WJ Chapter 65

Wanqiu (5)

Yun Changliu had anticipated that the Protector would certainly be unwilling, but seeing Guan Wujue looking so utterly devastated still made his heart tighten. He hurriedly supported Guan Wujue’s shoulders with both hands, “What are you saying! As long as you behave obediently and don’t cause trouble again, I’ll naturally have the needles removed for you in the future.”

However, the Protector remained kneeling there, refusing to rise. He was truly panicked now, begging pitifully several times. Yet while Yun Changliu felt heartache, his attitude this time was extremely resolute, refusing to relent no matter what.

Only then did Guan Wujue realize that Xiao Donghe’s earlier visit was to discuss this very matter with the Sect Leader. The Meridian-Sealing Origin-Suppressing Needles were to be administered tomorrow, with the punishment order already issued to the Punishment Hall.

By rights, at daybreak the executioners from the Punishment Hall would come to drag the Protector away, or perhaps the Zhuhuo Guards from Yangxin Hall would bind him and take him directly.

Yun Changliu couldn’t bear to see Wujue suffer such humiliation. With a soothing intent, he reached out wanting to touch the face before him, coaxing softly, “Be good. Sleep once more, and tomorrow morning this lord will personally accompany you there. I won’t let the Punishment Hall people come for you, all right?”

However, Guan Wujue wore a somber expression, coldly turning his head aside to dodge.

Although the Four Directions Protector sometimes disregarded minor rules in the past, joking and playing with the Sect Leader were common occurrences—but those were all with Yun Changliu’s tacit permission. Such blatant defiance was a first.

In truth, seeing the Sect Leader’s attitude, the Protector knew this punishment could not be escaped. For a moment, he was completely thrown into disarray, not intentionally meaning disrespect.

Yun Changliu understood this clearly, and thus didn’t mind much. He only frowned, showing a small trace of displeasure. “What’s this? Are you giving me attitude? This lord has been forced to this step entirely by you.”

Guan Wujue’s eyelashes trembled, yet he still showed no reaction. The Sect Leader paused, then stood and reached to take his wrist, “If you’re unwilling to wait until tomorrow, then let’s go to the Punishment Hall right now.”

“Please don’t, you should rest.” Guan Wujue gently brushed away Yun Changliu’s hand, turning his head away and saying in a muffled voice, “Wujue will accept the punishment himself, and dare not trouble the Sect Leader to make the trip.”

Saying this, he performed a bow, then turned and left without looking back.

Yun Changliu did not try to keep him, his face showing neither sorrow nor joy as he watched that crimson-robed figure walk out of Yangxin Hall.

Until Guan Wujue’s silhouette could no longer be seen and his footsteps had completely vanished, he still did not withdraw his gaze, frozen as if without any movement.

Time passed like flowing sand in the depths of night.

In the empty hall, Yun Changliu sat alone for a long time in indifferent stillness, motionless, like a jade sculpture.

Moonlight like gauze by the window draped his shoulders in loneliness.

……

Near dawn, Yun Changliu emerged from Yangxin Hall in white robes, walking through the cold wind toward the Punishment Hall.

The Sect Leader was still alone, not even bringing Wen Feng with him. Invited inside by the Zhuhuo Guards, upon seeing Xiao Donghe his first words were a low-voiced question. “How is he? Where is he?”

After Xiao Donghe finished paying his respects to the Sect Leader, he led the Sect Leader toward the execution chamber while reporting:

“According to your instructions, the needles were all pre-soaked in ‘Drunken Immortal’s Village’ medicine from the Medicine Hall. This subordinate personally administered the punishment. The first needle went in and he fell into a deep sleep—he shouldn’t have suffered much. Please rest assured, Sect Leader.”

Yun Changliu’s expression relaxed slightly, and only after a long while did he nod. “……As long as nothing went wrong.”

Soon the two stood at the entrance to the execution chamber. Xiao Donghe dismissed the others and with a creak opened the pitch-black iron door.

