Volume One: Youths Meet in Humble Times Chapter 85: Cooperation with Zhang Yue

Over the past few days, Li Yu had been staying with the Xu family, offering his help.

After discussing it with Xu Kaijiang, he decided not to hold an elaborate funeral for his mother. The vigil was kept simple, lasting just three days, after which she was buried alongside Xu’s father.

It is worth noting that throughout those three days, both the Li family and the people from the Myriad Beasts Sect lurked in the shadows, watching with predatory eyes. If not for Lu Ming’s frequent presence at Li Yu’s side, even these brief days of peace might have been denied him.

Naturally, Lu Ming was not blind to their surveillance. In private, he once asked Li Yu, “Are they here for you?”

Li Yu glanced at Lu Ming. He had not wanted to entangle Lu Ming in his troubles, but he knew that with his own strength alone he would not be able to protect himself. After careful thought, he replied, “Brother Lu, I won’t hide it from you. The Li family has already made a move against me, and judging by their actions, they have no intention of letting me go.”

“I’ll go speak to the Li family. Their own kin shouldn’t be left to fend for themselves,” Lu Ming blurted out.

Li Yu hurriedly stopped him, “Brother Lu, have you forgotten? I am also a member of the Li family. If they find out I’m still alive, whether or not I survive is uncertain, but at the very least, they’ll take me back.”

Lu Ming realized he had indeed overlooked this. He asked, “Do you truly not wish to return to the Lis?”

Li Yu only smiled, saying nothing.

Seeing this, Lu Ming could not resist asking, “Then will you come back to Green Mountain with me? Our sect has ways to help you restore your Heavenly Aperture. With the current tense situation in Tianmen Town, who knows how much longer you can remain here? Since that’s the case, why not return with me? With your talent, it won’t be long before your brilliance shines forth.”

Li Yu was deeply grateful that Lu Ming still considered his well-being. Over the past three days, Lu Ming had shared with him everything from the council meeting that could safely be told, withholding only the matter of the sacrifices—for, in truth, he did not know how to explain it to Li Yu. When Li Yu asked about the purpose of the talent selection assembly, Lu Ming replied vaguely, “To open the Heavenly Gate will inevitably harm Tianmen Town, so the selection is a form of compensation.”

To be honest, Li Yu had never imagined that those people would be so mad as to disregard the will of Tianmen Town’s residents for the sake of opening the gate. Since Lu Ming chose to tell him these things, he was evidently not afraid that Li Yu would pass them on to his master. Perhaps, in fact, he hoped Li Yu would bring word to that Daoist, hoping the Daoist might deduce something and, by his own power, turn the tide.

Alas, he misjudged. The Daoist Lin’s response remained ambiguous. Li Yu faithfully relayed Lu Ming’s words, but the Daoist only said, “If we are powerless in the face of farewell, then let us say our goodbyes well.”

And then he did nothing more.

Predictably, Li Yu’s response to Lu Ming was equally brief: “Brother Lu, I cannot leave my master at this time.”

Li Yu’s tone was calm, but Lu Ming could hear in it an unyielding refusal.

On the day of the funeral, the Shen family came to pay their respects to Xu’s mother.

Though the two families had little contact in the past, the Shen siblings had been staying with Xu Kaijiang recently, helping out. They sympathized with Xu Kaijiang, who now bore every burden alone. At the funeral, there were few relatives or friends to see Xu’s mother off, so, out of camaraderie as fellow residents of Tianmen Town, the entire Shen family rose early to join in the final farewell.

Xu’s father was buried on a small hillside east of the Xu home. From that spot, one could see the sun sink behind the horizon, its dying rays gilding the Luoxi River with shimmering gold—a scene as variegated and splendid as their days gone by.

After Xu’s mother was laid to rest, Xu Kaijiang sat in silence before his parents’ graves, burning offerings. The sharp pain from before had dulled, leaving only a numb desolation and the lost confusion of one with no way forward.

The Shen parents offered some words of comfort before leaving, as they had matters to attend to at home, leaving their children behind to keep Xu Kaijiang company.

Li Yu waited until the Shen parents had left, then asked Lu Ming to drive away the Li family members, after which he excused himself and went to find the people from the Myriad Beasts Sect.

This time, the Li family had again sent only Li Yan and Li Da to watch over Li Yu. They were there partly to prevent him from doing anything unknown to Li Xiqing and the others that might complicate their efforts to eliminate him, and partly in hopes of discovering something from Li Yu’s daily actions.

Li Da thought himself well-hidden, but to his surprise, he was discovered by Li Yu and his companions.

He saw Lu Ming heading straight towards them and his heart gave a jolt. “Not good, we’ve been found!” he thought.

Li Yan, however, remained unperturbed, saying calmly, “Let’s go. We won’t be able to follow today.”

Li Da knew Li Yan was right; they could no longer continue their surveillance. With a flicker, the two of them vanished into the distance.

Lu Ming followed for a while, wary they might double back.

