The Mystery of the Secret Manual

Faint footsteps came from outside the door. Uncle Fu's stooped figure appeared in the doorway, holding an object wrapped in gray cloth.

Young Master Yun... Uncle Fu's voice trembled slightly. This old servant has something to give you.

Ye Yun looked up, his gaze landing on the bundle in Uncle Fu's hands. For some reason, his heartbeat suddenly quickened.

Uncle Fu carefully closed the door, then thoroughly checked that the windows were shut tight before placing the bundle on the table. As the layers of gray cloth were peeled away, an ancient manual gradually revealed its true form. Four bold, soaring characters gleamed with an uncanny luster beneath the oil lamp: True Martial Secret Manual.

This is... Ye Yun's pupils abruptly contracted. His fingers instinctively reached forward, but stopped just before touching it. An inexplicable throb rose from the depths of his heart, as though something were calling out to him.

Rare solemnity appeared on Uncle Fu's wrinkled face. Three years ago, on a rainy night, Young Master... your father suddenly returned.

Ye Yun jerked his head up, astonishing radiance bursting from his eyes. My father is still alive? His voice trembled faintly with excitement. In his nightmares, he had seen countless times the scene of his father leaping from the cliff and vanishing, his fate unknown, during the massacre that had destroyed their family ten years ago.

Alive, of course he's alive. Uncle Fu's voice was low and hoarse, as though it had come from a distant place. The rain was heavy that night, and the thunder shook the windows. This old servant heard a disturbance in the rear courtyard and went to take a look with a lantern, only to see Young Master leaning against the corner, covered in blood...

The old man's gaze grew hazy, as though he had returned to that storm-lashed night. He had been clutching this bundle tightly in his arms, his breath so faint it seemed liable to stop at any moment. This old servant wanted to find a physician, but he gripped my wrist tightly... Uncle Fu subconsciously rubbed his right wrist, where a faint scar still remained to this day.

Ye Yun gripped the corner of the table tightly, his knuckles turning white. He could picture the scene: his grievously wounded father sneaking back to the old residence through the rainy night, all to deliver this secret manual to his most trusted servant.

Young Master said... Uncle Fu's voice dropped even lower, almost to a whisper. It was this thing that brought disaster upon the Ye Family. He made me swear that unless you broke through and became a martial artist, I was never to let you know it existed.

The oil-lamp flame suddenly flickered, casting swaying shadows across the wall. Ye Yun's gaze fell upon the secret manual once more. The two characters on its cover seemed to come alive in the lamplight, their mysterious radiance flowing.

Did Father... say anything else? Ye Yun's voice sounded dry and unfamiliar, as if it did not belong to him.

Uncle Fu shook his head. Young Master was too badly wounded. After entrusting me with these things, he hurried away. He said his enemies might come after him at any moment, and he could not involve you. The old man's callused hand gently stroked the manual's cover. All these years, this old servant had hidden and fled from place to place just to protect it. Now... He solemnly pushed the manual toward Ye Yun. It belongs to you.

Ye Yun drew a deep breath and slowly extended his hand. The instant his fingertips touched the cover of the secret manual, a strange warmth surged along his arm and into his body, resonating with the 8th Rank Essence Qi he had just broken through to. He could almost hear his own blood rushing through his veins, as though something that had slumbered for ages were awakening.

Where is Father now? Ye Yun asked, forcibly suppressing the excitement in his heart.

Young Master didn't say. Uncle Fu sighed, but this old servant guesses he's certainly investigating the truth behind the massacre that destroyed our family.

Ye Yun nodded and cautiously opened the secret manual to the first page. The yellowed paper was densely covered in archaic writing, interspersed with strange symbols and diagrams. Most eye-catching was a crimson mark at the top of the page—a complicated emblem depicting a sword entwined with a lotus at its center.

This is... Ye Yun frowned. He had never seen these characters before, yet he inexplicably found them familiar.

The True Martial Mark. Uncle Fu's voice suddenly became solemn. It is said to be the exclusive mark of the True Martial Saint Lord.

Ye Yun abruptly looked up. The True Martial Saint Lord?

A trace of awe flashed through Uncle Fu's murky eyes. This old slave once heard Master mention that the True Martial Secret Manual was left behind by the True Martial Saint Lord a thousand years ago. Legend had it that the True Martial Saint Lord once fought two 1st Rank martial artists alone without falling behind, and ultimately slew them both!

1st Rank martial artists? Ye Yun sucked in a cold breath. They were existences standing at the pinnacle of the martial path, numbered on one hand throughout the entire Great Zhou Dynasty.

Not only that. Uncle Fu lowered his voice. It was said that in his later years, the True Martial Saint Lord had already touched the True Martial Realm, an existence beyond the 1st Rank...

Ye Yun's hand began trembling uncontrollably. Beyond the 1st Rank? What kind of concept was that? He lowered his head to look at the secret manual in his hands, suddenly understanding why it had brought about the destruction of his family.

Wait... Ye Yun suddenly noticed something was wrong. He rapidly flipped through the pages. Why does this secret manual only have half of it?

Uncle Fu nodded. That's right. This is only the first half. The second half... The old man paused, a complicated look flashing through his eyes. It is in Miss Lin's hands.

Miss Lin? Ye Yun looked utterly bewildered.

A look of reminiscence appeared on Uncle Fu's face. Young Master Yun, do you still remember when Master took you to play at the Grand General's residence when you were little?

Ye Yun shook his head. I don't remember it at all.

You were only three or four at the time. Uncle Fu smiled. Master had rendered great service, so General Lin held a banquet in celebration. The Old General's wife took to you the moment she saw you, saying you had delicate features and a spiritual air.

Ye Yun's expression grew strange. It was hard to imagine anyone praising him for having a spiritual air when he was little.

The Old General's granddaughter happened to be the same age as you then. Uncle Fu continued, his eyes filled with remembrance. That little girl was as adorable as carved jade and snow. The two of you played together in the garden with tremendous delight. You chased a butterfly and fell, and she even used her own handkerchief to wipe your face.

Ye Yun's face heated up despite himself. What did any of this have to do with anything...

Later, Master obtained this secret manual in the Yun Mountain secret realm. Uncle Fu's expression turned serious again. You should have heard of the Yun Mountain battle.

Ye Yun nodded. It was the great battle that had shocked the court and the common people ten years ago. The major forces had fought fiercely over the opportunities in the secret realm, and blood had flowed like a river. His grandfather, Ye Zhenshan, had suffered grievous injuries in that battle, causing his strength to plummet.

Master led his personal guards in fighting to protect General Lin as they broke out of the encirclement, but he himself suffered severe injuries. Uncle Fu's voice carried reverence. Afterward, Master offered the secret manual to the Old General, but the Old General refused to accept it no matter what.

Why? Ye Yun asked curiously. Who wouldn't want such a precious secret manual?

General Lin had been upright and incorruptible all his life. Admiration glimmered in Uncle Fu's eyes. He said that Master had exchanged his life for this secret manual, so it rightfully belonged to Master. Besides... The old man paused. Master had saved his life three times.

Ye Yun fell into thought. It seemed his grandfather's friendship with General Lin was far deeper than he had imagined.