Chapter Fifteen

One month later

The weather in Yuecheng was gradually succumbing to the embrace of winter, with dense clouds and mist shrouding the mountain, veiling the clan from the outside world. Yet, Bai Ruyi's father and brother remained absent, their journey to Donghai prolonged.

"Is there still no news from them?" Bai Ruyi had just returned from her morning training and went to see her mother, who was engrossed in her work in her study.

Setting down her brush, she looked up and shook her head.

"No, but I'm sure they will be back soon. Your grandfather is old now. It may take longer for him to recover."

"I hope so."

Bai Ruyi approached the desk and placed down a tray of food and a cup of tea. Ever since they returned from Jinshan, her mother's workload had increased. Most nights, she would stay up late to work, and no matter what Bai Ruyi or her grand-uncle said, Bai Xueling continued to work. So, to help relieve the burden, along with her training, she would help with the work wherever possible.

"I brought you some food. Why don't you take a break and eat something? You've been working very hard lately."

"Yue'er, thank you."

Bai Ruyi smiled, then went over to her father's desk and picked up on the work she had yet to finish. Typically, the towns and cities around Yuecheng were very peaceful, with the occasion of a mischievous ghost or monster disrupting the people's lives. However, since they returned, the number has been increasing. Every day, there were reports coming in about people being injured and requests for assistance. Although Bai Ruyi was concerned that it was related to what happened during the hunt, she had no evidence to prove it, and even now, Sect Leader Jin had yet to give everyone a proper explanation.

As Bai Ruyi was lost in her thoughts, she suddenly heard a loud crash. Turning her attention to the sound, she saw that the cup of tea was shattered on the floor, and her mother was extremely pale. Quickly, she ran over to her mother.

"Mom, are you alright?! What's wrong?!"

Struggling to breathe, Bai Xueling shook her head and said.

"I...I'm fin..."

Before she could even finish her sentence, Bai Xueling's vision became dark, and she fainted in Bai Ruyi's arms.

"MOM?! MOM! What's wrong!"

Hearing the screaming from inside, the disciples ran in to see what had happened.

"Xiao jie, what happened?"

"Quick, go get the physician!"

As everyone ran to get the physician, Bai Ruyi carried her mother back to her room. Not long after, the physician and Bai Lanxun arrived.

"Yue'er, what happened?" Bai Lanxun asked as he came running to their side.

"I... I don't know. She was fine when I came in, but then she suddenly collapsed."

The physician quickly checked on Bai Xueling and returned to report to Bai Ruyi and Bai Lanxun.

"How is she?" Bai Ruyi asked.

"Bai xiansheng, Xiao jie, Sect Leader Bai is okay. She has just overworked herself. I will go prepare some medicine for her. Please make sure that she stays in bed."

"Thank you."

The physician bowed and left the room. Bai Ruyi returned to her mother's side and used a soaked towel to wipe her face. Although the workload has increased, Bai Ruyi had never expected her mother to collapse so suddenly.

"Don't worry too much. Your mother is strong," Bai Lanxun comforted Bai Ruyi by placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I know she's strong, but I'm still worried. It's unlike her to collapse like this all of a sudden."

---------

In the following days, Bai Ruyi shouldered her mother's work to ensure she got the rest she needed. Although Bai Xueling initially showed signs of improvement, her condition deteriorated after a week. Her headaches became increasingly frequent, and she began experiencing periods of delirium. No matter how often the physicians checked up on her, they could not find the source of what was causing her to be in such a state. Worried, Bai Ruyi wrote to her father to inform him of the situation and began to read more medical books. She couldn't believe that nothing in her family library could answer what was happening to her mother. Yet, no matter how much she read and consulted with the physicians, they could not come up with an answer.

"Our family has been experts in medicine for centuries now. We came from a line of doctors. I don't believe that we can't find a treatment for her."

"I know you are stressed and worried, but pushing yourself too hard won't help. What if you fall ill as well?"

