Chapter 16: Little Sister Ye Qing

Agony wracked his entire body. It felt like someone was relentlessly pounding his torso with iron hammers.

Ye Tianlong’s brow furrowed tightly, his head throbbing as if ready to split open.

“Brother… Brother…” Ye Qing’s voice, laced with sorrow and fear, echoed in his mind. “Xiao Qing is so scared… Save me… sob… wuwuwu…”

“Big Brother! Big Brother, save me!” Bǎi Tōngmíng’s desperate plea followed.

Their faces warped and blurred in his mind’s eye, twisting grotesquely before being swallowed by an endlessly churning black tide that consumed their fading images.

“NO!” Ye Tianlong gasped, violently wrenching himself free from the darkness.

His eyes snapped open, bloodshot. He was drenched in sweat.

Just a nightmare.

As his breathing steadied, consciousness slowly returned, his surroundings sharpening into focus. He scanned the room.

It was a dilapidated, sparsely furnished chamber. Utterly barren except for a simple wooden bed frame and a single wooden cabinet.

A thick, musty odor permeated the air. The wooden walls were covered in damp, dark mould spots. The window frame was damaged, and the paper covering it had a fist-sized hole torn through, letting in a draft of frigid air. Shifting uncomfortably, Ye Tianlong realized he was lying directly on hard, cold wooden planks – the bed. A thin, worn, slightly yellowed blanket was draped over him, offering little warmth.

Confusion clouded Ye Tianlong’s mind. Where am I?

Creak… The old wooden door groaned open.

An old woman , her face a roadmap of deep wrinkles, back hunched with age, entered slowly. She wore simple grey hemp clothes and carried a bowl of steaming liquid that emitted a bitter, medicinal scent.

“Granny,” Ye Tianlong asked hoarsely, “where is this place? And the people who were traveling with me… where are they?”

The old woman didn’t answer for a long moment. She simply walked over, placed the bowl of medicinal soup carelessly on the wooden cabinet, turned, and started to leave.

“Hey! Granny, wait…” Ye Tianlong called out.

But the old woman left without a backward glance, closing the creaky door behind her.

Where are Xiao Qing and Tongming? And why did I suddenly pass out?

Flashes of memory returned – a pair of striking sea-blue eyes, a white veil obscuring a face, that nagging sense of familiarity…

He suddenly remembered something! He touched his arm where he’d felt the stinging pain before passing out. A deep sense of unease, a dark premonition, began to bloom in his chest.

No. I have to find them!

Making an instant decision, Ye Tianlong pushed himself off the cold bed and went out the door.

The dilapidated wooden hut opened directly into a dense forest. A narrow flagstone path, overgrown with moss from years of disuse, snaked out from the trees.

Ye Tianlong felt increasingly perplexed. This place seemed utterly isolated, far from any signs of regular habitation. If something happened to him here, no one would ever know. Why would a major sect like Kunlun place an injured person – supposedly a guest – in such a remote, run-down location?

His confusion mounting, Ye Tianlong followed the mossy stone path out of the dense woods. As he emerged, the view opened up dramatically.

Before him stood a majestic mountain, its peaks verdant and imposing. Grand halls and ornate buildings perched precariously on its slopes, partially shrouded in mist and clouds, looking almost like a celestial fairyland.

Not far ahead stood a massive, imposing mountain gate. Carved above it were the characters “Kunlun Sect”. The gate itself was magnificent, the calligraphy powerful and ancient.

Behind the gate, flights of stone steps wound upward, leading towards the grand temple complex at the summit.

Two disciples in grey robes stood guard at the gate, each holding a long halberd with a bright red tassel below a gleaming, razor-sharp black iron blade.

Ye Tianlong walked up to the gate.

“Halt!” one of the guards barked sharply. “How dare you trespass upon our sacred mountain gate!”

“Brother,” Ye Tianlong replied calmly, “I’m looking for my sister and my sworn brother here at the Kunlun Sect. I also have an escort package that needs to be delivered personally to the Kunlun Sect Master.”

One of the grey-robed disciples sized him up with open disdain, sneering, “Look at you. Ragged clothes, carrying a wooden sword at your waist? You clearly look like some bumpkin trying to sneak into Kunlun to steal our martial arts! Sister? Brother? Escort package? All shameless lies! Take one more step closer, and I’ll cut you down where you stand!”

