Pretending to be weak to eat the tiger
The three sped across the slippery flagstones, followed by a surging tide of villagers. Their eyes, hollow and lifeless in the dim light, stared intently at their fleeing prey.
"Find an empty house." Yun Wei spoke very quickly, her gaze sweeping over the tightly closed doors on both sides.
Mud and water splattered from Nangong Ya's feet as she continued to complain, "Why are all the doors sealed up in this godforsaken place?"
Just then, a weak child's voice suddenly rang out: "Immortal Master, over here! Come in quickly!"
Yunwei paused, then looked to her right.
A small face was squeezed through a narrow crack in the door.
The girl was only seven or eight years old. Her dry, yellow hair clung to her forehead and cheeks, and her small face was thin and gaunt, making her large, dark eyes appear even bigger and filled with fear, almost overflowing. She was wrapped in an old, patched coat that was clearly too big for her and hung loosely, revealing wrists that were so thin they looked as if they would break at the slightest touch.
In a deathly place shrouded in mental obstruction, where life is cut off, how could such a young child survive alone?
Before Yun Wei could speak, a shadowy figure blocked her way. The Lone Goose Sword flashed coldly, its tip pointing directly at the crack in the door: "The living should have died long ago. What are you?"
The girl, terrified by the sword's edge, turned deathly pale: "I...I'm called Yimei...I've been hiding in the cellar..."
Behind them, the sound of dragging footsteps and roars was already close at hand.
“There’s no time…” Yunwei made a quick decision, her voice clear and melodious, “I’ll set up an array to protect this room, you take Aya inside first.”
Before she finished speaking, she formed a hand seal, and spiritual energy surged from her fingertips—
"Buzz!"
A massive golden barrier instantly opened beneath Yun Wei's feet, rapidly spreading upwards and to both sides, transforming into a semi-transparent golden light curtain that completely sealed off the alleyway entrance. The dozen or so villagers at the forefront were thrown back as if they had crashed into an invisible wall.
The instant the light screen appeared, she felt a sudden sinking in her chest, and seventy or eighty percent of the spiritual energy accumulated within her body vanished in an instant. It was as if all the strength in her limbs had been drained; stars flashed before her eyes, the world spun, and her body could no longer support her. She swayed a few times, about to collapse forward. This situation was something she should have expected. Forcibly activating the power of her remnant soul was already defying the heavens, so the backlash from the spiritual energy was to be expected. She just hadn't anticipated it would come so quickly and so fiercely.
A hand suddenly reached out, its knuckles distinct and carrying its usual coolness, and abruptly gripped her arm. A warm current forced its way into her through his palm, coursing along her meridians, barely managing to keep Yun Wei's consciousness from collapsing.
She used the force to steady herself, and when she looked up, she met a pair of eyes that were inches away from hers.
It is Xie Lanchen.
He had appeared beside her without her noticing, one hand gripping her arm tightly, the other hand holding the Lone Goose Sword, its tip pointing diagonally at the ground. His gaze was fixed on her, his eyes swirling with lingering shock and anger, mixed with a hint of panic that he was trying hard to suppress, yet he maintained a cold and hard demeanor, as if the slightest relaxation would reveal the deep concern in his heart.
"Is it so satisfying to be reckless and court death?" he said, his voice cold and hard. "Does your empty title of 'benefiting all under heaven' have to be completely destroyed?"
These words were hurtful, and Yunwei felt a surge of anger welling up in her chest. She forcefully shook off his hand and retorted, "Even if I'm like this, I'm still better than some people who always look on with indifference. In their eyes, the world's inhabitants are probably not even worth a speck of dust."
The boy's face instantly darkened, his eyes growing even colder, almost solidifying: "You're right. If it weren't for the life-sharing pact binding us, I wouldn't even bother to look at you even if you turned to ashes."
"Likewise." Yun Wei replied with four words, then turned and stepped into the small house without saying anything more.
Upon closer reflection, Xie Lanchen's actions were ultimately far less despicable than those of the Guiyun Sect disciples and his father.
Although he was adept at provoking trouble, he not only won his father's attention, but his fellow disciples also showered him with support like stars around the moon.
But he never whispered behind her back like others did, using her background as gossip; nor did he avoid her like his fellow disciples did, as if she were a ghost.
Since that's the case, once the blood feud is avenged, we'll sever this bond of life and death, and from then on, we'll be strangers on separate paths, never to meet again.
The room was dimly lit, the walls were peeling, and some broken and junk items were piled up in the corners. A strong smell of mildew and a sense of decay permeated the air.
Nangong Ya leaned against the door, listening to the dull thuds in the alley, and whispered to Yun Wei, "You two are such a pair of frenemys, even when you're running for your lives you can't stop bickering? You have so much energy you don't know what to do with it, huh?"
Aya's worries were obvious, but at this moment, Yunwei's mind was completely occupied by the small, thin figure in the corner.
The girl huddled in the corner furthest from the door, the only relatively dry spot, hugging her knees, her small body curled up in a ball. Her large, dark eyes darted back and forth between Yun Wei and Xie Lanchen, glancing at the girl sitting unsteadily in the chair, then at the man leaning against the wall with a gloomy expression, barely daring to breathe.
Xie Lanchen glanced around, finally fixing his gaze on Yimei, and coldly asked, "How long have you been hiding? How have you been surviving?"
Yi Mei shuddered, her face growing paler, her voice barely audible: "There are... there are rats... and... and the little bit of dried biscuit that Granny Li used to secretly give me... hidden in the cellar..." As she spoke, her arms, which were wrapped around her knees, tightened unnaturally, as if she wanted to hide herself in a crack in the wall.
Yun Wei was filled with doubts, her gaze falling on the little girl's wrists and forearms exposed outside her tattered sleeves. The crisscrossing old scars, the purplish bruises, and even several hideous burns with dark brown scabs were clearly exposed before her eyes.
