"Let's leave it like this for now. When we get to town, we'll ask a shopkeeper for a bowl of clean water to clean your wound and re-bandage it," Liu Ying said. Her voice, which she hadn't heard in a long time, was still so pleasant, making Xue Qing's heart flutter.
"You're not angry with me anymore?" Xue Qing asked.
"angry?"
"Aren't you going to say I'm a monster who has been resurrected?"
The firefly didn't answer, it just smiled.
Xue Qing snorted unhappily and said, "The old bald monk told you that the antidote is in my hands. You'd better behave yourself, or I'll throw it away."
Liu Ying still smiled: "Yes, I would never dare to disobey my master's wishes."
The title "Uncle-Master" now sounded ironic. Xue Qing stuffed the reins of the white horse into Liu Ying's hand: "Now that your injury has healed, driving the carriage is still your job. Come on, let's go to town."
Xue Qing jumped into the carriage and sat against the wooden plank, separated from Liu Ying only by a few centimeters of wood in the carriage. This feeling, after losing and regaining, disturbed her heart even more strongly. It turned out that these things were not something she would have forever for no reason. She could lose them at any time. God, you are really hateful. Since it is so difficult to maintain, don't let her get them so easily. Such a gap makes people want to give you the middle finger!
I wonder how Dongchou is doing now. Thinking of Dongchou makes me feel sad again. Although he is a drunken, dirty, and unreasonable bastard, he still occasionally acts like an elder brother. When I left Qilin Mountain, I was already mentally prepared to face this situation. Just as Dongchou himself said, the martial world is not a place for people to live out their days in peace. Fifteen years ago, the senior sect leaders either died of illness or died in battle. There are very few left. After all, those who live as long as Abbot Chankong and the Palace Master of Kunlun Palace are a minority. Dying of illness is already considered an unconventional way to die. Once you enter the martial world, you are already prepared for the fact that no one will wrap your body after you die.
Liu Ying was unaware of his master's illness, and Jian Die was unaware of Xue Qing's separation from Liu Ying. She sent a letter directly to Xue Qing, who hesitated, unsure how to tell Liu Ying. Compared to herself, a transmigrator, Liu Ying had spent far more time with Dong Chou, and their bond was deeper. She couldn't simply remain silent; she needed time to prepare him. Xue Qing slowly began, "Liu Ying, we must hurry back to Ling Yu. Second Senior Brother… something terrible has happened…"
The sound of whips cracking outside the carriage stopped, followed by a moment of silence, then Liu Ying's calm voice: "Yes, we'll go straight back via the official road."
Xue Qing touched the sleeve she had torn. She was different from those who had roamed the martial world since childhood; she kept all her thoughts hidden inside, knowing her own joys and sorrows only for herself. This was a protective shell honed by the trials of the martial world. She felt a little envious, and a little sorry for her. Compared to her own decade-long days spent daydreaming in class, Liu Ying must have experienced far more hardships in the past. Xue Qing hugged her knees, her chin resting on them, fiddling with the antidote given to her by Abbot Chan Kong. Her future, like everything else in this martial world, was uncertain; whether it would bring joy or sorrow, it was all up to fate.
They rushed back to Lingyu Mountain almost without stopping, and without needing the disciples at the foot of the mountain to lead them, the two hurried up the mountain. Sun Fang was waiting for them and led them to Dong Chou's room. The room was filled with the smell of Chinese medicine. Dong Chou was lying on the bed, with Jian Die and Fang Yun guarding him. Fang Yun's eyes were red and swollen, but Jian Die sat calmly to the side, watching Dong Chou.
"Second Senior Brother!" "Master!" Liu Ying and Xue Qing ran to Dong Chou's bedside. The person on the bed looked no different from when they parted, but his lifeless eyes betrayed his body, which was riddled with holes.
“Cough…girl…tell your aunt the letter from this morning again,” Dongchou said weakly.
Cocoon Butterfly nodded: "Kunlun Palace has agreed to establish a martial arts alliance."
Xue Qing stared at Dong Chou in astonishment. This meant that the entire Central Plains had come under the control of the Martial Alliance. Had the Martial Alliance truly been established? Although she didn't know what method Dong Chou had used to change Kunlun Palace's mind, he had indeed succeeded. Xue Qing grasped Dong Chou's hand and smiled, "Second Senior Brother, you succeeded!" But her eyes ached as she smiled. What good was success then? He was going to die!
Dongchou patted Xue Qing's head, "Don't cry... I still have something to say..." He then beckoned Liu Ying closer to listen, "We should thank God... cough cough... for not letting them discover my illness... After I die, say I was assassinated... cough... frame the Underworld... so that other factions can contribute more... Since the war in the Desert Fifteen years ago... cough cough cough... the Lingyu Sect has been in charge of command... Senior Sister is getting old... Junior Sister... you... must carry on the legacy..."
“Firefly…cough cough…” Dongchou called out again, “You are my only disciple…Suwen…I passed it on to you…You must use it well…Junior sister, you must also…protect her…My last wish…you two will help me fulfill it…Any more…cough cough…I don’t have the strength to say more…I’ve already told the girl…cough…tell you all…”
"Second Uncle, don't worry, I remember everything," said Jian Die, blindfolding Dong Chou.
“Cough… He’s not dead yet…” Dongchou said angrily.
Everyone chuckled, then fell into a deeper silence. Even the most beautiful farewell is still a farewell. Even if you laugh along with him, even if you want to tell him something funny, the smiles that come out are still incredibly ugly.
"And then, that old bald monk really gave me a Dharma name. He wanted to call me Huiqing. You know, not all the monks in Shaolin Temple have the character 'Hui' in their names..." He wanted to tell Dongchou with a smile, but as he spoke, his eyes became blurry. The air was too humid, and his eyelashes were wet.
