Ming Zhu was deeply upset. Shen Di’an helped him to the deserted Wujiu Hall to sit and rest, but even after a long while, his heart palpitations showed no sign of improving.
Shen Di’an pressed his fingers to Ming Zhu’s pulse, checking it for a long time before frowning. "What exactly is going on with your meridians? Something isn’t right."
Ming Zhu was in too much discomfort to speak. He wasn't sure if it was the lingering anger or the fright from the hazy vision of snake-like pupils he’d seen that morning. He waved a hand dismissively. "You... go back. I’ll be fine after sitting here for a bit."
Shen Di’an replied crossly, "I’ll go get you some medicine. Stay here and don't wander off."
Ming Zhu nodded listlessly, his knuckles turning pale as he gripped the table.
The surroundings fell into silence, save for the faint, distant clamor from the martial arena and the thundering roar of the waterfall. Ming Zhu clutched his chest, gasping for breath for a long time. In his daze, he felt someone gently patting his back, helping him ease his breathing.
Ming Zhu looked up blankly, only to meet a pair of cold, fierce eyes.
Ye Weiyang inconspicuously moved his hand to Ming Zhu’s slender neck and sneered, "What a coincidence."
Ming Zhu seemed not to notice the powerful hand at his throat. Because of his intense discomfort, his eyes were clouded with a watery mist as he stared vacantly at Ye Weiyang, remaining silent for a long time.
Ye Weiyang had originally intended to frighten him, but seeing that Ming Zhu neither struggled nor resisted, he suddenly found it dull. He released his grip, smoothed his robes, and sat down beside Ming Zhu.
Ming Zhu gasped for air with difficulty, finally regaining his senses. He asked weakly, "Why... why have you come to Rizhao?"
Ye Weiyang stared at him fixedly for a long moment before saying, "I’ve come to take you away."
Ming Zhu shook his head. "You can’t take me. Master won’t agree to it."
Ye Weiyang said indifferently, "As long as you wish it, no one can stop me."
Ming Zhu’s face was deathly pale, but he suddenly let out a soft laugh. "What? Have you truly taken a liking to me?"
Ye Weiyang was instantly choked with rage. "Can’t you speak properly for once?" he snapped.
Ming Zhu laughed until he was out of breath.
Seeing him look as though he might ascend to the heavens at any moment, Ye Weiyang lost the will to be angry. He said sullenly, "After the fire at the villa all those years ago, I searched for you for a long time."
Ming Zhu leaned against the table and whispered, "After returning from Biri Cliff, Fuhua and I... were sent to Rizhao Mountain. Naturally, you couldn't find us."
Ye Weiyang fell silent for a moment, then asked with lingering hope, "Will you really not come with me? If Gui Ning can protect you, my Changye Villa can do the same."
Ming Zhu replied, "No."
"Why?!"
Ming Zhu couldn't quite explain why himself. The faces of his junior brothers flashed through his mind one by one. He looked dazed for a moment, then gently shook his head and fell silent.
Ye Weiyang tried to persuade him a few more times, but seeing that Ming Zhu’s stubbornness remained unchanged from years past, he reluctantly gave up.
"Right, let me warn you about something," Ye Weiyang said suddenly. "Keep an eye on that seventh junior brother of yours."
Ming Zhu straightened up, clutching his chest, and frowned. "What about him?"
Ye Weiyang looked around, then leaned close to Ming Zhu’s ear and lowered his voice to a whisper. "He is investigating that old matter at Biri Cliff from twenty years ago, and he might have uncovered some secrets that shouldn't be known. I know he holds a high position and great power, but this is not something he should interfere with. If he continues, I fear he will meet a gruesome end."
"The old matter... of Biri Cliff?"
"Yes. The incident where your mother and countless great masters perished. Although the Five Continents and Wen Feng Pavilion attributed it to the demon cultivator Ming Zhao, the truth seems to be otherwise." Ye Weiyang pulled a jade token from his sleeve, flicked it casually, and whispered, "Because twenty years ago, Ming Zhao had already..."
