Chapter 49 Deception—Part Four

Wei WuXian was finally able to confirm which scene he was looking at.

At that time, when Nie MingJue received the information, he launched a surprise attack on Yangquan.

Nie MingJue’s attacks were almost always successful. However, whether due to misinformation or just plain luck, no one expected that the attack would lead them to the leader of the QishanWen Sect, Wen RuoHan.

Due to the army’s miscalculation, the QishanWen Sect let go of their passivity. They captured all the cultivators who came and took them to the Nightless City. 

Meng Yao half knelt beside Nie MingJue, “I never thought you would be in such a bad situation.”

Nie MingJue only said two words, “Get lost.”

Meng Yao’s laughter contained a hint of pity, “Do you still think you’re the king of Hejian? Look closely—this is the Palace of the Sun.”

One of the cultivators on the side spat, “Sun Palace? That’s just a den of Wen’s dogs!”

Meng Yao’s expression changed and he drew his sword.

A line of blood flowed from the cultivator’s neck. He died without a sound. The people of his sect wailed, screamed, and fell to the ground. Nie MingJue was furious, “You!”

Another cultivator roared, “You Wen-dog! If you’re so confident, why don’t you kill me too?”

Meng Yao didn’t even raise an eyebrow. With another wave of his hand, blood gushed from the cultivator’s throat. Meng Yao smiled, “Sure.”

With a sword in his hand, he stood in a pool of blood, the bodies of two white-robed cultivators at his feet. He asked, still smiling, “Anyone want to talk?”

Nie MingJue replied coldly, “Wen-dog.”

He knew that only death awaited him now that he was in Wen RuoHan’s hands, which was why he feared nothing. If Wei WuXian were in his situation, he would also curse as loudly as he wanted before doing anything—he would die no matter what. However, Meng Yao only smiled, not the slightest bit angry. With a flick of his finger, one of the Wen Sect cultivators knelt down. With both hands above his head, he placed a long box in front of Meng Yao’s hands. 

Meng Yao opened the box and took out an object, “Sect Leader Nie, why don’t you see what this is?”

It was Nie MingJue’s sword, Baxia!

Nie MingJue was furious, “Get lost right now!”

However, Meng Yao had already taken out Baxia and held it in his hand. “Sect Leader Nie, Baxia has already been in my hands several times before. Don’t you think it’s too late for you to be angry now?”

Nie MingJue said one word at a time, “Take your hand away!”

As if deliberately trying to provoke his anger, Meng Yao weighed the sword in his hand and commented, “Sect Leader Nie, your sword, in my opinion, can be considered a high-grade spiritual weapon. However, compared to the sword of your father, the previous Sect Leader Nie, it is still a bit lacking. Guess how many times Sect Leader Wen had to slap it before it broke this time?”

In a split second, all the blood in Nie MingJue’s body rushed to his head. Wei WuXian’s scalp also went numb from the sudden anger. He commented inwardly, ”  What a brutal man.”

The thing in Nie MingJue’s life that he hated and regretted the most was his father’s death.

Back then, when Nie MingJue was still a teenager and the leader of the QingheNie Sect was his father, someone gifted Wen RuoHan a rare sword. Wen RuoHan was delighted for several days. He asked the visiting cultivators—  what do you think of this sword of mine?

He was always unpredictable, laughing one second, then being rude the next. Naturally, everyone flattered him to their heart’s content, praising how no sword in history could compare to this one. Unfortunately, one of the guests either held a grudge against the previous Sect Leader Nie or wanted to retaliate with a unique and attention-grabbing retort. He said—  of course your sword is unrivaled, but, you know, I’m afraid there are certain people who disagree.

So, Wen RuoHan was not happy anymore. He asked who that person was. The guest replied—  of course the leader of the QingheNie Sect, a sect famous for its sword cultivation; he was very arrogant, always boasting about how his beloved sword was unparalleled, and even in a hundred years no sword could match it. No matter how great a person’s sword was, he would definitely not admit it, and even if he admitted it out loud, he would not admit it in his heart.

Wen RuoHan laughed after hearing that—  are you sure? Okay, I want to see. 

So, he immediately summoned the former Qinghe Sect Master, Nie. Holding the sword, Wen Ruohan examined it for a moment, then replied with only one sentence—  yes, the sword was indeed good. 

He swung his sword a few times, and told Sect Leader Nie to take it back.

At that time, everything seemed normal. The previous Sect Leader, Nie, was also confused. He was simply annoyed by the bossy attitude. However, during a night hunt a few days after his return, while fighting a wild beast, his sword suddenly broke into pieces. He was then severely injured by the beast’s horn.

Nie MingJue, who was out night hunting with his father, saw the scene with his own eyes.

After Sect Leader Nie was brought back, he couldn’t reconcile himself to such an event no matter what, and his wounds never healed. After being ill for half a year, he finally left this world, whether due to anger or illness. The reason why Nie MingJue, along with the entire QingheNie Sect, hated the QishanWen Sect so intensely was because of this. 

Now, right in front of Wen Ruohan, Meng Yao held up his sword and once again told the story of his father and his father’s broken sword. How cruel!

With a single strike from Nie MingJue, Meng Yao staggered backward and coughed up blood. Seeing this, the figure on the jade chair moved forward, as if trying to make a move. Meng Yao immediately rose and kicked Nie MingJue in the chest. Nie MingJue’s previous attack had already been beyond his reach. He fell to the ground, finally unable to hold back the boiling blood that welled up in his chest. 

Wei WuXian, on the other hand, was shocked and speechless.

There were so many versions of the rumor, but he never expected that there was an amazing detail about LianFang-Zun kicking ChiFeng-Zun!

With great force, Meng Yao stomped his foot on Nie MingJue’s chest, “How dare you act like that in front of Sect Leader Wen’s eyes!”

