Legend of Fu Yao

The rain seemingly hit down with the force of a bullet, determined to flood the streets for the entire night.

The drenched Meng Fuyao stayed in the equally soaked Zhangsun Wuji’s arms and coughed non-stop. A dark mouthful of blood accompanied every cough. As she coughed, she took Zhangsun Wuji pulse. He opened his eyes, pressed down on her hand, and smiled.

Meng Fuyao gazed into his eyes. It was a calm, abstruse sea. All the pain and suffering in the world were nothing but a sea breeze, teasing the waves as they pass.

That gaze told her: All the pain and suffering will eventually disappear into nothingness. Love, hatred, grievances, and grudges will be buried in its grave. No one should carry a coffin as they move ahead. No one should fall because of a mistake that was not their fault.

Choosing family over strangers is but human nature. What is there to blame?

In a difficult position, yet you still helped her out of righteousness. What fault is there?

The rain continued to fall as longing filled the air.

Sometimes, no words were needed to comfort. A mere gaze, a mere act was enough to show that he cared, he understood.

Regardless of the perils, he faced that collision head-on. Even though he knew of the dangers, he did not avoid. That act of his shattered icy wall that formed in her heart. That gaze of his continued to focus on her.

Meng Fuyao slowly looked up and welcomed such a gaze. Amidst the pittering and pattering rain, everything he wanted to express could be read clearly. Every word entered her heart, so deeply, so silently.

Gradually, immersed in that soothing gaze, her bloodlust eased, and her heart calmed. The dark, grey world previously engulfing her entire being was now replaced with colorful surroundings as the flowers gently bloomed.

That flower finally bloomed in that bloody storm. Though slow, it was not too late.

She finally looked up and gave him the tranquil smile he wanted to see.

That smile was laced with melancholy, yet, it was refreshing and more radiant than before. It was just like the wild plants growing in the garden, fresh and clean after braving a storm.

An ablution, from her heart to her body.

Zhangsun Wuji smiled as he closed his eyes. Meng Fuyao smiled too, reaching out to cover his face from the pouring rain.

The hidden guards and Tie Cheng rushed over to help the two up. Meng Fuyao glanced over at Tie Cheng, wanting to console him but her exhausted and abused body didn’t allow for that. Her heavy eyelids snapped shut.

…

The cave was warm, toasty, and clean. From far away, the melodic sound of birds chirping could be heard.

Zhangsun Wuji woke up. It was a peaceful atmosphere.

The scent of the soft grass wafted to his nose. She was beside him, tear streaks on her face still apparent, yet, she was holding onto his hand with a small smile.

‘She’s here, breathing and alive.’

Zhangsun Wuji looked at her and then continued looking at her. He quickly closed his eyes as though such luxuries shouldn’t be used up all at once. He gently caressed her hair, every touch overflowing with love and tenderness.

‘… What can I do for her? This girl that suffered so much internal turmoil because of me?’ Zhangsun Wuji pondered.

He always felt that it was not enough… Not enough…

In the end, he couldn’t bear it and opened his eyes, perusing every aspect of her.

That girl was pale. Her eyelashes were long yet unable to hide the purplish undertone beneath her tired eyes. Yet, her expression was one of quietude.

Only the Heavens knew how much pain and turmoil was undergone in exchange for this peace.

But that was her destiny, her fated obstacles. In the restless world filled with people who act out of self-interest, everyone mastered the arts of protecting their selfishness and took that for granted. She was the only one who detested that natural selfishness of hers and for that, was painfully tortured.

But that pain was not because of her mistake—she was never in the wrong. The only wrong was for the Heavens to have gifted her a personality eager to uphold justice and was filled with so much passion; one that would not allow her to remain indifferent to the deaths of the innocent. Even without any repercussions, she had inflicted upon herself the most agonizing punishment for what could take her down was not any form of martial arts, but the guilt and self-blame in her heart.

And this was why she was Meng Fuyao.

The irreplaceable Meng Fuyao.

The most radiant, the bravest, the Meng Fuyao that had countless men under her thumb.

Even if he had to sacrifice, he wanted to have every part of her—the most complete, the most honest Meng Fuyao.

Zhangsun Wuji smiled and wanted to take Meng Fuyao’s pulse out of habit. But that hand stopped him, and that girl grumbled, “Enough.”

Meng Fuyao woke up.

She climbed up lazily. As she climbed up, she could hear her bones crackling, surprising her.

“Congratulations, Fuyao, you leveled up again.”

Meng Fuyao smiled wearily. “Thanks to you but please, from now onwards please don’t transfer any more inner energy to me. Otherwise, one day, I might really surpass you and that will surely be embarrassing for you.”

“I didn’t intend to transfer any inner energy to you,” Zhangsun Wuji laughed. “I just wanted to see how much you have leveled up.

“But,” His amused tone changed into a displeased one as he continued, “I need a talk with Zong Yue. He must have been muddled-headed to actually have given you such domineering medication.”

