The Tushan Young Master

The closer we got to Tushan, the more silk trees bloomed.

Pink flowers burned along the road like soft flames.

The grass reached our knees.

The air smelled sweet enough to make the mind drift.

“This is heaven,” Qi’an laughed, picking flowers as he ran.

“Don’t you think it’s too quiet?”

“Hahaha…”

“Qi’an?”

“Hahaha…”

“Wang Qi’an!”

His laughter came from behind a silk tree.

I rushed over.

Only a human-shaped pile of pink flowers lay on the ground.

Qi’an’s laughter echoed from above.

Then flutes shrieked from every direction.

The flowers bloomed wildly.

Their fragrance thickened.

I stepped on something soft.

A corpse.

Wildflowers had filled its body, growing from every opening.

Fear took over.

I ran.

But the scent grew stronger.

My head spun.

My legs slowed.

Snap.

Someone snapped their fingers.

The dizziness vanished.

A boy my age stood nearby with a faint smile.

His eyes glowed with that same foxlike light.

“Forgot me?”

“The fox from earlier?”

“Tushan young master,” he said. “Yu Cheng.”

He led me down another path.

“To see your companion first.”

I followed, secretly carving crosses into trees with stones.

Then he spoke.

“You want to know about your sister.”

“Yes.”

Yu Cheng smiled.

“Ten years ago, rebels attacked Tushan. The war lasted three months. We won, but Huli was injured because of my negligence and fell into a coma.”

“A wandering ritualist told my father to extract Huli’s soul.”

“He traded one of his fox tails to the human elders for a body with matching fate.”

“Her name was Yao Zhihe.”

My throat tightened.

“But Yao Zhihe’s original soul was not fully removed. It tangled with Huli’s. That is why she has two sets of memories.”

“Why tell me this?”

Yu Cheng covered his face with both hands.

“Dead men don’t speak.”

He turned and smiled.

“I’m also a brother. I hope you understand.”

Then his smile twisted.

“But Huli is mine.”

Invisible force dragged me onto a stone altar.

I could not breathe.

Yu Cheng cut his wrist and poured blood into the altar lines.

“This formation will remove your child-bound spirit and refine your sister’s soul. It will return my pure Huli to me.”

He laughed.

“I waited ten years.”

I forced my hand toward my waist.

“To protect Little Sprout…”

“Lord Zhong of the Punishment Bureau!”

Nine chains fell from the sky.

At the same time, Grandpa’s Seven-Star Sword burst from the ground beneath Yu Cheng.

“I prepared my whole life.”

I broke free and drew my blade.

Yu Cheng tried to deceive me with illusion.

Once, he even turned into Grandpa.

But his illusion was crude.

I struck.

The real Grandpa appeared and bound him again.

Then Grandpa chanted a forbidden thunder spell.

Clouds gathered.

Nine thunder dragons descended.

Yu Cheng and Grandpa collapsed together.

I rushed to Grandpa’s side.

“Grandpa…”

His old eyes were full of kindness.

“I was foolish,” he said. “If not for you, I might have been deceived forever.”

“This forbidden spell shortens life. Mine is at its end.”

Tears filled his eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

Then he gripped my hand.

“Protect Little Sprout.”

Grandpa closed his eyes.

Forever.

Before grief could swallow me, Yu Cheng’s weak voice called out.

“Please. Come here.”

I walked to him with my blade.

“What else do you want?”

“The elders are coming,” he said. “The ones who harmed your sister. Give me your grandfather’s pills. I’ll kill them.”

I pressed the blade to his neck.

“If so, give me your power. I’ll take revenge myself.”

His expression shifted.

“If I lose my power now, I’ll die.”

A hook pierced my wrist.

The red thread was torn away.

I turned.

The elders had arrived.

One held a fishing rod.

Another gripped Huli by the throat.

“She can leave a child-bound vessel? So it was this red thread.”

The elder lifted Huli.

She struggled painfully.

“You dare!”

I tried to rush forward.

Something held me back.

Yu Cheng stared at me.

“Like this, you can’t win. Give me your hand.”

“I’ll transfer all my power.”

Then, for the first time, he begged.

“Save Huli.”

I nodded.

Power flooded me.

Pain vanished.

Wind spread outward from my body.

My pupils narrowed into vertical slits.

I moved.

The elder with the fishing rod lost his hand.

I caught Huli before she hit the ground.

Then looked at the remaining elders.

“Now,” I said, “it’s your turn.”