Chapter 53

Xie Wen practiced his swordsmanship diligently at the foot of Half Moon Peak from summer to autumn.

It turned out she and they had been separated for a whole season. The feeling was so unreal. It was as if it were telling Xie Wen that one day she would have to accept the reality she was running away from—the departure of those she cared about.

The grass on the mountain turned from green to golden yellow. In the season of autumn winds, the entire sky seemed high and vast, and the entire mountain was ablaze with autumn colors. Xie Wen also changed into a clean and neat outfit. The evening of the autumnal equinox was cool, with gusts of breeze.

The trellis in the yard had turned from a dense green to a golden hue. Plump, golden fruits hung heavily on the branches. In the evening, Xie Wen picked some fruits and put them in a basket.

The vines grew so well that as far as the eye could see, they were all round, plump spheres. Xie Wen couldn't finish them all himself, so he gave some to the other disciples.

Later, Yun Yan complained, asking why all the other disciples got a share, while he, Xie Wen's junior brother, got his. Where was his share? Shen Lizhi, hearing Yun Yan's words, also wanted to argue, "Why should you eat what A-Wen planted?"

Yun Yan chuckled, "Did you plant them? Didn't you eat them too?"

Shen Lizhi: "Can I be compared to you?"

Xie Wen was exasperated whenever these two met. He separated Shen Lizhi and Yun Yan, saying, "Alright, alright, eat up. Come and eat when these fruits and melons are riper in a couple of days."

In this way, they were coaxed into submission and finally calmed down a bit.

Xie Wen sat on the swing on the trellis in the yard, swaying back and forth. Suddenly, she thought that if her older sister were here, she would be very happy to see so much fruit on the trellis. She would also cook all sorts of delicious dishes for her. But... her older sister couldn't even eat the fruit anymore.

She picked some fruit and placed it in front of Xie Yichun's grave.

She clearly said she wanted Yun Yan and Shen Lizhi to come over for fruit, but that very evening, a group of people flocked to the small house. Yun Yan and Shen Lizhi, along with Sikong Mingxue and Chi Yufei.

Yun Yan and Shen Lizhi exchanged a glance, then scoffed.

Sikong Mingxue smiled innocently as before, but there seemed to be a hint of heaviness in her eyes, which was quickly concealed by her clear smile. "Awen, I heard you have some delicious fruit here, so I came."

Chi Yufei: "Xie Wen, I heard you specially invited me, so I reluctantly came."

Xie Wen smiled and didn't argue with Chi Yufei any further. She knew that everyone had come because they cared about her.

Since that great battle, Xie Wen has been practicing his sword alone on Half Moon Peak day and night. He speaks very little and always keeps to himself. Although he smiles, there is a deep and unyielding gloom in his eyes.

Fearing that Xie Wen's pent-up emotions would fester, everyone deliberately used this excuse to talk to him.

Xie Wen brought out all the cut fruit, and everyone squatted down in a row by the door, munching on the fruit.

Chi Yufei: "Do I really have to squat to eat?"

Xie Wen: "We're just worried about the juice getting on our clothes. If you're not worried, then do as you please."

Chi Yufei silently squatted down and took a few more bites. It was sweet.

On such a peaceful autumn night, you could hear the chirping of insects in the distance.

Chi Yufei looked down on Sikong Mingxue: "That's not how insects make that sound!"

Sikong Mingxue continued to imitate, repeating the insect's chirping sound, "Gurgle, gurgle, that's how it sounds."

Xie Wen couldn't help but laugh. Seeing Xie Wen laugh, Shen Lizhi turned her head and imitated the chirping of insects, "Coo-chirp, coo-chirp, chirp chirp..."

Upon hearing this, Yun Yan clicked her tongue and said, "Is that how you call it? You're just imitating it? It sounds awful."

Shen Lizhi: "Hey, mind your own business! Shut your mouth! I didn't tell you to listen, I was learning it for Awen."

