Breaking the River Cloud Crane

“Oh? The little mouse has come out?”

Yún Mù appeared, just as Shangguan Hóngzhì had anticipated. However, in his grasp was Shangguan Xúnyī’s blood-red spear.

“What?!” Hearing this, the young woman’s previously serene face instantly lost its composure, and she cried out involuntarily.

“Yún Mù! Didn’t you promise to leave?! You must listen to your sister… Ugh…!”

“Silence… you have no place to speak here.”

A commanding voice resonated, and the suffocating sensation returned. Enduring the agony, she raised her arm, attempting to tear away the spiritual energy coiling around her neck.

She yearned to cry out, to implore the young man to leave; she could not bear to watch the one she cherished be taken away.

“Patriarch Shangguan, release her, or I shall die right here.”

Just as Shangguan Hóngzhì prepared to speak, Yún Mù seized the spear, which was taller than himself, gripping it slightly forward of its center, and pressed the tip against his own throat, glaring furiously at the man.

His arm trembled slightly with rage as the sharp spearhead effortlessly pierced the skin of his neck. A trail of crimson blood welled up, pausing for a moment at his exposed collarbone before dripping down.

Shangguan Hóngzhì narrowed his eyes, utterly unmoved by the young man’s threat to release Shangguan Xúnyī.

In his estimation, this so-called threat of sacrificing one’s life was nothing more than the futile struggle of a weak insect.

It was, as the saying went, an ant attempting to shake a great tree—laughably overestimating its own strength.

A playful smile touched his lips as he turned the young woman’s face towards Yún Mù, speaking with a mocking tone.

“Yún Mù, judging by your demeanor, you likely already understand the true purpose behind the Shangguan family raising you all these years. If that’s the case, why do you still protect her?” He gestured towards the young woman, whose eyes were now bloodshot, and took a step forward.

“Is she not also a child of my Shangguan family? Shouldn’t you hate her just as much?”

An almost imperceptible pressure bore down upon him, and a primal fear instinctively made the young man recoil a step. Yet, his gaze never wavered, remaining fixed intently on his opponent.

He knew he could not lose his composure, nor could he allow the other party an opportunity to seize his weapon. Otherwise, given the vast disparity in their strengths, he would ultimately lose even the bargaining chip of his own life.

He glanced at the frantic young woman, who was struggling to break free, then immediately refocused. The spear in his hand pressed even deeper, a portion of its tip now embedded in his skin.

Excruciating pain instantly flared, but years of beatings had conditioned his body to adapt swiftly to injury.

“Hate? Patriarch Shangguan, you’ve made a grave mistake. I have never hated anyone. To be frank, I knew long ago what fate awaited me; my master revealed it the moment she saved me. Therefore… this has nothing to do with Miss Xúnyī. Release her, and I will go with you. How does that sound?”

“You knew long ago?”

Shangguan Hóngzhì repeatedly murmured the word ‘master,’ as the image of an elegant, white-haired woman with extraordinary grace surfaced in his mind. The ruthlessness in his eyes intensified.

‘That damned woman… even in death, she remains so sickening…’

He watched the young man before him, cursing inwardly for a few moments, then did nothing more than spread his hands and sigh deeply.

“Very well… hearing you speak thus, and observing your actions, it appears you do not value your own life. Since you are not attempting to escape on your own accord, how about you simply come with me? Qiūyuè is still waiting for you, you know. I imagine… you wouldn’t wish for her to simply die, would you?”

His answers artfully dodged the critical points, deliberately avoiding any mention of releasing Xúnyī. Every word was a calculated attempt to breach the young man’s psychological defenses, thereby securing a more advantageous position.

“I have already stated… you release Shangguan Xúnyī, and then I will go with you. It is you who needs my life right now, not I who am beholden to you.”

“Tsk… this bastard…” Shangguan Hóngzhì muttered under his breath. Realizing the young man was impervious to both threats and persuasion, he was forced to alter his tone, feigning a look of being convinced.

