Chapter 442: How to Interpret the Word 'Love

In the endless Darkness, one by one, the people who had died because of her stood before her; those ferocious and malicious faces surrounded her, and their curses, insults, and hatred surged toward her like waves.

The young girl called Murong Wuzhu bit her cherry lips with her pearly teeth; at first, she could manage to meet their gazes, but soon she clutched her head and crouched on the ground, her pretty face filled with panic, fear, and guilt, almost on the verge of tears.

Her heart kept sinking, as if falling into a deep abyss of Darkness.

Until a large, warm hand stroked her head; she looked up and saw the relative closest to her by blood, dressed in black, his face full of smiles.

The young man in black seemed to radiate a soft luster in the Darkness, appearing both like sunlight and moonlight, as warm and gentle as ever, enveloping the young girl, and her mind instantly calmed down.

The youth in black smiled, his lips moving as if he had said a few words.

Murong Wuzhu showed a look of hesitation, her cheeks slightly flushed, and she shook her head.

Yet the young man in black continued to look at her with a smile, which seemed to inject a tremendous power into the girl's heart, making her feel warm all over and giving rise to an indomitable conviction.

But when asked to do as the young man said, she blushed again and shook her head vigorously.

The youth in black simply looked at her without a word, his smile remaining, his gaze filled with encouragement.

Under this gaze, Murong Wuzhu finally stood up, pouting with a look of grievance.

She turned to look at those ferocious and twisted faces; although she was still afraid in her heart, as long as he was by her side, she felt incomparably at ease. Even if the sky fell and the earth cracked, there was no need to panic.

In a state of extreme reluctance, Murong Wuzhu extended her delicate little fist toward the crowd of ferocious faces, then gave a thumbs-down, saying in a tactful tone.

"Get lost, you bastards!!"

An inexplicable sense of pleasure suddenly arose in her heart, and her fear was swept away.

And so, the Darkness was torn apart.

……

Yu Liancheng slowly withdrew his divine sense and looked down; the fear and horror on Murong Wuzhu's pretty face had completely vanished, and she was fast asleep. Between her breaths, there was a sweet scent, and her delicate, beautiful face still carried a sweet smile, as if immersed in a beautiful dream.

"Rest well."

Yu Liancheng gently stroked her silk-like hair, smiled slightly, and turned to walk out of the young girl's boudoir.

Looking up, the night was deep, the stars were sparse, and the bright moon cast its light down, reflecting upon the entire Guniujiang, coating it in a layer of silver-white radiance.

The young man in black had a thought and paced into a courtyard; sure enough, there was a figure with their back to him, dressed in a white robe, peerless in grace, with Double Blades at their waist.

"Nangong," Yu Liancheng called out.

Yet the woman in the white robe acted as if she did not know someone had come up behind her, continuing to look up and admire the moon.

"This fellow..." Yu Liancheng did not say much more; compared to admiring the moon, which he could see often, he undoubtedly preferred looking at a peerless beauty, so he began to admire the back of White Fox Face.

White Fox Face stood with her back to him, Double Blades hanging at her waist, a pair of delicate jade hands behind her back, her head slightly tilted, watching the bright moon in the sky. The bright moon cast its radiance, reflecting upon that peerless profile, making it even more breathtaking.

Her back was straight and slender, her grace natural, giving one infinite beautiful fantasies. One felt that any beautiful words in the world used to describe her would not be enough to capture even a fraction of it; she could truly be said to be a collection of the world's spiritual beauty.

Yu Liancheng looked her up and down, clicking his tongue in admiration; what long legs and a slim waist. He wondered what kind of charm this White Fox Face, who liked to wear white robes, would exude if she were dressed in women's clothing.

"Have you seen enough?" Nangong Pushe's voice was somewhat cold.

Yu Liancheng answered decisively: "No." Completely unfazed by the threat.

"See if I don't gouge your eyes out if you keep looking," Nangong Pushe said fiercely.