As he spoke, he thrust his sword downwards. Nie MingJue slapped Meng Yao’s sword with his palm, causing it to shatter into pieces. Meng Yao fell to the ground. Just as Nie MingJue was about to strike the crown of Meng Yao’s head, he felt his body being pulled in another direction by an unusual force.

This direction was where Wen RuoHan was sitting. At high speed, Nie MingJue’s body dragged a nine-meter-long line of blood across the jet stone tiles. The line continued to stretch.

Nie MingJue grabbed one of the kneeling Wen Sect disciples and threw him towards the jade chair. With a splat, crimson blood sprayed into the air as if a watermelon had been blown to pieces, splattering the flesh onto the ground. Wen RuoHan had cracked the disciple’s head with an air strike. However, this still saved Nie MingJue some time. His rage had allowed his strength to surge suddenly. With a leap, he formed a hand seal, and Baxia flew straight towards him. 

Meng Yao shouted, “Sect Leader, watch out!”

A voice laughed out loud, “Let it be!”

His voice sounded young. Wei WuXian wasn’t surprised at all. Wen RuoHan’s cultivation was extremely high, so naturally, his physical body was also perfectly preserved. As soon as Nie MingJue’s hand gripped the Baxia Sword’s hilt, he slashed it forward. The dozens of Wen Sect cultivators who had come to surround him were sliced ​​in half!

Countless disfigured corpses lay scattered across the coal-colored tiles. Suddenly, Wei WuXian felt a shiver run down his spine.

In the blink of an eye, a figure appeared behind him. Nie MingJue slashed out fiercely, his spiritual power shattering a section of the ground, but it didn’t hit anything. However, his chest felt as if it had taken a heavy blow. He crashed into one of the golden pillars in the palace, spitting out warm blood. Blood also trickled down his forehead, continuing to blur his vision. Sensing someone approaching, he waved his hand to attack again. This time, a fist slammed into his chest. His entire body sank several degrees into the tiled ground!

Wei WuXian’s senses were connected to Nie MingJue’s. As he was beaten, he was secretly shocked.

Wen RuoHan’s abilities are truly extraordinary!

Wei WuXian had never directly dueled Nie MingJue, so he didn’t know who would win or lose. However, from his observations, Nie MingJue’s cultivation level could be said to be in the top three among all the people he had ever seen. Yet, despite that, he was still completely powerless before Wen RuoHan! And, even if he were here himself, he wouldn’t dare say that his injuries would be lighter than Nie MingJue’s…

Wei RuoHan stepped onto Nie MingJue’s chest. Wei WuXian’s vision began to darken. The taste of blood continued to creep up his throat. 

Meng Yao’s voice approached, “Your subordinates are useless in needing your presence, Sect Leader.”

Wen RuoHan laughed, “You are useless.”

Meng Yao laughed along. Wen Ruohan asked, “He killed Wen Xu?”

Meng Yao, “That’s right. That’s it. Sect Leader, are you going to kill your enemy now, or drag him to the Fire Palace? My personal suggestion is to take him to the Fire Palace.”

The “Fire Palace” was Wen RuoHan’s playground. It was there that he collected thousands of torture devices to torture people. This meant that Meng Yao wasn’t willing to let him die so easily. Meng Yao wanted to take him to Wen RuoHan’s torture chamber and use the tools he had made himself to torture him until he finally died.

Hearing the two of them joking around, discussing how to deal with him, Nie MingJue felt a blazing fire burning in the boiling blood in his chest. Wen RuoHan replied, “Why bother with someone who’s already half-dead?”

Meng Yao, “Well, that’s not how it works. With Sect Leader Nie’s sturdy physique, he’ll probably be great and mighty again after just a few days of rest.”

Wen RuoHan, “Do as you please.”

Meng Yao, “Ya.”

However, as he responded, a cold light, very thin, flashed and crossed.

Wen RuoHan suddenly fell silent.

Drops of warm blood splashed onto Nie MingJue’s face. He seemed to sense something and tried to look up to see what was happening. However, due to his severe injuries, his head dropped to the ground. Finally, he closed his eyes.

Wei WuXian didn’t know how long it had been before he finally felt a ray of light in his vision. Nie MingJue slowly opened his eyes.

As soon as he woke up, he found one of his arms slung over Meng Yao’s shoulder. Meng Yao managed to move forward, half carrying him, half dragging him.

Meng Yao, “Sect Leader Nie?”

Nie MingJue, “Wen RuoHan telah meninggal?”

Meng Yao looked unsteady. He answered in a trembling voice, “He’s probably… dead.”

He also carried something in his hand.

Nie MingJue spoke in a low tone, “Give me the sword.”

Wei WuXian couldn’t see Meng Yao’s expression. He could only hear a sad smile in his voice, “Sect Leader Nie, at a time like this, please don’t keep thinking about slashing me with your sword…”

Nie MingJue paused for a moment. After refocusing his strength, he grabbed the sword. Although Meng Yao was agile, his pure strength was capable of overpowering all skills. After grabbing the sword, he immediately leaped to the side, “Sect Leader Nie, you’re still injured.”

With a sword in his hand, Nie MingJue said coldly, “You killed them.”

The cultivators who were held captive with Nie MingJue.

Meng Yao, “Sect Leader Nie, you should understand. In such a situation… I had no choice.”

What Nie MingJue hated most were irresponsible words. Furious, he charged with his sword, “You have no choice? Whether you do it or not is up to you, and so is whether you kill them or not!”

Meng Yao shied away, protesting, “Is this really up to me? Sect Leader Nie, if we think from each other’s perspective…”

Nie MingJue knew what he was trying to say. He interrupted, “We won’t!”

Meng Yao also seemed exhausted. He tried to dodge the attacks, but his feet nearly slipped, demonstrating the predicament he was in. After a few moments of catching his breath, he felt like he was finally going to explode. He suddenly shouted, “ChiFeng-Zun!!! Don’t you understand that if I hadn’t killed them, you would have been the one dead then?!”

