Sour Gentleness
Sour Gentleness
But he was startled when he entered the cave.
While the floor was clean, the place looked nothing like a place suitable for a lady to live in.
It was different from his expectations. The inside of the cave was much colder than the outside. The walls were smooth and reflective, and needless to say, this cave was dug directly out of ten thousand years of mysterious ice!
But the inside of this cave was deep and spacious, with a couple of turns here and there. Jun Moxie only felt a bit of warmth when he was in the deepest part of the cave.
On the left was a small bed with blankets neatly folded. A light pleasant fragrance wafted in the air. On the right was a stone table. Right in the centre of the space sat a figure donned in white facing North, quiet and still.
Jun Moxie ran his fingers through the walls of the cave, only to find bumps under his fingers. He took a closer look and realized that there were words carved into the walls of this cave. Upon closer inspection, what greeted his eyes left him stunned!
Wu Yi…. Wu Yi… Wu Yi….
Jun Wuyi's name had completely covered three walls! Each character of his name was carved neatly and clearly into the wall. From the looks of it, every single stroke was probably carved into the walls with the writer's nails!
Not even the strongest Heaven Mystic expert would be able to do this with their mere fingernails and when Han Yanyao willingly allowed herself to be put under house arrest, she definitely was not a Heaven Mystic!
She was barely twenty years of age then and was pampered and protected from young; how could she have this high and deep level of cultivation of Mystic Qi?
If that was the case, then how did these words come about?
Jun Moxie noticed that there were some dark, reddish stains on some of the words, probably fresh blood from the nails that were damaged when carving these characters.
Jun Moxie was overwhelmed by an unexplainable wave of emotions. From the simple layout of this place, that feeble looking figure, and these walls with "Wu Yi" carved into them—
Nothing more needed to be said!
Han Yanyao was still the same Han Yanyao that was in Jun Wuyi's heart!
Jun Moxie's third aunt!
[Every night, I look at the moon and hope to come to Heavenly Scent, but I know that life doesn't go in reverse!]
This woman had never turned back even till the end of her life!
Jun Moxie drifted past her to look at the wall that captured her attention only to be stunned again!
There were four altars carved neatly into this last wall!
In order, they said: "Jun Wuhui," "Jun Wumeng," "Jun Moyou," and "Jun Mochou"!
At the end it said "set up by the unfilial sister-in-law, Han Yanyao"!
No further explanation was needed! Jun Moxie thoroughly understood this lady's heart!
A love that was stronger than gold! Deeper than the oceans!
This weak, defenseless lady already saw herself as the daughter-in-law of the Jun Family, and saw herself as one of the Jun Family!
No wonder she was treated like this by the Xiao Family!
Without saying a word, Jun Moxie acknowledged this person as his third aunt! A woman whose stubbornness could move people's hearts—a woman worthy of respect!
Suddenly, Han Yanyao sighed and spoke gently, "Who is there? Please reveal yourself."
Jun Moxie was taken aback! His Yin Yang Escape had never been discovered by anyone; even the strongest of experts were not able to do so! Yet how was this lady, who only had the level of a peak Heaven Mystic expert, discover his presence?
"Please reveal yourself. You are highly skilled in your abilities, but I can still feel your existence." Han Yanyao raised her head, coldness in her eyes. Her eyes and facial features were beautiful despite not wearing any expression. Upon seeing this woman, Jun Moxie suddenly understood the true meaning of the phrase:
As clear as ice, as clean as jade!
Han Yanyao was like a fairy that formed from Heaven Earth Spiritual Qi, ethereal and untainted. Merely standing there without a single accessory on her was enough to captivate anyone. It was almost as if this ethereal aura of hers would be compromised if she adorned herself with any accessories.
Before such a beauty, there were only feelings of admiration and absolutely no inappropriate desires.
And only "as clear as ice" could come close to describing this ill-fated beauty.
Han Yanyao blinked and continued. "The person hidden in the shadows, I admit that you have excellent skills in concealing yourself, and I don't have the ability to make you reveal yourself either. But I must let you know that you have forgotten something important: I have lived in this cave alone for ten years—ten whole years—and no one else has lived in here other than me. I know every nook and cranny of this space, how it smells and feels at different times of the day, and how the Qi flows in the space in relation to the weather outside. I know it very well.
