Martial World Full of Disguises

35: The Cold Condition Flares

"Fu boy, watch the fire! The porridge is going to burn!" A white-haired old woman patted Fu Peibai, who was lost in thought.

Fu Peibai snapped back to reality. She had just been pondering some movement techniques.

She quickly reduced the fire and checked the porridge in the pot. Fortunately, it hadn't burned. She let out a breath of relief, took a clean small bowl and ladled out a bowl of plain porridge, then cut some pickled vegetables to go with it. She quickly packed both items into a food container, then rushed out of the kitchen holding it.

She didn't stop until she reached outside Lu Yanran's room, then knocked on the door.

Soon a voice came from inside. "Enter."

She pushed open the door. Without looking, she knew Lu Yanran was sitting at the table reading. She first set down the food container, then made the brazier in the room burn brighter, before returning to the dining table to set out the porridge and pickled vegetables.

She had been doing this for nearly half a month now, and her movements were quite practiced.

"Peak Master, please eat."

Lu Yanran set down her book, came to the dining table, and sat down, quietly beginning to drink the porridge.

Fu Peibai stood to the side. With each bite Lu Yanran ate, she felt a bit more happy, silently urging her to take another bite, and after that bite, secretly hoping for yet another.

Today Lu Yanran's appetite seemed decent. She finished the small bowl of plain porridge, leaving only a little pickled vegetables. As Fu Peibai cleared the dishes, she said, "Peak Master, your appetite is quite good today. Is there anything you'd like for dinner?"

These past two weeks, the only thing troubling her was how to get Lu Yanran to eat more. She had even spent several days learning cooking from the old woman in the kitchen, but she truly had no talent for it. Dish after dish came out black and charred, making the old woman hammer her arm repeatedly, scolding her for wasting food. So the cooking lessons had to be abandoned.

Lu Yanran wiped her mouth and returned to the desk. She said casually, "Noodles will do."

Fu Peibai was a bit surprised. She had never seen the Peak Master eat noodles before. But as long as she had an appetite, that was good. So she happily gathered the things and left the room.

When dinnertime came, she had the old woman prepare a large bowl of noodles and a bowl of seasoned meat topping. Only then did she carry both items to Lu Yanran's room.

When she entered, Lu Yanran was already seated at the dining table, as if waiting for her. Fu Peibai silently scolded herself for her self-indulgent imagination, then set out the noodles and meat topping one by one.

She took an empty bowl and served noodles for Lu Yanran, then ladled a spoonful of meat topping over them.

"Peak Master, it's ready to eat."

Having said this, she stood by the table as usual. Yet Lu Yanran didn't reach for her chopsticks. Instead, she looked up at Fu Peibai.

"Sit. Eat together."

Fu Peibai's eyes went wide. She pointed at herself. "Me?"

"Besides you and me, who else is here?"

Fu Peibai was rather surprised, not understanding why the Peak Master wanted to eat with her today. She was both nervous and happy as she pulled over a stool and slowly sat down.

Lu Yanran pushed the remaining noodles and meat topping toward her. "This bowl is enough for me. You eat the rest."

Fu Peibai stared blankly at the large bowl of noodles before her, feeling a bit uncertain in her heart. Eating at the same table alone with the Peak Master was something she hadn't dared to imagine.

She ladled the meat topping over the noodles, stirred them, and took a large mouthful.

Granny Wang's cooking skills were indeed excellent. The meat topping was savory and fragrant, the noodles chewy.

Just as she was thinking this, a quiet "Happy birthday" sounded in the still room.

She suddenly looked up at Lu Yanran, only then remembering that today was her birthday. The Peak Master had asked her to eat noodles together because of her birthday. The seemingly casual question the Peak Master had asked had apparently been remembered all along.

She couldn't describe the feeling in her heart right now. Wild joy occupied most of it. Her heart felt stuffed with something, full and swelling. She stammered, wanting to say something.

"Peak Master..."

After saying those words, Lu Yanran lowered her head and began eating noodles.

Fu Peibai set down her chopsticks and called out in a long, soft tone.

"Peak Master..."

Hearing the youth's voice that sounded almost like coquetry, Lu Yanran could only raise her head and soften her tone. "What is it?"

Fu Peibai smiled faintly, gazing at Lu Yanran with focused and earnest eyes. She said solemnly, "Peak Master, thank you. I'm very happy this birthday."

Lu Yanran shifted her gaze away unnaturally. Her tone remained gentle, but it revealed a slight tremor. "It's nothing."

The corners of Fu Peibai's mouth curved up, revealing white teeth, her eyes crinkling with smiles. She continued burying her head in eating noodles. Because her mood was so good, the noodles tasted even more delicious. Soon she had swept the large bowl clean.

After finishing the noodles, she leaned back against the chair to rest. Seeing Lu Yanran still eating in small bites, a warm current flowed through her heart.

