Chapter 140 - 131 Thousand Swords Guanyin_1

Dan Wulan didn't know what expression to make. Her usually cold visage wanted to show another side to the person seated beside her. One that belonged solely to her? Aside from Dan Wuque, no one had ever treated her like this. Su Bei spoon-fed her, one mouthful at a time. Dan Wulan obediently opened her mouth, swallowed, opened her mouth... Watching Dan Wulan's mechanical movements, her pearly white teeth, her slightly parted, rosy lips, Su Bei suddenly felt a surge of mischief. True to his mischievous thought, Su Bei slipped a finger into Dan Wulan's mouth with the next spoonful. Dan Wulan, lost in thought as she took spoonful after spoonful, suddenly felt something indescribable enter her mouth. Her dark brows furrowed slightly, knitting together, and her pearly teeth subconsciously nibbled lightly. When she realized something was amiss, she abruptly looked up, her eyes filled with annoyance as she gazed at Su Bei. Seeing the flustered blush on the normally cold woman's cheeks, Su Bei felt a surge of accomplishment and decided to pull his finger from her mouth. But Dan Wulan's lips curved into a cold smirk, and she bit down hard. HISS... Su Bei's attempt to withdraw his finger failed; he sucked in a sharp breath. "Let go! Let go, be good—" Dan Wulan stared coldly at Su Bei, her teeth still clamped firmly around his finger. Their eyes locked. Only when she saw cold sweat breaking out on Su Bei's forehead and tasted a faint metallic tang at the corner of her own lips did Dan Wulan finally let go. Her lips curved into an uncharacteristic smile, and she laughed softly. Brilliant sunlight filtered through the bamboo window, bathing the entire room in a warm glow. Her three thousand white hairs shimmered in the light. The morning glow reflected on Dan Wulan's face, where beads of sweat on her forehead glistened like jewels. Su Bei retracted his hand, momentarily entranced by the stunning beauty of the woman before him. Silence reigned within the thatched hut, so profound that they could almost hear each other's hearts pounding. The air between them gradually warmed. Uncertain why, in this somewhat ambiguous atmosphere, Su Bei's trembling hand reached out to gently stroke her back. Compared to his own pliant disciple, Dan Wulan's skin felt cooler, like smooth jade. Dan Wulan's body tensed slightly. Her gaze grew more intense and focused as she looked into Su Bei's eyes, yet she offered no resistance, allowing Su Bei to caress her tenderly. No feelings of rejection surged within her; instead, in a daze, there seemed to be a touch of joy. "Senior Brother..." Dan Wulan lifted her head slightly to look at Su Bei. Her voice was cool, imbued with a chilling allure. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. In this moment that belonged only to her and Su Bei, she wanted to voice the words long buried in her heart. "Hmm?" Su Bei looked into her eyes, his heartbeat skipping a beat as he swallowed nervously. A blush like the rosy dawn crept onto Dan Wulan's cheeks. Biting her thin lips lightly, she softly said, "Senior Brother, to me—" "Su Bei! What mischief are you up to again?!" A familiar voice boomed from afar, instantly drowning out the words Dan Wulan had yet to speak. Su Bei jumped, startled. Cold sweat instantly slicked his back as he quickly stood and looked out the window. Then he saw an irate Wenren Pingxin striding towards his thatched hut, hands on her hips, already scolding, "I just talked to you yesterday! Second Elder's eight-hundredth birthday is coming up, so don't stir up any trouble during this time. And what do you do?" "Give your Senior Sister such a huge surprise first thing in the morning?" "Playing emperor, choosing concubines, are you? Have you taken a look at what the entire Sword Sect has become because of you?" She kicked the door open, barged in, and saw Su Bei with Dan Wulan on the bed. Her captivating eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she looked at the two of them, but she said nothing. She looked Su Bei up and down as he smiled nervously at her, her gaze falling on the clear, bloody teeth marks on his finger. Then, she glanced at Dan Wulan, who remained impassive and expressionless. Su Bei scratched his head, looking like a husband caught cheating. He hid the injured finger behind his back and offered Wenren Pingxin an appeasing, broad smile. "Eldest Senior Sister, why are you so worked up this early in the morning? Ahem..." Dan Wulan's emotions churned. Her fists clenched tightly, and she lightly punched the mattress. Her expression was as cool and distant as ever as she murmured, "Eldest Senior Sister." Wenren Pingxin ignored Su Bei. She stepped forward to look at Dan Wulan on the bed and said with a warm smile, "Ninth Junior Sister, are you feeling any better?" "Once your Third Senior Brother finishes refining the First Grade Rejuvenation Pill, your health will recover..." Before Dan Wulan could reply, Wenren Pingxin's brow furrowed. She glanced up at Su Bei, her expression instantly darkening. Reaching out, she grabbed Su Bei's ear and started dragging him out. She muttered as she tugged, "You are going to explain yourself clearly today!" "And what's with all those female disciples outside? It's early morning, and they've painted their faces up like monkeys' bottoms!" Su Bei clutched his ear, trying to explain helplessly, "How was I supposed to know? It's a misunderstanding." "Eldest Senior Sister, it hurts..." Dan Wulan watched their retreating figures with an indifferent gaze. She gently licked the faint trace of blood from her lips, a blush creeping onto her face. Her eyes, somewhat dazed, fixed on the bowl Su Bei had brought her. She reached out, scooped a small spoonful for herself, and tasted it. "Bitter..." She placed the bowl aside and murmured to herself. Then, she lay quietly on the bed and closed her eyes. The same medicine, just without his essence. Never mind, there will be plenty of other opportunities. This one time doesn't matter... 