NOVPUB◎Departing the Carefree Sect, Sect Assembly◎
Helian Xue possessed a disciple token, so entering and exiting the sect shouldn’t pose much difficulty.
But these were troubled times. The moment the bell tolled, anyone leaving in the dead of night would inevitably draw scrutiny from the gatekeepers.
Moreover, she had to bring Amuyan with her.
“I’ll explain the details later,” Lu Jianwei said succinctly. “I need you to get her out of the Carefree Sect, preferably around the hour of Mao.”
Four hours later, at the start of Chen hour—eight in the morning—the sect assembly would commence.
Mao hour, around five in the morning, was when the sky began to lighten. It wasn’t unusual for disciples to leave at this time. Even though the bell had sounded, summoning all disciples to attend, exceptions always existed.
Some Carefree Sect disciples were still out on training missions and couldn’t return in time. Others might be dispatched by elders on urgent tasks, their assignments unchangeable. There were also those responsible for procuring supplies for the sect.
An opportunity could be found.
Helian Xue had lived in the Carefree Sect for twenty years. If she couldn’t manage this much, she hardly deserved to keep working at the inn.
She nodded firmly. “Leave it to me.”
Lu Jianwei had originally planned to investigate within the Carefree Sect for a couple more days, but Helian Zheng’s sudden move forced her hand.
Various factions were already arriving in Cangzhou City. She had promised to take the lead in this matter and couldn’t afford to remain in the Carefree Sect until the last moment.
She had to leave before the sect tightened security.
That night, the abandoned mountain cave welcomed its third visitor.
A man traversed the long, dark passageway, holding a candle as he stood before Amuyan. The flickering light shone directly into her eyes, forcing her to shut them.
“Don’t want to see me?”
Helian Zheng chuckled softly, then dug his fingers into her eyelids, forcing them open. He brought the candle closer, the flame nearly singeing her lashes.
The searing heat stung her eyes, tears welling up and streaking down her face, leaving dirty trails.
“How filthy.” Helian Zheng released her, pulling out a clean silk handkerchief to wipe her face meticulously.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve seen light, hasn’t it? When was the last time? Let me think… was it when I came to take the last Gu Emperor, tricking that little girl from the southwest into slaughtering her own people?”
Amuyan clawed at the chains binding her, wishing she could strangle him on the spot.
“Don’t be angry. She wasn’t as beautiful as you, nor as skilled in the Gu arts. All these years, you’ve been the only one for me.”
Amuyan: “……”
“But you’re no better than her. If she was a tool, you were the mastermind. After all, the Gu Emperor that ravaged your people was crafted by your own hands.”
Amuyan lowered her head in silence.
“Why won’t you speak?” Helian Zheng pinched her chin through the handkerchief. “Why won’t you answer me?! You heard the bell, didn’t you? Aren’t you curious what’s happening? Ask me, and I’ll tell you.”
“……”
She kept her eyes shut, refusing to respond. Every glimpse of his face was an insult to her sight.
“You know, those bugs of yours were utterly useless. Now they’re coming for me, trying to condemn me. Ha! As if I’d let them succeed. That fool Zhuang Wenqing couldn’t even destroy the Eight Directions Inn with an eighth-stage expert as his enforcer. Useless! All of them, useless!”
He crushed her face in his grip, as if intent on grinding her to dust, then abruptly softened into a gentle smile.
“A few letters won’t be enough to convict me. Even if they uncover the Gu worms, it won’t be my fault. Don’t you agree?”
Helian Zheng tossed her aside, flicking his hand as though discarding worthless trash.
“Amuyan, over twenty years ago, you used Gu worms to wreak havoc in the Carefree Sect, slaughtering its disciples. So I ‘killed’ you. If I could ‘kill’ you once, I can do it again.”
“What do you want?” Amuyan asked.
“Finally, you speak.” Helian Zheng grinned. “I want you to make a choice. You die, or your daughter dies.”
Amuyan strained against the chains. “Don’t you dare harm her!”
“Then obey me.” Helian Zheng clasped his hands behind his back, half his handsome face shadowed in darkness. “Back then, you used perception Gu to deceive me, making me believe you’d fallen to your death. Then you hid in this abandoned cave, plotting revenge against the entire Carefree Sect. This was all your scheme—you colluded with Zhuang Wenqing to overthrow the martial world. Remember that.”
Amuyan: “...If that’s the case, how did you find me and lock me up?”
“That’s not your concern. When the time comes, all you need to do is play your part.”
“……”
“This is our last heart-to-heart.” He sighed with a smile, his eyes almost wistful. “Amuyan, farewell.”
