Chapter 79: Chapter 79 - Former Affection is Lost Forever

(T/N: The title 昔情难追 is literally “one cannot get back affection from the past”)

Tianlang-Jun’s body was already extremely broken. Zhuzhi-Lang had been nailed onto the stone wall, while Great Master Wu Chen was supporting Wu Wang, whose head was bleeding. Mobei-Jun was dragging Shang Qinghua, and Yue Qingyuan stood next to Shen Qingqiu.

Only Luo Binghe was standing directly across from the Xin Mo sword. His head was currently lowered, and he was calmly adjusting his sleeves.

Shen Qingqiu said lowly, “Luo Binghe, come here.”

Luo Binghe shook his head once. Just one time, but it was very resolute.

Shen Qingqiu said, disappointed, “You tricked me again.”

Luo Binghe’s movements paused, and he asked in return, “Shizun, I told you I would help you deal with Tianlang-Jun; I can kill him right now for you to see, so how can you say that I tricked you?”

Tianlang-Jun laughed. “Purposefully using the enemy for your own gain━that’s a pretty good move. It’s just too bad that I wasn’t very useful, so he still has to do it himself.”

When he said “purposefully using the enemy for your own gain,” the unease in Shen Qingqiu’s heart grew even stronger.

Did Luo Binghe deliberately give the Xin Mo sword to Tianlang-Jun? After all, once Tianlang-Jun got the Xin Mo sword, his body molded from the Dew Flower Seed rotted faster and faster. Even if Luo Binghe gave the sword to him, he wouldn’t be much of a threat.

Perhaps his confusion was too great, and everything that he was thinking ended up leaking onto his face. Luo Binghe said, hurt, “Shizun, what are you thinking now? He did indeed steal the Xin Mo sword, but it continued to recognize me as its master, that’s all. You said that from now on, you would rather believe the best of me than the worst. Why are you not willing to trust me again?”

Shen Qingqiu said slowly, “I’ve trusted you many times before. Up until a moment ago, I had always trusted you.”

Luo Binghe, “Is that so?”

He pulled on a twisted smile. “But I don’t dare to trust Shizun anymore.”

This smile was extremely strange. Shen Qingqiu realized that something was wrong with his state of mind, and he relaxed his expression and tone of voice. “Now what’s wrong?”

He grew a little bit gentler, but Luo Binghe suddenly stopped smiling.

He looked heartbroken and devastated. “Shizun, I said it before. Sure enough, you’re the happiest when you’re together with them.”

In the beginning, Shen Qingqiu still couldn’t figure out who “they” was referring to. Luo Binghe paced unhurriedly back and forth in front of the stone wall with the Xin Mo sword.

He laughed self-mockingly. “Every time I begged for Shizun to come with me, you never agreed once. Even if you agreed, it was only because I did all I could to demand it of you. You were forced, and you were never willing to do so. But when they asked you to stay, you never had the slightest bit of hesitation.”

He looked at Shen Qingqiu. “Shizun, you don’t laugh very often. I love to see you laugh. But when I remember that you only laugh like that when you’re together with them, I’m...”

He whispered, “...very, very hurt.”

Shen Qingqiu finally understood. “They” was referring to Cang Qiong Mountain.

That day in the bamboo house, when Liu Qingge abruptly opened the window to investigate, he really had detected Luo Binghe, who had been hovering outside the whole time. Liu Qingge had noticed the trace of killing intent that Luo Binghe was exuding, as well as his despairing anger.

He hadn’t left. Instead, he heard all the cheerful chatter and laughter coming from inside the bamboo house, including Shen Qingqiu’s sound of agreement, and he had remembered it.

Shen Qingqiu said, “You’re angry because of that?”

“Angry?” Luo Binghe viciously spat out two words: “I hate!

“I hate myself!”

He violently sped up his steps, his hands clasped behind his back.

“I hate myself for being useless. I hate myself for not being able to get anybody to stay. Never... has anyone been willing to choose me.”

