102. The Match Ahead

Tearing open a paper wrapper, Bai Li Qingyan took out a glutinous rice dumpling. He bit into it and tasted the sweet bean paste inside, but at that moment, he couldn't help but let his tears fall.

Bai Li Qingyan sighed deeply, his gaze complicated as he looked off into the distance. His heart was a tangled mess.

On the other hand, Xie Wuji was full of guilt. He believed Bai Li Yan'er was angry with him because she'd been punished, and in truth, he wasn't wrong—it was indeed his fault that Bai Li Qingyan had suffered.

Yet he had also noticed numerous old scars on Bai Li Yan'er's back, indicating she had often been abused. Was it Ding Desheng's cruelty or her own elder brother's doing?

Xie Wuji pondered this endlessly, unable to find an answer.

As he was lost in thought, someone approached from afar. Xie Wuji looked closely and saw it was none other than Ximen.

Ximen greeted him, "Brother, what are you up to?"

"Why..." Xie Wuji noticed a small white flower on Ximen's head. "Your sister passed away?"

"Your sister passed away!"

"Then why are you wearing a white flower? That's so inauspicious!" Xie Wuji said.

"You don't understand. This is called the Flower of Integrity and Abstinence. I've made up my mind—it's time to correct my ways and never again pursue women. In the world of flower thieves, anyone who truly turns over a new leaf must wear this flower as a sign of integrity. If I ever relapse, I deserve whatever fate befalls me!" Ximen declared solemnly.

"Well, that's something new," Xie Wuji replied.

Ximen chuckled. "You probably don't know the origin of the Flower of Integrity and Abstinence, do you?"

"Go on," Xie Wuji said, though his heart wasn't in it. His thoughts were consumed by Bai Li Yan'er, and he was deeply ashamed.

Ximen began his tale: In ancient times, there was an emperor infamous for his lust. Among his courtiers was a loyal minister, Han Ping, who had married a woman of unrivaled beauty. One day, he brought her to a royal banquet, and the emperor was instantly captivated, falling into a lovesick despair.

He could neither eat nor sleep, so his advisers devised a cruel scheme. The emperor ordered his ministers to accompany him hunting and racing horses outside the capital. Fifteen miles from the city stood the Cliff of Self-Sacrifice. There, while racing horses, the emperor whipped Han Ping's steed, sending it careening toward the cliff. With a desperate neigh, the horse plunged over the edge, and the loyal Han Ping met his end at the bottom.

The emperor then found a way to bring Han Ping's wife into the palace as his concubine.

Later, the new concubine asked how Han Ping had died. The emperor confessed: "I loved you too much and wanted you for myself, so I devised this plan that led to Han Ping's death so I could have you."

Upon hearing this, the concubine calmly requested to visit the cliff to pay her respects. The emperor gladly accompanied her. At the edge, she knelt and wept, then cried out three times, "Husband, I follow you now!" With that, she leaped from the cliff and was dashed to pieces.

The emperor, wracked with regret and hatred for Han Ping and his wife, ordered two tombs built at the base of the cliff, separated by a trench filled with water, so the couple could not be together even in death. Over time, the trench widened into a river.

The following year, two trees grew atop the tombs, their branches reaching across the river to embrace each other tightly. On these trees bloomed fragrant flowers with nine petals. In the river, fish appeared, their bodies joined together, and lotuses grew with one stem and two heads.

Years later, a sage traveled the lands, witnessed this marvel, and named the trees Trees of Longing, the flowers Flowers of Integrity and Abstinence to honor the concubine's fidelity, the fish as paired fish, and the lotuses as twin lotuses.

Henceforth, people used the Trees of Longing and twin lotuses to symbolize steadfast love. Wearing the Flower of Integrity and Abstinence signified a person of upright character, a true gentleman.

Xie Wuji was moved by the story and laughed. "So, wearing a flower turns you into a true gentleman—who would have thought!"

"Well, you know, if someone goes astray, must they never turn back? I've long wanted to change. For the past three years, I haven't laid a finger on any woman. I've become a chivalrous thief, robbing the rich to help the poor," Ximen said.

