Chapter Eleven

Wang Lan Biyu sat across from their master silently pouring tea, she had even absentmindedly poured tea for Ling Da Chuanli when most of the time she would not be this kind to him. Instead of teasing her, he did not disturb the girl's deep thoughts and sat beside his master in a rare show of silence. Wang Minglan sighed heavily while watching over his adopted daughter who still seemed to be lost in her thoughts. This girl thinks she is so smart yet does not realize that she is also a human. To be clueless about human emotions, he had no one to blame but the ones who taught her before him though he understood how hard it was for her to accept these things.

He sent a look towards Da Chuanli who understood his intentions and picks up the guqin behind him. Seeing this instrument seemed to wake her from her daze and her eyes followed the guqin quietly, for a second Minglan saw the soft light in them that appears only in the presence of this wooden thing. He was brought back to the day she had heard this thing in the streets they wandered together on her first time out with him. He had watched her with a sad and bitter smile, it was the first time he saw something other than cold indifference on her expression. At that time he was feeling rather lost and helpless, he felt no matter what he tried he would fail to bring her to the light.

He had almost given up and was about to raise the girl like a normal child under his care, as a person with no balance of light and dark in her heart he had no faith and dared not teach her martial arts. But unexpectantly during that time he saw the true her, it was also the first time he had actually felt hope that he could save her from the mist that surrounds her heart. The guqin, it would not be exaggerating to say saved her life. Though, it was more appropriate to say the sound of the guqin saved her, as she was not attached to its physical form but to the sounds it produced. "Go on and rest in the inner room. I have things to discuss with your senior brother."

Lan Biyu knew this was an excuse for her to go sort her thoughts so although she paused with a hint of bitterness in her heart she quells this feeling quickly and nods her head. "Alright." Da Chuanli was still worried for her as she carried the guqin away his gaze did not leave her until the door separates him from the view of her long flowing black hair that swung behind her like a falling wave of darkness. He waits until he could no longer hear her footsteps before he spoke. "Master, junior sister... will she be alright?" He had never seen her in a daze before today.

Minglan gave a hollow laugh before sipping his tea to quell the hidden fire in his stomach after recalling the past. "She will be fine, she is merely going through something to help steady her heart and mind. Her trust has yet to fully be obtained by me, maybe after this incident, she can fully understand what it means to be my daughter." The young man steadily gathers information from his master's expression, for awhile this scene went on without another word from the two. Minglan was the first to give as the burning gaze on the side of his face became unbearable.

He irritably snaps at Da Chuanli. "What? If you have something to say then say it! Stop making that face at me!" Da Chuanli smiled finally and refills his cup to appease him. "Master, although I am not close to junior sister like you, even I can tell that she will not be able to understand your intentions fully without help this time." Minglan found his comment unnecessary and unhelpful, even going as far as to give his favorite disciple a disdainful glance. "You underestimate her." The young man's smile became a tad bit strained when he recalls the way Lan Biyu had slapped him with red eyes and ran away without asking for help or seeking comfort from others. Instead, she hid from the world until her calm returned on its own. The guilt still ate at him deep down no matter how far he tried to push it down. So, Da Chuanli corrects him calmly, "No. You overestimate her."

Minglan narrowed his eyes at him with suspicion, the way his disciple said this so confidently made him believe there was more to the story of Lan Biyu's punishment he was not aware of. But that would mean that Da Chuanli hid it from him deliberately. This boy..."Was there something you hid from me?" Something he hid? The picture of pale white skin being covered in bruises black and blue until they reached equally pale shoulders flashes in his head making his heart clench. He knew it was strange why his master was still so strict with his junior sister when they had arrived. If he knew the full damage done to his adopted daughter would sect leader Shang still be alive today? With his temperament, probably not. Most likely, his master had no clue just had badly his junior sister had been hurt... He set the teapot down and stood with a bow towards Minglan, "Not at all Master, this disciple wouldn't dare."

Minglan could not see Da Chuanli's expression but with the calm manner in which he spoke and moved Minglan just grunted grumpily at him. "Do not bother your junior sister with any matters from now on, let her think in peace. The contest will take place early the next morning, be prepared." Da Chuanli cupped his fist acknowledging his words respectfully before turning around with a flat expression. Minglan's hand halts and he looks back up watching his oldest disciple leave. His face was unreadable, it held much knowledge yet there was a strange tint in them, something between wariness and concern.

Observing how the young man had walked away calmly without giving away any of his emotions despite the words he had just spoken moments ago in defense of Lan Biyu. "...." Minglan shook his head lightly, "There are still many things he must learn as well." He sighed and gazes outside where the city surrounding the golden tower lively runs about to prepare for the day ahead. Normal people and cultivators alike roam the streets casually chatting or picking fights left and right, yet the golden sect would have lookouts and defuse the situations before they escalate. His eyes show a hint of conflict, this place, he never liked it. No matter how much time he spent here, he will never like this busy and loud place.