Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 194 – You’re Mistaken

Four days of smooth sailing later, an island appeared on the horizon. There were cheers all across the deck. For those that lived on the sea, every time they made a safe return was something worth celebrating. Faintly, one could hear people setting meetings for later in the night. There were even windows throughout the island pushed open, and various wives and girlfriends all shouted out, each one competing to see who had accumulated more firepower.

Alright, this topic was beginning to get a bit too dirty.

Little Sea had a calm expression. After living on the sea for so many years, if she couldn’t become used to something like this she would have long since been ruined by others and suffered tremendous calamity. She turned and said, “I just need a little bit of time. Once there’s a chance we can immediately leave. How about it?”

Sensing she was still worried, Qin Yu didn’t say anything further. He simply nodded. Then, he took a deep breath of the sea breeze mixed in with the scent of soil. His lips lifted in a smile.

Even though he was still in the sea, even though this was only an island, he was still happy to stand on land. So, even though there were people looking at him with open hostility and ridicule, he simply pretended they weren’t there.

The ship was anchored and the hull was fixed to the land. After a brief moment of worship towards an unknown existence of the sea that was said to bless people with smooth sailing, it was then that their journey on the sea came to an end. The island port immediately turned into a sea of liveliness. Countless people hugged each other and countless impatient sailors were already rushing out, grabbing onto their shyly standing by women and rushing towards their residences.

Qin Yu stepped onto a small path made of pebbles. He swept his eyes around, feeling that this scene was a bit strange but also feeling a bit envious about it. He didn’t know whether he would have the chance to ever experience such a life.

Little Sea was by herself; no one came to greet her. So, she simply looked around a few times and left first. It was said that she had a stepfather, but for some unknown reason, during some rainy night, he had died in his home. From that day on, if a man ever wanted to step into that courtyard, they were calmly refused by Little Sea. Thus, since all those years ago, Qin Yu was the first man who stepped into her family home.

Qin Yu could clearly sense that after entering the courtyard, Little Sea was far more silent than before, and there was a sense of constrained iciness on her face.

He thought for a moment. “You know, it doesn’t matter to me where I live. If you aren’t used to this, I can stay somewhere else. Of course, I will abide by my promise. When I leave, I will bring you with me.”

Little Sea was startled. She squeezed out a smile. “I’m fine. There is enough room.” She didn’t say anything further and neither did Qin Yu.

Coincidentally, perhaps in a stroke of bad luck, on the first night they returned to the island, heavy rain began to fall.

Rumble rumble –

Lightning cut across the skies, illuminating this little island on the angry seas. And high atop the island, there was a dilapidated little courtyard.

Little Sea woke up from her sleep. She grabbed her head with both hands and screamed out in pain. She grasped a knife tightly, her face full of despair and pain.

Suddenly, a pair of hands reached out from the darkness and grabbed her shoulders. A voice lightly said, “Calm down, calm down.”

At the same time, a warm and gentle strength flowed out from those hands, pouring into Little Sea’s body and helping her soothe her tense mood.

Hu –

A lamp was lit. Qin Yu’s face appeared. He had already let go of her and had turned to leave. “If you are afraid, call me.”

“Wait!” Little Sea’s voice sounded out. She hesitated for a moment and said, “Don’t go. Stay with me for a moment…”

At this moment, she was no longer the brave and hot-tempered Little Sea. Rather, she had tossed away her disguise, revealing her true self.

Qin Yu turned and smiled. “Okay.”

He sat down beside a table and poured two cups of tea. He handed her one and took one for himself. “Don’t worry, I won’t misunderstand anything here. I’m not your type, right?”

There was a trace of embarrassment on Little Sea’s face. She quickly composed herself. “That’s right. I’m glad you understand that.”

She took a drink and fell silent for a while. Then, she said in a soft voice, “You were on that ship for many days, so those talkative fellows must have spoken about many things to you right? For instance, things about me.”

Qin Yu didn’t deny or clarify. He merely nodded.

Little Sea leaned back on her bed. “Many people want to know just how that man died in the past. How that man, whom I once called father, died. That’s right, I killed him.”

Her fingers tightened on the teacup, her face paling.

Qin Yu frowned. “If you don’t want to talk about it, then there is no need to. You should know I’m not curious about any of this.”

Little Sea glanced at him, as if trying to determine whether his words were true or false. But before she made a judgment, she waved her hand and said, “You can just treat this as something I want to say. After all, it’s uncomfortable to keep something like this suppressed for so many years.”

What else was there to say? Qin Yu made an invitational gesture.

Little Sea crouched over a bit, her eyes a bit blank and dazed. “In fact, there isn’t much to say. It’s just a vulgar and disgusting story. A girl’s stepfather raised that girl, and then went on her bed, wanting to turn his daughter into a woman. In truth, this isn’t some strange or rare story in the sea region. And that girl, she had already prepared herself for it. But, that man had been far too impatient. He didn’t give her any chance to prepare herself, and simply threw himself on top of her.”

