Extra Chapter 3: There is no clear sky, but there is sunshine (Part 1)
(one)
Once upon a time, there was a poor boy who vowed to forge the most powerful weapon in the world. By chance, he entered the desert ridge and discovered the legendary seven-colored crystal mother, which he used to forge a pair of swords.
Legend has it that the Dragon Soul Blade and the Phoenix Blood Sword are a match unmatched in the universe. Over time, the swords develop a bond, and their wielders become connected. When their minds reach unity, they unleash the most powerful force in the universe, unbreakable by any external force.
Shangguan Yan, the wielder of the Phoenix Blood Sword, had known the connection between the Dragon Soul Blade and the Phoenix Blood Sword since she was a child.
So, when Sima Changfeng appeared before her, Dragon Soul Blade in hand, she secretly fell in love with him. Unfortunately, this psychological suggestion didn't bring her much joy. National hatred, family feuds, a mysterious mission, vendettas in the martial arts world... A tangled web of grievances and grudges, she was regarded as the daughter of an enemy by the Dragon Soul Blade's owner, and they often faced off in battle.
To make the sword and the knife attract each other, Gu Mutian often played matchmaker. While teaching Sima Changfeng the Dragon Soul Sword Technique, he praised Sima Changfeng in front of Shangguan Yan: "Yan'er, Changfeng is not indecisive, he values feelings."
Unfortunately, facts have repeatedly proved that Sima Changfeng is indeed an indecisive person.
Sima Changfeng's heart was filled with too much. His hatred, his love, his confusion, his responsibility. With so much to worry about, it was easy to get confused. The more confused he became, the more afraid he was of making mistakes. The more afraid he was of making mistakes, the more confused he became, and the more likely he was to make the wrong choice.
She always felt his pain because she felt the same pain.
Sometimes, this pain made her want to die immediately to prove her loyalty, and she did so. Sima Changfeng was also like this.
----Compared to love and hate, death seems easier.
If it weren't for the bond of dragon soul and phoenix blood, perhaps these two would have remained lovers, enemies, without so many entanglements. While it's true that swords have feelings, human thoughts are far more complex than swords. Just like the Purple Sword in "A Chinese Odyssey," despite its arrogance and conceit, the love between Fairy Zixia and Supreme Treasure still didn't end well.
From this we can see that the so-called tokens of love and the so-called destiny are sometimes quite unreliable.
However, these are ultimately just the thoughts of bystanders.
Shangguan Yan eventually fell in love with Sima Changfeng. Perhaps swords truly possess magical powers, forging bonds stronger than iron; or perhaps only two equally awkward personalities can spark love.
But no matter which possibility it is, she is always willing to make her choice, even if it means being wronged.
Sima Changfeng, on the other hand, fell deeply in love with Shangguan Yan at first sight. Even though he considered her his enemy's daughter, his admiration for her remained undiminished. This kind of two-way choice is called mutual affection.
In that case, what else can others say?
(two)
"Yan'er... I was wrong... Don't leave me... Don't..."
He murmured drunkenly. She sat by the bed and gave a wry smile: "No matter how good he is, my heart has long belonged to you. Don't you really understand?"
That very night, he eavesdropped on her conversation with Sai Huatuo, citing her words out of context, and said sourly, "Do you regret it? I'm not as good to you as Sai Huatuo."
That very night, Ouyang Feiying was abducted by the Shenyue Sect. The entire palace was in a tense state of war preparedness, but he got drunk and passed out because of his stubbornness.
He kept apologizing: Yan'er, I was wrong. I'm sorry. Don't leave me.
He cared about her so deeply, yet misunderstood her so cruelly.
"Miss Shangguan, this matter was caused by me. I will definitely explain it clearly to Brother Sima." Ouyang Mingri said.
She shook her head helplessly. "My sincerity couldn't overcome his inner inferiority and doubt. What does this have to do with you?"
The affectionate should hate the heartless, Sima Changfeng.
She hated explaining herself and only hated him for not listening to the whole conversation before leaving. If he had listened, he would have known that there was nothing wrong between her and Sai Huatuo.
She hated his inferiority complex and stubbornness.
But she stayed with him all night.
"Yan'er..."
"You go inside first, I'm going to go out for a walk." She interrupted him and turned away. He did not chase her.
That very night, Nong Yue came back to life and said it was the happiest day he had experienced in a long time.
That very night, Leng Yue suggested that Ban Tian Yue should be given a quick end. He avoided answering, but still couldn't hide his inner conflict.
