Chapter 187

The past is like smoke and clouds, gathering and scattering, scattering and gathering again. Those long-buried memories suddenly become very clear at this moment. Fu Xiang even remembers every little detail. She can easily recall what style of hairpin Meng Wugui wore back then.

The sky had darkened sometime earlier, and the voices outside had faded away with the passage of time. The rain hadn't stopped, and the mournful music was still playing in the mourning hall. Fu Xiang opened half a door and saw a large group of people kneeling in the courtyard in front of Zhengxin Tower. The disciples were crying and shouting in the rain, and the tears that were covered by the rain were all for Fu Cen.

But she herself has never shed a single tear for her father.

Fu Xiang, leaning against the doorframe, turned to Afu after a long silence and said, "He deserves to die, doesn't he?"

Afu bumped her head, blood staining her disheveled hair. She stared at Fu Xiang with red eyes, unable to speak.

"He deserves to die..." Fu Xiang's tone was flat, her speech slow. "He blamed my mother's death on me, abandoned me as a newborn to a distant relative's house, and never cared about me. That year, the village suffered a flood, and I don't believe he didn't hear about it, but he never sent anyone to look for me. Later, with my master's help, I returned to Jinhuai City. The first time he looked at me, it was as if he were looking at a dirty beggar on the street. No, I was even worse than a beggar. He, Master Fu, was a tough man with a soft heart. He would always give money to beggars he encountered when he went out. He would smile at beggars, but he wouldn't even look at me properly. For the first half month after I returned to Mingyue Tower, I wasn't a young lady of the Fu family at all. I ate and slept with the servants, and I had to sweep and do chores every day. At that time, I asked myself what I had done wrong to deserve such disdain and indifference. In fact, I didn't do anything wrong. My only mistake was that I wasn't a boy, but a girl who was useless in his eyes."

"After I got separated from my wet nurse, when my master sent me back to Mingyue Tower, he asked me again if I wanted to back out," Fu Xiang recounted quietly, not paying attention to Afu's reaction. "My answer at that time was ambiguous because I was full of expectations. I didn't know if my father would like me after seeing me. But from the moment I stepped into the gate of Mingyue Tower, I made up my mind that I had to get the position of the tower owner. I had to take back everything that originally belonged to me and settle the debt with my father for the past ten years. But ridiculously, my determination was so worthless. I didn't accomplish any of the things I wanted to do. If I really wanted to protect my father, I should have broken out of the confinement room so that my master couldn't find me and couldn't bring himself to harm him."

"Ultimately, I was an accomplice too. I also unknowingly killed my father. You want me to hate you? Why should I hate you?"

Afu was in tears, choked with sobs and unable to speak.

Fu Xiang squatted down in front of her, took out a handkerchief and wiped Afu's face, and continued, "So I can only hate him, hate myself, and tell myself that he deserves to die, otherwise I will suffer the same pangs of conscience as you. Doesn't that sound selfish? But if I want to live without pain, this is the only option I have."

Afu hugged her tightly, crying, "Senior Sister..."

“I still don’t care about Mingyue Tower, and I’ve never truly belonged here,” Fu Xiang stood up and walked to the corridor, facing the cold wind and rain. “Living for others is the most pathetic thing. I’ve been pathetic for over twenty years, and it’s time to end it all. After I kill that person, I will leave here and go to a place where no one knows me. I will forget everything, wander the world alone, free and unrestrained, without any new or old grudges.”

"I want to live for myself."

·

As night fell, the mourning hall was sparsely populated. The other martial arts masters had all finished their condolences and returned home. Madam Luo and her younger brother packed their belongings and returned to the Luo family after only two days. The officials did not come again. The Luo family chose to settle the matter peacefully and withdrew their lawsuit from the government. The turmoil and upheaval of not long ago seemed to have vanished completely because of Fu Cen's death. Everything seemed to have returned to normal, yet it was very different from before.

As the saying goes, "People leave and tea grows cold," and one after another, the indignant friends in the martial arts world departed. The disciples were soaked in the rain and exhausted from crying. Fu Xiang told them to go back to their rooms to rest, leaving only Steward Zhao behind.

The two knelt before the memorial tablet. Steward Zhao said with a mix of sorrow and indignation, "The world is cold and heartless. The Master had many friends in his lifetime, but now that he has been murdered, no one seems to genuinely grieve for him. They are all worried about whether they will suffer the same fate. Even Madam ran away so quickly. In the end, the only one who can see the Master off is Miss."

The hall was dimly lit by candlelight, and stacks of joss paper were burned, filling the room with wisps of smoke. The inscription on Fu Cen's memorial tablet was blurred in the smoke, and candle wax dripped down, landing in front of Fu Xiang.

"Miss, you must cheer up and not be discouraged by this," Butler Zhao said earnestly. "Mingyue Tower is now counting on you to take charge. You must catch the real culprit who killed the tower owner and bring justice to everyone in the tower!"

