Chapter 163: The Nameless Corpse of Wuwei, the Scheming Mansion of Wuwei
On summer nights, pedestrians avoid the darkness, hurrying away without following. One side's lamplight, one side's dew; one side's river, one side's glow.
It must be said that this is a perfect time to fight to the death.
Lei Sun, on the other hand, was clearly determined to fight to the death here.
His face stood in the darkness, a face that seemed too old, too old to be involved in the struggles of the martial world, but rather to be enjoying his retirement; yet this face also retained a strange confidence, a confidence that although his youth had faded, his talent and ambition had not grown old, but remained within him, and that his career was still going on.
Standing with his hands behind his back, Lei Sun remained motionless. In the endless night of Bianjing, he gazed in only one direction. The other rooftop he faced seemed to place the remaining buildings a thousand miles away. He hadn't shown his emotions for many years, and his expression had melted into the night. His gaze was unfathomable, the six days of confrontation swirling in his mind. The final piece was about to be decided, but it seemed to be still undecided.
—No, it's fallen.
It was a night breeze that carried the sound of a violent, muffled cough.
His health must have been deteriorating day by day, which was to be expected. If it were anyone else, they would have died countless times from such an illness. But as the coughing subsided, the man stood up straight again. His illness had lost out to his spirit, and thus many things were under his control, becoming a part of him, a part of his martial arts.
Su Mengzhen lowered his hand from his lips, the red-sleeved knife in his other hand. He looked up and saw the bright moon breaking through the layers of gloom, illuminating the two people standing opposite each other, and in their shadows, the Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion and the Six and a Half Hall.
Lei Sun spoke, but his expression was neither joyful nor angry, nor did it reveal his shock or sorrow.
He said, "You really came."
Su Mengzhen remained calm and composed, as if at this moment, there were only these two mortal enemies in the entire martial arts world.
He said calmly, "If you want to lure me here, I will naturally come."
Lei Sun stared at him, slowly narrowing his eyes, and said again, "You knew this was a trap, yet you still insisted on coming?"
A glint of steel flashed in Su Mengzhen's eyes, and without hesitation, she replied, "Because I'm going to kill you."
Instead of being angry, Lei Sun laughed, raising his head to face the impenetrable and endless night, and laughed several times. He admired Su Mengzhen, and he also mocked Su Mengzhen. He laughed not only at Su Mengzhen, but also at himself. His laughter stopped abruptly, ending in a ruthless tone, a ruthlessness like the roof tiles.
"Well said, that's satisfying." A shadow appeared behind him at some point, a shadow as tall and imposing as a mountain, with an aura that could not be anything other than Lei Dongtian. "I understand all this, which is why I brought you here. Unfortunately, things cannot go as you wish; I am not alone."
Lei Su seemed to be expressing regret, but it was a faint regret, neither genuine nor fake, though he had no need to fake it.
Su Mengzhen shook his head. His lungs were squeezed by the pain of his illness again. In the bone-chilling cold, he coughed again, but his voice was steady and unwavering: "There is nothing to regret. That was not my wish. I am not alone."
As soon as the words left her lips, Bai Feifei's figure stood gracefully on the other side of the eaves, barely touching the ground with her toes, standing silently, like a butterfly flitting by on a summer night. She looked at no one, keeping her head down and twirling her hair around her fingertips, until Lei Sun cast his gaze upon her, at which point she suddenly rolled her eyes, her gaze as sharp as a venomous snake.
Su Mengzhen said, "That's fair."
Seeing Bai Feifei inevitably reminded him of his injuries, the chilling energy that had damaged his internal organs, and Bai Feifei's ruthless attacks. If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have had such a bad start. A fleeting glint of unease flickered in Lei Sun's cloudy eyes, but he quickly looked away, not wanting Su Mengzhen to see the fear that crossed his mind. In the next moment, it returned to a calm, deep, still gaze.
Lei Sun gave a soft "heh" and said, "No, that's even more of a pity."
With a touch of ruthlessness and composure befitting a cunning and shrewd old man, he slowly said, "I've reached the age where I don't like fairness anymore. I don't like fairness."
