Chapter 1370 - A Conclusion

“...” Yun Che did not move to pull Ling Jie to his feet. In fact, he was not the least bit surprised by his actions.

Because he knew very well that the affair concerning Chu Yuechan had always weighed very heavily on Ling Jie’s heart and head… Even though he had done nothing wrong, this was simply a part of his temperament and it was also the part of Ling Jie that Yun Che admired the most.

“Mom?” Yun Wuxin, who was not accustomed to coming into contact with outsiders, hid behind Chu Yuechan unconsciously as she gazed at her in confusion.

Chu Yuechan’s reaction was extremely calm and mild, “You do not need to do this. None of this has anything to do with you and it was not even your fault.”

“No,” Ling Jie shook his head, his voice hoarse and solemn, “As that person’s son, I naturally must atone for my mother’s sins. All those years ago, because my mother’s jealousy had turned to hatred, she did something to you that would be hard to ever forgive… But fortunately, the heavens took pity on you and you ended up safe and sound. If not… if not…”

When he reached this point, he was so choked up with emotion that he found it hard to continue.

He was already no longer the Ling Jie of the past, the Ling Jie that was rather naive and immature. Now, he was the renowned Blue Wind Sword Saint who was famed for his martial prowess. But at this moment, tears were pouring from his eyes like rain and he could not stop them from flowing.

After Yun Che defeated Xuanyuan Wentian all those years ago, he had slaughtered the two great Sacred Grounds, Sun Moon Divine Hall and Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, which could only be called a cruel and merciless move. Yet, he had let Xuanyuan Yufeng off the hook… A person that he had hated in the extreme.

Ling Jie understood why he had done so… because she was his mother.

Thus, to Ling Jie, Yun Che had done him an extremely large favor and had showed him an extreme amount of affection and comradeship. But at the same time, it had also become a heavy burden that he had found hard to put down. As a result, he had left Heavenly Sword Villa and traveled all across the land with just his sword as his companion in hopes that he could find Chu Yuechan, whose status was still unknown.

Even though he had not found Chu Yuechan himself, upon seeing her safe and sound with his own eyes, upon seeing her with Yun Che, he could finally put down that heavy burden and a considerable amount of guilt.

“Little Jie,” Yun Che said with furrowed brows, “Did you just say… your late mother?”

Ling Jie closed his eyes and spoke in a gentle voice, “All those years ago… after Mighty Heavenly Sword Region was destroyed, my mother’s temperament and personality underwent a great change and she was wracked by nightmares every night… On a night two years ago, she returned to the place where Mighty Heavenly Sword Region used to be, the place where she had met my father, and there… she committed suicide…”

Ling Jie spoke these words with much difficulty.

“...” Yun Che’s chest rose and fell, and he let out a sigh.

“Even though my mother is gone, her sins remain. As her son, I naturally need to atone for them.”

When those words rang in Yun Che’s ear, they made him feel a sudden sense of unease as he anxiously said, “Little Jie, you…”

But, how could the current him stop Ling Jie right now… The Celestial Yang Sword beneath his feet flew up as a beam of rainbow light flashed upwards.

As the sword beam sliced through the air, it cut the middle and ring fingers off of Ling Jie’s left hand, sending them flying into the distance.

“AH!” Feng Xian’er and Yun Wuxin let out cries of alarm in unison.

Chu Yuechan turned her snowy mien away from the grisly scene as she let out a soft sigh, “The sin was not yours, why did you have to do this?”

“Little Jie, what you’ve…” When he saw the severed fingers fly far into the distance as they were carried along by the wind, Yun Che shook his head.

For a profound practitioner who has spent his entire life cultivating the way of the sword, what did the loss of two fingers represent… It was self-evident.

After severing two of his fingers, what appeared on Ling Jie’s face was not pain but relief. It was as if he had been released from a heavy responsibility. What he had severed was not only his two fingers, but also the chains that he had wrapped around his heart and soul for all these years.

Ling Jie was undoubtedly someone who regarded friendship and brotherhood extremely seriously.

He thought back to when he and Yun Che had first met. At that time, he was the Second Young Master of Heavenly Sword Villa and Yun Che was only some unknown disciple from the profound palace. But after the bet they made over three sword strikes in the Blue Wind Imperial Palace, he had lost to Yun Che and even though he lost due to Yun Che’s scheme, he had still accepted his loss wholeheartedly, and he was willing to be Yun Che’s little brother despite being the Second Young Master of Heavenly Sword Villa.

From that day to this one, no matter how many great waves he had experienced in his life, he had never once changed.

Even though Xuanyuan Yufeng was a wicked woman, in Ling Jie’s world, she was his mother, the mother who had birthed him and raised him, who had loved and cherished him without limit. As such, he also wanted to use his own life to protect her and he would be willing to atone for her sins no matter the cost.

