Arc 4
Ten Years Lanterns (13)
~ 🏮 Happy Lunar New Year 🏮 ~
Shen Jingfeng was a little absentminded. The person’s warmth in his arms melted all the cold in himself. An inexplicable feeling welled up in his heart and he held Ye Chen tighter in his arms.
“Jingfeng?” Ye Chen tilted her head in doubt.
Shen Jingfeng didn’t let go of her, but knowing her doubt, he replied in a scratchy voice, “I miss you.”
“You have only been out for a day,” Ye Chen giggled, “Yet, you have missed me so?”
“Mn.”
Shen Jingfeng answered with a hum.
Ye Chen broke away from him and held his hand. She tugged at him excitedly, “Come, come! I hung up the lanterns. You look at it, see if they are pretty.”
Ye Chen brought him into the house and closed the door. She stood at the door and pointed to the room full of lanterns, “I used a whole day to hang them all up!”
Shen Jingfeng was wordless. He looked up and saw lanterns illuminating the room. Each lantern was painted with different patterns, and her thoughtfulness could be seen from it. She tugged at him to the center of the room and chattered about the pattern on these lanterns.
From her side, Shen Jingfeng studied her serenely. Beneath the lanterns’ light, her skin was as fair as jade and her face was eased with her smile. Her eyes were bright and clear. She didn’t seem to be tainted by the secular world.
She noticed he was silent all the way and angled her head at him. Their gaze met and she tilted her head with a smile, “Jingfeng?”
He made a sudden move. He pressed the back of her head and kissed her with his head down.
There were soft mats on the ground and charcoal crackled in the room. Outside the room, the snowflakes danced all over the sky. He led the person beneath him with utter tenderness.
The candlelight in the lantern swayed and before Ye Chen’s eyes was the man’s face with sweat trickling down on his face.
She hugged him like a small boat wobbled on the waves, turning her world upside down.
“A’Chen,” Shen Jingfeng called hoarsely, “I’ll protect you, don’t be afraid.”
Ye Chen was muddled and couldn’t hear clearly what he said.
In the end, the two of them lay on the mat. Ye Chen whispered, “The mat is dirty.”
Shen Jingfeng took her in his arms, understood her hints, “I’ll wash it.”
Ye Chen secretly made a peace sign in her heart. After some time, Shen Jingfeng told her, “Tomorrow, I will bring you to my friend’s place. There are some things in Yue Shan Sect that I have to deal with.”
“Your friend’s place…” Ye Chen drowsily asked, “Then, when will you come back to pick me up?”
“I will visit you every few days,” Shen Jingfeng smiled, “Don’t worry about it.”
“Mn,” Ye Chen lay in his arms, squinting like a cat, “I won’t. I’m not that clingy.”
Shen Jingfeng lowered his head and kissed her without a word.
The next day, Shen Jingfeng packed up and set out with Ye Chen. His friend lived in a very remote area. Shen Jingfeng walked around the trail all the way, almost as if he was trekking through mountains and rivers. Drowsiness crept over Ye Chen on the road. Every day, she dozed off in the carriage while her hands held the heater. Finally, after three days, they reached his friend’s place.
It was a dilapidated temple with a monk named Wu Yuan inside.
When he caught sight of Shen Jingfeng, he was stunned. Shen Jingfeng said directly, “Let’s talk inside.”
With that, he asked Ye Chen to go to the room in the backyard while he entered another room with Wu Yuan.
Ye Chen didn’t know what Shen Jingfeng and Wuyuan were talking about. She took the initiative to clear the room and moved the things from the carriage. She made the bed and placed her clothes and jewelry. 38 in her mind was a bit anxious, “Host, when are you planning to brush up the Favorability?”
“Am I not currently brushing it? ”
“Where? I don’t see it.”
“I do laborious physical exercise every day, what do you think it’s for? ”
38 blanked. Soon, he blew up, “You still want to lie to me?! You are obviously doing it for yourself! ”
“Aiya, why are you so blunt,” Ye Chen replied. “Isn’t this what you call killing two birds with one stone?”
“Pei[1]!”
38 spat. Ye Chen ignored it. She tidied the room and lent one ear to listen to 38’s nagging. It took a while before Shen Jingfeng walked in from the outside. He saw the room that had been cleaned up and his expression turned soft. He smiled, “I will fetch you water so you can take a bath.”
“Mn.”
Shen Jingfeng chopped the firewood in the yard. He heated the water and brought it to Ye Chen. He himself took a cold bath.
It was already late at night. He was aware that his body was cold after taking the bath, so he baked by the stove for some time. Only after he was no longer cold did he enter the quilt. He stretched his arms and brought Ye Chen to his embrace, Ye Chen dazedly muttered, “Why took so long?”
“I’m afraid you will feel cold.”
After hearing this, Ye Chen was helpless. She circled his neck and pecked his lips. Shen Jingfeng laughed as he watched the girl in his arms kissed him in a dazed manner.
“A’Chen,” He started softly, “I am going out tomorrow, and I may not be back until the day after tomorrow. I have made meals for you and placed them in the cabinet. If you want to eat it, take it out and heat it up, okay?”
“Mn…”
Ye Chen was half-asleep and answered with a whisper.
Shen Jingfeng bowed his head and kissed her hair gently without saying much.
In the early morning of the second day, Ye Chen slept until the sun was high in the sky. When she woke up, it was already noon. Wu Yuan was sweeping the ground in the courtyard. Ye Chen squinted and studied this bald monk, which was quite interesting, “What is Qianbei‘s name?”
“My name is Wu Yuan.”
“Oh, Master Wu Yuan,” Ye Chen folded her hands together and curtsied, “I have heard a lot about you.”
The other party’s movement paused. He straightened his body and chuckled, “I have been in seclusions in the mountains for many years. What have Guniang heard about me?”