There was a fifth person, following his words. The corner of the eaves, a corner where even the moonlight couldn't reach, seemed to be forgotten by everyone. Yet, it was in this place that Lei Mei stepped out, as if she had cast aside a piece of black gauze, revealing her delicate beauty, like a true flower in the evening. Even if it was a smile that wasn't quite a smile, a sarcasm that wasn't quite a sarcasm, it couldn't diminish her elegance.
And then, in the previously deserted alley below, umbrellas suddenly appeared one after another, transforming the road, which had seemed like a drained riverbed, back into a flowing river of martial arts. Who was under the umbrellas was not a question worth asking; the murderous aura beneath them was a straightforward declaration.
The remaining trusted confidants were all injured, and the only one he could bring was Bai Feifei. Su Mengzhen, however, did not frown. In this situation, it would be a joke to ask him to frown. He looked at Lei Mei and Lei Dongtian one by one, and then looked at Lei Sun: "I thought there would be another one. It seems that the Six and a Half Hall has not yet found its 'bowing dragon'."
The truth comes first, and Lei Sun was utterly bewildered by this matter. He was certain that Di Feijing would not betray him, so there was only one answer. He said, "Perhaps, Liufenbantang should ask Jinfeng Xiyulou."
“There’s no need to ask, and there’s no time to do so anyway,” Su Mengzhen replied. “It’s best to bring these questions into the field.”
A dozen or so points of cold light suddenly opened like eyes, revealing the true face of the night before sharply pointing at Lei Sun. Without the slightest hesitation, from even more distant high-rises, a dense array of crossbows emerged, ready to be drawn at a single command.
This can be described as a back-and-forth struggle, a cataclysmic upheaval that gripped half of Bianjing City, leaving it breathless. The surging heat was a low, lingering sob, unable to find its way or its destination, fearing death and bloodshed, flowing haphazardly, finding no refuge in this vast world, like a lost soul under the hanging night sky.
Lei Sun's aged fingers touched the blade that should not have been used. Right or wrong, success or failure, all depended on this battle.
Time seemed to have stood still, like a disassembled mechanism that, when put back together, would reshuffle a new picture.
However, it started flowing again in no time.
A single arrow pierces the wind, coming from a higher place, swift as a flying crane, breaking through the air and cutting through the night with swiftness!
Lei Dongtian was startled. He gathered his energy in his palm and pushed hard, managing to intercept the swift arrow before it pierced Lei Sun's throat. The arrow broke off and fell onto the roof. His hand was still slightly numb. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was not an arrow, but a tree branch—an ordinary tree branch that was nothing special.
There are many people in the martial arts world who can make arrows from tree branches, but how many can use them to such an extent and with such ferocity?
Lei Dongtian looked up again, and on another slightly higher rooftop, a woman wearing a straw hat stood there, like a tombstone that had already buried someone, empty and desolate. She seemed to be shedding tears, or perhaps she had shed all her tears. He felt he had seen her somewhere before; she gave him a sense of familiarity. Lei Dongtian blinked, wanting to look again, but there was another person beside the woman.
Without needing to ask, he remembered it all too clearly. Lei Dongtian's face paled for a moment, unsure of what trick this was all about.
Who can be absolutely certain? Who can remain undeterred and not think things through?
Facing Guan Qi.
"The Seven Holy Alliances of the Bewitching Heaven, what does this mean?" Lei Sun was furious, unwilling to be a mantis stalking a cicada unaware of the oriole. After his anger subsided, his heart grew colder and colder.
Guan Qi, of course, wouldn't answer him. Guan Qi himself didn't know where he was looking, and the woman didn't answer either. She adjusted her bamboo hat and looked at Su Mengzhen again. Under her stern gaze, Su Mengzhen gripped the red-sleeved knife tightly, seemingly quite surprised and suspicious.
They heard the woman speak, and as soon as her voice appeared, Lei Sun felt it was extremely familiar, but the hoarseness made it seem very unfamiliar. The woman said, "Master Su, today's matter has nothing to do with the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion. I beg Master Su to spare Lei Sun's life and leave quickly. He deserves to die, but his life is in my hands."
