Yang Lianting stretched out his hand and placed the loose strands of hair covering Dongfang Bubai’s face behind his ears. Pursing his lips, he stood still. Yang Lianting sighed slightly and tenderly rubbed his frozen hands.
“It’s cold, you’ll get sick like this.”
While taking, he crouched on the ground and patted his own shoulder, “Come, I’ll carry you back.”
Dongfang Bubai stood barefoot on the ground, his feet frozen blue, his face pale and wan. Lowered eyelids cast shadows over his sunken cheeks. His throat moved faintly as though he wanted to speak, but in the end he did not say a word.
Lying on Yang Lianting’s back, he let him carry him inside.
Dongfang Bubai was very thin.
Yang Lianting could feel his loose strands of hair against his ears and neck, he held him tightly on his back and slowly walked forward, step by step. In fact, he had hurriedly ran back from the pharmacy so he was drenched in sweat, but he could still faintly smell the scent of pinewood. Although the two of them remained silent, he could feel his breath against his ear.
Yang Lianting looked at the break of dawn.
Gently sighing, he felt that the dark, ugly, and hostile part of his heart was filled with bright light. As if everything else didn’t exist, he only felt the person he carried on his back.
Without a word, they returned to their chambers.
Yang Liantring placed Dongfang Bubai on the bed, covered him with a blanket, then turned around and left to boil hot water and the medicine. After preparing, he walked back in carrying a basin filled with warm water and quietly lifted the blanket above Dongfang’s feet.
Dongfang Bubai flinched.
Yang Lianting carefully soaked his feet into the warm water in a manner that did not accept refusal. He then took a towel and rubbed his feet. He had tested the water temperature in advance, although it was a little hot, it was just right for Dongfang Bubai’s cold body. While helping him wash his feet, while pressing and pinching his feet, Yang Lianting’s heart gradually calmed down. His head lowered and eyes focused, his actions were meticulous.
He had never done such a thing for Dongfang Bubai.
In the past, when he had commanded him with only a change in expression and had avoided him like snakes and scorpions, he had drowned himself in alcohol countless times in order to avoid sleeping with Dongfang Bubai. Only after he had gotten himself heavily drunk till his mind had been hazy, had he returned to that secret courtyard, returned to Dongfang who had helped him take off his boots and washed his feet.
Back then, he had not understood.
He had not understood why a figure like Dongfang Bubai was willing to lower himself and help him do something only a maid or manservant would do. When he had drunk too much wine and felt tipsy, he had always felt terribly upset once he thought that, Dongfang Bubai is going out of his way to curry favor with me– He felt disgusted by his humble actions. But now… He took the towel and gently wiped Dongfang Bubai’s feet, he could not help but smile slightly.
If you truly love someone, you are willing to lower yourself.
“Dongfang, I’m sorry.”
“I was too impatient. I shouldn’t have chosen last night to kill Ren Woxing.” Yang Lianting took a deep breath, then raised his head to look at Dongfang Bubai. “I was too impatient, but–”
“Please, trust me.”
“Dongfang, although I can’t tell you why right now–” Yang Lianting paused slightly, “If you’re unhappy, I’ll never act like this again, alright?”
“Ren Woxing is dead, and if you’re unhappy, I won’t kill Ren Yingying, alright?”
“If you don’t like coming down the cliff, then I’ll stay with you atop Blackwood Cliff, I’ll accompany you to practice, drink wine, and watch the sunset, alright?”
Yang Lianting looked at the person before him with red eyes. To be honest, seeing Dongfang Bubai cough up blood, his heart had beat violently and his breath shortened. What about Ren Woxing and Ren Yingying? What about their past life’s grudges? At this moment, none of it mattered anymore. No one, absolutely no one, is as important as the person before me. He had never expected that his impatience to deal with Ren Woxing would hurt Dongfang Bubai in this way.
Yang Lianting felt regretful and heartbroken.
Lightly exhaling, he took hold of Dongfang Bubai’s hand and said, “Don’t be angry with me, alright?”
Dongfang Bubai sat on the bed and permitted Yang Lianting to do as he pleased. He closed his eyes slightly and opened them again after a while, his pale face looked awfully tired and listless. His gaze fell on Yang Lianting’s body.
“I don’t understand what you truly want.”
“You’ve never liked men, you know the location of the West Lake’s Water Dungeon, you’ve tricked me into leaving the cliff because you wanted to kill Ren Woxing–”
“I’ve said, if one day you lie to me and deceive me, I will kill you with my own hands.” Dongfang lightly lowered his eyes and took a deep breath, his hands were tightly clenched into a pair of trembling fists. After a long time, he slowly opened his eyes and his gaze fell on the numerous festive ‘double happiness’ cutouts and the mandarin ducks embroidered on the bed curtains.
His pair of eyes horribly bloodshot, he mockingly laughed at himself, “But, I can’t bear to raise my hand.”
“Not only can’t I bear to raise my hand, I’m even afraid that after you’ve killed Ren Woxing you won’t deceive me anymore, won’t continue to accompany me. I’m even afraid that if I return to this house alone, you won’t follow me.”
“I’m afraid you’ll leave.”
Kneeling in front of him Yang Lianting saw large round tears well up in Dongfang’s beautiful eyes as he spoke. His eyes were red and a teardrop silently slid down his cheek.
Tear after tear fell on his hands.
The pain in his chest felt unbearable and his throat felt hoarse. He felt deeply regretful, felt so heartbroken he ardently intended to kill himself. Yang Lianting embraced the person sitting before him, as if he wanted to rub him into his bones and blood.