“I haven’t heard anything, actually,” Ye Chen answered, “I was only trying to be polite.”
“Guniang is straightforward.”
Ye Chen only gave a nod when she heard that. Then, a thought passed her mind. She took a hop and landed in front of Wu Yuan. She stared at him and inquired, “Speaking of it, what is your relationship with Jingfeng?”
Wu Yuan was quiet. He appeared to be about the same age as Shen Qiuhe, in fact, he looked more heroic than Shen Qiuhe. It could be seen that when he was young, he was also a good-looking man. He watched Ye Chen jump in front of her and his eyes were full of compassion, a kind of gentleness similar to Shen Jingfeng. “I am an old friend of Shen-gongzi‘s mother.”
Ye Chen was stupefied at once.
All in all, she was extremely curious about Shen Jingfeng’s past, but she didn’t want to open Shen Jingfeng’s wounds by asking him that. Realizing the person in front of her was Shen Jingfeng’s mother’s old friend, Ye Chen’s interest peaked, “Master Wu Yuan, let’s have a chat, shall we? How do you and Jingfeng’s mother get to know each other?”
Wu Yuan led Ye Chen into a room. There were some snacks and a pot of Pu’er tea on the table. A sandalwood incense burned in the room.
Wu Yuan seemed to have been waiting for Ye Chen here to ask. He had arranged everything properly.
Ye Chen sat down on the mat, across a table from Wu Yuan. She took the starter and said, “Qianbei, take your time, I have a lot of time to listen.”
Wu Yuan smiled and without being reserved, he began, “You know Jingfeng’s mother’s name, Shen Qiushuang. She was the number one beauty in the Wulin back then. She was the daughter of the Yue Shan Sect’s Sect Leader and the dearest younger sister of Shen Qiuhe.”
Ye Chen was taken aback. She had thought of the relationship between Shen Qiushuang and Shen Qiuhe, but she never thought that Shen Qiushuang was Shen Qiuhe’s sister.
“That means, Jingfeng is not the biological son of Sect Leader Shen?”
“Correct,” Wu Yuan poured Ye Chen tea and narrated the past lightly.
“At that time, I was known as Jiang Han. I was Qiushuang’s shixiong. I grew up with her. After Qiushuang’s hairpin ceremony, she was arranged to marry me. She was extremely beautiful back then. The people who pursued Qiushuang had plenty of motives. At that time, I just admired Qiushuang wholeheartedly. I was lucky enough to receive the blessing of my Shifu and succeeded in proposing to her. I wanted to please Qiushuang with all my heart. And that year, at the Martial Arts Gathering, I secretly took Qiushuang out. “
“More than 20 years ago, the Wulin had a rivalry with the Demon Sect. The Martial Arts Gathering was a competition for Wulin’s new generation held every five years. In that, all outstanding figures of all sects in Wulin gathered. Qiushuang disguised herself as a man and mixed in. Once when we were wandering the street, she got separated from others. A man sent her back. He was especially handsome and dignified. I don’t know the detail, Qiushuang only said that she saved him and he was aware of her identity as a woman.”
“Later, Qiushuang always disappeared for no reason. As a result, I followed her quietly and learned that she secretly went to see that man every time. I was jealous, but I had no other choice except to turn a blind eye. Soon after, at the Martial Arts Gathering, the Demon Sect led the crowd to besiege us. The exemplary disciples of the Great Sects were all there. They sent threats to all the Sects and tried to storm the Sects. The Demon Sect’s Sect Leader at that time, Mo Mingyue, appeared and beheaded three people under his sword within a second. I was standing there. The moment I saw Mo Mingyue’s sword, I was terrified. I realized our strengths difference with a glance. And the moment I saw Mo Mingyue’s face, I also realized that he was the man who had a private meeting with Qiushuang every day.”
“Mo Mingyue didn’t acknowledge Qiushuang at that time, but since he appeared, no one dared to strike at him. We were besieged for seven days. After seven days, Mo Mingyue launched an offensive. Everyone absconded and was frightened. It was at that time that Mo Mingyue abruptly stopped his offensive and told us that as long as Qiushuang was given to him, he would let us go.”
“It was such a great humiliation.”
Wu Yuan smiled bitterly. He hung his head and hid the emotions in his eyes. From the very beginning, his tone was as calm as death. “The new generation of Wulin was there, but no one dared to draw their sword to protect a woman. Only Shen Qiuhe did, but he was defeated by Mo Mingyue’s guards. Qiushuang originally planned to commit suicide, but when Shen Qiuhe was injured, she braced herself up and agreed to go with Mo Mingyue. With that, Qiushuang was taken captive by Mo Mingyue for two years. ”
“She disappeared in front of my eyes, and I couldn’t even do anything to stop it. Mo Mingyue took her away. By then, we realized the Demon Sect didn’t bring many people to the gathering. The Demon Sect’s people were razing the Heng Shan Sect. Mo Mingyue’s sudden attack was because we, the exemplary disciple of the Great Secs, were there. So, at that time, he only wanted to find a reasonable reason to leave, and Qiushuang was just that reason.”
“If only I dared to fight back at that time…” Wu Yuan shut his eyes and paused. He did not continue.
If everyone was braver at that time; If he fought Mo Mingyue hard at that time, with his skill as the Head Disciple of the Yue Shan sect, he would have been able to delay him. However, at that time, he was afraid. He retreated. He hid behind people and dared not raise his sword. He watched his fiancee being snatched away with his own eyes.
It was the shame of his life, and it was also the shame of Wulin.
“And then?”
