Chapter 106: Hatred (Part Nine)

Lan XiChen, “What letter?”

Jin GuangYao, “A threatening letter. The letter said… that these things would be made public for the world to see in seven days. They wanted me to turn myself in and apologize, or… wait for my death.”

Everyone understood. Of course, Jin GuangYao couldn’t just wait for his death. Rather than have his name ruined and his sect to be overthrown by the ridicule of all the sects, he would be the one to strike first. At that time, even if the opponents really did spread rumors of his past deeds everywhere, after the siege, the sects would run out of energy to bother him.

Unfortunately, everything was ruined by Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi.

Lan XiChen, “Even so, you can’t completely decide to kill! Like this, you…”

He didn’t even give Lan XiChen a reason to defend him! Jin GuangYao, “Otherwise, what could I have done? Wait until everything was revealed, wait until rumors spread throughout the city, wait until I became the laughingstock of the entire cultivation world before I knelt down and apologized, begging for mercy by placing my face beneath their feet for them to step on? Brother! There’s no third way. It’s either their death or mine.”

Anger began to appear on Lan XiChen’s face. He stepped back, “Isn’t this all because of you… because you did the things written in that letter?! If you never did those things, how could anyone find evidence against you?”

Jin GuangYao, “Brother, listen to me. I don’t deny that I did those things…”

Lan XiChen, “How can you deny it? There are witnesses and evidence!”

Jin GuangYao, “So I said I don’t deny it! But I killed my father, my wife, my son, my brother—if it wasn’t because I had no other choice, why would I do all that? Could it be that I’ve really gone mad in your eyes?!”

Lan XiChen’s expression calmed slightly, “Alright. I’ll ask you a few questions. You can explain them one by one.”

Lan WangJi, “Brother!”

He drew Bichen. Seeing that Bichen seemed ready to finish Jin GuangYao off right there, Lan XiChen hurried over, “Don’t worry. He’s injured, and his weapon was confiscated. He’s at a huge disadvantage. With so many people here, he can’t do anything.” On the other side, Wei WuXian kicked Su She, stopping his intention of making a move. Lan XiChen, “Take care of things over there. I’ll stay here.”

Hearing Su She’s angry roar, Lan WangJi approached him. Wei WuXian knew that Lan XiChen still had feelings for his sworn brother. He had some unexplained expectations of him and had to give him a chance to speak. Wei WuXian also wanted to hear a few words from Jin GuangYao’s perspective, so he listened. Lan XiChen, “First, your father, Former Sect Leader Jin, did you really use such a method to…”

Jin GuangYao spoke carefully, “I want to answer this question last.”

Lan XiChen shook his head before continuing, “Secondly, your wife…” As if he couldn’t say it, he immediately changed his sentence, “Your sister, Qin Su, did you really marry her even though you knew what blood relationship you had with her?”

Jin GuangYao stared at him blankly. Suddenly, tears welled up in his eyes. He answered sadly, “…Yes.” Lan XiChen took a deep breath. His face was almost ashen. Jin GuangYao whispered, “But I really had no choice.”

Lan XiChen scolded, “How could you not have a choice?! It’s your marriage! Wouldn’t it be fine as long as you choose not to marry her? Even if you hurt Qin Su’s feelings for her, it would be better than destroying a woman who loves and respects you with all her heart. A woman who has never treated you badly!”

Jin GuangYao, “Didn’t I love her with all my heart?! But I had no choice, that’s all! Yes! It was my wedding, but couldn’t I have married her with just my word?! Brother, there must be a silver lining to your naivety—I’ve worked so hard, so hard to get Qin CangYe to accept my proposal, and on the eve of the wedding, I finally managed to satisfy both Qin CangYe and Jin GuangShan, but now you’re saying I should have just called off the wedding? What excuse should I have used? What should I have told them both?!

“Brother, do you know how I felt when Mrs. Qin came to me to secretly reveal the truth, just when I thought everything was perfect?! I wouldn’t have been more afraid if a bolt of lightning sliced ​​through my skull! Do you know why she didn’t go to Jin GuangShan and instead begged me secretly? It was because she was raped by Jin GuangShan! That good father of mine, he wouldn’t even let his subordinate’s wife, who had been with him for so long, go. He didn’t even remember he had a new daughter! For so many years, she didn’t dare tell her husband, Qin CangYe. If I suddenly broke off the engagement, they would realize what was going on, and Jin GuangShan and Qin CangYe would fall out with each other. Who do you think would be shunned by both sides and meet the worst end?!”

