Chapter 121 - Those Bearing the Surname Yan Spared, Move West to a New Home - Part 3

Tie Sha looked respectfully at Li Yuan. “Patriarch, what will you do now?”

Li Yuan responded, “I can’t do anything about this ghost domain. And since the black market is right here in Silver Creek, close to the inner district, I’m thinking of relocating. Both my wives are with child, and I don’t want to risk staying here. Sect Master, do you know of a suitable place?”

Tie Sha already knew about the pregnancies. Li Yuan hadn’t kept it secret, and he’d used the sect’s own physician. Tie Sha had been both astonished and delighted, marveling at how someone who was evidently of the sixth rank could still sire children with ordinary women.

Such a small chance felt on par with the odds of producing an undying husk. But it also meant that the Blood Blade Patriarch was planning to put down roots, a boon for everyone under his protection.

Eager to please, Tie Sha offered a warm smile. “There’s a manor west of Union Town and east of Peach Blossom. It’s built around a natural hot spring called Hundred Lotus Spring. The spring water is always clean and warm, no matter the season. Even in the cold of spring or autumn, you can soak in it and leave feeling refreshed. The manor also has four corner towers for watchmen, so you won’t need to worry about thieves or trespassers.”

Old Ding added, “Not long ago, the local fearless soldiers stationed there was wiped out by the Sun-Wei alliance. We can purchase another detachment to serve as your personal guards, settling them in the four towers.”

Li Yuan had heard about these fearless soldiers before. Tie Sha once told him they were specially bred troops of certain major powers—created using secret methods. They were loyal, unflinching, and nearly devoid of emotion. The ones sold on the market were usually defective or lesser versions, but still enough to surpass common mercenaries. The fearless troops assigned to the inner district walls had been only slightly more expensive than ordinary slaves.

“Very well,” Li Yuan said, nodding. “I’ll leave those arrangements to you, Sect Master and Old Ding. Also, I’d like to bring the demon dogs back with me to guard the new property, if that’s all right.”

Tie Sha replied at once, “Of course. They’re yours.”

“One more thing,” Li Yuan continued. “I want to build a memorial tomb for Senior Li. An empty tomb. Seeing as he perished in the ghost domain, there’s no body to bury.”

Tie Sha and Old Ding exchanged glances of mild surprise.

After a brief pause, Tie Sha said, “Certainly. We have some of Senior Li’s clothes in the inner district. We can commission a life-sized paper effigy from the undertaker and dress it in his robes. Then, on an auspicious day, we’ll lay it to rest with proper rites.”

“Thank you,” Li Yuan murmured, bowing in gratitude.

Tie Sha and Old Ding both returned the gesture with haste.

When Li Yuan had gone, Old Ding stroked his beard. “I wouldn’t have expected such sincerity and devotion from someone so powerful. It looks like he truly intends to settle down here, which is wonderful news for us.”

Tie Sha glanced toward the black market in the distance, forcing a thin smile. “Yes...we finally have some good news. A ghost domain emerges within our territory, but at least we have him protecting Gemhill County. Given that he’s fathering children with two ordinary women, it seems he really does plan to found a Li family line here. One day, perhaps the Blood Blade Sect may rely on the Li Clan to flourish.”

He took a long breath before continuing, “With the sect secure and your peaceful retirement in good hands...perhaps this is the time for me to travel to the Central Plains by myself. I’d like to search for the Sacred Fire Palace and see if I can locate the life chronicle of our martial lineage.”

Old Ding gave a weary sigh. “Tie Sha, you’re a smart man. If you’ve made up your mind, then go ahead and do it.”

The Central Plains were treacherous, but for those who sought true cultivation, it was often the only road worth taking. Tie Sha was still in decent shape right now, but in a few more years his shadow-blood might weaken, leaving him unable to train in the life chronicle even if he got it. So Old Ding saw little point in trying to dissuade him.

They spoke a bit more, then Tie Sha prepared to leave and get some rest. Before he could go, though, they heard the sound of urgent hoofbeats from far away.

Moments later, a Blood Blade disciple dressed in dark robes hurried over, leaping off his horse. “Sect Master, we’ve found survivors who escaped the black market!”

Tie Sha and Old Ding both sprang up, alarmed.

They exchanged glances, the same thought in both their eyes.

Could it be...undying husks?

Tie Sha asked, “How many?”

The disciple replied, “Six.”

Old Ding tugged at his beard. “That’s impossible.”

No way could there be six undying husks appearing at once.

“Take me to them,” Tie Sha said.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

A short while later, Tie Sha and Old Ding followed a group of disciples to the edge of a small grove.