“Yuechan,” Yun Che said, “About Xuanyuan Yufeng, you…”

“I don’t hate her anymore.” Without waiting for Yun Che to finish, Chu Yuechan spoke in a soft and distant voice, “I have even forgotten what she looked like since long ago.”

Those soft words that came from her lips caused Ling Jie, who was doing his best to hold back his tears, to tremble all over as tears once more flowed from his eyes. 

“Fine, then I’ll forgive her as well,” Yun Che said with a faint laugh. After that, he gave Ling Jie a sincere gaze as he said, “Even though she nearly cost me Little Fairy… in the end, they were both safe and sound. Besides, if not for your mother, I would be short one good brother in this lifetime, so let’s… just call it even right here and now.”

The words spoken by these two people, especially the words that had come from Chu Yuechan’s own mouth, were undoubtedly the warmest and gentlest salvation for Ling Jie’s heart and soul. His heart was filled with emotion, and for a moment he found it hard to speak, and he even attempted to kowtow once more...

“Alright, alright! What are you waiting for, hurry and get up!” Yun Che moved forward and hauled him up with great force, “Right now, my Little Fairy is your sister-in-law, not your senior! Why do you keep on trying to kowtow!?”

Ling Jie, “...”

“Mom, what is a sweep-in-law?” Yun Wuxin asked in a small voice.

Chu Yuechan, “...”

“Also!” Yun Che said with an indignant expression, “You happily severed your fingers in front of me but can you at least warn me beforehand next time! You scared my daughter, don’t you know! What are you waiting for!? How come you haven’t stood up yet!?”

“...Eh?” Ling Jie was instantly rendered dumbstruck by Yun Che’s words, “Your… daughter?”

Cough, "Wuxin,” Yun Che's face grew stiff as he assumed the mighty and stern figure of a father, “this is your Uncle Ling Jie. His act of severing his own fingers was an extremely wrong one, you definitely mustn’t learn it from him!”

“...” Yun Wuxin’s lips parted and half of her body was still hidden behind Chu Yuchan. After that she softly called out, “Uncle… Ling Jie?”

As he looked at Yun Wuxin, Ling Jie’s mouth gaped open, “She… She, she, she, she… she is your daughter?”

“That’s right,” Yun Che nodded his head.

As Ling Jie stammered badly, he hurriedly got to his feet and at the same time, he swiftly used his profound energy to seal the blood flowing from his severed fingers… The entirety of Blue Wind had known about Chu Yuechan’s pregnancy all those years ago, but that matter had already been more than a decade ago… Ling Jie had long ago noticed Yun Wuxin, but he basically had not even thought that this girl, who looked just a little over ten years of age, would actually be Yun Che’s daughter. 

He flusteredly patted his entire body and rummaged through his spatial ring, but he could not find anything suitable or decent. Afterwards, however, he steeled his heart and took off the piece of precious jade that had always hung on his chest before he bent his waist towards Yun Wuxin and said, “I had never imagined that Boss would actually have a daughter and that she’d be this big already. You’re called… Wuxin, right? What a lovely name. Uncle didn’t bring anything decent for you, so I am giving you this... as my greeting gift to Wuxin.”

As he glanced at the precious jade in Ling Jie’s hand, the corner of Yun Che’s mouth faintly twitched.

That was clearly the Young Villa Master’s Medallion that belonged to Heavenly Sword Villa!

With this medallion, Yun Wuxin could go wherever she pleased when she visited Heavenly Sword Villa… Even though she could already do whatever she wanted even without this medallion.

Yun Wuxin’s body shrank back slightly before she asked in a soft voice, “Mom, can I accept this?”

Chu Yuechan gave a small smile as she nodded her head, “Since this is the greeting gift that Uncle Ling Jie gave to you, then you can accept it.”

It was only after she heard this that Yun Wuxin extended her hand to take it. The precious jade in her hand radiated a strange light she had never seen before. Her eyebrows immediately arced up in delight as she let out a an elated laugh, “It’s so beautiful. Thank you… Uncle Ling Jie?”

It was as if she was still not too sure about that form of address because her words had ended with a hint of doubt.

“There’s no need to thank me, no need to thank me at all. It’s what I should do.” Ling Jie hurriedly waved his hands before speaking to Yun Che, “She is indeed the Boss’s daughter, she truly is a charming and winsome child.”

If he knew that this little girl who was only eleven years of age had an even higher level of cultivation in the profound way than he did, he would probably be so shocked that he’d sink to his knees again.

Yun Che grabbed Ling Jie’s hand and looked at his severed fingers before giving a soft sigh, “Little Jie, from now on, you’re not allowed to speak a single word regarding the subject of atonement or redemption ever again.”

