The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

"These siblings are truly difficult to handle!"

The leader of the masked rogue cultivators gritted his teeth as he watched Yun Yanshuang and Yun Yantian fight side by side, carving through his ranks with relentless precision.

Despite exhausting every tool and technique at their disposal, the attackers could barely hold the two at bay. Killing them outright? That seemed like an unattainable dream.

One wielded a spear with mastery so profound it rivaled a Qi Refinement cultivator in raw combat prowess.

The other had comprehended sword intent, her every strike unpredictable and devastating, leaving no opportunity for defense.

"This isn't working! My talismans and spirit tools are nearly depleted! And those demon birds and beasts… they've all retreated for some reason. Could it be that Yuan Shusheng has fallen?"

"Should we retreat?"

"Retreat? Are you serious? The Tongshan Xia Clan promised us a hefty reward!"

"A reward we'll never live to enjoy! These two are impossible to deal with. Killing Yun Yantian is a fool's errand."

The leader wasn't the only one considering retreat. The rest of the masked cultivators were also wavering. They had been hired by the Xia Clan to kill for money, but they weren't willing to throw away their lives.

People like them—mercenaries living on the edge—valued their lives above all else. They only fought when the odds were in their favor. But when the target proved too formidable and their own lives were at risk, continuing the fight was sheer stupidity.

"We can't hold them off! We can't kill Yun Yantian! Retreat!"

Weighing the risks, the leader decided that retreat was the wisest option. They could regroup and plan another way to deal with Yun Yantian later.

"You're trying to run?"

Yun Yantian's sharp eyes caught the movements of the retreating cultivators. With a cold glint in his gaze, he shattered their layered attacks and talisman suppressions with his Cloud-Pattern Spear. Then, with a burst of speed from the Treading Snow Without a Trace technique, he closed the distance in an instant.

"Do you think I'm afraid of you?!"

One of the rogue cultivators, seeing Yun Yantian charging toward him, roared in defiance. With a furious swing, his spirit-infused blade unleashed a massive arc of saber energy, its thunderous force slashing toward Yun Yantian with deadly intent.

"Piercing the Rainbow!"

Unfazed by the incoming attack, Yun Yantian countered with the third technique of the Hundred Battles Spear Art—Piercing the Rainbow.

With a sharp thrust, the spear's energy surged forward like an unstoppable force. It cut through the saber energy effortlessly, splitting it apart as if it were nothing.

The residual force of the spear didn't stop there. Like a bolt of lightning, it struck the rogue cultivator's chest, piercing straight through his body. A gaping, bowl-sized hole was left in its wake, surrounded by shattered bones and torn flesh.

The rogue cultivator collapsed with a dull thud, blood pooling beneath him as his lifeless body fell still.

"These two siblings are relentless!"

The leader of the masked cultivators turned back and saw Yun Yanshuang and Yun Yantian pursuing them like wolves hunting prey. He could only watch in frustration as his comrades fell one after another to their combined assault.

What had begun with them as hunters stalking their quarry had completely reversed. Now, they were the hunted, scrambling for their lives.

And Yun Yantian—the so-called prey—was chasing them with the ferocity of a madman.

"A Thousand Shadows!"

Before the leader could think further, a sharp killing intent sent a chill down his spine.

Looking up, he saw Yun Yanshuang close in on him, her Qing Shuang Sword glowing faintly as dozens of sword lights materialized around her.

Under her command, the sword lights shot forward like a storm of blades, aiming directly at him and his nearby ally.

"Damn it!"

Panicking, the leader grabbed the closest rogue cultivator and shoved him forward as a human shield.

"Yellow Yang, you bastard!"

The unfortunate rogue cultivator screamed in rage as he was thrown into the path of the deadly onslaught.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Dozens of sword lights pierced through his body, riddling it with holes. Blood gushed out in streams, and his lifeless corpse crumpled to the ground, his once-solid frame reduced to a broken, bloodied shell.

"You can only blame yourself for not being smart enough," the leader muttered coldly, his eyes glinting with malice.

Without wasting another second, he activated a Swift Talisman, its golden light wrapping around him as he prepared to flee.

"Thousand Armies Charge!"

A sharp shout echoed through the valley as Yun Yantian's attack arrived like a thunderstorm.

The terrifying spear aura surged forward, as if conjuring hundreds of divine and demonic phantoms that roared and charged with overwhelming force.