Ye Chen wasn’t focused on Wu Yuan’s business. And honestly, she didn’t care about what Wu Yuan did or did not do. Ye Chen’s words snapped Wu Yuan ]back to his senses. He resumed, “Qiushuang was kidnapped and Heng Shan Sect, which had been fighting against the Demon Sect, was destroyed. The Demon Sect has flourished since then. People in the Wulin preserved their own Sects and dare not speak out about the previous matter. They couldn’t face the fact that Qiushuang was taken away in front of them while all the people in Wulin were there. After all, almost everyone admired her in those years. As a result, rumors gradually circulated that Qiushuang had already had a relationship with Mo Mingyue back then, and that day she was just cooperating with him. It was not just me who bumped into Qiushang and Mo Mingyue’s secret meetings. Hence, those people opened their mouths and said they had seen them together. They turned her kidnapping as a ploy to save their faces, saying she did that voluntarily so she could marry Mo Mingyue.
“Since that day, I could no longer lift my sword. I holed up myself in the Yue Shan Sect and drank all day. In contrast, Qiuhe, who was a scholar before all that happened, always held a sword in his hand all day.”
“Qiuhe kept inquiring about Qiushuang’s news. I heard that in the two years she was in the Demon Sect, she was loved deeply by Mo Mingyue and almost became the Jiaozhu’s wife. However, the former Saintess obstructed them and the matter never came up again. But, you probably also know this… Qiushuang’s temperament, she grew up in a prestigious and righteous sect. She was used to holding her head high. How could she endure Mo Mingyue’s deception and betrayal, not to mention that Mo Mingyue’s men ever hurt Shen Qiuhe.”
“I also heard that… She had always been indifferent to Mo Mingyue, and that led to Mo Mingyue couldn’t stand her anymore. He was an arrogant person. He could bear with her temper for one or two days, but how could he bear it for so long? In those two years, they seemed to argue more and more, At last, Mo Mingyue threw her out of the Main Palace where he, the Jiaozhu, lived and handed her over to the Outer Palace. From then on, no news of her could be heard. And for Mo Mingyue, he accepted dozens of concubines in succession, spending his life without remorse or guilt.”
“Qiushuang’s appearance was breath-taking, and the former Saintess had been long jealous of her. When she was thrown out to the Outer Palace… no one heard her news, but it was not hard to imagine what played in those years. Eight months later, Qiushuang gave birth to a child. No one could tell who the child belonged to, save for Qiushuang. And the child in this story, it was Jingfeng.”
Wu Yuan’s expression turned gentle, “With Qiushuang’s temperament, she should have been unable to bear it for a long time. However, for the sake of her child, she changed from a pretentious and arrogant Lady to a Mother. She spent four years in the Demon Sect and in those four years, she got the Left Guardian to fall in love with her. That person helped her escape down the mountain. That time, the Wulin Conference was held. The Head Disciple of the Seven Great Sects was there. But, Yue Shan Sect was not a big sect back then. They could not participate in that conference. Qiushuang was worried that Yue Shan Sect could not protect her, hence she fled to the Wulin Conference, begging for the protection from those Sects’ Sect Leaders.”
“Four years had passed, the people who participated in the Martial Arts Gathering back then had become the top figure of Wulin. When they saw Shen Qiushuang who fled back with a child, they were reminded of their embarrassing and unbearable past. What actions do you think they did after that?”
Wu Yuan laughed loudly. His tone was full of ridicule.
“They refused to protect her. Not only that, but they also said that she was an accomplice of Mo Mingyue. They urged her to prove her innocence by death. Not only did she have to die, but Shen Jingfeng, who was the son of the Demon Sect’s Sect Leader, also had to die.”
“Qiushuang was enraged and upset. She fled again with Jingfeng. When all that happened, I happened to be nearby. I rushed over and saw Qiushuang fighting with those people. Mo Mingyue also rushed over. When the two sides fought, Qiushuang quietly handed Jingfeng into my hand, then picked up a child from the side who was killed by mistake and ran out.”
“Mo Mingyue came alone. Everyone assumed that this was the best time to kill Mo Mingyue, so their focus was on him. Yet, when all the arrows were fired, Qiushuang hugged Mo Mingyue and blocked all the arrows. Mo Mingyue’s wife and children died. He was devastated and determined to leave with Qiushuang’s body. I hid with Jingfeng in the dark and watched Mo Mingyue take Qiushuang’s body and his injured body to break out of the encirclement. After they left, I took Jingfeng out with me and handed him to Qiuhe. In order to avoid the pursuit and suspicion from the outside, Qiuhe only announced Jingfeng as his illegitimate son a year later. Soon after Mo Mingyue returned with Qiushuang’s corpse, the Demon Sect lit the sacred flame. The people in Wulin all know the sacred flame is the most solemn ceremony of the Demon Sect.When the sacred flame is lit, that means someone will be put under the Demon Sect’s platform. That is the most severe punishment. It is said that those who enter the platform will have their corpses unchanged by time, but their souls will be kept there forever, and they will not be able to reincarnate. Later, our spies told us that the person who was put under the platform was Qiushuang.”
“Shortly after that, the news of Mo Mingyue’s illness came from the Demon Sect and the person in charge of the Demon Sect became the former Saintess. Mo Mingyue had no more women around him. He adopted a gifted child named Mo Xingchen. Ten years later, Mo Mingyue died of illness and Mo Xingchen took his position as the Jiaozhu, and Yue Sheng became the new Saintess. She assisted Mo Xingchen to secure his position in the Demon Sect. And under Shen Qiuhe’s hard work, the Yue Shan Sect developed as the number one Righteous Sect in Wulin. “
“After I handed Jingfeng to the Yue Shan Sect, I didn’t want to have any more disputes. Thus, I came to this deep mountain and built this small temple. Since then, I have served the Buddha.”
After speaking, all Wu Yuan’s expressions returned to tranquility, the sandalwood incense curled up. The smoke swirled around them and the monk’s eyes were full of compassion, as if all the tragic past he narrated wasn’t his past.
The snowflakes rustled outside the door.
