Shen Tang accepted the suicide note with some skepticism.
I couldn't help but complain in my mind.
Gong Cheng was one thing; at least the two had a failed, farcical wedding, met a few times, exchanged a few words, and even teamed up once. Gong Cheng leaving a suicide note was barely plausible. But what the hell was this Yun Da Lao Deng?
Are they very familiar with each other?
They have absolutely no sense of social boundaries.
Shen Tang did not keep or leave the suicide note open.
He tore it open on the spot and started reading, skimming through it.
After reading just two lines, her brows furrowed tightly; after reading two more lines, her fingers gripping the letter clenched so tightly they turned white; after reading two more lines, Shen Tang looked at the letter as if it were an enemy, or a mortal foe she wished she could tear to pieces on the spot.
Everyone present watched her expression intently.
Although the lord lacked the depth of other superiors and was outgoing and lively, it was rare for her to be so angry. Qi Shan asked her worriedly, "My lord, what did the letter say?"
In the past, Shen Tang would usually pat the letter into Qi Shan's arms and let him read it himself, but this time she unusually folded the letter back to its original state. Her gaze fell on Yun Ce: "When your master wrote this letter, were Yuan Mou and Zi Gu by his side serving him with pen and ink?"
Yun Ce shook his head and replied, "No."
This letter was written by Yun Da after he received a profound awakening, while he was locked in his room. When Yun Da emerged, he was no longer the young and handsome man he once was. His tall and upright shoulders were now hunched over, and he exuded an aura of decay and decay.
Yun Ce and Xianyu Jian were still reeling from the unexpected turn of events.
Yun Da slapped the suicide note into Yun Ce's arms.
This letter is to be delivered personally to your Lord.
Yun Ce lowered his head and hesitated, not daring to answer.
Yun Da sneered, his aged and weak voice no longer possessing its former domineering air: 【You don't even dare send a letter? Do you think your master would write some sinister and despicable scheme to harm her on a letter?】
Yun Ce lowered his head and said, "This disciple dares not."
Whether you dare or not, you know the answer in your heart.
Yun Ce was tongue-tied and didn't know how to respond.
Yun Da's mocking laugh came from above: "Even if you die, you must deliver this letter to her. Otherwise, the consequences are unimaginable. You and your fellow disciples are all utterly useless, possessing talent but lacking any ambition. I won't force you any further. Work hard, or we'll meet again in the Yellow Springs in twelve years."
Yun Ce moved his lips slightly: "Disciple obeys."
Xianyu Jian became somewhat anxious upon hearing this.
Master, did you place a restriction on my senior brother?
As the saying goes, there's no such thing as a free lunch, especially not a sudden, profound enlightenment—once you accept someone's gift, you have to obey them. If it weren't for the special restrictions placed by Master, why was he so certain that his senior brother would die in twelve years?
Yun Da glanced at him.
Xianyu Jian left the mountain early, and even ran away from home. Yun Da had only personally taught him for a few years, so the relationship between master and disciple was naturally a bit weaker.
However, considering his impending death, Yun Da didn't have the energy to argue with him: [A restriction? Heh heh heh, why would I, an old man who has roamed the world, need such low-level tactics? Don't worry, in twelve years I'll not only meet Yuan Mou again, but also you, you bastard!]
These words left Xianyu Jian momentarily stunned.
He subconsciously touched his head and chest.
No abnormalities were found when the martial energy circulated through the meridians for a full cycle.
Yunda took in his subtle actions, a disdainful smile playing on his lips: "If you can't live well, then die!"
Xianyu Jian felt a tightness in his scalp.
He always felt that his master's words had a hidden meaning.
However, Yunda clearly didn't want to discuss these things with his apprentice.
Two hours after the "Enlightenment" ceremony concluded, he briefly gave his last words, instructing the others in his sect on their arrangements, and then voluntarily passed away. Before his death, he was stopped by Yun Ce and another disciple. Yun Ce's emotions were the most complex; his tone was calm, but his eyes were filled with pleading and pleas: "Master, as far as I know, performing the 'Enlightenment' ceremony grants one hundred days of life remaining."
There's no need to rush to leave this world.
Yun Da brushed Yun Ce's hand away.
He declared defiantly, "Throughout my life, I have traversed battlefields with few defeats, and countless lives have been lost at my hands. I have always been the one to kill; no one has ever threatened me! I cannot, and do not wish to, drag this useless, frail body along for even an hour longer."
To confine the soul of a powerful being to an aged body was even more unacceptable to Yunda than to kill him. Compared to becoming an ant, death was a form of redemption, freeing him from the shackles of his physical form. This was everything Yunda had planned before even beginning his scheme.
Yun Ce curled his fingers and pulled them back.
He and Xianyu Jian performed the final disciple ceremony together.
Disciple Yun Ce respectfully bids farewell to his revered master.
Xianyu Jian remained silent, for he still harbored resentment.