“Alright, alright. In that case, I won’t haggle with you any further. I can let her go, but you must remain standing still, without moving an inch. How about that?”

“Fine, I agree…”

Hearing this, Shangguan Hóngzhì shook his head and drew the young woman closer to him. He paid no mind to her furious gaze, merely leaning in to whisper.

“Niece Xúnyī, you heard what he said, didn’t you? The ancient saying goes, ‘A wise person understands the times.’ I hope you act accordingly.” He paused slightly, then added with a playful glint,

“Besides, Yún Mù might not actually die, you know? It’s merely a piece of glazed bone (TL Note: A mythical bone that can hold a soul and a spirit), containing one soul and one spirit. You can always take him away later, can’t you?”

With that, without waiting for her reaction, he flung her aside. The young woman was sent rolling several times across the ground until she finally came to a stop against a massive rock by the riverbank.

Shangguan Xúnyī gritted her teeth against the pain and struggled to her feet. A mouthful of fresh blood erupted from her lips. She raised a hand to wipe away the crimson stain from her mouth, her gaze fixed on Yún Mù, her eyes bloodshot, tears welling at their corners.

She had witnessed everything the young man had just done.

They had explicitly agreed that she would be the one to act, yet in the end, it was the young man who was protecting her.

Her own spear had, in this moment, become a deadly weapon aimed at the young man’s throat.

“Xiao Mù…”

She murmured, her steps unconsciously drawing her towards the young man once more. She was unwilling to leave like this, unwilling to be alone again, unwilling… simply unwilling…

‘I don’t want this. I don’t want Xiao Mù to leave me. I don’t want Xiao Mù to go. I want Xiao Mù, I…!’

A single shout jolted the young woman instantly awake. She lifted her gaze to the young man, who was now seized, and her heart was utterly thrown into disarray.

“Release him, Shangguan Hóngzhì! I command you to release him!”

Her voice resonated with power, her aura surging. Black stellar energy erupted from her meridians, and the blood-red spear, which had fallen to the ground, instantly reappeared in her hand.

Pushing off the ground, a spear intent (TL Note: A concept in cultivation novels referring to the profound understanding and mastery of a weapon, imbuing it with one’s will and power) infused with chaotic energy surged directly towards Shangguan Hóngzhì.

“I told you, I already agreed to let you go. If you continue this, don’t blame me for what happens.”

He regarded her with a chilling gaze, no longer concealing his furious emotions, and with a raised hand, he made a crushing downward motion.

“Die!”

“I’d like to see you dare…?”

“Pfft…!”

A hoarse voice echoed, and the previously spirited middle-aged man coughed up a mouthful of blood. He was utterly crushed to the ground, forced three feet deep into the earth.

The young woman, who had been on the verge of a rampage, also felt her entire body lose strength under the influence of that voice, collapsing to the ground as her aura dissipated completely.

Yún Mù, who had fallen to the ground, clutched his blood-spewing mouth. Enduring the discomfort, he crawled in front of Shangguan Xúnyī, shielding her. He looked up, and in the distance, the surging river had been cleaved into two by a single strike.

He seemed to glimpse a white crane gracefully approaching, yet in the blink of an eye, an old man stood before them.

“You shall not harm her…”

The old man stroked his grizzled beard, watching him with keen interest, and asked in a challenging tone.

“What if I say no?”

“Then you will have to step over my corpse…”

‘Hmm… interesting. I had intended to test this young fellow further, but it seems there’s no need now.’

‘Day after day, I’ve heard that girl Xúnyī rave about how good he is, to the point my ears were calloused. I never truly believed it, but today I’ve seen it for myself: loyal, righteous, fearless in the face of death…’

‘Indeed, seeing is believing. I quite like this lad.’

The old man bent down, smiling as he gently pinched Yún Mù’s rather thin face, simultaneously easing the oppressive aura he had been emitting.

