Chapter 19: A Twenty-Year Wager, The Ghost Sword Against a Broken Body
The moonlight slanted across the clearing at the valley exit, stretching the shadows of the two opposing sides into thin, elongated shapes. Chen Yi leaned half against a massive boulder, Xiao Ge gently supporting his back to keep his swaying body upright. The bandages on his chest were completely soaked with blood. Every breath pulled at the agonizing pain in his internal organs, and cold sweat continuously rolled down his pale cheeks. Yet, his gaze was fixed unflinchingly on the man wearing the grey iron mask dozens of paces away, showing not a hint of retreat.
Green Face held the Ghost Thread soft sword, its tip pointing downward, the faint blue blade reflecting the cold moonlight. Chen Yi's earlier words about having a "backup plan" had fallen like a stone into the still waters of his previously tranquil heart. He knew Chen Yi too well: enduring, stubborn, having lurked in the shadows for twenty years, always acting only after careful calculation. He was absolutely not a reckless fool who spoke idly.
"A copy sent to the orthodox sects?" Green Face spoke slowly. His voice remained calm, but it lacked the absolute certainty from before. "When was it sent? And to whom was it entrusted?"
"Twenty years ago, on the very night the Su family met their doom, I had already made the arrangements," Chen Yi said, panting slightly, articulating each word slowly and deliberately. "I divided the fully transcribed roster into three parts and entrusted them to three reclusive old friends. We made a pact: if I did not send a letter confirming my safety for three consecutive years, the three copies of the roster would be simultaneously delivered to the headquarters of Wudang, Shaolin, and the Beggar Sect. Once I die, without anyone needing to lift a finger, the entire truth of the bloodbath back then will spread across the Jianghu."
Xiao Ge was slightly stunned; having followed Chen Yi for many years, he had never known about this. Lin Yan pressed against his poisoned waist wound, slowly taking a few steps back to the side of the boulder, flanking Chen Yi with Xiao Ge. The numbness in his waist was still spreading. Though the poison was slow, it continuously eroded his strength, and his right hand gripping the dagger had already begun to tremble slightly.
The pupils beneath Green Face's mask contracted slightly. His original plan had been simple: kill Chen Yi on the spot, seize the roster, then eliminate Lin Yan and Xiao Ge, burying all secrets permanently in this valley. But if Chen Yi's words were true, once Chen Yi died and the truth was made public, the mastermind and he himself would be hunted by the entire martial arts world, with nowhere left to hide.
"You are betting with your own life," Green Face said in a low voice. "Are you not afraid that I would rather risk the secret being leaked and kill you right now?"
"I am a dead man walking anyway," Chen Yi said, pulling the corners of his mouth into a bleak smile. "For these twenty years, I have lived every day in guilt and torment. I never intended to have a peaceful end. Death, to me, is liberation. But you, and the master behind you, are you willing to be ruined alongside me and hunted to death by martial artists across the world?"
A deathly silence fell over the clearing. The black-clad assassins exchanged glances; no one dared to move carelessly, silently awaiting Green Face's orders. They were only responsible for executing commands, but if this matter escalated to involve the entire Jianghu, no one could escape the repercussions.
Green Face remained silent for a long time, slowly raising the hand holding the sword. The Ghost Thread soft sword swayed gently, the cold light at the tip flickering in the darkness.
"Very well," he finally spoke. "I won't kill you. I won't snatch the roster while it remains on your person. However, Su Nianwan is in my hands. If you want to save her, you must come with me alone. Only you. Lin Yan and this youth will remain in the valley. Once I confirm everything is secure, I will let Su Nianwan come to see you."
"Absolutely not," Chen Yi refused flatly. "If I leave with you alone, you can turn on me and kill me at any time. After I die, the copy of the roster will still be sent out, but Su Nianwan will never have a chance of rescue. If we are to negotiate, we do it here. Bring Su Nianwan to this place, and we will settle all our grievances face to face."
