parted ways
"After he impersonated the master, he lived a secluded life, rarely seeing outsiders except for a few trusted confidants he had deceived and promoted. I've never seen anyone special come to see him... He's always been alone..." Xu Fu stammered.
It seems that Xu Yi acted alone.
Yunwei felt somewhat relieved, and after confirming that nothing had been missed, she turned to leave.
"Ayun!" Xu E exclaimed, his gaze shifting from Xu Yi's cold corpse on the ground to the dark red bloodstains on Yun Wei's clothes. "You're injured?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Lanchen abruptly released Xu E's hand, stepped forward, and grasped Yun Wei's right hand.
The cloth was icy cold to the touch, and the plain cloth wrapped around it was soaked with blood, turning a glaring dark red.
"Your hand..." Xie Lanchen frowned, his tone filled with urgency and anger that he himself was unaware of. His gaze fell on the plain cloth on her right hand, which was stained with blood. "If you act so recklessly, then all my efforts last night were wasted?"
Yunwei was slightly taken aback when he grasped her hand.
She glanced down at her blood-stained right hand, her mind too tense to notice it at all.
She tried to pull her hand back, her tone flat and indifferent: "Let go. I just killed someone, my hands are dirty."
"Dirty?" Xie Lanchen seemed to be stung by the word, his voice laced with sarcasm. "When you killed him, why didn't you find it dirty? Now you're being particular about it?" He didn't know why he was so angry. Perhaps it was because she was always so inconsiderate of him, or perhaps it was because of her cold and aloof attitude, as if she could bear everything on her own.
"Hey! You surnamed Xie!" Nangong Ya couldn't stand it any longer and spoke up at the right time, "Yun Wei just killed Xu Yi and saved us all, why are you being so fierce! Let go!"
Yun Wei frowned slightly, forcefully pulled her hand back, and turned to Xu E, saying, "Let's go up first and then talk."
Xie Lanchen looked at his empty hands, then at Yun Wei's resolute departing figure, and an indescribable emotion welled up in his chest.
He snorted coldly, helped the dazed Xu E to his feet again, and followed behind.
The three returned to the study.
Xie Lanchen helped Xu E to sit down in the chair behind the desk, but his gaze involuntarily fell on Yun Wei's calm and almost indifferent profile again.
The boy suddenly remembered something, and his expression changed drastically: "Xu Yi took the Lone Goose Sword before, where is that sword now?"
That is where Yunwei's remnant soul resides; it must not be lost.
“The sword…the sword is still here…” Uncle Fu staggered out of the secret passage, his face ashen, his eyes darting around, not daring to look at Xu E or Yun Wei.
"Xu Yi instructed this old servant yesterday to take Miss Yun's sword... to the furnace to destroy it... but this old servant knew... that sword was of great importance to Miss Yun... so I hid it in the old scrap pile in the east corner of the sword forging workshop..."
Upon hearing this, Yunwei's mind became slightly focused.
She had previously placed a hidden restriction on the Lone Goose Sword, and now, with a slight thought, she silently sensed it.
A moment later, a faint but clear connection came from the direction of the sword forging workshop—the sword was indeed still there.
After finishing his words, Uncle Fu knelt heavily before Xu E with a thud, tears streaming down his face. "Young Master! This old servant is guilty! This old servant deserves to die! This old servant was bewitched and released that wicked creature, which not only caused the deaths of the old master and his wife, but also caused you to suffer endless torment... Imprisoned in this dark place for a whole year... It's worse than death... This old servant wanted to beg for help, but that wicked creature threatened the lives of hundreds of people in the entire manor and the century-old foundation of Biyue Manor... This old servant dared not speak... dared not speak! I beg the Young Master to grant this old servant death to atone for my sins!"
Xu E looked at Xu Fu, who was kneeling on the ground and looked emaciated, with a complex and indescribable expression in his eyes.
He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, his eyes were filled with a mixture of grief and resolve. His voice was low and deep: "Uncle Fu... you have cared for me since I was a child, and our bond is extraordinary. But you have released evil spirits, causing the tragic deaths of my parents and imprisoning me. This crime is heinous, and Biyue Manor... can no longer keep you here."
Xu E took a deep breath and continued, "From this day forward, you will go to Jinghua Temple to be ordained as a monk, burn incense and chant scriptures every day, kowtow to beg for forgiveness, and burn paper money to pray for my parents. Use the rest of your life to repent every day and atone for the sins you have committed."
Xu Fu, tears streaming down his face, kowtowed three times: "Thank you, young master, for sparing my life... This old servant... This old servant accepts the punishment... For the rest of my life, I will repent day and night and never slacken my efforts..."
In this world, cause and effect always bring about retribution.
The moment he chose to release the evil spirit, Uncle Fu had already paved this long path of atonement for himself.
