Chapter 23: Past Shadows

"I might be from the Heartless Pavilion, but I'm willing to live and die with you," Ah Long affirmed each word with unwavering determination.

"Words are cheap; how am I supposed to trust you?" Dong Lier questioned skeptically.

Recalling the days of torment and suffering since childhood at the Heartless Pavilion, Ah Long had vowed to become stronger, promising to trample on those who once humiliated him. Having Lier accompany him on this journey seemed to alleviate the loneliness and helplessness.

Thinking it over, he pointed towards the second row, fifth bamboo gate in front of them, saying, "That leads to the farmlands."

While Dong Lier had once trusted Ah Long the most among this group, doubts lingered now, even with his sincere expression. However, perhaps this was an opportunity.

"I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But tonight, I have something to attend to. Go help Congwen and the others," Dong Lier instructed.

"You still don't trust me," Ah Long asserted confidently, wearing a slightly aggrieved expression.

Dong Lier sighed, looking up at the sky. She hadn't mistreated him, yet he portrayed himself pitifully. Unable to resist, she said, "Alright, alright. I trust you. Is that not enough?"

Ah Long immediately smiled, "Then, what do you need to do? I'm familiar with every nook and cranny in this pavilion."

Watching Ah Long eager to prove his loyalty, Dong Lier raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you know where the secrets of the Heartless Pavilion are hidden?"

Initially meant as a jest to deter him, Dong Lier regretted the question as Ah Long nodded, responding, "Lan Yun Pavilion."

Surprised, Dong Lier exclaimed, "You actually know? That should be classified information. You don't seem like someone with a high status. How could you know?"

Realizing her mistake, Dong Lier looked at Ah Long, whose head was now lowered, eyes dimmed. She wanted to console him, but the words stuck in her throat.

"I was the lowest servant in the pavilion, which allowed me to be involved in various matters. Naturally, I gained some knowledge," Ah Long slowly revealed, exposing the wounds he least wanted Dong Lier to see.

Understanding dawned on Dong Lier; no wonder Ah Long despised the Heartless Pavilion so much and was willing to aid an outsider like her. Witnessing the Pavilion's treatment of ordinary children like them, she could only imagine the dismal life he had endured.

Dong Lier patted Ah Long's shoulder, saying, "I promise you, if you genuinely help me and we succeed, I'll help you escape and reward you handsomely. You can live freely."

Ah Long shook his head, "I only want to be with you. Nothing else matters."

Dong Lier wondered if Ah Long had become addicted to servitude. Despite offering freedom and wealth, he seemed content with accompanying her. She refrained from arguing further, nodding in agreement.

Ah Long's infectious laughter filled the air, melting even the coldest frost. Dong Lier lightly tapped his head, saying, "Enough for now. Let's focus on the task at hand."

"Shall we head straight to Lan Yun Pavilion?" Ah Long asked.

"If the Heartless Pavilion's secrets are truly hidden there, then yes, we need to investigate," Dong Lier responded.

"How do you plan to get there?" Ah Long inquired.

Dong Lier, puzzled, eventually answered, "Fly over. Can you do that?"

Ah Long shook his head, "I'm afraid not."

Dong Lier sighed, as she suspected. Otherwise, there would have been no need for her rescue in the forest.

Ah Long explained, "While the Heartless Pavilion appears to have only a few guards on the surface, there are more hidden. Flying over might not be feasible."

"What alternative do you suggest?" Dong Lier asked.

"Follow me," Ah Long said, pulling Dong Lier towards a secluded path in the mountains.

Meanwhile, the Autumn Maple Pavilion experienced a stir.

"Master, they have begun to act," reported a figure in black.

The current master of the Heartless Pavilion, engaged in a game of chess with Swift Wind, raised his hand, holding a jade chess piece between his fingertips. Lazily placing it on the chessboard, he remarked, "Interesting. On the first day, impatience has set in." Glancing at Swift Wind, he continued, "Is everything in place?"

"Following your instructions, everything has been arranged," replied the person in black.

With a casual wave, the master dismissed the information, leaving the room.

"Sai Long..."

Just as the master uttered these two words, Swift Wind immediately stood up and knelt, saying, "They need further investigation. I implore the master to spare Sai Long's life."

"I've already given him a chance," the Heartless Pavilion's master spoke with profound meaning.

Swift Wind understood the master's intentions, persisting, "Perhaps he was unwittingly deceived. I hope the master can grant him another opportunity."

Looking at Swift Wind kneeling before him, pleading for Sai Long's life, the Heartless Pavilion's master couldn't help but recall the days when the two of them lived in the Heartless Pavilion.

......

