xix

If one had seen Lan before and after his bath, they would have thought that they were actually a set of gloomy and bright twins.

The dark look on his face had completely vanished and his eyes didn't look so dull anymore —on the contrary, they were gleaming and he bore a pleased smile.

He wasn't worried about any trivial matters anymore. And by trivial, he meant his never-ending conflict about killing and morals. To hell these so-called morals ! Switching worlds also meant switching state of mind, did it not ? He wasn't going to dwell and get depressed about it.

After all, Liwei was right when she said that she wouldn't be alive if she didn't kill. He clung to these words of hers. In his world, there were laws, and there were people who made sure they were applied. In a world like this, it was each for their own. Either you die, or you kill.

Lan didn't mean he would go and kill people, but he wouldn't be so shaken anymore if Liwei did. Especially when those she killed were the ones who provoked them first. It was true that Liwei had never drawn her sword before, even to the villager that harassed her back then. She didn't lie when she said that she wouldn't hurt anyone if they didn't start it first.

Anyway, it was enough of that, and the important thing was that it was settled.

Three knocks on his door caught his attention. He got up and walked up to it, opening it. There was Liwei.

"Oh, miss Liu ? Are you supposed to move so much ?" Should I help again with your bandage ?"

Liwei raised a brow, "I didn't come to ask that of you."

"I guessed you didn't. But I was waiting for you to finish to take care of it again. I didn't think enough earlier and did it too soon."

"It's fine, I've been careful not to get water on the bandage, and ointment can wait."

"Wait for what ?"

"Are you going to stay in your room ?"

"Uh, yes I will. I'm not in the mood to go any- oh wait, did you want me to accompany you somewhere ? In that case, I wouldn't mind going with you."

Liwei smiled. "I'm not going anywhere, I just came to check if you wanted to go down to eat."

"Oh, well not really. Are you sure you don't want to go anywhere though ?"

"Yes, sure. I'll head to my room too and get some rest."

"Okay then. I think I will too. I'm a bit tired today."

"You must be. I'll leave you alone now."

"Okay, good night !"

"Good night."

She turned on her heels, and Lan waited until she closed her door to do the same. He went back to his bed and laid down again for the next hours. But he couldn't sleep.

It was true that he didn't have to, but he still could if he wanted to. He may not have been physically tired, but he was still tired and wished to sleep.

He also wished he had a way of knowing whether or not Liwei was sleeping, hoping she wasn't so she could keep him company maybe. He regretted not asking her earlier and saying he would sleep.

But that's actually what he wanted to do ! But who knew it would turn out this way ? His eyes were wide open and his mind empty.

That was it, he was done ! He got up and exited his bedroom. After pondering for a small moment, he headed toward Liwei's bedroom. Hesitating a little bit more, he still ended up knocking, only loud enough that she would hear if she was awake. He waited a few seconds, tried once again, but still got no answer.

She's already sleeping.

Sighing, he changed trajectory and went downstairs. He saw a small crowd of attendants around an old man. The old man displayed a friendly smile and wore a dark purple robe.

Lan didn't mind him and went straight to the restaurant. He didn't see his acquainted attendant, which was very disappointing. He didn't like anyone else in this place and had already gotten used to him.

Another one, looking like he'd rather be in hell than here, came to take his order. Lan didn't even know what they served. Without looking at the rice paper that acted as a menu in front of him, he looked up at him.

"Do you have lychee-paste-filled bun here ?" he asked.

The man frown, "Lychee paste ? No, we don't serve lychee here."

"Nothing at all ?"

"Nothing."

"Why ?"

"This town is big, but nowhere near do we have lychee trees. On occasion, some merchants happen to sell it, but none had been selling them recently."

"I understand." he answered, dispirited.

"Do you have peaches ?"

The attendant's lips twitched. "Did you read the menu ? Why do you only ask things we don't have !"

Lan sighed silently. That's what he's been mostly eating lately, so it was the first thing he thought of. Not only that but these moments eating lychee and peach pastries were the best he felt in a long, long time. He wanted to bring back a feel of it now that he was in danger and on the run.

"Sorry. No, I didn't read the menu yet."

The attendant looked clearly irritated. Lan had to contain himself to not make a remark about his unfitted behavior toward a customer.

He looked down at the menu, thinking he'd just take whatever he would see first. He looked back at the man.

"Okay, then an apple cake with rice pudding. And a jasmine tea."

The man simply nodded and wrote the order down, before disappearing into the kitchen.

As he waited, he noticed the old man he spotted before making his way into the room. He went to sit in the long seat reserved for entertainers —be it singers, musicians, or storytellers.

So that was why he was surrounded by so many attendants, Lan thought.

Judging by the lack of instruments, he was either a singer that only used voice or a storyteller. Or could he be something more extravagant, like a magician ?

But as he introduced himself as a storyteller, Lan realized it was what he hoped the man would be. He was in the mood to listen to a tale.

"Hero Yan and the Yao Grass !" the storyteller talked in a strong voice to be heard by everyone. "This story recounts the true events of a forgotten hero. Hero Yan, from his full name Yan Qilong, was a man that lived in this very town when it was nothing yet but a few slumps in the middle of the woods. He was a great man of exceptional intelligence. He was talented in martial arts and spells and of rare kindness : whenever people called on him for help, he would never refuse and never take payment."