Beneath the black strands of hair, a pale part of his lower neck was revealed. His shoulders were slightly drooping and his body beneath the white robes looked very thin. Dongfang lowered his eyelids, smiled wryly and spoke in a nearly inaudible voice as if he were speaking to himself.
“Lian di, I will always give you everything you want.”
“If you want to lie to me, lie to me for a lifetime.”
“Lian di, I never thought that one day I, the Invincible East, would become like this.” For a moment his eyes looked confused and dazed. Smiling softly, he reclined against the bed. In the end, his reddened eyes met Yang Lianting’s eyes. “It’s said that I am the world’s first, but I’ve lost to you.”
“Even if you want my life... I think I’d be willing to give it to you.”
“Ren Woxing already lost his life, and if you still want to kill Ren Yingying–” Dongfang Bubai pursed his lips, “I can kill her for you. Ren Yingying isn’t restrained like Ren Woxing and she has been diligently practicing martial arts since childhood, while she can’t be considered an expert, she isn’t your opponent.”
“A monk once told me that someone who kills and commits evil in excess, will be sent to the boundless hells[14] after death, will suffer hellfire[15] punishment.”
Dongfang Bubai smiled at Yang Lianting, “Lian di, my hands have long been stained with blood, one or two more lives don’t matter anymore.”
Yang Lianting looked at the person next to him, took a deep breath, and hugged him tighter and tighter. Beneath the heavens, only this person would be like this. He stood high above all, held power over life and death, reward and punishment, yet he always was good to him beyond reason.
In his past life, he had said that he did not want to be looked down upon by anyone, so he had given him the position of chief steward, placed the entire Holy Cult into his hands, and let him control a timid figurehead.[16]
In his past life, he had said that he did not like men, so he had worn dresses and makeup, raised the pitch of his voice, lowered his body and turned himself into neither man nor ghost. Until he had been humiliatingly called an ‘old twisted monster.’
In his past life, he had said that he disliked Tong Baixiong, so he had killed him regardless of their brotherhood.
For his beloved, he covered his eyes and covered his ears.
In this life, he was still like this.
He still treated him well beyond reason.
This fool.
“No more killing, neither of us will kill anymore.”
“I didn’t lie to you. I will accompany you for a lifetime.”
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me now, we still have a long life ahead of us.”
I have a lifetime to prove to you how much I love you.
Ren Woxing died in the Water Dungeon.
When Dongfang Bubai received the confidential letter from the Four Friends of Jiangnan the two of them were on their way back to the cliff. “Bleeding from the seven orifices,[17] his entire body festering.” He glanced at Yang Lianting, “Ren Woxing has died.”
Yang Lianting agreed, “The poison I poured into the water doesn’t have a cure. Now that I decided not to act against Ren Yingying, Ren Woxing’s painful death can be considered compensation for his daughter’s freedom.”
Halfway through, Yang Lianting feared that Dongfang Bubai thought too much, so he quickly held onto his hand and explained “I said, I won’t deceive you again. Now that Ren Woxing has died, I can rest assured, as long as Ren Yingying doesn’t provoke me, I’ll never make things difficult for her.”
Dongfang Bubai shook his head, “The matter has passed.”
“Lian di, you know I never cared about these two names.”
Yang Lianting nodded, “I know, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have done such a thing during our wedding night without telling you.” He paused and looked at Dongfang Bubai, then softly said, “Dongfang, once we’re back on Blackwood Cliff, I’ll make it up to you with another wedding, alright?”
Dongfang Bubai stood still and silent for a moment, when he was about to reply a voice sounded from behind and interrupted their conversation.
“Amitabha, Benefactor Dongfang long time no see.” Wearing a coarse kasaya[18] and holding a khakkhara staff[19] in his hand, unexpectedly it was Monk Huiming.
Dongfang Bubai faintly furrowed his brows, glanced at Yang Lianting, and nodded in greeting once his line of sight fell on Monk Huiming, “Great Master[20] Huiming, good day.”
“Seeing each other once more after many years of separation, it must be Buddha[21] bringing us together today.” Huiming slowly turned the mala beads[22] in his hand, and after reciting a mantra,[23] he glanced at Yang Lianting in slight surprise, “This Benefactor–”
“This Poor Monk[24] strictly studies the Buddha’s doctrines, and often observes the heavenly signs, but he has never seen a person like Benefactor– a person with a severed soul.”[25]
Yang Lianting’s heart skipped a beat, unconsciously his hold around Dongfang’s hand tightened.
Dongfang Bubai’s face instantly changed and he angrily said, “What are you saying?”
“When this Seat met you a few years ago, you were sprouting the same unlucky nonsense, and now you’re saying that Lian di has a severed soul. Monk, are you tired of living?”
“Benefactor Dongfang, please be calm.”
Monk Huiming sighed and bowed to Dongfang Bubai, “This Poor Monk did not intend to get involved, however after noticing Benefactor Dongfang’s dark and gloomy complexion[26] from afar, he feared it was an ominous omen and came to warn you.”
“Buddha is benevolent, all beings are equal. This Poor Monk honestly hopes that Benefactor Dongfang will heed my warning. Please, do not needlessly kill! Otherwise blood may be shed, and a life may hang by a thread.”
Dongfang Bubai had never been superstitious, so he frowned, and pulled Yang Lianting along to turn and leave. Yang Lianting hesitated to speak and glanced at the monk, who stood in silence and bowed deeply to them. “Great Master, you said that in the coming days a calamity may befall Dongfang. May I ask how it can be averted?”