fate

Huan Niang crawled to Gui Jue's feet and cried, "Sect Master, I had no choice but to feed him. He would die if he didn't eat. Please have pity on me, we were husband and wife, please don't hurt him. I risked my life for him."

Huan Niang had been married to Gui Jue for more than two years. Gui Jue was so focused on practicing his martial arts that he ignored her completely, and she would be gone for more than twenty days a month.

The Ghost Gate is located in a cold, eerie place, devoid of human presence. After guarding the empty room for so long, she developed a mental illness and desperately wanted to escape the cage that imprisoned her.

She met a lost young hunter named Jiuqu in the mountains, and out of kindness, she helped him out of the mountains. To thank her, Jiuqu promised to deliver something to her.

Huan Niang casually asked for a bowl of hot wontons from the market.

The nearest city is half a day's journey from Ghost Gate Mountain. In the dead of winter, with steep peaks and low temperatures, who would be foolish enough to risk their life for a bowl of wontons?

For once, Jiu Qu was unusually foolish. He actually bought a large portion of wontons, piping hot, sealed them in a porcelain jar, wrapped them in thick cotton cloth, then wrapped them in a layer of straw, carried them in an animal skin basket, climbed up the cliff, and delivered them to Huan Niang.

When the earthenware pot was opened, the wontons had become a paste, with meat and noodles separated, but the soup was hot, warming Huan Niang's heart.

Huan Niang's long-neglected heart was finally rekindled, and she frequently invited Jiu Qu to go hunting in the mountains, to talk to him, and to listen to his stories about the land below.

The two developed feelings for each other over time and decided to elope.

Soon after, Huan Niang discovered she was pregnant. However, the chilling aura of the Ghost Gate gradually eroded her body, which in turn affected her fetus, and her child was destined to die.

She was unwilling to compromise, and at the same time, she became even more determined to escape.

Fearing that Gui Jue would discover her disappearance and issue a kill order, she hired a versatile actor at great expense to help her escape perfectly.

Then Gu Jinning impersonated Huan Niang and entered the Ghost Gate, giving Huan Niang enough time to remain hidden.

Huan Niang heard that the Ghost Gate family's secret manual contained a life-saving medicine, so she stole it without permission to prolong her child's life. Jiu Qu was indeed unaware of this beforehand.

Even so, her childbirth lasted three days and two nights, and she almost lost both her child and her baby.

"Sect Master, I'm sorry. If you have any grievances, take them out on me." Huan Niang begged and pleaded, just to find a way out for the two people she loved most.

But in the eyes of the ruthless Ghost Gate, human life is the cheapest thing, and emotions are a hellish joke.

Gui Jue's deep eyes showed no pity, and his voice was icy cold, "You broke the rules of the Ghost Gate and took what you shouldn't have taken. You should commit suicide to atone for your sins."

Huan Niang understood, slowly stood up, looked at the ghost blade embedded in the door frame, and resolutely rushed over.

Jiu Qu cried out urgently, "Huan Niang, no!"

"etc!"

Gu Jinning dodged to block her, but was knocked back and fell towards the sharp blade. Xiao Heng'an quickly appeared, grabbed her waist, and pulled her away from the danger zone.

Gu Jinning bumped her head into Xiao Heng'an's chest and cried out in pain, "Ouch, that's enough."

She angrily accused Gui Jue, "What's the point of all this talk about death and killing? You just want to take back the things from the Ghost Gate, right? Here, take it all."

Gu Jinning pushed the manual and the swaddling clothes to Gui Jue, saying, "You can take the book and the baby with you."

Gui Jue felt a little guilty because she almost hurt him, but her sudden move caught him off guard.

Gu Jinning ignored his question and said to herself, "The pill has already become one with the doll. If you don't take him, who will you take?"

"Anyway, with me here, there must be no bloodshed here!"

Gu Jinning pulled out the Ghost Blade, tossed it to Gui Jue, put her hands on her hips, raised her chin and looked at him, as if to say, "That's settled then, you figure it out."

An eerie silence filled the room, then the baby suddenly burst into tears, kicking his little hands and feet wildly.

