Chapter 96

Chapter 96: Wan Huier’s Injury

The area before the Wu family estate had transformed into the Asura’s purgatory. Corpses littered the ground in every direction, and blood had trickled down the terrain, forming a winding stream. The air grew thick with the heavy scent of blood.

Looking at the slaughter wrought by his own hands, Lou Yun’s anger long vanished, replaced by a pang of sorrow. In truth, he wasn’t a cold-blooded and merciless person—quite the opposite, he was kind-hearted and deeply valued relationships. Only the profound pain from losing ninety-seven brothers and Wu Shaopin’s utterly vile methods drove him to seek the complete annihilation of the Wu family. Yet even so, in the end, he couldn’t wholly exterminate them, sparing the remaining women, children, and elderly.

Lou Yun turned and cupped his hands toward Yi Jin Guan. "Venerable Senior Yi, my affairs here are settled. I should depart now!" Having said this, he turned to leave.

Yi Jin Guan hurriedly spoke: "Young friend, wait!"

"Is there something else, Senior?"

With a faint smile, Yi Jin Guan asked, "The two horses I sold you—where are they now?"

Lou Yun froze, not expecting such a question at this moment. He shook his head with a bitter laugh. "My younger sister and I encountered an unexpected separation. The horses must be with her."

"Oh?" Yi Jin Guan continued smiling. "But those two horses are at my place right now!"

"Hmm?" Lou Yun snapped his head up, locking eyes with Yi Jin Guan. Wu Shaopin’s earlier words suddenly echoed in his mind—about two white horses fleeing Zuo Mingyang’s residence as it burned, while the identities of those riding them remained unknown.

Now, in light of Yi Jin Guan’s words, a possibility flashed before Lou Yun’s eyes: had those two riders escaped to Yi Jin Guan’s domain?

"Haha, I shall not beat around the bush. Your sister, and that Zuo Mingyang, are both currently at my place."

This revelation raised goose bumps across Lou Yun’s body—a response brought by utter excitement—and light shot from his eyes. "They… they are with you?"

Yi Jin Guan nodded with a smile. "Indeed. You must have heard the saying—old horses know the way. Truth be told, I discovered the matter at Zuo Mingyang’s residence long ago."

It turned out that Zuo Mingyang’s residence had burned down roughly two months prior. On that day, Wu Shaopin had bribed one bandit among them to slip a powder into their wine. Yet not all present had been drugged—after all, Wan Huier hadn’t drunk a single drop. As she slept deep into the night, she suddenly felt sweltering heat and awoke to find a fire. Hurriedly rising, she shouted to rouse the others, but they had drunk heavily—no one could hear her cries.

The fire blazed swiftly through the building. Rescuing everyone proved impossible. With no other option, Wan Huier used all her strength to drag the unconscious Zuo Mingyang—overpowered by soporifics—to safety. As for the others, she simply could not assist.

After hauling Zuo Mingyang onto the dragon horse’s back, Wan Huier climbed up as well. Relying on the dragon horse’s speed, the pair galloped clear of the burning compound, escaping with their lives.

Halfway along the journey, however, Wan Huier herself succumbed to exhaustion and collapsed. Bereft of guiding hands, the two dragon horses, receiving no command yet knowing their former home, automatically returned to Yi Manor at Yi Peak Ridge.

Yi Jin Guan had purposefully built his home not far from the Wu estate to seek vengeance. During leisure hours, he often visited towns to gather intelligence on the Wu family, so he was quite familiar with Zuo Mingyang.

When he spotted Zuo Mingyang and Wan Huier upon the dragon horses, Yi Jin Guan swiftly recognized them. Uncertain of the details yet hardly cruel, he quickly directed others to remove the pair from their mounts and settled them within the manor. Upon their awakening, he heard their full account.

Due to injuries sustained during the fire, Zuo Mingyang and Wan Huier could not yet move freely. Yi Jin Guan thus took it upon himself to travel into town, hoping to uncover the true cause of that night’s disaster.

