Yun Shan was heavily injured; even with Gu He's help, it took two days for him to regain consciousness.
"Yun'er?"
Yun Shan sat up with some confusion, looked around to confirm he was still in the Cloud Mist Sect, and then turned his gaze back to Yun Yun.
Yun Yun looked joyful, "Teacher, you're finally awake."
"Mhm." Yun Shan nodded and closed his eyes to check his injuries. Yun Yun didn't dare to interrupt and just kept a silent watch.
After a few minutes, Yun Shan opened his eyes, sighed, and said softly, "In the end, I still underestimated today's youth."
Yun Yun's heart stirred, and she hastily asked, "Teacher, what exactly happened?"
Yun Shan gave a bitter smile and briefly recounted the events of that night.
When he finished, Yun Yun was already standing there in a daze.
"It really was Xiao Feng?" she muttered, her face showing an expression of disbelief.
"Oh?" Yun Shan looked at Yun Yun, "You know him?"
"Teacher, please wait a moment."
Yun Yun walked out of the room, took a breath, and then headed toward Xiao Feng's residence with a grim expression.
Xiao Feng hadn't had a good time over the past two days. Grand Elder Yun Ling had been following him 24 hours a day, even watching him go to the bathroom. As for sleeping or Cultivating... don't even think about it.
Whenever Xiao Feng's eyes were about to close, Yun Ling would start pestering him, giving him absolutely no time to rest.
Boom!
Suddenly, Xiao Feng's door was blown open by a fierce wind, slamming against the wall with a loud bang.
"Xiao Feng, it really was you!" Murderous intent was written all over Yun Yun's face. Her Dou Huang aura was fully unleashed, and endless green Dou Qi permeated around her.
"Yun Shan is awake?" A look of joy appeared on Xiao Feng's face, completely ignoring Yun Yun's posture. "Let's go, the three of us should have a chat!"
Yun Yun looked at Xiao Feng coldly, "What is your purpose? If you don't explain clearly, don't even think about leaving the Cloud Mist Sect in this lifetime!"
"I've already said, it was to save your teacher. You just wouldn't believe me." Xiao Feng spread his hands, looking very helpless.
Yun Yun laughed out of extreme anger and flicked her longsword, "Then should I'save' you and the Xiao Family like this too?"
Xiao Feng raised his palm, "You're very angry right now because the water in some matters is too deep for you to handle, so I won't blame you. Secondly, if I really wanted to kill your teacher, I wouldn't have done it at the Cloud Mist Sect, nor would I have spared his life that night. Since Yun Shan is awake now, let's talk. It wouldn't hurt you or Yun Shan, would it?"
Yun Yun didn't say a word. She took a step forward, and her sword was already at Xiao Feng's neck. She looked at him coldly, "If you dare play any tricks, I will definitely kill you!"
After saying that, she retracted her sword and turned to walk out.
Xiao Feng looked back at Yun Ling, "Is she always like this?"
Yun Ling snorted and ignored Xiao Feng.
Yun Shan's room wasn't far away. Xiao Feng followed Yun Yun for less than ten minutes before arriving.
Yawning all the way, Xiao Feng finally saw the Old Sect Master.
"Old Sect Master Yun, we meet again." Xiao Feng grinned and then let out another big yawn.
"Teacher, was he the one who injured you that night?" Yun Yun stood beside Yun Shan, looking at Xiao Feng with a cold gaze.
Yun Shan looked at Xiao Feng, "Who exactly are you?"
The same question as before, but with a different mindset.
Before Xiao Feng could speak, Yun Yun cut in, "Teacher, when I arrived that day, I saw him feed you a pill. I've asked Great Master Gu He to examine it several times, but he found nothing unusual. I suspect it might be an extremely rare poison. Teacher, you must not lower your guard."
Yun Shan's eyes flickered, "I won't lower my guard again."
