Chapter 222: The Bitter Wind, Like Fine Wine
(This is the final chapter of this volume. I have matters to attend to tomorrow, and I need to sort through the plot of the next volume—also the final one—so there will be no updates. This volume turned out well. In terms of the overall story, my favorite part is the section on the Tang family in Wenshui; it has a martial arts feel that I really enjoy. Back when I read Wen Ruian’s works about Xiao Qiushui, and later his "Heroes" series, I was most curious about what the Tang family was really like—Old Master Tang, Old Madam Tang, those characters carved deep into the wood of the story. But after waiting over twenty years without him writing about them, I suppose I’ll never see it. The Tang family I wrote is, of course, different from those in martial arts novels, especially Wen Ruian’s. In my book, the Tang family is more like the behind-the-scenes schemers in conspiracy theories. In terms of visual effect, my favorite is naturally Xu Yourong’s dual swords merging with Chen Changsheng after she emerges from seclusion. Some readers don’t understand why the Two Severing Blades must be wielded together. My explanation is: first, it’s not a simple Two Severing Blade—it’s a very complex structure. Second, their realms and talents are actually not as good as Zhou’s. The most important reason is: I really wanted to write a dual-sword fusion! I was thrilled when I read about Zhang Danfeng and Yun Lei back then, and even more so when I saw their masters… Alright, I’ll control my emotions. Finally, let me say that in this volume, the best and most satisfying part I wrote was the death of Bie Yanghong and Wuqiong Bi. My love and hate for the characters in the book were initially controlled and guided by me, but later, it became their own charm or anti-charm.)
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The three of them walked toward the outside of the imperial city.
Passing the Whale Fall Platform, which had mostly collapsed, Chen Changsheng suddenly stopped.
“Whose child was it in her womb?”
Hearing this, and recalling the silence in the hall earlier along with Xu Yourong’s reaction, Tang Thirty-Six was deeply shocked and instinctively wanted to flee.
Xu Yourong glanced at him and said, “You’re overthinking it.”
Chen Changsheng also noticed Tang Thirty-Six’s change in expression and shook his head helplessly.
In this war, many had died, including Bie Yanghong, Wuqiong Bi, and the two Holy Light Angels.
Yet what Chen Changsheng couldn’t forget was a life that many wouldn’t even remember.
That was the child in Madam Mu’s womb.
In his view, that child was the most innocent sacrifice.
Perhaps it was because it easily reminded him of his own origins.
Xu Yourong understood where his question came from and explained that the White Emperor’s race needed five years of pregnancy to give birth.
Chen Changsheng was stunned, finally understanding why Luoluo said she was the same age as him but looked so young.
So her age was counted in full years.
Outside the imperial city, the Bear Clan chief, the Gentry Clan chief, and some major figures from the Demon race were waiting for them.
Beyond the White Emperor’s sight, they were willing to show goodwill to Chen Changsheng and mend their relationship.
But in the end, they still had reservations. Before long, the crowd dispersed, leaving the area before the imperial city cold and empty.
Chen Changsheng looked back at the viewing platform, now a small black dot high above, and said nothing.
He knew this wasn’t the whole truth.
During those nights breaking the formation in the Falling Star Mountains, he had thought a lot and vaguely understood what was really going on.
So when he used the Nanxi Zhai sword formation to break the seal, causing the mountain to collapse and the White Emperor to reappear, he turned and left without hesitation.
Seeing that the White Emperor was alive was just confirmation, but he didn’t want to see him or talk to him.
Because he felt disgusted.
The White Emperor wasn’t dead, nor was he unconscious.
The night before the Heavenly Selection Ceremony, when the Xiang Clan chief came to the Falling Star Mountains, he naturally sensed the White Emperor’s true will.
Madam Mu knew the Xiang Clan chief was feigning allegiance to her, and from that night on, she began to suspect the White Emperor. But she didn’t change her mind; she still carried out her plan because she knew him too well—she knew that as long as he could stay out of it, he would agree with her methods.
