Yu Lingyu tightened his grip around the candy in his hand until it shattered.
"Did you do it?" he asked, his voice low.
"You just didn't know," Wu Xuan said. "Otherwise, how do you explain how that rabbit kit, who lived deep in the forest, ended up at the peak of Jun?"
A sharp sting of fury flared inside Lingyu. Centuries of pain and confusion pressed against his chest again.
Did Wu Xuan know everything all along?
What a joke…
Silence settled between them like a thick fog. Then finally, Wu Xuan turned his head and looked straight at him.
"Actually, I didn't know at first either," he said. "But someone came to me and asked me to bring that rabbit kit to the Wen Sect."
He leaned back and smiled.
"Guess what he said? He told me the rabbit should live on Jun Peak. That's why I had to sneak up there almost every evening to spy."
An uneasy fear bloomed inside Lingyu's chest.
If that's true… someone's been playing with my fate from the start.
"So, tell me," Wu Xuan went on, laughing bitterly. "What do I do when one day, some strange little brat comes and steals my rabbit? Ha! I saw everything that happened that day, Yu Shidi. Oh no… Zi Feng. I wonder where real Lingyu's soul is now?"
Yu Lingyu no longer saw the point in hiding it. With only the soft sounds of birds filling the space between them, he finally spoke.
"Lingyu and I… we're not two different people. We are one soul. Just split into two remnants."
Wu Xuan straightened, clearly intrigued. He kept staring at Lingyu."No wonder… You look exactly like the rabbit spirit's soul."
Lingyu's voice dropped lower.
"Then tell me… what really happened that day? Do you remember who asked you to bring me here?"
Wu Xuan shrugged. "I was badly hurt back then. I just remember a man with a long white beard. If he hadn't saved me, I would've died. In return, he asked me to bring a golden cub to Jun Peak," he said, his tone quiet.
"And… he told me to protect that cub."
Who are you?Yu Lingyu's thoughts screamed.
Who are you?
Who are you?
Why are you protecting me?
What do you want from me?
"How do you know that rabbit spirit was Zi Feng?" he asked.
"Your Demonic mark," Wu Xuan said casually. "It means God of Wind. You thought I was stupid? These ancient marks may have faded from the world's memory, but not mine."
He's lying, Lingyu thought. I can feel it.
"Didn't you once say you thought it was the God of Fire?" Lingyu narrowed his eyes. "We're twins."
"You're dangerously beautiful. So, you must be Zi Feng," Wu Xuan muttered, eyes locked on Lingyu's silvery brown gaze behind the mask.
Lingyu had more questions, but Wu Xuan had fallen silent.
Just then, soft bell chimes echoed through the bamboo forest, carried on the wind.
"Yu Shidi!"
Murong Meng's voice called out. Lingyu, who had already stood, quietly walked down to a massive plant nearby. Wu Xuan followed closely behind.
Almost all the disciples had gathered and were sitting around, clearly tired. Lan Mei and Yuan Yu Yi seemed to have grown closer, chatting like old friends.
"Meng Shixiong," Lingyu greeted with a slight bow of his head.
"Yu Shidi," Murong Meng said, glancing around. "Where are your disciples?"
"They went to town."
"To Lilan City?"
"Yes."
Lingyu tilted his head slightly. "Is something wrong, Meng Shixiong?"
Murong Meng shook his head in frustration.
"Listen calmly and don't worry, Yu Shidi," he said softly.
But Yu Lingyu's eyes widened at those words. Don't worry? He panicked immediately.
"What happened?" Lingyu asked quickly.
Murong Meng frowned, his tone low. "That… Shen Ming. He's your disciple, right?"
Yu Lingyu quickly shook his head, annoyed. What now, Shen Shidi? Can't you stay out of trouble for once? He hadn't forgotten to send Hu Mao and a few disciples to protect the group. So, what now? Another problem?
Damn it!
"I just got the news," Murong Meng continued. "It seems they clashed with the Lotus Sect. If this turns into a bigger fight between sects, I'm afraid-"He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.
"Lotus Sect? Why are they in Lilan City?" Wu Xuan raised his voice in surprise.
"It's because of the Moonlit Sword Festival," a voice answered suddenly.
Jin Fan had appeared out of nowhere. Lingyu had completely forgotten that Lingxiao Sect's Jian Yu had also left with his team of disciples.
"With the festival going on, the Wen Sect is busy," Jin Fan explained calmly. "The market in the city is crowded and full of opportunity. A perfect time for a shady sect like the Lotus Sect to cause trouble."
"Wait… the Lingxiao Sect is also in the city because-" Lingyu asked.
"To stop the Lotus sect," Jin Fan said. "We got a tip about a planned attack. I already told Elder Shi."
No wonder. The Lingxiao Sect had the best information network in the world.
"So that's why you sent Jian Yu?" Yu Lingyu's voice grew sharp. "Brother Jin! If you'd told me this earlier, I never would've let my disciples go to the city!"
His sudden outburst made Wu Xuan blink, then smirk slightly.Awesome, Yu Shidi. That's the spirit! Keep going! his thoughts cheered.
