Chapter 153 Death Anniversary

Since the day of the duel's commotion, the Wandao Sword Sect seemed to have regained its usual calm on the surface. The high-level officials remained silent and did not make any public statements, as if the bet that shook the core circle and the farce of publicly insulting the Saint had never occurred. Only the observant could perceive that the atmosphere within the Sect, especially between Heavenly Sword Peak and Earth Sword Peak, had gained an indescribable tension and undercurrent.

On the side of Heavenly Sword Peak's Saint, Jian Wushuang, there was an eerie silence; not only did he stop sending people to cause trouble, but even the occasional rumors of the Saint's dissatisfaction with Mu Changge had vanished. However, this quietude instead made those with keen senses feel uneasy, like the calm before a storm.

Mu Changge (Xiao Ming) was entirely unconcerned about this, even quite enjoying this "leisure." He lived in seclusion, spending most of his time in his room "cultivating," specifically mastering various miscellaneous arts and strange techniques.

Of course, one of the primary joys of these "leisurely" days was "teasing" his nominal sister, Mu Wanning.

Since that "accident" early that morning, Mu Wanning's attitude toward Mu Changge had become extremely complex and awkward. She simply could not escape the bet of being a "personal maid for one month," which made her scalp tingle and her cheeks burn just thinking about it.

Thus, the daily life in this secluded courtyard on Earth Sword Peak became exceptionally "exciting."

In the early morning, before dawn, Mu Changge's door was knocked upon neither too lightly nor too heavily. From outside came Mu Wanning's voice, which she deliberately kept cold but still could not hide a trace of stiffness:

"Mu... Mu Changge, it's time to get up."

Mu Wanning practically squeezed the words out from between her teeth, the shame and killing intent in her pale gold eyes almost solidifying. Inside the room, Mu Changge responded lazily, "Enter."

Mu Wanning pushed the door open, carrying a copper basin filled with fresh water. She had precisely controlled the water temperature to be just right for warming hands—this was the result of her secret competition with him, determined not to give him a chance to find fault in such small matters. She placed the copper basin on the stand, keeping her eyelids lowered to avoid looking at the figure leaning sloppily on the bed, her tone stiff: "The water is ready."

Mu Changge rose sluggishly, deliberately wearing his inner robe loosely to reveal a small portion of his firm chest and abdominal muscles. He walked to the basin stand but did not reach out, only squinting at her and drawling, "Hmm? Isn't it only natural for a maid to serve her master's washing? Sister, your service isn't quite up to par."

Mu Wanning's breath hitched, her fingers tightening on the edge of the basin until her knuckles turned slightly white. She snapped her head up to glare at Mu Changge, only to collide with his smiling eyes, filled with obvious mockery. That look seemed to say: One must accept the loss of a bet, my dear sister.

After a moment of confrontation, Mu Wanning conceded. Or rather, the bet wouldn't last much longer; if she gave up now, wouldn't her previous suffering be for nothing? Moreover, through her observations these past few days, her heart was filled with doubts about him! His cultivation had skyrocketed and his personality had changed drastically—no matter how she looked at it, something was wrong! She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the humiliation and a certain inexplicable palpitation in her heart. She stiffly wrung out the towel and slowly began to wipe his face. Her fingertips inevitably touched Mu Changge's cheek; Mu Wanning retracted them as if struck by lightning, but the tips of her ears uncontrollably flushed a faint red.

Mu Changge, however, seemed completely oblivious. While admiring her peerless beauty, he also deliberately complained, "The pressure is too heavy... you missed this spot... Sister! You've never served anyone before, have you? Your skills are quite rusty!"

Mu Wanning's chest heaved with anger. For some reason, every time she saw this younger brother of hers lately, she would be driven half to death with rage, wishing she could dump the entire basin of water onto his hateful size-38 face. Yet she could only hold her breath and redo the work according to Mu Changge's nitpicking instructions, her movements remaining stiff.

Breakfast was even more of a torment. It wasn't that Mu Wanning was unskilled in cooking; on the contrary, she would occasionally make exquisite pastries for herself when the mood struck. But preparing breakfast for Mu Changge, only to hear him critique and nitpick, was simply a form of torture.