Yun Changliu steadied his mind and was first to enter.

The execution chamber had no smell of blood—it was actually quite clean, only the lighting was somewhat dim. At the deepest point stood a tall punishment rack with a figure bound to it.

Guan Wujue had already received the full needle punishment. His upper body was bare, hands and feet all tightly bound to the rack with restraints. Twelve needles fine as hair had been driven into his front chest and back—one couldn’t see them without looking carefully.

The effect of Drunken Immortal’s Village kept him peacefully asleep with eyes closed, unconsciously hanging his head low, several strands of hair blocking his pale face.

Yun Changliu frowned in distress, his gaze once again uncontrollably fixing on the crisscrossing whip scars covering Guan Wujue’s body.

He drew closer, reaching out to stroke the old scars, then carefully touched the places where the Meridian-Sealing Origin-Suppressing Needles had just been inserted, saying quietly to Xiao Donghe. “Go down. This lord will keep him company alone for a moment.”

“Yes.”

Xiao Donghe acknowledged and withdrew. As he left, his expression was complex as he closed the iron door. The Left Envoy had already seen clearly—the bond between the Sect Leader and Wujue was ultimately not something outsiders could interfere with.

Once the door closed, the execution chamber became even darker inside.

Yun Changliu turned and lit the lamps in the room. By the light, he very carefully undid the restraints on Guan Wujue’s hands and feet, took him down from the punishment rack, gathered him into his arms and kissed him once.

He held the unconscious Protector and sat down properly on the floor nearby, dressing Guan Wujue piece by piece in his outer garments, then helped him into a sitting position.

Finally, Yun Changliu sat cross-legged behind Guan Wujue and quietly closed his eyes.

……

Yun Changliu had barely entered the execution chamber when attendant Wen Feng came rushing breathlessly to find the Punishment Hall.

That frantic manner—upon seeing Xiao Donghe, he practically wanted to pounce and shake him fiercely, “Left Envoy! Xiao Donghe! Is the Sect Leader with you?”

“Yes, he’s inside with Wujue.” Xiao Donghe, bored from waiting outside the execution chamber, was leaning idly against the wall. He raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong, Auntie Wen? Did your Sect Leader leave Yangxin Hall without telling you again?”

Last time Xiao Donghe and Wen Feng had a huge argument, and nearly came to blows. But after all, they had years of friendship—after letting it cool for a while, when they met again both tacitly acted as if nothing had happened.

——The only change was that Attendant Wen had gained this headache-inducing nickname.

However, Wen Feng had no energy to be angry now, only panting and nodding repeatedly. Running all over the city looking for the Sect Leader wasn’t his first or second time—each time he searched himself half to death with worry and fear.

“As long as he’s with you…… The Sect Leader really doesn’t take Fengchun Sheng seriously! At a time like this he still dares to go out alone!”

Xiao Donghe couldn’t help but laugh, opening his mouth to console him with a few words.

However, in the very next moment, from within the tightly closed door behind them, a surge of terrifyingly turbulent energy suddenly exploded!!

“This……!?”

Xiao Donghe and Wen Feng stared at each other in extreme shock.

Wen Feng’s face instantly turned white. “This is bad, something’s happened!”

Xiao Donghe naturally needed no reminder. With a thunderous sound, the two struck out simultaneously, joining forces to smash open the door to the execution chamber!

But just as they rushed inside, they felt another tremendous pushing force. Their feet actually retreated step after step.

Only then did the scene inside the execution chamber expose itself to their eyes.

In that instant, Wen Feng’s pupils suddenly contracted to pinpoints.

“Sect, Sect Leader——“

The attendant’s legs went weak as he collapsed kneeling to the ground, immediately feeling such heart-rending pain that he nearly fainted.

In the dim depths of the execution chamber, before the tall punishment rack, Yun Changliu sat cross-legged with his back to the door.

