Death… and me

Gu Du Xing suddenly leapt up, and let out a long and loud cry, "Tu Qian Hao, I hope you're listening from the afterlife. I – Gu Du Xing – vow to you that I'll ensure that your sword way becomes famous in the Nine Heavens! Farewell!"

"The people of Tu Clan… I'll be waiting for you to come and seek revenge for Tu Qian Hao."

The sword-light flashed with a loud thunderclap. And, Gu Du Xing's body burst into the mountain pass like a meteor. Then, it flashed once more, and he vanished without a trace.

The only remaining Fourth Grade Emperor Expert suddenly let out a miserable scream behind him. Then, his body instantly fell apart, and blood splattered out from it. There was a look of extreme disbelief on his face as he slowly collapsed.

"Gu Du Xing!" a King Level Expert yelled out in an angry voice, "You were leaving anyway… Then, why did you…"

He hadn't even finished what he wanted to say when another person covered his mouth, "Are you stupid? Gu Du Xing just saved our lives! Do you think that this elder would've been kind-enough to take us back to report to the clan after Gu Du Xing left?"

"Why?" That man was puzzled.

"The two elders had said that they would kill Gu Du Xing no matter what when they had been setting out. And, the two of them had firmly opposed our Young Lord when he had explained us everything. They had even instigated us to attack Gu Du Xing a moment ago…"

The person next to him heavily said, "The Young Lord is no more. So, would these two have been willing to go back to the clan and report honestly? You know… Young Master Tian has given them a lot of purple crystals in secret. I've seen it with my own eyes."

"You mean to say that they had secretly collaborated with the Tian Clan?" another person asked in astonishment.

"I don't know… But, this needs to be reported to the Clan Lord. We shouldn't be afraid of death. After all, not a single one of us would've gone back alive if we had fought Gu Du Xing. But, we must pass on the final words of Young Lord. What is the worst that can happen…? The clan will decide to take revenge on Gu Du Xing? Big deal! We'll just come back to stake our lives once again if that happens!"

"Right! Let's first carry Young Lord back home."

The remaining thirteen people discussed among themselves, and collected the seven corpses. Then, they made a stretcher, and carefully placed Tu Qian Hao's upright corpse of on it. They then lifted it up, and darted away.

A long time passed. Then, Gu Du Xing's figure flashed, and he appeared at this place again. He then raised his eyes to look at the figures of the people departing into the distance. He muttered, "Tu Qian Hao… Tu Qian Hao… what a pity…"

He then turned around, and moved forward step by step. He passed through the mountain pass while looking at the verdant and lush scenery spread into the distance. He suddenly felt his chest heating up, and a pretty figure appeared in his mind. He instantly had a strong urge, and his blood started to boil…

This urge even dispelled the melancholy that had been brought about by Tu Qian Hao's death!

[Sister Xiao Miao! I came back!]

[Hadn't I told you that I'll become an Emperor Level Expert, and lead the Gu Clan to glory?!]

[I had also said that I'll save you after I become an Emperor Expert… Then, I'll marry you, and make you my wife!]

Gu Du Xing let out a long and loud shout as he hurried forward. He only felt that his heart was getting hotter and hotter… until it had turned scalding hot. His heart had soon become so hot that it seemed like it would burn through his skin, and dig out.

He even had the urge to take off his shirt, and then crazily rush back home like a gust of wind.

He kept running at an increasingly fast speed, and eventually turned into a hurricane grazing through the ground. He was constantly issuing loud shouts from his mouth while going as fast as lightning. It seemed as if he was chasing the wind. In fact, he dashed the entire route to the Gu Clan in this manner!

[Sister Xiao Miao, I came back!]

…

~~ Inside Gu Clan Residence… in the garden… Lotus pond ~~

The lotus pond was full of lotuses. Those lotuses were in full bloom, and were full of fragrance… It seemed as if they were welcoming the autumn breeze. These lotuses flower were an abnormal breed of lotus. People would say that lotuses bloomed in June. However, the lotuses here were blooming in this cold wind of September.

