Chapter 1103 Today is Yesterday (Part )

An unbridled outpouring of emotion was not followed by the expected stormy debate, but by eerie silence and deathly stillness.

Liu Xunyi, filled with righteous indignation, sat in the mess, panting with his eyes glaring and his face flushed. Xunzhen, who was opposite him, was neither anxious nor impatient, neither happy nor sad. He just stared at him silently with a pair of deep and bright eyes, his expression was indifferent, and there was almost no trace of emotion.

"We all thought that Liu Xunyi would be reborn after this catastrophe. From yesterday to now, your performance has repeatedly surprised everyone and surprised me. I thought you would never be indecisive, never be soft-hearted, never be content with old customs, and never be loyal... Although you are pressing me step by step, I am still very relieved because I finally see the shadow of a 'successful person' in you. Until the last moment, I was still amazed at your 'today is different from yesterday'. However, your heartfelt words in anger just now ruthlessly brought me back from my ideal to reality. As the saying goes, 'it is difficult to change a person's nature', and it is true. In fact, Liu Xunyi is still the same Liu Xunyi. Although your behavior is very different from the past, the obsession hidden in your heart... is still deeply rooted and unbreakable."

"I know what you are thinking and what you want to say. But I can tell you clearly that a real man has some things he does and some things he doesn't do. For example, the third step of your plan... is a taboo that I, Liu Xunyi, must not do."

"From the beginning to the end, I have only stated the fact that the Song Dynasty was declining. Have I ever mentioned the word 'rebellion'?" Xunzhen sneered at Liu Xunyi's impassioned speech. "You are the one who thinks that we are vicious villains, and you yourself... are not a good person who is loyal to the emperor and loves the country. Why do you have to pretend in front of me?"

"you……"

"You Han people have a saying, 'If the ruler wants his subjects to die, the subjects must die.' The Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty has personally written you as the world's number one traitor with 'heinous crimes that cannot be described in words.' If you are loyal, why don't you die to atone for your crimes?" Xunzhen did not give Liu Xunyi a chance to refute, and asked in a barrage of words, "When criticizing others, you are often righteous and open. When you are implicated in crimes, you are often vague and evasive. Is this what you always say, 'A real man has things he does and things he doesn't do'?"

"I……"

"At this point, it's useless for us to argue about who is right and who is wrong. It's nonsense to judge good and evil, loyalty and treachery with 'false' charges. I can also tell you clearly that we admit what we have done and will never shirk responsibility. But we would rather die than admit what we have not done, and you can't force it on us. Therefore, before we really do something you can't tolerate, please put away your suspicion and jealousy. At least at this moment, the young king Qin and I are still your saviors, you should still be grateful to us, instead of trying to force me to confess with a vicious mind. I know that your deep obsession is 'those who are not of my race must have different hearts', but it doesn't mean that I have to answer your so-called 'doubts' according to your wishes. Because imagination is imagination, and facts are facts, the two can never be confused, and you can't ignore the facts and kill people with imagination."

"You were the ones who used me first, but now..."

"That's wrong! We saved you first, and used you later." Xunzhen corrected him seriously, "It's just that saving you is a fact, and using you... is still a concept. At least, after today's frank talk, you already know our overall plan. We can only cooperate with you at a 'clear price'. It is absolutely impossible to use you as you please."

"Xunzhen, today you are finally willing to look me in the face and put me on an equal footing with you for a fair cooperation." Liu Xunyi said self-deprecatingly, "It's really... not easy."

"You just said that you are the boss today and you decide the rules. How dare I look down on you?" Xunzhen said calmly, "We are not talking about friendship, but cooperation. Since you have no intention of ruling the Central Plains, I believe that the Young King of Qin will not force you. Now, to show my sincerity, I risk my life to make concessions to you on behalf of the Young King of Qin. You don't need to inherit the unfinished business of the Northern Sage King. You just need to help the Xilu Wuzong to establish a foundation in the Central Plains martial arts world and carry it forward. It doesn't have to become one of the most famous sects in the martial arts world, but at least... its strength and status cannot be inferior to the four major martial arts families. As for other matters, I won't bother you anymore..."

"To be frank, I don't trust the young prince of Qin... nor do I trust you. No matter how we cooperate, I will become your accomplice in poisoning the Central Plains. Therefore, from the bottom of my heart... I don't want to have any intersection with you." Liu Xunyi pondered again and again, and decided to speak frankly, "To be more blunt, I don't want to continue to serve as the deputy leader of the Xilu Wu Sect, and I don't want to cooperate with you. Because I have no other demands on you, and I can't think of what conditions you will offer to make me willingly go against my will."

"I know you are very successful now, with both fame and fortune. You have everything you need, including wealth, luxury, and good food." Xunzhen replied without denying it. "Now you have no shortage of gold, silver, and jewelry, nor do you seek fame and fortune. You are not obsessed with luxury, nor do you indulge in wine and women. Even if you are not without desires, at least you are pure-hearted. Not to mention you, even I can't think of what kind of conditions I can offer to make you interested."

"In fact, you and I have already known each other for a long time that the greatest condition that Shao Qin Wang can offer has been fulfilled by the former Bei Xian Wang, that is, changing the dynasty and ascending to the throne." Liu Xunyi said with little interest, "It's a pity that this dream, like a pipe dream, can impress Bei Xian Wang, but not me."

