Chapter 302: Night Talk Between Lovers

Chapter 302: Night Talk Between Lovers

Wan Yilan and Wan Zangxin fell in love, but their relationship was not tolerated by Wusheng Hall.

This was something Wan Yilan had not realized in the past.

Although she was the young lady of Wusheng Hall, she never considered her status particularly noble.

The person she loved was simply the person she loved, even if he was just an ordinary, low-ranking disciple within Wusheng Hall.

As long as she liked him, that was enough.

The innocence of first love far surpassed the differences in status and position.

However, it wasn’t until Wan Yutang found out about this that she realized how naive she had been.

She was the beloved daughter of Wusheng Hall, while Wan Zangxin was a nobody. How could he ever be worthy of her?

In the past, she hadn’t seen this as a valid reason. Even if her father and mother forbade it, she stubbornly refused to back down.

But Wan Yutang told her that if she persisted, she would be the death of Wan Zangxin.

Because… she was the beloved daughter of Wusheng Hall.

Many would never accept her marrying a commoner.

Whoever married her would gain immense benefits.

They wouldn’t be marrying her for herself, but for what she stood for.

How could such things be easily given away?

Therefore, if word got out about her relationship with Wan Zangxin, Wan Zangxin would undoubtedly be killed.

Many, both openly and in secret, would stop at nothing to kill him.

Wan Yilan believed these words and asked her father what she should do to be with the person she loved.

Wan Yutang told her at the time.

Endure!

Endure the pain of being apart for now. If she wanted to be together for the long term, she couldn’t see Wan Zangxin for a while.

During this time, as the hall master of Wusheng Hall, he would help Wan Zangxin rise in every way possible.

If Wan Zangxin proved to be a talent worth nurturing, he would surely rise quickly.

In just a few years, he would become worthy of his beloved daughter.

But if he wasn’t worth it… then the matter would be off the table.

If Wan Yutang hadn’t added those final words, Wan Yilan might not have believed him.

But after hearing those final words, Wan Yilan came to believe that her father truly meant to help Wan Zangxin.

So she agreed.

She believed that even if Wan Zangxin struggled for now, he would surely rise to greatness in the future.

During that time, Wan Zangxin was avoiding her for some unknown reason.

She decided to use this chance to avoid seeing him for a while.

Little did she know, this separation nearly became a permanent goodbye.

On the night Wusheng Hall caught fire, she had inquired with her maid, Zhuxiu.

She was simply told it was an accidental fire.

From then on, she only heard about Wan Zangxin when she asked.

But none of this news was true.

They said the hall master admired Wan Zangxin, taught him martial arts, and that he was training hard.

Later, when she asked again, they said the hall master had given Wan Zangxin a mission, and he’d left to carry it out.

Every time she asked, she’d get some update.

Sometimes it was about Wan Zangxin rising to fame, and other times, it was about treasures the hall master had gifted him.

Over time, she grew more certain of that future.

She believed that as long as she stayed away from Wan Zangxin, he would remain safe and continue to improve.

She endured the heartache, waiting for the day Wan Zangxin would return to her as someone new.

No longer just an ordinary, nameless disciple.

Although she never paid much attention to this.

But... this way, he would be safe, and she would be happy.

That was all that mattered.

But... who would have thought that when she heard about Wan Zangxin again, it was nothing like what she had imagined.

Over half a month ago, she suddenly remembered a type of wine she had once drunk with Wan Zangxin. She slipped away from her maid, disguised herself, and sneaked off to buy the wine.

Then, she overheard two martial artists discussing the Tianquan Sword Debate in the tavern.

It was only then that she realized that the Wan Zangxin they were talking about was completely different from the one in her heart.

A disciple of the Tianquan Elder, who had received the favor of the Night Lord, had visited Wusheng Hall, had fallen in love with her, but was then issued the Wusheng Order by Wan Yutang and chased all the way from Wusheng Hall to East City.

In the end, during the Tianquan Sword Debate, he revealed his identity, felt too ashamed to face the world, and wanted to atone with his death.

But in the end, he was killed by Su Mo, the chief escort of the Ziyang Escort Bureau, with a single palm strike!

