Chapter 489: Causal Cycle (I)

The wind and rain were bleak, the stars and the moon were dim, and the Longxiang Mountain Villa was as quiet as death.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

A crisp knock on the door immediately broke the silence in Yun Zhuiyue's room.

"Who?"

After a long while, Yun Zhuiyue's weak reply was finally heard.

"Holy Lord, Tang Xuan requests to see you."

"I have already ordered that no one should disturb my meditation. Why are you disobeying me?"

As if he heard a hint of displeasure in Yun Zhuiyue's tone, Tang Xuan's face changed in fear. He quickly took a step back and bowed through the door, saying, "Holy Lord, please calm down. It's because a guest is visiting that I dare not act on my own, so..."

"Come in and talk."

Yun Zhuiyue's voice sounded fuller than before, and her tone was slightly softer.

"Yes."

Tang Xuan did not dare to delay. He quickly tidied his clothes, then gently opened the door and walked into the room respectfully.

At this moment, Yun Zhuiyue, dressed in plain clothes, sat cross-legged on the couch, with disheveled hair and a weak breath, apparently seriously injured.

"Holy Lord, your injury..."

"Who is visiting you in the middle of the night?" Before Tang Xuan could finish his words, Yun Zhuiyue got straight to the point.

"The leader of the Teng tribe, Teng Sanshi, has come uninvited and has threatened not to stop until he sees the Holy Lord. I have no choice but to disturb you and ask the Holy Lord to make the decision."

"Who?"

Yun Zhuiyue frowned, and an inexplicable gleam of light suddenly flashed in his eyes. He hesitated and said, "You said... Teng Sanshi?"

"That's right." Tang Xuan didn't know what Yun Zhuiyue was thinking, and didn't dare to ask rashly.

"He..." Yun Zhuiyue hesitated, as if she was very confused, "Why did he come?"

"I asked, but Teng Sanshi refused to say anything." Tang Xuan replied, "He only said he wanted to see the Holy Lord, and didn't mention anything else."

Yun Zhuiyue rolled his eyes and asked, "How many people did you bring?"

"There is only Teng Sanshi here." Tang Xuan complained, "I have told him that the Holy Lord is recovering from his injuries and cannot see guests. But Teng Sanshi is an old stubborn man, he..."

Before he finished speaking, Yun Zhuiyue interrupted him softly, "I know his character very well, no need to say more."

"Yes." Tang Xuan saw that Yun Zhuiyue's attitude was different from usual, and he couldn't help but feel nervous. He carefully asked, "Holy Lord, your injury has not healed yet, so you shouldn't work hard. How about... I send someone to drive him away?"

"No!"

Yun Zhuiyue shook his head absentmindedly, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Where is he?"

"I asked him to wait in the hall."

"Change clothes, I'm going to see him."

Tang Xuan was shocked and quickly advised: "Holy Lord, please think twice, your injury..."

"No problem!" Yun Zhuiyue's tone sank and he said impatiently, "Change clothes!"

"Yes……"

"No need to bother! Saint Yun's injuries have not healed yet and he cannot stand the cold. Let me come and see you!"

Before he finished speaking, Teng Sanshi's voice as loud as a bell suddenly rang out outside the door, along with the sound of a chaotic fight and the shouting and wailing of the Longxiang Mountain disciples.

"boom!"

A moment later, the door was pushed open with great force, and Teng Sanshi, who looked intimidating without even showing any anger, stood outside the door, his posture upright, straight as a gun.

Behind him, several disciples of Longxiang Mountain were lying in a mess, holding their heads and groaning, as if they had suffered a lot in the fight with Teng Sanshi.

"Chief Teng!"

Tang Xuan's eyes turned cold, and he quickly protected Yun Zhuiyue behind him, scolding: "I respect you as a martial arts elder, and I have been courteous to you again and again. Why don't you know what's good for you and dare to take over? I..."

"shut up!"

Suddenly, Yun Zhuiyue interrupted Tang Xuan's questioning and waved gently to the increasing number of Longxiang Mountain disciples gathering outside the door, signaling them to retreat.

“Holy Lord, what are you doing…” “You go down first.” Yun Zhuiyue stared at Teng Sanshi, who was soaked in rain, and said calmly, “I want to talk to Chief Teng alone.”

"But……"

Before Tang Xuan could finish his words, Yun Zhuiyue's eyes suddenly darkened, causing his voice to stop abruptly.

Seeing that Yun Zhuiyue had made up his mind, Tang Xuan did not dare to disobey. He could only bow to Yun Zhuiyue obediently and turned to walk towards the door.

When passing by Teng Sanshi, Tang Xuan reminded him in a bad tone: "Chief Teng, this is Longxiang Mountain after all. I hope you don't do anything that will embarrass everyone."

Faced with Tang Xuan's threat, Teng Sanshi was not moved at all. He strode over the threshold and blocked the embarrassed Tang Xuan outside with a "bang".

Yun Zhuiyue stared at Teng Sanshi quietly and said indifferently, "Patriarch Teng came to visit late at night. I wonder what advice you have? Publicly, your Xiangxi Teng tribe has always claimed to be a famous and upright sect, and you should not want to have anything to do with us. Personally, Yun and Patriarch Teng met by chance, and we have kept our distance for many years. There should be no grudges between you and me."

"I came here late at night because I have been confused for a long time, so I want to ask Master Yun for advice."

From the beginning to the end, Teng Sanshi's eyes never left Yun Zhuiyue. Under his fierce gaze, Yun Zhuiyue, who was always calm and composed, seemed a little embarrassed, with an erratic look in his eyes, as if he was deliberately avoiding something.

"Oh?" Yun Zhuiyue asked curiously, "What virtue and ability do I have that could make the famous Teng Sanshi condescend to come to me in the rain to ask for advice?"

