"The Banner of Desire" - Chapter 1, The Secret Agreement in the Brocade Tent

The early spring night in Hangzhou was still chilly, but inside, the red candles flickered, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.
Inside the Fragrant Pavilion, gilded incense burners hung from the painted beams, constantly releasing their fragrance. The intricate patterns shimmered in the bright candlelight, and the lingering aroma permeated the brocade curtains and embroidered screens.
Outside the window, the night wind seemed to be blowing harder and harder, and the windowpanes creaked and groaned in the wind. Sima Wanqing slightly pushed open the window, and the thin air, carrying swirling snowflakes, suddenly rushed in. The cool, fine snowflakes landed on her fair and translucent face, and a long-lost joy welled up in her heart.
Although she has lived in Hangzhou for nearly three years, she still dislikes the lukewarm winters here. Without the biting wind, the icy water, the overwhelming blanket of white, and the pure silver cloak covering the world, how can it be considered winter? This winter, Hangzhou has had no snow, which only makes her miss the areas outside the Great Wall even more.
Unexpectedly, it started snowing tonight, just after the Lantern Festival. The cold that hits her face might be something a woman from Jiangnan would avoid at all costs, fearing she would freeze, but for Sima Wanqing, it was something she was delighted with.
She casually threw on a lake-blue jacket, pushed open the door, and stepped out slowly. Snowflakes filled the air, swaying gracefully in the wind, dancing with the breeze. Thousands of tiny white sprites danced and twirled through the air, among the branches, on the rooftops, on the lake's surface… Some even drifted down and landed on her hair and brow, as if trying to become one with her.
With a gentle, delicate gesture, she raised her slender hand, and the snow sprites naturally parted to make way for her. With another wave of her hand, the surrounding snow suddenly gathered in her palm, instantly forming a large snowball. In just a few moments, the snow on the ground, under her control, also solidified into snowdrifts.
Place the snowball in your hand on the snowdrift, and your fingers will naturally make eyes and a mouth on the snowball, just like when you were a child.
Her fingers dug into the snow-white flesh, rubbing against the cold surface, the familiar sensation making her freeze. Many years ago, she had done this countless times. Only, back then, he was by her side, caring for and protecting her. He would always pull her little hands away, hold them tightly, or place them in his arms to warm them with his body heat when they turned red and frostbitten.
Snowflakes danced and swirled around her, and for a moment she felt as if she were back on that romantic night four years ago. That night, under his direction, countless little stars twinkled and danced, forming the three glittering words "I," "love," and "you" before her eyes, a dazzling and beautiful sight, like a dream.
But life is unpredictable, beyond her control. Even though they had once loved each other to the death, and even had a lovely son, she could not escape the truth. It was he who killed her father and brothers and seized her family's Lieyun Ranch. He was the Sima family's mortal enemy! No matter how deep her affection or how devoted her love, she had no choice but to resolutely sever ties.
Duan Yuhan—these three words evoked both her deepest love and deepest hatred. No matter what, she was determined to make him pay a bloody price.
Upon realizing this, Sima Wanqing unleashed a palm strike as sharp as a knife. The powerful internal force whipped up a gust of wind that instantly altered the direction of the falling snowflakes. With a swift grab in mid-air, she casually tossed the snowflakes away, and they instantly coalesced into a ball, striking the tree a foot away with a "bang." The snow, so light and soft, was completely embedded in the tree trunk—a truly unbelievable sight.
"Good!" A clear and mellow voice suddenly rang out from behind her. Before she knew it, a man in black robes and a large cloak had appeared behind her. His demeanor was as aloof as an eagle, but a slight smile played on his lips as he praised her.
Sima Wanqing was slightly startled. She naturally knew that the person speaking was Sheng Xixian, the master of the Holy Martial Palace, but she had not expected him to arrive so silently in the middle of the night.
"The combination of the Supreme Heaven-Supporting Heart Sutra and the Cloud-Turning and Rain-Overturning Hand technique—the martial arts of the Sima family outside the pass, one of the three great martial arts clans, are truly extraordinary," Sheng Xixian exclaimed sincerely once again. She was only twenty-one years old, but the move she just made demonstrated extremely profound internal strength; it was likely that no one of her age in the current martial arts world could surpass her.
Sima Wanqing smiled modestly, "Senior brother, you flatter me." Sheng Xixian was Bamok's direct disciple, and Bamok also taught her the "Flying Ascension" lightness skill. In a sense, she and he were also fellow disciples.
