Chapter 245: Death Warrant
“That’s right, this is my Ancestor Master.” Su Yingxiu’s voice suddenly rang out behind Lu Yun.
Lu Yun was greatly shocked upon hearing this. First, he hadn’t expected Su Yingxiu to unseal the acupoint he had sealed in such a short time; second, he hadn’t expected the identity of this corpse to be the former Sect Leader of Taiping Dao, the legendary Kou Xianzhi who was closest to Xiantian!
Although Lu Yun’s Martial Arts far surpassed Su Yingxiu’s, caught completely off guard and in shock, his back was wide open. If Su Yingxiu suddenly attacked him, she might succeed in a sneak attack!
But when he quickly turned around and assumed a defensive stance, he found Su Yingxiu standing two zhang away with her hands in her sleeves, looking at him with a half-smile, showing no intention of attacking.
“You unsealed the acupoint so quickly?” Lu Yun also relaxed, frowning as he looked at the Saintess.
“The wonders of my Taiping Dao divine skill are endless. Husband, if you want to restrain me, I’m afraid it won’t be that easy.” The Saintess smiled charmingly, not without pride.
“It’s the wondrous effect of the Treasure Armor on your body, right?” Lu Yun suddenly realized.
“Husband, can’t you give a few insincere compliments to make me happy?” The Saintess pouted, her face full of coquettish resentment.
“Why didn’t you take the chance to sneak attack me?” Lu Yun pretended not to hear her form of address and asked on his own.
“Of course it’s because I can’t bear to part with Husband,” the Saintess said delicately: “I was just joking earlier, and Husband got so angry. If I were to act without knowing what’s good for me, wouldn’t Husband devour me alive?”
“Speak human words.” Lu Yun rolled his eyes in frustration: “Otherwise, don’t blame me for not holding back.”
“Alright…” The Saintess saw him about to act against her again, then gave a bitter smile: “Because I realized that even the Ancestor Master was trapped and died here. With just me, a weak woman, how could I possibly escape?”
“Can’t you wait for your Master?” Lu Yun said expressionlessly.
“Two days have already passed, and my Master hasn’t come. I’m afraid there’s no hope.” The Saintess sighed lightly, looking at Lu Yun with resentment: “Why won’t Husband believe that I’ve already secretly promised my heart to you and can’t bear to harm you?”
“You think I’m a fool, huh?” Lu Yun rolled his eyes again, but the atmosphere had finally eased.
At this time, Su Yingxiu gracefully walked to the corpse, slowly knelt down, and kowtowed three times with utmost respect. Then she straightened up, looked at the unrecognizable bones, and sighed faintly: “Recalling the old days, Ancestor Master soared through the skies and burrowed into the earth, not even putting Zhang Xuanyi in his eyes. Who knew that with one careless move, he fell for the Imperial Court’s scheme, had all his Martial Arts crippled, was cruelly imprisoned, and ultimately met an end of never seeing the light of day, dying and disappearing…”
Lu Yun stood silently to the side. Kou Xianzhi’s great name was already very unfamiliar to his generation. But Lu Xian had once admiringly told him that twenty years ago, the world was not solely dominated by Zhang Xuanyi. There was another who could rival him, even steadily suppressing Zhang Xuanyi—the Taiping Dao Sect Leader Kou Xianzhi, who led Taiping Dao south, fought alone against the six Grandmasters of Eastern Qi without falling behind, and won dozens of battles large and small without defeat!
After Su Yingxiu finished paying respects to Kou Xianzhi, she stood up with Lu Yun to read Kou Xianzhi’s self-account on that yellow silk—
‘I received the order in a time of crisis, taking charge of Taiping Dao amidst songs of despair on all sides. For over twenty years, I painstakingly managed it, finally uniting the disciples and building an iron-blooded army, resisting Eastern Qi to the south and Korea to the east, protecting our followers in chaotic times, and spreading our sect’s prestige under heaven.’
‘At that time, Huangfu Lie gathered the various clans in Guangzhong. Though there was intent to inspire, he was helplessly attacked from front and back, outnumbered. To exchange for Taiping Dao’s army to restrain Eastern Qi, Huangfu Lie personally came to Taiping City to ally with me, flattering to the utmost, making a brotherly pact with me, swearing never to raise troops in Liaodong, and promising that if he gained the world in the future, he would grant Yan Yun lands to our Dao as an eternal bulwark.’