Ye Chen couldn’t tell what she was feeling. She could only think of Shen Jingfeng and his warm smile.
He always remembered his mother.
He told her that his mother was a very gentle person.
He would put lanterns on the river for her at the Yulan Festival. His gaze moved to look at the Demon Sect’s mountain in a daze.
He told her that those who were buried under the golden throne of the Demon Sect’s Main Hall would not decay but in exchange, they wouldn’t be reborn forever.
Ye Chen picked up the Pu’er and felt suffocation in her heart.
She recalled the original world line. In the original world line, Shen Jingfeng was seen as a hypocrite. He destroyed small sects and indiscriminately killed innocent people. Then, he blamed it all on the Demon Sect and provoked the struggle between the Demon Sect and Wulin. With bloody hands, he ascended the throne of Wulin Alliance Leader and stirred up the Jianghu.
She once thought that it was because he was drunk with power, or he hated Yue Sheng and Mo Xingchen for deceiving him.
Now, when she thoroughly understood all of it, when she knew of the past events that the author had not told, she suddenly found that her understanding of a character was too one-sided and too simple. If there was anyone who helped Shen Jingfeng at that time, perhaps, he wouldn’t have ended up like that.
Ye Chen sipped the Pu’er and felt the bitterness. She was very glad that she came to Shen Jingfeng’s side.
“The story is over,” Wu Yuan followed her gaze and looked outside. Before they knew it, they had been chatting all afternoon. The sky outside was dark, and Wu Yuan’s eyes were full of helplessness, “I tell you this because I just hope that if one day you find that Jingfeng is different from what you imagined… Even if you don’t love him anymore, at least, please don’t hate him. ”
“Qianbei jokes,” Ye Chen shook her head, “How can I hate him? I just… feel distressed for him.”
Ye Chen got to her head and remembered, “Ah, I forgot to have lunch.”
“You have eaten all this, you must be full at this point.”
Wu Yuan pointed to the empty plate and Ye Chen smiled. At this moment, 38 rapid screams came from her mind, “Host, not good! Shen Jingfeng has done it!!!”
“Done…done it? Done what?”
Ye Chen blanked. 38 replied in a rush, “He slaughtered a small sect at the foot of the mountain! That sect was one of the sects that compelled his mother to commit suicide! If we follow the original world line, this is a big step in his blackening! After slaughtering this small sect, he will slaughter all other sects one after another. He will frame the Demon Sect and provoke disputes in the Jianghu. When Mo Xingchen makes a thorough investigation on it, he will catch Shen Jingfeng! Stop chatting and hurry, move your feet!”
As soon as she heard 38’s words, Ye Chen rushed out. Wu Yuan hurriedly called out, “Guniang一”
He hadn’t finished speaking when Ye Hen removed a pearl from her hair and shot it at Wu Yuan’s acupoint, fixing Wu Yuan in place.
Wu Yuan widened his eyes.
The Daughter of the Yao Wang Valley’s Lord… was this skilled?
38 and Ye Chen couldn’t be bothered about this OOC. At this point, Ye Chen had understood that Shen Jingfeng used Wu Yuan to watch her. If she left just like this, how could Wu Yuan allow her?
Hence, Ye Chen froze Wu Yuan. She ran into the mountain forest, dashing all the way down the mountain.
The branches cut her clothes and cheeks. She used her Qigong skill to leap in the direction indicated by 38. She ran wildly for nearly two hours and reached the small sect. Regardless, at the point she arrived, the sect was now non-existent. The gate of the Sect was wide open and the ground was littered with corpses. Ye Chen grasped her clothes, stood at the gate, and scrutinized the plain white figure inside.
He was wearing a pure white robe of mourning garments with a white headband tied to his head. The sword in his hand carried droplets of blood. The blood splashed into the snow along the edge of the sword, as dazzling as snow plums in winter.
He heard the footsteps and turned his head. The instant he saw her face, his pupil dilated.
Nevertheless, a second later, he calmed down. He sheathed his sword and turned around.
The two of them faced each other quietly. After a long time, Ye Chen parted her lips, “Go back.”
Shen Jingfeng chuckled with helplessness, “Can I still go back?”
“If you don’t go back,” Ye Chen’s hoarse voice was pained, “Do you want to continue this?”
Shen Jingfeng was silent. His silence was a tacit acquisition of Ye Chen’s question.
Ye Chen’s hand holding the gate frame trembled faintly. Her voice also trembled, “Jingfeng, do you remember what I told you? I hope you can be a good person.”
“I hope you can uphold justice and kill those who should be killed. But, look at the people in this sect… Look at him…” Ye Chen pointed her shaky finger to one of the teenagers, “He was only seventeen years old. He had a bright future. What did he do wrong for you to do this to him?!”
Ye Chen raised her voice, “Shen Jingfeng, you are wrong. Do you understand? You are wrong!”
“Yeah, I am wrong,” Shen Jingfeng pulled up a small smile, “But, what else can I do?”
“They forced my mother to death, and now they want to do that to you,” Shen Jingfeng walked step by step and stopped in front of Ye Chen.
His hands were bloodied, but when he stroked Ye Chen’s white face with it, it was full of tenderness. His eyes showed the bitterness he was at, “I want to protect you. Even more, I want to see you live. I also want to return to you one day, watching our children grow up. Tell me, besides killing them, what else can I do?”
“There are many other ways,” Ye Chen answered with worry. “As long as we are strong enough, they can’t do anything to us!”
“Strong enough?” Shen Jingfeng gave a wry smile, “How much is ‘strong enough’? I can destroy one sect by myself, but can I defeat the seven Sects at the same time without killing any innocent people?”
“Ye Chen,” Shen Jingfeng called out tiredly, “I’m just a single person. I can’t. The seven Sects have joined hands to win people in the Yue Shan Sect. I can only break them one by one, let them focus on the Demon Sect, and exhaust both sides. Only when they are all destroyed can I have the ability to rebuild a new Wulin, which belongs to me.”
