Ye Qiu pulled out his phone and saw an unfamiliar number.
He pressed the answer key.
“Hello, this is Ye Qiu…”
Before he could finish, an aged voice came through.
“It’s me.”
Just two words, but Ye Qiu knew who it was.
Grandfather Ye!
“Cough, cough…” Ye Qiu coughed violently, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Su Luoying’s eyes welled up as she said, “Ye Qiu, talk later, rest first.”
Grandfather Ye’s voice came through, “Ye Qiu, what’s wrong? Are you unwell?”
Ye Qiu gestured to Su Luoying and the others to stay quiet, then answered, “I’m fine, just choked on some water.”
“Why the sudden call? Is something up?”
Grandfather Ye said, “Long Yi may have come out of seclusion.”
“I just received a challenge letter from the Forbidden City.”
“Long Yi has invited me, Wuwei, and Wudi to the Forbidden City on New Year’s Eve to meet our deaths.”
“Ye Qiu, be careful. I’m worried Long Yi might come to Jiangzhou for you.”
Ye Qiu replied, “Long Yi didn’t come, but I just met Long Er.”
“Long Er also delivered a challenge letter to me.”
“The contents are the same as yours.”
Grandfather Ye was startled and asked urgently, “You didn’t fight Long Er, did you?”
“No,” Ye Qiu lied, not wanting to worry him about the fight and injury.
Grandfather Ye sighed in relief, “Good, that’s good. Long Er has been in seclusion for years, his strength must be terrifying. You’d be at a disadvantage fighting him.”
“Ye Qiu, with less than three months until New Year’s Eve, you must seize this time to improve your strength at all costs.”
Ye Qiu nodded, “I understand.”
“Alright, I’ll hang up now.” No sooner had Grandfather Ye ended the call than Ye Qiu’s phone rang again.
This time, it was the War God.
“Ye Qiu, your phone’s been busy. I got a challenge letter from the Forbidden City, telling me to go there on New Year’s Eve to die,” the War God said.
Ye Qiu replied, “I got one too.”
“I knew they’d target you,” the War God said angrily, “Those old bastards from the Forbidden City are ruthless.”
“They clearly have the power to take us out one by one, yet they send challenge letters, giving us time, just to make us struggle in fear every day.”
“Hmph, even if I die, I’ll make them pay.”
The War God urged, “Ye Qiu, train hard. The battle is set, and our time is short.”
Ye Qiu said, “I just fought Long Er.”
“Oh?” the War God asked, surprised, “How did it go?”
“I didn’t probe Long Er’s true strength. I didn’t use my full power, but he injured me with just one finger,” Ye Qiu said, “I suspect Long Er has cultivated at least ten streams of true qi.”
The War God’s heart sank, “Ye Qiu, no matter how strong the Forbidden City is, don’t be afraid.”
“Die, and we’re done, live, and we’ll last forever.”
“Besides, if the sky falls, I’ll hold it up.”
Ye Qiu wanted to retort that the War God, who knew no martial arts, couldn’t possibly face the Forbidden City’s old monsters.
But he knew the War God was saying this to boost his morale.
Ye Qiu was deeply touched.
“War God, thank you,” Ye Qiu said gratefully.
“No need for thanks, prepare for the fight!” The War God hung up.
Less than three seconds later, Ye Qiu’s phone rang again.
This time, it was Master Du’e.
“Benefactor Ye, I received a challenge letter from the Forbidden City, asking me to go there on New Year’s Eve to die.”
Ye Qiu said, “Master, I got one too.”
Master Du’e asked, “What are your thoughts, Benefactor Ye?”
Ye Qiu replied, “Long Er said if I don’t go, he’ll kill everyone connected to me, family, friends, colleagues, entire households. So, I have no choice but to go.”
Master Du’e said, “In that case, I’ll go to the Forbidden City on New Year’s Eve as well.”
“As a monk, I’ve long set life and death aside.”
“Benefactor Ye, use this time to improve your cultivation!”
Ye Qiu said apologetically, “Master, I’m sorry, I’ve dragged you into this.”
Ye Qiu knew that without him, Master Du’e wouldn’t have received the challenge.
Master Du’e smiled, “No need for self-blame, Benefactor Ye.”
“Fate is destined, all is preordained.”
“I believe you will turn danger into fortune.”
“We’ll meet at the Forbidden City on New Year’s Eve.”
As soon as Master Du’e hung up, Longbrow Immortal’s call came through.
“Little brat, I’ve got something to tell you. Those bastards from the Forbidden City are too arrogant, telling me to go there on New Year’s Eve to die. Damn it, aren’t they just bullying me?”
“If Dragon Tiger Mountain hadn’t declined, would the Forbidden City dare act so cocky?”
“They’re clearly picking on the weak.”
“So infuriating. If I could beat Long Yi, I’d storm the Forbidden City, thrash him, and slap his face with my shoe sole.”
Longbrow Immortal ranted angrily, then said, “Little brat, you’ll probably get a challenge letter from the Forbidden City soon.”
“It seems Long Yi might have come out of seclusion.”
“Little brat, what do you think we should do?”
Ye Qiu countered, “Old man, what’s your plan?”
Longbrow Immortal replied, “I can’t swallow this insult.”
“The Forbidden City has gone too far.”
“I’ve decided, tomorrow I’ll take Shuisheng and leave Dragon Tiger Mountain to hide somewhere.”
What?
Ye Qiu thought he’d misheard, “Old man, what did you just say?”
Longbrow Immortal said, “Tomorrow, I’m taking Shuisheng and leaving Dragon Tiger Mountain to hide in some remote forest.”
Ye Qiu snapped, “You’re the head of a sect, and you’re playing the coward? Have you no shame?”
“What’s shame worth? It can’t save my life,” Longbrow Immortal said, “Little brat, you should run too!”
“No offense, even if you’re a once-in-a-century martial genius, in front of the Forbidden City’s old monsters, you’re a weakling.”
“Keep the green hills, and you’ll never lack firewood.”
“Listen to me, save your life first. When you’re stronger, you can wipe out the Forbidden City.”
“Little brat, why don’t you join me and Shuisheng at Dragon Tiger Mountain? We can hide in the wilderness and play cards in our spare time.”
Play your sister.
Furious, Ye Qiu hung up.
That day, news of the Forbidden City’s challenge letters to Ye Qiu and others spread through the capital.
Everyone was shocked.