Everyone must bear the consequences of their choices until the very end.
Yun Wei composed herself and turned to Xu E, getting straight to the point: "Xu E, I know you've just escaped your predicament, are still recovering from your serious injuries, and are weak. But reforging the Lone Goose Sword is crucial to the survival of my remaining soul and my future revenge, and it cannot be delayed. Besides, I need a new sword to protect myself. Is this possible...?"
Xu E shook his head: "Ayun, there's no need to say more. As long as it's your business, I will do my utmost, even at the cost of my life. As for the new sword... there's no need to forge it again."
Yun Wei was slightly taken aback, a hint of doubt flashing in her clear, cold eyes.
No need for further forging? What does that mean?
She looked calmly at Xu E, waiting for him to continue.
Xu E bent down and groped around in a very hidden, inconspicuous corner under the desk.
With a soft "click," a hidden compartment popped open.
He carefully took out a dark, heavy wooden box about three feet long from inside.
Inside the box, on a deep red velvet lining, lay a longsword.
The sword hilt was jet black, wrapped with deep red, millennia-old dragon tendons that were warm to the touch and incredibly tough.
Xu Elang said loudly, “This sword is nameless. I forged it for you four years ago. At that time, although you had already tamed the Lone Goose and your brilliance was fully revealed, making you famous in the region, the Lone Goose sword was extremely hard and fierce, and domineering. It might not have been the perfect match for you. This sword is made of special material. It is made of deep-sea black iron fused with ten-thousand-year-old warm jade marrow, and it has been forged through countless hammerings. It combines hardness and softness within, and its sharpness is deeply contained within. Its nature is calm and resilient, which is more in line with your Dao.”
He added, "Don't worry, no one in the manor except me knows of its existence. It belongs only to you."
Four years ago, Xu E had already quietly prepared another path for her, another sword more suited to her nature.
A faint ripple finally appeared in Yunwei's usually cool eyes—a mixture of emotion and gratitude.
She reached out, her fingertips gently brushing against the cool, smooth scabbard, before finally firmly grasping the deep purple hilt wrapped with dragon veins.
An indescribable sense of harmony emanated from her palm, as if the sword had been waiting for her for a long time.
"This sword shall be named 'Dust Severing'," Yun Wei said, her voice still cold and clear, yet resolute and unwavering. "Severing past grudges and creating a new world. With this sword, I shall slay all my enemies and cleanse the universe."
"What a great name!" Nangong Ya couldn't help but clap her hands in praise.
Before she could finish speaking, the girl's expression suddenly changed drastically. Her originally rosy cheeks instantly lost all color and turned as pale as paper.
"Aya?" Yunwei held the sword in her right hand and steadily supported her with her left.
Wherever you touch, there is an icy chill.
Is it a backlash?
The ironclad rule of the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons is that the Valley Master must never step outside the Valley's boundaries for the rest of his life. Anyone who violates this rule will suffer a backlash, resulting in the disruption of his spiritual energy and the depletion of his heart meridians. This is the most severe tribulation of the Five Decays in the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons' heritage.
"Hold your breath, concentrate your mind on your dantian, and focus on the unity of all things," Yun Wei said in a deep voice.
She supported Nangong Ya's swaying body with one hand and pressed her other hand against her back, channeling her own spiritual power into her.
Xie Lanchen, standing to the side, looked serious upon seeing this.
Nangong Ya's current condition is far beyond what is typical of her injuries.
“She can’t stay like this. The backlash from the restrictions of the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons is extremely powerful. Only the secret techniques passed down in the valley can alleviate the suppression. We must send her back to the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons immediately, or things will change.”
The girl's face was frighteningly pale, her lips bloodless, yet she stubbornly shook her head: "No...no! I must accompany Yunwei back to the Yun Sect...it's too dangerous for her to be alone...I promised..."
“Your spiritual energy is currently suffering a backlash, and your heart meridian is severely damaged. Staying here won't help me in the slightest.” Yun Wei looked directly into her pained yet stubborn eyes, her tone resolute. “Besides, as the Valley Master of Ten Thousand Poisons Valley, your status is already special and sensitive. My return to the Yun Sect is fraught with danger, with danger lurking at every turn. Your presence as the Valley Master will only complicate matters further, making it easier for those with ulterior motives to exploit and give them leverage. Aya, be rational.”
"I..." The girl was unable to refute for a moment.
She knew Yunwei was right.
Upon seeing this, Xu E immediately called out to his two trusted servants outside the door and gave urgent instructions in a very fast voice: "Quickly! Prepare the fastest carriage in the manor, lay out the thickest brocade cushions! Choose the most reliable driver, and travel at the fastest speed, day and night, to ensure that the person is safely delivered back to Wan Du Valley without any harm!"
