Li Chyou looked at the figure of the youth which was no larger than a dot as the latter was engulfed by the torrential waters of the river below. She let out a mournful cry as crystal-like tears fell from her eyes and stained her fair skin.

She felt as though her heart had been plunged in the freezing lakes of the north. She hugged her knees and cried. People say that crying would ease the pain. It didn’t. No matter how long she cried, her heart had not healed nor had her pain eased.

After crying for what felt like ages, she raised her head from her knees. The sun was shining brightly overhead. The Heavens would not express their sorrows over one inconsequential death. She struggled to hold back her sobs.

“Do you want to come back?” her Senior Sister’s gentle voice reached her ears. She turned around and saw Zheng Zhirou looking at her with an expression that was gentle but pained. Li Chyou’s expression scrunched up as the tears that she had tried so hard to quell were threatening to spill. “Senior Sister…” she said in a lonely and sobbing voice.

“Chyou!” Zheng Zhirou came forward and hugged her tightly. Soon, her shoulder had been drenched with Li Chyou’s warm tears. As the latter continued to cry, Zheng Zhirou’s eyes had wandered to the cliffside. She noticed something and frowned.

“Look,” Zheng Zhirou turned Li Chyou around. She pointed at the ground from where the youth had jumped off.

“W-What?” Li Chyou spoke amidst her sobs.

“There’s something drawn there!” the pink-haired Senior Sister exclaimed. The two inched closer and saw a crooked drawing. It was the word ‘再见’.

Li Chyou put her hand over her agape jaw. She had understood that this was his final message to her.

“That butler of yours…” Zheng Zhirou felt astonished. It seemed that the butler knew Li Chyou too well. He managed to ease her even after his death.

“Come now, Chyou.” Zheng Zhirou threw the matter to the back of her mind. After all, there was no use thinking about dead men.

“Let’s go back,” she continued persuading her. “Your clansmen still need you to lead them and I believe that your butler wouldn’t like that you’re still crying like a baby.”

“I-I…” Li Chyou stammered as she slowly got up from the ground. She staggered and tried to get a hold of her bearings. Zheng Zhirou nimbly reached out and supported her. With her Senior Sister’s help, she finally stood stably. The events of today had exhausted her far more than any mission she had taken in her sect. She was incredibly worn out, both mentally and physically.

“Let’s go, Senior Sister.” Li Chyou had a hollow smile on her face. Zheng Zhirou decided to hide her pain and smile gently. Even seeing that Li Chyou was trying to smile was a positive as she had finally started to try and piece herself together.

Li Chyou walked back with her arm over Zheng Zhirou’s shoulder. Zheng Zhirou took care to lead her Junior Sister into a different path-

-so that she did not have to see Murong Fang’s mangled corpse.

----------------------------------------

Three Days Later

Qing Ai ran through the halls as she finally arrived at the Clan Head’s study. She tried to catch her breath and calm herself down. After stabilizing her breath, she knocked on the door.

“Come in,” a tired voice came from the other side. Swallowing her spit, Qing Ai opened the door and entered.

“Young Miss, it’s me,” Qing Ai couldn’t see Li Chyou’s face as mountains of documents blocked her view. Amidst all these, Li Chyou continuously reviewed them.

“Oh, it’s Ai.” She stopped writing and looked at Qing Ai. With a haggard smile, she asked, “How are things around the clan?”

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“The clansmen have finally started to recuperate and are salvaging whatever’s left. Due to the Elders on our side, none of the wealth has been misplaced. However, the buildings have taken a heavy hit. But the rebellion has still caused our manpower to be severely lacking.” Qing Ai reported all these in one breath and took another breath before continuing, “The manpower issue can be solved to a certain degree. Although the common people will still be apprehensive about working in the Li Clan now, there will still be people willing to sign up if we offer enough. However, it won’t be as many people as before.”

“I see,” Li Chyou listened to her report and sighed heavily. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as she ruminated on what to do. After a while, she opened them again and asked, “Have the reparations begun?”