Having locked herself in the library the last few days, Bai Lanxun had come to get her out for some rest. However, Bai Ruyi refused to leave and continued to gather more books. As she went through the shelves, an unraveling scroll fell onto the floor. Glancing down at the scroll, a sentence caught her attention, Lei clan, master of poison. Immediately, she bent down to pick up the scroll. Inside contained the history of the Lei clan.

The Lei clan stands as one of the most ancient clans, sharing this esteemed status with the Bai clan. While the Bai clan was masters of medicine, the Lei clan was masters of poison. There was nothing in this world that they couldn't use to create poison. At first, they used this skill to help and save people and were on good terms with everyone, leading all the clans to where they are today. However, 200 years ago, internal strife changed everything. The once respected clan isolated themselves and withdrew from the cultivation world. Although they are still considered the leaders of all clans, they no longer participate in lectures or other events.

"The Lei clan..." Bai Ruyi whispered.

A searing pain struck Bai Ruyi's head, and a memory of the past flashed through her mind vividly. Blood covered every inch of her hands, and a pair of bloody, lifeless orbs gazed intently at her, creeping ever closer with an unsettling slowness.

"Ming Yue?!"

Bai Lanxun quickly rushed over to Bai Ruyi's side as she stumbled.

"Yue'er! What's wrong?" Bai Lanxun asked.

Bai Ruyi clutched her head, battling the overwhelming waves of pain that were coursing through her head.

"I.. I... I'm alright," she gasped.

When the pain finally subsided, her mind became clear, and everything fell into place; her mother's condition, the reason why the universal antidote worked so well, everything finally made sense.

"The Lei clan. This must have something to do with the Lei clan."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"The Lei clan are masters of poison. What happened at the hunting grounds and to mom, it must have something to do with them."

"How is that possible-"

The sudden realization struck Bai Lanxun like a bolt of lightning. Prior to the Lei clan's withdrawal, a shift in power had taken place. In their final proclamation, they declared themselves the deities of this world, prophesying their triumphant return to reclaim their rightful dominion. Their return was foretold to be accompanied by a blood bath.

Although everyone was frightened and lived in fear, after so many years of peace, all the clans forgot about their declaration. However, if they were indeed back this time, then no one would be safe.

"Ming Yue, even if there is a possibility, we have no evidence. We can't fully be sure-"

"Bai xiansheng! Xiao jie!"

Outside the library, the disciples yelled out for Bai Ruyi and her grand-uncle. The two quickly rushed outside to see what happened.

"What's wrong? Why are you guys yelling?" Bai Lanxun asked.

"The Sect Leader, the Sect Leader..."

Bai Ruyi rushed to her mother's room without waiting for the disciple to finish their sentence. Inside, Bai Xueling was coughing vigorously. Each time she coughed, a pool of black blood followed.

"Mom! Mom, what's going on? Why are you coughing out poisoned blood?"

Using her sleeve, Bai Ruyi wiped away the blood dripping from the side of her mother's mouth.

"I'm... I'm...oka-"

Bai Xueling coughed up another clot of black blood and showed no signs of stopping. Worried, Bai Ruyi hit a couple of her acupuncture points to help relieve the pain. Yet, Bai Xueling continued to cough, and it only became worse. Suddenly, Bai Xueling's body began to convulse, cries of pain echoed throughout the room. Bai Ruyi watched in horror as her mother's body began to transform before her eyes. The delicate skin, once a warm shade of beige, gradually shifted to a haunting silver hue, shimmering like moonlight. As panic gripped her heart, she noticed her mother's nails elongating, morphing into sharp claws that glinted menacingly. The sight sent a chill down Bai Ruyi's spine.

"Mom?! Mom?! What's happening?"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH."