Everything she had believed in the past shattered in an instant.

It turned out that the story had ended from the very beginning.

What about making a name for himself?

What about matching statuses?

What about Wan Zangxin someday marrying her with a grand procession?

They... would never have a future together!

That day, she returned to Wusheng Hall in a state of confusion.

She stormed into her mother's room to confront her, then went to find her father, but... her father was in meditation retreat.

Wan Yilan was utterly devastated.

She wished to die so that Wan Zangxin wouldn't have to walk alone in the cold underworld, with no one to care for him or keep him company.

She wasn't sure if Wan Zangxin would wait for her, but she had to go find him.

In this world, there are two people who, if separated, cannot live without each other.

But even if she wished to die, she couldn't.

Because her parents forbade it.

No matter what she tried, she failed.

Then she went silent.

After Wan Yutang and Madam Wan conferred, they decided to marry her off.

She remained silent.

She understood their motives...

A woman, once married, would slowly forget the one she loved?

She sneered at this.

She didn't even bother to argue.

She harbored nothing but hatred for them.

They had betrayed her, harmed Wan Zangxin, but... they were her parents. What could she do, despite her hatred for them?

Instead of lashing out with harsh words, it was better to stay silent.

After all, if she truly wished to die, she would find a way eventually.

At a moment when none of them would notice, she could end her life.

It was just unfortunate for Li Xuechun. Why would he want to marry someone on the verge of death?

This icy, silent resolve only shifted when news of Su Mo reached her.

And that was why everything that transpired tonight occurred.

In the drum tower, the assassination attempt failed, and the dagger was knocked from her hand.

She thought it was her parents' interference again.

Her resentment surged once again.

But she never expected it to be Wan Zangxin.

And when she learned from Su Mo that Wan Zangxin was still alive, her world finally brightened.

Even the resentment towards her parents had grown faint.

All that remained was an indescribable discomfort.

And she began to consider their good sides...

At the very least, they still cared about her life and death.

She... was ultimately their daughter.

As long as they didn't know that Wancangxin was still alive, and as long as Wancangxin took her away,

everything would develop in a positive direction.

Her heart simply indulged in such simple fantasies about the future.

However, she never could have imagined.

Her parents, it turned out, didn't even care about her life or death!

Then why did they insist on stopping her from committing suicide?

And why did they care who she married?

In that moment, Wanyilan felt an extreme chill all over her body.

She was seized with an urge to rush out and demand answers.

But... she didn't go.

She didn't even dare to take a deep breath.

Both Wan Yutang and Madam Wan were highly skilled in martial arts.

The slightest slip-up, and she would be discovered.

It wasn't just about her being discovered—how could she expose Chief Escort Su?

And once she was noticed, if Chief Escort Su got into a conflict with them...

No matter who came to harm, she couldn't bear it.

So, she forced herself not to make any sound.

She listened intently to the conversation outside.

But Madam Wan's next words left Wan Yilan even more stunned.

Madam Wan suddenly slammed the table and rose to her feet:

"That's it! You don't want her to kill Su Mo, and you don't want Su Mo to kill her either.

After all, she’s still valuable to you—otherwise, why would you care whether she lives or dies?

In truth, you’re trying to use Su Mo to kill me!

Who is Su Mo, after all?

Eastern Wasteland's Number One—even the Night Lord of East City's Eternal Night Valley can’t rival him."

"If I were by Yilan's side tonight, ensuring her safety,

and intervened when Su Mo attempted to kill her, wouldn't it be justifiable for Su Mo to kill me if I acted?

What exactly are you blaming me for?

You're blaming me for not doing as you wished.

Letting Su Mo kill me, and breaking ties with Wusheng Hall.

From then on, you could shut him out and seize all the power I hold.

Wan Yutang, when it comes to ruthlessness, who else in heaven and earth could match you?!"

Her voice had lost its usual charm, turning sharp and cutting like a blade.

Wan Yutang, on the other hand, calmed down.

After a long silence, he coldly sneered:

"You crazy woman, always spouting nonsense.

If I wanted you dead, why would I have let you live this long?

Despite your self-proclaimed intelligence, haven't you noticed that a rat has infiltrated the hall?"