The rest of the people in the cave couldn’t act rashly. Right now, Luo Binghe was the supply supporting the Xin Mo sword, and nobody wanted him to suddenly explode. But Yue Qingyuan said, “By doing this, aren’t you forcing him to pick a side?”

Luo Binghe stopped walking, and he shook his head. “Pick a side? No. This isn’t that.

“I know that if he has to choose, Shizun definitely won’t pick me. So, it’s fine as long as there isn’t a choice.”

A layer of red flushed across Luo Binghe’s deathly pale face, and he was full of an odd excitement. “So, this time, I’ve learned my lesson. If Cang Qiong Mountain doesn’t exist, wouldn’t everything be fine? This way, Shizun will only have me.”

Great Master Wu Chen couldn’t bear to listen any longer. His hands were pressed together as he endlessly chanted the names of Buddha. “Benefactor Luo, you’ve gone insane.”

Luo Binghe was still laughing loudly. Great Master Wu Chen continued, “If there’s no possibility of choosing, then admittedly, there’s no possibility of abandoning you. But how can you dismiss everything that Peak Lord Shen has done for you?”

Luo Binghe said tenderly, “Shizun, if Qing Jing Peak is gone, I can create a new one for you. It’s fine if you resent me or hate me. I won’t make any more unreasonable requests. If you’re unhappy, you can hit me or kill me. In any case, I won’t die. As long as... as long as you don’t leave me, I’ll be fine.”

He said sincerely, “Really. This is the only wish I have left.”

Looking at Luo Binghe’s hazy consciousness and qi-deviating appearance, Shen Qingqiu’s mouth tasted bitter, and he couldn’t say anything.

Luo Binghe’s eyes were unfocused, and the circle of blood red around his pupils occasionally expanded and shrank. His smile was warped, and he genuinely looked like someone who had gone completely mad and lost his rationality. Shen Qingqiu didn’t know if Luo Binghe was the one controlling the sword, or if the sword was controlling him.

Zhuzhi-Lang said, “Besides Cang Qiong Mountain, there are thousands of things that Master Shen cares for in this world. Will you only be happy if you destroy them all?”

Luo Binghe smiled. “Yeah? Why wouldn’t it be fine?!”

He tilted his head to the side before he suddenly turned and said ruthlessly, “Shut him up!”

When Mobei-Jun heard this, he thought a little before he punched Zhuzhi-Lang in the face.

Tianlang-Jun looked at Luo Binghe, pity flashing through his eyes. He sighed. “... the Xin Mo sword has already corroded your mind. You’ve gone mad.”

This was the only time since he and Luo Binghe had met that he had an expression that looked a little like that of a father’s. But Luo Binghe was completely unaware of it, and he smiled faintly as he nodded. “That’s right. I’ve gone mad.”

When Shen Qingqiu heard him fully admit that he had gone mad, his heart throbbed with a stifling pain.

He said softly, “Binghe, first leave that sword. Stand a little further away from it.”

As he coaxed Luo Binghe with gentle words, he secretly placed his hand on the Xiu Ya sword’s hilt underneath the cover of his wide sleeve. Luo Binghe laughed. “It’s useless. Shizun, you don’t need to be like this. The nicer you are to me, the more afraid I am.”

As he spoke, he made a very slight lifting gesture with his right hand. Instantly, the purple energy around the Xin Mo sword surged greatly. Zhuzhi-Lang spat out a mouthful of blood. That punch just then had only silenced him for a while, and he said calmly, “Pitiful.”

“Pitiful?” Luo Binghe murmured, “Correct, I’m pitiful. Even if Shizun is only pitying me, that’s fine. Shizun, can’t you stay by my side just once?”

Tears rolled down his cheeks.

Luo Binghe gritted his teeth, his eyes scarlet. “Shizun, you always let go of me time and time again.

“Every time, every time, anyone, anything! They can all become your reason for abandoning me, and sometimes you don’t even need a reason! It’s like this every single time!”

