Vender ropa y traer vino para beber contigo

Capítulo 20

Liu Chonghan roared, his five fingers clenching and unclenching, his left hand drawing the knife, his right hand forming an eagle claw, grabbing at something in mid-air with immense force, intending to seize the woman's neck! His fingers twitched, veins bulging, and he shouted, "Run!"

Bai Yinghong turned around sharply and shouted, "Quick, come with me!"

The crimson shadow swayed.

The snow and light mingled.

Liu Chonghan glanced at the crowd and saw them getting further and further away. He laughed loudly and said intermittently to the red-clad woman who was wildly slashing with her knife, "They're all gone. Let's have a good fight!"

The woman, knife in one hand, leaped and landed atop a high place, her fist clenched, knuckles cracking. Hearing this, she chuckled softly: "No, it's me who's going to kill you..."

In an instant, a crimson shadow moved swiftly, a few leaps and bounds, and the blade slashed straight at his vital points. The blade's momentum was fierce, swift, and dangerous; there was no fancy footwork, each strike piercing flesh with astonishing force, raw and terrifying. After a few exchanges, Liu Chonghan retreated hastily, slightly panting. Looking at the golden curved blade in his hand, now serrated, he stared at the red-clad woman chasing after him with her blade raised, a fear he had never felt before rising within him.

He narrowly avoided another attack from the woman, turning his head to slash at her arm. However, she unexpectedly flipped over and hooked her blade, kicking the large ring-handled sword from his hand. She then swung her sword, slashing down on his hair in one blow. Before he could catch his breath, the woman struck again with a fierce and ruthless blow, leaving a long, bloody gash on his arm with a "whoosh." Liu Chonghan, disarmed and wounded, clutched his arm and dodged to the side.

In the blink of an eye—

The bronze broadsword, with a whooshing sound, swung down, reflecting the crimson sunlight. With a clang, the blade slashed straight down, striking Liu Chonghan between the eyebrows.

Liu Chonghan felt a blur before his eyes and a burning sensation between his brows. He then lost all awareness of the world around him, and warm liquid streamed down his face as he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Liebo swung his knife, slung it over his shoulder, gave a fierce smile, and looked in the direction where those people had disappeared. With a few leaps, he chased after them.

Clouds rise from the sea of mist, and sheer cliffs, a thousand feet high, disappear from sight. Strong pines pierce the hills and valleys, and rushing torrents swift as arrows.

The path narrowed, becoming almost impassable. Han Dang dismounted and began climbing. He reached a mountain stream where water gushed over the rocks. Carefully, Han Dang crossed the stream. The path twisted and turned endlessly; on one side was a steep cliff face, and on the other, a bottomless precipice. Han Dang abandoned his horse, using vines as a crutch, and began to climb with his bare hands. Looking up, the clouds and mist obscured the top. Gritting his teeth, he pushed off with his feet, using the momentum to leap upwards.

High mountains line both banks, shrouded in a thin mist. The snow-capped peaks gleam brightly.

The mountains rise high and straight, forming hundreds and thousands of peaks. Birdsong has vanished, and even the cries of monkeys are no longer heard.

At the edge of Sunset Cliff, Li Huangyin stood alone, gazing calmly at the bottomless precipice below, one hand caressing the Seven Abyss amulet at her waist.

There were soft footsteps behind her. Li Huangyin turned her head slightly and smiled, "They're coming up."

The newcomer was Ye Changsheng. He nodded upon hearing this, his face unusually serious, and slowly asked, "What do you intend to do?"

Li Huangyin slowly turned around, looking into Changsheng's calm and unwavering eyes, and said softly, "It's not about what I want to do... but what they will do, or rather... what someone tells them to do. Some people will die, some will live, and none of that is up to me—I'm afraid that only a small fraction of them are still alive now..."

Ye Changsheng turned his gaze to the sea of clouds and mist below the ravine, and after a long while, he smiled slightly: "I never thought... I would be able to stand on Luoyang Cliff again."

Li Huangyin's lips curled slightly, her smile dashing and debonair, as she softly and slowly spoke—

"Willows droop on all sides, lotus blossoms stretch for ten miles, where are the flowers most abundant towards the clouds? The setting sun shines on the south side of the painted pavilion. The weather is suddenly cool, and people feel lonely. Time must be whiled away with wine, so let's come and listen to the music among the flowers... Do you know why you are called Ye Sheng? It is this poem."

