15 Jing-Jing Alone

After Uncle Chen had dropped off Wang Jingyuan at the town, he pointed her in the direction of the Capital. It was still nearly a thousand miles away, according to Uncle Chen, but she would have to walk there and hopefully arrive in two months' time. She contemplated purchasing a horse, but looking down at the ten or so silver coins left in Luo Qingye's pouch, she decided she better save the money for room and board along the way.

Fortunately, the auntie had packed Wang Jingyuan a lot of food, enough to last her until she reached the next town, which was almost a week later. There, Wang Jingyuan bought more food and spent the night at a small inn. When she paid with a silver coin, she was able to get a few hundred copper coins of change. These were much more convenient to use than the silver coins.

By day, Wang Jingyuan walked on the open road towards the Capital. By night, she either resided in an inn or found a kindhearted family who was willing to let her spend the night with them. She marveled at how hospitable the people were, and enjoyed walking around towns similar to those she'd only seen in history books. Wang Jingyuan found that she had adjusted surprisingly quickly to life in this alternate universe, one without the distractions of modern technology. The air was cleaner too, without the pollution. Of course, there were times when she missed the convenience of technology—for example, being able to listen to Spotify when she was walking would be amazing—but overall, she didn't mind the simple life here.

Every so often, Wang Jingyuan would spot people from other sects, which she could identify because they were carrying weapons and dressed in different hanfus than normal people. She gave them a wide berth, remembering how Luo Qingye said that everyone in the martial arts world was after him and the Song of the Phoenix. She didn't know which sects had participated in the attack on Xuanyan Sect and which hadn't, and so decided that it was better if no one noticed her.

One day, when she was eating lunch in a small restaurant in a bustling town, a group of four people wearing identical purple uniforms and holding swords walked into the restaurant. Noisily, they sat down at a few tables down from where Wang Jingyuan sat and ordered some beer, cooked beef, and rice. As the waiter hurried away to relay their order to the kitchen, the four people began chatting.

"Have you heard? Luo Qingye is dead." The first man leaned in and said conspiringly.

"Well of course he's dead. Five large sects teamed up to siege and attack Xuanyan Sect; how could he not be dead?" Another man replied.

"No, the rumor was that Luo Qingye, being heavily wounded, jumped off a cliff," The first man corrected his peer. "The sects searched the area, but couldn't find a body. Then a week ago, word came out that a tomb for Luo Qingye was found on the mountainside."

"A tomb?" A third man asked. "Who made it? Luo Qingye couldn't have dug his own grave and climbed in before dying."

The first man continued to speak. "I heard that Qingsha Sect pupils questioned the villagers, but no one had actually seen Luo Qingye in person. They did, however, say there was a girl who called him her shifu. She was the one who buried him."

"A girl?" His peers repeated in unison. They looked at each other in surprise. Wang Jingyuan, who was listening into the conversation, shrunk down in her seat and quietly moved Feng Ming Sword to the side, where no one could see.

"But I thought the entire Xuanyan Sect was slaughtered?" The second man asked. "Did one of the disciples survive?"

"It is possible." The third man rubbed his chin in thought. "Some Xuanyan pupils might've been out travelling when the attack happened. Perhaps we will see them at the Hero Assembly."

"If I were a Xuanyan pupil, I would hide and never show my face again in the martial arts sector, or I would join another sect," The first man said. "The entire sect has been killed. The chief died. What's the point of still saying you're from Xuanyan Sect when it doesn't even exist anymore? Also, I've heard that the chief of Qingsha Sect has ordered for his pupils to hunt for the girl, and any other surviving Xuanyan Sect pupils. With a bounty on their head, which sane Xuanyan disciple or pupil would continue being in Xuanyan Sect?"

Wang Jingyuan paled. She snuck a look at the four men as she picked up her teacup for a drink. Her hand was trembling, and some tea sloshed over the lip of the cup. The men didn't notice her and kept their conversation going.

"If she is actually Luo Qingye's disciple, does that mean she knows Song of the Phoenix?" The fourth man mused. His peers looked at him. "If so, she would be the only person left in the world who knows the contents of the secret scroll."

"Oh! I get it now. Qingsha Sect is hunting for the girl in order to get their hands on the secret scroll!" The first man slapped his knee in realization.

"Duh, who wouldn't want to know Song of the Phoenix?" The second man rolled his eyes. "I've heard that the twelve forms could make you undefeatable."

"Psh, undefeatable my ass. Luo Qingye knew the Song of the Phoenix, but he was still killed, wasn't he?" The third man took a sip of tea. "In my opinion, whoever touches the scroll will have bad luck fall on them. I wouldn't take it even if it was lying right there on the floor."

"Really, you wouldn't?" The fourth man looked at his friend incredulously. "Because I would. I'm not going to pass up the chance of becoming undefeatable just because I'll have 'bad luck'."

Just then, the waiter came back with their food, and the four men's attentions were drawn to the meal instead. While they were occupied with eating, Wang Jingyuan left the money for her meal on the table, grabbed Feng Ming Sword, and left quietly. She hurried on her way, keeping an eye out for anyone who seemed like they could be from the Qingsha Sect.

She was glad to have overheard the conversation, because otherwise she wouldn't have known that people were out hunting for her. Although she was confident that no one knew what she looked like, she worried that Feng Ming Sword was too recognizable. It was, after all, Luo Qingye's sword, and a legendary sword too.

Spotting a fabric shop on the side, Wang Jingyuan made a detour. She paid for two meters of black cloth and wrapped the sheath of Feng Ming Sword so that only the plain hilt was visible. Satisfied that no one could tell what sword it was now, Wang Jingyuan embarked on her journey again, only a lot more cautious than before.