Chapter 77 – Let’s go in circles
Under the winter sky, although the sun was out, it was still cold. However, to a Mán-Cultivator it was nothing much, especially since winter was almost over
As if unwilling to come to an end, winter tried to remind the earth of its existence by releasing a gentle layer of snowfall.
Although it had started small, in no time, it had started falling in greater numbers, covering the skies and the earth with a ferocious gale of snow.
By noon, this snowstorm had become colossal, although it could not blot out the skies completely, the snow stirred up by the strong winds still managed to dampen the lights, covering the lands in shade.
Su Ming walked along the paths in the Chlorite city as the snow fell unto his body, his clothes and his hair, and some even got past his hood and landed on his nose.
The snow came extremely suddenly, before Su Ming had the time to return to the Wu Shan Tribe’s abode, the ever growing snowstorm had piled up the path before him. Each step he takes leaves behind a footstep which gets covered merely moments later.
This is perhaps the last bit of snowfall this winter.
Su Ming’s breaths transformed into little white clouds by his face. After carefully making sure noon was following him, he walked a few rounds before returning back home. As he got back, the winds once more picked up, the snowfall once more got heavier, by the doors, Su Ming quickly stamped his feet, knocking off all the snow on his body before walking in.
It was significantly warmer inside than outside, the moment the doors were shut, Su Ming quickly removed the hide clothes he was wearing and put down the many bags of herbs he was carrying. After circulating some blood qi to clear the coldness in his body, he sat down cross legged as he inspected the mysterious damaged pouch.
“This pouch sure is mysterious, to actually be able to store so many things…… but for that hunchback to so easily sell it to me, I am sure that there is something strange about it……” Su Ming’s eyes flashed, his suspicions growing as he thought about the hunchback’s strange actions.
(TLN: I am not sure if the Hunchback here referred to the old man’s name or description, so I am just going to leave it as such for now.)
After thinking about it, he took out some of the unnecessary herbs he had and put them into the pouch and tried withdrawing them again. However he did not find anything wrong with it.
“I better be safe than sorry, these herbs are all I have now, it will be disastrous if something goes wrong after putting them inside……” Su Ming scratched his head as he decided not to think too much about it for now. Deciding to ask Grandpa about it in a few days after everything calmed down.
After putting the pouch away, Su Ming continued sitting cross-legged as he circulated his blood qi, slowly meditating on the Wu Dust Blood Mán-Technique, he really wanted to make to most of his time in cultivating this technique such that his fighting prowess will advance further.
Originally he had planned to take a stroll around the Chlorite city to see if there were other interesting things to purchase, however, his plans had been disrupted by the sudden snowstorm.
Outside the room, the winds bellowed, inside the room however, Su Ming sat quietly as time slowly trickled away. Soon, dusk approached, normally the skies would still remain fairly bright, however today it remained extremely dark, and vision was limited. All that could be seen was the falling snowflakes which filled the surrounding with whiteness.
The current snowfall was as heavy as before, the cross-legged Su Ming’s ears suddenly twitched and he got up and opened to doors to see Bei Ling and company walking back in.
These people who had come back today were not discussing like the previous day, perhaps because of the excessively heavy snowstorm, after Bei Lei glanced at Su Ming, he hurriedly returned back to his room, Wu La’s expression was somewhat downcast as she too returned to the room boredly.
Only Lei Chen shot Su Ming a smile as he walked over, seeing his expression, he was coming over to talk about what had happened today.
As for the Marksman, he was frowning as he frequently glanced towards the skies, his expression filled with worry. Shan Hen looked as cold as usual, ignoring Su Ming as he returned to his room.
“Su Ming, today’s second test was extremely intense, it was a contest of strength and greatly related to one’s cultivation!”
“Ye w.a.n.g truly deserved the t.i.tle of the number one genius of the Feng Zhen Tribe, he was just too strong, he surpa.s.sed the number two Chen Chong by a truly large margin! And that Hei Shan Tribe’s Bi Su is definitely going to be one of our major enemies, he was ranked third and it seems like his cultivation has already reached the seventh level of blood condensation, he is also really quite strong!”
“It is a pity Mo Su did not appear, else there would have definitely been a greater show.”
“Sigh, I did not manage to enter the top fifty, neither did Wu La, only Bei Ling managed to get the forty-ninth position. Although this second test was fast, it was extremely intense!
Though it is said that the third test three days later would be even more intense.”
Lei Chen’s face was filled with excitement, as he chattered in Su Ming’s room for a long time, recounting everything that had happened today to Su Ming. Initially he had wanted to keep talking, but seeing Su Ming’s disinterested expression, he spoke only a little more before leaving with a sigh.
Today, he had similarly partic.i.p.ated in the tests and was slightly tired.
After Lei Chen left, and the evening pa.s.sed, and the snowstorm had weakened, Su Ming stood up, his heart racing as he walked out nervously yet antic.i.p.ating.
