Chapter Fifteen: Untitled

An hour after Duàn Yì arrived on the mountain, three more people came before the Golden Cauldron Sect's gate, precisely the pretty young girl Yuè'er whom Duàn Yì had met yesterday, along with the two elders accompanying her.

However, whether it was Wáng Jīn Guì or the other gatekeeper disciple, their attitude now was a stark contrast to the one they had shown Duàn Yì earlier when they were giving him a hard time. They transformed into fawning sycophants, respectfully greeting the two elders before grinning and waving at Yuè'er, their intentions clearly to curry favor.

Hélán Yuè'er was the legitimate niece of Qū Dōng Liú, the sect leader of the Golden Cauldron Sect, and the cherished jewel of the Hélán family from Mèngzhōu in Héběi Province. In terms of identity and status, she was someone a mere disciple of the Golden Cauldron Sect could not afford to slight.

Hélán Yuè'er, however, seemed a bit distracted. Her eyes were slightly dark, and her complexion wasn't quite right.

A large part of this was due to her tossing and turning sleeplessly last night, her mind filled with every little detail of her brief encounters with Duàn Yì. She felt regret that they might never meet again. The smaller part of the reason was the physical exhaustion from climbing the mountain path.

After dismissing Wáng Jīn Guì and the other gatekeeper disciple, the two elders led Hélán Yuè'er directly up the mountain.

"Granny, why is Uncle's wedding this time so rushed and even deliberately concealed? With his status and position, if he had sent out invitations widely, perhaps half the martial artists in Héběi Province would have been alerted. This is too shabby, isn't it?"

Temporarily pushing aside her thoughts of Duàn Yì, Hélán Yuè'er turned to ask Granny An beside her.

Hélán Yuè'er was quite fond of her uncle. She had also spent some time on Shālù Mountain when she was young, even learning a few martial arts from the Golden Cauldron Sect. However, she couldn't understand her uncle's low-key approach.

In the young girl's understanding, marriage was such a sacred, solemn, and pure life event. How could it be treated so casually? Wasn't that very unfair to her aunt?

If she were to get married in the future, she would definitely hold a grand ceremony, letting the whole world know she was the bride, the happiest person.

"Hmph, Qū Dōng Liú naturally has to conceal it. He's done something he's ashamed of. If he were to widely send invitations, and then friends, family, and even fellow martial artists gathered, someone might expose his shortcomings to his face. Where would he put his face then?

The Golden Cauldron Sect might even lose face and its prestige would be greatly diminished."

Granny An struck her Serpent Cane, producing a crisp "snap." A gust of wind swirled up, and her large eyes shot out a cold glint. She clearly had opinions about Qū Dōng Liú, but she couldn't show too much in front of little Yuè'er, so she didn't continue.

The Moon Worship Palace, as a sect composed entirely of women, had always been low-key but possessed considerable strength. In the past, it had a certain reputation in the martial arts world of Héběi Province.

Yuè Bì Nǔ colluding with Qū Dōng Liú to rebel and betray her master, although done covertly, was not entirely secret. News had already spread, causing dissatisfaction among many righteous individuals.

However, due to the strength of both families and Yán Susu's past unapproachable demeanor, no outsiders had intervened.

If the two of them were to hold a grand ceremony now, it would be like trampling on the rules of the martial arts world and the righteous path of Jianghu. Did they really think no one would take the opportunity to attack?

Hélán Yuè'er, seeing Granny An's anger and her uncle being criticized, felt stifled. She pouted, her lips capable of hanging a bottle, and walked up the mountain in silence.

Usually, she had heard Granny An mention her new aunt's origins and identity. Although she found her methods a bit too cruel, they were somewhat understandable.

What kind of sect would prohibit marriage? Being so unreasonable and inhumane, it would be better if it didn't exist.

If it were her, she might not be able to betray her sect, but she would definitely elope with the person she loved and stay together forever.

As she thought about it, Hélán Yuè'er's mind couldn't help but conjure up Duàn Yì's half-smiling face, a ripple stirring in her heart.

"If it were us, would you be willing to be with me, regardless of the consequences?"

Duàn Yì was completely unaware of Hélán Yuè'er's ascent and her thoughts. He was currently cleaning his room, which would be his permanent residence from now on.