Ming Zhu’s pupils contracted sharply.
"...already died."
Ming Zhu was stunned for a moment before denying it. "Impossible! I saw him before. I remember his every word and action clearly. It’s impossible..."
He looked frantic, his eyes trembling violently.
Ye Weiyang grabbed his shoulders, staring straight into his panicked eyes, and said word by word, "Therefore, he is now a Ghost Cultivator."
"A Ghost... Cultivator?"
In the Five Continents, Ghost Cultivators were even rarer than Spirit Cultivators. Often, not a single Ghost Cultivator would emerge from a million dead souls, let alone one with such monstrous cultivation as Ming Zhao. Because their abilities were eerie and treacherous, they were universally regarded by the people of the Five Continents as heretical and wicked—even more despicable than demon cultivators.
Seeing Ming Zhu’s dazed expression, Ye Weiyang took a deep breath and said, "I have said all I can. Remember, you must not let Shen Hongchuan investigate this matter any further. If he continues, even I won't be able to protect him."
Ming Zhu sat frozen in place, his eyes vacant, lost in thought.
Having finished, Ye Weiyang let out a soft sigh. His hand moved slightly within his sleeve, dispelling the barrier around Wujiu Hall. He turned to leave. "I cannot say more. I’m heading back."
As he stepped away, Ming Zhu, who had been unresponsive, suddenly called out to him.
Ye Weiyang turned back to see Ming Zhu standing up unsteadily, his eyes fixed on the empty air before him. His voice was hoarse as he spoke.
"Ximu Nation’s Rizhao Mountain, Jianglou Nation’s Zhou Mingzhong, and Shishen Nation’s Changye Villa..." he murmured. "Since I was a child, I’ve been wondering... you all went to such great lengths to excise Biri Cliff from the Five Continents, not hesitating to sacrifice the lives of countless masters every few decades. What exactly... are you trying to imprison?"
Ye Weiyang’s expression changed drastically.
"And who will be the next to die a miserable death at Biri Cliff?"
Ye Weiyang looked at him coldly and, without a second thought, struck out with a palm. Ming Zhu didn't even try to dodge, taking the blow full on.
"Shut up! Ming Zhu, do you have any idea what you’re saying?"
Ming Zhu felt no pain. His body merely staggered slightly before he tilted his head, looking at Ye Weiyang with a strange, cold gaze. He parted his pale lips and said, "I guessed right?"
With a face as dark as deep water, Ye Weiyang stepped forward, grabbed Ming Zhu by the throat, and slammed him hard against the wall. The force was so great that cracks spiderwebbed across the surface.
"Ming Zhu, I knew you were clever since you were a child, but I never imagined you would be *this* clever." Ye Weiyang’s cold eyes were filled with killing intent, devoid of the previous exasperation. He said coldly, "It took Shen Hongchuan half a year of investigating to find these things, yet you figured it out from just a few words. If you don't want me to kill you with my own hands, forget everything that happened today."
Despite having his vitals gripped this way, Ming Zhu let out a low laugh. He curled his lips into a soft smile. "Weiyang, I was right."
Ye Weiyang’s expression was hideous.
Ming Zhu raised his hand and gripped Ye Weiyang’s wrist. With a slight exertion of force, he actually threw Ye Weiyang’s hand aside.
Ming Zhu said, "You are afraid he will return. You dread his inhuman, monstrous spiritual power. You fear the hatred of a man whose entire clan was slaughtered..."
"Stop it..." Ye Weiyang lowered his voice. His cold face actually showed a hint of pleading. "Ming Zhu, I beg you, don't say another word..."
Ming Zhu wore a warm smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Na Lian..."
At the mention of that single name, Ye Weiyang’s entire body shuddered. Almost in terror, he covered Ming Zhu’s mouth, his voice trembling as he whispered, "Ming Zhu, do you really want to die?"
