CH 103

By the time Su Yang and Gu Feidi followed Mei Shisan to rush to the suspension bridge, the elite fighters of Tongyun Temple and Xuanji Temple had already compelled the obstructing Devil Sect flower aides to retreat step by step onto the boundary of Jun Hua Island.

Seeing Gu Feidi and Pu Lingyun accompanying the Devil Sect’s Young Saint, the fighters of Tongyun Temple and Xuanji Temple couldn’t help being a little stunned, casting each other blank looks and questioning what the situation was.

Xuanji Temple’s team leader’s eyebrows twitched slightly as his gaze collided with Gu Feidi’s through the throng of people from both sides.

But before he could say anything, a Wujiangmen fighter who’d been moving alongside his team was the first to let out a smirk: “Yo, isn’t this Tengyun Pavilion’s Young Pavilion Master, Young Hero Gu? Why are you together with the Devil Sect’s Young Saint and obstructing the way for our Central Plains martial arts circles?” 

After speaking, he threw a look at Pu Lingyun: “And there’s also this heroine……we heard that Alliance Leader was inclined to bestow a division of Tengyun Pavilion for you to head. Could it be possible that you’re thinking of following your beloved and relying on the support of the Devil Sect?”

Pu Lingyun bit her teeth. She took a step forward and was about to say something but was stopped by Gu Feidi.

“Shimei,” Gu Feidi said, “Save your breath. Since my father has expelled me from Tengyun Pavilion, I won’t go back with you. Go and rejoin your troops yourself.”

Pu Lingyun turned to look at Gu Feidi, her astonished expression slowly dissolved into a touch of bitter hatred: “How foolish was I to slip in alone without regard for my safety with the intention to persuade you. Who would’ve thought that you would actually spurn sentiment! Since you’d rather be together with him, then so be it!”

As she spoke, tears began streaming down before she’d even issued her salutations. She raised her hand to wipe her face, stomped her foot and turned to run off towards the other side where Tengyun Pavilion and Qianfeng Villa’s battle lines had been drawn.

Su Yang: ……

This response, this performance! If you were in the modern era, you’d dominate over an entire street of novice actresses.

Gu Feidi drew out his Long Cherished Heart sword from his waist and said: “Jun Hua Island does not welcome all of you, kindly leave.”

Su Yang was about to draw his sword and ready himself for battle. When he heard what Gu Feidi said, there was a moment of stupefaction inside him: Don’t you know that the bad guys all die from over-talking? You are now on the Devil Sect’s side; you’re a villain. It’s better that you talk less and begin fighting straightaway.

Just as soon as this notion had emerged, the Xuanji Temple leader on the opposite side raised his eyebrows and said, “Young Pavilion Master is indeed Alliance Leader Gu’s only son. Despite being led astray by the Devil Sect’s Su Yang at the moment, we trust that you can still clearly differentiate between right and wrong. If you act in time to give up evil and return to virtue, the Central Plains martial arts circles will not cavil your youthful impetuousness……”

Gu Feidi said: “I’ve not been led astray, rather I’m most ardent and willing to be his companion. I know that the Central Plains martial arts circles came to exterminate the Devil Sect merely for the sake of the Sword Sage’s Legacy and not for any righteous, awe-inspiring purposes.”

Xuanji Temple leader said. “The Sword Sage’s Legacy is just one of the reasons. The Devil Sect have been entrenched in the Wasteland for a long time, their influence has permeated a lot into our Central Plains and their behaviour is recalcitrant. After many years of suffering, the Devil Sect Leader had also massacred the Central Plains martial arts circles…… Now Tengyun Pavilion has assembled the Central Plains martial arts influences to uproot this Devil Sect so that they’ll be unable to invade and harass our Central Plains……”

Su Yang: ……

No, why are you all still chatting away? It’s not like we’re filming a drama and you need the extra income……

……Wait a minute, procrastination?

With that in mind, Su Yang turned to look at the uncharacteristic Gu Feidi and the Xuanji Temple leader who were engrossed in a far-reaching verbal altercation and suddenly realised——that leader might have also secretly been in contact with Alliance Leader Gu and was aware of the truth of this annihilation, which is why he would coordinate this way with Gu Feidi so as to stall the invasion of Jun Hua Island.

