Consultor de vida de la dinastía Song del Sur

Capítulo 26

Zhao Yingcheng's left hand was suddenly empty; Yang Wan's body had been swept away like the wind. He seemed oblivious to the chilling aura approaching from behind, and leaped into the shadows, his movements as swift as the wind and as fast as lightning.

Chu Yi lightly touched the ground with his toes, the long sword whistled as he leaned forward, aiming straight for Zhao Yingcheng's heart.

The three elders, who had previously dodged the sword energy and turned around, were already alarmed by the power of Chu Yi's sword. They exerted their strength and rushed towards him, intending to stop his sword shadow from assassinating Young Master Zhao.

The soldiers around him seemed to only just come to their senses now, shouting "Protect the Emperor!" and surging towards Chu Yi like a tidal wave.

Chu Yi's movement was hindered, and a powerful force swept from behind. He made up his mind, raised his sword energy, and as if he couldn't bear to kill, he flew away from the crowd in a cold aura, closely following Zhao Yingcheng.

With a few quick movements, Chu Yi and Zhao Yingcheng disappeared from sight.

Lan Jun leaped out of the military camp, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Young Master—Don't chase after me—"

Songbai slapped wildly with his hands and roared, "What are you all standing there for? Go find the young master!"

With a wave of his hand, a lieutenant led a group of personal guards who quickly formed ranks and ran rapidly up the mountain.

Old Master Zhu silently stepped forward and shoved Songbai away, saying, "Go." Songbai was yelling angrily and turned around as if to slap Old Master Zhu, but Old Master Zhu coldly blocked his hand, saying, "The young master instructed that if the young master makes any mistake, he will be brought back with his head."

Songbai turned around and let out a heavy breath: "Of course I know. The most important thing before the battle is not the first day, but the young master. Let's go!"

Chu Yi stared intently at Zhao Yingcheng's figure, using all his strength to approach him like a ghost.

The rocks on Phoenix Mountain are steep and steep, falling like a forest and scattered along the ridge. Zhao Yingcheng's silver sable coat is extremely conspicuous in the night, carrying a cool light as he moves back and forth among the rocks.

Chu Yi stared intently at the figure of light, striving to catch up. His gaze was icy and clear, carrying a hint of coldness he didn't usually display.

Zhao Yingcheng's figure was right in front of him. He gathered cold energy and condensed it on the sword. He then sprang up and swung the sword, slashing down at the back of the person in front of him.

Zhao Yingcheng had already anticipated the approaching presence behind him. He glanced helplessly ahead, only to see a distant figure. He swept his longsword horizontally, turned swiftly, and leaped towards the pile of stones.

Once Chu Yichangyou was out, he showed no sign of turning back. Amidst the clash of swords, he severed Zhao Yingcheng's longsword, its momentum undiminished, and plunged into the jagged rocks.

Zhao Yingcheng snorted coldly, pulled off the fur coat behind him, tossed it aside, and stood gracefully in front of Chu Yi.

"We have no prior dealings, what business is it of yours?" He stared intently at Chu Yi's face and said in a sinister tone.

Chu Yi coldly drew his longsword, letting it hang at his side, the tip pointing to the ground. With a flick of his wrist, he adopted the starting stance he habitually used with Moonlight. "How could someone like you, who disregard human life to achieve your goals, possibly know this!"

He shouted loudly, his figure swept up like a storm, bringing with it a biting wind and icy snow as he slashed down on him.

Zhao Yingcheng focused his strength on his hands, causing his robe sleeves to billow and expand like sails. In an instant, his entire body was enveloped in a strong aura, which caused sand and rocks to fly away.

Chu Yi's eyes were focused, and as the long sword fell, Zhao Yingcheng dodged again, turned behind Chu Yi, and struck out with both palms without leaving any room for retreat.

Chu Yi had only exchanged two moves with Zhao Yingcheng when he immediately discovered the other party's skill level—Zhao Yingcheng, despite his young age, was actually using the authentic Mind Technique of Subduing Demons Palm, which was even more powerful and fierce than the Great Stele Hand!

After exchanging a few blows, Chu Yi regained his composure, drew his longsword, and thrust it towards Zhao Yingcheng's face with a move called "Parting Flowers and Willows." The move itself was ordinary, the sword thrusting out flatly, but Zhao Yingcheng knew what it meant.