At midnight, Dongchou left, his smile undiminished, his dark circles still resembling smoky makeup, but he would never open his eyes again. Fang Yun could no longer hold back, throwing herself onto Dongchou and wailing. She was the senior disciple of the Lingyu Sect, yet she had sent off one junior brother after another, white-haired and black-haired. She was not the kind of woman like Abbess Dingni who could hide everything in her heart; once her tears broke the dam, they could not be stopped.
Only two people in the room didn't cry: Cocoon Butterfly and Firefly. Cocoon Butterfly didn't want to cry. In her heart, death itself wasn't such a terrible thing. Her father died with a smile, and her mother died with a smile. The sorrow of being separated from the living was just a punishment for those who still tried to hold on. She didn't want to hold onto Tong Chou, so she didn't cry. Tong Chou had already done what he wanted to do. Although it was a regret that he didn't have time to deal with the Underworld, it didn't prevent him from being called a hero. He left with a smile, and she saw him off with a smile.
Death, in Liu Ying's eyes, was as commonplace as watching someone drink a cup of tea. He had seen it all when the desert was littered with corpses; the only difference was that this time, the person dying was someone closer to him. Those who died in the battles of the desert, without exception, had expressions contorted with pain. The sight of Dong Chou dying with a smile was novel to Liu Ying. Having shared a master-disciple relationship with Dong Chou for many years, this was the first time he had seen Dong Chou smile so contentedly without drinking. It was the satisfaction of having fulfilled his heart's desire.
Dongchou originally intended to leave quietly at Mount Goulou, but Fang Yun, knowing his illness, insisted on bringing him back to Lingyu for recuperation, which also conveniently concealed his long-term illness and withered body. He had already told Jiandie that after his death, he did not want to be buried in the back mountain of Lingyu Mountain; he wanted to return to Mount Goulou. As for the reason, he did not say, but perhaps there was an unforgettable memory there.
The day after placing Dongchou into the coffin, Jiandie spoke with Xue Qing alone. She had changed a lot in the past few months, as if she had transformed from a girl into a woman. Her beautiful eyebrows still had a touch of childishness, but her demeanor carried the flavor of a mature woman.
"Aunt, Second Uncle said that you are the most suitable person in the martial arts world to inherit his mantle. You will help Second Uncle fulfill his last wish, right?" Cocoon Butterfly asked, her eyes still as bright as stars.
"This... I haven't thought about it yet," Xue Qing replied. She had helped Dong Chou before, but she wasn't ready to shoulder the responsibility alone. "Besides me, there are many others, and Xiao Guiying is also very good." In the original story, Xiao Guiying became the leader of the martial arts alliance, so let him be the leader this time too.
"Kunlun Palace will not allow it. During the war, Qilin Pavilion's contributions were limited due to its division. Only Lingyu's people have no reason for Kunlun Palace to object, Aunt!" Eager to prevent Dongchou's efforts from going to waste, Jiandie pleaded.
"Let me think about it some more..." Xue Qing said hesitantly. Making such a big decision suddenly was difficult for her. She needed to talk to someone about her troubles, and Liu Ying naturally came to mind. Some people seep into your heart quietly like that. You may not think of them when you are happy, but when you need someone, their image will be the first one you think of. That is dependence.
Author's Note: I've been having a persistent spam issue and was hesitant about updating. But it's a girl's birthday, so regardless of whether you guys see this or not! Regardless of whether the little chrysanthemum keeps spinning! I'm going to do it!
Happy birthday, Nico! In this time of national celebration, let's play a card-flipping game. Sofa girl, please click on the name of a character from a mini-drama!
Ling Shu Sword
In the dimly lit court of the Underworld, Yan Ming sat on his golden chair. An Luo rushed over, knelt on one knee, and said, "We received a report from our informant at Broken Sword Manor that there are still no other unusual movements within the manor."
"Hmm, is there anything else?" Yan Ming said lazily, sitting on the golden chair.
“No,” Anluo replied.
Yan Ming narrowed his eyes and suddenly struck An Luo with his palm. His profound internal force left a long bloody gash on An Luo's face. Yan Ming angrily said, "Qi failed to capture that woman. Why didn't you report it?"
Anluo offered no explanation, remaining kneeling on one knee with her head bowed low: "This subordinate deserves to die."
Yan Ming did not continue to vent his anger on her. He stood up and said calmly, "When I passed the position to you, I told you that the Lord of the Hell Path cannot have personal feelings. You have disappointed me greatly."
Anluo was prepared to be punished. She could endure any physical pain, but hearing the word "disappointment" from her master's mouth was more painful than having her collarbone ripped open. Over the years, she had put in extraordinary effort, whether it was practicing martial arts or completing the tasks assigned by Yanming. She had to do everything perfectly, just to get a word of praise from Yanming. Now, a word of disappointment was so painful.
“I deserve to die…I deserve to die…” Anluo’s head was almost touching the ground as he kept repeating these four words.
“The Underworld is short-handed right now, so I’ll let you go this time. Tell Qi to withdraw the order and leave that woman alone for now,” Yan Ming said.
"Why?" Anluo looked up in confusion.
"'The Jade-Faced Swordsman' is dead. He couldn't possibly have taken Ling Shu's whereabouts to his grave. That woman rushed back to Ling Yu before his death. How much of that do you think is a coincidence? Our informant at Broken Sword Manor has been fruitless. Why don't we let her go find it for us? We can just sit back and wait for Ling Shu to reappear."
"Yes, the Domain Lord is wise. Should we withdraw the spies from Broken Sword Manor?" Anluo replied.
Yan Ming waved his hand: "Broken Sword Manor is still a key area we need to monitor. Tell her to be even more careful."
"Yes, I will take care of it right away," Anluo said, bowing her head.