Suddenly, Shang Qinghua fell onto the floor with a crash. Shen Qingqiu also subconsciously steadied himself against the stone wall.

The entire floor started to shake violently. The speed at which Maigu Ridge was falling increased even more!

Yue Qingyuan said quietly, “Shidi, he’s gone mad. How do you wish to handle this?”

Luo Binghe chuckled coldly before he took two steps back and suddenly seized the hilt of the Xin Mo sword. The ground started to quake even more intensely, and if you looked out from the cave entrance, you could see countless mountain peaks of varying heights peek through from the rolling clouds. Shen Qingqiu was about to draw Xiu Ya when there was suddenly a burst of dazzling white light from beside him. Yue Qingyuan had pulled out his sword first, and the whistling of the sword tore through the air filled with flying snow and purple-black energy.

Xuan Su left its scabbard!

Mobei-Jun saw Yue Qingyuan level his sword at Luo Binghe, and he took a step forward to meet his attack. Xuan Su’s spiritual energy rose sharply, and before Mobei-Jun even touched it, it directly sent him flying out.

It seemed like Mobei-Jun had never expected that he too would one day be sent flying by someone. With that kind of expression, he plummeted off of Maigu Ridge in the blink of an eye. Shang Qinghua looked scared out of his mind, and he grabbed a sword before he rushed past. Shen Qingqiu hastily grabbed him and said, “What are you doing!”

Shang Qinghua howled, “F***, he can’t fly!” before he also jumped off.

Shen Qingqiu peered down from the hole against the flying snow and violent wind. He just happened to see Shang Qinghua, who was riding the flying sword, catch Mobei-Jun when they were still about three hundred meters from the surface of the ice. After confirming that he wouldn’t crash and die, Shen Qingqiu didn’t even have time to release a sigh of relief before he suddenly looked back and saw that Luo Binghe and Yue Qingyuan had already started to fight.

Naturally, Luo Binghe’s explosive energy was terrifying, but Shen Qingqiu hadn’t expected that after Xuan Su left its scabbard, its power would be as formidable as it was. It was on the same level as Luo Binghe in his crazed state. Shen Qingqiu could sense it, and the raging spiritual and demonic energy in the air created pressure and rumbling noises in his ears and throat. He saw that this cave would collapse sooner or later, and he scrambled over to the cliff wall before he grabbed onto the Xin Mo sword with his bare hands. With force, he pulled it out of the wall!

Even though he had pulled it out, the Maigu Ridge’s falling momentum still didn’t slow. When Luo Binghe saw, he wanted to go snatch the sword away, but how would Yue Qingyuan give him that chance? The Xuan Su sword ripped a visible, dazzling mark in the air, and an enormous restrictive, complicated spell created an invisible cage, trapping Luo Binghe inside.

Yue Qingyuan saw that Shen Qingqiu had already obtained Xin Mo, and he said in a low voice, “Leave!”

How could he leave in this kind of situation? Shen Qingqiu immediately shook his head, and he was about to toss the Xin Mo sword to him when he suddenly felt his legs give out from under him.

No, it wasn’t him, it was the floor that gave out. This cave finally collapsed!

On the second layer of Maigu Ridge.

Shen Qingqiu dug Yue Qingyuan out from the pile of rubble. “Sect Master? Shixiong? Zhangmen-shixiong!”

Yue Qingyuan’s face was slightly pale, and blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth. He swallowed, and he seemed to have swallowed a mouthful of hot blood.

He opened his eyes and glanced at Shen Qingqiu. “... where’s everybody else.”

The structure inside Maigu Ridge was similar to that of an irregular wasp’s nest, one cave connected to another. Shen Qingqiu looked around him. “I didn’t see Great Master Wu Chen or Tianlang-Jun and the rest. They might be buried here, or they might have fallen into another cave as the rock collapsed.” He looked back. “Shixiong, when did you get hurt?”

Yue Qingyuan didn’t answer. He asked, “You still have the Xin Mo sword?”

