Chapter 926: The Saintly Hand Retires
[If you don't remember Xiao Hong, please refer back to Chapter 2.]
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Black lightning...
No wounds...
Thirteen months of pregnancy!?
...
“Young master? Young master!”
Xiao Hong called out twice in succession, pulling Yun Che out of his deep thoughts. Black lightning, based on his understanding of the Xuan path, should absolutely not exist. And thirteen months of pregnancy, based on his medical knowledge, should never occur in humans. Even if it did happen, the child born would definitely not be normal... But Xiao Lingxi had been healthy since birth, and he remembered that she had never been sick from childhood to adulthood.
“So... it was because of this that grandmother passed away.” Yun Che muttered quietly, his heart filled with confusion. Given the height he now stood at, there shouldn't be anything in Tian Xuan Continent that could surpass his understanding. But if everything Xiao Hong said was true, then both the black lightning and Xiao Lingxi being born after thirteen months of pregnancy were things his knowledge could not explain.
Just like the hundred jin of Purple Vein Divine Crystal here that left him utterly perplexed.
“Yes.” Xiao Hong sighed softly. “But the master never spoke of this to anyone. After all, being struck by heavenly lightning for no reason would be twisted into heavenly retribution if it got out. Later, when madam passed away, the master publicly declared she died of depression and melancholy. But from then on, he never came here again. He never let you or the young miss approach this place, precisely for this reason.”
“...I understand.” Yun Che nodded slightly. “Uncle Hong, thank you for telling me this.”
“Heh heh,” Xiao Hong smiled faintly. “After the master returned this time, his overall complexion was excellent and he looked quite radiant. I feel greatly at ease. As for matters concerning madam, it's best not to bring them up in front of the master, so as not to stir up his sorrow.”
“Mm, I know.” Yun Che promised.
Xiao Hong headed east to continue searching for wulan flowers. Yun Che remained where he was for a long time, pondering Xiao Hong's words, but he couldn't come to any conclusion. Finally, he exhaled softly and muttered to himself, “Forget it. It's been over twenty years. Who knows what really happened. Black lightning... very likely a trick of the eyes. Thirteen months of pregnancy... the only possibility is that the first three months were mistaken for pregnancy.”
Yun Che gave himself this final explanation and stopped thinking about it. After all, this matter had passed more than twenty years ago. The departed had already passed, while Xiao Lingxi had grown up safely. Thinking back on those seemingly strange things from so long ago was not only impossible to trace but also completely meaningless.
Yun Che rose and flew back toward Liuyun City. On the way, he took out a Sound Transmission Jade and found a transmission imprint left several years ago.
“Hua Minghai, where are you now?”
The transmission was completed, and within a few breaths, the Sound Transmission Jade rapidly responded with an extremely excited voice: “Yun Che... big brother? Is it really you? I... am I dreaming?”
“Of course it's me. Where are you now?”
“I... I'm north of Shenhuang City, just left the city less than ten li.” Hua Minghai's voice still carried deep excitement.
North of Shenhuang City? Yun Che's gaze shifted, and he immediately stopped in midair, quickly replying, “Stay there and don't move. I'll come find you right away... and I'll bring you a gift.”
Putting down the Sound Transmission Jade, Yun Che quickly flew back to Liuyun City, grabbed a person from Luo Chi, then used the Primordial Mystic Ark to directly teleport to a spot ten li north of Shenhuang City's north gate.
Though many years had passed, Hua Minghai's aura was still familiar to him. The moment he appeared, he locked onto his location and directly descended from the sky, landing in front of him.
Hua Minghai was tightly gripping his Sound Transmission Jade, still not recovered from the excitement of receiving Yun Che's message, when he suddenly saw Yun Che appear right before him. His hands trembled, nearly dropping the Sound Transmission Jade, and he said with immense excitement, “Brother Yun! You... I... ah... Xiaoya, quickly, quickly pay respects to our lifesaver!”
As always when meeting Hua Minghai, he was again in a disguised state, and a double disguise at that. Beside him stood a gentle and elegant woman with bright eyes, showing no signs of weakness. Hearing Hua Minghai's words, she quickly stepped forward and was about to bow: “I am Ru Xiaoya. Many thanks to Brother Yun Che for saving my life...”
“Cough...” Yun Che quickly raised his hand, using a surge of Xuan energy to hold both of them up. With a helpless expression, he said, “This guy of yours, back in the day you acted like you feared nothing and no one, the only one who mattered. Now you're putting on such a coy act.”
“Hahahaha,” Hua Minghai laughed loudly and freely. “Others I certainly don't fear. I've entered and exited the Fenghuang God Sect dozens of times. But Brother Yun is different. Now you're the continent-renowned number-one of the ages, even the Four Sacred Grounds are beneath your feet... Hoo, I never imagined that the person I met in Shenhuang City back then would become such a big shot. My defeat back then was truly not an injustice at all.”
“Not only is it not an injustice, it can practically be considered the greatest thing to boast about in your life.” The woman beside him said with a smile.
“Heh, of course...” Hua Minghai's grin spread, then suddenly froze. Because he finally saw clearly the person Yun Che was holding. That face, though completely devoid of its usual imposing presence, even reduced to ashes, he would never misidentify.
“Ye... Xuan... Ge!!” Hua Minghai's face twisted ferociously, his pupils instantly surging with fierce killing intent, his hands clenching tightly. When he shouted this name, the woman beside him trembled all over and tightly grabbed his arm.