The joss paper in the basin flickered, and the embers were scattered by the wind, falling onto the two of them. Fu Xiang raised her head and said in her usual tone, "From today onwards, I am the head of the shrine. I have made arrangements for everything that needs to be done. So, will you listen to me or not?"

Seeing the unspoken determination in her eyes, Steward Zhao became even more excited and said, "Miss, do you know who the real culprit is? As long as you can avenge the Master, I and my disciples will follow you without question!"

Fu Xiang glanced at him sideways and said, "Whether I seek revenge or not is my own decision. Your words do not suit my taste. My father is gone, and I am the only descendant of the Fu family. No matter what I intend to do in the future, you should all listen to me. What, if I don't seek revenge or catch the real culprit, you won't tolerate me?"

Realizing that Fu Xiang seemed to have suddenly changed after this incident, Steward Zhao dared not act as an elder as usual, and quickly lowered his posture, saying humbly, "Miss, you flatter me. How could I dare?"

“Then let’s change how we address each other,” Fu Xiang said. “After the seven-day mourning period, we will bury my father first, and then hold the enthronement ceremony on a chosen day. From this day forward, I do not want to hear anyone call me ‘Miss’ again.”

Butler Zhao frowned slightly, but still replied, "Yes...Master."

Upon hearing those two words, Fu Xiang scoffed, her expression a mixture of self-mockery and disdain.

"You may leave now. I will keep vigil for my father alone tonight," Fu Xiang waved her hand. "There is still much to be done. Mingyue Tower will not collapse anytime soon. If anyone else comes to feign concern, kick them all out. Also, keep an eye on the movements of the Ziwei Sect in the coming days. It is best not to associate with other sects, understand?"

Upon hearing her mention the Ziwei Sect, Steward Zhao's mind raced with speculation. He used to be quite casual and arrogant in front of Fu Xiang because of Fu Cen, but now he didn't dare ask a single question. Steward Zhao quickly agreed and then bowed as he withdrew.

The night wind carried the scent of rain from outside, mixed with the fragrance of spring earth and grass. Fu Xiang smelled the aroma and her mind cleared for a moment. She stood up, walked to the door and closed it. As she lowered her head, a long shadow suddenly appeared at her feet.

Fu Xiang turned around, her clear eyes looking at the newcomer. Meng Wugui stood with his sleeves down, three steps away from Fu Cen's coffin, his face showing no emotion.

The master and apprentice stood silently gazing at each other, separated by an invisible barrier that seemed insurmountable, neither of them speaking first.

The wind rustled the gauze curtains, revealing the incense-scented fabric, now pristine, yet shrouded in the darkness of night. After an unknown amount of time, Meng Wugui finally spoke, "Do you hate me?"

Fu Xiang's lips twitched, her smile somewhat strained: "If I hadn't chosen to settle this privately, what would you have done?"

Meng Wugui said, "Yin Qiu wrote a letter to the Duan family, asking for the help of the Duan family's young lady. I will take advantage of the situation to clear your name. Luo's miscarriage is a foregone conclusion, so Fu Cen can only continue to cultivate you. But since you are safe and sound, that person will not let it go. Therefore, facing the upcoming storm, killing Fu Cen is still the best countermeasure. Now that you are the leader of the tower, with the followers of the disciples in the tower, he will not dare to attack you again. In this game, we have regained some of our chances of winning."

“Us?” Fu Xiang shook her head and smiled gently. “It’s not us, it’s you.”

Meng Wugui took a few steps closer to her, his eyes filled with a hint of coldness: "Don't tell me you want to back out now."

Fu Xiang said, "I did regret it. I regret not getting rid of these grudges sooner, but there's no turning back now. My father's life is enough to repay what I owe you. Master, from now on we are even, and we owe each other nothing."

Meng Wugui sneered, "No debts owed? You shouldn't say that. Even if I don't kill Fu Cen and protect you, as long as you haven't left Mingyue Tower, that person won't stop his schemes. Sooner or later, the truth will come out. Think about it, if Fu Cen knew your true purpose for returning to Mingyue Tower and your other identity, would he tolerate such a threat as you staying by his side? With his methods, he would expel you immediately and sever all ties with you, becoming like strangers. You were willing to betray me for this heartless and ruthless father, and now you claim we have no debts owed each other. Do you think that if I kill him, I won't kill you?"

"Where did this trouble come from?" Fu Xiang had never argued with Meng Wugui before, but now she said coldly, "Why is that person holding me so tightly? And who is he targeting me for?"

"Did I force you to?" Meng Wugui scrutinized her, questioning, "Did I force you to get close to Fu Cen?"

Fu Xiang bit her lip, unable to give an answer.