“A’Chen,” There was a hint of tears in his eyes, “I want to protect you. I want you to live, live a fulfilling and safe life, instead of sneaking around and hiding at every corner. You did nothing wrong, it is them who are wrong. ”
“But…” Ye Chen replied in a shaky voice, “It’s wrong to kill.”
“Then, let it be wrong.” Shen Jingfeng smiled softly, “It is me who is wrong. It is me who is guilty. I am the one who bears the sin and I am the one who goes to hell. I don’t mind that.”
“I, Shen Jingfeng, have been prepared to die for a long time. In the past few months, I was lucky enough to have a beautiful dream of my own, and I think, it’s enough.”
“A’Chen, I know that you are a doctor. Your hands are clean and your heart is kind. If you can’t tolerate the current me, it’s okay, I won’t insist.”
“Anyway…” Shen Jingfeng’s eyes encased his helplessness, “This is the path that I chose. I have prepared for it for a long time. I am not unwilling.”
“If you can accept it, then you can stay in the mountains and wait for me to return home. If you can’t accept it, then you can stay on the mountain and wait for me to rebuild a new Wulin for you. By that time, you can walk outside openly without any fear.”
“You don’t have to do anything,” Shen Jingfeng tilted his head and gave her a tender smile, “Just wait for me. ”
Ye Chen bit her lips. Tears falling one by one from her eyes.
“I don’t want to wait for you…” Her voice cracked from her tears, Shen Jingfeng seemed to have expected it and still smiled, “Then, don’t wait. ”
“I don’t care about those rumors.”
“I care.”
“I’m not your mother,” Ye Chen was out of breath from her cries, “I won’t be driven to death by them.”
“But, I’m afraid.” Shen Jingfeng pressed his forehead against hers and talked in a quiet voice, “Ye Chen, you probably still don’t realize how important you are in my heart.”
Ye Chen couldn’t speak a word.
She couldn’t stop him. He could give up his revenge for her, but he couldn’t ignore a possible threat that may hurt Ye Chen. This possibility, together with hatred, had become a reason why Ye Chen cannot stop him.
She couldn’t stop him, but her task was to maintain the stability of the world. She was not allowed to indulge him.
Her mind was in a mess. Shen Jingfeng didn’t say much. He carried up the crying girl in his arms and went back to the temple.
Ye Chen cried all the way. She was not the brightest bulb in the class and she didn’t know what to do if the Villain couldn’t be stopped. She didn’t know what she should do at this point.
The only way she could think of was to kill Shen Jingfeng.
But, at the thought of killing Shen Jingfeng, she cried again.
Shen Jingfeng understood her struggles. When he was at the Yao Wang Valley, he came to know that Ye Chen was a kind person. She always told him stories about kind people. She also always did good deeds and accumulated virtue. She was someone born to save people, the polar opposite of him who always hold a murderous sword in hand.
Shen Jingfeng watched her cry non-stop. He went to the kitchen and fried some dishes. He walked back, and coaxed softly, “Have you eaten? There are dishes in the kitchen, I have fried them up.”
Ye Chen didn’t answer. She hung her head and tears still dropped from her eyes.
Shen Jingfeng smiled, “I will take my leave, then.”
Ye Chen’s mind was disordered. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t even want to stay here any longer. Anyway… from the very start, she couldn’t stay.
Shen Jingfeng saw that Ye Chen ignored him. His smile twisted into a sad smile.
He walked away with his sword and Ye Chen didn’t dare to look up. She watched her tears descend on the palm of her hand. She cried for a long time and eventually cried out a bit of sanity. She remembered that Shen Jingfeng said he had fried some dishes. She slowly stepped to the kitchen.
“Host…” 38 was tangled, “Don’t cry. If the task really can’t be completed, let’s just complete it with the lowest grade. If we kill Shen Jingfeng, we can at least get the D rating. We won’t earn any points from it, but we can earn more points in the next world. So, stop crying, okay?”
38’s words made Ye Chen cry even more severely.
“Or…” 38 suggested with some difficulty, “I’ll offer you another way. We exchange all our points. You go and kill Shen Jingfeng’s enemies and take his mother’s bones. In that way, Shen Jingfeng has no way and no reason to kill anyone or provoke conflict with the Demon Sect.”
“There is still a good way like that?” Ye Chen blinked “Why didn’t you say it earlier?”
“The thing is, we are a law-abiding System. After all is said and done, you taking the initiative to help Shen Jingfeng avenge his hatred and kill people is wrong. Our focus is reforming people. So, if you do this, not only all your points will be cleared, but you will also be punished.”
“What is the punishment?”
“Have you ever heard of soul whip?”
Ye Che,：“……”
I haven’t, but just by the name, I don’t think it is something that I will look forward to.
“In addition to the pain,, the most important thing is that you may be killed…” 38 hesitated, “Host, in fact, I stand on my stance that you’d better not try it. It really hurts.”
Ye Chen didn’t speak. She was really afraid of it in her heart.
She weighed it. Did she really have such deep feelings for Shen Jingfeng?
If she really did, could she even use her life for him?
She didn’t and she couldn’t.
Ye Chen knew it in her heart.
If Shen Jingfeng loved her, then she merely liked Shen Jingfeng.
Perhaps her feelings for Gu Jianan, Jun Yan, and Elt were like this. So shallow, so easily wilted.
Ye Chen’s eyelashes fluttered down and her hands trembled. Two thoughts in her mind were constantly fighting, one was Shen Jingfeng’s appearance, the other was her own life.
38 couldn’t see it anymore and poke her, “Host, why don’t you eat?”
“Mn…”
Ye Chen suppressed the churning emotion in her heart and lifted up her chopsticks. She picked up the sweet and sour pork ribs.