"This Spiritual Rice Porridge was cooked a bit too long; the Spiritual Qi has dissipated."

"The side dishes are too salty. Are you trying to salt me to death so you can inherit my estate?"

"Sister, try this. Isn't it a bit bitter?"

Mu Changge could always find some flaw, and every time he spoke, there seemed to be a modicum of truth to it, leaving Mu Wanning unable to refute. She could only lower her head and listen to his "guidance" through gritted teeth, then, under Mu Changge's "expectant" gaze, stony-facedly eat the food he deemed "not to his taste," having already "greeted" him countless times in her heart.

The daytime "service" was relatively easy, mainly involving serving tea, tidying the room (though Mu Changge's room was usually so tidy it required no organizing), and waiting quietly by his side while he "cultivated." But this "quiet" was even more of an ordeal for Mu Wanning. Forced to stay extremely close to him, she could smell the crisp, pleasant scent on his body, feel the seemingly lazy yet unfathomable expression he wore, and even hear the occasional rustle of him turning pages or his inadvertent light chuckles.

Her gaze was always involuntarily drawn to him, landing on his focused profile, his slender fingers, and his slightly furrowed brow... then she would suddenly snap out of it, cursing herself for her lack of composure and forcibly looking away, though her heartbeat had lost its rhythm. Meanwhile, Mu Changge seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, always "happening" to look up whenever she peeked, catching her panicked, dodging eyes, and returning a meaningful smile that left her even more flustered.

What Mu Wanning found most embarrassing was a "sudden" situation.

On that occasion, Mu Changge (Xiao Ming) suddenly said his shoulders were sore and asked Mu Wanning to help massage them. Mu Wanning sternly refused at first, but Mu Changge used the bet for moral blackmail again. She could only walk forward humiliatingly and "serve" with a murderous amount of force. The result was usually Mu Changge complaining, "The technique is wrong, are you trying to crush my bones?" or using wheedling and pestering to tease her. Eventually, a helpless Mu Wanning had to adjust her strength and continue massaging him. As her fingertips lightly brushed over the firm, powerful muscle definition beneath her bastard brother's clothing, her entire body turned as red as a boiled shrimp, from her face down to her neck.

She would also "accidentally" wrinkle his lapels, just to add some new patterns to them (like making the clothes very gaudy, adding bright colors or designs) to see him look foolish and make a joke of him.

On this day, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.

Mu Changge finished his morning routine of "cultivation" and walked out of his room feeling refreshed. The courtyard was quiet; it seemed Mu Wanning was still cultivating because of yesterday's work (her daily maid duties).

"Tsk, so hardworking." Mu Changge rubbed his chin, his gaze lingering for a moment on his sister's door with a trace of a smile in his eyes, before turning and leisurely walking out of the courtyard.

His goal today was the residence of Saintess Yun Qingyao.

After these days of discussing the Dao, his relationship with Yun Qingyao had entered a subtle and stable "warming phase." Although Yun Qingyao remained icy and transcendent, that layer of frost had melted significantly when facing him. The occasional displays of annoyance, helplessness, and even very slight concern made Mu Changge feel quite satisfied. He would run to the Saintess's place from time to time to disturb her.

Yun Qingyao had initially observed proper etiquette and kept her distance, but later she seemed to gradually grow accustomed to his free-spirited and uninhibited nature (she had wanted to refuse, but due to the influence of the "Heavenly Derivation Love-Fixing Seal," she also wanted to secretly get closer). Additionally, Mu Changge could always produce interesting things (be it stories, trinkets, or unique insights into sword cultivation) to make her smile, making it impossible for her to truly maintain a cold face. Over time, Mu Changge's visits to the Saintess's courtyard became a semi-public "common occurrence." Although it still drew much criticism and jealousy, at least no one dared to easily jump out and stop him anymore.

Mu Changge walked straight to the elegant courtyard where Yun Qingyao lived, familiar with the way.

It was located beside a tranquil bamboo forest, with a gurgling stream and dense Spiritual Qi; it was many times more elegant than his own small courtyard.