Jin Fan looked a little embarrassed. He clearly hadn't expected things to go this way either. His fluffy white and blue robes fluttered in the wind as he shifted his grip on the sword in his right hand.
"Let's not waste time," he said.
"Yu Yi!" Wu Xuan called.
Yuan Yu Yi, who had been laughing and talking nearby, quickly ran over."Da Shixiong?"
"Gather our disciples. Tell them to head to Lilan City immediately. If they see even one member of the Lotus Sect,"
He paused, taking a deep breath.
"Kill them."
Yuan Yu Yi's eyes widened. "The Lotus Sect?" she repeated, shocked.
"Go now." Startled by his tone, Yuan Yu Yi turned and ran without a word.
"Yu Shidi, you're not going with them, are you?" Murong Meng asked, surprised.
Lingyu couldn't remember Meng ever sounding this worried about him.
"I'm going," Lingyu replied with a calm smile. "They're my apprentices."
"You stay. I'll go instead," Murong Meng said firmly.
Everyone in the Wen Sect knew that Yu Lingyu was considered timid and weak. Murong Meng was afraid that if something happened, Lingyu wouldn't even be able to protect himself. He didn't want to risk his life in such a dangerous situation. This was a matter of life and death, after all.
"Meng Shixiong," Yu Lingyu said gently. "Stay here to protect the peak. Leave my apprentices to me."
He reached out and lightly patted Murong Meng's shoulder.
Murong Meng said nothing, watching Yu Lingyu in silence, though he didn't seem pleased.
"Come back alive," Murong Meng said at last. Then, removing the sword slung over his back, he handed it to Lingyu.
"If you don't come back, don't blame me when I burn that weird room of yours to the ground!" he snapped, voice sharp as ever. Then he turned and walked away, yelling at the others to return to their chambers.
Lingyu stared at the silver-sheathed sword in his hand, surprised.No one besides Da Shixiong had ever cared much about him. Or so he had thought.But now, in this moment, he had to admit it, Jun Peak still looked out for him.
"Yu Shixiong!"
Just as they were about to head down the mountain, a voice stopped them.
It was Lan Mei. She looked tired but determined.
She walked up to Lingyu and handed him a small pouch.
"Smoke bombs," she said softly. "Just in case."
Lingyu nodded and tucked them into his Qiankun pouch."Thank you, Lan Shimei."
"Thank Murong Shixiong. Be careful, Yu Shixiong. Bring back our little brothers and sisters," she added with a small smile.
They had reached the gate at the base of Jun Peak.
If Lingyu was right, it was quite far from Murong Meng's cabin to here.With one last grateful look at Lan Mei, Yu Lingyu led the others down the mountain.
"Jun Peak and its mines!" Wu Xuan grumbled after a while.
"Would it kill you all to train your sword skills instead of making weapons all day?"
The Lingxiao disciples, walking in perfect order, looked like white cranes gliding through the night.Their clean white robes stood out clearly in the growing darkness.
When they reached the horse rental station, it was completely deserted. Not a horse in sight.
Wu Xuan's face twisted in annoyance. But then, as if a memory slipped into his mind, the anger quickly receded, like a wave curling at the shore before retreating into the sea.
"Juyao Peak must have gone ahead," he muttered darkly.
"No choice then," Jin Fan said. "Use swords." He stepped onto his blade, which hovered effortlessly above the ground. "Brother Yu, will you ride with me?"
"No need." Wu Xuan rolled his eyes, his voice tight with restrained irritation. "He's coming with me."
Jin Fan smiled, unfazed. "See you in town, then."
In a blink, the Lingxiao Sect disciples took to the sky, vanishing like silver streaks in the air. No wonder, they were Lord Fengshen's followers.
"…Wait a minute," Wu Xuan suddenly snapped. "Why didn't we just fly from the beginning instead of wasting time looking for horses?"
The two stared at each other.
"I… forgot that was an option," Lingyu mumbled, his tone sheepish.
"And those damn birds didn't even remind us," Wu Xuan growled, unsheathing his sword with a sharp hiss.
The long blade, shimmering faintly with soul energy, floated off the ground. Wu Xuan placed his right foot onto the hilt and extended his hand to Lingyu.
Lingyu grabbed it, stepping onto the blade in front of him, holding tightly onto Murong Meng's sword strapped to his back. Wu Xuan's arm wrapped around Lingyu's waist, just enough to steady him, and with a sharp gust, the sword shot up into the sky, slicing through the night wind.
"A good sword," Lingyu said, eyes half-lidded as the wind teased his hair.
The sky was clear, stars scattered across the black canvas. But the moon was nowhere in sight, veiled by some unseen veil. The wind roared in their ears.
"Wu Xu!" Wu Xuan yelled over the wind.
"What?"
"That's the name of my sword- Wu Xu!"
"Oh… got it!" Lingyu shouted back. Then, his eyes narrowed. "Wu Shixiong! Lilan City- below!"
They landed in a quiet area outside the city walls to avoid attention. Yu Lingyu could fly without a sword if he wanted, but he still kept his identity buried deep. He wasn't ready to expose anything, not yet.