Shen Qingqiu showed him the sword. “I do. But Maigu Ridge is still falling, so the merging shouldn’t have ended yet. Shixiong, you should take the sword down, and destroy it.”

With his assistance, Yue Qingyuan slowly stood up. “... what about you then?”

Of course, he had to go back and find Luo Binghe.

Shen Qingqiu avoided answering. “Shixiong, your injury isn’t typical. What in the world happened?”

Yue Qingyuan dodged the question, and he said, “I didn’t want to at first. But I... am an easily impulsive person in the end.”

Shen Qingqiu felt like those words of his were strange, but he didn’t have time to think about it carefully. He supported him and continued to walk. “Shixiong, can you still walk? Go down first, destroy the sword, and find Mu-shidi to treat your wounds. Leave Luo Binghe to me.”

Yue Qingyuan stood up with difficulty with Shen Qingqiu’s aid. Fresh blood dripped onto the ground. Shen Qingqiu thought that he was fine, and he let him go, but unexpectedly, the moment he let go, Yue Qingyuan toppled over after standing for a short while.

Shen Qingqiu went pale with fright. He hastily went to support him again. “Zhangmen-shixiong? Zhangmen-shixiong?” After feeling his pulse for a moment, even someone like him━with a very shallow understanding of healing━could tell that Yue Qingyuan’s current state was extremely terrible!

Yue Qingyuan looked distracted, as if he hadn’t heard what Shen Qingqiu said. He muttered, “But... those two times at Jinlan City and when Luo Binghe encircled the peak, I controlled myself and took in the big picture... but every time I thought back to it after it was over, I would have been better off... just being impulsive.”

Seeing his drowsy appearance, Shen Qingqiu wished he could violently pinch Yue Qingyuan’s philtrum1 and pinch him awake. But at the same time, he didn’t dare to do something so impolite, so he could only speak loudly next to Yue Qingyuan’s ear, not letting him pass out. “Shixiong, wake up! What you did was right!”

Yue Qingyuan closed his eyes and shook his head. He drew in a breath before he released another burst of severe coughing that made Shen Qingqiu’s heart leap with fear.

Blood flowed unceasingly outwards with the coughs. He said with difficulty, “Help me... put Xuan Su back.”

Shen Qingqiu hastily pressed the glaring white Xuan Su that had fallen to the side back into its scabbard before handing it to him. Only then did the color of Yue Qingyuan’s face finally look a little better, and he drew in the most difficult breath of air.

He stared blankly at Shen Qingqiu’s hand that had put away Xuan Su. He didn’t take the sword; instead, he said, “If I die here, you... please help me take Xuan Su back to Wan Jian Peak.”

Shen Qingqiu was given a shock. “What did you say?”

Die? Was Yue Qingyuan’s injury severe to the point that it was very likely that he would die?!

Yue Qingyuan, “Xuan Su’s power is unusually strong, but I never draw it out to fight the enemy. You must have guessed the reason why.”

Shen Qingqiu nodded. Not only had he guessed, but many people had also guessed before.

Yue Qingyuan said, “Xuan Su is my life. Do you understand what that means?”

Absolutely not. But Shen Qingqiu knew that it definitely wasn’t some rhetorical technique used to express how he loved his sword more than his life.

He also knew that what Yue Qingyuan was about to say was certainly going to be a secret that he had never told anyone else before.

Sure enough, Yue Qingyuan said, “Every time I draw Xuan Su, what is consumed is my life span.”

The moment he said that Shen Qingqiu immediately felt as if the Xuan Su in his hand weighed a thousand times heavier.

No wonder Xuan Su never left its scabbard.

No wonder he would never draw his sword unless he absolutely had to.

Shen Qingqiu said, shocked, “Shixiong, you... you’ve had a qi deviation before?”

Using his life span as fuel for spiritual energy, tying his own life together with his sword. Unless he had experienced a major accident while cultivating and had a qi deviation, why else would Yue Qingyuan cultivate this kind of evil path?!