Following Yunda's last wish, the two brothers buried him next to Amuqing's grave, so that he could rest beside Amuqing in death. They offered a brief condolence before rushing to the battlefield, barely making it to the very end.
Yun Ce and his companion were unaware of the contents of the letter.
Shen Tang's lips twitched violently: "It's a real shame your teacher didn't change his name to Thanos Plus. Thanos only killed half the population, but he wanted to kill everyone. However, he was a pretty good guy, giving us a twelve-year buffer period. Thank you for that!"
The last three words were almost uttered with his back teeth.
I used to think Qi Shan was a ruthless person.
Compared to Yunda, Yuanliang is simply an angel!
The letter Yunda wrote to her was less a will and more an announcement, detailing the causes and consequences she couldn't understand. For example, both the earlier 18th-rank Grand Chancellor incarnation and the later "true self" who reached the 20th-rank Marquis level were actually incarnations. The latter was a contingency plan he deliberately left behind, specifically for killing the "Mother Goddess" and clearing obstacles.
If the 18th-rank Grand Chancellor couldn't handle it, he would send the 20th-rank Marquis, an incarnation, to ensure that Shen Tang would die a complete death. However, Shen Tang did not die, which exceeded Yun Da's expectations.
Both are incarnations; where is the original?
Haha, I've gone to be Thanos. Going back in time, Yunda did this before the Northern Desert War even started.
Twelve years from now, a cataclysmic disaster will surely occur.
Everyone must die!
All for the eternity in Yunda's heart.
Shen Tang stared at the contents of the suicide note for a long time, unable to close her mouth.
She thought she had won against Yunda with her silver tongue, and that even if Yunda was temporarily unable to see the light, he should at least improve. But it turned out she was overthinking it. However, as perverted as he was, he truly treated everyone equally. Twelve years later, the world would see their respective great-grandmothers... Yunda had been given a glimmer of hope again.
If the Northern Desert is victorious in this battle, the 20th-rank Marquis Yunda will tell the Lord of the Northern Desert some information, similar to an NPC issuing the ultimate main quest—unifying the continent and bringing the world under one rule!
Within twelve years, collecting all the national seals will allow you to reach your destination.
The plan to destroy the world was thus terminated.
The unification of the world proves that this world is not beyond saving.
Yunda also revealed a piece of information: during the cataclysmic disaster of the previous human civilization, all continents were forced to sink into the deep sea, and the continent beneath their feet was temporarily raised, with a force on each of the four sides supporting the continent so that it does not fall.
His method of destroying the world was to isolate it.
The continent sank into the sea, and there was no more life on earth.
Originally, he wanted to get rid of the troublesome "Mother Goddess" to make the plan progress more smoothly, but Shen Tang's words made him feel that there was some truth to them. Before he passed away, he issued the mission to Shen Tang and at the same time gave his cultivation [Enlightenment] to his disciple Yun Ce.
Does Yun Ce trust Shen Tang so much?
Hehe, then let him keep a close eye on things!
Let's see if the world has improved or remains as rotten as ever in twelve years! Yun Da admitted that Shen Tang's words made some sense, but they weren't enough to convince him to change his mind. Ordinary people in their thirties or forties are already stubborn and unyielding, let alone someone who is over two hundred years old this year.
Shen Tang: "..."
She felt that Yunda's logic was flawed.
Even if the continent sinks into the deep sea, the marine life will not perish. But it's no use saying anything now. She doesn't know where Yunda himself went or what methods he used to shake the four pillars supporting the continent. The only clue is her hand.
Seeing the concerned looks from the others, Shen Tang sighed, "It's not a big deal, it's just that if we don't unify the continent within twelve years, we'll all go to the Yellow Springs together. No, that's not right, Shao Xuan should be able to survive..."
Bai Su's martial arts totem is the ocean's secret weapon.
The sinking of the mainland is like returning home.
The group looked at each other in bewilderment.
Seeing that their gazes were all fixed on her chest, Shen Tang explained, "It's not that I don't want to show you the contents of the letter, it's just that reading it now would only add to my troubles and put unnecessary pressure on me..."
She thought winning the battle in the Northern Desert would make things easier, but the pressure turned out to be even greater. She encountered the old Deng Yunda, who was in excellent spirits and determined to destroy everyone! After this experience, she felt as if everyone had a twelve-year countdown above their heads.
Twelve years later—
It's all or nothing!
Everyone, go into the water and become mermaids!
However, there are actually some advantages. If the world isn't unified after twelve years, and Shen Tang dies halfway through, wouldn't that mean her debts are wiped clean? Xun Zhen's huge debts wouldn't need to be repaid either. From this perspective, she should be happy to see the world destroyed.
Shen Tang did not want to say more, and the others did not press her for details.
They will know when the Lord is willing to speak.
Shen Tang claimed that she was not feeling well and asked them to leave their busy work. Only when she was alone did she open Gong Cheng's suicide note.
