Volume 1, Chapter 17: A Long-Awaited Reunion

When Sinan Xi awoke again, several hours had already passed.

He vaguely recalled that earlier, on the Chaos Lotus Platform, he had engaged in a desperate battle with Mo Daoke. Then, a tall figure suddenly appeared and completely shattered his hand.

After that, everything became a blur.

"Where am I?" Sinan Xi forced himself up using his left hand.

His entire body ached as if crushed by a massive stone; every part groaned, sending unbearable pain signals to his brain. He looked down at his right hand, which had been treated—covered with medicinal ointment and wrapped in thick bandages.

"What... happened?"

He strained to turn his head and looked around. The room was adorned with antique furnishings, and at its center hung a portrait whose patterns seemed vaguely familiar.

Could it be Old Wu? Unlikely. Having known him for so many years, whether Sinan Xi was the aggressor or the victim, even in the most critical moments of life and death, Old Wu had never intervened to save him. So it probably wasn’t him.

And such professional bone-setting and bandaging skills were certainly not those of Little Liuli.

"You're awake?"

A somewhat weary voice came from beyond the curtain, interrupting his thoughts.

Sinan Xi was momentarily stunned; the voice sounded familiar.

With some hesitation, he turned his head toward the door and saw a middle-aged man walking in slowly. The man’s gait was uneven, as if bearing an old injury to his leg.

"You... you are...?"

"Remember me now?"

Sinan Xi smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head. Attempting to rise on his injured legs, he was gently pressed back down.

"Young master, don’t get excited. You need to take good care of your injury, or else you’ll be limping through the rest of your life like me."

"I never thought I’d see you here, Uncle Qin."

Qin Yuan never dreamed he would meet Sinan Xi again in this lifetime, and especially not in a remote border town like Lin’an.

Four years had passed since they last met, and neither knew how to resume the conversation, so they exchanged an awkward smile.

"Uncle Qin, what are you doing here?" Sinan Xi broke the silence first.

"Well, four years ago during the western expedition with you, I accidentally broke my leg. You were kind enough to let me retire early from the Baiyi Division. After returning home, I went back to my old trade and became a cook. After several twists and turns, I ended up as the temporary manager of this Xiangling Inn in Lin’an."

Upon hearing Qin Yuan mention the Baiyi Division, Sinan Xi’s expression darkened instantly.

"The brothers from those days... are all gone."

"Gone...? What do you mean?" Qin Yuan was shocked.

One year ago, on a snowy night, the 2,300 soldiers of the Baiyi Division who had fought alongside Sinan Xi on many campaigns were all lost in the perilous mountain pass between Zishu and Ganqing.

Hearing Sinan Xi’s words, Qin Yuan’s eyes moistened. In an instant, all memories of the past four years with the Baiyi Division flooded his mind.

Qin Yuan had been just a small cook within the division, never having fought on the front lines. Yet, during that ambush, his comrades who had broken through the encirclement turned back without hesitation to rescue the few cooks left behind. Thinking of that was the most touching moment of his life.

How... how could it all be lost in just four short years?

Regaining his composure, Qin Yuan asked Sinan Xi, "The Baiyi Division men were all experts with over ten years of cultivation, mostly from the Qinghu and Jiangfeng units. They were the elite of the elite. How could they all perish in a single battle?"

The memories, long sealed away, reopened wounds of pain, guilt, sorrow, and self-reproach within Sinan Xi.

He said nothing more, unwilling to revisit the past.

Qin Yuan looked at Sinan Xi with sympathy. For a man who valued his comrades’ lives above his own, how much time would it take to emerge from such a nightmare? And what about the families of those who had fallen—were they at peace?

Sinan Xi sat stiffly, his face pale as iron, clutching his thigh tightly as if only by doing so could he find some relief.

Qin Yuan opened his mouth to speak but found his throat clogged, unable to utter a word. He sat quietly, watching Sinan Xi endure his pain in silence.

"Young master, it’s all my fault, my fault. On our rare reunion, I shouldn’t have brought up those old memories."

"Uncle Qin, don’t call me ‘young master’ anymore. Just call me Sinan Xi. If that’s too direct, ‘young lord’ is fine too."

"Ah, you’re awake!"

Little Liuli entered carrying a basin of water.

"You scared me to death. When you were brought here, I thought you were dead."

She set the basin down by the bed and gently began to clean Sinan Xi’s wounds.

Only then did Sinan Xi realize that since Qin Yuan said he was the temporary manager of the Xiangling Inn, the lavish meal and fine wine he had enjoyed earlier must have been Qin Yuan’s treat.

"Young lord, are you asking about that meal?" Qin Yuan anticipated his thoughts and spoke first.

"If it was you, that makes sense. I was wondering who would go to such lengths to serve me such an expensive feast. If not for you, I would have had to pawn Little Liuli here to raise money and settle the bill."

The group laughed heartily, and much of the earlier gloom vanished.

"So, Uncle Qin, you’re the one who saved me?"

"Saved might be too much to say. The warrior from the Cultivation Institute who came in with you crawled out of the water and then slunk away with Jin Chanhai. I just carried you away from the crowd of onlookers."

"What about the female disciple who came with me?"

"I know about her!"

Little Liuli leaned close to Sinan Xi and smiled.

"That female disciple is sound asleep in the next room."

Qin Yuan added, "She ate a whole bowl of thousand-year Snow Mountain Lingzhi soup and drank two bowls of Shenxi wine—both highly nourishing. Her body couldn’t digest it all at once, so she passed out. Given the time, she should be waking up soon."

Sinan Xi was not familiar with the Cultivation Institute. Since the system’s task required him to become an inner peak disciple and he happened to meet Qin Yuan here, it made sense to ask him for information.

"By the way, Uncle Qin, how long have you been managing the Xiangling Inn in Lin’an?"

"Why the sudden question? I haven’t been here long—less than a month. The Xiangling Inns in the Central Plains and Outer Regions take turns managing the place. This was arranged by the Western Brocade Clan chief to avoid getting too entangled with the Cultivation Institute and becoming tools for local powers. In a few days, I’ll be transferred elsewhere."

"Just asking casually. What about that Jin Chanhai who injured me earlier—do you know him?"

"Oh, him? He’s like a walking curse in the Cultivation Institute. Here, everyone calls him Senior Brother Da. He never smiles, and everyone treats him like the grim reaper—terrified to death."

Qin Yuan suddenly recalled something and continued:

"I heard he passed the examination of the Western Brocade Clan’s Feather Immortal Gate years ago but, for some unknown reason, never went on to further training and stayed here."

"I didn’t expect such a small place like Lin’an’s Cultivation Institute to harbor such a formidable expert. If I’ve offended him, does that mean no good days ahead?"

Qin Yuan furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment.

"Jin Chanhai may be fierce, but he’s not unreasonable."

Sinan Xi was about to ask more when a muffled thud came from the next room.