He could never bring himself to kill Ban Tianyue, but it was an undeniable fact that Ban Tianyue had colluded with Ouyang Feiying to launch a palace coup and brutally murdered the Sima family. Even bringing him back home to raise him and teach him martial arts was simply to train him to be a murder tool. Could the so-called kindness of raising him truly outweigh the hatred of annihilating his entire family?
She hated his wavering and indecision.
But she still cooked a bowl of noodles for him to take care of his hungry stomach.
He has low self-esteem and is indecisive. She is disappointed with him.
Does he love her? Yes. Does she love him? Obviously yes.
Love at first sight? Love over time? Love in the sword?
The answer no longer mattered. What mattered was that they were deeply connected, rooted in each other's hearts.
Perhaps Ouyang Mingri did treat her better than Sima Changfeng. But love isn't about seeking benefits and avoiding harm, or being with whoever treats her best. Even if he wasn't the best person for her, and even if he often made her feel pain, she still couldn't bring herself to let him go.
What's more, he was only a little hesitant about Bantianyue. Apart from that, he was a smart, calm and loyal person.
After all, everyone has flaws.
Changfeng put down the bowl and said seriously and hesitantly: "Yan'er, actually I..."
"Stop talking about it," Yan'er interrupted him, "Let's not talk about him, okay?"
"But I..."
"I don't want to force you. Think about your own affairs clearly. Don't let this matter affect our relationship, okay?"
"good."
Yan'er snuggled in Changfeng's arms and whispered, "Sometimes, I really feel scared."
"What are you afraid of?" he asked.
She didn't say anything else.
How could I not be afraid? Last time, it was Bai Tong who died. Who will die next time? No one knows.
She didn't want to force him, she just wanted to give him some time, so she didn't mention the matter of Ban Tianyue anymore.
Being soft-hearted towards an enemy isn't necessarily a form of mercy. But could she change him? It seemed impossible.
Well, since you can't change it, just accept it.
(three)
Accepting the imperfections of those you love isn't easy, especially when those flaws are quite annoying.
Sima Changfeng had been in charge of the Dark Clothes Team for several months. Aside from the phrase "it's going smoothly," there was no concrete, reliable news. She knew he was struggling again.
She didn't want to force him, nor did she want to pay attention to him, so she had to remain silent.
After seven or eight days of holding it in, she felt really uncomfortable. She said, "I'm going to see Leng Yue tomorrow."
Sima Changfeng nodded obediently.
The next morning, Yan'er went out on her own.
She pushed open Leng Yue's door and said with a smile, "I heard you were sick, so I came to see you."
Leng Yue smiled angrily and said, "Then I should really be thankful for this illness. It brought you, a sister who values love over friendship, here."
She walked over and sat beside Leng Yue's bed, pouting and saying, "How could I value love over friendship? Now that we are facing a powerful enemy, protecting the city lord is naturally the most important thing. Otherwise, I don't want to stay with that blockhead."
Leng Yue heard the clue: "What's wrong with you?"
"Have you heard about the Dark Team?" she asked.
"I heard that the battle record was mediocre. Sima Changfeng's organizational ability may not be very strong. After all, he is used to working alone." Leng Yue said.
Shangguan Yan's expression darkened slightly. "I heard your conversation the day Nong Yue returned."
Leng Yue scratched her head embarrassedly. "I was so drunk that day that I really don't remember what we said at all. But Sima Changfeng shouldn't speak for Ban Tianyue, right? But seeing how angry you are, could it be that regarding the Dark Clothes Team... he deliberately wanted to spare Ban Tianyue's life?"
Shangguan Yan nodded and said, "In my opinion, Bantianyue must die. But I don't want to embarrass him."
“So I can only feel sad in my heart.”
Shangguan Yan didn't respond.
Leng Yue sighed and said comfortingly, "Let's ignore that guy. Come on Yan'er, hug one."
Yan Er hit her lightly: "I came to you to complain, but you are so unruly. Be careful, I will get angry."
Leng Yue smiled awkwardly and continued to comfort him: "Sima Changfeng is not stupid. He will figure out the interests involved."
Yan'er murmured, "I hope so."
Leng Yue frowned: "Yan'er, it's not good for you to be so forbearing. You will hurt yourself. Do you think Sima Changfeng is a man worthy of your reliance?"
Yan'er nodded.
"Even if he can't do anything to Bantianyue, is he still someone you can rely on?"
Yan'er frowned slightly, thinking seriously. After a moment, she said firmly, "Yes, he is."