After Helian Zheng left, darkness swallowed the cave once more. A faint breeze carried the scent of flowers from outside into the passage, tinged with an air of impending bloodshed—much like the chaos of the Gu rebellion years ago.
Time passed indeterminately before light footsteps echoed again.
Three people, three distinct strides.
Amuyan, submerged in the blackness, jerked her head up.
Could one of them be her A’Xue?
The footsteps halted before her. Someone struck a firestarter, and the warm glow of a flame illuminated the cave.
Just as Amuyan searched for the face she longed to see, a flash of cold steel sliced through the air—a blade gleaming like frost, aimed straight at the chains.
Instinctively, she warned, “The chains are tough. Ordinary weapons can’t—”
Clink. A crisp snap cut her off.
Lu Jianwei repeated the motion, cleanly severing the chains that had bound Amuyan for two decades. Sheathing her blade, she ignored Amuyan’s stunned expression.
“A’Xue, carry her. Let’s go.”
“Understood.”
A figure stepped out from the shadows, revealing herself to Amuyan.
Delicate and refined, she bore no resemblance to her mother. Yet Amuyan felt an inexplicable certainty—this was her daughter.
Helian Xue wore a mask. Amuyan’s face was obscured by grime and tangled hair. Neither could see the other clearly, and the oppressive darkness of the cave was no place for conversation. Both remained silent.
Only when Amuyan felt the warmth of Helian Xue’s back did she snap back to reality.
“Young one, where are you taking me?”
Lu Jianwei answered, “Out of the Carefree Sect.”
“That beast was just here. He said he’d expose and condemn me when the martial world holds him accountable. I suspect he’s already tightened security. Taking me out won’t be easy. If he finds us, my death means nothing, but I won’t drag you down with me.”
“Save your breath. Follow my lead when the time comes.” Lu Jianwei spoke no further.
Dawn broke, but the forest remained shrouded in gloom.
The four of them had to slip out before the disciples began their morning routines.
They navigated the sect cautiously, avoiding early risers, and finally reached the mountain gate without major incident.
The guards stood vigilant, their spirits sharpened by last night’s alarm. None dared let their guard down.
“Amuyan, use the perception Gu,” Lu Jianwei instructed, then turned to Helian Xue. “Don’t worry about us. Just get her out.”
She could’ve drugged the guards, muddling their senses, but both Amuyan and Helian Xue possessed innate abilities to deceive. Using drugs would leave traces—a last resort.
Helian Xue took a deep breath and strode toward the guards with Amuyan on her back.
The gatekeepers rotated daily. Yesterday’s guards were gone, replaced by a group of fourth-stage disciples.
Their cultivation levels were indeed not high, but the mountain gate was equipped with warning bells. If anything went wrong, they could immediately alert the sect.
The Perception Gu had been activated, dulling their awareness of the outside world.
It wasn’t until Helian Xue walked right up to them that they finally noticed her figure. Just as they were about to demand an explanation in harsh tones, they heard an ethereal voice, as if descending from the heavens.
"Junior brothers, I’ve been sent by our master to leave the mountain for a task. Please open the gate."
Helian Xue’s voice was a weapon in itself. Normally, she suppressed this ability, but now, with no other choice, she unleashed it fully. The hidden cadence in her words plunged the gatekeepers into a daze.
One of them reached out to open the gate, but the other suddenly spoke up: "The alarm was sounded last night. Why are you leaving the mountain today?"
This disciple had a stronger will. Though the Perception Gu dulled his senses—making him blind to the person Helian Xue carried on her back—he wasn’t entirely swayed by her voice.
Helian Xue scoffed. "How unreasonable. Our master instructed me yesterday to leave today. Plans were already set and cannot be changed. What does last night’s alarm have to do with my departure today? If you delay my master’s affairs, you’ll face the consequences!"
The gatekeeper was momentarily stunned by her boldness before asking, "Which peak do you belong to?"
"Bujie Peak."
Bujie Peak was the residence of Elder Xie Tongshu. Every disciple in the sect knew of Elder Xie’s temper—no one dared to provoke him lightly.
Moreover, Elder Xie had always been at odds with the sect master, never showing him any respect. Ignoring the alarm bell was entirely in character for him.
Between the Perception Gu, Helian Xue’s voice, and Elder Xie’s intimidating reputation, the disciples couldn’t help but lower their guard.
Just then, the sect’s procurement team arrived to leave the mountain. The gatekeepers hesitated no further and opened the gate.
Helian Xue had timed this deliberately, having long studied the procurement team’s schedule.
Though the gatekeepers were extra vigilant after last night’s alarm, they were far more lenient with fellow sect members leaving the mountain than outsiders trying to enter.
