Preparation for war

Inside a dim courtyard filled with thick steam coming from a pool, Su Yue was seen resting her milky smooth back on the edge of the pool with her eyes closed. 

This time, her mask was taken off, but Ah Yue Lin was by her side, scrubbing her arm. 

Silence reigned in the bathhouse for a while before Ah Yue Lin finally opened her mouth. 

"Master, will you take me along to the poison valley?"

Su Yue slowly shook her head. 

Ah Yue Lin sighed and cupped water with her palm to wash off the foam on Su Yue's arm. 

"I knew you wouldn't. I'm a failure, I can't do anything properly." 

Su Yue sighed and remained silent. 

"If only, if only…" Su Yue slowly lifted her hand with her eyes closed, telling her to stop talking. 

Ah Yue Lin nodded and continued bathing her master in silence. 

Ah Yue Lin's mother used to be Su Yue's mother's handmaid. After she gave birth to Ah Yue Lin, Su Yue's mother made her Su Yue's playmate, hoping she would be Su Yue's handmaid in the future, but tragedy struck when the children were 5 years old. 

At that time, Ah Yue Lin's mother had run away with her daughter who was dressed as Su Yue, while Su Yue was dressed as Ah Yue Lin to leave the Su manor for her third uncle's spies to not suspect anything. 

After a few years when she had become stronger, Su Yue went in search of her mother's handmaid, hoping to have a mother figure in her life whom she could get a little bit of affection from, but on getting to the woman's hometown, she met them fighting for survivor from an avalanche that swept most of the people to death. 

It was a miracle that the child that was stuck in-between ice and rocks whom she rescued turned out to be her mother's handmaid's daughter. 

Although she became one of the best disciples in the guard, Su Yue does not allow her to join dangerous missions that would put her life at risk and that was why she made Ah Yue Lin her maid.

Su Yue enjoyed her bath in silence as her mind wandered around. From her master's revenge to Bai Lu's death. 

Sadness had always been her companion ever since she was little, so Bai Lu's death was just another arrow lurched into her heart. 

After her bath, Su Yue went to see Elder Jiang. 

Elder Jiang was seen sunbathing with a fan in his hand. He was almost shocked to death when he opened his eyes to see a figure in black, wearing a black mask standing beside him.

"You should learn to make sounds with your feet once in a while." He said with a hiss.

He sat up and created a space for her to sit on the long bench.

"I heard you are going to the poison valley," he said and Su Yue gave a slight nod. 

"After that, what do you intend to do?" He glanced at her side profile and sighed. 

"Yue'er, it was master's greatest wish to help you seek revenge but he couldn't fulfill it before his death. Although you are powerful now, you are still lacking in strength when compared to the emperor and his armies. 

Master loved you a lot and that was why he made it his utmost priority to teach you everything he knew, even though he rarely allowed you to be put in danger. 

I know that you can handle the poison valley, so my brothers and I will stay back to protect your guild and disciples that will be staying behind, but I beg you, junior sister, do not take those people for granted and if there are any changes to your plans, retreat, you can always go back."

Hearing that, the corner of her lips curled into a condescending smile. Even if she cannot defeat the poison valley, she must make sure to uproot their foundation, let alone she has the confidence, and also, how can she die when the emperor and her uncle were still living? That's not possible, right?

Elder Jiang sighed and looked up to the bright sky with squinted eyes. "Master, your beloved disciple is about to avenge you, hope you can be at peace now." 

He said before he lowered his eyes and turned to look at Su Yue, then he gently patted her on the shoulder. 

It was like he remembered something as he chuckled while Su Yue pursed her lips.

"Yue'er, do you remember how protective of you master was?"

Su Yue nodded.

"He did so many terrible things to us back then because of you. Hahaha…. Do you also remember that time he fed junior brother a farting pill because master caught him talking about how much he wanted to marry you." 

Su Yue nodded. 

"What about when he sunned senior brother for a few days because he made an unpleasant comment about you that everyone got angry over?"

Su Yue looked at him. She remembered that incident like she remembered her name. 

That senior brother of hers was the only one in the sect that hated her. He used to bully her a lot back then and called her mute. 

At first, she didn't take him to heart until she found out why he hated her, but it was already too late.

Elder Jiang had told her that their senior was upset when he found out that the master had plans to make her his heir. His hatred got worse when their master taught Su Yue the poison technique he refused to teach anyone, including him who was the oldest disciple, and for that, he betrayed the sect. 

Su Yue closed her eyes as the scene of that day flashed through her mind but she had no time to dwell on it.

"Yue, senior brother is still out there. We don't know if he's taking shelter in the poison valley. He's the only one who knows the antidote to almost all the poisons you know, so you should be very careful and watch out for him." Elder Jiang said with seriousness.