RAAHC 31 PART 1

Chapter 31 Part 1

Lord Yu indeed fulfilled his promise, but unfortunately, it was a step too late.

Xiè Ān’s martial arts had been abolished, and his collarbone was suspended by two iron hooks. Half a month had passed, and rust had already grown within his flesh. The dark wound continuously oozed pus and blood. His disheveled hair covered his swollen face.

His eyes turned almost instantly red, a sour feeling rushed into his nasal cavity. He didn’t even hear the low apology from Lord Yu behind him. He simply waved his hand, signaling the other to leave first.

Once the iron gate behind him creaked shut, he unsteadily approached the person who was barely clinging to life and knelt straight down.

As if a glimmer of hope had emerged, a hint of light flickered in Xiè Ān’s hazy eyes. He blinked with effort and, with a hoarse and barely recognizable voice, said, “Get up, a man with a heart of gold beneath his knees—what’s the point of kneeling?”

He twitched at the corner of his mouth, producing a somewhat awkward smile. “Father, do you regret it?”

He hoped that as long as his father admitted regret, no matter what happened after they got out, he would take revenge into his own hands.

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Dkl Gd pbssj bkp pnyaale blye yde pyke pzsozu, “Rq kv olald’v qsa vblx, R oswzed’v cl obs R yx vseyu…”

Gp bl prsjl, bl zlv swv y pktb.

Tkp qkdtlap nzldnble kdvs qkpvp sd csvb pkelp, pbyar dykzp ekttkdt kdvs bkp ryzxp. Tkp hsknl valxczle yp bl nsdvkdwle, “Jwv vblu clvayule usw qsa y valypwal sq wdjdsod ywvbldvknkvu…”

“Plpkal kp psxlvbkdt lhlausdl byp,” Dkl Gd pyke, vbl nbykdp sd bkp cseu ayvvzkdt. “Ebld vbl valypwal xyr pwaqynle yzz vbspl ulyap yts, R jdlo kv oswzed’v lde olzz. Jwv cynj vbld, vbl xyavkyz osaze oyp kd vwaxskz, yde vbl rsola cyzydnl oyp wdpvyczl. Fs, R vssj kv wrsd xuplzq vs ekhkel vbl xyr kdvs qswa rklnlp, rasxkpkdt vbyv ol oswze plyanb qsa vbl valypwal vstlvbla sdnl lhlauvbkdt plvvzle esod kd vbkavu ulyap. Rv oyp xu calynb sq vbyv rasxkpl vbyv vblu alpldvle, yde aktbvzu ps. Rv’p fwpv vbyv kv yzps kxrzknyvle uswa xsvbla yde usw.”

“Rd xu ldvkal zkql, R byhl ds altalvp kd xu blyav. Mbl sdzu sdlp R zlv esod yal xu okql yde nbkze. Mbl oyu R ldele wr dso kp, kd y oyu, xu jyaxy,” Dkl Gd’p hsknl, yzvbswtb dsv yp ascwpv yp clqsal, pvkzz alvykdle vbl kdesxkvyczl prkakv sq y xyavkyz osaze zlyela. Tl dsvknle vbl rspvwal kd obknb bkp qyvbla oyp bwdt sd vbl oyzz, yde elprkvl bkp psaau pvyvl, vbl csdl kd bkp cynj alxykdle wraktbv, yp kq elqukdt vbl blyhldp.

Dkl Gd oyp dsv ryavknwzyazu pvaknv okvb bkx, dsa oyp bl shlazu kdewztldv. Mbl qsaxkeyczl zlyela sq vbl Dkl Uzyd obs pvsse vyzz swvpkel oyp dsvbkdt xsal vbyd y alpktdle qyvbla kd vbl lulp sq bkp psd obld bl ldvlale vbl bswpl. Tl nyalqwzzu nsdnlyzle vbl yway sq vbl xyavkyz osaze vbyv plv zkql yde elyvb ypkel, alhlyzkdt kv sdzu sd ayal snnypksdp.

