Chapter 233: Purple Garments, Inner Garments

The second match was between Snow Lady of the Mohist School and Red Lotus of Quicksand. In truth, the two women were rather alike. Both possessed the air of mature, commanding women: outwardly soft, yet inwardly strong. Red Lotus usually presented herself with seductive allure, while Snow Lady generally appeared aloof and cold. Whatever their outward differences, both had that dark, calculating edge beneath the surface.

After Snow Lady finished playing White Snow, the melody inflicted a minor injury upon Red Lotus, but it had no significant effect. Instead, without realizing it, Snow Lady had already fallen under Red Lotus’s Enchanting Flame Technique.

“Heh heh. White Snow is indeed a rather extraordinary piece. Your playing carries the flavor of Chu. Given your humble birth as a commoner, reaching such a level is no small achievement. Unfortunately, you understand only one side of it and not the other. Spring Dawn and White Snow—when the music is too lofty, it finds few who can appreciate it. Be careful. The higher you climb, the colder the wind becomes.”

Red Lotus swayed her alluring waist and waved a hand, smiling with unmistakable ill intent.

“The court music of Han is indeed ornate and dazzling, but it pursues extravagance above all else. As music, however, it is merely beautiful on the surface, empty within—a work of the lowest order.”

Snow Lady did not yield in the slightest as she retorted to Red Lotus.

“Is that so?” Red Lotus merely smiled faintly at her reply.

“You have grown accustomed to such hollow melodies. How could you possibly comprehend the artistic conception of White Snow?” Snow Lady continued.

“The status and position of the listener differ, so naturally, their insights will differ as well.” Red Lotus gave a soft laugh, though her smile concealed the gleam of a scheme that had succeeded.

She gently raised her hand and blew toward the air. Before long, Snow Lady sensed that something was wrong. Looking down, she saw that, for some inexplicable reason, the jade flute in her hand had transformed into a venomous snake.

“Ah? What is going on?”

Snow Lady instinctively released her grip, dropping her weapon.

Seeing her sudden reaction, the Mohist disciples, unaware of what had happened, were utterly bewildered.

“What!”

Iron Hammer cried out in shock.

“What happened?” Tianming, hanging high to one side, stared in blank confusion.

Old Class Head was equally mystified. “What exactly happened to Snow Lady?”

“It is the Enchanting Flame Technique! Yue’er fell victim to this move last time.”

Seeing Snow Lady’s condition, Murong Feng quickly understood that she had unknowingly fallen under Red Lotus’s technique.

“Sister, should we intervene? Snow Lady accepted the Heaven-Ascending Token. If she is injured, Young Master will blame us when he returns.”

Murong Huang turned to Murong Feng.

Murong Feng glanced at Red Lotus and Snow Lady, then shook her head.

“If someone else had injured Snow Lady, we would naturally intervene. But the one attacking her is Red Lotus. She is Young Master’s elder sister, so we should not interfere. At most, we can rescue Snow Lady after she loses.”

“Mm, all right!”

After hearing Murong Feng’s reasoning, Murong Huang thought it over and found it quite sensible. If they accidentally injured Red Lotus, Young Master would certainly be even angrier. That would be disastrous.

“The Enchanting Flame Technique!”

Snow Lady also realized what had happened, her face filled with astonishment. She had already been extremely cautious, yet she had never expected to fall victim to Red Lotus’s technique all the same.

“You finally noticed? Unfortunately, it is already too late.”

Seeing that the Mohists had only just reacted, Red Lotus spoke with faint disdain.

“This is bad! My body—I cannot move at all!”

Snow Lady tried to move, only to discover that her body had become completely immobile. At the same time, countless illusions began to appear before her eyes.

“So Snow Lady was already under the Enchanting Flame Technique. Although she had been watching Red Lotus’s methods carefully, the technique is formless and invisible. Who would have thought she could activate it under the eyes of so many people?”

Old Class Head sighed in amazement. He had not expected Red Lotus’s mastery of the technique to be so consummate. With so many pairs of eyes watching, not one of the Mohists had noticed when she had used it.

“She concealed the activation of the Enchanting Flame Technique within the spectacle of the serpent formation. White Snow and the Enchanting Flame Technique are both forms of illusion. The Enchanting Flame is seductive and mesmerizing, meant to control the mind. White Snow is light and ethereal, meant to awaken the spirit. Judging by the characteristics of the two arts, White Snow should have restrained the Enchanting Flame. How could this have happened?”