This was essentially the same as saying, ‘I saved your life, so you shouldn’t kill me, otherwise it would be considered immoral.’ However, Jin GuangYao truly deserved his reputation. The meaning was the same, but the words were different, and he managed to create a sense of controlled frustration and suppressed grief. As he had expected, Nie MingJue’s movements halted. The veins on his forehead bulged. 

After a moment of silence, he clenched the hilt of his sword and shouted, “Fine! I’ll kill myself after killing you!”

Meng Yao had shrunk back from his previous outburst. Seeing Baxia slash at him, he immediately ran, terrified. Of the two, one attacked madly, while the other fled madly. Both staggered, still covered in blood. In such a comical situation, as Wei WuXian slashed at the soon-to-be Chief Cultivator, he laughed out loud inside. He thought, if it weren’t for Nie MingJue’s severe injuries and lack of spiritual power, Meng Yao would probably have died. 

In the midst of all the action, a surprised voice suddenly called out, “MingJue-xiong!”

A figure in a pure white robe shot out of the forest. Meng Yao looked as if she had just seen a god from heaven. She immediately rushed over and hid behind the person’s back, “ZeWu-Jun!!! ZeWu-Jun!!!”

Nie MingJue was furious. He didn’t even have time to ask why Lan XiChen was there, he shouted, “XiChen, get out of my way!”

Baxia’s attack was so threatening that Shuoyue was forced to draw his sword. Lan XiChen stopped him, half to support himself and half to block his attack, “MingJue-xiong, calm down! Why bother?”

Nie MingJue, “Why didn’t you ask what he was doing?!”

Lan XiChen turned to look at Meng Yao, his face filled with fear. He stammered, as if he didn’t dare to speak. Nie MingJue, “Back then, after you escaped from Langya, I was wondering why I couldn’t find you no matter what! So you became a subordinate of the Wen Dogs and sided with the tyrants of Nightless City!”

Lan XiChen, “MingJue-xiong.”

He rarely interrupted others. Nie MingJue hesitated. Lan XiChen continued, “Do you know who gave you the QishanWen Sect’s tactical formation map some time ago?”

Nie MingJue, “Kamu.”

Lan XiChen, “I was the one who delivered it. Do you know who the source of all that information is?”

In such a situation, it wasn’t hard to understand what he meant. Nie MingJue glanced at Meng Yao, who was standing behind him with his head lowered. His eyebrows twitched uncontrollably, as if he couldn’t believe what had just happened.

Lan XiChen, “There’s no need to hesitate. Today, I came here to help you only after he contacted me. Otherwise, how could I have just appeared here?”

Nie MingJue couldn’t say anything.

Lan XiChen added, “After the incident at Langya, A-Yao felt remorse, but she was afraid to meet you. She could only sneak into the QishanWen Sect and get close to Wen RuoHan, then secretly write to me. At first, I didn’t know who sent those letters either. I only realized who it was after finding some clues through a coincidence or two.”

He turned to Meng Yao, then lowered his voice, “Didn’t you tell MingJue-xiong about this?”

“…”

Holding the wound on his arm, Meng Yao smiled faintly, “ZeWu-Jun, you saw it too. Even if I told you, Sect Leader Nie wouldn’t believe me.”

Nie MingJue remained silent, while Baxia and Shuoyue continued. Meng Yao glanced briefly at the sharp glare of the clashing sword and saber, his gaze filled with fear. However, after a moment, he still stepped forward. He knelt before Nie MingJue.

Lan XiChen, “Meng Yao?”

Meng Yao whispered, “Sect Leader Nie, in the Sun Palace, although in order to gain Wen RuoHan’s trust, I did hurt you and said inappropriate things. I deliberately poked at your scar, knowing that Sect Leader Nie had hurt you deeply before… Although I had no other choice, I still sincerely apologize.”

Nie MingJue, “The one you should be bowing to is not me, but the cultivators you killed with your own hands.”

Meng Yao, “Wen RuoHan has a cruel character. Whenever someone disobeys him, he acts like he’s crazy. Since I pretended to be someone he could trust, how could I just stand by and watch others humiliate him? So…”

Nie MingJue, “Good. It seems like you’ve been doing these things for a long time.”

Meng Yao sighed, “I was in Qishan.”

Lan XiChen also sighed, his attacks continuing, “MingJue-xiong, he’s undercover in Qishan, and sometimes there are some things that are… inevitable. While he was doing all this, in his heart he was also…”

In his heart, Wei WuXian shook his head,  ZeWu-Jun, he was still… too good, too pure.

However, after thinking it over, he concluded that he was so wary of Jin GuangYao because he already knew about these suspicions, whereas the Meng Yao in front of Lan XiChen was someone who had no choice but to endure the humiliation alone. The two had different perspectives, so how could their feelings be compared?

A moment later, Nie MingJue still had his sword raised. Lan XiChen, “MingJue-xiong!”

Meng Yao closed his eyes. Lan XiChen also tightened his embrace on Shuoyue, “I’m sorry…”

Before he could finish his sentence, the silver light from the sword blade slashed hard, hitting a large rock beside him.

Meng Yao was startled by the rumbling of a large boulder splitting apart. Turning around, he saw that the boulder had split in two, from top to bottom.

Even in the end, the sword was unable to hit him. Baxia drew his sword. Nie MingJue left without looking back.

Now that Wen RuoHan was dead, even though the remnants of the QishanWen Sect still remained, they had no hope left—their defeat was certain.

And the victim Meng Yao who had been undercover in Nightless City for many years became famous immediately after the battle.

