"I Have a Bad Premonition..."

The Tengyun Pavilion guard, carrying his heavily injured and unconscious colleague on his back, followed Gu Feidi and Su Yang with Pu Lingyun to head deeper into the Phantom City.

This was Su Yang and Pu Lingyun’s first reunion since the wasteland incident. 

Thinking of his ignorant self, who still tried to match Gu Feidi with Pu Lingyun and to take them back to the Evil Sect to remove the Poisonous Gu…Su Yang felt a strange embarrassment inside.

Before, during the danger, he wasn’t aware of this feeling because he was focused on the fights. Now, walking silently together, this embarrassment came back with a vengeance, and he didn’t know how to face Pu Lingyun.

However, the martial siblings over there were oblivious to Su Yang’s internal struggle. From their long separation, they chatted about the events that occurred during that period of time.

Gu Feidi smiled at Pu Lingyun and asked, “I saw Fan Xi earlier. Did my father approve of your relationship with him?”

Pu Lingyun mumbled, “Yes, he approved it, but Shifu posed a difficult problem for Fan Xi…”

Gu Feidi asked, “What difficult problem?”

Pu Lingyun flattened her lips and explained in a whisper, “I don’t know what Shifu was thinking, but he wanted Fan Xi to come live with me—not merely the ‘living in the Lanyang City’ kind of simple way. What he means is for Fan Xi to live at the more pronounced family’s house as the son-in-law kind of way, because of my family status and also as my family’s only daughter. Effectively becoming a member of my family according to standards, you get it now?”

Gu Feidi was surprised as he turned to Pu Lingyun with wide eyes. “Is that so?”

Pu Lingyun nodded and muttered, “I don’t know what Shifu is thinking! Even my aunt sided with him…”

After chatting on a few more topics, Pu Lingyun noticed Su Yang who was quietly following them and bumped Gu Feidi with her elbow, asking in a low voice, “What’s happened between you and Su Yang? This has been bugging me.”

Gu Feidi raised an eyebrow slightly and wondered, “Fan Xi didn’t tell you? Yunzhan and my father didn’t tell you as well?”

Pu Lingyun huffed, “Of course they won’t tell me these kinds of things. The only things I get now are rumours travelling around the Jianghu...Xiao-Shixiong, are you really being…you know, by him?”

Smiling from her amusing question, Gu Feidi played dumb. “Know what?”

Pu Lingyun didn’t quite know how to phrase her question.

Gu Feidi turned back, took Su Yang’s hand, interlocked their fingers and faced Pu Lingyun to say, “We are resonant in love. He didn’t force me like the Jianghu rumours.”

Pu Lingyun stared widely at their tightly clasped hands.

Gu Feidi continued, “Before, at the wasteland, you told me how I wouldn’t understand loving someone whom my elder would never approve of...But I do, actually.”

After being shocked speechless for a long time, Pu Lingyun sighed, “...No wonder you ran away from home with him! Shifu will never approve of this. You’d better not go back to the Evil Sect, and especially not be caught by him!”

Gu Feidi: “...”

Su Yang: “...”

The two glanced at each other silently and couldn’t contain their chuckles. 

“But my father didn’t tell you about my false betrayal?” Gu Feidi questioned. “At that time, the situation was complicated. I needed to accompany Su Yang to seek medical treatment on the snowy mountain. In order to emphasise the Tengyun Pavilion’s dissociation with the Evil Sect, he declared that I had betrayed my pavilion. Moreover, my father may have wanted me to avoid this dispute from the beginning.”

Pu Lingyun breathed a sigh of relief. “Then you betraying our pavilion was fake...I also thought something was strange. Of course, you won’t abandon our pavilion for the sake of love.”

Gu Feidi laughed off this sentence.

Pu Lingyun continued her rant. “But since Shifu intended for you to avoid this conflict, then why did you come?” She looked very suspiciously at Su Yang, obviously, the distrust was not completely erased.

Gu Feidi murmured, “This is a very long story...”