Yue Qingyuan said slowly, “I entered Qiong Ding Peak when I was fifteen years old. I had a goal to reach, and I was impatient for success. Pursuing the Way of Unity of Man and Sword2 failed, and instead, I ended up like this. Completely the opposite of what I wished for, leaving behind great resentment and lifelong remorse.”

As he spoke, the remaining bit of color that had risen to his face just then because of his coughing suddenly faded completely again. Shen Qingqiu quickly cut him off. “Don’t talk anymore. This isn’t the time to talk about it. Let me first send you down to find Mu-shidi.”

The two of them took a few difficult steps forward. Yue Qingyuan abruptly said softly, “... I’m sorry.”

Shen Qingqiu didn’t understand what he was apologizing to him for. There wasn’t any reason for Yue Qingyuan to be sorry to him. On the contrary, it should be him apologizing, since he was always slacking off and taking it easy, not saying anything but still stirring up a bunch of trouble, forcing Yue Qingyuan to get a headache as he cleaned up behind him.

But what Yue Qingyuan said next stunned him completely.

Yue Qingyuan’s voice was shaking. “... really... I’m sorry.

“Obviously it was so I could go back faster; obviously I wanted to immediately go back and get you... but instead, it ruined things. You weren’t wrong. After all, I’m a very impulsive person...

“After that, Shizun abandoned my entire body and spiritual meridians, and I was shut in the spirit caves for over a year. Everything was a mess, and I had to start over completely.

“I called out, I shouted, but it was useless. For an entire year, they let me go crazy however I wanted in the dark cavern. Nobody was willing to actually listen to what I was begging for; nobody was willing to let me out...

“I used all my energy and effort, but by the time I returned, the Qiu residence had already been destroyed for many days...”

The sound of something shattering came from somewhere deep within his mind.

In an instant, all of Yue Qingyuan’s eager concern and silent protection in the past circled through his mind like a revolving lantern3, along with countless other scenes and details, incomparably clear.

No wonder no matter how much trouble “Shen Qingqiu” caused, the Sect Master had never punished him for it. He had always shown him unlimited forgiveness and infinite patience.

No wonder Shen Jiu hadn’t been able to wait for the person who was coming back to save him.

Yue Qingyuan, Shen Qingqiu; Yue Qi, Shen Jiu.

So that’s how it was!

Yue Qingyuan said, “I really... didn’t purposefully not go back. The only thing was that it turned out that it’s true the world is very cruel, making you and I miss each other completely...”

Blood flowed even more with each sentence he spoke. Shen Qingqiu took him by the arm, and they had to stop every other step. He sighed and said, “... don’t talk anymore.”

He knew everything that came after that.

But Yue Qingyuan persevered. “This time, just let me finish talking.

“It was precisely as you always said. ‘I’m sorry’ is nothing but an empty phrase; it’s completely useless. I never explained either, so today, you have to hear it. It isn’t so I can beg for understanding. It isn’t so I can win sympathy, but rather, if I don’t say it now... I’m afraid it really will be too late.”

Shen Qingqiu’s heart felt bitter, his eyes hot.

Too late. It was already too late!

Shen Jiu was already no longer here.

Perhaps he was dead, or perhaps his soul had moved to a different unfamiliar world, just like Shen Yuan.

But no matter what, he would never be able to hear what Yue Qingyuan was saying again.

The System delivered a succession of announcements:

【Hidden Character ① Zhuzhi-Lang, 100% complete】

【Hidden Character ② Tianlang-Jun, 100% complete】

【Hidden Character ③ Su Xiyan, 100% complete】

【Plot Hole Filling Event ① Shen Qingqiu, 100% complete】

【Plot Hole Filling Event ② Yue Qingyuan, 100% complete】

【The completion percentage for characters has reached the minimum standard. As per the System’s testing, there are no evident holes in logic. B points +300 per task, with a total sum of 1200. Congratulations on being promoted due to “Many Vent-Worthy Points4.” You’ve earned the “Absurd Writing is Now Readable” achievement.】

【Cool points have been cleared. Under the current circumstances, you may use B points as replacement currency for fulfilling the requirements for dropping key items. Will you accept or decline?】

There was a long series of beeps, full of joy. Instead, Shen Qingqiu felt unprecedented dismay.

