Nangong Ping face reddened immediately and bowed his head but said. “That is right. I am thinking about your age now!”
The beautiful woman melancholy sighed and said. “My age, is not worth to guess!”
Nangong Ping was taken aback only to hear her continuing. “When I have reached such an age, I am unwilling to let others speak of my age!”
Nangong Ping was surprised and thought. “This girl is so young, why did she sound so old?" So he unconsciously exclaimed. “You are still in the prime of your youth, why did…” Before he could finish, the beautiful maiden sprang up and touched her face and asked. “Prime of my youth?…” She sounded just as surprised.
Nangong Ping said. “Twenty years old, is indeed a person most, most beautiful period. You are already so discouraged. Do you have some difficulty in your heart that you need to resolve?”
As he had been looking down so he did not see the beautiful maiden expression changing with every muttering of his words.
Nangong Ping continued to say. “My Mentor Master has ordered me to take care of maiden, therefore I hope you will tell me the sadness that is plaguing you in your heart. So I can help to resolve it for you as well.” Although he could not understand why his Mentor Master had asked him to take care of a young girl. But since his Mentor Master had already given out the orders, even though he might have to undergo the tribulations of fire, he would not go against his orders! That why he would say such tender words to a young girl whom he had never met!
The beautiful maiden asked in a low voice. “Is it true?…” Suddenly she turned and ran away.
Nangong Ping was stunned and shouted behind her. “Where are you going?”
The beautiful maiden did not even turn her head and did not seem to have heard his shouts. He could only to see her moving fast as though she was flying, her long robes fluttering and her long hair behind her. It was such an enchanting sight and in a twinkle of an eye, she had disappeared into the nearby woods. Her swiftness movement skill was shocking, enchanting and totally incomparable!
Nangong Ping was totally taken by surprised and without thinking, immediately ran after her. He even forgot about the coffin. And he was shouting to be heard. “Benevolent teacher has already given you to my care, if there is anything…” But the beautiful maiden was nowhere to be seen. Now he could only take in his breath and looked everywhere for her. He blamed himself in his thoughts. “If she goes missing, I will have let my Mentor Master down!”
In that empty vastness of the soon approaching darkness. To find a lonely young woman in those lonely mountain ranges was as difficult as searching for a needle in the ocean.
Nangong Ping could only looked around frantic with his eyes and running all over. He did not even know the name of the beautiful young maiden so he was unable to call out her name. He picked out the sound of a stream from the wind. Feeling thirsty, he slowed down his pace and run towards the sound of the water.
Under the starlight and moonlight, he made his way across the woods. Reaching the streams, he took two mouthful of the cold and icy mineral water. Suddenly he heard a joyous laughter coming upstream, it was the sound of a woman!
His spirit picked up and after three or five turning, he finally saw a white dress figure in front. She seemed to be looking at the running stream but also seemed to be looking at herself from the reflections of the water. Without any hesitation, he moved towards the white figure that still remained unmoving. He could hear her giggling from time to time in a joyous laugh and repeating. “Is it for real? Or is it a dream?…” Till Nangong Ping approached her, she still remained idiocy looking intensely at the stream.
Nangong Ping never expected that the mysterious maiden had suddenly ran away earlier just to come here to look at the running streams. Therefore he just stood besides her. But after a while he could not resist to take a look. From the reflections of the silvery water, he could see her extraordinary beauty and she carried smiles all over. Coupling with her beautiful laughter, Nangong Ping looked in awe.
Although the reflections in the streams sometimes broke into two, the beautiful maiden did not seem to notice. It seemed that she was so focused on the reflections in the water, that she did not seem to notice any other thing.
She kept using her beautiful hand to touch her face and she was heard muttering. “This is really true, I am really still so young…” Suddenly she laughed hilariously and said. “I wonder if it is a blessing or a misfortune that unwillingly, I have obtained what every women in the world have dreamed, the art of everlasting youth.” She got up, tidied her long robes and her long hair, then she began to dance madly under the moonlight.
“From now on, no one will recognize me. And no one will ever guess that I am the Peacock Concubine…”
Nangong Ping was taken aback and shouted. “What, you are really Mei Yinxue!”
