Chapter 214: Granting Your Wish
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"I went to physicians and searched for medicine; nothing helped until I found a physician who was proficient in mystical Qi. He told me the problem lies within the cultivation skill I trained in – Second to None Magic. The martial arts world calls it… Art of Seclusion."
Mi Kongqun said, "My Second to None Magic was given to me by my master. He already knew the pros and cons, as well as the risks, of cultivating it."
"But there was no turning back once I realized it."
"Even if I destroyed the skill I’ve cultivated at once, or the entirety of my cultivation base even, nothing helps. My physical condition can’t be reversed!"
"I went to look for my master, I wanted to ask for an explanation. I couldn’t find him anymore…."
"Afterwards, I realized that there’s nothing else I can seek other than power… Gradually, from reluctance to an acknowledgment of my condition, from humiliation, from anger, and from despair… I managed to accept it – accepting because I had to accept it."
"Five years pa.s.sed. I’ve changed totally within the five years, into an entirely different person. My master appeared again then."
"He asked me frankly, is it hard?"
"Is it hard? What say you? Is it hard?"
Mi Kongqun laughed weirdly.
"I guess your reply then should be… it isn’t!" Yun Yang answered softly.
Gritting his teeth, Mi Kongqun smiled saying, "Correct. My answer then was, indeed it isn’t hard. I’ve already become so – even when I’m filled with complaints, what’s the point of it? There’s no meaning!"
"Seeing that I was willing to accept the reality, my master was pleased. He found out about the tense atmosphere at home too, saw how I suffered to go through days in the family… He asked if I wanted a way out, to change the state of my life."
"That time, I answered without even thinking – I wanted to leave!"
"Back then, I felt that I had been patient for far too long!"
"My master arranged for me to enter the palace, saying since I can’t achieve the success of a man, I should seek another way. As long as I can achieve another kind of success, my life would not be a waste…"
"I chose to enter the palace, never regretting my decision… until now."
"I haven’t returned home in a long, long time."
"It was until that day when your family kidnapped my family that I went back. It was then that I saw my wife again."
"My wife… Her stunning beauty had been unsurpa.s.sable then. Now, she has become an old wrinkled woman adorned in silver strands!"
Mi Kongqun snorted. "Do you know that feeling? No, you won’t. If you hadn’t experienced it personally, how will you know what you’ve missed?"
Yun Yang kept quiet for a bit. Then, he asked, "Your master… why did he harm you like this?"
The resentment burned brighter on Mi Kongqun’s face.
Yun Yang cultivated Endless Divine Art to cool his heart down completely, like wrapping snow and frost around it. Then he used the prowess of his deific consciousness, exuding it to its limit as he said unexpectedly, "The people your master arranged to enter the palace all these years… I believe you were not the only one?"
No matter what had caused Mi Kongqun to drop his guard tonight, it was a G.o.dsend opportunity to Yun Yang. It was because of this that he attacked with his deific consciousness without hesitation.
Mi Kongqun felt even more dazed, the old tender romance that had long been buried in his heart surfacing fragment by fragment. It caused his resentment to flare like a prairie fire. Without a thought, he spat, "Of course there wasn"t just me. The Minister of Imperial Household, Jiang Zhong, came in even earlier than I did."
"It shouldn’t only be the two of you. Since it’s a planned conspiracy, how can a storm be brewed if there are only two partic.i.p.ants? There must be people who a.s.sisted you all," Yun Yang continued to pester the beleaguered man.
Mi Kongqun sighed, "Since it was supposed to be a wide-scaled affair, both the military and civil sides were unavoidably involved. Even during the royal purge this time, I was helped by both military and civil people… Speaking of which, it was only recently that I know that we have quite a number of men."
Yun Yang’s deific consciousness was exerting its force to push Mi Kongqun; Emmie was helping with all its might too. His tone grew more nonchalant as he said smiling, "I believe there must be a special existence that you’ve never expected…"
"It’s not only one person." Mi Kongqun smirked. "I didn"t expect Shen Yus.h.i.+ and Yang Botao to be ours. What’s even more surprising is that the top man of Board of War’s Grand Commandant is also one of our people."
Before he could finish, Mi Kongqun’s gaze flickered, perturbed. With the obvious growing unrest in his eyes, it was easily his self-defense mechanism kicking in and his subconscious struggling from being misled.
Sweat dotted Yun Yang’s forehead as it added to his pressure but his eyes bored holes into Mi Kongqun’s own pair and said, "Then your master is the Four Seasons Tower’s…"
Mi Kongqun was having an internal battle but words rolled out his tongue before he could do anything about it. "Of course he’s the Four Seasons Tower’s Autumn…."
That was all he could manage before a loud bang erupted. The chair he sat on was blown apart as he stood up, hollering angrily, "You…"
A saber light shone in Yun Yang’s hand – a cold flash of glinting steel.
The Divine Edge was already deeply embedded into Mi Kongqun’s chest.
After being in a trance controlled by Yun Yang, he was defenseless the moment he struggled free, an attempt aided by pure luck.
Yun Yang’s blow had gotten its target with just one strike!
Mi Kongqun turned quiet suddenly.
