Chapter 27: Old Matters Resurfaced, New Sorrows Arise (Part One)

The oppressive atmosphere lightened with that single sentence. It was not just Monkey; most of those present quietly exhaled in relief, for the murderous intent radiating from a Core Formation cultivator was more than ordinary people could bear. Hou Baiyu’s breathing, however, grew heavy, and his expression turned sorrowful—all traces of his earlier bluster had vanished.

Wu Yue waved his hand, and the crowd of onlookers scattered in a flurry, wishing only for faster legs. As for their boss, Monkey, they didn't even spare him a glance. Witnessing this, Monkey had nothing to say; he knew that if he were in their shoes, he would likely have run even faster, yet he could not help but feel a sense of desolation.

Turning his head, he discovered that the underling who had come to find him had not run away. Monkey looked at him with delight, racking his brain to think of something encouraging to say, but the underling’s eyes rolled back and he fainted—he had been frightened senseless. Monkey’s hand, extended in mid-air, froze in an awkward gesture.

Wu Yue cared little for such trifles. He did not understand why Monkey had stayed, but that was none of his concern. Wu Yue did not consider himself a meddlesome man; if people chose not to run, that was their prerogative. Had Monkey heard this, one wonders what he might have thought—would he have slapped himself twice? He was currently wondering if this had anything to do with him at all. As for running? As the boss, Monkey reasoned he was a primary target. Ah, sometimes, people really shouldn't overthink things, let alone let their imaginations run wild.

As for Wu Yue, his mood remained quite good. He enjoyed meeting new friends and even more so encountering old ones. Even if they were destined to face each other in life-and-death combat the very next second, he was willing to share a drink and conversation in this moment. That sense of familiarity was intoxicating; only such familiarity made him feel truly anchored in this world.

"Why the long face, Brother Hou? I simply thought your words were excellent," Wu Yue said with a smile. He truly did not grasp the reason for the contorted expression on Hou Baiyu’s face. To him, if Hou Baiyu had run, so be it; at most, it would be a breach of promise, but since the man was unwilling to follow him, Wu Yue had no intention of forcing him.

Hou Baiyu felt there was hidden meaning behind Wu Yue’s words, a devil lurking beneath that smiling mask. He had watched helplessly as Wu Yue tore open his own sea of energy, followed by an earth-shattering cataclysm. Hou Baiyu’s "Heavenly Eye" technique had missed those details; he had only heard the piercing cry of a raven, and a grand battle had ended in the blink of an eye. What a perfect situation it had been, now turned to foam and shadow. Hou Baiyu swore that if he could do it all over again, he would run as far as he could. Anyone who dared to covet the glitz and glamour again was a damn fool.

Yet, he felt he no longer had that chance. Hou Baiyu lowered his voice, trembling, and asked, "What of Fairy Hongxiu?"

"She is dead," Wu Yue replied, his mood darkening at the thought. It was truly as Yu Dangran had said: some seek death, some seek life. He was truly a lucky one, having encountered those who sought death while he himself sought life.

When those three words reached Hou Baiyu, it was as if he had been struck by lightning; his face turned ashen, as if he were mourning his own kin. What had he done? He had seen Hongxiu with Wu Yue. Did that mean he had caused the death of Wu Yue’s woman? Hou Baiyu assumed an unspeakable relationship between the two—a man and a woman, alone together—and this was nothing short of a death knell for him.

At this point, Wu Yue realized Hou Baiyu was acting strangely. It was not a complex matter, and after a moment’s thought, he understood what was amiss. The Evil Raven Forest had arrived too quickly, too precisely. "It was you who tipped them off, wasn't it?" Wu Yue said calmly, stating a fact rather than asking a question.

*I’m dead.* The thought echoed incessantly in Hou Baiyu’s mind. No wonder he had come here, no wonder he was speaking to him, no wonder he feigned indifference. He would never let me go; he would surely torture me. A barrage of horrific scenarios flooded his mind.

Since he was going to die anyway, he thought he should at least be brave and end it quickly. That was the intent, but his legs betrayed him, going limp. The curses he meant to spit out turned into pleas for mercy. "I really didn't think the Fourth Chief would arrive so quickly! I only wanted to prove... to prove I wasn't a traitor. Truly, I was just afraid!" As he spoke, Hou Baiyu began to wail. He was terrified of death—deeply, desperately afraid. As for fighting back? That thought never even crossed his mind; why rush his own demise?

Monkey stood dumbfounded, watching the burly, bald man break down in tears. At that moment, he didn't even want to run anymore. Was the enemy of his enemy not his friend? Monkey watched with genuine interest as Hou Baiyu groveled; this was a once-in-a-lifetime sight. It turned out that when cultivators begged for mercy, they looked no more dignified than the rest of them.

Wu Yue’s mood soured upon hearing these pleas. Even after he had analyzed the pros and cons with the man, even after he had promised no harm would come to him, even after Hou Baiyu had given his word—he still hadn't believed him. Human nature is fundamentally flawed; hadn't he known that from the start?

Hongxiu had died saving him. Yu Dangran said it was a mutual choice, but every time Wu Yue remembered, he felt the heavy burden of it. This debt of gratitude was too vast to ever repay. Thus, even though he had used the Thunder Scepter as a precious cenotaph for her, the pragmatic Wu Yue had said nothing, merely wishing to lighten the heavy weight in his heart. A man of cold temperament is most terrified of owing others.

Under the Art of the Seventh Night, not even a soul had remained of Hongxiu. Yu Dangran said her spirit had ascended to the moon—a comforting explanation, and one that served its purpose. At the time, Wu Yue had decided he must go to the moon one day to see for himself. Even if he knew it was likely a desolate place, what if she was there? This was, after all, the Immortal Spirit World. If Hongxiu were truly there, Wu Yue thought, he would have to bring her back.

Wu Yue looked at Hou Baiyu. His murderous intent was not overwhelming; Hou Baiyu was at most one-tenth responsible for Hongxiu’s death, yet Wu Yue felt a hundredfold gratitude or regret—it was heavy, and it was painful. Perhaps killing Hou Baiyu would make him feel better.

Catching Wu Yue’s gaze, Hou Baiyu felt a chill deep in his bones. It was that very calmness that was most terrifying. This time, Hou Baiyu truly collapsed to the ground. As it turned out, Wu Yue was merely contemplating: Should I kill Hou Baiyu? How should I kill him? Do I really need to kill him? Yes, that was the order of his thoughts. He was not even thinking about how to torture the man. Truly, one should not overthink things; it only scares oneself.

As for Monkey, he was racking his brain, wondering which "Lord" and which "word" they were talking about.

Suddenly, sand and stones flew through the air, and ghosts began to howl. Outside the Black Curtain City, a hundred ghosts had arrived.