Ye Huohuo shook her head. Since Lu Yao had not committed any act that disgraced her sect, she certainly wouldn't have injured her master and fled down the mountain. "I can't guess."
"I was injured by my eldest martial uncle," Lu Yao sighed heavily.
Everyone in the Xuanmen knew that the current leader of the Maoshan Sect was not the first disciple of his generation, but rather the second disciple.
According to the Maoshan Sect's traditions spanning hundreds of years, unless there was a major event, the position of sect leader would always be inherited by the eldest disciple. However, this generation was different, which naturally caused great dissatisfaction in Lu Yao's eldest martial uncle.
On the day Lu Yao's master ascended to the position of sect leader, her eldest martial uncle began to enter seclusion, no longer concerning himself with Maoshan affairs.
He did not emerge from seclusion for a full thirty years.
Many younger generations in the Xuanmen had already forgotten about this person.
But a year and a half ago, under the cover of night, he suddenly rushed into Lu Yao's master's room and launched a surprise attack while he was asleep. Although Lu Yao's master was cautious and set up alarm mechanisms in his room before sleeping each night,
her eldest martial uncle’s cultivation was too profound, and his movements too swift. The alarm mechanisms were triggered, but his palm had already struck Lu Yao’s master’s chest.
Lu Yao's master spat out a mouthful of blood, nearly dying from the blow. Even so, several of his ribs were broken.
Fortunately, the defensive mechanisms in the room activated in time, not only shooting out poisonous darts for self-protection but also triggering the Jie Mie Array. Seeing that the opportunity had been lost and he could no longer attack, Lu Yao's eldest martial uncle had no choice but to retreat.
Lu Yao's master was severely injured, and during the treatment, it was discovered that his eldest martial uncle's palm was poisoned – a forbidden technique of Maoshan. It was at this time they also learned that he had been secretly cultivating forbidden arts during his seclusion.
Lu Yao's master had to enter seclusion for treatment. Before doing so, he not only handed over the sect's affairs to his third martial brother but also conspired with several elders to orchestrate Lu Yao's fake betrayal.
The purpose was to find an opportunity to locate the eldest martial uncle who had fled.
"Does Junior Uncle Martial know about this?" Ye Huohuo asked.
Lu Yao shook her head. "He doesn't know. He was still cultivating in the mountains at the time, and no mundane affairs were told to him. However, with his intelligence, he might have already guessed something. Otherwise, he wouldn't have specifically come to the hospital to find me last night."
"Junior Uncle Martial came to find you last night? What for?" Ye Huohuo was curious. Given Zuo Qingya's personality, if he was willing to seek out Lu Yao, it must be a significant matter.
"He asked me to meet him near the Ye family tonight and mentioned my eldest martial uncle."
"What?!" Ye Huohuo's heart tightened. Could the Ye family's matters also be related to Lu Yao's eldest martial uncle? If so, things would become very difficult.
But then her heart stirred again. "Wait, when did your eldest martial uncle contact the Ye family? Do you know?"
"Well, I didn't just wander around for the past year for nothing. I've made inquiries from various sources and learned that my eldest martial uncle descended the mountain fifteen years ago and had contact with a family. However, I haven't found out who exactly he contacted," Lu Yao said with a hint of pride.
"Fifteen years ago?" Ye Huohuo's heart skipped a beat. All her misfortunes had also begun fifteen years ago. Could there be some connection?
As she was thinking, the car had arrived at a fork in the road not far from the Ye family villa. To avoid being discovered by the Ye family, she and Lu Yao got out of the car and saw a figure clad in white not far away.
Zuo Qingya, dressed in white, stood under the moonlight, as if bathed in a layer of silvery moonlight. He exuded an immortal aura, as if he would ascend at any moment.
Ye Huohuo and Lu Yao quickly walked over. "Junior Uncle Martial!" Both of them bowed respectfully.
Zuo Qingya hadn't expected Ye Huohuo to come. He was clearly startled when he saw her.
"Why are you here?"