On the icy riverbank, six people huddled under a tree, surrounded by hired men bearing blades.

Tie Sha and Old Ding went over to question them in detail. They soon learned that these six had also witnessed last night’s horrors. In a blind panic, they had fled onto a boat, passed out, and came to their senses only at daybreak, finding themselves washed ashore.

Old Ding pressed them with careful questions, then shook his head at Tie Sha, indicating that none of them were undying husks.

Tie Sha next suspected they might be carrying some special artifact, but after combing through their belongings well into the evening, they found nothing at all.

In the end, Tie Sha told his men to continue investigating.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

By the following day, the Blood Blade Sect had compiled thorough records on these six individuals and set the dossiers before Tie Sha. He blinked in confusion at first, then leafed through them slowly.

They were strangers to each other, with no notable connections and carrying no valuables. There was, however, one detail they

all

shared. Yet it was so strange that Tie Sha found it hard to believe.

When Old Ding arrived, Tie Sha slid the files over and said, “Old Ding, do you believe someone could just...walk out of a ghost domain alive simply because...they share the same surname of

Yan

?”

Old Ding shook his head. How could such a notion not be utter nonsense?

Then he looked at the documents. All six bore the surname Yan.

After a while, just like Tie Sha, Old Ding grew lost in silent puzzlement. Their only point in common truly was their surname.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

A few days later, a simple empty tomb was erected by the creek. On the stone tablet was inscribed—

"Tomb of Beloved Master Li Yu.

-Erected by Li Yuan."

Li Yuan came alone to pay his respects. The weather refused to cooperate; snow and rain fell in a dreary mix. He placed white flowers and some fresh fruit in front of the tomb, then scattered a handful of paper money before bowing three times. Finally, he inserted three sticks of incense into a bronze censer.

Once that was done, he set out two jars of the finest Snowbrew Wine, sitting cross-legged before the gravestone.

Memories of Senior Li’s guidance and the everyday kindness he had shown welled up unbidden in Li Yuan’s mind.

He stayed silent for a long time, then cracked open both wine jars. Tilting the first, he let the clear liquor spill across the cold ground.

“Master, please drink first,” Li Yuan murmured, watching the wine soak into the earth. When it was empty, he lifted the second jar to his lips and drank in one sustained gulp. The sharp chill seared his throat like an icy blade that turned to fire as it reached his gut, leaving his insides in turmoil.

He finished the jar in a single breath. His body swayed, words filling his chest yet never leaving his mouth. At last, he rose, bowed deeply once more, and said quietly, “Thank you for everything you taught me.”

With that, Li Yuan turned away and left.

Before long, more people arrived—Zhou Jia, Zhao Chunxin, and others who had known Senior Li. Seeing flowers and traces of spilled wine at the tomb, they realized Li Yuan had already been there.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

Early next morning, a carriage pulled up outside Residence No. 9 in the inner district. Li Yuan helped his two wives climb inside, then got in beside them. This was an auspicious day—the day they would move to White Lotus Manor.

The carriage wheels creaked as it set off toward the west, gradually leaving Silver Creek and the dreaded black market ghost domain behind.

Inside, Yan Yu and Xue Ning leaned against their husband, resting palms over their bellies. Neither showed any outward sign of pregnancy yet, but both felt a secret wonder at the new lives taking shape inside them.

Once the carriage cleared the inner district and entered the bustling streets, Li Yuan remembered that his wives’ appetites had grown sharper of late and decided to hop down to buy a few savory treats. Just as he was about to step out, Yan Yu caught his sleeve.

“Husband, I...”

He smiled gently. “What is it, Yan Yu? Just say it.”

She hesitated briefly. “I was thinking...after we leave today, who knows when we’ll be back? So...I’d like to pass by the shanty district on our way. Just to take a look.”

Li Yuan understood. “I’ve already made inquiries. Feng’er still hasn’t come back, nor has Bear. I didn’t kill them, though.”

“Please, can I ask a favor?” Yan Yu’s gaze was earnest.

“Anything. Your concerns are mine.”

“Could you have someone keep her old place empty? Don’t rent it out, at least for now. I want to leave a letter for her with our new address. Otherwise, if she does return one day and finds me gone, she’ll be frantic.”

Li Yuan couldn’t help smiling, although inwardly he felt sure Feng’er, who had run off with Bear, was unlikely to ever return. Still, he indulged his wife. “All right.”

“Then...let’s detour there first. I’ll write the letter and leave it on her table so she’ll see it if she comes back.”

“Whatever you say, my lady.”

And so, the carriage changed course.