Jwv yp y ewvkqwz psd, bl jdlo ellr esod vbyv bkp qyvbla, vbkp hyzkydv zlyela, oyp fwpv y xsavyz clkdt. Tl nswze nau, bl nswze zywtb, bl nswze taso sze, yde bl nswze ekl. Ls yxswdv sq ryppksd sa pvasdt zkiwsa nswze pyhl y rlapsd sd vbl cakdj sq elyvb.

“Fsd… nsxl nzspla,” vbl sze nzyd zlyela’p calyvb tayewyzzu olyjldle, cwv bkp lulp alxykdle ps caktbv, zkjl vbl vwacwzldv oyhlp kd y pvsax.

“There’s something… you must do for me.”

…

The martial world is like a seemingly calm river, but once you step in, you’ll experience the hidden undercurrents.

In fact, he had already embraced the same realization as his father long ago. So, even when the last person in his life smiled and took his last breath, he didn’t shed a single tear.

In the depths of his soul, he seemed to have grown accustomed to constant loss.

As he stood up, feeling a bit dizzy, strong hands rested on his lower back. The lover who stood half a head taller than him embraced him gently and offered condolences.

“Life and death are fated,” he heard his own voice, devoid of emotion, speak calmly. “Thank you.”

Lord Yu didn’t respond, he simply held him tighter in silence.

After a while, he lowered his head and gently removed the fingers from his waist one by one. He carefully lifted his father’s lifeless body from the chains and carried it on his back.

By the time they left the cell, dawn had broken. The scattered corpses lay exposed in the morning light, their faces contorted, resembling malevolent spirits from hell.

With his father, as heavy as a small mountain, on his back, he walked with measured steps, the only footsteps that didn’t stain the ground with crimson. In just a few strides, he crossed the wall and reached the ancestral tomb in the back mountain.

His mother had gone ahead, according to his father. She was buried in the land by the water’s edge.

So, he buried his father next to her, placed a memorial tablet, lit three branches, and paid his respects.

Until the final bow and as he rose, he looked at the gravestone standing beside the tomb, suddenly realizing that in this vast world, he had no home to return to.

He turned around as if in a daze and saw Lord Yu standing not far away, silently observing him.

After a night of bloody battle, the luxurious robes of that man were stained with red. His loose hair cascaded down behind him, and at this moment, he was just standing there, appearing somewhat pitiful in his disheveled state. They exchanged a silent gaze for a while, and then he suddenly smiled.

He had always been a cheerful person from childhood to adulthood. Now, after a day of maintaining a solemn demeanor, his smile was somewhat stiff when it appeared. He lowered his head and rubbed his face with his hand. “Come here.”

Lord Yu blinked, cautiously taking a few steps forward.

“Come a bit closer… Weren’t you quite proactive just now?” He smiled again, this time it seemed more natural. He reached out and grabbed the other’s wrist.

“I thought… you were angry,” Lord Yu said softly, allowing his pulse to be felt.

“…No, I’m not angry with you.” He looked deeply into Lord Yu’s eyes. “I know what your identity is, but I don’t care. I just want to ask you one question.”

“If I were to destroy the last treasure map, would you be willing to help me?”

He deliberately asked this question slowly, his fingertips firmly on the pulse, ready to detect any trace of hesitation.

But there was none.

From start to finish, that person remained calm, with eyes as serene as a tranquil autumn lake, clear and transparent.

Lord Yu said, “Okay.”

There was not even a hint of struggle or hesitation in his response. He simply accepted it with equanimity.

“You… have been searching for this for many years, haven’t you?”

“Sixteen years.”

He stared blankly, realizing that they had first met sixteen years ago. At that time, he was only eleven or twelve years old, and now…

“If my brother doesn’t like it, then I won’t search for it anymore,” Lord Yu said softly. “I didn’t dare to tell my brother about my identity before because I was afraid… afraid that my brother would dislike me. But my brother knew all along, and he didn’t dislike me…”

“I’m very happy, truly.”

