Nine Nights Owl Song

Zhao Ying and Qian Shaoqing sparred in the inn room for the entire afternoon.

Zhao Ying is at the early stage of the Core Formation Realm, while Qian Shaoqing is at the peak of the Transformation Realm, a whole realm apart.

However, Qian Shaoqing's exquisite swordsmanship compensated for his lack of internal strength.

The two fought back and forth, from afternoon until dusk, and from dusk until the lamps were lit.

Zhao Ying hadn't had such a satisfying fight in a long time. Fighting Xiao Yan meant getting beaten up, fighting Shen Qing meant testing each other, but fighting Gui Ying was a completely unproductive fight.

Only sparring with Qian Shaoqing is a true exchange of skills—not a life-or-death struggle, but a mutual exchange of techniques, learning from each other, and appreciating one another.

As a final move, the two knives were placed together.

The blades clashed, producing a crisp ringing sound that echoed through the quiet inn room.

The two men stared at each other across the blade.

Both Qian Shaoqing and Zhao Ying had sweat on their foreheads, and their eyes were shining.

Qian Shaoqing sheathed his knife first.

"Brother Zhao, your swordsmanship is the best I have ever seen."

Zhao Ying also sheathed her short blade.

"Yours is too." Qian Shaoqing smiled.

Zhao Ying smiled too.

The two sat by the window, overlooking the night view of Qingjiang City. In the distance, fishing lights twinkled on the river, while lanterns lit up one by one in the nearby streets and alleys.

Looking at the lights, Qian Shaoqing suddenly said something unrelated:

"Brother Zhao, do you know? Everyone says that Qian Shaoqing is fond of men." Zhao Ying did not speak.

Qian Shaoqing's voice was very calm.

"No. I just want to make friends, like-minded friends, friends who don't care about family background, wealth, or status. My father is the military governor of Qingjiang, and since I was little, everyone around me has been there for my father's power. Not a single one of them is sincere, and not a single one of them is my friend because of Qian Shaoqing." Zhao Ying looked at him.

Qian Shaoqing turned to look at Zhao Ying.

"Brother Zhao, you're one of them. You don't ask who my father is, whether I have money, or whether I can help you with business. You just drink with me, discuss swords, and chat. I know you consider me a friend."

Zhao Ying remained silent for a long time.

He said, "You are my friend."

Qian Shaoqing's eyes reddened.

He lowered his head, gripping the scabbard tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Zhao Ying looked at him; everyone said he was attracted to men.

Sitting in front of him now, I hadn't looked at him closely since we first met, but today I'm examining him closely—his eyebrows and eyes are long and slender, his nose is high and straight, and his lips are thin and red.

He was indeed good-looking, with a refined and clean appearance, like a mountain stream.

Zhao Ying looked away.

After Qian Shaoqing left, Zhao Ying sat alone by the window.

Su Jiuge walked in from the next room, and Zhao Ying did not turn around.

"He knows I'm not a merchant," Zhao Ying said softly.

Su Jiuge walked to his side.

"Does he know you're from the Dark Pavilion?"

Zhao Ying shook her head.

"I don't know. But I do know I'm not in the silk business. My swordsmanship is beyond what a merchant could possess, and my short blade is beyond what a merchant could afford. He knew all that, but he didn't ask."

Su Jiuge remained silent for a moment.

He's waiting for you to tell him.

Zhao Ying did not speak.

On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, Qian Shaoqing came again.

I didn't bring any alcohol or a knife today.

He stood at the doorway, dressed in a black brocade robe, with no sword at his waist.

"Brother Zhao, let me show you around Qingjiang City. You've been in Qingjiang for so many days, but you haven't really seen the city properly yet."

Zhao Ying looked at him and nodded.

Qingjiang City is small, but exquisite. It features bluestone paths, white walls and black tiles, and small bridges over flowing water.

Unlike the ruggedness of the North and the prosperity of Los Angeles, Qingjiang possesses a gentle charm unique to the water towns of Jiangnan.

Qian Shaoqing led Zhao Ying through streets and alleys, across stone bridges and waterside pavilions, past temples and Taoist monasteries.

He told Zhao Ying about the history of Qingjiang, the rise and fall of the city, and how he used to catch fish here and climb trees there when he was a child.

