Kanoru stopped the carriage in front of a building called Evergreen Pavilion under Bai Yue's direction. They all stepped down.
Asuna frowned. "It's closed."
Kanoru glanced around the sparsely populated street. Most buildings were shut, but he figured it was simply too early—after all, they had entered the city only an hour after dawn, and it had taken just twenty minutes to reach this place.
"It's too early," Bai Yue confirmed, walking forward. She pushed open the side gate beside the building and turned back. "Follow me."
Asuna followed immediately. Kanoru turned to Mika. "Stay and watch the carriage."
"Yes," Mika replied.
Kanoru then followed Bai Yue and Asuna into the narrow passage between the store and the wall. Up ahead, he heard Asuna calling out, "Uncle Guan! Sang! Aunty Lu!"
Then came the sound of crying, followed by Bai Yue's urgent voice. "Aunty Lu, what happened? Why are you crying?"
Kanoru emerged into an open courtyard. A middle-aged woman was clinging to Bai Yue, sobbing uncontrollably. Behind her stood a middle-aged man and two young men, their expressions grim.
Kanoru moved to stand beside Asuna, taking in the scene. The raw grief before him made him certain—the rumors were true. And judging by their reactions, the reality was likely even worse than what he had heard.
The middle-aged man gently pulled the woman away from Bai Yue. "Miss, I'm glad you're alive."
Bai Yue's voice trembled. "Uncle, what happened?"
Before the man could respond, a deep voice rang out from above.
"Guan! Bring them upstairs."
Kanoru looked up to see a man in a black robe standing on the balcony.
Bai Yue gasped. "Elder Li! Why are you here? Why is Aunty Lu crying? Uncle Guan—"
Elder Li cut her off. "Come upstairs first."
Uncle Guan nodded. "Young Miss, come up."
Kanoru watched as Uncle Guan, Aunty Lu, and the two teenage boys turned and disappeared into the building. Bai Yue quickly followed.
Kanoru met Asuna's eyes and gave her a subtle nod before moving forward. She followed closely behind as they stepped into the building, finding a staircase to the right. Without hesitation, they ascended.
Reaching the first floor, Kanoru saw a balcony with Elder Li standing straight ahead.
Elder Li glanced at the middle-aged man. "Guan, take Mei to rest. I will tell her." Then, looking at the two teenagers, he said, "Sang, Hou, go check on the children and see if they're awake."
The four nodded and disappeared down the right corridor.
Bai Yue stepped forward, stopping near Elder Li. "What happened?"
Elder Li sighed, opening his mouth only to close it again. He did this three times, struggling to find the words.
Impatient, Bai Yue pressed him. "Elder Li, tell me what happened!"
Finally, Elder Li spoke. "The Evergreen Valley was attacked."
Bai Yue's eyes widened in shock. "What?!" she shouted.
Elder Li continued, "The Sect Leader and everyone present in the valley… died. Only some new outer disciples managed to escape."
Bai Yue staggered, unable to stand. Asuna caught her just in time.
A minute passed before Bai Yue steadied herself. "Elder Li, are you joking? How can this happen?"
Elder Li's expression remained grim. "It happened."
The weight of his words crushed Bai Yue. Her body gave out, and she collapsed unconscious in Asuna's arms.
Elder Li stepped forward in concern. "Bai Yue!" After checking her pulse, he muttered, "She's injured."
Asuna responded, "She was wounded by a demon wolf."
Elder Li nodded. "The shock must have overwhelmed her already weakened body."
Kanoru spoke. "Take her inside."
As Asuna carried Bai Yue into the building, Elder Li turned to Kanoru and asked, "Who are you two? How did you meet Bai Yue?"
Kanoru said, "Bai Yue is my wife's cousin."
Elder Li frowned. "Cousin? And the name 'Asuna' sounds like one from here."
Kanoru nodded. "We are from Athia. My wife's mother is Yun Xin."
Elder Li's eyes widened. "Marquise Yun Xin?"
"Yes."
"I know Marquise Yun Xin only has two sons."
Kanoru explained, "They are her elder brothers. She and her third brother live with their father. After our marriage, we came to visit her mother."
