Chapter 130: The Mountain Villa of Quiet Reflection

The man walked over to the two unconscious individuals and reached out to check their condition. Finding they were merely fainted, he felt a wave of relief. He took a few pills from his robes and fed them to the pair.

Ye Hua turned to the old man in black and smiled faintly. "You may flee now for your life! Your dog's head can remain on your shoulders for the time being." With that, he released his grip on the man's neck.

Seeing this, the old man in black stammered, "Y-young hero, are you serious? T-thank you!" He glanced back to see several rays of white light approaching rapidly from the distance. His expression shifted in alarm; he gestured with his hand, and a red banner materialized. With a slight wave, he vanished, leaving only a flash of red light in the distant sky before it, too, faded away.

The man who had been rescued watched Ye Hua let the old man go, opening his mouth as if to speak, but ultimately remaining silent. He stepped forward, bowed slowly to Ye Hua, and said, "I am Zhang. I am deeply indebted to Brother Ye for your aid in this life-or-death struggle! I am truly and utterly grateful."

Ye Hua smiled modestly. "Brother Zhang is too kind. I was merely passing through and saw you all locked in a bitter struggle, so I offered what little help I could."

Zhang asked in surprise, "Brother, are you not from the Juewu Hall?"

Ye Hua replied, "I am just passing through from the capital. I have only just arrived in these parts."

Zhang was about to say more when the several rays of light from the distance reached them. As the brilliance faded, three men and four women were revealed. A sharp cry echoed from high above, and a streak of black light descended, landing beside the unconscious woman on the ground.

"Brother Zhou, you have finally arrived!" Zhang hurried forward to bow to the leader of the group.

Ye Hua observed the man carefully. He wore a simple cloth robe, yet he possessed a sturdy build with broad shoulders and a square jaw. His features were striking, with sword-like brows, star-bright eyes, a straight nose, and prominent cheekbones. Ye Hua inwardly praised him: "What a majestic figure, a rare sight indeed! As Master Han once said, the northern lands of Yan and Zhao are full of heroic and generous souls. This holds true."

Seeing Zhang bowing, the man stepped forward quickly. "Brother Zhang, please, rise. I arrived late, but fortunately, no great disaster has occurred. Heaven be praised!" The others in his group had already stepped forward to help the unconscious pair, using their cultivation to stabilize their energy. With a soft sigh, the fainted woman stirred and woke.

As she regained consciousness, she murmured, "Black Swallow... Black Swallow..."

The black spirit bird beside them hopped forward and landed next to her, letting out a chirp. Her companions laughed, "Your black fork-tailed petrel is right here!"

The woman opened her eyes to see everyone gathered around, and upon seeing the bird, her heart swelled with joy. "Am I... am I dreaming?"

Zhang said, "If it were not for the aid of this Brother Ye, I fear that Junior Sister Liu, Junior Brother Ma, and I would have been captured today." He looked down with a sense of shame.

The youth named Zhou gave a soft "Oh." He had noticed the young man standing beside Zhang, but being unfamiliar with him, he had hesitated to speak. Hearing Zhang's account, he turned and bowed deeply to Ye Hua. "Juewu Hall is deeply indebted to Brother Ye for this great kindness. Please, accept my gratitude."

Ye Hua quickly stepped forward to support him, saying, "Brother Zhou, you are too kind. Please, rise."

After another bow, Zhou stood up. Zhang continued to detail the events, concluding, "In the end, it was all thanks to Junior Brother Ye, who single-handedly repelled the members of the Heiyi Sect!"

Zhou turned to Ye Hua. "Brother Ye’s great kindness is not something I can repay with mere words. From this day forward, Juewu Hall is at your service."

Ye Hua laughed, "Even if I had not intervened, Brother Zhou and your companions would have arrived momentarily. The Heiyi Sect would have fled at the mere mention of your name."

Zhou smiled, "The Heiyi Sect is known for its cunning and cruelty. If not for Brother Ye's profound cultivation, they would never have retreated so easily." He paused and said, "Fellow brothers and sisters, let us depart. This place is not entirely safe."

The others echoed their agreement. Zhou then asked Ye Hua, "Brother Ye, would you care to join us at Juewu Hall? My brothers and sisters would certainly like to express their gratitude properly."