"As long as you still believe he's reliable, don't swallow the bitterness. Even if Sima Changfeng can't bring himself to do it, we can still work together to cripple Ban Tianyue's martial arts. But that's all for the future. As the saying goes, life and death are determined by fate. It's too early to consider these things now. What's most important right now is not Ban Tianyue's life or death, but the relationship between you and Sima Changfeng."
Yan'er nodded after pondering for a moment: "You're right. If this incident affects the relationship between Changfeng and me, it's really not worth it."
Leng Yue also nodded in agreement: "That's right. Yan'er, you are a heroine, but you also have a fragile side, just like Sima Changfeng. So, don't keep everything in your heart. If he is wrong, just hit him and scold him, he won't dare to fight back."
Yan Er smiled and said, "You just have a bad mouth."
Leng Yue patted Yan'er's hand and comforted her, "Yan'er, I believe that the relationship between you two will not be destroyed by anyone."
Yan'er smiled and nodded.
"Ling Feng, this mission is too dangerous. Let me do it."
Nong Yue shook off Sima Changfeng's hand and said coldly, "Brother, it's just a matter of killing Ban Tianyue's followers, but you're dragging your feet. Have you forgotten how more than 30 members of the Sima family died? If you can't bear to do it, then let me do it. If you don't want to be the bad guy, then let me be the bad guy."
After saying this, Nong Yue left without looking back.
"Ling Feng..."
Sima Changfeng returned to the city lord dejectedly and remained silent for a long time.
"Brother Sima, are you okay?" Huangfu Renhe asked with concern.
He shook his head. After a long pause, he suddenly said, "City Lord, what would happen if we gave the enemy a way out?"
Huangfu Renhe pondered for a moment and said, "Heaven is merciful. It's not that we can't show mercy to our enemies, but we must first ensure that others are not harmed, especially ourselves and those around us. Right now, we don't have much chance of winning. The Divine Moon Cult is powerful, and once Ban Tianyue has mastered the Indestructible Golden Buddha Body, it will be even more difficult for us to confront him. I think, instead of considering whether to spare Ban Tianyue's life, we should first think about how to survive and defeat him."
"yes."
"Brother Sima, I have always admired your loyalty and righteousness. I dislike killing, too. If Ban Tianyue can reform, then it would be fine to spare him. However, if he refuses to repent, we must at least cripple his martial arts and not allow him to continue his evil deeds. Therefore, defeating him is paramount, otherwise all assumptions will be invalid. What do you say?"
Sima Changfeng nodded.
Over the past few days, Yan'er has been in a cold war with him. Every time he asks, "What did I do wrong?", Yan'er just coldly replies, "You know it in your heart."
The Dark Clothes Team's mission wasn't going smoothly. Sima Changfeng was used to working alone, and with the Divine Moon Cult's immense power, he was unsure how to proceed. Consequently, after several months, the results were far from encouraging. Yet, he refused to admit defeat, unwilling to disappoint the City Lord who had placed such a heavy trust in him. So, when the Lord inquired about the situation, he simply stated that everything was going well.
But if we calm down and ask ourselves, is it really that he just doesn't know where to start?
Now, Ling Feng also said: "If you can't bear to do it, then let me do it. If you don't want to be the bad guy, then let me be it."
He always felt that Ban Tianyue had played an indispensable role in his ability to acquire such excellent martial arts skills. Moreover, no one could be heartless. Even if the other party was his family's murderer, he had raised him for over a decade after all. He really couldn't bear to kill them all.
Maybe, maybe he really couldn't bear to do it.
The City Lord was right. The most important thing now was to prevent anyone around him from coming to harm. The blow Yan'er had taken for him nearly separated them forever, and he still felt the lingering fear. If he allowed Yan'er to face the threat of death again because of his softness towards Bantianyue, it would be even more painful than killing him.
Furthermore, Ban Tianyue was his family's murderous enemy. He had persuaded Ouyang Feiying to betray his sworn brother, and then murdered over thirty members of the Sima family. This was an ironclad fact. The vengeance of annihilating an entire family was irreconcilable, and as a descendant of the Sima family, how could he be soft-hearted towards his enemy?
Ling Feng had once commanded the Chunfeng Deyi Palace, and his abilities were undoubtedly superior to his. Regardless of the grudge between him and Bantianyue, those minions would ultimately be a source of endless harm if they remained in the world. Never mind, Ling Feng was no longer a child. Since he had taken over, let him be.
After repeated thinking, I finally figured it out.
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