"What do you mean?"

Madam Wan was stunned, her arrogance fading.

Wan Yutang then uttered coldly three words:

*Wan Zangxin!*

"Wan Zangxin?"

Madam Wan was instantly shocked, as was Wan Yilan.

She could disregard her own life, even endure hearing that her parents didn’t care about her.

After all, she had long resented them for issuing the Wusheng Order against Wan Zangxin.

And for lying to her all this time.

When she resolved to die, she hadn’t given them a second thought.

As such a daughter, even if they didn’t care about her life, she had no words left.

But when it came to Wan Zangxin, how could she not be shocked?

In her shock, she nearly forgot to hold her breath.

Just as her breath was about to escape, Su Mo suddenly flicked a finger.

Wan Yilan froze instantly.

Not only did her breath stay contained, but she also couldn’t move.

Su Mo let out a soft sigh, though his brows remained deeply furrowed.

Is Wan Zangxin Wan Yutang's target?

When did he first notice Wan Zangxin's infiltration into Wusheng Hall?

If true, using Wan Yilan to exact revenge and draw out Wan Zangxin makes perfect sense.

However, upon carefully considering Wan Yilan's earlier words, it seems that what Wan Yutang said... might not be true.

Su Mo asked himself, with his current martial prowess and keen senses, even someone as skilled in concealment as Yu Lingxin, if she wanted to recreate the scene of the covert assassination in the Peach Blossom Forest that day.

It would never escape his notice.

In the drum tower tonight, besides himself and Wan Yilan, there was only one other person.

That was Wan Zangxin.

Su Mo was so certain because he had once teamed up with Wan Zangxin.

He was intimately familiar with the breathing methods of the Tianquan Heart-Cleansing Sword.

Especially after Wan Zangxin later taught Su Mo the sword techniques of the Tianquan Heart-Cleansing Sword.

Su Mo's understanding of it deepened even further.

And besides Wan Zangxin, there was no one else around at that moment.

This, Su Mo could be sure of.

But then, what does Wan Yutang's statement imply now?

With a slight furrow of his brow, he already had the answer.

Wan Zangxin... is in grave danger!

The thought had just crossed his mind when he heard Wan Yutang sneer:

"It's precisely this person!"

"You... what are you babbling about?

"Wan Zangxin has been dead for a long time, struck down by a single palm from Chief Escort Su of the Ziyang Escort Bureau.

"What kind of man is he? Even Sect Leader Youquan could be felled with a single palm strike, let alone someone like Wan Zangxin?"

"Dead?"

Wan Yutang shook his head and said:

"This matter is riddled with doubts.

"In Tianqu City, when Wan Zangxin attempted to take his own life, two people intervened to save him.

"One was Liu Suifeng, the Jade Willow Sword Heart from Jade Willow Villa.

"The other was Chief Escort Su from the Ziyang Escort Bureau.

"But, right after saving him, they immediately beat him to death...

"What kind of sense does that make?"

"After capturing Wan Zangxin today, I am certain that what happened in Tianqu City that day was nothing more than a charade.

"It was a grand scheme to turn Wan Zangxin from the open to the covert, secretly infiltrating Wusheng Hall!

"Unfortunately, despite their meticulous planning, they still came up short.

"Now, Wan Zangxin has been captured by me and cast into the Endless Prison."

"You cast him into the Endless Prison?"

Madam Wan was startled, her voice involuntarily rising.

"Huh?"

Wan Yutang's voice carried a hint of confusion:

"What is it?"

"No... nothing."

Madam Wan gently shook her head: "In the Endless Prison... is that old devil still alive?"

"Naturally, he won't die."

Wan Yutang suddenly laughed: "Your tone suggests you still have feelings for him?

"After all, a day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of kindness, and a hundred days creates a bond as deep as the sea... You two were married for over a year. How could you not hold him dear?

"Unfortunately, while you care for him, he may not care for you.

"If you want to see him, I’ve already told you where the Endless Prison is.

"You can visit him anytime.

"Unfortunately, he is no longer the man of vigor he once was.

"Now, he is just a pitiful wretch who would kneel and kowtow, calling anyone 'grandpa' for a mere bun."