Besides, they didn’t want to cause a commotion during such a sensitive time. If things went wrong, they wouldn’t be rewarded for vigilance—only scolded for failing to stop trouble.
This was the survival logic of low-ranking disciples: avoid unnecessary trouble.
Even if they accidentally let someone escape, so what? If disaster struck, the higher-ranking cultivators would deal with it. If things got truly dire, no one would bother blaming small fry like them.
Just as Helian Xue stepped through the gate with Amuyan on her back, a member of the procurement team suddenly exclaimed, "Who’s that on your back?"
—Amuyan’s emotions had stirred, and with her weakened energy, the Perception Gu faltered.
The gatekeepers immediately turned their attention toward them.
At the critical moment, Lu Jianwei and Pei Zhiyun activated their supreme lightness skill, vanishing like wisps of smoke through the still-open gate. Without a word, they grabbed Helian Xue and Amuyan and disappeared beyond the mountain.
A few breaths later, one disciple snapped back to reality, his face paling. He instinctively reached for the alarm, but his companion stopped him.
"What are you doing?"
"Wasn’t that Elder Xie just now? Do you dare offend him?"
"But why would he act like that?"
"He’s always been eccentric and disliked conversation. This isn’t new."
"But—"
"No ‘buts.’ Close the gate."
"...Fine."
The disciple who had stopped the alarm sighed in relief.
If they reported this and caused a sect-wide uproar, no one would praise them for their vigilance. Instead, they’d be scolded for failing to stop the escape—punished with beatings at best, expulsion at worst.
Only a fool would willingly shoulder such blame.
As for the procurement team member, he had only asked out of habit. By the time a gust of wind brushed past him, he came to his senses, breaking into a cold sweat.
He had almost been dragged into something dangerous.
With no pursuers behind them, Lu Jianwei slowed her pace slightly.
Noticing Helian Xue’s unease, she praised, "You understood the gatekeepers’ mentality well."
This was Helian Xue’s first time betraying her sect, and her emotions were tangled. At Lu Jianwei’s words, she couldn’t help but smile shyly.
"I was confined all my life, never allowed to do anything or leave the mountain. I envied those who could walk freely beyond the gate, so I often sneaked to the entrance, peeking through the cracks to catch glimpses of the outside world. Over time, I learned how the gatekeepers survived."
She just never imagined she’d one day exploit that knowledge.
Lu Jianwei asked, "How do you feel now?"
Helian Xue looked up at the sky and suddenly laughed.
"I don’t know why, but… I feel a little happy."
Since meeting Lu Jianwei, she had done so many things she once thought impossible.
It was Lu Jianwei who had given her the courage to break free.
The four of them returned safely to Cangzhou City.
With martial artists from all over gathering there, the city was bustling and noisy.
Wearing masks, they drew no attention as they slipped quietly back into the Eight Directions Inn.
"Ah Xue, take care of her," Lu Jianwei said.
Helian Xue nodded.
She had carried Amuyan the entire way without a hint of disgust. When she first saw the woman chained in that dark cave, she had been stunned and horrified.
So the so-called "Abandoned Peak" wasn’t abandoned—it was a lightless prison.
Twenty years. Not twenty days. She couldn’t fathom how this senior had survived.
The moment she heard the name "Amuyan," she had already guessed at her identity, quickly connecting her to the Gu insect chaos from years past.
If someone was imprisoned on Abandoned Peak, Sect Master Helian Zheng had to know.
Helian Xue sensed a sliver of the truth, but it was too cruel to dwell on.
She didn’t dare think deeper.
After countless buckets of water, Helian Xue finally washed away the filth covering Amuyan’s body.
Amuyan was emaciated, nothing but skin and bones, her cheeks sunken frighteningly deep. Yet her delicate features hinted at the beauty she must have once possessed.
"Let me comb your hair," Helian Xue said, turning to fetch a comb.
Tears welled in Amuyan’s eyes as she whispered, "May I call you ‘Ah Xue’?"
"Of course." Helian Xue smiled back. "For now, you can only eat congee. I’ve asked the inn to prepare some—it’ll be brought up soon."
Amuyan’s tears fell harder, her laughter mingling with sobs. "Ah Xue, I… I…"
Overwhelmed with joy, her breath caught, her strength failing as she collapsed into unconsciousness.
Helian Xue caught her, quickly laying her on the bed before rushing to find Lu Jianwei.
Lu Jianwei had removed her mask and changed into a fitted martial outfit, her striking beauty and commanding presence undeniable.
