WJ Chapter 80

Jiang Youxi (5)

A fierce wind surged forth. Guan Wujue raised his neck, black hair flying behind him. He saw the distant mountain peaks burning with the blazing glow of sunset, surging like crimson waves from beyond the black city gate, wantonly splashing across his face, shoulders, chest, and abdomen.

Since ancient times, how many heroes had faced such blood-red twilight and towering mountains with distant waters—who could say whether there was more heroic spirit or more sorrow?

In the blink of an eye, the red-maned fierce horse carried him narrowly through the sliver of darkness that was about to close, and the view before him opened up. The long mountain road stretched onward, extending to a distance beyond the reach of sight.

The moment he burst out of the city gate, Guan Wujue looked back.

Xifeng City’s gate was cast from black-sinew dark iron, incomparably heavy. And the Daiyue longsword wedged between the gates was now bearing a force of ten thousand jun.

If this stalemate continued, in just a few breaths, this Daiyue sword would surely be crushed and shattered.

An indescribable sourness and desolation surged into Guan Wujue’s heart. No swordsman would fail to cherish his sword, much less when these Pixing and Daiyue were no ordinary objects—they could cleave gold and sever jade, cut through iron like mud. They were divine weapons rarely matched throughout the jianghu, bestowed by the Sect Leader when he first became a Protector.

Daiyue, his Daiyue…

A crisp “crack” of shattering rang out, like a sorrowful weeping sound begging its master for a glance of mercy.

Under the heavy pressure of the city gate, Daiyue’s scabbard split with a crack. Sunset light spilled over it, like fresh blood flowing over a wound.

Yet Guan Wujue merely closed his eyes, turned his head away, and gave his beloved sword no further glance.

He didn’t want it anymore.

For the Sect Leader, he wanted nothing anymore.

Resolutely severing the last thread of attachment, the Protector shouted “Hya!” once more, facing the blood-red twilight, riding his horse galloping toward the base of Mount Shenlie.

The dark, towering Xifeng City was left behind him, gradually growing distant.

From behind, a thunderous crash faintly echoed.

The city gate had closed.

…

What Guan Wujue didn’t see was that just before the longsword could no longer withstand the pressure and was about to completely shatter, a snow-white figure gracefully arrived before the gate and struck that pitch-black iron door with one palm.

This hand had slender, elegant bones that should have been beautiful, yet was so emaciated only a layer of pale skin remained. This was undoubtedly the hand of someone gravely ill. However, when this hand struck that tower-like massive city gate, it was the latter that was suddenly blown back by the explosive force!

Finally freed from its imprisonment, the Daiyue sword fell from midair, caught by Yun Changliu who had rushed over before it hit the ground.

However, the Sect Leader was not faring well. If this were before he had dispersed his cultivation, with his level of skill, shaking open the city gate with one palm would have been effortless. But now Yun Changliu’s internal energy remained at only thirty percent, and he had suffered so many days of poison attacks. At this moment, having suddenly forced his internal energy to its limit, the moment he barely landed, he violently spat out a great mouthful of blood!

“Cough, cough cough cough…”

Yun Changliu clutched the Daiyue sword, staggering several steps before steadying himself. The city gate closed behind him with a tremendous sound. The Sect Leader frowned, covering his mouth as he coughed incessantly, coughing up more bloody foam that scattered sparsely on his white robes.

Yet he paid it no mind at all, instead frantically drawing the sword from its sheath to check whether Daiyue’s blade had been damaged.

Both Daiyue’s dark gold scabbard and hilt had been crushed out of shape. Besides the crack running across the scabbard, both ends had also split beyond recognition. The unfortunate fortune was that the blade protected within the sheath was undamaged, still snow-white and sharp, faintly luminous.

Pixing and Daiyue were made of extraordinary materials. If the blade had broken, repairing and reforging it would be nearly impossible. Fortunately, it was now only cracks in the scabbard, which could still be remedied.

Yun Changliu’s heart relaxed.

Good… good that he made it in time.

If Daiyue had truly been destroyed, how heartbroken his Protector Guan would be.

With a clear zheng sound, the Sect Leader sheathed Daiyue.

He cast his gaze toward the winding mountain road ahead. The fiery red horse had already become a very small silhouette in the distance.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Yun Changliu swallowed the remaining bloody sweetness in his mouth and lightly tapped his feet again. His snow-white sleeves billowed in the mountain wind as he soared through the air, already several zhang away.

