14. Settlement

"Nie Xiangrong, when you framed your own brother, did you ever think of this day?" I tore off my mask and said calmly.

"Who are you?" Chu Jingchu looked at me with some surprise.

"Chu Jingchu, you have broken your promise. Did you ever think about what would happen today?"

"Who are you? Where is Xiang Chang? Why isn't he here?" Chu Jing asked, looking at me.

“Look, those are Master’s eyeballs. He said he wanted to witness your destruction.” I laughed, a sinister laugh.

"Xiang Shang? How could that be?" Chu Jing walked over incredulously, snatched the two eyes, and stared at them blankly.

"Xiang Chang, do you really hate me that much?" He sighed, looking up at the sky. "How cruel fate is. Xiang Chang, why don't you come to see me?"

"I only want the lives of the 103 members of the Chu family. Those unrelated to the Chu family can stay and wait to die, or leave now and never concern themselves with anything related to the Chu family again." I used my internal energy to project my voice, ensuring everyone understood my stance.

"Hmph! Afraid of you?" Chu Mouyun made the first move. I smiled and stepped back. Just kidding, if it were a one-on-one fight, even if I were highly skilled in martial arts, my stamina wouldn't be enough to withstand a large group of people.

I leaped onto the roof, put down my master's most beloved guqin, and slowly began to play. The dark clouds drifted away, and the full moon appeared. Quite a few people were already showing symptoms of vomiting blood.

"You can still leave now," I said slowly. Many people already fled like birds and beasts, including many descendants of the Chu family who had taken advantage of the chaos. Unfortunately, the moment they passed through the gate, they suddenly collapsed, unable to leave. The remaining members of the Chu family either wept bitterly or drew their swords, preparing to fight back.

I played the piano slowly and deliberately, as if I were the only person in the world.

A member of the Chu family threw a knife at me, but I twirled a string on my zither, shattering the blade. Several others used light attacks, attempting to leap onto the roof for a final battle. Unfortunately, before they could land, the sudden shift in the zither's melody ruptured their hearts, causing them to bleed from all seven orifices, and they fell to the ground, utterly defeated. Instantly, cries for life, pleas for help, begs for mercy, curses, and insults filled the air. The only ones who remained unmoved were the paralyzed Nie Xiangrong and the expressionless Chu Jingchu.

"Chu Jingchu, do you regret it?" I smiled wickedly. Thinking about it, we had no personal grudges, but because of your betrayal, I endured nearly six years of torment worse than death. Naturally, all my hatred for my master transferred to you. Therefore, you deserve it, therefore, you deserve to die.

"Regret? What's the use of regret? Can regret bring back my Xiangshang?" Chu Jingchu looked at Nie Xiangrong with contempt. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? You got everything I had, you got it all. But unfortunately, Xiangshang still took back everything that should have belonged to him. Xiangshang, why did you do this? Wouldn't it be better to forget me, this heartless man? Was it worth it to destroy me? Xiangshang, Chang'er. I'm coming to find you soon. We can't be together in this life, but we'll meet again in the next, and continue our fate, okay?" Chu Jingchu went mad, talking to himself as he looked at the eyeball in his hand, silently chanting. "In the next life, I don't want to be born into the Chu family. Let's be born in the court, we don't need to care about the world's opinions. You and I, just the two of us, relying on each other for life. For all eternity, never to be separated, okay? Chang'er, don't leave me. I've also learned to believe everything you say. We..."

I shook my head. His master's death was too much of a blow for him. He was already too fragile to handle anything.

I looked at the resentful Nie Xiangrong. Even in death, your husband longed for that person. Even in your reincarnation, you will not attain what you desire. I tightened the string in my hand, and Nie Xiangrong's internal organs shattered. She stood proudly in the wind, refusing to fall for a long time. Even her soulless body, fueled by that earth-shattering resentment, stood firm, as if protesting the injustice the world had done to her. You are like this, but what about your master? Have you ever thought about it? When you were living a life of glory and splendor, your master teetered on the brink of death. You held your beloved in your arms, while your master lay on his bed, swallowing poison, clinging to life. When you enjoyed wealth and honor, your master bitterly longed for the person he both loved and hated. When you were carried away by your triumph, your master's pulse was erratic, either spasming or writhing in pain.

Looking at the Chu family compound, littered with corpses and flying flesh, I felt no pity. You were all innocent, my master was innocent, and I was even more innocent. Therefore, your innocence and my innocence have both been wounded by the twisted wheel of fate, beyond redemption.

Looking at the man still muttering to himself, he seemed to have aged nearly ten years in an instant. As I played my music, I softly hummed my master's last words. The poignant beauty of the zither, the painful and desperate words, compelled him to look at me once more.

Back then, your affection was deep and your loyalty profound; you were my ideal.

Back then, you made vows of eternal love, and my thoughts and feelings...

You said that as long as I'm by your side for life...

You swore to protect me for all eternity.

Now, I've awoke from my dream, and my heart is broken.

Without any desire,

I just want to know, have you ever thought of me, lying on the other side of the river?

One person is guarding our past dreams.

That decisive sword strike back then pierced my heart.

All my delusions were shattered.

Do you know, I'm all alone.

One side of the sky and water,

They are protecting our dreams.

Now, they are separated by death.

Life and death are separated by a vast distance.

I have been reborn.

If there is an afterlife

Me and you

We will never see each other again, even in life and death.

After singing the last line, he laughed heartily, then with a flick of his wrist, severed his own life force. As he fell, in the beautiful moonlight, I noticed two streams of hot tears welling in his eyes, not yet dried. Even in the next life, your master has denied you any chance; it's clear he was truly desperate. Give up now. If there is a next life, you will be strangers. Drink the Meng Po soup, severing the ties of this life. All love and hate will dissipate with the wind.

"Wonderful, wonderful!" A round of applause rang out.

"It's you? Young Master Zijin?" I smiled as I looked at the person who had leaped up. "Or perhaps, the third of the Four Young Masters?"

"Fei Wu, you truly are a talent. I never imagined you would be the disciple I wanted to reward. Now, you are undoubtedly the leader of the Four Young Masters?"

"Could it be that Young Master Zijin also wants to compete for first place? I am not greedy for fame."

"Since I'm going to make a move anyway, let me see how many skills you've learned that you want to reward me with? Fei Wu, you flatter me."