After checking Amuyan’s pulse, she said, "She’s too weak. The emotional shock made her faint, but it’s nothing serious. I’ll write a prescription—go buy the herbs."
"Alright." Helian Xue hesitated. "Who is she, really?"
Lu Jianwei swiftly penned the prescription and handed it over.
"Get the medicine first. When she wakes, she can decide whether to tell you herself."
Carefree Sect.
Nearly all the elders and disciples had gathered outside the grand hall.
The open plaza before the hall was filled with rows of white-robed disciples, solemn and silent. 𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙥𝒖𝒃.𝒄𝒐𝒎
In the grand hall, Helian Zheng sat upon the sect leader's throne, his youthful and handsome face framed by the understated yet luxurious robes of his station. His eyes were half-lidded, his right hand occasionally toying with the ring on his left.
The sect’s elders were seated on either side, though two chairs remained conspicuously empty. The hall was silent, everyone waiting for Helian Zheng to speak.
Before long, a disciple entered to report.
"Sect Leader, Elder Yin Sui of the Free Peak and Elder Xie Tongshu of the Unraveling Peak are both in seclusion and cannot attend the assembly."
The elders exchanged glances.
Those two truly never bothered with formalities.
Helian Zheng chuckled lowly. "Go ask them again. With the allied sects about to storm our gates, do they truly intend to ignore the sect’s reputation by remaining in seclusion?"
"Enough wasting time. Just say what you need to say," snapped one elder, Lang Ye, his face twisted in impatience as he refused to even glance at Helian Zheng.
Helian Zheng’s expression darkened. "Lang Ye, do you truly care so little for the survival of our sect?"
"Survival?" Lang Ye slammed his broadsword onto the table with a resounding crash. "Helian Zheng, do you take me for a fool? The alliance’s decree was addressed to you. Any blame falls on your head—don’t drag the entire sect into this."
"You—"
"Enough bickering," interjected another elder, Lou Qingyi, lazily spinning a flying hook in his hand. "Instead of wasting time arguing, why not figure out how to explain those letters and clear your name?"
"Lou, why bother reasoning with him? I see now why Yin and Xie refused to come—I don’t want to stay either!" Lang Ye stood, ready to leave.
Helian Zheng’s voice turned icy. "Elder Lang, have you forgotten what you promised Huan Meng? Will you truly abandon the Carefree Sect?"
"..."
"Sit back down." Helian Zheng smiled magnanimously before turning to Lou Qingyi. "Elder Lou is right. But those letters weren’t written by me. When accusations are fabricated, any excuse will suffice."
Lou Qingyi stopped spinning his hook, smirking. "Save your explanations for the allied sects when they arrive."
"Not just me—all of us," Helian Zheng countered. "Someone is trying to destabilize the martial world and frame our sect. As elders, it is your duty to clear the Carefree Sect’s name."
"Helian Zheng, don’t drag us into your mess. Handle your own problems," Luo Xianshan sneered, his tone brazen. "Back then, when we were disillusioned, you volunteered to become sect leader. Now that you’ve caused trouble, you expect us to back you up?"
Helian Zheng’s face darkened, his fingers clenching inside his sleeves as old grievances and humiliation surged within him.
Why?
Why did these people remain so detestable, even after he had ascended to the position of sect leader?
"Luo Xianshan, disrespecting the sect leader is a grave offense."
Luo Xianshan lifted his gloomy eyes, his gaze frigid.
"Oh? And how do you plan to punish me?"
The air between them crackled with tension, the oppressive aura of two late-stage Martial Kings pressing down on the other elders, making it hard to breathe.
Helian Zheng was now at the early stage of the ninth rank, though he had concealed this from everyone, letting them believe he remained at the eighth. He suppressed his energy, matching Luo Xianshan’s pressure evenly.
Thud! Lang Ye struck the table again with his blade. "Are you two done?!"
The standoff dissolved.
Helian Zheng reined in his energy, lowering his lashes to hide his ruthlessness as he spun his ring. "The allied sects come with hostile intent, but as hosts, we must not forsake courtesy. Today, I summoned you all to remind you—your duty is to protect the sect’s interests. Understood?"
One elder ventured cautiously, "What should we do, Sect Leader?"
"If anyone provokes our disciples, they need not hold back. Clear?"
"But that will only escalate the conflict."
Helian Zheng stopped spinning his ring, raising his gaze with a smile. "You need only obey."
The elder swallowed. "...Yes, Sect Leader."
"Once our guests enter the mountain gates, no one is to open them without my order. Violators will have their martial arts crippled and be expelled from the sect."
"Yes."
