Chapter 95: Snowbound Siblings: The Secret Behind the Masked Savior
The snow crunched loudly beneath their frantic footsteps, echoing like thunder across the barren woodland. Frost-laced branches clawed at their robes as they tore through the thickets, their breaths ragged and steaming in the icy air. The winter forest, silent and still just moments before, now trembled with life and fear.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
The sharp, rhythmic crackle of boots breaking through crusted snow filled the air—a frantic staccato of urgency and fear. Twigs snapped underfoot with brittle pops, and occasionally, the dull thud of slipping soles on frozen soil broke the pattern. Their pace was uneven, desperate, like a heartbeat out of rhythm.
"Brother, would that senior brother really be alright?" his sister asked, as he jumped over a fallen log, carrying her over his shoulder with his right arm wrapped tightly around her waist to keep her from falling.
"I don't know. But all we can do now is hurry up and ask the sect to send reinforcements before it's too late."
Pant, pant.
"Brother, put me down—I can run too. You're already tired enough," his sister said, noticing his condition. His lips were turning light purple from the cold, and his panting breath was labored. She couldn't help but suggest he let her run on her own.
"No. I'm the elder brother. Even if I'm less talented than you, I'll still protect you to the best of my abilities, for as long as I can. Once you're strong enough, remember this moment—you owe me one." Her brother smirked, trying to make light of the situation with a quick joke.
"Humph… not like I wanted you to carry me," she pouted, but inside, she liked being taken care of by her elder brother. She also promised herself that once she became strong enough to protect him, she would make sure he lived a worry-free life.
She was a new disciple of the Hidden Dragon Sect and had even been chosen as a personal disciple by an outer sect elder. Though only an elder of the outer sect—not the inner—it was still someone with power. Someone who could command wind and rain in the outer sect, and even held some influence over mortals.
While she was lucky, her elder brother wasn't. He had been an outer sect disciple for two to three years now, but was still only at the fifth level of Qi Condensation. From this alone, one could imagine how ordinary her brother's talent in cultivation was. Meanwhile, she had reached the same level in under a year—something that had taken her brother almost three years to achieve.
She had been warned by her senior sisters to be cautious around her elder brother—they spoke of numerous unsettling incidents.
Her senior sisters had said that not within the sect yet, but out in the wider cultivation world, there were rumors of many brothers becoming jealous and envious of their sisters' talents. And if there were a way to gain that fame and respect for themselves… those brothers would go to the ends of this boundless world just to obtain that "way."
"My brother is not like that." That's what she had said. Her senior sisters had scoffed at her naïve nature, replying sarcastically that she would know when the time came.
It had been their idea—that she should test her elder brother. She had rejected it at the time. But now, with danger behind them and those old conversations echoing in her mind, a suspicion crept in: had it all been just an elaborate setup?
Could that senior have been someone sent by her senior sisters? That would explain why he wore a mask to hide his facial features.
Haa… haa… Her brother's rapid breathing brought her back to reality.
The guards at the gate of Hidden Dragon Sect saw the condition the two of them were in and rushed forward to check on them.
"We need help! There's another senior brother who is in more urgent need. He's currently distracting a Steelspine Wolf that's reached the Profound Beast Stage!" he said with great difficulty, struggling to catch his breath. Some of his words came out jumbled, but it was enough for the guards to grasp the situation.
With no time to report the matter to the higher-ups in person, the guards had no choice but to activate a red Signal Flare Talisman, launching it into the sky. The crimson light burst like a blooming lotus in the heavens—an urgent sign that something had gone terribly wrong.
Fighting a profound beast was not something they could do. Now, they could only pray that the senior brother was strong enough… and hope that the Steelspine Wolf was still only at the peak of the Qi Condensation Stage. Because if it had already reached Foundation Building… they might not even be able to collect that senior brother's remains.
He gently let his sister down from his shoulder and slumped to the ground, trying to calm his breathing and recover some stamina and depleted spiritual energy.
She stood silently with her head bowed, feeling guilty. Because of her, her elder brother was in such bad shape.
Thud—Thud.
The rest of the outer sect reserve guards came running toward the exit, their metallic armor clanking heavily.
"What happened?" the newly arrived guards asked.
He explained everything, and the reserve guards immediately rushed toward the Readsack Woodland.
"You both stay back and recover. Don't worry—we'll handle the rest." One of the reinforcement members noticed the siblings were trying to follow and turned back to stop them. "We can't afford to put more disciples' lives at stake."