"If that were truly the case, why would you let him live?"

Madam Wan appeared to lose interest, but then sneered:

"Enough already. There's no point in discussing this now.

"Over a year of marriage... yet we are worse than strangers. What does it matter?

"If it weren’t for that, how could I have seen your true nature so quickly?

"Did you come here today only to discuss Wan Zangxin?"

"Wan Zangxin is nothing more than a rat. The real concern is Su Mo..."

Wan Yutang frowned deeply: "This man is no ordinary man. His arrival this time may not be solely about Ding Wugong and Ren Xiongfei."

"Ren Xiongfei... what’s his story?

"Is he truly from your Dark Hall?"

"He is not from the Dark Hall. He is a man of the Night Lord."

Wan Yutang laughed loudly:

"The Night Lord of Eternal Night Valley has grand ambitions to spread his influence across the world, but his plans are full of holes, making him laughable.

"If he lacks such capability, why bother with such a grand scheme?

"He intends to use my Wusheng Hall to plot against the Fallen Phoenix Alliance."

"What does this have to do with the Fallen Phoenix Alliance?"

Madam Wan was once again puzzled.

"The Night Lord of Eternal Night Valley has been plotting against the Fallen Phoenix Alliance for quite some time...

"In fact, he has been planning for the southwest region longer than the Youquan Cult.

"But this matter is not urgent; the pressing issue is still Su Mo.

"Since Wan Zangxin is still alive, it means Su Mo deceived everyone during the Tianqu Sword Discussion.

"Now that Wan Zangxin has returned to Wusheng Hall and Su Mo has arrived...

"Tell me, is this a coincidence, or was it planned?"

"This..."

Madam Wan gasped: "What are we to do?"

"Before I even came to you, you're already in a panic?"

Wan Yutang sneered:

"Coming to you today was the right move.

"Now, I have thrown Wan Zangxin into the Boundless Prison.

"Except for you and me, everyone who knew about the Boundless Prison is dead.

"Even if Chief Escort Su is highly capable, it's impossible for him to find the Boundless Prison.

"And from today on, you must keep a constant watch on Wan Yilan.

"This girl... is too rebellious. If she weren't still useful to me, I would have killed her with a single slap.

"You must keep a close eye on her and make sure she has no further contact with Su Mo.

"Also, don't say anything wrong.

"In three days, Yilan's wedding will take place. Once this is settled, the major event will be considered done.

"Regarding Chief Escort Su...

"First, he came to Wusheng Hall using Ding Wugong as an excuse.

"If he wants to confront Ren Xiongfei, whether it's an excuse or not, we can just hand Ren Xiongfei over to him.

"This is the perfect chance to remove the venomous fang the Night Lord of Eternal Night Valley planted in my Wusheng Hall.

"Second, we must keep quiet about Wan Zangxin's matter."

"Whether they had planned it or not, this matter is final, and we are completely in the dark about it.

"It's common knowledge that Chief Escort Su himself killed Wan Zangxin...

"Why would he reveal his own flaws?

"Even if he still has designs on our Wusheng Hall, he has no grounds.

"After three days, once the wedding is over and these matters are settled, as long as he leaves Wusheng Hall.

"All the turmoil will be over.

"Su Mo will still be the First of Donghuang, and our Wusheng Hall will still honor and respect him.

"Just wait a few more years, and we'll see who truly rules the world!"

"Hmm..."

Madam Wan nodded: "Since that's the case, we shouldn't waste any time. I'll go look for Yilan now."

"Good."

After saying this, Wan Yutang hesitated for a moment, then added:

"Normally, you should be a bit more careful. After all, you are the wife of the hall master of Wusheng Hall.

"How can you just let people stay in your room overnight?

"If this gets out, how can I keep my reputation intact?"

"What? You’re jealous too?"

Madam Wan giggled softly, her voice dripping with charm.

"Hmph, I just don’t want you to tarnish your reputation, that’s all."

Wan Yutang flicked his sleeve and stormed out of the study.

"Let me play with him for a few more days, then I’ll finish him off."

Madam Wan trailed behind Wan Yutang, her voice fading into the distance…