Gao Jianli stared at the motionless Snow Lady with deep concern. Yet no matter what happened within the arena, no one else could interfere. Otherwise, they would forfeit the match. For Tianming’s safety, Gao Jianli could only force himself to remain calm and resist the urge to rush forward.

“Younger Sister Snow Lady, at this moment, your heart must be filled with questions. Are you wondering whether your White Snow was imperfect, and that was why it was overcome by the Enchanting Flame?”

Looking at Snow Lady, who was incapable of resistance, Red Lotus spoke softly. Then her tone shifted.

“In truth, your White Snow has no weakness.”

Watching Red Lotus’s movements, Old Class Head asked in confusion, “What exactly is that enchantress trying to do?”

“This is bad. She is awakening the hidden past buried deep within Snow Lady’s heart, then she will shatter Snow Lady’s psychological defenses in one stroke.”

After hearing Red Lotus’s words, Murong Feng was briefly startled, but she soon understood the woman’s intention: find the enemy’s weakness, then effortlessly break through the enemy’s mental defenses.

When Murong Feng had been in charge of the forces under Xiao Xie, she had used the same method against infiltrating spies.

“Not only is it without weakness, it can practically be called perfect. Yet there is one thing you must know. As the saying goes, ‘Hear the melody and understand the meaning behind it.’ I, who have listened to extravagant court music all my life, heard something within the perfect music produced by your perfect fingers and perfect lips—a boundless sorrow hidden deep beneath the surface.

“Your White Snow is saturated with grief. Is that not the secret you most wish to keep from others?”

Red Lotus continued circling Snow Lady as she spoke.

Under the influence of the Enchanting Flame Technique, Snow Lady could not help recalling the secret buried within her heart.

“It is precisely this secret that has added an insignificant crack to your small, perfect world. In this world, every person’s heart has cracks. Even the strongest heart must possess one, no matter how tiny, so tiny that you yourself cannot see it.

“As long as one follows the sorrow flowing from your heart and travels upstream against it, one will eventually discover that most hidden wound. It was your music that betrayed the secret in your heart, giving the Enchanting Flame Technique an opportunity.”

Red Lotus explained with a smile.

“White Snow has been exploited by the Enchanting Flame Technique. It has even strengthened its power!”

Gao Jianli cried out in frustration. At last, he understood why Snow Lady had fallen victim to the technique even though White Snow should have restrained it.

“What sort of past could have composed the sorrow within your White Snow? I am very curious. I imagine it must be a nightmare you are desperately unwilling to remember.

“There is one way to escape a nightmare. That is…”

Red Lotus spoke softly, luring Snow Lady step by step into the dream she had woven.

“To quietly fall asleep together with your secret, and never awaken again…”

“Never awaken again…”

Snow Lady murmured to herself. Everything seemed to return to that year, when she had still been the foremost dancer of the Flying Snow Pavilion. But then…

“Ah Xue!”

Watching Red Lotus steadily ensnare Snow Lady, Gao Jianli wanted to intervene and bring her back to her senses. But when he looked at Tianming again, he knew he could not act rashly. The only surviving bloodline of his elder brother must never be sacrificed because of one moment of impulsiveness.

…

Outside the Mechanism City, Xiao Xie formed hand seals and controlled the enormous green sword as it slowly descended to the ground, carrying him and the Lesser Life Lord.

Xiao Xie took the Lesser Life Lord’s jade hand and asked with a grin, “My precious wife, you had a wonderful time this trip, didn’t you?”

The Lesser Life Lord gazed deeply into Xiao Xie’s eyes for a moment, then gently nodded.

“My precious wife, you actually nodded! That means you are willing to marry me!”

Xiao Xie shouted excitedly.

The Lesser Life Lord rolled her eyes at him. Her nod had only meant that she had enjoyed riding the sword through the air. It certainly was not an admission that she was Xiao Xie’s wife.

“My precious wife, what is your personal name? You are shy, and since it is only the two of us, calling you ‘my precious wife’ is fine. But if I use that name in front of others in the future, you will surely be angry. If I call you the Lesser Life Lord, it sounds too distant. Tell me your personal name. Then, when other people are around, I can address you by it.”

Xiao Xie looked at her expectantly.

The Lesser Life Lord was slightly startled by his words. Had she ever possessed a name? Everyone had always addressed her as the Lesser Life Lord. As for her own name, she had forgotten it long ago. Had she even had one?

She slowly shook her head at Xiao Xie.

“You have no name, my precious wife? Then I shall give you one!”

Seeing her reaction, Xiao Xie thought for a moment before saying, “Since you like purple, we shall call you Purple Robe. Your name will be Purple Robe, and I will call you Little Robe. How does that sound?”