Yun Che reached out and threw Ye Xuange at Hua Minghai's feet. “Ye Meixie is dead. All the Sun Moon Divine Envoys and elders of Sun Moon Divine Palace have also perished. Only this Ye Xuange remains. Since you once said that among Sun Moon Divine Palace, the person you most wanted to kill was Ye Xuange, he has been crippled of his Xuan power. Whether you want him dead or wish for him to suffer a fate worse than death is up to you. Sun Moon Divine Palace will soon be erased from Tian Xuan Continent. You don't need to have any worries about repercussions.”
Yun Che had gone through considerable trouble to deliberately leave Ye Xuange for Hua Minghai—not merely because of what he had said back then. He never wanted to owe anyone a debt, so he used Ye Xuange to repay the favor of the Phantom Lightning Extreme from back then. After all, over the years, the Phantom Lightning Extreme had helped him immensely and had even saved his life several times.
“Brother Yun... I...” Hua Minghai looked up, too excited to express himself properly. Ye Xuange, lying on the ground, struggled to lift his head, trying to see Hua Minghai's face, and unwillingly protested, “Who... who exactly are you? What grudge... do I have with you?”
“What grudge?” Hua Minghai lowered his head, his gaze turning extremely sinister. “Old thief Ye, do you still remember the name Hua Guhuan!”
“Ah...” Ye Xuange's face stiffened, then he suddenly realized something: “You... you... you are the Ghost Shadow Saintly Hand, Hua Minghai!”
“That's right, it's me!” Hua Minghai wiped his face, removing his disguise entirely to reveal his original features. “Your Sun Moon Divine Palace, to seize the Phantom Lightning Extreme, pursued several generations of my Thief God Sect. My parents were brutally killed at the hands of you old thieves! Now, only I, Hua Minghai, remain of the Thief God Sect! My wife also suffered your Cold Poison back then and nearly died... In my dreams, I want to tear you into pieces! Today, you've finally fallen into my hands!”
With a roar, Hua Minghai suddenly reached out and punched Ye Xuange in the head. Now crippled, Ye Xuange couldn't withstand it. His eyes rolled back, and he instantly fell unconscious.
“How are you going to handle him?” Yun Che asked, seeing that Hua Minghai didn't seem to intend to kill him immediately.
Hua Minghai, not yet satisfied, viciously stomped on Ye Xuange, catching his breath before saying, “Killing him outright would be too easy. I plan to take him to my hometown and use his blood to sacrifice to the spirits of my parents.”
“Mm.” Yun Che nodded, then took out an Overlord Pill and handed it to Hua Minghai. “This is an Overlord Pill. When your Xuan power reaches the peak of the King Xuan Realm in the future, it can help you quickly break through the bottleneck and become an Overlord Emperor.”
Hua Minghai's mouth gaped open. As someone who had touched countless rare treasures as the “Ghost Shadow Saintly Hand,” how could he not know how precious a pill that could break through the Overlord Emperor bottleneck was? But he didn't reach out to take it. Instead, he shook his head and said, “Brother Yun, you have helped me achieve my revenge. I have no way to repay you already. How can I accept something so valuable from you?”
“Rest assured, it's just a very ordinary thing to me. I still have over a thousand of them.” Yun Che smiled.
Hua Minghai still shook his head. He reached out and took his companion's hand, his expression becoming much calmer. “Don't waste something so precious on me. Because from now on, there should no longer be the name 'Ghost Shadow Saintly Hand' in Tian Xuan Continent.”
“Oh?” Yun Che was slightly taken aback. “Are you going to...”
Hua Minghai exchanged a smile with the woman beside him. “My grandparents and parents all died one after another. Our Thief God Sect is left with only me as its sole successor, already a name in name only. After all these years of turbulence, I've come to understand clearly what I want most. All those years I spent stealing to collect the Xuan crystals needed to keep Xiaoya alive—now it's time for me to repay my debts. Besides, the Phantom Lightning Extreme has its most remarkable successor ever. At least I haven't disgraced the sect's glory.”
Yun Che put the Overlord Pill away and nodded with a smile. “That's good too. Loss and recovery indeed make people see things they couldn't see before. Though you are the successor of the Thief God Sect, perhaps a peaceful life suits you better.”
“But my transmission imprint won't change. If Brother Yun has any orders, even if it costs me my life, I won't even frown.” Hua Minghai vowed solemnly.
“Better you focus on carrying on the lineage of your Thief God Sect.”
Yun Che laughed heartily, waved to Hua Minghai, then soared into the air and flew far away.
“Brother Yun... I will never forget you!!” Behind him came Hua Minghai's shout, using all his strength.
Hua Minghai's voice faded with the wind. Yun Che's lips curved into a contented, light smile. As the sole successor of the Thief God Sect, for the sake of the one he loved who had been “lost and regained,” he chose to abandon his proud title and go into seclusion, to live a peaceful, ordinary life, and to secretly practice chivalry to atone for past sins... Perhaps, compared to a life of grandeur and fame, this was the most perfect way to live.
This was Hua Minghai's decision... Some matters, he too should decide upon early.
For example, after dragging Xuanyuan Wendao before Xiao Lie to avenge his hatred, he could finally bring up the matter of him and Xiao Lingxi...
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[First thing: The Evil God fan fiction submission event has begun! Everyone is free to unleash your creative passion and write works related to Against the Evil God to participate. For registration and specific inquiries, please add QQ 1732011849, or follow the sticky post on Baidu Tieba “Against the Evil God Bar.” All selected works will be included in the “Heaven-Defying World Scripture” for permanent preservation. Event deadline: September 25, 2017. Prizes currently include first prize PS4, second prize the mechanical keyboard used by this Mars (used to write “Evil God”), third prize Beatsep earphones... See above for details.]
[Second thing: The wonderful summer vacation is almost over. How terrifying.]