Chapter 155: Long Xiaoyun

Six months.

Is it too late?

It's too late!

Not just too late—it's finished!

Li Xunhuan never succumbed to despair, no matter the circumstance, but upon hearing that Long Xiaoyun had been with the Great Joy Bodhisattva for half a year, he truly fell into despair.

Long Xiaoyun is just a child.

Even if we recover Long Xiaoyun's body, his soul may never return.

"Yah!"

Li Xunhuan pulled the reins and galloped wildly on horseback.

Gu Qing and Long Xiaoyun rode behind, and as they traveled, Gu Qing looked at Long Xiaoyun's ashen face and his outstretched arm and said, "You've never properly treated your arm—trying to play the victim in front of Lin Shiyin?"

Long Xiaoyun's right arm had been ruined by Gu Qing's Ruyi Orchid Hand; the external wounds had healed over half a year, but the internal meridians still spasmed and throbbed intermittently. Hearing Gu Qing's words, his face turned purple with rage.

Long Xiaoyun hadn't neglected treatment—he simply couldn't cure it completely. Still, Lin Shiyin did occasionally show him concern because of the injury.

"Shut up!"

Long Xiaoyun roared in fury.

If he could have beaten Gu Qing, Long Xiaoyun would have struck long ago.

Riding from Yangzhou day and night without rest, they arrived in the Miao frontier after one day and one night, reaching the territory of the Great Joy Bodhisattva.

This was the Great Joy Bodhisattva's domain.

As soon as Gu Qing arrived, he was watched by many fat women; as they followed the mountain path to the Great Joy Bodhisattva's stronghold, the defenses grew even tighter.

In the central compound, the Great Joy Bodhisattva sat cross-legged on the ground, her entire body a mountain of flesh. Li Xunhuan stepped forward and stood before her.

"We're here for Long Xiaoyun!"

Li Xunhuan spoke bluntly.

"Are you the reinforcements Gu Qing sent?"

The Great Joy Bodhisattva did not recognize Li Xunhuan.

In the Jianghu, it was said Gu Qing had killed Shangguan JinHong, but the Great Joy Bodhisattva believed Shangguan JinHong had simply been weak—if he'd used poison, the outcome would've been different.

"This is Little Li the Probe."

A clear female voice came from beside them. Gu Qing turned and saw Lan Xiezi, dressed in Miao attire, voluptuous and seductive, her charm intoxicating. When their eyes met, Lan Xiezi snorted and turned her face away.

After being defeated by Gu Qing, Lan Xiezi had not rushed to rescue Long Xiaoyun from the Great Joy Bodhisattva. Instead, she lingered nearby, quietly watching over him to prevent his death—repaying Li Xunhuan's mercy in sparing her life.

"Is Little Li the Probe related to Long Xiaoyun?"

The Great Joy Bodhisattva asked.

"Just treat him as Long Xiaoyun's father!"

Gu Qing snapped.

This explanation was blunt and clear.

"Where is Xiaoyun?"

Li Xunhuan asked.

The Great Joy Bodhisattva smiled and said, "My good son is nursing." She patted her belly, and on her fat, wrinkled abdomen, a fold suddenly tensed—*pop! —and Long Xiaoyun was flung out.

After half a year, Long Xiaoyun wore Miao clothing, his face had rounded out, and stubble covered his lips—he had been forcibly matured.

"Father…"

Long Xiaoyun saw Long Xiaoyun and Li Xunhuan, expressionless, merely uttering the word, as if they were strangers.

"Xiaoyun!"

Long Xiaoyun's voice cracked with grief. Seeing his son's greasy face and recalling how he'd just been squeezed from the Great Joy Bodhisattva's flesh, he said, "You've suffered."

"Oil makes the face shine."

Gu Qing said, since he was the one who'd thrown Long Xiaoyun here, he had to prove Long Xiaoyun was well-treated.

Long Xiaoyun raised an eyebrow, touched his lip, and asked blankly, "Why are you here?"

Li Xunhuan, gazing at Long Xiaoyun's emotionless face, said sadly, "Xiaoyun, we're too late."

