First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2379 – Her Life and Death Have Nothing to Do With me

The night wind blew past, and the waves lapped the shore.

Yi Chen left, and Su Yi didn’t stop him.

The River Child wanted to stop him, but without Su Yi’s nod of approval, he could only stand back and watch.

“Trust is like a sheet of paper. Once wrinkled, it’s hard to smooth back out again,” Su Yi murmured as he sprawled back out in his wicker chair and gazed into the starry sky.

“Do you suspect that the Blue Rose Demon Master is using her predicament as a ruse?” Li Sanjiu couldn’t help but ask.

Su Yi laughed. “Tell me, how could I not think that?”

Li Sanjiu pondered briefly, then sighed to himself. It’s true. When they were Dao Partners, the Blue Rose Demon Master was far too ruthless and extreme. She almost killed Yi Daoxuan.

This betrayal was carved deep in his heart. How could Su Yi possibly trust the Blue Rose Demon Master now?

Out loud, he said, “But it seems to me that given her disposition, she wouldn’t use her own flesh and blood to set a trap. Doing so… would be far too inhuman.”

Su Yi laughed and shook his head. “If she had any humanity to speak of, how could she have deceived and hurt me like that back then?”

Li Sanjiu immediately fell silent.

Su Yi took out a jug of wine and had a sip. “I can’t lose again. Lu Qingmei might not be cruel enough to exploit her own son, but… her master certainly is.

“That old biddy Gu Huaxian seeks a Dao of severing the six desires and snuffing out her own humanity. In her eyes, everyone else is expendable and fair game to exploit, including her two legacy disciples.” Su Yi laughed coldly, his voice utterly disdainful.

“So you’ve decided not to save the Blue Rose Demon Master, Your Excellency Su?” asked Li Sanjiu.

“Her life and death have nothing to do with me,” said Su Yi. “But… I’m still going to go.”

His words seemed like an obvious contradiction.

The River Child’s heart stirred; he seemed to realize something. “Your Excellency, the third pouch Master Golden Crane Left said that Yan Chizhen wasn’t dead, and that Gu Huaxian had captured his soul. Are you planning to seize this opportunity to rescue him?”

Su Yi nodded approvingly. “Clever.”

He longed for nothing more than to take his sword and cleave Lu Qingmei open. How could he possibly go to her aid?

Admittedly, she’d given him a son, but that wasn’t enough to change Su Yi’s mind about her!

But it was his son, Yi Chen, who made this such a headache. Yi Chen was, after all, his past life’s son. Yi Daoxuan’s blood flowed through his veins! How could Su Yi just disregard him?

In that case, there was a problem he had no choice but to face. How would Yi Chen feel if he killed Lu Qingmei?

That was the source of Su Yi’s headache.

Being a father sure isn’t easy, sighed Su Yi. Then, he set the matter aside and said to the River Child, “Get ready. We’ll leave for the Ruins of Supreme Emergence soon.”

The River Child looked stricken. He said piteously, “Your Excellency, surely you don’t plan to send me back, right?”

Su Yi rose from his wicker chair, then stretched languidly. “I’m up against Gu Huaxian this time. I’ve naturally got to make arrangements.”

The River Child’s eyes lit up with understanding. “Got it!”

Li Sanjiu rose. “Your Excellency Su, if there’s anything I can do for you, I’m at your service.”

He was a taciturn, silent man with unassuming features, but Su Yi knew better than to underestimate him. This was an old-timer capable of duking it out with experts like Master God Yun He!

“I actually do have something I’d like to trouble you with, Fellow Daoist,” said Su Yi. “Please, escort Yi Chen back safely.”

Li Sanjiu nodded.

……

The Endless Ocean.

Yi Chen raced over the water alone.

After calming down and replaying his meeting with Su Yi, he realized that he’d let his emotions get the best of him. He sighed to himself, At the end of the day, I might not have accepted him, but he’s still my father. I can’t lie to myself by refusing to accept that.

Concern muddled the brain. When you cared about something, it was hard to avoid your emotions influencing you.

Still, Yi Chen didn’t think that he’d done anything inappropriate.

So what if Su Yi was his father? Ultimately, that was just a blood relationship. There was no bond between them whatsoever, so what was there to acknowledge?

Yi Chen could sense Su Yi’s coldness toward him. It seemed he hadn’t accepted their father-son relationship either.

But Yi Chen wasn’t upset about this, and even though Su Yi had declined to help him, he wasn’t resentful. They were father and son, but they were still ultimately strangers, and they had different allegiances. Why should Su Yi help him?

Mother, I’m going to have to disappoint you, Yi Chen murmured to himself. I understand everything you’ve sacrificed, but there’s no way I can just stand back and watch as something happens to you, nor can I possibly seek refuge with Su Yi, my so-called ‘father’, just to stay alive.

Li Sanjiu silently appeared beside him. “I’ll take you back.”

Yi Chen froze, then pursed his lips and asked, “Senior, do you think I’m doing the right thing?”

Li Sanjiu said, “Your family’s affairs aren’t something a junior like you can influence or change.”

Yi Chen’s eyes dulled. “I understand.”

“You should let your father resolve this himself,” said Li Sanjiu, pausing to consider his words. “I trust that with his intelligence, he can surely find a way to resolve this properly.”

