Chapter Sixty-Five: No Way Through

Update Time: 2013-07-01

Looking up, the mountain wall before them seemed as though it had been polished by human hands, offering almost no place for deliberate climbing. The wall soared to the clouds, its end lost to sight, everywhere proclaiming the words: "No passage here."

Yu Wen Lingxi gazed at Lian Yue’s discouraged expression, uncertain whether to feel joy or sorrow. The current situation, coincidentally, aligned perfectly with his father's wishes. If things continued as they were, the time they would spend alone together would certainly not be short. Yet he himself had not even the ability to protect himself, let alone guarantee her safety—especially in such an unfamiliar environment.

Thinking this, Yu Wen Lingxi couldn’t help but wonder what expression his father would wear if he knew his own fate was uncertain after falling from the cliff. Perhaps... but with his father's temperament, at most he would cast a glance, then have his second brother, always lurking in the shadows, take his place.

In the Yu Wen family, his presence was never missed, nor his absence ever mourned.

After Lian Yue withdrew her gaze from the sheer cliff, she intended to complain to the only living soul beside her. Yet seeing the sorrow in his eyes, she assumed it was because he saw no way out. The words on her lips changed to, “Let’s keep searching. Maybe there’s another path.”

Yu Wen Lingxi sensed the concern in her words, and beneath the bronze mask, his pale face twisted in a self-mocking smile. In truth, if they were trapped here for life, unable to escape, as long as she was with him, it would not be such a bad thing.

But he knew well that Lian Yue was tied to many people, and many would grieve madly over her disappearance. In the end, she would have to leave.

“Alright.”

The two began to search for an exit along the cliff's edge.

Above them, at the dizzying heights of the cliff, Yue Lingjun’s face was nearly as black as winter coal, while Qingqiu cautiously reported the findings about the cliff.

“My side, along the wall, becomes impassable after descending thirty yards—unless someone is lowered by ropes, there’s no other way.”

Qingqiu’s voice grew softer with each word, until he was nearly humming.

“So what are you standing here for? Hurry and send someone back to the River Luo Estate to fetch ropes long enough!”

It had now been four hours since Lian Yue’s disappearance; the worst-case scenario they had imagined had become the only answer.

With Lian Yue’s fate uncertain, Yue Lingjun, as the eldest brother, was in no mood for comfort. Even Qingqiu’s every message was met with scolding.

Beside him, Lan Shui, equally grim, gently patted Yue Lingjun’s shoulder. “What’s happened is done. Anger solves nothing. We must calm down.”

Yue Lingjun’s clenched fists tightened further, his eyes reddening as he nearly roared, “I know I need to calm down, but every time I think that Yue’er fell from here, I can’t! If I’d known, I would have risked my life to keep that damned man in black! It’s my fault! I didn’t protect Yue’er! I killed her!”

A sharp slap cracked through the silence; only Qingqiu’s sharp intake of breath broke the quiet at the cliff’s edge.

Lan Shui withdrew her hand and shouted, “Who said Yue’er is dead? With so many people here, who saw her die? Did you? Did anyone?”

Her tone softened. “When the man in black took Yue’er, we were all incapacitated by his poison. We could barely move, let alone fight. If you had the strength, I believe you would’ve been first to act. Now, you must lead us. Anyone else may lose composure, but you cannot. Remember, Yue’er may be injured and waiting for rescue—a delay could mean danger to her life.”

Facing Lan Shui, Yue Lingjun gradually calmed, his breathing steadying. After a brief silence, he turned to Qingling, now composed, and asked, “Has anyone estimated how deep this cliff is?”

Qingqiu, seeing Yue Lingjun regain composure, felt steadier himself and spoke with less hesitation. “Conditions are limited; all we know is that it’s very deep.”

He emphasized the last words, making Yue Lingjun’s brow furrow even deeper.

“Go back to River Luo Estate and inform Steward Yue of the situation, have him purchase as much rope as possible,” Yue Lingjun paused, thinking, “Also, bring tools for cutting through rock, and hire all those who have descended this cliff before—no matter the cost.”

“Understood!” Qingqiu replied, and hurried away once dismissed.

Lan Shui watched the newly calm man with some relief. With only the two of them left, she pulled him to sit upon a stone near the cliff. Together, they gazed at the abyss.

A breeze brushed past, and Yue Lingjun spoke wearily, “Do you think Yue’er is... she must be waiting for us to rescue her, yet here we sit, doing nothing.”

Lan Shui rubbed her aching temples. “No one could have foreseen this. The drug was tasteless and colorless—impossible to guard against. I think Yue’er would want us to stay calm, not rush in heedlessly and lose our lives.”

“Lan Shui, do you think I’ve failed terribly as a brother? If not for your slap, I would have lost my head long ago.”

Lan Shui turned to him, seeing defeat and guilt written all over his face. Feeling his vulnerability, she took his tightly clenched hands in hers, comforting, “It would be abnormal not to panic in such circumstances. Even if I hadn’t acted, I believe you would have calmed down eventually.”

Yue Lingjun tried to smile at Lan Shui, but failed.

Behind them, two yards away, Qin Che watched from behind a tree, his expression complex as he looked at the pair sitting close, hands joined. His heart was bitter, filled with myriad emotions—except anger.

Perhaps, it was better this way. She had let go. Should he do the same...?

A cough interrupted his thoughts. Qin Che stepped out from behind the tree, approaching Lan Shui and Yue Lingjun, affecting nonchalance. “Cousin, I’ve checked the woods nearby—there’s a development.”

Yue Lingjun, too busy to notice Lan Shui’s quickly withdrawn hands, asked with grave seriousness, “What is it?”

“When we chased here earlier, I suspected others had passed through. After a careful search, it turns out another group arrived before us.”

Qin Che, seeing their attentiveness, proceeded to detail his findings. Years of observing his father had honed his investigative skills, and his time with Zhang Xingtai had taught him much about analyzing crime scenes.

His analysis made Yue Lingjun and Lan Shui frown deeply. If he was correct, and another group had preceded them, then Lian Yue’s fall might not be the only explanation.

Perhaps the evidence here was deliberately fabricated to delay them. Lian Yue’s situation, while not immediately life-threatening, could turn worse than a fall from the cliff, and the motives of these people were certainly not simple. What was their aim?

Yue Lingjun forced himself to remain calm, weighing the situation and deciding what to do next.

Just then, Qingling arrived with a report, confirming Yue Lingjun’s suspicions.

Qingling, face solemn, reported, “Young Master, a hundred yards from here, someone attempted to descend the cliff, but abandoned the effort when they saw us approaching. We caught a glimpse of a black garment vanishing into the woods. Now some have given chase. As for here…”

“Divide our men into three groups: one to continue surveying for any possible path down the cliff, one to search for evidence nearby, and one to pursue the direction of the tracks. You lead the pursuit—catch them and find out who they are.”

“Yes!” Qingling replied, executing the orders without hesitation.

At the cliff’s edge, Yue Lingjun, Lan Shui, and Qin Che looked at each other, all gravely serious. If Lian Yue’s fall was a diversion by the man in black, the situation was far more complicated, with wider implications.

Given Lian Yue’s special status, it involved the Yue family, the Yu Wen family, and her marriage into the royal family ensured that Yue Lian Yu would not remain indifferent—especially with her brother, the enigmatic master of the Hidden Law Sect, lurking in the shadows.