Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Long Tianyun is worried
Unable to shake the feeling, Long Tianyun abruptly opened his eyes, the glow of spiritual energy fading from his body. "What is this feeling?" he muttered, standing up and pacing. It was rare for him to be disturbed during cultivation, but the unease was overwhelming.
After a moment of contemplation, he made the decision. "I can\'t continue like this," he said to himself. "Something is wrong."
With that, he ended his seclusion early, leaving the peaceful chamber behind.
The next day, an informant hurried to Long Tianyun\'s side, his face pale as he delivered urgent news.
"Master Tianyun," the informant began, bowing respectfully. "I bring troubling news from Iron Lotus City."
Long Tianyun\'s sharp gaze fixed on the man. "What news?"
"There was an attack... at Lady Daniela\'s workshop."
The words hit Long Tianyun like a blow. His heart skipped a beat, and his previously calm demeanor shifted. "What happened to her?" he demanded, stepping forward with a mix of concern and anger. "Is she hurt?"
The informant quickly shook his head, his voice steady but cautious. "Nothing too serious happened to Lady Daniela, but it was close. A group of rogue cultivators attempted to cause chaos. However, a cultivator named Ye Chen intervened and killed them before they could do real harm."
"Ye Chen?" Long Tianyun\'s eyes narrowed. "What was he doing there?"
"The city mayor had requested assistance from the sect to eliminate the rogue cultivators, and Ye Chen answered the call," the informant explained, his tone respectful but uneasy, sensing Long Tianyun\'s rising frustration.
Long Tianyun clenched his fists. "So, Ye Chen dealt with the problem," he muttered under his breath. "And what of Daniela? What of her condition?"
"She was unharmed, but..." the informant hesitated, his eyes darting away for a moment. "There was talk that she might have been poisoned during the attack."
"Poisoned?!" Long Tianyun\'s heart raced. His voice was filled with a mix of rage and fear. "How could this happen?"
The informant quickly reassured him. "I don\'t think the problem is serious. The next morning, I checked on Lady Daniela, and she appeared completely fine, as if nothing had happened."
Long Tianyun took a deep breath, his chest tightening with unresolved tension. "But still, she was attacked," he said, his voice quieter now, though the anger simmered beneath the surface. His protective instincts over Daniela, his only family, surged to the forefront.
Unable to remain still any longer, he turned to the informant with resolve. "I\'m going to Iron Lotus City," he declared. "Prepare my things."
The informant nodded swiftly, leaving to carry out the order.
As Long Tianyun set out for Iron Lotus City, his mind raced. His heart was heavy with worry, though he kept his expression stoic. He could feel that the unease from earlier had been related to Daniela\'s situation. Now, all he could think of was whether she was truly safe. The idea of her being hurt or threatened gnawed at him. He had to see her with his own eyes, make sure she was alright.
Nothing else mattered at this moment.
Hours later, Long Tianyun arrived at the grand mansion where Daniela lived. He didn\'t waste a second, pushing open the gates and striding inside. His voice echoed through the courtyard as he called out, his worry masked by the urgency in his tone.
"Daniela! Daniela!", he shouted.
Inside, Daniela was seated with some of the women from her workshop, chatting quietly when she heard the familiar voice. She froze, surprise flickering in her eyes. She quickly rose to her feet, her heart skipping a beat. Hearing his familiar voice, a part of her felt comforted, yet deep down, there was turmoil she could not shake.
"Brother?" she whispered, rushing toward the entrance.
As Long Tianyun stormed into the room, his eyes immediately searched for her, and when he saw her standing there unharmed, relief washed over him. He hurried toward her, his expression softening but still lined with concern.
"Daniela, are you alright?" he asked, his voice a mixture of relief and frustration. "I heard about the attack."
Daniela smiled gently, her voice soothing. "I\'m fine, brother. Thanks to a cultivator named Ye Chen, the rogue cultivators were dealt with swiftly."
Long Tianyun\'s brow furrowed. "Ye Chen?" he repeated, trying to mask his unease. "You\'re sure you\'re okay? I heard you might have been poisoned."
Daniela shook her head, her smile still calm. "There was a brief concern, but I feel perfectly fine. Perhaps it was just a rumor."
Long Tianyun studied her face closely, his worry not entirely alleviated. "If anything had happened to you..." His voice trailed off, unable to finish the thought. He sighed deeply, pulling her into a gentle embrace. "I couldn\'t bear the thought of you being in danger."
Daniela patted his back softly. "You worry too much, brother. Everything is fine now."
Long Tianyun glanced at her, his expression serious. "Why haven\'t you told me about these rogue cultivators causing trouble earlier?" His tone was firm, protective, yet his gaze was still that of a concerned sibling.
Daniela hesitated, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. "How could I, brother? They hadn\'t been too active, and I thought the city\'s security could handle it. I didn\'t want to worry you," she replied softly, her heart racing. She wasn\'t telling him the full truth—how could she? She had lost something precious to her, and now, standing before him, she felt unworthy of his concern.
Long Tianyun frowned, clearly unsatisfied with her answer. "You should\'ve told me, Daniela. No matter how minor it seemed, it\'s my responsibility to protect you." His voice was firm, but to Daniela, it felt distant. He was speaking as a brother, and for some reason, that only deepened the growing unease in her heart.
"I... I didn\'t want to be a burden," Daniela mumbled, her gaze lowering. The guilt she carried was suffocating. She couldn\'t tell him the truth about what had happened. How could she admit that she had lost her virginity under the effects of the aphrodisiac the rogue cultivators had forced upon her? Worse yet, she couldn\'t bring herself to reveal that it was Ye Chen, not her brother, who had saved her.
That fateful night had changed everything for her.
Long Tianyun\'s voice interrupted her thoughts. "Trouble? Daniela, you\'re my sister. You will never be a burden to me. It\'s my duty to take care of you, do you understand?" His words were filled with the kind of affection that siblings share, but something about it stung her.
"Yes, brother," Daniela answered shyly, but her heart was in turmoil. She forced herself to smile, but the weight of her secret was crushing her from the inside. Her brother\'s words, his protective nature, should have comforted her. Yet they only highlighted a painful truth.
Deep down, Daniela had always wished for something more than just the sibling affection that Long Tianyun showed her. She craved love—the kind of love that only a partner could give. She had harbored feelings for her brother, confusing the closeness they shared with something more romantic. But Ye Chen\'s words echoed in her mind now, reminding her of the harsh reality.
"He only sees you as a sister, nothing more," Ye Chen had said. "Long Tianyun is a cultivator. He\'ll marry a fairy or some high-born lady from a powerful family. He might not accept an impure woman, especially if that woman is his own sister."
The words haunted her. Daniela realized now that Ye Chen was right. Long Tianyun treated her like family, nothing more. He would never look at her the way she wished, never return the romantic feelings she had secretly nurtured for so long. The more she thought about it, the more distant he felt, and the guilt she carried for what had happened with Ye Chen only grew heavier.
That night with Ye Chen—it had changed everything. Under the influence of the aphrodisiac, she had experienced something she couldn\'t erase. And while part of her tried to feel guilty for it, another part of her—one she had tried to suppress—began to think of Ye Chen in a different light. He had saved her when she was at her most vulnerable.
She felt torn. Her guilt and loyalty to her brother clashed with the newfound feelings stirring within her for Ye Chen. Despite what had happened, she had felt safe with him. He had not judged her for what had occurred, but had instead reassured her, even as her heart swam in confusion.
As she stood there, her brother\'s words faded into the background, and her thoughts drifted back to Ye Chen. "Could it be possible that Ye Chen might truly care for me? "she wondered.