"You're not from the Seven Holy Alliances of the Lost Heaven, so who are you?" Su Mengzhen looked at Guan Qi, then stared at the woman.
No one could see through the bamboo hat, so no one could see the woman's face. She led Guan Qi into the decisive battle between the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion and the Six and a Half Hall, and even declared that she would take Lei Sun's life. How arrogant! Yet, how calm she was when she spoke: "Before answering this question, I have a question for Pavilion Master Su. May I ask Pavilion Master Su, in this world, shouldn't all the debts owed and the sins committed be repaid?"
Lei Sun pondered to himself, unsure of who she really was. A bad premonition was like a flood, washing away the outlines of his memory, surging like boiling water.
Su Mengzhen glanced at it and said, "Any debt must be repaid."
“Not bad.” The woman nodded, and suddenly a deep hatred surged through her. In every word she spoke, she vowed to carve a hole in Lei Sun’s bones. “The longer the debt is owed, the more it should be repaid. Now that things have come to this, it should be repaid a hundredfold, a thousandfold. Even if I smash every bone in his body and peel off every inch of him to feed the dogs, I still wouldn’t feel it would be enough, not enough to satisfy the hatred in my heart.”
“But now that I’m actually standing here—” she suddenly turned to Lei Sun, “I’ve changed my mind again.”
She said, "It's absolutely disgusting. Just looking at you makes it hard for me to breathe. So I've decided to give you a quick death. Lei Sun, shouldn't you thank me? Now, tell me my name. Who am I?"
The woman took off her straw hat.
The face beneath the straw hat cannot be described as terrifying. It is merely thin, so thin that it lacks the delicate features of a beauty, yet it is undoubtedly ethereal. Even though decades have passed on this face, and fate has tormented it with betrayal and suffering, it still stubbornly exudes youthful beauty, a youthful beauty filled with hatred, a youthful beauty fueled by the flames of revenge.
But it was terrifying for Lei Sun. He felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and his thoughts were struck to the deepest part of his mind. He had done countless wrong things and had long since stopped feeling guilty. However, all of these things came back to haunt him at this moment.
The name was almost palpable, and Lei Dongtian understood why it seemed so familiar.
"Brother Guan Zhao!"
However, the next voice did not come from Lei Sun or Lei Dongtian, but from Lei Mei. Losing her composure, she covered her mouth and took a step back, saying, "You...aren't you already dead..."
Before she could finish speaking, Lei Dongtian suddenly turned around, exclaiming in surprise, "What?!"
As the second leader of the Six and a Half Hall, he had believed Lei Sun's words for many years, thinking that Guan Zhaodi had disappeared. With Lei Mei's words, how could he not understand? He immediately went to see Lei Sun's reaction.
His series of actions were tantamount to exposing the filth of the Six and a Half Hall to the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion.
Lei Sun's face at this moment was no different from that of a dead person.
The dead are gray, and so is he. The dead have frozen expressions, and so does he. The dead are bound to the past, and he is even more imprisoned by the past, staring intently at Guan Zhaodi, his lips trembling. At least for this moment, he cannot control himself.
Pretending is useless. At this point, it's better to show some courage and admit it. Lei Sun said, "You're still alive."
“Yes, I’m still alive.” Guan Zhaodi gave a strange smile. “Not only am I alive, I’m perfectly fine, without a scratch, and I remember you etched in my heart. So, you should die.”
She tugged at Guan Qi's sleeve, as if she had returned to those days, still the girl hiding behind her brother, removing the little thing from his ear, and complaining to him: "Brother, do you see that person at the front?"
Following the direction Guan Zhao pointed, Guan Qi looked over and saw Lei Dongtian looking like he was facing a formidable enemy, Lei Mei slowly retreating, and Lei Sun standing motionless at the front. He asked, "I see them. What's wrong?"
Guan Zhaodi was silent for a moment, then said softly, "He wants to kill me. Brother, these past ten years have been so painful for me."