As soon as she picked it up, she froze.
She liked to eat sweet and sour pork ribs, and every villain she met was proficient in cooking. Gu Jianan was the one who introduced her to the greatness of sweet and sour pork ribs. Later, Jun Yan and Elt retained the original taste.
The first time, Gu Jianan and Jun Yan cooked the same dishes with the same taste, she only thought she had made a mistake and it was only a coincidence.
The second time, Elt cooked exactly the dishes as Gu Jianan and Jun Yan did. She told herself again that it was a coincidence or something and buried deep her doubts.
The third time… what if it was still the same?
Ye Chen recalled the doubt she had when she first met Shen Jingfeng.
Obviously, it was her first time meeting him, but she felt so familiar with him. Even with a different personality, she always had an inkling that Gu Jianan, Jun Yan, or Elt were always by her side.
Therefore, she told him to cook her a meal.
It had been a long time and she had forgotten about it. It seemed that whether this person was the same person or not was no longer important.
Yet, at this moment, she abruptly wished to know…
Is he?
If the answer was yes… Then, for so long as she had been doing this task over and over again, whenever she met him, she would fall for him, all the same person. If that was how it is… what a deep feeling she should have ah.
If she hadn’t done Emotional Cleansing; If her feelings could accumulate, how much should she love this person?
Ye Chen’s hand holding the ribs shook and 38 took a smoke, “Eat quickly, it won’t be delicious when it’s cold.”
Ye Chen lowered her eyes and sent the ribs into her mouth.
When the familiar sweet and sour taste filled her mouth, countless pictures poured into her mind and a feeling like a tsunami surged out, drenching her heart.
The first was a silent teenager who would raise his chin slightly when he was proud, secretly practiced a handsome game character just to accompany her playing her games, and waited for her on a bicycle in the morning.
Later, there was a cold and dignified Sword Immortal who accompanied her when she grew up, made grasshoppers for her, stood in front of her, and carried her forward even if there were only white bones left on his feet.
And way much later, there was a noble boy who was as proud and gorgeous as a peacock, with eyes as clear as a blue ocean, who could give up hatred for her, who could tear the passage between the two worlds with his bare hands, and who wanted to approach her even when he was shattered to pieces.……
Those pictured flashed vividly, intertwined with the completely uncontrollable emotion, as if a tornado was sweeping in her heart.
The feeling was so unbearable that she couldn’t help but grasp the clothes on her chest and bent over, shaking hard and unable to speak.
38 panicked at once, “Host, what’s wrong?! What’s wrong?!!”
Ye Chen opened and closed her lips without words. She couldn’t form any words.
The faces of several men changed constantly in front of her, and finally integrated into the warm smile of the young man.
At the Yulan Festival, with a little river lantern, he stood in front of her with a smile, as gentle as the warm spring sun.
Ye Chen sprang to his feet and sprinted out.
When she rushed out, her feelings returned to calmness bit by bit, as if something was gathering her feelings back into a box.
In the past, she always felt that she just should go with the flow.
As long as she didn’t feel the pain, then, that’s fine.
If her feelings were cleansed, then just clean it.
But, this time, when she ran in the snow, she thought of that person’s name and face. For the first time, she discovered that this feeling was so precious that she didn’t want to give up on it, forget it or let it disappear.
She wished to catch it back, desperate to remember that she had cherished a person so much.
Her steps were frantic, and she kept telling herself in her mind.
She likes Gu Jianan;
She likes Junyan;
She likes Elt;
and she likes Shen Jingfeng.
No matter who he was, she liked him. Liked him so much. She could do whatever it takes for him. He deserved it; She could.
The feelings gradually faded, but she always remembered a sentence.
She likes him, and she wants to save him. No matter what the cost.
She dashed in the dense forest wildly. Eventually, she saw the snow-white figure.
The world was quiet, and the bright moon hung in the sky. He was walking on the vast snowfield, and suddenly heard someone call him, “Shen Jingfeng! ”
Shen Jingfeng’s steps halted. He turned his head and saw the woman dressed in red. Seeing her was like turning the whole snowfield into a blazing hot place.
Ye Chen panted and looked at Shen Jingfeng quietly. She had made up her mind.
“Do you really have to take revenge? ”
Shen Jingfeng curled up a smile, “Haven’t I answered this question?”
“Even if you lose me, you will still do it?”
“A’Chen,” Shen Jingfeng gently replied, “I only hope for you to live well.”
As for whether she belonged to him or not, it was far less important than whether she could live well.
He originally thought that he could protect her reputation by marrying her, but he underestimated the sordid nature of the world.
In that case, he might as well be the devil and use his whole life to protect her for the rest of her life.
Ye Chen’s smile bloomed softly. She studied the serene man under the moonlight and slowly asked, “Then, Jingfeng, can you fulfill my last wish?”
Shen Jingfeng pursed his lips and finally said, “What is it?”
“You ever say that,” Ye Chen brought up the casual remarks he once shared, “The Snow Lotus on Tian Shan Mountain is very beautiful. I haven’t seen it. Can you get it for me?”
“I will be waiting for you at the temple. If you come back with the snow lotus, I won’t care about what you are going to do. ”
Shen Jingfeng was dumbfounded. He never anticipated that Ye Chen would make a request like this at this time.
But looking at Ye Chen’s expression, who nearly burst out crying, he recalled the night he said this. She was nestled in his arms, and he promised her that he would pick the snow lotus for her.
He calculated the time. He estimated that it wouldn’t be more than a month for him to get there. In this life, when he was weighed down by his sins, he was afraid that he would never be able to come to see her again.
So, he gave her a smile and agreed, “Okay.”
“Okay… That’s good,” Ye Chen moved her gaze down, hiding the tears that were at the corner of her eyes, “I will wait for you to come back. Right here, I am waiting for you to come back.”
