Finest Servant

Chapter 436

Chapter 436 A Complex Matter

Straining to lower his head, Lin Wanrong caught a glimpse of his legs still attached to his body and immediately felt elated. Fairy Ning was holding a sword in one hand while carrying him with the other, her toes barely touching the roof tiles as they darted forward. She moved like a wisp of smoke, incredibly fast. All he could hear was the sound of rushing wind; he couldn't even make out their direction.

Was he really not dead? Cold sweat soaked his clothes. His relief was indescribable. To escape death once was luck, twice was a matter of fortune, but a third time indicated a deep providence. Rejuvenated, he felt as if he could see hope once again. Fairy Ning's expression remained calm, her white robes fluttering gracefully. After a moment of intense speed, a hint of pallor appeared on her face. A sweet, orchid-like fragrance wafted into his nostrils, lifting his spirits.

"Fairy Sister," he spoke, causing her to abruptly halt, the tip of her sword touching his neck.

"Don't worry, Sister, I'm in no rush. Your well-being is what's important," he said warmly, sincerity filling his eyes.

Fairy Ning gave him a cold glance and loosened her grip. His body started plummeting straight down. Looking below, Lin Wanrong's heart skipped a beat. They were several meters above ground; falling from this height would turn him into a pancake. Taking a gamble, he clenched his teeth, shut his eyes, and fell. Just as he was about to hit the ground, a disdainful snort echoed in the air, and like a flash, Fairy Ning caught him again, continuing their rapid advance.

Lin Wanrong felt as if he had just been fished out of water, his clothes completely drenched in sweat. After so many life-and-death situations that evening, he felt somewhat numb. Closing his eyes, he decided to let Fairy Ning do as she pleased.

Both remained silent, the long night seeming even quieter. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lin Wanrong suddenly felt a cold wind blowing around him. Opening his eyes, he realized they were halfway up a mountain, Jade Buddha Temple below and the remains of the Jade Virtue Fairy Hall above, a place he had bombarded. Ruins and desolation met his eyes.

‘Why am I here?’ Lin Wanrong was shocked. Struggling slightly, he felt a sudden sharp pain in his back. Fairy Ning had mercilessly struck him with the scabbard of her sword. "Where are you taking me?" he groaned.

Fairy Ning didn't reply. She navigated the steep mountain path, the higher they climbed, the stronger the wind became. Her robe billowed, ethereal and elegant, while Lin Wanrong, lightly clad, shivered uncontrollably. After roughly the time it takes to brew half a pot of tea, Fairy Ning finally slowed down and unceremoniously dumped him onto the ground. The sharp rocks jabbed into his rear, causing excruciating pain.

Surveying his surroundings, he found himself at the peak of a cliff, a desolate and lonely place. The collapsed arch was close by, as was a newly built tomb—the final resting place of Recluse Jing'an, whom he had buried himself.

Fairy Ning stared vacantly at the new tomb, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Her grip tightened on her sword, veins appearing on her slender hands. Her beauty was tinged with an indescribable sense of desolation as the cold wind tousled her hair. She slowly inserted the sword into the ground in front of the tomb and knelt down. Finally, tears rolled down her cheeks as she broke into silent sobs.

It was over. Lin Wanrong felt his entire body break into a cold sweat. Could it be that the Recluse Jing'an was the mother of Fairy Sister? The head of the Jade Virtue Fairy Hall, who was driven to death by Lin San, was a matter known to all under heaven. No matter how crafty he was, no matter how well he could talk, he couldn't deceive the fairy. No wonder Ning Yuxi harbored such hatred toward him, repeatedly putting him in life-threatening situations, disregarding their past friendship.

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Seeing that Fairy Ning remained silent kneeling in front of the grave, Lin Wanrong knew that no method would work this time; he had no option but to risk his life and flee. As his mind made up the decision, he moved like a shadow, slowly retreating down the mountain.

"Think you can escape?" Fairy Ning seemed to have eyes in the back of her head. She gave a cold snort, lightly raised her hand, and three cold rays shot out. Lin Wanrong dodged two but was hit in the leg by the third. Reeling from the pain, he lost his balance and fell to the ground with a thud.