Caught off guard, Huang Yang could not evade in time. The devastating strike slammed into him, sending him flying like a ragdoll. Blood spewed from his mouth as his body crashed into a massive tree, snapping it in half.

Whoosh!

In a flash, Yun Yantian was upon him, Cloud-Pattern Spear poised to deliver the final blow. But just as the weapon was about to strike, a voice rang out from the heavens.

"Yantian, leave him alive!"

The sound of Li Qing's voice snapped Yun Yantian out of his bloodlust. He hesitated, then withdrew his spear, standing tall as he awaited the elder's arrival.

"Immortal Li, why spare him?" Yun Yanshuang asked as Li Qing descended gracefully from the sky. Her tone was puzzled, even slightly indignant.

"We leave him for the Emperor to handle. If we uncover evidence of the mastermind behind this, the Emperor will have grounds to act against the Tongshan Xia Clan," Li Qing replied.

"You already know the Xia Clan is behind this. Why go to such lengths?"

"Evidence is always necessary, Yanshuang," Li Qing said with a wry smile. "One must act with legitimacy."

Yun Yanshuang nodded slowly, though her expression suggested she wasn't entirely convinced.

"Go check on the Seventh Princess, your uncle, and the others. Leave this one to me," Li Qing ordered, his voice calm but firm.

"Understood."

The siblings nodded and departed swiftly, heading deeper into the valley to search for their family.

"Yantian, over here!"

Yun Yanshuang's voice rang out as they reached the overturned carriage lying abandoned by the side of the road. They quickly searched the wreckage but found no sign of Yun Yanshui or the others.

Worry creased their faces as they extended their spiritual senses, scanning the area. Finally, they detected faint life signals in a concealed cave nearby.

Inside, they found Yun Yunyang and Baili Moxue, both unconscious.

"Uncle!"

Yun Yanshuang rushed to Yun Yunyang's side, gently propping him up against the rocky wall of the cave. Slowly, he stirred awake, his expression dazed.

"Where... where am I?"

"Baili!"

On the other side of the cave, Yun Yantian cradled Baili Moxue in his arms. Seeing that she was merely unconscious and not seriously harmed, he let out a sigh of relief.

But his relief was short-lived. His eyes darted around anxiously.

"Where's Yanshui?"

A trembling voice answered from outside the cave.

"W-wait! I'm here! So many beasts! It was terrifying!"

The siblings turned to see Yun Yanshui stumbling toward them, his clothes torn and filthy, his face pale and scratched.

"Yanshui, are you hurt?" Yun Yunyang and Yun Yantian rushed to check on him, concern etched on their faces.

"Haha, I got lucky," Yun Yanshui said with a sheepish grin. "When the carriage flipped, I got thrown into a crack between some rocks. It was a tight spot, hidden from view, so those beasts didn't find me.

"I thought I was done for, but it turned out to be my saving grace!"

"Good, as long as you're safe," Yun Yunyang said, finally exhaling a long breath of relief.

Only Yun Yanshuang had a knowing look in her eyes. She understood her brother far too well. He had likely dealt with the hidden manipulators behind the beast horde himself. Otherwise, there was no way the beasts would have scattered so suddenly during their earlier battle.

"What about Uncle and Sister Baili? Are they alright?" Yun Yanshui asked, his voice tinged with concern as he glanced at the cave's interior.

"I'm fine," Yun Yunyang replied. "I must have been thrown into this cave when the carriage flipped. My luck held out."

"Baili's injuries aren't serious either. She's still unconscious, but she'll recover," Yun Yantian added.

"Good, good. Looks like everyone made it out okay," Yun Yanshui said with a broad smile, his tone lighthearted once again.

"Yanshui, stay here and watch over Sister Baili. I'm going to salvage the carriage and re-hitch the horses. We need to get back to the clan as soon as possible," Yun Yantian said, clapping his brother on the shoulder before heading out of the cave.

"Your act was flawless, Yanshui," Yun Yanshuang teased as she approached him. "Hiding in a crack, huh? Why not say you got stuck in a ravine instead?"

"Hey, if you're going to fake something, you've got to commit! Do you know how much it hurt to rip up my favorite robe for this charade?" Yun Yanshui grinned.

"Don't worry, Brother Yan Ying handles the family's fabric trade. I'll have him send you some new ones when we're back," Yun Yanshuang replied with a chuckle.

"So... did you pull off another big one this time?"

"Shh," Yun Yanshui whispered, putting a finger to his lips. "We'll talk about it when we're home."