Translated by Hua Li ^_~
Seeing Yue Qian’s silence, Gou Liang asked again, “Yue Qian, are you willing to come with me?”
Yue Qian’s mind buzzed, vividly recalling the past happiness.
His recklessness, his capriciousness, his laughter and anger, his crude humor, his laziness, his enjoyment of being held by him, his love for teasing and playing tricks on him, his delight in seeing him frustrated and helpless… all of these were the best in Yue Qian’s eyes.
He didn’t believe that Gou Liang could be so cruel, and he was unwilling to accept the fact that Gou Liang was the leader of the demonic cult. Even if he had the worst suspicions in his heart, how could that ruthless monster be Gou Liang?
Or perhaps, if he really had killed many people for various reasons, would Yue Qian blame him for the suffering of others?
Yue Qian knew he wouldn’t. In the face of righteousness, he would rather selfishly protect Gou Liang.
But… what about his family? What about his sect?
How could he deal with all of this?
Yue Qian’s lips trembled, and seeing the sadness in Gou Liang’s eyes, he almost agreed.
To go with him, to the ends of the earth, ignoring all right and wrong, wasn’t that what he had sought all his life?
Seeing the situation, Situ Zhangtian quickly spoke in a loud voice, “Ye Gui… no, Bao Jiu, give up on this idea! Yue Qian will not go with you. The righteous and the evil cannot coexist. You deceived him with love, and now you want to entice him into the demonic path. Your intentions are truly malicious!”
“Senior Brother Situ, there’s no need to waste words with him!” Leader Ye called out. “If you don’t take action, my Fan Yin Pavillion will exhaust our last breath today but will not let a single member of the demonic cult, especially Bao Jiu, escape!”
However, Sect Master Xia said, “Yue Qian, when my son-in-law Mo Guanju was killed in Nanshan, the killer was wearing a red dress, and all the evidence pointed to Ye Gui. You forcefully protected him, and later, you fled with him privately, leaving my son-in-law’s death unclear! Let me ask you this! Did you already know that he was Bao Jiu?! Just because you had a relationship with him, you aided and abetted him in his wickedness!”
Gou Liang narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at him.
Situ Zhangtian’s voice grew fierce, “Junior Brother Xia, Yue Qian was young and deceived for a moment. Your words are too harsh!”
Sect Master Xia snorted coldly, “Senior Brother Situ, there’s no need to be so angry. I’m just discussing matters.”
“He sleeps with Bao Jiu every night. How could he not know that he is male? Sister Ye and Junior Brother Tang, you were also present that day and personally heard Yue Qian say that he and Ye Gui were already husband and wife, vouching for him! Now it seems that it’s not a deception but rather you two who have fallen into the same wickedness? Hmph, if it weren’t for his forced protection, we could have easily eliminated this menace two years ago when Bao Jiu lost his martial arts.”
“But now? Not only has he recovered his martial arts, but his skills have also greatly improved! I imagine that Senior Brother Situ has put in a lot of effort to achieve this.”
Situ Zhangtian was furious. “My disciple is the biggest victim in this matter, you—”
“Master.”
Yue Qian interrupted him gently, stepping forward.
He said, “According to Master Xia’s intentions, what should I do?”
Master Xia didn’t answer but instead asked Leader Ye and Leader Tang, “Bao Jiu acted in the name of Ye Gui, misleading both of you, who are his old friends’ children. That’s why you both came to intercede for him. Now, can you see his true face? Especially Junior Brother Tang, your brother was killed by Bao Shi, and the peerless secret manual ‘Nine Dark Arts’ of the Nine Dark Halls was taken by him. It’s likely that the manual is now in Bao Jiu’s possession.”
Leader Tang’s face changed slightly.
Leader Ye said, “Master Xia is right. It was because of his deliberate deception that I believed he was my sister’s son, Ye Gui! But I never expected that he was the one who killed my child! Now that Bao Jiu is here, no matter who tries to stop me, I will make sure he meets a violent end!”
Yue Qian opened his mouth to speak, but Master Xia immediately stared at him and said, “Does Junior Nephew Yue have any objections?”
Seeing Yue Qian’s silence, Master Xia said, “It seems that Junior Nephew Yue is reluctant to give up his beautiful and alluring ‘beloved wife.’ So this is the top disciple of the Nanshan Sword Sect? It really makes me look at you with admiration!”
