He Yuzhu returns in Siheyuan

Chapter 838 News about the Flood Dragon Clan

Having said that, the fourth brother turned and walked out, his steps large and hurried, creating a gust of wind that swept across the courtyard. The bronze wind chimes that had hung at the courtyard gate for many years jingled incessantly in the wind, their crisp sound like shattered jade falling to the ground, rippling through the silent courtyard, yet doing nothing to dispel the heavy, somber atmosphere. He knew perfectly well that something that made Elder Qingyi, usually as composed as Mount Tai, sit so upright and give such repeated instructions could not be taken lightly. This news had to reach He Yuzhu's ears immediately; even the slightest delay could cause trouble, after all, matters of the Dragon Clan always had far-reaching consequences.

"Fourth brother, wait a minute." Elder Qingyi suddenly called out to him, his aged voice carrying an unmistakable admonition, "Remember, this matter is of great importance, involving the past generations. When you report back to the sect leader, you must explain the cause and effect clearly, and not omit any details, even those you may think are insignificant."

The fourth elder paused, turned around, and his usual casual expression vanished. He nodded solemnly, "Elder, rest assured. Although I still don't understand why our human sect is so concerned about the dragon clan's affairs—after all, the dragon clan has been in seclusion for many years and has never had any dealings with us—I have remembered every word you instructed me to say. I guarantee that when I see the sect leader, I will convey the message exactly as it is, without any ambiguity."

Elder Qingyi nodded slowly, saying nothing more. He picked up the string of glossy bodhi seeds he had been playing with again, his fingertips slowly stroking them, the lines sinking into his palm. His gaze passed over the vines on the courtyard wall, looking towards the distant, mist-shrouded mountains. His eyes were deep, as if they held a thousand unspoken words, or shrouded in an impenetrable fog—the look in Long Shishen's eyes when he entrusted his son to him was still clearly imprinted in his mind. It was the final entrustment of a powerful being, weighing a thousand pounds.

The fourth brother dared not delay, turning around and quickening his pace, the bluestone path beneath his feet making a "thump-thump" sound as he hurried straight towards He Yuzhu's residence. He knew in his heart that the affairs of the Dragon Clan were far-reaching, involving ancient grudges and present-day conflicts. He Yuzhu, the young sect leader, had never known the intricacies of this matter—it was all a task secretly entrusted to Elder Qingyi by Long Shishen on his deathbed, when he still had the strength, instructing him to keep a close watch on the Dragon Clan's whereabouts and protect their legacy for any eventuality. When He Yuzhu took over as sect leader three years ago, Elder Qingyi hadn't elaborated on the details, only saying it was an important matter entrusted to him by his predecessor, requiring constant attention and diligence.

The fourth brother arrived outside He Yuzhu's courtyard, his pace unconsciously slowing. He knew that He Yuzhu's wife, Xiaoli, was of fox clan origin, gentle and kind, and treated sect disciples with kindness, but ultimately she was a demon. The entanglement between the dragon clan and the demon clan was far more complex than humans imagined; matters concerning the dragon clan involved internal conflicts within the demon clan, so it was best to keep it from her for now, lest she worry unnecessarily and suffer unnecessary trouble.

So he stood under the old locust tree outside the courtyard gate, hands behind his back, waiting quietly. The spring sunlight filtered through the layers of leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground like scattered gold. A breeze rustled the leaves, and the shadows swayed, creating a rare sense of leisure that seemed completely out of place with his anxious state of mind.

Not long after, the courtyard gate creaked open, and He Yuzhu emerged. He had changed into a clean blue cloth robe, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his strong wrists. He carried a bulging cloth bag, seemingly heading to the sect's workshop. These days, sect affairs had slowed down, with no major disputes, giving him some free time. He spent his days at the workshop working on improving farm tools and weapons, saying, "Cultivation begins with cultivating the mind; one must live a grounded life." He had become less interested in meditation and cultivation. When his disciples tried to persuade him otherwise, he would always smile and wave his hand, saying, "One must eat one bite at a time, and cultivation cannot be rushed. You can't become fat overnight. Do your work well, and when you feel at peace, your cultivation will naturally follow."

"Sect Master." The fourth brother quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and lowered his voice unconsciously. He glanced at the courtyard out of the corner of his eye, and seeing that no one came out, he continued, "There is something important that I must tell you in person."

When He Yuzhu left, his steps were fairly steady, his hands in his sleeves, his face bearing his usual casualness, as if he were just going to borrow some soy sauce from Old Wang's house in the front yard. But the Dragon Slayer within him was already on edge—when he sensed the Fourth Brother's aura approaching, that faint fluctuation belonging to a branch of the dragon race pierced his consciousness like a needle, instantly putting him on alert. Although he didn't yet know the Fourth Brother's purpose in coming—whether it was a routine report or something else important—he didn't intend to avoid it; after all, some things had to be brought to the surface eventually.

"Why aren't you cultivating in your own territory? What are you doing here at this hour?" He Yuzhu stood by the Moon Cave entrance, looking at the tall and imposing fourth brother before him. His black robe accentuated the man's handsome appearance. His tone carried a hint of sect leader authority, with a slight rise in his voice at the end, but his eyes held the scrutiny of a dragon-slaying god—this junior was always diligent, and his sudden appearance in the heart of the sect today was no accident.

The fourth brother was taken aback by the question, his hands unconsciously clenching at his sides. He sensed that the sect leader seemed different today; there was an inexplicable distance between his brows, as if veiled by a thin mist, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was amiss. Suppressing his doubts, he bowed and replied, "Sect Leader, I did not come without reason. I just received a message from the clan regarding the Flood Dragon Clan. There are some scattered pieces of information, and thinking that this matter might be related to you, I came immediately."

"Oh?" He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow, the lines at the corners of his eyes smoothing out a bit, and gestured for him to continue, "Tell me about it."

The fourth brother then briefly reported what he had found out: "We only found out that the patriarch of the Flood Dragon Clan, Long Si, seems to have been seriously injured, the kind that damages his very essence. As for the specific location of the injury and where he is hiding now, we don't know yet. Our spies in the clan said that the Flood Dragon Clan has been making quite a lot of moves recently, sending out a lot of secret guards, as if they are secretly searching for something important. The atmosphere in the clan is very tense, and even the guards are 30% tighter than usual."

He Yuzhu (Long Shishen)'s fingertips tightened almost imperceptibly, his knuckles turning white in his sleeve pocket—Long Si was injured? This news struck him like a stone chilled to the bone, sending a shiver down his spine. His face remained impassive; he simply nodded slowly and ordered in a steady tone, "Alright, go and inform Elder Qingyi to send more men to investigate the whereabouts of the Flood Dragon Clan, especially Long Si. Remember, report back to me immediately with any concrete information, without delay. I have important matters to attend to here and don't have time for this right now."