Chapter 132: Strange and Bizarre, Mysterious and Unfathomable

"In that case, you brat, why don't you hurry up and find where Lan Wu is? If we're too late, I truly fear that malicious person might harm her! But I am quite curious how you intend to pull this off. Finding someone isn't difficult, but finding someone who doesn't want to be found is another matter." Xiao Yin’s emotional transition was truly rapid; one moment he was consumed by worry for Lan Wu, and the next he was filled with curiosity regarding Yu Shang’s plan. It seemed as though no misfortune could stir his dark side. Xiao Yin always appeared so optimistic and detached, yet one never knows—the more indifferent someone seems on the surface, the more they may be suffering in their heart.

"This is all thanks to that fellow, Ye Wangchen. I stole this trick from him." At this, Yu Shang couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips in a knowing smile; he hadn't expected that fellow's skills would actually come in handy at a critical moment. Yu Shang then lightly waved his hand to summon his Blade of Void, before tossing it into the air. Xiao Yin had expected it to hover, but to his surprise, the blade flew off into the distance, as if chasing something, vanishing from sight.

"What is going on? Why did the Blade of Void run off on its own? Could it be that it knows where my Lan’er is?" Witnessing this, Xiao Yin asked Yu Shang, completely bewildered. To his knowledge, ever since the blade had recognized Yu Shang as its master, it had never strayed a single step from his side. Why would it abandon him now? This was simply not the blade's style! Unless this was a result of the brat's deliberate arrangement, but how could he possibly know where Lan Wu was? From beginning to end, this brat had never left his sight, and even his spiritual consciousness could not have extended beyond the room. This was all truly bizarre!

"Actually, when we were hunting down the woman who broke into Yanlan Academy that night, Ye Wangchen used this very trick to locate her hideout. As long as you inject a sliver of true qi into someone when they are off guard, no matter how far they run, you will find them as long as that qi remains intact. My Blade of Void is fused with my body and soul; as long as I leave a trace of true qi on Lan Wu, the blade will sense its location and lead me to the person it is attached to," Yu Shang explained slowly, gazing in the direction the blade had flown.

"That is indeed a clever method, though if the opponent is a top-tier expert, this tactic might not work and could easily lead to being counter-tracked. I only hope the culprit hasn't noticed this, otherwise Lan’er’s danger has only increased." Xiao Yin remained uneasy, unable to set aside his concern for his beloved Lan’er. Seeing him, usually so unrestrained, become so anxious over a woman, Yu Shang couldn't help but smile helplessly. Is it truly impossible for a hero to overcome the trial of beauty? No matter how profound one's cultivation, in the end, one cannot escape the shackles of affection, willingly sacrificing everything for it.

"Honestly, there is no helping you, little snake. Fine, let's follow it, or else if your Lan’er suffers so much as a scratch, you’ll surely kill me!" With that, Yu Shang walked out the door without looking back, heading toward the dark, damp bamboo forest. Seeing this, Xiao Yin hurriedly followed. Observing his slightly flustered expression, Yu Shang felt a bitter sensation; he felt that love had changed this little snake. Although he couldn't say if this change was good or bad, he still hoped that Xiao Yin could remain his old, carefree self. Yu Shang was truly terrified that Xiao Yin might end up suffering the same fate as he did—the unbearable taste of being betrayed by someone one loves.

That road of no return, once stepped upon, can never be retraced. Today she could silence her conscience to commit an act that wronged him; there was no guarantee that one day she wouldn't wrong Xiao Yin or sell him out. Perhaps there were indeed unspeakable hardships behind Lan Wu’s actions, but betrayal is betrayal. If one day someone held something more threatening and forced Lan Wu to betray Xiao Yin, perhaps she truly would do it. Indeed, it is human nature to look out for oneself; choosing to sacrifice those around her for her own safety might be a "correct" choice. But the consequences of that choice were something she could not bear; at the very least, she would have destroyed the trust others had in her.

Though Yu Shang said with his lips that he would forgive, his heart could not tolerate betrayal. Even if there were excuses, even if the reasons were noble, it was unacceptable. He could no longer sincerely trust someone who had betrayed him, because Yu Shang always believed that once betrayal happens, there will be a second time, becoming increasingly emboldened and justified, until finally, she would no longer believe her actions were wrong. Instead, she would feel that what she did was correct, necessary, and helpful to others. Yu Shang did not want to see the innocent Lan Wu become that way, nor did he want to witness the despair of a wounded Xiao Yin.

If he could, Yu Shang would force himself to act as if nothing had happened, letting Xiao Yin and Lan Wu be together or even marry. But his heart could no longer believe in that girl. However, Yu Shang would not let Xiao Yin know; he did not want to hurt the little snake's heart, nor did he want him to waver between friendship and love, unable to choose. Yu Shang knew that even if Xiao Yin eventually made a choice, it would be as if a piece of flesh had been carved out of his own heart. He did not want to watch Xiao Yin suffer so; this little snake had sacrificed enough for him, and it was time for him to yield for his sake.