Both palms pressed against Guan Wujue’s back, his body surrounded by surging energy that blew his jet-black hair and snow-white robes into disarray, shaking the air with humming vibrations.

This continuously erupting terrifying energy wave, this invisible force reverberating through empty space……

This was clearly, this was clearly……

——This was clearly the internal energy leaking out during power dispersal!!

And the leaking internal energy could only be considered a small tributary stream at this moment; even purer, even more vast and profound internal energy, like a vast ocean, was being guided by Yun Changliu, pouring torrentially into the unconscious Four Directions Protector’s body.

“……Sect Leader……”

Xiao Donghe was shocked speechless, while kneeling Wen Feng had already burst into tears in an instant, trembling all over like autumn leaves in the wind, sobbing incoherently. “Sect Leader, how can you——how can you!?”

Hearing this, Yun Changliu turned his head very slowly.

His complexion was already extremely ashen, covered with a frightening deathly pallor, looking as if his vitality had been completely drained. Drops of cold sweat fell along his face, dampening the white robes embroidered with red-gold dragon patterns.

Yet his expression was so serene—he only glanced back at Wen Feng once, then turned his gaze back to Guan Wujue’s back before him, those clear, cold eyes containing satisfied joy, containing slightly sorrowful tenderness.

If affection penetrates bone deep into the heart……

Is the final road sorrowful? Or joyful?

Yet once the threads of emotion have formed, there’s no need to ask about sorrow or joy.

No need to seek the outcome.

“What’s the panic? This lord wouldn’t truly disperse all my power.”

Yun Changliu spoke lightly, withdrawing force and pulling back his palms as the churning internal energy around them slowly subsided.

Without the Sect Leader’s support, Guan Wujue swayed and fell backward.

Yun Changliu caught the Protector horizontally in his arms, sighing softly as he held him tight. His voice was extremely hoarse and even more extremely weak. “……Still kept thirty percent.”

Xiao Donghe and Wen Feng were both utterly horrified!

Kept thirty percent?

This means he dispersed seventy percent!?

When Fengchun Sheng poison erupted this time, it had already tormented Yun Changliu to the point where he could neither live nor die. Unconscious for three full days, how many times had he hung by a thread, rescuing him from the gates of death by the narrowest margin.

Yet now he’d directly lost seventy percent of his internal energy—what could he rely on in the future to suppress the poison in his body!?

In the execution chamber, before the punishment rack, as if suddenly remembering something interesting, Yun Changliu actually smiled gently, his face pale.

He reached out to touch Guan Wujue’s cheek, speaking as if sharing a secret, leaning close to the Protector’s ear and murmuring softly, “This lord’s life cannot be consumed…… but sharing seventy percent to make medicine for your injuries isn’t bad, is it?”

Guan Wujue still slept under the drug’s effect, his handsome features relaxed comfortably, completely unaware of everything happening beside him.

In truth, when Fengchun Sheng erupted so violently this time, Yun Changliu had long felt his end was near.

Not many days left for himself…… he wouldn’t live to see the day when Wujue’s injuries fully healed, yet he truly couldn’t rest easy, and could only use this method to protect his body.

Only, if this person learned the truth, it truly wouldn’t be as simple as giving him the cold shoulder and refusing his touch.

Yun Changliu turned to look at Wen Feng and Xiao Donghe. He breathed with difficulty, his eyes already beginning to lose focus. “After Wujue receives the Meridian-Sealing Origin-Suppressing Needles, he won’t be able to sense internal energy…… You two remember…… you absolutely must not tell him about this matter.”

“As for these needles, wait until this lord’s final days to remove them for him. Thereafter in this jianghu, Wujue can go wherever he wishes……”

Wen Feng stared blankly. At this moment he couldn’t even cry anymore, and actually felt an impulse to laugh from extreme grief.

Just who is hiding what from whom?

Who wants to be whose medicine?

Who wants to sacrifice their life for whom?