Wu Shaopin had acted with utmost secrecy. Beyond those directly involved, almost no one knew of it. Naturally, Yi Jin Guan uncovered little verifiable information.

That day, Yi Jin Guan sat drinking at an inn, as was his habit. During casual chat, the waiter quietly mentioned someone dressed like a beggar had inquired about the Wu family earlier. Yi Jin Guan could not remain seated upon hearing this and immediately rushed toward the estate—in time to witness Wu Jing and four others preparing to jointly fight Lou Yun.

One glance told Yi Jin Guan that Lou Yun was the youth who had bought horses previously—Wan Huier’s brother.

The transaction had already given Yi Jin Guan a favorable impression of Lou Yun. Coupled with the enmity burning deep between himself and the Wu family, he stepped forth unhesitatingly to assist.

After hearing Yi Jin Guan’s explanation, delight surged through Lou Yun beyond description. That Wan Huier and Zuo Mingyang were both safe was the greatest news possible. Urgently grasping Yi Jin Guan’s hand, he asked, "Venerable Senior Yi, could you take me to your home? I wish to see my sister and Elder Brother Zuo!"

Yi Jin Guan burst into hearty laughter. "Certainly! But I have one condition!"

"What condition?"

"Don’t call me ‘Venerable Senior Yi’! I’m merely a few years older. Call me ‘Elder Brother’ if you will!"

"Very well, Elder Brother Yi!"

"Haha! Good brother! Come, let us return!"

No longer paying heed to the Wu family estate behind them, the pair turned away and strode toward the city outskirts.

With his own strength, he nearly wiped out the entire Wu family. After this battle, Lou Yun’s name quickly spread throughout Sanhe Nation and continued to flow outward…

Yi Jin Guan’s home was actually not far from the town. However, because it was built very secretly and even the name Yi Fengling was self-assigned, outsiders simply didn’t know it, so the Wu family had never known Yi Jin Guan lived so close to their own residence.

Neither rode horses; they went on foot. If it hadn’t been for not knowing the way, Lou Yun would have performed the movement technique of Wind Play Decision to reach Yi Jin Guan’s home early and meet Wan Huier and Brother Zuo sooner.

"By the way, Brother Yi, how are the injuries of my sister and Brother Zuo? They should be fine by now, right?" Lou Yun asked casually.

However, these words caused Yi Jin Guan’s complexion to change slightly, and he stayed silent for a long time.

Though Lou Yun was extremely excited, he noticed Yi Jin Guan’s reaction, and his heart suddenly sank. Could Huier and Brother Zuo’s injuries be terribly serious?

After a long while, Yi Jin Guan finally spoke: "Zuo Mingyang had mostly external injuries, and with his high cultivation level, and Huier rescuing him early, the wound isn’t severe…"

Here, Yi Jin Guan abruptly stopped talking. Lou Yun was still waiting for him to discuss Huier’s injury and, seeing this, anxiously pressed: "What about Huier? Is her wound severe?"

Yi Jin Guan suddenly sighed: "As for Huier’s injury, how should I put it? Her body had no big problem, but, but…"

After several "but," Yi Jin Guan couldn’t say the rest. Finally, he stamped his foot: "Ah, I can’t bring myself to speak it, Brother Lou. Anyway, you’ll see her soon, and then you’ll know."

After saying this, Yi Jin Guan firmly closed his mouth but sped up his walking pace.

This rambling talk made Lou Yun’s heart anxious again, and his mind began endlessly guessing all possible situations.

For the rest of the journey, neither spoke again, and they walked very fast. Though troubled by thoughts, Lou Yun still noticed that Yi Jin Guan, as a common weapons master, had clearly practiced movement techniques.

After more than an hour, they entered a mountainous area. Yi Jin Guan pointed at a small unremarkable hill and said: "That’s Yi Fengling; my home is up there."

