211: Master and disciple reunited

Self-Reflection Cliff hung solitary amidst the swirling mist in the deepest part of Medicine King Valley's back mountain.

The cliff face was smooth as a mirror, as if carved by blades and axes, reflecting the ever-present drifting clouds. Only a narrow, rusted iron-chain plank path, like a dying giant python, wound its way to connect the platform below the cliff with the outside world. This place was cold and desolate; aside from the whistling mountain winds and the occasional cry of a cold crow, there were only the silent marks of passing time—it was a place of ascetic cultivation for the valley to punish Disciples and bid them reflect on their errors, as well as a silent cage isolated from the clamor of the world.

At this moment, Qin Feng and the other three were standing on the bluestone platform beneath this solitary cliff.

The platform was vacant, facing a massive Black Iron Gate over thirty feet high. The doors were tightly shut, their surfaces etched with complex Formation patterns that shimmered faintly with light, isolating the inside from the out. Behind the gate lay the only path leading to the stone chambers at the cliff's summit.

The air seemed to have frozen. Only the whimpering of the mountain wind through the gaps in the iron chains and the never-ending roar of the waterfall in the deep ravine far away were exceptionally clear in the dead silence, making one's heart feel particularly uneasy.

Xiaochun stood close to Qin Feng, her hands unconsciously gripping his sleeve until her fingertips turned slightly white. She tilted her head back, staring unblinkingly at the cold iron gate as if trying to see through it. Tears swirled stubbornly in her eyes but she forced them back; only her slightly trembling lips betrayed the tumultuous emotions within—anticipation, fear, longing, and the anxiety of returning home... a tangle of feelings that almost made it hard for her to breathe.

Xia Ya stood on Xiaochun's other side. Usually boisterous, she now pressed her lips tight, her sharp gaze scanning the surroundings like a vigilant lioness guarding this hard-won hope. Ji Ruxue stood alone at the edge of the platform, her figure nearly merging with the shadows of the mountain rocks behind her. Her face remained cold and her gaze calm as she looked toward the unknown heights of the cliff shrouded in mist, though the unconscious rubbing of her hands revealed she was not entirely unmoved.

Qin Feng stood at the very front, his posture as straight as a pine. His expression was calm and his gaze steady as it fell upon the Black Iron Gate, appearing no different from usual. However, upon closer inspection, one could see that the knuckles of his hands held behind his back were also slightly white from exertion. The beating of his heart was a fraction faster than normal; every throb accompanied the long wait.

The hour-long wait was stretched agonizingly thin by the silence and the mountain wind, every breath feeling like an ordeal on scorching sand.

Just as the string named 'patience' was about to snap to its limit—

"Creeeak... clack, clack..."

A dull, slow sound of machinery turning, as if from deep within the mountain's belly, drifted over, breaking the suffocating silence.

Immediately after, the Black Iron Gate that seemed to have grown into the cliff itself let out a heavy groan and began to slowly move inward.

A sliver of daylight squeezed impatiently through the widening gap, piercing the fine dust floating before the gate and casting an extending band of light onto the dim platform.

Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, a figure gradually appeared behind the gate.

The man was tall and somewhat thin, yet possessed an upright bearing that had weathered hardships without breaking. He wore a simple, plain gray cloth robe that had been washed until it was pale. His long hair was loosely tied back with a wooden hairpin, and a few silver strands were mixed into the raven-black hair, silently recounting the trials of time. His face was gaunt, carrying a pallor from long isolation from the sun, yet the lines of his jaw remained clear and resolute.

His eyes were like the starry sky after a rainy night: deep and calm, as if they could contain eternal loneliness, yet in their depths, there was a faint glimmer of wisdom and an all-seeing clarity refined by the experiences of the world.

Chu Tianhe.

The moment he stepped over the threshold, his gaze landed precisely and without hesitation on the four people on the platform. When his eyes met the green-clad young girl whose eyes were brimming with tears and whose lips were trembling but unable to speak, a nearly imperceptible, extremely complex ripple finally stirred in the depths of his well-like eyes.

"Father—!"