He had clearly thrown all caution to the wind, actually pursuing that divine steed with his qinggong!

At this very moment, even Yun Changliu himself felt it was madness. His already meager internal energy was rapidly depleting, and the Fengchun Sheng poison that had rarely quieted down was acting up again, pain assailing him once more.

But Yun Changliu dared not slow down.

If he slowed even a little, he feared he would be unable to catch up to his Protector.

He didn’t know where Wujue was going, nor did he know why this person had forced his way out of the city—just as he still didn’t know to this day why the Protector had concealed Ah Ku’s true identity.

But the restless fear and anxiety in his heart all transformed into a panicked premonition—

If he let Guan Wujue leave like this, something irreparable and terrible would surely happen.

And it would be something terrible enough to leave him regretting for life, his heart breaking from pain!

Yun Changliu clenched his teeth, his pale face bearing an expression of icy severity.

“Wujue…”

This time, without making everything clear, he absolutely would not let him go.

Even if it meant exhausting himself to death on this mountain road today, he absolutely would not let him go!

Seeing the red figure gradually drawing closer ahead, Yun Changliu raised his hand and plucked a tree branch from the roadside grove.

At this moment, Guan Wujue had not yet noticed. Actually, the Sect Leader could have struck from a distance and broken Liuhuo’s horse legs, which would have prevented the Four Directions Protector from ever leaving again.

However, Yun Changliu also knew most clearly how much Guan Wujue loved this horse. In the end, he couldn’t bear to truly harm Liuhuo, so he aimed carefully and flung the branch diagonally, grazing past the red-maned horse’s front hooves!

Liuhuo whinnied in fright, its speed involuntarily slowing.

Guan Wujue suddenly turned his head. Seeing who had come, he could hardly believe his eyes. “Sect Leader!? You—”

It was precisely this momentary opening. A white figure flashed before Guan Wujue’s eyes. Yun Changliu accelerated his qinggong again, flipping in midair, and when he landed, he had already stepped onto the rear edge of the saddle!

Wild wind blew at his sides, the galloping horse jolted beneath his feet. Yun Changliu’s expression remained calm and unmoved. Without speaking to the Protector, his feet were rooted as firmly as if planted on the saddle, but his hands moved like lightning, seizing hold of the reins.

Guan Wujue was so frightened his soul nearly scattered. “Sect Leader, let go! No… you get down first!”

Yun Changliu’s gaze finally turned to him, pain flashing through his eyes that he couldn’t conceal. His voice trembled uncontrollably as he demanded, “What did you do with the Meridian-Sealing Origin-Suppressing Needles in your body!?”

Unexpectedly, this one sentence made Guan Wujue snap back to awareness. His mind instantly calmed.

Right… if he softened now and let the Sect Leader stop Liuhuo, then he truly would never be able to leave!

Guan Wujue’s eyes sharpened. Steeling his heart, his right elbow struck toward the Sect Leader’s chest, trying to force Yun Changliu off the horse.

But Yun Changliu had long anticipated the Protector’s move. His right hand continued pulling the reins while only his left palm received this strike, using the momentum to grasp Guan Wujue’s arm and press it downward with a clever technique.

However, immediately after, Yun Changliu’s expression changed. The Pixing sword hilt thrust toward him at a strange angle—Guan Wujue held the treasured sword in reverse grip, pointing it at an acupoint on his waist.

The Sect Leader made an instant decision. His feet exerted force on the saddle, flipping through the air, but his right hand still didn’t release.

Cold light flashed brilliantly. The Protector resolutely swung his sword, about to sever the reins!

How could Yun Changliu allow this? His two fingers pressed together, releasing a force of energy that struck the blade away with a ding.

These several exchanges happened in mere instants. In the blink of an eye, the Sect Leader had landed back on the saddle and once again pulled hard on the reins!

Liuhuo reared up on its front legs, tossing its neck and neighing wildly. Guan Wujue was greatly alarmed. Caught off guard, he nearly was thrown off. Instead, it was actually Yun Changliu who supported his lower back, allowing him to steady himself.

The next moment, the Four Directions Protector’s waist tightened. Yun Changliu unceremoniously encircled Guan Wujue’s waist and simply and forcefully lifted the person directly off the horse!

“Sect Leader!”

Guan Wujue cried out in alarm. The moment his feet touched the ground, he was tightly embraced from behind by Yun Changliu. The Sect Leader’s breathing was rapid and unsteady, his eyes dark. “Where is this lord’s Protector… going?”

