Chapter Forty: Help!

“What?!” Daoist Wude’s face was a mask of bewilderment as he stared at the veiled young woman digging the pit. So, this ancestor wasn’t planning to spare Ye Wuyá at all—she was planning to deal with him, the ‘hindrance,’ first, and only then finish off Ye Wuyá.

“Honored Lady, Exalted Shou-Loss Sovereign, please, you can’t do this!” Daoist Wude scampered to the veiled maiden’s side, grinning obsequiously. “Think about it, if you bury me, who will accompany you—ah, I mean, who will help you ‘visit’ those tombs? Who’ll lead the way?”

“Out of my way.” The maiden’s voice was icy, devoid of all emotion.

“Amitabha! Exalted Shou-Loss Sovereign!” Daoist Wude intoned a mangled invocation, putting on a solemn face as he rambled, “Honored Lady, to tell you the truth, you can’t bury this silver-haired fellow!”

“Why?” The word dropped from the maiden’s lips, cold as winter frost.

“Honored Lady, this boy is the only one who knows your origins! If you bury him now, you’ll have waited these tens of thousands of years in vain!” Daoist Wude spun his tale with utter seriousness, throwing Ye Wuyá a sidelong glance and muttering inwardly, “Amitabha! Exalted Shou-Loss Sovereign! Sorry, kid, but to save your life, I have to pin this on you. None of us dare shoulder this blame ourselves!”

“Speak,” she commanded.

“What did you say?” The veiled maiden’s teeth clenched. “Repeat!” The Luoyang shovel was suddenly at Daoist Wude’s throat, her eyes glacial as she spat out each word.

“Mother of mercy! H-h-h-honored Lady, please!” Daoist Wude stared at the cold iron pressed to his neck—this was no ordinary weapon, but an artifact surpassing imperial relics!

No one knew how long ago the veiled maiden had appeared in this world. No one knew whence she came or where she was bound—like a wandering ghost, she drifted, remembering only one thing: she was waiting for someone.

Only after attaining the imperial realm did Daoist Wude learn of her existence. Even the so-called Bamboo Lord, who boasted he could divine the heavens and earth, couldn’t fathom whom she waited for. The most terrifying part was that she always wore a veil; her face was a mystery. The older Emperors, those who had met her before he had, warned him: this girl was a cheat-code made flesh. No one dared cross her, no one could best her. Anyone who’d seen her face had vanished without a trace.

The Luoyang shovel in her hand was said to be a fusion of treasures seized from over a dozen Emperors after she’d thrashed them. One strike from it, and even if he didn’t die, he’d be skinned alive!

He’d spoken, and there was no taking it back. Besides, Ye Wuyá was crucial to the plans of several mighty figures—he absolutely couldn’t die either! One was untouchable, the other indispensable. Now, he could only press on: “Yes, yes, exactly! Honored Lady, he’s very likely the only one who knows your true identity. So you can’t bury him!”

At these words, the maiden withdrew her shovel and walked over to Ye Wuyá.

Daoist Wude panicked at this. “Honored Lady, what are you doing?”

“Wake him up. Make him tell me who I am,” the maiden replied, her tone as frigid as ever.

“No, no, no, Honored Lady! There’s no time! The Immortal Memory Fruit blooms once every thirty thousand years, bears fruit once every thirty thousand years, appears once every thirty thousand years—and the window for picking it lasts only an hour! This time, Bamboo Lord spent a thousand years of his lifespan to calculate its location! Even if you woke this boy and made him speak, you’d be better off recovering your own memories directly!” Daoist Wude pleaded desperately.

He was frantic; what if the boy had nothing to say after being woken? He’d be the one to pay the price for his own words! He’d already resolved: after accompanying the Honored Lady to find the Immortal Memory Herb, he’d find a place to hide, never to emerge again.

The veiled maiden hesitated.

Seeing this, Daoist Wude pressed his advantage: “Amitabha, Exalted Shou-Loss Sovereign, there’s truly no time! Leave the boy here—he’ll still be here when you return!”

“Wait for me. No rush,” the maiden said icily, then strode toward Ye Wuyá.

...

What now? Should I run for it? Daoist Wude wondered.

He watched as the maiden dragged Ye Wuyá to the edge of the pit, then tossed him in as casually as if discarding trash.

Then she filled in the pit—what’s dug must be filled, after all. In no time, the pit was flat again, only a single head left exposed.

“Let’s go,” the maiden said coldly as she passed Daoist Wude.

She raised her Luoyang shovel and sliced through the air; vast swathes of the void collapsed and twisted, forming a massive black hole—cold, desolate, endless.

With a single stride, she vanished into the void.