Even though this wasn’t the first time they’d heard of Jin GuangShan’s shameless actions in this world, the people present still felt a tinge of disgust, unsure which emotion was greater. Lan XiChen, “Then… Then even though you married Qin Su without a choice, you could still treat her coldly. Why did you… And why did you have to kill your own son with your own hands, after A-Song was born?!”

Jin GuangYao held his head, his voice bitter, “… I never touched A-Su again after our marriage. A-Song… we already had him before we got married. Back then, I was afraid of further delays and additional trouble…”

So, he and Qin Su were already married. If not for this, he wouldn’t have ended up committing incest with his younger sister. At that time, he didn’t know who to hate—his father, who wasn’t like a father at all, or himself, who was so suspicious of others!

Sighing, Lan XiChen continued, “Third, don’t try to avoid it and answer me—did you deliberately plot Jin ZiXuan’s death?!”

Hearing his father’s name, Jin Ling, who had been carrying Jiang Cheng, widened his eyes.

Lan WangJi raised his voice slightly, “Brother, do you believe him?”

Lan XiChen’s expression was complicated, “Of course I don’t believe Jin ZiXuan was involved in the attack on Qiongqi Pass by accident, but… let him speak first.”

Jin GuangYao knew he wouldn’t be believed if he denied it no matter what. He gritted his teeth, “…I didn’t meet Jin ZiXuan by chance.”

Jin Ling immediately clenched his fists.

Jin GuangYao continued, “But I also never thought about planning everything that happened afterward. You don’t have to think of me as so clever and infallible. Many things are completely out of my control. How could I have known that he would definitely die at Wei WuXian’s hands along with Jin ZiXun? How could I have predicted that Wei WuXian would definitely lose control and that the Ghost General would definitely go berserk?”

Wei WuXian’s voice was hoarse, “And you said you met him by chance? Isn’t that self-contradictory?!”

Jin GuangYao, “I don’t deny that I intentionally told him about the attack on Qiongqi Pass, but I just thought he would face some difficulties if he met you while you were being bullied by his cousin, since he’s never been on good terms with you. How was I supposed to know you’d kill everyone present, Mr. Wei?”

Wei WuXian laughed, angry, “You really…”

Suddenly, Jin Ling shouted, “Why?!” He stood up from Jiang Cheng’s side. With red eyes, he rushed towards Jin GuangYao, shouting, “Why did you have to do this?!”

Nie HuaiSang rushed to pull Jin Ling, who looked like he was about to fight with Jin GuangYao. Jin GuangYao returned the question, “Why?” He turned to Jin Ling, “A-Ling, can you tell me why? Why is it that even if I face everyone with a smile, I might not receive the slightest respect, while even though your father is so arrogant, people flock to him? Can you tell me why we were born of the same parent but your father can relax at home with the love of his life playing with his child, while I never even dare to be alone for long with my wife, shivering in fear at the first sight of my son? And I was ordered to do such a thing by my father as if it were natural—to kill an extremely dangerous figure who could go on a rampage and conjure a bloody massacre with his corpse at any moment!”

“Why is it that even though we were born on the same day, Jin GuangShan could throw a grand feast for a son, and witness with his own eyes how his subordinates kicked the other son off the Koi Tower, from the first step to the last!”

He finally revealed the hatred he’d been harboring deep within him. It wasn’t directed at Jin ZiXuan or Wei WuXian, but at his own father.

Wei WuXian, “Stop making excuses! Kill whoever you want—why touch Jin ZiXuan?!”

Jin GuangYao replied calmly, “As you can see, I killed them all.”

Lan XiChen, “And even in such a way.”

Tears welled up in the corners of Jin GuangYao’s eyes. He knelt on the ground, his back straight, and he smiled. “Yes. An old stallion who always gets into bad habits wherever he goes really deserves to die like that, doesn’t he?”

Lan XiChen berteriak, “A-Yao!”

Only after the words came out did he remember that he had already unilaterally severed ties with Jin GuangYao, so he shouldn’t have called him that. However, Jin GuangYao seemed as if he hadn’t noticed, his expression collected, “Big Brother, don’t be surprised that I can call him such a dirty name. Toward this father of mine, I once had hope too. In the past, as long as it was his order, whether it was betraying Sect Leader Wen or protecting Xue Yang or eliminating anyone who disagreed, no matter how stupid it was, no matter how hated I was, I would obey without a care. But do you know what made me lose hope completely? I’ll answer your first question now. It’s not that I’ll never be worth a single hair of Jin ZiXuan’s or one of Jin ZiXun’s holes, it’s not that he took back Mo XuanYu, it’s not that he tried every possible way to make me a mere puppet. That was the truth he once told the maid beside me when he went out to indulge himself again.

