12 Return to the Jianghu
Fleeting
Five years later
Spring goes and winter comes, winter goes and spring comes; things change, and people are no longer the same.
On the second floor of Luoyang's largest restaurant, two men sat facing each other, their expressions grave. One was dressed in black, the other in blue. The two tall men drank in silence. Their handsome faces bore the marks of time.
"Why did you come back?" the man in blue asked.
"Why didn't you leave?" the man in black asked calmly.
"You shouldn't have come back."
“…”
"We're friends, so take my advice. Turn back now and don't ask any more questions, or you'll regret it." The man in blue stood up, preparing to leave.
"Is he... alright?" the man in black suddenly asked.
The man in blue smiled, a smile tinged with weariness and helplessness. "..." He didn't answer, and left on his own.
When they parted, the shopkeeper nodded respectfully to the man in blue.
The man in black continued drinking without moving an inch.
"Where in Luoyang are the most beautiful peonies?" the people at the next table chattered.
"That goes without saying, it's the back mountain of the Mo family. But if you're going, hurry up, the Mo family will close the mountain in a few days."
"Why? Is some high-ranking official or dignitary coming?"
"No, it's the anniversary of Master Mo's son's death. Every year at this time, the mountain is closed, and even the Mo family's properties are uniformly covered with black cloth to express their condolences."
"Ah? Died so young? The Mo family has done a lot of good deeds, but in the end, Master Mo is still the one who dies young."
"Back then, when that son went missing, it caused quite a stir. So many people were sent to search for him, but they couldn't find him. Even the prefect was alerted, and a reward of nearly ten thousand taels of silver was offered, but they still couldn't find him. It's truly pitiful. The Mo family suddenly seems so desolate."
The jade quilt in the man in black shattered with a crack.
"After losing his beloved son, Master Mo stopped managing his business. Now it's all up to the second young master Mo to take charge. Unfortunately, the second young master Mo also loves his brother dearly. He used to be such a gentle person, but now he's cold and aloof, and we can't even exchange a few words with him."
"Tsk, tsk, how pathetic."
"I heard that when the young master went missing, the second young master wasn't there. When the second young master rushed back, he frantically led people up the mountain to search for him, causing the Mo family, who were perfectly fine, to be in turmoil for more than half a year. Even that young lady went crazy because of the loss of her brother. It's pitiful."
The man in black could no longer sit still and got up to leave.
Where are the others?
“You still came. Bei Ming, you should have turned back.” Han Yitian shook his head. “You must have heard about it. He’s right there; go and pay your respects yourself.”
The hall was shrouded in smoke, draped with white curtains and black cotton cloth. On the mahogany altar stood a memorial tablet carved with profound inner strength: 'The Tablet of My Son, Mofei'.
"Impossible! How could this be?" Han Beiming stepped forward, trying to snatch the sign, but was blocked by someone.
"You can't touch the young master's nameplate."
"Go down, Tiesuo. He's an old acquaintance of Mofei's. I'll keep an eye on him; there won't be any problems." Han Yitian nodded.
"How did he die? Why did he die? Why? He was fine when I left, why? I waited all these years, finally reaching this day, I came to take him away, why didn't he wait for me to come back? Why? I finally cleared so many obstacles, just waiting to take you away, you promised me you would come with me..." Han Beiming murmured to himself. His empty eyes lost focus.
“He probably broke his ribs and damaged his heart and lungs from those two blows from Uncle Mo. He didn’t get timely treatment and then went out in the pouring rain. By the time we found him, he was nowhere to be found. We think he might have gone to look for you…” Han Yitian sighed.
"Then he also..."
"When Fei Hua came back, he searched frantically for nearly half a year and finally found it... that flute, your purple jade flute... in the wolf den on the mountain... there were many bones there, mixed with the conspicuous flute... but he didn't know those bones were his. Uncle Mo was filled with regret, and Fei Hua also regretted his actions."
Han Beiming shook his head and saw the purple jade flute that he used to have next to the sign.
"And you? Why didn't you leave? You severed ties with your father, didn't you?" Han Beiming said woodenly.
"Fei Yu's illness not only did not improve, but after he learned that Mo Fei had been castrated, he fell seriously ill and had a high fever. When he woke up, he became an idiot," Han Yitian stated.
"..." Han Beiming did not answer.
“I truly love Fei Yu, so I decided to take care of him for the rest of my life. Without Mo Fei, and with Fei Hua so cynical, Fei Yu only has me now.” Han Yitian said with a bitter smile. “Bei Ming, we are all indirect culprits. Although Uncle Mo inflicted the fatal wound, we are all involved. You destroyed his trust in you, so you are also part of it. We never cared about him; we let him fend for himself. Uncle Mo now… You should leave. Fei Hua won’t want to see you.”
The man in black left, glancing back at the few black characters on a background that read "Mo Mansion." Perhaps this was the last time he would step through the Mo family's gates. If everything could start over, would he choose to deceive that person? Would he selfishly exploit his loneliness to get close to him? And would he presumptuously make the choice he believed was the best way to keep him?
Five years have passed, and everything has changed. That lonely, kind-hearted child has vanished with the wind, never to return. Where can we find his shrewdness, his wisdom, his composure, his calm demeanor, and his hidden brilliance now?