After saying that, she put the item back into Guan Qi's ear. This was a preparation made by Xie Huailing to prevent Lei Sun from mentioning Wen Xiaobai again and driving Guan Qi to do so.
Guan Qi's empty and bewildered expression changed in an instant.
The sword energy surged forth, its power unmatched, obscuring the moon's radiance, which had only recently appeared. At this moment, Guan Zhaodi was no different from a vengeful ghost crawling back from the underworld. She smiled, smiled incessantly, intending to watch Lei Sun's death with that smile.
She hasn't been a person for a long time; she's been a ghost for the past fifteen years.
Only when he dies can she be reborn from his corpse.
She was already incredibly excited about this. Guan Zhaodi's eyes were deep and hollow, with almost no white showing. They were pitch black, without a single lamp, just endless darkness, like something that had been smashed to pieces on the ground and was barely pieced back together.
.
Even if you piece it together, it won't make a difference; it will still be a piece of a broken mess.
This was an unbearable burden on Xie Huailing's life. She simply squatted down on the ground, propped her chin up, and looked at Leng Yuanzi, whose body had become a dismemberment case. The murderer was obviously the brick that made her slip, causing her to lose her midnight snack.
Perhaps worried that she was upset, Di Feijing walked around to her side, squatted down to look at her, and after thinking for a moment, said to her, "I'll go buy you another bowl."
"What should I buy?" Xie Huailing asked, her eyelids drooping. "When I bought it, they only had a few bowls left. They definitely won't have any left if I go back now."
She moved aside, avoiding the constant flow of people, and stood like a mushroom by the roadside, complaining about something: "I should have bought two bowls. It's so hot tonight, I just want a bowl of cold rice balls... Damn it, the last time I wanted something to eat, it took me forever to remember."
She then accused Di Feijing, saying, "Why didn't you buy another bowl?"
Di Feijing let her knead him. When she complained, he admitted, "I'll remember next time. Let's look ahead. Maybe other stalls will have it."
Xie Huailing pulled on his clothes and stood up, gazing longingly at the cold rice balls she had spilled all over the ground. Despite her many grievances, she had to admit that Di Feijing was right. Looking ahead, the lights were still dim and the night was long: "Then let's go buy books. Hey, the books can't all be sold out, can they?"
She murmured incessantly, not letting go of Di Feijing because she still needed him to shield her from anyone who might bump into her. Di Feijing walked in front, and she followed behind him.
There were thousands of lanterns lit up that night. Looking up, the sky seemed to be half there, half of it, like a wisp of blue cloud or a pool of clear water. The stars seemed to fall like rain from the sky. Candles and lanterns hung along the streets, creating a dazzling display of light and color. Tourists and spectators laughed and chatted as they walked by, their footsteps surging like a tide.
He wanted to turn back, so he would occasionally turn back to look at her face in the lamplight. She looked like a fairy, her green hair shining brightly. She noticed his gaze and would look back at him. That was her graceful figure, flowing like water, her heart moving every night.
However, Xie Huailing was too lazy to care about him and let him do as he pleased, only urging him on when he walked slowly.
Before long, they arrived at the bookstall, which truly had all kinds of books, offering a glimpse into the flourishing folk culture. Di Feijing chatted with the scholar tending the stall, while Xie Huailing buried himself in browsing and picking through the books. There was a whole stack of books about talented scholars and beautiful women, and then there were some ghost stories from various places and unofficial histories of previous dynasties, which probably wouldn't pass censorship if released to the public. Only the serious books were truly absent.
That makes sense; people who buy serious books wouldn't come to the night market to buy them, so why bother bringing them to the stall?
Xie Huailing picked out the most unseemly ones, took a few in his hand, and thought that should be enough before calling Di Feijing to pay.
When the scholar tending the stall saw what Xie Huailing had bought, his expression nearly faltered. He glanced at Di Feijing several times before giving him his change. This aroused a subtle curiosity in Di Feijing as well. After walking a distance, he looked at the books in Xie Huailing's arms, seemingly wanting to ask, but actually having a bad feeling, he didn't ask.