As he reached the edge of the bamboo forest, he heard a clear and melodious zither tune coming from within the Small Lodge. The zither sound was crisp, like a clear spring flowing over stones or the bright moon shining among pines, carrying a sense of peace that cleansed the heart. However, unlike the pure coldness and aloofness of the past, today's zither music seemed to hold a trace of imperceptible expectation and sorrow.

When Mu Changge reached the courtyard gate, the clear zither tune, tinged with that subtle sorrow, happened to slowly cease, its resonance lingering in the bamboo forest. Holding a jade box, he paused outside the door, his voice carrying a perfect amount of gentleness and inquiry: "Senior Sister Qingyao, do you have something on your mind today?"

There was silence in the room for a moment before Yun Qingyao's voice came, a few degrees lower than usual and sounding as if veiled in a layer of mist: "...You've come. Come in."

Pushing the door open, Mu Changge saw that Yun Qingyao had already risen from behind the Zither Stand and was standing by the window, looking out at the gurgling stream and the swaying bamboo shadows. She was still dressed in white, her slender figure making her profile look like jade, yet she carried a faint, lingering sadness. The air was filled with the crisp scent of tea (it seemed she had been sitting alone brewing tea for a long time) and an indescribable loneliness.

"Today... is the anniversary of my parents' death." Yun Qingyao did not turn around; her voice was as light as a feather, yet it fell heavily on Mu Changge's heart. She paused, seemingly gathering her strength before continuing, "I will be leaving the Sect shortly to pay my respects at their graves. Junior Brother Mu should head back first."

The cynicism on Mu Changge's face had long since vanished, replaced by a quiet understanding. He stepped forward and gently placed the jade box on the low table beside her. He didn't say any cliché words of comfort, only stating: "I will accompany you."

Yun Qingyao turned her head abruptly, her cold eyes filled with surprise and a touch of complexity: "You... there's no need for that. This is my private matter." She did not want to let this heavy sadness affect others, and especially, for some inexplicable reason, she did not want him to see her vulnerable side.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

"I know it's a private matter." Mu Changge looked at her, his gaze sincere. "But when a friend has trouble, especially on a day like this, wouldn't being alone only add to the sorrow? I'm not good with words and don't know how to say anything pleasant, but at the very least... I can be a quiet listener, or even just a bystander."

His reasoning was simple, even a bit clumsy, yet it strangely caused a crack to form in the icy barrier around Yun Qingyao's heart. She did not refuse again, only nodding slightly, her gaze falling upon the jade box. "This is..."

"Oh, just some spoils of war from the competition a few days ago. I don't really have much use for them anyway!" Mu Changge explained simply, without over-embellishing.

Yun Qingyao's eyes flickered, and just as she was about to refuse, I spoke up first: "Senior Sister Qingyao, I'm from a great Family, after all. A single Medicinal Pill is a trivial matter to me, so please just accept it."

The two did not delay further. Yun Qingyao simply packed up the incense, candles, and offerings, placing them into her Storage Pouch. Then, she walked out of the small courtyard side-by-side with Mu Changge.

Leaving the Sect, they traveled by sword, heading west. Yun Qingyao's parents were not Cultivators of the Wandao Sword Sect; her Family was originally a cultivation clan located in a beautiful valley thousands of miles away from the Sect. After her Family was destroyed, Yun Qingyao moved her parents' remains to be buried in the green mountains near their ancestral home, a quiet place where few would disturb them.

The journey was not short, and traveling by sword would take some time. At first, the two flew in silence, with only the whistling of the wind in their ears. Mu Changge did not try to force a conversation, seemingly sensing the sorrowful mood of the beauty beside him, and pondered a strategy in his heart.

Flying over a vast sea of clouds, the mountains below looked like dark ink paintings. Perhaps it was the long silence, or perhaps the wordless but steady companionship of the person beside her, that allowed Yun Qingyao's tightly strung heartstrings to relax slightly. She looked at the familiar yet strange scenery passing below and suddenly spoke in a low voice, as if talking to herself, or perhaps to the person beside her: "When I was young, Father often brought me above this sea of clouds to teach me how to identify constellations. He said that although a Cultivator walks a Heaven-Defying path, one must still know the timing of Heaven and the advantages of the land... Mother would always complain that I returned too late, and the Spiritual Qi soup she prepared had already gone cold..."