One summer in Jiangnan, Ye Junshan encountered your mother, a beautiful woman searching for Liang Ning's footsteps, amidst the misty rain of Hangzhou. Ye Junshan only knew that your mother was a daughter of an official, and though it was a brief encounter, he could not forget her. He then traveled with your mother, and the two gradually became friends.

Back then, Luoyang Tower was nothing more than a few small pavilions that Liang Ning built while playing on Luoyang Mountain; Liang Ning was languid and alluring, captivating and breathtakingly beautiful. His graceful figure was irresistible. He was the Wuling Young Master, admired by women throughout the martial world. He had merely saved Pan Yuerong from being trampled by a horse's hooves, and she had pursued him to the ends of the earth for a full six months.

Ye Junshan was the eldest son of the Jiangling Ye family, the head of the seven great martial arts families. He was extremely arrogant and naturally didn't want the woman he loved to fall in love with someone else. Therefore, he used every means to prevent Pan Yuerong from seeing Liang Ning… But man proposes, God disposes. Pan Yuerong left without saying goodbye, and when they met again a year later, she was already pregnant with Liang Ning's child.

It was only then that Ye Junshan learned that Pan Yuerong had run away from home to be with Liang Ning after her arranged marriage, and her father had severed their father-daughter relationship with her. On that day, she seemed to have argued with Liang Ning and ran away alone. Ye Junshan, for reasons unknown, placed her under house arrest. During this time, she kept trying to escape, and Ye Junshan kept a closer eye on her. Eight months later, you were born. That night, Pan Yuerong took advantage of Ye Junshan's drunkenness, secretly ran away with you in her arms, and woke up the gatekeeper. In her panic, she fell into the pond. It was the dead of winter, and she had just given birth, leaving her with health problems. She died not long after.

Before she died, she asked Ye Junshan to send you back to her family home. Her father was none other than Pan Zhongxun, the Grand Tutor of the court, who held the official position of Envoy of the Northern Court of Xuanhui.

Ye Junshan hates Liang Ning; he blames Liang Ning for all the tragedies. Therefore, he also hates you; you carry half his blood. So—he wants you to kill him with your own hands.

Ye Changsheng was somewhat stunned, her eyes half-closed, lost in thought. Some of what Li Huangyin said she already knew, while others she simply couldn't believe. Her gaze drifted, trembling slightly, and Ye Changsheng looked up and asked, "Why..."

"How do I know?" Before she could ask, Li Huangyin stared at her for a moment. She appeared delicate and frail, her complexion slightly pale, but not unattractive. He let out a soft sigh and said, "You are not Ye Sheng, but Liang Sheng. My name is not Li Huangyin—perhaps it should be Ye Huangyin…"

Longevity

Standing atop the setting sun, overlooking the abyss.

A gust of wind swept by, lifting Ye Changsheng's sash. She reached out and gently grasped it. Turning her head, she chuckled softly, "I think I know."

"Oh?" Li Huangyin raised an eyebrow, seemingly somewhat disbelieving. Ye Changsheng, fiddling with his sash, turned around and gave a faint smile. "Well, I only know that you and Ye Junshan must have some connection... and... a very close one."

Li Huangyin was silent for a moment, then said, "The relationship is very close..."

Beyond the ravine, the sky is filled with swirling clouds and mist, making this place seem like a distant and ethereal fairyland, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world.

Li Huangyin looked into Ye Changsheng's eyes, and after a long while, she spoke softly, "I hate you... I am Ye Junshan's biological son, yet he spent every day with your mother when I was an infant. Even after that woman died, you were still held in his arms every day. I was sent out of the manor, and you became the only son of the Ye family, inheriting everything. Years later, I was sent to Luoyang Tower, beginning a dark and endless killing spree. While I was cautiously navigating the dangers, killing every day to save my life, you were already a renowned martial arts prodigy; while I was in dire straits, alone and vulnerable, my parents doted on you; I had no..." While I was helpless and calculating, you were riding high; you could bask in the sunshine, surrounded by friends, while I was stuck on this desolate mountaintop, enduring the year-round cold of Luoyang Mountain—you had what I never had, you were pampered by everyone… Sometimes I even thought that the dashing young man with the silver saddle and white horse, as swift as a shooting star, was me, and that you stole my life… Ha, but I know Ye Junshan never treated me like a son, nor did he necessarily treat you like a daughter… When I saw you kill Liang Ning with a single sword stroke, I suddenly realized that we were all the same, always living in Ye Junshan's grasp. Your glamorous past brought you nothing but this end.”

