The Sword Dynasty

Chapter 2: Love and Hate

It seemed to be a boring thing to discuss whether a person who had passed really did like someone, treat them as an ordinary friend or a confidante, especially discussing whether or not he would love another person if a lover of his did not exist.

Yet to both parties, this was very important. To Gong Shuzhi, this was one of the last wishes of the person he had respected the most and followed his life. He knew that person had wanted to find Zhangsun Qianxue back then, and resolve the misunderstanding she harboured towards him.

To Zhangsun Qianxue, this meant even more. She was the eldest miss of the Changling Gongsun Family. Before Ba Mountain Sword Field rose and helped Yuanwu with the reformation, the most powerful in Changling was the old nobility led by the Gongsun Family. Her status was even more noble than the Qin princesses. She met that person and fell in hopeless love him.

Yet that person was with Zheng Xiu. He declined her love, turned around, and destroyed the Gongsun Family. The enormous Gongsun Family, with so many members, left only her behind.

Even more importantly, the Gongsun Family once had a chance to deal with him. But because of her relationship with that person, they gave up on the fatal trap and let that person grow up. In a certain point of view, the Gongsun Family had believed that person’s feelings towards her, even with Zheng Xiu first, and would not fail her. Her feelings being refused, being lied to and used were different things.

She was silent, but her tightly pressed lips were trembling uncontrollably.

“You should understand him well. If he was not the person you thought he was, then Zheng Xiu’s method would not have succeeded. He could not have been willing to die fighting to the death in Changling to save some of those people.”

Looking at Zhangsun Qianxue’s trembling lips, Gong Suzhi did not stop. He said directly and confidently, “In a way, Zheng Xiu is more mature than you, and understood him better than you.”

The temperature in the carriage suddenly dropped. Blue-black ice and snow appeared in the cabin as Zhangsun Qianxue breathed. The outside did not change, but there was terrifying killing intent in the small space of the cabin.

Zhangsun Qianxue said slowly, “You mean I should not have doubted him at all?… Back then, he was in charge of everything in Changling. He was young but the leader who all of you respected. My family members were slaughtered in Changling, and you tell me that I should not have doubted him?”

“Time will prove everything.”

Gong Suzhi knew that with her cultivation right now, she could easily kill him, but he had no fear as he looked seriously at her and said slowly, “At least, when he died in battle in Changling, you should have known. Did not Yuanwu and Zheng Xiu burn so many books and kill so many people because they wanted to shove many past mistakes onto his head?”

Zhangsun Qianxue took a deep breath. The blue-black ice and snow disappeared from the cabin. She shook her head calmly and said, “Maybe he did not think that, or he wanted to come back to live. Maybe the Nine Death Silkworm had a way to revive the dead.”

Gong Suzhi looked at her strangely. “How could there be a way to revive the dead? Even if there were, a person’s physical body and energy would have broken apart. To come back to life would be defying the heavens … I fear that is no different from reaching the legendary realm nine. Who can be sure it is foolproof? If it is not foolproof, who would gamble for revival after death with their life?”

After a pause, a slight scorn appeared on his lips. “If this is Zheng Xiu or Yuanwu, they would have managed to endure this, and then search for a chance to get revenge.”

Zhangsun Qianxue said after a long silence, “Just like how he treated Zheng Xiu without a doubt, after many years, the only thing I learned is to not easily believe in any person. I want to meet Ye Xiao.”

“As long as you are willing.” Gong Suzhi nodded again and said with sincerity, “He should want to meet you more.”

Zhangsun Qianxue recovered her usual coldness. Hearing the sound of the carriage wheels, she turned to the fluttering curtains and said softly, “So Ba Mountain Sword Field has not truly disappeared these years … You were in Chu, and could make them form an agreement with Zheng Xiu, safely sending me into them like an item. This means that the Chu Dynasty is in reality Ba Mountain Sword Field?”

Gong Suzhi laughed. “It could be said so.”

His smile was a bit bleak and there was no pride. Because he knew very well the kind of price Ba Mountain Sword Field had paid.

Min Mountain Sword Sect, above the snow line.

Baili Suxue’s figure was no less cold than the glaciers. Jing Liuli stood below him, her body trembling.

Baili Suxue held a tree leaf in his hand. The leaf was dark red, like it was made from dried blood. It also had many profound lines.

Jing Liuli could not comprehend the meaning of the lines, but she had studied this kind of seal line, and was familiar with the special presence these lines gave off. This could only be a supreme skill of Min Mountain Sword Sect.

Shen Xuan had sent this leaf to Min Mountain Sword Sect after returning and before he entered the palace. The Heaven Replenishing Divine Art was in Shen Xuan’s hands. She could not believe the wine shop youth she had followed for so long had died, but she believed if he were alive, he would not have let the Heaven Replenishing Divine Art fall into Shen Xuan’s hands.

Then what was Shen Xuan’s intent in secretly sending this leaf that represented the Heaven Replenishing Divine Art? Her emotions were so agitated that she could not understand.

“Ding Ning is not dead.”

The first words Baili Suxue said caused her to stop breathing and to look up in disbelief.

“He is of Ba Mountain Sword Field.”

Baili Suxue’s next words caused her to stiffen.

Then Baili Suxue looked at her and said, “Shen Xuan has chosen Ba Mountain Sword Field.”

Jing Liuli still could not understand and looked dazedly at Baili Suxue.

Baili Suxue looked expressionlessly at the red leaf in his hand, and watched it turn to ice in the cold.

“The Heaven Replenishing Divine Art has been changed.” Hearing his words, Jing Liuli finally reacted. She breathed hard and said in a trembling voice, “This is the Heaven Replenishing Divine Art that Ding Ning changed … He deliberately let this Heaven Replenishing Divine Art fall into Zheng Xiu’s hands?”

Baili Suxue looked at her and did not answer.

But to Jing Liuli who knew him well, she saw the answer from his eyes. She suddenly felt an indescribable joy.

“Master.” She hesitated and asked Baili Suxue, “Back then, what happened between you and that person from Ba Mountain Sword Field? Why do you hate him so much?”