"The heretics seek to plunge the martial world into chaos. As the leading orthodox sect, the Carefree Sect has a duty to eradicate this evil. Elders, ensure these words reach every disciple."
The elders fell silent.
Young disciples were the easiest to deceive—they believed whatever their seniors told them. Once these words reached their ears, their fear would turn into fervor to defend the sect. Even if the allied sects presented evidence, they would stand firm on the sect’s side.
Today’s assembly was both a warning to the elders and a means to steady the disciples’ resolve.
After the meeting, Lang Ye shouldered his blade and headed for Free Peak.
The disciples there didn’t stop him.
He swaggered up to a pavilion halfway up the peak, where a man lounged against a pillar, drinking under the open sky. Lang Ye plopped down across from him.
"Knew I’d find you here."
Yin Sui chuckled helplessly. "Why does everyone come to me?"
Two more figures emerged from the woods—Lou Qingyi and Luo Xianshan.
Lou Qingyi flicked his flying hook, snagging a wine jar from the stone table. He caught it and took several deep gulps.
"Xie Tongshu’s too gloomy—nothing to say to him."
"Damn right," Lang Ye grunted. "Acting like we owe him something. Back then, he was just as—"
"Lang Ye!"
"What?" Lang Ye shot to his feet, eyes blazing. "What’s the big deal? I owe three lives, but not his!"
Silence fell over the pavilion.
No one spoke for a long while.
Finally, Yin Sui took a slow sip of wine. "What did Helian Zheng say?"
Lou Qingyi scoffed. "He claims the letters weren’t his—that someone framed him."
"Is that so?" Yin Sui swirled his wine, offering no judgment. "Free and unfettered… I’ve clung to life all these years, yet I’ve never felt free."
"What do you plan to do?" Luo Xianshan’s voice was dark.
"Helian Zheng’s making such a fuss because he’s guilty," Lou Qingyi said. "The more someone lacks something, the harder they cling to it."
Lang Ye sneered. "Trying to act high and mighty in front of me—if not for… I’d twist his head off!"
"Big talk. Lang Ye, when will you learn to rein in that temper?"
"Only you all complain. Huan Meng never—" Lang Ye cut himself off, covering his face with a hoarse whisper. "Why do I keep bringing him up?"
Luo Xianshan’s eyes burned with hatred. "We should’ve died long ago."
"Death is too easy," Lou Qingyi murmured, resting his hook against Luo Xianshan’s throat. "One flick, and you’d be free."
Yin Sui sighed, lowering his gaze from the sky to the three of them.
"Lang Ye’s temper is fierce, yet you all needle him constantly. Only Huan Meng ever showed him patience. Xianshan suffered as a child, until Huan Meng found him and brought him to us. And Qingyi…"
"Don’t bother. He never liked me—always said my mind wandered from the righteous path." Lou Qingyi turned away, his voice thick with suppressed emotion.
Yin Sui shook his head with a faint smile. "On the contrary, he likes you very much and even envies your carefree life. Uncle Huan had high expectations for him, and he grew up with a lecturing nature—he’s just afraid you’ll waste your talent."
"What about you?" Lang Ye asked.
Yin Sui lowered his gaze, fingers tracing the rim of the wine flask.
"I’m different from you. I actually disliked him."
The three of them fell silent.
"What kind of joke is that?" Lang Ye frowned. "You used to be the closest to him."
Yin Sui: "You wouldn’t understand the feeling of giving your all yet never catching up to someone. I didn’t have Huan Meng’s talent, nor Xie Tongshu’s perseverance. The three of us grew up together, but Huan Meng was always the one who shone brightest. I used to envy him."
"What about Xie Tongshu?"
"Xie Tongshu…" Yin Sui couldn’t help but chuckle. "He always saw Huan Meng as his goal. His eyes were fixed only on chasing, never on jealousy. That’s why I sometimes hated him too. He made me feel like a wretched, petty creature."
Lang Ye: "But didn’t he also do that thing back then?"
"There are still unanswered questions about what happened that year, but it’s true his inner strength hasn’t improved since."
Lang Ye: "Then it’s only fair he resents us."
"Spilling all these thoughts today—does this mean you’re done living freely?" Luo Xianshan cut straight to the point.
Yin Sui rose, wine flask in hand, his sleeves fluttering in the wind as he stepped out of the pavilion with hands clasped behind his back.
"A heart burdened with doubts was never free to begin with. But I have a feeling… the moment to uncover the truth has arrived."
"Yin Sui." Lou Qingyi called after him. "You still miss him, don’t you?"
Yin Sui paused mid-step, his back still turned. He lifted the wine flask slightly in response before drifting away like a wisp of wind.