"Saint Lord Yun, there is no need to be so modest. You are far more famous in the martial arts world than I am. Why do you have to be sarcastic and mocking?"

Teng Sanshi was as straightforward as ever, which made Yun Zhuiyue slightly stunned. She compromised and said, "What does Patriarch Teng want to ask you?"

"I know that Longxiang Mountain is well-informed and knows everything about the Jianghu." Teng Sanshi asked seriously, "Therefore, I want to ask Yun Shengzhu about someone."

Yun Zhuiyue's eyes moved, and he asked suspiciously, "Who is it?"

"My adopted son, Du Xiang!"

As soon as these words came out, Yun Zhuiyue's body trembled suddenly, and a hint of panic flashed in his eyes.

"How?" Teng Sanshi asked aggressively, "Does Saint Yun know the whereabouts of my son Du Xiang?"

"This……"

As if thrown off balance by Teng Sanshi, Yun Zhuiyue became hesitant and evasive in his words. He was completely different from the calm and composed Saint Lord of Longxiang Mountain in the past.

"Does Saint Lord Yun know about this?" Teng Sanshi suddenly took a step forward and raised his voice a few degrees higher.

"I...I don't know..."

"You don't know, or you don't want to say it?" Teng Sanshi glared at him and shouted, "Raise your head and look into my eyes!"

Perhaps he was shocked by Teng Sanshi's domineering aura, but Yun Zhuiyue unexpectedly raised his head in panic, looking at Teng Sanshi with hesitation. At this moment, where was the aura of the Holy Lord of Longxiang Mountain? He was just like a child who had made a mistake and was waiting for punishment.

"Xiang'er, you have kept it a secret from me for twenty years. Do you want to keep it a secret from me for another twenty years?"

Teng Sanshi's old eyes were red as he stared at Yun Zhuiyue with a complicated look. He said in a trembling voice, "If Rou'er hadn't told me that you were Du Xiang, I would have thought you were dead."

"I..." The sudden change overwhelmed Yun Zhuiyue, and he didn't know how to answer for a moment.

"I have worked so hard to raise you. I have watched you grow from an ignorant child to a handsome man. I have taught you how to read and write, how to wield a sword and a gun, how to behave, and how to practice martial arts. I have wasted so much effort over the past twenty years. Back then, you left in anger because of something I said in anger. Have you ever considered how your father feels?"

Teng Sanshi's voice became a little choked with emotion, and he continued, "I know you hate me because of Rou'er. You blame me for being blind and trusting Luo Tianjin, for pushing my own daughter into the fire pit, for taking away your beloved, and for not listening to your advice... But we are father and son after all, how can there be any blood feud? For so many years, I have treated you as my own daughter. You should know clearly whether I am sincere or not. How can you go against the norm and erase the father-son relationship because of a misunderstanding?"

"A misunderstanding?"

Finally, Yun Zhuiyue gradually woke up from his trance. He stared at Teng Sanshi expressionlessly and sneered, "Do you know how many innocent people have been killed by 'a misunderstanding'? How many people's fates have been changed by 'a misunderstanding'? Not only did you break up Rou'er and me, but you also put her in an unkind and unjust place, almost killed her, and forced her to face the baby in her belly with her own eyes..."

At this point, Yun Zhuiyue's voice suddenly stopped. He had promised Xiao Zhirou that he would not mention this matter to anyone. He almost said something wrong in the excitement just now, but fortunately he came to his senses in time and did not arouse Teng Sanshi's suspicion.

"I know you hate me, and Rou'er hates me too." Teng Sanshi said excitedly, "I am not a good father, not a good master, and not even worthy of being a good clan leader... But no one is perfect. Now that things have come to this, you should give me a chance to make up for my mistakes. One of you is my daughter, and the other is my adopted son. A misunderstanding has not only caused you unbearable pain, but also made me heartbroken and in agony. While you are calculating your own gains and losses, can you show a little compassion and think about me, an old man? How many things have I lost? My daughter committed suicide by jumping off a cliff, my adopted son left in anger, my first wife died of depression, and my clan members were resentful... Which one is not my most precious thing? You blame me, but who can I blame? I am the leader of the Teng clan. You can act on impulse and leave. What should I do? Can I abandon the huge Teng clan and leave at any time? Can I live in a daze every day, crying all the time, and let the world laugh at the declining Teng clan in Xiangxi? You can hate me and scold me if you have any pain in your heart, but who can I talk to about the pain in my heart?"

At the end, Teng Sanshi seemed to be taking the opportunity to vent the grievances and anger that had accumulated in his heart for many years. His face flushed, his eyes were filled with tears, his lips and teeth trembled, his saliva flew, veins on his forehead bulged, and the muscles of his whole body were instantly as hard as rocks.

A woman like this may not be enough to move people.

But a man of iron will and taciturn character, especially a great hero and a true hero like Teng Sanshi who has experienced hundreds of battles and can fight against thousands of men, is shouting and screaming like a little woman who has lost her composure. Anyone who sees him will find it difficult to control himself and feel an inexplicable sadness in his heart.

Not everyone can be a hero.
Not only must you be able to do what others cannot do, you must also endure what others cannot endure.

For thousands of years, the phrase "A real man can bend and stretch", how much bitterness and tears are contained in it? It's just "not worth telling to outsiders".

Looking at Teng Sanshi, who was lying on his back trying to hold back tears after venting his anger, Yun Zhuiyue suddenly felt extremely sad. He supported his weak body and stood up tremblingly. Under Teng Sanshi's surprised gaze, he knelt down on the ground with a plop.

"Foster father, I am unfilial and have made you suffer!"

……

(End of this chapter)