"Then, I wish for Success—both yours and mine."

Instead of answering, Luo Yu asked, “Do you know the feelings the two children have towards each other?”

“Yes. At first I wanted to stop it, but I didn’t have the heart to ruthlessly end it.” Gu Ruohai sighed. “I could see the younger Su Huaizhu and me in them...But I never thought that he and I would end up like this years later.”

Luo Yu didn’t make a comment. He just reached out and patted the other man on the shoulder.

After pondering for a moment, he said, “Su Yang’s situation is a little complicated...If there are just the Apparition and the Half-Withered Crimson, I might have a solution...But the method is very cruel.”

Gu Ruohai asked, “Cruel how?”

“Using dual cultivation to suppress the intense cold internal energy in Su Yang, but the person has to practice heat natural skill, this would guarantee Su Yang’s survival.”

Luo Yu smiled bitterly, glanced at Gu Ruohai and explained, “But...If the partner performed dual cultivation with Su Yang in the long-term, and wasn’t harmed by the intense cold internal energy, then that person must have equally intense heat internal energy. But as you know, anything could be harmful to the body once it reaches above the safe threshold. Intense heat and intense cold, together they heal, separated they break. If there ever comes a time when they are separated, they can only wait to die.”

“Or, there’s another option, that is to keep as many human cauldrons as possible and take turns to suppress the cold within Su Yang.” Luo Yu whispered. “It’s just that…”

Gu Ruohai understood even if Luo Yu didn’t explain it in detail.

“Connected in life,” He murmured. “Or live through an endless pain...”

“I know. We are the same.” Luo Yu sighed. “We all choose the option that would connect our lives with the one we love. I could never bear seeing anyone else with him.”

Gu Ruohai lowered his eyes, and a touch of resentment rose from the faint smile. “Yes, that child...would have thought the same way.”

“However, Su Yang’s situation is more critical than that.” Luo Yu murmured. “Other than the troublesome cold in his body, he also bears the Blood Curse...I’m afraid he won’t live past his coming of age.”

Gu Ruohai was absolutely stunned.

Luo Yu exhaled, “Therefore, if they are connected in life, Feidi...might be facing danger alone in the future.”

After a pause, he added, “But somehow, Shizun seems to want him to go down that road. She even suggested that he proceed toward the E’Luo Gui Faction to obtain this strange thing. I...don’t know how to persuade him. I chose to tell you. You are his father, I thought you would be the only person who could make him change his mind.”

After a long silence, Gu Ruohai actually went around the problem regarding his son and instead, mentioned Su Yang. “How could there be a Blood Curse on Su Yang? Does Su Huaizhu know about this?”

Luo Yu knew that his friend needed time to think, so he didn’t urge him on his own son.

“The curse is on his back. It was covered by a tattoo of Su Huaizhu’s sect flower. Therefore, he must know.” He replied. “Jin-er and Su Yang have never returned to the faction. My guess...Jin-er used her life to curse her own son.”

Gu Ruohai was puzzled. “Why would she do this?”

Luo Yu couldn’t figure out the answer to that without clues. He could only say, “You should have a chance to meet Su Huaizhu during this battle. Maybe you can use this opportunity to get something out of him.”

Gu Ruohai whispered, “I guess there’s no other way…”

Both men were somewhat disappointed and frustrated for a moment.

Luo Yu said, “Please watch yourself when entering the Phantom City...Oh right, I heard that you have noticed the spies planted in the Central Plains Wulin. Do you have plans to deal with them?”

Gu Ruohai smiled and reassured, “Don’t worry, this battle is originally a show for those people. E’Luo Jue intended to disturb the peace between the Evil Sect and the forces of the Central Plains Wulin, but honestly, he underestimated Su Huaizhu.”

Luo Yu smiled back and nodded. “Good, as long as you have a contingency plan up your sleeve.”

The two chatted for a while. As Gu Ruohai was about to arrange a camp for Luo Yu and his nephew, the doctor refused.

“I’m only here to ask you the reason for this war. I intended to leave tonight toward the ice field. Whether Su Huaizhu’s plan is related to the E’Luo Gui Faction or not, I’ll try my best to help my nephew regain the throne. There must be other intentions behind E’Luo Jue’s plan for this dispute. It’s better to take drastic measures to deal with this situation to make it more thoroughly.”

“You put yourself in great danger if you go. Would you be fine without A-Yue with you?” Gu Ruohai asked in worry. “Why don’t you take one of my personal guards with you?”

“No need.” Luo Yu insisted with a smile. “Although I’m just a doctor, my martial arts are not too bad. Besides, my nephew was trained in the House of Jade. The two of us can work together to protect ourselves.”

“Then, I wish for success—both yours and mine.”

They put their hands out and shook them before saying farewell to each other.

* * *

The Tengyun Pavilion and Central Plains Wulin’s forces spent another calm night in the wasteland.

While at the foot of a hillside a few kilometres away from them, Gu Feidi and Su Yang encountered their first night attack in the wasteland. 

There was no shelter for the two. The attacker blended with the night and lay on the ground. Under the cover of withered grass that was already sparse in winter, with an extremely exquisite arbalest in hand, aiming in the two’s direction before shooting a bolt.

Fortunately, they were on guard since entering the wasteland. Since sunset, Gu Feidi had been enhancing his hearing with his internal energy, enough to hear the subtle sound in the distance. With the strong gale coming between the weapon and bolt, he drew his sword and stopped the attack.

Su Yang had long used his Cherished Flower Steps to dodge the bolt along the way and appeared before the assassin in the blink of an eye before the attacker could retreat.

