91. Daughter
"Uncle-Master, could you tell me about what happened in the past?"
"Be more specific."
"Uh... well, why did the Taixu Sword Sect suddenly perish, and even the Immortal Jingwei... could it be that they encountered some formidable enemy?" Li Sushang's eyes were full of curiosity.
"No, the Taixu Sword Sect was destroyed due to internal strife," Yun Ling shook his head and said without any hesitation.
"Internal strife?" Li Sushang couldn't understand Yun Ling's words.
"More than a decade ago, Su Mei, the third disciple of the Taixu Sword Sect, conspired with her fellow disciples to kill Jingwei for a trivial reason..."
Yun Ling recounted everything that happened back then without holding anything back.
Su Mei grasped the psychology of almost everyone on Mount Taixu: Jingwei's trust in her disciple, Yun Ling's arrogance, Lin Chaoyu's jealousy, Jiang Wanxi and Jiang Wanru's familial bond, Cheng Lingshuang's dullness, Ma Yanqing's affection, Qin Suying's cowardice...
After getting Yun Ling drunk, everything proceeded smoothly according to Su Mei's plan.
However, she overlooked one crucial detail: her understanding of Yun Ling's condition.
Because of his nighttime coughing, Yunling rarely sleeps in Fuyun Temple anymore. Most of the time, he goes outside and finds a tree or a big rock to spend the night.
At first, alcohol worked quite well, but gradually, even alcohol couldn't help him fall asleep peacefully.
What followed was the murder of her master. When Li Sushang heard that Cheng Lingshuang had used the Tai Xu Divine Essence to strike Jingwei right between the eyebrows, her heart tightened.
Next, Yun Ling awakens from his coma due to his illness, treats Jingwei, and cleans up the sect.
"Lin Chaoyu and Qin Suying didn't make a move, so I let them go. As for Cheng Lingshuang... her fault lies with me. I failed in my responsibility as the senior brother and didn't truly bring her into this world, which is why she was deceived by Su Mei with such simple words."
"Alright, that's the end of the story. Is there anything else you want to ask?" Yun Ling looked at Li Sushang, who was completely dumbfounded.
"...Do you still hate them now?" Li Sushang pursed her lips.
Cheng Lingshuang is her master, and Qin Suying is her mother. Naturally, she doesn't want Yun Ling to harm them.
"I've already answered that question. I've taken my revenge. The rest is up to Master to decide what to do when she wakes up." Yun Ling closed his eyes.
"I have one last question!" Li Sushang's expression became much more serious.
"Say it."
"Is 'Those who fall into demonic possession must be killed' really true?" Li Sushang asked.
Yun Ling opened his eyes and looked at her.
"This question shouldn't be asked like that; it should be the other way around. Is 'Those who fall into demonic ways must be killed' wrong?" Yun Ling corrected the error in her words.
"If you have nothing to do, you can wander around and look for those who have already fallen into demonic possession. Just ignore them and see what they do."
"Master is right, and 'those who fall into demonic ways must be killed' is also right. The wrong one is Heaven, which ruthlessly and unreasonably controls everything in the world."
"If you think it's cruel, you can add some emotional value, such as letting the person who has fallen into demonic possession say goodbye to their family before they completely lose consciousness, or killing them when they have completely fallen into demonic possession or have already committed an irreparable mistake."
"But Jingwei, who has protected the land for thousands of years, witnessed so many demons and experienced countless battles, deeply understands that killing the opponent at the beginning of demonic possession is the best outcome."
"People have a sense of luck. Driven by the instinct to survive, they will try every means to escape Jingwei, and then one tragedy after another will occur."
"So...even if the world doesn't understand, even if it's hated, this is definitely the most effective and permanent solution."
Yun Ling's words reached Li Sushang's ears one by one.
Despite her inexperience, she seemed to be slowly grasping the concept.
The simple phrase "Those who fall into demonic ways must be killed" is not just a precept; behind it lie countless sorrows, uncomprehended resentment, and the numbness that Jingwei has become after feeling helpless.
"There might be a solution in the future, but that's a matter for the future... Get some rest, we have to travel tomorrow morning."
Yun Ling waved to Li Sushang, signaling her to go back.
Li Sushang returned to the campfire, watching the flickering flames as the firelight reflected on her face.
Having always lived under a protective umbrella, she was unaware of the cruelty of the world, but when the bloody truth was revealed, Li Sushang seemed to fall into confusion.
As dawn broke, the three embarked on their journey to the "Supreme Freedom Gate".
At that moment, Cheng Lingshuang, who was weaving silk, paused for a second and looked in the direction from which the three had come, as if sensing something.
Her movements slowed down, and what was once a smooth and familiar routine now seemed incredibly clumsy.
She silently recited the Sword Heart Mantra twice before calming her restless heart.
She put the items away, filled a bucket with water, washed herself, and changed into a brand new set of clothes.
He then began to meditate, quietly waiting for the three to arrive.
"Master, I'm back!" Li Sushang's joyful figure appeared in front of Cheng Lingshuang.
Cheng Lingshuang opened her eyes.
"My sword heart has broken through the 'Great Void' level, how about it, great right?" Li Sushang proudly put her hands on her hips.
"Oh, you've finally broken through. I had already mastered the Divine Essence realm when I was your age." Cheng Lingshuang remained expressionless, as if she had expected it.
"...Master, can't you praise me a little?" Li Sushang's good mood was instantly ruined.
"You only entered the 'Great Void' at the age of fifteen. What's so great about that?" Cheng Lingshuang retorted.
"...Never mind, Master, guess who I met on the road this time? Tada..."
Li Sushang stood on the steps like she was showing off a treasure, and Yun Ling and Ahua happened to arrive there as well.
"Master...Senior Brother..."
When she encountered the two again, Cheng Lingshuang found it difficult to remain calm.
Although Yun Ling's sword that night didn't strike her directly, it was a thousand times, ten thousand times more painful than if it had struck her.
"Long time no see." Yun Ling nodded slightly as a greeting.
"...Long time no see." Cheng Lingshuang lowered her head slightly, like a child who had done something wrong and dared not look at him.
"Ahua has something she wants to talk to you about, so I came with her," Yun Ling explained his purpose.
"Hmm...Hmm? Ahua?" Cheng Lingshuang suddenly looked up and realized that Jingwei's temperament was completely different from before.
"Hello, I'm Ahua. You must be Cheng Lingshuang, right?" Ahua stepped forward and began to speak with her in a friendly manner.
But Cheng Lingshuang looked Ahua up and down a few times, glanced at Yun Ling, and then looked at Ahua again.
"Is she... Daughter both of you and Master?"
Upon hearing this, Yun Ling and Ahua both froze.
"???"
...