‘Moved by the suffering people under heaven and deceived by his flowery words, despite unanimous opposition in the sect, I resolutely led our disciples into Guangzhong to fight, joining Huangfu Lie in a pincer attack that annihilated Eastern Qi. In the following years, I followed him in campaigns south and north, helping him restore China and unify under heaven. Our sect’s disciples also suffered heavy sacrifices, with five or six out of ten wrapped in horse leather for burial!’
‘After unifying under heaven, Huangfu Lie established his era name and claimed emperorship, lavishly rewarding the various clans while coldly sidelining Taiping Dao, never mentioning the former blood oath. I pursued it for years, even threatening with troops, until Huangfu Lie finally relented, inviting me to Luojing for a meeting, speaking of a grand ceremony to reward our sect, splitting Yan Yun lands, and maintaining eternal brotherly ties.’
‘I suspected it might be a trap, but for the tens of thousands of brothers who sacrificed for me, I could not break the Luojing appointment. Before leaving, I ordered Sun Yuanlang to temporarily manage sect affairs and station the army north of the ridges, ready for battle at dawn. If anything changed, immediately enter Yan Yun, advance into Central Plains, and burn all to ashes! With this move, I figured Huangfu Lie wouldn’t dare act rashly, so I entered Luojing with Right Protector Gongyeliang to meet Huangfu Lie.’
‘Who would have thought, upon entering Luojing, we suffered Huangfu Lie’s ambush. Grandmasters, the seven clans, Heavenly Master Dao Grandmaster all came out. Right Protector died on the spot, I fought to exhaustion and was captured by the old thief Huangfu. The sect’s treasures Taiping Token and Nine-Section Staff were also taken by the thief.’
‘At that time, I questioned the old thief Huangfu: aren’t you afraid of Taiping Dao’s army marching south into Central Plains? The old thief Huangfu said Sun Yuanlang had long harbored ambitions to replace me, had already agreed with the Imperial Court to restrain the sect from moving troops, in exchange for the old thief having no worries at his back, and thus struck me down ruthlessly!’
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Seeing this, Lu Yun had no reaction, but Su Yingxiu was stunned. She stared fixedly at the yellow silk, her eyes full of disbelief.
Lu Yun vaguely understood why Su Yingxiu was so shocked, but it wasn’t his concern, so he continued reading on his own, but soon he too fell into shock!
‘The old thief Huangfu, having played the whore, still wanted to erect an archway. Constrained by the former blood oath, he never took my life, only imprisoning me in the dungeon, periodically forcing me to take Qi Dissipation Powder, leaving me powerless as a chicken. Six years later, heaven could not tolerate the perfidious old thief on the verge of death, yet he ordered me buried alive in his Imperial Tomb.’
Seeing this line, Lu Yun’s heart pounded, and he hurriedly continued reading—
‘I was placed in the tomb’s side hall, no longer suffering Qi Dissipation Powder, gradually recovering my cultivation. But to prevent my escape, the side hall was impregnable, and I couldn’t break out. Later, I discovered water stains on the side hall ground, deducing water underground. Using several treasure weapons and sharp tools in the side hall, I broke open the ground, dug a tunnel here, getting water and fish to sustain life. I explored the waterway, confirming this underground water led to Luo River. I was overjoyed, entered the water to scout, but the dark river passage was narrow, unable to accommodate my body. With divine skill aided by sharp tools, I broke through, advancing seven or eight chi per day.’
‘Day after day like this, breaking nearly a hundred zhang, I was already extremely weak and despondent, unable to continue, ultimately unable to see the light of day again or avenge my hatred!’
‘I regarded myself as a hero, dominating under heaven, dying in the belly of Mount Mang by the yellow springs—fitting enough. But with great vengeance unreported, legacy unpassed, sect disciples without peace, how can I close my eyes?! Hate, hate, hate! My bitter resentment vast as the long sky, though the six directions are broad, they cannot contain it!’
Lu Yun silently finished reading Kou Xianzhi’s final testament, his mood inevitably infected by the tragic helplessness of a hero’s end, becoming very heavy. He silently recited the last two lines of poetry on the testament: ‘My bitter resentment vast as the long sky, though the six directions are broad, they cannot contain it,’ and couldn’t help but be entranced.
Could this also be a portrayal of his own life?
