17 Childe Mo

For a while, no one spoke. Wang Jingyuan carefully wiped the blood on Feng Ming Sword on one of the dead masked man's back before returning the sword to its sheath. She noticed that the young man was looking at her.

He seemed to be around her age, perhaps slightly older. All of his hair was held up nicely by a gold hair piece on his head, with a skinny golden hairpin piercing through the middle. He had dark brows that arched gracefully over eyes the color of honey when it caught the sun. His fair skin and pale red lips only amplified his good looks. He was dressed like a son from a rich family, and even though his clothes were a little disheveled from the battle, it could not hide the aura of power and elegance about him.

"Thank you, miss, for coming to my rescue." The young man sheathed his sword and performed the customary greeting, by placing his right fist in his left palm with the fingers on the left hand straight and pointing forty-five degrees into the air. "If it wasn't for you, I would be dead right now."

Wang Jingyuan returned the gesture. "Martial artists don't leave anyone in trouble to fend for themselves. I'm glad that I was passing by and was able to help. Childe, you're not hurt, are you?"

The young man shook his head. "Just a little startled, that's all. Miss, I was watching you fight the masked man, and I must say, your sword skills are very good. You must be an accomplished martial artist."

Wang Jingyuan blushed a little at the compliment. "I'm actually relatively new to the martial arts sector. There is a lot I still need to learn and improve on. If anything, I've only showcased my inadequacy."

"Miss, you are too humble." The young man smiled. His eyes crinkled at the edges, and Wang Jingyuan couldn't help but stare at how extra cute he was when he smiled. "May I ask your name?"

"Um…" Wang Jingyuan debated if she could trust him. She decided that if he was being chased by assassins, he was probably not a bad guy. "My name is Wang Jingyuan."

"Oh, Miss Wang. It's a pleasure to meet you." The young man nodded his head.

"Childe, can I ask for your name too?" Wang Jingyuan asked.

"Ah, pardon my rudeness. I haven't even introduced myself." The young man smiled sheepishly. "My name is Mo Xian."

"Childe Mo, it's nice to meet you too," Wang Jingyuan smiled back.

"Miss Wang, are you traveling alone? Where are you headed?" Mo Xian inquired.

"I'm headed to the Capital," Wang Jingyuan told him truthfully. Mo Xian brightened.

"What a coincidence! I'm also headed to the Capital. If you don't mind, how would you like to travel together?" Mo Xian looked hopefully at Wang Jingyuan. "That way, I can find a way to repay you for saving my life."

"There is no need for repaying me; it wasn't an arduous task or anything." Wang Jingyuan declined immediately.

"Nonsense, you've saved my life. I must repay you in some way." Mo Xian was insistent.

Seeing his persistence, Wang Jingyuan changed the subject. "As for traveling together, I would love to have a buddy on the road."

"Fantastic!" Mo Xian beamed, and his smile was like sunshine on a rainy day. "My servants and I were traveling by horse, but I'm afraid they've all run off. We will have to travel by foot until we meet more horse sellers."

"That's fine by me. I was walking anyway." Wang Jingyuan didn't want to tell Mo Xian that she was broke and couldn't afford a horse. She felt that he would buy her a horse if he knew, because he seemed like a nice person who would do such a thing, but she didn't like being indebted to anyone.

"Alright. Shall we hit the road, then?" Mo Xian inclined his head toward the path.

"What about all these bodies?" Wang Jingyuan asked. "Should we move them into the forest or something? Maybe bury your servants?"

Mo Xian's good mood dimmed as he surveyed the blood-splattered clearing. "Let's bury my servants, but we can just leave these assassins out here to rot," he said disdainfully. Wang Jingyuan nodded, and together they dragged Mo Xian's servants into the forest. They dug a shallow pit using the masked men's swords and large knives, and gave Mo Xian's servants a simple burial. After finishing the deed, the pair returned to the road and continued on their way towards town.

"Childe Mo, if I may ask: why were they trying to kill you?" Wang Jingyuan was curious. Mo Xian's expression darkened a little.

"I'm not too sure," he said, but Wang Jingyuan didn't believe him.

"Are you part of a feud or something?" She guessed.

"I guess you could say that," Mo Xian said after considering it for a few moments. "Frankly, I can't pinpoint anything about who sent the masked men, but I do have my suspicions. Don't worry about it, Miss Wang. I don't think they will make another move soon."

"Even if they do, I can take them all down again," Wang Jingyuan said confidently. She held up her sword. "You can count on me, Childe Mo."

Mo Xian laughed softly. She reminded him of a cute puppy that tried to show how dangerous it could be by growling and showing its teeth. Her eyes, big and innocent, drew him to her. "You are very dauntless, Miss Wang. I'm sure that no one will dare to attack once they see how powerful you are."

Mo Xian did not seem eager to delve into more detail about his "feud", so Wang Jingyuan dropped the subject. In this world, who doesn't have a few secrets? Just as Wang Jingyuan did not want people to know that she was one of two surviving Xuanyan Sect disciples, Mo Xian probably also had something he didn't want people to know about. There was no reason for him to open his heart to someone he just met, even if that someone had saved his life and is currently traveling with him.

Wang Jingyuan and Mo Xian chatted about random subjects all the way to town. Time passed a lot faster, and suddenly traveling was not so boring and lonesome anymore. By the time the two arrived at an inn and ate dinner together, Wang Jingyuan felt like they were like two old friends. Mo Xian was charming and suave, and he could make her laugh with simple jokes. He was also very well-educated, and Wang Jingyuan had a hard time matching his knowledge even though she thought she knew more from her modern education.

They got adjacent rooms in the inn. Mo Xian paused in the doorway to his room. "Good night, Miss Wang. I look forward to our journey tomorrow."

"Me too, Childe Mo. Good night." Wang Jingyuan gave him a little wave before disappearing into her room.

Mo Xian entered his room, closed the bamboo door behind him, and felt a little smile on his lips. Miss Wang was certainly an interesting girl. He had never met a girl like her: bold, genuine, and lively. The girls he was used to were all soft and timid and tried their best to catch his eye. Their voices were cute and light, like rose petals floating in the wind. Wang Jingyuan seemed to ignore all the proper etiquettes for noble women. When she laughed, she laughed loudly. When she spoke, her voice came out strong and confident. She looked Mo Xian in the eye and did not try to hide her true personality.

"Just who are you, Miss Wang?" Mo Xian mused as he lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. "I do hope I can get to know you better."

Did she behave the way she did due to her upbringing as a martial artist? He had heard of martial artists having their own way of life and not conforming to the typical social rules of society. What's more, martial artist women were not meek.

Mo Xian liked being around Wang Jingyuan. She was real and genuine, and she made him feel at ease—something he hadn't felt in a long time.