He said, “Is there any point?”

Of course, the System wouldn’t answer him. Shen Qingqiu pointed two middle fingers at the interface from the depths of his heart.

What kind of damn thing was this System? What was the point?

Just so he could know exactly how unlucky these people could be? Just so he could personally witness the many brutal ways someone could get screwed over in this world?

Or was it so he could drive Luo Binghe mad?

Everyone said that Luo Binghe had already gone mad. Even Luo Binghe himself had laughed and admitted that he had gone mad.

In the original work, after struggling for several million words, the Xin Mo sword that had been suppressed by Luo Binghe in the end actually gained the upper hand here, and it had corroded Luo Binghe’s rationality.

This wasn’t caused by one or two factors, but more so a gradual accumulation of things, before it finally exploded completely. There had been many signs before this, but Shen Qingqiu had never noticed.

Or rather, he had never known that Luo Binghe actually felt so insecure beneath the surface to the point that he felt inferior.

First, he thought of Luo Binghe as too evil, but after that, he had thought of Luo Binghe as too bright and strong. When he looked back, there were initially signs of the Xin Mo sword beginning to corrode Luo Binghe’s rationality all the way back from Zhao Hua Temple.

Luo Binghe, who had just heard his own background, received a great shock. It was the moment when he was the most frightened, and he had reached out towards Shen Qingqiu, begging Shen Qingqiu to leave with him.

But he hadn’t taken Luo Binghe’s hand. Instead, he told Luo Binghe to leave by himself first. At that time, Luo Binghe’s mind started to become extremely unstable. What he needed wasn’t to withdraw safely, but to be with Shen Qingqiu. Even if he ended up being trapped at Zhao Hua Temple, unable to escape; even if he was attacked by everyone at the scene, it was still better than telling him to leave by himself!

For Luo Binghe, whose mind was in that sort of state, it was the same as “abandonment.”

It was like a repetition of how Su Xiyan had taken the poison that was deadly to him back then.

Just as Luo Binghe had said, he wasn’t forcing someone to pick a side. Because Luo Binghe firmly believed from deep in his bones that he knew the answer: in the end, there would be a day that Shen Qingqiu would abandon him.

His entire mind was filled with a near paranoiac fear and anxiety towards things that hadn’t happened. How had he not gone completely crazy?

Yue Qingyuan’s footsteps grew weaker and weaker, and he almost couldn’t even stand anymore.

Shen Qingqiu had never seen this Sect Master be weakened to this degree. Yue Qingyuan had always been calm and powerful. Even though he didn’t talk much and wasn’t aggressive, he was gentle and kind, and also extremely dependable with no loss to his dignity.

Now, not only was it difficult for him to even walk, he uncharacteristically had a lot to say. He most likely really did feel like he couldn’t hold on for much longer.

Shen Qingqiu was basically dragging him forward. As he walked, he said, “Zhangmen-shixiong, bear it, you must not faint. Everything will be okay very soon.”

Yue Qingyuan laughed bitterly. “During all these years, you’ve never mentioned the past. You’ve only ever called me Zhangmen-shixiong. Have you made up your mind never to say Qi-ge5again?”

The muscles in the hand that Shen Qingqiu was gripping the sword with gradually tightened. Yue Qingyuan wanted to hear Shen Jiu6 say Qi-ge. But, he wasn’t Shen Jiu!

He polished the original Shen Qingqiu’s cold and hateful energy, and he refused resolutely. “I won’t.”

He couldn’t raise a death flag! Judging from the TV shows and novels, those characters who had their final wishes fulfilled and finished saying their last words would always be satisfied and immediately keel over. Shen Qingqiu said harshly, “I didn’t hear anything you said just then. Bear it, until we get down!”

Yue Qingyuan closed his eyes and sighed. “Xiao Jiu ah...”

