"Huh, it's Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi. Who is he holding?"
"Looks like the Demonic Cult's leader, Yin Baisu!"
"What's going on?"
Wan Yunting, his expressionless face carrying Yin Baisu's corpse, descended Mount Emei with a dazed Zhou Ruoxi. They encountered people from the Kunlun Sect, Xingyi Sect, and others who had arrived later. This left them bewildered, unsure of the situation.
"Elder, should we stop them?"
A disciple of the Kunlun Sect asked Grand Elder Zhang Qing.
"No!"
Elder Zhang Qing shook his head, signaling his disciples to step aside and let Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi pass. Elder Zhang Qing frowned slightly and said, "Since they were able to come down from Mount Emei, it means they've already reached an agreement with Sect Leader Zhong. We shouldn't cross Wan Yunting."
"Yes, Elder Zhang is right. Let's go up and meet with Sect Leader Zhong first..."
Thus, these sects began their ascent to meet with Sect Leader Zhong.
Wan Yunting, carrying Yin Baisu's corpse, looked at Zhou Ruoxi's lost figure, his heart aching for her.
The two silently descended Mount Emei. At the foot of the mountain, the bodyguards who had brought Wan Yunting saw them and immediately took Yin Baisu's body from his arms, gently placing it into a car.
Wan Yunting gestured to the bodyguards. He then took Zhou Ruoxi into another car and instructed the bodyguards to go to the nearest funeral home to prepare for Yin Baisu's cremation.
By noon, Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi emerged from the funeral home. She was still holding an urn, her face expressionless as she got into the car with Wan Yunting and headed directly for the airport.
Wan Yunting embraced Zhou Ruoxi, who leaned on his shoulder, and said comfortingly, "Ruoxi, what are your plans now? Do you want to come back to the capital with me?"
Zhou Ruoxi, her expression blank, having gone through great emotional turmoil, was in low spirits. Still holding her mother's urn, she shook her head slightly, resting her head on his shoulder, her voice hoarse, "I don't want to go to the capital..."
Wan Yunting paused, looking down at her, his brow furrowed with concern. "Then where do you want to go?"
Zhou Ruoxi slowly said, "I want to find Uncle-Master Jinyu!"
Wan Yunting paused, then nodded softly, "Okay, then we'll go directly to Kunlun Mountain..."
After waiting for two hours at the airport and completing all the procedures, Wan Yunting, with Zhou Ruoxi holding her mother Yin Baisu's urn, boarded a private jet and headed directly for Kunlun Mountain.
The next morning, Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi were on a train bound for Buxida County. After several hours of travel, they arrived at the county town at the foot of Mount Wuliang in the afternoon.
"Senior Brother Guanzhu..."
Li Zihang, having received Wan Yunting's call earlier, was already waiting with Xue Xinghe in the county town. Upon seeing Zhou Ruoxi's expressionless face and the urn she held, Li Zihang and the others understood what had happened.
After all, the entire martial arts world had been abuzz with the events at Mount Emei yesterday. Li Zihang and the others had also learned about the incident through the Martial Arts Association's website.
Therefore, Li Zihang and Xue Xinghe could only offer their condolences and tell Zhou Ruoxi to take care.
"Let's go back first."
Wan Yunting got into the car with Zhou Ruoxi. Li Zihang and Xue Xinghe also got in. Having already purchased supplies, they drove Wan Yunting directly back to Mount Wuliang.
By the time they returned to Mount Wuliang, it was past five in the afternoon. They reached the Wuliang Daoist Temple at six.
"Yunting, you're back..."
Wu Weizi and Yang Jingyi, along with several disciples, personally welcomed them at the entrance. Seeing Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi arrive, and noticing the urn Zhou Ruoxi was holding, they said, "Sect Leader Zhou, please accept our condolences..."
"Thank you."
Zhou Ruoxi bowed slightly to Yang Jingyi and Wu Weizi, and said, "I am no longer the Sect Leader of the Emei Sect!"
Yang Jingyi and Wu Weizi were taken aback and exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.
"Let's go inside."
Wan Yunting waved his hand. Wu Weizi then reacted, welcoming him and Zhou Ruoxi into the Daoist temple and leading them directly to the courtyard where Wan Yunting had previously resided.
First, he asked Zhou Ruoxi to place her mother's urn, and then to take a bath before coming out for dinner.
Wan Yunting, Yang Jingyi, Wu Weizi, and disciples like Li Zihang sat on the leisure chairs under a tree outside the courtyard entrance, inquiring about the changes at the Emei Sect.
"Alas, I never expected that Ruoxi would be the daughter of Yin Baisu, the leader of the Demonic Cult..." Yang Jingyi was very surprised when she first heard the news.
"What a pity. With her gone as sect leader, it's unknown what the future holds for the Emei Sect," Wu Weizi said with a sigh.
"Then who will be the sect leader of the Emei Sect now?" Li Zihang asked curiously.
"Who else but the Third Elder, Guo Yu!" Xue Xinghe said.
Yang Jingyi frowned and said, "I spoke with my junior sister Yunbai last night. She is also very confused. Elder Guo has his loyal disciples in the Emei Sect, and with people from the various sects also seemingly leaning towards Elder Guo becoming the new sect leader of the Emei Sect!"
"Hmph, the reason those various sects support Guo Yu becoming sect leader is simply to control the Emei Sect in the future!"