—As expected, facing his finger technique aimed at his throat and collarbone, Chu Yi neither dodged nor avoided, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, man and sword as one, striking with a resounding clang.

Zhao Yingcheng dared not accept the attack with both hands. He used his strength to rush backward, changing his posture several times, but he could not get rid of the blue sword tip that was firmly pinning his face.

Several palm strikes whistled through the air, heading straight for Chu Yi's wide-open back. Chu Yi recognized them clearly, leaped aside, and spun his sword, creating an arc of sword shadow.

Zhao Yingcheng stood gracefully atop the mountain, his hands clasped behind his back, his expression indifferent as he watched the battle unfold before him.

The three hidden figures of Cangshan arrived without stopping, just in time to intercept Chu Yi's fatal sword strike. All four on the field were familiar with each other's skills, and they supported each other without hesitation, drawing their weapons and leaping forward.

Chu Yi's sword strikes are like a snow waterfall cascading from a ravine, its power continuous and unstoppable, flowing freely to the sea. The sword's shadow is everywhere, amidst the green mountains and the green wind. Just as Chu Yi's indifferent pupils flashed before my eyes, the icy sword's edge was once again close to my cheek.

"What sword technique?" Songbai shouted loudly.

Chu Yi flicked his wrist and coldly replied, "Farewell Sword Technique, Twin Shadows."

That was a sword aura carrying snow lotus and ice silk, cleaving through the flowing light like a green gauze curtain, forming a second phantom behind, to the left and right of Chu Yi, as if another person was gracefully attached to him, dazzling and ethereal, like the moon shining brightly.

The expressions of the people present changed slightly, probably because they had never seen such a sword technique before. It was strange, unpredictable, and ever-present.

Looking around, the figures of the two could be seen everywhere—in the sky, on the ground, in the wind, and in the fog—clung tightly together, as if they would never be separated.

27. Deep Affection

Torches lit up the way from the foot of the mountain to the summit, and the light, accompanied by the bustling sounds of people, meandered closer and closer.

He didn't even glance at them, focusing intently on the three people before him. His eyes were like a frozen lake, a vast expanse of ice and snow, his expression as calm as ever.

The three hermits of Cangshan, who had surrounded Chu Yi, were in a sorry state this time: their clothes were disheveled, dozens of pieces of cloth had been cut off, and they were severely wounded in front of and behind, covered with sword marks and white frost.

"Rumor has it that the young man from Wufang Island, a first-year student in the Qingyi Camp, is exceptionally brave and courageous. What I have seen today confirms this." Standing atop the mountain, Zhao Yingcheng suddenly smiled slightly and spoke indifferently.

His indifferent eyes swept around, then he coldly replied, "I wonder if, under the iron hooves of the royal army, we can still escape unscathed and remain composed?"

"Young Master Zhao!" Chu Yi and the three elders had been fighting for a long time, and were anxious because they couldn't get close to Zhao Yingcheng. Hearing his words, their voices betrayed a barely suppressed anger. "People flock to the two young masters from the North and South for fame and fortune, each with their own ulterior motives. But the deep affection in Miss Yang's eyes is as deep as the sea, even ordinary people can see it. Young Master Zhao, can't you see it?"

The voice was initially low and subdued, but suddenly rose sharply at the last sentence, and for a moment, "Can't you see it?" echoed through the vast valley.

Zhao Yingcheng turned his head, looking at the blurry outline of the distant mountains, the resounding echo of that sentence still ringing in his ears.

At first glance, Zhao Yingcheng's expression was unclear. Only after the lament subsided did Zhao Yingcheng's clear reply come through: "For this desolate land, how many people have died, how many families have been buried? Has Heaven shown any mercy? In this chaotic world, we are like ants trying to survive. What is true affection, and what is false affection? Even if it is true affection, what use is it?"

Zhao Yingcheng turned around, stared at Chu Yi and smiled silently, a smile as cold as snow on a mountain: "Besides, those who gamble everything are the most foolish of all!"

These words were like an invisible hammer, striking Chu Yi hard. Chu Yi swayed slightly and closed his eyes.

Zhao Yingcheng waved his right hand, and the surrounding guards steadied their formation and attacked Chu Yi in unison. The three elders stood beside the young master, intending to seize the opportunity to deliver two more blows.