The long-accumulated emotions finally broke through all defenses. Xiaochun let out a heart-wrenching cry as tears instantly surged forth. Like a fledgling bird that had finally found its way back to the nest, she used all her strength to stumble forward and throw herself into that long-dreamed-of warm embrace.

Chu Tianhe opened his arms and caught his daughter steadily. The impact caused his already thin frame to sway slightly before becoming as solid as a rock. He said nothing, only using his bony, slightly rough hands to stroke Xiaochun's violently trembling back over and over, very gently yet with great weight. His gaze, however, slowly lifted over his daughter's sobbing head to silently meet the eyes of the three people standing quietly below the stone steps.

Qin Feng took a deep breath and stepped forward, coming to a halt below the cold bluestone steps. Without any hesitation, he cupped his hands and performed the most solemn and standard Disciple's bow:

"Unworthy Disciple Qin Feng... pays respects to Revered Master!"

"This Disciple... has come to fetch you."

His voice was low and steady, a result of his best efforts to restrain himself, but a nearly imperceptible tremor at the end of his words betrayed the equally turbulent waves in his heart.

Xia Ya and Ji Ruxue exchanged a glance and stepped forward together, standing on either side behind Qin Feng. They cupped their hands and bowed:

"Junior Xia Ya greets Senior Chu!"

"Junior Ji Ruxue greets Mr. Chu."

Chu Tianhe continued to hold his daughter as his gaze moved slowly from the bowing Qin Feng to Xia Ya and Ji Ruxue. His eyes remained calm, but beneath that calm, it was as if countless undercurrents were surging—there was deep gratification at seeing his Disciple grow and live up to his trust; a faint guilt for involving these Juniors in the past and putting them in danger; sincere gratitude for these two strange women who had stepped forward to help; and even a flash of sharp edge belonging to a former powerhouse, honed through years of hardship, that flickered in the deepest part of his eyes so quickly it seemed like an illusion.

The mountain wind seemed to hold its breath at this moment; only Xiaochun's suppressed sobs echoed low among the open cliffs.

Silence lasted for several breaths.

This brief silence felt even longer than the hour of waiting just now, heavy as a thousand pounds, pressing on everyone's hearts.

Finally, Chu Tianhe spoke slowly. His voice was slightly raspy from not speaking for a long time, yet it was still clear and steady, every word carrying the weight of years:

"No need for such formality."

Four simple words, yet they were like the unlocking of invisible shackles.

Qin Feng rose as told and stood respectfully with his hands at his sides, his gaze meeting his Revered Master's once more. This time, no words were needed; the hardships, struggles, growth, and choices of the past few months, and even the trust and concern between them that transcended the bond of Revered Master and Disciple and neared that of father and son, were all conveyed and merged in this deep look.

"These days..." Chu Tianhe's gaze swept over Qin Feng, passed Xia Ya and Ji Ruxue, and finally landed on the top of his daughter's head in his arms. His voice carried an imperceptible warmth and a hint of apology. "It has been hard on all of you."

His gaze fixed on Qin Feng's face again. After a pause, he said word by word:

"Feng'er, you have done very well."

Then, he looked at Xia Ya and Ji Ruxue and nodded slightly:

"And Miss Xia Ya, Miss Ruxue... thank you."

The words were brief, even somewhat plain, but every person present clearly felt the weight within them. It was a father's guilt and tenderness for his daughter, a Revered Master's highest recognition of his Disciple, and a Senior's most solemn gratitude to those who had lent a helping hand.

The mountain wind rose again, whistling across the platform and whipping the hems of everyone's robes, making them flap loudly.

Behind them, the heavy Black Iron Gate slowly closed with the sound of machinery, letting out a dull boom that completely isolated the inside from the out. It was as if a past filled with gloom, imprisonment, and trials was now sealed away within the cold cliff.

Ahead, the clouds parted and the mist dispersed. The thousands of peaks and valleys of Medicine King Valley stretched out under the sunlight, the forests painted in vibrant colors and brimming with life. A winding mountain path led down the mountain, and toward the future they would face together.