As a result, Su Yang was no longer jumpy and stood at one side with his arms crossed to appreciate the uncommon sight of Gu Feidi debating with others.

Both of them went back and forth and expressed many venomous things. Ultimately, the Wujiangmen fighter couldn’t stand it anymore.

He swiftly drew out his sword and stood before the Xuanji Temple leader, “Why do you continue to utter rubbish with him? Let’s just slaughter our way in!”

Xuanji Temple’s leader said: “Young Hero Gu is still the mainstay of our Central Plains martial arts circles after all. If we’re able to influence him to revert back to Tengyun Pavilion, it’s still better than facing each other with swords……”

The Wujiangmen fighter was at the end of his patience and couldn’t bear it: “Your Xuanji Temple is being overly gracious! You should’ve retreated early on if you didn’t want to take part in the war! Tongyun Temple, what’s your stand?”

Upon hearing his words, the Tongyun Temple leader slowly lifted up his sword, “In my view, let’s just straightaway butcher our way in to save time and effort.”

Seeing this, Gu Feidi released a sigh and turned to give Su Yang a look.

This battle would still need to be fought after all.

The Devil Sect flower aides stationed on Jun Hua Island were all from the elite squad. At that moment, Su Yang and Gu Feidi were tackling the top martial artists leaders from the opposite side. Moreover, Gu Ruohai and Feng Lin weren’t there, Xu Yunzhan had already left early on and the Pu Lingyun-led Tengyun Pavilion and Qianfeng Villa troops hadn’t yet stormed the Devil Sect’s battle lines and were subdued at the moment.

Even though Su Yang and Gu Feidi had joined forces this time, they had to deal with a number of skilled fighters attacking from two directions. It was unavoidable and they were somewhat exhausting to deal with. The defensive line was still inevitably drawing back to the interior of Jun Hua Island. The Central Plains troops who’d attacked from different directions finally converged on the hillside terrace and assembled both battlefronts in one place.

With that happening, though the Devil Sect’s defensive front was beset with even greater pressure, Su Yang and Gu Feidi could support each other and fight more proficiently.

……

Inside the Green Velvet Hall.

The moonlight suffused in from the window edge and permeated through the overlapping curtains, leaving only a dusky glimmer speckling onto the disheveled bed inside the palace.

Gu Ruohai straightened his clothing. He turned to the side and looked at Su Huaizhu, who was in the midst of meditating. His eyes remained on his tranquil face for a long time and the space between his eyebrows filled with guilt.

A short while later, Su Huaizhu slowly opened his eyes and released a long-drawn out breath.

He gazed at Gu Ruohai and asked softly, “Are you alright?”

Gu Ruohai said, “I’m alright……but you, why did you hide the truth from me for so long?”

Twenty years had passed, his frame of mind was no longer the same arrogant youth as he was initially. Even if he’d just discovered the matter of the Love Gu, he could ask this question so effortlessly and impassively. There wasn’t even a shred of anger, no excessively violent emotions akin to outrage. It seemed as if all the outbursts that ought to have prevailed had dwindled to nothing in these twenty years.

Su Huaizhu continued to remain silent without any response.

Gu Ruohai paused for a moment and then asked, “Was it Luo Jin?”

Su Huaizhu still didn’t reply.

“As matters stand, you’re still unwilling to explain?”

Gu Ruohai stood before Su Huaizhu, his voice was cold: “The many years of affection between us aren’t enough for you to reveal the truth to me? Do you believe that if you bear it by yourself, you would appear deeply sentimental and terribly righteous? You’re unconcerned that rumours the Jianghu vilify you, you’re also insouciant regarding my misunderstanding of you……You consider yourself as merely swallowing bitter fruit, but are you aware……how many years I’ve been suffering?”

Su Huaizhu closed his eyes slightly and said hoarsely: “Apologies.”

Gu Ruohai heaved a sigh, “……Never mind.”

All of a sudden Su Huaizhu said, “The Love Gu……was indeed planted by Luo Jin.”

Hearing this answer, Gu Ruohai couldn’t help smiling.

“That year, I didn’t discern her deep feelings for you.” He said, “If there was the tiniest sign, I would’ve never promised Luo Yu to let her tag along with us.” 

After a brief silence, Su Huaizhu gave a soft ‘hmph’.