In the center of the pavilion…

There was a girl with a graceful figure. Her beautiful and thick hair looked luxuriant like the clouds. She was sitting leisurely on a stool, and was holding a needle and thread in her hand. She seemed to be doing embroidery.

The pond was in front of her; next to the pavilion. There were two Autumn Wind White Jade Lotuses in that pond. These lotuses were in full bloom, and looked splendid. The lotus leaves seemed like boats as they floated on the water surface. Also, the petals were very thin and exquisite… like snowflakes.

There was a brocade-scarf in the girl's hand; it hadn't been fully embroidered at this time. However, it already had these two tender, beautiful, and exquisite-looking lotus flowers embroidered on it.

"My little brother and I had found these two Autumn Wind White Jade Lotuses when we had gone out to play together that year. Little Brother had noticed that I was very fond of them. So, he had secretly plucked them up, and transplanted them here. Then, the entirety of the pond here had unexpectedly gotten filled with these Autumn Wind White Jade Lotuses in the blink of an eye…

"There used to be only these two back then. They are twins… They are like a couple…" the girl muttered until here. Then, her indescribably beautiful face turned red through and through. She had apparently ended up speaking the secret of her heart out loud. Consequently, she became bashful for a moment as she couldn't bear it.

"Miao Ling," a calm voice sounded. Then, an old man in an embroidered robe slowly walked into the pavilion.

"Father…" This woman was none other than Gu Du Xing's beloved… the woman he yearned for day and night — Gu Miao Ling. And, the person who had just come-in was her father… as well as the Clan Lord of Gu Clan — Gu Yun Lan.

"You're doing embroidery again? Alas! You had started doing embroidery when these twin lotus flowers had just started to swell into buds. They are now in full bloom. But, you're still doing embroidery… you still aren't done?" Gu Yun Lan looked at her daughter, and all sorts of feelings welled up in his heart. His daughter had been disobedient and mischievous since childhood. She would often steal elixirs from the clan to assist Gu Du Xing with his practice. So, one could well imagine how she must've been as a child…

Gu Yun Lan could've never thought at that time that his daughter would one day quietly sit and do embroidery.

Gu Miao Ling's personality had undergone a big change after she was released from the Dragon Prison Cave. She had started to pay particular attention to a lot of stuff… whether it was the mannerisms of a lady, having an elegant demeanor, the conduct of a wife and a mother, or mothering skills…

She had unexpectedly started to study all of this with diligence.

And, this had left Gu Yun Lan amazed for a long time.

It was just that Gu Miao Ling knew one thing in her heart; [I'll be Little Brother's wife… Therefore, I want to be the best wife in the world! I want his brothers to be envious of him!]

[I may not be the most attractive among his brothers' wives. But, I must do my best!]

"Father, look at this lotus. Isn't it very pretty?" Gu Miao Ling smiled gently as she said, "I had made a braid on Little Brother's head when he was small. Then, I had tied up two flowers to it. Doesn't this lotus look like that?"

Gu Yun Lan was stunned. But, he twirled his beard, and nodded, "Yes!"

The fact was that he was bewildered in his heart; [You went as far as to braid Du Xing's hair when he was a kid? How did I not know?]

"Little Brother has been gone for a long time. I wonder how he's doing now…" Gu Miao Ling looked at the lotus flower, and seemed entranced. A long time passed. Then, she turned her head, and looked at her father. She only felt her heartstrings being plucked. Her heart ached as she said, "Father, your hair is turning white so fast. I remember that your hair was jet-black when I saw you around this time of the season last year."

Gu Yun Lan chuckled, "My daughter has reached a marriageable age. So, how can the father not be old?" He said in his heart, [My hair… has been white for a long time now. My hair had turned white the day the corpses of your two good-for-nothing elder brothers were brought back…]

"Miao Ling, wait for the time when Gu Du Xing returns. I'll fulfill my duty… I'll get you two married. And then… I'll transfer the family authority to Du Xing, and comfortably enjoy my remaining years in retirement. I'll spend my days leisurely and care-freely. What do you say?"

