Chapter 22: A Secret Burden

Wolf Girl followed Ji Wushuang to the sect entrance to lend support. Upon witnessing Ji Wushuang’s decisive victory over Immortal Yuqing, she then saw him discussing the Bone-Shattering Palm with Shui Jingxuan.

Initially, she intended to join their conversation. However, as she overheard them discussing the difficulty of mastering the palm technique with only one hand, she abruptly halted, her gaze shifting uncomfortably away.

Shui Jingxuan’s right hand was a past she could never truly reconcile with. When they faced each other, she dared not even let her gaze linger on his right arm.

Her master, too, initially felt only a slight regret, but as time passed, his resentment grew. Every time he watched Shui Jingxuan practice his sword, the look he cast upon her afterward was always inexplicably dark, sending a shiver down her spine.

Though she lacked understanding of human social graces, her beast-like instincts allowed her to discern the situation. At this moment, she knew she should retreat, not draw attention to herself from the two men.

Elder Mu, however, harbored no such reservations as Wolf Girl. He quickly glanced at the fleshy mass on the ground before stepping forward with a worried expression.

“Sect Master,” he began, “You have slain Immortal Yuqing and his disciples. Wudang will never let this matter rest. I fear they will rally the Eight Great Sects and come knocking on our doors.”

Ji Wushuang’s mood was already sour due to the issue with Shui Jingxuan’s right hand. Hearing Elder Mu’s words, he scoffed with a cold laugh.

“Heh, let them come!” he retorted. “This Venerable One can kill a few more, using their fresh blood to consecrate the souls of our fallen clansmen!”

His Demonic Art of Poison had yet to break through the eighth stage, leaving him without a complete victory against Immortal Ziyang.

Otherwise, he would have long since stormed Ziyang Daoist Temple, never allowing these petty curs to provoke them at their gates.

Elder Mu’s brow remained deeply furrowed despite his Sect Master’s words. The Sect Master possessed peerless divine power and naturally had no fear. However, their clansmen were different.

If the Eight Great Sects truly launched an assault, the clansmen would undoubtedly suffer heavy casualties, making the continuation of their bloodline even more precarious.

Shui Jingxuan, understanding his master’s worries, pondered for a moment before speaking with solemnity.

“Master, there is no need to worry. The Demonic Sect will be fine this time.”

“Oh? Why do you say that?” Elder Mu knew his disciple never spoke idly; his words were always well-founded and convincing.

Intrigued, he patted Shui Jingxuan’s head and asked with a beaming smile, his earlier anxieties significantly lessened.

Ji Wushuang also leaned in, looking at him as if eager to listen.

Shui Jingxuan smiled, his tone imbued with both certainty and a strong hint of sarcasm.

“The Eight Great Sects once united to annihilate our people to seize our fertile lands, ensuring they would have a safe haven after being driven out by the Tatars.”

“As the saying goes, ‘no profit, no early rise.’ Without sufficient temptation of profit, who would risk their lives to assault the Demonic Sect for Wudang?”

“Though Wudang is the leader of the Eight Sects, compelling the other seven is no easy feat. This time, only a few people died, which in the eyes of the other seven sects is merely a trifle, far from enough to warrant their intervention.”

He paused after speaking, then continued, his mockery growing even more pronounced. “Furthermore, Immortal Yuqing was the second most powerful figure in Wudang.

His Yuqing Temple boasted numerous disciples and immense influence, second only to Ziyang Temple.”

“Now that he has fallen, who will take over Yuqing Temple? Many within the Wudang faction are surely eyeing that position. They are too busy with their internal struggles to spare any thought for us.”

Putting aside distant concerns, Baiyun alone would never let this opportunity slip by.

In the movie, he was merely a tutor during Zhuo Yihang’s childhood, but after the plot officially began, he leaped to become a key figure, second only to Immortal Ziyang.

There must be a hidden reason for this, very likely related to Immortal Yuqing’s demise.

The ten elders and Ji Wushuang pondered for a long while before simultaneously clapping their hands and bursting into laughter, praising him repeatedly.

“To think that the boy not only possesses extraordinary martial arts talent but is also profoundly astute in strategy and power dynamics! Our clan has not produced such a talent in a long time!”

Ji Wushuang sighed, then strode towards the interior of the sect.