Daoist Wude glanced at Ye Wuyá’s head, the only thing protruding aboveground, and sighed. “Boy, you’re on your own now! Even I can’t help you. Amitabha, Exalted Shou-Loss Sovereign!” Chanting a brief invocation, he too stepped into the sundered void.

As the rift sealed behind him, only the battered rear mountain of the Ye clan and the half-buried Ye Wuyá remained.

...

Night deepened, a chill settling in the air. Moonlight spilled over the small lake, gliding like silken threads. A breeze stirred the surface, fragmenting the moon’s reflection into floating shards of jade, shattering the silence.

A figure glided across the water, flawless white feet touching the surface with each light step, drifting closer to Ye Wuyá with every gentle stride. Black mist shrouded the figure’s form—a woman, by the faint silhouette.

“Young master, you’ve finally returned. We’ve all missed you.”

She knelt before Ye Wuyá, brushed aside his silver hair to reveal his face, and stroked it gently...

The night passed in silence. Only as dawn approached did the woman leave, pausing every few steps, reluctant to go.

With the sunrise, sunlight spilled across the earth, darkness fleeing before the advance of morning.

The Ye household.

The sun leapt from the grey sea, a half-circle of crimson flame instantly brightening the pale sky, stretching endless blue silk behind glowing clouds. A shaft of sunlight pierced the window, rousing Ye Ruxue from slumber. She rubbed her eyes, looked at her sleeping companion, then peered out the window.

“Sis, wake up!” Ye Ruxue shook the still-sleeping Ye Ruyue.

“What is it?” Ye Ruyue murmured.

“Husband’s gone!” Ye Ruxue exclaimed.

That woke Ye Ruyue at once. She glanced around—no sign of Ye Wuyá—then hurried outside to search, but found nothing.

“Don’t worry, Husband probably just had something to do,” Ye Ruyue reassured her.

Knock, knock, knock! Someone rapped at the door.

“Who’s there?” Ye Ruyue called.

“It’s me,” came a woman’s voice from outside.

Ye Ruyue opened the gate and threw herself into the visitor’s arms, nuzzling her head against the woman’s chest. “Auntie! Why are you here?”

Ye Yunque ruffled Ye Ruyue’s hair fondly. “I came to see if that scoundrel was bullying you two. If he dares, just tell me—I’ll skin him alive!”

Ye Ruyue smiled. “Auntie, Husband’s never bullied us, and he’s not a scoundrel.”

“If he’s not, what is he? He’s stolen away both my precious girls—he’s lucky I haven’t beaten him yet.” Ye Yunque feigned anger, pulling Ye Ruxue into her other arm, hugging them both with delight.

The three beauties, one mature and two youthful, made a lovely scene in the courtyard. Ye clan disciples passing by couldn’t help but stare, eyes glazing, mouths watering.

“What are you looking at?” Ye Yunque barked, whirling around. “Stare any longer and I’ll dig out your dog eyes!”

The onlookers scattered in terror.

“Auntie, you’re so fierce! They’re all afraid of you,” Ye Ruxue said, snuggling closer.

“They’re all cowards. Ignore them—come, let’s go inside.” Ye Yunque swept the girls into the courtyard and slammed the door behind them.

“Auntie, did you come for something?” Ye Ruyue asked.

Glancing around, Ye Yunque replied, “Big Brother sent me to find that guy—he wants him at the meeting to discuss tonight’s plan. By the way, where is that fellow?”

Of course, she meant Ye Wuyá. The girls shook their heads. “We don’t know. He was gone when we woke up.”

“Do you know where he went?” Ye Yunque asked.

Again, the girls shook their heads.

“That scoundrel! Disappearing at a crucial time—I’ll skin him when I find him!” Ye Yunque fumed.

“Don’t be angry, Auntie. Go tell Father, and we’ll go look for him,” Ye Ruyue coaxed.

“That’s all we can do. You two go search—I’ll inform Big Brother and Second Brother.” Ye Yunque patted their heads and strode out.

Watching her leave, Ye Ruxue turned to Ye Ruyue. “Sis, where do you think Husband went?”

“I don’t know. Let’s ask around.” Ye Ruyue took Ye Ruxue’s hand.

Closing the gate, the two set off, asking everyone they met, “Have you seen Ye Wuyá? Tall, strong?”

“Miss, who’s Ye Wuyá?” the young clansman asked, clearly baffled—only direct blood members attended clan meetings, after all.

Ye Ruyue and Ye Ruxue fell silent.

...

Ye clan’s rear mountain.

Ye Wuyá gazed at the pitted earth, near to tears. It wasn’t a dream—he’d really been buried alive! But how was he supposed to get out? Packed so tightly, he couldn’t move at all, not even enough to circulate his energy or summon any power.

“Anyone out there?”

“Help!”

His shouts echoed across the empty mountain, but no one came...