CHAPTER 29

Proposal

LUO FAN

“You look restless,” Jinjing noticed while we were strolling by the lake.

I had asked her earlier to take me to a place she liked the most, and this was the site she had chosen. I could not see the view very well, but I liked the peace and the sound of chirping birds around. It reminded me of Frost Mountain.

It had taken us an hour just to get there, but we had walked slowly and leisurely so I did not feel tired at all.

I was indeed restless. I had been thinking a lot since last night and this time, I was ready.

“Let’s find a place to sit,” I said.

“Right over there.” She held my hand and pulled me along.

I heard some rustling of leaves from a distance. Since we left the house, I had sensed that someone had been following us. I remembered Ruan Yanjun telling me that he had ordered his disciples to keep an eye on me, but I could not be so sure if that was Eternal Damnation’s disciple or someone else.

I decided no to think too much about it. I was probably still traumatized by the assassination attempt I had encountered in the palace before. But that was over already. The crown prince was already dead. Whoever had wanted the crown prince dead had already succeeded. They had no reason to target me anymore.

We sat on the grass with a view of the lake before us. If I could see clearly, this must be a beautiful scene.

“Jinjing, there’s something that I must tell you,” I started.

“Tell me,” she replied casually.

She really had no idea of what I had in mind. I was certain it would shock her.

I drew in a deep breath. “Do you… want to marry me?”

I did not hear anything from her, so I knew she must have been dumbstruck.

Patiently, I waited for her response.

“W-what in the world are you saying?” She laughed a moment later.

I smiled at her. “I’m serious.”

She stopped laughing and was once again dead silent.

“I’m really serious,” I said again, this time, without a smile.

“Fan, if this is a joke you’ve learned from your travel, it’s not funny.”

“It’s not a joke. I do want to marry you, that is if you agree.”

She swallowed. Finally, she had taken the matter seriously, but it seemed too much for her to bear that she turned away from me.

“Is that a ‘no’?” I asked.

“That’s not it,” she replied. “I just… I did not expect… I mean…” She stopped struggling for words and took a deep breath. “I’m just a whore,” she whispered. “I’m not even pretty. People will be laughing at you for marrying a leftover woman with a sordid past, and the worst, I will not be able to deny it. I will only ruin your good reputation.”

I moved closer to her and held her hand. “I’ve long accepted you for what you were in the past. What matters to me is what you are now. What other people say is of little significance to me. They just don’t know you like I do.”

She sobbed. I did not realize that she was already crying. “Fan, I know you don’t love me enough to want to marry me. You’re only proposing to me because you feel you owe me something, and you want to save my reputation from those people talking behind my back.”

I smiled. “Are you certain? Or is it you who’s not sure about your feelings for me?”

She took time to answer. “Ever since, I’ve treated you no more but a younger brother and I thought that would be all between us. I didn’t expect…” She sighed. “Oh, Fan, you suddenly made things complicated. I feel insecure being so much older than you, and you’re more beautiful than I am.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“Jinjing… are you rejecting my proposal?”

“No, no!” She placed her other hand on our joined hands. “I’m not rejecting you. I’m… I accept your proposal.”

For a moment, I was dumbfounded, and then I smiled. “Seriously?”

She nodded. “I’m serious. Let’s get married.”

She rested her head on my shoulder and I wrapped my arm around her. For the next few moments, we remained silent while we watched the horizon. I could feel her pulse pounding, just as hard as mine was.

I felt so light inside me. I felt no remorse. Probably, this was my fate.

I had never planned to get married. I thought I’d remain single for the rest of my life, but getting married was not forbidden in the path of righteousness. It would only be a challenge because I’d have a family to take care of and might slow my progress down.

But it did not matter. With my cultivation nullified, progress was not something I should be concerned with anymore. It was enough that I followed the path of righteousness and would continue to cultivate to a lower level so I could protect those who were important to me.

*****

It was already afternoon when we decided to head back home. Along the way, I heard the sound of clanging blades. I stopped, grabbing Jinjing’s wrist as I listened.

There was a fight not too far away.

Have the disciples of Eternal Damnation encountered an enemy? Has someone come for me?

I saw a movement to my right. When I turned, a shadow dashed towards me.

I immediately pulled Jinjing behind me and used my stick to deflect the man’s oncoming blow. The stick hit his wrist, holding back the blade from reaching me, but the impact had thrown me backward.

