“No trade!!! No trade, no matter what!!” I was so livid I practically bounced on the bed.
Ye Tan pressed me down anxiously. “Master, please do not be agitated.”
Ye Jun continued leisurely, “There is no rush. Master Jun may take his time to consider. The Second Young Master instructed me that if Master Jun remains unable to decide, we shall send over one limb every hour. As for whose it shall be, you may choose for yourself.”
A chill ran through my heart.
“Regarding these three people, allow me to venture a guess,” Ye Jun analyzed with a cold, thin smile. “Qiu Wujiu is not particularly close to you; his life or death likely matters little. Yang Qingzhou is, after all, merely a casual friend; sacrificing him is of no great consequence. Ye Xiao is but a shadow guard; though your bond is not shallow, you might feel some regret, but you can always buy a new one later. Shall we start by executing Qiu Wujiu, then Yang Qingzhou, and finally Ye Xiao? Does this order satisfy you?”
He concluded, “Naturally, these people cannot compare to the importance of Ye Sha. If it were me, I would certainly refuse the trade as well. Just pretend I was never here; I shall relay your refusal to the Second Young Master.”
I immediately lost my nerve. “No, no, no! Wait, wait, wait! Help me stall for a bit first.”
“If Master Jun changes his mind, fifty miles west of Zhongli Manor, beneath the lonely pine at the foot of Wuding Cliff, we shall await your good news. Ye Sha knows the place; I presume he will not lose his way.” Having said his piece, Ye Jun vanished without a sound.
“I must go,” Ye Tan said.
I hurriedly grabbed him. “The Second Young Master has laid a trap; he’s definitely set a snare. You’re just delivering your head on a silver platter!”
Ye Tan took my hand in his and said softly, “Master worries too much. Except for the period when my martial arts were suppressed, I have never lost to an enemy in my life.”
…Right, Ye Sha does have that ‘unrivaled in the martial world’ setting. It’s been so long since it was mentioned that I almost forgot.
But I was still uneasy. “How can I let you head into such great danger alone? How about I go with… ah, that won’t work either.”
Thinking about it further, it was even more inappropriate. Even if I went, in my current state, I couldn’t help at all; I’d only be a burden.
“I cannot leave you here alone,” Ye Tan countered. “The members of One Sword Tomb are not skilled in dealing with nocturnal poisons or infiltration techniques. They certainly won’t be able to protect you. Ye Jun comes and goes as if no one is there; who’s to say this isn't a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain?”
…True.
I thought back and forth until my mind was a mess. My mental state collapsed. “Ugh, this is so annoying. I want to die.”
Ye Tan replied instantly, “Understood.”
I explained in a panic, “No, no, no! Don't! I was just saying that! We still have to struggle a bit!”
Ye Tan said again, “Understood.”
…He agreed so readily, is he messing with me?
But Ye Tan’s expression was serious, without a hint of jest.
He said, “I shall give my all to turn the tide. If the situation is truly beyond salvation, then whether it be the highest heavens or the yellow springs, I shall follow you willingly.”
Ye Tan’s expression was proud and his stance resolute. I settled down quite a bit and nodded. “Fine, we go together.”
There was no time to lose. To prevent Qiu Wujiu from becoming the first new member of my Association for the Disabled, Ye Tan immediately wrapped me up tightly and carried me out the door.
As I calmed down on the way, I pondered for a while and asked doubtfully, “Why did the Second Young Master choose Wuding Cliff? Zhongli Manor is his territory. No matter what trap he wanted to set, the manor would be more suitable, wouldn't it?”
Ye Tan agreed. “I find it strange as well. Furthermore, as the Second Young Master’s most trusted personal shadow guard, Ye Jun should not be away from his side at this time. To deliver such a common message, any death soldier would have sufficed. Unless… the Second Young Master has no one else left to use.”
I followed his train of thought. “So you’re saying… he’s clearly at Zhongli Manor, yet he didn't immediately regroup with his subordinates. Why? It’s as if he’s wary of someone. Is there a mole in his own ranks? Or is he afraid of being seen by someone else…”
As I calculated this, a thought suddenly struck me:
“…Jun Wuwang.”
Ye Tan looked a bit confused.
