The Silent Path of the Swordsman

Chapter 11 - The Reunion

With quick reflexes, Luo Yin immediately spun around and prepared a ball of Qi energy in her right hand.

However, the moment she saw the person who had been walking behind her, she lowered her hand. The ball of Qi energy she had prepared to attack gradually faded. Her eyes grew misty as she stared at the young man before her. “You ... you're Luo Yi, right?”

Several zhang away from where Luo Yin and Luo Qin stood, Luo Yi smiled faintly, his face looking completely calm. The young man nodded slowly and replied, “Yes, Mother. It's me.”

Luo Yin rose to her feet, tears streaming down her cheeks. The woman ran toward Luo Yi and embraced him. She did not know whether she should be shocked or happy. The small body she had once held in her arms had now transformed into the strong and warm body of a grown young man. His shoulders, once narrow, were now broader, and he was even taller than her. Luo Yin wept with emotion in her son's embrace.

On the other side, Luo Qin widened her eyes, as if unable to believe how different her nephew's appearance and demeanor were compared to three years ago. She also walked toward them, making sure that the face before her truly belonged to her nephew.

After getting close enough to Luo Yi and Luo Yin, who were still embracing each other, she said, “I ... I really didn't expect you to change this much in just three years, Yi'er.”

Luo Yi turned toward his aunt. “It's all thanks to my master's guidance. Without her, I wouldn't have been able to become like this.”

The young man then released his mother from the embrace and looked into her face. “I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye, Mother,” he said calmly, but his voice carried genuine sincerity.

Luo Yin nodded slowly and continued staring at her son's face, a face so calm and completely different from the one she had seen three years ago. The woman then wiped away her tears and said, “The most important thing is that you're safe, Yi'er!”

Luo Yi smiled. “I'll cheer Mother and Aunt Qin up,” he said, then lightly leaped onto the large fallen tree using his Movement Technique before sitting there calmly.

Luo Yin and Luo Qin exchanged a glance, then also leaped using their Movement Techniques, landing on Luo Yi's left and right sides.

Luo Qin sat to her nephew's left, then turned toward him and asked, “You really surprised us, Yi'er. How can you use a Movement Technique when you have a damaged dantian?”

Meanwhile, Luo Yin was not as surprised as her younger sister. Three years ago, Hua Lianyi had visited her and declared that she would take Luo Yi as her disciple. And now, Luo Yin seemed to see that woman's shadow in the calmness on her son's face—the same calmness Hua Lianyi had once possessed. She was certain that the woman had healed Luo Yi's damaged dantian, allowing her son to use a Movement Technique just as she had seen him do moments ago.

Luo Yi turned toward his aunt and answered calmly. “I'm sorry, Aunt Qin, but I can't answer that, because my master told me to keep my strength and the place where I trained a secret from everyone.”

“All right, I understand. I won't force you to tell me,” Luo Qin said. “Then, what are you going to do to cheer us up here?”

Luo Yi took a silver flute out of his storage ring.

“You can play the flute?” Luo Qin asked.

Luo Yin had actually wanted to ask the same question, but her younger sister had already asked it for her. So, she simply remained silent and waited for her son to answer.

“Of course,” Luo Yi replied, then brought the flute to his lips and began to blow gently.

The first note that emerged was incredibly soft, as if the evening breeze itself had joined the melody. The sound of his flute was calm, yet it carried a deep sense of longing, flowing like the peaceful currents of the Cangliu River.

The birds that had been perched on several fallen tree trunks fell silent, while the fallen leaves drifting through the air on the wind seemed to move along with the melody.

Luo Yin was stunned. The tears that had stopped earlier now began to flow once again. The song awakened old memories of Luo Yi's childhood, a time that had been lost to time and separation.

Luo Qin was also transfixed. “This song ... is so soothing,” she murmured unconsciously.

The silver flute continued to sing, its melody slowly rising before falling again, caressing the soul of anyone who heard it. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. There were only the three of them, the evening, and the soothing melody of the silver flute calming their hearts and minds.

Half an incense stick later, Luo Yi stopped playing the flute and stored it inside his storage ring.

Meanwhile, Luo Yin remembered something she had yet to ask. She turned toward her son and asked, “Yi'er, did you see the great battle that took place here earlier?”