Elder Li's expression remained cautious. "Do you have proof?"
Kanoru recalled Asuna's token. "Yes, but it is with my wife."
Elder Li nodded. "Forgive my suspicion, but given the circumstances—"
"No need to apologize, Elder. I understand."
Just then, Asuna returned from the corridor. "I left her with Aunt Lu."
Kanoru said, "Asuna, show Elder Li the Marquis mansion token."
Asuna nodded, taking out a large golden ring adorned with five carved clouds embedded with red, blue, green, silver, and dark yellow gems.
Elder Li examined it carefully before nodding. "Yes, this is the token of the Marquis Yun Mansion." He handed it back.
Asuna quickly asked, "Elder Li, do you know about the Hundred Herbs Pill?"
Elder Li thought for a moment. "The Sect Leader refined one for Marquise Yun Xin."
Asuna's eyes lit up as she eagerly nodded. "Yes! For my mother."
Elder Li sighed. "The pill was with the Sect Leader. Now, it may be with the attackers… or in the sect's secret library."
Asuna's excitement faded. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself. "Do you have any information on the attackers?"
Elder Li shook his head. "No. They erased all traces of their involvement."
Asuna's focus sharpened. "The secret library—"
Elder Li interrupted, "Yes, but opening it requires at least four elders and a key."
Before Asuna could respond, a loud voice called from below. "Hello!"
Kanoru glanced down to see a man in a white robe with red armor, alongside a woman in red and bronze armor.
Elder Li asked, "Who are you?"
The woman replied, "We are from Marquis Yun Mansion."
Elder Li glanced at Asuna.
Kanoru then heard the man below call out, "Sister!"
Asuna squinted at him, studying his face carefully before hesitantly saying, "Elder Brother?"
Kanoru figured he must be Yun Feng.
With a swipe of his right arm, Yun Feng conjured a staircase of clouds leading up to the balcony. He ascended swiftly and, upon reaching the top, pulled Asuna into a hug.
Releasing her, he said, "You've grown up."
Asuna smiled.
Yun Feng then turned his sharp gaze to Kanoru. "You must be her husband."
Kanoru nodded. "Nice to meet you, Brother."
Yun Feng's expression remained serious. "Father may have approved the marriage, but you must pass my test to stay married to my sister."
Kanoru asked, "What test?"
"A fight. If you can take ten of my moves, I will acknowledge the marriage."
Hearing this, Asuna burst into laughter. "Brother, you'll lose."
Yun Feng frowned in confusion. "Why?"
Asuna smirked. "You're in the same realm as my husband, but he has already mastered the third stage of the Sword Wind Realm."
Yun Feng's eyes widened. "What? He's only seventeen!"
Asuna nodded. "Why do you think Father married me to him?" and she thought," And why do you think I agreed?"
Yun Feng crossed his arms. "Even so, I still want to challenge him."
Kanoru met his gaze. "I'm ready anytime."
Asuna changed the subject. "Brother, why are you here?"
Yun Feng replied, "I came to escort Sect Leader Mo Li, but after entering the city, we heard the unfortunate news. I came here to investigate the attack on the Evergreen Sect and the Ancient Herb Pill."
Elder Li then recounted everything he had told Kanoru and Asuna.
Yun Feng asked, "Can the Evergreen Sect gather four elders? And who has the key?"
Elder Li nodded. "Half of the sect's elders are stationed outside the valley, so gathering four won't be a problem. But retrieving the key will take time."
"Why?" Yun Feng asked.
Elder Li explained, "The key is the blood of a Bai family member who has reached the middle-ranked Warlock stage. Bai Yue is the only one who qualifies, but she has yet to reach that stage."
Yun Feng frowned. "Is there no other Bai family descendant at that level?"
Elder Li shook his head. "There are, but they must have practiced the sect's main inheritance, and Bai Yue is the only one who has."
Yun Feng sighed. "Then we have no choice but to wait. In the meantime, we should investigate the attackers."
Elder Li nodded. "Agreed."
After discussing their strategy, Kanoru and Asuna followed Yun Feng to the mansion where he had taken temporary residence.