I explained, “The man in the fox mask you saw for a moment when you first arrived.”
“Oh, him.” Ye Tan nodded. “He is indeed a hidden threat. I cannot gauge the depth of his cultivation; if I were to fight him, I would not be entirely certain of victory.”
“His attitude is very strange. He clearly could have easily saved me, but he didn't. He clearly wasn't planning to save me, yet he still lent a hand.” Thinking about that bizarre variable made me feel he was quite mysterious. “His treatment of us is unpredictable, sometimes good and sometimes bad, but at the very least, his hatred for the Second Young Master is pure. And… his attitude toward you seems unusual. The Second Young Master probably wants to trade for you just to keep him in check.”
Ye Tan was puzzled. “I have never met him.”
Ye Tan’s pace was lightning-fast, and before long, we reached the vicinity of Wuding Cliff. The cliff was a sudden precipice; between the cold, hard, cracked rocks, even weeds were scarce.
A thick, strange scent permeated the air.
“…It’s fire oil.” Ye Tan sniffed, discerning the direction and range. “Within this range, we should still be able to escape.”
I grew increasingly nervous and asked, “Where is the Second Young Master?”
Ye Tan looked up at a protruding giant rock on the cliffside. “Behind that rock. Not just him, there are also… hm? Seven people?”
That many? Does that mean my deduction was wrong?
A moment later, the Second Young Master’s figure appeared at the edge of the high cliff.
The Second Young Master was heavily injured. He must have spent a sleepless night plagued by heavy thoughts, as he looked even more wretched than I did. He leaned against the back of his wheelchair, the gloom in his eyes undiminished.
Ye Tan gathered his sword intent, focusing intently on the fire-starter in Ye Jun’s hand.
I was also incredibly tense, calculating whether my physical condition would allow me to jump thirty feet into the air.
On the cliff’s edge, the wild wind howled and the clouds shifted. The Second Young Master opened his mouth to speak, but was suddenly kicked to the ground by a figure that flashed out from the side.
The change was so sudden that Ye Jun’s sword was already out of its sheath, aiming for the newcomer’s vitals, but it was actually the Second Young Master who stopped him. “Ye Jun! Don't move.”
Ye Jun had no choice but to retract his sword. The attacker rolled on the spot and pressed a dagger against the Second Young Master’s throat, grabbing him by the hair to force his head up.
Looking closely, the attacker was actually the Eldest Young Master.
At the same time, another person lunged behind Ye Jun like a bolt of lightning, attempting a reverse capture. Ye Jun dodged gracefully and said helplessly, “Sigh, no need to fight. I won’t resist.”
This was also an acquaintance—it was Yun Jiangli.
Eh? Huh? What?
What kind of plot development was this?
Or was it some new trap?
Ye Tan and I were utterly astonished, yet we remained on guard as we watched their movements.
The Eldest Young Master dragged the Second Young Master as he leaped down from the rock. Ye Tan nervously retreated several yards.
“This isn't the place to talk. We’ll speak once we’re back.” The Eldest Young Master turned his head. “Brother Yun, release those three. Don't worry about Ye Jun; with this person in my hands, Ye Jun won't dare move recklessly.”
The Second Young Master was completely stunned, staring blankly at the Eldest Young Master. Ye Jun’s sword was confiscated by Yun Jiangli; he gave an awkward cough and also jumped down, standing far behind the Second Young Master.
Yun Jiangli acknowledged from atop the cliff. After a flurry of rustling sounds, Ye Xiao soon scrambled down. “Wow, Boss! You guys came to save me!! I’m so happy!!”
Yang Qingzhou had been tortured and was still semi-conscious. Qiu Wujiu carried him down and bowed to Ye Tan to ask for punishment. “This subordinate has failed the Sect Leader’s trust. Please punish me.”
Ye Tan shook his head. “It is fine as long as you are safe.”
The Eldest Young Master instructed Yun Jiangli to seal Ye Jun’s acupoints and tie him up securely. Yun Jiangli then hoisted him onto his shoulder.
The Eldest Young Master turned to gesture to me. “Let’s go.”
I was dumbfounded.
Wasn't this supposed to be the most brutal and bloody final boss battle? How did it end so suddenly??
