Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 521 Grudges

"damn it."

Li Xiangming scanned his surroundings with a gloomy expression.

The underground palace built by the Su family was extremely complex, with countless passageways.

He originally intended to rely on his vague memories to retreat from the underground palace through the well.

But under the pursuit of Su Qing and the Yellow Turban Warriors, he panicked and lost his sense of direction, now resembling a lost lamb.

It was only because the underground palace was large enough and had enough passageways that he was barely not caught.

"You should just accept your fate."

Su Qing's voice came from near and far: "If you keep running, you'll reach the Cliff of No Return. As you can tell from the name, it's a dead end."

No Return Cliff?
Li Xiangming's mood grew increasingly heavy.

He was unfamiliar with the terrain and ran away blindly, which was undoubtedly a joke in front of Su Qing.

Perhaps what he perceived as a chance for survival was precisely the dead end that Su Qing hoped he would be led to.

But he couldn't turn back. Neither the powerful Yellow Turban Warrior nor the bronze lamp that exuded a deadly threat were easy for him to deal with.

A while passed.

Li Xiangming had reached the end of the passageway.

Here also stands a huge bronze door, but unlike the other half-closed doors, this door is firmly closed, with an ancient seal affixed to the door knocker, on which the blood-red forbidden characters are clearly visible.

Looks like you're out of luck.

Su Qing's tone carried a hint of pity.

Li Xiangming turned around, slightly out of breath, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes.

Since embarking on the path of Taoism, he has experienced life and death—he did not die under the evil green robes that no one in the Mang Sect could understand, nor did he die under the sudden attack after his mentor's patient guidance, nor did he die in the heavy encirclement of the beast tide.

But this time, it seems his luck has run out.

"Qing'er."

Suddenly, Liu Xiongyu began to mutter incoherently.

Li Xiangming glanced at him, his feelings complicated.

This guy didn't come for the Nascent Soul inheritance at all. It's pitiful that I was deceived by him and ended up in this situation.

But blaming him now is pointless. He laid Liu Xiongyu flat on the ground, channeling his magic power to stabilize his injuries, while slowly saying to Su Qing, "In the illusion, everyone praised Miss Qing'er for being beautiful and kind-hearted, which shows your true nature."

"It is indeed wrong of us to have mistakenly entered the Purple Shade Cave, but the desire to explore for treasure is universal. If we have disturbed the peace of the Su family's spirits, I am willing to apologize together with Chief Liu. Why must Miss Qing'er be so ruthless?"

"Apologise?"

Su Qing shook her head: "Can a few gifts make up for what you did wrong? Will the hurt you suffered be lessened by an apology?"

"Everyone should pay the price for their actions! I have already warned you, it was your greed that blinded you to attempt to break into the Divine Court and take my Su family's treasure. Dying here is the retribution you deserve." Li Xiangming's expression was solemn. He knew that reasoning with them wouldn't work. After all, if someone had broken into the Enlightenment Cave, his reaction wouldn't have been any less calm than Su Qing's or the Myriad Sounds Immortal's.

But he didn't give up, and instead probed, "Miss Su and Chief Liu are old acquaintances? It's rumored that Chief Liu was willing to relinquish his position as a protector of the Mang Sect for the sake of Huanyun Village, which shows how loyal and righteous he is."

Upon hearing this, Su Qing's face reacted.

But then, as if she had just thought of something, her expression turned pained.

After a long while, Su Qing's gaze finally focused on Liu Xiong Yu at Li Xiangming's feet, and she smiled bitterly: "The Mang Sect slaughtered my entire Huanyun Village, and Liu Xiong Yu was an accomplice. Three hundred and twenty-seven lives, not even spared an infant in swaddling clothes! Do you still think he is loyal and righteous?"

accomplice?

Li Xiangming was completely stunned.

Just then, a violent cough broke the silence.

Liu Xiong Yu struggled to sit up, and this usually composed middle-aged man was now in tears: "It's not like that, Qing'er! I did not betray Huanyun Village, and I really didn't know that Mu Ya Zi would suddenly attack Huanyun Village."

"It doesn't matter anymore."

Su Qing's gaze was empty: "Mu Ya Zi and I have a blood feud of wiping out our entire family. You are his disciple, aren't you? If I had known this earlier, I would not have passed on the Su family's legacy to you."

"You think it's unimportant?"

Liu Xiongyu suddenly sprang to his feet, his bloodied fingers digging deep into the wound on his chest, as if only excruciating pain could prove he was still alive.

He staggered forward, each step leaving glaring trails of blood on the ground: "For the past twenty years, I've been tormented every single moment! I want to explain, but you... cough cough!"

I guessed you were in Mu Ya Zi's hands, and I guessed you would be taken to Zi Yin Cave. I've sat in seclusion on Mount Dai for five years, waiting for you!

Liu Xiong Yu trembled as he held up five fingers, looking like a madman: "Five years! Do you know how I got through these five years? After the two sects discovered the Purple Yin Cave, I was still not satisfied, so I prepared for another twenty years before I finally got my wish... I must tell you with my own mouth that everything Mu Ya Zi said that night was a lie!"

As Liu Xiong Yu finished speaking, it seemed to aggravate his injuries, causing him to cough uncontrollably and spit out several mouthfuls of blood.

But he didn't stop. Instead, his expression was unusually stubborn, and his words were as firm as iron: "Qing'er, I have always wanted to protect you and Huanyun Village! Heaven and earth bear witness to this, and the sun and moon are my witnesses!"

"protect me?"

Su Qing's fingertips dug deeply into her palms, blood dripping from between her fingers onto the ground. Her lips trembled slightly: "You think it's something to be proud of to exchange hundreds of lives from Huanyun Village for one of mine? When I saw my father, who loved me the most, being torn apart by chariots, my mother being humiliated to death, and all my brothers and sisters having their heads chopped off, do you know how I felt?"

Perhaps, as you say, you were unaware beforehand, but what about afterwards? On our wedding day, you told me yourself that you would tell me everything you knew. But it wasn't until I handed over the Su family's inheritance and your master appeared that I realized the person I had entrusted my life to was actually a traitor.

At this point, Su Qing scoffed, her tone full of sarcasm: "Liu Xiong Yu, you have my people, the wind magic of my Su family, and the appreciation of Mu Ya Zi and the Mang Sect. You have everything. But I will never forget how timid and subservient you were in front of Mu Ya Zi."

"Qing'er."

Liu Xiongyu collapsed to his knees, slowly closing his eyes. Hot tears dripped onto the back of his hand, dissolving the dark red bloodstains, as if trying to wash away the deep regret he had carried for the past twenty years.

“If it were me now, I would be honest with you and even persuade you to face Mu Ya Zi with me. But I was too scared back then. I was afraid that if I told the truth, all the beautiful things between us would vanish, and all that would remain for the rest of our lives would be hatred... I was even more afraid that if I ruined Mu Ya Zi’s plan, he would be furious and completely ‘abandon’ you.”

I know it's too late to say all this now! For so many years, I've been a walking corpse, my only wish being to see you one last time. Now I've said everything I needed to say. If you still won't forgive me, then give me one more sword—don't deliberately avoid my heart. To die by your hand is the best end for me.

Su Qing stood rooted to the spot, her vision gradually blurring, the long sword in her hand trembling incessantly.

(End of this chapter)