A thin mist hung in the air, dampness clinging to his long eyelashes. Ye Changsheng blinked and spread his hands: "Yes, Master Li shouldn't hate me. Look at you, at least you're doing alright."

Suddenly, he stumbled and was pulled forward by Li Huangyin. Just two inches from his feet was a bottomless cliff. Ye Changsheng shuddered and said in fear, "Ah... Could it be that Master Li has remembered the old things and her hatred has rekindled?"

The person behind you chuckled softly, their warm breath brushing gently against your ear: "You said... where are they now? And... how many are left?"

Ye Changsheng smiled slightly: "Isn't it up to Master Li to decide?"

Li Huangyin shook her head, gently resting her chin on Ye Changsheng's shoulder, and said indifferently, "Some people are destined to die... Their fates were decided long ago. Do you remember the Guantong Village case ten years ago? That tragedy has only been told by Ye Junshan, and even now, some people still doubt it. Just three months ago, someone delivered a secret letter to Abbot Liao Wu of the Shaolin Temple. That very night, Liao Wu invited two people from the seven great families and the leaders of several major sects to discuss countermeasures. Ye Junshan heard about it, so of course he took action."

Turning his head slightly, Ye Changsheng said softly, "So Ye Junshan is using you to eliminate those in the know? Since you've already left the Ye family, why are you helping him?"

A hint of indifference appeared on Li Huangyin's beautiful face, and a ruthless glint appeared in her shimmering eyes: "There is no difference between the two. Whether the righteous sects of the martial world live or die, whether Ye Junshan lives or dies, what does it have to do with me, Li Huangyin? If they don't die, it will be me who dies."

Ye Changsheng couldn't see him; his shoulders felt heavy. He looked up at the faint moonlight and lonely stars appearing on the horizon. The world is vast and desolate; after people have dispersed, in the bright moonlight, his heart is filled with endless thoughts.

Everyone has their own path to walk, carrying different burdens and driven by different reasons. Whether it's right or wrong, joy or sorrow, no one can truly say for sure until the very end. Even if one regrets it, there's no going back…

Long ago, she believed the world was black and white, that good people were heroes, and bad people would always be punished. She couldn't tolerate even the slightest injustice, wielding her sword to punish evil and uphold justice, riding freely across the land. But later, as more and more things happened—complex, dark, and resentful events—they entangled her layer upon layer…though painful, they made her see the true nature of the world.

Reaching out, Ye Changsheng gently grasped Li Huangyin's sleeve, slowly turned around, and stood quietly watching him. This time, she smiled as she looked into his still fierce eyes, and slowly opened her mouth... Perhaps this would be the last time she could achieve something in this lifetime...

"Did my father...love my mother? Why...did he never look for us?"

The fierceness in Li Huangyin's eyes gradually faded, and she regained her clarity, saying softly, "Liang Ning didn't know that Pan Yuerong was pregnant. He had been searching for her whereabouts for many years, but Ye Junshan kept it a secret so well that he even thought she was dead."

Chang Sheng smiled and looked into the distance: "My mother... must have loved my father very much. The Grand Tutor's daughter eloped for a man from the martial arts world, even gave birth to a child, and ultimately... died on her sickbed. Did she... ever regret it?"

"You are still alive, and that is what she wanted most. Ye Sheng is dead, but Ye Changsheng is still alive. You don't need to, and cannot, interfere in the current martial arts world." Li Huangyin's voice was gentle and calm, filled with a tranquil atmosphere.

Ye Changsheng shook his head, a hint of helplessness and sorrow still lingering between his brows, and said softly, "I'm going to find them."

A moment of silence followed. After a long while, Li Huangyin let out a soft breath and said slowly, "If Sect Leader Ye insists on this, I hope we will meet again in the future."

A gust of wind swept past him, and when Ye Changsheng turned around, the person had vanished...

