Chapter 38

Translated by boilpoil Edited by boilpoil

While Bai Lianhua continues his adventurer business, he’s also paying attention to news from the capital, indirectly bearing witness to the imperial court finally subduing the forces of Lei Kuiliang bit by bit.

This is when the sudden death of Lei Kuiliang has reentered public discourse.

While the rumours say Lei Kuiliang is killed by his underlings’ infighting, but when all the rebellious elements were arrested, according to those present, none of Lei Kuiliang’s underlings admitted that they were the ones that did it.

After about a year of them telling on each other, instead, now it seems like they’ve reached a consensus that Lei Kuiliang is likely killed by someone that is capable of demonic techniques. The Sword of Inverse Springs was also likely taken away by that person.

That person was inexplicably brought to the main camp in a hurry, apparently related to the Sword suddenly going out of control earlier. He’s neither tortured nor killed, not even thrown into the dungeons. The person has only been put under house arrest and interrogated every now and then… After Lei Kuiliang’s death, that person has disappeared along with the Sword. So everyone believes he has something to do with it.

When this information made its way to the public, the commoners think differently of it.

Whether or not it’s demonic techniques, it’s fine as long as Lei Kuiliang ends up dead. So throughout retellings, this deed ended up becoming an immortal descending and is too abhorred by the Sword of Inverse Springs utilising Lei Kuiliang to jeopardise the world, and so came forth to subdue the Sword and removed it from the mortal world. The immortal, before returning to the Heavens, saw how evil Lei Kuiliang was and became sympathetic to the sufferings of the masses, so He decided to also get rid of Lei Kuiliang.

Bai Lianhua “???”

You all have great imagination, don’t you?

…

Bai Lianhua thought being mistaken for an immortal would already be the tallest of his lotus tales in this world, but he never expected it to evolve.

He’s done so much vigilante work that Bai Lianhua and his equipped sword have also become part of the legend that lives orally among storytellers in taverns.

They all say there’s this young man that looks weak and frail, completely powerless, but is in fact a swordmaster. His sword is coloured in blood, but despite looking like a malicious sword, it’s actually a sword of justice. It only harms evil and does not harm the good even one bit.

So, therefore, is he the errant-martial artist born to save the people of the world. All evil will be influenced upon meeting him and the criminals will recount their sins before repenting for their sins with death.

Bai Lianhua “…” No I’m not… If I really am capable of influencing people I’d have long solved the issue of the antagonist.

This is obviously the antagonist’s psychological manipulation at work! Ugh, this is so embarrassing!

Seeing Bai Lianhua’s expression as if he was struck by lightning the first time he’s heard the story from the mouths of the storytellers, the system can’t help but tease, “question, host, how does it feel to leave legends all over Jianghu?”

Bai Lianhua seems he’s lost the will to live, “hopeless.”

I can’t even bring myself to believe this is talking about me.

The white lotus is so embarrassed it’s going to redden to a pink lotus.

…

Zhong Xiutang has avoided Bai Lianhua for a total of five years, until today, when Zhong Xiutang appeared of his own volition.

Bai Lianhua is surprised to discover that the demonic aura has weakened significantly on him. Even his form is much fainter than before.

Was his previous guess correct? Doing good deeds with the Sword of Inverse Springs can purify the demonic aura on Zhong Xiutang?

But why has he turned more ethereal? This isn’t what happened the last time.

While Bai Lianhua is examining Zhong Xiutang, he’s also doing the same to him.

It’s been a long time since he has seen Bai Lianhua openly like this.

Zhong Xiutang looks at the arm that Bai Lianhua previously slashed. While the loose clothing is there between him and the skin, he can still firmly recall where the wound was and how it looked like.

Bai Lianhua starts to feel awkward from the gaze. While maintaining a calm expression, he says dryly, “long time no see.”

The system disses, “huh? It’s a long time for you, host, but given the Sword of Inverse Springs, the antagonist has been there every single moment.”

Bai Lianhua “…” Uh, true?

After the system says it, Bai Lianhua appeared less enthusiastic, and does feel that his greeting was a bit dumb.

Zhong Xiutang, the recipient, only lowered his eyelids slightly and ‘mm’ed in response, not appearing particularly concerned. He switches the topic, “you’ve wanted to see me? What do you want?”

“Nothing, just… talking, heart-to-heart?” Bai Lianhua appears embarrassed.

“A heart-to-heart? Sure.”

Zhong Xiutang is unexpectedly amicable.

Bai Lianhua, however, fails to come up with a good topic for a talk… While he’s never been separated from the Sword, he really didn’t see Zhong Xiutang for the whole period since that last time.

Five years’ gap. What were they supposed to talk about?

Zhong Xiutang says, “can’t think of something you want to say? Then I have something I want to say.”

Bai Lianhua seems confused, “what?”

“Tell me why you came back.”

Bai Lianhua “???”

He almost wants to tremble in reflex… Have they not talked about this topic enough? Zhong Xiutang has almost already completely exposed him.

Another exposure? Is he planning to even blow his pants off?

Zhong Xiutang approaches him, “don’t feel so unwilling to do so. It’s the last time already.”

Bai Lianhua doesn’t understand, “last time? What do you mean?” For some reason, he has a bad feeling about this.

Zhong Xiutang doesn’t answer him, instead, he continues.