"I won't bring it up since we agreed beforehand. How many times have I asked you if you wanted to go back on your word? And how many times have you answered me that you would never go back on your word?" Meng Wugui mocked. "If you're really that heartbroken, why don't you tell Fu Cen the whole truth sooner? He protected you on the eve of his death, but was he protecting you? You have neither the guts to tell me everything, nor the courage to tell me that you want to get away unscathed. You only dare to break your promise in private. Where do you think you can escape to?"

Fu Xiang pinched her palms until they were red, and after a long while she said, "There's no need to say anything. You reap what you sow. I don't hate you, nor do I hate anyone else. But my father died at your hands, so it's impossible for me not to have any resentment."

“Of course I know that. One thing at a time. You can seek revenge against me in the future,” Meng Wugui said. “I don’t mind revenge after revenge, and I won’t make excuses for myself. Once I’ve avenged myself, you can seek revenge against me however you want. I will never run away.”

Fu Xiang suddenly felt a deep sadness.

How did she and her master end up like this?

But as it turns out, Meng Wugui had already told her years ago that it was all because she herself was useless. If she had tried her best to win Fu Cen's favor and become the master of the building sooner, or if she had given Meng Wugui more help and hadn't been so passive in waiting for the situation to become so difficult, perhaps things wouldn't have turned out this way.

The words she spoke in her youth still echoed in her ears. How confident she was then, how disheartened she was now. Even if she could go back to the day she met Meng Wugui and refuse to learn martial arts from her face, Meng Wugui would always find a way to kill Fu Cen and take over Mingyue Tower. This was something Fu Xiang could not stop no matter what.

But she had once vowed that she would not give Meng Wugui such an opportunity. She would work hard to become the owner of the building to repay her kindness and protect Mingyue Tower and Fu Cen. Now that she thinks about it, the arrogance of a young person is really both laughable and pathetic.

The cruelest thing is that everything that has already happened can never be undone.

Since that's the case, we might as well learn from this painful experience, end these disputes as soon as possible, cut through this mess, and get things over with quickly.

“I regret it, but I will not back down,” Fu Xiang said after a moment of silence. “Go ahead and tell me what you want to do next. I will do my best. You taught me most of my skills. I have been your disciple for so many years, but I have never been able to do anything for you. Now that the time has come, let’s strike while the iron is hot. I believe that you, like me, want to get out of this sea of ​​suffering as soon as possible. So let’s not let ourselves be slaughtered anymore. It’s time to take the initiative. That person has lived long enough. Only when he dies can I be free.”

Meng Wugui lit three incense sticks and placed them in the incense burner. She looked at Fu Cen's memorial tablet and said softly, "So do you think that Mingyue Tower and the disciples of the Nine Immortals Hall under my command are enough now?"

Fu Xiang remained indifferent, and after a moment's thought, replied, "If it weren't for the Ziwei Sect causing trouble, it would be enough."

“No, that’s not enough,” Meng Wugui said. “If it were just about killing that person, I could have done it years ago. Even though I wasn’t powerful enough back then, if I had told Man Jiangxue, she wouldn’t have let him go. But I didn’t do that. I’ve painstakingly planned this, going through all this trouble, just to let him know that I’m going to seek revenge on him, but without letting him know exactly when I’m going to take my revenge. I want him to spend every night in endless fear and unknown danger. I want to destroy what he cherishes and has poured his heart and soul into right in front of him, and then kill him with my own hands.”

At this point, Meng Wugui chuckled softly: "However, I won't let him die too easily. Since the first time I showed my face in the martial world and entered his sight, he has spent many restless and sleepless days. Every day he worries about when I will expose his identity, and every day he racks his brains to think of ways to cover my mouth. After such painful years, his heart must have already reached the edge of collapse. So before I kill him, I will make him a disgrace to the martial world, worse than a stray dog. I will let him escape and hide, and then I will find him and let him die in my hands while crying and begging for mercy."

"Just like he killed Sister Dong and my parents back then."

The candlelight was dim, flickering like will-o'-the-wisps, and Meng Wugui's face gleamed with a cold blue light amidst the shifting shadows. Fu Xiang had seen her like this many times before, but even now she felt a chill run down her spine.

Fu Xiang said with mixed feelings, "But we have no other allies left. Since you not only want to kill him, but also destroy everything he values, this matter will never be easy."

“So besides making sure you stay in your position as the leader, I also need to meet someone,” Meng Wugui said. “As long as this person is willing to cooperate with me, I can flatten that mountain and turn its beautiful scenery into ruins. Whatever Liucang Mountain looks like now, that mountain should look like too.”

Just as Fu Xiang was about to ask who else she wanted to see, she heard Steward Zhao suddenly knock on the door from outside and say, "Young...Master, a young man has come and says he wants to see you."

"What young man?" Fu Xiang walked to the door but did not open it.