“Everything I said is true,” Ye Tianlong insisted patiently. “I have the package right here as proof.”

“You’re asking for trouble!” the guard snapped, shoving Ye Tianlong hard in the chest. “Scram!”

Ye Tianlong staggered back a step, anger finally flaring. “Why won’t you listen to reason?! I am going inside today!”

As he spoke, he drew the Wood Stone Sword, True Qi flaring around him!

“Hahaha! This is hilarious!” the other guard mocked. “You piece of trash with a wooden sword, and only at the pathetic Body Refining Realm? You think you can fight the two of us? You’re courting death!”

The first guard added with a contemptuous laugh, “With your cultivation? You’re not even fit to polish our boots!”

Ignoring their taunts, Ye Tianlong took a determined step forward. His aura flared, suddenly sharp and imposing!

The two guards exchanged uneasy glances, then gripped their halberds tighter and charged at Ye Tianlong!

Swish!

Two halberd tips thrust straight towards him!

Ye Tianlong moved faster! In a single, fluid motion, his wooden sword sliced cleanly through the air, shearing off the black iron blades from both halberds! Clang!

He pushed off the ground, leaping forward and striking out with his palm! WHUMP! The blast of palm force sent both disciples crashing to the ground!

Before they could react, Ye Tianlong swept his sword horizontally! FWOOSH! A line of Sword Qi struck the ground just an inch above their heads, carving a deep scar in the stone! The hair on top of both guards’ heads was sliced clean off at the roots, fluttering down around them!

The two grey-robed disciples trembled uncontrollably, terrified.

“Y-You… How… How can a Body Refining cultivator…?!”

Ye Tianlong sheathed his sword, his expression calm. “Brothers, I mean no harm. I just need to enter and ask the Sect Master some questions.”

Ignoring the stunned and now bald guards, Ye Tianlong turned towards the stone steps, ready to ascend.

Suddenly, a sharp voice called out, “Brother Tianlong, stop!”

A cyan-robed figure blurred in Ye Tianlong’s peripheral vision. The person moved incredibly fast, appearing before Ye Tianlong in the blink of an eye.

Ye Tianlong felt a flicker of surprise; he didn’t recognize this newcomer.

The man wore the light blue robes of a senior Kunlun disciple. He had a refined, gentle appearance, but his slightly narrowed eyes held a hidden sharpness.

He glanced dismissively at the two trembling guards on the ground, frowning slightly. He then berated them sternly, “You two have eyes but failed to see! Brother Tianlong is an honored guest of our Sect! How could you dare to attack him?! Apologize to Brother Tianlong at once!”

The two guards scrambled hastily to their feet, rubbing their now bare heads, bowing repeatedly and stammering apologies. “S-Sorry! Brother Tianlong! We failed to recognize Mount Tai! We offended you! Please, Great Brother, be magnanimous and forgive our transgression!”

Ye Tianlong simply shook his head slightly, unimpressed.

The cyan-robed disciple barked at the guards, “Brother Tianlong has already shown you mercy! Now get lost!”

The two guards clutched their heads and scurried away shamefully.

Only then did the cyan-robed disciple turn his full attention to Ye Tianlong, offering a polite smile. “Brother Tianlong, I am Kunlun Sect’s First Disciple, Shi Changyi. The Sect Master anticipated you would be waking up around now and specifically sent me to meet you.”

Ye Tianlong lowered his sword slightly, nodding cautiously. “To meet me?”

Shi Changyi’s expression turned serious. “Yes. It concerns your sister, Ye Qing. When we brought her back to the Sect, we discovered she suffers from a strange illness. The Sect Master is currently in secluded cultivation, personally treating her. This illness… her treatment requires an immense amount of True Qi. For the safety and security of Kunlun, it is… inconvenient… for outsiders to enter the main sect grounds at this time. I hope Brother Tianlong can understand this difficult situation.”

Ye Tianlong retrieved the wooden box – the delivery package. He held it out. “Then, should I give this package to you? A young woman named Arəya entrusted this to me for delivery to the Kunlun Sect.”

Shi Changyi smiled faintly, accepting the box smoothly. “Mm, giving it to me is fine. Brother Tianlong, please accept my apologies for the incident today. Our disciples were undisciplined. I will ensure they are properly reprimanded later.”

His tone shifted slightly. “However, I’m afraid today, we truly cannot allow Brother Tianlong to enter the main sect area. Please understand. The Sect Master specifically instructed me to convey his gratitude for your hard work in escorting the package. Once everything is settled, he will definitely host a banquet in your honor to welcome you properly!”