"You can't beat me," Yu Liancheng said bluntly.

"Is that so..."

Cold light flickered in Nangong Pushe's peach-blossom eyes; she drew her blade and swung, carving out a sorrowfully beautiful blade light. Her graceful figure spun, the white robe seeming to merge into the blade light, person and blade as one, slashing toward Yu Liancheng.

Yu Liancheng smiled slightly, flicked his finger, and shot out a gust of finger wind, dissolving this strike invisibly.

Nangong Pushe's blade technique changed again; the blade light flickered faster and more violently, whipping up a hurricane. Yu Liancheng reached out and pressed down, landing exactly on the pivot point of the blade technique, dissolving the strike once more.

Under the moonlight, the blade light flickered and the white shadow swayed, making it almost impossible to see her figure, as the blade momentum surged like a tide. Yu Liancheng wore a smile, his fingers tapping out continuously.

In the blink of an eye, Nangong Pushe had attacked with over thirty moves, but every time she made a move, it was stopped. No matter how she changed, she could not escape from between Yu Liancheng's five fingers.

"I'm done, you win," Nangong Pushe sheathed her Xiudong Saber, pouted, and frowned slightly, rarely performing such a girlish gesture; it was charming and cute, truly very moving.

Yu Liancheng said: "I heard from my sister that you have four formidable opponents."

Nangong Pushe nodded: "That is indeed the case." In an instant, she returned to her aloof posture, as if she could make any woman in the world fall for her.

Yu Liancheng said: "I can teach you a method so you don't have to suffer through ten years of bitter cultivation in the Listening Tide Pavilion."

"Oh," Nangong Pushe replied with a cold face, neither salty nor bland.

Yu Liancheng asked curiously: "You don't want to hear it?"

Nangong Pushe sneered: "Because I know whatever you suggest must be a lousy idea."

Yu Liancheng clicked his tongue: "A beauty trap is not lousy at all. If you put on women's clothing and dress up a little, all the men in the world would be captivated by you; what could you not accomplish then?"

"It really is a lousy idea, so lousy it stinks," Nangong Pushe covered her forehead, shaking her head and sighing. Her heart suddenly stirred, and she couldn't help but ask: "Then would you be captivated?"

Yu Liancheng replied without hesitation: "I would probably be the first one to be captivated."

"Superficial man." Nangong Pushe suddenly felt her cheeks burning, hurriedly turned her head away, and looked down at Guniu Dagang, seeing sparse lights: "Besides us, it seems there are others who haven't slept."

Yu Liancheng felt a stir in his heart: "Let's go, let's go over and take a look."

……

The architecture on Guniu Dagang was very particular, with strict hierarchies and cumbersome rules. The back courtyard where the eldest branch originally resided was small but complete in every detail.

Facing them was a banquet hall, with vermilion lacquer, carved sandalwood, and ridge beasts soaring.

In the past, the eldest branch was extremely desolate compared to the second and third branches.

Since Yu Liancheng left and everything on Huishan was handed over to Xuanyuan Jingcheng, the threshold of the eldest branch had almost been worn down, with people coming and going in an endless stream.

However, Xuanyuan Jingcheng had his own set of rules for doing things; later, apart from certain managers specifically summoned by Xuanyuan Jingcheng, very few others visited.

Now the night was deep.

Yet the banquet hall was brightly lit.

Moonlight shone through the window onto Xuanyuan Jingcheng; this scholar was drinking tea, looking calm and carefree.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng yawned and stepped into the banquet hall: "Father, why did you look for Qingfeng at this hour?"

As these days passed, she had come to know this father anew; though she could not yet fully let go of past grievances, she was at least able to call out "Dad."

"Sit down," Xuanyuan Jingcheng said, tapping the table with pale fingers. "There are some things I want to tell you. Has your mother not come over?"

"No. Do you want me to go call her?" Xuanyuan Qingfeng faintly sensed that something was wrong.

