Chapter 489: Lin Qiyun

Ye Chen was certainly no stranger to the nine great powers that stood at the apex of the Black Triangle Region.

From the four great families and the four great tribes to the enigmatic Xuanwu Tribe, Ye Chen had crossed paths with them all at the summit of Kunlun Mountain!

Among them, the Xiao family, the Yu family, the Black Tiger Tribe, and the Cyan Ape Tribe were all his sworn enemies!

Ye Chen had slain many of the four powers' experts in the past. It went without saying that they wouldn't just swallow their anger and let it slide.

The moment they caught wind of his whereabouts, they would undoubtedly send men to hunt him down for revenge.

And then, of course, there was the Xuanwu Tribe.

They were the most mysterious and powerful force in the Black Triangle Region.

No one had ever seen the leader of the Xuanwu Tribe, yet they had still sent people to capture him at the summit of Kunlun Mountain.

Ye Chen would never forget how a certain Mr. Yun, claiming to be from the Xuanwu Tribe, had appeared with a high-and-mighty, domineering air, bluntly stating his intent to take Ye Chen back with him.

As for the reason... it seemed something he possessed had attracted the Xuanwu Tribe's avarice.

But to this day, Ye Chen still had no idea what it could be.

'Without a doubt, something I possess can be sensed by the Xuanwu Tribe.'

'If the Xuanwu Tribe finds out I'm here... Back when I was at my peak, I would have had nothing to fear.'

'But now, I don't have a shred of cultivation. How could I possibly stand against them?'

Ye Chen wasn't afraid of death. He had faced countless crises in his life; a threat like this was not enough to frighten him.

But he was unwilling to drag the young woman beside him into his troubles.

She had been meticulously caring for him for the past two months. 'No matter what,' he thought, 'I have to protect her!'

"Can you tell me your name?"

Ye Chen slowly took a sip of the porridge. It was still hot, just like the young woman's warm heart.

The young woman started. She gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her forehead with a fair hand and said softly, "You are my husband. There's no need to be so formal with me."

"My name is Lin Qiyun."

'Lin Qiyun...' Ye Chen swallowed another mouthful of porridge, committing her name to memory.

Based on the hazy impressions in his mind, it did seem that the young woman before him had been the one caring for him for the past two months.

But what Ye Chen couldn't understand was why he had become Lin Qiyun's husband.

He voiced this question.

But Lin Qiyun only sighed, a haggard, sorrowful look clouding her features. "It is fate."

"I have already accepted it."

"As for you... Husband, you are gravely injured. The tribe's Imperial Physician said that even if you manage to recover, you will never be able to cultivate again in this lifetime."

"I may not be able to give you much, but I can at least ensure you can live out your life here in peace."

"What?" Ye Chen's brows furrowed. 'I can no longer cultivate?'

He still had so much to do. He absolutely could not accept such an outcome.

No matter what, he would do everything he could to recover from his injuries and walk the path of cultivation once more.

Ye Chen glanced at Lin Qiyun, whose eyes held a trace of desolation, and held back the urge to press her for more answers.

He could tell that the young woman before him was going through something miserable. Her previous words had been nothing more than an attempt to comfort him.

Seeing that Lin Qiyun was emotionally unstable, Ye Chen decided it would be better to find someone else to ask about his situation.

After breakfast, Ye Chen learned the whole story from Lin Qiyun's handmaiden, Xiaohe.

Xiaohe was a petite and adorable girl.

Seeing that Ye Chen could get out of bed and walk, she studied him curiously for a long moment, not the least bit shy.

Ye Chen learned from Xiaohe that his marriage to Lin Qiyun had been forced upon her.

The faction he was now with was called the Vermilion Bird Tribe.

Legend had it that in ancient times, the tribe's ancestors were granted enlightenment by the divine beast, the Vermilion Bird, and thus began their path of cultivation.

For generations, the tribe's members drew power from their Vermilion Bird totem and continued to cultivate.

But one day, the tribe's fire-seed was stolen, and their totem dimmed forever.

From that day on, the people of the Vermilion Bird Tribe lost their source of power, unable to walk the path of cultivation ever again.

The Vermilion Bird Tribe gradually declined until it became a minor tribe, dependent on other powers for survival.

And Lin Qiyun was one of the two daughters of the Vermilion Bird Tribe's most recent Clan Leader!

Half a year ago, the Clan Leader of the Vermilion Bird Tribe had unfortunately perished while away from the tribe.

He was long overdue to return, and it wasn't until several days later that news of his death arrived.

The entire tribe mourned, and a pall of grief hung over them for a long time.

Yet in the midst of this atmosphere, the Clan Leader's younger daughter, Lin Ruowei, with the backing of the Elders, quickly became the new Clan Leader and seized control of the Vermilion Bird Tribe.

Fearing that her older sister, Lin Qiyun, would try to usurp her power, she repeatedly pressured Lin Qiyun, even forcing other tribe members to take sides and ostracize her.

Over time, the only one left by Lin Qiyun's side was Xiaohe, her companion since childhood.

Everyone else kept their distance from Lin Qiyun.

The daughter of a Clan Leader had fallen to a state so wretched it was beyond description, truly a miserable sight.

Compared to Lin Ruowei, their situations were like heaven and earth.

Two months ago, the Ding family—who, like the Vermilion Bird Tribe, were vassals to the same greater power—came to propose a marriage.

The young clan leader of the Ding family knew he was no match for Lin Ruowei, who was now a Clan Leader herself, so he set his sights on marrying Lin Qiyun instead.

Although Lin Qiyun's status was no longer what it once was, she was, after all, still the daughter of a Clan Leader.

Only by marrying her could the young clan leader of the Ding family lend legitimacy to his ambitions and also deepen the ties between the Ding family and the Vermilion Bird Tribe.

But Lin Ruowei put a stop to the engagement.

Her reason for doing so was simple and cruel.

"Sister, with your current status, do you really think you're worthy of the young master of the Ding family?"

"If you ask me, that cripple you saved outside the gates a couple of days ago is a much better match for you, hee hee."

"Why don't you just marry that cripple, Sister? It would save a lot of trouble and stop anyone else from coming to propose!"

"See, Sister? I'm so good to you. Your little sister isn't even married yet, and here I am, finding a husband for you first. You must be sure to live a long and happy life with him!"

"..."

From that day on, Lin Ruowei announced Lin Qiyun's marriage far and wide. She even held a wedding banquet, inviting many people from the neighboring factions.

Everyone could see what was happening. They knew that under Lin Ruowei's oppression, Lin Qiyun would never be able to turn her life around. At the wedding banquet, not a single person was willing to even speak with her.

Even Ye Chen himself was still unconscious at the time.

In the end, Lin Qiyun could only hide in the bridal chamber, secretly wiping away her tears and confiding her sorrows to Xiaohe.