Chapter Eighty-two: The Young Swordsman

  On the second day at dawn, Shen Bailian arrived at the port as agreed. He saw a small boat floating in the distance and his heart was filled with joy, quickening his pace. However, before he could get closer, someone stood up from the boat, but it wasn't Xiang Qing. The person shouted loudly, "Is that Young Master Shen?"

  Shen Bailian nodded and walked forward, only then did he see the appearance of the big man. The man had a dark face, wearing a coarse linen short shirt with his sleeves rolled up high, revealing a pair of large palms like fans, very powerful. The dark-skinned big man was also looking him up and down, meeting Shen Bailian's gaze, and smiled: "Old Master told us to wait for you here, saying that we would set sail only after you arrived. Let's go now?" As he spoke, he rowed the boat closer.

  Shen Bailian responded with a sound, not helping the outstretched palm of that person, but instead lifting the hem of her clothes and lightly jumping onto the bow of the boat. The small wooden boat didn't even sway. The dark-skinned big man raised an eyebrow, his gaze suddenly filled with more respect, praising: "Good kung fu!"

  At that moment, the big man took out the oar and rowed vigorously in the sea water. The small boat flew like an arrow towards the large ship anchored in the bay. When they arrived at the side of the large ship, he slowed down and stopped his hands, whistled a signal, and someone lowered a rope to lift the two men along with the small boat up onto the ship.

  Xiang Qing had been waiting on the boat for a long time, and when he saw Shen Bailian, he walked over with big strides, but as soon as they met face to face, he showed a embarrassed expression, wanting to speak but stopping himself several times, leaving Shen Bailian bewildered.

  "What's up with Brother? But it doesn't matter if you tell me." Shen Bailian said.

  Qing hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Shen brother, this... Ah, I'm really sorry... I originally reserved a room just for you next to my own quarters, but then my sister agreed to let some young man hitch a ride on our boat and she gave him that room. Alas, that foolish girl only cares about good looks and made promises without thinking it through... Now I'm in a difficult spot... This boat doesn't have many living spaces to begin with, and I couldn't possibly make you live with those smelly little brats..." He looked very troubled.

  Shen Bailian suddenly understood and naturally didn't want to squeeze in with those sailors, so he thought for a moment and then had an idea. Smiling, he asked: "I wonder where that young master is now?"

  Qing was taken aback for a moment, then hastily pointed to a door at the northeast corner of the boat: "Shen brothers, aren't you...?"

  "And ask him if he minds sharing a room with someone." Shen Bailian smiled faintly and walked towards that direction.

  Most of the houses on this boat had no doors, and Shen Bailian just pushed it lightly, and the door creaked open. The room was very narrow, but it could hold a bed and a table, which was already a good place to live on the boat. Shen Bailian only took a rough glance around, but his eyes were drawn to an object lying horizontally on the table.

  That was a huge sword scabbard, about the height of a person standing upright. Shen Bailian was also a swordsman and naturally knew that some sword enthusiasts often carefully crafted exquisite scabbards to hold their treasured swords, just like beautiful women should be paired with famous makeup, and good wine should be paired with fine cups. However, this scabbard in front of him was somewhat different. The surface was not only undecorated but also slightly rough, and it was unknown what kind of metal it was made of, presenting a dull indigo color. Perhaps to avoid collisions, the edges were wrapped in a layer of silver.

  Shen Bailian, however, found it increasingly strange. The sword case seemed unremarkable at first glance, but had a somewhat awkward and unrefined air about it. When she finally made out the pattern on one corner of the case - four clouds surrounding a celestial sword - her gaze froze, and deep within her chest, her heart began to pound wildly. But when her eyes met those of another person in the room, cold as jade, her fear suddenly subsided.

  The owner of the sword sheath was actually a ten-year-old boy, with eyebrows like sharp swords and eyes like cold stars. His eyes were slightly raised as if flying phoenix, his nose was high and his mouth was cold and condensed. Indeed, as Qingshuo said, he was very handsome, but his expression was very cold. He wore a jade crown, a blue and white Taoist robe, and although he was sitting on a very ordinary old wooden bed, he looked like he was in a grand hall, dignified and composed. Even if someone suddenly burst into the room, there was no surprise on that cold face.

  He simply looked at Shen Bailian coldly without saying a word, as if he felt that there was nothing more to say to this uninvited guest.

  Shen Bailian's mind was slightly settled, and he looked at the young man in front of him again. Suddenly, another strange feeling arose. The cold and majestic temperament around this young man, like a distant mountain and icy snow, made him feel vaguely familiar, even a little intimate. He... seemed to resemble someone from his memories...

  Perhaps it was his unwavering gaze that made the young man somewhat uncomfortable, and a hint of embarrassment and annoyance flashed through those phoenix eyes. The sword sheath on the table seemed to sense something, and suddenly began to vibrate violently, followed by a burst of purple light shooting out like lightning.

  The purple light, accompanied by a burst of crackling sounds, shot towards Shen Baiyun's face. As Shen Baiyun came to his senses, the purple light was only a hair's breadth away from his cheek. He hastily retreated a step and swept his sleeve across, the gentle sea breeze instantly filling his wide sleeves. The purple light was deflected by the soft corner of his sleeve and suddenly changed direction, flying back towards the young man instead.

  The young man's eyes flashed, and a hint of surprise flickered across his cold face. Without any movement from him, the purple light slowly dissipated in front of him, with a few flashes of lightning that also disappeared without a trace.

  "It turns out we're fellow travelers, forgive me."

