Chapter 37: Joining the Faction

Night.

A bright moon hung high in the center of the sky, its clear, pale light enveloping Yangcheng, draping the ancient city in a layer of romantic gauze.

If a person's sword technique were as gentle as moonlight, then who else could withstand it?

This was a quiet courtyard, and a tall, slender figure stood within it, seemingly admiring the moon, seemingly lost in thought. The evening breeze blew against him, his long sleeves fluttering as if he were about to ride the wind and depart.

He was, naturally, Yu Liancheng.

This courtyard was a property of the Green Clothes Tower in Yangcheng, and he was temporarily occupying it.

A faint human figure drifted into the courtyard, as pale as a wisp of mist, silent and soundless; his light-body technique was already at the pinnacle of the world.

"You have come." Yu Liancheng did not seem surprised by the arrival of this uninvited guest.

"I have come." His voice was very cold and clear; he wore clothes as white as snow. His hands were pale, his face was pale, but his eyes were as bright as cold stars.

Yu Liancheng said, "Have you all made the arrangements?"

Ye Gucheng said coldly, "Three hundred crossbowmen, dozens of the best experts in the pugilistic world, the Prince, and... me."

Yu Liancheng said, "Then why haven't you made your move?"

"Only because I feel that we can still talk with Mr. Yu; it is not yet time to resort to blades and guns." A person walked out from the shade of the trees, dressed in the same white as snow, yet appearing much more gentle: "Furthermore, with Mr. Yu's martial arts attainments, no one has absolute certainty of being able to deal with you."

"You call me 'Mr.'?" Yu Liancheng felt it was somewhat strange.

"Today, Mr. Yu taught me the harm of not keeping matters secret. I have benefited greatly, so naturally, I honor you as a teacher." The Nanwang Shizi cupped his hands.

Regardless, this Nanwang Shizi had a very high emotional intelligence.

Yu Liancheng said, "Oh, I already know about your conspiracy to rebel. How do you intend to handle it?"

The Nanwang Shizi said, "We wish to invite Mr. Yu to join us in this matter. Once it is accomplished, whatever you want, whatever you wish to do, I am willing to support you with all my strength."

Yu Liancheng smiled: "Then what if I do not agree?"

The Nanwang Shizi was silent for a long moment: "This matter truly cannot suffer the slightest error. If you refuse to agree, then I can only fight with all my might and struggle with you until one of us is dead."

"Very good, you are very honest. Honesty is a very good character trait." Yu Liancheng looked at Ye Gucheng, slightly puzzled: "I truly do not understand how a person like you, an Exiled Immortal, could willingly fall into the mortal dust and participate in such schemes and intrigues."

Ye Gucheng sighed softly: "There are many reasons. For example, the Prince of Nan has shown kindness to the Ye family; for example, the Prince is my disciple; and for example... life is truly too boring, and I must always find something to pass the remaining time. Perhaps you are right; in this regard, I am indeed inferior to Ximen Chuixue, and I am indeed not a pure swordsman."

Yu Liancheng was also slightly silent and said, "This matter itself is full of danger. Furthermore, even if it succeeds, I fear the Prince would kill to silence witnesses to avoid future trouble."

Ye Gucheng said coldly, "I am not a loose-lipped person, and I am not someone who is easy to deal with."

He was not a loose-lipped person, so the Prince naturally had no need to kill to silence him.

He was not someone easy to deal with; if the attempt failed even once, the secret would be made public, and the Prince would have to weigh that carefully regardless.

Yu Liancheng laughed: "It seems you are both very clear-headed."

"That goes without saying; those who are not clear-headed are not qualified to participate in this matter." The Nanwang Shizi said: "Then, what is your answer, Mr. Yu?" His tone was still very gentle, yet the entire space suddenly filled with boundless killing intent.

If Yu Liancheng refused, then a soul-stirring battle would unfold in this courtyard.

This would be a life-or-death struggle, using any means necessary, and by no means a fair duel between swordsmen.

"I knew you would agree." Before Yu Liancheng could speak, Ye Gucheng suddenly smiled.

He almost never smiled, and this smile was like an iceberg melting, full of warmth, yet it also held an indescribable hint of mockery: "It is precisely because you wanted to participate in this that you deliberately leaked the news to us."

Yu Liancheng smiled and nodded: "Correct. I obtained this news by sheer coincidence. Even if I were to make this news public, I would not gain much. But if I help the Prince become the Son of Heaven, the rewards will increase greatly. Although it is dangerous, it is not necessarily an uninteresting affair."

If the Nanwang Shizi could successfully usurp the throne and ascend to the imperial seat, it would truly have many benefits for him; at the very least, the Green Clothes Tower could grow and prosper, and he could read the palace's hidden texts at will. Even his cheap father, Yu Luosha, would no longer be a threat.

The Prince's face showed joy: "Mr. Yu has agreed?"

Yu Liancheng said, "I have no reason to refuse."

The Nanwang Shizi was overjoyed and cupped his hands again: "With your assistance, Mr. Yu, this matter is as good as done."

Yu Liancheng's cultivation was not below that of Ye Gucheng; the two of them joining forces was already invincible in the world. Perhaps they could not match a thousand armies, but they absolutely possessed the power to repel a thousand armies.

Ye Gucheng suddenly said, "Are you not afraid of being silenced?"

This was the very question Yu Liancheng had asked him.

Yu Liancheng laughed: "I am not a person who is easy to kill, and besides, is this process not an interesting affair?"

The Nanwang Shizi smiled bitterly: "Why must you two gentlemen view me as a heartless and ungrateful person? There is no need for such worries. I can guarantee that once the matter is accomplished, I will never forget the kindness of you two, and I will never do something like killing to silence witnesses."

Yu Liancheng chuckled: "That would be best."

Ye Gucheng, the Nanwang Shizi, and the others had already left.

Yu Liancheng looked far off in the direction they had departed, especially at Ye Gucheng, his gaze revealing a look of contemplation.

He had previously thought that Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue were very similar—the same white clothes as snow, the same aloof loneliness.

But now he suddenly discovered that there was a great difference between the two.

Ximen Chuixue is Ximen Chuixue.

Ye Gucheng is Ye Gucheng.

For Ximen Chuixue, the essence of the sword lies in sincerity; those who are not sincere are not even worthy of discussing the sword.

When Shangguan Danfeng used her sword to ambush Yan Tieshan from behind, Ximen Chuixue ordered her: "From this day forward, if you use a sword again, I will have you die." The sword is not for stabbing people in the back; if one stabs from behind, one is not worthy of using a sword.

The people Ximen Chuixue killed were also almost all people who deserved to die.

To him, killing and being killed were both sacred things.

Sincere to people, sincere to the sword.

This is Ximen Chuixue.

As for Ye Gucheng, for him, those who learn the sword only need to be sincere to the sword, and need not be sincere to people.

Therefore, he would participate in this matter, and he was not picky about who he killed; anyone who hindered his work, regardless of whether they were righteous or evil, good or bad, had to die.

These are two completely different philosophies, which also created two peerless swordsmen who appear the same but are, in reality, completely different.