Butler Zhao leaned close to the crack in the door and whispered, "He claims to be a disciple of the Brahma Heart Valley named Chen Wang. He told me not to make a fuss and to tell you the whole story."

Fu Xiang frowned, turned around and exchanged a glance with Meng Wugui. After Meng Wugui nodded, Fu Xiang replied, "Call him here."

Steward Zhao hurriedly went down the steps in the rain. Soon after, he heard a series of messy footsteps and two figures stopped at the door.

Fu Xiang instructed Steward Zhao to leave. After he disappeared, Fu Xiang pushed open the door and looked at the young man, saying, "Did Young Master Fan send you?"

Shen Wang nodded, bowed to the two people inside after entering the room, and said to Meng Wugui, "Greetings, Hall Master Meng. My Valley Master sent me here to discuss important matters."

Meng Wugui scrutinized him and said, "I remember you. I saw you once a few years ago at the Ziwei Sect headquarters."

“Master Meng has a good memory,” Shen Wang nodded and took out a dragon-patterned jade pendant from his sleeve. “My Valley Master said that as long as you see this object, you will know who my Valley Master is. He asked me to tell you that you must tell him the real culprit who killed Uncle Shen. Whenever you set off, Fanxin Valley will accompany you and lend you a helping hand.”

The jade pendant was made of purple jade, and its entire surface was carved with lifelike dragon patterns. The material was crystal clear and without the slightest flaw. As soon as Meng Wugui saw the design of the jade pendant, his face instantly showed a deep look of surprise.

“This thing…” Meng Wugui snatched the jade pendant from Shen Wang’s hand, examined it over and over, and finally gritted his teeth and said, “Sister Dong is dead, but he’s still alive. How dare he come here!”

Shen Wang said, "I do not know my godfather's true identity, so Master Meng could not get anything out of me. I came here only to deliver a message, so please give me an answer so I can go back and report."

Meng Wugui sneered: "Since he sent you to find me, he must know who I am. When did he find out?"

Shen Wang said, "I'm sorry, I don't know much about this and I can't give an answer."

Meng Wugui's face showed disgust. He raised his hand and smashed the jade pendant to pieces. He said coldly, "Very well... He made a mistake, so he should pay the price. If Fanxin Valley really wants to help, then let him come to see me in person."

Shen Wang cupped his hands and said, "My godfather cured Miss Yin of the poison, but he lost all his power and is currently recuperating in the valley. He cannot come out to see you for the time being."

"That's not my business. He has to come see me in person!" Meng Wugui said coldly. "Otherwise, he can forget about finding out who the murderer is. He also wants to avenge Sister Dong himself, doesn't he? If he doesn't dare to come, I won't give him that chance. And after I kill that person, I'll kill him too, and then I'll kill Nangong Min. I'm going to kill all of you who have harmed the Ruyi Sect. No one will get away with this!"

Shen Wang looked troubled, but still replied, "This... alright, I will convey your message."

Meng Wugui's breathing quickened. He stared at the shards on the ground for a while, then asked, "Did he kill Ye Zhilan?"

Chen Wang nodded.

Meng Wugui sneered: "Looks like he's been in contact with Yin Qiu for a while now?"

Chen Wang said, "That's right."

Meng Wugui said, "Alright, have him come to see me as soon as possible, and keep our affair a secret. Don't tell Yin Qiu! If Yin Qiu finds out, Man Jiangxue will find out too. If they alert the enemy, my plans will fall through. If you dare to leak even a word, I will tell Nangong Min about your Valley Master's identity and the extent of his injuries. I will join her in wiping out your entire Fanxin Valley. Do you understand?"

Gongzi Fan had anticipated her reactions before they even arrived, so Shen Wang remained calm and respectfully said, "Don't worry, Master Meng, I know what to do."

"Then you can get out of here. Go back and tell him that he'd better be prepared if he meets me," Meng Wugui said sternly. After watching Shen Wang leave, he turned back and shouted into the inner room, "Come out!"

Afu peeked out from behind the curtain, but didn't dare stand in front of her.

Meng Wugui glanced at her and said, "For the next few days, you will stay in your senior sister's room. You are not allowed to go anywhere, not even leave the room. If you ignore what I say, someone will try to kill you if something happens. Don't blame me for not helping you then. If you don't want to die without a burial place, you'd better stay here obediently."

Afu looked terrified, nodded repeatedly, and stood behind the curtain without daring to utter a sound.

The three of them were quiet for a while. Meng Wugui then looked at Fu Xiang and said, "Don't worry, the show is about to begin. With the support of Fanxin Valley, I'm not afraid of anyone now. After this show ends, I will settle accounts with you. You can think about how to avenge Fu Cen in advance. I'll be waiting for your arrival at any time."

Fu Xiang's chest heaved, and after a long while, she finally replied, "Okay..."