"You are extremely skilled in concealment, and based on Mystic skills alone, I would not be able to detect your presence. But all these senses aside from my Mystic skills are telling me that someone has entered! Are you still not going to show yourself? With your prowess, do you need to fear revealing yourself to me?"
Jun Moxie couldn't help but laugh bitterly. He removed the Ying Yang Escape art and revealed himself. He did indeed forget that when being trapped alone in a space like this for ten years, it was inevitable that one would start exploring small trivial matters when left with nothing to do and no one to speak to.
Yet this exploration that was born out of boredom could easily expose the uncomparable Yin Yang Escape!
Jun Moxie was utterly speechless.
In truth, this was not a skill unique to Han Yanyao, for it would easily be lost after interaction with people after a couple of days. However, Han Yanyao had never stepped out of this peak for ten whole years.
It was unavoidable that one would develop a thorough understanding of their surroundings after ten whole years of living in such a wide space alone.
Only loneliness and solitude would drive someone to do this; even if there was something with no purpose, it still beat having nothing to do! Otherwise, one will really be driven to insanity living like this!
"Who are you?" Han Yanyao observed this youth before her and her heart skipped a beat. Why does he resemble that person so much?… Could it be… Han Yanyao could not help but stumble a bit.
Jun Moxie smiled apologetically, but did not speak. He tidied his clothes and knelt before the alters, bowing thrice respectfully before standing up.
This action was more convincing than any spoken words.
Han Yanyao felt like fainting. Her face paled and she swayed from the shock. She felt like she was seeing stars and could barely catch her breath. Despite her attempts at controlling the raging emotions in her heart, her heart beat faster and faster, almost as if it were going to jump out of her throat.
She quickly supported herself with the wall and gasped, tears began to stream down her face endlessly. "Y-you are… Moxie?" She choked out.
The person before her looked so familiar that Han Yanyao could determine his identity from his actions. However, although she had confirmed this, she could not dare to believe it…
This person was the person she most wished to see again aside from Jun Wuyi, but also the person she had feared meeting the most!
This was something she had hoped for ten whole years, something she had completely given up on!
Jun Moxie smiled. "Third Aunt is truly sharp-eyed! Moxie pays his respects."
Han Yanyao struggled to remain standing; she could not believe what she had just heard. Tears welled up in her eyes again, and she asked in a daze, "W-what… did you call me just now?"
"Third Aunt!" Jun Moxie said clearly. "Third Uncle sent me here to visit you; we will be able to bring you back to reunite with Third Uncle by tomorrow at the latest."
At this moment, Jun Moxie felt that all his prior concerns and worries of if Han Yanyao had a change of heart and how he should respond were absolutely unforgivable.
A complete classic case of ridiculous thoughts!
How could a woman this dedicated and loyal ever have a change of heart!
Han Yanyao heard him clearly, but she only continued to stare at him in disbelief, shaking her head and trying to snap out of it, as tears continued to stream down her face. She mustered all her strength to smile, as if she wanted to make herself appear less pathetic before this kin, only to no avail…
The hand that had been supporting her against the wall seemed to have lost its strength and she fell to the ground, whimpering and crying quietly. Suddenly, she grabbed her head with both hands, her entire body shook with her silent sobs.
Only Heaven knew how she got by the past ten years!
Compared to Jun Wuyi, Han Yanyao undoubtedly suffered more. She was a lady, a sensitive lady, after all.
Ten whole years of guilt, yearning, self-blame, and being hopeful, but at the same time, afraid. Not to say the endless solitude and loneliness she had to endure.
She had always acknowledged herself as Jun Wuyi's wife, as part of the Jun Family, but she had never dared to expect the Jun Family to acknowledge a daughter-in-law. Yet in her heart, she desired and wished so much for this position! She even thought that as long as she got to see Jun Wuyi again in this lifetime, she would die satisfied even were she to die immediately!
To have the "Jun" name carved onto her altar after her death, she would be content with this life. Truly and sincerely content, with no other desires.
She had never dared to beg the Jun Family to allow Jun Wuyi to marry her; she didn't even dare to think of it.
Because she knew how badly that incident back then had impacted the Jun Family, and how much damage was caused to the Jun Family and this youth before her eyes…
However, the mere, two flighty words of 'third aunt' from Jun Moxie's mouth was enough to weigh heavily in her heart. Because this represented the acknowledgement of the Jun Family!
Someone from the Jun Family had specially come to see her.