Into The Sea

Since Danbai joined their little group, the atmosphere had subtly shifted.

Qin Hanmo, however, remained the same, her eyes sparkling with interest as she looked at the shops lining the street, even joking with Danqing, “You know, I just realized something. Our names seem to go together.”

Danqing blinked in confusion. “Ah… ah? Really?”

“You know, ‘Hanmo’ and ‘Danqing.’ It’s a well-known pairing in calligraphy and painting.”

Danqing nodded in understanding. “Oh! Yeah, I think so!”

Beside them, Danbai let out a cold snort.

Danqing quickly turned to her, looking at her expectantly. “What’s wrong, Danbai?”

“Nothing.” Danbai replied coolly, her gaze shifting away, “By the way, what exactly are you two here to buy? Just wandering around aimlessly?”

Danqing shook her head hurriedly. “No, no, we’re just… looking around.” She glanced nervously at Danbai and added. “Aren’t you out running errands for Elder Qin? Is it okay if you don’t go back soon?”

Oh, so now she’s trying to get rid of me.

Danbai narrowed her eyes. “It’s fine. It doesn’t matter if I go back a few days later.”

“A few days?” Danqing was shocked, looking at Qin Hanmo for help. Qin Hanmo coughed and said, “I heard that the Wanjian Valley is opening soon. Jinling Peak is only sending Junior Sister Danbai. It seems she’s a true prodigy.”

Danbai hummed noncommittally. “After all, Jinling Peak doesn’t have many disciples. If they don’t send me, who else would they send?”

Qin Hanmo was speechless, forcing a dry laugh. “True, but Wanjian Valley is extremely dangerous. Shouldn’t you be preparing thoroughly before going?”

“I should,” Danbai agreed. “But I’ve already prepared. That’s why I have time to wander around with you.”

Seeing that she couldn’t win, Qin Hanmo shook her head helplessly at Danqing, who then mumbled, “Still, it’s better to prepare more, just in case…”

“Just in case?” Danbai turned to stare at her, sneering. “Just in case I die, so you can do whatever you want without me around, right?”

Danqing jumped in fright. “Don’t say that! Why are you talking about death? Why are you always saying such unlucky things!”

“Saying unlucky things? Aren’t you the one who wants to get rid of me?”

“What does that have to do with anything? Even if I want to get rid of you, I never thought about… death… or anything like that.”

“So you admit it?”

“Admit what?”

Danbai exploded. “You just want to get rid of me!”

Danqing was at a loss for words. “N-no… Danbai…”

“In that case, I won’t get in your way.”

After saying that, Danbai turned to leave. After a few steps, she turned back, her face cold. “Oh, and one more thing.”

Danqing was taken aback. “What?”

Danbai didn’t look at her, instead staring directly at Qin Hanmo. “Her name, Ah Yue chose it based on my name. Danqing and Danbai are a pair, not some nonsense about ‘Hanmo Danqing.’”

Having delivered her parting shot, the girl swept her sleeves and strode away, leaving the two standing there dumbfounded. After a moment, Danqing suddenly let out a flustered cry, her face flushed. She instinctively started to chase after her. “Danbai!”

After running a few steps, she remembered something and turned back apologetically. “Senior Sister Qin…”

Qin Hanmo sighed, “Go on. I’ll wait for you at Tonghu Inn. Just make sure to come back soon after you’ve smoothed things over.”

Danqing nodded, then transformed into a snow-white bird, flapping her wings as she flew after Danbai’s retreating figure.

“Danbai! Danbai!”

A breeze stirred her soft hair as the beautiful and agile gyrfalcon tried to land on her shoulder.

“Danbai, wait for me!”

Danbai frowned, pushing her away with her hand as she strode along the waterfront outside the city. The little bird stubbornly flew to the other side, extending its sharp claws, tentatively reaching for her clothes.

The girl suddenly stopped, saying harshly, “If you tear my clothes, you’re dead.”

The gyrfalcon was startled and turned back into human form, blocking her path. “I’m sorry, don’t be angry.”

“I’m not angry.”

“You are,” Danqing pointed at her eyes. “Your eyes have turned gold.”

Danbai was taken aback, looking at the surface of the lake beside her. She realized that her face had indeed become somewhat bestial, even her eyelashes had turned white. She pursed her lips and quickly reverted to her black hair and black eyes, then looked away in silence.

“Danbai,” Danqing called her name cautiously, brushing her fingers against Danbai’s hand. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you.”

Danbai blinked, her gaze slowly turning back to her.

Encouraged, Danqing continued, “It’s true that I didn’t come here with Senior Sister Qin just to wander around. We were here to find… to find…”

“The Snow Qilin.”