「A short while later.」 Wenren Pingxin sat in a chair, tapping one of her slender, jade-like legs, her gaze fixed on Su Bei. Xiao Ruoching, who had already awakened, came over and poured tea into two cups on the table before them. Su Bei walked over, intending to massage his exhausted Eldest Senior Sister's shoulders, but Wenren Pingxin dodged him, her expression clearly saying, Don't you dare touch me. I'm not your Senior Sister right now. "Well? Speak." Wenren Pingxin picked up her teacup, glanced at the now tidy pigsty before her, and drawled. Su Bei rubbed his hands together, snatched the teapot from Xiao Ruoching, and eagerly approached Wenren Pingxin. Taking the teacup that she had just lifted to her lips, he refilled it and said with a beaming smile, "Eldest Senior Sister, after much deep thought, your Junior Brother has finally conceived a dance that will astound all Twenty-One Provinces!" "Indeed, a dance the likes of which no one has ever seen or heard!" Wenren Pingxin watched Su Bei's antics with an amused expression. She took the tea and said, "And here I was, thinking you'd come up with some brilliant idea." "It's just a dance? What's so astonishing about that? Still, I suppose it's better than the Sword Sect's usual 'grand opening' of someone just stabbing a sword at the sky..." Su Bei looked at Wenren Pingxin, let out a theatrical sigh, and then declared solemnly, "This Junior Brother's dance will absolutely astound the entire world! Eldest Senior Sister, you can rest assured!" "Its name is... Thousand Swords Guanyin!" Thousand Swords Guanyin? What a bizarre name. Besides, this is the Sword Sect—what does it have to do with Guanyin? Wenren Pingxin looked at Su Bei skeptically. However, seeing the rare solemnity on his face gave her pause, and she sighed softly. Sometimes, he was utterly inscrutable... But since he'd put it that way, she decided to trust him. In any case, the result couldn't possibly be worse than the previous opening ceremonies. 「At the Sword-Cleansing Pool.」 A slender girl was meticulously wiping the swords beside her. The bright sunlight glared off the sword blades, making it somewhat dazzling. She didn't know how many years she had been in the Sword Sect. She had only been cleaning swords, a task she had performed for countless springs and autumns. The amusing part was, of the many swords she wiped, not a single one belonged to her! But she was happy. It was the Sword Sect that had taken her in; it was the Sword Sect that had given her a chance... Thinking this, a sweet smile touched her lips. She wiped the sweat from her brow and gazed at the distant, mist-shrouded mountains. Clouds swirled above the Sword-Cleansing Pool, its waters sparkled, and the rosy dawn stretched across the heavens. Now and then, a bird would take flight, a fish clasped in its beak, soaring into the azure sky. It would circle for a moment before swooping down, disappearing into the distant Sword Concealing Pavilion. Just as she was lost in the mesmerizing scene, the sound of hurried footsteps approached from afar. The girl turned to see the newcomer, a smile gracing her lips. "Sword Maiden, Sword Maiden, look at this!" The person ran over, breathless, holding a copied notice in her hand, eager to share it with the Sword Maiden, "This morning, Fifth Elder posted an announcement at the Sword Concealing Pavilion! He's looking for one hundred female disciples to accompany him to the opening ceremony of the Twenty-One Provinces event!" "That's the opening ceremony for the Sacred Land! It will be simultaneously projected into the skies above all the major cities in the Twenty-One Provinces!" "I bet all the female disciples in the Sword Sect will go for the selection! You should try too, Sword Maiden! What if you get chosen?" "If you really get selected, you'll bring so much honor to your ancestors! Your parents would be able to see you, the whole world would be able to see you!" "You're so beautiful, I'm sure you can get selected!" The Sword Maiden's lips pressed together lightly, her bright eyes sparkling as she looked at the girl before her. Then, she gently began to sign, shaking her head. Seeing her unhesitating refusal, the girl urged anxiously, "How can you know you won't be chosen if you don't even try? Fifth Elder isn't that kind of person! He won't discriminate against you just because you can't speak..." A bitter smile touched the corners of the Sword Maiden's lips, but it quickly transformed into her usual gentle smile as she signed, I'm already very happy that the Sword Sect took me in. I'm just an ordinary village girl, not even an official disciple of the Sword Sect. As a menial disciple, being able to clean swords for the senior sisters at the Sword-Cleansing Pool is the greatest happiness in my life... Mother always told me since I was little: as a person, one must know contentment! The girl frowned, grabbing the Sword Maiden's shoulders, and said earnestly, "How will you know if you don't try?" "Fifth Elder said all female disciples of the Sword Sect! Menial disciples are disciples too! Just try once! Even if you aren't selected, at least you'll have tried!" The Sword Maiden hesitated, her gaze falling on the surface of the Sword-Cleansing Pool. She remained silent for a long time. She then looked at the stone necklace around her neck, at the smiling face carved on it. Mother had said it was a gift from the father she had never met. Lifting her head, she looked at the girl before her and nodded vigorously!