"Junior Sister, what have you thought about yesterday's suggestion?" Sheng Xixian looked at her with interest. He had seen countless beauties, and in terms of looks, she couldn't be considered the best. But for some reason, he liked looking at her pure, snow-like eyes, liked looking at her elegant, graceful, reserved, and proud demeanor, her indifference towards him, and even the faint trace of melancholy on her lips was particularly attractive to him.
"It's too late today, let's discuss this tomorrow." No matter how gentle his tone or how natural and approachable his attitude was when he spoke to her, she still felt that he was a dangerous person. Although she was somewhat tempted by his suggestion, she still didn't decide to agree.
Seeing that she was only wearing an autumn jacket, looking even more frail in the wind and snow, Sheng Xixian abruptly took off his black cloak and handed it to her. Sima Wanqing felt flattered. Although she had lived here for nearly three years and was nominally his senior, she had never developed a close relationship with him. His current act of chivalry surprised her.
"Thank you, Senior Brother. Wanqing will go back to her room now." Sima Wanqing politely declined his offer and went back on her own. Sheng Xixian couldn't help but regret his momentary lapse in judgment. She was a white eagle soaring freely in the high skies beyond the Great Wall, not a delicate swallow perched on a willow branch in Jiangnan. How could the sole heir of the Sima family beyond the Great Wall, the daughter of Sima Lie, be harmed by a little chill from Hangzhou?
Sheng Xixian followed her into the Dark Fragrance Pavilion, which surprised Sima Wanqing. She believed that with his status and position, he would not have any ill intentions towards her, but he was indeed very strange tonight.
The warm sandalwood scent inside the Dark Fragrance Pavilion seemed to change slightly due to his sudden visit. The cool and indifferent atmosphere in the air suddenly intensified, and she could clearly smell the faint, alluring butterfly scent on him, which made her inexplicably uneasy.
"What do you think of yesterday's suggestion?" he asked, as if he had come in just to find out her answer.
“Let’s cooperate. The Holy Martial Palace will do everything in its power to help you reclaim the Blazing Cloud Ranch, and even take revenge; once you succeed, you can use half of the Blazing Cloud Ranch’s wealth to help me unify the martial world.” His words from yesterday echoed in her ears, and she hesitated.
She didn't want to rely on others for revenge, but dealing with Duan Yuhan and even the entire Lieyun Ranch on her own was far too difficult. Using half of the resources of the Guanwai Sima to help Sheng Xixian wouldn't be difficult either. But how could she be sure that he wouldn't ultimately try to control Lieyun Ranch?
Sheng Xixian casually sat down in a chair nearby. "Cooperation is the best choice for both of us." He paused, then added, "It's been almost three years. Do you know how many people are looking for you?"
Sima Wanqing was not surprised; Duan Yuhan had sent people everywhere to search for her, which was exactly what she had expected.
"Besides Duan Yuhan, your sworn brother Pei Mubai has also secretly sent government officials to inquire about you. In addition, the Beggars' Sect, the Central Plains Long Clan, the tobacco tycoon Qian Shouxin, the silk king Chen De, and many other gangs and wealthy families are looking for you."
Sima Wanqing felt a bitter taste in her mouth. She had quietly left Pei Mubai for his own good; she didn't want him to suffer at Duan Yuhan's hands. But was he still so devoted, so determined to help her? Strangely, what were the others looking for her for?
When she was puzzled, her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her lake-green brocade dress made her beautiful eyes look even more captivating, like a pool of spring water.
"You haven't appeared at Lieyun Ranch for so long. Duan Yuhan claims that you suffered a setback while practicing martial arts and have been recuperating. However, the truth will eventually come out, and many people in the martial arts world are suspicious of this." Sheng Xixian explained in detail, "The renowned 'Sima of the Pass' has been famous for nearly a century thanks to the prestige of Lieyun Ranch, but now it is Duan Yuhan, the son-in-law of the Sima family, who controls everything at the ranch. And then you disappear without a trace, and there are rumors that you were taken away by thugs. What do you think people in the martial arts world will think, and what will they do when something like this happens?" He deliberately paused, wanting to see if she was truly worth helping.
She pondered deeply, a mocking smile gradually appearing on her lips. The Sima of the Outer Pass was incredibly wealthy, his heir a highly sought-after commodity in the eyes of the world. Humans are inherently greedy; finding her would bring benefits no matter what. Wealthy families like Qian Shouxin probably wanted to give her to Duan Yuhan, thus securing various preferential treatments in their business dealings with Lieyun Ranch. As for powerful clans like the Central Plains Dragon Clan, helping her or Duan Yuhan—whichever they chose—they could use the opportunity to unite with the Sima of the Outer Pass and strengthen their own influence in the martial arts world. All these people, going to great lengths and scheming, were calculating how to find her and maximize their own gains.