But no one expected Chen Changsheng to go to the Falling Star Mountains to rescue the White Emperor.
Those nights of breaking the formation and saving people were actually about forcing someone.
What forced him wasn’t wealth or honor, but resolve and persistence.
In the end, the White Emperor was forced out of those mountains by Chen Changsheng.
The method to break the formation was told to Chen Changsheng by Shang Xingzhou through Xu Yourong, and then through Xiao De.
Having seen the masses, the White Emperor had to make a decision.
In that sense, he was indeed defeated by the master and disciple, Shang Xingzhou and Chen Changsheng.
Tang Thirty-Six, recalling the image of the palace formation shattering, the Demon Lord emerging from the night, and the Holy Light Angels in the sky, said with lingering fear, “At least all the schemes failed in the end. Otherwise, I don’t know what kind of ending we’d have faced.”
Chen Changsheng didn’t speak; he didn’t agree with Tang Thirty-Six’s view.
“Who can say the White Emperor truly lost? The Demon race lost two Holy Light Angels, and the Human race lost two Divine Domain experts. Shang Xingzhou was seriously injured, the Xiang Clan chief was wrongfully killed, the Xiang Clan was wiped out, the Elder Council was severely weakened. For the next two hundred years, no one in the entire Demon domain will threaten him. And the bond between Chen Changsheng and Luoluo can never be broken. When she ascends the throne, the Demon race will no longer fear threats from the Human race. With all these gains, he only had to pay the price of a wife.”
Xu Yourong paused slightly and said, “And one he didn’t even like.”
Tang Thirty-Six suddenly felt the wind growing colder.
Then he realized they had already walked out of the city gates and arrived at the ferry on the shore.
Xuan Yuan Po, the Tang family members, and the national religion priests had been waiting there for a long time.
The bitter wind howling across the river turned people’s breath into pillars of frost, a somewhat spectacular sight.
After that heavy snow, the temperature in White Emperor City had never risen.
The wind came from the river, but actually from the Western Sea beyond the mountains.
The western wind was as cold as an ice blade, yet it made people’s faces flush red and warm, like the strongest wine.
Chen Changsheng looked back at the imperial city, thinking of the past days, the people in this story, the White Emperor, and Madam Mu.
“Will we really become people like that?”
Back then by the lake at the National Academy, and a few days ago by the river in Wenshui City, he had asked this same question.
Before, Tang Thirty-Six would always give a clear answer, but today he was silent.
Chen Changsheng thought of Bie Yanghong and Wuqiong Bi, and then another important question.
“If your wife treats you extremely well but has a terrible temperament and is a great villain, what would you do?”
That question had been posed by Bie Yanghong.
Xuan Yuan Po, recalling those days, looked a bit somber.
Xu Yourong looked at him quietly and asked, “If it were you, what would you do?”
Chen Changsheng thought seriously for a moment and said, “I would persuade you, stop you from continuing your evil deeds, and stay by your side for life.”
Tang Thirty-Six said, “Like Bie Yanghong?”
Chen Changsheng thought again and shook his head. “I couldn’t do that.”
Xu Yourong said, “I wouldn’t want that either.”
Tang Thirty-Six said, “If you faced this problem?”
Xu Yourong thought for a while and said, “I would kill him, then die with him.”
This answer, especially its casual tone, frightened Xuan Yuan Po, who had been about to speak, into silence.
“Truly a child raised by Her Holiness the Saintess.”
Tang Thirty-Six sighed, then changed the subject: “I think you both have problems in your heads.”
Chen Changsheng looked puzzled and asked, “What do you think should be done?”
“You all say I’m like Su Li, so my style naturally follows that school.”
Tang Thirty-Six said, “What can be done? Nothing. Why not be great villains together and enjoy it?”
Chen Changsheng felt this was highly inappropriate and was about to say something when suddenly a lively sound of ceremonial music came from afar.
The music was cheerful, punctuated by the occasional crackle of firecrackers. It seemed someone was holding a wedding.