Leader Tang said, “Nephew Yue, don’t be confused. Bao Shi caused the destruction of your entire family, and Bao Jiu assisted in the tyranny, causing countless deaths. Are you so stubbornly blind? Aren’t you afraid that your parents and siblings won’t rest in peace beneath the Nine Springs?”
Yue Qian looked coldly at them and asked, “What do you want me to do?”
“Kill him!” Sect Master Xia shouted, “Kill him with your own hands to make up for your mistakes! Otherwise, how can you face your sect and your deceased loved ones?”
Yue Qian’s indifferent gaze silently looked at Sect Master Xia for a moment, then shifted to Gou Liang.
He asked, “Were you the one who killed my parents?”
Gou Liang was taken aback, then sighed bitterly and said softly, “I don’t know.”
-He had killed too many people, so many that he couldn’t even remember their names anymore.
Yue Qian understood, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly said, “You go.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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[Ding! Target Favorability Updated! Current Favorability: +90!!]
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Gou Liang felt extreme heartache and was about to refuse when a female voice sounded, “Husband, I heard there’s trouble from the demonic cult. What’s happening now—”
Immediately, an eerie sound of wind, indistinguishable to ordinary people, swept towards Jiang Suxi!
It was the “Nine Dark Arts”!
Seeing Sect Master Xia standing still, Gou Liang furrowed his brow and rushed towards her—
“Su Xi, get away!”
“Be careful, Su Xi! He’s Bao Jiu!!!”
Situ Bai and Elder Jiang shouted, pouncing on him in the first moment—
But whether it was them or Gou Liang, it was ultimately too late.
“Ugh, it hurts… my child…”
A long, gaping wound split open her belly, and fresh blood gushed out. Gou Liang supported Jiang Suxi, who had fallen to her knees, pressing his hands against her belly.
“Save her, save…”
But in the blink of an eye, Jiang Suxi had already lost her breath.
[Gou Liang: Little Wanton, exchange for a Condensing Agent. Don’t let her and the child’s souls leave their bodies.]
[System: Yes, Master!]
“Su Xi!!!”
Situ Bai and Elder Jiang saw it all and their hearts shattered in fear.
“Bao Jiu! I’ll kill you!”
Situ Bai drew his sword and charged at him, while Elder Jiang stumbled, wanting to avenge his granddaughter, but ended up falling to the ground.
Then, Yue Qian arrived and supported Elder Jiang, looking at this scene in disbelief.
[Ding!! Target Favorability Updated! Current Favorability: Data unstable, undergoing precise calculation.]
Gou Liang frowned.
Apart from this visible hideous wound, Jiang Suxi’s internal organs had been severely injured. It was clearly a lethal strike. Sect Master Xia had even created a terrifying wound on her abdomen, showing his sinister intentions!
Situ Bai lost all reason and launched chaotic sword energy at him, but Gou Liang, holding Jiang Suxi, evaded it and said coldly, “In consideration of your eldest senior brother, I won’t argue with you.”
He looked at Nian Nujiao and the others, then glanced at Yue Qian. Taking a deep breath, he shouted, “Let’s go!”
“Where are you going!”
“Stop them!”
“Seek revenge for our sect, kill them!”
“Kill the entire demonic cult! Let them have no peace!”
“Where are the Shaolin monks? Join me in annihilating the demonic cult and uphold justice!”
“Where are the disciples of the Fan Yin Pavilion? Spread my command, spare no one from the demonic cult!”
Various sects hurriedly pursued the demonic cult, while the He huan Sect and the Wan Du Sect, left behind, were continuously attacked. Gou Liang stopped and handed Jiang Suxi to Nian Nujiao.
“You take them and leave first.”
“What about you, Sect Leader?”
“I’ll catch up later.”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
For every decision Gou Liang made, she would never question him.
Gou Liang held the red silk in his hand and within a few moves, he blocked the righteous martial artists from entering the gate of the Nanshan Sword Sect. Gou Liang stood alone on the majestic gate of the Nanshan Sword Sect, his phoenix coronet and scarlet robe making him seem like the most vibrant colors in the world had gathered on him. The red silk hung down as he looked lightly at the righteous disciples who dared not move forward, and said with a gentle smile, “Don’t be afraid. Today is my grand wedding celebration, and I won’t kill you.”
Sect Master Ye bypassed the young vanguard and said, “Fanyin Pavilion, I’d like to learn from the demonic cult’s leader!”
After speaking, she took the qin from her back and played a tune of slaughter.