Ye Hua pondered for a moment. "If not for urgent matters requiring my presence elsewhere, I would certainly accept your kind invitation and impose upon you all. However, as it stands... I must decline your generous offer. I hope you will forgive me."

Hearing this, Zhou smiled slightly. "Brother Ye, think nothing of it! In that case, I shall not press you further. If you are ever free in the future, do come find us at Juewu Hall near Ninghu Lake, north of Jiujin City."

Ye Hua nodded. "I will keep that in mind. Thank you, Brother Zhou, for your kindness."

"Brother Zhou!" A graceful young woman approached—the owner of the black spirit bird. Zhou turned to her with concern. "Sister Guo! How are you?"

The girl smiled radiantly. "I am mostly recovered." She glanced at Ye Hua with shimmering eyes and said softly, "Thank you, Young Hero Ye, for saving my Black Swallow's life. Please, allow me to pay my respects." She bowed gracefully.

Ye Hua quickly said, "Please, rise! You are too polite, Junior Sister."

The girl bowed once more before straightening. Suddenly, a streak of black light shot down from the sky. Ye Hua was slightly startled, but before he could react, he felt a light weight on his left shoulder. As the light faded, a black barn swallow stood there, preening its glossy, iridescent feathers.

Ye Hua couldn't help but feel a fondness for the creature. "What a handsome spirit bird," he smiled.

The girl said with a gentle smile, "Black Swallow, don't be rude!"

Zhou said, "Since Brother Ye has important business, I will not force you to stay. We shall surely meet again!"

Ye Hua replied, "Brother Zhou speaks truly."

After chatting for a while longer, Zhou and his group bade Ye Hua farewell, transforming into streams of light that shot toward the horizon.

Ye Hua watched them disappear, leaving only a few white clouds drifting slowly in the sky. He stood still for a long while, surveying the surroundings where a gentle breeze stirred the vast, misty waters. Finally, his figure flickered, and he vanished from the spot.

High in the sky, Ye Hua stood atop his giant sword, traveling at high speed. The biting wind whipped against his face, and the clouds below shifted and gathered in a magnificent display. Yet, he had no heart to admire the view. He thought to himself:

"That Black Swallow was so intelligent! It’s truly endearing. I wonder when my own golden eagle will wake up? It has been two or three months, and there is no sign of improvement. It is deeply worrying! Could there be some other hidden reason?"

"I transferred more than half of the inner energy I absorbed from the demon bat and the skeleton monster into the golden eagle's body, along with my own vital essence. Could it still be lacking?"

After a long time, he wondered: "What kind of organization is this Juewu Hall? To be in conflict with the Heiyi Sect... Besides the Heiyi Sect, the only other renowned sects I've heard of near Jiujin City are the Haiguang Temple, known for its 'Wisdom Mirror of the Universal Gate,' and the Wansong Temple on Dancing Sword Peak. I haven't heard of any other major sects. Perhaps Juewu Hall is newly established."

At the thought of Haiguang Temple, he felt a pang of regret. He really should have paid a visit. It was said that the temple was personally named by Emperor Shengkang a thousand years ago, and featured the couplet: "The shore of enlightenment is as bright as water and moon; the flow of Dharma is truly at ease, neither form nor void." It was a first-class temple, and having missed the chance, he might never have the opportunity to visit again.

His thoughts shifted: "This place lies south of the capital, a vital route to the sea. It is clearly within the Heiyi Sect's territory. Since I have provoked them without cause, I must be careful."

He pushed his Red Crow Dagger to a higher speed. After an unknown amount of time, a range of towering, lush mountains appeared ahead, as beautiful as a painting. Ye Hua slowed down and descended toward a picturesque peak, intending to rest and admire the scenery. Suddenly, a ripple of light flashed in mid-air, and a web of electricity sparked to life.

Ye Hua was shocked. "A barrier!" He leaped into the air and looked toward the distant mountainside, where several silver rays of light suddenly flashed and shot toward him.

"I wonder which cultivators these are!" As he thought this, the silver lights were already upon him. As the sword light faded, three men and three women were revealed.

The youth in silk robes at the lead shouted sternly, "Who dares to trespass on the Jingji Mountain Villa!"