She ceased her dancing and looked icy at Nangong Ping and said. “That is right!”
Nangong Ping was shocked for words. After awhile, he sighed and said. “Unexpectedly, what the priest says are true! I…I…really deserve to die!” At that moment, he felt so vexed and regretted hurting the priest with his long sword! Therefore, the feeling of guilt became ten times even more heavily.
The beautiful maiden from the coffin, “Peacock Concubine” Mei Yinxue cold and expressionless pale face began to smile. She walked to Nangong Ping and extended her soft white hand on his shoulder, and gently said, “You seem to have heard of my name?”
Nangong Ping looked bewildered and promptly answered. “Yes, I have heard of your name!”
Mei Yinxue asked. “Therefore, you should know what type of person I am?”
Nangong Ping replied. “Yes, I have also know what type of person you are!”
Mei Yinxue laughed gently awhile. And the silken hand that was on Nangong Ping’s shoulder began to turn steel green beneath. But her mouth was still ever so gently and filled with smiles. “Therefore, what are you planning to do with me?”
Nangong Ping took a deep breath before replying. “Since my Mentor Master has ordered me to take care of you, I will take care of you. Any persons, no matter who, that try to harm you will be the enemy of Nangong Ping!”
Mei Yinxue asked. “Really! Why?”
Nangong Ping did not even hesitated and said in a clear voice. “That is because I trust my benevolent teacher and he will never do any wrongdoing in all matters!” But he added with his thoughts. “Even if he is wrong, I will never betray his last will!”
Mei Yinxue seemed to be speechless. Suddenly she melancholy sighed. “Grandpa Long is really so nice to me!”
Her steel green palm slowly began to turn white underneath and slipped down from Nangong Ping’s back shoulder. He would never expect that in just a few moments of words, he had already come to brush with death!
He had occasionally glanced at her but end up saying nothing. He had since regained his usual calmness though.
Mei Yinxue rolled her eyes and asked softly. “You must have a lot of things that is troubling you in your heart and unable to understand but wishes to ask me, right?”
Nangong Ping nodded his head. Mei Yinxue continued. “But you have too many questions so you find it hard to start asking, right?”
Nangong Ping nodded again. Mei Yinxue asked. “But I have something to ask of you too, will you first answer me first?”
Nangong Ping said, “If it is something I know!”
Mei Yinxue softly laughed. “Naturally you will know!” Once her laugh ceased, she asked solemnly. “Your Mentor Master must have trusted you a lot, therefore he will place the purple coffin in your care and let you protect me. But, how is that you do not know the story of your Mentor Master and me?”
Nangong Ping replied. “Heh…” He reached for the yellow silken handkerchief and told her. “You take a look yourself!”
Mei Yinxue furrowed her eyebrows and reached out for the handkerchief and looked at it carefully. Suddenly she broke into a smile, softly said. “Whose blood trace is this?”
Nangong Ping answered. “Dead bird!”
Mei Yinxue was puzzled. “What dead bird?”
Nangong Ping appeared vexed and said. “You asked too many questions…” Suddenly he sighed and changed his tone. “I pick up a dead bird by accident!”
Mei Yinxue softly laughed. “Oh really, at first I thought it come from your Mentor Master!”
Nangong Ping calm face became angry and snatched back the yellow silken handkerchief. And said sternly to her. “I have something to ask you too. The way my Mentor Master had treated you, is full of righteousness. Even before he dies, he did not forget about your safety. And asked me to take care of you. What about you? Even when you know the demise of my Mentor Master, you did not even feel sad. You…You are really…” He clenched his fists and there was a cracking sound and shut up.
Mei Yinxue looked at him from up to down. Suddenly she laughed hilariously. “Sadness, what is call sadness. In my entire life, I have never for once because of anyone, anything and felt sadness. You really want me to act sad to deceive you?”
Nangong Ping stared at her, his eyes looking sharply at her and he was angry with her. He felt like killing her on the spot with his hand. He raised his hands but after a while, he slowly relaxed. Because he suddenly remembered her name “Cold Blood Concubine”!