Why does such fate exist in this world, and why does it fall upon precisely such a pair?

Oh vast heavens, when will this end!

……

After an unknown amount of time, Yun Changliu finally gently laid Guan Wujue flat on the ground, drew a light breath, and struggled to stand while supporting himself on his knees.

“Ngh……!?”

However, just as he straightened up, his vision suddenly went black, his entire body uncontrollably becoming weak and soft, and in a terrible wave of dizziness he fell wretchedly to the ground!

“Sect Leader!?”

“Sect Leader!!”

Wen Feng and Xiao Donghe rushed over in alarm, wanting to help Yun Changliu up. The latter lay on the Punishment Hall’s cold floor, chest heaving erratically, yet raised his hand to wave the two away. “No…… no need.”

Yun Changliu lowered his eyes and bit his teeth, trying once more to prop up his trembling, weakened body.

The result was falling back down again—this time he couldn’t even stand up.

The Sect Leader stared blankly, raising his own hand, the slender finger joints slowly clenching and releasing.

He…… actually couldn’t stand up anymore?

Wen Feng felt as if something inside his heart let out a wail and shattered. He had followed Yun Changliu since childhood, yet had never seen such an expression on the Sect Leader’s face.

——When Fengchun Sheng poison spread to its final stage, the cruel torture it brought to the poisoned wasn’t limited to the severe pain during eruptions. By that time, a person would be conscious while feeling their strength drained away completely, their body declining day by day until oil exhausted and lamp extinguished.

But that was his Sect Leader! The cool and transcendent Sect Leader who always loved cleanliness, who preferred quiet and didn’t want servants attending him, the Sect Leader of natural talent with his own pride……

If he truly became paralyzed like this, henceforth powerless to rise and unable to care for himself, how could the Sect Leader endure such humiliation!?

Xiao Donghe couldn’t watch anymore. He knelt before Yun Changliu, supporting his shoulders. “Sect Leader! A period of weakness after power dispersal is normal—you must not panic.”

“Yes, yes yes!” Wen Feng’s whole body shuddered. He messily wiped away the tears in his eyes, as if grasping a lifeline, forcing out an ugly-looking smile. “Sect Leader, the Left Envoy speaks truly. Let Wen Feng carry you back to rest…… After you sleep, by tomorrow you’ll be better.”

Yun Changliu kept his eyes tightly closed, his pale lips bitten through, a thin line of blood suddenly trickling down. “This lord can stand up……”

He rested for a long while before gathering enough strength to speak the next sentence. “You two, help this lord send the Protector to the Medicine Gate to recuperate…… remember to have him drink another dose of Drunken Immortal’s Village…… don’t let him…… see me like this.”

Xiao Donghe and Wen Feng dared not urge further, seeing the pain in each other’s eyes as they exchanged glances.

Yun Changliu remained silent, once more forcefully propping up his weak, trembling arms. Too many matters remained unfinished—he was the Sect Leader and could not collapse like this.

This time he finally stood up unsteadily, supporting himself against the wall, his hand’s joints turning white, fingernails digging tightly into the wall until they broke and bled.

He walked outward along the Punishment Hall’s dark passage. Though only about a hundred steps, at this moment it seemed endless and interminable.

Yun Changliu’s feet moved forward step by step difficultly, cold sweat soaking through his clothes, as if he might topple over at any moment.

But with each step forward, he walked more steadily than before, as if some more resilient, more unyielding force was growing from within bones and blood long tormented by poison.

Just before stepping through the Punishment Hall’s main door, Yun Changliu’s hand finally left the wall. Relying completely on his own strength he stood straight, slowly walking out of the Punishment Hall.

This moment was precisely dawn.

The sky light just breaking.

Ten thousand rays of morning light suddenly rose from before Yun Changliu, shooting into the Punishment Hall along the contours of that tall, graceful figure.

That dignified, clear white robe was submerged in the grand bright radiance, as if melting away, gradually growing blurred beyond recognition.