Master Du’e, concerned that Ye Qiu’s actions would provoke the Forbidden City, advised, “Benefactor Ye, this old monk believes your plan is unwise.”
“There are still many skilled masters in the Forbidden City. If you thoroughly enrage them, they will surely come to kill you.”
“Moreover, in your current state, it is not advisable to declare war on them.”
Ye Qiu said, “Master, thank you for your concern, but you have overlooked one fact, my father is Ye Wushuang.”
“Long Wu, fresh from seclusion, already suspected my identity, which means Long Qi and Long Ba had long suspected it as well.”
“Based on their principle of rather killing a thousand by mistake than letting one escape, whether I provoke the Forbidden City or not, they will come to kill me.”
“Therefore, I plan to take advantage of Long Yi still being in seclusion, using Long Wu’s body to thoroughly enrage Long Qi and Long Ba, lure them out of the Forbidden City, and eliminate them in one fell swoop.”
Ye Qiu continued, “Sooner or later, there will be a life-and-death battle between me and the Forbidden City.”
“I want to take out a few of them before that final battle.”
“That way, when the decisive battle comes, I might have a sliver of a chance to win.”
Upon hearing this, Master Du’e asked, “Benefactor Ye, have you considered what will happen if Long Qi and Long Ba don’t take the bait?”
Ye Qiu smiled, “Then I’ll use Long Wu’s body to rile them up a bit.”
“Benefactor Ye, this old monk still believes it is unwise,” Master Du’e said, “Once Long Wu’s body is sent back to the capital, based on the wounds on his body, Long Qi and Long Ba will know that Benefactor Ye has mastered our Tianlong Temple’s supreme technique, the Six Meridians Divine Sword.”
“Those two, though old, are not senile.”
“Even if they are furious, they won’t take the risk to come after you, especially since Long Liu was killed by a mysterious master, making them even less likely to act recklessly.”
“Not only that, they will also realise that Benefactor Ye’s strength has greatly increased.”
“At that point, not only will you fail to lure out Long Qi and Long Ba, but you will also expose your own trump card.”
“This old monk believes that, at this moment, Benefactor Ye should bide your time and quietly improve your cultivation, keeping the Forbidden City unaware of your true strength.”
“Only then will you have a greater chance of victory when the final battle arrives.”
Ye Qiu was visibly astonished.
He had always thought Master Du’e was somewhat dull, but only now did he realise that Master Du’e was extraordinarily astute.
“Listening to your words is worth ten years of study, Master, you are truly a man of great wisdom.”
After saying this, Ye Qiu silently muttered three words in his mind.
Old fox!
Master Du’e continued, “Benefactor Ye, with my master ascending to the Land of Ultimate Bliss, this old monk, as his disciple, must observe three years of mourning. In the days to come, I cannot accompany you, so please take care.”
Ye Qiu said, “The Venerable showed me great kindness, and this junior has no way to repay it, so I shall stay here to keep vigil for the Venerable for three days.”
Master Du’e clasped his hands together, “Amitabha, thank you, Benefactor Ye!”
“No need for thanks, Master, I will first deal with Long Wu’s body.” After speaking, Ye Qiu set Long Wu’s body ablaze with a single torch.
…
Two days later.
In the Forbidden City, the council hall.
In the centre of the hall stood a jet-black paulownia wood coffin, containing Long Liu’s body.
Long Qi and Long Ba stood on either side of the coffin, their faces etched with worry.
“Five days have passed since Fifth Brother left, why haven’t we heard anything?” Long Ba said.
Long Qi replied, “Tomorrow is Sixth Brother’s funeral, if Fifth Brother doesn’t return soon, he won’t make it. Old Ba, give Fifth Brother a call.”
Long Ba said, “I’ve already called Fifth Brother dozens of times, all unanswered.”
“Tianlong Temple is in the remote Wuliang Mountain in Dali, probably no signal there!” Long Qi said, yawning, his face full of fatigue.
“Seventh Brother, didn’t you rest well last night?” Long Ba asked with concern, “You’re not young anymore, you must take care of your health.”
Long Qi waved his hand, “It’s nothing, just feeling uneasy lately, had nightmares all last night.”
Long Ba was startled, “Seventh Brother, I’ve been inexplicably anxious these past two days, and I also had a nightmare last night.”
Long Qi asked, “What nightmare?”
Long Ba said gravely, “I dreamt of Fifth Brother covered in blood, struggling in a sea of flames. He was waving at me as he struggled, I wanted to save him, but the fire was too fierce, I couldn’t get through…”
Before Long Ba could finish, Long Qi interrupted, “Was Fifth Brother shouting loudly in the dream, saying he died horribly and urging you to avenge him?”
Long Ba nodded, “Yes, Fifth Brother kept calling out to me in the dream, saying, Old Ba, you must avenge me, I died so horribly.”
“The most terrifying part was that Fifth Brother’s entire head was flattened, as if it had been crushed.”
“I don’t know why I had such a nightmare, I woke up in a cold sweat last night…”
As Long Ba finished, he turned to Long Qi, only to see Long Qi’s face pale as paper, and hurriedly asked, “Seventh Brother, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Long Qi’s lips trembled as he said, “The nightmare I had last night was exactly the same as yours, I also dreamt of Fifth Brother struggling in a sea of flames, calling for me to avenge him, his entire head crushed.”
“What?” Long Ba was shocked, saying in disbelief, “How could we have the same dream?”
Long Qi said with a grave expression, “All dreams carry omens, Fifth Brother may be in trouble.”
Long Ba said, “Fifth Brother can’t be reached, Seventh Brother, shall we head to Tianlong Temple at once?”
Long Qi shook his head, “If Fifth Brother is really in trouble, by the time we get there, it’ll be too late.”
“Besides, if someone with Fifth Brother’s skills has met with misfortune, us going there would just be walking into death.”
“Moreover, we still haven’t identified the killer of Sixth Brother.”
“So, no matter what, the two of us must not leave the Forbidden City, only by staying here are we safe.”
Long Ba said, “The day Fifth Brother left, he sent word that he had arrived at Wuliang Mountain.”
“According to our informants, the only people in Wuliang Mountain besides Venerable Kongjian and Du’e are Ye Qiu, Lin Jingzhi, and Qian Duoduo.”
“Lin Jingzhi and Qian Duoduo are ordinary people, unskilled in martial arts.”
“As for Ye Qiu, though he has the strength to rival Dragon List masters, Fifth Brother could kill him with one hand.”
“As for Du’e, even you, Seventh Brother, could defeat him, so he certainly isn’t a match for Fifth Brother.”
“Unless…”
At this point, a glint of murderous intent flashed in Long Ba’s eyes, “Unless that old bald donkey Kongjian made a move.”
Long Qi ordered, “Have our informants keep a close watch on Wuliang Mountain, report immediately at the slightest movement.”
“Whether Fifth Brother is in trouble or not, we must not act rashly for now, wait until Big Brother and the others come out of seclusion, then none of the Forbidden City’s enemies will escape alive.”
As Long Qi spoke, a chilling coldness surged in his eyes.
“Ye Qiu, Ye Wudi, and that old bald donkey Kongjian, just you wait, your days are numbered!”
