Le Grand Jugement Divin Qing

Chapitre 35

His gaze didn't fall on the fairy tale book, but stared directly at the empty wall in front of him. His dark eyes held a chilling coldness capable of freezing everything. Chao You had never seen Chen Yiting like this before. He didn't understand why, despite his sister's betrayal, he seemed indifferent and treated that bastard child so well. He thought it was Chen Yiting's magnanimity, or perhaps he simply didn't love his sister. But that look in his eyes made him realize that Chen Yiting wasn't without hatred. Every bit of hatred he felt hurt him more, and Chao You's heart ached tenfold. And the person who had hurt him—Chao You wished he could grind them to dust.

That feeling has never changed to this day.

"I always thought it was because you loved my sister, because of her betrayal." Chao You knelt down at Chen Yiting's feet, tilted her head back, and smiled charmingly: "Isn't that it?"

"Love?" Chen Yiting laughed. "That's a ridiculous word. Nianyu said he loved you, but what's wrong with you now? Jingling said she loved Lanye, but she destroyed him herself. Lanye said he loved Xixue, but he chose to abandon her when she was at her weakest. I... I don't love anyone..."

Tears streamed down Chao You's face, landing on his smiling lips. He timidly took Chen Yiting's hand, placed it to his lips, and carefully kissed it: "I love you."

"Yes, you love me. Many people love me. So what?" No matter how arrogant the words, Chen Yiting maintained his gentle and refined gentlemanly demeanor. He moved his fingers, and a gentle breeze appeared out of thin air, seemingly softly encircling his fingers. Chao You, however, retreated in fear, pleading, "Brother Yiting!"

The turbulent air gradually subsided, and the house returned to normal. Chen Yiting propped his forehead with the back of his hand, his narrow eyes sweeping over the trembling Chao You: "How boring. If only you were half as interesting as your sister." With that, he closed his eyes, as if sighing, "There's only one Jing Ling in this world."

Chaoyou fell silent. He stared at the person opposite him with burning despair.

He slowly stood up and walked backwards to the door.

"Are there two Chaoyous in the world?" he asked, choking back tears, knowing there would be no answer, yet still stubbornly asking. After asking, Chaoyou laughed self-deprecatingly, "Goodbye, Brother Yiting."

"Wait a minute." Chen Yiting suddenly opened his eyes.

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The tightly closed door was flung open by a gust of wind, and a person was swept into the room, crashing heavily onto the cold, hard marble floor. "Ouch!" the person groaned in pain, wiping the blood from the corner of their mouth. They propped themselves up halfway and looked at the two people in the room with a helpless yet somewhat embarrassed expression: "Your way of treating guests is truly unique."

The newcomer had short, neat hair, an ordinary appearance, and was dressed casually, half-soaked by the rain. It was Feng Qi.

"What kind of guest is a mouse that only eavesdrops?" Chen Yiting laughed. "Your skills have improved in just two days. You've even learned the art of holding your breath."

Chao You's heart skipped a beat. He looked up at the man who had fallen to the ground, looking utterly disheveled. This was the man who had tricked Nian Yu into recovering, ruining his plans. How long had he been eavesdropping outside? He hadn't even noticed! Thinking of this, he glared hatefully at Feng Qi.

Hearing Chen Yiting's words, Feng Qi felt strange. He had indeed been eavesdropping, but when had he learned some kind of breath-holding technique? Chao You mistook his blank expression for feigned ignorance, which only fueled his anger. He rudely stretched his hand out into the rain-soaked outside, and instantly a column of condensed water appeared in his hand, its tip sharp and pointed directly at Feng Qi.

Having witnessed the power of Chao You's weapon before, Feng Qi hurriedly jumped up and forced a smile at Chen Yiting: "Elder Chen, aren't you curious why I'm back again?"

Chen Yiting looked at Feng Qi's face, which, though frightened, still tried to remain calm. He raised an eyebrow and gestured for Chao You to stop. "Tell me," he said. Feng Qi swallowed hard, took out a tissue to wipe the blood and sweat from his face, and regretted it terribly. He realized he needed to restrain himself from acting so recklessly in the future. He gathered his thoughts and said, "I met Nian Yu and—Chao You." As he said this, he glanced at the tense Chao You.

“I already know that,” Chen Yiting interrupted him, a smile appearing on her face. “And then?”

"Then, I followed Chaoyou here," Feng Qi wiped his sweat and gave Chen Yiting a smile.

Chao You looked at him, puzzled: "You?"

"Of course not..." Feng Qi lowered his eyes guiltily: "When you left, you left a trace, and I followed that trace."

