Chapter 65: Tea, Shadows, and Silent Vows
A day later.
Jun Wu stood under the willow tree, enjoying the morning breeze. His shoulder-length hair swirled gently with the breeze and his face had regained its luster.
For the bruises and injuries, after consuming healing pills and recovery pills, his body had returned to its peak.
Watching the rising sun on the horizon, Jun Wu couldn’t help but worry about Zhang Wei and Mao Yun.
’I hope they can make it back alive...’ He thought and shook his head.
Without venturing into the ruin, people would never understand the horror that lay inside.
Especially for those that fell into the labyrinth. He had come close to death so many times that he had lost count.
By grit and luck, he managed to survive that hell hole. His thoughts drifted to Mei Ling.
"I wonder if she is also out."
Since they both escaped the labyrinth, he believed her chance of survival was higher than the others.
However, the sudden appearance of the Dark Skeletons made it impossible to judge if anyone could survive.
Slowly, he thought of Jiang Yawen. They had once been enemies but under the threat of the Dark Skeleton.
They were forced to work together.
Without her, he would take the wrong path while also, without him, she would fall to the Dark Skeleton.
Thinking of everything, Jun Wu realized life was more complicated than what you read in books.
Unknown to him, while he had faced the horrifying labyrinth, those on the surface also faced the Spirit Storm.
Therefore, everyone had their fair share of the ruin’s brutality.
"Young Master, please come and take your tea before it gets cold." Xinyue said from behind.
Hmm?
Jun Wu came out of his thoughts and turned his head. He looked at the sweet and beautiful girl a couple of feet from him.
Xinyue’s beauty was a kind of beauty that would make people want to protect her. It invoked the people’s possessiveness and primal nature.
Now, he understood why those that plotted against her did so. Such beauty would make anyone jealous.
He walked to the wooden bench and took his seat. Looking at Jun Wu’s graceful figure, Xinyue’s ears reddened as she elegantly served him tea.
"Where is your brother?" Jun Wu asked.
"He is out gathering news." She responded and stood beside him.
"What are you doing? Come and take a seat."
Jun Wu knew Xinyue was battling her inferiority complex. With her bad experience in the Mystic City and the academy, this feeling had grown.
With her beauty and talent, she should be proud and confident. Unfortunately, she had been beaten and bruised so many times that those emotions had been snuffed out.
Thus, she developed a coping mechanism. To lower herself to servant or maid. All just to survive.
But now, he was going to slowly change it.
Jun Wu raised his head and stared at her with an expression giving no room for argument.
"A-h Yes..." She wanted to protest but Jun Wu’s gaze extinguished the thought in her mind.
With lowered head, she dragged her feet and sat beside him. Her heart pounded heavily against her chest like a war drum.
She gripped the hem of her clothes, trying to find courage.
"Raise your head..." Jun Wu said in a low commanding voice.
Her breath quickened, she gripped the hem of her cloth tightly as she raised it slowly.
Watching her reddened neck, Jun Wu chuckled and decided to tease her. "I can remember yesterday how someone was so brave and threw themselves at me."
Ahh!
Xinyue was too shy to breathe and quickly turned her head to the side. "Young Master, please stop teasing me."
Hahahaa.
Jun Wu laughed. "Alright, I’ll stop teasing you." He took a sip from his teacup.
"But remember, if you keep shrinking under pressure. You are giving your enemies the chance to trample on you."
"And if you want to stay by my side, you can’t do that. Stand your ground and raise your head with pride." He said seriously.
"I know..." Xinyue nodded.
Just then, the door to the courtyard was pushed open and Xinyue’s brother entered.
Watching his sister and Jun Wu, the boy grinned with a knowing smile.
"Young Master, I’ve gathered all the latest news." Hao Ran said with a bright smile.
"Oh good. Tell me." Jun Wu looked at Hao Ran with a pleased expression.
He did not ask the boy to gather intelligence but he was wise to go out early in the morning to gather intelligence.
His life on the street had taught him to always make himself useful.
Jun Wu listened to the boy’s narration without interrupting him. After a few minutes, he was done revealing the news.
"Well done." He praised and added. "Now, go and eat."
"Yes, Young Master." Hao Ran grinned, showing his little white teeth.
He glanced at his sister before he scurried away.
"Young Master, I’ll go and assist my brother in training." Xinyue rose to her feet and departed.
From Hao Ran’s news, she knew Jun Wu needed some space to think.
Looking at her departing back, Jun Wu couldn’t help but smile. Both the sister and brother were wise.
He shook his head and thought about what he just learned.
’Spirit Storm!’ he mused.
He never expected while they were lost in the labyrinth, a much more horrifying danger was sweeping the surface.
’Why do I feel there is more to this ruin?’ he thought.
Since they entered the ruin, they had been in danger. Ruin Beasts, Labyrinth, Spirit Storm, and lastly, Dark Skeletons.
Everything reeked of conspiracy.
From Hao Ran, he learned only a few managed to return. Elder Shen being the first person to return.
He could only say she was lucky to survive.
"I guess the Soaring Cloud Region wouldn’t be peaceful any longer." He mused.
"Mao Yun, Zhang Wei, you must come back alive." He rose to his feet, ready to meet Elder Peng.
During his battle in the ruin, he had noticed some of his weaknesses and needed to address them immediately.
...
Outside Jun Wu’s mansion, a group of men dressed in black robes, faceless masks, and hoods stared at Jun Wu’s mansion like vipers from the shadows.
"We strike tonight." A voice said.
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