Bai Yunfei stared blankly at Zhang Yang's corpse. Yet, no sense of satisfaction after revenge showed on his face; instead, it was etched with profound sorrow.
"Avenged… I finally killed Zhang Yang with my own hands! Old Wu… Did you see? Yunfei has avenged you. You and Little Jade… you should be able to rest in peace beneath the Nine Springs…"
He tilted his head back, gazing through the gaping hole in the roof at the pinpricks of stars scattered across the black velvet sky. Closing his eyes, he drew in a deep, shuddering breath, then slowly exhaled, finally calming the turbulent storm of emotions within him.
Before he could even begin to consider his next move, a sudden chill crawled up his spine. The distinct, unnerving feeling of being watched washed over him. And this sensation… it bore a faint, unsettling similarity to the time he'd been scrutinized by Zhang Yang's father, Zhang Zhenshan!
"Who's there?!" Bai Yunfei whirled around instantly, leaping back several paces in one fluid motion. The Fire-Tip Spear materialized in his grip, its tip pointing unwaveringly towards the main hall entrance.
"Oh? You really are quite alert," a light, melodious female voice, tinged with amusement, drifted in from outside. "The moment you calmed down, you sensed me." The heavy wooden door creaked open slowly, revealing a tall, slender figure draped in vibrant emerald green standing silhouetted against the night.
A woman!
Waist-length ebony hair swayed gently with her graceful steps, like slender willow branches dancing in a breeze. Her skin was like porcelain, her chin delicately pointed. A subtle smile played on her lips, and her eyes, slightly narrowed, regarded Bai Yunfei across the room with keen interest. Her pristine white robes were adorned with intricate embroideries of jade-green willow leaves, cinched tightly at the waist to accentuate her elegant figure. In her left hand, she held a three-foot long sword encased in a sheath the same deep emerald hue as her attire.
Bai Yunfei was momentarily stunned by her sudden appearance. He quickly regained his composure, noting the lack of overt hostility radiating from her. A slight tension eased from his shoulders. He opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by a startled cry from the upper floor behind him.
"Senior Sister!"
Before Bai Yunfei could even turn, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the staircase. A gust of wind carrying a faint, sweet fragrance brushed past him as a petite young woman darted from the shadows beside him and flung herself into the arms of the tall woman in green.
The taller woman visibly relaxed upon seeing the younger one. She lifted her right hand and gently patted her back. "You're safe! You worried your senior sister half to death! I was only gone a few days, and when I returned, you were nowhere to be found. It took time to trace you to one of the city's underground gangs…" Her voice held relief and a trace of lingering anxiety. "I practically turned every shady establishment upside down to find this place. Thank the heavens you're unharmed…" Her tone shifted, becoming protective, almost fierce. "Did they… did they hurt you? Did anyone lay a hand on you?"
The younger girl buried her face deeper into her senior sister's robes for a long moment before finally looking up. "No… they didn't hurt me. They said… they said they were going to offer me… to their young master tonight." Her voice was like an oriole's song – clear, bright, and captivating, now trembling slightly with residual fear, evoking an instinctive desire to protect her. "I knew you'd come, Senior Sister. I just waited… Then, about half an hour ago, their young master arrived… and then… then he appeared…"
She paused, glancing timidly over her shoulder at Bai Yunfei before quickly ducking her head again, hiding fully behind her senior sister. Her long hair cascaded forward, obscuring most of her face, though Bai Yunfei could just make out the shape of her eyes, wide and curious, stealing glances at him from her sanctuary.
That fleeting glimpse – a face like carved jade, pure and delicate – caused Bai Yunfei's breath to catch for another brief, disorienting moment.
Watching her junior sister's shy behavior, the woman in green couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. She looked back at Bai Yunfei, offering him a warm, genuine smile and a slight, graceful nod. "This humble one is Autumn Greenwillow, Head Disciple of the Emerald Willow Sect. This is my junior sister, Chu Rainlily. Might we inquire, Young Master, which esteemed sect you hail from?"
Bai Yunfei didn't answer immediately. Instead, his gaze swept towards the open door, then methodically scanned the hall, lingering on the unconscious figures of Zhang Yang's thugs he'd felled earlier with roof tiles. A thoughtful expression settled on his face.
Autumn Greenwillow's smile faltered slightly at being ignored, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features. However, observing Bai Yunfei's actions, she seemed to grasp his concern. Her smile returned, softer this time. "Young Master," she began again, her voice persuasive, "this place feels… ill-omened. Perhaps it would be wiser for us to depart? We could find a more suitable location to converse?" She gestured subtly towards the carnage and the corpse.
Bai Yunfei's eyes shifted between Autumn Greenwillow and the shy figure of Chu Rainlily peeking out from behind her. He remained silent for several heartbeats, then gave a single, decisive nod. "Agreed. I… also have questions. Let's go."