Once on the ground, the two disguised themselves as ordinary traders. Lingyu removed his mask and tied a ribbon around his forehead to cover the faint glow of his demonic mark. The mask dampened his powers. In a place like this, that was too much of a risk.
After sealing their swords back into their Qiankun pouches, they walked toward the heart of the city, asking the roadside vendors and passing farmers for any useful information.
"We should head to the Crimson Phoenix Pavilion," Lingyu suggested, nudging up his bamboo hat. "It's the best place to pick up gossip."
Wu Xuan glanced at him, about to respond, when a loud commotion erupted ahead.
A crowd had gathered. Angry voices. Someone was shouting.
"Get out of here!"
That voice.
"Jian Yu!" both Yu Lingyu and Wu Xuan called out in unison, pushing through the people.
In the middle of the chaos, a man in ragged, muddy robes stumbled backwards, landing in a toppled vegetable cart. His clothes were stained, his once neatly combed hair now a mess, sweat streaking down his dirt-smudged face.
It was Jian Yu, clearly outnumbered and exhausted.
"You thief!" Jian Yu spat, even as several burly men circled him, smirking.
"Curse all you want," one of them sneered. "No one here's going to help you."
"Oh?"The voice came from behind.
The robbers turned, startled, only to see a tall, lean man in plain trader's clothes and a wide bamboo hat. They snickered, clearly unimpressed.
Lingyu blinked. Wu Xuan had vanished from his side.
Yu Lingyu crouched beside Jian Yu, checking his injuries. Meanwhile, Wu Xuan faced the gang, calm and expressionless.
"Did I say something funny?" he asked flatly, arms crossed.
"Get lost, fool. Or do you want to join him?"
Wu Xuan gave a slow hiss of a sigh. "Tsk. Didn't your parents teach you manners?"
A flash of steel flew toward him, an axe, aimed straight for his chest.
Without uncrossing his arms, Wu Xuan tilted his body. The axe whizzed past. In the same fluid motion, he kicked the attacker's leg, sending him sprawling to his knees.
Wu Xuan leapt off the man's back, delivering a spinning kick to the other two, sending them tumbling back into crates.
They groaned on the ground, struggling to get up.
"Look out!" Lingyu shouted suddenly.
The axe-wielder lunged again. But Wu Xuan turned, caught the attack mid-swing, and punched the man square in the face, blood spraying as his nose shattered.
The crowd gasped.
"Who the hell are you?!" one of the remaining men yelled, helping his fallen comrade.
Wu Xuan just smiled slightly, lifting his hat with one hand. His eyes gleamed like a sharpened blade.
"Am I?" Wu Xuan asked.
"I'm your great-grandfather!"
Cursing Wu Xuan under their breath, the robbers finally scattered, disappearing into the streets as laughter burst out among the bystanders.
Once he was sure they wouldn't come back, Wu Xuan quickly ran toward the corner of the street, where Jian Yu was leaning on Yu Lingyu for support.
"How is he?" Wu Xuan asked.
Yu Lingyu shook his head slowly, clearly in no mood to speak.
"What happened? How did you end up so injured?"
Jian Yu glanced up at Wu Xuan. "Don't talk like you were ever worried," he said sharply, though his voice cracked from weakness.
Turning back to Yu Lingyu, Jian Yu grabbed his sleeve. Failing to recognize him without the mask, he called out. "You are also from the Wen sect, right? you need to hurry. Ask the Wen Sect for help. They're strong enough."
Even though Jian Yu hadn't said the name directly, Yu Lingyu instantly knew he was talking about the Lotus Sect.
Wu Xuan narrowed his eyes as he looked in the direction the robbers had gone. "Those guys? Were they from the Lotus Sect?"
Jian Yu scoffed. "No way. They're just a bunch of trash. If I hadn't been injured, I would've taken them down myself." His fists clenched, but the movement made him cough again, harder this time.
"Brother Jian," Wu Xuan asked, voice calm, "do you know where the others are being held?"
Jian Yu shook his head weakly. "I don't know. When Brother Shen got into trouble with the Lotus Sect, I was just watching from the side. Then suddenly… everyone vanished. I tried to help, but I ended up like this."
Yu Lingyu gently placed his hands over Jian Yu's wounds. His touch was light, but slowly, Jian Yu's pain began to ease. Though Jian Yu didn't realize it, his injuries were already starting to heal. Yu Lingyu stayed quiet, guilt pressing down on his chest. The people from the Lingxiao Sect were his followers. He couldn't help but feel responsible.
"Are you the one who sent the word to the sect?" Yu Lingyu asked softly.
"I thought you found out about this by accident. Did the Wen Sect get the information?" Jian Yu replied, his eyes filled with confusion. "I tried to send a message, but the robbers caught me before I could. I didn't send anything."
Wu Xuan's expression darkened. He frowned deeply, suspicion flickering in his eyes.
Hu Mao... It must have been him.
But Lingyu didn't say that out loud. There were things Wu Xuan didn't need to know, at least, not yet.