"She is not in this valley," Green Face shook his head, his tone indifferent. "Su Nianwan is settled in a hidden outpost, a hundred miles from here. If you wish to see her, you can only go with me."
Lin Yan spoke up at this point, his voice steady. "How can we trust that you won't harm Chen Yi along the way?"
"Killing has never been my true desire," Green Face said, looking at Lin Yan, his gaze once again carrying that inquisitive look. "I am very curious about you, the outsider. Your combat skills were forced out through sheer slaughter. You lack any foundation in internal energy, unlike someone who grew up in this Jianghu. But for now, your matter can be set aside. My conditions are laid out here: either Chen Yi comes with me so we can discuss Su Nianwan's affairs, or we fight to the death right here today, and everyone bets on the outcome together."
Xiao Ge gripped his short dagger tightly and whispered to Chen Yi, "Brother Chen, you can't go with him! This must be a trap! Once you are isolated, he can strike at any time!"
Chen Yi raised his hand slightly, signaling Xiao Ge to be quiet. Closing his eyes, he took a moment to regulate his breathing, forcefully suppressing the surging blood in his chest. Opening his eyes again, he looked at Green Face: "I can go with you to the outpost to see Su Nianwan. But there are two conditions. First, you must let my two companions leave the valley safely, and you must not send anyone to hunt them down. Second, before I see Su Nianwan in person, you must not harm me, nor administer any poison or restraints. As long as Su Nianwan stands before me safely, I will hand the roster to you personally."
Green Face pondered briefly, then slowly nodded. "Agreed. I accept your terms. Today, I will let these two youths leave the valley and will not arrange for anyone to intercept them. Before seeing Su Nianwan, I will not harm you in the slightest. But if you play any tricks, the agreement is immediately void, and everyone will die here."
"It's a deal," Chen Yi agreed in a deep voice.
Lin Yan frowned, a vague sense of unease in his heart. Green Face was a man of profound scheming and unpredictable thoughts; no one knew how much credibility this agreement held. But given the current situation, there was no better choice. If they continued to fight desperately, the three of them would hardly survive. If Chen Yi died, although the copy of the roster would be mailed, Su Nianwan could never be rescued, Chen Yi's lifelong wish would be in vain, the dimensional mission would fail, and Lin Yan would be permanently trapped in this martial arts world.
"Lin Yan, Xiao Ge," Chen Yi turned to look at the two beside him, his tone carrying a sense of entrustment. "Leave along the small path on the outside of the valley. After you get out, do not stay in the Jianghu. Find a safe place to hide. If I do not send you a message within three months, it means I have met with disaster. At that time, you no longer need to worry about Su Nianwan; just wait quietly for the copy of the roster to appear in the world."
Xiao Ge's eyes reddened, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Brother Chen, let me go with you! One more person means one more person to watch your back!"
"No," Chen Yi said, shaking his head gently. "This is a grudge between Green Face and me. If you stay, you will only become a weakness that restrains me. Your safe departure is the premise of this agreement."
Lin Yan understood Chen Yi's resolve. The poison in his waist was still spreading, and his limbs were growing heavier. Staying here to continue fighting would only drag everyone down. He looked at Chen Yi and slowly nodded. "We will leave the valley and wait for news as you said. Please take care of yourself."
Green Face raised his hand and waved to the assassins behind him. The formation parted to both sides, opening a path to the forest trail leading out of the valley.
"This path leads directly out of the valley, unobstructed," Green Face said lightly. "You may leave now. Once the two of you have completely disappeared from my line of sight, Chen Yi and I will depart for the outpost."
Lin Yan took one last look at Chen Yi, then looked at Green Face, firmly memorizing the greyish iron mask. He pulled Xiao Ge along, turned, and walked slowly toward the path the assassins had cleared. Xiao Ge looked back repeatedly, his eyes full of reluctance and worry, but he knew there was no other choice at this moment.