Her voice was very soft, carrying a distant nostalgia and an unresolvable sorrow.

Mu Changge listened quietly. When she finished, he remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly in a calm voice: "The affairs of this world are sometimes mysterious and hard to explain. I once scoured through ancient texts and saw a theory... it said that occasionally, individuals born with 'Great Luck' descend into this world, and they can be called 'Child of Fortune'."

Yun Qingyao glanced at him slightly, seemingly attracted by the rare seriousness in his words and the unfamiliar concept.

Mu Changge continued, his tone unhurried, as if telling an ancient story: "It is said that such people are the darlings of Heaven and Earth, blessed with Opportunity and fortune, destined for greatness. But interestingly, ancient texts record that those who carry such Great Luck often have a... miserable start in life."

"Miserable?" Yun Qingyao repeated subconsciously.

"Yes." Mu Changge nodded, his gaze cast toward the distant clouds, as if recalling something. "Often, their parents die, their Family is overturned, and their friends and Family are scattered... It is as if before the Heavenly Dao grants them supreme Luck, it must first take away everything they cherish most as a form of 'tempering'. Only after they endure such hardships, break through, and stand again, can they soar into the sky, take their revenge, and achieve legend. This seems to have become some kind of... fated trajectory."

Yun Qingyao's breathing faltered almost imperceptibly. Family destroyed, parents dead... this description faintly overlapped with her own experience. Could it be that Junior Brother Mu was trying to comfort her?

"Moreover..." Mu Changge, seemingly not noticing her subtle change, continued in that same analytical tone, "Such people usually have a will so firm it borders on obsession, thinking themselves extraordinary, firmly believing that 'my fate is determined by me, not by Heaven.' Even when their cultivation is low, they often keep phrases like 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west, do not bully a young man for being poor' on their lips. Even when facing experts far stronger than themselves, they dare to glare and speak arrogantly, as if certain that they will surely trample the other party underfoot in the future."

Yun Qingyao slowly came back to her senses, feeling something was amiss. In her mind, the image of a thin, stubborn boy from many years ago, when her Family was still intact—a boy who refused to admit defeat and gritted his teeth even when bullied by other servants—involuntarily surfaced... Jian Wushuang seemed to be like that when he was young. He had even said to her something like, "Little Sister Qingyao, I will definitely become very, very strong in the future and protect you for the rest of my life."

"What's even more bizarre," Mu Changge's voice lowered a few degrees, carrying a mysterious air, "The ancient texts also mention that those around this kind of 'Child of Fortune' often inexplicably become tainted with 'bad Luck.' The Families and Sects close to them often encounter unexpected disasters, either declining or suffering changes... It is as if their overwhelming Luck comes at the cost of draining the 'fortune' of those around them. Yet they themselves can always turn misfortune into blessings, encounter disasters and find peace, or even transform catastrophes into their own Opportunities, rising to the sky in one step."

"Drain... the fortune of those around them?" Yun Qingyao blinked, her expression unchanged as she said, "Junior Brother Mu, how do you know so much? You're teasing me again." But her slender fingers unconsciously gripped her sleeves. She suddenly remembered that in the few years before her Family was destroyed, things had started to go wrong. Her father nearly suffered Qi Deviation during an important period of secluded cultivation, and several of the Family's businesses had problems one after another... In contrast, Jian Wushuang, who was just a small servant at the time, seemed to be helped by divine intervention and got better and better. He would occasionally find inconspicuous but useful things, and even "luckily" saved her, who was the Young Miss at the time, from one accident after another...

Thinking of this, she quickly steadied her mind.

'No, impossible! Brother Wushuang... how could he be...'

Yun Qingyao shook her head vigorously, trying to throw this absurd thought out of her mind. Jian Wushuang was her savior, the person who had silently protected and helped her all these years; how could he be the kind of "Child of Fortune" described in ancient texts that brings misfortune?

But once the seed of doubt is planted, it quietly takes root. Those dusty details that she had never deeply investigated before were now uncontrollably surging up.

