Chapter 111

Chapter 111

In the end, Xie Zhi Gui was knocked unconscious and taken away; Ming Fei Yu would not listen to his explanations.

"Why did you send me away at that time?"

"Why were those Daoist priests lying in ambush at your house?"

"How much have you and your sister conspired against me?"

"Are you telling me you weren’t the one who stabbed me?"

……

Xie Zhi Gui was left speechless by the accusations.

Indeed, if the last time was an accident, this time the dagger had pierced the heart; it could no longer be called an accident, and all his explanations seemed feeble.

Ming Fei Yu was seriously injured this time. Lord Ah Liu took her for treatment, and Xie Zhi Gui hadn't seen her for several days. He was worried, wanting to go out and find her, but guards at the courtyard gate prevented him from stepping out, effectively placing him under house arrest.

Only a few unfamiliar villagers came to tend to him, speaking a language he didn't understand. Knowing that Ming Fei Yu had been hurt by him, they showed no kindness, and he could get no information from them.

But at least Ming Fei Yu must not be in grave danger; otherwise, he wouldn't still be alive and intact.

Xie Zhigui began to suffer sleepless nights, torn between worry for Ming Feiyu's healing and the fear that falling asleep would lead him into nightmares where he might harm someone unconsciously.

He sequestered himself in his room, drifting between consciousness and sleep for days. Occasionally, he dreamt of his childhood, curiously filled with fragmented memories of his late father, Xie Sanxiao.

But why would he dream of him?

Even if it were not Ming Feiyu or Xie Qingyuan, it should not have been him—how could a father, akin to a stranger in his life, appear so frequently in his dreams after death?

Before Xie Zhigui could understand the reason, Xie Qingyuan arrived with reinforcements.

Regardless of who instigated the conflict, it was inevitable that revenge would be sought for the massacre of so many celestial masters by Ming Feiyu.

The villagers, armed, confronted the enemy at the entrance of the stronghold. The guards left him unattended, allowing Xie Qingyuan to slip in easily.

Pushing open the door into the dim room, Xie Zhigui, who had been sitting up in wait, was momentarily blinded by the light. Shielding his eyes, his wrist was seized, and Xie Qingyuan, in a frantic state, pulled him up to leave.

"Come back with me; it's not safe here."

Xie Zhigui followed her for a few steps, then halted abruptly. Xie Qingyuan turned back, puzzled, while Xie Zhigui's gaze, deep and probing, fixed on her eyes, questioning, "It was you, wasn't it?"

"What was me?" Xie Qingyuan couldn't help but shout, "Stop asking nonsense, hurry up and follow me, I won't be able to look out for you if a fight breaks out! I can't have you ending up in the hospital again..."

"It was you who caused me to lose consciousness, right?"

Xie Qingyuan's voice halted abruptly, and Xie Zhigui, with his keen perception, noticed the flicker of guilt in her eyes and instantly understood everything.

He wrenched his wrist free and seized her in return, pulling the would-be escapee back to him, seldom had he spoken to her with such assertiveness.

"Look at me!"

"I'm asking you, what was it that you gave me to drink that day?"

Xie Qingyuan averted his gaze, obviously uncomfortable under scrutiny, "Xiao Gui, your sister would never harm you. You have to believe me..."

"I asked you what you gave me to drink! Don't change the subject!"

He had never before addressed Xie Qingyuan with such an alien, harsh tone, and the room fell into a sudden, eerie silence as she stared at him, stunned.

Xie Zhigui took a deep breath, placing his hand on Xie Qingyuan’s shoulder, and persisted, "Is it Xie Sanxiao who's controlling my body?"

Xie Qingyuan’s eyes darted away for a moment.

"He's still alive, isn't he?"

He had guessed correctly.

Sometimes, Xie Qingyuan would curse Xie Sanxiao as an old man who wouldn't die, but she never expected her words to come true. She was shocked when Xie Sanxiao’s spirit came looking for her, who would have thought that even after his human body was burnt to ashes and buried, his spirit had yet to report to the underworld.