Thus, each of them harbored their own thoughts, neither speaking, as they followed the Blade of Void into the unknown. They did not know what dilemmas or dangers lay ahead, but they pressed on without hesitation, for there lay the woman he loved most in his life, and the beloved of the brother he trusted most. For this love, seemingly fragile but actually quite powerful, they ignored all impending hardships and crises, solely to rescue their beloveds. It turned out that everyone, regardless of who they were, possessed a great and kind side.

Without realizing it, Yu Shang and Xiao Yin had traveled a great distance when suddenly, a forest of mist appeared before them. Behind this pervasive, blinding fog, what lay hidden was unknown to them; perhaps they simply had no other choice. Even if they had known that monsters and demons lurked behind it, they would have entered without a flicker of hesitation. This is the power of love, the greatness of friendship. Xiao Yin could sacrifice his life for the woman he loved, and Yu Shang could disregard his own life for Xiao Yin. One must wonder, how many in this world are as unwavering and steadfast in their bonds as they?

But when they entered the mist, they were stunned. One was shocked because he had never seen such a strange sight, and the other because it was all too familiar. Everywhere were uneven little earthen mounds, and the surrounding air was thick with a chilling, cold aura, as if many resentful spirits resided there. Looking further, there stood a dilapidated, small academy. Its broken gates creaked back and forth, half-open, emitting a hair-raising sound at the slightest breeze.

Yu Shang felt immense unease. Was this not the very "Yin Mansion" that the Great Elder of Yanlan Academy had gone to such lengths to lure him to? Why would Lan Wu come here? Could it be that she knew the secret, too? But the Great Elder would not allow others to intrude! Could the Great Elder be the mastermind? That made no sense; he had already agreed to help him find lost souls, so why would he still try to send him to his death? Why was all this happening, and whose words were the truth? Yu Shang was truly in turmoil; his mind was a mess, his heart was a mess, so chaotic that he could not think. He wanted nothing more than to drift into a deep sleep.

At this moment, Xiao Yin was walking slowly toward the ruined academy, always feeling as if something there was calling to him. If he did not go in to investigate now, he would surely regret it later. Yet, Xiao Yin did not know that by entering now, he would regret it for the rest of his life. Sometimes, even the smallest step can change everything; even the smallest thought can entangle one's entire destiny. A moment of carelessness could lead to the afterlife; a moment of misunderstanding could leave no way out. Such is life—cruel, exciting, and occasionally filled with small comforts. Beneath every moment of being moved, there may be a conspiracy, and behind brutality, there may be tenderness. Sometimes, what the eyes see is not the truth, and what the ears hear is not necessarily an illusion.

When Yu Shang saw the somewhat dazed Xiao Yin about to reach the door, he rushed forward like a madman, trying to stop him. But he was one step too late, watching helplessly as Xiao Yin walked into the bone-chilling mansion. Sighing with resignation, he followed. Whether it was a blessing or a curse, destiny would decide! Yu Shang no longer had the strength to stop or change anything. This time, he wanted to be lazy and leave it to fate. It turned out he was not omnipotent; it turned out there were many things he could not solve.

Upon entering, he found that everything was exactly as it once was. Nothing had changed; the thick stench of blood remained, and scarlet stains were splattered everywhere, impossible to erase. The broken tables and chairs seemed to have endured many setbacks; the walls, covered in scratches, seemed to have weathered many storms. Everything here was still so desolate and tragic. The only difference was that the miserable phantoms no longer reappeared, the murderer who had bloodied this academy had not shown his face, and the helpless cries for help of those facing death no longer echoed. It seemed that, in an instant, all the bad things had vanished, but the wound left in his heart could never be smoothed over.

"What is this place? Why is it so desolate, as if a brutal massacre once took place here? But this is Yanlan Academy territory! Who would dare to act so brazenly here? What is going on?" Xiao Yin asked Yu Shang, his mind wandering. He always felt that Yu Shang knew many things, yet chose not to tell him—perhaps to protect him, or perhaps he truly did not want to speak of it. In any case, this low mood made Xiao Yin quite displeased. It felt as if he had experienced so much in such a short time, yet encountered nothing at all; the feeling was truly peculiar.

"This was the old site of Yanlan Academy, but a very tragic event occurred here, so it was hidden away. You are right; a massacre did occur here. None of the students escaped; they all perished, and those little earthen mounds outside are their graves. Isn't it sad? People died, yet not even a tombstone was erected. They just vanished from this world, unknown and unmourned," Yu Shang said with a bitter, helpless smile. These people were merely innocent sacrifices, yet the culprit still lived well. It was truly laughable!

"The night before we went to the competition grounds, I couldn't find you anywhere. Was it because you came here? But why didn't you say so then?" Indeed, no one knew Yu Shang better than Xiao Yin. Just from these few words, he could deduce his whereabouts from the previous days. Xiao Yin suddenly felt he could no longer see into Yu Shang's heart. Such a significant event, and he hadn't mentioned a word to him. Although Xiao Yin tried to convince himself that Yu Shang did it for his own good, not wanting him to be dragged into that tragic past, his heart was still very uncomfortable. He disliked this ambiguity; he wanted the truth.