Mu Changge stopped there, not delving further into the topic, and instead asked with concern, "By the way, Qingyao, you mentioned the changes in your Family earlier... What was the origin of those enemies who attacked that day? Did they... leave behind any characteristics, or... say anything special?"

Yun Qingyao was immersed in the chaotic thoughts and the pain brought by the memories. Upon hearing this, her eyes reddened further, and she said in a low voice, "They... were all masked, wearing black clothes; I couldn't tell their specific origin. But their cultivation was extremely high, and their methods were ruthless... They... they kept forcing us to ask about an item..."

"What item?" Mu Changge asked at the right moment, his tone filled with just the right amount of confusion and concern.

"They... they kept asking repeatedly, where is the 'immortal kings small tower'..." Yun Qingyao's voice trembled, and the bloodshed and despair of that night seemed to wash over her again. "Father and Mother didn't know what that was at all... They didn't believe it... and then..." She couldn't continue, and tears fell silently.

The immortal kings small tower! Mu Changge felt a great shock in his heart, instantly imagining a classic trope novel of at least one hundred thousand words: the orphan protagonist (Jian Wushuang) is adopted by a kind Family (the Yun Family), accidentally obtains a Heaven-Defying Legacy or treasure (the immortal kings small tower), attracting the covetous pursuit of mysterious forces. The protagonist luckily escapes with the treasure (or relies on the tower to warn him), but the Family that sheltered him is tragically wiped out. The protagonist bears a deep blood feud, endures and Cultivate, finally achieves Major Achievement in his divine skills, returns to take revenge, and incidentally wins the heart of the beauty (the Family survivor, i.e., Yun Qingyao), reaching the Peak of life...

This template fits perfectly! Mu Changge could almost conclude that Jian Wushuang was indeed that "Child of Fortune," and the annihilation of the Yun Family was, nine times out of ten, caused by that whatever-it-was "immortal kings small tower" he obtained! This guy not only drained the "Luck" of the Yun Family, causing their home to be destroyed and their Family to die, but also put on the posture of a savior and a devoted guardian, attempting to end up with both the beauty and the treasure? Damn him, the Child of Fortune is even worse than me, the villain! The beads of his abacus are practically hitting me in the face.

He sneered in his heart, but on the surface, he showed a look of sorrow and contemplation, saying slowly: "The immortal kings small tower... just hearing the name, one knows it is no small matter. By the way, Senior Sister Qingyao, the situation was so dangerous back then, how... did you manage to escape?" He asked cautiously, as if afraid to touch her most painful wound.

Yun Qingyao, with teary eyes, fell into deeper memories: "It was Father and Mother... they fought to the death to hold back most of the enemies, opening a path of escape for me... and... and Brother Wushuang..." Mentioning this name, her voice paused, and a flash of extremely complex emotion and gratitude crossed her eyes. "That night, he suddenly ran into my room in a panic, grabbed me and said we had to escape immediately, saying there was great danger... I didn't believe it at the time, thinking he was talking nonsense... Later... later the tragedy happened. It was he who pulled me out of the Family through an abandoned secret passage... If... if I had been more alert at that time, believed him sooner, and notified Father and Mother, perhaps..." She closed her eyes in pain, tears rolling down.

Mu Changge curled his lips in his heart and rolled his eyes: 'Damn, this Jian Wushuang most likely obtained the tower at that time and knew a disaster was imminent, which is why he took you and ran. If it weren't for him, your Family probably wouldn't have been destroyed, and here you are feeling grateful!'

Although he thought this in his heart, his expression showed just the right amount of surprise and a hint of confusion, as if he were simply analyzing it out of pure curiosity: "So that's how it was! Wait, that's not right... Uncle Yun and Aunt Yun had profound cultivation, yet they failed to sense the arrival of the crisis in advance. The Saint's cultivation back then... didn't seem very high, right? To have such keen perception and warn of the impending Family annihilation in advance... truly... extraordinary." His tone was filled with emotion, as if he were purely admiring Jian Wushuang's "good Luck" and "wit."

The speaker was 'unintentional,' but the listener was intentional!