Chapter 15
An envoy of maybe ten cultivators approached the Jade Veil Sanctum. Each member of the envoy bore marks of battle. Many had bandages wrapped around some of their body parts, many had missing limbs.
Two cultivators held a straw stretcher. On it was a young man who was sleeping peacefully on it, his robe was torn and bloody, but his chest rose up and down, signifying he was still alive.
After the battle with the Wooden Barbarians, they had lost a significant number of their envoy. The Lianshou forest had claimed the lives of the majority after the battle, now there were only ten remaining in the envoy.
Still, they were in high spirits as there, rising from the mist encased cliffs ahead, was the Jade Veil Sanctum.
The Sanctum was an entire valley. Lush jade green grass unfurled down the valley, the grass swaying in the breeze. The air smelled of wet grass and damp earth, with a faint smell of flowers. The valley was bustling with life, deer grazed around the area, birds flew singing wonderful melodies.
Down below at the centre was a winding river. The river was wide, the sunlight reflected off its azure surface.
At the centre of it all was a magnus opus.
The Jade Veil Sanctum itself.
It looked like a divine monument, part temple, part fortress, part natural wonder of the world. The structure was massive. A multitude of floors stacked atop each other, each carved from pale jade and white marble. Its roof top curved like the horns of a dragon.
All around it were smaller sized palaces. They were also made of the same material as the Sanctum. Overall, there were 9 smaller palaces scattered around all in close proximity to the sanctum.
The valley looked majestic.
From the sanctum, a giant eagle type spirit beast approached them.
The eagle landed just a few meters away and on it was a man. He was in his early twenties. He had dark green eyes and a square like face. He had long curly brown hair. He wore robes of sea-green and pearl-white, embroidered with streaks of silver lightning, an unmistakable sigil of the Heaven Tear Sect.
"Fair Lady Yu Miaoran," he said, his smile faint but sincere, "You honor us with your presence. I am Cui Huang, son of Grandmaster Cui Wenshang, heir to the Heaven Tear Sect."
His gaze swept across the battered and bruised envoy. There was a flicker of sympathy in his eyes.
"We heard rumors of battle in the Lianshou Forest, but to see the price with our own eyes…" He shook his head slightly, then nodded toward the young man on the stretcher. "And this one, your advisor, I presume?"
Yu Miaoran stepped forward, brushing the dust from her sleeve with calm elegance, as if she hadn't just witnessed disciples getting killed by woodland creatures a few days ago.
"I thank you for the warm welcome, Young Master Cui. We've come a long way, and not without sacrifice," she said, her tone composed, but her voice was hoarse "We seek accommodations. More importantly, healing for our wounded… especially him."
She gestured to Liang Chen's body on the stretcher. He lay there unconscious, the only way to signify he was still alive was the steady rise and fall of his chest.
Cui Huang nodded at once, no hesitation in his response.
"Of course. The Jade Veil Sanctum welcomes all disciples under Heaven's banner, especially the heir of the Crimson Lotus Sect. And any man who survives the Lianshou Forest deserves nothing less than the finest care."
Cui Huang whistled and the giant eagle type spirit beast flew towards them, landing a few feet away from them. The eagle was maybe 2 meters tall with white and bronze feathers.
"This is Fengxiao," Cui Huang said, stroking the hawk's neck affectionately. "She'll fly us down to one of the smaller palaces. You'll be housed in the three designated palaces for the Crimson Lotus Sect, close to the sanctum's heart. Our best physicians will be summoned immediately."
The members of the envoy let out sighs of relief. One by one, they climbed onto the hawk's broad back, careful not to jostle the stretcher too much as they secured Liang Chen near the front.
Yu Miaoran mounted last, settling behind Cui Huang. She gave him a curt nod of appreciation, and he smiled over his shoulder before giving Fengxiao the command.
The great hawk flapped its wings and it soared into the air. Wind tore through their hair. Injuries ached. But for the first time in days, they felt safe.
…
Liang Chen opened his eyes.
He felt himself on something comfortable, meaning that he was on a bed. The room smelled of healing herbs and potions, meaning he was in an infirmary.
He slowly sat up, his entire body feeling numb and sore. His vision swam for a moment, but then it cleared.
A familiar figure stood by his bedside. Crimson robes, hair pinned in a topknot with a jade comb, a crease of worry between her brows, It was Yu Miaoran.
Her eyes widened the moment she saw him sit up.
"You're awake…" she breathed out, visibly shaken. Her hands clenched at her sides. "Thank the heavens. I thought…"
He raised a brow. "Thought I'd be another name for the memorial tablets?"
She scowled. "I was going to say I thought you'd sleep through another battle, but that works too I guess."
Before he could reply, another figure stepped forward, offering a respectful nod. He was dressed in sea green robes and had curly brown hair and green eyes.
"I'm Cui Huang, son of Grandmaster Cui Wenshang," he introduced, his tone polite and formal. "Heir to the Heaven Tear Sect. You're now in the Jade Veil Sanctum. You and your companions were brought here for treatment. Welcome."
Liang Chen looked him up and down, expression unreadable. "Nice hawk."
Cui Huang blinked. "Ah… thank you."
Yu Miaoran rolled her eyes and stepped closer. "This man saved your life. At least show some gratitude."
"I'd clap," Liang Chen murmured, "but my ribs might explode."
Yu Miaoran sat beside him with a sigh. "You shouldn't be talking at all. Do you have any idea how reckless you were back in Lianshou?"
Liang Chen didn't flinch. "I have plenty of ideas. Recklessness just happens to be one of my better ones."
"I'm serious, Liang Chen!" she snapped. "You could've died back there. You went off on your own, baited the entire wooden barbarian horde, killed the wooden necromancer, and nearly bled out! For what?"
"For you," he said simply. "Your father made it crystal clear. If anything happened to you, I'd be a corpse long before the barbarians could finish me."
Her lips parted, but no words came out for a moment. The implication struck harder than she'd expected.
"You… that's the only reason?" she asked, quieter now.
Liang Chen tilted his head slightly, eyes cold as a glacier. "You're valuable. I'm expendable. Do the math."
She clenched her fists. "You weren't expendable to me."
"I'm honored," he replied, tone completely flat. "But that doesn't stop spears."
Cui Huang, awkwardly standing off to the side, gave a quiet cough. "Perhaps I should give you two a moment."
"No need," Liang Chen said, already swinging his legs off the bed, wincing. "I've had enough moments. I'd like a cultivation chamber and some food."
"You're not going anywhere," Yu Miaoran snapped. "You nearly died, remember?"
Liang Chen gave her a look so dry it could've drained a pond. "Death's a lousy conversationalist. I'll survive."
"You always say that," she muttered.
He shrugged. "Yet I always do."
There was silence, the air was thick with unspoken emotions.
Cui Huang, sensing the tension but still trying to be diplomatic, offered a small bow. "I'll have a physician come check on him again in an hour. Rest well, Advisor Liang."
Liang Chen grunted. "I'll try not to bleed on your fancy jade floors."
With a final glance between them, Cui Huang turned and left, the door sliding closed behind him.
Yu Miaoran remained, arms folded, watching the stubborn, bruised, half-broken man who'd risked everything for her.
"I'm still mad at you," she said quietly.
Liang Chen leaned back against the headboard, eyes half-closed.
"That's fine," he murmured. "You'll get over it. I'm hard to stay mad at."
She scoffed, and for the first time in days, she just barely smiled.