"When is the Peak Master's birthday?"

"I don't celebrate birthdays."

Although Lu Yanran said this, Fu Peibai paid it no mind. In her heart, she silently began planning to give the Peak Master a proper birthday celebration.

When Lu Yanran finished eating, Fu Peibai cleared the bowls and chopsticks and withdrew from the room.

The room fell quiet again. Lu Yanran, accustomed to solitude, unexpectedly felt a trace of desolation. She walked to the window and soon heard a night hawk call from outside. Her eyes flashed, and she immediately climbed out the window.

A short while later, she arrived at a forest not far from the manor. A figure wrapped entirely in black robes was already waiting there. The person revealed only a pair of eyes, making it impossible to distinguish whether they were male or female, until a hoarse, rough female voice emerged.

"How is it?"

"Nothing unusual. Lu Wencheng's establishment of the Martial Supervision Hall appears to be merely an attempt to insert his own forces into various sects as informants. Our people have already taken the opportunity to infiltrate."

The black-robed woman contemplated for a moment, then continued. "Likely to investigate news of the Dengling fragments. It seems he's grown impatient. Continue observing."

"Yes."

After speaking, Lu Yanran waited a moment. Seeing that the black-robed woman had nothing more to convey, she prepared to leave. But as she turned, she was called back.

"Seventeen."

Lu Yanran's footsteps paused. She turned back, her tone respectful yet distant. "Sect Master."

"That person is called Fu Peibai. You seem uncommonly close to him."

"No. I simply saw his background as pitiful and offered some assistance, nothing more."

"Good if there's nothing. But though you may have no intention, I've observed his eager manner. He seems to harbor feelings for you. Do you know what to do?"

Lu Yanran lowered her eyes, her voice flat. "I know."

The black-robed woman nodded. "We still have important matters to attend to. Do not become entangled in romantic feelings. Loving someone means having a weakness. Having a weakness makes one constrained in action, hesitating and second-guessing. We both witnessed how the Fifth Envoy was destroyed by love. I don't wish for you to follow the same path, nor will I allow you to walk such a road of no return."

Lu Yanran didn't respond, her head slightly bowed.

"Seventeen, hear me on this. I care not what you do in the future. But as long as you are Lu Yanran for even one day, you must conduct yourself properly as the eldest daughter of the Lu family. Do not develop any thoughts you shouldn't have. If one day our great vengeance is achieved, you may do as you wish. I won't stop you then. I will grant you freedom."

After a moment of silence between them, Lu Yanran responded in a low voice, then departed the bamboo forest.

The black-robed woman's figure also soon dissolved into the boundless night.

......

The last few days of the sixteenth year of Pingyuan quickly passed. At the start of the new year, Fu Peibai rose early, spirits high, and went to the kitchen to bring breakfast for Lu Yanran. But after knocking on the door for quite a while, there was no response from inside.

She was wondering when a hoarse "Enter" came from within.

She hurriedly pushed open the door and discovered Lu Yanran was still lying in bed. This was unlike her usual schedule.

She set down the food container, ran over, and knelt on one knee by the bed, asking softly, "Peak Master, what's wrong?"

Lu Yanran had her back to Fu Peibai. Her voice was somewhat muffled. "I'm fine. No appetite. You go out first."

How could Fu Peibai rest easily? She wanted to see Lu Yanran's expression, but didn't dare touch her without permission. She could only ask anxiously, "Peak Master, can you turn around first? Let me look at you. Are you uncomfortable somewhere? Should I go fetch a physician?"

But this long string of words only earned a cold "No need" in return.

Fu Peibai felt somewhat disappointed. Actually, since her birthday, although Lu Yanran seemed unchanged on the surface, she could keenly sense that the other's attitude toward her had grown much cooler.

"Peak Master..."

Lu Yanran didn't move at all. Her voice grew even colder and harder. "Get out."

Fu Peibai clenched her fist, took a deep breath, and withdrew from the room.

Her heart was in turmoil. She punched a tree trunk as if venting, and the white snow upon it fell in flurries, covering her head.

She shook her head and returned to her own room, pacing back and forth, her heart a mixture of flavors. There was some pain and grievance, but more worry. A-Fu and Xing Guang wouldn't return until very late. Right now she couldn't even find someone to check on the Peak Master.

Time passed slowly. At midday, she knocked on Lu Yanran's door again carrying steaming hot food. Unsurprisingly, a cold "No need" came from inside once more.

Dejected, she carried the food back to the kitchen and sat on a low stool, lost in thought. The old woman saw her soul-absent appearance and looked at the untouched food, understanding dawning in her mind.

"What's wrong, Fu boy? Did you fight with your young miss?"

Fu Peibai said dejectedly, "We didn't fight, but it feels like we did."