“Mn.”
Shen Jingfeng responded. The two looked at each other quietly for a while. Ye Chen trotted forward and hugged him long. At last, she loosened her embrace. “Go. ”
Shen Jingfeng nodded and then, he left.
After Shen Jingfeng had gone far, Ye Chen asked 38 to monitor his position. She returned to the temple and carried Wu Yuan. Her destination was the Demon Sect. She passed Yao Wang Valley on the way and tossed Wu Yuan there. She let Chunsheng treat him. Then, she changed her clothes and proceeded to move again.
Chunsheng foolishly blinked and watched Ye Chen leap away with Qigong. After a long time, he uttered, “Shijie… When did Shijie become so good at martial arts???”
Ye Chen didn’t stop until she reached the Demon Sect. She ran for a day and arrived there. She got straight to the point, “I want to see Mo Xingchen!”
Mo Xingchen heard that Ye Chen was here and hurriedly came out. When he arrived at the door, he saw the woman dressed in a blue gown with a wine gourd hanging from her waist. Her hand was set on her sword. She was gazing at the distant mountain scenery.
Mo Xingchen paused on his steps. Ye Chen turned around and smiled.
That smile was an unrestrained smile with a free spirit, a charming smile.
Mo Xingchen didn’t dare to take another step forward. Ye Chen said, “Mo-gongzi, long time no see.”
Mo Xingchen opened his mouth and Ye Chen cut in, “This time, Ye Chen is here because Ye Chen wants to propose an exchange with Mo-gongzi.”
Hearing this, Mo Xingchen calmed his mind. He tapped his palm with a folding fan and lowered his gaze, “Speak.”
“Hearing that the Saintess of the Demon Sect is dying soon, I thought, with the martial arts the Jiaozhu practices, Jiaozhu must be very distressed. I happen to have a secret Manual in my hand, which can make up for the shortcomings of Jiaozhu’s practices. Even if the Saintess is not here anymore, Jiaozhu can improve normally. ”
“What do you want? “Mo Xingchen smiled when he heard this. Ye Chen set her gaze to the high platform behind Mo Xingchen, and answered with a flat expression: “I want Jiaozhu to personally return Shen Qiushuang to Yue Shan Sect for burial, and swear that if the Central Plains Wulin doesn’t make their moves first, the Demon Sect will never create troubles for the Wulin.”
Mo Xingchen was caught off guard. A second later, bitterness spread in his eyes, “A’Chen, you truly like him.”.
“Yes, I do.” Ye Chen smiled broadly, “I really like him, I like him the most.”
Mo Xingchen closed his eyes and did not reply.
Time passed and he eventually promised, “I promise you, but I don’t want that secret Manual.”
“Then, what do you want?” Ye Chen tilted her head in confusion, Mo Xingchen slowly opened his eyes, “I want you to save Yue Sheng.”
Ye Chen didn’t speak. After a while, another smile bloomed on her face, “What is circulating in the Jianghu nowadays; Why are the Seven Great Sects cornering Yue Shan Sect; What Yue Sheng did. Mo Xingchen, do you really think I don’t know anything?”
She raised her head and her eyes were clear, “She almost killed the person I love the most. Mo Xingchen, I can forgive her for hurting me, but I can’t forgive her for hurting the person I hold dear. Mo Xingchen, what I mean, you understand it, don’t you?”
Mo Xingchen didn’t speak, and after a long time, he sighed.
“I understand.”
Ye Chen curtsied and informed, “The Manual will be placed in Yue Shan Sect. When Shen-qianbei is returned to Yue Shan Sect is when you can get the Manual. Farewell.”
After that, Ye Chen departed. Mo Xingchen watched the girl’s beautiful back, dazedly recalling their first meeting at the Yulan Festival.
Time left no mark on her. She was as beautiful as ever.
She was the only girl he had ever liked. He stood there. He watched her leave from a distance and waved his goodbye.
He didn’t look away for a moment, the servant stepped forward cautiously. He knelt on the ground and voiced, “Jiaozhu, the Saintess… the Saintess…”
He didn’t go on, but Mo Xingchen knew the following words.
He closed his eyes.
“I understand.”
After Ye Chen left, she followed the list given to her by 38 and went straight to the person Shen Jingfeng wanted to kill.
The people who forced Shen Jingfeng’s mother to death back then, she looked for them one by one and killed them without saying a word.
They were all famous figures of the time, but Ye Chen studied under the skillful teachers of the Tian Jian Sect. Her Sword Intent was naturally far superior compared to them. She was like a cheat figure this time. Her way was unimpeded.
Killing those people, Ye Chen didn’t feel the slightest sorry for them. She didn’t let Shen Jingfeng do it because Shen Jingfeng would slaughter all the people in the Sect, for fear of leaving clues. In comparison, she only killed those who should be killed. She didn’t care if she was seen. Once, she jumped into the bedroom to kill one of the elders and she was caught by the servant girl. She helped the servant girl who nearly fainted, “Be careful, don’t fall.”
She acted so insolently, theJianghu were soon filled with rumors about her. In the beginning, the rumors only said that she had entered the Demon Sect, but at this time, the rumors had changed to that she had truly become a witch of the Demon Sect. Ye Chen simply complained to 38. “What Demon Sect’s Witch? I have nothing to do with the Demon Sect! These people slander me, can I kill them?”
The rumors were starting to get wild. At this time, the Demon Sect carried Shen Qiushuang’s body to Yue Shan Sect, Mo Xingchen knelt down in front of Shen Qiuhe to apologize and vowed that the Demon Sect would never conflict with the Central Plains Wulin as long as they do not make a move first. The Demon Sect’s behavior confirmed that Ye Chen did this independently and had nothing to do with the Demon Sect.