“Alright!” Ling Jie nodded cheerfully, as his eyes flashed with a bright and cheery light. His eyes were currently brighter than they had ever been at any point of time during the past few years.

“Boss, is your profound strength really…” He asked as if he still could not quite believe it was true.

“Mn,” Yun Che nodded with a faint smile on his face, “but it doesn’t matter anymore, at least I’m still alive and well. Moreover, even if I don’t have my profound strength anymore, it’ll still be fine. Have you never thought of who the women around me are…”

After he suddenly felt Chu Yuechan’s gaze settle on him, Yun Che’s voice suddenly halted as he swiftly changed the subject, “I have the most powerful people in this world at my side, so who can harm me!?”

Being completely crippled in the profound way was undoubtedly the cruelest blow to any profound practitioner. The stronger one was in the profound way, the more cruel a blow it would be. But upon seeing Yun Che’s present state, Ling Jie sighed emotionally in his heart as he spoke with a heartfelt sincerity, “As expected of you, no matter whether it is my grandfather or Xuanyuan Wentian… In this world, there is truly nothing that can knock you down.”

Yun Che laughed as he shook his head, “So have you been traveling the world all these years?”

“Mn.” Ling Jie’s expression was resolute, “Now that we are no longer supported by Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, Heavenly Sword Villa has, on the contrary, attained true freedom. During those years, Heavenly Sword Villa made one big mistake after the other and our name and prestige has fallen to the very bottom. Using my sword, I will rebuild the trust and former glory of Heavenly Sword Villa.”

Yun Che patted him on the shoulder, “If it’s you, then you can definitely do it.” 

“From now on, I should be residing mainly in the Illusory Demon Realm’s Demon Imperial City. If you ever pass by, don’t forget to come and find me so that I can personally witness your growth.”

“It’s a deal!” Ling Jie said with a heavy nod of his head.

The two people said their goodbyes and Ling Jie left into the distance.

The Blue Wind Sword Saint had severed two fingers but had also released the heavy burden in his heart. His future growth would undoubtedly be even more eye-catching than before.

Chu Yuechan said, “Ling Yun is a gentleman in the way of the sword. He has an elegant and graceful demeanor and he is mighty without being arrogant. Ling Jie’s talent surpasses that of his older brother and he is a man who values friendship so heavily. Heavenly Sword Villa may have lost its great support but it has produced two outstanding successors.”

Yun Che gave a deep and knowing nod of his head, “Even though their father, Ling Yuefeng, was selfish and biased and regarded the interests of Heavenly Sword Villa above the danger that threatened Blue Wind Nation, everything he has done in his life is worthy of being called ‘righteous’ and ‘gentlemanly’.”

“As for their mother, Xuanyuan Yufeng… As the daughter of an elder of Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, she did not hesitate to leave her father and her sect because she was smitten with Ling Yuefeng, and even followed Ling Yuefeng back to that tiny Heavenly Sword Villa. Even though she was well aware that it was very likely that Ling Yuefeng wanted to use her to ascend to the higher branch that was Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, she did not leave or abandon him for several decades, and she had no resentment or regret in her heart for leaving with him.”

“So it’s really not strange at all that they have nurtured such outstanding successors. It’s just that…” Yun Che shook his head, “The more smitten Ling Yuefeng was with you, the more Xuanyuan Yufeng would hate and envy you. No matter how good a woman is, once she falls into the abyss of jealousy and hatred, she will become a dreadful devil.”

“...” Chu Yuechan turned her gaze toward him, “So what you’re saying is that I was the one who forced Xuanyuan Yufeng to become a villain?”

“Errr…” Yun Che waved his hands the fastest he ever had in his entire life, “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, that’s definitely not what I’m saying. I’m saying that… Uh… Ah… Your charm is simply far too great, so any man… No, that’s not right… Ah! Right, Wuxin!”

Yun Che grabbed his daughter’s hand and pointed in front of him, “In front of us is a piece of stone that I, your father, personally touched all those years ago, let me bring you to go and see it.”

Yun Wuxin, “Ah?”

As she looked at Yun Che run as if he was making a great escape while holding his daughter’s hand, the corner of Chu Yuechan’s lips moved slightly, and a faint dreamy haziness appeared in her eyes.

She had originally thought that a cold life void of desire, the life of all who were disciples of Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace, would be her entire life.

But after she had spent those six months stuck together with Yun Che, upon returning, she discovered that she no longer had her “heart of ice” and she now had desire in her heart. She did her best to suppress that desire but it was only upon receiving news of Yun Che’s death that she truly discovered that the desires in her heart had already grown so strong she was willing to leave behind her sect for his sake...

But today, she had him and their daughter at her side. This was truly life, a truly complete life… No matter where she ended up in the future.

Behind them, Feng Xian’er quietly looked at the family of three, not willing to make a single sound to disturb them.