As Old Man Li spoke, the blanks in Bai Shengyi's mind regarding her junior sister, Sheng Yi, were gradually filled.
Fifteen years ago, the Great Sheng Kingdom was merely an obscure, insignificant small country. Its people lived in peace and contentment, and the ruler, with neither merit nor demerit, guarded the modest territory without ambition.
Until one day, a cultivator happened to pass by. Suddenly inspired, he divined the whereabouts of the ruler.
"This place has beautiful mountains and clear waters, and its people are simple and honest. Your daughter and I share a master-disciple bond. I am willing to become the National Teacher of Great Sheng and guide her."
The ruler had only one child in his half-life, Princess Ruyi, Sheng Yi.
Princess Ruyi was lively, cheerful, and benevolent. Like her name, she shone brightly like a little sun. Not only was she the treasure the ruler doted on, but she was also beloved by all the citizens of Great Sheng. For this reason, the entire Great Sheng Kingdom, with all its might, constructed the Observatory to pray for her.
Yes, it was for prayer.
This was because Princess Ruyi was born frail and was diagnosed by imperial physicians to not live past fifteen.
"I only wish for her life to be as she desires. Whether she takes a master or not, it is up to A Yi herself."
"She was born with incomplete souls and spirits, which affects her destiny. If she becomes my disciple, I can protect her for a long life."
Upon hearing this, the aged ruler immediately hurried down from his throne and personally bowed to the cultivator.
"Master, is what you say true? I will immediately confer the title of National Teacher upon you and have the discipleship ceremony prepared."
"Father, I do not wish to take a master." Princess Ruyi, holding her skirt, rushed into the grand hall. She was breathless after walking only a short distance.
In her hand, she held a very beautiful long sword, which she had found when she was young. "Father, I told you, I want to be a swordswoman! I don't want to be a disciple!"
However, the ruler, who had always doted on her, did not listen to her this time. He turned to the cultivator and said, "My daughter is ill-mannered. Her words do not count. Master, please do not mind."
The cultivator's eyes fell upon Princess Ruyi... and the sword in her hand. His eyes lit up, and he nodded with increasing satisfaction. He said, "It is of no consequence."
The discipleship ceremony was soon held grandly. After the ceremony, Princess Ruyi moved into the National Teacher's Residence with the cultivator.
Upon entering the National Teacher's Residence, Ruyi learned that the cultivator had already accepted a disciple in Great Sheng, whom he named Xuan Qing.
"From now on, A Yi will have a senior brother to protect her. Are you happy, A Yi?" the cultivator asked with a smile, stroking his beard.
Princess Ruyi liked her handsome and distinguished senior brother very much, but she couldn't feel close to the cultivator as her master. She replied softly, "I am happy."
However, with her senior brother, she would no longer be alone in the National Teacher's Residence cultivating.
Her thoughts were correct. From then on, Xuan Qing was the one who accompanied her the most in the National Teacher's Residence.
Though young, he usually appeared very indifferent, but he was extremely reliable.
When she was sick, Xuan Qing took care of her; when she cultivated and practiced swordplay, Xuan Qing guided and accompanied her; when her body was too weak to do anything but lie in bed, Xuan Qing found many small toys like rabbit figures for her...
"Master, I am feeling better. Can I go to the charity hall in the east of the city to ladle congee today? I heard that the north is experiencing a severe drought, and many refugees have fled to the capital."
More importantly, she had not left the National Teacher's Residence for two years. Even her father, the Emperor, the last time she saw him was during the Mid-Autumn Festival last year.
The cultivator frowned deeply, "Do not entertain such useless thoughts, Ruyi. I promised your father that I would ensure you live a long life. Cultivate obediently and be good! Oh, did you drink your medicine today?"
"I drank it." Princess Ruyi clutched the sword in her hand, and her once bright eyes suddenly dimmed.
"Oh, right, you can change that sword. This is a new sword that Master specially found materials to forge for you." The cultivator handed her a long sword inlaid with rubies, which looked incredibly opulent, and then said, "As for your original sword, let Master help you destroy it."
Two years had passed, and his patience had reached its limit.
However, Princess Ruyi, who had always been very obedient to him, suddenly ran away in a flash!
"No need, Master. I only like my Little Blue!"
The cultivator's gaze sank. He chased after her, intending to force her to exchange the sword, but he saw Xuan Qing already walking towards her.
"Xuan Qing, you and A Yi have such good relations?"
