March in the capital was still very cold. Qin Xun was sitting in the yard, basking in the sun, when Nangong Xuan suddenly walked in.
Seeing this, Yan’er hurried to fetch a chair for him and then stood by, awaiting instructions.
She was a child Qin Xun had saved, and thus was deeply attached to him. She usually stayed by his side to attend to him, and her current mission was to ensure Qin Xun’s safety.
Nangong Xuan said with a smile, “The esteemed Wei Yue Yan, have you never thought of going out to make your mark and achieve some glory?”
Yan’er replied seriously, “I only wish to stay by Elder Qin’s side.”
“Alright then. I was actually thinking of entrusting you with a task,” Nangong Xuan said, as if mentioning it casually.
Hearing this, Qin Xun chuckled. “Commander, please speak plainly. Don’t beat around the bush. This old man isn’t as sharp as he used to be in his youth.”
Nangong Xuan laughed heartily. “Elder Qin, you are hale and hearty, far stronger than most young people. There’s no need for such modesty.”
Then he glanced at Yan’er. “If I said there exists something in this world that could restore Elder Qin’s health, would you be willing to take the risk for it?”
Yan’er shuddered. “Does such a thing truly exist?”
The main reason Qin Xun had been unwilling to take the previous Snow Lotus was largely because its efficacy was unstable; it was uncertain if it would work, so he didn’t want to waste such a rare treasure.
“Of course it exists,” Nangong Xuan stated with certainty. “Legend has it that there is a divine object within the Temple in the Island Nation, called the Serpent Elixir. It’s a miraculous medicine said to repair one’s foundation and improve physical constitution.”
Hearing the words ‘Island Nation,’ Yan’er’s expression shifted slightly. “How can it be obtained?”
“By participating in the Temple’s secret realm, which opens once every five years in the Island Nation.”
Qin Xun, who had been listening nearby, frowned. “You want Yan’er to go to the Island Nation on a mission, don’t you?”
“Nothing escapes you, Elder Qin,” Nangong Xuan said with a smile. “Ye Qingyi possesses a Temple Token, which grants access to the Temple’s secret realm. However, she can hardly accomplish such a daunting task alone and needs someone to assist her covertly.”
Qin Xun fell silent. He knew that if Nangong Xuan was speaking like this, he must have come with absolute resolve. Furthermore, Yan’er’s trip couldn’t possibly be just about assisting Ye Qingyi in obtaining the Serpent Elixir; there were certainly other, deeper implications.
Nangong Xuan continued, “Of course, I also have the intention of having Yan’er take charge of coordinating the intelligence network in the Island Nation. After all, she has received the most professional training, and also…”
He didn’t finish his sentence, instead turning his gaze to Qin Xun, as if seeking his opinion.
Qin Xun leaned back in his recliner, closing his eyes. “You were the one who initially let her stay by my side, and now you’re the one sending her to the Island Nation. I have no right to make decisions for her. This matter is up to her.”
Yan’er hesitated for a moment before stating firmly, “As long as the Commander is willing to trust me, I will go!”
A flicker of delight passed through Nangong Xuan’s eyes. “That’s excellent.”
“When should I depart?”
“There’s no rush, at least not for another week. You can make preparations first.”
“Yes, Sir!” Yan’er’s excitement was visibly evident.
Qin Xun’s expression was complicated. He slowly opened his eyes, revealing a trace of reluctance. “Who knows when you’ll be able to return once you leave. Take this time to properly look around, to experience the life a girl your age ought to have.”
“I’m not interested in those things.”
A pang of pain struck Qin Xun’s heart. “Go and see. Go see the land here, see the people here…”
Yan’er: “…”
After she left, Qin Xun spoke, “Commander, you’re still here. Is there something else?”
Although his expression was displeased, he didn’t say much else. Nangong Xuan acted as if he didn’t notice. “A couple of days ago, we caught a spy. Twenty years old, 1.7 meters tall, build similar to Ye Qingyi’s.”
Qin Xun breathed a sigh of relief. “Then go find her. Why come to me?”
“You are, after all, her master.”
Qin Xun shook his head. “She’s not like Yan’er. No one can influence her decisions.”
“No wonder you aren’t the least bit worried,” Nangong Xuan said with a wry smile. “Elder Qin, I am truly sorry, but I am the Commander.”
Qin Xun didn’t respond. He poured a cup of tea for each of them.
Nangong Xuan took the cup and drank it in one go. As he set the cup down, he placed a black pill on the stone table. “I take my leave.”
“You didn’t really need to do this, you know. Aren’t you afraid she might rebel once the restriction is removed?”
Nangong Xuan paused mid-step, his tone calm. “If one decides to use a person, one must trust them completely. That is a principle my teacher taught me.”
Having said that, he quickly left, the sound of his footsteps gradually fading away.
Qin Xun murmured to himself, “You and him… you’re really alike.”
Feeling perturbed, he closed his eyes to rest. The rocking chair seemed to understand his mood, gently swaying on its own.
Huh?
Qin Xun’s eyes snapped open, and he discovered that Su Mo had somehow appeared behind him, gently rocking the chair.
“What is Master thinking about, that you didn’t even notice me come in?” Su Mo asked cheerfully.
Just the sight of him immediately lifted Qin Xun’s mood, as if by magic.
The wrinkles on his face gathered as he smiled. “Finished killing everyone?”
Su Mo wasn’t the least bit surprised that his master knew about his recent activities. He simply replied, “Some of them died before I even got to kill them. Ah, what a pity.”
“So you dug up their graves?” Qin Xun said, somewhat exasperated.
Su Mo pouted. “Well, they shouldn’t have died so early.”
Qin Xun shook his head helplessly. “Lucky for them they were cremated, otherwise I suspect you might have stabbed their corpses a few times before personally cremating them.”
To be honest, that was exactly what Su Mo had been thinking.
“By the way, Master, it was you handling the aftermath for me all along, right? I killed so many people, yet there wasn’t much commotion.”
“Minor matters,” Qin Xun said, feeling pleased, stroking his white beard with a smile.
But his expression soon turned serious again. “You’re still young. Don’t let the desire to kill become too strong, or you might easily harm yourself.”
“Understood, Master. I only kill those who deserve it,” Su Mo replied. He wasn’t bloodthirsty, but he wouldn’t let a single person who deserved death escape.
He never considered himself a particularly good person, but he certainly wasn’t a bad one.
At least, that was the case from the perspective of the vast majority.
Qin Xun didn’t press further. He knew that this youngest disciple of his had a strong sense of autonomy; he always found his own path and purpose, rather than relying on others.
“Where’s Sister Yan’er? I haven’t seen her.”
“She went out.”
“Oh.”
…
After a long while, Qin Xun suddenly asked, “Would you be willing to sacrifice everything for Xia Country, for the Big Dipper?”
Su Mo thought carefully. “What does ‘everything’ include?”
“It includes all.”
“Then I’m afraid not.”
Qin Xun wasn’t surprised. He asked, “Why?”
“Because ‘everything’ includes my family and my friends. They are all living individuals, and I have no right to make decisions for them.” Then he changed his tone, “But if it were only about me… perhaps I would.”
Qin Xun smiled. “Tell me more.”
Su Mo’s eyes were bright, possessing the sharpness unique to the young. “Half devotion, half zeal!”