Chapter 47: The Passing of Wu Yashan

“That’s good, that’s good.”

Wu Yashan’s furrowed brows slowly relaxed.

He was about to die anyway—why dwell on such things?

The stronger and more mysterious Zhang Jie became, the greater his chance for revenge.

The future of the Xiaoyao Sect and Su Xinghe and others would be brilliant.

Since it brought benefit with no harm, why care?

Next, Wu Yashan began explaining to Zhang Jie the secrets of practicing the Beiming Divine Art.

During this time, Wu Yashan also passed to Zhang Jie the Seven Treasures Ring, symbolizing the Xiaoyao Sect’s leadership.

Now the Seven Treasures Ring rested on Zhang Jie’s left thumb.

“Master, shall I call Brother Su to see you?”

After explaining the secrets, Wu Yashan had little time left, so Zhang Jie asked.

In terms of closeness, aside from the likely long-departed Xiaoyaozi,

Su Xinghe was Wu Yashan’s closest person.

Not even his ex-wife Li Qiushui, nor his own daughter Lady Wang, compared to Su Xinghe.

To Wu Yashan, Su Xinghe was his son!

Had Su Xinghe not been obsessed with chess and uninterested in martial arts,

He would have been the first choice to inherit Wu Yashan’s legacy!

“Xinghe…”

Wu Yashan fell into memory at these words.

He had seen and remembered everything Su Xinghe had done over the years.

Without Su Xinghe’s protection, he would have already died at the hands of that traitor Ding Chunqiu.

Without Su Xinghe’s careful care, the master of the Xiaoyao Sect might have starved to death!

“Better not let him in.”

Wu Yashan finally decided not to see Su Xinghe.

He feared that meeting Su Xinghe would make him unable to remain so detached.

He feared even more seeing Su Xinghe’s heartbroken expression.

“Yes, Master.”

Since Wu Yashan had said so, Zhang Jie could only agree.

“Master, do you have any unfinished wishes?

I will do my best to fulfill them for you.” Zhang Jie continued.

Filled with lingering guilt, he resolved to help Wu Yashan complete his wishes.

Nothing more than to ease his conscience.

“Unfinished wishes…”

Wu Yashan thought of his elder sister Wu Xingyun, who had loved him devotedly all her life,

His wife Li Qiushui, once beloved, later turned enemy,

His disciple Su Xinghe, who had served him faithfully for decades,

And the young sister Li Canghai, for whom he had carved a jade statue as tall as a person,

Finally, he thought of his daughter A Luo (Li Qingluo, Lady Wang), born of him and Li Qiushui.

“Disciple, if you have time, go to Suzhou for me,

See my daughter, and tell her: ‘Your father regrets you!’”

In the end, Wu Yashan abandoned all other loves and grudges, but could not let go of the daughter he had wronged all his life.

Soon after A Luo’s birth, he and Li Qiushui fell into discord.

As a result, he gave her no proper paternal love, and set a bad example instead.

Since his ambush by Ding Chunqiu, he had not seen this only daughter in decades.

“I will, Master.”

Zhang Jie nodded solemnly.

Since this was Wu Yashan’s only dying wish, he would naturally fulfill it.

“Disciple, you’ve worked hard…”

Wu Yashan, now without regret, quietly closed his eyes.

The second master of the Xiaoyao Sect, one of the Three Immortals of Xiaoyao, the great master Wu Yashan passed away peacefully.

“Master, rest in peace!”

Zhang Jie bowed solemnly to Wu Yashan, bidding farewell to the master who had taken him as a disciple only hours ago,

Yet had bestowed upon him immense grace.

After bowing, Zhang Jie walked slowly out of the secret chamber—he must inform Su Xinghe and the others of the death.

“Master, Young Master Zhang has come out!”

As soon as Zhang Jie stepped from the tunnel, Xue Muhua spotted him.

He also saw the Seven Treasures Ring on Zhang Jie’s left thumb,

The symbol of the Xiaoyao Sect’s leadership.

“Fourth-generation Xiaoyao Sect disciple Xue Muhua pays homage to the Master.”

Xue Muhua bowed solemnly to Zhang Jie.

“No need.”

Zhang Jie, somewhat listless, waved him off.

But Su Xinghe, who understood everything, his eyes reddened; he choked out:

“Has the Master… already passed away?”

Though phrased as a question, his tone was certain.

After all, he had been involved in Wu Yashan’s plan from start to finish,

And knew full well what Zhang Jie’s appearance with the Seven Treasures Ring meant.

