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The two walked for about a mile when Xu Feng realized they couldn't continue like this. He found a sheltered spot, gathered some branches, and laid them on the ground for both of them to sit down, resembling two shepherds returning home late.
"Where are you planning to go?"
"Beast Wasteland."
"He should be there too, right?" Qiu Wuling, who was over two hundred years older than Xu Feng, conversed with him as if they were friends. If it weren't for Xu Feng's Earthling mindset, he wouldn't have dared to relax so much in front of Qiu Wuling.
"Yes," Xu Feng replied. "I came out this time not only for training but also to deliver that box to my senior. That box has been stored for many years; I don't even know if it's still useful to him." Xu Feng knew that the box contained Square Leaf Grass, the Antidote for One Hundred Years of Solitude. For the cultivators of Liuxiang Kingdom, Square Leaf Grass was crucial in countering Wuhua Island. Having Square Leaf Grass was equivalent to securing a significant advantage against Wuhua Island.
"I received that box. It was from that box that I learned you are his person," Qiu Wuling said, consistently referring to "him" without mentioning Jin Liaoyuan's name. "Did he leave any message for you? Did he tell you anything about his past?"
Xu Feng replied, "No, my master only instructed me to deliver the box to you and nothing else. If I hadn't accidentally overheard a few things earlier, I wouldn't have known that Lu Xianhe from Star River Sword Sect injured my master." Xu Feng revealed that Lu Xianhe had admitted to seriously injuring Jin Liaoyuan.
"Lu Xianhe?" Qiu Wuling frowned slightly. "Impossible. Lu Xianhe couldn't kill him; his injuries were mainly caused by Wuhua Island."
Seeing Xu Feng's confused expression, Qiu Wuling was certain that Xu Feng didn't know about Jin Liaoyuan's past, as it had happened over two hundred years ago; it was understandable that these younger generations were unaware.
"Let me tell you a story," Qiu Wuling said, her gaze becoming sorrowful and distant as she looked at Xu Feng, as if seeing an old friend.
"Please go ahead, Senior," Xu Feng said, unsure why Qiu Wuling was being so open with him, seemingly treating him not as a junior.
Qiu Wuling picked up a branch and began drawing aimlessly on the ground, expressing her bitterness and sorrow through her movements.
"Two hundred years ago, the Liuxiang Kingdom and the Six Sects had already established their positions. Just like now, Wuhua Island was more powerful than the rest and ranked first among the Six Sects, occupying several spirit stone veins in Liuxiang Kingdom. The other Five Sects were unwilling to accept this; they pretended to be friendly but secretly wanted to overthrow Wuhua Island and take its place."
"However, in one-on-one battles, none could match Wuhua Island. To counter it, those with slightly stronger abilities began forming alliances to fight back against Wuhua Island. Those weaker sought connections with Wuhua Island for self-preservation. The Five Sects each had their own agendas but were also quite transparent about their intentions; they could never effectively unite. In the end, Guiyi Sect came up with a solution: marriage alliances."
"This method, although outdated, can bind the two factions together through blood ties. The secret agreement was made between the Guiyi Sect and our New Moon Sect. At that time, Chai Qingniu from the Guiyi Sect was already at the Golden Core Mid-Stage, while I had just advanced to Golden Core. Both Chai Qingniu and I were direct descendants of our respective sects; as long as the marriage succeeded, the two factions would unite."
"Wuhua Island had long been aware of this. Just a few days before the two factions were about to announce the marriage contract, Wuhua Island took advantage of my absence and attacked me in Beast City. Yes, it was in the Beast City ahead where I was ambushed by Hua Baili, the Young Master of Wuhua Island."
"Hua Baili rose to fame at the same time as Chai Qingniu, and their realms were similar, but Hua Baili was much more famous and slightly stronger. This person came from a prominent family and achieved success at a young age, but he was also known for his flirtatious nature and arrogance. When he intercepted me in Beast City, I struggled against him but could not prevail; however, it was not easy for him to kill me."
"Just as I was escaping, I encountered your master. Although he was powerful, he had little fame. He had no grievances with Wuhua Island but resolutely saved me. From that moment on, I felt that your master was truly admirable..."
"Hua Baili was defeated by your master, but before he left, he planted 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' on me. That is a unique poison from Wuhua Island that your master could not resolve. Without an antidote, my strength would quickly diminish until I died."
"I stayed with your master in Beast City for three days without finding a way to detoxify. However, on the second day, Hua Baili spread rumors throughout Liuxiang Kingdom claiming that I had an affair with your master. He accidentally stumbled upon us and nearly got silenced by your master. This incident spread widely, and since I had temporarily lost contact with my sect, it quickly became accepted as truth."
"On the third day, Chai Qingniu came looking for trouble. Your master tried to explain my situation, but Chai Qingniu refused to listen, leading to a fight between them. Chai Qingniu was no match for your master but fought desperately. In the end, he was severely injured by your master and died shortly after returning home. Wuhua Island further incited conflict between us; they believed I conspired with your master to kill Chai Qingniu. Guiyi Sect mistakenly thought it was true, leading to a bitter feud with New Moon Sect and ultimately ruining the marriage alliance."
"Our New Moon Sect also blamed your master for intervening and sent many experts to hunt him down. At that time, I was poisoned severely and manipulated from behind the scenes; I had no way to defend myself and could not turn back."