Ye Tianlong shook his head. “That’s unnecessary. I’m an escort; this is my job. I’ll come back tomorrow to check again. For today, I entrust Ye Qing to your care.”

Shi Changyi chuckled softly, an unreadable expression in his eyes. “As we should. As we should.”

“My sworn brother, Bai Tongming,” Ye Tianlong pressed, “The slightly lean young man who was with us. Where is he now?”

Shi Changyi seemed momentarily surprised by the question, then quickly composed himself. “Ah, him. In the rush of events… the disciples likely arranged for him to be treated at a clinic in Kunlun Town, down at the foot of the mountain. However, I’m afraid I don’t know the specific clinic offhand. I can inquire for you and let you know tomorrow. Would that be acceptable, Brother Tianlong?”

Ye Tianlong nodded slowly, then turned and walked away.

Except for those two arrogant gate guards, he thought, this First Disciple Shi Changyi has impeccable manners. But his words… they feel contradictory somehow, hollow, almost false. Is the Kunlun Sect really as righteous as I imagined? Is Xiao Qing truly safe here?

But then he recalled the fierce battle against the Shixue Meng, how the Kunlun disciples fought and died to protect him, his sister, and Tongming. He couldn’t bring himself to believe the Sect Master harbored ulterior motives.

Still, unable to see his sister or sworn brother, the dark feeling of unease deepened within him.

Ye Tianlong returned to the dilapidated wooden hut.

Not long after, the silent old woman pushed the door open and entered again.

“Granny? Why have you come back?” Ye Tianlong asked.

As before, the old woman remained silent. She simply handed him a crumpled piece of paper and a small pouch heavy with coins – the payment for the escort job. Without waiting for a reaction, she turned and left.

Ye Tianlong stared after her, bewildered. “What is this…?”

He unfolded the paper note. Reading the hastily scribbled characters, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

“Big Brother! I’m at the Maoming Clinic  in Kunlun Town! Urgent situation! Come quick!”

Tongming is in danger!

***

Kunlun Town.

Under the bright sun, the narrow street bustled with life. Clay houses lined the cramped roadway. Old women wearing distinctive headscarves sat watching the passersby. Lazy cats lounged in patches of sunlight. Merchants from the Western Regions, their features distinct, led camels laden with goods through the crowd.

Ye Tianlong quickly located the Maoming Clinic and pushed the door open.

Inside, Bǎi Tōngmíng lay sprawled on the floor, clearly roughed up and covered in fresh bruises! Several rough-looking clinic staff stood over him menacingly!

Seeing Ye Tianlong, a flicker of desperate hope lit up Bǎi Tōngmíng’s eyes! “Big Brother! Quick, help me! I don’t have any money! They’re holding me here!”

Ye Tianlong blinked, momentarily speechless. “You… Never mind. As long as you’re okay. How much do you owe? I’ll pay.”

“Five hundred copper coins!” one of the staff barked.

Bǎi Tōngmíng scratched his head, looking extremely embarrassed. “Big Brother… I don’t know how this clinic is so expensive! When I woke up, I was already here, and they handed me this bill…”

Ye Tianlong sighed. “You really know how to find trouble. It’s fine. I’ll cover it.” The payment from Kunlun Sect would luckily be just enough.

Just as he was about to pay, a middle-aged man dressed like a Western Region merchant entered the clinic. “Excuse me,” the merchant asked, looking directly at Ye Tianlong, “Are you Ye Tianlong?”

Ye Tianlong eyed the man suspiciously. “I am. Who are you?”

The merchant smiled faintly. “Who I am isn’t important. What’s important is that someone wants to meet you. It concerns your sister, Ye Qing. This evening, at dusk. Chenghuang Temple on the outskirts of town. Don’t be late.”

Hearing his sister’s name, Ye Tianlong’s anger flared instantly! “About my sister?! Wait! What do you know?!”

“I am merely a merchant hired to deliver a message,” the man replied smoothly, already turning to leave. “I know nothing of the details you ask. If you have questions, you’ll find answers at the Chenghuang Temple tonight.” He walked out of the clinic without another word.

Ye Tianlong and Bǎi Tōngmíng exchanged worried glances. It concerned Ye Qing. This mysterious meeting… they had no choice but to go.