This time, Shan Hen did not appear and as Su Ming left the Wu Shan Tribe’s abode, the skies were dark while the ground was covered in a sheet of white as snowflakes gently fell, giving Su Ming a strange indescribable feeling.
Walking in the snow, after some time had pa.s.sed, Su Ming’s appearance had transformed once more into Mo Su. Standing near the Wu Long Tribe’s residence, he waited outside.
Time slowly elapsed as snow continued to fall, suddenly the Wu Long Tribe’s doors opened and the beautiful Bai Ling appeared in the door frame, wearing a pure white robe and a fur scarf.
As she looked around, she shyly blushed as she noticed Su Ming unable to hide her joy, taking a few steps forward, she walked towards Su Ming as they exchanged a smile.
“Did you wait long?” Bai Ling softly asked.
“No, I just arrived as well.” Su Ming scratched his head as he spoke. In his entire life, he had never seen anyone as pretty as Bai Ling, especially in the snow, Bai Ling’s pink face and her glittering eyes along with her slightly she demeanor truly made Su Ming’s heart race.
“What are you look at so dazedly…… didn’t you say you wanted to go circles with me.” Bai Ling’s face blushed even more, yet she did not avoid Su Ming’s gaze, only blinking more as she lightly laughed.
“Oh, yah, haha.” Su Ming rubbed his nose, following Bai Ling’s laughter, the two of them disappeared into the snowstorm towards the distance.
As the two of their figures faded into the distance, inside the Wu Long Tribe residence, Si Kong’s expression was extremely complicated, as he was tempted to follow them, however in the end, he only let out a long sigh.
Similarly in the Wu Long Tribe’s house, the old lady sat cross legged in her room, she knew that Bai Ling had left, but she did not stop her. In her mind, letting Bai Ling getting together with Mo Su was the best choice.
The wind howled as snow flew about, in this snowstorm, Su Ming and Bai Ling walked along a small pathway in the Chlorite City, snowflakes dancing around the two of them, mesmerizingly landing on the roofs and houses by their sides, as if transforming the s.p.a.ce around them into a beautiful snowy world.
There were few pedestrians out in this snowy night leaving Su Ming extremely nervous as he walked, completely unlike the way they were closely walking previously. Only until Bai Ling took the initiative to hold his hand did he feel her soft yet sweaty palms did he wake up, and firmly held her hand.
Bai Ling’s head was lowered, her blushing face beautifully contrasting the snowy radiance.
“Let’s…… go around in circles I guess……” Su Ming softly spoke as he squatted down. A shy smile appearing on Bai Ling’s face as she climbed onto Su Ming’s back, the warmth coming from his back made her feel extremely happy inside.
Su Ming could smell the fragrance coming from his back, experiencing the same joy as Bai Ling from her warmth and curves. Taking a deep breath, he walked onwards and directly jumped over the Chlorite city’s walls out of the city.
Bai Ling’s heart raced, as she felt Su Ming’s own heartbeat race as well, feeling Su Ming as he ran against the snowstorm on the plains of the Feng Zhen Tribe, where there was no one else, running further and further away.
Snow landed on their bodies but they could not feel its coldness, on the contrary all they could feel was the warmth in their hearts. Outside the city, Su Ming appearance had faded back to his own from Mo Su.
“Bai Ling, why is it that it feels like you got heavier……” Su Ming laughingly joked amidst the snowy night.
“What nonsense!” Bai Ling who was initially deeply immersed in the warmth of Su Ming’s back, immediately glared at Su Ming and fiercely pinched his back.
It was painful but Su Ming ended up laughing even louder, as he took a large leap, shocking a squeak out of Bai Ling, as he continued running into the distance. His laughter and Bai Ling’s angry complaints blending together into a sort of harmony.
Time always seems to fly while you are enjoying yourself, unknowingly, it was already deep into the night, Su Ming and Bai Ling walked in the snow with their hands intertwined as they spoke with hushed voiced, seemingly never running out of things to say, the frequent sounds of laughter similarly represented a certain beauty.
Snow continued to fall onto their bodies and their hair, from the distance, their hair had almost completely turned white.
Perhaps in this snowy night, the two of them would continue walking like this all the way till their hair turns white, or perhaps…… experience the world and leave but a sigh.
(TLN: okay this line was hard to translate, to my understanding essentially it means that they can walk like this till their hair turns white (By snow, or by age) and die together of age after spending their life walking the world.)
“Do you remember the night when we were at the Wu Mountain, it was snowing as well……”
“Of course I do, I still remember that time, your hair had almost turned white from the snow.”
“You too, almost turning into an old lady.”
“Do you think that if we continue walking in the snow like this, will we walk until our hairs turn white……” Bai Ling’s voice seemed exceptionally meak as he spoke while holding onto Su Ming’s hands.