Running out of ideas, Bai Ruyi decided to take a risk and try something different. Going to the desk nearby, she pulled out Xiao Yue and began to play. Between caring for her mother and handling the clan, Bai Ruyi would work on fine-tuning the skill she had tried on Kuanglan. Music had many different effects, depending on the piece and the player. Although every piece of music can be infused with spiritual power, Bai Ruyi wanted to use music and spiritual power to either force the poison out or speed up the healing process. No matter how good the medicine is, it can not work as fast as one's spiritual power.

The serene melody of the music gently soothed the restless mind, casting a tranquil spell over the chaotic thoughts. However, within Bai Xueling's delicate frame, a fierce battle raged as her body struggled to purge itself of toxins. In the grip of agonizing pain, she clutched her chest, her anguished expression a reflection of the torment within. The unbearable intensity reached its zenith, compelling her to unleash a piercing scream, reverberating with the rawness of her suffering.

Witnessing her mother's pain, Bai Ruyi's heart ached, yet she knew that this arduous process was necessary to expel the poison that had invaded Bai Xueling's body. Finally, a moment of reprieve emerged as Bai Xueling mustered the strength to release a formidable mass of inky black blood. Gradually, the searing pain relented, allowing Bai Xueling to draw breath once more. Her skin regained its warm, gentle glow, and the fierce claws slowly morphed back into her familiar, delicate nails. Relieved from her pain, she slowly slipped into unconsciousness.

"Mom? Mom?"

Just as she realized that her mother was unconscious, Bai Lanxun and the physician came in.

"Ming Yue, what happened?"

Bai Ruyi quickly explained what had happened as the physician checked on her mother. After he checked Bai Xueling's pulse, the physician breathed a sigh of relief, but a mixed reaction grew on his face.

"Bai xiansheng, Xiao jie, Sect Leader Bai's pulse is stable now. It looked like something was blocking the sign of poisoning in her body. Now that she has expelled the blood, her body is now showing the signs."

"Elder, how come only now she is showing the signs?" Bai Ruyi asked.

The physician thought about it for a bit and then responded. "I once read this in a book, but there are many ways to conceal the signs of poison in one's pulse. However, how effective it is depends on the person's spiritual power. If the person is weak, it will be easy to conceal the sign, but if they are strong, it won't be as easy."

"So, what do you think happened here? My mother's spiritual power isn't weak. Besides, she's been studying medicine for years. It's impossible that she doesn't know that she was poisoned."

The physician hesitated initially, then looked at Bai Ruyi and said, "Magic from the Lei clan. They are the only ones that have the ability to do so."

Horror and anger struck Bai Ruyi when she heard what the physician said.

"Are... are you sure?" Bai Ruyi asked.

"I dare not lie to you as an elder of this clan. I have studied medicine my entire life, and this is... this was left behind in the books from our ancestors."

"So... they are back."

Only the Lei clan could create such poisons that could cause harm to the Bai clan. In a time before the balance of power shifted, the Lei clan followed a strict set of rules that allowed their poison to be counteracted by antidotes developed by the Bai clan. However, there were growing doubts about whether that safeguard still holds true.

No one could believe their ears. If it was this easy for them to go this long undetected and cause this much chaos, what would happen when they launched a full-blown attack? Hundreds and thousands of questions attacked her mind, but right now, Bai Ruyi was just glad that she finally knew what was wrong with her mother.

"Can you develop an antidote for her now?" Bai Lanxun asked.

"I can try, but..." The physician responded.

"Please do," Bai Ruyi responded.

Over the next few weeks, Bai Xueling showed signs of improvement, which relieved some of Bai Ruyi's stress. Yet, her father and brother's lack of response increased her stress again.

"Do you think something happened in Donghai?" Bai Ruyi asked her grand-uncle.

"I don't think so. If something did happen, then I'm sure we would have received some news."

"I hope so, too. But grand-uncle, how do you think mom got poisoned? The only thing out of the ordinary was our trip to Jinshan."

There were strict rules and schedules in Yunmeng, making it impossible for someone to infiltrate to poison Bai Xueling, and it was definitely not possible for one of the disciples to do so without anyone noticing.

