Duàn Yì thought that taking revenge and taking him as a disciple were two different matters, but he did not show it on his face. Instead, he eagerly asked her about that man's background and identity.
That man was called Bái Xī Wén. He was one of the elders of the Golden Cauldron Sect, as well as Qū Dōng Liú's junior brother, reputed to be the Golden Cauldron Sect's number one expert.
Three years ago, Bái Xī Wén happened to see Yuè Jiāo Nú. It was love at first sight, and he became hopelessly entangled with her.
At the time, Yuè Bì Nǔ had already regarded herself as the elder sister and leader of Moon Worship Palace. She was deeply dissatisfied with Bái Xī Wén repeatedly disturbing Moon Worship Palace's peace, so she personally wrote a letter to Qū Dōng Liú, the Golden Cauldron Sect's leader, telling him to keep his junior brother in line.
As a result of that letter, nothing came of Bái Xī Wén and Yuè Jiāo Nú. Yet Qū Dōng Liú and Yuè Bì Nǔ ended up making contact. After going back and forth, they secretly became involved, leading to the recent upheaval at Moon Worship Palace.
Strictly speaking, Yuè Jiāo Nú had been one of the key figures in all this.
"Bái Xī Wén is different from Qū Dōng Liú. He is a good man, and he does not approve of some of Qū Dōng Liú's actions.
"When Moon Worship Palace fell into chaos this time, I was able to fight my way out of the encirclement because of Bái Xī Wén."
Duàn Yì noticed that when Yuè Jiāo Nú spoke the three words Bái Xī Wén, she clearly revealed the bashful manner of a young maiden. There was plainly affection hidden in her heart as well.
Yet fate truly loved to toy with people. First, Moon Worship Palace's rules strictly forbade its disciples from discussing marriage, leaving Yuè Jiāo Nú and Bái Xī Wén in love but without destiny.
Then Bái Xī Wén was Qū Dōng Liú's junior brother, while Qū Dōng Liú had become one of the chief culprits behind Yán Susu's murder. Their ties had become even more tangled.
No wonder Yuè Jiāo Nú had not sought him out.
Bái Xī Wén and Qū Dōng Liú were martial brothers. Killing one's brother over a woman was not something ordinary people would really do.
For the moment, Duàn Yì did not take these matters of love and romance to heart. His mind spun rapidly as he considered whether Bái Xī Wén might be an opportunity for him, though the risk was simply too great.
The Golden Cauldron Sect was Qū Dōng Liú's territory. If he went there, would he not be a sheep walking into a tiger's jaws?
And could Bái Xī Wén truly take him in because of Yuè Jiāo Nú? That was also a question worth discussing.
"Young Master, what are you thinking about?"
Though Yuè Jiāo Nú had known Duàn Yì only briefly, she could tell that apart from possessing extraordinary talent in martial arts, this youth was also highly independent-minded. He was no ordinary boy, and hope rose in her heart.
"I have an idea, but it is not mature yet. I need you to answer a few questions. They concern my life and safety, so Sister Yuè, you must think carefully before answering."
Seeing Duàn Yì treat the matter so seriously, Yuè Jiāo Nú's expression also turned solemn, and she nodded in response.
After thinking for a moment, Duàn Yì mainly asked how much Moon Worship Palace and the Golden Cauldron Sect knew about him—for instance, whether they had ever seen his father.
He and Father Duàn looked sixty to seventy percent alike. Both had fair skin, tall and slender builds, and handsome, refined features.
Those brows, those eyes, those lips—they had something of the early, unassuming Louis Koo about them. At first glance, he looked like Yang Guo; at a second glance, hey, it was Ding Peng.
If his appearance had not been so striking, he would not have worried about being recognized.
Being just another passerby, tossed into a crowd without even making a splash, sounded rather blissful when he thought about it. At least it was safer.
Then there was the matter of whether, if he truly went to the Golden Cauldron Sect to take a master, Bái Xī Wén would shelter him because of Yuè Jiāo Nú.
"Back then, when the Old Palace Master sent people to hunt down the Young Palace Mistress and your father, Yuè Bì Nǔ knew of your existence. But she was not favored at the time and was not among those disciples sent out, so she never saw your father.
"As for the whereabouts of you and the Young Palace Mistress over these years, only the Old Palace Master knew. She secretly came to visit you from time to time over the years, which was why she instructed me to come here before she died.
"As for those disciples sent out back then, any who might recognize your appearance were all the Old Palace Master's trusted confidants. During this upheaval at Moon Worship Palace, Yuè Bì Nǔ has already eliminated them all.
"So I can confirm that whether it is Moon Worship Palace or the Golden Cauldron Sect, apart from knowing that you exist, they know nothing about you.
"Even if you stood right before them, no one would recognize you."
Yuè Jiāo Nú weighed every word, determined not to give Duàn Yì any wrong information. After a pause, her cheeks reddened, the blush spreading all the way to her earlobes.
"As for Bái Xī Wén, I understand him rather well. If he learned that I was the one asking him to take you in, he would definitely ask clearly about your relationship with me before making any plans."
Duàn Yì did not quite understand and signaled for Yuè Jiāo Nú to make herself clearer.
"If there is romantic affection between you and me, he will kill you. But if you are my family, or an important friend—the kind unrelated to romance—then he will definitely treat you well.
"I can guarantee that."
Duàn Yì understood a little. Bái Xī Wén was probably Yuè Jiāo Nú's devoted admirer, but unlike ordinary devoted admirers, he was one who dared to go head-on.
The sort who believed that anyone approaching his goddess with improper intentions must die a miserable death.
That settled it.
"Sister Yuè, I have an immature idea. Perhaps it may help us take revenge. Listen while I lay it out.
