Chapter 103

Chapter 103: Hate Born Part 21 (6)

Jiang Cheng always spoke with a hint of sarcasm, but this time, the target of his mockery was not someone else, but himself.

Suddenly, he said, "I'm sorry."

Wei Wuxian was taken aback and replied, "...You don't need to say sorry."

At this point, it was impossible to determine who owed whom an apology.

Wei Wuxian added, "Consider it as repayment to the Jiang family."

Jiang Cheng raised his face, his eyes bloodshot and red-rimmed, and said hoarsely, "...Repay my father, my mother, my sister?"

Wei Wuxian pressed his temples and said, "Forget it. It's all in the past. Let's not bring it up again."

This was not a memory he enjoyed revisiting. He didn't want to recall the sensation of his golden core being extracted while conscious, nor did he want to be repeatedly reminded of the magnitude of such a sacrifice and its cost.

If this had been revealed in his previous life, he would have probably laughed it off and tried to comfort Jiang Cheng: "It's really no big deal. Look at me, I've been thriving all these years without that golden core. I can fight whoever I want, kill whoever I want." But now, he truly didn't have the energy to feign such nonchalance.

In truth, he wasn't that carefree.

Is it really that easy to let go of something like this?

Impossible.

The Wei Wuxian of seventeen or eighteen was actually no less proud than Jiang Cheng. He had once been strong in spiritual energy, a natural talent. He could spend his days lazing around, catching birds, climbing walls, and playing pranks all night, yet still outshine his hardworking peers by a mile.

But whenever he lay awake at night, unable to sleep, thinking about how he could never ascend through the orthodox path again, how he would never be able to unleash that stunning sword technique that left others in awe, he would console himself by thinking that if Jiang Fengmian hadn't brought him to Lotus Pier, he might have never known the existence of such a mystical and magnificent path in life. He might have just been a street urchin fleeing from dogs, or a cowherd stealing vegetables in the countryside, playing his flute and idling away his days, never engaging in cultivation, never having the chance to form a golden core. Thinking this way made him feel a little better.

Consider it repayment, or atonement. Consider it as if he had never obtained that golden core.

After consoling himself like this many times, he truly seemed to be as carefree and unrestrained as he appeared on the surface, even half-heartedly praising his own state of mind.

But that was all in the past.

Wei Wuxian said, "Uh, you... don't keep dwelling on it. Although I know, given your personality, you'll always remember it, but, how should I put it..."

He tightly gripped Lan Wangji's hand and said to Jiang Cheng, "Now I truly feel... it's all in the past. It's been too long, no need to dwell on it anymore."

Jiang Cheng fiercely wiped his face, removing the tears, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

At this moment, Nie Huaisang, covered in Lan Xichen's outer robe, slowly woke up. He let out a few soft groans, struggled to sit up, and said groggily, "Where am I?"

As soon as he got up, he saw Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji sitting closely together on a cushion, with the Yiling Patriarch almost sitting on Hanguang Jun's lap. He screamed, as if he might faint again. At the same time, a strange hissing sound came from the back of Guanyin Temple, as if something had been sprayed, and moments later, the cultivators digging in the back also screamed in unison.

The expressions of everyone in the hall changed instantly. Soon, a faint, acrid smell wafted out. Lan Xichen shielded his face with his sleeve, a trace of worry in his eyes. Immediately after, two figures stumbled out.

Su She supported Jin Guangyao, both of them pale-faced, while the wailing from the back of the hall continued. Su She asked, "Sect Leader, are you alright?!"

Jin Guangyao had a slight sheen of cold sweat on his forehead and said, "I'm fine. Thanks to you just now."

His left arm hung limp, trembling uncontrollably, as if he was enduring great pain. His right hand reached into his robe and pulled out a medicine vial, but he couldn't open it with one hand. Seeing this, Su She quickly took the vial, poured out a pill, and placed it in Jin Guangyao's palm. Jin Guangyao lowered his head and swallowed the pill, his brows furrowing before quickly relaxing.

Lan Xichen hesitated for a moment and asked, "What happened to you?"

Jin Guangyao was slightly startled, and a hint of color finally returned to his face. He managed a smile and said, "Just a momentary carelessness."

He took out some healing powder and sprinkled it on his hand. From the back of his left hand to his wrist, a red patch appeared. Upon closer inspection, the skin looked as if it had been burned, the flesh was rotten. Jin Guangyao tore off a piece of his white robe, his fingers trembling slightly, and said, "Minshan, bind my wrist tightly."

Su She asked, "Is there poison?"

Jin Guangyao replied, "The poison gas is still rising. It's not a big deal, I can expel it after a moment of concentration."

After Su She treated his wound, Jin Guangyao wanted to go to the back of the hall to check. Su She hurriedly said, "Family Head, allow me to go!"

