Chapter 144: A Lapel of Evening Light Recounts a Life
The atmosphere on the street shifted far too quickly. One moment it was surging and magnificent, the next it should have called for a lapel of evening light and a toast over leisurely talk, yet unexpectedly it seemed about to plunge straight into the rhythm of domestic chatter. Of course, everyone knew the Holy Maiden’s question carried hidden meaning.
Under ordinary circumstances, Chen Changsheng’s reply was a bit too blunt, lacking in propriety. But the brilliance lay in the fact that the Southern Holy Maiden was no ordinary person, nor was she like the typical holy maidens of history. She loved Su Li, and she dared to love the Su Li who loved the Demon Princess. Thus, she was quite satisfied with Chen Changsheng’s answer. She felt this youth was calm, plain, and full of strength.
She cast a meaningful glance at Chen Changsheng—this was true meaning, not like the glance she had given Su Li at the very start, which had been laden with complex emotions. This was a meaning everyone could understand. It was unclear what impression she had held of Chen Changsheng before, but at least their meeting today had left her fairly content.
Perhaps this had much to do with Chen Changsheng standing before Su Li, drenched in blood?
With that single glance, the rain over Xunyang City ceased, the clouds scattered, revealing the true sky behind them.
Where was the moon of the Northern Demons? Where were the starry rivers by the sea? There was only a stretch of azure blue.
A slanted sun hung far off over the wilderness beyond the city walls—it was still dusk.
The twilight was like blood, casting a glow on Liu Qing’s face, covered in wounds and clotted gore, making him even more terrifying. He walked toward the city gate, paying no heed to anyone.
“Why?” Su Li asked, looking at his retreating figure.
Liu Qing stopped, silent for a moment, then said, “What I told Zhu Luo was the truth.”
Su Li said, “Of course I know you were telling the truth.”
Not long after leaving the military camp, he had known Liu Qing was following him. He had always thought Liu Qing wanted to kill him, and he had never cared about that, all for the same reason.
He had known Liu Qing for many years. He knew Liu Qing’s assassination habits and style—everything about them.
Many years ago, he had left Liu Qing and the others without hesitation, believing he would never feel any nostalgia for those fellows. In truth, during the long years that followed, he rarely thought of them. No matter how you looked at it, Liu Qing and the others had reason to hate him, reason to kill him.
“My thoughts differ from theirs. They think you and we are even, but I’ve always believed you owe us. So I wanted to kill you, and this time was naturally my best chance.”
Liu Qing didn’t turn around. After a moment of silence, he continued, “I thought this time you’d end up as miserable as an old dog, and I’d surely enjoy watching. But after following you these days, the more I saw, the more uneasy I felt. You brought us into this trade. Your humiliation is our humiliation. Even if I’m to kill you, it has to be by my hand—how could I let others touch you?”
Su Li was silent for a while, then said, “What a mess of nonsense.”
Liu Qing raised his head, gazing at the setting sun beyond the city walls, and said, “Actually, it’s simple. I suddenly understood why you left us back then. You’re ultimately a man of Lishan. Your life was never meant to be the same as ours.”
Earlier in the battle, Zhu Luo had angrily accused Liu Qing of being a man of Lishan.
Liu Qing hadn’t admitted it. Though he used Lishan’s sword techniques openly, he was a killer who walked in the shadows.
After hearing Liu Qing’s words, Su Li fell into a serious silence, then, for the first time, offered an explanation for that trivial matter from years ago—a past he, as a young man, had once dismissed carelessly.
“Back then, I left mainly because it was too unchallenging.”
He said, “Was I supposed to spend every day thinking about how to kill the Demon Lord and the Black Robe?”
Liu Qing, staring at the setting sun, said earnestly, “That last job we took, the matter we discussed—wasn’t that quite interesting?”
Even when facing two powerful experts like Zhu Luo and the Stargazer, Su Li’s brows still showed only laziness and indifference. But upon hearing Liu Qing’s words, his expression grew grave.
He looked at Liu Qing and said, “That woman is not easy to kill. I advise you not to get any ideas.”
Liu Qing said no more. He walked toward the city gates and soon disappeared into the twilight.
Chen Changsheng hadn’t fully understood this exchange. He asked Su Li, “What were you two talking about?”