“Ah, don’t wrongly accuse him.” Meng Fuyao immediately stopped him. “He did warn me about the effects repeatedly. I was the one that was too impatient.” She glanced at Zhangsun Wuji and sighed. “Actually I panicked. When your breath resembled a near-death state, if I were to patiently wait for you to recuperate, it would have been fine… I was unlucky…”

“But wasn’t that a blessing in disguise? As long as we take the time to recuperate and rest, with the help of that medication, we can both level up.” Zhangsun Wuji leaned against the wall with a smile.

Ah… Even though the consequences were a little dire, he was happy that Fuyao would panic over him.

Meng Fuyao was completely oblivious to his current thought process. She leaned against the wall. In that narrow and small cave, the two squeezed together, body to body, without an inch between them. This was the first time the two had come into such close contact in a conscious state after that night on the water, though neither of them felt anything wrong with it.

Meng Fuyao toasted her hands, putting them near the campfire. Surveying her surroundings, she asked, “Where are we?”

“The back of the mountain in town.” The person that replied to her was Zhong Yi. The two were safeguarded in the most secure position in the cave while the rest guarded outside. When they heard them waking up, Zhong Yi entered with a cheery smile. “Those Amethyst Cape Knights are searching high and low in town. They even rummaged 100 kilometers surrounding the town, giving out ‘wanted’ posters along the way. Since it’s like that, I will stubbornly go against their expectations and hide right under their eyes!”

Meng Fuyao gave him a smile of gratitude, thankful for his arrangements. Both Zhangsun Wuji and herself had collapsed and given that the hidden guards would not intervene in such matters and that Tie Cheng was not the brightest bulb, it was thanks to him that they got away relatively unscathed.

“Look at your pale face, here, come over and warm up,” Meng Fuyao called him over.

Zhong Yi didn’t stand on ceremony as he squeezed in, right beside her. “Thankfully, you are fine. You really scared me.” He laughed naively.

Hugging a bundle of sticks, he tended to the fire as he asked, “We cannot stay here for long. The Amethyst Cape Knights will find us sooner or later. But both of you, your wounds are not healed… What should we do?”

“I’ll probably need one month to completely recuperate. What about you?” Meng Fuyao tilted her head and asked Zhangsun Wuji.

“Probably less time than you.” Zhangsun Wuji added, “But as long as we get past the first ten days, we should be able to deal with them afterward.”

“We’ve gotten by the hardest time, what else is there to be afraid?” Meng Fuyao looked at the flickering fire and grinned. “No matter what methods we use, even if we are to escape with our tails between our legs, I will bear with it and give myself time to heal. The wheel of fortune always turns. When I am completely healed, they… Hmph!”

“Let them have some time to wash and scrub their necks clean. That way, you’ll have an easier time decapitating them.” Zhong Yi giggled as he tossed in more sticks. He did not add the sticks to his side, but rather, would always add it to Meng Fuyao. Zhong Yi inched closer and closer, and their bodies rubbed against each other. Meng Fuyao moved away uneasily, but in that tiny cave, there was no place to escape. Looking at this situation, Zhangsun Wuji frowned silently and then twirled his fingers.

A white figure flashed by and Lord Yuan Bao strutted in proudly.

“Cate—” A shriek could be heard, and Zhong Yi vanished at the speed of light.

Lord Yuan Bao’s insect repellent brand.

Meng Fuyao stared at Lord Yuan Bao. Even though it still looked the same, somehow, it was a little gloomy.

“What’s wrong with the rat?” Meng Fuyao turned to Zhangsun Wuji.

“Hm… Probably because its relatives’ scent got stuck on him.” Zhangsun Wuji probed his head out and took a look at Lord Yuan Bao. Seeing Meng Fuyao’s confused face, he elaborated, “In order to not let himself create more chaos, he hid in a rat hole.”

With an ‘oh,’ Meng Fuyao’s face fell. Zhangsun Wuji noticed and gently said, “Fuyao, we are not afraid to talk about it nor to face it, but there is no need to carry that burden with you for life.”

“Nah.” Meng Fuyao sniffed and gave him her radiant smile. “I’ve thought it through. There are some things that we have no choice over, and we have to prioritize. I can only choose between pain and more pain. I am not a saint, and neither do I want to be one. If this happens again, I’ll still make the same choice.”

‘If this happens again, I’ll still make the same choice.’

After going through such deplorable matters, Meng Fuyao, utterly tortured and then finally reborn, stated her determined choice.

Zhangsun Wuji suddenly felt like he could not breathe.

An unconstrained life filled with freedom. One would know that balance of politics at the tip of his tongue would actually become emotional with just a short, single sentence.

His long days of quiet persistence and tough choices were rewarded with this touching remark.

He laughed quietly, tugging her long hair behind her ears, and leaned in for a kiss.

“Fuyao, I’m so fortunate to have met you in this lifetime.”

…

Xuanji, Tiancheng day 12, Month 2 and Year 30, the Amethyst Cape Knights, renowned for their menace faced their first setback since they were founded.

That night, the tyrannical Amethyst Cape Knights who controlled the law trespassed into the wealthy Li Family. They massacred, raped and plundered—a common act for the Amethyst Cape Knights and an act that no one dared to intervene. But that night, they were taught a lesson.