Chapter 14: Letter from the Xiao Sect

At dawn, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, the master of the Xiao Gate, Xiao Yunhai, was awakened from his sleep by a sudden, urgent knock on the door. "Master! Master, are you awake?"

Xiao Yunhai blinked his eyes open, glanced at the light outside, and frowned. "What’s the matter so early in the morning?"

"It’s… it’s Xiao… Xiao Seng’s letter!" The voice from outside trembled with excitement.

"What? Xiao Seng!?"

This master of the Xiao Gate, who could stride through the city of Liu Cloud at his leisure, was struck like a dagger in the buttocks by the news. He leaped from his bed so violently that he nearly fell to the floor. He scrambled to throw on his clothes, his hair still a mess, and hurried to open the door, grabbing the Xiao Gate disciple outside with a fierce glare. "You say Xiao Seng? You mean Xiao Seng!?"

"It’s true! It’s definitely Xiao Seng!" The disciple cleared his throat, nodded vigorously, and presented the letter with shaking hands. "The seal on it is Xiao Seng’s Eagle Seal. No one in the entire Cangfeng Empire dares to impersonate the master’s unique mark."

When his gaze fell upon the Eagle Seal on the letter, Xiao Yunhai shuddered. He snatched the letter with both trembling hands, tore open the envelope with frantic care, and withdrew the thin slip of paper inside.

Xiao Seng, though his name differed from the Xiao Gate by but a single character, was worlds apart in stature! The Xiao Gate, though it could barely claim dominion over Liu Cloud City, was in truth a nameless footnote in the vast lands of Cangfeng. But Xiao Seng stood as one of the four great sects of the Cangfeng Empire, towering above the Xiao Gate, the Tianjue Mountain, the Bingyun Immortal Palace, and the Fengtian Gate. He was a presence the Xiao Gate could only bow its head to.

To put it bluntly, even a lowly servant in Xiao Seng’s inner chambers might not deign to look upon the legitimate master of the Xiao Gate with respect.

Yet there was, in truth, some connection between the Xiao Gate and Xiao Seng. For a hundred and sixty years ago, when Xiao Ye was founded the Xiao Gate in Liu Cloud City, he himself was Xiao Seng’s disciple—more precisely, a discarded son, rumored to be the offspring of one of Xiao Seng’s elders. But Xiao Ye was born from an elder’s drunken debauchery, siring a child with Xiao Seng’s maid. He was ugly, talentless, and shunned by countless whispers. His elder loathed him, and when he came of age, his spiritual power was the lowest among his peers. To remain in Xiao Seng would bring shame, so he was dispatched to the backwater Liu Cloud City to establish the Xiao Gate, severing all ties with Xiao Seng and never looking back.

Yet Xiao Ye spent his life cultivating his spiritual power, yearning to earn Xiao Seng’s recognition and return. That dream, however, died with him. But after his death, it became the inherited goal of every generation of the Xiao Gate. In particular, every master of the Xiao Gate yearned to connect with Xiao Seng through the Xiao bloodline coursing through their veins, however slightly. Yet for generations, no one had succeeded. Xiao Seng remained as distant as a celestial palace, unreachable.

But today, Xiao Seng himself had written a letter! This news filled Xiao Yunhai with joy beyond measure, his heart racing like in a dream.

As he read the letter word by word, his face flushed crimson, his breathing labored. He pointed tremblingly at the letter with outstretched fingers, his voice hoarse: "Quickly… go summon the elders and the steward at once! Tell them there’s a matter concerning our future—we must discuss it in the Assembly Hall! Hurry!"

"The message has been received!" The disciple bowed and fled in a hurry.

………………………………………………

Xiao Che carried the red quilt, tip-toeing into his own chamber, only to find Summer Qingyue already seated on the bed, her attire perfectly arranged. Her beautiful eyes, calm as still water, gazed at him without a flicker of emotion.

Xiao Che flung the quilt onto the table, unruffled, and asked coolly, "Wife, you’re up so early. Did you sleep well?"

"Didn’t you tell me where you went last night?" Summer Qingyue’s delicate eyes narrowed slightly.

"There was no need." Xiao Che stretched lazily, smoothing his hair in the mirror. "Because I know you wouldn’t be interested."

Summer Qingyue: "..."

Though they had fallen asleep together in the mountainside that night, Qingyue awoke with an unusual clarity. She quickly arranged her clothes and hair, restoring her flawless appearance. Xiao Che rose and said, "Let’s go. On the first morning, we must pay respects to Grandfather."

"…You won’t refuse that, will you?"

Without a word, she rose ahead of him. Xiao Che shrugged, hurrying after her.

Xiao Lie always rose early, and this day was no exception. As they entered his courtyard, he stood among his plants, tending to them. When he saw Xiao Che and Summer Qingyue approach side by side, he smiled warmly. "You’ve come."