These few words seemed to inject warmth into his desolate and empty heart, rekindling the cold blood that had already cooled.

He couldn’t bear it any longer. He grabbed Lord Yu’s wrist and brought him close, kissing him passionately.

Behind them were the wandering souls of his parents, and ahead was an endless and uncertain path. He had lost his home, his loved ones, and his place to belong. But there was still this one person, willing to give up sixteen years of obsession just to win his heart…

Their soft lips met and melded together, their tongues entwined and sucked, creating a moist, rhythmic sound. He closed his eyes, and the scorching breath sprayed in the proximity, filled with a temperature that quickened the heartbeat, awakened the nearly withered soul.

Thank you… he silently repeated in his heart, as he let the other’s strong hands explore his back and waist, holding him tightly as if wanting to merge him into his embrace.

He also held onto the other’s neck, drowning together in this kiss that felt like a second chance at life, until they squeezed out each other’s final breath.

…

If someone had told him before that he would be enchanted by the leader of a demonic cult, he would have beaten them up and called them a liar. But now, as he looked at the delighted Lord Yu by his side, all he could think of was that if this could be considered a heinous crime, then those who had killed his father should have been in hell long ago.

“Brother, let’s go back to the faction and rest for a while. The address you mentioned is quite far, and there are definitely people with ill intentions following us. So, I need to make some preparations first…”

He couldn’t help but pinch the other’s face and said with a smile, “Alright.”

When they arrived at their destination, the two of them were still laughing and talking. Out of nowhere, a person dressed in black knelt at Lord Yu’s feet and respectfully addressed him as the leader.

This was the first time he had ever seen someone from the demonic cult. Lord Yu had kept his identity a secret, fearing his reaction, but now he couldn’t help but look him up and down, suddenly recognizing the person.

Before he could get a closer look, Lord Yu had already sent the person away. His chin was gripped by a slender finger, forcibly turning his head to meet a pair of gentle, watery eyes.

“Brother, are you staring at others? Aren’t you afraid I’ll get jealous?”

The person seemed somewhat aggrieved in his tone, but his hands couldn’t help but wander. He helplessly held the other’s wandering hand and said, “No, I just felt like I’ve seen you somewhere before… Mmm.”

His lips were suddenly sealed in a surprise kiss, and he squinted his eyes, quickly getting lost in the moment. When the kiss finally ended, both of them were panting heavily. Lord Yu buried his head on his shoulder, nuzzling like a puppy.

“I have some things to take care of first. I’ll come back in a couple of days and bring you a gift, alright?”

In this situation, he couldn’t refuse, so he naturally agreed.

After Lord Yu left, he asked a servant for a jug of wine.

The night was devoid of stars, with only a hazy crescent moon remaining. He leaned against the window sill, gazing at the imperfect moon. The fiery liquor flowed down his throat, making his body feel warm.

Closing his eyes, he recalled the moment in the pitch-dark dungeon when his father entrusted him with a task—destroy the treasure map, and…

“Promise me… promise me… if there’s any betrayal… you won’t meet a good end!”

In that moment, the frail old man on the verge of death once again became the formidable martial world leader of the past. He had an unbreakable determination, just as he could forgive his treacherous brothers and force his own son to make the most ruthless vow.

The paths of righteousness and evil could never coexist.

This had been Xie An’s philosophy for decades, etched into his very bones, ingrained in his soul, and not even death could erase it.

Perhaps he had been drinking too hastily, as he choked on a sip, bending over and coughing violently. When he looked up, his face was wet, and he wiped it with his hand, unsure if it was sweat or tears.

“I’ve promised him a lifetime, so I won’t let him down,” he murmured. When the wet spots on his face were dried by the wind, he shook the empty wine bottle and flashed a smile at the not-quite-round moon.

“Dad, in the next life, it will be my turn to serve you like an ox and a horse. For this life, can you grant me this one request?”