Although the heterodox faction was warlike, their minds were simple, unlike the Han people who excelled at schemes and trickery. Otherwise, Ji Wushuang would not have been so easily ensnared and captured by them back then.

Now that such a unique individual as the boy had emerged in the sect, his heart was greatly comforted.

Wolf Girl, walking beside Ji Wushuang, had stars in her eyes. She had heard Shui Jingxuan’s intricate analysis, yet she hadn’t understood a single bit of it.

Though she had returned to living among people, she still perceived the world through the eyes of a wolf. To her, the world was merely black and white, as simple as could be.

Elder Mu walked shoulder to shoulder with his beloved disciple, following closely behind the Sect Master, his aged face beaming with a brilliant smile.

The other nine elders frequently glanced at Shui Jingxuan, their eyes brimming with admiration.

Shui Jingxuan remained remarkably calm at this moment. Having served as a leader for over a decade in the apocalypse, he would have been long dead if he hadn’t understood a thing or two about strategy.

‘Still, my judgment of people needs strengthening,’ he thought, clenching his fist in self-mockery.

“Han people are indeed insidious; even a small Daoist temple can spark internal strife, unlike our Demonic Sect, where our clansmen are united in heart,” Ji Wushuang’s twin sister, who had been silent until now, suddenly lamented.

The Demonic Sect was indeed far more united than those so-called orthodox sects. While conflicts did arise, they never harmed the interests of their clansmen for personal gain, nor did they covet positions that weren’t theirs.

They openly pursued their ambitions, striving for them through strength. Hearing Ji Wushuang’s twin sister’s lament, everyone else nodded repeatedly in agreement, save for Shui Jingxuan, whose lips twitched—for he, with his insidious thoughts, had long set his sights on the Sect Master’s position.

Upon entering the sect, the elders, still bound by their duties, bid their farewells. Shui Jingxuan had intended to leave with Elder Mu, but before he could turn, a strong scent of blood assailed his nostrils.

They had long since left the blood-soaked battlefield at the stockade gate, so there was no reason for the smell of blood to intensify. ‘Could someone be injured?’ Shui Jingxuan wondered, subtly observing everyone present.

Both he and Elder Mu had sustained injuries, but none were severe, and their bleeding had already stopped, incapable of producing such a potent stench.

As for Wolf Girl, her white robes flowed like an immortal, showing no signs of significant blood loss.

Thus, only the Sect Master remained. Shui Jingxuan’s gaze shifted to Ji Wushuang, and it was then that he belatedly realized that Ji Wushuang’s twin sister was unusually silent today, her face exceptionally pale.

Her slightly furrowed brows and tightly bitten lips indicated she was enduring some kind of pain.

Both siblings were clad in thick, pure black robes, making any blood loss undetectable.

Shui Jingxuan took a few steps forward, closing the distance to Ji Wushuang, and the scent of blood grew even stronger, confirming his suspicion.

“Master, please go ahead. Your disciple will escort the Sect Master a part of the way,” Shui Jingxuan said obediently to Elder Mu, who was about to depart.

“My disciple is truly well-behaved!” Elder Mu was easily swayed by his beloved disciple.

“Why aren’t you following your master? You’re usually his little shadow,” Ji Wushuang turned to look at Shui Jingxuan, his words carrying a hint of sourness he himself couldn’t quite discern.

Ji Wushuang’s twin sister’s pupils were veiled with a misty haze, and she struggled to support her body, too weak to react to their conversation.

Shui Jingxuan understood that since Ji Wushuang had been enduring in silence, he surely didn’t want others to know about his injuries. Thus, he made no fuss, instead helping to send Elder Mu away.

Now, seeing Ji Wushuang’s twin sister on the verge of collapsing, he felt anxious. Disregarding propriety, he quickly stepped forward to support her arm and replied in a gentle, reassuring tone,

“A master for a day is a father for life; one must naturally be filial to a master.”

“But you are our Sect Master, providing us with a stable life, protecting us from being bullied by the Han and Manchu people. For you, we must be even more respectful, serving you faithfully.”

Ji Wushuang’s twin sister patted Shui Jingxuan’s small hand that supported her arm, her spirits noticeably improving.

They had done so much for their clan, merely wishing to atone for the grave mistake of almost annihilating their people due to past negligence, not expecting gratitude from their clansmen.

Yet, hearing the boy’s words, her cold heart quietly warmed, and even her pain significantly lessened.

