CH 97

Luo Yu didn’t answer, instead he asked first: “You’re already aware that they’re both in love with each other?”

“I know. I wanted to stop them, but in the end I just couldn’t do it.” Gu Ruohai heaved a sigh, “It’s as if I can see myself and Su Huaizhu from those years in them……Only, I never expected that after so many years between me and him, we would be involved with each other like this.”

Luo Yu didn’t say anything about that. He just stretched out his hand and patted Gu Ruohai on the shoulder.

After brooding for a moment, he said: “Su Yang’s physical condition is a bit complicated……if it was just the Cold Pond Ice Spirit and Half Withered Red, there are still methods to resolve them……But this ritual is truly somewhat cruel.”

Gu Ruohai asked: “How is it cruel?”

“In order to inhibit Su Yang’s extremely cold internal strength and protect him from death, it requires someone who practices fierce and blazing methodologies to dual cultivate with him.

Luo Yu let out a bitter laugh, looked at Gu Ruohai and explained: “But……if only one person dual cultivates with Su Yang over a long period of time and wants to avoid the extreme cold air weakening his body, that person must have extremely Yang and fierce internal strength. But you also realise that extreme matters are harmful. The combination of extreme hot and the extreme cold will benefit both or result in disaster. If they separate in the future, it will cause both of them to perish.”

“Perhaps there is also another option, which is to raise many furnaces who will take turns to inhibit the cold air for Su Yang.” Luo Yu said in a low voice, “It’s just that…”

He didn’t have to state it bluntly. Gu Ruohai also understood.

“To be joined in life,” he mumbled, “Or to drill the heart and cut out the bone*…”

(*TN : to inflict intense excruciating pain)

“I know we’re alike.” Luo Yu sighed, “We choose for our lives to be joined with the one we love the most. We are incapable of accepting if there’s anyone else.”

Gu Ruohai looked down and he displayed a pained smile: “Yeah, that kid……should also have the same thought.”

“But Su Yang’s condition is even more peculiar.” Luo Yu said. Not only does he have cold things and cold internal strength. Apart from this, he also bears Eluo Ghost Tent’s Ghost Blood Life Curse…… I fear that it’ll be hard for him to survive past the crowning.”

Gu Ruohai couldn’t help being shocked.

Luo Yu sighed: “Therefore, if they are connected by fate, Feidi…… he may be in danger in the future.” 

After a pause, he added: “But for some reason, Shizun seems to have deliberately made him walk on this path. Because of this, she purposely emphasized for him to go to Eluo Ghost Tent to obtain a rare matter. I also…… don’t know how to advise him and could only come to tell you. After all, you’re his father and you should be aware of this. Maybe only you can advise him.”

After a long silence, Gu Ruohai sidestepped his son’s issue and instead brought up the topic of Su Yang: “How did Su Yang’s body get the Ghost Blood Life Curse? Is Su Huaizhu aware of this?”

Luo Yu realised he needed time to carefully deliberate, so he didn’t rush him.

“The curse wordings are on his back and Su Huaizhu had tattooed him, so he must know about it.” He replied, “Jin’er and Su Yang never returned to Eluo Ghost Tent. That curse……based on my supposition, it’s highly possible that Jin’er invoked the curse herself and sacrificed her own life.” 

Gu Ruohai was confused: “Why would she do that?”

Luo Yu was equally puzzled and couldn’t hazard a guess, so he said, “When you go to annihilate the Devil Sect now, you should be able to meet with Su Huaizhu and perhaps use this as a lead-in to ask him about something.” 

Gu Ruohai was speechless for a while, “Then so be it…” 

Both of them were somewhat dejected at that time.

Luo Yu said: “When you go to the Devil City, be mindful of your safety……That’s right, I heard that you’ve detected spies in the Central Plains martial arts circles. Do you have a plan to tackle them?”