Looking at the constantly yawning Xiao Feng, Yun Yun said, "This person is a member of the Xiao Family from Wutan City. He is only sixteen years old this year. At fifteen, he already had Dou Huang cultivation, but for some unknown reason, he has fallen back to the Dou Wang Realm. Was Teacher's heavy injury really caused by him alone?"
Xiao Feng waved his hand. He was too sleepy and decided to be direct, "The one who injured Yun Shan was only me. What I fed him was a Tier 7 Medicinal Pill, the soul controlling pill—the kind that can make someone's life worse than death with just a single thought."
Yun Shan snorted, "soul controlling pill? I've never even heard of such a thing. Do you really think I'm someone who can be easily bluffed?"
Xiao Feng looked at Yun Shan with a squint, "Fine, get ready and bear with it."
After saying that, Xiao Feng's Soul Power stirred slightly.
Yun Shan, who was sitting by the bed, suddenly turned pale, and his body stiffened. He clenched his teeth tightly, staring deathly at Xiao Feng, with low growls coming from his nose, unable to even speak.
"What exactly did you do to Teacher!" Yun Yun drew her sword again and slashed toward Xiao Feng's shoulder.
Xiao Feng didn't even try to dodge, letting the sword cut into his shoulder and break the bone there. He only frowned slightly, "First time using it, didn't know how to control the intensity. My apologies."
As he finished speaking, Yun Shan finally let out a breath. After a few breaths, some color finally returned to his face.
"Hand over the antidote immediately!" Yun Yun shouted angrily.
Xiao Feng shook his head, "There is no antidote for the soul controlling pill. The Old Sect Master's life and death depend on my single thought. Even if you kill me, it will only cause his Soul to collapse along with mine."
"What exactly do you want to do?"
Yun Shan looked at Xiao Feng, a hint of hatred appearing in his eyes from the Soul-tearing pain he just felt.
Xiao Feng looked at Yun Yun, "Could you pull the sword out first?"
Yun Yun didn't move until Yun Shan spoke. Only then did she pull the sword out of Xiao Feng's body, though the blade still pointed at his head, ready to kill him at any moment.
"Actually, I had no choice but to do this." Xiao Feng sighed softly, looking at the wound on his shoulder, thinking to himself that it was quite refreshing and he wasn't sleepy anymore.
Yun Shan laughed, his tone cold, "Then why don't you tell us how you were 'forced' into this?"
"Is Protector Wu here?"
Facing Xiao Feng's sudden question, Yun Shan stiffened again. He didn't know how much more this youth knew, and Xiao Feng's calm demeanor now seemed profound and mysterious to him.
Yun Yun frowned. As the current Sect Master of the Cloud Mist Sect, she naturally knew there was no such person here, but Yun Shan's reaction made her suspect that there were things hidden in this mountain range that she didn't know about.
Yun Shan was silent for a moment before finally speaking, "He is not here. Just say what you have to say."
Xiao Feng naturally didn't believe Yun Shan's words, but he hadn't asked just to confirm if Protector Wu was there.
"The reason I say I was forced is that I don't want to see you, Yun Shan, die, nor do I want to see your Cloud Mist Sect destroyed." Xiao Feng didn't stop, "No need to rush to refute. If I'm not mistaken, that person from the Hall of Souls who calls himself Protector Wu should have told you to keep an eye on the Xiao Family, right?"
Yun Shan's pupils contracted, but he didn't say anything.
Instead, Yun Yun frowned, "Hall of Souls?"
No one paid her any attention.
Xiao Feng continued, "Old Sect Master Yun might not know the relationship between the Hall of Souls and my Xiao Family, but I might as well tell you: it's a fight to the death. A favor of saving a life and breaking through a Realm, in exchange for just keeping an eye on an obscure little Family—it sounds like a good deal, doesn't it?"
As he spoke, he dripped concentrated Marrow Cleansing Liquid onto his wound while munching on some medicinal herbs to replenish his blood Qi and bone mass. "Now, Old Sect Master Yun might want to think again: can your Cloud Mist Sect really survive between my Xiao Family and the Hall of Souls?"