Looking at the s.h.i.+ny saber where part of it had penetrated him, despair emerged on Mi Kongqun’s face. The saber went right into where his heart lay – death was confirmed!
Mi Kongqun’s soul seemed to have left his body then.
He was not even angry from being manipulated, only looking at the saber on his chest and said calmly, "Who are you? You are not from the Qiu Family."
Yun Yang did not expect to hit his target so easily. He replied, "Your guess is right, I’m not from the Qiu Family. But… you haven’t finished your last sentence. Do you have the mood to complete it?"
"Is it not plenty enough, what I’ve told you?" Mi Kongqun laughed self-depreciatingly.
Yun Yang was quick to reply, "I will never complain too much of information like this."
"Your timing is great. Today was the only time I’ve ever lost my focus in my entire lifetime," Mi Kongqun sighed limply, feeling the saber destructing his meridians in a flurry but did not make any move to counter it.
Yun Yang acknowledged what he said. "I didn’t think to come across such a coincidence tonight too. I’ve gained much more than expected. The high heavens have gifted me a terrific chance. Perhaps, G.o.d bless kind people. Otherwise, how would Keeper Mi suddenly have a lapse of skill on your last day?"
Mi Kongqun let out a miserable laugh. "Everything has its reason. Ling Xiaozui’s sword air injury the other day has erupted the devil within me… I didn’t feel anything odd when the clouds gathered and wind bellowed the previous days but tonight… the cold moon is high in the sky… the cold moon hangs bright…"
"Ling Xiaozui has crushed my cultivation base right to second peak…"
"You needn’t be so careful. I’m a person of trash who has an imminent death, there’s no chance for retaliation," Mi Kongqun said.
"I know. That’s why I want to know more," Yun Yang replied.
He continued with genuine sincerity, "Eunuch Mi, this life of yours is incomplete if you are holding remorse to your heart. I guess you know it well too that you have no other opportunity to claim that regret with what’s transpired now… Although I’ve ended your life, if Eunuch Mi trusts me, I can still grant you a wish – your last wish."
"What price do you need me to pay in exchange for this help?" Mi Kongqun’s eyes shone brightly.
"Your master’s ident.i.ty – it will be enough!" Yun Yang answered.
Mi Kongqun’s gaze reflected the struggle he had with himself while Yun Yang attempted to persuade him faintly, "I believe that one of the people you loathed the most in this lifetime is none other than this person. Whether you tell me or not, you’ll have to die… It’s up to you… if you want revenge, or leave an opportunity for revenge."
"If you don’t want it, I will send you on your way, quickly and easy."
"After all, this is the inner palace. The scent of blood attracts too much trouble, I can’t stay for long," Yun Yang finished composedly.
With a chuckle, Mi Kongqun took a step back, trembling, pulling himself out from the tip of the saber. Blood spurted from the gash as he looked at the glowing blade that was illusory and praised its owner, "What a terrific saber!"
Raising his head to look at Yun Yang, he asked, "You… which Supreme are you among the Nine Supremes?"
Yun Yang kept mum for a bit and questioned instead in a low voice, "How did you come up with this judgment?"
"Other than Nine Supremes, no one harbors such a great grudge against the Four Seasons Tower," Mi Kongqun answered.
"Hearsay has it that Supreme Wind, Flame, Blood, and Thunder are still alive in this world…" Mi Kongqun raised his question, "Which one are you?"
A ball of clouds bloomed from the tip of Yun Yang’s finger and floated before his chest; he spoke lowly with emphasis on each other, "Not only are Wind, Flame, Blood, and Thunder alive, I am too."
Mi Kongqun’s eyes brightened then. He exclaimed in relief, "It’s Supreme Cloud! The strategist of the Nine Supremes!"
"Yes, that would be me." Yun Yang admitted wryly.
Mi Kongqqun laughed dryly, suddenly bowing low and said, "Supreme Cloud,my apologies!"
Yun Yang was startled but Mi Kongqun turned abruptly, pulling a wooden chest from under his bed slowly and said, "Lord Supreme Cloud, we were enemies before this – I, Mi Kongqun, have done the Nine Supremes plenty of wrongs too, but knowing that you’re Supreme Cloud, I’m relieved instead. Because you’re someone worthy of my trust."
"So I ask for your favor to pa.s.s this fortune to my family… There’s also this letter, and this moon jade pendant before my chest – pa.s.s them to my wife, and tell her this."
Mi Kongqun’s chest was bleeding endlessly, his face turning pale as a sheet, but he did not mind. His...o...b.. were full of regret and guilt as he spoke word by word, "I regret it, truly I do. But it’s too late, there’s no turning back. I really want to watch the moon again with her just like those years."
Yun Yang memorized his words and replied with gravity, "I will remember."
"Thank you!" An easy smile, never seen before, hung on Mi Kongqun’s face, the upturn of his lips genuine.
He took two steps back slowly to sit by his bed, his hands searching for his blanket and pillow shuddering. He heaved a slow exhalation of breath and said softly, "Supreme Lord Spring Frost is He Hanqing, while my master is Supreme Lord Autumn Chill. Right now, he’s the top courtier for the Empire of Dayuan’s royalty."