Chapter 409 - 215: Wuchen’s Decision

Chapter 409: Chapter 215: Wuchen’s Decision

Now, she was old and frail, but her disciple had grown, found her own Dao Companion, and was in the prime of her life.

’Ah, the years.’

A myriad of emotions welled up in Su Yingxue’s heart, but more than anything, she felt gratified.

The bowl of congee was quickly emptied.

Ye Qingyue carefully wiped the corners of Su Yingxue’s mouth with a handkerchief.

"Master, you should lie down and rest some more."

She helped Su Yingxue lie back down on the straw mat and covered her with a thin blanket that had been washed until it was faded.

Su Yingxue was indeed exhausted.

The consecutive battles and the ebbing of her life force had left her incredibly weak.

She lay down, but couldn’t bear to close her eyes, her gaze fixed on Ye Qingyue.

"Qingyue."

"Yes, Master. I am here."

"Tell your master... how have you been all these years?" Su Yingxue’s voice was soft, laced with a hint of anticipation.

Ye Qingyue sat on the wooden stool by the bed and took her master’s cold hand.

"I have been doing very well at the Profound Pure Sect."

"Qing Xuan True Monarch has taken great care of me."

"My fellow disciples... are also very friendly."

"My Cultivation is now at the Nascent Soul Stage."

She spoke in a low murmur, trying to stick to lighter topics.

She spoke of amusing incidents in the Sect, the Spirit Fields of Spirit Stream Peak, and the lively atmosphere of the Chores Courtyard’s dining hall.

She spoke of how she tended to the Low Tier Spiritual Plants that required delicate care.

She spoke of the simple joy she felt when she grew her first mature Spiritual Plant.

She mentioned none of the hardships on her cultivation path, nor any of the unpleasantness she might have encountered.

Su Yingxue listened, a gentle smile ever-present on her aged face.

She could hear the sense of security in her disciple’s words, the proof that she had been well looked after.

This allowed her to let go of the last trace of worry in her heart.

"That Shen Wuchen..." Su Yingxue’s gaze shifted to the window, to the proud, solitary figure by the reef.

"Is he good to you?"

Ye Qingyue’s cheeks flushed slightly as she nodded.

"Yes, he... is very good."

"He may be a bit cold and doesn’t talk much, but he’s very reliable."

"Just now... he was the first one to shield you."

Su Yingxue gently patted the back of Ye Qingyue’s hand.

"That’s good, then."

"Back at the grand competition, I had you intentionally lose to him. I just felt that his character was resolute and his future limitless, and I wanted to form a positive connection."

"I never expected it would lead to a romance between you two."

The blush on Ye Qingyue’s face deepened, but her eyes were filled with sweetness.

"It was my destiny."

"And a testament to Master’s good judgment."

Su Yingxue smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepening.

"Seeing you like this now, with someone to rely on, with companions, and with an accomplished Cultivation..."

"Your master... is truly happy."

"Even happier than when I myself broke through to the Nascent Soul Stage."

Her voice grew fainter and fainter, heavy with weariness.

Ye Qingyue tightened her grip on her master’s hand.

"Master, don’t talk anymore. Get some rest."

"I will stay right here and watch over you."

Su Yingxue was truly tired.

She gave a soft "mhm" and slowly closed her eyes.

Her breathing gradually became long and steady.

Ye Qingyue didn’t move, remaining on the wooden stool, tightly holding her master’s hand.

Feeling the faint pulse and the coldness of her skin.

She looked at her master’s aged, peaceful face in her sleep.

White hair rested on the coarse straw mat.

Sunlight streamed through a crack in the wooden window, casting a long, thin beam of light.

Tiny motes of dust danced silently within the beam.

Outside the hut.

The sound of the waves continued.

Shen Wuchen stood by the reef like a silent statue.

In the distance, Zhang Zhentian and Chu Lingxiao kept watch.

As dusk fell on the island, the sky was dyed a warm, golden red.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp warmth, brushed against the simple wooden hut.

It also rustled the lowered eyelashes of Ye Qingyue inside.

She gently pressed her cheek against the back of her master’s cold hand.

Like a young animal seeking one last bit of warmth.

Tears once again silently soaked the withered hand.

And the coarse straw mat beneath her.

「In this moment.」

There were no earth-shattering vows.

No heart-wrenching cries.

Only a bowl of warm congee.

A lock of carefully combed white hair.

A pair of tightly clasped hands.

And a disciple, watching over her master in the twilight on a foreign island.

Guarding this brief, precious reunion.

