Chapter Thirty-Seven: Persuasion

"Senior Brother Eight, Big Barrel, you know my temperament well. If you can't explain yourself today, don't blame me for losing my patience!" She slammed her teacup onto the table, sending a sudden shock through the air. On Qilian Mountain, Qiu Wan'er was a cherished darling, pampered and adored, naturally bearing a proud disposition. Even her words carried an air of dominance. But for these three men, such behavior was hardly surprising. Sha Wan'er, though the youngest disciple, had always been this way; after seeing it so often, they no longer found it odd. In fact, at this moment, she was holding back a little—on ordinary days, she might have already resorted to tugging ears and similar antics.

"Master foresaw you’d leave the mountain, and that's why he sent us to intercept you. He wanted us to tell you that Senior Brother Han Tan Yi will return this morning, so you need not go down the mountain to search for him!" The plump Senior Brother Eight, caught off guard by the little lady’s sudden demand, felt a moment of panic, his expression growing grave as if pondering something deeply. Wan'er perhaps didn't notice this shift, but to Third Brother Xia, it was glaringly obvious. He hurried to pick up the conversation, fearing that any misstep might lead to trouble. The words came out, but inwardly, he complained: Master, you have us intercept her, but even you don’t dare face her directly; aren’t you deliberately making things hard for your disciples? The excuse is sound, but if she returns and finds Senior Brother hasn’t come back yet, won’t she raise havoc? And then, who else but us will suffer?

Thoughts aside, they dared not disobey orders. Such helplessness was perhaps what people meant by being at the mercy of circumstances. At this moment, Sha Wan'er’s mind was more tangled than the men's. Her descent was indeed to find Han Tan Yi, but that wasn’t her sole purpose. At her age, she still loved to play, and whether she found him depended on fate; mainly, she wanted to seize the opportunity. If it were only these three stopping her, it wouldn't have restrained her at all. But invoking the name of Daoist Tianji changed things. However rebellious she might be, she still respected her master. If Senior Brother truly returned, using him as a pretext to leave would no longer be justifiable. Thus, she felt a bit conflicted. Her gaze shifted to the thin Senior Brother Seven, and she asked, somewhat incredulously, "Senior Brother is returning this morning, but why didn’t Master tell me?"

"This… this…" Thin Senior Brother Seven hadn’t expected the little lady to turn her attention to him. He’d never considered such matters, and now didn’t know how to answer. His voice was so low that only he could hear it. Wan'er chose to question him knowing his honest nature—he couldn’t lie. At this moment, he was the perfect breakthrough point. He felt her gaze as scorching as fire, making him exceedingly uncomfortable, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Neither Third Brother Xia nor Senior Brother Eight could help; if either spoke, no matter how smooth their words, Wan'er’s sharp mind would pierce through them instantly, making stopping her impossible. Though nervous, Thin Senior Brother Seven wasn’t foolish. He quickly calmed himself, seeking inner peace, and finally spoke slowly: "Master, Master only received Senior Brother’s carrier pigeon last night. The situation was urgent, so Master left the mountain early and didn’t have time to tell you."

Though not a complex explanation, as he spoke, three hearts relaxed. The weather was still cold, yet a faint sheen of sweat appeared on Thin Senior Brother Seven’s brow, obviously from his nerves. The other two worried he’d fail to fabricate a believable excuse. But the reasoning was plausible, and Wan’er seemed not to doubt him—she trusted people who never lied. It’s true: when a habitual liar tells the truth, listeners remain wary, but when an honest person lies for the first time, people accept it without hesitation. At this moment, Sha Wan’er felt the same. She lifted her teacup and took a gentle sip. "If the message came late, how did you all know? And what urgent matter compelled Master to leave so abruptly?"

"We happened to be delivering snacks to Master and learned by chance. As for what it was, Master didn’t say, and we dared not ask. Please don’t make things difficult for us, Junior Sister. Since the letter came from Senior Brother, he surely knows the reason. You’d best return with us and ask him directly. I believe it must be something quite important, otherwise Master wouldn’t have left at dawn, even needing us to carry lanterns in the dark. Master foresaw you wouldn’t stay put, so he instructed us to wait for you here after descending the mountain." Third Brother Xia spoke smoothly, his explanation tightly woven, leaving no apparent flaws. Wan’er, already somewhat convinced, found her trust increasing. Now, only two thoughts weighed on her: first, reluctance. She had just come down and hadn’t played yet, only to be stopped and sent back; it was disappointing. Second, curiosity. What had happened to Han Tan Yi, her Senior Brother? She was eager to find out.

Between reluctance and curiosity, anyone would likely choose the latter. Playing could wait, but curiosity gnawed at her—it was a torment. For Sha Wan’er, she simply had to know at once. Decision made, she suddenly stood and strode out of the tea shed, her steps swift and resolute, perfectly matching her character. The plump and thin brothers hurried after her, afraid she might slip away. Only Third Brother Xia moved with a touch more composure, knowing that given her temperament, she’d head up the mountain without needing to be stopped; if the story were true, he’d choose the same.

Paying the bill, leaving the tea shed—such tasks were easy for him, accomplished in one smooth motion with no hesitation. The tea boy thanked him repeatedly; though it was only a few coins of silver, it was no small sum, perhaps more than he could earn in several days. Besides, the sun was still slanting in the sky, far from midday. Third Brother Xia had no interest in the tea boy; as he started up the mountain, he paused briefly, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward the direction of Xinyang City, a strange expression flickering across his face.

Walking back, Wan’er slowed her pace. After all, the journey up and down left anyone fatigued. At first, driven by her eagerness to know the answer, her steps were quick. But as she walked, regret crept in—what was the point of knowing? It would have been better to enjoy a carefree outing. Moreover, hunger gnawed at her; now, it was unmistakable, her stomach rumbling audibly, the urge to feast clouding her thoughts. Yet, halfway up the mountain, no matter her desire, change was impossible. Her steps became slower, as if every stride required great effort. Fortunately, Qilian Mountain’s slopes were not too steep, and though several kilometers lay ahead, it wouldn’t take long.

Perhaps the only pleasure now was the beauty of the forest. When sunlight filtered through, though somewhat blocked, it still scattered warmth across her body. The trees offered not only their verdant green but also hints of tender yellow, mingled with elusive floral fragrances—a marvelous delight, inviting laziness as one walked through. Such mountain scenery, elegant and refined, paired with the clear melody of running water, could almost seem like a paradise removed from the world. Perhaps it was for this reason that the Qilian lineage appeared so aloof and pure, exalted and rarefied.