Autumn Greenwillow took Chu Rainlily's hand and led her out the door. Bai Yunfei cast one last look at Zhang Yang's mangled remains. A sigh escaped him, its meaning complex and indecipherable even to himself. He squared his shoulders, his gaze clearing, hardening with renewed purpose. Moving swiftly through the devastated hall, he retrieved every thrown dagger he could find, including Zhang Yang's ornate blade. Only then did he turn and stride out of the mansion, following the two women. Their figures merged with the deepening shadows of the night.
Ten minutes after their departure, a low groan broke the silence in the hall. One of the unconscious thugs stirred. Then another. Cautiously, fearfully, several men pushed themselves up onto their elbows, scanning the room with wide, terrified eyes. Only when they were absolutely certain Bai Yunfei and the women were gone did they dare to breathe again. Relief was swiftly replaced by paralyzing bewilderment as their gazes fell upon the three corpses littering the floor.
"B-Boss…" stammered the short man Bai Yunfei had knocked out in the street earlier, his voice trembling as he clutched his chest, pointedly avoiding looking at Zhang Yang's ruined body. He turned to the hulking man beside him. "Wh-what do we do? Do… do we report to the Zhang Manor? Tell them who killed the Young Master? Get them to hunt him down?"
The Boss had been staring fixedly at Zhang Yang's corpse, his face cycling through shades of furious crimson, sickly pallor, and ashen gray. The short man's question jolted him from his trance. His expression abruptly twisted into pure, unadulterated rage. He spun, his hand lashing out without warning. The slap connected with a sickening crack, sending the short man sprawling.
"Report?!" the Boss roared, his voice raw and hysterical. "Report your damn grave! The Young Master is DEAD! You think they'll let us live if we go crawling back?! We'll all be buried with him! Every single one of us!"
The short man sat dazed on the floor, clutching his stinging face, staring at his enraged leader. The sheer terror in the Boss's voice cut through his stupor like ice water.
"Th-then… what do we do, Boss?" another underling asked, his voice quivering.
The Boss lowered his head, breathing heavily, his mind racing. After a long, tense silence, he lifted his gaze, sweeping it over the terrified faces of his men. "The Young Master got killed right under our noses," he stated, his voice low and grim. "Every man here who was conscious is marked. You all know how the Zhang family operates. If they catch us… we're dead. We will be buried with him." He paused, letting the terrifying reality sink in. "Wake the others. We leave Falling Stone City immediately. Right now! Forget everything else – our lives are the only thing that matters! We run. As far and as fast as we can!"
...
In a secluded alleyway tucked away in the eastern quarter of the city, Bai Yunfei stood facing the two women, a distance of about ten meters separating them. Autumn Greenwillow offered him another gentle smile, though her eyes held a persistent curiosity. "As I mentioned earlier, this humble one is Autumn Greenwillow of the Emerald Willow Sect, and this is my junior sister, Chu Rainlily. Now, Young Master, you still haven't told us… which esteemed sect do you represent? Though your aura is that of a soul warrior, you possess a spatial ring and wield multiple soul artifacts…" Her gaze lingered pointedly on his hand where the ring resided. "Could it be… you belong to the Artifact Refining Sect?"
"The Artifact Refining Sect again…" Bai Yunfei thought inwardly, recalling Zhang Yang's earlier mention. "They seem to be renowned for their soul artifacts. If that's the case…"
He remained silent for a moment, choosing not to answer her question directly. Instead, he posed one of his own, his voice steady: "When exactly did you arrive outside the door earlier?"
"Hmm?" Autumn Greenwillow blinked, momentarily surprised by the question. A light laugh escaped her. "Oh? Are you still bothered that I witnessed part of that… intense scene? Hehe, don't worry about it. I'd only been there for less than three minutes before you sensed me. You were quite… emotionally charged at the time." Her expression held a hint of admiration. "But the moment you calmed your mind, you detected my presence. For a soul warrior to possess such heightened awareness… that's quite remarkable."
"Your strength…" Bai Yunfei pressed on, ignoring her compliment, "…you are a soul adept, aren't you?"
"Oh?" Her eyebrows arched in genuine surprise this time. "You can discern that as well? Impressive. Yes, I only recently broke through to the early Soul Adept stage."
"Even with your strength," Bai Yunfei said, his tone serious, "you should take your junior sister and leave this city as soon as possible. Perhaps you are unaware… the man I killed was Zhang Yang, the Young Master of the Zhang family here in Falling Stone City. His father, Zhang Zhenshan, is also a soul adept, and a member of the Frost Sect." He paused, meeting her gaze directly. "You announced your sect affiliation back in that hall. I am certain some of those men lying 'unconscious' were actually awake and listening. While I killed Zhang Yang, if the Zhang family captures any of them and learns your identities… you will face significant trouble."
Autumn Greenwillow's pleasant smile vanished instantly. Her delicate brows drew together sharply. "What? That was the Zhang family's Young Master?" A shadow of concern passed over her features. "In that case… yes, this could indeed become… troublesome…"