"....."
The unexpected turn of events came too swiftly, leaving one unprepared.
Yu Sheng appeared not to have clearly heard Wen Jiu's words, his expression dazed. “...What?”
In reality, Wen Jiu had not fully processed the earlier shock either. With his keen perception, he momentarily failed to notice Yu Sheng's unusual reaction and repeated, “We came here to invite the senior Yu Yangzi to come out of seclusion.”
Yu Sheng gasped sharply, his eyes instantly filled with a mix of heartbreak, hurt, grievance and fear as if he had just heard something monumental.
He turned and ran, shouting as he fled, “I’m not going out!”
It was the kind of reckless escape where he disregarded everything, instantly channeling all his spiritual energy to transform into a blur. He ran with such determination that he vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving the three others suspended in confusion.
"...?"
The only certainty was that he had dashed downward, presumably returning to his cave dwelling.
Yu Sheng: I’m shutting myself off.
System: …Can’t even begin to comment.
Wen Jiu's confusion deepened, especially under the sudden gazes from the other two, which only amplified his innocence. He looked down at his hands, then up at the sky, losing his human form and reverting to his original semi-transparent spirit state.
He stood there, dazed, muttering three times, “Did I say something wrong? Did I misunderstand? Where did I go wrong?”
The first time he asked his two fellow disciples, the second time he questioned himself, and the third time he looked up at the heavens.
His once-proud intellect now seemed like the greatest obstacle in his path, and the heavenly eye that usually saw through everything had turned into a blind spot that understood nothing.
“Forget him; let him enter meditation and contemplate alone.”
Yin Wangzhi cast a final glance at the newly appointed strategist and completely gave up on him. He quickly realized this and floated back toward the cliff’s edge.
Zhan Xiaotian suddenly felt empty in his arms, disappointment overshadowing any anger or jealousy. He lost the urge to fight; even his sword spirit wilted, losing its vitality. He gazed solemnly in the direction where Yuyangzi had departed, unwilling to be left behind, and followed the Ghost King back.
Before them stood a nearly seamless stone wall.
Why “nearly”?
Because the stone wall's surroundings were almost perfectly integrated, with no visible gaps, and there were no apparent doors or secret entrances.
However, right in the middle, there was a small window, perfectly square and about the size of a human head, allowing one to see inside but making it impossible for a full-sized person to squeeze through.
Yu Sheng sat inside, hugging his knees, wrapped in a warm plush blanket. He held a steaming cup of tea, looking pale and pitiful.
The three main characters didn’t understand, but the system did; this was standard treatment for a rescue victim, commonly seen in the aftermath of various natural disasters and calamities.
The stone wall had been constructed from the start, not using points but rather created by Yu Sheng himself with various techniques and magical tools. The system’s words were clear: “The point shop doesn’t sell this kind of stuff.” It had remained unnoticed by the protagonists because it was designed as a backup and was quite hidden, resembling a dark room.
Seeing that two of his disciples had arrived, Yu Sheng let out a heavy sigh.
The window was cleverly positioned, level with Yu Sheng’s head inside, allowing those outside to pull up chairs for a more comfortable conversation.
The distance was neither too far nor too close; if they wanted to hold hands, they could. If they didn’t want to be touched, one could simply step back to avoid any contact.
In this sense, it resembled a standard…
A standard customer service window.
“Where’s Wen Jiu?”
Gathering his thoughts in the confined space, he still remembered that it was Wen Jiu who had suggested leaving the cliff.
Yin Wangzhi became irritated at the mention of Wen Jiu, saying he couldn’t rest easy without checking on him. It was also he who began to space out once he arrived, wasting time pondering useless things.
“He’s meditating and can’t come for now.”
Zhan Xiaotian pulled over a chair and sat down, claiming the most central position right in front of the window, eager to embed himself in it, not allowing anyone else to have a view.
“Senior, why did you suddenly leave, only to enter this strange place?”
Strange place?
Yu Sheng shook his head. “This is where I meditate.”
Yin Wangzhi grew a bit anxious. “You want to meditate? Now?”
Yu Sheng thought to himself, If you weren’t behaving like this, could I even meditate? Open your eyes and see when I’ve ever been the type to be proactive, diligent, and hardworking.
Yet he replied earnestly, “That’s not important. First, answer me: what Wen Jiu said earlier, is it true?”
There was an underlying tone of accusation in his voice.
Yin Wangzhi sensed something was off but was not good at lying, so he said frankly, “It’s true, but it’s not entirely so.”
