reason, seeing Lan Duo’er’s furious expression stirred a faint bitterness within me. It was not because I felt injustice at Maplebridge Nightsnow’s devotion going unrewarded, nor because I resented the woman’s ruthless betrayal.

“Did Second Martial Uncle believe what that woman told him?”

“No.” Lan Duo’er’s anger deepened, and she raised her voice. “Maplebridge Nightsnow refused to believe her. He could not accept that such a wretched woman would deceive him. So, on the day she was to marry another man, he went to that man’s home to take her away by force. Senior Brother Sanshi said the incident caused an uproar throughout the Six Realms. Maplebridge Nightsnow’s demonic nature erupted, and he slaughtered the entire family. Then that mortal woman, overwhelmed by grief and remorse, took her own life before his eyes by throwing herself onto a sword, driving Maplebridge Nightsnow completely into demonic madness.”

“How pitiful. How truly pitiful.”

“Who are you pitying?” Lan Duo’er suddenly shouted.

I blinked at her and whispered, “The woman was pitiful, and so was Second Martial Uncle. The man who was about to become her husband was pitiful too, as was his family.”

They had originally been complete strangers to one another, yet because of that woman’s resurrection, their lives became entangled. Afterward, some died because of her, while others were driven insane.

“Hmph!”

Lan Duo’er gave a scornful laugh, a bone-chilling coldness flickering in her eyes. “That wretched woman brought everything upon herself. She knew perfectly well that Maplebridge Nightsnow was an immortal, yet she still tried to seduce him. It would have been bad enough if she had merely stirred mortal feelings in his heart, but when she fell ill, she even urged him to seek medicine for her. She was the one who caused him to become a demon. Even in death, she got exactly what she deserved.”

“Mmm-hmm, Senior Sister is absolutely right.”

I nodded repeatedly. Seeing her gnash her teeth with such vicious fury, I felt a shiver of fear. Quietly, I retreated a few steps, putting a little more distance between us. Maintaining what I considered a safe space, I continued walking beside her.

At the corner, I could not resist turning back for another look at Windblown Fireflies. Her frail body was clad only in a faded, timeworn palace robe. The wind came howling around her, lifting her hair, which fell nearly to her ankles, and sending it streaming through the air like a magnificent ink-wash landscape painstakingly brushed onto rice paper by a scholar-poet.

If Maplebridge Nightsnow had become a demon and left Cloudpeak Mountain, then what about her? Why had she remained here instead of leaving as well?

I was deeply puzzled. After passing the corner, I was just about to ask Lan Duo’er when several disciples dressed in blue cloth robes came toward us.

“Greetings, Senior Sister Duo’er.”

“Greetings, Little Martial Uncle.”

“Greetings. Very good.”

When they bent to salute me, I hurriedly returned their bows. With a benevolent smile, I waved them away and sent the two bothersome disciples on their way.

“Junior Brother, you really are terribly innocent.” Lan Duo’er covered her mouth as she laughed. “The disciples of this mountain sect are not as simple as they appear. You would do well to be more careful.”

“Really? That can’t be!” I stared at her in disbelief. “I’ve been on Cloudpeak Mountain for several days now, and the disciples from all the palaces seem quite polite toward me.”

Lan Duo’er replied disdainfully, “That is only because of Sect Master Martial Uncle. Have you never heard the saying, ‘When judging a dog, look at its master’? In their eyes, Sect Master Martial Uncle is your master, and you are merely something he keeps—”

“Something he keeps? What?”

“A dog.”

With that, she burst out laughing.

“Ridiculous!”

“Yes, utterly ridiculous.”

I had been cursing her, but Lan Duo’er unexpectedly took up the insult with a smile.

She continued, “Do not be fooled by how miserable Windblown Fireflies’ situation appears now. More than three thousand years ago, when Maplebridge Nightsnow was the sect master of Cloudpeak Mountain, she was immensely popular here. But things are truly very different now.”

She gave another few cold laughs before saying, “Because of her connection to Maplebridge Nightsnow, Windblown Fireflies has always been ostracized by the senior brothers and sisters on Cloudpeak Mountain. She is timid by nature and rarely speaks, so hardly anyone here even notices her existence.

“After Maplebridge Nightsnow left Cloudpeak Mountain, she was the only one remaining in Luofu Palace. She is timid and afraid of death, and whenever the more daring disciples had nothing better to do, they would run to Luofu Palace to bully her. As a result, she was covered in wounds most of the time.”