While they hurried on their way, Gu Feidi told Pu Lingyun what happened after they were separated at the wasteland.

After that, Pu Lingyun’s expression changed when she heard the reason that caused them to rush back to the Evil Sect was to remove the Poisonous Gu, why they needed to travel to the snow mountain, why they returned to the House of Jade and obtained Shizun’s letter.

“Just like the immortal lovers mentioned in the folk stories, nothing more…” She murmured.

“I’m very surprised you were able to accept this so quickly.” Gu Feidi beamed. “You’ve really grown up, not like the little girl who would shout and scream at the slightest thing.”

Pu Lingyun was silent for a moment before crying, “You two are so connected emotionally, even your life is in each other’s hands. What’s wrong with not being a couple consisting of a man and woman? That’s only how we categorise ourselves based on the body we were born into...How can I not accept it? I’m even very envious of you two…”

Gu Feidi smiled and turned to Su Yang, squeezing their connected hands tighter.

* * *

Not long after they left, they were alarmed by the sound of fighting and decided to investigate. 

Xu Yunzhan barely escaped from the ambush of three petal retainers, fighting while trying to gain distance from the attackers. He had long been too occupied to notice the Phantom City’s landmarks and didn’t know his current location.

The three petal retainers were skilful, and well-experienced in fighting in a small team as they cooperated with each other tacitly. Fighting solo without support, he had injuries covering his entire body. The most concerning injury was on his leg, which stained half of his trousers with blood and heavily affected his mobility.

But that didn’t mean the petal retainers were having an easier time as they were also decorated with injuries. But they were three against one after all, able to continue to pursue Xu Yunzhan together.

While fighting, Xu Yunzhan went around a stone column as he tried to shake off his pursuers...Unbeknownst to him, he ran into two more patrolling petal retainers just around the stone.

Xu Yunzhan instinctively clenched his teeth and tightened the heavy sword in his head, ready to fight to the death.

At the moment when the petal retainer’s blade was about to slice open Xu Yunzhan’s back, a long sword suddenly intercepted the blade and firmly stopped the incoming blow. Then the owner of the sword displayed a silvery sword dance and forced back all three petal retainers.

Pu Lingyun appeared as her robe flung wildly from her speed, dual-wielded her swords and cornered the last petal retainer. She turned and called out, “Cousin!”

Seeing the newcomers, Xu Yunzhan could finally relax and take a breather. He stepped back and leaned against a boulder, gasping for breath with his sword still in hand.

The petal retainers saw the change in the situation, exchanged glances with each other, turned around and made their escape, without paying any regard to Su Yang.

In order to avoid getting lost and left alone again in the stone maze the Phantom City was known for, also with Xu Yunzhan injured and needing care. The group decided to not give chase.

Su Yang turned to Xu Yunzhan and asked, “What’s wrong with everyone? You both clearly entered in a group, why do we keep finding lost people?”

Gu Feidi also thought it was strange. He frowned and asked, “What is the status of the Tengyun Pavilion’s party? Why did you leave your group?”

“We were ambushed on very narrow terrain. Stretching our team too thinly from the length. The petal retainers took advantage of it and targeted our tail-end and cut off their escape.” Xu Yunzhan replied. “I received orders to tend to the end of the line, helped them regroup...Afterwards, they should have caught up with the rest of the team safely. There’s no need to worry…”

Gu Feidi took out healing powder and applied it to Xu Yunzhan’s wound. He was still worried. “How about the casualties?”

Xu Yunzhan shook his head and pulled out a reassuring smile. “It’s actually lower than we expected...There may be some issue happening within the Evil Sect. Being in several fights, I saw that some petal retainers seem to be secretly sabotaging their companions’ kills...Although the techniques were extremely flawless to spot, I was bound to notice the strange actions if used repeatedly.”

Hearing this answer, Gu Feidi turned towards Su Yang.

Su Yang immediately huffed, “Hey don’t look at me. I also don’t know the operation being played!”