The two hurried along the forest path, leaving the valley exit. The clearing behind them was gradually obscured by the dense forest, and the sounds of conversation from that side could no longer be heard. After walking several miles and confirming that no assassins were secretly tailing them, they stopped and leaned against a large tree to catch their breath.
The night grew deeper, and the cold wind in the forest kept blowing past.
"It's too dangerous for Brother Chen to go with Green Face alone," Xiao Ge said in a hoarse voice. "That man is full of treacherous schemes. I'm afraid he won't keep his promise."
"We had no other choice," Lin Yan said, pressing against his waist wound, the numbness easing slightly. "This is the only chance to rescue Su Nianwan. Chen Yi has long been prepared in his heart. What we must do now is leave this valley first, find a place to rest and heal our wounds, and quietly wait for news. Three months. That is our deadline."
Xiao Ge gripped the short dagger in his hand, his gaze fixed on the vast, boundless forest ahead. "Three months is neither long nor short. If the deadline passes without news, the Jianghu will be plunged into a massive storm."
Meanwhile, on the clearing at the valley exit, after Lin Yan and Xiao Ge's figures had completely disappeared into the depths of the dense forest, Green Face slowly turned his head to look at Chen Yi.
"Alright, they are far away now," Green Face said, raising his hand to gently stroke the grey iron mask on his face. "Let's set off to see Su Nianwan."
Supporting himself against the ground, Chen Yi slowly stood up, enduring the severe pain in his chest as he straightened his back. Twenty years of obsession; seeing the Su family orphan was now only this final stretch of road away. Yet, deep down, he knew clearly that the road ahead would by no means be smooth.
One after the other, the two stepped onto the deep mountain path on the other side, their figures gradually melting into the heavy night.
The valley returned to silence, leaving only the bloodstains on the ground and the fallen leaves constantly blown by the night wind. Lin Yan and Xiao Ge walked toward the outside of the valley, their future unknown; Chen Yi followed Green Face to the outpost, whether to fulfill an appointment or to walk into a meticulously arranged deadly trap.
The unseen intuition in Lin Yan's heart remained unresolved. Chen Yi's wish was not yet fulfilled, and this Jianghu feud spanning twenty years was far from reaching its curtain call.
Green Face held the Ghost Thread soft sword, its tip pointing downward, the faint blue blade reflecting the cold moonlight. Chen Yi's earlier words about having a "backup plan" had fallen like a stone into the still waters of his previously tranquil heart. He knew Chen Yi too well: enduring, stubborn, having lurked in the shadows for twenty years, always acting only after careful calculation. He was absolutely not a reckless fool who spoke idly.
"A copy sent to the orthodox sects?" Green Face spoke slowly. His voice remained calm, but it lacked the absolute certainty from before. "When was it sent? And to whom was it entrusted?"
"Twenty years ago, on the very night the Su family met their doom, I had already made the arrangements," Chen Yi said, panting slightly, articulating each word slowly and deliberately. "I divided the fully transcribed roster into three parts and entrusted them to three reclusive old friends. We made a pact: if I did not send a letter confirming my safety for three consecutive years, the three copies of the roster would be simultaneously delivered to the headquarters of Wudang, Shaolin, and the Beggar Sect. Once I die, without anyone needing to lift a finger, the entire truth of the bloodbath back then will spread across the Jianghu."
Xiao Ge was slightly stunned; having followed Chen Yi for many years, he had never known about this. Lin Yan pressed against his poisoned waist wound, slowly taking a few steps back to the side of the boulder, flanking Chen Yi with Xiao Ge. The numbness in his waist was still spreading. Though the poison was slow, it continuously eroded his strength, and his right hand gripping the dagger had already begun to tremble slightly.