With so much having happened and Madam Mu just dead, anyone daring to hold a wedding at such a time was either extremely foolish or had very strong backing.
But the family holding the wedding today belonged to neither category.
The reason no one stopped them was that the wedding was being held, and the person officiating had a special status.
Xuan Yuan Po said to Tang Thirty-Six, “The officiant was originally supposed to be the Dean, but now I’m taking his place.”
Chen Changsheng said, “I’m in a hurry to leave.”
The Western Wilderness Archdiocese’s Archbishop and several Red Bishops also came to take their leave, preparing to attend the wedding.
Seeing this, Tang Thirty-Six grew even more puzzled. What was going on?
Xuan Yuan Po explained the story to him.
The couple getting married today were a young man and woman who had watched the Heavenly Selection Ceremony in front of the imperial city a few days ago.
The young man was a Bear Clan laborer from the lower town’s Song Town, and the young woman was a noble lady from the upper city.
Logically, their vastly different statuses should have made it impossible for them to even meet, let alone marry.
The problem was that day, during the fierce battle between Chen Changsheng and the Demon Lord on the viewing platform, a huge rock had fallen from the Whale Fall Platform.
The Bear Clan laborer had shielded the noble lady at the last moment.
Even so, they would have died, like the hundreds who couldn’t escape the square in time.
Fortunately, Chen Changsheng unleashed his swords, cutting the giant rock into powder, creating a beautiful snowfall before the imperial city.
No one died, and the emotion quickly turned into affection, surpassing many obstacles to lead to today’s wedding.
“They all say it might be because I was the one who proposed the match.”
Xuan Yuan Po said, “But I think the woman’s family’s attitude was good; the tribe’s people are overthinking it.”
Tang Thirty-Six said, “If it weren’t you proposing on behalf of the groom’s family, would the woman’s family’s attitude have been good? And how did you get involved in this?”
Xuan Yuan Po said, “They’re all clan members, and Hu Ji’s beef buns are really delicious. Oh, I forgot to mention, the groom is a helper at Hu Ji’s bun shop. If he hadn’t risked his life to throw the shopkeeper and the master chef out that day, we’d never get to eat those buns again.”
Tang Thirty-Six laughed and said, “That’s too exaggerated. What bun could be that good?”
Chen Changsheng didn’t laugh; he said seriously, “That bun really is delicious.”
Hu Ji’s Bun Shop in Song Town was not far from the Heavenly Tree Servant Temple, and naturally not far from Xuan Yuan Po’s home.
Bie Yanghong loved their buns the most, but unfortunately, he never got to eat one hot before he died.
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Tang Thirty-Six had heard Chen Changsheng talk about Bie Yanghong’s final moments and vaguely understood something.
Xuan Yuan Po bid farewell to Chen Changsheng and the others.
Chen Changsheng said, “We’ll meet again when you return to the National Academy.”
Xuan Yuan Po nodded and walked with the bishops toward the sound of ceremonial music.
Watching the firecracker fragments flying in the distance, Chen Changsheng was silent for a moment, then said, “This is a good thing.”
“Yes, there are still many beautiful things in the world.”
Tang Thirty-Six said, “So who says we’ll definitely become people like the White Emperor and his wife?”
Xu Yourong smiled faintly and said nothing.
As the sunlight grew stronger, the temperature finally rose a bit.
The western wind warmed, no longer as biting as before.
A crane cried out, and the white crane took off from the ground.
The remaining snow trembled slightly, and a girl in black landed on the shore.
She asked in confusion, “Why are you leaving in such a hurry?”
Because Chen Changsheng had received a letter.
A letter from the capital.
Someone in the capital was getting married and asked him to return for the wedding, and to be the officiant.
Chen Changsheng could skip the wedding in White Emperor City, but he had to attend the one in the capital.
And he knew that whether he wanted to or not, he couldn’t escape this duty.
Just like back then, whether he wanted it or not, she still climbed into his bed.
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(End of Volume Six) (To be continued.)