Ink Blade Chapter 4 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver
Edited by kleio
Master (part 2)
...The child's gaze wasn’t concealed at all. Even ordinary people would feel uncomfortable being stared at like this for a long time, let alone Chu Yan, who was a martial artist with keen and acute senses.
Chu Yan playfully raised his eyebrows and looked over, but deliberately remained silent.
Secret guards were not very talkative, but the kid kneeling down was exceptionally silent, just staring at the Fourth Young Master with no expression on his face.
They just kept silently looking…..staring at each other.
The concentration of a secret guard was unmatched by ordinary people, and in the end, it was Chu Yan who couldn't hold on, coughing subtly.
The cough brought Mo Ren back to his senses, and he looked around. Most of the children had been beaten to the ground, and only a sturdy teenager remained standing. He held the long, black sword in his hand, wanting to bow down in front of Chu Yan with an excited expression on his face.
So Mo Ren stood up calmly, quietly strode over, and started to fight. After a few moves, he struck the back of the sturdy boy's neck with his hand, knocked him unconscious, and then took the sword.
“........”
Chu Yan's face darkened.
"Do you think this way of winning is eligible?"
Mo Ren held the pitch-black long sword in both hands and knelt under the jade seat. His eyes were concealed beneath his lowered lashes, and he spoke calmly, "The Fourth Young Master didn't say it was ineligible. A secret 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 threw his head back and laughed loudly, clapping his hands and repeatedly praising him. The Hall Master of the Dark Hall helplessly explained, "This one is a bit of a wild cub. It hasn’t been long since he was taken in, and he also has somewhat of a tough temper. The Dark Hall has not yet trained him properly, so Fourth Young Master needn’t be surprised."
Chu Yan’s smile remained, and he pointed at Mo Ren from his high seat, "It doesn’t matter, he’s the one! I like this one."
He stood up, looked at the little secret guard, and spoke in a more intimidating tone, "You... come with me, be my guard, be my sword.”
Mo Ren’s heart suddenly shook. 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 does not have a name."
"Today, this Young Master will name you after 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 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 raised his eyebrows 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, his life was too short, and it was suddenly over. Only in the heart that could no longer beat, there was still the last drop of red blood that tried to not lose 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 expectations, and scolded him for stubbornly sticking to his master fatuously.
He then said that he was a sword that had recognized its Master, given a name by said Master, and was forged by the Master himself. 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 his 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 only because he was conferred a name.
Yet, it was more because, in the days before that handsome young man named Bai Hua appeared, their intimacy had increased. Chu Yan appreciated him much more, got close to him, and cherished him.
Mo Ren had almost forgotten the days when he had gained his Master’s trust; when he was the only bodyguard of the Palace Master, his position one step behind Chu Yan belonged to him.
That unique position closest to his Master….that position that he would never be able to earn himself again…
Tianlan Mountain was located in the back of Jiuzhong Palace. In spring, pear blossoms would bloom at the foot of the mountain, as vast and dense as mid-winter snow. Once, Chu Yan had been sparring with him, and, delighted with their fight, he held his wrist affectionately and smiled softly, “Look, this Master really picked up a treasure back then.”
He also once stared at him while he brewed tea, and asked out of nowhere, “Ah Ren, you are such a good martial artist, yet you are always surrounded by orphans and work to serve them. Do you not feel wronged?”
Before he could hastily deny it, Chu Yan 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.”
His Master regarded him as a treasure.
His Master still liked him.
His Master was used to him and was unwilling to part with him.
Those years of knowing each other.
How could he not think about it? How could he possibly 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 utter 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!?”