"So you do understand now. But do you understand my good intentions?" Sheng Xixian said meaningfully, his burning gaze fixed on her.
His painstaking effort was to keep her hidden under his wing for the past three years, deceiving everyone and allowing her to recuperate and practice in peace. But he might not have been without ulterior motives. Perhaps initially he wanted to help his master, Bamok, but later he probably wanted to gain benefits from her.
She subtly took a step back, saying, "I will never forget your kindness, Senior Brother." In any case, he had ultimately helped her.
“There’s something else I haven’t told my men.” He seemed oblivious to her avoidance. “Since they couldn’t find you, they captured hundreds of people who look like you, and most of them were sent to the ranch.”
What were those people planning? Better to kill three thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free? Sima Wanqing suddenly wanted to laugh. But their actions would force her to disguise herself whenever she went out, making revenge even more difficult.
"Let's cooperate." Sheng Xixian's face drew closer, his suffocating pressure making it almost impossible for her to breathe. This man was ambitious, wanting to become the emperor of the martial arts world. Allying with such a person was dangerous, because he might betray you at any moment for his own benefit, condemning you to eternal damnation.
"You are my junior sister, I will not betray you." He wanted to dispel her concerns, but as soon as he said this, he immediately realized that the reason was hypocritical and far-fetched.
To him, women were just women. But this was the only woman he was willing to fight alongside, even share the entire martial arts world with. Yet, he couldn't say those words aloud, for fear that if he did, she would immediately run far away.
Sima Wanqing smiled faintly. In this world, people commit adultery, kidnapping, patricide, and fratricide for wealth and power. Would he really guarantee to wholeheartedly help her because of their shallow brother-sister relationship? Such unbelievable words should not come from his mouth.
"I've considered sending you back to the ranch." Sheng Xixian's burning gaze softened slightly, his tone unusually cold. "I wonder if he'd be willing to give up half of the Guanwai Sima's fortune for you?" His probing tone made her very uncomfortable. He had many opportunities to do so, but he didn't. Why? Was it really because he wasn't sure what Duan Yuhan was willing to offer her in exchange?
His words carried a threatening tone, implying that he would do this if she didn't agree to cooperate with him.
Upon reflection, Duan Yuhan is a major obstacle to his unification of the martial arts world, as the booming development of Lieyun Ranch in recent years has greatly increased Duan Yuhan's influence. If Duan Yuhan shares the same ambition, the two are truly evenly matched. He probably still hopes to utilize the wealth and power of the Guanwai Sima clan for his own purposes, which is why he's trying to persuade her to cooperate.
His coldness at that moment added a chilling atmosphere to the surroundings, and Sima Wanqing felt a slight coldness in her fingertips. Cooperating with him meant she could command the people of the Holy Martial Palace, greatly increasing her chances of revenge. But how could she be sure that he wouldn't ultimately abandon her and completely seize Sima's assets outside the pass?
"You can take a gamble," Sheng Xixian suggested calmly, as if he understood her thoughts.
Sima Wanqing lowered her eyes, glancing at the silver, beast-shaped bronze incense burner beside her. The beast's mouth was somewhat ferocious, but if it could be used for her purposes, that was enough, wasn't it? Alone and vulnerable, she truly needed help. Besides, the man before her, though not a gentleman, wasn't a villain either. He had known her identity all along and hadn't made things difficult for her. Even his coldness earlier hadn't struck her as hostile. A woman's intuition told her it was worth the gamble.
A reserved smile played on her lips. "Okay, senior brother."
He smiled too, and the crisp, butterfly-scented fragrance intensified. For a moment, she felt a little lost in thought. She had never been comfortable with incense indoors; the intoxicating aroma, though warm and fragrant, always made her feel somewhat oppressed by the heavy envelopment.
"It's late." She tried her best to control herself and quietly told him to leave. But in an instant, his right hand moved with lightning speed and grabbed her left wrist.
Her slender wrist, as white as snow, was firmly held in his hand.
"You..." She was both shocked and furious. Her pulse was blocked, and half of her body immediately went numb. Even though she wanted to use her internal energy to resist, she was no match for his speed.
Sheng Xixian naturally picked her up and walked towards the low-hanging brocade curtains. "Be my woman, and I will never betray you."

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"The Banner of Desire" - Chapter 1, The Secret Agreement in the Brocade Tent

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