Chapter Six: Raising a Tiger Invites Trouble

Ye Min, "How do you plan to proceed?" He had never spoken of his origins to anyone, nor had he ever mentioned his master or second master. Vengeance had always been the foremost matter in his heart, but if someone were to use this against him, to manipulate him, that would be intolerable. The people of the Xiao family had come searching for him; surely, they must have turned over every piece of information about him.

Xiao Moran looked at Ye Min's small face, displaying a seriousness far beyond his years, and nearly laughed aloud. Something about it struck him as odd. He crouched down, feeling more comfortable, "It's quite simple, really. I might as well tell you: within and outside the Thousand Heads Sect, there are many of our spies. We are preparing to wipe out the sect in one fell swoop, and by my reckoning, it will be within a few days. What do you say? Would you like to lend a hand?"

Ye Min replied, "More details?" The Thousand Heads Sect had always been fiercely guarded—how could it be so easily infiltrated?

Xiao Moran raised an eyebrow, "Little devil, you don't believe me?" He paused, pondering. If he himself bore a deep-seated grudge and someone suddenly offered an effortless way to destroy his enemies, he too would be skeptical.

Considering this, Xiao Moran said, "How about this? I expect something major will happen within the sect soon. When the time comes, someone will seek you out and explain everything."

Ye Min nodded, content to see what tricks the Xiao family might pull.

Seeing Ye Min agree, Xiao Moran wanted to add more, but several cat cries suddenly sounded from outside. He had to let it go. "That's it, little devil. Until we meet again." With that, he slipped away through the window.

Ye Min's expression remained impassive as he shattered the screen with a single palm. The floor was littered with shards of ice, which soon melted into puddles, as if the screen had never existed at all.

After Xiao Moran's visit, nothing happened within the Thousand Heads Sect. The calm was like the hush before a storm.

Qianshou awoke to daylight, his companion still deep in sleep. He had been far too restless the night before, only relenting at dawn, his senior brother Wan Changxuan.

Unable to resist, Qianshou turned to gaze at him—so peaceful and beautiful, infinitely gentler than when awake. No matter how exhausted he was, Wan Changxuan always slept properly, hands folded over his abdomen, lying flat through the night without shifting, even now, though his wrists and ankles were bound tight.

He felt no regret for binding him; at least his senior brother could not leave his side.

Ever since he inherited the position of sect master and imprisoned his senior brother, Wan Changxuan had not smiled. Yet every morning, Qianshou stubbornly waited by his side, asking, "Would it please you to marry me, Changxuan?"

Qianshou knew that his senior brother was always somewhat dazed upon waking. He hoped that one day, while his brother's mind was unclear, he might obtain the answer he longed for. Yet, each time he asked, Wan Changxuan instantly became alert. Once awake, his senior brother reverted to who he had always been—the spy sent by the Xiao family, not simply Qianshou's senior brother.

In truth, Qianshou had learned this shortly after joining the sect. He supposed Wan Changxuan was unaware. Their master had told him early on, and the condition for inheriting the sect master’s position had been to protect his senior brother.

In the world of assassins, rivalry between the top two families inevitably led to casualties. And now, they were finally about to act.

Qianshou returned to himself as the lashes of the man before him quivered and his eyes slowly opened, hazy and lost. As always, Qianshou asked, "Would it please you to marry me, Changxuan?"

As expected, Wan Changxuan snapped awake. He closed his eyes again, bitterness flooding his heart. Then, quietly rising and dressing, he surprised Qianshou by getting up as well. He could feel Wan Changxuan’s presence drawing ever closer, but what happened next was wholly unexpected.

Wan Changxuan suddenly enveloped Qianshou in an embrace. For a moment, cracks appeared in Qianshou’s impassive façade; he was stunned, instinctively calling out, "Senior brother..."

Rarely, Wan Changxuan buried his head in Qianshou's neck and whispered, "Yes."

Qianshou’s expression froze. He stammered, "Yes—yes, to what?"

Wan Changxuan's voice, almost magical, sounded again by Qianshou’s ear, "Changxuan and Qianshou will marry..."