He had just taken a stroll around the area and understood his geographical location and the surrounding environment.

This was located on the mountainside of the main peak of Shālù Mountain. There was only one residential house, which was his current dwelling. It was specially built by the Golden Cauldron Sect according to Bái Xī Wén's tastes, vision, and requirements. Someone delivered meals on time every day, which was quite convenient.

Similar buildings existed on this main peak; they were exclusive benefits for figures of Elder rank and above. It was necessary to show their distinctiveness.

Duàn Yì also found this place quite good. The environment was serene and undisturbed, avoiding contact with others and thus the risk of his identity being exposed. With fewer rocks and more vegetation, and various animals residing there, it added a lot of vitality.

"Phew, it's finally cleaned up. It finally looks like a home."

Duàn Yì surveyed the entire room, which was about thirty square meters. Against the north wall was a vertical bed, and by the window was a desk. There were also cabinets, a round wooden table, high stools, and other facilities. The conditions were by no means rudimentary.

He walked to the round table in the center of the room, sat down, poured himself a cup of clear water, and fell into thought.

"The first hurdle has been passed. Being able to stay here is great news.

However, I don't know when Bái Xī Wén will officially accept me and teach me martial arts. This can't be rushed; I must be patient."

After the brief contact during the day, Duàn Yì had a general understanding of Bái Xī Wén's personality traits.

Normally, he should be a slovenly, approachable person without airs, but when it came to two specific aspects, he would become sensitive, suspicious, and even unreasonable.

The first was the Golden Cauldron Sect, and the second was Yuè Jiāo Nú. They could even be considered his sore spots and weaknesses.

Bái Xī Wén should cherish these two aspects. And judging by the emphasis, the Golden Cauldron Sect was likely three points more important to Bái Xī Wén than Yuè Jiāo Nú.

In other words, he loved Yuè Jiāo Nú, liked Yuè Jiāo Nú, and was willing to do many things for her, but he would never harm the interests of the Golden Cauldron Sect. He was not someone who would act recklessly for love.

This was also why, when Qū Dōng Liú of the Golden Cauldron Sect interfered with the Moon Worship Palace's affairs, he did not stop it, only secretly saving Yuè Jiāo Nú's life.

Yuè Jiāo Nú likely realized this as well, which was why she placed all her hopes of revenge on Yán Fāngfēi, that is, Duàn Yì's mother, leading to the subsequent developments.

If Duàn Yì were to tell the truth now, to reveal his true identity completely, he would likely be expelled from here. This would be Bái Xī Wén's concession out of consideration for Yuè Jiāo Nú.

There was a small chance he would be killed directly by Bái Xī Wén. As someone loyal to the sect leader, he would naturally not keep a potential threat alive, especially someone who harbored deep hatred for the Golden Cauldron Sect leader and dared to come up the mountain to seek apprenticeship.

Never overestimate how kind or upright a martial artist could be. Perhaps there were truly people who wouldn't kill innocents, but Duàn Yì was deeply involved with the Golden Cauldron Sect, so he couldn't be considered innocent.

Identity determined one's stance; it was as simple as that.

Fortunately, fortunately, Duàn Yì had already taken this into account when discussing with Yuè Jiāo Nú earlier, so he had fabricated an identity that wasn't perfect, perhaps even flimsy and difficult to scrutinize, but one that Bái Xī Wén, out of consideration for Yuè Jiāo Nú, would never question.

This was using one weakness to overcome another.

Of course, another important reason for passing the test was that Duàn Yì was genuinely there to learn martial arts as a lone disciple, with no significant acting involved.

Otherwise, if he had been filled with deep-seated hatred and murderous intent, someone like Bái Xī Wén would not have been fooled, and the outcome would naturally have been dire.

Taking a deep breath, Duàn Yì walked out of the room and into the quiet courtyard. He let out a long sigh and began practicing the Minor Capturing Hand by himself. Although he had no internal energy, his movements were in harmony, and he had already grasped its essence.

After finishing his practice, Duàn Yì looked up at the sky. The sky was filled with faintly visible stars, like chess pieces on a board, shining exceptionally clearly and beautifully.

He touched the Longevity Lock around his neck with his right hand, and a sense of peace washed over him. With this, he had his foundation. He hoped Bái Xī Wén would not disappoint him.