The old woman assumed the air of someone who had been through it all. She pulled over a low stool and sat beside Fu Peibai, patting her shoulder. "Young ladies, their thoughts are the hardest to guess. Think carefully. Did you say something wrong or do something wrong?"

Fu Peibai thought back carefully, still wearing a distressed expression. "No. These past few days she hasn't really paid attention to me. I haven't had any chance to talk to her at all."

The old woman smiled. "Then why not ask her directly? Speak plainly. Better than moping around like this."

"N-no, that wouldn't be right." Fu Peibai felt she had no valid reason to ask about this out of nowhere.

"Ah, silly boy. Don't tell me you haven't declared your feelings to your young miss yet?"

Fu Peibai's body became rigid. She didn't know how the old woman had figured it out. She said dryly, "I have no improper designs on my young miss."

Hearing this, the old woman laughed until her face crinkled. "Who are you fooling? Others might not see it, but this old woman who's lived decades can't tell? The way you look at your young miss is exactly like how my late husband used to pester me. When you like someone, your eyes don't lie."

Fu Peibai clenched her fist and lowered her head. "She doesn't know."

"Are you afraid your status isn't worthy of your young miss?"

Fu Peibai gave a vague hum.

"Ah, what does it matter? As long as you both have feelings for each other, why care about worldly opinions? Besides, though this old woman has only known you a short while, I can see you're a young one who can endure hardship and is diligent. You're still so young. One day, you'll make something of yourself."

"And you know, I see that although your young miss looks like a cold and distant person, she treats you a bit differently. You're in the thick of it and can't see clearly, but I watch from the side and naturally see things plainly."

Fu Peibai shook her head. She had never deluded herself into thinking the Peak Master might have special feelings for her. "Impossible. She couldn't possibly be toward me... anyway, she and I are impossible. I've never hoped for anything. I only wish her a life of peace and joy, where everything goes smoothly."

"Ah, you boy..."

Fu Peibai didn't want to continue the conversation. She rose and returned to her room.

Night fell quietly. She ultimately couldn't set aside her worry. After hesitating for a good while, she went to knock on Lu Yanran's door.

"Peak Master, are you hungry? Would you like to eat something?"

Both inside and outside the room, a long silence followed.

Fu Peibai's expression grew grave. She knocked a few more times. Still no response from the room. She couldn't wait any longer. She directly pushed open the door.

Upon entering, she found the Peak Master still lying on her side facing inward, just as she had been when she left that morning. She looked as if she had slept the entire day.

She walked over with light footsteps and called softly, "Peak Master?"

The woman on the bed didn't move. Fu Peibai called out several times in quick succession. Lu Yanran still didn't move. Only then did Fu Peibai sense something was wrong.

In her urgency, she turned Lu Yanran's slender shoulder and saw the woman's clean face completely bloodless. She reached out to touch her cheek, then yanked her hand back, heart filled with shock and fear.

The Peak Master's face was as cold as the depths of winter, ice-cold, without normal body temperature. If not for the weak breath at her nose, Fu Peibai would have thought the Peak Master...

She bolted from the room, shouting loudly, "Someone come! Someone come quickly!"

Several guards heard the commotion and rushed over, asking what had happened. Fu Peibai was about to say go fetch a physician, but then thought of how much time would be wasted going back and forth. She commanded sharply, "Quick, prepare a carriage! Hurry!"

The guards asked no more questions and immediately went outside the manor to prepare a carriage.

Fu Peibai ran back to the room, disregarding everything else. She helped Lu Yanran sit up and put on her outer robe, then placed her on her back, stood steady, and ran toward the manor gate.

Outside the manor, a carriage was already prepared. She carried the person into the carriage and laid Lu Yanran down properly.

Seeing this situation, the guards knew the important person from the Heavenly Pole Sect had fallen ill. They quickly called to the driver, "Go to Mingren Hall in town! Quickly!"

The driver received the order and cracked his whip. The wheels rolled as they headed toward town.

Inside the carriage, Fu Peibai was frantic with worry. She loosely held Lu Yanran, resting the other's head on her shoulder. Her other hand gripped Lu Yanran's bone-chillingly cold hand, squeezing tightly, trying to use her own warmth to warm the other's hand.

But it was all in vain. She herself had taken the disguise medicine, which had already lowered her body temperature below that of ordinary people. How could she use her body heat to warm Lu Yanran?

For the first time, Fu Peibai regretted taking that medicine. Her face was so anxious she looked ready to weep.

The carriage soon arrived at the medicine hall in town. But at this hour, the hall had already closed.

Fu Peibai pounded on the wooden door with loud bangs. After a while, an impatient elderly voice came from inside, then the door opened.

She suddenly grabbed the old man's wrist, her voice trembling. "Physician, I beg you to examine my young miss. Please."

The old man paused. Though very displeased at being woken in the middle of the night, he was a healer at heart. He waved his hand. "Come in."