Though I wasn't exactly looking forward to it…
I looked back and forth, asking in disbelief, “You… how did you two…”
“We defected,” Yun Jiangli said with a smile.
His smile faded as he continued, “Master Jun, I looked into what you told me. It was indeed true. Yun Bizhi was my younger brother, and he died at Ye Jun’s hands. Originally, I would have let it go… but because Xiao Qin had contact with Ye Sha, he was captured by Zhongli Manor along with the people from the Heng Alliance. The Second Young Master wanted to take the opportunity to eliminate Xiao Qin. I had no other choice.”
I then looked at the Eldest Young Master in confusion.
The Eldest Young Master looked weary and simply sighed. “I’ve acted enough. I don't want to play anymore.”
We began the easy journey back in a daze. Three able-bodied men carried three semi-crippled ones, while the remaining Ye Xiao hopped happily in front.
The Eldest Young Master carried the Second Young Master, whose wounds were dripping blood, for a while before suddenly saying to Yun Jiangli, “Brother Yun, let’s swap.”
Yun Jiangli asked, “Why?”
The Eldest Young Master said coldly, “I hate the way he’s staring at me.”
His tone was frigid, a far cry from his usual frivolous manner. It reminded me of the last time I saw his lonely expression in Yangxi. Could it be related to the Second Young Master?
The journey was silent, and we returned safely to the Ye residence outside Changluo City where we were staying.
Qiu Wujiu took Yang Qingzhou for medical treatment, and Ye Xiao bounced into the inner room to see Ye Lan.
The Second Young Master’s roughly bandaged wounds had all reopened, staining more than half his shoulder red. Blood scabs and sweat were matted on his body. One of his hands was almost completely ruined, and his feet were bent at a bizarre angle. He was in a wretched state. As soon as they arrived, Yun Jiangli dropped him onto the ground. No emotion could be seen on the Second Young Master’s face; he struggled to turn his head, staring blankly at the Eldest Young Master.
The Eldest Young Master said to Ye Tan, “How my brother is handled—whether you kill him or cut him—is up to you.”
Perhaps feeling uncomfortable under that gaze, he added, “I don't really want to stay in the same place as him. I’ll wait for you guys outside.”
Seeing him about to leave, the Second Young Master seemed to snap back to reality, calling out weakly, “Brother…?”
The Eldest Young Master’s back was to him, and he did not respond. Zhongli Zixi struggled to crawl two steps toward him, asking, “Brother… why?”
“…You don't understand? My peerlessly brilliant, master strategist of a younger brother, you actually don't understand?” The Eldest Young Master gritted his teeth and sneered. “Whose hands did A-Sheng and Ze Que die by? Did you really think I was a fool?”
My heart skipped a beat. So he had known all along.
The Eldest Young Master whipped around, strode back to him, and grabbed him by the throat to lift him up, his voice full of resentment. “I truly don't know if you even have a heart. Every time you needed to send me away, the excuse was always news of ‘Yue Changsheng.’ Stimulating me over and over again—was it fun?”
“Yue… was from Taihang Gorge…” the Second Young Master said with difficulty. “He approached you… with no good intentions…”
“He had designs on me?” The Eldest Young Master’s smile was full of bitterness as he countered, “He never hurt me. On the other hand, what about you? From childhood until now, how many times have you harmed me? When will it ever be enough for you?”
“It’s all temporary, Brother… Yue Changsheng, Ze Que, and Mother… they were all temporary.” Zhongli Zixi’s hand trembled as he reached up to hold his brother’s hand, his eyes losing focus from the pain. “Once I have unified the martial world, there will be no more sects… no more enemies or friends… there will be no more need to worry about these things… you will be free… I was… so close to succeeding, Brother… why did you…”
“Free? Shut up, my dear brother.” The Eldest Young Master swiped his hand away in disgust, his voice cold as he spoke each word with hatred. “I, Zhongli Zixu—every obstacle I face in this world, every sorrow of parting from loved ones and every pain of not getting what I desire—they were all caused by your hand.”
He let go and turned to leave without a single look back. The Second Young Master collapsed dejectedly onto the ground.
Watching from the side, I felt that the relationship between these two brothers was… exceptionally complicated.
***
Glossary Table:
