Chapter Twenty-Five: Parting

Gratitude was hardly a blessing—at least, not for Old Su in that moment. His complexion betrayed his distress, tinged now by a flush, now by pallor, the shifting colors clearly a manifestation of the warring chills and heat within him. As he withdrew his hand from Han Tanyi’s body, his legs gave out beneath him and he collapsed to the floor, eyes squeezed shut, struggling to regulate his inner energy. He muttered in a low voice, “Quickly now—steady your mind and calm your breath. Don’t let that suppressed energy rise again.”

With those words, Old Su fell silent, sitting dazed and motionless, his face alternating between ashen and feverish, locked in a silent struggle against that eerie sensation. Han Tanyi dared not relax for a moment either. Though the tormenting alternation of heat and cold within him had eased slightly, discomfort still lingered, intolerable. Hastily, he imitated Old Su, circulating and dispersing the energies within as best he could. Even so, the task was arduous—his whole body shuddered, now cold, now hot, the conflicting energies slow to dissipate.

“Let the energies flow, merge them—cold is heat, heat is cold. Guide them, let them unite.” How much time had passed, Han Tanyi could not tell, when a quiet but distinct voice sounded from the doorway. He knew at once who it was, though the meaning behind the words was less clear. His focus wavered, and at that, the twin streams of energy within him began to churn wildly once more, making him feel all the worse. Alarmed, he hurried to steady his mind and channel the energies, but just then, a hand settled firmly on his shoulder. Another surge of spiritual power poured into him—vast and unyielding. If Old Su’s strength was a river, what entered now was a boundless ocean, leaving no doubt as to the newcomer’s superiority.

Even more wondrous, the chaotic energies within him, under the influence of this external force, began to converge, the sensations of hot and cold blending seamlessly. In a blink, all discomfort vanished, replaced by a gentle warmth that suffused his body, bringing an indescribable comfort.

After roughly half a quarter of an hour, the sensations of heat and cold had utterly disappeared. Only then did Han Tanyi slowly open his eyes. His gaze met the visitor’s, and she was just as he had expected—Shui Linglong. Though she wore different clothes now, the pairing of green and violet was distinctive as ever. She stood there, serene and composed, her breath even, as though her actions moments before had left her wholly unaffected. That alone placed her far above Old Su.

“Lady Saint, how is it you remain untouched? Your martial prowess may not far exceed mine, yet you seem entirely untroubled by what would overwhelm most. Pardon my impertinence, but might you enlighten me?” Old Su, unlike Han Tanyi who kept his doubts to himself, was direct and respectful in his inquiry. There was some awkwardness in a man of his age addressing a young woman as “Lady,” but such was the custom. Even Han Tanyi, among the elders of the Qilian Sect, had often been addressed as “Senior Brother” by men far older than himself. It was, after all, just a title.

Han Tanyi did not speak. Old Su’s question was his own, and he too wished for an answer. Besides, as he studied Shui Linglong, he could not help but marvel. With skills like hers, should she step back into the martial world, what tremors would she cause?

He dared not pursue that thought. Perhaps he simply did not wish to. Some instinct whispered that this woman before him could never be truly connected to the so-called Demon Lord, even if she were his daughter. If these people could live in seclusion here, as they had for more than a decade, the world would go on believing the Blue Lotus Sect had vanished, and no one would seek to harm them. Yet, Han Tanyi could not shake the sense that he was being naïve. If those once hunted nearly to extinction by the four great sects gained the power for revenge, would they really choose to remain hidden forever?

“This tea is called Dragon Marrow. Left Envoy, you know well its strength, but you have been away from Blue Lotus for many years and some things have changed. If it were truly dangerous, would my mother have allowed it to remain here? Everything has its good and its ill. Dragon Marrow, too. If consumed recklessly, it stirs one’s energy like ice and fire, a torment that can be fatal. But if controlled and guided, the sensations of cold and heat—like yin and yang—are not to be resisted but united. When ice and flame merge, all discomfort vanishes, doing no harm at all. In fact, it helps expand the meridians and strengthens spiritual power. Do you understand?”

Her words were clear and authoritative, betraying her command of such matters. Han Tanyi was taken aback. Since he had met Shui Linglong, he had seen only her gentle, demure side—never had he witnessed such poise and mastery. Old Su, too, was struck by realization. Clapping his hands together, he exclaimed, “Lady Saint, you are extraordinary indeed. I thought only to disperse the heat and cold, but I was mistaken. Dispersal without fusion is useless—for heat and cold naturally oppose each other. If united, they simply dissolve away. Now I see! You have come here for this young man, Lady Saint, and my presence is no longer required. I will take my leave.”

As a seasoned master, Old Su grasped the principle in an instant. He was respectful and perceptive—no sooner had he spoken than he stepped toward the door, leaving Shui Linglong and Han Tanyi alone in the room.

Han Tanyi found himself at a loss for words, his thoughts in disarray, standing rooted to the spot. Shui Linglong, meanwhile, gently shook her head and raised her hand to remove her veil.

“You should keep it on,” Han Tanyi suddenly interjected. “It’s a rule of the Blue Lotus Sect: never remove your veil before a strange man, isn’t it?” He did not know why he said this, but Shui Linglong’s hand hesitated, then lowered. She studied his face, confusion flickering in her eyes, but it quickly vanished. She sat on the table, her expression calm, though a trace of disappointment lingered in her manner and her words:

“You are right. You won’t stay here. For you and me, perhaps after today, we will only be strangers again. If we meet in the martial world, who knows when or in what capacity—friends, or perhaps enemies. It’s better this way. I am the Saint of Blue Lotus, and to you people of the martial world, I am nothing more than the Demon Lord’s daughter.”

Her words were tinged with sorrow, and Han Tanyi, though he heard them, found no way to respond. She was right; had he not ended up here by chance, he would never have known her at all. To the martial world, Blue Lotus and Shui Linglong were names synonymous with evil and cruelty. Even calling them “strangers” would seem too much, almost contemptuous. Yet fate is a strange thing. Here he was, and gazing at her face, the young man’s heart could not help but race.

“Me?” He did not know how long he hesitated, but at last he managed a single word. He could think of nothing else to say, or if he could, the words would not come. Shui Linglong turned to look at him, her eyes resting on him as she spoke:

“You need not trouble yourself. I came only to tell you that tomorrow morning, I will see you safely away from here. You should return to your own world, to seek out your Butterfly. If you love her, then love her with all your heart. As for this place—even me—forget us all. Pretend you were never here.”

She paused slightly when she said “even me,” as if the words were hard to utter. Yet, however painful, she finished. Then, Shui Linglong rose and began to leave. It seemed that the longer she lingered, the greater her sorrow. Her steps were slow, as if she waited, yet did not wish to wait. Perhaps she was right—if one loves, one must love wholeheartedly. But Han Tanyi wondered if he could still give his whole heart. As her figure receded into the distance, an impulse stirred within him, growing ever stronger.