The Mo family remains wealthy, but their once magnificent courtyard has lost its luster, now desolate and quiet. Though not dilapidated, the hearts of the people have changed. A lingering melancholy hangs in everyone's heart. If time could turn back, would the Mo family still become the place where an innocent Mo Fei was buried? No one knows, no one can know. For that most secluded courtyard now holds three layers of deep gray, recording an indelible passage of time.
"Feiwu, I need you to go to Jiangnan." I didn't look up from outside the closed bamboo doors. Inside the bamboo doors was the person who had rebuilt me.
"Yes, Master." If I could, I would kill him. He knew, I knew. If I could, he would also want to kill me. I knew, he knew too.
One was once a notorious poison master, but betrayed by his family, he now lives a life worse than death. I am his medicinal ingredient; without my blood, he wouldn't be alive today. Unfortunately, the tragedy of being a poison-wielder is that I am also riddled with poison. If I so desired, any part of my body could be the most malevolent poison. He chose me, captured me, and brought me here, where I, along with several other youths, was submerged in the icy, poisonous waters for a full year. In the end, I didn't even have the strength to walk or speak, and I watched helplessly as the youths captured with me died one after another. Their faces remained unchanged in the icy water, lifeless, yet their bodies were still warm.
He said that I survived because I had no desires, no wants, no hopes, and no thoughts. Since I had no strong discontent, I possessed an unparalleled will to survive. In the end, I was the only one who survived.
The following year, because my constitution had been completely transformed, he had the audacious idea of using me as a test subject for drugs. Whether it was the methamphetamine from Tianshan or the poisons refined by the Tang Clan, after each excruciating ordeal, my body would assimilate those potent toxins, creating even more potent blood. My blood was both poison and antidote. The third year, he discovered that even his most prized poisons could not harm my body, and the poisons he so desperately wanted to master were being overcome one by one by my immunity. He finally understood that I was the most potent poison, and I was his hope for revenge. So, he forced me to master his martial arts techniques, practicing day and night. Another three years passed, and my martial arts surpassed his, as did my toxicity. Gradually, under my influence, my blood slowly eroded his system. Now, my blood is like a drug; he would go insane if he were without it for even a day.
Now he's letting me go, but he also knows his own time is not far off.
I think, yes, if he could, he would want me to die with him. Unfortunately, I also want to avenge him; that's the only reason I'm still alive.
“I know you hate me, and I hate you too. If I could, I wouldn’t want to die. Even if I do, I want to watch those who betrayed me die in more agony than I did. Fei Wu, the Chu family in the east of Jiangnan City—I’ll take their eyes. Even if I die first, I want to watch them die.” My master coughed twice, then a gust of cold wind blew by. I reached out and caught his eyes; they were bloody and very fresh.
"This place is very secluded. I'll leave all my things to you, Fei Wu. If you ever fall on hard times and end up here, at least this will be your refuge and a place to recuperate."
Martial arts practitioners have sharp ears; I heard his breathing gradually fade away, and I smiled. The first smile in five years. I would never stoop to this level, Master. You trusted the wrong person, and I will never trust anyone again.
The journey from Dali to Jiangnan is long, and I haven't left that valley in a long time. I've even forgotten how prosperous the outside world is. I hastily placed my master's body into the icy pool we used to meet, watching his unparalleled beauty slowly sink to the bottom. I felt a pang of melancholy. My master's exceptional beauty had brought him a mountain of romantic entanglements, ultimately leading to his betrayal by his own sister. His sister married into the Chu family as she wished, and his brother-in-law, his former lover, severed all ties with him with a single sword. That sword wounded him, leaving him bedridden for so many years.
Did that heartless man ever recall how devoted that arrogant, poisonous young master had been back then? Even though Master constantly spoke of revenge, one could still find traces of those past memories in his lonely eyes. The coming pain is intense; the happier the past, the more intense the hatred now.
"Waiter, bring me a pot of wine and a basket of vegetarian buns." I sat down silently, my huge cloak concealing my face.
"Okay, sir, it's coming right away, please wait a little while."
"Is it true that the Poison Prince, the leader of the Four Young Masters who disappeared for nearly ten years, has reappeared in the martial arts world?"
I silently munched on my steamed bun, listening to the gossip of bored people.
"It's true, I've heard about it too. I heard that he was responsible for several recent murders in the Chu family."
"No way, didn't they say they were going into seclusion?"
"If only it were true. Back then, that young master's stunningly beautiful face was something even the current Eighth Prince coveted for a long time. Unfortunately, he eventually disappeared without a trace."
"However, the Chu family are his relatives, so why would they poison his whole family? The Chu family are honest and law-abiding."
"I don't know. I heard that the Poison Prince's sister, the current matriarch of the Chu family, was terrified when she heard the news. The Poison Prince is both righteous and wicked; if he wants someone dead, no one can save them. Alas, every family has its own troubles."
I finished the last steamed bun and tossed aside a few pieces of silver. The Chu family has received my challenge; they should gather all their forces to fight. That means I don't need to run around anymore. I'll annihilate the entire Chu family in one fell swoop and slaughter their territory. Thinking this, a smile appeared on my lips.
Chief Chu must be forty years old this year, and I hear he has no children. But his martial arts are superb; the fact that he could injure my master is proof of that. However, if we're only comparing swordsmanship, I might not be as good as him. But if we're comparing ruthlessness and unconventionality, then after being manipulated by the Poison Prince for so many years, who can compare to me?
Before that, let's catch a couple of animals to play with.
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