Gu Ruohai smiled, “No need to worry. This annihilation was also enacted with their surveillance in mind. Eluojue desires to muddy the waters between the Central Plains martial arts and the Devil Sect, but he really doesn’t comprehend Su Huaizhu’s character.”

Luo Yu smiled and nodded: “It’s good if you have a plan in mind.” 

They both chatted some more about old times. Gu Ruohai was just about to have a tent set up for Luo Yu and his nephew, but Luo Yu declined.

“The reason I came here was to ask you about your motive for the annihilation. I’ve to take advantage of the darkness tonight to leave for the direction of the Icefield. Regardless of whether Su Huaizhu’s plan involves Eluo Ghost Tent or not, I’ll do my utmost to support my nephew to win back the royal power. Eluojue schemed this conflict, there ought to be other stratagems or more thoroughly drastic measures that will emerge.”

“It’s also extremely dangerous for you to go and Ah Yue is not with you. Are you able to hold up?” Gu Ruohai said worried, “How about I assign a bodyguard for you.”

“No need,” Luo Yu smiled, “Although I’m a doctor, my martial arts skills aren’t bad. Moreover, my nephew is also from Lesser Jade House. It’s no problem for us to join forces to defend ourselves.”

“Then I wish us both mutual success.” 

They both two reached out to smack each other before soundly shaking hands and bidding farewell.

……

The troops mustered by Tengyun Pavilion and Central Plains martial arts circles once again spent a tranquil night in the Wasteland.

But just alongside a hill a few miles away from them, Gu Feidi and Su Yang experienced their first night attack since entering the Wasteland.

There was no cover anywhere around the both of them. The assassin was concealed in the dark of night, crawling on the ground and using the scattered withered grass that still remained in winter as camouflage. He carried an exceptionally intricate crossbow and soundlessly fired at the direction of the two.

Thankfully, both of them had been on the alert since entering the Wasteland. After night fell, Gu Feidi’s internal strength was continuously focused in his ears and he gleaned a vague noise in the distance. The crossbow arrow shot in together with a gust of wind. Gu Feidi abruptly drew his sword and intercepted the attack.

Su Yang had since manoeuvred his Prized Flower Steps to move ahead, avoided the short arrow on the way and blocked the assassin’s escape route in a flash.

The assassin was all dressed in black, his movements were strange. Seeing that their distance wasn’t that far apart, he swapped his crossbow for a scimitar and turned to attack Su Yang.

Su Yang unsheathed his thin sword from around his waist, flipped his hand and completely warded off the assassin’s strikes with two moves of ‘Clearing’ and ‘Cleansing’ from the Blooming Lotus Swordsmanship. Gu Feidi had also hurried over to attack the assassin with the Returning Geese Sword Art.

When both joined forces, the assassin wasn’t able to evade and was forcefully injured by Gu Feidi’s sword. But he wasn’t alarmed in the slightest. He drew out a bamboo tube from within his clothing and flung it up to the sky.

Su Yang instinctively whipped his sword to slash the bamboo tube, but his blade was blocked by Gu Feidi’s long sword.

Gu Feidi shouted: “Be careful of tricks!” 

As his voice fell, the assassin swung his scimitar and cleaved the bamboo tube. The liquid in the tube sprayed out in all directions.

Upon seeing this, Su Yang and Gu Feidi both withdrew using their light footwork and steered away from the unknown liquid.

But the assassin, who was unable to flee their obstruction, was entirely drenched by the liquid.

Gu Feidi’s nose scrunched up and he frowned, “…It’s tallow……mixed with phosphorus powder?!”

Su Yang was confused: “Tallow? What’s he carrying tallow for—”

“Keep away from him!” Gu Feidi instantly retreated and yelled out anxiously, “It’ll ignite——!”

Before he could finish, he saw the assassin’s body emit white smoke and all of a sudden burst into flames in a split-second.