“Cold Blood Concubine…Mei Yinxue…” Nangong Ping sighed. “She does not even know what is sadness. No wonder everyone in Pugilistic Fraternity nicknamed her as Cold Blood!” And moved back three steps as he shivered at the thought that he was going to put up with such an extremely beautiful yet cold blood woman!
But Mei Yinxue followed him and moved forward another step and coldly said. “But you must know, even if I am a sentimental person, I will not feel sad for your Mentor Master…”
Nangong Ping angrily said, “You are so heartless, my Mentor Master does not need you to feel sad for him!”
But Mei Yinxue ignored him and continued. “Not only will I not feel sad for your Mentor Master. When he died, I should be very happy!” Even though she said it in a heartless way, she seemed to carry a tinge of sadness!
Nangong Ping angrily retorted. “If it is not for the fact that benevolent teacher has asked me to take care of you. Just by these few statements, I will have…”
Mei Yinxue sharpened her look and coldly said. “Do you know the reason why your Mentor Master is treating me so well?”
Nangong Ping sarcastically laughed. “What a pity that benevolent teacher trusted the wrong person. If he had reared a cat or a dog…Heng! Heng! Some people are not even worthy compared to cat and dog!”
Mei Yinxue stares had become icy cold and like a pair of swords that wanted to pierce through Nangong Ping’s heart.
And Nangong Ping held his fists and he stared at her as well with burning eyes. It was as though he wanted to burn her cold blood that ran in her beautiful and alluring body.
Both of them kept staring for awhile till Mei Yinxue suddenly laughed. “Do you know that your Mentor Master is treating me this way, is because he wanted to cleanse his sins, repay me. But even then he still cannot make up for me therefore he wants his disciple to continue to cleanse his unfinished sins and to repay his unfinished debt.”
Nangong Ping was taken aback. And laughed. “Cleanse his sins! Repay debts! What sin needs to be cleansed? Will my Mentor Master really...” Suddenly he halted as he remembered the words on the yellow silken handkerchief. “…This matter is actually my wrong…” He thought. “Will my Mentor Master really do something that wronged her?”
Mei Yinxue coldly said. “Why don’t you say anything more?”
Nangong Ping sighed.
Mei Yinxue laughed coldly. “Why don’t you say something more? Is it because you already realized that your Mentor Master had committed a great wrong?”
Nangong Ping bowed his head and looked up again, said sternly. “Any person that say disrespectfully about my benevolent teacher, is my swore enemy!”
Mei Yinxue added. “What if I am the one saying it, what will happen?”
Nangong Ping coldly, “Hehe,” a few times.
Mei Yinxue said. “Not only in front of you, even if in front of the Immortal Divine Dragon, I will still say the same words. Because I have the right!”
Nangong Ping unable to endure any longer shouted. “What right do you have? Although my Mentor Master has ordered me to look after you but you have no right to mutter all these words!”
Mei Yinxue coldly said, “I have the right!”
Nangong Ping shouted. “You try to say it once more again!” And clenched his fists and moved one step towards Mei Yinxue and both are them were within one feet of one another!
Mei Yinxue eyed him with suspicious and coldly exclaimed. “I have the right, because I have been innocently been destroyed of my reputation and my body was hurt! I have the right because the martial art skills that I had painfully trained were destroyed in his hand! I have the right because of his stupidity and stubbornness, I have wasted my youth, wasted the most beautiful of my ten most precious years. Day in and night out, for every single moment, I have to lie inside the coffin that can’t even see the sun, lived a life that are thousands and tens of thousands times worse than that of a prisoner!” She said it with more and more emotions until her cold and icy voice became marred with a tearing high pitch!
Nangong Ping felt chilled the more he heard. His straighten back began to bend unconsciously.
Once she finished, she suddenly gripped Nangong Ping’s hand and turned to run.
Nangong Ping martial art skills were not weak. His specialty was on swiftness movement skills. But the grip had a very strong attraction on his hand and he found himself forcing to fly along with her. It was faster than many times than his very own speed!
He tried to muster his inner energy and shouted. “Where are you going!” As he tried to shake her off from her grip.