Guarding this long-awaited...

Plain yet profound warmth.

The waves crashed tirelessly.

As if humming a song...

A song of parting and protection.

*

*

*

「Three months later.」

Su Yingxue, lying on the bed, looked at Shen Wuchen and Ye Qingyue and spoke softly, "Our Wangyue Sect is an ancient sect with a long heritage. Although I’ve lost contact with the others from the Sect and haven’t found them, the Sect’s legacy is with me."

After speaking, she reached out and tapped the spot between both of their eyebrows.

A moment later, drenched in sweat, she released her hand and gave them a smile.

"I know you are walking a different path, but this legacy can still help you."

She reached out and gently wiped the corner of Ye Qingyue’s eye, smiling. "I know it must be painful for you to part with me so soon after we’ve been reunited."

"I’m sorry I can’t fully understand how you feel, because for me, knowing you are so happy before I bid farewell to this world is a truly joyous thing."

"Thank you for coming to see me, for letting me depart with happiness."

Hearing Su Yingxue’s words, Ye Qingyue was momentarily stunned, then she nodded emphatically. "I am also very glad I could come here."

Just as she had hoped before she came, this had been a happy journey. Although she hadn’t been able to see her familiar sect-mates, she had seen her master and new disciples of the Wangyue Sect.

Though her master was old and fading when they met again, she was fortunate enough to be there to see her off. If she hadn’t come this time, it would have been a lifetime of regret for both her master and herself.

She was truly glad she had come.

*

*

*

On their way there, Zhang Zhentian, Shen Wuchen, and the others had a quiet journey with almost no battles.

But the journey back was tumultuous. Every day was spent either fighting or on the way to a fight.

The reason was that their identities had been exposed. When the local cultivators of the Overseas Archipelago learned that Wuchen True Monarch—the youngest Nascent Soul True Monarch in the Cultivation Realm in a hundred thousand years—had appeared, they were in an uproar, all wanting to challenge him and test his mettle.

Thanks to Shen Wuchen, after dozens of extremely perilous battles, Chu Lingxiao successfully had a breakthrough amidst life and death, advancing his Cultivation to the Golden Core Stage.

Li Daoyi was overjoyed to hear this news.

After countless hardships, the group finally returned to the Sect.

At this moment, inside Shen Wuchen’s Cave Mansion, Ye Qingyue stared at him with a complicated expression and spoke softly,

"Have you really decided?"

Hearing this, Shen Wuchen hesitated for a moment before nodding with a resolute expression. "I want to try."

He didn’t want to enter the Dust-covered state. Or rather, he wanted to break through to the Divinity Transformation Stage before entering the Dust-covered state.

Ye Qingyue wasn’t surprised by Shen Wuchen’s answer. She knew him well; once he made a decision, he would stick to it, and it was very difficult to change his mind.

She pondered for a moment, then gave Shen Wuchen a sweet smile and said,

"I understand. I’ll cover for you with Master. From now on, you can go into seclusion and focus on your Cultivation."

Shen Wuchen didn’t want Xu Ran to know his decision, not because he was worried he would object, but because he was afraid it would make Master Xu worry. Given Master Xu’s temperament, he would very likely stay behind to accompany him, which was not what Shen Wuchen wanted to see.

Upon hearing Ye Qingyue’s words, Shen Wuchen was slightly taken aback. After a long silence, he nodded lightly and said "Thank you" to the person reflected in his eyes.

"Not so fast. I have conditions, too," Ye Qingyue said, her eyes narrowing as she looked at him.

"What conditions?"

"After the Dao Concealment dissipates and we awaken, you must defeat the Evergreen Sword Saint, and then... marry me."

She stared intently at Shen Wuchen, her eyelashes trembling slightly. It was obvious that she was not as calm as she appeared on the surface.

Shen Wuchen looked at the stunning face before him, and his memory returned to the tournament stage back then.

Although he had always denied it, he actually knew with perfect clarity.

’I was the one who fell first.’

Thinking of this, he took a deep breath and nodded forcefully at the beautiful figure reflected in his eyes.

"I will."

He paused for a moment, looked at the smile on the young woman’s face, and added:

"I want to defeat him so I can... marry you sooner."

Ye Qingyue was momentarily stunned. She had never expected to hear such words from him.

Her fair, pretty face flushed red. She lowered her head slightly and whispered:

"You... haven’t even kissed me yet."

"I’m going to be Dust-covered soon. Don’t you want to try?"

The young woman’s shy demeanor left Shen Wuchen completely stunned.