Under Xiao Lie’s gaze, Xiao Che quickly took Summer Qingyue’s hand. Her skin was soft and delicate, tinged with a faint coolness from her cultivation of the Bingyun Sect. Qingyue stiffened, ready to push him away, but when she felt Xiao Lie’s eyes upon them, she restrained herself, allowing Xiao Che to lead her forward.

Her father held Xiao Lie in high regard, and she did too. She could afford to show no emotion toward him, but if she forcibly pulled Xiao Che’s hand in front of Xiao Lie, his face would surely darken. This despicable creature…

"Grandfather, I’m here early today," Xiao Che said naturally, bowing to Xiao Lie as a junior.

"Qingyue pays her respects to Grandfather," she replied with a graceful bow. The small hand that had never been held by a man before, now gripped in the despicable grip of Xiao Che, left her both angry and helpless. If not for fear of disturbing Xiao Lie’s peak spiritual energy, she would have frozen Xiao Che’s mouth with the Bingyun Sect.

"Ah, you two are up early," Xiao Lie said, his face brightening at their affectionate display. "Che’er, Qingyue, though marrying at sixteen is a bit early, it has resolved one of my heartfelt concerns. Qingyue, you should know about Che’er’s situation. To be honest, this marriage has been a great burden on you. But we’ll do everything we can to make it up to you. My greatest wish is to see you two living peacefully."

Before Qingyue could respond, Xiao Che spoke first: "Grandfather, why? I’m Xiao Che, your grandson. There’s no woman in the world I’m unfit for. If she’s entered our family, the least I can do is honor Grandfather and serve him well. If there’s anything wrong, I’ll divorce her and marry someone better. Qingyue, do you agree?"

"…" If not for Xiao Lie standing there, Qingyue would have frozen Xiao Che’s mouth with the Bingyun Sect forever.

"Ha ha ha!" Xiao Lie laughed heartily, shaking his head with a fond smile. "You’re such a handful, Qingyue. Don’t listen to him. You’ve only just arrived, and he’s already treating you like this. Qingyue, you two should still be hungry. Old Hong has already had the morning meal prepared. Come, eat together."

"Of course, Grandfather… Should we call Sister-in-law too?"

"She’s always been a sleepyhead. Let her rest."

The table in the room was already set with three freshly prepared dishes. Xiao Che’s hand remained clasped with Qingyue’s as they sat beside each other. Xiao Lie took the seat across from them. Just as his rear touched the chair, a hurried footstep echoed from outside, followed by heavy panting and a shout:

"Five Elder! Five Elder, where are you?!"

"What’s the matter?" Xiao Lie turned, his brow furrowed.

"By the master’s command, all elders must proceed to the Assembly Hall immediately! There’s a matter concerning the future of the Xiao Gate—urgent discussion is required!"

"…" Xiao Lie stood, taking the outer robe Xiao Hong had handed him. "It seems there’s something urgent. You two eat first; there’s no need to wait for me."

In his memory, Xiao Lie had never issued such an urgent summons so early in the morning. He quickly dressed and departed.

The moment Xiao Lie left, Xiao Che’s hand shot from Qingyue’s like lightning, and he leaped backward. His eyes narrowed, his expression grave: "Qingyue, my wife, I only held your hand to reassure Grandfather. There was no other intention. Though I didn’t ask your permission first, you wouldn’t be angry, would you? As a wife, it’s natural—right? Even if you’re just here out of gratitude, you’re still my wife. As a wife, there’s nothing wrong with holding hands, is there? It’s only right!"

Qingyue’s face turned icy. "If you dare touch me again like that, I’ll freeze you solid."

"Hey! You can’t be serious!" Xiao Che’s eyes were wide with suppressed frustration. "It’s just a handhold, and you’re truly angry… We’re lawful spouses. Even if you married me out of obligation, you’re still my wife. If we’re married, there’s nothing wrong with touching hands, is there? It’s only right!"

"…" Xiao Che’s temperament was becoming increasingly erratic, leaving Qingyue utterly perplexed. At first, she thought him cold and aloof, then came to see a mind beyond his years, even mystical. She’d felt more than once that he wasn’t a sixteen-year-old boy, but a man shaped by hardship. Yet beneath it all, there was a vulgarity that surfaced when he was careless.

Now, this man, who so brazenly violated her, yet showed no remorse, acted like a spoiled child, whining and protesting, twisting her into the wrongdoer. She was left both angry and helpless, her fury slowly dissipating.

"Never mind, sit and eat," Qingyue said weakly.

"So you’re not angry, my wife? Ah, there she is, a good wife. Come, eat more!" Xiao Che leaned on the table, sitting back beside Qingyue, carefully placing his green bean cake onto her plate.

"…" Qingyue began to feel that asking to stay with him for a month had been a grave mistake.