But he saw her slowly slowed down and they had reached the abandoned coffin. She moved to the purple coffin and forcefully opened up the coffin lid. And said loudly. “This, This coffin that is right here, I have spent ten years inside. Except for the time at night when your Mentor Master took me out to settle some necessities of daily life, I have no other chance for movement!” She stumbled in her voice but did not allow Nangong Ping to interrupt, continued. “Why don’t you close your eyes and think what sort of life that is. I only want you to stay inside the coffin for ten days, I afraid you will not be able to endure it. Imagine ten years…ten years…”
Nangong Ping stared at the coffin, stunned and muttered in a low voice. “Ten years…ten years…” And a cold shiver ran through his spine!
She took a deep breath and melancholy sighed. “Every single moment in the coffin I have something to look for, that is to wish for the freedom at night. Although during those times, your Mentor Master only allowed me to be in that room without any lights and windows. Although it is only for awhile but I am very satisfied!”
Nangong Ping was moved and he thought. “No wonder my Mentor Master always stays in the most out of reach chamber in the Manor! No wonders he disallowed any lighting and the room have no windows! No wonder he carted the coffin every night to the chamber and placed it near the bed…” He sighed, unable to think further anymore!
Mei Yinxue looked at the coffin in remembrance of the times she spent in the darkness, her pain and sadness.
She sighed and said. “Luckily I have a little hope everyday. Or else I am willing to die even if there are thousands of blades facing me than the painful condemnation of hopelessness. But…This hope and waiting, is also so painful to wait for. One day, your Mentor Master unintentionally opened the door of the room. It was the full moon that night and it was so bright. That time, I was so happy and thrilled but under the moonlight when I saw your Mentor Master aging face, I feel upset as well. Time passed and I thought I have grown old as well.” Her voice changed to bitterness yet so gentle as though she was now a clever and romantic poet.
Nangong Ping forgot her heartlessness and eccentric because he had now come to sympathize with her. He sighed and said to her. “The past is done. What past is over, you do not have to …”
Mei Yinxue interrupted. “The Past…” Suddenly she laughed. “The Immortal Divine Dragon had died and I have miraculously retained my youth. And I no longer have to be like a dead person and lay in that coffin because no one in the world knows my real identity…Except for you!”
When she said. “Except for you!” Her stares suddenly became different and icy-cold and looked upon Nangong Ping.
This beautiful maiden had a complicated emotion and ever changing. No one would have guessed from her words and actions, what she was going to do. In that instant, her change was indeed very terrifying.
Nangong Ping was taken aback but sternly said. “You have miraculously retained your youth. Moreover you have regained your freedom. Therefore at this moment, you should feel grateful and you shouldn’t feel hatred. Although I…”
Mei Yinxue laughed coldly. “What should I be grateful to?”
Nangong Ping sternly said. “At least you should be grateful to Heaven!”
Mei Yinxue said, “Heaven…Heng, heng!” Long robes flurried as she turned away and did not even turn to eye Nangong Ping!
But Nangong Ping was left stunned viewing her back view and her flurrying long robes!
Although she seemed to walk very slowly but in an instant she had walked out of the surrounding woods. Although Nangong Ping was stunned, he was also thinking. Because when people started to think over a difficult question, their eyes would also appear to be stunned and emptied.
Just as her pure white figure was about to vanish in the darkness. Nangong Ping suddenly dashed towards her and said. “Maiden Mei, where are you going?”
Mei Yinxue stopped in her tracks and turned around. She eyed him coldly for a second before she coldly replied. “Do you know that although the world has many stupid people but there is none as stupid as you!”
Nangong Ping was taken aback and became paled. “True, true…” He bit his teeth and did not say more.
Mei Yinxue cold expressionless face became warm and gentle but her mouth was still icy-cold as she said. “If you are not stupid, just now when I say those three words “Except for you!” you should have turned and run!”
Nangong Ping tried to laugh. “Since I am that stupid, even though you have been benevolent not to kill me, I still will come after you!”
Mei Yinxue said. “That is so right. You really is stupid to the extreme!” Her gentle eyes slowly carried a tinge of smiles. But because Nangong Ping was looking down, he did not see!
When Mei Yinxue finished speaking, Nangong Ping immediately said. “Benevolent teacher has already placed you into my care. If you have walked away just like this, how am I able to answer to him?”