As Wan Changxuan finished speaking, a scorching tear fell onto the hand encircling Qianshou’s waist. Wan Changxuan sighed inwardly, turned Qianshou toward him, and gently kissed his tear-stained eyes. Qianshou closed his eyes, savoring this rare tenderness.

Wan Changxuan drew Qianshou into his arms, his gaze shadowed. He stroked Qianshou’s unbound hair and continued, "Let us marry on the fifteenth of next month!"

The fifteenth... It was the fifteenth... Qianshou was silent for a moment, then looked up with a pure, innocent smile—just as he had smiled when he and Wan Changxuan first met. Wan Changxuan was briefly dazed, but only for an instant. His gaze grew resolute; he knew Qianshou would never refuse him.

Qianshou never could bear to leave him for even a moment, save for the fifteenth of every month, when Qianshou vanished. Wan Changxuan searched all over the sect, but could not find him.

And every time the fifteenth passed, Qianshou seemed terribly frail, his face deathly pale, as though he might disappear at any moment.

Just as Wan Changxuan anticipated, Qianshou smiled and replied, "Yes." He pulled Wan Changxuan’s head down, pressing a kiss to his lips. Qianshou kissed with delicate care, like a child’s playful peck, so different from his usual possessive kisses. Wan Changxuan was filled with a strange unease—could Qianshou have discovered something? No, impossible. He had left no hint, how could Qianshou possibly know?

Wan Changxuan, fearing Qianshou might glimpse the emotion in his eyes, closed them and slowly returned Qianshou’s gentle kiss, then took the initiative, deepening the kiss, their tongues entwined and exploring. He lost himself in the moment, never noticing that Qianshou’s eyes remained open, the light fading to bleakness and sorrow.

The sect master announced his marriage, and his chosen was but a humble attendant—a male attendant, no less. The sect members, upon hearing the news, marveled at the true meaning of love and quietly wished their master happiness. In truth, they thought: at last, someone could tame the sect master. Perhaps their future held a ray of hope after all.

Joy suffused the entire sect. Qianshou was busy with wedding preparations, unable to attend to Wan Changxuan. For the first time in ages, Wan Changxuan was free to wander the sect alone. Since agreeing to marry Qianshou, the restraints on him had lessened considerably; he breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Clearly, Qianshou trusted him deeply.

The young master had sent word days ago, hoping Wan Changxuan would visit Protector Ye. Now was the perfect opportunity, so Wan Changxuan made his way to Ye Min’s courtyard.

Ye Min’s quarters were sparsely furnished, bare save for necessities. In the inner room, Ye Min sat cross-legged at a small wooden table, quietly sipping tea. Wan Changxuan sat opposite him, and Ye Min poured him a cup. Wan Changxuan accepted it and said, "You knew I would come?"

Ye Min did not answer, only asked, "What do you intend to do?"

Wan Changxuan now felt certain the person the young master spoke of was this nine-year-old child before him. Three years had passed, and not a single subordinate had questioned his authority. How could this child possibly be as simple as he appeared?

Wan Changxuan got straight to the point, "Next month, I am to marry the sect master..."

He was interrupted as Ye Min paused, then said, "Congratulations."

Wan Changxuan reflexively replied, "Thank you," and continued, "Someone will drug the wine that day, and the Xiao family will be lying in wait some distance outside the sect. Within the Thousand Heads Sect, several locations are heavily guarded. Those guards will not leave their posts, no matter what happens in the sect. Your task is to eliminate those guards and let the Xiao family members in."

Ye Min looked up and asked, "Can’t someone else take care of those guards?"

Wan Changxuan explained, "Only the sect master and the protectors can approach those places. Anyone leaving the sect requires the sect master’s order."

Ye Min considered carefully, then replied, "Very well."

Wan Changxuan, goal achieved, left swiftly.

In the grand hall, Qianshou asked the man below, "Did you see where he went?"

The man answered quickly, "Sect master, the madam went to Protector Ye’s courtyard."

Qianshou murmured, "Ye Min? You warned me before—raising a tiger is courting disaster. Yet now, the greatest threat is you, isn’t it?"

The subordinate stood silent. Qianshou waved a hand, and he hurried away.