SES Chapter 171 Part 1

Chapter 171

Zheng Mingshan arranged rooms for Luo Ren and Cao Yanhua with complete nonchalance. Leading them into the front courtyard, he casually pointed at two dark, dusty side rooms.
“You two stay there. Blankets and such—look for them yourselves. Maybe they’re in the cabinet. If you can’t find any, make do. Everything else, handle it on your own. Don’t ask me—I only arrived two days ago myself. I don’t know anything about these chores.”

With that said, he patted his backside, turned around, and clacked away with Mu Dai toward the back courtyard. Plum Blossom Lady Ning lived in the rear, and although Mu Dai and Zheng Mingshan didn’t stay long-term, their rooms back there were always kept clean for whenever they returned to Youwu Town for training.

Luo Ren and Cao Yanhua exchanged a bitter smile.

Luo Ren pushed the door open. A heavy, stale air mixed with dampness greeted him. Using his phone as a light, he finally found the pull cord behind the door and switched on the lamp. He could only shake his head at the sight.

It was understandable. The entire estate housed basically only Plum Blossom Lady Ning, and she rarely hosted guests. There was no need to maintain all the spare rooms. Inside were only a few old pieces of furniture. The antique carved bed was beautiful, but there wasn’t even a mattress, let alone a blanket—just bare wooden planks.

In the corner stood an old Wanli-era cabinet. The upper half was open shelving; the lower half was a two-door compartment. Luo Ren grabbed the brass handle and pulled. Inside, a handful of old bedding was stuffed together haphazardly. A musty smell rushed out—clearly untouched for years.

Footsteps approached behind him. Cao Yanhua walked in with a miserable expression.
“Brother Luo… can people even live in here? A plank from my bed is missing.”

Luo Ren shut the cabinet. “Make do. Think of it as your first test. Old Lady Mei hasn’t accepted you as a disciple yet, so complaining this much isn’t a great look. Besides…”

Besides the fact that on their first visit, Cao Yanhua practically tried to ruin the senior master’s livelihood. His “points” were already running low.

Whose fault was that? His own honest, big heart. Cao Yanhua sighed and accepted his fate.

There was no hot water in the front courtyard—only a moss-covered faucet dripping thin streams like fishing line. Luo Ren couldn’t be bothered to fuss with it, so he washed up with cold water, splashed his face, and went back to sleep.

He disliked the old bedding so much that he simply lay down on the wooden planks fully clothed. After a full day and night of nonstop exhaustion, his head touched the boards and he was out.

But sleep was restless.

He kept hearing water. Gurgling, bubbling—right in his ears. He rolled over, opened his eyes, and realized it had started pouring outside sometime in the night.

Sheets of rain slammed against the carved window panels. Through a narrow crack, he could see white rain lashing sideways. Looking down, he noticed water inside the room had already pooled to the edge of his bed.

Is it raining this hard? How is Cao Yanhua still asleep?
Luo Ren pushed himself upright. “Cao Yanh—”

Before he could finish, the water in the room bubbled violently. A moment later, a head burst out of the surface, gasping, trembling, reaching toward him.

“L-Luo… help me.”

Eurys?

A hammer struck Luo Ren’s skull. He lurched forward, nearly falling into the water—but suddenly the flooded room vanished, replaced by a deep ocean of brilliant blue. Under a clear sky, silver-scaled flying fish skimmed across the surface.

Around Eurys, the water darkened red like blooming blood. His voice rasped, “Luo… Luo…”

Luo Ren reached desperately, trying to grab his arm, but he was always an inch too far. The sea swallowed Eurys—jaw, mouth, nose—until only the top of his tightly curled hair remained.

Tears streamed down Luo Ren’s face.
“I’m sorry, Eurys. I’m so sorry…”

His entire body shook uncontrollably—heat and cold mixed.

I wanted revenge for Tasha. I shouldn’t have dragged all of you into it.
I was reckless. I should’ve known the Leopard’s den was heavily guarded. I had no plan. Nine brothers handed me their lives, and I crashed them against stone.
Why am I the one who came back alive? I should’ve died there in your place…

Someone nudged him gently.
“Luo Xiaodao? Luo Xiaodao?”

Like a dream dissolving, the sea receded. The rain, the storm—all gone. Awareness slowly returned. It was nighttime in Youwu Town: cool, serene, punctuated by the occasional chirp of a night cicada.

Luo Ren opened his eyes. Mu Dai was leaning over him, wearing a white silk nightdress patterned with faint designs. Her long hair hung loose, carrying a warm, fresh scent.
“Luo Xiaodao?” she whispered, touching his shoulder.

Unlike Luo Ren’s sparse room, Mu Dai’s quarters had everything—clean clothes, neat bedding, organized shelves. After bathing, she had changed into the old-style nightdress her master preferred, with two small knotted buttons at the collar. Her hair, still slightly damp, framed her face softly.

She had stepped out to check whether Luo Ren and Cao Yanhua were settling in. Passing the pavilion by the water, she saw Zheng Mingshan crouched on the stone steps, lazily tossing bits of steamed bun to the fish. When she asked whether Luo Ren had bedding, he replied with a lazy drawl:

“It’s not a hotel. Having a bedboard is already a blessing. If you feel bad, give your room to your little sweetheart.”

Mu Dai raised her chin. “Fine. I will.”

Zheng Mingshan didn’t look at her, still making fish-calling clicks. But his words were clearly aimed at her:
“See? A married girl is like water poured out. You haven’t even wed yet and your heart already belongs elsewhere.”

…

Back at the room, Luo Ren was trapped in his nightmare, trembling faintly, and Mu Dai, worried, tried to wake him.

He opened his eyes briefly… then closed them in exhaustion.

Was he sick? Mu Dai hesitated, then reached out to check his forehead.

Luo Ren suddenly pulled her into his arms, rolling over and pinning her beneath him.

She gasped softly, startled. “Luo Xiaodao—are you awake?”

She kept her voice low, aware that the old walls were thin and worried she’d wake Cao Yanhua next door.

But Luo Ren didn’t answer. Still lost in turmoil, he kissed her with desperate intensity, gripping her as though she were the only thing keeping him afloat.