"Don't listen to your nonsense." Chen Yiting rested his chin on his hand and looked at Feng Qi with interest: "Chao You wouldn't leave behind a scent for you to track. It's possible that Nian Yu was able to track him here. Where did he go?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Qi inwardly groaned. He cursed Nian Yu's lack of ethics while simultaneously berating himself for meddling, wondering why he hadn't learned his lesson after all he'd been through. A few hours earlier, Nian Yu had told him that he could track Chao You as long as he didn't change his clothes. Nian Yu had a gut feeling that Chao You's lack of resistance wasn't just because he knew the difference in strength was too great; there might be someone else behind him. Nian Yu spoke of his suspicions almost through gritted teeth. He said, "How could Chao You's abilities improve so rapidly in such a short time without help? With his meager skills, could he possibly fool me?" Hearing this, Feng Qi's curiosity kicked in again, and he immediately volunteered to follow Nian Yu.

The two men braved the rain to reach Feng County, where Nianyu stopped. Feng County was nothing special, just a small southern town with a population of only about 100,000, but Nianyu hesitated. In the southeast of Feng County, in a winding alley, lived Chen Yiting. Regardless of why Chaoyou had come to Feng County, once he became involved with Chen Yiting, Nianyu had to act with extreme caution. Before Chaoyou was beaten unconscious, Feng Qi and Nianyu had overheard most of his conversation with Chen Yiting.

The more Nianyu listened, the paler his face became. Upon hearing that Chaoyou had been knocked unconscious by Chen Yiting, he ignored Feng Qi, who was eavesdropping in the bushes, and sank into the damp clay. Feng Qi only managed to hear one sentence: "Please leave as soon as possible."

He didn't leave. His feet felt stuck to the mud, afraid of disturbing the two people inside. When he came with Nianyu, he hadn't paid any attention to the danger. But now, alone, even the raindrops falling on him made him worry that they might make an unusual sound. He dared not move, and could only stand there dumbfounded, trying his best to hold his breath.

The story Chen Yiting had only told half of sounded very familiar to him. Upon reflection, he remembered that it was very similar to the one Zhang Lihua had told him in Zhengning. However, some details differed. For example, Zhang Lihua had said that Xi Xue was ultimately blackmailed by her half-brother using their mother as leverage, while in Chen Yiting's memory, apart from the very beginning, there was no mention of his mother. Furthermore, Lan Ye was absent from Zhang Lihua's story; what role did he play in that story?

Chen Yiting didn't continue, interrupted by Chao You. Feng Qi felt a pang of regret; those wondrous stories, even if heard as legends, were quite interesting. He wanted to know what had happened between Lan Ye and Xi Xue, how Lan Ye had met Jing Ling, how Yu Ye could be Chen Yiting's child, and why Chen Yiting was so indifferent and cold towards his own children.

The result of his carelessness was that he was discovered and appeared in such a disheveled state. Feng Qi felt like a prisoner awaiting sentencing, uncertain about which direction the future would take, and whether he would be able to wait for Nian Yu to bring reinforcements.

He was very certain of Nianyu's departure.

That kind of person would never abandon him. There's only one reason for leaving: to find stronger allies. Although rationally he agreed, Feng Qi still found it hard to accept Nianyu's choice. Now, trouble arose: Chen Yiting asked about Nianyu's whereabouts. How was he supposed to answer?

Chapter 18: The Break

Chapter Eighteen

“He left a long time ago. It would be hypocritical of you to say you didn’t know.” Feng Qi gritted his teeth, deciding to offend him completely. His words startled Chao You again, and she looked at Chen Yiting with trepidation. The surprise of Nian Yu tracking her down and learning all the secrets paled in comparison to the shock she felt from Chen Yiting knowing that Nian Yu had been eavesdropping but letting him leave.

"Brother Yiting...I..."

Chen Yiting remained as carefree as ever, his gaze towards Feng Qi completely unperturbed: "How did you know that?"

"intuition."

"I've never trusted my intuition."

“I didn’t believe it before either.” Feng Qi said helplessly, “I’ve encountered too many bad things lately. When I can’t think of anything, I can only act on my intuition.”

“Generally speaking, only animals act on instinct.” Chen Yiting suddenly smiled wickedly: “Humans, on the other hand, need to use their brains more.”

"When it comes to witchcraft, I'm a complete novice. A year ago, I lived in a completely materialistic world; a month ago, I didn't show any signs that I was actually a witch. I don't know why you've been so slow to expose me. But I still have the self-awareness that even if someone like me were highly perceptive, I couldn't possibly hear you from behind the wall."

"Discovering you doesn't mean I've discovered Nianyu." Chen Yiting's slender hand lightly stroked his chin as he glanced at Chao You. Beads of sweat trickled down Chao You's elegant face, making her appear pale and colorless in the dim moonlight.