Xie Huailing, being considerate, stuffed the books into Di Feijing's arms, then picked up one of the books, turned to a certain page, and handed it to Di Feijing: "Do you want to read it? You can read it first."
Before Di Fei could refuse, a line of words caught his eye. Before he could read any further, he immediately turned his head away, feeling a slight burn, but then pretended not to see anything, lowering his head and remaining silent.
Xie Huailing did it on purpose, deliberately choosing this page. She closed the book, threw it into Di Feijing's arms, and picked another one: "Alright, why are you acting like I'm bullying you? Actually, it's not all of these; there are some slightly better ones too."
Di Feijing didn't want to know anymore, but she was going to tell him anyway: "For example, this one is just normal romance between men and women. Hey, do you know how hard it is to find books like this that don't follow the typical 'talented scholar and beautiful woman' formula? No, you probably don't read these kinds of books at all, so it's understandable that you don't know."
Xie Huailing leaped in front of him, turning her back to him as she walked forward, her hair swaying back and forth. Since they were now far from the crowd, she said, "Besides advising Lei Sun and doing his best, Master Di probably doesn't have much of a life. Good heavens, he's missing out on so many interesting things."
They had discussed similar matters over the past seven days, and Di Feijing no longer avoided the topic: "I myself don't have any particular preferences."
Not only did he have no hobbies, Di Feijing had no friends, no confidants, no relatives, and no lover.
His only remaining thoughts were half gratitude, which was far away, and half right in front of him, speaking to him: "That's really unwavering loyalty... By the way, I don't think I've asked you yet, why are you so loyal to Lei Sun?"
She turned around, having seen all the beautiful women in Yinhua this morning, yet still fearing it was all just a dream.
Di Fei paused for a moment, then answered her question: "Chief Lei has been kind to me."
"It's not surprising." Xie Huailing thought for a moment, then continued walking forward, contradicting himself, "It is indeed strange."
The more beautiful the scene, the more it seemed like a false omen. Di Feijing didn't know when he woke up, nor did he want to calculate it. He asked, "What's strange about it?"
“Everywhere is strange, just like you. You were born with only one thing on your mind: to repay a debt of gratitude. You don’t think about or do anything else.”
"Because I am all that I have today because of this kindness. Apart from this kindness, I originally had nothing, and I really didn't want anything before."
He was talking about the past, not the present. Xie Huailing understood what he meant and let out a soft "Huh," as if he had been suddenly bitten: "That's why I said it's not strange, it's also strange that 'empty' can be used to describe a person."
Her hair was dazzling, her neck that was occasionally exposed was dazzling, and her profile when she looked left and right was dazzling. Di Fei was so amazed that he felt like he couldn't take it all in time: "Why is Miss Xie following Su Mengzhen? Is it just because he is the 'crown of heroes under heaven'?"
Xie Huailing replied slowly, "That's a large part of it."
She was always very kind to people who were about to die: "No matter what, he was indeed an extraordinary person. Take Lei Sun, whom you know best, and compare him with Su Mengzhen. You should be able to see the differences between them clearly. People in the martial arts world are all for power, for influence, for the reputation and status of the number one gang in the martial arts world. But Lei Sun would do things that Su Mengzhen would not do, and Su Mengzhen would do things that Lei Sun would not do."
"That's because the Grand Master and Su Mengzhen chose different paths."
"It's not just about the road."
Xie Huailing brushed aside a bunch of leaves and said slowly, "They are completely different."
She added, “I am not that kind of person, but I admire some people like that—the world is full of fleeting fame and fortune, and wealth can be dazzling. They are born into it and pursue profit, but they can still be themselves, not just a corpse. They say that there are some things that can be done in this world, and some things that must never be done.”
Even if such a choice seems foolish, and the bottom line sounds like a joke in the most unpredictable part of the human heart, compared to the walking dead, even if the walking dead win in the end, it can never be said that they have surpassed them. Those who have truly lived for themselves will not have their will extinguished with death.
"But I need to correct you. It's not that I followed Su Mengzhen; it's that I chose Su Mengzhen."
