65 In the summer months (1/2)

In the summer months, Wangyun Peak grew humid with heat, its snow-covered slopes became coated with lush greenery.

When Liu Sumeng returned, the troops gathered at the manor had him confused. Or at least, he was praying that his assumptions were wrong. He rushed inside the manor with the echos of drills behind him. He could have sworn he saw colors worn by different sects as well.

It couldn't be…

Moisture in the air felt especially heavy in the dense heat of summer but Liu Sumeng was relentless in his search around the halls. But his uncle was nowhere to be found. He wasn't in the main hall, his study, or any of the courtyards around the manor. And any Elder he came upon awkwardly shifted their eyes and answered him vaguely.

Liu Sumeng was a patient person but months of this ridiculous tension were wearing away at his endurance. Luckily, he was able to find both Xu Hexian and Liu Suye exiting Baiyun hall. He wasted no time cornering them, annoyance visible on his usually calm appearance, ”Where is Uncle? What is going on?”

”Eeep! Don't hit me!” Xu Hexian instantly squeaked and jumped behind Liu Suye for cover.

The Ivory Sword Saint tested his older brother was a cold glare.

”Uncle is currently out but I'm sure he will return this evening,” Liu Suye answered with a measured tone. He had become the person who would mediate between the growing tension between Liu Sumeng and the rest of the Heavenly Sword Sect Elders. It was strange how much things have changed in just a matter of a few months.

”He's hiding from me.” Liu Sumeng remarked, his eyes cold.

Liu Suye was not easily scared, especially not by his own younger brother. He hummed and stroked his own arm, ”Well, perhaps. He knows well what you're going to say to him. But neither he nor the rest of the Elders will budge on the matter. You know this.”

Liu Sumeng was stunned into silence. Never before had he felt as betrayed as at this very moment. The only time that came remarkably close was the time in his previous life. It was a time where Liu Suye had taken it upon himself to band together with the Heavenly Sword Sect Elders behind Liu Sumeng's back and marched against him. Liu Sumeng had little care to give back then and it had been for a cause he couldn't fault. This was different.

”So they're going for Xinlie City.” The Ivory Sword Saint bit out. The sharp feeling of annoyance clawed at his stomach as he was barely able to keep his countenance calm.

Liu Suye frowned. ”We're going for Xinlie City,” he corrected. ”They've already made the call.”

”I can see that.”

Xinlie City was a demon city and was home to one of the Demon King's main dwellings. It was also the closest stronghold to Heavenly Sword territory and sat just on the cusp of the Dark Kingdom, next to Juganmen Province. If they took this stronghold, it would help them secure the north, and ease up the small scale raids and sieges that the Demon Clans had slowly been unleashing upon them.

Liu Sumeng had spent months trying to discourage this plan. And when they began to send him off on solo missions against those small scale raids, the Ivory Sword Saint had suspected that something was off. But he wanted to trust his uncle. He wanted to believe that the sect's respect for him would have made them at least wait for his return before finalizing any decision-making.

He was truly a fool.

”This plan isn't sound. If it was, they wouldn't have made it behind my back.”

Liu Suye kept his face neutral. He was more careful with his words nowadays. As his little brother grew in impatience, his talkativeness grew along with harsher words, ”Please don't yell at me. It's not as if I had any say in those decisions.”

Liu Sumeng narrowed his eyes. He didn't entirely believe his Xiongzhang.

Xu Hexian poked his head out from behind the older of the Liu brothers. Cautiously, he voiced his own opinion, ”Why are you so angry, Meng-xiong? I mean, it's not a terrible idea, right? We've been the ones getting the brunt of all these attacks and now the other Sects are willing to help us out with securing our territory. It'll put us at an advantage against those Demons, right?”

”It's a diversion.” Liu Sumeng said, feeling exhausted from repeating the same thing over and over again. He missed the years of being a respected general where his words at a war council never went unheard. But now, he was nothing more than a Young Master who had to heed the final decisions of the Sect Leader. He no longer held any authority on the matter.

The past several months had been especially quiet down in the southern regions, where the Seven Moons Sect was no doubt amassing their powers and brewing evil plots. The attacks up north could not be more obvious in their motives. And while Liu Sumeng was of no mind to simply abandon his own hometown to demon raids, he also was the only person who felt any urgency towards the situation down south. How could this be? Liu Sumeng felt like his hair was going to soon turn gray.

”Where is uncle?” He asked again.

”Look, A-Chao,” Liu Suye sighed, ”I really don't know. I just know that he went out. And you can talk to him when he returns but I'm serious when I say that the decision had already been made and you won't be able to change his mind. It's not just Uncle's decision, you know that right?”

Liu Sumeng glared at his older brother. He was well aware of that. An entire collection of fools stood behind this idea. It was Liu Sumeng alone who saw reason.