Zhan Xiaotian leaned his arm against the window, moving closer to add, “It’s fine if the senior doesn’t want to leave with Wen Jiu. I’m different from them.”
Yu Sheng slightly raised his eyes, a hint of hope in his gaze. “How so?”
Zhan Xiaotian smiled sweetly. “Wen Jiu wants to invite the senior to the spirit realm, and Yin Wangzhi wants to invite you to the ghost realm. As for me, I just want to invite the senior to the human realm to enjoy the mountains and waters and relax a bit.”
Yu Sheng: “…”
Isn’t that just asking me to go out? What’s the difference?!
“Whooosh…”
Yu Sheng lowered his head, leaning against the edge of the cup, sipping slowly from the hot tea, making a slurping sound. He felt the warm liquid soothe his mouth and throat as it slid down into his stomach, bringing a bit of heat that perfectly warmed his body, alleviating some of the chill brought on by the idea of ‘going out.’
Every movement was slow, as if an elderly person practicing Tai Chi, so gradual that it seemed time itself might freeze.
Then he shook his head, speaking slowly and clearly. “I can’t… I cannot go out.”
Is it too late to say that I am not Yu Yangzi?
No, perhaps I should just come up with an excuse, something like there’s a terrifying demon sealed at the bottom of the Three Realms Cliff, and I must dedicate my life to guarding it, ensuring peace in the Three Realms?
How cliché, but it feels so fitting.
Zhan Xiaotian looked confused. “Does the senior find it hard to trust or dislike any of us?”
Yu Sheng shook his head again. “I want to ask you…”
“Please go ahead, senior.”
He looked up, his almond-shaped eyes misting with tears, slightly reddening. “Do you hold any resentment against me?” Why are you punishing me like this?
Both Zhan Xiaotian and Yin Wangzhi were taken aback, rare expressions of urgency and subtle heartache flashing across their faces.
No matter what their expressions were, eyes could not lie. Those almond-shaped eyes remained bright and clear, just as they had been from the beginning. Anyone looking into those eyes would find all his words convincing, wanting to hear more.
Seeing that the two were patiently listening, Yu Sheng continued, “Have I done something wrong these past few days? Did I upset or hurt you in some way?” Is that why you resorted to such a desperate measure?
Zhan Xiaotian looked at him with concern, his smile gradually fading. “Senior…”
Yu Sheng closed his eyes, his eyelashes fluttering as if he were desperately suppressing his grief and guilt, making him look even more pitiful. He seemed like he was about to blame himself and shut himself away… no, blame himself for entering seclusion. “I’m sorry; it was my fault.” How could I have raised disciples who would treat me like this?
Yin Wangzhi stood behind, peering through the corner of the window not blocked by Zhan Xiaotian’s head, barely able to see Yuyangzi inside. He too was affected by the atmosphere, clenching his fists in silence.
Zhan Xiaotian, filled with passion, could no longer hold back and interrupted him firmly. “It’s not like that!”
Yu Sheng opened his slightly reddened eyes to look at him.
“Senior, you haven’t done anything wrong! You don’t need to feel guilty or remorseful,” Zhan Xiaotian said earnestly. “It’s our fault for being so ungrateful, for not being wise enough to appreciate your wisdom and intentions. Please don’t be heartbroken!”
Such a teachable child.
Yu Sheng looked at Zhan Xiaotian with appreciation and reached out to shake his hand. “Really? Then you…”
Just one would be enough; even if only one among the three stood on his side to protect him from going over the cliff, it would be an even match of two to two!
Zhan Xiaotian gripped his hand tightly. “We were too thoughtless. It’s our fault for arguing over which realm the senior is going to, putting you in such a difficult position. Please rest assured; I’ll do my best to restore the sword spirit to its peak state and deal with the other two so you won’t be put in a bind!”
Yu Sheng: “…?” This isn’t what I expected.
Shouldn’t you be tearfully saying, “Senior, don’t worry; I won’t force you to go over the cliff again!”
Yin Wangzhi remarked, “…Heh. So naive.”
Yu Sheng felt a pain in his face, suddenly sensing that fate was playing tricks on him. That single word “naive” felt less like a jab at Zhan Xiaotian and more like a tailor-made mockery directed at him!
He felt even more desperate, struggling to pull his hand away and tightly clutching the hot tea in his arms. “You… you’re really a… ‘kind’ child…”
Even though you make me feel worse than dead, you still consider my feelings, worried that I might be too scared to die.