Xie Sanxiao had bartered for sixty years of life from Ming Fei Yu, and in his self-satisfaction, he was oblivious to the trap Ming Fei Yu had laid for him.

He was bound to live out those sixty years on earth, no matter the form—human, beast, or some ghastly in-between.

After all, until the time was up, he could not be released, having to endure existence painfully, even if reduced to but a wisp of ash.

Xie Sanxiao, with the pride of a celestial master, had spent his life ridding the world of evil. He couldn't bear the thought of becoming a ghostly specter; to him, it was a fate worse than death, far preferable to have perished cleanly in the first place!

He desperately needed a new body, yet he adhered to his professional ethics, refusing to seize one from an ordinary human. Consequently, his two biological children became his only options.

Logically, he should have sought out Xie Qingyuan, with whom he had a better relationship. After all, as a cultivator, her robust body and abundant spiritual energy made her an ideal vessel to nurture his soul.

However, the problem was that Xie Qingyuan was too powerful; he would never find the opportunity to fully control her, and he might even be thoroughly suppressed by her, unable to do anything.

Xie Zhigui, on the other hand, was much easier to manipulate.

But with Ming Feiyu by Xie Zhigui's side, the risk was too great for him to attempt it alone, and the likelihood of success was too low.

Sons lack the filial piety of daughters; he feared that if Ming Feiyu discovered his plan, Xie Zhigui would not plead on his behalf, and might even assist Ming Feiyu in devising a way to dispose of him.

Heh, he should have strangled the boy at birth.

Daughters are not only more filial than sons, but also easier to deceive.

Xie Qingyuan at least shared a period of warm father-daughter affection with him and had mourned his death. Naturally, she could not stand by and watch him become a ghastly figure and hesitantly agreed to help him, but insisted on using the gentlest methods possible to avoid harming Xie Zhigui.

Thus, Xie Qingyuan fed the unsuspecting Xie Zhigui soul-fortifying soups, while Xie Sanxiao gradually became familiar with and took control of this new body.

This was the reason for Xie Zhigui's frequent bouts of unconsciousness, waking with no memory of what had transpired.

Those actions were not his; how could he possibly have memories of them?

In the brief fifteen minutes that Xie Qingyuan explained the situation, Xie Zhigui had cursed Xie Sanxiao hundreds of times in his heart, stopping just short of insulting his entire family.

Then he thought that 'his entire family' included himself, which made his chest feel as if it were blocked by a stone.

Xie Qingyuan watched his expression carefully. Ever since she saw the distress in Xie Zhigui for inadvertently harming Ming Feiyu, she began to doubt whether she had done the right thing but never dared to voice it.

"I want to see him."

"Who?"

Xie Zhigui's gaze met hers in a silent exchange, and Xie Qingyuan immediately understood what he intended to do.

Despite her hesitation, she felt compelled to advise, "Xiao Gui, no matter what, he is our father."

"I know." Xie Zhigui cut her off sharply, curtailing the plea for mercy she was about to make.

"Help me meet him; I'll be measured."

*

Within the sea of consciousness.

Xie Sanxiao was still furiously fuming over his failed assassination.

The plan should have been foolproof.

"What more is needed, how can that monster be killed!"

Vicious words spilled from Xie Sanxiao's mouth incessantly. His once serene and elegant visage twisted, his eyes filled with a venomous, cold gleam.

Suddenly, a roar came from behind: "Xie Sanxiao!!"

It was a voice that should not have been there. Surprised, he turned around without any defense, as Xie Zhigui, with a grave expression, charged forward and landed a powerful punch on his face.

"Ah!"

Xie Sanxiao clutched his face, doubling over in pain.

Can you feel the pain?

Good, very good.

Xie Zhigui relentlessly pummeled the face of his opponent who couldn't even open his eyes, punch after punch—once, twice, thrice... and with each blow, Xie Sanxiao's cries of pain diminished to incoherent grunts.

