Be Gentle, Immortal Master

That Jade Temple disciple kept her promise and didn't bug me with more questions about Bai Ye, letting the last two days of the lessons pass in peace. At the end of the week, their Keeper announced with excitement that it was finally time for the real purpose of the trip—the tournament—to begin.

I wasn't nearly as excited though. Like what Wen Shiyin had said, the tournament was a hunting game composed of two rounds, one for groups and one for individuals. Each round would last as long as it takes for the top prize to be found, which could easily be up to a week. Since the entire game was to be held in a designated area away from Jade Temple, it would mean that I'd barely get a chance to see Bai Ye for the remaining time of this trip.

Bai Ye saw my disappointment when I returned to my room that night. "Don't like the assignment?" he asked.

It took me a little while to realize that he was referring to the team assignment sheet in my hand. I shook my head. "It's a good team … I'm just not quite ready to go yet."

He understood what I was implying and smiled. "The sooner you find the top prize, the sooner you can get back. Use it as an incentive."

I sat down next to him. "You think my team has a good chance of winning?" I asked, skimming over the name list. "I don't know anything about other sects … but even just for Mount Hua, there are other groups with more experienced members."

I was assigned to the same team with Xie Lun, Wen Shiyin, and another disciple around the same experience level as me, Peng Yao. It wasn't a bad combination with two senior and two mid-level disciples, but there were other ones that looked better. Li Yuxian's group, for example, had three seniors and two juniors.

"Experience doesn't determine everything." Bai Ye circled an arm around my waist, reaching from behind me to point at the names. "From what you've told me before, Wen Shiyin is good at target sensing. A crucial but frequently neglected skill in hunting games like this. Xie Lun is top of his peers with a sword. I haven't met Peng Yao, but I know her master's focus is in talismans, which means her skills should complement the rest of your group well."

I saw what he was leading to. "It's a balanced team," I said. "And if anyone gets injured, I could be of use as well."

"You will be of much more use than that." He rubbed my head lightly. "Remember how you came up with those tactics during your challenges at the last tournament, and how you figured out the way to defeat those invisible demons in the forest? No one else matches your quick thinking when it comes to analyzing your situation and forming solutions. Even Teng Yuan came to ask me if I'd like to put you on the same team with one of his disciples."

I looked at him in surprise. "Did masters plan these assignments? I thought they were randomly picked."

He chuckled. "Not random at all. If I were to guess, Su Nian probably went out of her way to put Wen Shiyin in the same group with Xie Lun."

Those words surprised me even more. "You know about their story too?" I asked. He wasn't usually interested in gossips like this. "It's a good try. I'm hoping that the two of them being in the same group could bring some changes to the situation as well."

A strange look fleeted across his eyes. "You want them to be together?" he asked after a little pause.

I nodded. "Senior Wen told me about their past. They kind of grew up together … and I think they really care about each other. Maybe Senior Xie just hasn't realized it yet, and I hope he'll change his mind about the celibate path once he figures it out. A daoist companion doesn't necessarily mean a distraction … Even the Gatekeeper has children, after all."

"Changing his mind won't be an easy task," Bai Ye said thoughtfully. "Xie Lun is a bit like me when I was young … The art of sword means too much to him, and it becomes the only thing he sees. He'll need to meet a special person to realize what he's missing out in life, and Wen Shiyin … doesn't seem persistent enough for that job."

My eyes widened more and more as he spoke. "Bai Ye?" I gasped when he finished. "You've never, ever commented on someone else's love affairs before," I smirked. "What have I done to you?"

He blinked, and that innocent look made me chuckle. "I'm happy to hear it though," I added, "Maybe in that case, I should consider giving Senior Wen some help during this group round. Create some opportunities for them or … convince her to take more initiative …"

"Qing-er," Bai Ye shook his head, "that's not what I was suggesting …"

I giggled and turned in his arm to face him. "Then are you suggesting I'm lucky that someone else did that job on you for me? If even Senior Wen is too soft for it … I'd never have a chance to get your attention if you are still obsessed with swords like Senior Xie is."

The look in his eyes wavered a little in the candlelight. "You know you're special," he said softly.

Of course, I did know. But the thought of him once being someone so cold-hearted towards a lover tickled something in me, and I wanted to tease him. I ran my forefinger down his cheek, stopping over his lips. "Prove it to me then," I breathed. "Show me how special I am to you."

He laughed, and suddenly he toppled me over, making us both fall into the bed in an ungraceful heap.. The assignment sheet fell to the ground, soon buried beneath our pile of clothes.