Everyone laughed; Xie Wenzhen couldn't do anything about the two of them. She looked up at the clear, cold moon in the sky, its cool light pouring down. Suddenly, a little person appeared beside Xie Wen; Honghong'er sneaked over and snuggled into Xie Wen's arms.

Xie Wen secretly gave Hong Hong a slice of melon that had been cut up.

Yun Yan had sharp eyes; this red-haired child seemed to have appeared during that great battle, and later occasionally popped up around Xie Wen. Every time Yun Yan wanted to take a closer look, it would disappear again, but this time Yun Yan caught it!

While Honghong was happily eating melon, Yunyan grabbed her and lifted her into the air like a chick, asking, "Who exactly are you, kid?"

Honghong'er, being roughly grabbed by Yunyan, retaliated by striking him. Caught off guard, Yunyan was hit in the face by Honghong'er, and a "Ah!" came from his throat.

Shen Lizhi laughed gleefully.

This made Yun Yan lose face completely.

He grabbed Honghong'er and vowed to teach it a lesson. Honghong'er looked at Xie Wen with pleading eyes, "Awen, Awen."

Xie Wen smiled helplessly, trying to calm Yun Yan down. "Who told you to provoke them first? Who else should I hit if not you?"

Honghong was taken by Xie Wen, hugging his waist and hiding behind him. It was still a little unaccustomed to being human. Except in front of Xie Wen and Chu Xianyue, it always felt strange to act this way in front of other people.

That's right! This strange feeling stems from always being surrounded and stared at like a monkey. It doesn't want that!

Just like now, when Chi Yufei poked Honghong'er's chin with her finger, teasing her like a puppy, Honghong'er coldly slapped away the hands that Chi Yufei and Sikong Mingxue reached out to her, and said in a cold voice, "Don't touch me!"

Chi Yufei: "Oh, this little thing is pretty fierce? You think you can just tell me not to move? I won't!"

Honghong gathered spiritual energy in her palm and aimed it at Chi Yufei. Chi Yufei scoffed and withdrew her hand.

Sikong Mingxue said cutely, "Can't Mingxue even touch you?"

Even the adorable Mingxue received a cold rejection from Honghong'er.

Xie Wen found its "don't mess with me" attitude rather amusing. She thought to herself: Even Chu Xianyue might not be able to touch it.

Even Chu Xianyue had to endure cold stares from it.

Not to mention anyone else besides Xie Wen.

Xie Wen suddenly felt like she was possessed. How could she think of Chu Xianyue in everything?

Later, Xie Wen stopped rejecting her own feelings and accepted them as they were. She felt more at ease after accepting them. Late at night, after seeing off the four lively characters, the Half-Moon Peak cabin became incredibly quiet.

Xie Wen practiced her sword for a while. From summer to autumn, she tirelessly practiced day after day, from morning till night, the moves she used to disdain. Even when she was sick of practicing, she would continue.

She knew that to take revenge, she had to become powerful enough to be at least as strong as her master.

She had no choice.

Xie Wen practiced his sword until late at night, when the surrounding fields were quiet and deserted.

She took Honghong to the back mountain of Feiying Pavilion.

Chu Xianyue secluded himself to heal his injuries on the Tongtian Lingtai platform in the back mountain.

He was still unconscious. Xie Wen stood beneath the Tongtian Lingtai, which was radiating spiritual light. Through the barriers, he could vaguely see a figure hanging on the Tongtian Lingtai.

Xie Wen stared at him intently, standing in this space, far apart from him, gazing at each other from afar.

She didn't know what she was thinking. But she didn't want to leave, so she stood there and stayed with him a little longer.

As dawn broke, a few drops of morning dew clung to Xie Wen's hair. She looked up, and the glistening dewdrop fell from her eyes. Xie Wen managed to catch the drop in her hand, and it swayed in her palm.

Xie Wen could vaguely see Chu Xianyue's figure in the water.

When she looked up again, he had vanished.

Damn it.

Is this guy deliberately avoiding her?