Huan Niang was anxious to hug him, but Gui Jue gave her a look, and Huan Niang stopped in her tracks, clutching her chest in a heart-wrenching pain.

Gui Jue rubbed his temples, stood up and compromised, "Fine, I'll take him away, you can stay here and repent for the rest of your lives."

After saying that, he grabbed the swaddled baby like a chick, put away the book, picked up the baby, and left.

"Sect Master!"

Huan Niang was about to chase after him, but Gu Jin Ning stopped her and whispered a few words in her ear. Huan Niang's face kept changing with complex emotions, and finally she asked with a hint of doubt, "Really?"

Gu Jinning nodded firmly, pushed her towards Jiu Qu, closed the door, and left.

Huan Niang stopped calling out and just lay there blankly on the ground, her eyes gradually becoming empty.

On the way, Xiao Heng'an asked, "What did you say to her?"

Gu Jinning grinned mischievously, "I said I'll find an opportunity later to help her steal the child back."

Xiao Heng'an chuckled to himself; this did seem like something she would do.

Gui Jue turned around and gave her a look, then tossed the doll to her. Gu Jin Ning quickly caught it and chuckled, "Just kidding, just kidding."

She passed the doll to Xiao Heng'an and caught up with Gui Jue, saying, "You're clearly all bark and no bite. I checked the pulse; this doll took the Ghost Gate's secret medicine, which can keep him alive for a while, but he won't live long. Only you can save his life."

Gui Jue said, "Without the medicine, it doesn't matter whether he lives or dies."

"Of course it's different. He is a fresh life, a life with the inheritance of the Ghost Gate."

Gui Jue paused, glancing at the sleeping doll behind him, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.

Huan Niang was only his wife in name; he had no feelings for her. When Huan Niang eloped with someone, he felt no hatred, only anger—anger that someone dared to betray him and provoke him, and even more fury that she had stolen the Ghost Gate's secret medicine.

The secret medicine is a sacred medicine for those who practice the secret methods of the Ghost Gate, but for ordinary people it is a poison that brings a final burst of energy before death.

This doll's days are numbered.

Gui Jue was unwilling to interfere with the cause and effect of others.

Gu Jinning insisted, "As a lonely sect leader, you need an heir with the bloodline of the Ghost Gate. The medicine lineage is also a lineage. If you save him and nurture him with the Ghost Gate techniques, he will follow you from childhood and only be close to you. Wouldn't that be perfect?"

Gui Jue said, "You've been rambling on and on, but all you want is for me to spare his life. Don't you know that if you don't nip the problem in the bud, it will cause endless trouble? Even if I raise him, he might not be grateful to me."

"What if it's your own child?"

Gui Jue suddenly stopped and slowly turned to her, a chill gathering around him.

Gu Jinning took two steps back and hid behind Xiao Heng'an, saying timidly, "I mean, you should acknowledge this child and let him take your surname. As long as you agree to raise him, I'll talk to Huan Niang and tell them to live a good life and not bother you. You are a person of great virtue, and the child you raise will not repay kindness with enmity."

Gu Jinning nudged Xiao Heng'an's arm, signaling Gui Jue to take the child.

Gui Jue had his own plans for agreeing to take the child away while he was inside. With Gu Jinning's encouragement, Gui Jue had no more reservations, took the child back, and said, "Go and tell them that if they dare to cause trouble, I will kill them."

Gu Jinning nodded vigorously, "Then, now that we've finished this, we can retire gracefully. Ghost Mountain is high, we'll visit it another day."

Since Gui Jue did not refuse, Gu Jinning took it as his agreement and pulled Xiao Heng'an back to Huan Niang's house.

As soon as Huan Niang saw Gu Jin Ning, she rushed over and hugged her, asking how the baby was.

Gu Jinning pulled her down to sit and patiently comforted her, "The child has been taken away. Brother Ghost will save him and raise him to adulthood. However, on the condition that the child must stay with him, recognize him as his father, and enter the Ghost Gate for life. You two live your lives and don't disturb them. This is all I can do to help."

Huan Niang collapsed into Jiu Qu's arms, sobbing, "Does that mean I'll never see my son again in this lifetime?"

Gu Jinning said, "You can't have your cake and eat it too. It's better for the child to stay with his biological father than to die young in the mountains."