Ji Wushuang clutched his chest, feeling his stiff, numb heart beat faster and faster, emitting a burning heat that left him somewhat flustered, unsure how to react.

Shui Jingxuan, unaware of their complex emotions, simply escorted the Ji Wushuang siblings forward. Wolf Girl looked somewhat confused, thinking, ‘Why is Axi so unusually attentive? And Master, why does he need help walking?’

Once they entered the room and he settled them on the large, soft couch, Shui Jingxuan asked in a low voice, “Sect Master, shall I call the High Priest for you?”

“Why call the High Priest out of nowhere?” Ji Wushuang’s tone was icy, his thick eyebrows, which slanted towards his temples, furrowed tightly, displaying an expression of extreme impatience.

If not for Ji Wushuang’s future mastery of the Demonic Art, which would allow him to single-handedly destroy Wudang and eliminate many of the Demonic Sect’s enemies, Shui Jingxuan’s indifferent nature would never have bothered with his affairs.

In Shui Jingxuan’s eyes, Wolf Girl and Ji Wushuang were his two greatest weapons against the Eight Great Sects, and absolutely nothing could happen to them before the plot unfolded.

Therefore, he approached Ji Wushuang with two hundred percent patience, earnestly persuading him, “Sect Master, you have lost so much blood. If you don’t treat it soon, it will be dangerous.”

“Ah?” Wolf Girl gasped, disbelieving.

“Who said this Venerable One was injured?” Ji Wushuang sneered at Shui Jingxuan, forcing a strong front.

Meanwhile, his twin sister was already completely drained, dizzy, and showing symptoms of severe blood loss. Twins often compete for nutrients in the womb, resulting in one being stronger and one weaker at birth.

Clearly, Ji Wushuang’s twin sister’s constitution was far less robust than her brother’s.

However, Ji Wushuang had inflicted the wounds himself with a knife during a cultivation bottleneck, when his inner demons flared up.

Each cut was made on the conjoined skin of their backs, a deeply forbidden secret they would never let outsiders see.

“If you’re not injured, then what is this?” Shui Jingxuan’s thin lips pressed into a straight line. He stepped forward, pinched the corner of Ji Wushuang’s robe, and gently wrung it. Blood streamed down, staining the floor crimson.

“Who permitted you to approach this Venerable One? All of you, get out! This Venerable One can handle it himself!” Ji Wushuang raged, waving away Shui Jingxuan and the astonished Wolf Girl, then slammed the room door shut with a bang.

“Sect Master, if you don’t treat your wounds, you will die from excessive blood loss! Don’t you want to avenge our clan’s great grudge? Do you wish to see our clan slaughtered by the Han and Tatars?

“You were only in seclusion for a few months, and Wudang dared to attack. If you were truly gone, wouldn’t Immortal Ziyang flatten our Demonic Sect? Please, think carefully about the consequences before you speak again.”

Shui Jingxuan spoke, enunciating each word clearly towards the closed door. With the injury on his back, how could he possibly treat it himself? This was clearly an excuse, and Shui Jingxuan was not as easily dismissed as Elder Mu.

Silence reigned inside for a long time. Just as Shui Jingxuan was about to open his mouth to provoke him further, Ji Wushuang suddenly pulled open the door, his face pale.

“You two, come in. Help this Venerable One stop the bleeding. Do not let word of this Venerable One’s injury spread.”

Firstly, his injury was in his most private and taboo area; letting the closest boy and Wolf Girl know was already the limit. Secondly, Wudang might still have plans, and news of his injury leaking out would invite trouble.

Understanding his concerns, Shui Jingxuan nodded without hesitation, though Wolf Girl’s expression was somewhat grim. As Ji Wushuang reached out to slowly untie his robe, preparing to undress, she suddenly retreated quickly to the door, her wide eyes filled with disgust and fear.

She was, after all, still a child. Faced with the Sect Master’s deformed body, she simply could not remain as composed as Shui Jingxuan.

The clang of Wolf Girl’s back hitting the door echoed through the room. Shui Jingxuan and Ji Wushuang both turned to look at her.

Meeting those eyes, which made no attempt to hide her emotions, Ji Wushuang’s face, already contorted from suppressed pain, twisted even further.

The room instantly became so quiet that a pin drop could be heard, the atmosphere incredibly oppressive.

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