The acrid smell gradually faded, and Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji also stood up together. They saw a deep pit with a large mound of soil next to it, and a rather ornate coffin placed at an angle beside it. On top of the coffin was a black box, both of which were open, with thin white smoke slowly seeping out. The acrid smell came from this white smoke, which was undoubtedly a deadly poison. Beside the coffin lay the bodies of the cultivators who had been laboring earlier, now transformed into putrid corpses. Even their golden star and snow wave robes and monk's robes were corroded, leaving only scorched remnants, showing how potent the white smoke was.

He charged forward, using his sword energy to scatter the lingering poison smoke, and with a flick of his sword tip, he flipped the black box. The iron box hit the ground, empty.

Jin Guangyao could no longer restrain himself, stumbling to the edge of the coffin. The color that had just returned to his face vanished in an instant. From his expression, it was clear the coffin was also empty.

Lan Xichen approached and saw the devastation at the back of the hall, shocked, "What exactly did you bury here? How could this have happened?"

Nie Huaisang took one look and was so terrified that he fell to his knees, retching. Jin Guangyao's lips quivered, but no words came out. A bolt of lightning flashed, casting his face in a ghastly white light. His expression was truly horrifying, causing Nie Huaisang to tremble, no longer daring to vomit loudly. He covered his mouth and hid behind Lan Xichen, shivering, whether from cold or terror. Lan Xichen turned to comfort him with a few words, while Jin Guangyao lacked the strength to maintain his usual gentle and amiable demeanor.

Wei Wuxian said, "Lord Ze Wu, you're wronging Family Head Jin here. The items here were not buried by him. Even if they were originally buried by him, they should have been swapped out long ago."

Su She pointed his sword at him, coldly saying, "Wei Wuxian! Did you play some trick?!"

Wei Wuxian replied, "I'm not being modest. If I had played a trick, your Family Head wouldn't just have an injured arm now. Family Head Jin, do you remember the letter Qin Su brought you on Jin Lingtai?"

Jin Guangyao's gaze slowly shifted towards him.

Wei Wuxian continued, "The one who told Qin Su about your misdeeds was Bi Cao, Qin Su's former maid. But do you believe that Bi Cao suddenly decided to expose you without someone pushing her from behind? And the girl Si Si you locked up, who rescued her, who taught her and Bi Cao to go to the Yunmeng Jiang family and reveal your secrets in front of everyone? Since he could meticulously uncover your hidden past, it's not impossible for him to have come here first, swapped out what you wanted to dig up with poison smoke and hidden weapons, and then waited for you to arrive to give it to you."

At this moment, a monk said, "Family Head, the soil here has been disturbed. Someone dug in from the other side!"

Indeed, someone had beaten them to it. Jin Guangyao turned and punched the empty coffin. Others couldn't see his expression, only that his shoulders were trembling slightly.

Wei Wuxian smiled, "Family Head Jin, have you ever thought that tonight you are the mantis, but there is also a praying mantis. The one who has been watching you might be lurking in the shadows, observing your every move. No, perhaps it's not a person..."

Thunder rumbled, and the rain poured down. Upon hearing the words "not a person," a look of almost fear flashed across Jin Guangyao's face.

Su She sneered, "Wei Wuxian, stop with these empty threats..."

Jin Guangyao raised his right hand to stop him, the trace of fear on his face disappearing in an instant, all emotions quickly controlled. He said, "Don't waste time on pointless arguments. Treat your wounds, and after I disperse the poison, we'll gather the remaining people and set off immediately."

Su She asked, "Family Head, what about the thing that was dug up?"

Jin Guangyao's lips turned slightly pale, "Since it's been dug up, it's definitely gone. This place is not safe to stay."

Su She replied, "Yes!"

Earlier, Su She had been fighting with Xianzi and had been scratched in many places, with his arms and chest torn, especially his chest, where the claw marks had penetrated to the bone. His white clothes were stained with blood. If not treated, it would be inconvenient to deal with any sudden situations that might arise. Jin Guangyao took out a medicine packet from his pocket and handed it to him. Su She took it with both hands, saying, "Yes." He indeed stopped talking to Wei Wuxian, turned around, and began to treat his wounds. Jin Guangyao's left hand, burned by the poison smoke, was still unresponsive, so he had to sit on the ground and focus on expelling the poison. The remaining cultivators walked around the Guanyin Temple, patrolling with their swords. Nie Huaisang's eyes widened at the sight of these gleaming swords. Without any guards, he didn't dare to breathe loudly, hiding in the corner behind Lan Xichen, sneezing several times.

Wei Wuxian thought, "This Su She is sarcastic to others, holds a deep grudge against Lan Zhan, but is quite respectful to Jin Guangyao."

Thinking this, he couldn't help but look at Lan Wangji. Unexpectedly, he caught a glimpse of a cold light flashing in his eyes.

Lan Wangji coldly said to Su She, "Turn around."

Su She was lowering his head to apply medicine to the claw marks on his chest, his side facing them. Suddenly hearing Lan Wangji's commanding tone, he involuntarily turned around.

Upon turning around, Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling both widened their eyes. The smile on Wei Wuxian's face instantly disappeared.

He said in disbelief, "...It's actually you!"