Ming Zhu saw the sheer horror in his eyes. He paused and did not speak again.
Ye Weiyang remained shaken for a long time before finally releasing his hand and sitting down in a disheveled manner. He pressed his fingers to his brow, thinking for a long while before saying hoarsely, "If Shen Hongchuan continues his investigation, once he reaches the name 'Na Lian,' it won't just be me. Jianglou’s Zhou Mingzhong and even your Master will all act together. At that point, no matter where he flees, he will not escape death."
Ming Zhu breathed shallowly. He slowly slid down to sit against the wall. After a long silence, he said, "I understand."
Ye Weiyang said, "Swear it."
Ming Zhu was stunned for a moment, then laughed softly. "I have always been a man of my word. You know that."
Ye Weiyang still didn't trust him, so Ming Zhu had no choice but to raise his fingers and make a formal oath. Only then did Ye Weiyang let him be.
Not long after Ye Weiyang left, Shen Di’an returned with the medicine. He said, "I just saw the Master of Changye Villa walking out of here. Did you two just meet?"
Ming Zhu took the medicine. After a moment of quiet, his complexion looked much better. He nodded.
Shen Di’an asked, "What did you talk about?"
Ming Zhu shook his head. "Nothing much. Just reminiscing about the past. Come on, let’s go back and watch the matches."
As Shen Di’an packed his medicine chest, he smiled. "I caught a glimpse as I passed by. Ninth Junior Brother was knocked off the stage in less than a breath after he went up. However, relying on his status as an inner disciple, he gave the person who beat him a thorough scolding before he would quit. Fifth Junior Brother is up against the West Mountain Wanderer this time. Haven't you always wanted to see which of them is superior? If we go now, we might still catch the end."
Hearing this, Ming Zhu immediately jumped up and dragged Shen Di’an toward the martial arena.
However, despite their haste, he still missed the most exciting part. By the time he returned to the stands, Shang Yanfeng had already heartlessly placed his cold sword blade against the Wanderer’s fair neck.
The match was decided.
Shang Yanfeng withdrew his longsword, cupped his fists, and said coolly, "A good game."
The Wanderer returned to the stands dejectedly. She looked for Ming Fuhua for a while but couldn't find her. Spotting Lu Qingkong, she immediately lunged into his arms, her eyes brimming with tears. "Ninth Senior Brother! Waaaah, I’m so useless! Am I a piece of trash? I lost so miserably!"
Lu Qingkong: "..."
Caught off guard by the hug, Lu Qingkong was instantly embarrassed.
The surrounding fellow disciples suddenly looked at him with murderous glares.
Lu Qingkong broke into a cold sweat, his ears turning red. He said with forced sternness, "You... get up this instant! What kind of behavior is this, weeping and wailing in public?!"
The Wanderer’s face was covered in tear tracks as she looked up at him pitifully. "Huh?"
Lu Qingkong immediately surrendered, hurriedly patting her back and offering a stream of comforts.
Watching from the side, Ming Zhu was filled with envy and jealousy. He lamented, "How come no beauties ever throw themselves into my arms?"
Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the stands. Ming Zhu and the others looked up in confusion, only to see two familiar figures on the competition stage.
The final round: Yi Fuji versus Ming Fuhua.
Ming Zhu was instantly energized. He stood on his seat and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Fuhua! Fuhua! Take him down! Fuhua is the best!"
Everyone turned to look at him in unison. Ming Zhu didn't feel the least bit ashamed; he kept shouting, extremely hyped.
His other junior brothers weren't as thick-skinned as him. They hurriedly grabbed his arms and legs, forcibly pulling him down.
Even with his limbs pinned, Ming Zhu continued to bellow, "My Senior Sister Fuhua is number one in Rizhao!"
Everyone felt a massive headache coming on and could only humored him. "Fine, fine, fine, number one, number one. Just give it a rest, will you?"
"Number one in the Five Continents!"
"..."
***
