Chapter Twenty-Two: At Longwu Mountain!

The night was as dark as ink, the moonlight faint. In a corner outside the inn, three figures suddenly appeared, shrouded in an ominous black mist, like emissaries from the netherworld. Clad in black robes, their faces hidden beneath hoods, only their tightly pressed lips and cold eyes were visible, conveying an unyielding resolve.

“Reporting to the sect leader: that brat has come out of the inn and is currently curled up in the last room on the second floor. The flickering candlelight reveals his somewhat tense figure,” the middle robed man spoke in a low, hoarse voice that seemed to pierce the night and reach into the unknown beyond. The three of them moved in unison, kneeling on one knee, right fists pressed lightly against their chests—a gesture of utmost loyalty and reverence to their sect leader.

The night grew deeper, the moonlight almost entirely swallowed by thick clouds. Everything around the inn was enveloped in dense shadows. As the middle figure’s solemn words fell, the three silhouettes rose slowly, moving silently and flawlessly, as if not even the air was disturbed. They turned in unison, like ghosts of the night, vanishing soundlessly into the surrounding darkness. Yet, in the instant of their turn, their cold eyes gleamed sharply, as if capable of piercing through every secret in the world.

That deep, grim voice seemed to come from the depths of the abyss, carrying an irresistible authority: “Go down carefully. Do not let the prey escape. I will personally oversee the operation to ensure nothing goes wrong.” With that, he lightly waved his hand; a faint glimmer flashed at his fingertips before fading into silence, leaving behind an even heavier darkness and those eyes gleaming fiercely in the shadows, fixed unwaveringly on the flickering candlelight in the room below.

*Knock knock*... “Yufan, you’re back?”

Hearing the knock, Yufan rose and opened the door. “Senior Sister?”

Fang Yu replied earnestly, “You’re back! I was so worried. I thought you might—”

Yufan glanced at his senior sister. “My junior brother is lucky; he won’t die. Come in, I have something to tell you.”

“Can’t you say it here? All secretive,” Fang Yu said.

“It’s a matter of great importance,” Yufan said, touching his head.

After a moment...

---

“I’m going to Longwu Mountain. It’s a journey where one may barely survive—maybe not at all. You and Elder Jian should leave this place and wait elsewhere for my return. Following me will only lead to death.”

Fang Yu slammed the table heavily. “We go together. There’s no way I’ll let you take such a risk alone. That’s settled. No more arguments. Pack up; we leave tomorrow.” Turning, she walked toward the door. “Get some rest, Yufan.”

Yufan stood and said, “Senior Sister, but—”

Watching her resolute back fade away, a complex storm of emotions welled up inside him. He stood frozen for a moment, then hurried to the window and pushed it open. The night breeze, mixed with fine rain, brushed against his face, carrying a chill that seemed to ease his lingering anxiety. Outside, the night was as thick as ink, the inn’s lights flickering in the rain, lonely yet warm.

He took a deep breath, turned back to the table, and began packing a simple travel bag. Each item carried his hopes for the future and his concern for his senior sister. His hand gently brushed the long sword that had accompanied him for years; its blade shimmered coldly, as if whispering of the unknown trials ahead. He carefully sheathed the sword, slung it over his shoulder, his gaze growing firm.

Fang Yu emerged and closed the door, then saw Elder Jian.

Elder Jian stepped forward, asking, “Yufan has returned?”

“Yes,” Fang Yu replied. “Thank you for your concern, Elder Jian.”

Elder Jian spoke earnestly, “It is late. Rest early.”

Fang Yu saluted respectfully. “Actually, Elder Jian, there is one more thing I wish to ask.”

Elder Jian smiled gently. “Speak freely.”

---

Fang Yu stood and folded her hands. “My junior brother and I are going to Longwu Mountain. I wonder if there is—”

Elder Jian’s voice was long and weighty. “His father entrusted him to me. How could I look away? His father regarded me as a brother and once saved my life. Even if it costs me my own, I will not hesitate.”

“Very well,” Elder Jian said. “You should rest now. Depart at dawn.”

After a while, the inn fell into silence. Only the gentle rain outside mingled with the night, weaving a hazy tableau. Yufan stood beside his packed bag, gazing past the flickering candlelight at a landscape painting hanging on the wall. The painting depicted rugged peaks shrouded in mist, as if foretelling the perilous and unknown journey awaiting him to Longwu Mountain.

At daybreak, the first pale gold rays cautiously pierced the heavy clouds, casting a soft glow over the inn’s blue tiles. Inside, the candles had all been extinguished, replaced by the faint light filtering through the window, dappling Yufan’s resolute face. He stood by the window, staring at the brightening sky, eyes shimmering with anticipation and determination for the uncertain journey ahead.

Outside, the rain had ceased, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and blooming grass. Distant mountains gradually revealed their majestic outlines in the morning light. Voices and the clatter of hooves began to stir on the street outside, breaking the night’s silence and heralding a new day. Yufan inhaled deeply, turned to look at the neatly packed bag on the table, and silently uttered, “Let’s go.”

His footsteps slowed before Fang Yu’s room. His grip tightened involuntarily on the bundle in his hand, his fingertips whitening slightly. Through the half-open door, he glimpsed the soft candlelight inside, illuminating his senior sister Fang Yu’s busy figure—a familiar and warm scene that stirred a complex, indescribable emotion within him.

Suddenly, a flood of memories surged through his mind like a tide— the night his family was exterminated, flames soaring high, wails echoing everywhere, joyful laughter replaced by ruthless slaughter. Those painful memories cut into his heart like sharp blades.

He halted his hand from knocking and turned back into his room...