After everyone had left, the moon shone brightly. The night was cold and deep. Xie Niang lay sorrowfully, while Pan Ling slept idly, their hearts filled with endless worries.

As Ye Changsheng carefully descended the winding mountain path, leaning on a tree branch, she was surrounded by a sea of clouds and mist, with sheer, emerald-green cliffs on one side. On the other, there were sturdy pines and ravines, with rushing torrents. She couldn't help but admire Liang Ning. With their sect relegated to such a perilous and treacherous place, how many of the thirty thousand, let alone thirty thousand, of the heroes of Wuling, could reach the summit without unparalleled lightness skills?

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Changsheng reached a relatively flat mountain hollow. He faintly smelled a bloody odor, and even the stream beside him seemed to be faintly glowing red. He rubbed his eyes, approached, and took a closer look by the moonlight. The stream was indeed mixed with blood.

Ye Changsheng squatted down, stirred the stream water with a tree branch, then stood up and walked upstream.

Moonlight filtered through the mountain mist, softly illuminating the mountain path, casting shimmering black and white glows. The occasional calls of owls and the babbling of streams added to the tranquility of the forest.

Suddenly, the shadows of the trees ahead swayed, whipping up a gale that sent branches and leaves swirling like snowflakes, sweeping across the sky. A figure burst forth, his killing move already upon him, instantly landing before Ye Changsheng.

Ye Changsheng slightly shifted her position, using the branch in her hand to block the attack. She then retreated, dropping the remaining half of the branch and crying out, "I was just passing by!"

The man seemed hesitant upon hearing her voice, then slowly approached, exclaiming, "Oh dear!" The bright moonlight shone on his face, and his large, dark eyes smiled at Ye Changsheng: "Isn't this the little beauty from the East Warm Pavilion? What are you doing here?"

Ye Changsheng patted his chest at the smiling Hei Yue, straightened his clothes, and said with a slight smile, "I'm here to find someone. May I ask what brings you here, young brother?"

Black Moon pointed to a large grove of trees behind him and said loudly, "There are thirty people there. I don't know if they are the ones you are looking for—but, hehe, they are all dead."

Ye Changsheng couldn't help but twitch his lips. As expected of Li Huangyin's people, their words were astonishing. He peeked behind Hei Yue a few times, but all he could see was darkness. He shook his head, guessing that the shrewd Abbot Liaokong wouldn't move to Luoyang Mountain so easily.

—But if it were a martial arts family that had served Ye Junshan faithfully, they would certainly have followed without hesitation. Han Congming was dead, and the Zhao family of Xiangyang had become related to the emperor, distancing themselves from the conflicts of the martial world. The Zhang family of Qizhou was weakening and had few members, so they probably wouldn't participate in this operation. Therefore, only the Bai, Ling, Han, and Gongsun families had actually come. It was unknown which of these four families Liao Wu had invited that day. In other words, apart from the deceased Han Congming—Bai Yinghong, one of Ling Congyan and Gongsun Yunhe must have known about this.

Suddenly, with a "pop," a red firework lit up the sky. Hei Yue's eyes sharpened, and she grabbed Ye Changsheng's wrist. Before Ye Changsheng could ask any questions, she lifted her up and disappeared in a few leaps.

After traveling for an unknown amount of time, Hei Yue stopped on a tree, carrying Ye Changsheng in one hand, and smiled apologetically.

Ye Changsheng sat on the tree trunk and let out a long breath. A gentle breeze passed by, and suddenly he heard the sound of swords and knives. Ye Changsheng parted the leaves and peered outside. By the moonlight, he could vaguely see a group of people fighting and shouting in front of him.

Ye Changsheng stared intently at the battlefield before her, a scene of flashing swords and streaks of blood splattering under the moonlight. She couldn't make out the faces of those people, but she could feel life slipping away relentlessly. A dull ache seemed to be throbbing in her chest, her hands and feet were cold, but her mind was clear.

Black Moon muttered to herself, "So they ran into Jingchuan and Shiren. No wonder they asked for help. Tsk tsk... these people will have to be killed for a while."

"Young man..."

"Huh?" Black Moon felt someone pat his shoulder and turned around.

