Chapter 299: Brother Liang, everyone was young
The bamboo forest was incredibly serene, enveloped in a gentle mist. Liang Zhu remained cautious, silently trailing behind Jianghe, but his gaze darted quickly between the bamboo stalks.
While lush bamboo forests typically impart a sense of relaxation, especially in the height of summer when there was not an excessive amount of fiery spiritual energy, Liang Zhu didn’t share the sentiment.
Perhaps it was due to his professional instincts. Liang Zhu didn’t like bamboo, especially when it grew densely in areas rich with spiritual energy. Its rapid growth and dense nature, coupled with its inherent wood spiritual energy, could obstruct spiritual consciousness, making bamboo forests prime ambush spots for cultivators.
That was his first reason for disliking bamboo. But there was a second reason. Bamboo reminded him of things he would rather not think about.
…
Clang—
Underneath the rainy night, a lightning bolt illuminated the dark sky, revealing the tired and tense face of a young man amidst the bamboo forest below.
Appearing to be around twenty or so, his face still carried the spirited youthful vigor of adolescence. He tightly gripped a broken sword with countless gaps in his right hand and limped toward the depths of the bamboo forest. Cradled in his left arm was a swaddled bundle containing a wailing infant.
“Waaaahhhhhh—!!”
“Be good~ Be good~~ Once we’re out of this bamboo forest, I’ll find you some milk to drink… Don’t cry, shh—”
Just then, a figure darted out from behind a clump of bamboo, accompanied by another peal of thunder from the sky.
Boom—
Reacting swiftly, the man immediately held the baby close with his left hand, grasped the broken sword with his right, and positioned it in front of his neck.
Clang!
The clash of swords blew away the scattered bamboo leaves on the ground as their blades collided. The person wielding the sword at the man stared intently into his eyes and shouted, “Liang Zhu!!! Do you know what you are doing?”
“Yue Longxing… Can you let me go? This isn’t about you and me.”
“The infant in your arms is the second princess!!” Yue Longxing’s eyes widened as he forcefully pushed Liang Zhu back. “The spiritual energy in the Central Domain has been chaotic for years, and now we’re at our wits’ end.”
“Are we really going to let an infant girl die?”
Clang!
The swords clashed once more.
“Is one life worth sacrificing for the peace of a region?”
“I can’t stand it. Besides, I didn’t save the second princess alone.”
“Of course, I know. How could you, a mere guard, possibly bring the second princess out from the Zhongshan altar?” Yue Longxing clenched his teeth hard. “Liang Zhu, is it not too late to turn back now? Hand over the second princess to me. You can go wherever you want afterward, and no one will hold you accountable.”
“What if I refuse?”
“Then don’t blame your brother Yue for being ruthless…”
Swish—
Ding–!
The sound of swords clashed once more.
…
Thunderbolts flashed overhead, illuminating the bamboo forest and their faces once again. Soon after, the clashing of swords in the forest finally ceased.
Using the broken sword as a crutch, Liang Zhu half-knelt on the muddy ground. Several fresh scratches adorned his already scarred body. He gritted his teeth, lifting his head to look at the lifeless Yue Longxing beside him. He couldn’t help but grip the sword hilt tightly in his hand.
At that moment, it felt like time had stopped for Liang Zhu, and his ears were filled with piercing screams.
Clang—
Lightning lit up the bamboo forest, casting its light on his face again.
The next moment, a cry brought him back from the void to reality.
“Waaaahhhhhh—!!”
“Little princess, how…”
Liang Zhu, struggling to maintain his fading consciousness, suddenly noticed that the baby in his arms had stopped crying during the sword fight with his brother.
After hesitating for a moment, he licked his blood-stained lips and made a sound with his tongue against his teeth,
“Ting~~”
The wailing baby in his arms instantly closed her mouth, staring at Liang Zhu with her big eyes. But seeing Liang Zhu fall silent, she started crying again after a while.
“Waaaahhhhhh—!”
“Ting~~!”
“Um…”
“You’re quite a strange little one…” Liang Zhu smiled wryly, propped himself on the ground, and sat down, using his body to shield the baby in his arms. “From now on, you won’t be the second princess anymore. I’ll give you a new name, how about Ahting? You’ll take my last name, Liang…”
“Waaaahhhhhh—!”
“Are you agreeing or not? Well, I’ll take that as a yes.” Liang Zhu sighed softly, casting another glance at Yue Longxing. “Let’s head to the Western Regions… um… if we can survive tonight…”
The voice became weaker and weaker, and the already heavy eyelids could no longer withstand the pressure, slowly closing…
…
If there was a chance to do it again, Liang Zhu vowed never to do that again. It was so stupid. He almost risked his own life to save an unknown baby. Following behind Jianghe, Liang Zhu gritted his teeth slightly, wishing he could return in time and give his past self a good beating for such a foolish decision.
After walking for who knew how long, Jianghe suddenly spoke up ahead,
“Liang Zhu, I heard that you were a disciple of the Hundred Lotus Sect before joining the Heavenly Execution Court?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think of the Hundred Lotus Sect?”
Liang Zhu frowned slightly. Ye Anping had given him some tips on how to respond to these questions, so he answered as instructed,
“To be honest, I felt underutilized there. It’s just a small, poor sect.”
“Haha… That’s quite arrogant. Even though the Hundred Lotus Sect is your sect, you’re badmouthing it?”
“Immortality is sought on the path of cultivation, and loyalty to one’s sect comes second,” Liang Zhu replied respectfully. “I came to the Emperor Sect to find a better place to cultivate.”
“Well, let’s see…”
But Jianghe’s words abruptly halted. He stopped in his tracks, furrowing his brow.
Not far ahead, next to a green bamboo tree, stood two horses—one black, one white—feeding on bamboo left on the ground. Saddles rested on their backs, but there were no owners in sight.
“Why are there horses here?”
“Horses!”
Liang Zhu frowned, glancing forward. Upon seeing the horses, a sense of unease washed over him. He quickly retrieved a protective magical weapon from his storage bag and kept it ready in his sleeve.
“Is someone hiding in the forest?”
Jianghe smiled faintly, taking a step forward and using his spiritual energy to amplify his voice,
“Dear friends, why hide? I am Jianghe, an envoy of the Heavenly Execution Court. I would like to speak with you.”