Danqing’s eyes widened. “Wow! How did you know?”

Danbai said without changing her expression, “I heard that there are traces of the Snow Qilin in Moonfall Valley nearby. What else would you be here for?”

“You know so much,” Danqing was even more surprised. “We spent a lot of money at Baibao Pavilion to buy the information about the Snow Qilin!”

Danbai snorted. “You should’ve just asked me.”

At this point, Danqing fell silent again. After fidgeting for a long time, she finally said, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Danbai frowned. “Just tell me the truth. Why are you with Qin Hanmo? Why did you hide it from me? Do you have some kind of leverage over her? And why are you looking for the Snow Qilin?”

Danqing muttered, “Master wants me to find it…”

Danbai was taken aback. “What? The Sect Leader wants you to find the Snow Qilin? Why would the Sect Leader do that for no reason?”

“Because…” The little girl lowered her head, humming for a long time before whispering, “I want to go to Wanjian Valley too.”

“You?” Danbai was dubious. “What for? Wanjian Valley is a trial ground for sword cultivators. It’s dangerous, and your cultivation level isn’t high enough to enter.”

“But you’re going.”

“I have protective artifacts to protect me.”

“I’m still worried.”

Danbai almost laughed. “You’re worried about me? You can’t even take care of yourself.”

Danqing pressed her lips together stubbornly, “But I just want to go. They all say Wanjian Valley is dangerous. I don’t want you to go to a place like that alone.”

“You know it’s dangerous, so if you go in, won’t you be a burden to me?”

Danqing shook her head. “No, Master promised me that as long as I can catch the Snow Qilin, she’ll give me a protective artifact to ensure I come back safely.”

Danbai was stunned. She was about to say that the Sect Leader would never be so irresponsible, but then it hit her.

Ye Qingjun was kind and gentle and always spoiled her direct disciples. Seeing how determined Danqing was, she probably couldn’t bear to refuse her directly. So, she came up with an excuse to have her catch the elusive Snow Qilin, actually using this almost impossible task to stop her.

She just didn’t expect the little gyrfalcon to actually find traces of the Snow Qilin.

She was silent for a moment, looking at Danqing’s fluffy head, before finally saying, “What is Qin Hanmo doing in all of this?”

“Qin Han… oh, no, Senior Sister Qin, she… she understands the habits of all spirit beasts very well, and she’s willing to help me. No one else wanted to help me when they heard I was looking for the Snow Qilin.”

“What’s her condition?”

“Her condition,” Danqing wrung her fingers together, saying softly, “She wants me… to transform into my original form and let her pet me for a few days.”

“…”

Danbai closed her eyes in exasperation. “And you agreed?”

Danqing nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

“…”

Danbai sighed. “You… just for this…”

“What do you mean, ‘just’? It’s very important.” Danqing retorted, “Anyway, I’m going to enter Wanjian Valley with you. I won’t let you go in there alone.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Danqing repeated in confusion, blinking her eyes. “Because I like you.”

“Do you even know what ‘like’ means?”

“Of course. Don’t you like me too?”

Danbai was startled, saying frantically, “Who said that!”

“You did. You just said that Danqing and Danbai are a pair.”

“I was… I was talking about the names. Your name was chosen based on my name in the first place. Ah Yue chose it. I was just stating a fact!”

Danqing nodded. “So you don’t like me?”

“I didn’t say that…”

“Then you do like me?” Danqing looked puzzled. “I like you, and you like me. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?”

Danbai opened her mouth, but she didn’t know how to answer. Her fair cheeks flushed red. “It’s… it’s not that simple…”

Danqing nodded in agreement. “It’s not simple at all. I like you, so I want to give you my favorite things. All these years, I’ve caught one thousand three hundred and twenty-one fish for you. I haven’t even eaten that many myself.”

“You…” Danbai pressed her lips together, taking a deep breath. “Are you an idiot?!”

She felt that she couldn’t continue to argue with Danqing any longer. She shook her head and started walking forward, but Danqing didn’t follow. Instead, she called out, “Danbai, if you’re not angry anymore, you can go back first. I didn’t mean to hide it from you. After Senior Sister Qin and I catch the Snow Qilin, we’ll go to the Wanjian Valley together.”

Danbai paused, then turned back with a blank expression.

Danqing looked at her expectantly. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re so clueless—how could you possibly catch a Snow Qilin on your own?” Seeing Danqing’s blank look, Danbai couldn’t hold back anymore. “I’ll help you catch it.”

“What about Senior Sister Qin…”

“Let’s not bother her,” Danbai said, her tone sour. “Your feathers are too spiky. They’d probably scratch her hands.”