Xie Sanxiao dared not retaliate, fully aware that this was Xie Zhigui's domain, where any injury to him could instantly lead to turmoil or even collapse.

He hadn't anticipated that the slender and seemingly fragile Xie Zhigui could strike with such force, aiming specifically for vulnerable spots like the nose and eyes.

After several punches, there wasn’t a single spot on his face left unscathed.

Time became indistinct until, at last, the sound of fists ceased.

"Had enough?"

Xie Sanxiao staggered to his feet, his spine unnaturally straight, clinging to his dignity and pride even in such a state. Wiping the blood from his nose, smearing it across half of his face, he choked on the blood he coughed up, revealing his disheveled nature.

After coughing, he gasped for air, spat out a mouthful of blood, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and glared at Xie Zhigui with furious eyes, as if he wasn’t looking at his own kin but an enemy he yearned to devour.

At this moment, he finally ceased playing the benevolent father.

"Are you satisfied now? My son."

“I will tell Ming Fei Yu everything you've done,” Xie Zhigui said emotionlessly, dropping this statement before turning away, leaving him standing there.

Xie Sanxiao paused, then sneered, calling out loudly to Xie Zhigui’s retreating figure, "Go ahead and tell him, do you think that will free you from me?"

Xie Zhigui stopped in his tracks, turning to look back at him with a sudden ominous premonition.

"I won't die," Xie Sanxiao said with a twisted smile, revealing blood-stained teeth, as despair and madness took root in his eyes.

"Thanks to your beloved, death is not an option for me. For decades to come, I am doomed to endure in this ghastly form."

"Do you know what's more terrifying than death? It's watching oneself age, growing weaker by the day. You stop looking forward to the sunrise because you feel your youth and vitality slipping away, and you can't hold onto it."

As Xie Sanxiao spoke, he looked down at his hands, now like withered branches, and at his skin, increasingly shriveled and aged, the decay of his body spreading to his soul. Then he erupted into a bizarre laughter.

"Old, so old, I can't hold on, ha-ha-ha, I can't grasp it anymore..."

His laughter mixed with coughing up blood, each bout louder than the last.

Xie Zhigui felt he was on the brink of madness.

"You brought this upon yourself."

"Blame me?"

Xie Sanxiao's face suddenly twisted, contorted in a disturbing grimace as he lunged towards Xie Zhigui, pounding on his chest and bellowing, "Ming Fei Yu is to blame for my plight!"

"Had it not been for his scheming against me, I would not be in this sorry state today! It's all him, that despicable, sly beast!"

Without letting him finish, Xie Zhigui met him with another punch, a crisp sound as his fist landed heavily on the bridge of the nose.

Clutching his blood-gushing nose, Xie Sanxiao doubled over in pain, his wailing unceasing.

Xie Zhigui's own knuckles were bleeding, his veins a dark purple from the strain and pain, but he didn't care, looking coldly down at Xie Sanxiao, "You can't blame anyone else, you've wrought this upon yourself."

"Had you not been so craven, seeking Ming Fei Yu to extend your life, would he have bothered with you?

Had you not sold me out as a bargaining chip, would I have met him?

Had you not used my face to deceive him into letting his guard down, would he have been enraged enough to kill you?"

"Aren't these the choices you've made? You've paved your own path to destruction—whom can you blame but yourself?"

The sound of sharp intake of breath ceased, and Xie Sanxiao's hands remained clutched to his face, perhaps clinging to the last shred of dignity in front of his son.

Xie Zhigui didn't care. Now that he knew who was behind the mischief, a clear explanation to Ming Fei Yu would suffice.

He needed to return quickly; Ming Fei Yu must be waiting.

As he was about to step away, Xie Sanxiao, silent for a long spell, suddenly posed a nonsensical question, "Why me?"

Xie Zhigui: "What do you mean?"

"Why don’t good people get their just rewards?

Why don’t good deeds yield good outcomes?