Little Sea stopped for a moment and then laughed. “What an old-fashioned story. You should have already guessed this, but that girl in the story is me. I think you should also be curious by now – did he succeed? Yes, he did succeed. It was on this bed, on a dark and stormy night, that he took possession of my body. After all, he was already a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator at the time, so how could a weak and little girl possibly escape him.

“It was painful. There was blood, so much blood. At the time, I didn’t think too much. I just knew I needed to kill him, I absolutely had to kill him. And in this aspect, perhaps women have an instinctual way of self-preservation. I tempted him, letting him vent himself on my body again and again and again, until he was so tired and weary that he collapsed. Then, it was so easy, I took a knife and cut through his throat.”

Little Sea spread out her hands. “Well, this is it, it was this knife, wasn’t it. Not long before that day, it was that little girl’s birthday and her stepfather had gifted her this knife. Moreover, what is even more interesting is ever since that night, that girl was only able to sleep peacefully on this bed. The exception is...” Then, she lifted a hand and pointed out towards the window, as if she were unloading a heavy burden. She whispered in a light and helpless voice, “…on these dark and stormy nights.”

Qin Yu’s expression didn’t change and his eyes were very calm. This was because in his opinion, only by doing this could he not wound the girl’s pride.

However, he had clearly underestimated this girl’s formidable will. As she saw Qin Yu’s neutral expression, she smiled and said, “Don’t be like that. In truth, situations similar to this occur all the time in the sea region. I just don’t like talking to others, so I’ve always been hiding it. And, compared to many other women, I have already been very lucky. At the very least I haven’t been forced down by another man.”

Qin Yu smiled, not sure of what to say. Perhaps this was the reason why Little Sea was so impatient to leave the sea region.

They both fell silent. Qin Yu drank his tea, listening to the sound of thunder as it slowly began to fade away. In the sea region, the rain storms came quickly and violently and left the same. He stood up and said, “There shouldn’t be any more thunder. I’ll return.”

Little Sea suddenly spoke up. “You…can stay. This isn’t my first time, but I’m still clean. Although you aren’t the type I like, if it’s just once, I don’t mind. Just think of it as me thanking you and allowing me to not feel any more fear on this stormy night.”

Qin Yu was startled. He coughed lightly and said, “It’s late. You should get to sleep now.”

He pushed open the door and left.

The moment he closed the door, he could clearly hear the restrained laughter from the girl after she hid beneath her blanket.

Yes, he had been looked down upon.

Qin Yu rubbed his nose, a bit piqued. Then, he smiled and laughed and returned to his room.

The next day, the weather was clear. Little Sea was cleaning up, the bedding hung out to dry in the air. As she saw Qin Yu she greeted him in a casual manner. It was just that her faintly teasing expression left him feeling a bit helpless.

He chose to ignore her. He found a chair and placed it in a sunny spot. Then, he lay on it and quietly basked in the sun.

Bang bang bang –

There was a knocking on the door. Little Sea ran over to open it. Just outside was a grand and tall man, looking around 30-40 years of age. He had a hardened and dignified face, but there was a strange-looking scar that marred his forehead. It made him look a bit funny.

“Little Sea, I heard you returned.” The man swept his eyes across Qin Yu’s body and turned away. His eyebrows were only furrowed a bit more.

Little Sea held deep respect towards this man. She bowed and said, “Teacher, I have returned.”

“I’m glad you’re fine. If you have any problems with your cultivation you can come and look for me.” The man said some more words and then left.

From start to finish, he didn’t ask a single question about Qin Yu. In fact, it seemed as if he hadn’t seen Qin Yu at all.

Little Sea closed the door. She turned and said a bit apologetically, “Teacher is a bit prideful. He might have heard some unsavory things about you, so…”

Qin Yu waved his hand, indicating that he didn’t care. He thought for a moment, “This teacher of yours seems a bit familiar to me. I think I’ve seen him somewhere before. That wound on his head, sorry, I mean that special scar, that is indeed very eye-catching.”

Little Sea covered her mouth and giggled. “It’s fine if you say that in this courtyard, but you should never mention that outside, otherwise teacher will be angry. He is someone who attaches a great deal of importance to his face, but his injury this time…haha, it’s just too funny!”

In short, things were like this. Some time ago, he had gone out to fish. This arrogant and prideful teacher of Little Sea had led the group, and they had chosen a relatively safe area in the sea region. There shouldn’t have been any problems, but on that day, a horrifying beam of light had descended from the clouds, causing wild waves to whip up all around. A sea turtle was caught up in the churning waves and he had been struck by it.

So, that was where the strange wound came from. Because it was a sea turtle, a sea turtle with its hard and thick shell, had smashed into his head!

After she finished speaking, she still laughed. Even though so much time had passed, she still didn’t forget the distraught appearance of her teacher.

Qin Yu was stunned, and then he started to laugh. This was because he finally remembered why that man seemed familiar. When he had first obtained the ‘illusion’ gift from that underground vine, he had seen him. Now, it seemed that the person who had been struck in the head was this person.

It was fate, right?

Little Sea frowned. “How come I feel that your laugh is a bit strange?”

Qin Yu shook his head. “You’re mistaken.”