Chapter 73: Sandwich Cookie

In those Sword Path Grand Competitions without the Rain Emperor, perhaps because the boos had emboldened the crowd, or perhaps for some other reason, Ming Yushu had said the same thing he said today before fighting Lin Yuchu. However, his opponent had not been Lin Yuchu.

There was no doubt about it.

That other sword cultivator had taken his words as a provocation.

So, without the slightest hesitation, he drew his sword and defeated him.

He won with only one strike.

This made Ming Yushu, who had been arrogant and provocative when he took the stage, become a complete joke. And with the deliberate pushing of those illegitimate brothers of his who harbored ulterior motives, Ming Yushu’s deeds at the Sword Path Grand Competition were spread far and wide, until they traveled throughout the entire cultivation world.

It made him a joke through and through.

After the Sword Path Grand Competition, Ming Yushu was investigated by the Sword Alliance, who questioned him about where the Sword Alliance invitation in his possession had come from.

Ming Yushu stated that someone had voluntarily handed his invitation over to him.

The Sword Alliance summoned Wen Yu. Facing the Sword Alliance representatives who interrogated him, Wen Yu answered, yes, he had voluntarily handed the invitation to Ming Yushu.

Since both parties had been willing, there was nothing more to say about the matter.

What the Sword Alliance had been worried about was that Ming Yushu had used his power and influence to coerce someone, or had killed someone to seize their invitation. Since that had not been the case, they pursued it no further and released Ming Yushu.

As for Ming Yushu, he highly praised Wen Yu for being loyal and trustworthy. Once he was pleased… he introduced Wen Yu to a respected grandmaster of the medical Dao. Upholding the principle of helping someone all the way once you had started, Ming Yushu even went with Wen Yu and Wen Yu’s younger sister, Wen Ran, to meet that medical Dao grandmaster and seek treatment.

The reason Wen Yu had handed his invitation to the Sword Path Grand Competition over to Ming Yushu was because his younger sister, Wen Ran, had been born frail, carrying an illness from the womb. She needed to use spiritual medicines every day to nourish her body and prolong her life. The one hundred thousand spiritual stones and high-grade pill Ming Yushu offered were something Wen Yu had no way to refuse.

After careful consideration and choice, Wen Yu gave up the opportunity of the Sword Path Grand Competition and chose the high-grade pill and one hundred thousand spiritual stones that could treat his younger sister.

It would be a lie to say he felt no regret, but just as Wen Yu had said, this was a transaction both parties had agreed to willingly. It was my own choice. I could not blame anyone else.

Even if he had felt unwilling at first, when Ming Yushu went with them to seek an audience with that medical Dao grandmaster and request treatment for Wen Ran, he let it go.

Therefore, Wen Yu and Ming Yushu’s relationship was actually rather good.

They had not become enemies.

But the world did not believe it.

Almost no one believed that Wen Yu would not resent Ming Yushu, who had taken the opportunity that should have been his.

Thus, after Wen Yu and Ming Yushu both entered Kunlun Sect.

Those brothers of Ming Yushu’s tried to use Wen Yu against Ming Yushu, but Wen Yu refused every time.

Later, those people of the Ming family, humiliated into anger, simply used Wen Yu’s improper conduct as an excuse. They took the matter of him once selling to Ming Yushu the Sword Alliance invitation, an immense opportunity and honor for a sword cultivator, for one hundred thousand spiritual stones and a high-grade pill, and reported him to the law enforcement hall of Kunlun Sect, demanding that his qualifications as an inner sect disciple be stripped and that he be expelled from the sect.

Although Kunlun Sword Sect did not expel Wen Yu from the sect because of this, Wen Yu’s reputation was destroyed in one fell swoop.

Under those circumstances, Ming Yushu, whose reputation was likewise terrible and whose days in the sect were difficult, instead formed a friendship with Wen Yu as fellow sufferers fallen on hard times.

But later, Ming Yushu died in a secret realm.

Wen Yu was branded the murderer who had killed Ming Yushu. Unable to defend himself no matter what he said, Wen Yu defected from Kunlun Sword Sect.

Fifty years later.

Having broken through to Soul Transformation, Wen Yu slaughtered the entire Ming family in one night. Aside from Ming Yushu’s mother, everyone else died by his hand.