“I know you don’t want me to be an evil spirit, and not cause chaos in the world, and only be a divine weapon.”

“I can’t. As long as I’m not in your hands, I can’t, but you can’t stay with me forever.”

“You will leave eventually.”

“I can’t keep you… I knew this already; ever since you reappeared, I’ve already had a faint feeling. I just kept trying to keep myself blind to this fact.”

Bai Lianhua loses his voice.

“I have had the idea many times to perhaps lightly slice the Sword on your neck… You’re always defenceless against me. Even in the dead of night, you don’t mind having me by your side and then falling asleep.”

“I just can’t do it.”

“I even thought I could just wait for you to grow old and die, and then use demonic aura to assimilate your soul so that you’re also turned into an evil spirit. This way it won’t hurt that much.”

“Though quickly I realise, this is also an exercise in futility, because I can never watch you pass away. As long as there’s still a bit of fundamental power on me, I’d give it to you… even if you might not want such a long life.”

“And what’s pure white, would only look best when it stays that way.”

If so, if he can’t make him stay and never leave, then instead, how about he’s permanently remembered by him?

Zhong Xiutang chuckles, “did you know that regardless of my will, as long as I’m by your side, I’m getting purified without a choice?”

“Are you happy?”

“But I’m barely able to maintain my form now.”

Bai Lianhua raises his head in surprise.

Since Bai Lianhua slashed himself causing him great emotional distress, that’s when Zhong Xiutang discovered that due to it being his second time falling into demonic path, the taint on him is no longer cleansable. Unlike last time, he can no longer return to a simple tool spirit after the demonic aura is cleaned up.

“Times change. Now, if there is yet demonic aura, I’ll still be here; the moment it disappears completely, so will I.”

But as long as he’s with Bai Lianhua, he will be unable to stem the dispersal of his own demonic aura.

Bai Lianhua is such a person though. He will always stir up one’s adoration for the world, one’s adoration for those wonderful feelings – all of which are polar opposites to the demonic aura.

Yet it is impossible to make him give up on Bai Lianhua for this.

Not daring to close in too much, afraid he’ll disappear too early; not willing to stay too far away, and only being able to observe his actions from afar. What a conflict.

Finally, the torturing is coming to an end.

“A thousand years of endless slaughter. I thought that that was the meaning of my existence. Now I don’t think so, and instead, the meaning of my existence is to complete you.”

“To add to your good name and good deed in the mortal realm. To make you successfully complete your training.”

“… You’d send me where I belong by sacrificing yourself, then I shall send you where you want by sacrificing myself.”

The moment he said this, the demonic aura on Zhong Xiutang is about to completely dissipate.

He shows a genuine smile, his appearance overlapping with the form of him as the normal tool spirit just before Bai Lianhua left this world before.

“I only hope that in the future, the Sword of Inverse Springs can accompany you in place of myself forever. Even by the day you depart this world, I hope it will be forever buried with you.”

I might not be able to accompany you for reincarnation after reincarnation. Then, at least let me hold onto you for this life.

Zhong Xiutang’s form continues to faint away as his voice grew quieter and quieter. At his last word, he’s already turning into sparkles of light and disappearing right in front of Bai Lianhua.

“No…”

Bai Lianhua is holding onto the Sword of Inverse Springs motionlessly, not knowing what to do; Zhong Xiutang is no longer in the Sword now.

After a while, when he started caressing the Sword with his hand, dazed, even the mark of blood started to faint. This is when Bai Lianhua realised, that the Sword of Inverse Springs without the spirit, can have its coating of blood rubbed away.

This is immediately followed by the familiar notification from the system.

But, even though he’s completed the mission successfully, Bai Lianhua doesn’t feel happy at all.

He looks at the Sword unblinkingly, his expression dazed and confused. He murmurs, “… huh? Didn’t you say you’ve saved me twice and I have to return the favour?”

He said it so firmly, like he will never let it go. So he was still waiting for him to cash in on whatever grand demands he’d make.

So why… did he just suddenly disappear?

He’s so resolutely said that he’d not be as easy to deceive like last time, but… I haven’t even managed to start ‘deceiving’ you?

Bai Lianhua furrows his brows. He doesn’t really know what he’s feeling.

The system suddenly acts, and seals the emotional fluctuations of Bai Lianhua.

Bai Lianhua looks like he snapped out of it, and looks at it funny.

The system tries to explain, “host, you must understand that this is also a good end for Zhong Xiutang.”

“It’s the same as the antagonists who you’ve spent time with smiling on their deathbeds.”

“Or he’d have forever wallowed in between people’s ambition and bloodlust. He’d never find peace.”

Bai Lianhua is silent. Then he quietly ‘mm’s.

He knows that.

But he’s… he’s just a bit sad.

This time, unlike before, Bai Lianhua doesn’t immediately leave this world like he did when he finished the missions before. Instead, he took the Sword of Inverse Springs that no longer has a sword spirit in it, and returns to a certain location. He returns to the place where he and Zhong Xiutang lived in seclusion away from people when he first came to this world. He lived out his peaceful days until he naturally passed away, fulfiling Zhong Xiutang’s wish.

It’s been a few dozen years. The name of the Sword of Inverse Springs is scantly ever mentioned again. And it can certainly be said that from then on, there will be no more new tales to add to the legend of the Sword of Inverse Springs.

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