WJ Chapter 23

Yin Qilei (3)

The faint winter sunlight painted a brilliant stroke across the intricately carved window lattice, then suddenly burst open as it entered the room, illuminating the early morning Yangxin Hall in brightness.

Yun Changliu sat in his chair, soft white fur felt draped over his arms and loosely covering his knees. Upon his voluminous snow-white luxurious robes, the crimson-gold Candle Dragon pattern symbolizing his identity as Sect Leader gleamed with flowing golden light in the brilliant sun, seeming almost to come alive.

Though the onset of Fengchun Sheng was agonizing, once the toxins were suppressed, those poisoned were no different from ordinary people.

Having grown accustomed to the torment of Fengchun Sheng since childhood, Yun Changliu recovered quickly even from the weakness that followed the pain. Less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense after awakening from his nightmare, he could already move freely and had recovered to a state where others could detect no abnormality whatsoever.

Wen Feng stood a few steps away, hands lowered and eyes downcast.

Master and servant faced each other wordlessly.

After a long silence, the close attendant finally spoke in a tone that seemed respectful yet was actually quite distressed. “…Sect Leader, everything Wen Feng knows, I have truthfully confessed.”

So even if you keep staring at me silently like this, I have nothing else to confess!

“……”

After the prolonged silence, under the attendant’s pleading gaze, the Zhuyin Sect Leader finally deigned to sigh lightly, breaking the stalemate.

“The Protector left the sect—why did you conceal this from this lord?”

“Such deception—if something goes wrong, can you bear the responsibility?”

Yun Changliu’s fingers tightened, and the chair’s armrest emitted a faint creaking sound.

Wujue had actually gone to Wanci Manor alone…

Why wouldn’t he wait until he awakened? Even if he wouldn’t wait, he could have called upon some people from the sect to take with him… No matter what, he couldn’t just leave alone like this!

During the past year, though he had driven Guan Wujue out of Xifeng City, his branch inspections had all been within his own territory—the Four Directions Protector would never face any real danger to his safety.

But this time, this person had gone single-handedly straight into someone else’s lair. If the injuries from that Bone-Crushing Whip punishment truly hadn’t healed yet, and he encountered some trouble out there…

Yun Changliu didn’t even dare continue the thought. His gaze held a hint of reproach as he looked at Wen Feng. Wen Feng also knew he had acted improperly and immediately knelt. “Wen Feng acknowledges his guilt. Please punish me, Sect Leader.”

Yun Changliu said indifferently, “Before sunset today, go to the Punishment Hall and receive your punishment from the Left Envoy. Ten lashes—consider it a minor disciplinary measure.”

Wen Feng was stunned. When the Sect Leader said minor discipline, it truly was minor discipline. Ten lashes, if the one administering punishment went easy, wouldn’t even draw blood. Especially for a martial artist like Wen Feng, recovery would be even faster—the pain on his back lasting three to five days would be the most. 

This kind of punishment was really just going through the motions. Wen Feng kowtowed. “Thank you for the Sect Leader’s mercy.”

Yun Changliu gazed at the white-robed close attendant who had grown up with him since childhood and said softly, “Rise. Do you know why this lord’s punishment is so light?”

The Sect Leader rarely asked such questions. The close attendant couldn’t discern his superior’s intentions and only replied hesitantly, “Wen Feng does not know. But the Sect Leader has always been lenient and benevolent…”

But the Sect Leader shook his head. “Wrong.”

“When a person is about to die, their words are kind. After this poison attack, this lord knows his days are numbered…”

Upon Yun Changliu’s face, usually as coldly aloof and indifferent as snow on a lonely peak, a trace of a smile suddenly appeared. “…I am going to die.”

“Sect Leader…!”

Wen Feng’s mind reeled. How could he have expected Yun Changliu to speak so directly of life and death? He looked up in shock, his throat momentarily choked. “No…”

Yun Changliu closed his eyes, his pale and handsome neck tilting slightly back against the chair, murmuring calmly, “After this lord dies… what will become of all of you?”

As he spoke these words, his chest suddenly tightened with fine, dense pain.

The twenty-plus years of torment that Fengchun Sheng had inflicted upon him intertwined in his mind, seemingly finally approaching a destined end, yet he could not leave with peace of mind.

Back then, Yun Guyan’s obsession had been too deep, tying too many things to him. This weight—he could bear it while alive, and had always tried his best to bear it steadily, ever more steadily…

——But he was going to die.

He had thought heaven would grant him a few more years to live, but unexpectedly, arrangements for what came after were now urgently upon him.

After his death, the Sect Leader’s position would be vacant. However, the Old Sect Leader had long been disheartened and uninvolved in worldly affairs. Yun Danjing was dead. Yun Chanjuan was simple-minded, willful, and incompetent. And he himself had no offspring, let alone a wife. If the position were truly passed to Yun Chanjuan… the Zhuyin Sect would essentially fall under Madam Lin’s control.

Yet Madam Lin… Lin Wanxia no longer had any affection for Yun Guyan. She was the young lady of Yulin Hall—whose interests her personal heart favored was self-evident. After Yun Changliu’s death, Yun Guyan might still intimidate her, but the Old Sect Leader had long held no real power… Even taking a step back, if Yun Guyan could control the situation, time was always merciless—the once-prestigious Old Sect Leader Yun would also grow old. When that time came, what then?

“The majestic Xifeng City, the ghost-wailing Zhuyin Sect”—the Zhuyin Sect, which had commanded a formidable reputation in the jianghu for decades—who knew if it would become a vassal of Yulin Hall under the next Sect Leader?