Wu Weizi said with a stern face, revealing the true intentions of the major sects in supporting Guo Yu. "With what happened to the Emei Sect, their position among the major sects will naturally be suppressed in the future. And Elder Guo, being a selfish person, to maintain good relations with the major sects, he will likely make choices that sacrifice the Emei Sect in the future!"
"Yes, Uncle-Master Wu Weizi speaks the truth..."
Li Zihang and the others nodded as they listened, sighing about the current state of the Emei Sect.
In fact, Wu Weizi's statement was correct. The Emei Sect's presence among the major sects was gradually diminishing. If Guo Yu wanted to maintain its status as a major sect in the martial arts world, he would inevitably sacrifice many of the Emei Sect's interests to preserve this martial arts position!
"Yunting, what are Ruoxi's plans from now on?" Yang Jingyi then asked.
Wan Yunting sighed and said, "She wants to find Master Jinyu. She'll probably be staying in Kunlun Mountain for a while!"
Yang Jingyi nodded and said, "Ruoxi is an unfortunate child. After experiencing such things, she should be allowed to have some peace and quiet to consider her future plans. Finding Master Jinyu is the right thing to do."
Wan Yunting nodded. "I'll take her there tomorrow."
"By the way, why don't I see Yingying and Senior Sister Zhishen?" he then asked.
Li Zihang said, "They've gone into Kunlun Mountain to practice!"
"Oh, when did they go in?"
Wan Yunting knew that Duan Yingying and Xu Lingwei had entered the valley to use the Ice Bed left by Senior Kang of the Free and Unfettered Sect to practice the skills of the Snow Mountain Sect.
"They entered the mountains just a few days ago," Yang Jingyi said.
"Senior Sister Ruoxi is out."
Li Zihang saw Zhou Ruoxi emerge from the courtyard gate, and Wan Yunting went to meet her.
"Ruoxi, you and Yunting have had a long journey. Please have dinner first." Yang Jingyi and Wu Weizi also stood up and greeted her with a smile.
"Okay, thank you, Aunt Yang..."
Zhou Ruoxi nodded. She looked even more melancholic now.
"Let's go..."
Wan Yunting took her hand, and they followed Yang Jingyi and Wu Weizi to the Daoist temple's refectory for dinner.
Now that the Wuliang Daoist Temple was sealed for ten years and forbidden from entering the martial arts world, there were only about twenty people left in the temple, making the refectory appear rather desolate.
Sitting beside Wan Yunting, Zhou Ruoxi ate silently, listening to the man and Yang Jingyi and others chat about everyday matters. The atmosphere was quite cheerful.
Mainly, they wanted to cheer Zhou Ruoxi up and prevent her from feeling so heavy and depressed.
After dinner, Wan Yunting naturally took Zhou Ruoxi back to their living quarters. After taking a bath, he saw the woman staring blankly at the head of the bed, lost in thought.
Wan Yunting went over, got into bed, embraced her, and said softly, "It's alright, Ruoxi. Don't be overly sad, and don't be too lost. Don't you still have me?"
"Mmm..."
Zhou Ruoxi nestled in his arms and said, "I just can't adjust yet."
In fact, Zhou Ruoxi was no longer overly grief-stricken. Although she had reunited with her mother, Yin Baisu, they had only spent a month together, and her feelings for her mother were quite unfamiliar.
What Zhou Ruoxi was confused about now was what to do with her future and where to go.
She couldn't go back to the capital with Wan Yunting and compete with his other confidantes. Now, all she wanted was to avenge her mother.
"Don't overthink it. I'll settle accounts with the major sects later!"
Wan Yunting comforted Zhou Ruoxi, knowing that she was filled with hatred for the major sects.
"No..."
Zhou Ruoxi shook her head slightly, her autumn eyes looking at Wan Yunting with determination, biting her silver teeth. "This revenge, I will settle it myself!"
Wan Yunting's expression paused. He nodded and said nothing more, "Let's sleep for now. We'll get up early tomorrow to find Master Jinyu..."
"Mmm, hold me..."
Zhou Ruoxi nodded. After the lights were turned off, she burrowed into his arms, feeling safe this way.
The next morning, Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi woke up early and went directly to the refectory to have breakfast with Yang Jingyi and the others. Then, carrying her mother's ashes, they descended the mountain. Wan Yunting drove them directly to Kunlun Mountain.
Meanwhile, in the forests northwest of Kunlun Mountain, a simple wooden cabin stood. Wisps of smoke curled from the chimney.
"Jinyu, wash that vegetable clean. I need to cook,"
Chen Qiuyun, dressed in coarse linen, returned from the fields outside and called out to Master Jinyu, who was picking vegetables in the vegetable patches in the courtyard.
"Mmm, coming..."
Master Jinyu, dressed in a Daoist robe, was no longer the ethereal figure who seemed untouched by worldly matters as she had been in the peach grove behind Mount Emei.
Now, Master Jinyu seemed like an immortal who had fallen to the mortal world, tinged with a touch of earthly dust. Holding a basket, she picked a large head of cabbage and returned. She then drew water from the nearby well and began washing the cabbage.
After washing, she shook off the water and handed it to Chen Qiuyun, who was washing a large iron pot inside. She smiled and asked, "Is there vegetable congee?"
"Mmm, a little vegetable congee. I know you like it," Chen Qiuyun said, rolling her alluring phoenix eyes at her, smiling very happily.
Although she thought she was smiling naturally, the charm that naturally emanated from her would likely make any man faint on the spot.
Master Jinyu also smiled and continued to weed the vegetable patch.