“Y-Yes,” Qing Ai nodded. “Young Miss Hao has been helping the others to the best of her capabilities. We tried to stop her but-”

“Just let her do what she wants,” Li Chyou cut her off. “Junior Sister can’t turn a blind eye to things like these. Especially, since it’s related to me. My Senior Sister would say that she’s trying her best to be of help to me.”

“Understood,” she nodded.

“Now,” Li Chyou’s expression became heavy from holding back her killing intent, “what of the Murong Clan?”

Qing Ai shivered. Not because of Li Chyou couldn’t hold back her murderous aura but because of what she was going to report next. “T-The heads of the Murong Matriarch and her family has been put on pikes in front of their estate, a-and their Elders have been hung by their necks on the walls. The other clansmen have either escaped or been slaughtered.” Qing Ai took a deep breath before concluding, “The Murong Clan has been destroyed.”

“Good,” Li Chyou nodded. Hearing this had placated her anger but did nothing to heal her heart. The heavy aura around her had dissipated instantly as she took on a more gentle yet pained expression, similar to the Zheng Zhirou. She mulled her words before she hesitantly asked, “H-How’s Daoyun doing?”

“The Second Young Miss has still…not recovered from the shock.” Qing Ai’s heart ached. She saw what this had done to the young Li Daoyun. Such a psychological scar will take a toll on her; one that will likely stick with her for years to come. She continued, “She’s closed herself in her room. She eats the food she’s given but a large amount always remains uneaten.”

Li Chyou sighed again. Her days seem to be filled with the sounds of her sighs. “And what of my parents?”

“The rescue team has located the Patriarch’s convoy. They managed to repel their attackers but are now in a critical situation. And-” Qing Ai hesitated.

“And?” she raised an eyebrow.

“Butler Yu’s dantian has been destroyed. The Eighth Elder has died.”

Li Chyou buried her head in her hands. Aside from the pain she felt when he heard of their situations, she was dreading having to deliver Butler Yu’s news to Li Wanyu.

“The Patriarch’s convoy was a bit further anticipated and thus, they will arrive tomorrow. It seems that the Young Butler’s prediction of them being ambushed on the second day of their departure was wrong. They were ambushed on the third day.” Qing Ai stopped talking. She had seen the First Young Miss flinch when she spoke of the Young Butler.

Li Chyou struggled with her words as she asked, “H-How is the search going? Did you guys find h-him?”

Qing Ai bit her lip. She felt as though the world had fallen from underneath her feet when she heard what happened to him. She can’t fathom how Li Chyou feels. She lowered her head and quietly said, “No, Young Miss. There’s no trace of the Young Butler.”

She heard Li Chyou take a deep breath before exhaling. After a while of silence, Li Chyou said, “Okay, you can leave.”

Qing Ai stared at Li Chyou for a moment before bowing and leaving. After she was gone, Li Chyou opened the drawer of her desk. She took out a parchment. Someone’s neat handwriting littered the yellowy pages.

It was the youth’s last message to her. They found it when his room was searched. Aside from the decorations and shelf full of medicinal bottles, there was very little.

The letter was addressed to her. The letter was written to both console and guide her. He never told her what exactly to do but merely pointed her in the right direction.

“Huu…” after reading the letter once again, she exhaled audibly. She got up from her seat and walked out of the room. She headed to where her younger sister was holed up.

He even took into account Li Daoyun in his letter.

‘The Second Young Miss will undoubtedly be shaken by this sudden tragedy. I’d be disappointed if the First Young Miss was wallowing in sorrow even now but I feel nothing but pity for the Second Young Miss. Having to go through something like this when she’s so young… I believe that the Young Miss should stay by her side the best. She needs support, especially now. The Young Miss out of all people should know how it feels to be swallowed by a sudden abyss. Therefore, I implore you to support the Second Young Miss as I have done so for you previously.’

Li Chyou smiled bitterly as she looked at the dark orange radiance of the setting sun.

I’ll help the Li Clan rise. No matter what!

She took a silent oath in memory of what she had lost.