"Did your mother consume anything different from others while at the hunt?"

"I don't think so. Everyone there had consumed the same things."

Although that was what she saw and thought, after what had happened these past few weeks, Bai Ruyi was no longer sure that what she knew and saw was true. All she could do now was set up extra security measures and do her best to keep everyone safe until she had all the information and evidence she needed to stand up against the Lei clan.

--------

One week later

"XIAO JIE! XIAO JIE!"

Seeing that her mother was getting better and had an appetite, Bai Ruyi decided to cook some of her favorite dishes for breakfast. As usual, Xiao Bai sat on a corner of the counter, eating a carrot while Bai Ruyi cooked peacefully. Yet the sudden spine-chilling shout startled Bai Ruyi, causing her to accidentally spill the scalding hot soup on her hand.

Facing the door, her eyes met a group of tearful disciples rushing towards her, their faces etched with sorrow. A haunting sense of doom enveloped her as they drew near.

"Xiao jie, Sect Leader, she... she..."

As the tears continued to stream down their faces, Bai Ruyi felt her legs swiftly carrying her to her mother's room. Beyond the door of her room, the disciples were sobbing quietly, while inside, the elders and her grand-uncle hung their heads, tears silently streaming down their faces.

Stumbling to her mother's side, Bai Ruyi could see that her skin was as pale as a ghost with a tint of silver, her nails had once again morphed into claws, and blood was still dripping from her mouth. Her mother had suffered from another attack, but this time, it had claimed her life. Her mother had lost the battle.

Holding onto her mother's hand, Bai Ruyi called out to her, praying that she was just in a deep sleep.

"M...mom? Mom? Pl... please wake up? Don't scare me. I made your favorite dishes. Let's go try them... okay?"

Deep down, Bai Ruyi knew that her mother was no longer here, but she couldn't but feel like she was just in a deep slumber. Slowly, she wiped away the blood on her mother's face and continued to beg her to wake up. As painful as it was to see his niece depart from this world before him, it pained him even more to see Bai Ruyi desperately trying to cling to a dream that had shattered.

Kneeling beside her, Bai Lanxun tried to stop Bai Ruyi from wiping away the blood.

"Yue'er, your mother is gone. Please, don't do this to yourself."

Bai Ruyi repeatedly shook her head, refusing to accept the truth. She didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to her mother. How can she possibly leave her behind like this?

"Grand-uncle, she's just asleep. She'll wake up, right?"

Facing Bai Lanxun, Bai Ruyi could see the tears rolling down his face and the pain in his eyes. The truth was right in front of her, and she couldn't do anything to change it. Glancing back at her mother's body, reality settled in. This was it. The person who had raised her and given her all the love and knowledge she had was gone. From this moment forward, Bai Ruyi would never be able to say the word mom anymore. From this moment forward, her safety net was broken and could never be repaired.

In a cruel twist of fate, less than a day after her mother's passing, Bai Ruyi's world came crashing down again. On that very day, not only did her mother depart from this world, but so did her grandfather and father, leaving her heart heavy with grief.

Holding the letter in her trembling hands, Bai Ruyi struggled to stand. Gripping onto the edge of the table, she looked at her grand-uncle and asked, "Why? How could this have happened? Dad was healthy when he left. How?"

A dark shadow gloomed over Bai Lanxun's face as he revealed a secret to Bai Ruyi.

"When your mother was young before she married your father, she was caught in an accident. The accident nearly took her life. However, your father formed a life bond with your mother to save her. When this bond is formed, if anything were to happen to your mother, your father would also be affected."

"Why... why have I never heard about this before?"

"This spell is ancient and banned. But to save your mother, your father took a risk," Bai Lanxun explained.

"So, if something happened to dad, will mom be affected as well?"

"No, just your father."

Bai Ruyi couldn't believe what she was hearing right now. Everything sounded like it came straight out of a novel. Like everything was planned beforehand, and someone knew when and what to do.