Their attacker was dressed in black and using a strange body movement. Seeing the two targets coming, the assassin tossed the ranged weapon and switched to a curved sword, meeting their attack with a flip and aiming toward Su Yang.

Su Yang drew his thin sword by his waist and chained Divide Lotus Technique’s Cleanse and Stain with his backhand to block all the assassin’s attacks. While Gu Feidi quickly arrived beside him and connected his own slash from Returning of Waterfowl Technique.

With the two joining hands, the assassin couldn’t dodge in time and was heavily injured from Gu Feidi’s sword. He groaned but didn’t lose his focus at all. Sticking his hand into his robe, took out a bamboo tube and tossed it into the sky.

Su Yang waved his sword without thinking, trying to cut the bamboo tube, but Gu Feidi blocked the blade with his long sword.

Gu Feidi shouted, “It might be a trap!”

Then the assassin waved his sword and split the tube in half. The liquid inside splashed out and sprayed to all corners.

Upon seeing this, Su Yang and Gu Feidi used their own light movement skill and retreated quickly to avoid the unknown liquid. 

However, the assassin, who was cut off from the two and with no way to escape, was drenched with liquid from the pipe.

Gu Feidi sniffed and frowned. “...It’s oil...mixed with phosphorus powder?!”

Su Yang didn’t get it. “Oil? What is he going to do with oil…”

“Stay away from him!” Gu Feidi immediately retreated further and shouted urgently. “It’s for fire—!”

Before he finished, he saw that white smoke suddenly emitted from the assassin as the person under the dark clothes burned in an instant.

As soon as Gu Feidi warned him to stay away, Su Yang immediately leapt backwards several metres using the Cherished Flower Steps. Then, he saw that the man was swallowed up by the rapid fire and was coming towards him for an attack, making the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

In the blink of an eye, the assassin was completely wrapped in fire and fell to the ground, screaming and struggling. 

Gu Feidi turned around, pulled Su Yang’s arm, gathered the man in his arms in a half hug and covered the other’s eyes and ears.

“Don’t look. Don’t listen.” He whispered. “He doesn’t want us to learn of his identity, so he chose to kill himself this way to erase all traces...The fire will draw others’ attention. Let’s withdraw first.”

Su Yang swallowed to wet his dry throat, nodded and said in a hoarse voice, “I’m fine...I can walk by myself.”

Gu Feidi released him from his arms, but their interlocked fingers never loosened.

They left the gentle slope where they had been hiding, crouching while walking to minimize their figure as much as possible. They circled a big arc around where the alliance camped and changed to the back of another hill with withered grass in the distance.

Once they found a new place to take cover, Su Yang had calmed down. Seeing Gu Feidi’s dignified face, he spoke out first. “Sorry for my lack of experience. I almost got drenched by that thing…”

“Luckily…” Gu Feidi hugged the other in his arms tightly. He released a long breath. “You’re alright. And that’s really fortunate...Next time, you must not act so recklessly. Try to avoid whatever the enemy throws. Don’t just wave your sword at it to learn what they threw.”

Su Yang thought of the assassin’s tragic ending and was afraid. He nodded earnestly.

“With the wasteland being an insecure place right now. We need to take turns keeping watch with just the two of us.” Gu Feidi instructed. “It’s easier to watch the first half of the night. Do you think you can carry on for the first watch…?”

Su Yang patted his chest, pressed the Phoenix Jade under his robe with emphasis, pretending to be relaxed and insisting, “I have this treasure given to me by Shizun. I’m very strong now. Of course, I can carry on for the first watch!”

Gu Feidi was still worried. “You just have to listen to your surroundings for any movement. If you hear anything, you must wake me up, understand?”

“Yes, I know. I won’t act like a hero.” Su Yang comforted. “You can rest assured.”

After repeatedly nailing it in Su Yang’s head to wake him up if he felt unwell, Gu Feidi sat cross-legged and entered deep meditation.

Su Yang slowly moved his internal energy around his ears. For a moment, the quiet and dark wasteland around him became very lively. The wind blew over the gravel, owls flying over their heads, and insects and snakes rustling through the ground, unafraid of the cold. From time to time, several voices with higher tones came from the direction of the camp. Nearby...

Nearby was Gu Feidi’s gentle breathing and powerful heartbeat.

Su Yang sat hugging his knees beside Gu Feidi, raised his gaze and admired the brilliant stars in the center of the sky.

Since when did he get used to the Jianghu life here?

Just like earlier, he could watch a living man committing suicide in front of him, showing no emotion, and no sign of waves inside his heart. Similar to the day of Lan Wu’s assassination, where he could ruthlessly stab his blade into the other’s chest.

Even earlier, when they encountered a sneak attack at the farmhouse. At that time, he had already moved to silence the assassins.

Staining his hands with the first drop of blood was the moment when he stopped the deadly blade on top of a cliff for Gu Feidi.

As expected, as long as one experienced the taste of blood, the feeling would become more and more numb, till being completely used to the bloody scene.

But Su Yang didn’t want to be such a ‘chivalrous fighter’.

Even though he had begun to accept the world, he didn’t want to be a bully.

So...when Gu Feidi obtained the White Flame Gu, he still wanted to return to the House of Jade.

Translator's Corner

Translator has something to say:

Teo: When Gu Feidi tried to protect the innocent Su Yang from seeing the ugly side of Jianghu QwQ

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1 Comment

  1. Immortal Fujoshi

    When Gu feidi tried to protect innocent su yang from seeing the ugly side of jiangu. QwQ………+1

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