"No one is perfect, and no gold is pure. I admit that the conditions that can impress the Northern Sage King may not necessarily impress you. But there are some 'conditions' that the Northern Sage King does not take seriously...even those that he does not care about, but you find it difficult to refuse." Xunzhen said with a solemn expression, "If 'ambition' is the Northern Sage King's weakness, then 'kindness' is your weakness. Because of your kindness and righteousness, you are easily threatened, which is undoubtedly your biggest flaw. When I killed Qingfeng yesterday, I once thought that you had lost your kindness and righteousness. But later, you let Ling Xiaoxiao and the remnants of Wudang go because of Luo Ningyu, and then I suddenly realized that your coldness and ruthlessness were just an appearance, and you were kind-hearted from the beginning to the end."

"Benevolence? What do you mean?" Seeing that Xunzhen's words were true and not bluffing, Liu Xunyi's heart tightened, "Could it be... you are going to beg me?"

"Please?" Xunzhen raised his eyebrows, seeming to find Liu Xunyi's guess incredible. "I'm not begging you, I'm threatening you."

"Blackmail me?"

"Just like you, I have no choice but to force you to cooperate with the Young King of Qin. Anyway, you have been threatened by me eight times, if not ten times. You are used to it, so I don't mind doing it once more."

"Xunzhen, you'd better be careful not to play with fire!" Liu Xunyi seemed to be aroused by Xunzhen's deliberate provocation. "Shao Qin Wang is not Bei Xian Wang, and you are not Luo Ningyu. What makes you sure that I will be threatened by you?" "Just because I have rescued you time and time again, protected you in every possible way, and helped you with all my efforts! Just because you can live safely until today! Just because you were able to successfully overthrow Qingfeng and his daughter at yesterday's "Anti-Traitor Conference"! Just because of you..."

Having said this, Xunzhen's eyes changed quietly and her voice stopped abruptly, as if she found it difficult to say what was to come next.

After a moment's silence, Xunzhen calmed down and changed the subject: "To be honest, I did my best to show you kindness and save your life at all costs... just to deal with the situation today, so that when you doubt me, suspect me, resent me, or even want to kick me away... you will be hesitant and feel indebted."

"Xunzhen, it turns out you had anticipated that we might have a falling out..."

"Yes!" Facing Liu Xunyi, who suddenly realized his mistake and felt ashamed and annoyed, Xunzhen's eyes met his cold eyes without any hesitation, "So what? You owe me more than just a life? Even if you work like a slave for me for the rest of your life, I'm afraid you still can't repay me! Killing someone means paying for their life, and debts mean paying for money. It's only natural. Now, I, Xunzhen, want to ask you, Liu Xunyi, to repay your life-saving grace. Do you... dare to refuse?"

"What a calculating woman! She even planned out her plans for the aftermath of her defeat in an orderly manner." Liu Xunyi looked at Xunzhen in disbelief as she remained calm and aggressive towards him. She gritted her teeth and said, "You are gambling my conscience with my will. Do you know... this move will put you in a completely passive position, because success or failure depends on my thoughts."

"The seemingly most dangerous bet is precisely the one I have the most confidence in." Xunzhen and Liu Xunyi looked at each other and said word by word, "I dare to guarantee with my own life that you, Liu Xunyi... will neither be ungrateful nor repay kindness with enmity!"

"Do you trust my character so much?"

"I don't believe in your character, but I see through your deep obsession. In the face of the righteousness of the country, grudges become worthless. Similarly, in the face of grudges, your life and death, honor and disgrace are no longer important." Xunzhen said faintly, "Therefore, as long as I don't force you to conspire with the young king of Qin to rebel, you have no reason to refuse to repay my kindness to you. I just said that I don't know what conditions can move you. Now, I predict that you can't find any excuse to ignore my kindness to you and make up for your debt to me."

"You..." Liu Xunyi glared at Xunzhen, who was confident in his decision, angrily. After hesitating for a long time, he finally said unwillingly, "You are right. I... do owe you."

After saying that, Liu Xunyi suddenly stretched out his tightly wrapped right hand, and clenched it with force without any warning. The wound on his palm, which had healed not long ago, burst instantly. The bright red blood flowed like a gurgling stream, quickly seeping through the layers of medical cloth, dripping onto the ground, and in the blink of an eye, it gathered into a pool of blood among the broken wood and porcelain.

"Your blood is still flowing in my body. If you hadn't risked your life to save me, I, Liu Xunyi, would have died in Lin'an long ago."

Liu Xunyi almost shouted these words. No one knew what kind of feelings he had towards Xunzhen at this moment.

It is the resentment of being deceived, the touching feeling of sacrificing one's life to save others, the hatred of being controlled by others, and the unforgettable feeling of living and dying together...

At this moment, the muscles on Liu Xunyi's face trembled violently, and tears sparkled in his eyes... He wished he could use a knife to cut open his internal organs and return all his "debts" to Xunzhen at once, completely ending his debt to her.

She didn't know whether she was deeply infected by Liu Xunyi's turbulent emotions, or her heart was pierced by his helpless indignation. When Xunzhen's pupils were gradually filled with drops of round blood, tears also blurred her vision unconsciously.

The luck and pride of the previous moment disappeared without a trace the next moment.

The joy of "being proud of the favor" turned into an indescribable sadness in an instant. It was as if... she saw not only her own wisdom but also her own meanness from Liu Xunyi who was beating his chest and stamping his feet.

……

(End of this chapter)