Wei WuXian had also felt strange. Ever since Meng Yao betrayed the QingheNie Sect, the relationship between Nie MingJue and him had been different. So why had they become sworn brothers? From his observations, aside from Lan XiChen bringing it up, who had always hoped the two would reconcile, the most important factor was probably his gratitude for saving his life and writing those letters. More precisely, in the previous battles, he had more or less relied on the information Meng Yao had sent him through Lan XiChen. He still considered Jin GuangYao a rare talent and intended to guide him back onto the right path. However, Jin GuangYao was no longer his subordinate. Only after they became sworn brothers would he have the status and position to pressure Jin GuangYao, just like how he disciplined his younger brother, Nie HuaiSang.

After the Sunshot Campaign ended, the LanlingJin Sect held a flower feast that lasted for days, inviting countless cultivators, countless sects to come and celebrate together.

At Koi Tower, people came and went. Before Nie MingJue, who stood tall, the crowd parted repeatedly, both sides nodding respectfully to him, calling him “ChiFeng-Zun.” Wei WuXian thought,  This kind of extravagant display of grandeur would even reach the heavens. All these people fear and respect Nie MingJue at the same time. There are quite a few who fear me, though not many who respect me.

Jin GuangYao stood right at the foot of the palace. Now Nie MingJue and Lan XiChen’s sworn brother, and accepted into the clan, he had painted a bright red mark between his eyebrows and was dressed in the gold-trimmed white robes of Sparks Amidst Snow. Wearing a gauze hat, he was almost unrecognizable. As handsome as ever, his intelligence remained the same, but his aura was calmer than before.

Beside him, Wei WuXian was surprised to find a familiar figure.

Xue Yang.

At that time, Xue Yang was still quite young. Although he still had a childish appearance, he was already quite tall. He was also wearing the Sparks Amidst Snow robe. Standing beside Jin GuangYao, it was as if a spring breeze was blowing through the willow trees—he was full of youthful talent. They seemed to be discussing something amusing. Jin GuangYao smiled, gesturing with his hand. The two exchanged glances, and Xue Yang burst out laughing. Indifferently, he glanced at the cultivators walking around him. His eyes were filled with contempt, as if they were all walking trash. When he saw Nie MingJue, he didn’t have the fear that the others had. Instead, he grinned, baring his canine teeth. Jin GuangShan noticed that Nie MingJue’s expression was not very enthusiastic. Hastily, he suppressed his smile and whispered something to Xue Yang. Xue Yang waved his hand, then leaped to another area.

Jin GuangYao walked over and spoke in a respectful tone, “Big Brother.”

Nie MingJue, “Who is it?”

After a moment of hesitation, Jin GuangYao answered cautiously, “Xue Yang.”

Nie MingJue mengerutkan kening, “Xue Yang dari Kuizhou?”

Jin GuangYao nodded. Xue Yang had been famous since he was little. Wei WuXian clearly sensed Nie MingJue’s brows furrow even more. He said, “Why are you wasting your time with someone like that?”

Jin GuangYao, “Sekte LanlingJin merekrutnya.”

He didn’t dare protest any further. Using the excuse of attending to the guests, he hurried across. Nie MingJue shook his head and turned around. As he turned, Wei WuXian felt his eyes light up. He felt as if snow had begun to fall from the sky, drifting towards the moonlit hall. Side by side, Lan XiChen and Lan WangJi walked over.

Two Lan jades stood side by side, one wearing a xiao, the other carrying a guqin; one warm and gentle, the other cold and stern. Yet, both were equally stunning, equally serene, completely the same color, yet with different auras. It was no wonder that others would always stare and exclaim at such a sight.

The current Lan WangJi was still a little naive, but the cold expression that kept everyone at a distance remained the same. Wei WuXian’s gaze was fixed on his face, unable to look away no matter what. Whether he could hear him or not, Wei WuXian shouted happily, “Lan Zhan! I missed you so much! Hahahahahahaha!”

Suddenly, a voice spoke, “Sect Leader Nie, Sect Leader Lan.”

Hearing that familiar voice, Wei WuXian’s heart pounded. Nie MingJue turned around again. Jiang Cheng approached, dressed in purple, his hand on his sword.

And the person standing next to Jiang Cheng was none other than Wei WuXian himself.

He saw himself walking with his hands behind his back, dressed entirely in black. An ink-colored flute hung from his waist, dangling from a crimson tassel. Standing side by side with Jiang Cheng, he nodded at Jiang Cheng in a show of respect. With a hint of arrogance, he seemed to be condescending. When Wei WuXian saw his younger self’s demeanor, the roots of his teeth ached. He felt like he was being completely pretentious, and he wanted to beat himself up.

Lan WangJi also saw Wei WuXian, who was standing beside Jiang Cheng. The corner of his eyebrow twitched slightly. Soon, his bright eyes returned to their original position, still staring calmly ahead. Jiang Cheng and Nie MingJue nodded at each other with grim expressions. Neither said anything unnecessary. After a quick greeting, the two of them went their separate ways. Wei WuXian saw himself, dressed in black, glance around when he finally spotted Lan WangJi. He looked as if he was about to speak before Jiang Cheng came and stood beside him. With their heads bowed, they each said something, their expressions solemn. Wei WuXian burst out laughing. Still walking beside Jiang Cheng, he went to another area. The people around them also moved to make room for them.

Wei WuXian thought about it carefully—what exactly were they talking about? At first, he couldn’t remember at all. He only remembered after observing the shape of their mouths through Nie MingJue’s vision. At that time, what he said was, ‘Jiang Cheng, ChiFeng-Zun is much taller than you, haha.’

And what Jiang Cheng said was, “Gest lost. Do you want to die?”

Nie MingJue’s gaze shifted again, “Why didn’t Wei Ying bring his sword?”

Carrying a sword was like wearing formal attire. In such gatherings, carrying a sword was an indispensable sign of etiquette. Those from prominent sects considered it especially important. Lan WangJi replied flatly, “He probably forgot.”

Ning MingJue raised his eyebrows, “He could even forget something like this?”

Lang WangJi, “Nothing unusual.”

Wei WuXian,  Alright, Alright, badmouthing me behind my back. Now I’m caught.