"A month later, when the Top Ten Bandits surrounded Wuhua Island, I learned that your master was not nameless but rather the leader of the Top Ten Bandits who roamed Liuxiang Kingdom—Jin Liaoyuan."
"When the Top Ten Bandits attacked Wuhua Island, various sects that had conflicts with them accepted Wuhua Island's invitation and sent experts to assist in battle. Both Guiyi Sect and New Moon Sect sent double the number of cultivators to fight."
"The Great War lasted for three nights; nine out of ten Top Ten Bandits fell, leaving only your master to break through the encirclement. Wuhua Island also suffered significant losses with nearly twenty Golden Core Cultivators killed; among them, Hua Baili lost an arm in battle. The jewel of Wuhua Island at that time, Hua Wanduo, was also severely injured during the Great War."
"After that battle, Hua Baili vanished without a trace and never appeared in Xian Dao again. Hua Wanduo entered seclusion for ten years before recovering."
"After your master escaped, Wuhua Island could no longer pursue him; however, cultivators from Five Sects relentlessly chased him down. Your master was a Four Elements Cultivator and faced few rivals of his level; yet being alone against Five Sects left him heavily injured. Finally reaching Beast Reject City with his mount Royal Sparrow arriving just in time saved his life. Since then, no one has seen him again; Six Sects searched through Beast Wasteland multiple times but found no trace of him."
"According to the experts from the Five Sects who were pursuing at the time, your master suffered multiple injuries and it is impossible for him to survive. The Royal Sparrow that arrived was also stabbed seven or eight times; even if he manages to escape, he won't live long."
"I returned to the sect to recuperate for a few months, but it was of no use. Wuhua Island refused to hand over the Antidote because of Hua Baili being incapacitated by your master. The New Moon Sect was unable to fight back, so we had no choice but to wander far and wide in search of alternatives. Three months later, I finally managed to buy two Eternal Blood Frogs through the Auction House in Xian City, exchanging all my vital blood for my life and restoring my cultivation. However, these two blood frogs depleted the New Moon Sect's reserves accumulated over thousands of years. My father felt ashamed to face the elders and thus ceded his position to Chu Wushang, from then on no longer involving himself in worldly matters."
"I always thought your master attacked Wuhua Island out of hatred for Hua Baili. He led the nine major bandits to Wuhua Island to kill Hua Baili, but in the end, he was too weak and only managed to sever one of Hua Baili's hands. I never expected..."
"Only a few days ago when I received your box did I realize that your master was not trying to kill Hua Baili but rather attempting to seize the Square Leaf Grass needed for my antidote. The Square Leaf Grass is Wuhua Island's secret weapon; even if it were stolen, it would not be publicized. It is infuriating that he had to be pursued by members of my New Moon Sect while trying to save me. His pride and aloofness prevented him from explaining or seeking peace, ultimately leading to his death at their hands. His Square Leaf Grass has still not reached me."
"The hand in the box was severed from Hua Baili. Just one Square Leaf Grass could have saved my life, yet due to unfortunate circumstances, it slipped away from me and cost him his life."
"Why didn't he come sooner? Why has he never returned? How could he not know that I have been waiting for him for two hundred years..."
Qiu Wuling could no longer hold back her tears, which streamed down her cheeks.
Xu Feng listened silently, not daring to interrupt. After Qiu Wuling finished speaking, much of the confusion in his heart finally unraveled, and he felt deep sorrow for both Qiu Wuling and Jin Liaoyuan's fates.
Two people who loved each other deeply yet could not be together in the end—one lost his life for an antidote while the other sacrificed love for her sect.
Once Qiu Wuling had calmed down slowly, Xu Feng suddenly asked, "Senior, do you love him?"
Do you love him? Yes, do I love him?
Qiu Wuling abruptly raised her head; this question had lingered in her heart. She had asked herself this for two hundred years but never found an answer. She was a good girl who had never been told what love or being loved meant. Her mother was a daughter of another sect who married her father at twenty; since she became aware of things, Qiu Wuling rarely saw her mother due to her low cultivation.
When she heard about the arranged marriage with Guiyi Sect, she felt it was her fate—the path a woman must ultimately take—just like her mother did, becoming a political pawn for the development of her sect. She didn't even know what Chai Qingniu looked like.
Her father loved her very much and often asked her what she liked, then helped her get it. However, he never asked her about the people she liked, especially men.
Finally, the time had come for her to contribute to her sect. During a secret meeting between the high-ranking officials of two sects, her fate was decided: she was to marry into the Guiyi Sect, building a bridge of friendship between the two sects. Whether it was the Guiyi Sect, the Wan Jian Sect, or another sect, she had no choice and no way of knowing.
Why did she have to meet him, that Bandit Leader who roamed the world? He once asked her the same question: Do you like him?
The "him" that the Bandit Leader referred to was naturally Chai Qingniu. At that time, Qiu Wuling did not know.
Now, the disciple of that Bandit Leader was asking her the same question: Do you like him?
And this "him" no longer referred to Chai Qingniu but rather to the Bandit Leader who died because of her.
Do I like him? Do I like him?
"Yes." Qiu Wuling stood up resolutely, like a prisoner freed from shackles, and said firmly: "Yes, I like him. For these two hundred years, he has been the one I think about day and night—Jin Liaoyuan!"
Qiu Wuling finally spoke the name that had been buried deep in her heart but which she had hesitated to reveal: Jin Liaoyuan!
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