On the other side, Princess Ruyi held Xuan Qing's sleeve, her voice delicate yet filled with a sense of lightness.
"Senior Brother, how did you know I wanted to ladle congee? It's wonderful that you can help me bring the donated supplies to the charity hall!"
Xuan Qing's usually indifferent brows held a trace of gentleness. He said softly, "When you are well, you can go yourself. Then I will take you out for horse riding."
The delicate Princess Ruyi was actually a valiant maiden who longed to gallop across the land with her sword.
"Okay!" Princess Ruyi hugged her sword. "I'll show you my newly created sword technique then. Little Blue is truly so obedient and easy to use. I don't want to change it. Senior Brother, can you plead with Master for me?"
"Alright." After Xuan Qing agreed, he got up to find the cultivator.
Princess Ruyi's slender, fair fingers brushed the sword's surface, and she murmured to herself, "Little Blue, don't worry. With Senior Brother's help, I'll definitely be able to keep you!"
But fate worked in peculiar ways. The moment Xuan Qing left, he stumbled upon the cultivator using Princess Ruyi's birth chart to perform a ritual, intending to refine her into a puppet.
It turned out that the so-called destiny was merely a deception targeted at Princess Ruyi.
Princess Ruyi's birth chart was exceptionally unique, and coupled with her naturally incomplete souls and spirits, she was ideal material for creating a human puppet. The cultivator had originally intended to abduct her directly but discovered that despite its small size, the Great Sheng Kingdom possessed a prosperous national destiny, with a dragon脉 hidden beneath the ground.
Thus, he used the dragon脉 to draw out the Earth's Core Fire, then refined Princess Ruyi's body with spiritual herbs. When the time was right, he began the refinement process. And Princess Ruyi's sword, which possessed an extraordinary aura, was an unexpected bonus for him.
Xuan Qing discovered the cultivator's true face and, at the cost of nine lives, defeated him, subsequently becoming the new National Teacher. However, no sooner had he taken office than the neighboring countries launched aggressive invasions.
These invaders not only possessed sharp and piercing weapons but could also command fierce beasts to attack the soldiers of Great Sheng.
"A Yi, you are truly going to the battlefield?"
Spring turned to autumn. The girl who had once reached only to his waist now stood at his chest. Her figure remained delicate, but the smile on her face was more uninhibited and radiant than ever before.
"Yes, I am going. I am the princess of Great Sheng. If even I abandon our people, then Great Sheng will truly be lost. Moreover, I did learn some things from that cultivator, so perhaps I can deal with those wild beasts..."
She held her sword, a bright and cheerful smile on her face. She mounted her horse, flicked the whip on its back, and galloped away without hesitation.
"Senior Brother, I'll be back!"
Xuan Qing nodded slightly, shielding the reluctance in his eyes. "Alright."
He wished her success, never imagining that their parting would be eternal.
...
At the wonton stall, Old Man Li's eyes were red. He wiped his eyes and said somewhat self-consciously, "This old man has lost his composure. Little girl, please don't blame me."
Bai Shengyi shook her head, indicating that she didn't mind.
"Little girl, you may not know this, but before Princess Ruyi went to the battlefield, the ruler had already prepared to bestow marriage upon her and the National Teacher."
"Such an early betrothal?" Bai Shengyi mused. At that time, Sheng Yi was only fourteen, wasn't she?
"Because Princess Ruyi's health was very weak," Old Man Li said wistfully. "We, the citizens of Great Sheng, were all protected by Princess Ruyi. She led the soldiers to a great victory against the enemy, repelled those wild beasts, and protected the entire Great Sheng Kingdom. But in the end, she fell ill from a minor cold and could not recover..."
"Princess Ruyi was three days shy of fifteen when she passed away. It is said that the National Teacher's Residence used a ten-thousand-year ice coffin to enshroud her body, preserving her remains intact. She is still placed within the residence to this day..."
Bai Shengyi's attention was immediately caught by this sentence!
The National Teacher's Residence seemed to have a particular place, so special that for the past three years, every time she walked near it, Xuan Qing would subtly lead her away. And as time passed, her memory of that place had almost faded into nothingness!
If not for hearing this, she wouldn't have recalled it at all.
Just as Bai Shengyi was about to inquire further, a faint, cold voice reached her ears. The chill felt like her own illusion, yet when listened to carefully, it was clear and light.
"Junior Sister, what are you two talking about?"