Yun Shan narrowed his eyes and looked at Xiao Feng, "So you're using these methods to force me to switch sides?"
"No, I don't intend to force you; I just don't want Old Sect Master to continue being involved. Of course, it would be better if you could stand on the side of my Xiao Family." Xiao Feng grinned while gasping from the pain, "This choice of sides will determine the survival of the Cloud Mist Sect. If Old Sect Master thinks the Hall of Souls is powerful and leans toward them, that's fine too. But have you ever considered whether I would let you continue to exist in this world after the Cloud Mist Sect moves against the Xiao Family?"
Yun Yun raised her eyebrows, "When did my Cloud Mist Sect ever say we would move against your Xiao Family! Besides, I know of your existence and understand your potential. Even if Teacher had such thoughts, I would talk him out of it!"
Xiao Feng looked at Yun Yun and just smiled, which greatly annoyed her.
"Regardless, using these baseless speculations as a reason to attack my teacher, I will never let you off easy!" Yun Yun's face was full of anger, "Methods to make one's life worse than death—my Cloud Mist Sect is not lacking in them either!"
"Yun'er." Yun Shan suddenly spoke, "Put the sword down."
"Teacher?"
"He's right. If not for the events of these past two days, I indeed would have moved against the Xiao Family, and you wouldn't have been able to stop me." Yun Shan looked at Xiao Feng, a trace of admiration flashing in his eyes, "If I hadn't experienced it personally, I would never have believed that such a young man could have the Dou Wang Realm, much less that such a young Dou Wang could suppress me, who has broken through to the Dou Zong Realm."
Xiao Feng used his right hand to lift his left, grimacing as he cupped his hands toward Yun Shan, "Then, can we talk about what comes next?"
Yun Shan waved his hand, "No rush. Little brother Xiao Feng has suffered a lot these past two days. Yun'er, go and make proper arrangements for him, and have Great Master Gu He examine his injuries."
Xiao Feng shook his head, "Delays breed trouble. Since we're here, we might as well finish talking. I haven't slept for two days anyway; a little later won't hurt."
The admiration in Yun Shan's eyes grew even stronger, "Then little brother Xiao Feng, tell me first, what exactly is this cooperation of yours?"
Xiao Feng glanced at Yun Yun, "Pour me a cup of tea, thank you."
Yun Yun's eyebrows shot up in anger as she snorted. This guy was really pushing his luck, acting like he owned the place without any sense of propriety!
"Yun'er, serve the tea."
"...Yes!"
Yun Yun responded to Yun Shan's command, but her eyes were glaring fixedly at Xiao Feng, her teeth grinding audibly.
Xiao Feng took a small sip of the tea brewed by the Great Sect Master herself, "The Northwest Continent is too chaotic. I only want one voice. Is Sect Master Yun willing to take on the burden?"
Yun Shan's breath hitched for a moment but soon returned to normal. He gave a light laugh, "We can talk about that later. What do you want me to do?"
Xiao Feng put down the teacup, "Protector Wu."
Yun Shan frowned. Protector Wu's movements were mysterious and untraceable. His strength might not be much greater, but his methods for escaping were definitely plenty. Once he escaped, the Hall of Souls behind him was not composed of good people.
Ever since Yun Shan was saved by Protector Wu, he had been secretly inquiring about the Hall of Souls. This notorious and unbeatable number one force in the world had always been like a dark cloud over his heart.
Yun Shan wanted to bring glory to the Cloud Mist Sect, but deep down, he was somewhat resistant to being a lapdog. He was just forced to bow his head while under someone else's roof.
Seeing Yun Shan lost in thought, Xiao Feng began to observe the surroundings. Protector Wu hadn't appeared for a long time. Based on Yun Shan's performance and words just now, he couldn't help but believe him a bit more.