“Young man, your name is Yún Mù, right? I won’t tease you any longer. In truth, I am this girl’s master.”

“Ma… Master? Are you the esteemed Elder Li Changyi?”

“Precisely. I am Li Changyi of the Ancient Kingdom Academy. Have you heard of me?”

The young man shook his head. He had only heard Shangguan Xúnyī mention the name, unaware of any of the elder’s deeds.

He looked up at the old man, shifting his body slightly to the side.

“In that case, please quickly take Miss Xúnyī… I mean, Sister Xúnyī, and leave. She seems to be in great discomfort.”

Behind him, the young woman was curled into a ball, trembling uncontrollably, her face terribly pale. A faint, almost imperceptible black aura swirled around her.

The young man turned slightly, gently stroking the young woman’s face, trying to ease the furrow in her brow, but to no avail.

‘This lad, despite being a mortal, isn’t afraid of this stellar energy imbued with the aura of death? How intriguing…’

Li Changyi pondered for a moment, then channeled his own power to envelop the young woman.

“Rest assured, she is my disciple, and I will personally ensure her safety. As for you…” He glanced at Shangguan Hóngzhì, who had managed to crawl out one hand, and asked with a smile, “Will you come with me?”

“Me? There’s no need…” He stood up, bowed deeply, and then picked up the spear, handing it to the old man. “I entrust Sister Xúnyī to your venerable care.”

“Are you truly not coming with me?”

“Truly.”

“You might die, you know.”

“This lad should have died eight years ago already. And if I leave, Miss Qiūyuè will die.”

“What about Shangguan Xúnyī? She will be sad, she will grieve. Don’t you feel for her?”

“I do feel for her, but cultivators’ lifespans are incredibly long. Time will wash everything away; she will forget me someday.”

‘Will she truly forget? Has this lad underestimated the depth of that girl’s feelings? No, I must…’

Li Changyi thought, just about to press further, but the young man’s resolute eyes stopped him. He could only let out a long sigh.

“Very well. This old man never forces anyone’s hand, and accepting disciples has always been a matter of fate. Although your temperament greatly suits my taste, and your talent is indeed exceptional, your mind is made up. To insist would only create more trouble. In short… may you find good fortune.”

With that, without lingering, the old man transformed into a streak of white light, carrying the young woman and the spear away from the location.

The young man cupped his hands in a respectful farewell, uttered a thank you, and then walked before Shangguan Hóngzhì, who had by now fully crawled out, awaiting his judgment.

To be honest, he did not wish to be beaten. Although his body had long grown accustomed to pain, no one truly enjoyed it, and he was no exception.

Yet he felt no fear, for Lín Xīzhī had once told him: ‘Every action bears a consequence. If you do something, you must bear the repercussions.’ And so it was.

The metallic scent of blood from his neck stung his nostrils. The clotted blood, mixed on his skin, looked grotesque, like the shell of some animal. He stood there, motionless, awaiting his punishment.

However, the young man did not receive the anticipated barrage of fists and kicks. The middle-aged man simply watched the distant, surging river, seeing Li Changyi off.

‘He finally took her away. My prolonged chatter with this lad wasn’t in vain. If Shangguan Xúnyī hadn’t also been Li Changyi’s disciple, things wouldn’t have been so troublesome.’

‘He, too, values sentiment. And rightly so; people from the Ancient Kingdom cannot cause chaos in the Realm of Seeking. Although he holds the identity of the Ancient Kingdom Academy’s dean, he is ultimately a member of the demon race, and a full-blown fight would invariably cause problems.’

‘Qiūyuè will still need to enroll and cultivate in the future. I hope no grudges were formed. Otherwise… more troublesome matters would arise.’

He recalled the scene where Yún Mù had threatened him with his life, finding it merely amusing. After a long silence, he finally spoke.

“Let’s go. Qiūyuè is still waiting for you.”

“Mm.”