“Yes.”

Zhang Jie, low in spirits, nodded.

“What? Has our Grandmaster passed?”

Xue Muhua, unaware of the truth behind the Zhenlong Chess Puzzle, was stunned.

“Let’s go pay our final respects to the Master.”

Zhang Jie turned and led Su Xinghe and Xue Muhua into the secret chamber.

“Master!”

Su Xinghe, seeing Wu Yashan lying in the chamber as if asleep, burst into tears.

“Grandmaster!”

Xue Muhua wept uncontrollably.

“Third-generation Xiaoyao Sect disciple pays homage to the Master.”

After a moment, Su Xinghe, barely holding back his grief, trembled as he prepared to bow deeply to Zhang Jie.

“Brother Su, you’re too formal.”

Zhang Jie quickly used his inner energy to lift Su Xinghe before he could bow.

Not only did Su Xinghe have decades more seniority than Zhang Jie, who had only just become a disciple hours ago,

But Su Xinghe’s age far surpassed Zhang Jie’s—he was old enough to be Zhang Jie’s grandfather in this life.

To let such an elderly man bow to him felt deeply inappropriate.

Moreover, Zhang Jie deeply admired Su Xinghe’s loyalty and devotion.

Put in the same situation, Zhang Jie knew he could not have done as Su Xinghe had.

“Disciple, rituals must not be neglected.”

Su Xinghe insisted on performing the full ceremonial bow to Zhang Jie, to establish the Xiaoyao Sect’s hierarchy.

“Very well.”

Knowing Su Xinghe was helping him establish authority, Zhang Jie slightly turned aside, accepting half the bow.

“Fourth-generation Xiaoyao Sect disciple Xue Muhua pays homage to the Master.”

After Zhang Jie helped Su Xinghe up, Xue Muhua straightened his attire,

Then bowed deeply to Zhang Jie with solemn formality.

“Young nephew, rise quickly.”

This time, Zhang Jie accepted Xue Muhua’s bow with full composure.

The ancients said: if names are not correct, words will not be proper; if words are not proper,

Affairs will not succeed—thus everything requires legitimacy.

As the third master of the Xiaoyao Sect, he naturally must assume the role without hesitation.

“Hmm.”

Su Xinghe nodded slightly upon seeing Zhang Jie’s actions.

The Xiaoyao Sect is not yet completely shattered, but it is nearly so.

At such a critical moment, only a sect leader with an iron fist can reunite and revive the Xiaoyao Sect.

And most importantly, a successor with a weak nature cannot avenge Wuyaszi.

“Sect leader…”

After some thought, Su Xinghe spoke slowly.

“Senior brother, you flatter me—call me junior brother,” Zhang Jie said.

He already felt guilty for having received Su Xinghe’s great bow,

so normal senior-junior terms are enough now.

He was not some flesh-and-blood politician who needed elaborate rituals to reinforce his authority.

With sixty years of Beiming True Qi in his body, he could make his fist equal to power itself!

“That works well,” Su Xinghe nodded.

To be honest, addressing a youth young enough to be his grandson as “sect leader” felt awkward to him.

Zhang Jie’s gesture eased the awkwardness between them and drew them closer.

“Junior brother, do you think we should now recall my few unworthy disciples

and rebuild the Xiaoyao Sect?” Su Xinghe asked.

“Rebuild the Xiaoyao Sect!”

When Xue Muhua heard his master Su Xinghe’s suggestion, he could not help but feel stirred.

Su Xinghe, including him, had taken in eight disciples total.

He and his other seven senior brothers had once been deeply close, nearly inseparable.

Unfortunately, under Ding Chunqiu’s threat, Su Xinghe had been forced to expel them from the sect,

publicly severing the master-disciple bond to protect them from Ding Chunqiu’s poison.

Though he still maintained slight contact with his other seven senior brothers,

they dared not meet again, fearing Ding Chunqiu would discover they were putting on a show.

Yet though his heart stirred, Xue Muhua showed no sign of it.

For he did not know how much power Zhang Jie, the new sect leader, had inherited from their ancestor Wuyaszi,

nor whether he could stand against Ding Chunqiu and uphold the Xiaoyao Sect.

If Zhang Jie’s martial skill was far inferior to Ding Chunqiu’s, then reviving the Xiaoyao Sect would be nothing but empty talk.

If Zhang Jie’s martial arts were far inferior to Ding Chunqiu, then reviving the Xiaoyao Sect would be nothing but empty talk.