"Forget it, let her have a good sleep," Xuanyuan Jingcheng smiled slightly and said, "I just have some things I want to tell you. If you find them useful, keep them in your heart; if you find them useless, just consider it your father being long-winded for once."

"Although the Heavenly Venerable is known as the Master of Huishan, he does not care about this Huishan. Perhaps even the entire pugilistic world, aside from a few people like Wang Xianzhi, is not held in his eyes."

"He is merely a hands-off manager. As long as you complete the tasks he entrusts to you, he will never make things difficult for you, and may even grant you benefits. When all is said and done, this Huishan is still our Xuanyuan Family's. No, to be precise, it is yours—it is yours, Xuanyuan Qingfeng's."

"I once said that the thousands of pounds of talent in a man's belly are no match for the four ounces on a woman's chest; this statement is not false at all. Murong Tonghuang appears high and aloof, like a Heavenly Human, but in reality, he lacks nothing in terms of wine, lust, wealth, and temper. As for how to handle the relationship between the two of you, hehe, this old antique of a father will not meddle too much."

"That little girl Murong Wuzhu has no ulterior motives and will not interfere in the affairs of Huishan. You have a sisterly bond with her; if you have matters, you can ask her for help. She might not be able to solve them, but Murong Tonghuang cares very much about this sister of his."

"Apart from the Murong siblings, the only people on the entire Huishan you need to pay attention to are Hong Biao and Huang Pangfo. Hong Biao has a rebellious streak; you must convince him with reason. Bestowing favors is not as effective as wielding power. Huang Pangfo loves fame, but he also has his own pride."

Looking at the man rambling on before her, a flash of panic suddenly crossed Xuanyuan Qingfeng's cold and stunningly beautiful face: "Dad, what exactly are you trying to do?! Huishan still needs you to preside over it; Qingfeng is still just a little girl."

Xuanyuan Jingcheng smiled slightly and did not answer, instead affectionately stroking Murong Wuzhu's head and continuing.

"From the day you were born, Dad buried a jar of Daughter Wine under the old osmanthus tree; it has now been twenty-three years. Sigh, Dad has spoken very little with you in recent years; I have truly been a bit long-winded."

"By the way, in the future when you marry and have children, if it's a boy, call him Fuyao; if it's a girl, call her Yasong. If you don't like it, then forget it. Dad hopes that if they want to study in the future, they can study, and if they want to practice martial arts, they can practice. The world is vast, yet life is but a square inch; living one's life in a muddled haze is quite good."

Watching Xuanyuan Qingfeng, who was already streaming with tears and looking like rain-drenched pear blossoms, Xuanyuan Jingcheng smiled slightly, looked toward a certain direction in the back courtyard, and stood up.

"Dad is leaving. During the Qingming Festival, if your mother is unwilling to visit the grave, Qingfeng, you need not force her. Since you cannot be together through thick and thin, then forgetting each other in the pugilistic world may not be a misfortune in life."

The next moment, the Qi of this Xuanyuan Jingcheng, who appeared like a down-and-out scholar, surged violently. In an instant, he resonated with heaven and earth and entered the Land Immortal Realm, yet blood flowed from his seven orifices.

"All these years, it is Dad who has failed you."

"From now on, go do what you want to do."

Xuanyuan Jingcheng stroked his daughter's head, a smile on his face.

This was his most precious treasure in the world; for his daughter, he would spare nothing.

Even if it were himself.

Then, a majestic surge of Qi poured down.

"Dad!"

Xuanyuan Qingfeng cried out, her face covered in tears, her voice nearly hoarse.

She wanted to break free, but she could not move at all; she only felt waves of Qi surging into her body. Though majestic, it was upright and gentle, wandering through her meridians and acupoints.

In that moment, she finally understood her father's intention.

That father who always wore a faint smile was going to use his own life to pave the path of a Heavenly Human for her.