"Never mind how strong Yuè Bì Nǔ and Qū Dōng Liú's martial arts are. Just their current identities as the leaders of Moon Worship Palace and the Golden Cauldron Sect respectively are already beyond what you and I can contend with. Do you agree?"
Seeing Yuè Jiāo Nú fall silent in gloom, clearly struck in her sore spot, Duàn Yì continued.
"So even if you and I master martial arts and openly seek revenge, facing the combined assault of two great forces, I fear it would still be a case of ten deaths and no life. After all, two fists cannot defeat four hands.
"Yet Heaven never seals off every path. Since you have this connection with Bái Xī Wén, I have a chance at revenge.
"I can use your connection with Bái Xī Wén, Sister Yuè, conceal my identity, enter the Golden Cauldron Sect, and get close to Qū Dōng Liú. When the time is ripe and my martial arts reach Great Accomplishment, I can seize the chance to kill him."
"Just as Grandmother had no guard against Yuè Bì Nǔ, when I move against Qū Dōng Liú, he will surely never see it coming.
"That will greatly increase our chances of victory. Once Qū Dōng Liú falls, Yuè Bì Nǔ will stand alone and without support. Then we can find another good opportunity and make her pay for what she has done in the past. That is called using a person's own way to repay them in kind.
"What does Sister Yuè think of my idea?"
Put simply, Duàn Yì's suggestion was for him to become an undercover agent in the Golden Cauldron Sect and play the game of Infernal Affairs.
If they could not take revenge openly, they could resort to underhanded means.
Of course, his true and primary purpose was to go to Bái Xī Wén to learn martial arts. But he could not say that to Yuè Jiāo Nú. He could only use revenge as a skin to steady her and make her help him.
It had to be said that Duàn Yì had seen through Yuè Jiāo Nú's blindly loyal nature toward Yán Susu and seized upon her weakness of being consumed by revenge.
"Would that not place the Young Master in danger? What if you are discovered?"
Yuè Jiāo Nú had only gotten halfway through before realizing that the questions Duàn Yì had just asked were precisely meant to eliminate that hidden danger. He had already thought everything through.
"So that is how it is. Young Master is wise. Jiaonu believes this plan is absolutely feasible."
And upon careful thought, this truly was the likeliest method of achieving revenge that they could think of at present. Yuè Jiāo Nú was therefore incomparably excited. The Young Master was not only a martial arts prodigy, but also possessed judgment and wisdom. Heaven truly blessed Moon Worship Palace.
Beyond all this, an even darker thought arose in Duàn Yì's mind.
After successfully entering the Golden Cauldron Sect, he could have Yuè Jiāo Nú find a youth around his age in the martial world and create some commotion by presenting him as Yán Susu's grandson, drawing Yuè Bì Nǔ and Qū Dōng Liú's attention away from him and reducing his own danger.
This move was called laying out a false formation. The only trouble was that Yuè Jiāo Nú would be placed in danger.
However, looking at the woman before him, who was clearly beautiful yet foolishly simple-minded, Duàn Yì felt somewhat guilty and abandoned this utterly selfish idea.
Duàn Yì was not a good person, but neither was he a bad one. Of course, defining a person solely by good and evil was itself too shallow. He was merely an ordinary person who wanted to live better and live longer.
When he examined his heart, he found that although he had known Yuè Jiāo Nú only briefly, she had lit fires and cooked for him, cleaned up after him, worked without complaint, taught him martial arts, and treated him with complete sincerity.
Even the Tower of Hidden Martial Arts had only been discovered by Duàn Yì because of the half of the Longevity Lock Yuè Jiāo Nú had brought.
Calling it a debt of immense kindness and virtue would not be an exaggeration.
If he truly treated Yuè Jiāo Nú that way, he would be somewhat less than human.
His emotions complicated, a thought emerged in Duàn Yì's mind. Why not truly do as he had just proposed and play a round of Infernal Affairs? Why not avenge Yán Susu?
Then he rejected the thought himself. There was no other reason—the risk was too great. Still, the idea had taken root.
Say a thousand words, say ten thousand words: Yán Susu was his grandmother. Back then, she had not truly dealt ruthlessly with his parents, so there had clearly still been affection.
If his mother knew, what would she choose?
Would she have him risk himself for revenge, or have him cherish his life and live more freely and at ease?
Duàn Yì did not know, and for now, he stopped thinking about things he could never possibly know.
"Sister Yuè, after I go up the mountain, I ask that you conceal your name and identity. Do not do anything against Moon Worship Palace or the Golden Cauldron Sect. I will handle every matter concerning revenge."
Yuè Jiāo Nú's eyes widened, and she was about to refuse when she heard Duàn Yì continue in a resolute tone.
"I am not telling you to drag out an ignoble existence. Ah, right—you can search for the whereabouts of the Blood Head Monk. If we obtain the Divine Illumination Scripture, would that not increase our chances by another measure?
"This matter is settled. It is an order. If you still regard me as the Young Master, you cannot refuse."
Duàn Yì's proposal was naturally not truly for the Divine Illumination Scripture. He simply did not want this foolish woman to keep living for hatred, perhaps even throwing away her life for it.
He was also considering that if he truly came into contact with Bái Xī Wén in the future, he would certainly observe that man carefully. If he proved to be a good match, he would bring him and Yuè Jiāo Nú together and give this foolish woman some happiness.
For the moment, Yuè Jiāo Nú's wits were not sharp enough to see Duàn Yì's true intentions. Instead, she regarded this as a task entrusted to her by Duàn Yì and solemnly agreed.
Duàn Yì let out a long breath. His heart finally felt a little more at ease.
"Also, we must plan things carefully. This concerns life and death, so we absolutely cannot be careless."
Before you continue