Seeing that Gou Liang remained unaffected, Leader Tang flew forward and shouted, “Bao Jiu, return the <<Nine Dark Arts>>!”
But how could he be a match for Gou Liang?
In just one move, Leader Tang was knocked down by Gou Liang.
Sect Master Xia said, “This person’s martial arts are truly formidable. Senior Jiang, Senior Brother Situ, Junior Sister Ye, Junior Brother Tang, let’s join forces! We must not let him escape today, or we’ll have endless troubles!”
Senior Jiang, Leader Ye, and Leader Tang didn’t hesitate at all, and Situ Zhangtian, faced with the probing and sharp gazes of the four, could only reluctantly join in.
The five of them fought against Gou Liang, resulting in a stalemate. The fierce internal energy and sound attacks made the disciples with lower cultivation dare not take a step forward.
“Senior Brother!”
Situ Bai saw that his father and the others couldn’t do anything to Gou Liang and turned to Yue Qian, pleading, “Senior Brother, I know you can kill him! Hurry up and help Father! Senior Brother, you’ve seen it too, he killed Su Xi, he killed her with his own hands… Su Xi was still pregnant, in a few days, our child would have been born… he’s so cruel, can’t you see his true face yet? Senior Brother, kill him for me, please! I beg you!”
Yue Qian looked at the devastated Situ Bai, but his feet felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, unable to move.
Lin Xiuniang and Situ Shuang were both shocked by Jiang Suxi’s death. Although they didn’t say the words that would make Yue Qian kill Gou Liang, their tearful eyes silently urged him.
Instead, Cao Gengwu calmly said, “Third Junior Brother, don’t force Senior Brother.”
“Fine, fine, I won’t force him! I’ll avenge Su Xi myself!”
As he spoke, Situ Bai was about to charge into the battle, but Cao Gengwu grabbed him. “Third Junior Brother, don’t act impulsively. This is not seeking revenge but throwing your life away!”
“Then what should I do? Su Xi died right in front of me, her belly covered in blood… Senior Brother, don’t stop me, even if it costs me my life, I will kill him. I will avenge Su Xi and our child… Senior Brother, let go of me, let go of me!”
Situ Bai cried out in pain.
Finally, Yue Qian moved.
Seeing him join in, Gou Liang became greatly unsettled. He retrieved his lethal move and was found with a flaw by Sect Master Xia, who attacked with a sword—
Yue Qian stood in front of Gou Liang and took that strike head-on.
“Yue Qian!”
Stained with blood, the joyful robe was a color that pierced Gou Liang’s eyes.
He looked at Sect Master Xia. Regardless of any plans he had previously used him for, they were now cast aside from his mind. He was going to kill this troublemaker!
Yue Qian blocked him, while Situ Zhangtian simultaneously stopped the others who were indiscriminately attacking Yue Qian.
“Senior Brother Situ , what is the meaning of this?!”
“Sect Leader, What is this? Or, you’re willingly falling into the demonic cult’s ranks? I, as the head of the righteous path, won’t tolerate you!”
“Senior Brother Situ, what a good disciple you have!”
Yue Qian turned a deaf ear to it all. His face pale, he looked at Gou Liang, grasping the hand that had stopped the bleeding from his wound… and pushed it away.
He said, “Ye Gui, go.”
“Yue Qian…”
“Leave from here. From now on, there is no Ye Gui in this world, only Bao Jiu of the demonic cult. You and I… our kindness is broken, our loyalty severed.”
[Ding! Target Favorability Updated! Current Favorability: +90!!]
“I refuse!”
Gou Liang’s eyes burned, and tears flowed down his face for a moment.
Yue Qian’s fingers twitched, but he ultimately restrained the impulse to wipe away Gou Liang’s tears. He said, “Go, go!”
Gou Liang was pushed away by him. Seeing his determined gaze, Gou Liang knew that he had pushed himself into a corner. Not wanting to add pressure to him, Gou Liang reluctantly stood up. He looked at Sect Master Xia and said, “I will repay today’s grudges a hundredfold!”
After speaking, Gou Liang flew away. When others tried to pursue, a fierce sword energy forced them back.
Yue Qian held his sword horizontally and said, “Let him go. No one is allowed to take another step beyond this gate.”
Leader Tang said, “Yue Qian! Are you really going to protect Bao Jiu like this? Are you truly going to be our enemy?”
Sect Master Xia said, “Senior Brother Situ, say something!”
Disappointed, Elder Jiang looked at Yue Qian and said, “You truly are… unrepentant!”