“Perhaps Ming Yushu really was trash, but you… are not even equal to trash!” Wen Yu said coldly. “Today, I have come to avenge that piece of trash and claim your lives!”

The tragic annihilation of the Ming family shocked the entire cultivation world.

Only then did the world finally believe that Wen Yu and Ming Yushu had borne no hatred or grudge against each other. Perhaps they had even been close friends.

After wiping out the Ming family, Wen Yu vanished completely from the cultivation world.

No one knew where he had gone.

Until another thirty years later.

In the Southern Border of the Demon Domain, the Red Feather Demon Emperor rose out of nowhere, unified the entire Southern Border, and proclaimed himself emperor.

Together with Shura Sword Emperor Lu Qingyuan of the eastern Demon Domain, he was known as one of the Twin Emperors of the Demonic Path.

The Southern Border and the east of the Demon Domain both ended their turmoil and welcomed unification. Soon after, the west and north also rapidly quelled their wars. The entire Demon Domain ended the flames of unrest and war that had lasted ten thousand years, and under the joint rule of the four Demon Emperors of the four directions, the Demon Domain entered an era of peace and prosperity.

The fate of the Demonic Path surged.

As one side waxed, the other waned. Since the fate of the Demonic Path had risen, the righteous path’s fate naturally had to decline.

The cultivators of the entire Dao Domain all felt stifled in their hearts. What made them feel even more stifled was that among the four directional Demon Emperors of the Demon Domain, two had actually been delivered over by their righteous path.

It was enough to make them die of anger!

…

Recalling these events.

The Immortal Lords of the Immortal Alliance discovered the blind spot!

They could not help muttering inwardly, “Are the Shura Sword Emperor and the Red Feather Demon Emperor both connected to this Sword Path Grand Competition?”

In that case…

This Sword Path Grand Competition really was something. One master of an immortal sword, the Taichu Sword Master; one master of a divine sword, the Liguang Sword Master; two Demon Emperors; and now they also had to add one Rain Emperor!

With this lineup, was the cultivation world about to be destroyed?

The Immortal Lords of the Immortal Alliance faintly had a premonition in their hearts. Perhaps fate had already planted the foreshadowing a very long time ago, only none of us had noticed.

Perhaps this time, fate, which had been disrupted from the very beginning, would welcome a different ending.

…

On the Stargazing Platform.

Today’s Sword Path Grand Competition for young sword cultivators had also ended.

Without a doubt, Lin Yuchu won the preliminary round of the arena matches, became the arena champion, and smoothly entered the next round of finals.

As for the other three arenas, Gu Chun also won steadily all the way and defended his arena until the end. The other two arena champions were Song Jifei and Su Ming respectively.

No one knew whether it was coincidence or fate.

In any case, the four people who entered the finals were all listed in the gambling pool.

Among them, the most people had bet on Song Jifei. Second was Su Ming. Gu Chun and Lin Yuchu, this pair of fellow sufferers, were at the bottom.

Lin Yuchu’s odds had reached an all-time high.

As soon as the arena matches ended.

Before Lin Yuchu had gone far, he was caught red-handed by Lin Yunheng, who was walking toward him head-on from ahead, his face bright with irrepressible joy and a broad smile.

The moment he saw him, Lin Yuchu immediately stopped and stood in place to wait for him.

“Little Chu!”

Lin Yunheng came closer and called out, his voice full of joy.

He came up to Lin Yuchu, reached out, and rubbed his head. His whole face was smiling, delighted beyond restraint, and he showed off proudly, saying, “Well done!”

“Dad saw all of it. As expected of my Little Chu.” Lin Yunheng looked at him with smiling eyes and said, “You’re the strongest.”

Hearing this, Lin Yuchu pursed his lips. He looked at him and said, “It’s still too early to say that. There’s still tomorrow.”

At this, Lin Yunheng wore an expression of complete unconcern. In his heart, he thought, Who could possibly be stronger than my son? That was what he thought, but he did not say it out loud, afraid of giving Lin Yuchu pressure.

“Never mind tomorrow. Today, you were the strongest,” Lin Yunheng said.

Lin Yuchu did not refute those words. Instead, he asked, “Dad, what about you? Why were you sitting in the chief judge’s seat on the arena?”