Why is this world so unfair?"

Xie Zhigui frowned, "What are you trying to say?"

Xie Sanxiao let his hands drop, his face quickly swelling, with large patches of skin turning an embarrassing shade of purple from the bruising. The refined and composed demeanor he usually carried was gone, leaving only his eyes visible, which were filled with resentment, indignation, and grievance. They were profound and deep, their intensity undiminished by the passage of time, unable to smooth away his bitterness.

He spoke as if to himself about his unjust past—

"Did you know? I'm the youngest in the family, with three elder siblings, each a gifted celestial master. I was born premature, frail from the start, unable to even lift a peach wood sword. They all said I was destined to be ordinary."

"I refused to accept that. If they could, why couldn't I?"

"I vowed to achieve what they did, and to surpass them, to do even better!"

"Better, I can be better..."

Xie Sanxiao's hands trembled with fervent emotion, a stubborn flame flickering in his eyes, indifferent to whether it might reduce him to ashes; he yearned only to grow stronger and more powerful!

"I drank potions and tonic relentlessly, trained my body, studied spells and arts, living like an ascetic monk for over a decade, never allowing myself a single day of slack."

"When others found runes too complex and time-consuming, I was willing to spend ten times longer mastering them."

"They thought assisting the underprivileged was unprofitable and refrained from lending a hand; I did not disdain. My master taught me to cultivate not only my skills but also my virtue. So, I helped those poor souls wholeheartedly, without expecting any return, even when I was scorned and beaten, accused of being a charlatan. I harbored no resentment!"

"Without me, those people would have perished long ago!" Xie Sanxiao exclaimed, his hands waving dramatically to emphasize his frustration.

"I've helped so many, suffered ailments, and even sacrificed my lifespan for them. Why can't I have a good ending? Why isn't there a reward for me!"

Xie Sanxiao's eyes reddened as he roared, resembling a trapped beast. For the first twenty years, he strived to prove his worth, working hard to become the great saint others expected him to be, only to have his mask of fear ripped away overnight, releasing the repressed, dark monster within.

He's not in his right mind anymore, Xie Zhigui thought.

The man was both despicable and pitiable.

Xie Zhigui, looking into his bloodshot eyes, spoke with unexpected calm, "If you seek a reward, seek it from those you've helped. Let them repay you, not me. I owe you nothing."

"It was my mother who bore me, my mother and sister who raised me, and Ming Fei Yu who kept me healthy. You, apart from providing a single cell at the beginning, have been absent for twenty years of my life."

Words that should have been a heated outburst accusing a father of heartlessness were delivered by Xie Zhigui with a restraint that was disarming, provoking an unexpected twinge of guilt in Xie Sanxiao.

"To others, you may be a savior, but to me, you are the source of pain."

As Xie Sanxiao approached, Xie Zhigui instinctively stepped back as if avoiding a viper, leaving Xie Sanxiao to halt awkwardly, finally mustering only a dry, "Xiao Gui, your father loves you."

Xie Zhigui shook his head gently, for what you do not love.

Whether it's between parents and children or lovers, the presence or absence of love can be felt.

Even though everyone told him that paternal love is silent and to understand his reticent father, he truly felt not even a hint of fatherly love.

Love and hatred are equally intense emotions that, once stirred, engage the heart, spleen, and lungs profoundly and are hard to conceal, just as Ming Fei Yu's gaze upon him was always tender, enduring, like the warm breeze of spring lifting him up.

Xie Zhigui had long outgrown the age of crying for adult affection and coddling; neither kindness nor malice from Xie Sanxiao could hurt him, but he cared about Ming Fei Yu's attitude.

Xie Zhigui, worried about the situation outside, left Xie Sanxiao behind and departed.

Seeing his indifference, Xie Sanxiao knew that playing the card of kinship was utterly ineffective against him.

"I cannot die; at most, you can only expel me from your body."

Xie Zhigui ignored him and continued on his way.

"I will go to find your sister."

At this, he stopped.