Lan XiChen smiled, “Young Master Wei once said before that he doesn’t bother with excessive formalities. Let alone carrying a sword, even if he doesn’t wear his clothes, what can others do to him? How young.”

Hearing the arrogant words he once uttered from another person’s mouth evoked an indescribable feeling. Wei WuXian felt a little embarrassed, but he couldn’t help it. Suddenly, he heard Lan WangJi mutter softly, “How reckless.”

Her voice was very soft, as if it was directed only at himself. The two words echoed in Wei WuXian’s ears, somehow making his heart race.

Lan XiChen looked at him, “Hmm? Why are you still here?”

Lan WangJi was a little confused. With a straight face, he replied, “Big Brother is here, so of course I’m here too.”

Lan XiChen, “Why haven’t you gone to talk to him? They’ll be leaving soon.”

Wei WuXian found this a bit odd.  Why was ZeWu-Jun bringing this up? Could it be that Lan Zhan wanted to tell him something?

Before he could see Lan WangJi’s reaction, a series of commotions suddenly rang out from the other end of the base. Wei WuXian heard his own furious shout, “Jin ZiXuan! Have you forgotten what you said and what you did? What do you mean by this now?!”

Wei WuXian remembered. So it was this time!

On the other hand, Jin ZiXuan also grumbled, “I’m the one asking Sect Leader Jiang, not you! I’m also asking Miss Jiang. What does that have to do with you?!”

Wei WuXian, “Very good! What is my shijie’s relationship with you? Back then, who was the one whose eyes grew on the back of his head?”

Jin ZiXuan, “Sect Leader Jiang—this is our sect’s flower feast, and this is your sect’s person! Will you guard her or not?!”

Lan XiChen, “Why did they start arguing again?”

Lan WangJi looked over, but his feet remained firmly planted on the ground. A moment later, as if finally determined to do something, he stepped forward. He was about to approach when Jiang Cheng’s voice rang out, “Wei WuXian, you can just shut up. Young Master Jin, I’m sorry. My brother is fine. Thank you for your concern. We can talk about this another time.”

Wei WuXian laughed coldly, “Next time? There’s no next time! Whether he’s good or not is none of his business! Who does he think he is?”

He turned around and was about to leave. Jiang Cheng shouted, “Get back here! Where are you going?”

Wei WuXian waved his hand, “Anywhere is fine! Just don’t let me see his face. I never wanted to come anyway. You can take care of whatever’s here yourself.”

After Wei WuXian left, Jiang Cheng’s face immediately darkened. Jin GuangYao was busy with various matters inside and outside the venue. He greeted all the guests with a smile and handled all matters with an air of demeanor. Seeing that something was amiss, he appeared again, “Young Master Wei, please wait!”

With his hands behind his back, Wei WuXian walked briskly. His face was grim, and he paid no attention to anyone. Lan WangJi stepped toward him, but before he could speak, they both brushed shoulders and separated.

Jin GuangYao couldn’t catch up to Wei WuXian. He stomped his foot on the ground and sighed, “And that’s how it is. Sect Leader Jiang, what should I do?”

Jiang Cheng hid the cloud on his face, “Don’t mind him. Look at how rude he is. He’s used to such rude behavior at home.”

He then started talking to Jin ZiXuan.

Seeing the two of them, Wei WuXian silently sighed. Fortunately, Nie MingJue wasn’t too interested in what was happening there. He quickly averted his gaze, and Wei WuXian couldn’t see them anymore.

The residence of the QingheNie Sect, the Impure Realm—

Nie MingJue was sitting on a mat. A guqin lay horizontally in front of Lan XiChen, as he stroked the strings with his fingers. After the song finished, Jin GuangYao laughed, “Now that I’ve heard your guqin skills, I really want to smash my guqin as soon as I get home.”

Lan XiChen, “Your skills are also considered quite good outside of Gusu. Did your mother teach you?”

Jin GuangYao, “No. I taught myself by observing others. He never taught me anything like that. He only taught me how to read and write, and bought me some expensive swords and cultivation manuals to practice on.”

Lan XiChen looked surprised, “Sword and cultivation manual?”

Jin GuangYao, “Brother, you’ve never seen them, have you? Those little books are sold by ordinary people. They start with messy sketches of human figures, then they have deliberately made-up captions.”

Lan XiChen shook his head with a smile. Jin GuangYao shook his head as well, “It’s all a trick, especially to fool women like my mother and my foolish children. You have nothing to lose by practicing it, but you definitely have nothing to gain either.”

She sighed sadly, “But how did my mother know this? She bought it anyway, no matter how much it cost, saying that when I returned to see my father, I had to do my best to meet him so I wouldn’t miss out. All her money was spent on this.”

Lan XiChen plucked the guqin strings, “You are very talented, having achieved so much just by observing others. If a teacher could give you some advice, you would definitely make rapid progress.”

Jin GuangYao grinned, “Master is right before my eyes, but I don’t dare disturb him.”

Lan XiChen, “Why not? Young Master, please sit down.”

And Jin GuangYao sat in front of him, his back straight and silent. He pretended to be a student humbly listening to advice, “Teacher Lan, what are you going to teach?”

Lan XiChen, “What about the Sound of Lucidity?”

Jin GuangYao’s eyes lit up, but before he could speak, Nie MingJue looked up, “The Voice of Clarity is one of the GusuLan Sect’s exclusive teachings. It should not be leaked.”

However, Lan XiChen didn’t seem to mind. He smiled, “The Sound of Lucidity is different from the Sound of Vanquish in that it’s used to clear the mind. How selfish would I be to withhold such a therapeutic technique? Besides, why would teaching it to our third brother be considered a leak?”

Seeing that his heart was already set, Nie MingJue didn’t say anything else.