Chu Yi glanced back at the group of infantrymen and recognized two or three of them as the wounded soldiers he had treated with acupuncture when they first arrived at the camp. He sighed inwardly and jumped toward the cliff.

Just as Song Bai was about to leap forward, Lan Jun grabbed him first, saying, "Protecting the young master is the priority."

The deputy general who had previously directed the ascent up the mountain picked up the white sable fur coat and presented it to Zhao Yingcheng. Zhao Yingcheng glanced at it indifferently and said, "Throw away anything that's dirty."

The lieutenant was stunned and stood there, straight.

Looking in the direction Chu Yi had fled, Elder Zhu asked, "Young Master, why did Chu Yi make a move?"

Zhao Yingcheng strode forward with his head held high, followed by the crowd. Two soldiers held torches for him to light the way ahead. He walked indifferently for a long time before answering, "To buy time."

Old Master Zhu was intrigued and about to ask a question when he looked up and saw Lan Jun staring at him. He understood and fell silent.

As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Zhao Yingcheng continued forward, saying calmly, "The main tent is at least twenty zhang away from the open space. Who has such strength and such a long whip? Yang Wan is already dead, yet this person still tries to steal the body. It is obviously the work of an accomplice. However, the entire Yang family was wiped out, so these ants are not worth fearing. The reason for intercepting him at the beginning was to ensure that the person could steal the body and escape smoothly."

(I promised you a lifetime of deep affection, but you discarded it like dust; the scattered fragments torment my heart; when I see you again, I am calm, for the past has been burned away, and the smoke-shrouded ferry crossing offers no response.)

The wind whistled past his ears, and black and white light and shadow flashed before his eyes. Chu Yi's mind was in turmoil, so he simply mustered his strength and ran wildly.

Chu Yi couldn't explain the reason for the turmoil in his heart. Zhao Yingcheng's mocking words about going all in kept echoing in his ears. Even if he wasn't talking about himself, how could one not feel grief and indignation at such a cruel treatment of someone who loved him so deeply?

After running for a long time without seeing the light of dawn, Chu Yi's face was covered with sweat like a stream. Facing the direction he came from, he said in a low voice, "Zhao Yingcheng, since you are of noble birth, you must bear more responsibility and take on more burdens, but never regret it."

On the first day of the lunar month, we walked slowly along the ridge of Fengming Mountain until we reached a place where a steep rock pierced the sky. Then, an old man with flowing hair and beard blocked our way.

Chu Yi raised his eyes and stared at the old man in front of him. He was dressed in a white linen Taoist robe, and his face was almost completely hidden by his silver beard and white hair. Only a pair of eyes that saw through the world were visible, as wise and profound as those of the Buddha.

Chu Yi was taken aback, then bowed respectfully: "What advice do you have for me, senior?"

The white-haired old man's eyes were as warm as spring water, and his voice was calm and gentle, echoing faintly from the cliff: "I am very grateful for your help before, young master."

Chu Yi was quick-witted and guessed that the old man had a close relationship with Yang Wan. Judging from his voice, he could also tell that the old man's cultivation level was over 100, making him a rare and extraordinary master. He couldn't help but feel respect and bowed his head even more respectfully.

The old man reached out and helped Chu Yi up by the arms: "Young master, please follow me." He turned and led the way, his clothes fluttering in the wind, his sleeves billowing like those of an immortal.

After winding through several cliffs, the old man flicked his sleeves to part the vegetation and led Chu Yi into the inner cave.

The cave remained pitch black, with only a faint glimmer of light filtering through a crack the size of a spring, enough to make everything clear at first glance. Yang Wan lay lifelessly on the pile of grass, her face pale, her chest still, clearly dead for some time.

Chu Yi looked down at her, and a faint sadness welled up in his heart.

"As you can see, it was I who took Yang Wan from Young Master Zhao, because I am her master and the person her father entrusted to her before his death."

Chu Yi remained silent for a moment before respectfully replying, "Does Senior have any important matters to instruct this junior?"

"What a clever child. Come, sit down and let this old man explain slowly."

Without waiting for Chu Yi's reaction, the old man walked over to Yang Wan and sat down cross-legged, looking at Yang Wan with boundless compassion and pity.

"If it weren't for your help today, young master, Yang Wan would probably still be in enemy hands. We must thank you for this great kindness."