Mei Yinxue said, “Answer to what? Anyway the ‘Immortal Divine Dragon’ is dead already!”
Nangong Ping became solemn and said. “No matter if he really passed away…” he sighed because he was unable to endure the grief in his heart. “I wouldn’t have gone against his last Order”
Mei Yinxue asked. “Then how are you going to take care of me?”
Nangong Ping moved his lips but unable to say anything.
Mei Yinxue extended her hands to comb her strands of long hair behind that floated in front of her front and coldly said. “Since you are not going off and want to take care of me for life. Then are you following me from now on?”
Nangong Ping said, “Benevolent teacher's order is indeed written in this way!”
Mei Yinxue gently laughed and said. “Really?”
Although Nangong Ping could hear her enchanting laughter, he did not lifted his head to look at her and with all his sincerely said. “Benevolent teacher before he went off has already ordered me not to move away from the coffin a single step. His intentions are clearly stated to order me to protect you at all times!” Although he had said so but in his heart, he was puzzled. “Her martial art skills are so much higher than me. Why did my Mentor Master wants me to protect her? Her martial art skill is so high, she could break the coffin anytime and escape. Why did she not do so?”
Although he tried to think of a few thousands and hundreds of reasons but none of it made any sense. Only to hear her laughed again and said, “Since that is the case, you will follow me then. Wherever I go, you will follow!” Before she had finished, she had already started to walk in front. After she took two steps, she turned her head and said. “Come on!”
Nangong Ping felt his heart pounding but did not know what the feeling was. He thought. “Do I really have to follow her wherever she wants to go?” He coughed out twice before saying. “For the sake of Mentor Master last wishes, even when you walk to the ends of the earth, I will surely follow you as well.”
Mei Yinxue gently smiled. “To the ends of the earth…” She continued to walk again. Although Nangong Ping found himself blushing, he had no choice but to follow.
In the hearts of those two persons, no one could guess what they were thinking now. The relationships between the two of them were very extraordinary. No one could place a word to it. Mei Yinxue in front and Nangong Ping walked behind. She kept brushing and tidying her long black hair as though she had many things in her heart.
In the darkness of the night, in the mountain woods, there appeared a man masked in black over all. He was carrying another man who appeared to be badly wounded.
In the darkness, it not possible to see his face or the man he was carrying. But he could be heard asking the wounded man gently. “Are you feeling better now?”
The wounded man whom he was carrying nodded his head and said. “Much better. If it were not for you, I…” From his speech, he was obviously trying to mask his pain.
The man in black interrupted him. “I really cannot send you down Huashan. And you are badly wounded and cannot remain in these desolate mountains. But if you can endure your pain and don’t make a single sound and take the medicine I placed inside your robe from time to time, in a few days you will recover. After that surely you will be at the foot of the mountain and can seize the opportunity to escape!”
The wounded man bit his teeth and said. “Your benevolent acts and kindness, I…”
The man in black interrupted. “There is no need for words. They will not check the coffin again. Mei Yinxue definitely will not step into the coffin again. As long as you can endure the periodic fits and pains, you will safety reach the foot of the mountain. When he finished, he opened the coffin lid and gently placed him inside. “My medicinal pills not only heal wounds but also starve off hungry as well. You can set aside your worries.”
The wounded man inside the coffin asked. “Benefactor brother, will you please tell me your name.…”
The man in black waved his hands and said. “Regarding my name, you will know in the future!” and closed the lid of the coffin. He looked around and with a sudden movement, flashed away in an instant towards Cang Long Ling! (A place name)
At that moment Mei Yinxue and Nangong Ping were strolling under the starlight…
Mei Yinxue walked for quite a while with her head downcast before she suddenly said. “You come from the righteous “Zhijiao Manor” which is famed for its strict rules. Only you alone traveled along with me, are you not afraid of the rumors from the people in the Pugilistic Fraternity?” She did not turn her head so her expressions were unknown!
Nangong Ping replied. “As long as I have nothing to hide and it is benevolent teacher order. What some petty people like to say mean nothing to me. Moreover…” But he suddenly swallowed and did not say more.