She hesitated, clutching the suicide note.
I was afraid that the contents inside would also be a shock to me.
Upon opening it, thankfully, everything was alright.
Learning from Yunda's experience, she accepted the situation well.
The suicide note contained only a sentence or two of reminiscing and small talk. Gong Cheng used his knowledge of the inner workings of the Gods Society as leverage, pleading with her to take care of the elderly and infirm members of the Gong family, as well as her second uncle, Gong Shuwu. These contents broadened Shen Tang's horizons, and she read them over and over again before putting them down.
In addition to these, there are two more paragraphs at the end of the letter.
Firstly, regarding his suicide.
In Gong Cheng's view, the real him died on the day the Gong family suffered disaster and the Dan Mansion was destroyed. The person who survived now was nothing more than a mediocre coward whom he himself despised. He was just a bedbug hiding in a stinking ditch, clinging to life and afraid of death, yet still wanting to live and see the light of day.
However, the boy's soul briefly awakened in this body.
Rather than living out the remaining hundred days, it would be better to truly take charge of one's own life—to discard the power and traces that do not belong to oneself, and to end this absurd and laughable life with dignity as Gong Cheng.
Secondly, it concerns entrusting the orphan to someone else.
Shen Tang: "..."
After reading it, she muttered, "You're such a madman."
Is Gong Cheng absolutely unafraid of being used as a expendable tool by Gong Shuwu, dug out of his coffin, and used as a henchman? Torturing Gong Shuwu like this…
Shen Tang sent someone to find Gong Shuwu.
The soldier replied that Gong Shuwu had gone to pick up the person.
Gong Cheng entrusted a friend to move the elderly and infirm out of the city and arranged for them to go to Tuocheng. This place is not far from Tuocheng. When Gong Shuwu saw the contents of the suicide note, how could he sit still? Upon hearing this, Shen Tang's lips twitched again, and she instructed, "Keep Gong Cheng's body safe."
Gong Shuwu might come back and settle accounts with the corpse.
Qi Shan and the others withdrew from the main tent one after another.
The great battle has just ended, and there is still a lot of cleanup to be done.
Qi Shan was about to leave without lingering when someone put their arm around his shoulder. He turned to look at them and asked, "General Gongxi, what advice do you have for me?"
The person who stopped him was Gong Xichou.
Yun Ce stopped when he heard the noise.
Gong Xichou did not answer, but looked at Qi Shan's sword.
He said, "Your previous sword was not this one."
When they first met in Xiaocheng, Gong Xichou had seen Qi Shan's sword. That sword was exquisitely forged and had a nice design, but it was clearly not the same one he was wearing now. Qi Shan made up an excuse: "I have a hobby of collecting the swords of famous people."
Gong Xichou reached out his hand to him.
"May I admire your sword for a bit?"
Qi Shan: "..."
Although he hesitated, he still took off his sword and handed it over.
Since each scholar in the literary world has their own personal sword, Qi Shan naturally prepared many different styles and lengths of swords to match his various identities. He most often wore the swords of his two identities, "Qi Shan" and "Tan Qu," and the one he was most comfortable using was the latter, a sharp sword he had obtained by chance in his youth.
The swordsmith tailored the sword to Tan Qu's specific sword-making habits.
Thinking about the identity of a swordsmith...
Let's think about Gongxi Chou's origins...
Qi Shan couldn't help but have doubts.
Could it be that Gongxi Chou recognized the origin of this sword?
That's unlikely.
The Gongxi people who forged the sword for him said that the sword did not have any unique markings of the Gongxi people, and its style was the most common. Apart from the materials and forging techniques, it had nothing special about it.
Gongxi Chou drew his sword with a swift motion.
"The original owner of this sword—"
The sword reflected his wild, untamed eyes.
His name is Qu Tan.
Gong Xichou stroked the blade of the sword with his fingers, his expression seemingly filled with reminiscence.
Qi Shan: "..."
The memory of the literati is terrifyingly powerful.
He used the pseudonym "Qu Tan" only twice in his life.
He deceived Cui Shanxio once, and the Gongxi clan once.
Among the Gongxi clan, only a few dozen people know the name of the first owner of this sword. If we exclude half of the female members, then Gongxi Chou in front of him should be one of the remaining people? Qi Shan was thinking, and Gongxi Chou was also looking at him.
Gong Xiqiu bluntly stated, "Qi Zhongshu is skilled in disguise. This appearance you have now is probably not your original face, is it?"
Qi Shan naturally cannot admit it in public.
Gongxi Chou flicked the sword with his fingers, listening to the clear, crisp sound.
"Speaking of which, the boy who accompanied Qu Tan at that time was named Shan Qi... that should be the pronunciation, it sounds very similar to Qi Zhongshu's name."
＿|￣|●
Yuan Liang was actually quite panicked, because the Gongxi clan was wiped out just a few months after they left... the timing was very coincidental.
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