“The one she had deep feelings for wasn’t me.” He said bluntly, “Originally back then, she left a letter inviting you to admire the moon at the lakeside……”

Gu Ruohai couldn’t help being shocked : “……What?”

Su Huaizhu continued: “I was selfish and didn’t want you to see her, so I concealed the letter. When night fell, I put on your clothes and attend the appointment in your place. I’d thought to use this chance and caution her to leave you alone, but who would’ve known……”

He paused and continued with a sigh: “I wasn’t on guard for her surprise attack. She stabbed and wounded me from behind with the flower hairpin……to plant the Love Gu. When she saw that I was the one who had been infected and not you, she flew into a rage. And I became furious because of her lunatic behaviour. We got into a flight……up until…… my internal strength was provoked, in fact……I couldn’t control……the Gu poison…”

There was no need to verbalise what had happened after that, both of them understood.

There was an extended silence.

Gu Ruohai asked in an extremely soft voice, “Why didn’t you say anything back then?” 

There was another period of silence.

Su Huaizhu replied: “……That sort of situation……I didn’t know how to face you, let alone how to forgive myself.”

“The Mother of the Love Gu was in Luo Jin’s body and at any rate, I couldn’t break free from her……” Su Huaizhu said, closing his eyes and leaning dejectedly against the bedpost behind him, “That’s why I had to bring her back here while searching for a way to inhibit the Gu poison and attempting to get in touch with Luo Yu. It’s just too bad that Luo Yu was plagued with inconveniences at that time and I hadn’t yet taken over the Sect’s internal affairs yet, so I wasn’t able to locate him.”

Gu Ruohai understood what Su Huaizhu meant.

Jianghu rumours say that the poison of the person who is infected with the child Love Gu would be triggered and he would die if he is away from the mother Gu for a long time. Theoretically speaking, having intercourse with the person who carries the mother Gu can momentarily alleviate the Gu poison, but entangling with any other person would not have an inhibiting effect and the Love Gu’s violent toxicity would even injure that innocent person.

So, even if Su Huaizhu had been candid with him at the time, they would only be at a loss of what to do——so much so that perhaps, he had to unequivocally face the heartbreaking fact that Su Huaizhu had to have frequent sexual intercourse with Luo Jin.

Gu Ruohai examined his conscience, if both their situations were swapped back then, he would irrefutably be unwilling to face Su Huaizhu under that kind of circumstances.

Unfortunately, no one would’ve known that everything following that would steeply decline because of this intentional coverup.

“I……” Gu Ruohai stalled and wavered, “……the time I got married, had you……yet found a way to restrain the Love Gu?”

Su Huaizhu nodded: “I’d just discovered Half Withered Red then, but……I didn’t possess Eluo Ghost Tent’s bloodline……and it was quite hard to practice……But I steadfastly believed that I could do it and break free from the Gu poison’s control……”

These few words had dispensed with countless details, but Gu Ruohai only had to think a little and guess how much Su Huaizhu had suffered and despaired at that time. He could only clutch tightly at that last straw that could presumably save his life and bear everything that he shouldn’t have had to bear alone.

Instead, he’d provided the most fatal cut to Su Huaizhu just when he’d needed him most.

Gu Ruohai gave a wry smile: “But I didn’t wait for you…… neither did I believe in you.”

Su Huaizhu’s gaze dropped and he became silent.

“Zhu Zhi’er,” Gu Ruohai said softly, “I’m sorry.”

Su Huaizhu suddenly smiled when he heard the words.

He looked up at Gu Ruohai: “You don’t have to apologise, you were right not to wait for me. Half Withered Red……is incapable of totally inhibiting the Love Gu. Although I don’t have to be controlled by Luo Jin anymore, but……I have no choice but to frequently have intercourse with others, so as to subdue the Gu poison. At any rate, I was unfaithful first and so reckless with love, I’m no longer a good match for you. Just now……I never dared suppose…..”

He didn’t wait for Gu Ruohai to say anything, Su Huaizhu hurriedly added: “I don’t know what the battle situation is like. The next step of the plan still needs to be effected as soon as possible. If……your body is unwell, don’t take part in the war.” 

Seeing that he didn’t want to say anything further about past matters, Gu Ruohai sighed helplessly, “I’m alright……what’s your plan? Is there anything where you need my support?”

Su Huaizhu hesitated for a moment, looked at Gu Ruohai’s eyes and said seriously: “There is.”