Why wouldn’t a cult leader who spends money like water do a little good and buy my mother’s freedom? It’s simple—it’s too much trouble. My mother waited for years, weaving together so many difficult situations when she spoke to me, imagining so many hardships for her own sake. And the real reason is simply one word: trouble.

She said, ‘Especially women who have read a few books, they feel they are a level above other women. They are the most troublesome, with so many demands and unrealistic thoughts. If I buy her freedom and bring her back to Lanling, who knows how much of a fuss she will make. I might as well just let her stay where she is. With her condition, she might be popular for a few more years. She won’t have to worry about her expenses for the rest of her life.’

“’Son? Oh, forget it.’”

Jin GuangYao’s memory was truly extraordinary. With such word-for-word repetition, one could even imagine Jin GuangShan’s intoxicated expression as he uttered these words, “Big Brother, look, these three words alone are enough for me in my father’s eyes, ‘Oh, forget it.’ Hahahaha…”

Pain flashed across Lan XiChen’s face, “Even if your father… you…” He still couldn’t find the right comment and gave up, sighing instead, “What’s the point of saying all this now?”

Jin GuangYao shrugged with a smile, “I can’t help it. Seeking pity even after doing all the bad things—that’s just how I am.”

Upon hearing the word ‘pity’, he suddenly flipped his wrist. A red guqin string wrapped around Jin Ling’s neck.

Tears still hung in the corners of Jin GuangYao’s eyes as he spoke, his voice low, “Don’t move!”

This was truly shocking. Jiang Cheng roared, “Wei WuXian! Didn’t you already confiscate his weapon?!”

In such a situation, he somehow immediately shouted at Wei WuXian, his voice the same as when he was a child. Wei WuXian shouted, “I’ve confiscated all the strings!”

There’s no way Jin GuangYao’s cultivation is so high that he can create something out of thin air, right?!

Lan WangJi glanced at it, “He hid it inside his body.”

The others followed his words and saw a red mass slowly growing on the white cloth around Jin GuangYao’s waist. The thread was red because it was stained with blood. Of course, Wei WuXian hadn’t been able to spot it before. Jin GuangYao hadn’t hidden it, but rather concealed it within his body. With that conversation, Lan XiChen’s emotions were affected while everyone else’s attention was also diverted, and Jin Ling even rushed over to him. The time had come, and he surprised everyone by swiftly poking his abdomen with his finger to remove it from his body.

Who would have thought that Jin GuangYao would do such a thing to himself in order to maintain such a movement? Even though the rope was as thin as it could be, it was still a piece of metal swimming in his flesh and blood, so the feeling definitely wouldn’t be pleasant.

Jiang Cheng shouted, “A-Ling!” Wei WuXian couldn’t help but move, but someone suddenly grabbed him. When he turned around and saw that it was Lan WangJi, he finally managed to calm down and remain calm. 

After Jin Ling was under control, Jin GuangYao stood up, “Sect Leader Jiang, there’s no need to be so anxious. After all, I’ve watched A-Ling grow up. Just like before, after we go our separate ways for a while, you’ll see a truly healthy A-Ling someday.”

Jiang Cheng, “A-Ling, don’t move! Jin GuangYao, if you want a hostage, it’s the same with me!”

Jin GuangYao answered honestly, “Not really. Sect Leader Jiang, you’re injured. It’s hard for you to move. You’ll get in my way.”

Wei WuXian felt sweat on his palms, “Sect Leader Jin, did you forget to bring something? Your loyal subordinate is still here.”

Jin GuangYao looked at Su She, who was still being held by Lan WangJi along with Bichen. Su She immediately called out in a hoarse voice, “Sect Leader, you don’t need to care about me!”

Jin GuangYao immediately replied, “Thank you.”

Lan XiChen said slowly, “Sect Leader Jin, you lied again.”

Jin GuangYao, “Just this once. There won’t be another.”

Lan XiChen, “That’s what you said last time. I can’t tell what’s true anymore.”

Just as Jin GuangYao was about to speak, a thunder of unprecedented volume boomed. The sound sounded far off in the distance, but it almost sounded like it was right next to his ear. He shivered and swallowed hard. Immediately after, three strange booming sounds boomed outside the temple doors.

Compared to the act of ‘knocking on the door,’ it felt more like ‘banging on the door.’ The sound wasn’t like clapping, but more like someone grabbing someone’s head and banging it against the door repeatedly. The banging sound grew louder as the crack in the door bolt widened. Jin GuangYao’s expression changed more and more with each passing moment.