“But deep within my heart, I still don’t accept him as my father,” said Yi Chen.

Li Sanjiu immediately fell silent. This wasn’t something an outsider like him could get mixed up in.

Suddenly, Yi Chen asked, “What… did he say about me?”

“Nothing at all,” said Li Sanjiu.

Yi Chen instantly fell silent.

……

The Spirit Firmament Divine Continent, between blessed spirit mountains.

They called this place the Mira Realm. This was where Gu Huaxian cultivated, separate from the rest of the world.

“Master, Senior Apprentice Sister obviously betrayed you a long time ago! I said it, didn’t I? She still has feelings for Yi Daoxuan. Otherwise, how could she possibly have given birth to his son?”

Yu Xun’s soul prostrated on the ground, gnashing his teeth with fury.

The tightly shut doors of the palace in front of him slowly opened, and a tall, graceful figure emerged.

This was none other than Gu Huaxian! She was dressed in colorful clothing, and she carried a flower basket. She was beautiful, yet ice cold.

“Maybe she betrayed us, maybe she didn’t, but what does that have to do with me sending you to capture her son?” Gu Huaxian said flatly.

Yu Xun stiffened, then lowered his head, not daring to speak. He could sense that his master was angry.

“I sent you to capture a mere junior, yet you failed, and you even let your senior apprentice sister destroy your physical body. You’re truly… useless!”

Gu Huaxian looked down at Yu Xun. “Why didn’t I realize that you were this inept?”

Yu Xun quivered as a chill coursed through his soul.

But against his expectations, his master didn’t punish him.

“You bungled, but not so badly that we can’t turn things around,” said Gu Huaxian, her gaze heavy and intense. “Given your senior apprentice sister’s nature, she’s sure to send her beloved son off immediately, then stay behind to guard his retreat.”

She laughed coldly, “I’m sure that she’s convinced even now that I won’t kill her. After all, she can play a crucial role in defeating Su Yi.

“Very well. I’ll give her another chance. Come on, let’s go see her together.”

Yu Xun was stunned. “Master, didn’t you say that you wouldn’t leave seclusion before the Dark Days of Legend?”

Gu Huaxian glanced coolly at him. “If you weren’t so inept, I wouldn’t need to break seclusion, now would I?”

Yu Xun no longer dared to speak.

……

The Bamboo Mountain Hidden Realm.

The Heart-Inquiring Sword Hut lay in ruin, but the stele remained.

Lu Qingmei sat on a piece of the collapsed walls, her hair tied up in a bun. This drew attention to her long, snowy neck.

She’d changed out of her blood stained clothing, and she now wore just a plain, form-fitting dress, with no other adornments, yet she retained her pure, extraordinary beauty.

Alas, her injuries remained.

Just two short days had passed. It was hard to recover from such severe wounds so quickly.

But… this was already enough.

I just wonder how Chen’er is doing, Lu Qingmei murmured to herself. Given his temperament, I’m sure he finds it hard to accept being sent to stay with the father he’s never met before…

She felt grief at the thought of it. But it’s enough so long as he lives on. Su Yi is, after all, Chen’er’s father. I’m sure he won’t mistreat him.

She’d only just thought this when the Bamboo Mountain Hidden Realm rippled, and a voice emanated from afar.

“Mother!”

Lu Qingmei was briefly stunned. Then, her heart thudded in her chest, and the look on her beautiful face darkened.

She could see Yi Chen approaching from a distance.

“Why… why did you come back!?” Lu Qingmei’s delicate frame quivered. Her fury was on the brink of erupting, but she forced it back down.

As intelligent as she was, she’d never even considered the possibility that the son she’d risked her life to save would come running back like an idiot!

Yi Chen pursed his lips and met her gaze. “Mother, if anything happens to you, I don’t want to live anymore either! I don’t want Su Yi’s protection!”

Lu Qingmei’s heart shook, and an indescribable current of warmth flowed through her. For a moment, she wasn’t sure whether to be angry or to celebrate her son’s filial heart.

“You…” Lu Qingmei opened her mouth to speak, then trailed off and sighed.

“Mother, you aren’t afraid to die. I’m not afraid, either. Let me take this chance to spend some time with you.” Yi Chen walked up and said solemnly, “Even if we can’t escape death in the end… I’m not afraid!”

Lu Qingmei took in her son’s staunchly determined gaze, then sighed. “Chen’er, you really have grown up. You’re now ready to take responsibility for yourself.”

She felt gratified, but also sad. When a child had his own opinions and no longer simply did as he was told, it meant that he’d grown up.

“Very well. Let’s take this chance to spend some time together, mother and son,” said Lu Qingmei, her voice softening.

From beginning to end, Yi Chen said nothing about Su Yi. Lu Qingmei noticed. Just as I thought. That man really isn’t coming to help me.

Of course he isn’t. He longs for nothing more than to kill me. Why would he come to my aid? Lu Qingmei sighed to herself.

“Mother, can you tell me about what happened between you and Su Yi?” Yi Chen asked suddenly.

The question was like a needle thrust into Lu Qingmei’s heart. She couldn’t help but recall memories too painful to revisit.

Her beautiful face paled, but in the end, she took a deep breath and said softly, “Very well. This time, I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”