Lou Yun nodded without speaking, and they both quickened their pace. Soon, they arrived at Yi Jin Guan’s home.

It was a relatively small estate. At the gate stood two children, a boy and a girl, each about seven or eight years old, looking quite adorable.

Upon seeing Yi Jin Guan, the children hurried forward, each grabbing one of his sleeves, and called out coaxingly: "Godfather, Godfather! You’ve come back!"

As they spoke, their eyes kept lingering on Lou Yun. Lou Yun glanced at them and found no magical weapon inside their bodies, clearly indicating they were children Yi Jin Guan had specially adopted.

Yi Jin Guan clearly adored his two godchildren. Reaching out, he lovingly patted their heads, gestured his chin toward Lou Yun, and said: "This is Uncle Lou; say hello!"

The children were very obedient and immediately bowed to Lou Yun, saying: "Greetings, Uncle Lou!"

"Hmm, hello!" Lou Yun forced a smile and responded to them.

Yi Jin Guan then asked the children: "Did Aunt Huier come out today?"

They both shook their heads: "No, Aunt Huier is still hiding in her room, and Uncle Zuo has been guarding the door!"

"Ah!" Yi Jin Guan sighed, then pointed into the estate: "Brother Lou, after entering, turn left and you’ll see a small building. Huier lives there; go see her—perhaps she’ll meet you!"

From the conversation between Yi Jin Guan and his children, Lou Yun’s worry deepened further. Judging by their words, Huier seemed to be staying in the room, refusing to come out or see anyone!

Lou Yun understood Huier’s character very well. She was a strong girl; otherwise, she couldn’t have carried such heavy burdens at a young age. Yet now, she was hiding, too scared to face people. What blow had she suffered?

Thinking this, Lou Yun couldn’t bear it any longer and said hastily to Yi Jin Guan: "I’m going in then!"

After speaking, his figure flashed and disappeared before the three.

Yi Jin Guan had seen Lou Yun’s movement technique before. Though he, as a common weapons master, had cultivated such techniques, they couldn’t compare to Lou Yun’s Wind Play Decision, so he naturally wasn’t surprised.

But the children witnessed such incredible speed for the first time and couldn’t help but cry out together: "Wow, so fast!"

"Yes, I just saw a blur, and Uncle Lou vanished!"

"Godfather, who exactly is Uncle Lou? He seems so powerful!"

Yi Jin Guan smiled faintly: "I don’t know precisely who Uncle Lou is, but he is Aunt Huier’s brother, Uncle Zuo’s brother, and also my brother. He isn’t just ‘seemingly’ powerful—he is truly powerful!"

"Really? He’s stronger than you, godfather?"

The little boy’s face clearly showed disbelief because, especially for adopted children like them, their godfather was the absolute greatest hero in the world!

Yi Jin Guan nodded firmly: "Far, far stronger than me!"

Hearing this, the little boy and girl glanced at each other, then nodded subtly at the same time. Clearly, at that moment, the two young ones had silently reached some agreement in their hearts.

…

Lou Yun appeared almost instantly at the small building Yi Jin Guan mentioned. Before he arrived, he heard Zuo Mingyang’s voice—uncharacteristically gentle now, not his usual booming tone—but only he spoke; Huier’s voice was silent: "Little sister Huier, how many days has it been? You still won’t come out. Being cooped up in the room all the time will make you ill!"

"Little sister Huier, I’m just a coarse fellow; I don’t know how to comfort you. But with a lovely girl like you, I’m sure many will love you!"

"Now, there’s a saying: appearance isn’t truly important; the key is a person’s heart. Little sister Huier’s heart is undoubtedly the most beautiful I’ve ever seen!"

"Little sister Huier, you must not do anything foolish! Your face got like that after saving me. Trust me, I’ll search every corner of Spirit Weapon Star to find a way to heal you!"

Hearing these words, Lou Yun suddenly understood: Huier had been disfigured in the great fire!