"This is the Ye family, my former home. I came today to settle some old scores, but it seems the person we're looking for is together." Ye Huohuo pursed her lips.
"You mean your eldest martial uncle contacted the Ye family when he descended the mountain fifteen years ago?" Lu Yao finally connected the dots.
"Since we're here, let's go in and ask. We'll only know what happened back then by asking." A cold glint flashed in Ye Huohuo's eyes as she walked towards the Ye family first.
"Junior Uncle Martial, we..." Lu Yao followed Ye Huohuo, about to walk, but as she lifted her foot, she suddenly realized Zuo Qingya hadn't moved. She stopped too, looking at Zuo Qingya.
"I know about your troubles! You've been wronged during this time. Eldest Senior Brother is at the Ye family right now. Our Maoshan Sect's matters must be resolved by ourselves. The Ye family's affairs should be handled by Ye Huohuo herself. Do you understand?"
Lu Yao listened with some confusion. "Since Eldest Martial Uncle is at the Ye family, why don't we go with Ye Huohuo?"
Zuo Qingya didn't say anything further. He simply took out a talisman from his pocket, flicked his finger, and the talisman ignited without fire.
Lu Yao recognized the pattern on the talisman. "Are you going to summon Eldest Martial Uncle?"
"No matter what, he was once a member of the Maoshan Sect. He wouldn't dare to disobey the Patriarch's talisman order."
As soon as Zuo Qingya finished speaking, a strong gust of wind swept through, and a grey-robed elder appeared before them amidst the dust.
"Eldest Senior Brother, long time no see," Zuo Qingya asked loudly.
The grey-robed elder smiled. "Junior Brother, it's been a few years, and your cultivation has also greatly increased!"
Ye Huohuo knew that Lu Yao and the others had not followed. She guessed Zuo Qingya's intention, which was also a subtle way of helping her, as the only person within the Ye family who could threaten Ye Huohuo's safety was that individual.
Ye Huohuo didn't turn back and walked directly to the Ye family's main gate.
It had been over a decade, and things had changed.
Several times, Ye Huohuo had wanted to return and ask the people in the courtyard why they treated her that way. After all, she was still a child of the Ye family. Even if they weren't close, they shouldn't have hated her.
She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell on the main gate.
A hunched figure, appearing to be around sixty years old, opened the small window on the large iron gate and peered out. "Who are you?" his voice was hoarse.
"Uncle Chen?" Ye Huohuo felt her eyes welling up when she saw the old man.
After her parents died, she was bullied every day here, and it was common for her to go hungry. At that time, only this Uncle Chen secretly saved a steamed bun or a flatbread for her.
Without his care, Ye Huohuo might not have lived past the age of five.
Uncle Chen narrowed his eyes and carefully examined Ye Huohuo from head to toe. His cloudy eyes suddenly widened. "Are you... Miss Qing?"
"It's me!" Ye Huohuo replied.
Uncle Chen quickly opened the main gate. "Heavens, fifteen years! Miss Qing, I thought you..." Clearly, the old man didn't know about Ye Huohuo's subsequent experiences, nor did he know that she had been sent to an orphanage by her uncle and aunt.
"Miss Qing, you're still alive, that's truly wonderful. Back then, young master and young madam were such good people. Alas! Otherwise, you would be a noble young lady now, and you wouldn't have suffered so much."
Uncle Chen wiped away tears from the corner of his eyes. His affection for Ye Huohuo was evident.
Ye Huohuo was also moved by the old man's sincere emotions, her eyes turning red. How could an unrelated old man treat her like his own granddaughter, yet Madam Ye regarded her as an enemy?
"Miss Qing! Are you coming back?" Uncle Chen cautiously glanced towards the courtyard, then walked out and closed the large iron gate.
Ye Huohuo saw his behavior and guessed he had something to say. "Yes, Uncle Chen, what is it?"
"Alas, take Uncle Chen's advice, don't go back. It's best if they don't find you!"
"Why?" Ye Huohuo suddenly felt a crucial veil of mystery was about to be lifted.