Does he intend to kiss her and then deny everything?

Don't think Xie Wen doesn't know who left those countless kisses after the war.

He kissed her, and he doesn't want to take responsibility? What a scumbag.

Xie Wen's mind was filled with resentment and chaotic thoughts. Subconsciously, she hoped that even if Chu Xianyue was a scumbag, she didn't want him to never come back.

Before leaving, I glanced back at the towering platform one last time.

Xie Wen suddenly realized something terrifying. Her feelings towards Chu Xianyue had indeed changed significantly. Could it be that he had also completed his Heavenly Dao mission and ascended directly to godhood because of this?!

Xie Wen took a deep breath; it was impossible not to feel uncomfortable.

The next moment, Xie Wen understood. He had ascended, so he had ascended.

It's better than being dead.

She turned away resolutely; she had other things to do.

Even if we are separated by death and never meet again, so be it.

Even without him, Xie Wen would still have her own path to walk. She couldn't let him hold her back and stop her progress.

Xie Wen left Tongtian Lingtai with only a resolute back view.

Meanwhile, on the Tongtian Lingtai, Chu Xianyue, who had suffered greatly, could never have imagined that Xie Wen would exclude him from her future path in life.

Later, one late night, he heard Xie Wen muttering in his sleep and realized that Xie Wen had automatically distanced himself from him.

On the Heavenly Platform, he coughed up another mouthful of blood.

A voice burst forth from the depths of his heart, deeply etched into his mind. He absolutely could not allow Xie Wen to walk the path ahead without him. Even if it meant becoming a god or a ghost, he could not allow her to be without him by her side.

He wanted to straighten her path. Chu Xianyue didn't care. Only with him on her path was it the right path for her to go forward!

Such a thought took root in his heart, and even though he was not even in a clear mind, such a belief was firmly planted in his heart.

Xie Wen was planning her time; she would be leaving in a few days.

She couldn't wait any longer. Soon it would be time for Kunlun Ruins to recruit new disciples and for the dynasty to gather its soldiers. Then, they would rise again from the ashes.

Xie Wen's path to revenge will be even more difficult.

She planned out her departure date, watering the trellis in advance and feeding the wild cats on the hilltop. She walked around with her hands behind her back, feeling that she had many things to do before leaving.

But after wandering around, it seems like there's nothing to do.

She returned to the hut on Half Moon Peak, plopped down on the swing, and watched the sky sway back and forth. She didn't know what to do.

The planned day arrived as scheduled. Xie Wen silently sharpened his sword, polishing Yao Fang until it gleamed, the blade reflecting his resolute features, before finally sheathing it with a whoosh.

Before leaving, Honghong also went to the Tongtian Lingtai on the back mountain to take a look. She wondered how Chu Xianyue would react if he knew that Awen was going to do such a thing. But now Chu Xianyue had even lost the right to know about this.

When Honghong transformed into human form and returned from the back mountain, she happened to run into Yunyan.

Yun Yan chuckled, his brow twitching at the sight of Hong Hong'er. Now that Xie Wen wasn't here, he had to interrogate this guy thoroughly to find out who he really was!

Yun Yan scooped up Hong Hong'er. "Xie Wen isn't here now. Tell me the truth! Who are you? Why have you been hiding behind Xie Wen? Could you be a spy from another sect, like Pei Xuan? Tell me the truth and you'll suffer less."

Honghong looked at Yun Yan as if he were a complete idiot, her expression and eyes filled with utter speechlessness. She thought to herself, "This is Chu Xianyue's second disciple?"

It's nothing compared to a single strand of Ah Wen's hair.

Honghong didn't waste any more words with Yunyan. "Fool, it's better if you don't know!"

As he spoke, a faint red light burst forth from his palm, sending Yun Yan flying with a single blow.

Yun Yan struggled to her feet, but Hong Hong'er had already flown away. Yun Yan: "?"

Turns out this thing is quite powerful! The pitiful look it put on the other day was just a show for Xie Wen!