Chapter 43
The sky was still glittering with stars as the silver moonlight shone on the living quarters of the abandoned courtyard, where inside, Lian Rougang carefully applied a soothing paste to the bruises on Song Jia's back.
The younger girl winced, her body tensing as the Senior Sister's fingernails grazed the tender, discolored flesh. "Ouch!" Song Jia groaned through gritted teeth, the medicinal herbs stinging her raw skin.
Lian Rougang's expression remained stern, her brow furrowed as she worked. "Just, endure it," she chided, her voice like a slap of icy water.
"You broke the sect's rules by attempting to kill your fellow Martial Brother. Yet you can't even handle the consequences?" Her cold words sliced through the heavy silence, sending an involuntary shiver rippling down Song Jia's spine.
Song Jia said nothing, biting her lip to stifle any further cries of pain. Though her shoulders slumped, defiance still smoldered in her dark eyes.
When she finally spoke, her tone betrayed no remorse. "Senior Sister, I already told you, I thought he had violated you..."
Pausing to catch her breath, Song Jia shifted, the loose folds of her martial robe rustling. She leaned forward, pleading for understanding. "After I completed the challenge, I was wandering the grounds and..."
"Get to the point," Lian Rougang cut her off sharply. Song Jia grimaced as more pungent paste was applied, the sharp herbal aroma stinging her nostrils. "What did you actually see when you arrived at the courtyard?"
For a moment, only the loud hoots from the owls broke the tense silence. Then, emboldened by her Senior Sister's faintly softer tone, Song Jia found her voice again.
"Yes! I saw you raise your head like a startled goose, and then I noticed a man's shadow approaching your neck. I thought you were being poisoned and about to surrender!
"And then your cheeks are red, and your lips look slightly parted, as if you are enjoying..."
"Stop." Lian Rougang's voice sliced through the air, abruptly halting Song Jia mid-sentence. Her tone had shifted, the usual edge replaced by something quieter, more pensive. The hands applying the pungent paste stilled, withdrawing from Song Jia's back.
"Ummm...Senior Sister?" Confusion furrowed Song Jia's brow as she started to turn, only for firm hands to grasp her shoulders, holding her in place.
"Stay still, don't look," Lian Rougang murmured, her breath a whisper against Song Jia's neck. "This next paste might give you a chilling sensation."
Obediently, Song Jia nodded, muscles tense with uncertainty over her Senior Sister's strange behavior. True to Lian Rougang's warning, the cool balm sent a shiver racing along her spine the moment it touched her skin.
Unbeknownst to the younger girl, Lian Rougang flushed crimson behind her. The Senior Sister's gaze unfocused, drifting towards the door as unbidden memories resurfaced.
"So, could you please forgive me, Senior Sister?" Song Jia's plaintive voice dragged Lian Rougang back to the present. Though already forgiven, the girl seemed to crave direct absolution.
Lian Rougang's lips parted to respond, but no words came. Her throat constricted as her mind wandered again.
...
Meanwhile, outside the door, Ji Wuye waited with studied nonchalance. He leaned against the weathered wood, arms folded across his chest, as the lunar light cast his chiseled features in a glowing white.
His brow furrowed in thought, pondering the subtle shift he had catalyzed.
'A slight change in the current timeline, did improve her sword art,' he mused, recalling how Song Jia had grasped the Rising Gale technique earlier than intended.
He was certain this accelerated development of hers in this timeline diverged from the previous - the sole difference being his direct intervention against her.
A faint smile played across his lips. 'So I am the key that unlocked her potential.' This alteration, though minor, leaned fortuitously in his favor. Emboldened by the positive shift, Ji Wuye began weighing his next calculated actions.
'Should I help the others too?' The thought was fleeting, swiftly dismissed by the bitter memories of his previous demise.
'Even if I had helped them, they still failed,' he murmured under his breath, crimson eyes hardening.
In the previous timeline, they had been at the peak of their abilities in that previous timeline, yet still proved unequal to the daunting challenges ahead.
Shaking his head in disappointment, Ji Wuye's gaze refocused on the closed door where Song Jia and Lian Rougang remained.
Coincidentally, the sharp click of the latch broke the silence as the door swung open, revealing the two women approaching.
Ji Wuye's lips curved ever so slightly upwards in a tight smile. True, his drive stemmed from a selfish desire to grow powerful enough to safeguard his own future.
He was no selfless hero willing to sacrifice everything for some lofty ideal of world peace - not when that time could be better spent honing his own formidable skills.
And yet...
'Well, if I have some free time like now, I don't mind giving them a little help,' he reasoned. An occasional nudge in the right direction couldn't hurt.
Song Jia's open, innocent expression greeted him as they neared, usually radiating warmth and energy. But today, her gaze held an unmistakable glint of distrust, body tensed as if ready to attack at any moment.
"Brother Ji..." she began, pointing an accusatory finger directly at his face. "What did you say to Senior Sister? Just so you know, I'll be keeping an eye on you..."
Puzzlement furrowed Ji Wuye's brow as he glanced towards Lian Rougang. The Senior Sister avoided his questioning look, keeping her eyes studiously averted.
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