Chapter 116: I’m Very Angry

Yun Qiao figured that if Wen Qing couldn’t find Han Shu in the underworld, he would at least come back first to let her know. So, she and the others waited patiently.

But after waiting for half a month, there was still no sign of Wen Qing—not a single message, not even a trace of his aura. Yun Qiao began to feel an uneasy chill in her chest, a creeping sense that something had gone terribly wrong.

To make matters worse, because Wen Qing had originally come as an “auditing disciple,” neither she nor the old man had thought to give him a transmission talisman or add him to the message array group. Only now did they realize… they had no way to contact him at all.

She had been planning to wait a few more days when, instead of news from Wen Qing, a transmission came from the Tianshi Hall.

“What? He hasn’t woken up?!” Yun Qiao froze mid-bite, her chopsticks hovering in the air. “That’s impossible! It’s already been half a month!”

“Yes, Daoist Yun,” Xu Hall Master’s voice came through the talisman, full of anxiety. “The Yu family just sent word—they don’t understand either. The family head’s complexion looks better and better, but he still hasn’t woken up. Several spiritual healers examined him; all said his life force is missing, unable to regenerate—so he remains unconscious.”

“His life force hasn’t recovered?” Yun Qiao frowned in disbelief. Impossible. His body had long healed—how could his vitality alone still not return? “What about the others from West City? Are they all the same?”

“No,” Xu Hall Master replied gravely. “Of the survivors you treated that day, those less severely cursed have mostly awakened—about half of them. They’re weak, but awake. Only seventeen or eighteen remain like the Yu family head—still in deep sleep.”

“That many?” Yun Qiao murmured, stunned. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this was still linked to that underworld artifact. After a moment’s thought, she said solemnly, “All right. I’ll come to the Tianshi Hall in a few days to take a look myself.”

“Excellent! Excellent!” Xu Hall Master said at once. “I’ll notify the Yu family to bring those unconscious ones to the hall.”

After a few more words of instruction, Yun Qiao ended the transmission. Turning to the man eating beside her, she asked, “Grandmaster, could the lingering loss of vitality from those cursed people have anything to do with that underworld seal?”

“No,” Ye Yuan replied flatly, glancing at her as he finished the last bite in his bowl. “The seal you brought back bears no trace of mortal life energy. Besides, underworld artifacts aren’t powerful enough to suppress vitality.”

Yun Qiao nodded but still felt uneasy. Thinking back, the Chi Xiao’s entire purpose had seemed to revolve around stealing the life essence of West City’s people. Even if this wasn’t directly caused by the artifact, it had to be connected to the underworld somehow. “Grandmaster,” she asked quietly, “what exactly is going on in the underworld?”

Ye Yuan remained expressionless. He handed his empty bowl to Bai Yu, who immediately took it, and said coldly, “Whatever happens in the underworld is none of your concern.”

Yun Qiao frowned, worried. “But Wen Shishu still hasn’t come back! He’s an immortal, yes, but he’s your disciple! How are you not even a little worried?”

“No need,” Ye Yuan said with his usual calm. Then, after a short pause, he added coolly, “If he can’t make it back, it’s his own stupidity.”

Yun Qiao: “…”

Bai Yu: “…”

So… that was a fake disciple, right?

“Don’t worry, Junior Sister Yun,” a gentle voice suddenly said. Han Shu’s translucent form emerged halfway from the small bottle beside Yun Qiao. Over the past few days, thanks to her healing arrays, his soul had stabilized quite a bit.

He smiled shyly and spoke softly, “There are two ways to reach the underworld: the Yellow Springs and the Realm Gate. The Yellow Springs can only be crossed by spirits, but the Realm Gate opens only on the fifteenth day of each month. There are still a few days before that. Perhaps my… master hasn’t returned yet for that reason.”

“Oh.” Yun Qiao nodded slowly, but couldn’t help asking, “How do you know that?” Wasn’t he supposed to have lost his memory?

“I… I’m not sure. It just came to me suddenly.” His face reddened in embarrassment, and he bent slightly, looking almost apologetic.

The problem was—since he was only half out of the bottle, and the bottle containing his blood essence hung from Yun Qiao’s waist—when he bent forward like that, it looked exactly as if he were embracing her. His face was so close it almost brushed hers.

Crash!

A sharp cracking sound split the air.

The next second, a wave of freezing spiritual energy exploded across the room. Something roared past, and Han Shu’s transparent figure was sent flying, smashing straight through the wall. Even without a physical body, the impact was deafening; the wall collapsed with a thunderous rumble, and half the house came down in a cascade of shattered ice and splinters.

The temperature plummeted. A layer of frost instantly coated the steaming dishes on the table, the heat dying beneath sheets of glittering ice.

Ye Yuan stood at the table, his hand clenched around what had once been a porcelain bowl—now shattered to dust between his fingers.

Yun Qiao: “…”

Bai Yu: “…”

What just happened?

(⊙_⊙)

The old man blinked at the piece of meat caught between his chopsticks—it had turned into a solid chunk of ice. His hand twitched, and it fell onto the frozen table with a dull thunk. He looked at Yun Qiao in confusion. What on earth did that remnant soul just do?

Yun Qiao was equally bewildered. She glanced at the icy table—Han Shu hadn’t even tried to steal food! And he couldn’t eat anyway, being a spirit!

“G-Grandmaster?” she ventured carefully. Ye Yuan’s expression had never looked this dark before, and she suddenly felt a chill of her own.

He seemed truly furious. Standing abruptly, he cast her a cold look and said curtly, “Follow me.” Then, without another word, he turned and strode out. He was so angry he actually walked—not even bothering to fly.

“…Oh.” Yun Qiao followed hesitantly.

He stopped after a few steps and said sharply without turning around, “Leave the bottle.”

“…” Which bottle?

After a second’s pause, she realized—he meant Han Shu’s essence bottle.

By the time she looked up, Ye Yuan had already left the room. With every step he took, frost bloomed beneath his feet, the air freezing solid. The path behind him turned into a gleaming ice road stretching toward the tall tower in the distance.

Yun Qiao could only sigh, unhooked the small bottle from her waist, and handed it to Bai Yu. “Old man, here—check if Han Shu’s still intact.” Then she hurried after her grandmaster along the trail of ice.

It really felt like Grandmaster had been extra irritable these days!

---

It was the first time Yun Qiao had ever seen her grandmaster this angry. He’d scolded people before—beaten a few greedy disciples for stealing food—but never like this. The ground was covered in ice, as if spelling out: “I’m very angry.”

She hesitated at the base of the tower, suddenly unsure if she dared go up. It took her twenty full minutes to climb to the top—not because she was scared, but because—

She kept slipping.

-_-|||

Whatever technique he’d used, the stairs were completely frozen. She nearly fell several times before finally reaching the top, where it was even colder. Despite it being the hottest season, the top of the tower felt like midwinter.

Ye Yuan stood with his back to her, his aura crackling with cold fury. The power rolling off him was immense and oppressive—yet somehow, looking at his stiff, brooding figure, Yun Qiao suddenly felt the odd urge to hand him a candy to cheer him up. The anxiety in her chest melted a little.

“Grandmaster?” she called softly.

He turned around at last. His gaze was glacial, filled not only with anger—but… grievance?

No, she must have imagined that.

“Sit.” He pointed to the meditation mat beside him.

“Oh.” Yun Qiao walked over and started to sit—

“Take off your clothes,” he said.

Yun Qiao froze mid-motion, her legs buckling. She fell to the floor with a thud.

“What?!!”

Had Grandmaster… lost his mind from anger?!

(⊙_⊙)

(End of Chapter)