16

Yao Yue wrapped up her arm with the bandages that were once wrapped around her back. The wounds on her back had already scarred over, allowing her to wash the cloth bandages to reuse them for her arm and leg.

"How are you doing." Tian Ying asked, walking over and holding a steamed bun out to her.

She glanced up from her arm, before silently taking the bun. He took a seat next to her, and they sat together in silence as Yao Yue ate.

"I'm sorry." Yao Yue said when she finished eating her bun. "Now that I'm injured, we'll be unable to perform the Tian Jian Mo Wu Swordplay. I've doomed us both to die."

"You could have avoided injury." Tian Ying shot back with a slight tone of anger. "Why didn't you fight back."

Yao Yue didn't answer, and instead just avoided his glare at her. Of course she knew that she could have gone on the offensive against her attacker just like Tian Ying, but she also knew that it was better that she didn't. After all...

"Childe Tian Ying!" called Tian WuLai's voice from another cavern. "I need your help."

Tian Ying glared at Yao Yue one last time before heading off to where Tian WuLai was. Yao Yue closed her eyes and let out a sad sigh. She shrugged off her thoughts before going back to wrapping her leg.

At that moment, a small beam of black light arrived through the ceiling of the cavern and landed in front of Yao Yue. It was a spirit message from the Mo Sect. Something must've happened in her absence.

Yao Yue immediately touched the spirit message to see what had been written. "Young Mistress, I beg you hurry on your mission. Young Master has turned for the worse. Gui Meng."

"'Turned for the worse'...?" she whispered as the look of horror took over her face. "'Turned for the worse'...?"

Yao Yue collapsed onto the ground as she stared at the ceiling in shock. Back when she was still at Hei Mo Dong, the doctor had told her that her brother had at least three more years to live. He had assured her that in her absence, her brother would be fine. What does Gui Meng mean that he had turned for the worse? Was the doctor lying to her this whole time?

Closing her eyes to gather her thoughts together, Yao Yue decided to send a spirit message back to Gui Meng. "How long."

*****

Many hours have passed since she had received the message from Gui Meng. During that time, Yao Yue had held in the pain of her injured leg to practice the Mo Wu Swordplay. Although Gui Meng had not answered back, she still understood that she didn't have much time. Otherwise, she wouldn't have sent the message for her to hurry back as soon as possible.

Off to the side, Tian Ying watched as she struggled. He had already offered to help Yao Yue with her stances, but she rejected his offers over and over again. He didn't understand why though. Why was she practicing if she didn't want help in her improvement. And, what made her suddenly want to practice the Mo Wu Swordplay?

"Your face looks so terrible." Tian WuLai said, popping up into Tian Ying's view. "Are you worried about her?"

Tian Ying immediately looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about, Sect Leader WuLai."

"You may say that you don't know," Tian WuLai stood next to Tian Ying with a look of reminiscence. "But you know it clearly in your heart."

A small frown appeared on Tian Ying's face. "Sect Leader Tian..."

Tian WuLai closed his eyes. "I knew it clearly in my heart, but at the same time I was too scared. The marriage of two from different sects was something that was always looked down on." he turned to Tian Ying with a bitter smile on his face. "Don't be afraid, and don't let go."

"What do you mean, Sect Leader Tian."

"It's nothing," Tian WuLai let out a small sigh. "Well, since Miss Yao is practicing here by herself, how about you try to practice with the door, as we had originally planned? And that way, we can also keep an eye on the man."

Tian Ying nodded and began to follow Tian WuLai out of the cavern. But then he stopped, glancing back at Yao Yue, whose wounds were bleeding through the bandages. He pursed his lips, before pulling out a small container of ointment.

"Miss Yao."

Yao Yue immediately stopped practicing and caught whatever was thrown at her. It was the ointment. She glanced up at him in confusion only to see him walk off. She stared at his back for a few moments, before a small smile appeared on her face.

Setting her sword down and taking a seat on the ground, Yao Yue unwrapped the bandage around her leg. Ripping her pants, she winced at the sight of her wound. It was worse and deeper than she had originally thought. Yao Yue opened the ointment container and was greeted by a familiar herbal smell. Qian Yi Shang Gao, one of the most expensive ointments sold by the Lin Sect.

An oddly warm feeling filled her chest as Yao Yue began to gently apply the ointment onto her leg. It was cold against her burning wound, soothing the pain that was coursing through her whole leg. It indeed was a legendary ointment. Yao Yue smiled once again before moving onto her arm.

But unbeknownst to her, Tian Ying was actually watching her by hiding behind the opening of the cavern. On his face was a ghost of a smile, before finally looking away and walking back to the main cave where Tian WuLai awaited him.

A knowing smile appeared on Tian WuLai's face as he watched Tian Ying walk over, before turning to the door and its carvings. "Childe Tian, could you please hand me your sword?" Tian Ying did as he asked, pulling out his sword and handing it to Tian WuLai. "Now, watch."

A serious look took over Tian WuLai's face as he began to perform the Tian Jian Swordplay. His movements were quick and precise, his mind focused on what he was doing. Along with his movements, he was also stabbing the sword into one side of the door, along the carvings and tracing them. As he did so, Tian Ying audibly could hear some things clicking inside the door meaning that the swordplay was indeed the key to unlocking the door.

Tian WuLai turned back to look at Tian Ying when he finally finished, slightly panting. "Now it's your turn." he threw the sword back towards Tian Ying. "Let's see how well you do."