Chapter Ten: The Path of Escape (Part One)

None of them cared whether this oath would ever be fulfilled, nor did they mind that they were fugitives at this moment, facing the sovereign of a great nation.

“Let’s set off. While the soldiers are busy putting out the fire and unable to pursue us, if we take the mountain paths, we’re sure to escape safely.”

“Go!” Moon Worship regained her composure, and the disciples of the Evening Glow Sect who had escaped responded in unison.

Bu Jingxian gazed at this group of more than sixty men and women, each dressed in splendid attire, now forced onto a path of exile, leaving their homes behind and fleeing for their lives. And all this, he could not deny, was partly his responsibility.

He then asked Ghost Worry, “What about the money?”

Ghost Worry hesitated, silent for a moment, until Lotus answered, “It’s buried under that tree.” Ghost Worry immediately grew angry and scolded her, “Why say so much!” Seeing Bu Jingxian stride over to retrieve it, he quickly followed, grabbing Bu Jingxian’s arm and whispering anxiously, “With so many people, how long will our little silver last? You risked your life to get this meager sum from Leprosy Town. If we use it for them, what will become of us…”

“Shut up!” Bu Jingxian was infuriated. “And to think I’ve always called you brother! Haven’t you benefited enough from Evening Glow Sect these days? Is a mere thousand taels of silver enough to make you act so ungratefully? Have you forgotten where you got the knife at your waist? Do you know what it’s worth? More than a thousand taels of gold! If we can’t share hardships together, how can we talk about living and dying together? If you’re so unwilling, take half the silver, leave with Lotus—I won’t stop you.”

Ghost Worry clicked his tongue repeatedly, seeing Bu Jingxian already digging for the silver, hurried over and said, “Brother, I’m not stingy. What Evening Glow Sect gave us was only right; you saved Moon Worship—what are these things compared to that? I’m thinking about our future. With this silver, we could settle anywhere and live peacefully for a lifetime. Why get involved with the Evening Glow Sect now…”

“Nonsense!” Lotus, hearing this, came over, face flushed with anger, and rebuked him, saying directly to Bu Jingxian, “Since he’s so heartless and sees only money, let him go alone. Though I am a woman, I am ashamed to be associated with him and will never leave with him!”

“Rubbish! If you marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog. You’re my woman—how could you not go with me?”

“If you want to go, go alone. I will never go with you, I will not be ungrateful…”

The two quarreled fiercely. Meanwhile, Bu Jingxian had already unearthed the silver-laden bundle and turned to stop them, placing a hand on Ghost Worry’s shoulder, speaking earnestly, “Brother Ghost, if Lotus were plain in appearance, and you could heartlessly leave her behind…”

Ghost Worry hastened to interrupt, swearing, “I’ve dreamed of Lotus for so many years, finally made it real. I’ll never leave her! If I die, I’ll die with her!”

“That’s the spirit. But think—Lotus’s beauty is such that even ten years from now, she’ll still captivate hearts. You want to find a place to live quietly with a bit of wealth? That’s possible in peaceful times, but now chaos is coming. Where is truly safe? Where is free from tyranny? With Lotus’s beauty, wherever you go, someone will try to seize her. Do you really think a few hundred taels of silver will solve your problems? Without Lotus, even if you wanted to leave, I’d advise you to go. The road ahead is perilous, never suited for you. But I know you can’t let Lotus go, so you need to abandon naïve dreams!”

Bu Jingxian sighed softly, patting Ghost Worry’s shoulder. “Brother, I’ve said what needs saying. If you don’t believe me and insist on leaving, take the silver and go with Lotus. If you trust my intentions, don’t begrudge this mere thousand taels. A man must have ambition, and it should be more than a handful of silver.”

Ghost Worry hesitated, then slapped his thigh hard, sat heavily on the ground, and poured out his pain. “Brother, how could I not trust you? But I have my worries. You are all skilled martial heroes, but I’m just an ordinary man—what great ambition can I have? All I hope for is to live happily with Lotus for a lifetime… I wish I could follow you through life and death, fight bravely, whether successful or not, at least it wouldn’t be wasted. But someone like me—what can I do?”

He finished, unable to hold back tears.

Bu Jingxian squatted beside him, comforting, “In troubled times, a man must have ambition. Many who began martial training at forty became renowned masters. Many untrained men became heroic warriors. Originally, I planned for Evening Glow Sect, with its wealth in Golden Light City, to leave you and Lotus well provided for after I departed, settled in Golden Light City, assured that Evening Glow Sect would protect you from harm. But now that tree has fallen, so I must urge you to go with us. If I were you, I’d have already asked Moon Worship to teach me martial arts. It’s never too late to learn, only too late if you lack determination.”

Ghost Worry was struck by these words. He immediately pushed aside Bu Jingxian and Lotus, sprinted to catch up with Evening Glow Sect’s group, ignoring their surprise, and dropped to his knees before Moon Worship.

“Sect Leader, please accept me as a disciple and teach me martial arts!”

The disciples were astonished—many doubted him, considering his age past the prime for training—but thought the Sect Leader would agree out of gratitude.

Moon Worship pondered for a moment; Ghost Worry, fearing her refusal, knelt again, pleading, until she finally spoke, “Benefactor, rise. If you wish to enter the martial path, I will teach you all I know. But it is impossible for you to be my disciple. If you truly wish to join our sect, I can act in my late father’s stead and instruct you as an elder sister would.”

Ghost Worry did not understand her intentions, fearing that not accepting him as a disciple meant she would not teach him the true skills. He was about to plead again when Lotus ran over, pulling him up and whispering urgently, “Fool! You call Left Shore brother; if you become her disciple, how will she get along with Left Shore?”

Ghost Worry recalled how Left Shore had carried the wounded Moon Worship back earlier, and suddenly understood. He stood joyfully, bowed, and respectfully addressed her as elder sister.

Bu Jingxian approached, carrying the silver.

“Who used to handle your sect’s expenses?”

Someone replied it was the vice leader; Moon Worship then said that from now on, Star Worship would be responsible. Bu Jingxian handed the silver to Star Worship, saying, “Use it for our journey.”

Star Worship tried to decline, but Bu Jingxian frowned, “We are in this together—why fuss over such things?” She finally accepted, and some disciples helped carry the silver due to its weight.

The group pressed on through the night, scaling treacherous mountains. After crossing three peaks, daylight broke, and all were exhausted. Judging that pursuers would not come, Moon Worship finally ordered a rest. But no one dared light a fire, fearing the smoke would reveal their location. The mountain was especially cold at dawn, and few disciples of Evening Glow Sect had ever endured such hardship; they huddled together on the grass, mostly awake from the cold, rarely able to sleep.

Moon Worship saw her followers so miserable and sleepless, and could not rest herself. While wandering to clear her mind, she spotted Star Worship, who had awakened and was sitting alone on a tree, lost in thought. Guessing at her worries, Moon Worship called from below,

“Come down, sister. I have something to say to you.”