At that time, both myself and Swift Wind were just teenagers.

When I first arrived at the Heartless Pavilion, I was in a constant daze, plagued by nightmares. The first person I saw upon waking up was Swift Wind.

However, after waking up, I couldn't remember many things. The first lord of the pavilion and a mysterious man visited me. Both of them wore expressions of concern, even though I couldn't recall them. Yet, there was a warmth that emanated from them.

Later, the old lord took both me and Swift Wind as disciples. We lived together, sharing everything from food to daily routines, forming a deep bond.

Until one day, after practicing swordplay on the back mountain, we witnessed a group of servants bullying a young girl near the mountain gate.

Though dressed like a servant in plain gray clothes, she had a fair and delicate appearance. In the midst of the crowd, my eyes met hers.

Swift Wind, noticing her as well, used his identity as a lord's disciple to scare off the others. I, on the other hand, inexplicably extended my hand to the girl.

However, she didn't respond as expected. Instead of placing her hand in mine and expressing gratitude, offering herself in return, as Swift Wind had read in the book he brought from the marketplace, she struggled to stand with her hands on the ground and limped away without a word.

Left alone, Swift Wind and I exchanged confused glances, both sporting question marks on our foreheads. Eventually, we returned to the pavilion and showcased our swordplay achievements to the old lord.

"Visually appealing but lacking strength. Ah, you, as their master, seem to be neglecting your teaching duties," remarked a man in black by the old lord's side, addressed as Jing'an. Whenever Swift Wind and I visited our master, he was often there. Unfortunately, he had a habit of speaking unpleasantly, causing the initial warmth I felt upon waking up to quickly fade.

"Jing'an is right. The essence of swordsmanship lies in the unity of the person and the sword. You two are only concerned with making your sword techniques look good, neglecting to infuse your strength into them. Both of you, go to the woodshed and chop firewood," sternly commanded Li Chenghe, our master.

"Yes, Master," we replied, shooting disgruntled looks at Jing'an as we left.

Jing'an, unaffected, hugged Li Chenghe's arm and hid behind him, feigning a look of fear. It sent shivers down the spine, creating an eerie atmosphere.

"Don't play around. They are just kids," Li Chenghe said with a light laugh, implying reconciliation.

"You're too indulgent towards them," Jing'an retorted, crossing his arms. Watching them disappear from sight, he added, "They're just children."

Li Chenghe chuckled, offering no explanation. Only when they were no longer visible did he turn back into the room. Jing'an followed, wearing a sunny expression.

Once Swift Wind and I reached the woodshed, we were taken aback. Did the pavilion really need this much firewood every day? They exchanged incredulous glances, both unable to believe their eyes.

"Enough staring. Even if you keep looking, it won't reduce the amount of firewood. Hurry up and start chopping," Swift Wind said with a pat on my shoulder.

I, too, sighed, and we reluctantly picked up the nearby axes. Each swing was accompanied by a muttered complaint about Jing'an.

After about half an hour, with blisters forming on our palms, we found ourselves only halfway through the task, and there was still a significant pile left untouched.

"I can't go on. Let's take a break," Swift Wind suggested, dragging me to a corner, where we sat back-to-back, facing a stack of chopped firewood.

As we caught our breath, the sound of the door being pushed open reached our ears. Swift Wind was the first to react, crouching behind the woodpile to peek.

Entering was a girl in gray attire, her fair skin contrasting with the clothes. She struggled to carry a bucket, limping towards the water basin in the room.

"It's her," Swift Wind whispered to me.

But as soon as I turned around, I saw that Swift Wind had already stood up. In his haste, he knocked over some unevenly stacked wood.

"Do you need help?" Swift Wind asked.

Simultaneously, the bucket in the girl's hands made a loud clatter. She seemed startled by the sudden commotion, and the water spilled onto the floor in a matter of moments.

Seeing this, Swift Wind hurriedly approached, apologizing, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Are you okay?"

I followed suit, lifting the overturned bucket. However, it was empty; not a drop remained.

The girl, after a momentary daze, shot us an annoyed look. Lowering her head to survey the wet floor, a hint of restrained sadness appeared. She crouched down, tears streaming down her face silently.

In this weeping sound, there was a mix of tolerance. She only dared to cry quietly, as if trying to conceal her vulnerability.

The two of them had never seen a girl cry before, and for a moment, they felt at a loss, hastily trying to console her, saying, "Please don't cry. Are you fetching water? We'll compensate you with another bucket, no, ten or a hundred buckets. Can you please stop crying?"

They went on like this, one after the other, squatting beside the girl, hoping she would stop crying.

"Too noisy," the girl suddenly spoke.