Jinjing caught me in her arms, preventing me from falling to the ground.

“Step aside,” I quickly told her with a gentle push when I noticed that the attacker was quickly charging towards me. I dodged away from his weapon and whirled to his back while he retrieved his balance. I hit him on the shoulders but without enough strength, the blow was probably too soft that it did not even make him budge. As though someone had just patted him on the shoulder, he swiftly turned around and countered with a swipe.

I had dodged too late and had already anticipated a slash across my arm, but then from out of nowhere, something hit the man on the nape and his blade froze barely an inch away from me. A moment later, he collapsed on the ground.

I knew the sound of that weapon that circled the perimeter. A blade wheel, like the weapon of Huang Wen.

“Priest Fan!” Huang Wen’s voice finally erupted. Before I could find out where he was, he had already landed before me and pulled me away. “Come with me.”

I quickly grabbed Jinjing with me and we all ran through a thicket of trees until we made it to a clearing where two horses awaited.

Huang Wen practically threw us over one horse and mounted the other. Immediately, we left the place. I did not think it was safe for us to return home so I followed Huang Wen’s lead. I could not see very well so Jinjing assisted me with the reins.

After about half an hour, Huang Wen finally slowed down, and so we did too. We traveled for one more hour until Huan Wen pulled over before a high wall.

Jinjing held on to my elbow as I moved my eyes upward. When I saw an arc shape above, I realized that I was not staring at a wall but at an imposing gate that was as high as a tree.

“Where are we?” Jinjing whispered behind me.

“Is there anything written above the gate?” I returned.

She tilted her head up. “Henmei District.”

Just as I thought. Huang Wen had just led us to his master’s domain.

“Isn’t this the home of Eternal Damnation Sect?” she asked.

“It is.”

“Why did he bring us here?”

Before I could answer, the heavy gate slowly swung partially open, allowing just enough space for a horse to enter.

“Welcome back, Senior Disciple Huang,” two guards greeted in chorus as they stepped out of the gate.

Huang Wen nodded at them and turned his head in my direction. “Priest Luo, follow me.”

I obliged and found an endless plain ahead.

“The place is empty,” Jinjing said while turning her head around. “Is this where the disciples train?”

“This is probably an open field where disciples assemble.”

“It’s huge.”

“It has to be. Eternal Damnation Sect has thousands of disciples in Xianru Empire alone. There are thousands more in Wun Empire.”

“So where do the disciples stay?”

“Probably where we’re heading to.”

We traveled for another hour or so until Jinjing started to squirm behind me.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

“I’m just not used to riding but don’t worry. I’m fine.”

We had been riding for probably three hours already and my betrothed was exhausted.

I spotted another tall gate guarded by several men with a tower on each of its sides. The guards didn’t even utter a word as we approached and immediately opened the gate. Being a direct disciple of Ruan Yanjun, Huang Wen must be well-known throughout the district.

As we entered the gate, a busy road greeted us. Behind the gate was a desolate place, but this one looked like a flourishing city.

We passed by several shops and restaurants until Jinjing leaned closer to whisper in my ear. “The dumplings smell so good. I’m hungry.”

I smiled when I heard a growl coming from her stomach.

“Disciple Huang,” I called. “If you don’t mind, could we stop over for a quick meal?”

“We’ll be arriving in the main residence soon,” Huang Wen replied. “Dinner will be served there.”

“How long?”

“A few minutes.”

The few minutes turned out to be another half an hour. By the time Huang Wen stopped before a residential gate, Jinjing was already slumped on my back, her head resting on my shoulder.

The isolated enclosure before us must be the private residence of Ruan Yanjun, right in the middle of Henmei District.

I sighed. Two days ago, I had declined Ruan Yanjun’s invitation to stay in his residence, but it looked like it would be inevitable this time.

Huang Wen leaped off his horse and came over to help Jinjing down. When it was my turn to descend, a sudden contraction tightened my chest.

I tried not to make a sound and closed my eyes to suppress the pain. This was probably caused by the burst of energy that I had exerted when I defended against the attacker earlier. The long travel had exacerbated my exhaustion.

“Are you alright?” I heard Jinjing ask.

“I am,” I replied in between gasps.

But I was not. My surroundings were spinning around and I was about to lose my balance. Before I knew it, I fell off the horse.

Jinjing screamed but I did not drop to the ground. A pair of arms managed to catch me in time.