Knew beforehand... knew beforehand!

"Grand-uncle, does anyone else know about this?" Bai Ruyi asked.

"No, when we performed the spell, it was just me, your mother, and your father. Besides the three of us, no one else knows. Not even your grandfather."

No one else knew. Bai Ruyi thought.

Bai Ruyi found herself at a loss, unsure of what to do or how to feel. All she longed for was to vanish, to wake up from this ordeal as if it were just a bad dream. However, she couldn't indulge in that fantasy. She had a responsibility now and was determined to see it to the end. After Bai Ruyi and Long Yuzhe decided how they would hold the funeral, the elders made the announcement. The two families would have their own funerals, and once it was over, just as her father had always wished, he would be sent back to Yunmeng to be buried alongside his wife.

----------

The news spread swiftly through the cultivation world, leaving everyone in a state of shock. No one had expected such tragedy to befall the two families. Without delay, preparations were made, and people set off for the funeral, their hearts heavy with grief.

The Feng family was the first to arrive in Yunmeng. As Sect Leader Feng, accompanied by Feng Kuanglan, Feng Zhiyu, and Xiao Ling, entered the funeral hall, they were greeted by Bai Lanxun. Within the hall, Feng Kuanglan's gaze fell upon Bai Ruyi, adorned in somber funeral attire. She knelt near the coffin, delicately placing joss paper into the fire.

"Bai gongzi..."

Although she barely had any left energy, Bai Ruyi stood up to greet Sect Leader Feng.

"Sect Leader Feng, Feng gongzi, Feng er gongzi. Thank you for coming. The journey must have been long for you. Please have some rest before heading back."

"Thank you. Bai gongzi, I'm sorry for your loss."

Bai Ruyi slightly inclined her head and sat back down. After burning some incense sticks, the three of them left. However, Xiao Ling stayed behind and sat beside her and Xiao Bai. Although Feng Zhiyu wanted to pull Xiao Ling away, Feng Kuanglan stopped him.

"Ge, why did you stop me?"

"Sometimes, our words mean nothing, but the presence of an animal can help calm the storm in their mind."

Throughout the day, more guests came. With the two funerals being held at the same time, many of the clans had to send different groups out. If the clan was closer to Yuecheng, then the Sect Leaders would come and send the elders to Donghai, and vice versa.

Each time someone came in, Bai Ruyi would go through the same motions. She was so numb to everything around her that she didn't even realize the sun had set.

"Yue'er, go eat something. I'll watch over the coffin."

"...."

It was as if Bai Ruyi was lost in another world, her gaze fixed on the flickering fire before her. Sensing her need for solitude, Bai Lanxun quietly departed. However, as the night deepened and the rest of the household slumbered, a figure approached Bai Ruyi and knelt before her. Silently, they tended to her burnt hand, applying a soothing ointment and carefully wrapping it. Through lowered lashes, Bai Ruyi glimpsed at the flame-embroidered pattern on the sleeve's cuff. Once they had finished, the figure stood and quietly left.

"Feng Kuanglan, thank you."

Feng Kuanglan gave her a slight nod and walked out.

After a tranquil night, Bai Ruyi remained in the same place she was when they departed. Following breakfast, everyone bid her and Bai Lanxun farewell and returned to their clan. Xiao Ling, on the other hand, required a great deal of persuasion and bribery before agreeing to go.

A few days later, Long Ruijin's body was sent back to Yunmeng. Even though the journey from Donghai to Yuecheng took more than two months by horse. A teleportation spell was used so as not to delay the burial process.

On the day of the burial, only Bai Ruyi, her grand-uncle, the elders, and a few inner disciples entered the ancestral burial grounds. Once the coffins were covered, Bai Ruyi got down on her knees and kowtowed to her parent's grave three times.

"Mom, Dad, please rest in peace. I promise to take care of our clan and keep everyone safe. What needs to be done will be done. If there is debt, it will be paid; if there is revenge, it will be done."

