The Road Home

Not long after Han Li left Calm Dawn Mountain, Sect Leader Wang announced that he was accepting Li Feiyu as his formal personal disciple. He also confirmed Li Feiyu’s position as the head of the Outer Blade Hall, treating him with exceptional favor from that day forward. Years later, when Han Li’s third uncle made a serious mistake that violated the sect’s rules—an offense that should have cost him his life—Sect Leader Wang overruled all objections and spared him.

As for Sect Leader Wang himself, in the gang conflicts that followed, he faced powerful enemies and was mortally wounded several times. Each time everyone expected him to die, he would rely on a single pill from a jade bottle to make a miraculous recovery, soon becoming lively again. This sparked envy in others, who asked him the name and origin of the medicine, but Wang Juechu always evaded the question and refused to reveal it. Naturally, those who tried to beg or demand the pills left empty-handed.

It was not until many years later, as Wang Juechu lay on his deathbed, that he finally revealed the pill’s name: “Nourishing Elixir.” By then, only three pills remained in the jade bottle. But even those three would stir up a storm of blood and conflict, bringing no small amount of trouble to Wang Juechu’s descendants. That, however, is a story for later. For now, we shall set it aside.

At this moment, Li Feiyu was holding several small bottles and a piece of paper, staring dumbly into space. He had returned that morning from Zhang Xiuer’s place to find these items waiting in his room.

The note was from Han Li. It was simply written: it told Li Feiyu that he had already left the Seven Mysteries Sect and might never return. The medicine in the bottles was carefully prepared and should extend Li Feiyu’s life somewhat; he hoped Li Feiyu would not refuse it.

At the very end, where the signature would be, there was a drawing of Han Li’s smiling face. Beside the smile was a wish that Li Feiyu and Zhang Xiuer would marry soon and have many children.

Li Feiyu stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly ran out of the room and charged up the nearest small peak.

At the top, he anxiously gazed in the direction of the Seven Mysteries Sect’s main gate. All he saw was a stretch of green—there was no trace of any human figure. He stood there motionless for a long time, then finally let out a sigh and spoke in a low, lonely voice: “Take care. Have a good journey.”

Then he slowly descended the peak, his retreating figure appearing very solitary and melancholy.

Meanwhile, a horse-drawn carriage was traveling along an old road, heading east.

Han Li and Qu Hun sat inside it. Though the four-wheeled covered carriage had plenty of space, the two of them were its only occupants. Han Li had paid three taels of silver to charter the entire vehicle temporarily.

The wooden carriage looked somewhat shabby and worn on the outside, but the inside was quite clean. The two horses pulling it were in their prime, running briskly and pulling the vehicle along at a fast pace.

These were the two points that had convinced Han Li to spend three taels of silver to rent the carriage. Normally, a carriage like this would earn barely over one tael even after several days of continuous work.

The driver was an ordinary, thin, dark-skinned middle-aged man who was not much of a talker. Unless Han Li initiated a conversation, he would not speak. This suited Han Li just fine.

After all, the Qu Hun by his side was unusually tall and wore a hood that concealed his face, giving him a mysterious appearance. If the driver had been a chatterbox, Han Li would have had to deal with annoying questions.

On Han Li’s shoulder stood the yellow-feathered Cloud-Wing Bird. This highly intelligent little creature had its eyes half-closed, apparently resting.

At the other end of the carriage, Qu Hun sat with a large bundle on his shoulder. Aside from a few changes of clothes, it was filled entirely with gold, silver, and various jars and bottles—items of no small weight.

As for the magical tools, letters, and books he had obtained from Doctor Mo, those were small and important. Fearing they might be lost, Han Li kept them on his person.

Now, Han Li sat quietly in the carriage, listening to the wooden wheels creak. His expression was calm and undisturbed. He felt no particular sadness at leaving the Seven Mysteries Sect.

If there was anything he felt even slightly reluctant to part with, it was only his close friend Li Feiyu. But Li Feiyu should have received his message by now and seen the specially prepared medicine. Han Li hoped the medicine would be effective and allow his friend to enjoy a bit more of life.

With this thought, Han Li stretched and leaned back against the carriage wall, closing his eyes. He had already told the driver the destination: the small mountain village where he was born.

Though he knew it was unlikely, he still hoped that when he opened his eyes again, he would see his parents and siblings.

It had been so many years since he had left home. Even their faces had grown somewhat blurry in his memory. Before he journeyed far away, he had to see his parents with his own eyes. Otherwise, he would never be able to leave in peace.

“I wonder how my little sister is doing. She must be sixteen or seventeen now—a grown young lady. The last letter from home mentioned she had been betrothed and the engagement gifts had been sent.” Just before drifting off to sleep, a small, thin figure appeared in Han Li’s mind. This figure had always followed behind him, calling out “Fourth Brother” in a soft, childish voice.

“Time really does fly.”

Finally, bathed in a warm sense of peace, Han Li fell into a deep, sound sleep. It was the most peaceful and secure sleep he had had in a long time, like when he was a child and his parents would watch over him, chasing away the mosquitoes. He slept just as sweetly now as he had then.

Five days later, following the yellow-earth road, Han Li finally spotted the familiar little village in the distance.

Low mud walls, rows of straw piles, and the potholed little paths—all of this had once filled Han Li’s dreams, and now it appeared before him in the flesh.

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Han Li told the driver to stop the carriage far outside the village. Qu Hun remained in the carriage and did not get out. Han Li himself walked quickly toward the village entrance. The closer he got, the faster his heart beat.

It had been a long time since Han Li had felt such an uncontrollable emotion.