Di Fei seemed to sense something; in the depths of his being, he felt a jolt, as if he had already grasped the outline of danger.
"So to put it bluntly, I choose him, because that's what I want to do." Xie Huailing didn't care what he was thinking. She stepped on the shadows of the trees, and the night market was already far behind her. She felt hot again and thought of her bowl of cold rice balls. "Su Mengzhen is different from Lei Sun, and I am different from you. My scheme is for myself. He did indeed do me a favor. If we really have to compare, that favor is probably greater than Lei Sun's favor to you, but these things can't hold me back."
“He won’t use these things to trap me. Aside from gratitude, all I need to do is what I want to do myself.”
To be honest, Xie Huailing could hardly remember the life-saving grace Su Mengzhen had shown her. It was a heavy debt, but both she and Su Mengzhen had kept it low and never picked it up.
She nearly tripped over a stone, so she stopped and asked Di Feijing, "And you? Haven't you repaid your debt of gratitude yet? Di Feijing, what do you plan to do after leaving Lei Sun?"
After saying that, Xie Huailing realized it was inappropriate: "What I said sounded sarcastic, so just pretend I didn't ask."
Without waiting for his reply, she went to look at the Bian River. They didn't really have any connection, and he knew she was just asking because she was in a bad mood. Di Fei was speechless, not knowing what to say, and quietly looked at her face.
She wasn't heading in the direction of the inn; they no longer needed to go to the inn.
Seven days is too short, too short. The seven days are about to end.
Just as he had feared, a deafening roar came from a distant direction, followed by a cacophony of screams from the night market. He plummeted into the chaos, and there was nothing he couldn't understand. He saw the crack in the dream; the dream that had lasted for seven days was at its most perfect tonight, and thus, it was about to shatter.
He was about to wake up from the dream, and his beloved was also about to leave the dream. His beloved looked in that direction and understood: "Ah, Lei Sun is dead."
She was so certain that there was no other possibility.
His sweetheart then asked him, "Are you going to be with him?"
No matter what pain was in his chest, Di Feijing couldn't think. He didn't hear any commotion, clamor, or loud shouts. All he heard was the sound of shattering glass. He had returned to the cold reality. The last bit of warmth in his dream was the book he was holding in his arms.
Seeing that he probably hadn't heard her, Xie Huailing repeated herself, moving closer to him: "Your benefactor has died, do you want to go and join him?"
If he wants it, she'll give him a quick one.
Di Feijing wasn't completely deaf; he was just thinking. Yes, it was time to make a choice. He had hesitated for so long, unable to bring himself to harm her, and unable to hate her either. So, dying alongside Lei Sun seemed to be the best option.
But why can't I say those words?
Di Fei was startled. He said his own name. Xie Huailing. Then he said her name. This was the first time he had put his name and hers together; he had never tried to do so before. Perhaps it was because of a dream he had had, or perhaps it was because…
It was at this moment that he heard her repeat, "Your benefactor is dead."
The panicked crowd surged forward. Xie Huailing, who was already by the riverbank, didn't want to be pushed into the water. She tried to move to the side, but before Di Feijing could answer, another careless person bumped into her. She nearly fell in, sighed, and tried to back away again. Before she could be bumped into again, Di Feijing shielded her in the crowd.
Another hug, as if he wanted to gather things together before they disappeared, and this lingering affection was already a choice.
What does Di Feijing want to do after leaving Lei Sun?
Xie Huailing was embraced tightly, and he held her close. After leaving the dream of gratitude, he entered another dream.
As long as I enjoy this dream, have a little pity from her, be occasionally moved, and have a small chance to strive for it, even if I know it's just a spark in a stone or a dream, it doesn't matter.
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The next chapter will be an epilogue, after which this volume will end. As usual, there will be a giveaway for comments on this volume. Since the giveaway center is still on cooldown, I'll randomly distribute the prizes using the system tomorrow. [shy]
The countdown is about to begin; I need to start preparing for the next volume. Finally, I'll be writing about ruthlessness.
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