That description sounded like it was taken from a book. But Lan remembered : he was in a book.

The storyteller continued, "He was so righteous and kind that people started to refer to him as Yan-jun [1] and later on as Immortal Yan. But he was nothing so great, he was simply a talented man and tried to remind people. «Please do not refer to me as such. We are already blessed with Immortals that do their best to protect us, I do not deserve to be put on their level» was what he would tell them. But such modesty ! How could it not be recognized ? People liked him even more !"

Lan couldn't help but think that it sounded a bit typical. Heroes so great but so modest —if the cliché followed its course, then surely a tragedy would befall him later on.

The man sighed about what was to come next, "But who knew ! Who knew what would happen to such a righteous and kind man ?"

Oh here it is, Lan almost chuckled.

It's only then that he noticed something : his order had been placed in front of him, but that wasn't all ! The attendant who took care of him was sitting across from him, eating sunflower seeds as he listened to the story.

When he realized that Lan had noticed him, he turned his head to face him.

"It's always like that ! There's always tragedy awaiting for these 'righteous and kind' people !" he simply said.

Lan didn't know how to react. But this man was taking this matter rather casually so he decided to do the same.

"It's true." he answered.

They both turned their attention back to the storyteller, who wouldn't wait for them to continue his tale.

"This man, although compared to an Immortal, was still very modest. However, high and mighty people are rarely satisfied with what they already have ! The higher they get, the more they want. Not only power but recognition. And who am I hinting at ? You all already guessed it." he sighed again as he shook his head. "Of course, you already know it's Immortals !"

Lan felt aimed at, even though there was no way anyone would know he was one as well. Stuffing a spoonful of pudding in his mouth from under his veil, he kept an indifferent and calm expression, concealing his worry.

As the storyteller said that, noises erupted from the crowd. Some people were getting mad, expressing their negative thoughts on Immortals, while others were kind enough to stand up for them.

"It's not surprising !" a man sitting near Lan exclaimed. "These Immortals ! They've been given Heaven's power and now they think they can compare with the gods ? How ridiculous !"

"You can be mad however you want, but don't forget who comes rushing to our help when evil roams this world !" another middle-aged man replied.

"He's right ! Besides, I never heard this story before. How can we be sure it's based on true events and not made-up ?" a woman continued.

"There's no fire without smoke !" the first man frowned deeply. "Whether or not this one story is real or not, the reason it exists is obviously that Immortals aren't as righteous as they claim to be, and they definitely wronged a bunch of persons !"

"Who could believe something so dumb ? I could make whatever rumor about anything and it would hide some truth to it ?"

"Rumors are so easy to make up, I don't know who would be so stupid as to believe everything they hear."

They continued to argue as Lan sighed. He put his empty bowl of pudding on the table and took his tea. It felt awkward to drink while trying to keep his face covered, he must look ridiculous. But most people were too busy arguing, and he didn't have a choice anyway.

The attendant was looking at him, his head resting on his hand.

"What do you think ?" he asked after a small while.

Lan was relieved he wasn't asking anything about the veil. But he didn't expect to be asked this question, so he raised a brow as he looked at him.

"I'm sorry, what ?"

"Your opinion on this —what is it ?"

Lan shrugged, only answering after a few seconds of thinking. "Honestly I don't have any."

"Really ?"

"Yeah, I mean... Immortals aren't here to please everyone. They're just here to fight evil when it comes out, and I think they've been doing their job well so far. Whether they feel superior or not, why should it matter ? The issue would have been if they slacked off on their duties but they don't so it's whatever in the end."

"Hm... I think every thought on a matter is interesting. But I definitely don't think like you." he smiled.

"Oh ? Then what do you think ?"

"I personally dislike Immortals. Not because they feel superior, I couldn't care less about what helps someone sleep at night." he mocked. "I simply don't agree with their ways. But let's not fight like them, okay ?"

Lan smiled faintly. "All right."

"By the way, I don't really like conversing with people without knowing their names and I don't remember you giving it to me ?"

"That's fair." he opened his mouth but closed it again.

He was about to give his real name. Thankfully the veil hid the fact that his lips were parted in surprise.

That was close, he thought.

"I'm Lin Xi." he smiled as he answered.

"And I'm Jin Changming."

As Lan smiled nicely at him, he heard that the noise around him had started to quiet down. He then heard the storyteller clear his throat, as he had been waiting to continue his tale.

The two of them redirected their attention to him.

"Of course, the Immortals didn't settle on being angry at Hero Yan ! Sinister thoughts crossed their mind, but if word got out that they hurt a mortal, what would happen to them ? The Heavens wouldn't accept it and punishment would be unavoidable ! But they quickly found a way to crush this man : if he lost his ability, could he still be called 'Yan-xian' [2] ? And what way to make him lose it, if not to completely erase his memory !"

~

[1] : 'jun' is a suffix of appelation placed after one's name or title to express respect.

[2] : 'xian' means immortal.