Ink Blade - Chapter 4.2

Master (part 2)

…The child’s gaze was so undisguised that even ordinary people would feel uncomfortable being stared at like this for a long time, not to mention Chu Yan who was a martial artist.

Chu Yan raised his eyebrows playfully and looked over, but deliberately remained silent.

Secret guards were not very talkative, and the kid kneeling down was even more silent, just staring at the Fourth Young Master expressionlessly.

They just looked at each other…..stared at each other.

The concentration of a secret guard was unmatched by ordinary people, in the end Chu Yan couldn’t hold on, and coughed subtly.

Only then did Mo Ren come back to his senses, and looked around. Most of the children had been beaten to the ground, and only a sturdy teenager remained, holding the black long sword in his hand, wanting to bow down in front of Chu Yan with an excited expression on his face.

Therefore Mo Ren stood up calmly, walked over quietly, raised his posture and started to fight. After a few strokes, he slashed the back of the sturdy boy’s neck with his hand, knocked him unconscious, and then took the sword away.

“……..”

Chu Yan’s face darkened.

“Do you think this Young Master will recognize this way of winning?”

Mo Ren held the pitch-black long sword in both hands and knelt under the jade seat. The little secret guard lowered his eyes, and said calmly, “The Fourth Young Master didn’t say no. This secret dark guard only cares about the result, not the process. Defeating the enemy is what’s important.”

Chu Yan was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly raised his head and laughed loudly, clapping his hands and repeatedly praising him. The Hall Master of the Dark Hall then helplessly  explained, “This is a wild cub. He has not been in the hall for long, and his temper is also tough. The Dark Hall has not yet trained him properly. Fourth Young Master, don’t be surprised.”

Chu Yan still smiled, and pointed at him from his high seat, “It’s okay, it’s him! I like this one.”

He stood up, looked at the little secret guard, and said in a more forceful tone, “You… come with me, be my guard, be my sword.”

Mo Ren’s heart suddenly throbbed. At that time, he was still young and still a little confused, he only immediately knelt down and kowtowed in response, “Yes.”

Chu Yan leaned forward with great interest, and looked at him with a burning look, “Do you have a name?”

“Answering the Fourth Young Master, this one has no name.”

“Today, this Young Master will give you the name of this sword—Mo Ren.”

“From now on, you will be my sharp blade.”

“Thank you, Fourth Young Master, for bestowing this one a name.” He kowtowed again.

Unexpectedly, Young Master Chu merely shook his head with a smile, “Since you have recognized this Young Master as your Master, you don’t have to call me Fourth Young Master from now on, you’ll only address me as…..”

Mo Ren suddenly looked up in doubt. The summer wind blew against his face, and he was under the glare of the bright sunlight, he merely saw his new little owner rubbing his chin and hesitating, but at the next moment he bent his brows and eyes in high spirits, and said very happily, “——Mmm, address me as Master!”

Mo Ren kowtowed three times calmly then replied, “Yes, Master.”

From then on, once he recognized him as Master, he devoted his life to be loyal to him.

However, how short his life was, and it was suddenly over. Only in the heart that could no longer beat, the last bit of red blood that still tried to keep the heat of that yearning and obsession towards Chu Yan.

…In the last days of the previous life, some people even hated him for failing to live up to what was expected of him, and scolded him for sticking to a fatuous master this far.

He then said that he was a sword that recognized the Master, given a name by the Master, and was forged by the Master himself, therefore he would rather break than change his original intention. If the Master discarded the sword, then he would simply accept his fate, how could there be any reason to betray the Master?

However, that’s only half the truth.

He was willing to devote all his heart and soul to be loyal to Chu Yan, not just simply kneeling and swearing an oath to the Master and certainly not because he was conferred a name.

It was more because, in the days before that handsome young man named Bai Hua appeared, Chu Yan had appreciated him so much, got close to him, and cherished him.

Mo Ren almost forgot the trust the Master had given to him. When he was the only bodyguard of the Palace Master, the position one step behind him belonged only to him.

That unique, closest location to the Master. That position that he would never be able to stand on again…

In the back of Jiuzhong Palace was Tianlan Mountain. In spring, pear blossoms would bloom at the foot of the mountain, as vast as snow. Once, Chu Yan pulled him for a spar, and was delighted with their fight, he held his wrist affectionately and then smiled softly, “Look, this Master really picked up a treasure back then.”

He would also stare at his movements of making tea, and ask on a whim, “Ah Ren, you are such a good martial artist, yet you are surrounded by orphans every day and do work to serve them. Did you not feel wronged?”

.

Before he could hastily deny it, he shook his head and sighed, “Fortunately, this Master still likes you, even if others are not used to it. How can this Master be willing to let you go…..this Master recognizes you and treats you as a treasure.”

The Master still likes him.

The Master is used to him and is unwilling to part with him.

Those years of knowing each other.

How can I not think about it, how can I not..…

He is willing to die for the Master that cherished and cultivated him.

He is willing.

It’s just a pity that in the end, he couldn’t say that sentence again…

The sleeping person’s breathing became slightly disordered.

His pale lips moved weakly.

“Mas…..ter…”

Chu Yan, who was only lightly sleeping, trembled and woke up with a start.

“—Ah Ren!?”