Hearing this, both of them were stunned. Immediately, they sealed their lips tightly, afraid to utter another word. At the same time, the girl did stop crying, slowly standing up.

"Do you see those ten large water basins over there?" the girl asked.

Upon hearing this, they looked up and, sure enough, saw a row of large water basins neatly arranged in the corner of the room. Not more, not less, exactly ten.

But just now, neither Swift Wind nor I had noticed them. It seemed that our minds were so shocked by the mountain of firewood that we neglected the other surroundings.

"Are you planning to fill all of those?" Swift Wind exclaimed.

The girl nodded. Since being captured here, she had been assigned various strenuous and tiresome tasks, occasionally being bullied. Today, the person in charge asked her to fill these ten basins with water. After struggling with her injured leg, she had just managed to fetch one bucket of water when she was startled by the sudden appearance of the two people in front of her.

"I'll help you," Phoenix immediately picked up an empty bucket from the side and asked, "Are there any other buckets?"

The girl nodded and said, "It's not about helping me. It's what you said about compensating me with ten or a hundred buckets." With that, she ignored the two and walked away.

The two who stayed in the room looked at each other and burst into laughter. They had never encountered such an amusing person.

"What about all this firewood?" Phoenix asked.

"What can we do? I'll handle it. You just make sure to fill those basins for her," Swift Wind replied.

"Good brother, share blessings and share hardships. I'm off," Phoenix nodded, then turned around to continue chopping the remaining firewood.

Phoenix, on the other hand, went out to catch up with the girl. Of course, at her limping pace, even if he walked at a normal pace, he could easily keep up. Nevertheless, Phoenix continued to take three steps for every two of hers, anxiously reaching the girl's side.

"Your leg..." Phoenix cautiously began.

"You saw it all, didn't you? Why ask?" The girl responded coldly.

"Haven't you sought the medical officer in the pavilion for a look?" As soon as the words came out, Phoenix felt like slapping himself. He was indeed bad at making conversation; it sounded more like meddling.

The girl, however, unexpectedly burst into laughter, full of mockery. Then she said, "Do you think everyone in this pavilion has the same status and treatment as you two?"

"I didn't mean that," Phoenix hurriedly retorted, feeling the weakness of his words. So, he put down the wooden bucket in his hands and directly carried the girl to the side of the road.

"What are you doing! Let go of me! Phoenix, put me down!" The girl, suddenly hoisted onto his shoulder, was scared out of her wits, shouting. However, after yelling for a while, Phoenix still refused to let go, prompting her to bite fiercely on Phoenix's shoulder.

In pain, Phoenix carried her under a tree at the side of the road. Still careful, he gently placed the girl on the ground, then rubbed the bitten area.

"What do you want to do! Stay away from me!" The girl shouted.

"Hush, keep your voice down. What can I do? Just checking your injury. If you scream again, and someone else hears it, and knows that I'm the one fetching water for you, then you're done for," Phoenix said unkindly.

Hearing his words, the girl did stop yelling. She only turned her head away, ignoring him.

Seeing this, Phoenix squatted down, ready to take off the girl's shoes and socks. The girl, seeing his movements, immediately tried to shrink her leg away to avoid him. A woman's feet could make a man look without much resistance.

But Phoenix seemed to have anticipated this, firmly gripping her foot, and said gently, "Don't move recklessly. Your foot is already swollen, and it seems like the bone is injured. If you don't want it, I'll leave."

Knowing that his words were true, the girl no longer moved, just glared at him fiercely, spat out, "Phoenix," then turned her head away again.

Phoenix had never been scolded like this by others. He wanted to retort, but seeing the foot he held in his hand, he nodded angrily, appearing to have accepted his fate. After that, he concentrated on observing the condition of the girl's foot.

"It's a bit swollen, and it seems to have hurt the bone. Wait for me a moment," Phoenix said and walked into the bushes.

Ignoring him, the girl just watched his disappearing figure and then looked back at her ankle, which was now red and swollen.

Phoenix returned in just the time it takes for a cup of tea, carrying two sturdy branches, along with some short twigs and vines.

"Is this what you went to find?" the girl asked.

Rarely did the girl initiate conversation, and Phoenix, in a good mood, explained to her, "These two branches are for you to use as walking aids. The rest will be used to secure your foot. It's just a makeshift solution for tonight. Tomorrow, I'll find the medical officer to treat you."

The girl watched as Phoenix carefully and earnestly fixed her ankle. Although she didn't know how much of his words were true, at this moment, she felt grateful towards him.

"Alright, let's go," Phoenix clapped his hands and said, carefully assisting the girl to stand.

"Did we get the direction wrong?" the girl asked.