Today, he is not the son of the Qingjiang military governor, nor a swordsman at the peak of the Transformation Realm; he is just an ordinary person showing his friends around his hometown.

When they passed a stone bridge, Qian Shaoqing stopped.

A small river flows under the bridge, its water so clear you can see the bottom.

Qian Shaoqing looked at the river and suddenly spoke:

"Brother Zhao, you're hiding something from me."

Zhao Ying's hand twitched slightly.

Qian Shaoqing turned to look at him.

"You're hiding something from me, and I'm hiding something from you. If you don't ask, I won't ask. We'll talk when you want to, and when I want to." He smiled.

"Before that, we were friends."

Zhao Ying looked at him. His face was very white and clean in the sunlight, and his eyebrows and eyes were curved.

Zhao Ying said, "Okay."

In the evening, Qian Shaoqing escorted Zhao Ying back to the inn.

At the entrance of the inn, the two people looked at each other in the twilight.

Qian Shaoqing spoke first.

"Brother Zhao, I'll take you to a wonderful place tomorrow. There's a mountain outside Qingjiang City, and from the top you can see the entire city. I used to go there often when I was a child, but I haven't been in a long time. Come with me tomorrow."

Zhao Ying agreed.

Qian Shaoqing remained silent for a moment. Then he left.

Zhao Ying stood at the entrance of the inn, watching his figure disappear into the twilight. Behind her, Su Jiuge emerged from the shadows.

He's still treating you as a friend.

"Um."

Su Jiuge remained silent for a moment.

"This person is usable."

Zhao Ying turned around and looked at her.

"He's not a pawn. He's my friend."

Su Jiuge looked into Zhao Ying's eyes, those usually carefree eyes were now very serious.

She didn't say anything more.

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, Qian Shaoqing took Zhao Ying to the mountains outside Qingjiang City.

The mountain is not high, but it is very steep.

The two used their light-footed skills to climb up one after the other, like two antelopes leaping on the mountain wall.

Zhao Ying's light-footed movements were graceful, and Qian Shaoqing's swordsmanship was agile. The wind was strong on the mountaintop, causing their robes to flutter loudly.

Looking into the distance, the entire city of Qingjiang can be seen.

The two sat on the mountaintop for a long time.

Qian Shaoqing spoke first.

"Zhao Ying, if one day we were on opposite sides, what would you do?"

Zhao Ying remained silent for a long time.

"have no idea."

Qian Shaoqing nodded.

"I don't know either."

As the sun gradually set, Qian Shaoqing stood up and dusted off his robe.

"Let's go down the mountain. It's getting dark and the road will be difficult to walk on."

Zhao Ying stood up and followed behind him.

The way down the mountain was more difficult than the way up, and neither of them spoke.

On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, Qian Shaoqing did not come.

On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, New Year's Eve, he arrived.

He brought a jar of wine and two dishes. He set out the bowls and chopsticks in Zhao Ying's room, poured two glasses of wine, and looked at Zhao Ying while holding the glass.

"Happy New Year's Eve, Brother Zhao."

Zhao Ying raised her glass and clinked it against his.

Happy Lunar New Year's Eve.

The two men sat facing each other, drinking wine.

Outside the window, the sounds of firecrackers echoed throughout Qingjiang City, and fireworks burst in the sky, painting the night sky with vibrant colors.

Qian Shaoqing looked at the fireworks outside the window.

"When I was little, I loved Chinese New Year the most. There were fireworks and new clothes to wear. But now that I'm older, I don't like it anymore. It means I'm another year older, and the burdens on my shoulders are heavier." He looked at Zhao Ying.

"Brother Zhao, how are you spending the New Year?"

Zhao Ying looked at the fireworks outside the window.

"I used to live alone. I drank and slept. This year is different."

"What's different?"

Zhao Ying did not answer.

This year he made a friend, a friend with whom he can drink, discuss swords, and watch fireworks.

He didn't know what the future held; perhaps one day they would be on opposite sides, perhaps one day they would become enemies. At least for now, they were friends.

Zhao Ying raised his glass. "Brother Qian, I'd like to toast you."

Qian Shaoqing picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.