After she killed more than a dozen people, everyone noticed that the people she killed seemed to be… related to Shen Qiushuang.
However, the events of that year had been buried and remained a mystery. And the people at the Wulin Conference and the Martial Arts Gathering back then had long been highly respected figures in Wulin who had many people at their beck and call. They denounced Ye Chen in words and in writing. They summoned their people and planned to besiege Ye Chen.
Ye Chen calculated the time, if it was delayed, Shen Jingfeng would be back.
For that, even if she knew that those people were here to encircle her, she gladly came to the appointment.
It was the last heavy snow at the end of winter. People in Wulin used Ye Feng’s name to make an appointment with Ye Chen. Of course, Ye Chen knew it was false as soon as she got the letter. Ye Feng was probably had heard the truth from Wu Yuan. She didn’t toss Wu Yuan there for no reason. According to Ye Feng’s character, even if he loved her daughter as much as his life, he still respected her daughter’s decision and would protect the Yao Wang Valley without intervening with her decision.
Though, regardless of the false appointment or not, she still went there. It was a valley. Ye Chen was dressed in a blue gown with a wine gourd hanging on her waist. She drove her horse into the valley. When she saw those people, she stopped the horse. She raised her head and drank a mouthful of wine. After warming up, she raised an eyebrow and scanned everyone, “Everyone is here today?”
“Witch!” One of them stood up and shouted angrily, “Today is your death date!”
“Yes, yes,” Ye Chen bobbed her head and spoke softly, “Today is my death date, but it is also the death date of several hypocrites.”
She glanced at them coldly and 38 quickly presented her the location of Shen Jingfeng’s enemies in her mind.
Ye Chen sighed, “Expensive things are indeed so fucking easy to use.”
“A night before you are back to the state before your liberation, how does it feel ?” 38 taunted. This month, Ye Chen had spent all her points on things. With all these points, how could those things not be easy to use?
“Poverty really separates me from my quality of life.” Ye Chen sighed with emotion. She landed on her feet and flew into the dense forest.
Everyone didn’t anticipate Ye Chen to have such a sense of purpose on coming to this siege. Ye Chen yelled, “Today, I will tell you about the nasty things these hypocrites have done! ”
Ye Chen calmly described how these people let Shen Qiushuang be taken away and slandered her. After Shen Qiushuang returned, they forced Shen Qiushuang to commit suicide. As she said that, she kept slashing her sword. She didn’t hurt any disciples. Her sword only greeted Death to those people who participated in the event of the past years.
Everyone gradually became aware of it. An elder pushed his young disciple and said, “Hurry up, go up and kill her! She won’t touch you! ”
The disciple was taken aback. He stared at his master hiding behind him and gritted his teeth. Still, he rushed up to Ye Chen.
Ye Chen raised her eyebrow slightly, and then declared in a loud voice, “Today, I am only here for revenge, not to hurt innocent people. Though, if everyone insists on stopping Ye Chen against their conscience, for self-protection, don’t blame Ye Chen for being ruthless! ”
This shout calmed a lot of people’s hearts. Many little disciples simply pretended to attack her. However, there were also many who clenched their teeth and rushed up with deadly moves.
Ye Chen sneered out, and simply killed those people, slicing in the direction of her enemy all the way.
Flesh and blood flying in all directions in the huge crowds of people.
Ye Chen’s complexion was icy. After forcing one person back with a sword, she pulled out the wine gourd and took a sip. She wiped her lips.
The wine and blood were mixed together. Ye Chen stood on the mountain of corpses. She panted lightly and shouted loudly, “Bring it on!”
At this moment, Shen Jingfeng was riding a horse with a snow lotus on his back, and he heard the people in the teahouse say, “That Witch, Ye Chen, will die today, right?”
“That is obvious. The seven Sects joined hands and set up the ambush. With a place like Broken Soul Valley, where there is no entry or exit, how can that Ye Wei escape? By flying? Heh.”
Shen Jingfeng tightened the reins abruptly and jerked his head toward that voice.
The author has something to say,
[Mini Theater · About Ten Thousand a Day]
Mo Shu Bai, “Dear readers, I want to set up a flag. I want 10,000 a day!”
Reader A, “Tsk Tsk, is this flag still can be called a flag? ”
Reader B, “Don’t spout bullshit every day. It makes me want to trample this flag of yours.”
Reader C, “Da Bai, self-awareness is important.”
Mo Shu Bai: “……”
(Group Chat)
A certain Reader Y, “Da Bai, they don’t believe that you can write ten thousand a day.”
Mo Shu Bai, “This is their ignorance.”
(The Third Day)
Mo Shubai looked at the great number on the screen and rolled on the bed. She drank and gasped heavily.
I’m sorry… It is me who is ignorant…
Footnotes
我呸 – wǒ pēi or just 呸 – pēi. Pah!/Bah!/Pooh!. To spit (in contempt).↵
Ry’s Corner
Da Bai, don’t force yourself to write 10k words. Just 4k words every chapter is fine *sob*
Actually, Ye Chen was called 妖女 – yāo nǚ a.ka Evil Woman (those who have fallen into the Devil Way.) and not Witch.
The MVP in this chapter is the Sweet and Sour pork ribs.
Anyway, Happy Lunar New Year! 新年好!
Now, hand over your red packets /jk
Please consider checking ‘The Memory Lost in Space‘ in case you like a good read(feels)! I’m gonna always put this here because I’m obsessed with it! No thanks needed.
If you like what I do please consider buying me ko-fi! Who needs sleep, anyway. I don’t offer Advanced Chapters like Lyre yet, but you are free to water this thirsty cat!
Words count (excluding title, footnotes, TL’s corner): 9021
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The chatting guest on the seat went, so the book slept.
Thanks for the chapter!!
Thans for the update!!!!
I love Shen JingFeng!!! Though Lu Ming also great XD….