Yu Sheng asked, “So, all your previous… years of discord were because of this dispute?”
Zhan Xiaotian nodded, hesitating. “Pretty much… you could say that.”
Yu Sheng felt like crying but couldn’t shed any tears, speechless as he looked up at the ceiling, trying to hold back his sorrow.
So, this is how considerate his disciples are? Although they make him feel worse than dead, they still want him to choose his own death and burial site? And out of concern for his feelings, the eldest disciple even wants to choose for him?
It’s self-inflicted misery; I can’t live on… It’s all because I didn’t die cleanly back then.
Over a hundred years have passed; he has lived through two lifetimes. The last time he faced such pain was just after graduation when his whole family, along with a big dog, incessantly chanted at him like monks, trying various ways to force him outside and abandon his reclusive lifestyle. He ultimately silenced them by moving out and supporting himself with his monthly salary…
But now, even if he stayed inside for a thousand years, he wouldn’t die or become unhealthy. Why does he still have to face such torment?
Yu Sheng could hardly believe that this time, his disciples were genuinely doing it “for his own good,” just like his friends and family from his past life. There had to be a conspiracy behind this!
Is it because of the alias? Is it because of the fake death and the alias? Although they haven’t directly exposed his identity, they must already know who he is, so does that make it unimportant to reveal him? Is that why they’re treating him like this?!
Could it be one of those terrifying setups like, “Don’t you enjoy faking your own death? Then experience a real death!”
Yu Sheng couldn’t comprehend it at all. If his disciples knew how much he feared going over the cliff and genuinely didn’t blame him, they wouldn’t treat him like this. If they didn’t know, then there would be no reason for him to go over the cliff. If they only wanted to show filial piety and repay his kindness, they wouldn’t need to force him out!
His reasoning suddenly made sense.
Yu Sheng felt as if he had aged ten years in an instant, his face lined with the weight of despair, rendered speechless.
“I know what to do now. You all… prepare for tomorrow’s memorial service; you don’t need to worry about me.”
He gradually emptied his mind, finishing the last sip of hot tea and setting the cup aside. Sitting up straight and cross-legged, the blanket naturally slid off him.
He then closed his eyes, and the moment his spiritual energy began to circulate, a brief sense of pressure enveloped the surroundings, as if spiritual power was rapidly converging toward a vortex in a specific direction, with Yu Sheng at its center.
However, because of the stone wall's obstruction and the special barrier of that ‘dark room,’ the two protagonists were affected just enough to keep it from being overwhelming.
The two protagonists—and even Wen Jiu, who had not yet returned—were all astonished by this sudden surge of energy.
They knew Yu Sheng was powerful and had a high level of cultivation. Whether as the legendary Yu Yangzi or the master they had spent day and night with, he was unparalleled in the three realms.
However, they also understood that Yu Sheng was very lazy and carefree. Even when everyone else was seizing every opportunity to cultivate and improve themselves, he was simply basking in the sun, sleeping in, and indulging in food and drink. In comparison, the previous two instances where he had acted—once to keep Yin Wangzhi from drinking and another to stop the fighting between two others—had surprised them, but it paled in comparison to the shock they felt now.
This was the first time they had witnessed Yu Yangzi experiencing a surge of spiritual power due to emotional fluctuations.
What was even more astonishing was that they couldn’t immediately determine whether this surge should be classified as meditative, a breakthrough, or a loss of control and rampage. Yet, it seemed Yu Sheng had anticipated everything in advance, retreating to the dark room a cup of tea earlier to shield himself from most of the external influences.
At this moment, the three of them finally realized that their master, who had always deceived them, truly cared for them deeply, leaving them feeling shocked, moved, and guilty, a whirlwind of emotions.
Zhan, Yin, and Wen’s thought processes converged at that moment: It was the infighting among us disciples that had caused stress for our master, making him disappointed, heartbroken, and sad!
The naive legacy of being a disciple inheriting the flaws of their master was now evident, and at the same time, Yu Sheng was also experiencing a myriad of feelings.
System: Host, calm down; your spiritual energy is leaking…
Yu Sheng: I am calm, really, very calm. I’m just reflecting on myself. I don’t want to go out, don’t want to go over the cliff, and don’t want to leave the mountains. So… everything stems from my previous fake death and alias. If I admit everything tomorrow, take off my alias, and explain the fake death clearly, will they forgive me and stop insisting I leave here?
Thinking this way, Yu Sheng felt significantly better.
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