Once Gu Feidi had shouted for him to stay away from the assassin, Su Yang immediately used his Prized Flower Steps and backed up several feet. Just then, he saw the man being engulfed by a rapidly spreading blaze and was still attempting to hurl himself in his direction. Su Yang sensed all the little hairs on his body were about to prick up.

In the blink of an eye, the assassin was entirely consumed in flames and toppled to the ground shrieking and ceaselessly flailing about.

Gu Feidi moved around, tugged Su Yang by the arm and half-embraced him, covering his eyes and ears.

“Don’t look, don’t listen.” He said under his breath, “He doesn’t want us to know his identity, so he will use this kind of method to take his own life and obliterate any remains……The fire will attract others, so we’d better withdraw first.”

Su Yang swallowed. His throat had become dry. He nodded and replied in a hoarse voice: “I’m alright……I can go by myself.”

Gu Feidi released him from his embrace, but intertwined their ten fingers and never let go.

The two of them departed the gentle slope where they had been hiding earlier and lowered their bodies down as much as possible. They walked a huge arc around the camps of the Tengyun Pavilion’s allied forces and arrived at the back of a distant mound overgrown with withered grass.

At this time, Su Yang had already calmed down. Seeing Gu Feidi’s solemn expression, he began to talk first: “Sorry, I am not competent enough and I almost got soaked by that thing……”

“Luckily……” Gu Feidi pulled him into his arms and let out a sigh, “You’re alright, it’s really fortunate……You shouldn’t be so rash next time. When the enemy tosses things out, evade as much as possible. Don’t simply use your sword to check it out.”

Just then, Su Yang recalled the horrible condition of the assassin and was a little shaken after the incident. He could only methodically nod his head.

“The Wasteland isn’t very peaceful at the moment and there’s only the two of us. We’ll need to take turns to meditate and rest, and take turns to do guard duty.” Gu Feidi said, “The first half of the night is more relaxed, you can take that watch… Can your body withstand it?”

Su Yang patted his chest, tamping down the phoenix agate beneath his lapels and feigned being at ease: “With the treasure that Shizun has given me, I’m super now. Of course I can withstand it!”

Gu Feidi was still anxious: “You just need to concentrate on listening to the movements of the surroundings, that’s all. If you come across something, you must wake me up, understand?”

“I know, I won’t act the hero.” Su Yang reassured, “You can meditate in peace.”

After repeatedly reminding Su Yang to wake him if he felt unwell, Gu Feidi sat cross-legged and activated his internal strength to meditate.

Su Yang slowly manoeuvred his internal strength to his ears and in a flash, the originally tranquil Wasteland night around him became extremely bustling. The wind blew over the pebbles, a night owl flew over his head and there were also insects and snakes that didn’t fear the bitter cold rustling beneath the ground. Occasionally a few high-pitched voices could be heard from the distant direction of the Tengyun Pavilion camp. Nearby……

Nearby was Gu Feidi’s mild breathing and the sound of his strong heartbeats.

Su Yang hugged his knees and sat next to Gu Feidi. He lifted his head to look at magnificent stars in the heavens.

Since when did he unexpectedly and gradually get used to the Jianghu here?

Just like a moment ago, he was capable of witnessing an actual living person commit suicide before him while keeping a straight face, without the least bit of agitation in his heart. It was like confronting Lan Wu’s assassination that day, he was already able to viciously and ruthlessly thrust his sword into the opponent’s heart.

Even earlier than that, they had encountered a night attack at the farmhouse and at that time it had already triggered his desire to kill the assassins of the Jianghu.

But the first time his hands had been stained by blood was the moment when he’d blocked a fatal slash for Gu Feidi at the side of the Wasteland cliff.

As expected, he’d become more emotionless and accustomed to this kind of bloodshed after experiencing it once.

But Su Yang didn’t want to be this kind of ‘martial arts fighter’.

Even though he’d already begun to embrace this world, he still disliked the powerful bullying the weak.

Therefore……after helping Gu Feidi obtain the White Firework Gu, he still wanted to return to Lesser Jade House.