The pupils beneath Green Face's mask contracted slightly. His original plan had been simple: kill Chen Yi on the spot, seize the roster, then eliminate Lin Yan and Xiao Ge, burying all secrets permanently in this valley. But if Chen Yi's words were true, once Chen Yi died and the truth was made public, the mastermind and he himself would be hunted by the entire martial arts world, with nowhere left to hide.
"You are betting with your own life," Green Face said in a low voice. "Are you not afraid that I would rather risk the secret being leaked and kill you right now?"
"I am a dead man walking anyway," Chen Yi said, pulling the corners of his mouth into a bleak smile. "For these twenty years, I have lived every day in guilt and torment. I never intended to have a peaceful end. Death, to me, is liberation. But you, and the master behind you, are you willing to be ruined alongside me and hunted to death by martial artists across the world?"
A deathly silence fell over the clearing. The black-clad assassins exchanged glances; no one dared to move carelessly, silently awaiting Green Face's orders. They were only responsible for executing commands, but if this matter escalated to involve the entire Jianghu, no one could escape the repercussions.
Green Face remained silent for a long time, slowly raising the hand holding the sword. The Ghost Thread soft sword swayed gently, the cold light at the tip flickering in the darkness.
"Very well," he finally spoke. "I won't kill you. I won't snatch the roster while it remains on your person. However, Su Nianwan is in my hands. If you want to save her, you must come with me alone. Only you. Lin Yan and this youth will remain in the valley. Once I confirm everything is secure, I will let Su Nianwan come to see you."
"Absolutely not," Chen Yi refused flatly. "If I leave with you alone, you can turn on me and kill me at any time. After I die, the copy of the roster will still be sent out, but Su Nianwan will never have a chance of rescue. If we are to negotiate, we do it here. Bring Su Nianwan to this place, and we will settle all our grievances face to face."
"She is not in this valley," Green Face shook his head, his tone indifferent. "Su Nianwan is settled in a hidden outpost, a hundred miles from here. If you wish to see her, you can only go with me."
Lin Yan spoke up at this point, his voice steady. "How can we trust that you won't harm Chen Yi along the way?"
"Killing has never been my true desire," Green Face said, looking at Lin Yan, his gaze once again carrying that inquisitive look. "I am very curious about you, the outsider. Your combat skills were forced out through sheer slaughter. You lack any foundation in internal energy, unlike someone who grew up in this Jianghu. But for now, your matter can be set aside. My conditions are laid out here: either Chen Yi comes with me so we can discuss Su Nianwan's affairs, or we fight to the death right here today, and everyone bets on the outcome together."
Xiao Ge gripped his short dagger tightly and whispered to Chen Yi, "Brother Chen, you can't go with him! This must be a trap! Once you are isolated, he can strike at any time!"
Chen Yi raised his hand slightly, signaling Xiao Ge to be quiet. Closing his eyes, he took a moment to regulate his breathing, forcefully suppressing the surging blood in his chest. Opening his eyes again, he looked at Green Face: "I can go with you to the outpost to see Su Nianwan. But there are two conditions. First, you must let my two companions leave the valley safely, and you must not send anyone to hunt them down. Second, before I see Su Nianwan in person, you must not harm me, nor administer any poison or restraints. As long as Su Nianwan stands before me safely, I will hand the roster to you personally."
Green Face pondered briefly, then slowly nodded. "Agreed. I accept your terms. Today, I will let these two youths leave the valley and will not arrange for anyone to intercept them. Before seeing Su Nianwan, I will not harm you in the slightest. But if you play any tricks, the agreement is immediately void, and everyone will die here."
"It's a deal," Chen Yi agreed in a deep voice.
Lin Yan frowned, a vague sense of unease in his heart. Green Face was a man of profound scheming and unpredictable thoughts; no one knew how much credibility this agreement held. But given the current situation, there was no better choice. If they continued to fight desperately, the three of them would hardly survive. If Chen Yi died, although the copy of the roster would be mailed, Su Nianwan could never be rescued, Chen Yi's lifelong wish would be in vain, the dimensional mission would fail, and Lin Yan would be permanently trapped in this martial arts world.