One day, upon returning to the main hall of the Impure Realm, he saw about a dozen folding fans, all gold-plated, arranged flat in front of Nie HuaiSang. Nie HuaiSang was gently touching them, muttering as he compared the inscriptions on each fan. Instantly, the veins on Nie MingJue’s forehead bulged, “Nie HuaiSang!”

Nie HuaiSang immediately fell down.

He was completely on his knees in fear. He only staggered to his feet after he finished kneeling, “B-b-b-brother.”

Nie MingJue, “Di mana pedangmu?”

Nie HuaiSang cowered in fear, “In… in my room. No, in the schoolyard. No, let me… think…”

Wei WuXian could feel Nie MingJue almost wanting to hack him to death right then and there, “You carry dozens of fans with you everywhere you go, but you don’t even know where your sword is?!”

Nie HuaiSang rushed over, “I’ll go find him right now!”

Nie MingJue, “No need! Even if you find it, you won’t get anything. Just burn it all!”

Nie HuaiSang’s face immediately paled. He quickly pulled all the fans into his arms, pleading, “No, Brother! These were all given to me!”

Nie MingJue slammed his palm onto the table, causing it to crack. “Who did it? Get them here right now!”

Someone said, “I did it.”

Jin GuangYao entered from outside the hall. Nie HuaiSang looked as if he had seen a knight in shining armor, beaming, “Big Brother, you’re here!”

In truth, it wasn’t Jin GuangYao who could calm Nie MingJue’s anger, but rather, since Jin GuangYao had come, all of Nie MingJue’s anger would be directed at him alone, leaving him no time to scold anyone else. So, there was no harm in calling himself Nie HuaiSang’s knight in shining armor. Nie HuaiSang was overjoyed. He greeted Jin GuangYao repeatedly as he rushed to grab the fan. Seeing his younger brother’s reaction, Nie MingJue was so angry he almost found it funny. He turned to Jin GuangYao, “Don’t send him those useless things!”

In his haste, Nie HuaiSang dropped several fans on the ground. Jin GuangYao picked them up and placed them in his hands. “HuaiSang’s hobbies are quite elegant. He’s dedicated to art and calligraphy, and doesn’t have any mischievous tendencies. How can you say they’re useless?”

Nie HuaiSang nodded as fast as he could, “Yes, Big Brother is right!”

Nie MingJue, “But sect leaders don’t need such things.”

Nie HuaiSang, “But I won’t be the sect leader. You can be the leader, Brother. I won’t do it!”

As his brother’s gaze swept over him, he immediately shut his mouth. Nie MingJue turned to Jin GuangYao, “What did you come here for?”

Jin GuangYao, “Our second brother said he gave you a guqin.”

The guqin was given to him when Lan XiChen came to play the Sound of Clarity for Nie MingJue, to help him calm his emotions. Jin GuangYao continued, “Brother, these past few days, the GusuLan Sect has been at a critical juncture in rebuilding the Cloud Recesses, and you refused, which is why he taught me the Sound of Clarity. I think even though I’m not as skilled as our second brother, I can still help you calm down a bit, Brother.”

Nie MingJue, “Mind your own business.”

However, Nie HuaiSang was a bit interested, “Brother, what song? Can I listen to it? Let me tell you, the limited edition you gave me last time…”

Nie MingJue shouted, “Go back to your room!”

Nie HuaiSang immediately fled, not to his room, but to the living room to retrieve the gift Jin GuangYao had brought. With a few interruptions, Nie MingJue’s anger had almost subsided. He turned to look at Jin GuangYao, whose face looked tired, his Sparks Amidst Snow robe covered in dust. He had probably come straight from the Goldfish Tower. After a pause, Nie MingJue said, “Sit.”

Jin GuangYao nodded lightly and sat down as instructed, “Big Brother, if you’re worried about HuaiSang, a little more gentle words wouldn’t hurt. Why is this?”

Nie MingJue, “Even with a knife at his neck, he remains like this. It seems he will always be a useless person.”

Jin GuangYao, “It’s not that HuaiSang is useless, but his heart is elsewhere.”

Nie MingJue, “You really have found out where his heart is, right?”

Jin GuangYao smiled, “Of course. Isn’t that my specialty? The only person I can’t understand is you, Brother.”

He knew other people’s likes and dislikes so he could find the right solution; he enjoyed running errands and could get twice the work done with half the effort. Because of this, Jin GuangYao could be said to be quite talented at analyzing other people’s interests. Nie MingJue was the only person Jin GuangYao couldn’t extract any useful information from. Wei WuXian had already seen this, when Meng Yao worked under Nie MingJue. Women, liquor, wealth—he didn’t touch any of it; art, calligraphy, antiques—a pile of ink and mud; the finest green tea leaves and dregs from a roadside stall—made no difference. Meng Yao tried everything he could think of but still couldn’t find out if he was interested in anything other than practicing the sword and killing Wen dogs. He was truly a wall made of iron, impenetrable even by the sharpest blade. Hearing his self-mockery in his tone, Nie MingJue was less harsh than he should have been, “Don’t help him develop such an attitude.”

Jin GuangYao smiled slightly, then asked, “Big brother, where is our second brother’s guqin?”

Nie MingJue pointed in the direction of him.

From then on, Jin GuangYao would travel from Lanling to Qinghe every few days, playing the Sound of Clarity to help soothe Nie MingJue’s anger. He tried his hardest, without a single complaint. The Sound of Clarity was indeed effective. Wei WuXian could clearly sense that the hostile energy within Nie MingJue was being suppressed. And, while playing the guqin, the way the two of them conversed and got along even hinted at the peace they had before their conflict. He began to think that perhaps the so-called busyness of rebuilding the Cloud Recesses was just an excuse. Perhaps Lan XiChen simply wanted to give Nie MingJue and Jin GuangYao a chance to ease their tension.

However, just as he was thinking about that, in the next moment, an even stronger anger arose.