Meanwhile, Li Yu had reached the Myriad Beasts Sect’s people.

When they saw him coming, eyes steady and purposeful, they knew he had discovered them.

Zhang Yue found herself intrigued. Dropping all pretense, she revealed herself and ordered the two with her, “You two, step back.”

They obeyed without question.

Zhang Yue surveyed Li Yu at her leisure. “You’ve always made me quite curious. Do you know why?”

Li Yu smiled back. “I can guess a little. Listen, and if I’m right, perhaps we can discuss a partnership.”

Zhang Yue’s interest was piqued. “Very well.”

“There are likely three reasons for your curiosity. First, the dragon spirit within me—you wonder how I managed to subdue it.” Zhang Yue’s silence confirmed his guess.

“Second, how I am able to command the edicts of Tianmen Town. You’re even more curious about that than the dragon spirit, aren’t you?”

She nodded. “Go on.”

“Third, what intrigues you most is me myself—what is so special about me that I could achieve both?”

At that, Zhang Yue’s gaze grew sharper, scrutinizing. As Li Yu said, what she most wanted to know was who he truly was. How could someone of his apparent strength subdue a near-ascended dragon spirit and wield the town’s edicts? The answer could only lie in Li Yu himself.

“You’re right,” Zhang Yue said, “but you left something out.”

Li Yu was momentarily caught off guard, but then understanding dawned. Zhang Yue, seeing this, continued, “Since you see through me so clearly, what is it that brings you to me now?”

Li Yu replied solemnly, “I want to work with you—to deal with your senior brother and sister together.”

Zhang Yue was stunned—she had not expected such a proposal. After a long moment, seeing that Li Yu was quite serious, she asked, “You mean it?”

“Of course.”

She sobered, asking earnestly, “Why?”

“Three reasons again,” Li Yu said.

He glanced toward Xu Kaijiang. “First, I know you’d like to take him away. It’s because of me—you can’t harm me, so you target him to spite me.”

Zhang Yue understood. “You do care for him. But that’s not enough.”

“Second, your relationship with your senior brother and sister isn’t as harmonious as you all pretend. In our earlier encounters, you subtly pushed them to antagonize me. I don’t know what grudges you bear, but right now our goals align. So, we can cooperate.”

Zhang Yue made no denial. Indeed, she had, in previous meetings, deliberately sown discord between Wan Kui and Li Yu, though only she knew her true purpose.

She considered, then said, “You’re more convincing now, but it’s still not quite enough.”

“Lastly, I know you want the dragon spirit. But let’s be frank—even if I handed it to you, with your strength, you couldn’t subdue it. So, why not settle for less? I’ll give you the Moonlit Silverfish as payment for our cooperation.”

Zhang Yue was truly tempted. For her, the reasons were clear: she could rid herself of the trouble posed by Wan Kui and Wan Yanyan, and gain a spirit fish as well.

But it still wasn’t worth risking everything. She decided to make one last bid for the dragon spirit.

“The fish is not enough—not compared to the dragon spirit.”

Li Yu fixed her with a smile. “Why do people yearn so for things beyond their reach? Chasing what we cannot possess rarely ends well.”

Zhang Yue was unbothered, meeting his gaze. “But if you never try, how can you know what’s yours to claim?”

Hearing this, Li Yu said no more. The two stood in a strange, silent standoff.

Suddenly, a powerful aura burst from Li Yu, pressing toward Zhang Yue.

She summoned all her spiritual power to resist, but it wasn’t enough. As she was about to be forced to her knees, she brought forth her life-bound treasure—a jade bracelet.

The bracelet transformed into a phantom dragon and lunged at Li Yu.

Seeing this, Li Yu finally understood why she was so obsessed with the dragon spirit.

The dragon spirit within him also manifested, taking the form of a golden dragon, more substantial and vibrant than the jade phantom.

The two dragons collided in midair. The phantom dragon quickly dissipated, reverting to the bracelet, which returned to Zhang Yue.

She said, disappointed, “It seems it was indeed wishful thinking on my part.”

Li Yu withdrew his aura, reassuring the Shen siblings and Xu Kaijiang, who had been drawn by the commotion, that all was well and they need not approach.

“I understand now why you crave the dragon spirit, but you’ve seen it with your own eyes—there’s no way you could master it,” Li Yu said.

Zhang Yue, regaining her pride, replied, “I know. I won’t covet it anymore. I accept your terms—but I need to know your plan before I decide if I’ll join you.”

Only then did Li Yu truly smile. He explained his strategy to Zhang Yue, whose expression grew grave. Her curiosity about his identity only deepened.

“You mean to use the Li family against them? Are you… from the Li family?” she asked.

Li Yu met her gaze. “If I were you, I wouldn’t ask. Whether I am or not makes no difference to you. All you need to know is that, by leveraging the Li family’s strength, we can extricate you entirely and together stand a better chance against them.”

Zhang Yue pondered a moment longer, then said, “Very well, I agree.”