“…”

Guan Wujue sighed softly, lowering his eyes in silence.

He felt somewhat vexed at having bled so much, resulting in being intercepted by Yun Changliu now. But who could have anticipated that the Sect Leader would truly dare to pursue so recklessly with his life?

Yun Changliu still held the body in his arms unwilling to release, saying coldly, “Return to the city with this lord.”

Guan Wujue shook his head.

He looked at the Sect Leader and said softly, “Let me go.”

Yun Changliu immediately loosened his grip and retreated another step in his position: “If you’re unwilling to return, then this lord will go with you. Same as last time—wherever you go, I’ll follow.”

Guan Wujue turned around and took two more steps back.

The sun was setting late. The two finally stood facing each other on the desolate road of Mount Shenlie.

Bathed by the heavy rain from the previous days, much new spring grass had already sprouted on this moistened earth, warmly lit by the sunset and rosy clouds. Winter was far behind; this was a new cycle of the four seasons, a new spring was coming.

Guan Wujue composed his emotions, then suddenly raised his head and looked coldly at Yun Changliu. “Sect Leader, please let Wujue go. I don’t want to follow you anymore, nor do I want you following me.”

Yun Changliu frowned slightly and asked softly, “Why?”

Guan Wujue suddenly fell into a strange silence.

Yes, why?

Because…

His eyes were clear, gazing at Yun Changliu for a long, long time. Then he suddenly smiled beautifully and said in a small voice, “…Because you’re not good to Wujue at all.”

Yun Changliu froze.

He blinked rapidly once, showing a look of puzzled incomprehension, along with some bewildered helplessness.

“Think about it…”

Guan Wujue narrowed his eyes. His voice was slightly hoarse, yet still steady and calm, and even the smile within it was very steady, very cold.

“A year ago, when Yun Danjing rebelled, Wujue killed the Young Master to vent your anger, yet you punished me with the Bone-Crushing Whip; the branch hall was far away, and you didn’t inquire about me for a whole year; Wujue sent letters requesting to return several times, and you never sent a single reply; when Wujue returned to the sect this time, going through a thousand hardships trying to use Ah Ku to fight for a way out for you—the Sect Leader didn’t appreciate it, fine, but instead rewarded me with twelve Meridian-Sealing Origin-Suppressing Needles…”

“Sect Leader, Wujue has also followed you for five years. Excluding the year at the branch hall, that’s still four years. These four years, Wujue has been your sword and shield, loyal to you without reservation—but Sect Leader, you’re not good to Wujue at all.”

Guan Wujue’s expression was composed, the calm sentences flowing from his mouth like a smoothly flowing stream.

He told himself over and over: short pain is better than prolonged pain. If he could drive the Sect Leader away like this, it would be ten thousand times better than letting him die from the Fengchun Sheng poison, a thousand times better than letting him discover the truth of the past, a hundred times better than letting him know his Protector was about to go to his death.

But in reality, with every word he spoke, he felt his five viscera and six bowels were being twisted, both painful and nauseating.

Guan Wujue felt he was utterly disgusting, to be able to speak such cruel words against his heart. In his entire life, he had never spoken to Yun Changliu so harshly, so hurtfully—he had never been willing to before.

Yun Changliu stood opposite watching him, showing no reaction.

The red-robed Protector listlessly curved the corners of his lips, lowering his eyelids. “Think about it… Wujue is also a person. When injured, it hurts; when traveling, I get tired. How could I truly have no resentment or regrets?”

“Do you know how cold it is to walk across Mount Shenlie in wind and snow while bearing wounds from the Bone-Crushing Whip? Back then when Wujue left the sect gravely injured, I didn’t make it halfway down the mountain before losing strength and falling from horseback. I couldn’t even crawl, nearly froze to death in the snow. I… heh, how could I truly have no resentment or regrets?”

Guan Wujue laughed softly again, then slowly shook his head.

In his heart, he already wanted nothing more than to dismember himself in the cruelest way, then dig himself up and flog the corpse, and after flogging the corpse, crush his bones to ashes.

Yet he heard his own voice saying very calmly, “Let Wujue go, Sect Leader.”

“I always said I didn’t resent you.”

“That was… heh, that was all to deceive you.”

When he finally finished that sentence, Guan Wujue suddenly felt dizzy, his vision darkening in waves.

He thought with a bitter smile: Don’t tell me the one making these harsh declarations is going to faint first from being unable to bear it.

That would be truly humiliating.