Chu Yi immediately prostrated himself and knelt down, saying, "I dare not."

The old man smiled slightly, reached out and supported Chu Yi's right arm, and a gentle breeze carried him to the ground—Chu Yi did not resist, and followed the old man's wishes, sitting cross-legged opposite him.

"Yang Wan was born into a family of generals, but he was born into the wrong dynasty. His father was General Yang Dingjiang, a former general of the Southern Tang Dynasty. After the fall of the country, he led his troops to surrender to the Song emperor. Because the anti-Song war involved the Yang family, they were defeated one by one by Zhao Yingcheng, who had been lurking by Yang Wan's side, and the entire family was wiped out."

Chu Yi's body suddenly trembled.

The old man closed his eyes slightly and continued calmly, “When General Yang was facing great calamity, he entrusted me to take good care of the youngest child of the Yang family, hoping that the court would spare a girl who knew nothing. However, Yang Wan is naturally intelligent and gradually deduced everything. Her thoughts changed from being clear-headed to being chaotic. She often wakes up in the middle of the night crying and screaming, rolling on the ground and pulling at my clothes like an ignorant child, constantly shouting, ‘Master, kill me, I can’t live!’ ‘Master, did you give me acupuncture? My head hurts.’ Sometimes she is silent and stares blankly at the bamboo all day long. Only then did I realize that her mind was in turmoil and she was not far from going insane.”

“What exactly happened to her, I have no way of knowing, but fearing she might do something foolish, I used the Kongtong Sect’s ancestral secret treasure, the ‘One-Strike Rope’ that was used to bind the Kunlun slaves, to bind her legs and hands. I left for an hour to prepare some medicine for her, and when I returned, I found she was gone…”

Chu Yi tightly closed his eyes, feeling he no longer had the strength to look at the peaceful face on the ground—the One-Strong Rope, the most resilient, capable of binding even the Taotie dragon. But when he tried to escape, the rope's spikes twisted around his meridians, and with each step away, the pain pierced to the bone.

The old man remained calmly seated, his voice serene: "I knew she was still hoping that the Yang Chao she had taken in wasn't Zhao Yingcheng, so I rushed to Fengming Mountain, but I was still a step too late."

At this point, the old man suddenly opened his eyes slowly and looked at Chu Yi gently: "Young master, who are you?"

"My name is Leng Shuangcheng."

The old man nodded, turned to look at Yang Wan, and gently stroked her cloud-like black hair with his right hand: "Young Master Leng, I have a request, but it is really hard for me to say it."

Chu Yi looked at the old man respectfully and replied without hesitation, "Senior, there is no need to worry. I am actually wandering around with no place to call home. Even if you don't need to tell me, I am willing to do anything."

"Yang Wan still has one last glimmer of hope."

Even someone as calm as Chu Yi was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

"She was raised by me and we are like father and daughter. When she was a child, I noticed that her heart was different from that of ordinary people when she was bathing. After I saved her, I fed her a pill to protect the last bit of life in her heart. But whether she will wake up or not, she still needs a kind of medicine."

The old man looked directly into Chu Yi's face, his gaze firm yet kind: "I knew that finding this medicinal ingredient at this time was absolutely impossible, but since we met Young Master Leng, Yang Wan still has a sliver of hope..."

Chu Yi froze, his eyes filled with pain: "Senior, are you saying that you should use my blood to activate the cold poison and allow her to be reborn from the ashes?"

The old man nodded silently. "Others may not know the domineering and insidious nature of the Red Fruit, but I, having wasted my hundred years, happen to know the power of this poison. When I saw you unleash your sword in the camp, I was secretly pleased that Heaven had spared the last bit of the Yang family's bloodline. So I have been hiding in the mountains, waiting for you, young master."

After a moment of contemplation, Chu Yi raised his head and stared at the old man: "Senior should know that there is no cure for this poison? When it takes effect, the pain is unbearable, making one want to commit suicide? The two domineering toxins in my body are mutually reinforcing and mutually antagonistic. Can Miss Yang also harmonize them?"

"I have examined your pulse and know that your constitution is cold, unlike Yang Wan's, which is why you can suppress the cold poison and prevent it from flaring up. But there is no other way to save her. As for whether she can survive, it all depends on her fate."