Yun Changliu’s gaze fixed on Wen Feng. A heretical thought flashed through his mind like a spark——

Even if it meant the Zhuyin Sect Leader would no longer bear the surname Yun, he could not push his people… under Lin Wanxia’s control.

Then…

Should he adopt a child?

Or be even more ruthless and directly abdicate?

“Sect Leader, please don’t worry excessively.” Wen Feng’s gentle voice timely interrupted Yun Changliu’s contemplation.

“We haven’t reached the end of our rope yet—why speak of such inauspicious matters first? The Medicine Gate’s prescriptions can still be changed, and Elder Guan’s medicine has been under development for a full year and should have considerable results by now—— that’s right, before the Protector left, he even told Wen Feng that he would ensure the Sect Leader lives to be a hundred…”

Lives to be a hundred…

Upon hearing this, Yun Changliu smiled helplessly and lifted the white fur felt from his legs, standing up from his chair.

Living to be a hundred was naturally impossible, but fortunately, there should still be time… still a little time left for him to maneuver.

However, before considering matters after death, there was at least one immediate matter that wouldn’t let him go.

“Go deliver this lord’s message to the Ghost Gate,” Yun Changliu said. “Dispatch twenty Yin Ghosts to follow the Protector. No matter what, at minimum ensure his safe return.”

Wen Feng acknowledged the order and bowed, preparing to withdraw.

But just as he walked out the main door of Yangxin Hall, he heard the Sect Leader’s voice drifting from behind. “Wait.”

The close attendant turned his head in confusion, only to see the Sect Leader standing by the window with hands clasped behind his back, silently gazing outward, lost in thought.

Wen Feng waited a bit longer before hearing Yun Changliu speak, “Never mind, as for the Protector’s matter, you need not concern yourself.”

“This lord will… personally go bring him back.”

……

The tall and magnificent walls of Xifeng City still looked dark and forbidding. The Zhuhuo Guards patrolling the top of the wall had just changed shifts, and several men who had been relieved gathered together to drink.

“I told you our leader is truly wise.”

At the foot of the wall, a dark-faced young man grinned foolishly as he passed the wine pouch to the leader beside him. “A few days ago, when Protector Guan suddenly returned to the sect and said he didn’t have the Sect Leader’s orders, it really scared us silly.”

“At that time my heart was pounding, thinking—do we let him through or stop him? What if we let him in and the Sect Leader punishes us… Heh, but the leader understood. After letting him in, nothing happened—all those important people in the sect acted like they didn’t even know about it…”

The leader took the wine pouch and took a swig. Immediately the burning heat warmed from his throat to his stomach, making him exhale with satisfaction. “You young hotshots don’t understand! Our Protector and the Sect Leader’s relationship—can that be compared to ordinary people? The Sect Leader likes to indulge the Protector, so naturally everyone else follows the Sect Leader’s wishes, right?”

The dark-faced young man smiled honestly and scratched his head. “Speaking of which, Protector Guan left the sect again last night. Strange enough—who knows what the Protector came back for this time, and why he left again in such a hurry, traveling through the night…”

The leader tapped him lightly on the head and handed the wine pouch back. “Little brat, is that your business? Patrol and guard the city properly. Do well and strive to be transferred inside the city early. Your aptitude isn’t bad—who knows, in the future you might be fortunate enough to be assigned to guard the Sect Leader’s Yangxin Hall.”

“Oh…” The dark-faced young man touched his head and also gulped down several large mouthfuls of strong liquor. By chance he looked up and casually glanced down below the city, then immediately widened his eyes. “Pfft——!!“

“Pfft—cough cough cough cough…” The young man sprayed out all the wine in his throat, coughing nonstop. Under the leader’s look of watching an idiot, he trembled as he stood up, tugging the leader’s arm to look down the city. “Leader, quick, look down there! Good heavens, isn’t that the Sect Leader!?”

The leader focused his gaze and his expression changed dramatically.

A magnificent steed with fur as white and spotless as snow charged out from the main road within the city, galloping through the morning light leaving dust in its wake. If it wasn’t the Sect Leader’s mount “Feixue,” what else could it be? (TL: Flying Snow)

Yun Changliu’s white robes flew in the wind as he held the reins and controlled the horse. His jet-black hair, which usually only hung loosely at his back, was now fastened meticulously with a jade crown behind his head, making him appear even more distinguished in bearing and graceful in manner. At his waist hung a silver-scaled long whip that gleamed with a subtle light—it was none other than the Dragon-Chasing Whip that Old Sect Leader Yun Guyan had once used.

Not far behind him, dozens more shadowy dots gradually became clearer. All were uniformly dressed in black robes with long swords, black armor covering their faces—they were the Yin Ghosts of the Ghost Gate.

Yun Changliu’s Feixue had extraordinary stamina, racing so fast it was as if whirlwinds rolled beneath its hooves. And this group of Yin Ghosts actually had no horses, relying purely on their qinggong to follow behind the Sect Leader—the excellence of the death warriors cultivated with dedication by the Ghost Gate could be seen from this!

“…” The Zhuhuo Guard leader stood stunned like a wooden chicken for about two or three breaths, then suddenly jumped up roaring. “Form ranks! Everyone who’s resting, get up and quickly form ranks to welcome the Sect Leader——”

The top of the wall immediately erupted in commotion. The Zhuhuo Guards promptly adjusted their formation in a hasty yet orderly manner and headed down to greet him. Only the dark-faced young man still had a dazed expression:

“Leader, I’m not dreaming, am I? By the looks of it, our Sect Leader is leaving the sect?”

“How many years has it been since the Sect Leader last passed through the gates of Xifeng City!?”