“You said it yourself, with my limited abilities, I simply couldn’t track Chao You. The sorcerer I contacted before was Nian Yu; he must have been the one who brought me here, but he’s not here now, which means he’s left. Since you were able to notice and guess, it’s not hard for me to deduce that you deliberately let him go.” Feng Qi said in one breath, but a sense of confusion lingered in his heart: “But I don’t understand…”

"Don't you understand why I let him go?" Chen Yiting asked rhetorically.

Feng Qi nodded.

Chao You lowered her head almost to her chest, and beneath her long bangs, her once shimmering eyes were now filled with hatred and regret.

The wind was still howling inside the house with the door wide open.

Silence makes time slow down.

"Perhaps it's more appropriate to say this—life is too peaceful and boring."

"Don't people all hope for a peaceful and comfortable life?"

"Aren't there people like that in this world? They like adventure, hate stability, like solving different problems, and hate being tied down."

Feng Qi glanced at Chao You, who had remained silent, then looked directly at Chen Yiting and said, "Are you doing this to sacrifice Chao You?"

Chen Yiting chuckled: "Feng Qi, you're quite an interesting person. You should be worried about your own situation, but instead you're standing up for others." He raised his hand and pointed at the frozen Chao You: "He's not as kind as you, and he won't appreciate your provocation."

"Saying I'm stirring up trouble... that's a bit of an exaggeration. I think someone like you might not care what kind of people Nianyu brings along, or what kind of criticism you'll face. But Chaoyou is incompetent and narrow-minded. Letting Nianyu go will undoubtedly bring him a huge disaster."

"Someone like me? What kind of person am I? We've only met twice, and spoken even less. How can you deduce what kind of person I am?" Chen Yiting spoke calmly, even her accusations sounding gentle. Feng Qi, however, felt like he was walking on thin ice, glancing at Chao You out of the corner of his eye while maneuvering with Chen Yiting. He had brazenly provoked the two of them, simply to buy himself time, but unexpectedly, Chao You, who seemed so sensitive, fiery, and prone to suspicion, had become as meek as a lamb in front of Chen Yiting. He swallowed hard and continued, "I told you, I go by intuition..."

"Intuition? I actually think you're quite clever, kid, you know how to use your brain." Chen Yiting stood up, tugged at his sleeve, walked to the wooden table in the center of the room, and pressed a button. The previously dimly lit room instantly became as bright as day. Only then did Feng Qi notice that there were incandescent bulbs installed in the four corners of the ceiling of this antique room.

Under the bright lights, the smile lines at the corners of Chen Yiting's mouth and the tears in Chao You's eyes were impossible to hide. Feng Qi looked at the two of them with a sigh. Both were in their early forties. Chen Yiting exuded the refined air that comes with age, while Chao You, at first glance, was stunningly beautiful, but upon closer inspection, one could detect his immaturity and instability.

"I originally wanted to see which audacious brat dared to eavesdrop on me. Once I saw him, I could easily deal with him. But now, I've changed my mind," Chen Yiting chuckled. "The last time I saw you, you were just a novice in witchcraft. In just a few days, you've made rapid progress, learning to use plants to conceal your aura—all self-taught. Most importantly, you like to use your brain, which I appreciate most." He extended his hand to Feng Qi: "So? Would you like to learn witchcraft from me?"

These words were like a bombshell dropped between the three of them.

For a moment, the three men had different expressions.

Chao You looked incredulous and hurt, Feng Qi looked like he'd swallowed a fly, while Chen Yiting remained calm and composed, seemingly unaware that he had done anything wrong.

"You really enjoy taking on apprentices, huh?" Feng Qi finally came to his senses after a while and said this.

"It's alright." Chen Yiting shrugged. "I have no prejudice against any particular group, and I like to create miracles. That's one of my strengths."

Before Feng Qi could reply, he was slammed into the ground by a force. Water splashed everywhere with a loud bang. A puddle of water appeared on the wall he hit. His throat tightened, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Twice in one night, he was hit and coughed up blood. Feng Qi thought to himself with a self-deprecating laugh, "I rarely encounter situations like this."

Almost simultaneously, Chao You lunged at Chen Yiting, but his hand couldn't reach the hem of Chen Yiting's clothes in time. He was knocked to the ground, and hurriedly looked up, only to see the instigator looking at him with utter disgust.

"Kill him, then we'll leave." Chao You gripped his collar, trying to make his smile natural and bright. He asked softly, "Okay?"

"Why should I leave?" Chen Yiting said indifferently, "Why should I leave with you? What does it matter to me whether I kill him or not?"

"Brother Yiting!" Chaoyou cried, "Didn't you hear what this kid said? They already know what we've done. What are we going to do if Nianyu goes to find the other elders?"

Chen Yiting frowned slightly, walked closer to Feng Qi, and reached out to pull his arm.

Feng Qi felt so weak he couldn't utter a single word. Yet, the scene before him still made him sigh, "So foolish..."

