“ How do you expect us to move on that easily ?”

“ Yang Changtian, the relationship between our sects ends here. You are not allowed to step inside our sect till the day our sister and master returns.” Huang Baicheng said coldly.

Zhang Anying tried to protest. “ You can’t just do that.”

“ I can and I will, let me remind you that for now, I’m in charge of the sect. Even if Li Cheng comes back and takes over, he won't disagree,” replied Huang Baicheng coldly. “Li Heng asked someone to escort them out.”

Li Heng nodded and signalled to 2 disciples standing in the back, “ Please escort Brother Yang and Brother Zhang out.”.

“ Yes, senior brother .”

They approached Yang Changtian and Zhang Anying. “ Brother Yang Brother Zhang, this way please, don't make this harder for us “.

“ We’ll show ourselves out don't bother,” replied Yang Changtian turning around to leave. He then stopped, slowly turned around and knelt. He kowtowed 3 times each for Master Sun and Hei Jingyou, begging for forgiveness.

“ Brother Yang, what are you doing?” Zhang Anying was mortified, his senior brother has always been a proud person some might even say arrogant. He would never bow for anyone, yet here he was kneeling.

“Zhang Anying, go out for a moment I need to speak with them privately”.

“But..” Zhang Anying wanted to refute.

“Zhang Anying! Please go out first, I'll join you shortly” Yang Changtian cut in coldly.

Zhang Anying was shocked, this was the first time brother had been short with him. He looked down,” Okay brother Yang, I'll wait for you outside the gates”.

Yang Changtian noidded.

Zhang Anying bowed to everyone present and turned around to leave, the 2 disciples also left escorting him.

“ What do you want to say, Yang Changtian ?’ Huang Baicheng asked.

“ Huang Baicheng, Baihua, Masters, I know that there’s no use kneeling and I also know that you probably won't believe my words anymore, but I promise you here today.” Yang Changtian took out a dagger, which was a dagger given by Hei Jingyou for his coming-of-age ritual, he used the dagger to cut his finger, he took out an empty talisman and wrote down something.” I promise that I will look for Hei Jingyou and master Sun, till the day I'm no longer on this Earth, this is my l promise towards your sect .” he blew onto the talisman, which started to float and in the next moment it burst into flames and the ashes flew away with the wind.

Master Li recognised it, it was an unbreakable promise talisman the caster will be bound to fulfil the promise till death or even beyond death. He was surprised. Did this child care for Hei’er that much, while it’s true that she's been by his side for so long and he considered her his bosom buddy and only partner, is friendship and companionship enough to drive him into making this promise? This child is obviously promising to dedicate his life to looking for Hei’er and old man Sun. He was stroking his long white beard, and he sighed.

“ Yang Changtian

, child, as much as I hate to say this, they might not even be alive at this point..” Master Li began.

“ No, Master Li , I believe with all my heart that they're alive , I won't believe it until I see evidence that they're dead. “

“ Yang Changtian , don't think that this silly promise of yours will make us feel anything , it's useless for you to even think that we'll ever forgive you.” Huang Baicheng answered with rage apparent in his voice. “ Leave and remember , the relationship between our sects are severed till the day sister and master comes back, when your wrongs are righted. We will keep contact with your master , but the only reason why we’ll keep contact with him is for the sake of his and our master’s relationship.”

“ I’m not asking for your forgiveness nor your sympathy, Baichng. I understand very well that I will never receive your forgiveness. But I swear in my life that I’ll get Jingyou and Master Sun back, and if they are not alive , I swear that I will bring their bodies or cores back.”

With that Yang Chnagtina did a final bow towards the crowd and walked out.

He strode out the door , for he had no way to know when he'd lose control of his emotions. He walked fast towards the main gate of the sect , and Zhang Anying was pacing back and forth outside waiting for him. When he saw him , Zhang Anying ran up to him . “ Brother are you okay ?’.

