Chapter 52: This Half Life of Love, Resentment, Anger, and Delusion

Chapter 52: This Half-Life of Love, Hatred, Resentment, and Obsession

Outside Yu Prefecture City, at dusk.

The setting sun was like blood, and a few crows cawed from the withered branches.

An Jing changed into a dark blue cloak and flew through the forest, feeling the faint light emanating from the Earth Scroll.

“I never thought that one day this Earth Scroll would not only help me find Opportunity, but also help me find people.”

At this moment, he was using the Earth Scroll's senses to search for Mu Xiaoyun and Jiang Sanjia.

According to the Earth Scroll's instructions, the two had already fled Yu Prefecture City and arrived outside the city. Currently, the entire Yu Prefecture City, both inside and out, was filled with Cao Gang members and imperial constables, so the two must have been hiding.

“They should be in the dilapidated temple ahead.”

An Jing raised an eyebrow and slowly walked into a dilapidated temple in front of him.

The temple was very run-down, with broken porcelain shards and ashes on the ground, and piles of straw in the corners.

The moment he stepped in, the Earth Scroll in his mind emitted strong bursts of light.

“Come out,” An Jing said faintly.

The surroundings were silent, with only his empty echo.

“Brother Sanjia, I told you, finding you is always possible,” An Jing continued.

“It seems it is indeed Brother Zhou.”

Jiang Sanjia emerged from behind the broken Buddha statue, his face as pale as paper, and his steps limping.

As Jiang Sanjia walked out, Mu Xiaoyun also slowly emerged. Compared to Jiang Sanjia, her face was even paler, without a trace of color.

“Where is Xue Chen?” This was the first thing she said when she saw An Jing, her voice hoarse and dry.

“He’s dead,” An Jing replied.

The news of Xue Chen’s death had already spread throughout Yu Prefecture City and was likely radiating towards Jiangnan Province.

“Dead?”

Mu Xiaoyun was stunned. Although she had long guessed this outcome, hearing the news now still felt like a heavy hammer striking her chest, making her breathless and unable to breathe.

Jiang Sanjia sighed softly, saying nothing.

He had long had a premonition about Xue Chen’s death. He alone, covering their retreat against Guo Yuchun, Ouyang Yu, and others, would surely not be their match. If he had fortunately escaped, he would not have failed to come here to find them.

An Jing nodded, “The Cao Gang intends to display his head during the Yulanpen Festival (Ghost Festival) as a warning to others.”

“It seems the Cao Gang truly mistook Xue Chen for you, Brother Zhou,” Jiang Sanjia said with a strange expression.

Clearly, the Cao Gang killed Xue Chen to establish their authority. Wasn’t that mysterious swordsman impressive a while ago? Didn’t he stir up a storm in Yu Prefecture City? Challenging the Cao Gang’s authority?

Well, now we’ll kill this mysterious swordsman, so you know the price of challenging the Cao Gang.

“That’s fine too.”

An Jing shrugged, then took out a packet of medicinal powder and handed it to Jiang Sanjia, “This is hemostatic powder, stop the bleeding first.”

Anyway, he didn’t care about these empty reputations. Now that the Cao Gang believed him to be dead, it was actually a good thing for him.

“Thank you.”

Jiang Sanjia took the hemostatic powder and then sat on the steps, carefully sprinkling the powder on his calf, “Brother Zhou, you should have brought something to eat and drink. My stomach has been rumbling since midnight.”

An Jing raised an eyebrow and said, “The Cao Gang is chasing you all over the city, and you’re still thinking about food?”

Jiang Sanjia grinned, “I’d rather be caught by the Cao Gang than starve to death—hiss—!”

As the hemostatic powder was sprinkled on the wound, Jiang Sanjia couldn’t help but gasp, the pain undoubtedly tearing the wound open again.

Mu Xiaoyun stood dazed, somewhat lost in thought, as if she hadn’t yet recovered from An Jing’s words.

In a trance, she returned to twenty years ago.