Xuanyuan Jingcheng, however, only smiled.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng looked at this warm and gentle smiling face, and some scenes she thought she had long forgotten appeared before her eyes for no reason.

This man who self-deprecatingly said that if he didn't read for a day, his three meals would be tasteless, had previously taught her personally how to read, saying that every book opened is beneficial and one need not seek to understand every detail. He taught her hand-in-hand how to write, how to compose essays, and how to let the brush dance like a dragon or snake. And how he let her, as a young child, ride on his shoulders while they played and frolicked together...

For a time, tears blurred her vision.

When Yu Liancheng and Nangong Pushe rushed to the banquet hall, they saw Xuanyuan Jingcheng, who was bleeding from his seven orifices and had a weak aura, yet still remained composed, sipping tea. Beside him was Xuanyuan Qingfeng, who had fainted and collapsed on the table.

"Xuanyuan Jingcheng greets the Heavenly Venerable."

Xuanyuan Jingcheng stood up and bowed toward Yu Liancheng with a smile.

"In the end, you still reached this step."

Yu Liancheng looked at Xuanyuan Jingcheng, who had only one breath left and was like a candle flickering in the wind. He then looked at the Qi-filled Xuanyuan Qingfeng, and how could he not know what had happened.

Since the battle between Xuanyuan Jingcheng and Yu Liancheng at Daxueping, where he forcibly elevated his realm, he had not had much time left to live. Although he did not truly strike this time, mobilizing his Qi twice more had greatly reduced his lifespan.

Rather than lingering on in a precarious state, he simply used his own cultivation to fulfill Xuanyuan Qingfeng.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng had the heart to learn martial arts and even wanted to dominate the pugilistic world as a woman, but her talent was limited. Even having learned the "Heavenly Demon Great Art" taught by Yu Liancheng, ascending to First Grade Vajra was not an easy task. Let alone ascending to Heavenly Phenomenon and achieving the Land Immortal Realm.

But now it was different. With this Confucian Sage, Xuanyuan Jingcheng, sparing nothing to act, he had not only stored a long and majestic surge of Qi for Xuanyuan Qingfeng but also helped her cleanse her marrow and cut her bones, giving her top-tier talent for martial arts. From now on, her progress would be rapid, and as long as she did not intentionally slack off, ascending to a First-Rank Expert could be said to be a certainty.

Xuanyuan Jingcheng smiled and said: "I already had little time left to live. Being able to help my daughter at the end of my life can be considered dying in a worthy cause. It is only a pity that I cannot help the Heavenly Venerable manage the Heaven Beyond Heaven, but I believe my daughter will be more outstanding than me and more suitable to manage Huishan. I hope the Heavenly Venerable will grant this."

Yu Liancheng sighed and nodded.

Xuanyuan Jingcheng spoke no more; he bowed to Yu Liancheng, and then, with no trace of breath left, he passed away with a smile.

"He is a respectable father," Nangong Pushe sighed leisurely, her Peach Blossom eyes flickering. Not knowing if she had recalled something, her expression became somewhat cold.

The next day, in the back courtyard of the main branch, a woman opened a jar of Dangui Wine and brought out a set of wine utensils that had been sealed in dust for many years. Inadvertently, she discovered two lines of small characters engraved on the bottom of the wine cup, the handwriting elegant and transcendent.

On the entire Huishan, only that man had such leisure and flair.

"It is fine if life is bitter; it is good if the beloved returns."

The woman smiled bitterly, not feeling the pain as she picked up the scalding wine pot. She walked to the edge of the cliff and revealed a poignant smile: "Jingcheng, I won't be stubborn with you anymore."

After speaking, she leaped off.

On Daxueping, Yu Liancheng looked into the distance and set down the brush in his hand.

How can the word 'love' be explained? No matter how one writes it, it is never right.

PS: The side story has been updated; you can read it if you have a full subscription or if three people help out today.

As for how much I can update today, it depends on my state, haha. I also wanted to hold a lucky draw.