On the fourth knock, the door bolt finally snapped. Heavy rain and a pitch-black figure swirled through the door.

Jin GuangYao’s figure trembled, as if he wanted to dodge, but he quickly stopped. The figure didn’t fly toward him, but toward Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi. Calmly, the two separated for a moment before standing side by side again. Turning around, Wei WuXian called out, “Wen Ning?”

Wen Ning bumped into the Guanyin statue inside the temple. With his feet above his head, he dangled for a moment before finally dropping down and replying, “…Young Master.”

Seeing him, Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling’s faces darkened. Meanwhile, Nie HuaiSang shouted, “Big Brother!!!”

Beside Wen Ning, who had flown in, a taller figure stood at the temple door. His figure was stalwart, while two blank eyes stared at his pale face.

Itu adalah ChiFeng-Zun, Nie MingJue!

Like a tower of steel, he stood in front of Guanyin Temple amidst the storm, blocking everyone’s path. His head lay flat on his neck. Tight black stitches were visible around his neck. Somehow, someone had used a long thread to sew his head and headless body together!

Lan XiChen, “… Kakak.”

Jin GuangYao also muttered, “… Big Brother.”

Inside the temple, three people addressed Nie MingJue’s corpse as “Big Brother,” but their tones were completely different. Jin GuangYao’s face was filled with dread. His entire body began to shiver. Whether alive or dead, the person Jin GuangYao feared most was none other than his sworn brother, whose temper was unforgiving. As his body shivered, so did his hands, and the strings of the bloody guqin he held tightly began to tremble. At that moment, Lan WangJi suddenly drew Bichen and slashed at him.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared before Jin Ling, holding something. Jin GuangYao felt his arm lighten. After a brief pause, he looked down and finally realized that his right hand was gone. It had been severed from his forearm. What Lan WangJi held was the palm he had been using to hold the guqin strings.

Instantly, blood splattered everywhere. Jin GuangYao’s face paled in pain. He didn’t even have the energy to scream and simply staggered back a few steps. Unable to support himself, he fell to the ground. Su She, on the other hand, began to scream. Lan XiChen looked like he wanted to help him for a moment, but ultimately didn’t dare.

Lan WangJi opened his severed palm. The guqin strings loosened, and Jin Ling was finally out of danger. Just as Jiang Cheng was about to rush over to check if he was injured, Wei WuXian moved faster than him and grabbed Jin Ling’s shoulders, examining him carefully. After confirming that the skin on his neck was unbroken, without a single scratch, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

In the past, whenever Lan WangJi attacked, he always gave a little leeway. But at that time, the situation was indeed dangerous. The guqin strings were extremely sharp. In the hands of someone who mastered the string killing technique, they could cut through flesh and bone like cutting vegetables. Furthermore, Jin GuangYao’s hands were trembling. If he had trembled even a little more, or, even more frighteningly, if he had forgotten that he still had someone on the strings, and ended up escaping while holding onto the strings… If Lan WangJi hadn’t firmly severed the right hand he was using to hold the strings, blood might have already gushed out from Jin Ling’s severed head and body!

The blood from Jin GuangYao’s broken arm splashed directly onto Jin Ling, soaking half his body and part of his face. He was still confused, not yet realizing what had happened. However, Wei WuXian hugged him tightly, “Next time, stay further away from dangerous people, you brat, why are you so close?!”

If Jiang YanLi and Jin ZiXuan’s only son died before his eyes, Wei WuXian would definitely be at a loss for what to do.

Jin Ling was not used to being hugged like this. His pale face immediately turned red as he pushed Wei WuXian’s chest. Wei WuXian grabbed him and hugged him a few more times, even harder, patting his shoulder hard before pushing him towards Jiang Cheng, “Go! Don’t run around anymore. Go to your uncle!”

Jiang Cheng caught Jin Ling, who was still feeling a little dizzy. Looking at Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi standing side by side, he hesitated for a moment before turning to Lan WangJi, lowering his voice, “Thank you.” Although his voice was low, there was no hesitation. 

Jin Ling also said, “Thank you for saving my life, HanGuang-Jun.”

Lan WangJi nodded wordlessly. Bichen pointed at the ground at an angle. Not a single drop of blood remained on the gleaming crystal blade as it rolled to the ground. He pointed the blade at Nie MingJue, who was standing in the doorway. 

Wen Ning slowly crawled over and touched his broken arm, “Be careful… His vengeful energy is incredibly strong.”