The attendant solemnly accepted the order, carefully helping the extremely weak Nangong Ya to her feet and leading her towards the door.
As she reached the door, Nangong Ya forced herself to turn back, her eyes brimming with tears: "Yunwei...you must come to the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons to find me!"
Looking at the girl's pale face, Yunwei's cold gaze softened slightly for a moment. She nodded gently, her tone unusually solemn: "Okay. I promise you, I will come to find you after everything is settled."
The road ahead is fraught with danger and uncertainty; life and death are uncertain.
She was unwilling, and absolutely could not, implicate Aya any further.
*
Seven days later.
At dawn, as the sky began to lighten, a thin mist enveloped Biyue Manor.
Yunwei and Xie Lanchen stood side by side in front of the manor gate.
Xie Lanchen was dressed in black, his posture upright, but his gaze would occasionally sweep over Yun Wei's injured right hand, his expression complicated.
Yun Wei was dressed in a simple blue robe, with the Duan Chen sword hanging at her waist. Her expression was calm, but a trace of weariness lingered between her brows.
Xu E strode out of the manor, wearing a deep red brocade robe that made his figure appear even more upright and agile.
His face still had a hint of paleness, but his eyes were surprisingly bright.
"Ah Yun!" He strode up to Yun Wei, holding the Lone Goose Sword in both hands. "I have fulfilled my mission!"
The young man Xie Lanchen, who had been standing silently half a step behind Yun Wei, narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly.
Yunwei's gaze lingered for a moment on the familiar scabbard of the Lone Goose Sword.
"It's been a long time," she thought to herself.
This sword embodies her early brilliance as she slew a thousand-year-old black dragon at the bottom of the Black Dragon Pool when she was fifteen. It is also engraved with her belief as the senior sister of the Guiyun Sect in protecting the sect and eliminating demons. Furthermore, it is her only support for clinging to life after being falsely accused of falling into demonic ways by her father and having her physical body destroyed.
Without the slightest hesitation, Yun Wei stretched out her right hand and handed the newly reforged Lone Goose Sword, which was closely related to her life, directly to the silent and aloof young man beside her.
"Xie Lanchen, take this."
The boy's expression froze, as if he were confirming whether he had misheard or misread.
"This sword has been reforged, and its sharpness surpasses even its former glory. Your cultivation is not weak, and your foundation is solid. I will temporarily lend you the Lonely Goose. You can return it to me after the affairs of the Returning Cloud Sect are settled." Yun Wei said calmly.
The boy gave her a deep look, his eyes filled with complex and unreadable emotions.
Without saying much, he silently reached out his hand, his long, strong fingers steadily taking the heavy Lone Goose Sword.
Seeing him accept it, Yunwei turned to Xu E and nodded slightly in gratitude: "I will remember your kindness in rebuilding the structure. Thank you."
Xu E clearly saw through this "borrowing a sword" situation. He raised his thick eyebrows slightly, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes, which then turned into a hearty laugh: "Ah Yun, you flatter me. There's no need for thanks between us. Your business is my business!"
He paused, as if he had made up his mind, and the smile on his face faded, revealing an unusual seriousness.
Xu E carefully took something out of his pocket and unfolded it in his palm.
It was a warm and smooth crescent-shaped jade pendant, with delicate jade texture, bright white and warm, the very same jade pendant that Xu E's mother wanted to give to her, but which she then gave to Xu E.
"Ah Yun," Xu E spoke, his usual sharpness gone, replaced by a barely perceptible unease. "Back then... you didn't accept it. Now, the road ahead is fraught with peril, and your fate is uncertain. Please accept it, as I'm entrusting it to escort you on my way, hoping you'll turn misfortune into good fortune and have a smooth journey. What do you say?"
Yunwei's gaze fell on the jade pendant of extraordinary significance in his palm, her eyes showing no ripples.
Love is not what she seeks, nor is it a burden she can bear.
She shook her head: "Xu E, this item is of extraordinary significance. It should be given to your future spouse or kept as a keepsake. That would be the proper thing to do."
"I didn't accept it back then because it was too valuable and not something I deserved. My mind hasn't changed and never will. All I seek is the way of the sword and the path ahead. Romantic ties are just burdens to me. I appreciate your kindness. Please take this jade back."
Xu E opened his mouth, as if a thousand words were stuck in his throat. Finally, he looked up and laughed loudly. The previous hesitation disappeared, leaving only a clear and open mind.
He took back the jade pendant and patted Yun Wei's shoulder: "It's alright. We've known each other for a while now. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, just come to me. As long as I'm still here, I'll brave mountains of knives and seas of fire for you."
He looked at her, a smile playing on his lips, but it was fainter than before:
"The mountains are high and the rivers are long, and the road ahead is fraught with difficulties."
"Please take care...Miss Yun."
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