“Could it be that at some point, Dad, you also went and became a Sword Path grandmaster?” Lin Yuchu was clearly roasting him with that line.

Hearing this, Lin Yunheng looked at him with an expression that said, silly son, and said earnestly, “Son, you must know that in this world, there is a saying: money can make even ghosts turn the millstone.”

“…” Lin Yuchu.

At once, the corner of his mouth twitched.

He stared at him with a dead-eyed expression and said, “Dad, aren’t you afraid of teaching me bad habits?”

Hearing this, Lin Yunheng immediately burst into loud laughter. He reached out and pinched his nose, saying, “If you could learn to be bad, that would be great. You’re too well-behaved!”

“That won’t do. Your dad works so hard every day running around outside to earn money. Isn’t it all so you can do whatever you want?” Lin Yunheng said with perfect confidence. “Little Chu, are you really not going to consider relying on your dad?”

“…” Lin Yuchu.

He refused coldly and mercilessly, “Not considering it.”

Just as Lin Yuchu and Lin Yunheng, father and son, were talking nonsense, Gu Chun wandered over from the other end of the arena.

From far away, he saw Lin Yunheng. When he came to Lin Yuchu’s side, he looked Lin Yunheng over curiously, then quietly asked Lin Yuchu, “Who is he?”

“He looks a lot like you,” Gu Chun said.

“…” Lin Yuchu.

Which of your eyes sees the two of us looking alike?!

We’re not even related by blood!

Neither eye had seen it. Gu Chun, who simply had some guesses about the relationship between Lin Yuchu and Lin Yunheng, had deliberately said that in order to curry favor with Lin Yunheng.

Sure enough.

When Lin Yunheng heard Gu Chun’s words, he was delighted beyond belief. He immediately laughed and said, “You’re not wrong. I’m Little Chu’s father.”

He looked at Gu Chun before him with an admiring gaze that said, kid, you have good eyes. “You’re quite discerning.”

Hearing this, Gu Chun immediately understood and followed up, saying, “So it’s Uncle. No wonder you have such an extraordinary bearing. Standing together with Little Chu, anyone can see you’re father and son!”

“…” Lin Yuchu.

Hearing this, he immediately glanced at him.

After Lin Yunheng heard it, he cursed inwardly, What a slippery kid. Is Little Chu what you get to call him?

How many days have you two even known each other?

On the surface, however, he still smiled and said, “Young man, who are you?”

“How did you and my Little Chu come to know each other?”

Gu Chun also answered with a smile, “Uncle, I’m Gu Chun. Little Chu and I are like two people brought together by fate from a thousand miles away. We hit it off at first sight, took each other as kindred spirits, and traveled together.”

“Although we haven’t known each other for long, we are very good friends!” Gu Chun said.

“…” Lin Yuchu.

His eyes turned a little dazed. Who are you talking about?

Who hit it off with you at first sight, took you as a kindred spirit, and became friends with you?

What a crafty kid!

After listening to Gu Chun’s speech, Lin Yunheng immediately cursed inwardly. Such a glib tongue. He cannot be underestimated. I have to guard against him!

“Is that so?”

Lin Yunheng likewise smiled at Gu Chun before him and said, “Time reveals a person’s heart. Since you have not known each other for long, I’m afraid neither of you understands the other. Calling yourselves kindred spirits and good friends is a bit too early.”

“Uncle will teach you a principle. The word friend is not something that can be spoken so simply or so lightly,” Lin Yunheng said.

Gu Chun also wore a face full of modesty as he said, “Uncle is right, but we young people think differently. Once we see eye to eye, that’s enough.”

“Heh.” Hearing this, Lin Yunheng sneered.

Gu Chun smiled politely.

“…” Lin Yuchu, at the side.

He felt that the atmosphere was a little off.

He looked at the old father and friend before him, who seemed as if they might draw their swords and stab each other in the very next second.

He pondered for a few seconds.

Then, without another word, he turned and left.

“Hey, Little Chu, where are you going?” Lin Yunheng called.

“Wait for me! Let’s go together,” Gu Chun said.

The two people who had been crossing blades with each other looked at one another and confirmed it through their eyes: this was the signal for a temporary ceasefire.

Then the two of them hurriedly chased after him.

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