Gu Miao Ling's rosy cheeks blushed hard. She then lowered her head slightly, and angrily said, "Father, why are you asking me if you've already planned?"

Gu Yun Lan smiled mischievously, and teased her, "It can't be helped. After all, I can't overlook my daughter practicing hard every day to be a good wife and loving mother, can I?"

Gu Miao Ling instantly became bashful, and pouted playfully.

"Miao Ling, you won't hold any grudges against your father for keeping you imprisoned for several years, right?" Gu Yun Lan hesitated for a while before he was finally able to ask.

"Of course… there are no grudges!" Gu Miao Ling lowered her head, and replied. She then said in her heart, [I don't hold any grudges against you. Instead, I'm somewhat thankful. I don't know when that stupid goose would've noticed my feelings for him if not for those years…]

Both the Father and the Daughter were speechless. Then, they faintly heard a long and loud shout from a distant place. This shout had come-in like a blast. It had swept past a distance of dozens of miles before falling into their ears. And, it was getting closer and closer…

The Father and the Daughter stood up at the same time. Gu Yun Lan wrinkled his brows, and thought, [Why does this voice sound so familiar?]

However, Gu Miao Ling's body had started to shake. In fact, she was finding it difficult to stand still. Then, the brocade-scarf in her hand fell to the ground with a thud sound, and she muttered, "It's him! Little Brother has returned!"

She suddenly burst into tears!

This shout was getting closer and closer… It seemed as if this person was running very fast. It seemed as if he had been dozens of miles away one moment, and had already reached the clan's entrance the next moment!

Someone slammed the gate, and came-in with a bang sound.

Then, the guard's yell was heard from afar, "Young Lord, you're back!"

The guard's voice was full of excitement.

Gu Du Xing gave a smile to the guard. Then, he disappeared like a gust of wind.

The Father and Daughter saw a thunderbolt-like sword-light flash in midair as they stood in the garden. However, this sword-light disappeared the next instant. They then looked in the direction in which it had disappeared. It was hastily and impatiently rushing in the direction of the Dragon Prison Cave.

An excited shout was heard the very next moment, "Sister Xiao Miao!~~"

Gu Miao Ling's heart filled with happiness. And, her entire face turned red.

"This silly boy… He thinks that his Sister Xiao Miao is still imprisoned in the Dragon Prison Cave." Gu Yun Lan snorted. Then, he said in an annoyed manner, "This rascal! He hasn't come back in such a long time. But, he didn't come to greet me first now that he's finally back… He went straight for the one his heart is set on… his dear Sister Xiao Miao…"

Gu Miao Ling looked very bashful. She angrily said, "Dad! What are you saying?"

Gu Yun Lan smiled mischievously, and rubbed his beard. But then, he suddenly became startled, "How could that sword-light be so fast? A King can't possibly have such fast speed… Even I don't have such speed… And, I'm a Seventh Grade Martial King…"

Gu Miao Ling said in a consoling manner, "Father, I think that it has nothing to do with high cultivation. And, don't fret… You've only crossed 50 this year. So, the cultivation of Seventh Grade King Level can also be considered as a great achievement…"

Gu Yun Lan's face turned black, "Are you complimenting me? Or, are you mocking me? Gu Du Xing is 20 years old, but he has already broken through to the King Level. But, I'm over 50 now. And, Seventh Grade King Level is great achievement for me?!"

Gu Yun Lan's impression of Gu Du Xing was still stuck at the rumor which said that he had just broken through to King Level… And, that's because they had only received news of him when their troops had returned from the Northern Wilderness.

Gu Miao Ling's eyebrows curled. She couldn't help but smile.

A person's figure flashed, and Gu Du Xing came over while dashing with a 'whoosh' sound. Then, he called out in a pleasantly surprised manner, "Sister Xiao Miao, I've come back! Sister Xiao Miao… did you come out?"

[That was a bit stupid. You're standing here… So, is there a need to proclaim that you're back?]

[And, I'm in front of you… So, can't you see that I've come out?]