novelzi Chapter 229 Wei and Yurong’s Small Talk (I)
Chapter 229 Wei and Yurong’s Small Talk (I)
The brief meeting was now a recent memory.
As Yang Wei and Sun Yurong walked together on the road path of the expansive sect, they were heading back to the Blue Steam Mountain.
Some male disciples looked at them like they were a couple, and you could practically feel the jealousy radiating off them. Most were chewing the edges of their robes in frustration, while others clenched their fists tightly to hold back tears.
"As usual, Senior Brother gets all the women!"
"Even the ones outside the sect!"
"Will we ever have a chance?! I feel like a background character in immortal tales that's only used to elevate how brilliant the main focus of the story is..."
"W-well, at least we have names!"
Even some of the young ladies in the sect were jealous. When they heard that Yang Wei had finally stepped out of seclusion, they wore layers upon layers of makeup to look presentable.
"You put on too much makeup powder-face! Do you think Senior Brother Yang will really look at you?!"
"Watch your mouth, he's coming!"
These desperate young women hurriedly dressed themselves to look fresh in the eyes.
Sun Yurong smiled at Yang Wei and gave him a charming side-eye. "You know, you don't have to walk me all the way back to the Blue Steam Mountain."
Yang Wei casually shrugged. "Meh, it's not that far from the Spirit Harmony Peak, and besides, I guess I miss seeing your face..."
A soft sigh escaped Sun Yurong's beautifully shaped lips, expressing a sort of dramatic sadness. "You say that, but since my sect's been staying here, you haven't even come to visit me once."
"Oh?" Yang Wei responded, his eyebrows softly rising up in surprise—he didn't know she was so good at acting.
Sun Yurong lowered her head, and slowly, her quivering hands folded into tight fists as she walked. "Indeed." Her response felt a bit detached, like something was bothering her and hindering her from giving Yang Wei her full attention at the moment.
"Hm?" It only took one look for Yang Wei to realize what that was, but all he could do was face forward. He didn't know how to ask her in a way that wouldn't stir up bad memories. Besides, they weren't in the best place to discuss what was on her mind.
Then, much to his surprise, Sun Yurong asked him, "Wei, have you heard of the Dragon Ridge Township Incident...?"
The moment she said this, his mind immediately stretched back to when he and Sun Yuying were stuck in the Frigid Celestial Serpent-Dragon Realm.
During the time Yang Wei was recalling most of what happened – how Sun Yuying showed him her scar, the one thing she saw as her biggest shame because of all the painful memories it brought, and even how she cried during that period – he didn't realize he hadn't responded to Sun Yurong's question.
"I-, I suppose you wouldn't know..." Sun Yurong glanced at him, looking despondent.
"Dragon Ridge Township, a small, simple village with people who had simple lives. It was attacked by a large gang of men who tied down mothers and their daughters and made their husbands or fathers watch as they were mercilessly raped..."
That was Yang Wei's answer.
He didn't even flinch when he said it, but somehow, he could clearly feel Sun Yuying's pain now. Originally, when he heard her talk about it, it was painful and frustrating, but saying it himself and recalling it like she did that day made him feel a level of pain that he rarely experienced... or at least, didn't want to feel.
Sun Yurong looked at Yang Wei with fair surprise on their face as they kept on walking. She edged closer to him and asked, "You... you really knew about it? Did you read up on it or was it just gossip? Because no one talks about it, nobody..."
The real reason she felt so disturbed was her desire to protect the survivors from further shame. Many young girls were mentally broken that day, and even those who hadn't fully recovered still suffered in various ways. The mere thought of people writing historical records or making stories about the event terrified everyone. They feared the additional anguish it might bring to the victims.
Even the Queen of Linwu Kingdom had her offers of compensation rejected, as the survivors wanted nothing to do with reminders of such a tragic event.
Yang Wei was yet to respond.
Sun Yurong's body quivered a bit and she asked, "Please, answer me... how do you kn-"
"Your daughter, Sun Yuying, told me..."