Within moments, Gou Liang had already disappeared. Seeing that the opportunity was lost and that it was now difficult to kill the leader of the demonic cult, the others reluctantly had to temporarily give up and return to the ground, pointing their spears at Yue Qian.
Situ Zhangtian asked anxiously, “Qian’er, what are you planning to do?”
Yue Qian loosened his grip, and his longsword dropped to the ground.
He knelt down and kowtowed, saying, “Unfilial disciple has disappointed the master.”
Situ Zhangtian couldn’t bear it in his heart. “Master knows that you didn’t have ill intentions, but were temporarily deceived by Bao Jiu. However, you have committed a grave mistake. Go to the sword formation and reflect. When you have realized your mistakes, that’s when you can come out.”
“It’s too late, Master… All of this was my own willingness.”
But Yue Qian shook his head.
“I knew he was a man, and I married him because I loved him. I made a vow to protect him for eternity, without regrets. Although he betrayed me, I won’t and don’t want to break my promise… Now that we have married under heaven and earth, vowing to spend our lives together, whether he is Ye Gui or Bao Jiu, he is my husband, Yue Gui. So, regardless of what he has done or what he will do, I won’t allow anyone to harm him.”
Situ Zhangtian was greatly shocked. “Qian’er, do you know what you’re saying?”
“Master, I acknowledge the grave mistakes I have made, and now I have no way to turn back…” Yue Qian insisted on his own course of action. “In the future, I will personally eliminate the demonic cult, but I won’t allow anyone to harm Bao Jiu, no matter what.”
“What if I insist on killing him? Are you going to kill me first?!” Leader Ye said fiercely, “Senior Brother Situ, with such a rebellious disciple, why do you keep him?! If we don’t clean up the sect today, will the Nanshan Sword Sect be forever associated with the demonic cult?!”
Situ Zhangtian hadn’t spoken yet when Yue Qian said, “ Leader Ye, there’s no need to pressure Master.”
“Yue Qian’s actions are all because of me and have nothing to do with the Nanshan Sword Sect. Yue Qian acknowledges his grievous crimes and has taken the initiative to leave the sect. From today on… Yue Qian is a traitor to the Nanshan Sword Sect. There will be no further association between him and the Nanshan Sword Sect.”
After saying that, he untied the seal of the Nanshan Sword Sect, which was tied around his waist, and threw it to Cao Gengwu.
“Qian’er…”
“Elder Brother!”
Yue Qian kowtowed heavily, striking the ground three times with a resounding sound. “Master, please allow your disciple to address you as Master one last time. Your disciple is unworthy of your teachings. From now on, I won’t be able to serve by your side. Please take care of yourself, Master.”
“Qian’er, why…”
“Master, Yue Qian has no face to face Master and all the senior and junior brothers and sisters. Please grant this final request.”
Situ Zhangtian knew why Yue Qian had to do this. It was because only by leaving could he sever the association between the Nanshan Sword Sect and the demonic cult, and maintain the pristine reputation of the Nanshan Sword Sect for hundreds of years. But… this was his most beloved and proud disciple. How could he bear to…
But in the end, he had no choice.
“Yue Qian, disciple of the Nanshan Sword Sect, for defying the sect, you are expelled from the sect, effective immediately! If in the future he becomes a threat to the martial world, I, Situ Zhangtian, will personally clean up the sect!”
“Elder Brother…”
The members of the Nanshan Sword Sect were in tears, unable to speak.
Yue Qian stood up and decisively left.
“By allowing the tiger to return to the mountain today, aren’t you aiding the demonic cult? Yue Qian, don’t blame me for being ruthless! Come and take your life!”
Sect Master Xia, knowing that letting Yue Qian go would make it even harder to deal with Gou Liang, immediately exerted all his strength and attacked Yue Qian. Yue Qian severed Sect Master Xia’s sword and gave him a cold glance before swiftly leaving the area.
Sect Master Xia’s face stiffened, and as he watched Yue Qian leave, his eyes were filled with resentment.
Also, Yue Qian made a good decision. I hope he and Gou Liang meet again soon, and then he’ll see Suxi and her baby, both alive and well, and some things will be cleared up, and, and, uh… Well okay, I know these arcs always end in drama, dying happily in each others arms from nothing but old age doesn’t seem like an option for those two.
So anxious!!!!
Thank you for the chapter!
Ai the tension is killing me! Thanks for the update
Thanks for your hard work! I’ve missed this story