Even if it kills me, I swear I will make them pay. After all, a debt of blood must be paid by blood.

One last kowtow to her parent's grave, Bai Ruyi then stood up and left the burial ground with everyone following her. Even though everyone wanted to give Bai Ruyi time to rest and grieve, she could not allow herself the time. Upon returning to her study, she began to work on the things that had been put off.

"Yue'er, you should get some rest first. You cannot keep going on like this."

"Grand-uncle, I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Bai Lanxun pulled the papers out of Bai Ruyi's hand and made her look at him.

"I just lost my niece and nephew-in-law. I cannot afford to lose you too. Do you understand me? What should this old man do if you all leave me?"

As the sound of pain echoed in his voice, Bai Ruyi felt the urge to cry. She had longed to cry for days, but it seemed impossible. It had been 12 years since that day, and not once had a tear fallen from her eyes.

Holding onto her grand-uncle's hand, Bai Ruyi smiled and said.

"You won't lose me, I promise. I just need to sort some things out."

Glancing at the letter in his possession, Bai Lanxun took in the words from Long Yuzhe, inquiring about his return to assume leadership of the Bai clan. Bai Lanxun found it hard to believe that Long Yuzhe still had the energy to ask such questions. After all, according to tradition, it was the cranes that had the final say in choosing the next leader. Until they decided, the leadership position would have to remain unoccupied.

"Are you really going to the Long clan?" Bai Lanxun asked.

"I cannot."

At first, Bai Ruyi's answer confused him, but then he realized what she meant. The next leader of the Bai clan had already been chosen.

"When..."

"12 years ago."

"You mean?"

Bai Ruyi nodded. Like Bai Ruyi, everyone else in the clan knew how much Long Yuzhe wanted to take over the Bai clan. Now, it made sense why she had been so anxious.

"Ming Yue, why don't you let me handle this? Let me take the blame this time."

"But..."

"Just as your mother said, we are here to support you and be your safety net. So let us catch you."

"Grand-uncle, thank you."

Bai Lanxun smiled, then left and called a meeting with all the elders. After much discussion, they all came to a conclusion of how they wanted to handle the situation. With the agreement of the elders from both sides, they all decided that it was best for Long Yuzhe to stay in Donghai. The decision was not only convenient but also made the most sense, given the situation and his engagement.

Even though Long Yuzhe was initially against the decision, he ultimately had no choice but to accept. The authority of a Sect Leader didn't just depend on the leader's skills but also on the support of the elders. Long Yuzhe needed as much support as possible if he ever wanted to rise to the top. Besides, after much contemplation, he also concluded that it was better to stay in Donghai. While Yunmeng had a lot of rules and regulations, Dragon Reef didn't, meaning his actions would not be restricted.

When the dust settled, each sibling embarked on their journey as the new leader of their clan. Long Yuzhe's transition was smooth, with a supportive team of assistants and elders. However, Bai Ruyi faced her ordeal alone. Upon assuming leadership, Bai Ruyi had to undergo a sacred tattooing process. A script in the family's secret language was inscribed onto her back, symbolizing the family's rule and motto and binding her to Yunmeng for life.

With her hair swept aside, a female elder began to inscribe each line onto Bai Ruyi's back. With each stab, she could feel the bone-chilling pain. Bai Ruyi gritted her teeth and focused on regulating her breathing, willing herself to endure the pain. Over an hour later, the ritual was finished, and she was soaked in sweat. But as the pain ebbed away, a profound sense of tranquility washed over her, bringing her mind back to a place of peace.

"You are now officially our Sect Leader."

The elder then left the room and allowed Bai Ruyi time to get dressed. While putting on her clothes, she stared at the crane marking under her collarbone and the fresh tattoo on her back. When she was young, she never imagined a day like this would come, but now that it was here, she didn't know how to feel or react. But one thing was certain, she would not disgrace the legacy left behind by her ancestors.