Mei Yinxue continued for him. “Moreover my age at least is ten years older than you. There is not any suspicious to hide!”
Nangong Ping halted in his steps and looked down.
Mei Yinxue suddenly turned around and said. “Is that what you trying to say?”
Nangong Ping was speechless for awhile before he said. “Indeed correct!” But he did not look at her.
Mei Yinxue continued. “Since that is indeed correct, I have one condition for you to agree!”
Nangong Ping asked. “Condition? …"
Mei Yinxue explained. “No matter in whose presence, you are not allowed to reveal my real identity and name!”
Nangong Ping asked. “Why?”
Mei Yinxue coldly laughed. “If my name got leaked out, everyone in the Pugilistic Fraternity will know that I am not dead. Even your Mentor Master cannot protect me then, moreover you!”
Nangong Ping hummed aloud and secretly thought. “She must have a lot of enemies. If they all know she has yet to die, all will come to seek revenge on her.” And his ears began to pick the piercing sound of the priest. “…Whore, despicable, everyone have called her a whore…” When he came to think of that, there arose an unspeakable feeling inside him. “Since she is such a woman, how can I keep her secret…” But he changed his mind again. “But my Mentor Master is willing to do it and ordered me to do so as well. How can I go against his orders!” In that instant, he was filled with dilemma.
Mei Yinxue asked. “You have agreed?”
He took a deep breath and said. “Agree!”
Mei Yinxue asked. “No matter who it is?”
Nangong Ping replied. “No matter who it is!”
Mei Yinxue took two looks at him from up to down before breaking into a soft laugh. “Although you have agreed in your mouth but in your heart you are not willing, am I right?”
Nangong Ping lifted his head and looked at Mei Yinxue who looked so beautiful that was out of the world in this darkness, she was simply like a fairy! He sighed in his heart. “Why has she has to be an evil despicable woman and a whore!”
Mei Yinxue asked. “Am I right?” And walked over to him.
Nangong Ping once again looked down again and said. “What I say from my mouth is actually what I feel in my heart!” When he finished, he felt a sweet fragrance scent. He did not need to lift his head to know that Mei Yinxue had walked besides him!
Only to hear her laughed softly. “Since you have agreed to my condition, I know that you will forever not change. But I have to tell you this, my moods are eccentric. There will be at times when you are unable to endure. When that time come, what will you do?”
Nangong Ping said. “As long as you do not harm anyone, the rest I can endure!” Suddenly he realized that not only could he fulfill his benevolent teacher orders to take care of her, he could also prevent her from harming others!
Was it the reason why his Mentor Master had asked him to take care of her? If he could cause a person that was so ill repute to change her ways, what did it matter if he were to endure all the insults! Therefore he lifted his head and looked at her.
Mei Yinxue gently smiled. “Now it is very late, we shouldn’t stay overnight in this desolate mountains!”
Nangong Ping replied. “Of course we have to go down the mountain!”
Mei Yinxue laughed softly. “Go!”
She suddenly became as light as her moods and seemed to dance across the starlight. It seemed that the breeze would carry her off anytime to the land of dreams.
Nangong Ping had hesitated for awhile and when he tried to catch up with her, he found himself unable to catch up with her speed. After some time, he said. “Maiden Mei, please hold!”
Mei Yinxue turned back and asked. “What is the matter?”
Finally he caught up with her and said. “I cannot go down the mountain yet!”
Mei Yinxue expressions changed. “Just now what you have just said. Have you forgotten? Did you not say where ever I go, you will follow!”
Nangong Ping said. “I just hope that maiden will wait me awhile. Because I still have some unfinished matters…”
Suddenly Mei Yinxue laughed. “Do you want to retrieve that coffin?”
Nangong Ping said. “Indeed! Not only that, I still have some fellow clan protégé brothers and sisters that remain on the top of the mountain. I don’t know if they have gone down the mountain or not. I should at least wait for them!”
Mei Yinxue asked. “If your fellow clan protégé brothers and sisters were to if see me standing besides you, what will they be thinking?”
Nangong Ping was taken aback. And was speechless.
Mei Yinxue continued. “If they really want to find you, earlier