Chapter 180: The Death of Bie Yanghong
Two days had passed. Madam Mu must have already deduced from certain details that Bie Yanghong and Wuqiong Bi were still alive, right here in this small courtyard.
But she likely wouldn’t strike at Bie Yanghong and Wuqiong Bi, because Chen Changsheng had already arrived, and the rift within the demon race had grown exceedingly deep.
Unless she truly began to lose her mind, indifferent to the demon race burning itself to ashes in the wildfire of civil war.
The river breeze rustled the leaves of the Divine Tree Temple, producing a soft rustling sound, then drifted into the quiet courtyard, heard with perfect clarity.
In such a tranquil moment, it was very suitable for conversation—or for settling some matters.
Especially now, when Bie Yanghong, by some means, had lulled Wuqiong Bi into sleep.
Chen Changsheng asked, “Senior, is there anything you wish to leave behind? Or anything you want us to do?”
Bie Yanghong said, “In the past, I thought I would leave behind blood descendants. Now that there are none, there’s no need to say more.”
When he spoke these words, his expression was calm, his tone indifferent, but anyone could hear the deep pain hidden within.
A powerhouse of the continent, facing death with no one to see him off, having witnessed his son’s death in advance—it was a burden hard for anyone to bear.
Chen Changsheng said, “Leaving behind some of your past thoughts for the world would also be good.”
Many knew that Bie Yanghong was a scholar from the Xiling Wanshou Pavilion, but his life experiences and cultivation journey had always remained a mystery.
“What aspect of my past does the world most want to know?”
Bie Yanghong glanced at Wuqiong Bi and said with emotion, “Probably why I married her.”
Chen Changsheng thought for a moment and replied honestly, “Indeed, many people can’t figure it out.”
“Although no one has ever dared to bring this up in front of my wife and me, I know that in countless taverns and inns across the world, there’s always been gossip about it. Some storytellers have even concocted the most bizarre tales for us, imagining all sorts of circumstances for me. In those stories, this Bie fellow’s fate is truly tragic—even I feel sympathy listening to them…”
Bie Yanghong continued with a faint smile, “They’re all false. In life, there aren’t that many ‘have-tos,’ especially for someone like me.”
Chen Changsheng thought to himself that this was indeed true. A Saint Realm powerhouse possessed unimaginable strength and influence, not much different from an emperor. How could he have endured so many years out of mere necessity?
Bie Yanghong said, “This story is much simpler than you think. When I was young, my family was poor. My master took me in and raised me. I grew up with my junior sister; she respected and loved me, never causing me any displeasure. Naturally, I loved and cherished her in return. When we were a bit older, I married her.”
Chen Changsheng hadn’t expected the story to be this simple.
Bie Yanghong continued, “Although when I married her, she wasn’t what she is now, if I think carefully, isn’t this also my fault?”
Chen Changsheng said, “If that’s truly the case, Senior, your indulgence toward her is indeed equivalent to condoning evil.”
Bie Yanghong said, “So I’m neither a gentleman nor a good man.”
Chen Changsheng still found it hard to accept, saying, “I still feel this isn’t right.”
Bie Yanghong looked at him and asked, “If your wife treated you extremely well but had a terrible temper and was a great villain, what would you do?”
This question seemed easy to answer, but on deeper thought, it was extremely complex. Chen Changsheng had never considered such matters before, so naturally, he didn’t know the answer.
At that moment, Wuqiong Bi woke up and heard these words, naturally assuming Bie Yanghong was talking about her.
She immediately grew furious and scolded, “I’ve only killed a few useless wretches who disrespected their elders—does that make me a great villain? You ungrateful thing!”
The tranquility of the small courtyard was shattered, everything descending into chaos.
Bie Yanghong didn’t explain. He looked at her with utmost seriousness yet tenderly said, “Can you stop doing things like this from now on?”
Just like the day before, Wuqiong Bi’s heart fluttered again. She stammered, “Haven’t I already promised you? Why keep bringing it up?”
Bie Yanghong looked at her with a smile and said, “Junior sister, I’m sorry I can’t accompany you any longer.”
Wuqiong Bi grew even more panicked. She grabbed his clothes and shrieked, “What nonsense are you talking about!”
Bie Yanghong sighed and said, “I’m not talking nonsense.”
Wuqiong Bi’s face turned pale. Her tongue tied from tension, her speech became halting: “Then you can’t talk nonsense either.”
Bie Yanghong said, “I’m not talking nonsense.”
Wuqiong Bi screamed in terror, “I won’t let you leave! Otherwise… otherwise, I’ll go chop off Guan Bai’s hand too! Otherwise… I’ll go defect to the demon race!”
“I once thought about asking the Pope to take me away, leaving only a farewell letter for you. But I knew you’d still guess I was dead, so it’s better to say it outright…”
Bie Yanghong caressed her face with pity and said, “Because you know I would never abandon you.”
Xuan Yuan Po stood by the door, constantly wiping his tears with his sleeve, but he couldn’t get them clean.
He didn’t fully understand these matters, but he felt that the senior’s words were unbearably bitter.
“Could you trouble yourself to buy a few steamed buns?”
Bie Yanghong looked at him somewhat apologetically and said, “I want the ones with beef and green onion filling.”
Xuan Yuan Po was stunned for a moment, then quickly ran out of the courtyard, not caring that he himself was barely recovered from serious injuries and still terribly weak.
In the morning mist and steam, he ran toward Hu Ji’s Steamed Bun Shop, filled with regret, thinking, why hadn’t he realized a few days ago that the senior wanted beef buns?
Xuan Yuan Po returned to the courtyard carrying an entire steamer of buns, escorted by over a dozen priests and bear clan experts.
The buns were still piping hot. If you tore open the soft bun skin, you could smell the fragrance of beef, green onions, and chili oil.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
Bie Yanghong’s eyes were closed. There was no breath left in him.
Xuan Yuan Po froze. The steamer in his arms emitted steam that drifted into the gloomy sky and fell onto his face—hot and wet.
Chen Changsheng bowed his head in silence. The fingers resting by his side trembled slightly, and the sword in its sheath vibrated faintly in response.
Xuan Yuan Po knelt before Bie Yanghong, placed the steamer of buns in front of him, and then kowtowed respectfully several times, tears streaming endlessly.
Wuqiong Bi noticed nothing. She stared blankly at Bie Yanghong, her gaze gradually growing vacant, her body swaying as if about to collapse.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The bells of the Divine Tree Temple rang out.
Wuqiong Bi snapped back to reality. Her eyes reddened, her lips trembled slightly, and she finally understood what had happened.
A piercing wail echoed through the small courtyard.
Chen Changsheng walked outside the courtyard, listening to the bells from the Divine Tree Temple, and recalled that night long ago when Archbishop Mei Lisha was on his deathbed.
That night, bells had also rung in the capital.
Were the bells truly a signal to return home?
Was the Star Sea truly the homeland of all souls?
Whether noble or lowly, beautiful or ugly?
Just like the sound of crying?
No matter how unpleasant it sounded, was it still so heartbreaking?
…
…
(I haven’t rambled for a long time. Today I thought again—there’s actually a lot I want to say to everyone, but I won’t. Just read the book. I wish you all well.)
…