“ Why wouldn't I be okay? I was just speaking to them , they are not monsters to kill me.” Yang Changtian said, laughing slightly. “ Let’s go back.”

Zhang Anying nodded and they turned to leave. Soon they arrived at their sect’s headquarters. “ Anying , you go ahead , I need to report to my master.” Zhang Anyng looked at the world for a second but decided that it would be best for Yang Changtian to let their master know about what happened.

Yang Changtian , walked across the sect and soon arrived in front of a little secluded courtyard, where his master stayed. He went up to the door , then knocked. “ Master , it’s me Changtian, can I come in ?” . He heard shuffles inside the room and soon the week of his master came through.

“ Come in child.”

Yang entered and closed the door , he then bowed towards his master, who was sitting.

“Master I informed the Bihou sect , and they said that they’ll sever all relationships with us , they said that while you're still welcomed for the sake of your old friendship with Uncle Sun, I’m not allowed to even step inside till Jingyou and uncle return.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Long Dacheng stood up, walking closer to Yang Changtian. He helped him to stand up .

“ Master, they found out about Fang Chenmei ,” Yang Changtian whispered weakly.

Long Dacheng sighed , “ I knew that this would come out eventually, no wonder their reaction was so strong , how did they find out ? “

“ Huang Baicheng overheard Jingyou and uncle discussing it.”

Master Long nodded her head twice , “ Don’t worry child , they’ll come around eventually. In the meantime try your best to find Hei’er and old man Sun.”

“ Yes master , I already casted an unbreakable promise talisman.”

Long Dacheng was surprised at this , the unbreakable promise talisman was skill taught to only the head disciples of the Guanghui sect. The promise is eternally embedded in their soul and if they break their promise , the caster will suffer major consequences such as crippling his cultivation. He had once cast it himself, to mend the friendship between him and Sun Xiandong after they had a falling out. And now here he was, witnessing another similar situation only that the receiver was missing.

“ Are you sure about this Changtian? You’re essentially binding your life with Hei’er .”

“ I’m sure master, she didn't have a spell or promise cast to remain by my side and always help me. I never realized it but she’s always been there silently behind me. She even came to help me despite being injured, and I just heard that she didn't wake up for days after because of the toll it took on her body. If I had just heeded that evil woman’s word. She did so much for me, yet I….. “ Yang Changtian was getting choked up. “ I took her for granted I thought she’ll always be my side. I don’t even how she looks like Master. Hell, I don't even know if she’s a human. We’ve known each other for 40 years now master, yet I have never seen her face, I don’t know anything about her. And I’ve never made an effort to find out others, cause I always thought she’d be a constant in my life. My final memory of her is her bringing me and the others some pastries she made before going into seclusion. When I think about how I might never get to eat those pastries again, how I’ll never have someone else who’ll guard my back the way she did, I feel like someone is physically stabbing me in the heart. ” Yang Changtian could no longer control his emotions.

“ I apologise, master, but I request permission to leave.” Yang Changtian said bowing to his master before striding out the door.

“This child….” Master Long shook his head sadly.

He soon heard a knock on his door and he saw his other disciple Zhou Zilong at the door. “ Master, I just saw older brother walk away looking upset. Is he okay Should I go check on him ?.”

“ Leave him be Zilong, he just can't cope well with his emotions right now, Hei’er and old man Sun’s attack was a major hit for him. Just let him sort his feelings out for a while.”

“ Okay master., answered Zhou Zilong, Older brother’s shock must be great. Sister Hei was always by his side when he needed help. He must be going to Xin Sui Mountain Sister Hei and Uncle Sun, I hope you're okay. Please come back soon for older brother and master.