Ye Changsheng smiled and waved her hand, then shoved him down. As Hei Yue fell, he was still wondering why this seemingly delicate beauty possessed such strength.

Just as it was about to land, Black Moon spun around and landed steadily on the ground.

The crowd below gradually stopped, and they were all puzzled to see a person suddenly descend from the sky.

Jingchuan Shiren also stopped fighting. When they saw that the newcomer was none other than the Black Moon Envoy of the Luanyue Twins, they exchanged a glance, neither of them understanding why he would appear here.

Gongsun Xi pointed at his sword and asked, "May I ask who you are?"

Hei Yue chuckled, about to reply, when a loud thud sounded behind him, like something heavy had fallen to the ground, followed by a cry of "Ouch!" Everyone looked over warily, and from the darkness, the bushes swayed, and a figure emerged. It was Ye Changsheng, who had jumped down from the tree shortly after.

Gongsun Xi recognized the newcomer as somewhat familiar. When the man approached, Gongsun Xi frowned. It was none other than Ye Changsheng, the legendary physician who bore a striking resemblance to the sect leader.

She patted herself, straightened her clothes, and walked gracefully to the crowd. With a slight smile, she cupped her hands and said, "I have a few questions I would like to ask..." She looked around at the crowd and then at Gongsun Xi, whose brows were furrowed. "Young Master Gongsun, may I ask where Elder Master Gongsun and Elder Master Bai are now?"

Gongsun Xi looked at the face that resembled the sect leader's. For a moment, he forgot to ask why she was here at this time, and simply replied, "Master Bai is behind the mountain. My father has already gone up the mountain ahead of us."

Ye Changsheng thanked him, then turned and saw that Hei Yue's hand was already on the sword at her waist. He was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat, quickly grabbed Hei Yue's hand, and was about to leave.

With a sharp "snap," someone flashed from behind, grabbing Ye Changsheng's collar. Hei Yue retaliated with an elbow strike, causing the person behind him to miss their target. With a shout, Hei Yue swung his sword upwards. Ye Changsheng neither dodged nor evaded. A "whoosh" was heard, followed by a scream from the person—a woman. Hei Yue flicked his sword, aiming it at the woman's neck, about to sever her throat. Unexpectedly, a sharp blade appeared from his left, a white figure thrusting a sword at him. In haste, he turned and threw the woman in front of him aside. A shout was heard as the woman was caught safely by the white-clad figure.

Changsheng frowned, feeling that the woman looked very familiar. It wasn't until the white-clad figure appeared and a familiar aura lingered around him that he finally remembered—it was none other than Ling Yueling, the eldest daughter of the Ling family in Yingchang, riding a horse in the street.

Where to enter the Yellow Springs

Ling Yueling was clearly injured; Hei Yue's sword had pierced her shoulder. Now, nestled in Helan Ronghua's arms, she cried out softly, completely devoid of her previous arrogance. Ye Changsheng had no idea what grudge he had against this young lady of the Ling family, yet he still bared his teeth and lunged forward to stab her.

Changsheng moved her lips, wanting to call out but no sound came out. Heiyue, standing to the side, turned cold, drew her sword, and was about to step forward when Changsheng grabbed her sleeve. Heiyue turned around, looking at her with suspicion, her eyebrows twitching, and asked urgently, "Are you injured?"

Ye Changsheng shook his head and smiled faintly: "It's alright, let's go."

Only after they turned around did Gongsun Xi come to his senses. He quickly stepped forward and said loudly, "Miss Ye, please wait. Why are you here so late at night?"

Just as his hand was about to touch Ye Changsheng, he suddenly felt a chill on his wrist. Looking down, he saw a gleaming sword already pressed against his wrist. Looking up, he saw the young man beside Ye Changsheng staring at him indifferently. In that instant, Gongsun Xi felt as if the slightest movement would cause that sharp blade to slice off his left wrist.

The surroundings were quiet, and everyone was on guard, restless, and ready to fight at any moment.

"Cough cough..." Ye Changsheng touched his nose, carefully used two fingers to pry open Hei Yue's sword, and said apologetically, "Everyone, please don't be nervous."

He glanced indifferently at the woman in Helan Ronghua's arms and said softly, "I'm really sorry, young lady, but I was just passing by. Your actions were a bit too harsh. In terms of friendship, we are acquaintances."