"Lin Yan, Xiao Ge," Chen Yi turned to look at the two beside him, his tone carrying a sense of entrustment. "Leave along the small path on the outside of the valley. After you get out, do not stay in the Jianghu. Find a safe place to hide. If I do not send you a message within three months, it means I have met with disaster. At that time, you no longer need to worry about Su Nianwan; just wait quietly for the copy of the roster to appear in the world."
Xiao Ge's eyes reddened, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Brother Chen, let me go with you! One more person means one more person to watch your back!"
"No," Chen Yi said, shaking his head gently. "This is a grudge between Green Face and me. If you stay, you will only become a weakness that restrains me. Your safe departure is the premise of this agreement."
Lin Yan understood Chen Yi's resolve. The poison in his waist was still spreading, and his limbs were growing heavier. Staying here to continue fighting would only drag everyone down. He looked at Chen Yi and slowly nodded. "We will leave the valley and wait for news as you said. Please take care of yourself."
Green Face raised his hand and waved to the assassins behind him. The formation parted to both sides, opening a path to the forest trail leading out of the valley.
"This path leads directly out of the valley, unobstructed," Green Face said lightly. "You may leave now. Once the two of you have completely disappeared from my line of sight, Chen Yi and I will depart for the outpost."
Lin Yan took one last look at Chen Yi, then looked at Green Face, firmly memorizing the greyish iron mask. He pulled Xiao Ge along, turned, and walked slowly toward the path the assassins had cleared. Xiao Ge looked back repeatedly, his eyes full of reluctance and worry, but he knew there was no other choice at this moment.
The two hurried along the forest path, leaving the valley exit. The clearing behind them was gradually obscured by the dense forest, and the sounds of conversation from that side could no longer be heard. After walking several miles and confirming that no assassins were secretly tailing them, they stopped and leaned against a large tree to catch their breath.
The night grew deeper, and the cold wind in the forest kept blowing past.
"It's too dangerous for Brother Chen to go with Green Face alone," Xiao Ge said in a hoarse voice. "That man is full of treacherous schemes. I'm afraid he won't keep his promise."
"We had no other choice," Lin Yan said, pressing against his waist wound, the numbness easing slightly. "This is the only chance to rescue Su Nianwan. Chen Yi has long been prepared in his heart. What we must do now is leave this valley first, find a place to rest and heal our wounds, and quietly wait for news. Three months. That is our deadline."
Xiao Ge gripped the short dagger in his hand, his gaze fixed on the vast, boundless forest ahead. "Three months is neither long nor short. If the deadline passes without news, the Jianghu will be plunged into a massive storm."
Meanwhile, on the clearing at the valley exit, after Lin Yan and Xiao Ge's figures had completely disappeared into the depths of the dense forest, Green Face slowly turned his head to look at Chen Yi.
"Alright, they are far away now," Green Face said, raising his hand to gently stroke the grey iron mask on his face. "Let's set off to see Su Nianwan."
Supporting himself against the ground, Chen Yi slowly stood up, enduring the severe pain in his chest as he straightened his back. Twenty years of obsession; seeing the Su family orphan was now only this final stretch of road away. Yet, deep down, he knew clearly that the road ahead would by no means be smooth.
One after the other, the two stepped onto the deep mountain path on the other side, their figures gradually melting into the heavy night.
The valley returned to silence, leaving only the bloodstains on the ground and the fallen leaves constantly blown by the night wind. Lin Yan and Xiao Ge walked toward the outside of the valley, their future unknown; Chen Yi followed Green Face to the outpost, whether to fulfill an appointment or to walk into a meticulously arranged deadly trap.
The unseen intuition in Lin Yan's heart remained unresolved. Chen Yi's wish was not yet fulfilled, and this Jianghu feud spanning twenty years was far from reaching its curtain call.