"What are your plans for the future?" Xie Wuji asked. After all that had happened, he realized Ximen, despite past mistakes, was not truly bad—he had never killed anyone in the martial world.

"The sect leader wants me to repent in Danxia Sect for three years. I plan to stay here until my term is up, then we'll see," Ximen answered.

"A prodigal son returning is worth more than gold. That's good," Xie Wuji said, rising. "I need to study some medicinal pills. You go ahead."

"Have you heard about the upcoming Ten Sect Tournament?" Ximen asked.

"I've heard rumors—it's supposed to be soon?"

"Yes, this time it's for ranking. The current rankings are: Supreme Immortal Sect, Beast King Mountain, Dusty Valley, Demonic Sound Pavilion, General's Mansion, Snake Island, Collapse Mountain Sect, Crescent Divine Sect, Danxia Sect, and Ten Thousand Demon Hall. Danxia Sect is ranked ninth. Though Yunshang Nation has two sects, their combined strength isn't half that of the top-ranked Supreme Immortal Sect. It's just the way things are," Ximen said. "I hope you don't take it to heart."

Xie Wuji understood the reason why Dongmen Yong hadn't confronted the Grand Elder—it was all about the Ten Great Sects rankings. If Danxia Sect engaged in internal strife, their strength would wane, and their ranking would plummet.

Thus, Dongmen Yong endured for the greater good. Ordinary disciples couldn't comprehend his lofty ambitions, but Xie Wuji could—after all, Dongmen Yong was his master.

"My master mentioned it before, but I heard the spots are very limited this time," Xie Wuji said.

"It's a major reshuffling. You know, there won't be any great wars among the seven nations—the last one centuries ago wiped out half of all living beings. So war is unlikely now. Still, each country and sect is hungry for supremacy. The ten-year martial tournament is how they reset the rankings," Ximen explained.

"Do you know when it starts?" Xie Wuji asked.

"Soon, I think... There should be preliminaries and challenge rounds, but I'm not sure, since I'm not a Danxia Sect member. But I hear Dusty Valley is full of beauties... hehehe..." Ximen's laughter became lewd again.

Xie Wuji had nothing more to say to him.

Just then, the sect leader seemed to be summoning everyone to discuss the next steps. A paper crane folded from talisman slips landed in Xie Wuji's palm, bearing instructions.

He said to Ximen, "Brother Ximen, I have to go. I'll take this chance to ask master about the tournament."

"Brother Wuji, could I borrow your alchemy furnace in the Pill Hall? It's been ages since I made pills, my hands are itching," Ximen said.

"Don't go making any Spring Breeze Elixir or clothes-dissolving concoctions," Xie Wuji warned.

"Ha, don't worry, I'll stick to researching the proper Ximen family pills!" With that, Ximen ran off.

Xie Wuji was skeptical—were any of the Ximen family pills reputable? There were a few, like the smoke bomb Ximen claimed was poisonous, but in reality it was just powdered lime. Perhaps he was tinkering with some unorthodox concoctions. Xie Wuji didn't mind and headed straight to his master's house.

Dongmen Qianyun had just finished preparing a meal. She wore a yellow long dress, looking both charming and lively, radiating youthful energy.

Seeing Xie Wuji, Dongmen Qianyun came forward and took his arm, asking, "Brother Xie, do you like my dress?"

Xie Wuji laughed heartily. "It looks great. My Qianyun always looks good in everything. Your other dresses were beautiful too."

"It's your fault! They all melted away last time. Luckily, we were at home or someone would have seen everything," Dongmen Qianyun said, blushing.

Just then, Dongmen Jianhao and others arrived. Upon seeing Qianyun holding Xie Wuji's arm, Jianhao's face darkened. "Wuji, you can't keep that arm."

"What?"

"You dare touch my beloved sister!" Dongmen Jianhao said, reaching for his sword.

"Let's talk this out, senior brother, let's talk!" Ji Liancheng quickly intervened, shouting at Xie Wuji, "What are you waiting for? Let go of her arm!"