These scars... are clearly the marks of long-term abuse.
Yun Wei stood up, dragging her heavy, weak body, and walked step by step to the corner of the wall. A dull ache surged through her, and her vision blurred slightly, but she forcefully suppressed it. Under the girl's terrified and bewildered gaze, she slowly knelt down, her fingertips carrying a faint but pure spiritual energy, and carefully touched the most gruesome old scar on the little girl's arm.
The younger sister stared blankly, forgetting her fear.
The moment Yunwei's fingertips touched the scar, her heart tightened. The skin beneath her fingertips was as hard as frozen stone; there was no pulse, not even a trace of life, only a bone-chilling cold, as if she were holding a block of ice.
There was indeed a problem.
She silently withdrew her hand, her brows furrowing even more deeply—this was definitely not the warmth of a living person. Under the influence of mental illusions, the villagers were all puppets; how could a child like her possess any cold, yin energy circulating within her? And what right did she have to survive?
"What are you doing?" Xie Lanchen rushed over, his face full of confusion.
Yunwei was suddenly pulled up by him, her arm bones felt like they were about to be crushed, and her head was spinning. She steadied herself against the wall, her face calm, and said lightly, "Look at this child covered in wounds, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him."
Is this child dead or alive? If he is truly dead, how could he possess such vivid fear? If he is alive, then the chilling aura emanating from him is certainly not ordinary.
Judging from her cowering demeanor just now, she seemed more like a living person than those puppet villagers. Moreover, her disguise was far more sophisticated than that of the puppets.
Even more strangely, the girl faintly carried the scent of orchids that her mother often used, so faint as to be almost imperceptible, yet unmistakably true. This matter was far too significant; they could only proceed discreetly, lest Xie Lanchen's outburst alert them.
"Compassion? You used to be so arrogant, everyone had to watch your face. When have you ever shown any compassion to us country kids?" The boy sneered, his gaze sweeping over the girl's wounds before returning to Yun Wei's face. "I advise you to stop with that hypocritical act. Otherwise, you'll end up not only failing to show mercy but also ruining your own soul."
Yunwei didn't reply.
There's no point in saying more; he's suspicious by nature. Instead of wasting time explaining, it's better to focus on the matter at hand.
She bent down slightly, gently placing her hand on the girl's head, her voice softening: "Don't be afraid, tell your sister, is there anyone else at home? Where are your parents?"
The mention of "father and mother" caused the girl's small body to stiffen abruptly. She quickly lowered her head, burying her face in her knees, her shoulders trembling slightly. After a moment, a muffled voice, thick with a nasal tone, finally escaped her lips: "N-no...no...Father...Father and Mother...are both gone..."
"Then...you all alone, relying on those dry biscuits..." Nangong Ya couldn't help but interrupt, her brows furrowed, "How did you manage to get through it? And those people outside...they're all in such a state," she pointed to the dull thud outside the door, "How come you're alright?"
This is a sharp, yet crucial, question.
Yi Mei's body trembled even more violently as she frantically rummaged in the inner pocket of her tattered coat, pulling out something. It was a small sachet, the fabric long faded and yellowed, the edges frayed.
Yunwei's gaze swept over the crooked clump of orchids, then suddenly stopped—at the end of the stitch, there was a tiny "Yun" character embroidered.
"It's...it's this..." Yi Mei's voice was choked with sobs as she clutched the small sachet tightly, as if grasping at a lifeline. "Mother said...it was given to me eighteen years ago by a hermit who was passing by...he said it could ward off evil and protect me...I've always carried it with me..." She raised her tearful eyes and looked at Yun Wei with a bewildered hope, "Sister Hermit...this really works...right?"
Yunwei's fingertips trembled slightly. The embroidery, the character "Yun," the fragrance of orchids... it was clearly her mother's sachet.
Too many doubts tangled in my mind: Could the "immortal" who passed by eighteen years ago have been my mother? What connection does my mother have with this desolate village?
Yunwei had kept her mother's background and cause of death a knot in her heart for many years. It wasn't that she hadn't thought about investigating, but the clues were too fragmented, and she couldn't grasp even a shred of evidence. Over the years, she had long since become accustomed to keeping her thoughts buried deep in her heart and dealing with things calmly. As for those deeply buried doubts, they were nothing more than a dull ache that occasionally swept through her heart in the middle of the night when she woke up.
Xie Lanchen is his father's adopted son. If he finds out about his mother's affairs, given his vindictive and suspicious nature, who knows how many things he might uncover from the smallest clues? He'll inevitably use this as an excuse to cause trouble, implicating even more people and becoming a hindrance. As for Aya, she's too straightforward and can't keep a word to herself.
Therefore, they must not be allowed to get involved in this matter.
Yunwei has never liked involving others in her affairs, especially such a far-reaching old grudge. They have their own paths to walk, and she has her debts to repay; it's best if they stay out of each other's way. As for her mother's matter, she can investigate it herself. The more people know, the more variables there are, and the more trouble it will cause.
Thinking of this, she pointed her right hand like a sword and swiftly drew a line in the air. A silver thread followed her fingertip, quietly forming a barrier about ten feet around her sister, completely isolating her from the surrounding sounds.
At the same time, she reached out with her left hand and grabbed the girl's thin wrist. The touch was stiff as dead wood, lifeless, and the knuckles under the skin were protruding and uncomfortable to the touch.
The younger sister trembled all over, her eyes filled with terror as she struggled.
Yun Wei crouched down, her pale face expressionless, only her eyes gleaming with a captivating light. Suppressing her turbulent emotions, she spoke slowly and deliberately, "Now that no one is around, tell me, who are you? And why are you in your possession?"
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