Nie MingJue shooed away the two disciples who didn’t dare stop him and went straight into the Blossoming Garden. Lan XiChen and Jin GuangYao were discussing something in the study, their expressions serious. Several blueprints lay on the table before them, covered in colorful notes. Seeing Nie MingJue barge in, Lan XiChen hesitated slightly, “Brother?”

Nie MingJue, “Don’t move.”

He then turned towards Jin GuangYao, speaking in a cold voice, “Get out.”

 Jin GuangYao turned to look at him, then looked at Lan XiChen again, smiling, “Big Brother, can you help me settle this? I have some personal matters I need to discuss with our eldest brother. I’ll have to ask for your explanation later.”

Lan XiChen’s face showed his concern, but Jin GuangYao stopped him, then followed Nie MingJue out of the Blossoming Garden. As they approached the edge of the Goldfish Tower, Nie MingJue placed his palm on it.

The disciples at the side were shocked. Jin GuangYao nimbly dodged the attack. He gestured for them to stay where they were while speaking to Nie MingJue, “Big Brother, why are you so angry? Calm down.”

Nie MingJue, “Di mana Xue Yang?”

Jin GuangYao, “He has been locked up in the dungeon, imprisoned for life…”

Nie MingJue, “What did you say to me back then?”

Jin GuangYao fell silent. Nie MingJue continued, “I wanted him to repay blood with blood, but you imprisoned him for life instead?”

Jin GuangYao answered cautiously, “As long as he accepts his punishment and can’t do any more evil, perhaps paying blood with blood and being imprisoned for life is…”

Nie MingJue, “What a great favor the kind guest cultivator you recommended has done! Things have already come to this, and you still dare to defend him!”

Jin GuangYao protested, “I’m not defending him. I was also shocked by the Changyang Yue Sect incident. How could I have known Xue Yang would kill over fifty people? But my father insisted on detaining him…”

Nie MingJue, “Surprised? Who invited him? Who recommended him? Who respects him so much? Don’t use your father as an excuse. How could you not know what Xue Yang is up to?!”

Jin GuangYao sighed, “Brother, this is my father’s order. I can’t refuse. Now, if you want me to take care of Xue Yang, what should I tell him?”

Nie MingJue, “No need for explanation. Come back to me with Xue Yang’s head in your hands.”

Jin GuangYao wanted to continue speaking, but Nie MingJue had already lost his patience. “Meng Yao, don’t act like you know everything in front of me. This whole thing has long ceased to affect me!”

In a split second, a hint of anxiety flashed across Jin GuangYao’s face, as if someone with an unspeakable illness had suddenly been exposed in public. There was nowhere for him to hide.

He said, “My whole self? Which whole self? Brother, you always scold me for being too calculating and dishonorable. You say you’re arrogant and righteous, that you’re not afraid of anything, and that people without a foundation don’t need to play tricks. That’s fine. Your background is noble and your cultivation is high. But what about me? Am I the same as you? First, my cultivation isn’t as strong as yours. Since I was born, has anyone taught me? And second, I don’t have a prominent background. Do you think I’m in a secure position here in the LanlingJin Sect? Do you think I can rise to power when Jin ZiXuan dies? Jin GuangShan would rather bring back another illegitimate child than have me succeed him! You think I have nothing to fear? Well, I’m afraid of everything, even other people! He whose stomach is full doesn’t trust him who is hungry.”

Nie MingJue replied coldly, “In the end, all you meant was that you didn’t want to kill Xue Yang, you didn’t want your position in the LanlingJin Sect to waver.”

Jin GuangYao, “Of course not!”

He looked up, an unknown fire dancing in his eyes, “But, Brother, I’ve always wanted to ask you something—the lives under your hands are in any case more numerous than those under mine, so why is it that I only killed a few cultivators out of desperation and you keep bringing it up, even now?”

Nie MingJue was so angry that he laughed, “Good! I’ll give you my answer. Countless lives have fallen under my blade, but I’ve never killed for my own sake, let alone to climb the ladder!”

Jin GuangYao, “Brother, I understand what you mean. Are you saying that everyone you kill deserves to die?”

With courage that came from nowhere, he laughed and took a few steps closer to Nie MingJue. His voice rose, asking in an almost aggressive tone, “Then, may I ask, how do you decide whether someone deserves to die? Are your standards completely correct? If I kill one person but save hundreds, will the good outweigh the evil, or do I still deserve to die? To accomplish great things, sacrifices must be made.”

Nie MingJue, “Then why didn’t you sacrifice yourself? Are you more noble than them? Are you different from them?”

Jin GuangYao stared at him. A moment later, as if he had finally made up his mind or given up, he answered calmly, “Yes.”

He looked up. His expression showed a bit of pride, a bit of calm, and a bit of madness. “Me and them, of course we’re different!”

Nie MingJue was enraged by her words and expression.

He raised his leg. However, Jin GuangYao didn’t dodge or defend. The kick landed squarely on him, and he rolled back down the Goldfish Tower like a pebble.

Lowering his head, Nie MingJue shouted, “No wonder, I’m the son of a prostitute.”

Jin GuangYao landed after rolling down over fifty steps. He didn’t even linger on the ground before crawling back up. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the servants and disciples surrounding him. Dusting off his robes, he slowly raised his head to look at Nie MingJue. His gaze was quite calm, almost indifferent. Just as Nie MingJue drew his sword, Lan XiChen happened to leave the palace to see what was happening, alarmed after waiting for so long. Seeing the situation before him, he drew Shuoyue, “What happened this time?”

Jin GuangYao, “It’s okay. Brother, thank you for your advice.”

Nie MingJue, “Don’t stop me!”

Lan XiChen, “Brother, sheathe your sword first—your mind is in a mess!”

Nie MingJue, “I don’t. I know what I’m doing. He’s already hopeless. If this continues, he’ll definitely endanger the world. The sooner he’s killed, the sooner we can rest easy!”