"We were busy fighting over your mother."

Gu Qing chimed in.

At these words, both Li Xunhuan and Long Xiaoyun fell silent, their faces burning red.

Long Xiaoyun's gaze fixed on Gu Qing.

At first, Long Xiaoyun had waited for Gu Qing to rescue him—but as the days passed, Gu Qing never came…

"I've stopped fighting for Lin Shiyin."

Gu Qing waved his hand. "Your uncle is married."

Sun Xiaohong was indeed a fine girl—resolute, intelligent, brave, and cheerful. Over the past half year, Gu Qing had traveled with her, enjoying the mountains and waters immensely.

Is this the time to share your personal happiness?

Even the Great Joy Bodhisattva's gaze turned toward Gu Qing.

"Xiaoyun!"

Li Xunhuan suddenly moved, snatching Long Xiaoyun with one hand and flinging him backward, lifting him off the ground toward Long Xiaoyun.

At the same moment, Li Xunhuan lost the initiative—several fat women had already surrounded him. He summoned his qinggong to leap skyward, but the women chased after him, each rising with surprising speed. Yet their bulk slowed them; Li Xunhuan, ranked third on the Weapons List, excelled not only in his flying dagger but also in qinggong. Just as he began to descend, the women reached their peak ascent—he tapped their bodies lightly, leaping over the encirclement.

At that instant, the Great Joy Bodhisattva spread her arms wide like a flesh cushion, standing precisely where Li Xunhuan would land.

Once Li Xunhuan touched down, she could seize him.

"Shhh!"

A flash of blade-light—only one flash.

A flying dagger pierced the Great Joy Bodhisattva's throat.

The Great Joy Bodhisattva remained calm, posture unchanged. As Li Xunhuan was about to fall into her embrace, Gu Qing waved his hand—Li Xunhuan shot sideways three feet, his toes barely brushing the ground before he vanished.

"Heh!"

Only now, realizing she'd failed, did the Great Joy Bodhisattva reach up and pull the flying dagger from her neck.

Li Xunhuan's flying dagger never missed—but the Great Joy Bodhisattva's skin was too thick; her wrinkles could deflect blades. This dagger had merely pierced her skin.

The Great Joy Bodhisattva stepped forward and lunged at Li Xunhuan again.

Li Xunhuan darted aside, and the flying dagger flashed once more—this time embedding itself in her eye socket. She pulled it out and crunched it between her teeth, utterly unfazed by its sharpness.

This left Li Xunhuan utterly helpless.

"Li Xunhuan, you're impressive—I like you!"

The Great Joy Bodhisattva admired Li Xunhuan and glanced at Gu Qing. "And you—this time, you won't escape." Her disciples' flesh mountains began to close in.

"Clang…"

Gu Qing drew his longsword and stepped forward—his blade-light flashed like thunder and lightning.

Li Xunhuan had never seen such swordlight—brilliant, radiant, like a celestial immortal descending from the heavens.

One strike—and it was over.

The brilliance of that sword still lingered in their eyes when Gu Qing sheathed his blade and stood silent.

Blood gushed from every wound on the Great Joy Bodhisattva's body. When she tried to channel her inner energy, the blood spurted violently from her cuts like a fountain.

Killing is easy. But killing with such artistry—that's a craft.

The Great Joy Bodhisattva, whom Li Xunhuan could not defeat, was slain by Gu Qing in a single stroke.

"Xiaoyun."

Gu Qing looked at Long Xiaoyun and smiled. "Do you support your mother being with Li Xunhuan?"

The Great Joy Bodhisattva bled mist beside Gu Qing—this calm, ordinary question felt chilling.

Long Xiaoyun suddenly wept. His fall had been too great—his soul had shut down, grown dead, felt life worthless. But now, he broke completely.

I have been betrayed three times, and thus learned that all things in this world are but illusions of deceit.

First, Lin Shiyin—my mother, swayed by emotion, abandoned me, the wretched child. Second, Gu Qing…

Now Long Xiaoyun understood: everything six months ago had been a setup!

Long Xiaoyun's rage would never subside!

(End of Chapter)