Su Li said, “Many years ago, someone hired me to kill a person.”
“Kill who?”
“You know. Tianhai.”
In Su Li’s view, the strongest women in the world numbered three and a half: the Saintess, the Southern Holy Maiden, the Demon Queen in White Emperor City, and that freak in Snow Old City.
But the hardest to kill was always that one.
Of course, that was Tianhai.
“Wasn’t that something the elders of the Longevity Sect forced you to do, Senior?”
“Someone also tried to pay me to do it.”
“That’s insane.”
“No matter who it is, everyone has a price.”
“Senior, that line sounds more like it should come from Liu Qing.”
“Does it sound strange coming from me?”
“Senior, what exactly is your relationship with Liu Qing?”
“I brought him into the assassin trade. I taught him his skills.”
Su Li answered casually, as if speaking of a trivial matter.
Chen Changsheng suddenly recalled something, a possibility.
Back in the wilderness, when he encountered the Twenty-Eighth Divine General Xue He, he had cut off Xue He’s arm with Su Li’s help, yet worried that Xue He might be killed by Liu Qing, who was hiding in the wilds. While explaining Liu Qing’s origins, Su Li had also mentioned the chief assassin on the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion’s killer rankings, speaking of that assassin with considerable respect.
Chen Changsheng looked at Su Li, incredulous, and asked, “Could it be… Senior, you are that number one assassin under heaven?”
“I worked in this trade for a time when I was young.”
“And then?”
“If you do a trade, you must love it, and you must take it to the extreme.”
Su Li said matter-of-factly, “As an assassin, of course I was the strongest assassin.”
Chen Changsheng was deeply shocked. He couldn’t understand how such a transcendent figure could have become a killer.
Su Li glanced at the yellow paper umbrella in his hand and said with some emotion, “Back then, I was really short on money.”
He didn’t finish the sentence—at that time, he was so broke he couldn’t even afford a broken umbrella.
Certain doubts were thus resolved.
Chen Changsheng had thought it odd at the time—how could Su Li admire an assassin, even the number one under heaven? Now he understood that so-called admiration was merely narcissism after all.
The twilight deepened, no longer like blood, taking on a warmer hue.
A ray of supremely holy light slowly gathered into Wang Po’s body. His wounds healed at a visible rate.
Earlier at the inn, to crush Hua Jia, Xiao Zhang, and Liang Wangsun in one blow, Wang Po had paid a heavy price. Later, to block Zhu Luo, he had been severely wounded. Now, he was almost fully recovered, though it was unclear whether the loss of his lifespan could be restored.
The Holy Light Art performed by the Holy Maiden was nearly divine. Compared to it, the Holy Light Arts of the Lishan priests, the Qingyao Thirteen Divisions, and the Nanxi Zhai disciples were like fireflies next to stars.
Wang Po rose and bowed to the Holy Maiden in thanks.
He didn’t spare a glance at Su Li, because he didn’t like him. He had come to Xunyang City for matters of principle, not for this man.
He walked over to Chen Changsheng and said, “We’ve met before.”
Months ago, at the main gate of the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, Chen Changsheng and Wang Po had crossed paths once.
That night was the night Xun Mei died after failing the Divine Path.
Chen Changsheng said, “Yes, Senior.”
Wang Po’s eyebrows drooped weakly, making him look listless, and his voice matched: “You’re not bad.”
Chen Changsheng felt very happy, because he believed Wang Po was a truly excellent senior.
Many gifted youths worshipped Su Li. He did not. He found Su Li annoying, even though Su Li had taught him much. He felt that compared to Wang Po, Su Li was wrong in every way, even though Su Li was far stronger. For the past sixteen years, he had only worshipped his senior brother, Yu Ren. Now, it seemed his list of idols might include another person named Wang Po.
On the other side, Su Li finally asked the question: “How is my girl?”
The Holy Maiden said, “A message came from Lishan. She should be fine.”
Su Li asked, “And what of Lishan itself?”
The Holy Maiden said, “I left in haste. I only know there are some problems.”
Su Li’s brows rose like swords, then slowly fell. After a moment of silence, he said, “With Qiushan there, it should be safe.”
Upon hearing that name, Chen Changsheng instinctively looked over.