Huan Niang stopped sobbing, surprised. "How did you know?"

Gu Jinning replied, "I guessed. You think Brother Gui doesn't know? He's just ashamed of it and unwilling to admit it. You pursue freedom and seek happiness, so cherish the happiness you have now."

Huan Niang knew that there was no perfect solution in the world, and since she had done something wrong, it was only right that she was punished. So she let go of the thought and stopped worrying about it.

Gui Jue left a horse for Gu Jin Ning.

Gu Jinning mounted her horse, nestled in Xiao Heng'an's arms, waved goodbye to Huan Niang, and then spurred her horse into the mountains.

"Xiao Wangshu, I am very happy."

"Because you saved three lives?"

"Not entirely. I think I have a lot of potential to be a lackey."

Xiao Heng'an laughed heartily upon hearing this, "That's absolutely right."

Receiving approval made Gu Jinning even more excited, and she asked repeatedly, "Isn't that right? It takes real skill to please both sides."

The horse circled the mountain and climbed to the top. Just as it turned south, three men suddenly sprang out from behind the rocks, brandishing swords and knives and slashing as they approached.

Xiao Heng'an's expression hardened. He drew his sword from the saddle, blocked the three men's flying attacks, and then leaped onto his horse, forcing the three men back with a sword strike.

Gu Jinning recognized the three men as Wu Yizhao, Sun Ren, and Sun Li.

"It's like a persistent ghost."

If they could chase us from this far away, then there's no point in going back.

Gu Jinning drew her soft sword from her waist, exchanged a glance with Xiao Heng'an, and retaliated at the same time.

Wu Yizhao was considered one of the top swordsmen in the martial arts world, but he was far inferior to Gui Jue. Naturally, he could not withstand Xiao Heng'an's sword. After three rounds, his sword broke and he was injured, falling into a disadvantageous position.

Sun Li and Sun Ren attacked Gu Jinning from both sides, but Gu Jinning stabbed them in the back.

The three were wounded and fought their way back into the bamboo forest.

As soon as Gu Jinning and Xiao Heng'an entered the bamboo forest, Wu Yizhao and the other two disappeared in three different places. Suddenly, the bamboo leaves swayed violently, and countless sharp bamboo shoots shot towards the two from all directions.

As Gu Jinning and Xiao Heng'an were dodging left and right, a rain of arrows came down, followed by dozens of swordsmen who rushed out and slashed.

Wave after wave, the two had no chance to catch their breath. Frustrated by the attacks, Gu Jinning yelled as she fought, "This is never going to end!"

From the shadows, Wu Yizhao aimed a stab at Gu Jinning's back and delivered a fatal blow.

Xiao Heng'an glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, then drew his sword and stabbed it into his chest first.

Wu Yizhao was suspended in mid-air before crashing to the ground.

Just as Xiao Heng'an pulled Gu Jinning aside, Sun Ren and Sun Li, who were hiding in the tree, took the opportunity to leap down and stab at the two of them. At the same time, several other swordsmen attacked from all directions, surrounding the two of them.

Xiao Heng'an lost his weapon, and Gu Jinning's soft sword was no match for him. At this moment, a mountain wind arose, and the sound of flying knives spinning rapidly cut through the air flashed past their ears. One after another, ghostly blades arrived and pierced into the backs of the swordsmen with a hissing sound.

One after another, the swordsmen fell to the ground, creating an opening. Xiao Heng'an pulled Gu Jinning back and used the swords on the ground to repel Sun Li and the other man.

Sun Li and Sun Ren jumped onto the treetop, but before they could escape, Ghost Blade flashed like lightning and slit their throats.

Gui Jue flashed and caught the ghost blade.

Gu Jinning was overjoyed, "Brother Gui, you didn't leave?"

Gui Jue shook his head repeatedly at Xiao Heng'an, "The people of the imperial court are ultimately too soft-hearted, not as ruthless as the people of the martial world. The Prince of Qin used me to deal with you, and now I'm helping you deal with them. We're even."

Having said that, he sheathed his ghost blade, swept away the remaining black-clad swordsmen, and vanished, leaving behind the words, "These small fry are yours to deal with."