“He’s always been a stubborn person, it’s a family trait.” Chen Yiting pointed to his head and laughed, “Do you think I’m afraid of those old fogies?” Feng Qi shook his head at this, “I really don’t know whether to call you arrogant or confident.”

Before the last syllable of the word "trust" had even faded, Chao You, who had been silent all along, suddenly conjured up sharp arrows in her hand and fired them all at Feng Qi. Feng Qi still had one arm in Chen Yiting's grasp, and although he saw the ice arrows hurtling towards him, his body couldn't react nimbly. Chen Yiting raised an eyebrow slightly, and with a flick of his wrist, Feng Qi staggered and dodged dozens of ice arrows.

It's not over yet.

Chao You remained silent and launched a series of attacks, all aimed at the disheveled Feng Qi.

Feng Qi was being tossed around by Chen Yiting, up and down, left and right. After a few rounds, he could no longer see anything clearly, only feeling dizzy and nauseous. The wind whistled in his ears, even carrying with it Chen Yiting's barely perceptible cold laughter. The ice arrows couldn't get close to Chen Yiting at all; they melted as soon as they touched him. Yet, Chen Yiting seemed to have taken a liking to it, playing with Feng Qi as he grabbed him.

You might as well just give me a few arrows.

The moment the thought crossed Feng Qi's mind, Chao You stopped moving. His body clearly couldn't withstand the continuous attacks; he was now panting heavily, his thin chest heaving, his eyes red-rimmed, but his expression as he looked at Chen Yiting was extremely stubborn.

Seeing that Chao You had stopped attacking, Chen Yiting casually tossed Feng Qi away. Feng Qi slammed heavily onto the soft couch where Chen Yiting had been lost in thought, letting out a muffled groan: "Damn... three times..." before passing out.

"Chaoyou, can't you be smart for once and show me?" Chen Yiting patted his clothes and sat down casually on the wooden chair in the center of the room.

Chao You remained silent, tears welling in his eyes, yet refusing to fall. He slightly opened his mouth, his white teeth resting on his wrist, and suddenly broke into a smile. His teeth dug into his skin, blood spurting out, splashing onto his brows, eyes, and lips. The taste of blood trickled into his throat, choking him and causing him to cough incessantly. He stared at Chen Yiting, chilled by his unwavering demeanor, and heartbroken by his indifference.

"For the first time... I felt sorry for you... Brother Yiting, do you remember that shamanic saying?"

Chen Yiting was slightly taken aback. When he realized what Chao You had said, a hint of anger appeared on his face. He stood up and said sternly, "Chao You! Stop your foolish behavior immediately!"

“Uncle Yiting…” Yu Ye appeared at the door, her whole body wrapped in bandages, followed by the black leopard Asakusa, whose body was also covered in wounds.

Chen Yiting narrowed his eyes, lightly covered his nose with his fingers, and chuckled, "What are you doing here to join in the fun again?"

"Asakusa realized he was going the wrong way, so he turned back and found me."

“Very good,” Chen Yiting leaped onto the roof beam, looking down at the bloodthirsty Chaoyou, the unconscious Feng Qi, the bewildered Yu Ye, and the wary Qian Cao: “Chaoyou…is repeating the same mistakes really that interesting?”

"You have things you're afraid of too?" Chao You's vision blurred, his will wavering between leaving and staying. A most alluring crimson flower bloomed at the corner of his mouth, and he muttered incantations in an ancient language. The blood flowing within his body seemed to possess a life of its own, baring its fangs and bulging outwards. His skin grew thinner and thinner, his blood vessels larger and larger, until the exposed skin was as thin as a cicada's wing. Countless tiny protrusions rolled across his skin like boiling water.

Chen Yiting bent down, gathering a whistling wind in his palm. Seeing Yu Yeyou's sleepwalking expression, he shouted, "Get ten meters away from Chaoyou!"

"Huh?" Yu Ye clenched her fists tightly.

She had never seen such a situation before, but it was not unfamiliar to her.

When did this happen?

She must have seen this scene before.

Chen Yiting pounced on Feng Qi and kicked the unconscious Feng Qi out of the window. He then turned and approached Chao You, whose body was now enveloped in a layer of blood mist.

"Stop now, and you might still live."

The air was thick with the stench of blood.

Chao You stuck out her tongue and licked it. It was hot and slightly salty. It had once stayed quietly inside her body, but now it was flying freely in the air.

At first, there was only a faint "snap," the sound of skin cracking. Then, the soft "snap" sounds rose and fell. Chao You smiled, his eyes crinkling: "That fox spirit used this witchcraft back then; you told me about it. You even taught me the witchcraft word by word. You must have thought I couldn't do it. But I've discovered that it's not difficult at all, as long as you're willing to..." He paused slightly, gazing tenderly at Chen Yiting: "willing to give up this life, willing to give up all the ties."

Chen Yiting didn't speak, but his fingers moved rapidly.