Gu Feidi pondered for a moment and commented, “Whatever the case, we still have to go to the Sanctuary to confirm, to finally learn what’s going on.”

Then he turned to Xu Yunzhan. “Can you continue?”

Xu Yunzhan stood using his sword as support and answered, “I’m fine. I still have enough strength to fight…”

Seeing the wounds covering Xu Yunzhan, Su Yang suddenly remembered that in the script, Xu Yunzhan’s tragic plot was due to his willingness to sacrifice his life to save Gu Feidi from an ambush—a plot that would happen in their current scenario.

Although the plot was completely screwed up by his own hands, since the battle against the Evil Sect still appeared at the node of winter, it proved that many things were still not shifted by his will.

Now, looking at Xu Yunzhan’s pale complexion, and standing purely from determination, let alone having the strength to join the fight...Su Yang was feeling slightly distressed. 

“Xu Yunzhan,” He blurted with a frown. “I don’t think you should follow us to the Sanctuary.”

Xu Yunzhan turned to Su Yang in surprise and asked, “Why?”

Su Yang cajoled, “You’re hurt all over. By the time we do need to fight, your limited movement might become our liability. It’s very...dangerous.”

Xu Yunzhan laughed. “Since I came to participate in the battle, how can I withdraw just from the smallest injury? If I didn’t know your deep relationship with Gu Feidi, I would have doubted your intention to persuade me…”

“It’s not for the Evil Sect…” Su Yang stammered. “You…I just...I have a bad premonition.”

Xu Yunzhan didn’t respond to Su Yang’s words, but Gu Feidi did.

“What premonition?” He gazed into Su Yang’s eyes and asked in bewilderment. “Dangerous one?”

Su Yang couldn’t answer.

The pleading emotion appeared in his eyes as he maintained their eye contact and whispered, “Please believe me…”

Gu Feidi hesitated for a moment, turned to Xu Yunzhan and asked, “Why didn’t Lady Ying join you in this battle?”

Xu Yunzhan’s attention circled between Gu Feidi and Su Yang. He didn’t understand what riddles the two were playing. However, since Gu Feidi asked this question, he answered it truthfully, “Before departure, the doctor informed us that my wife is pregnant...So she is staying in the village safely with my future child.”

Gu Feidi was shocked by the news. “You are...going to be a father?!”

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Xu Yunzhan replied, “Now is not the right time to talk about this…”

Gu Feidi shook his head and urged, “In that case, you might as well return to the garrison outside the Phantom City and stay with Fan Xi. Although there is a hidden agenda in this battle, the sword could harm both friends and foes. You’re also injured, making it inconvenient to move. What if an unexpected misfortune happened to you? How could Lady Ying live with herself?”

Xu Yunzhan remained silent.

Crossing her arms, Pu Lingyun sighed, “I agree with Xiao-Shixiong. Cousin, just go back. We didn’t carry much medicine on us anyway. Judging by your wounds, it’s best if they get careful treatment...Moreover, there’s already someone with us who is seriously injured. Why don’t you go back out with them? Fan Xi will definitely take care of everyone.”

Under the persuasion of the crowd, Xu Yunzhan finally decided to leave the Phantom City with the two Tengyun Pavilion guards.

Watching their figures disappear, Su Yang’s worry didn’t decrease at all. There were still petal retainers patrolling around the Phantom City. They were not completely out of the woods yet. He didn’t know whether he had made a correct judgement call or not, or whether he was able to alter Xu Yunzhan’s fate.

“You’ve been acting a little anxious since we entered the wasteland.” Gu Feidi asked. He furrowed his eyebrows as he stroked the back of the other man’s neck. “Since we stepped foot in the Phantom City, your state of mind has been completely disordered...What’s on your mind?”

Su Yang shook his head. “Nothing.”

Seeing that the other wasn’t willing to share his burden, Gu Feidi didn’t continue to pursue. 

The three walked together, following the marks set by the Evil Sect, they finally came out of the Phantom City and reached the beautiful scenery of the Sanctuary.