Don’t say it.

He didn’t dare imagine just what kind of expression Yue Qingyuan wore in the original work after Luo Binghe cut off “Shen Qingqiu’s” legs and sent them to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect in a gilded box. Even though he clearly knew that it was a futile effort, he still stepped into Luo Binghe’s trap honorably without looking back, up until ten thousand arrows pierced his body.

The loyalty of a lifetime unexpectedly had to be repaid by so many things.

Yue Qingyuan didn’t even have time to tell “Shen Qingqiu”━who was filled with resentment and had helped Luo Binghe lure him into the trap just to scrape for one more moment to live━the reason why he hadn’t been able to go back and rescue him that year.

Why didn’t he say it sooner?

Just like him and Luo Binghe, it was the same. Why didn’t he say it sooner?

If he hadn’t guessed and assumed so much from the very start, Luo Binghe perhaps would have never blackened from beginning to end. He would’ve been that cute and bashful disciple for the rest of his life at Qing Jing Peak.

Even if Shen Qingqiu took ten thousand steps back and had no choice back then but to push Luo Binghe down into the Endless Abyss, he completely could have achieved his goal using a different method. He wouldn’t even have had to waste any time thinking about it. Only now did Shen Qingqiu realize that, if he had wanted Luo Binghe to go down, he very likely would’ve only needed to say a single word and Luo Binghe would’ve obediently gone down.

Shen Qingqiu had never once thought of this possibility. He didn’t believe that someone would be so stupid, that Luo Binghe would be so obedient.

But in reality, he really was that stupid, that obedient.

After many twists and turns, they took quite a few detours and went around in a big circle, and he looked around at a loss. He didn’t know where they were, and he could only feel regret and deep hurt, sighing ‘if only I had known sooner.’

But in this world, there was no such thing.

After walking through this cave, two figures covered with dust suddenly appeared in front of them.

The moment he saw those two round, shiny bald heads, Shen Qingqiu blurted out, “Great Master Wu Chen. Great Master Wu Wang.”

The short and small monk carrying the big and tall monk was precisely Great Master Wu Chen. He had lost one of his wooden fake legs, and it was hard to walk with one leg. Nor could he free his hands to clasp them together in prayer. Not willing to be impolite, he repeated a few more ‘Amitabha’s. “Amitabha, Peak Lord Shen, finally I found you. What happened to Sect Master Yue?”

After Yue Qingyuan closed his eyes, he leaned against Shen Qingqiu’s body heavily. Shen Qingqiu said, “Zhangmen-shixiong... smashed his head against a rock. What about Great Master Wu Wang?”

Wu Chen said, “He was injured by that Tianlang-Jun’s demonic energy and hasn’t awakened yet. The cavern collapsed, and those few from the demon race have all disappeared completely.”

Shen Qingqiu drew Xiu Ya and handed it to him. “Great Master, may I please request of you to first take my shixiong and Great Master Wu Wang and leave Maigu Ridge on a flying sword?”

Wu Chen, “What about Peak Lord Shen?”

Shen Qingqiu said succinctly, “My disciple, I will take care of him.”

Great Master Wu Chen said solemnly, “If Peak Lord Shen is willing to face him calmly, then that would be ideal.”

Shen Qingqiu, “I’m ashamed. But I hope that I can resolve this matter before it creates irrevocable consequences. I will entrust Zhangmen-shixiong to Great Master then. If you can, please hand him over to Mu-shidi of Qian Cao Peak as fast as possible once you go down. I am extremely thankful.”

Wu Chen put down Wu Wang and took Xiu Ya. He bowed properly before he said suddenly, “Xin Mo rose all because of an obsession.”

Shen Qingqiu was startled. “Does Great Master want to say that if I wish to get rid of Xin Mo, I must break the obsession?”

But Wu Chen shook his head. “If it can be broken, then that would not be an obsession.”

“That’s also as I thought.” Shen Qingqiu returned the bow and turned.

Who told him to be Luo Binghe’s obsession?