  A voice as cold as a magnet sounded in the room, and the young man had already stood up from the bedside, bowed to Shen Baiyun, paused for a moment, and then said: "I am Murong Ziyin, a disciple of the Qionghua Sect's Zonglian Daoist school. I don't know your esteemed name?" Although his expression was still cold, his manners were very thorough.

  Shen Bailian felt that this young man was similar to her old friend, and her attitude became much warmer. She bowed and said: "I am Shen Bailian... hesitated for a moment, then continued: "No door, no faction, just a humble nameless person from the mountains and forests, Young Master doesn't have to be so polite."

  Murong Ziyin, however, did not show any disdain in his expression. Seeing this, Shen Bailian couldn't help but nod secretly to himself. Just now when he had swept his sleeve and opened up the purple light, he had already realized that this young man hadn't put too much true energy into it. It seemed that he only wanted to intimidate him without causing harm. This thought was completely different from his cold and hard exterior, which made Shen Bailian feel a great deal of goodwill towards him.

  Shen Bailong's voice became even softer, and he said in a warm tone: "I'm going overseas to find an eccentric person. I heard from the boat owner that there is only one room left on this ship, so I came to ask if it would be possible for me to share the room with you for a few days?"

  As soon as this was said, Murong Ziyuan's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Shen Baiying saw that he was silent and didn't want to force him, so she sighed and said: "Forget it, I'll go ask the boat owner again..." and turned around to leave.

  "I like quietness, you... mustn't bring some idle people here." Suddenly came the voice of that young man from behind.

  Shen Bailian was taken aback, and suddenly came to his senses. The young man had agreed to live with him, and a faint smile involuntarily appeared on his face. He quickly turned around and smiled in response: "Good." His eyes were filled with grateful laughter as he looked at the young man.

  The young man looked at him again and sat back on the bed, closing his eyes to continue meditating. Only then did a faint pink color appear on his cheek.

  Shen Bailian watched with a gaze, and the corners of her mouth curled up even more.

  This young man is indeed more interesting than that person by a few points...

  After discussing with that young man, Shen Bailian moved in. It wasn't until nightfall that he discovered an awkward situation.

  "...a monk can rest anywhere, just sit on the deck for a night, it's nothing..."

  Looking at the narrow wooden bed in front of them, which was just enough for one person to sleep on and had one side hanging in mid-air, Shen Bailian and Murong Ziyin stared at each other for a long time before finally laughing dryly and making a suggestion.

  Murong Ziyin glanced out of the window and turned back to stare at the sword box on the table, before finally saying: "......Who's going?"

  Shen Bailian hesitated for a moment, and glanced out the window. Through the gap in the window, he could only see a sliver of darkness, but he could hear the howling of the sea wind... He seemed to recall that his brother had mentioned earlier that today's waves were slightly larger...

  "Why don't you go ask the boat owner to lend us another quilt, it's not too cold on the ground anyway..."

  Shen Bailian hadn't finished speaking when another cold voice interrupted, "I've already told the boat owner, there's only one clean quilt." This large floral quilt was specially prepared by Xiang Jia's little sister who liked handsome young men.

  Moreover... Shen Bailian's gaze swept across the table in the room, and at this moment, in his eyes, this table that was only useful for placing a sword case was truly taking up extra space. The room was originally not large, and with it, there wasn't even enough floor space to accommodate a man...

  "What should we do then?" Can't just sit opposite each other for a whole night?

  The room fell silent once again.

  After a long time, Shen Bailian was leaning against the table staring at the small flame of the oil lamp in a daze, when he suddenly heard a rustling sound behind him. He turned his head to look and was startled: "You... what are you doing?"

  Murong Ziyin gave him a cold glance and gently placed her outer robe on the headboard: "Undress."

  "Bu... " Shen Bailian opened her mouth, wanting to stop him but felt a bit rude. If this young man slept on the bed, wouldn't she have to sit in the sea breeze for a night?

  "It's getting late, and I still have to get up early tomorrow to practice my sword." Murong Ziyin said calmly, meanwhile taking off her boots and placing them neatly at the corner of the bed.

  "But......" Shen Bailian's eyes widened slightly, and she involuntarily turned to look out the dark window. Was she supposed to swallow her pain for the sake of saving face in front of Master Zonglian?

  "Or are you going to sleep on the inside?" The young man added coldly at this time.

  Eh? Shen Bailian was taken aback, seeing Murong Ziyin sitting on the edge of the bed in his undergarments, his expression unchanging, only a pair of cold eyes glanced over. Perhaps seeing that Shen Bailian hadn't responded for half a day, he furrowed his brow, turned his face and smoothed out the flower-patterned quilt, adopting a posture as if preparing to lie down.

  "Thank you so much!" Shen Bailian hastily said, quickly taking off his outer robe and walking over.

  Deep into the night, the wind on the sea gradually subsided, and only the sound of waves echoed faintly in my ears. The small hut was already pitch black, and Shen Bailian lay stiffly on the wooden bed, facing inward, feeling a hundred flavors mixed up in her heart.

  Right next to him, there was a very light breath that gently touched his neck and ruffled the ends of his hair. The young man was sleeping very soundly.

  Shen Bailian listened quietly, the warmth on his face gradually fading away, shaking off the last bit of shyness in his heart, and finally fell asleep. In a daze, he suddenly remembered many years ago when Yun Shidi was driven out of the house by that person for some reason, and insisted on sharing a bed with himself, saying those words...

  A long cold night, a lonely pillow is hard to sleep with, embracing each other and sleeping together, can only warm up for one night...

  But it's also a bit too close...