Yang Chantian decided to go to the only place where he was guaranteed some peace, Xin Sui Mountain. Jingyou and he came here a lot. Jingyou brought him to this place first when he was 13, his master punished him for not perfecting his all-seeing eye technique. To be fair it was during the fireworks festival and he wanted to see the fireworks. He decided to sneak out. He ran towards the Bihou sect and sneaked in. He managed to sneak past all the guards, but looking back now, he was sure they noticed him but decided to turn a blind eye. He reached Jingyou’s courtyard, this place was made for her. He snuck in through the garden, the garden was expertly maintained by Jingyou herself, gardenias, magnolia and roses were always present in her garden giving off an irresistible scent. Yang Changtian loved to sleep amongst the bushes whenever he visited. Past the Garden is a small pond filled with blue lotus flowers. Though the moon was shining bright over them, reflecting in the pond looking like a gateway to another world the flowers were tightly closed. What a pity they don't bloom during the night, thought Yang Changtian.

But he was not here to appreciate the beauty of the flowers. He decided that Jingyou might be asleep so he inched closer to the building. Soon a warm hand covered his mouth from behind and he felt someone appear behind him. He panicked for a minute but he heard a soft voice, “ Shhh Changtian it’s me.”

That's when Yang Changtian found the shadows' scent familiar. He turned around and saw that the person was wearing a gold mask with carvings of lotuses and gardenias. He immediately recognised his friend Hei Jingyou.

“ Jingyou, don't sneak up on me like that, it's not nice.”

“ What’s not nice is you sneaking into the courtyard trying to wake me up in the middle of the night, Changtian,” answered Jingyou in a soft voice, a smile apparent in her voice. “ Now tell me why are you here ?”

“ I want to go see the firework festival, come along with me please ?’

“ Sure,” she answered directly she never said no to Changtian.

“ But it’ll be dangerous for us to go to the city. How about this? I know this place has a great view of the fireworks. Let’s go there .”

“ Okay” Yang Changtian happily agreed, he didn't mind as long as he got to see the fireworks.

Together they snuck out and He Jingyoy led him to Xin Sui Mountain.

“ Jingyou isn't this the mountain that has the abandoned temple? “

“ Yes” confirmed Hei Jingyou people don't come here anymore so the location is relatively isolated, and even if someone comes they won't go beyond the temple. But I accompanied my master on a mission recently and I found a path to reach the top of the mountain. Follow me.”

Yang Changtian nodded and followed behind Hei Jingyou.

She soon led him into a wall covered with vines and she parted the vines revealing a cave. Together they entered the cave and Hei Jingyou pulled out a flame stick and blew on it and she held Changtian’s hand with her free hand. “ Stay close to Changtian,” she said to him before going deeper into the cave and soon they saw a light at the other end of the cave.

Soon they came out of the cave, and Yang Changtian found himself in front of a clearly abandoned pathway running up the mountain.

“ I don't know who built it, but it sure is useful,” said Hei Jingyou jokingly.

“ I know right,” replied Yang Changtian.

They followed the path and they arrived at the top of the mountain. Hei Jingyou led him to a cliff and she sat down. Yang Changtian followed her and also sat down.

“ When will the fireworks start ? “ asked Jingyou.

“ I think soon, it's about midnight now.”

As soon as those words left Yang Changtian’s mouth and woosh was heard and a flower of fire bloomed in the sky.Followed by another and another. Soon the whole sky was illuminated with fire flowers.

“ They’re very beautiful.”

“ I know right.”

Yang Changtian turned to Hei Jinguou and gave her a hug “ Thank you Jingyou.”

Hei Jingyou hugged him back .” Don’t thank me Changtian. I’m your friend after all.”

“ Still thank you.”

Hei Jingyou’s eyes lit up, but he couldn't see her expression since she was wearing a mask. Her eyes lit up. “ Let’s go down now your master might be worried sick looking for you.”

“Hmmm, okay “ Yang Changtian sounded a little sulky. But he knew that he had to return soon.

They stood up and walked towards the cave

2 small backs, one in white and one in black, hand in hand walked towards the cave and disappeared into it.

This spot became their safe place, their personal space. It witnessed them growing up together and as sad it was , it was now witnessing only one of them returning to it.