In the Mu Family’s backyard, young Xue Chen was surrounded by several boys his age.

“The gatekeeper’s son? He’s still a servant.”

“What kind of place is this, that you dare to enter?”

“You’re really bold, daring to come into the backyard.”

The boys began to mock Xue Chen with cold words.

“Young Master, I didn’t know where this was. I accidentally trespassed. Please, Young Master, don’t blame me,” Xue Chen said, gritting his teeth.

In the Mu Family, there was an extremely strict class system. Not all servants could enter the backyard, and once discovered, they would be severely punished.

“Didn’t know? It’s too late now.”

One of the boys pushed Xue Chen to the ground and sneered, “Give him a good lesson, let him know the Mu Family’s rules.”

Hearing this, several boys stepped forward and began to punch and kick Xue Chen. Their blows were extremely vicious, each punch heavy.

Xue Chen lay on the ground, clenching his jaw tightly. Even as blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, he did not beg for mercy once.

A few maids in the distance saw this and hid behind a wooden pillar.

“They’re going to kill him if this continues…”

“Quick, go call someone.”

“I… I don’t dare.”

The maids looked at each other, only able to watch Xue Chen lie on the ground, beaten until his head bled, looking as if he was about to be beaten to death.

“Good boy, this kid’s bones are really hard.” The leading boy’s eyes showed a hint of anger, “Hit him hard, I don’t believe it today.”

“Stop, what are you doing?”

Just then, a sharp cry came.

When the boys heard the voice, their actions paused.

“Sister, why are you here?” The boy immediately let out two dry laughs when he saw the newcomer.

Who was the newcomer? It was Mu Xiaoyun, the Young Miss of the Mu Family and the little tyrant of Yu Prefecture City. There wasn’t a child among the Yu Prefecture City aristocratic families who wasn’t afraid of Mu Xiaoyun.

Even his own father would carefully coax her, fearing that she might complain to the Old Ancestor one day.

“Mu Jinglun, do you only know how to bully servants?” Mu Xiaoyun said coldly, “A few days ago, when Dai Danshu, the chief Disciple of the Five Venoms Sect, was traveling in Yu Prefecture, you were beaten and ran away with your head in your hands. I don’t recall you being so arrogant then.”

“Sister, I…”

“Now scram?”

“Yes, yes, yes, I’m leaving now, leaving now.”

Mu Jinglun, with a few boys, felt as if they had been granted a great pardon and quickly fled, fearing that even a moment’s delay would displease Mu Xiaoyun.

“Boy, are you alright?” Mu Xiaoyun asked, looking at Xue Chen on the ground.

“Thank you, Young Miss. I will surely repay this kindness in the future.”

Xue Chen struggled to get up and bowed to Mu Xiaoyun.

“You seem quite principled, but repayment may not be necessary. I just didn’t want an innocent person to die needlessly,” Mu Xiaoyun said, sizing up Xue Chen before her.

She had seen clearly that even when Mu Jinglun and the others punched and kicked Xue Chen, he never cried out. This was not something an ordinary boy could endure.

But she, Mu Xiaoyun, was the Young Miss of the Mu Family. Did she need a house servant to repay her kindness?

Young Xue Chen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said seriously, “My father always told me from a young age that remembering kindness is like storing it in one’s blood.”

“No need. This is the backyard. You should be more careful in the future.”

Mu Xiaoyun waved her hand, then instructed, “Xiao Huan, tell Uncle Liu to let him rest for a few days.”

“Yes, Young Miss.” The maid beside her nodded.

After Mu Xiaoyun finished speaking, she prepared to leave with her maid.

“Young Miss.”

Xue Chen suddenly called out.

“What is it?”

“Xue will never forget today’s kindness!”

“You have a good heart.”

In the sunlight, the young boy’s face was earnest, with a hint of determination in his eyes, while the bright young girl’s lips held a faint smile.

The dim lamp was like a bean, but it illuminated this half-life of love, hatred, resentment, and obsession.