Aftermath of the Battle

Silence, thick as viscous ink, once again enveloped the forest clearing that had just witnessed a bloody slaughter. The potent, unyielding scent of blood mingled with the aroma of earth and trampled vegetation, pressing down heavily on the air. Yan Xiao Liu slumped onto the cold, damp ground, leaning against a cracked rock that bore the scars of the preceding battle. His chest heaved, each breath sending a jolt of pain through his wounds. Yet, this physical agony paled in comparison to the mental shock he was currently enduring.

His gaze, as if pinned by invisible nails, was fixed on Ye Yun's tall, tranquil back. The man who had just descended like a demon god, effortlessly dispatching Li San and Wang Wu – two figures he had perceived as unfathomably strong, like towering mountains – was now calmly walking towards Zhao Si's corpse.

...Was this still the same Ye Yun from the County yamen? The one who was usually taciturn, whose martial skills, while decent, were only upper-middle tier, and who was occasionally teased by the veteran constables for being "too serious"?

Yan Xiao Liu felt as if his mind was a tangled mess, or perhaps being repeatedly hammered by a heavy maul, buzzing and chaotic. Li San's "Cleaving Mount Hua," a move that condensed a lifetime of cultivation and was as fast as lightning, capable of tearing him apart instantly, had been casually blocked and repelled by Ye Yun as if it were child's play! Wang Wu's insidious, vicious, and unpredictable blade techniques, along with his final, deadly poisoned needles, had been easily countered by Ye Yun, reducing him to a mere clown before his throat was pierced! The entire process had been a blur, too fast for him to follow, yet it was brutally and clearly seared into the depths of his soul.

He opened his mouth, his throat feeling as if stuffed with waterlogged cotton, dry and tight. After several attempts, he managed to squeeze out a few broken gasps: "...Ye... Ye Yun... You... You..." The rest of his words refused to come out, leaving only endless bewilderment and a shock that overturned his entire perception of reality.

Ye Yun, who was bending over Zhao Si's corpse, paused his search at the sound and turned his head. The residual glow of the setting sun filtered through the broken branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on his profile, smudged with a bit of blood and dirt. He looked at Yan Xiao Liu's ghost-stricken, utterly dumbfounded expression, and a faint, amused curve touched the corner of his lips.

"Little Sixth Brother," Ye Yun's voice was still calm, even carrying a hint of everyday gentleness, a stark contrast to his earlier decisive and imposing demeanor. "What's wrong? Did the mountain wildcats snatch your tongue? Can't even speak properly."

This familiar address and tone were like a needle, gently pricking Yan Xiao Liu's stretched-to-the-limit heartstrings. He jolted, as if a drowning man had finally grasped a piece of driftwood. He coughed violently, finally feeling some relief in his throat, but the shock and awe in his eyes remained undiminished.

"N-no... I'm fine..." Yan Xiao Liu subconsciously shook his head, struggling to stand out of respect. However, the movement aggravated his abdominal wound, causing him to gasp in pain and his face to turn even paler.

Ye Yun withdrew his gaze and continued his search, saying, "Good that you're fine. We shouldn't stay here long. The smell of blood is too strong; it will attract other fierce beasts soon. The outer regions of these Sunset Mountains have even seen second-tier Demonic Beasts. The danger is far greater than anticipated. Focus on recovering and stabilizing your injuries first, then we'll pack up and leave as quickly as possible."

His tone was plain but carried an undeniable decisiveness. Yan Xiao Liu nodded vigorously, no longer daring to delay, "Okay! Okay! I... I'll start recovering now!" He suppressed the pain, sat cross-legged, and tried to push away the tumultuous thoughts swirling in his mind. He began to circulate his meager internal energy, attempting to calm his surging blood and the tearing pain. However, with every breath and exhalation, the image of Ye Yun fighting like a descending god would involuntarily flash through his mind, stirring his spirit and greatly diminishing the effectiveness of his recovery.

Ye Yun paid him no further mind, focusing on the "harvest" before him. Zhao Si's belongings were indeed meager: a few scattered pieces of silver and some worthless trinkets, nothing else. Ye Yun pursed his lips, pocketed the silver, and then moved towards the corpses of Li San and Wang Wu.

These two, as peak Ninth Rank and peak 8th Rank experts respectively, were naturally much wealthier. Ye Yun found a bulging leather pouch in Li San's embrace, containing a thick stack of banknotes. The denominations were substantial, estimated to be worth several hundred taels! There were also several small jade bottles. Upon opening them, a pure medicinal fragrance wafted out, clearly indicating high-quality pills for healing and restoring true qi. Wang Wu's body yielded a similar amount of silver and some better-quality pills, even a few exquisitely crafted flying needles that emitted a faint blue glow, identical to those that had ambushed him earlier.

"As expected, one doesn't get rich without ill-gotten gains, nor does a horse grow fat without night fodder," Ye Yun mused inwardly, organizing the banknotes and pills. He carefully wrapped the poisoned needles in cloth; such insidious items might prove useful at a critical moment.

At this point, Yan Xiao Liu had managed to suppress his injuries, his complexion slightly improved as he opened his eyes. Ye Yun casually tossed him a jade bottle containing healing pills. "Take it, swallow it quickly. It will help your injuries."

Yan Xiao Liu fumbled to catch the bottle. Upon seeing the quality of the pills inside, he was immediately overwhelmed with gratitude, waving his hands repeatedly. "Ye Yun! No... Brother Ye! This... this is too valuable! It's your spoils of war, how can I..."

"Take it if I tell you to, stop with the nonsense," Ye Yun interrupted, his tone brooking no refusal. "Back at the yamen, you took care of me more than once. This is nothing."

"That's different! Before, it was..." Yan Xiao Liu tried to refuse again, but seeing Ye Yun's calm yet profound gaze, he swallowed his words. He took a deep breath, his face showing an unprecedented seriousness and fervor. "Brother Ye! It was my fault for not recognizing your true worth before! From now on, you are the big brother of me, Yan Xiao Liu! Strength is paramount, and you are truly worthy! I am willing to be your horse groom and footman, to go through fire and water for you without hesitation!" He struggled to kneel on one knee to pay respects, but Ye Yun caught him.

"Alright, alright," Ye Yun said with a hint of helplessness. "What 'big brother, little brother,' it sounds awkward. You can call me that in private, but in front of outsiders, I'm still Ye Yun, and you're still Yan Xiao Liu. Don't mention my strength to anyone, understand?" His eyes fixed sharply on Yan Xiao Liu.

Yan Xiao Liu felt the weight of that gaze and his heart tightened. He immediately straightened his back. "Understood! Brother Ye, rest assured! I, Yan Xiao Liu, swear to heaven that everything I saw and heard today will be buried with me. I will not reveal a single word! We'll act as usual!" He patted his chest, his eyes filled with loyalty and reverence.