Lan XiChen gasped in shock, “Big brother, what are you talking about? These past few days, he’s been constantly going back and forth between Lanling and Qinghe. Is it just because of your comment that he’s given up hope?”

When dealing with someone like Nie MingJue, bringing up the good and bad things others had done to them was a surefire tactic. As expected, he paused and glanced at Jin GuangYao. Blood was pouring from his forehead, but besides the cut from the fall, there was also an old wound wrapped in bandages. It was hidden only because he was wearing a black gauze hat. Now, both wounds were gaping, so he removed the bandages and used them to wipe the blood from the wounds, so as not to dirty his clothes. Then, he threw the bandages on the ground and stood there silently, thinking about unknown things. Lan XiChen turned around, “You may go back. I’ll talk to our eldest brother.”

Jin GuangYao bowed in this direction and left. Feeling Nie MingJue’s grip loosen, Lan XiChen also picked up his sword. He patted Nie MingJue’s shoulder to guide him aside.

Lan XiChen walked over while saying, “Big Brother, I’m afraid you don’t know. Our third brother is really in a dire situation right now.”

Nie MingJue’s voice was still cold, “In his words, he always seems to be in a dire situation.”

Even though he said that, his sword was already sheathed. Lan XiChen continued, “Who says he didn’t? Just a moment ago, he contradicted you, right? Do you think he used to do this?”

It was true that he hadn’t, but his behavior was indeed unusual. Jin GuangYao wasn’t someone who couldn’t control his emotions. He knew that the way to deal with Nie MingJue was to give in. A heated argument didn’t seem like something he would do.

Lan XiChen, “His mother never liked him from the start. After ZiXuan-xiong died, her mother often beat and scolded him. Lately, his father hasn’t listened to him either. He always rejects all his suggestions.”

Wei WuXian remembered the pile of blueprints on the table and knew,  Lookout Tower.

Finally, Lan XiChen concluded, “For now, let’s not push him too hard. I believe he knows what he should do, as long as we give him some more time.”

Nie MingJue, “I hope so.”

Wei WuXian thought Jin GuangYao might stay there for a while after receiving a kick from Nie MingJue. However, a few days later, he still came to the Impure Realm as usual.

Nie MingJue was on the school field, teaching and supervising Nie HuaiSang’s sword techniques. He didn’t greet Jin GuangYao, so he stood at the edge of the field, waiting respectfully. Because Nie HuaiSang seemed indifferent and the sun was shining brightly, he seemed half-hearted, complaining of fatigue after just a few moves. He was beaming as he prepared to meet Jin GuangYao and see what gift he had brought this time. In the past, Nie MingJue would only frown at such things, but today he was furious, “Nie HuaiSang, do you want this blow to hit your head?! Get back here!”

If only Nie HuaiSang were like Wei WuXian and could sense Nie MingJue’s intense anger, he wouldn’t have grinned so brazenly. He protested, “Big Brother, time’s up. It’s time for a break!”

Nie MingJue, “You just took a break thirty minutes ago. Keep studying until you succeed.”

Nie HuaiSang was still dizzy, “I won’t be able to learn it anyway. I’m done for today!”

He often said this, but Nie MingJue’s reaction today was completely different from before. He shouted, “Even a pig would know this, so why don’t you?!”

Not expecting Nie MingJue to suddenly appear, Nie HuaiSang’s face was blank with shock as he shrank back towards Jin GuangYao. Seeing the two of them together, Nie MingJue became even more provoked, “It’s been a year and you still haven’t learned this one set of sword techniques. You’ve only been on the field for thirty minutes and you’re complaining about being tired. You don’t have to excel, but you can’t even protect yourself! How could the QingheNie Sect produce such useless people! You two should be tied up and beaten once a day. Do it all in his room!”

The last sentence was spoken to the disciples standing on the sidelines. Seeing them leave, Nie HuaiSang felt like he was being pricked by needles. A moment later, a line of disciples actually removed all the fans, paintings, and porcelain from his room. Nie MingJue had always threatened to burn his room down, but he had never actually done so. But this time, he was serious. Nie HuaiSang panicked. He dropped to his knees, “Big Brother! You can’t burn it!”

Realizing that the situation was not good, Jin GuangYao said, “Brother, don’t act on impulse.”

However, Nie MingJue’s sword had already struck. All the fragile objects piled in the middle of the field erupted in a blazing inferno. Nie HuaiSang wailed and dove into the flames to save them. Jin GuangYao hurriedly pulled him back, “HuaiSang, be careful!”

With a single flick of Nie MingJue’s hand, the two blanc de chine antiques shattered into pieces in his palm. The scroll and painting were reduced to dust in an instant. Nie HuaiSang could only stare blankly as his cherished possessions, which he had collected over the years, were reduced to ashes. Jin GuangYao reached out to examine them, “Are they burned?”

He turned to some students, “Please prepare the medicine first.”

The disciples answered and left. Nie HuaiSang stood there, his entire body trembling as he stared at Nie MingJue, his pupils brimming with blood. Seeing his expression uneasy, Jin GuangYao put his arm around his shoulders and whispered, “HuaiSang, how are you feeling? Stop watching. Go back to your room and rest.”

Nie HuaiSang’s eyes were red. He didn’t even make a sound. Jin GuangYao added, “It’s okay even if the things are gone. I can find you next time…”

Nie MingJue interrupted, his words like ice, “I will burn them every time he brings them back to the sect.”

Anger and hatred suddenly flashed across Nie HuaiSang’s face. He threw his sword to the ground and shouted, “Then burn them!!!”

Jin GuangYao immediately stopped him, “HuaiSang! Your brother is still angry. Don’t…”

Nie HuaiSang roared at Nie MingJue, “Saber, saber, saber! Who the hell wants to practice that damn sword?! So what if I want to be a useless person?! Whoever wants to can be the sect master! If I can’t learn it, then I can’t, and if I don’t like it, then I don’t like it! What’s the point of forcing me?!”