Things had really gone from bad to worse. As he saw Ning Yuxi approaching with a cold expression and a long sword shining with chilly light, all he could do was give a bitter smile. Of all the ways he had imagined dying, he had never thought he would die by her hand.

"How do you think I'll let you die?" Her long sword rested against his chest. Her voice was ice-cold, in stark contrast to her once gentle demeanor.

"If I could die a quick and easy death, that would be best," Lin Wanrong sighed, showing little sadness. His eyes wandered around, taking in the landscape. "This is a nice place. Green hills and clear waters, chirping birds and fragrant flowers. Being buried here wouldn't be a waste of my loyal bones."

"Loyal bones?" The fairy sneered. "You who destroyed my sacred hall and insulted my family, who is reviled and cursed by the world, dare claim to have 'loyal bones'?"

Lin Wanrong angrily retorted, "Fairy Sister, you saved my life. If you want to beat me or kill me, I won't even frown. But remember this, you can only speak for yourself, not for everyone. How do you know that the world will only curse me and not admire me? This is the typical arrogance of your Jade Virtue Fairy Hall. Everyone has their own hands, feet, brains, and thoughts. Who are you to speak for them?"

As he spoke, as if by magic, a black, sinister-looking musket appeared in his hands, its barrel gleaming with a cold light, aimed directly at Ning Yuxi.

Fairy Ning showed no sign of surprise. "You do have some skill, being able to bring out a hidden weapon in this situation. But that doesn't mean I'll be afraid of you." She sighed softly, "There's nothing left in this mortal world for me to be attached to. Even if it costs me my life, I will take yours."

Her face resolute, she gritted her teeth and prepared to lunge at him, ready for a fight to the death.

With a soft clang of metal hitting the ground, Ning Yuxi paused in bewilderment. Lin Wanrong had thrown the musket on the ground and sighed in resignation, "Fairy Sister, as I said, you saved my life. I won't be your enemy in this life. This is my way of repaying your kindness. If you want to kill me, go ahead. If I even frown, your son can take my surname."

Fairy Ning was dumbstruck. She had seen the power of that musket; even with her extraordinary martial skills, she had no guarantee of avoiding its bullets. Lin Wanrong had returned a great favor to her, and the price was his own life. When had he become so magnanimous?

It was a prolonged silence, a moment where emotions teetered on the brink. Fairy Ning's sword tip quivered slightly. "Don't think that your life will be spared because of this. You forced the Hall Master to her death; your sins are unforgivable—"

Lin Wanrong burst into laughter, his voice tinged with melancholy. "Fairy Sister, it is your multiple rescues I respect, not your words or your conduct. What fault is there in the love between Qingxuan and me? Why should you all seek to tear us apart?"

Fairy Ning seemed momentarily stunned. "The matter with Qingxuan is beyond my control. She made a vow in her youth to renounce worldly desires and serve the Sacred Hall for life. How could I betray her sincerity?"

"Renounce worldly desires? What a joke! We live in a mundane world, sustained by food and graced by life's ups and downs. Just as blood flows through our veins, how can one renounce the worldly life? You and Master Jing'an may stand high above, but Qingxuan and I are mere mortals. We yearn for a simple life together, not to become otherworldly fairies. Speaking of which, are these so-called 'fairies' even truly divine? They seem quite phony to me."

"Do not insult the Hall Master." Fairy Ning's face turned pale. "You forced her to her death, your sins are unforgivable—"

"What splendid unforgivability!" Lin Wanrong sneered. "Well then, let's say I accept my sins. But have you ever thought, what would have happened to Qingxuan and the child in her womb if I had arrived even a moment later? Would they have survived? If I am unforgivable for saving my wife and offspring, then the people you respect must be ten thousand times worse."

"How dare you!" Enraged, Fairy Ning lunged forward, her sword whistling sharply through the air, aimed directly at Lin Wanrong's chest.

Lin Wanrong smirked. A sense of numbness enveloped him as images of familiar faces flashed before his eyes—Xian'er, Qingxuan, Qiaoqiao, Ning'er, Sister An, the Madam.

As Fairy Ning closed in, her sword aimed at his chest, she thrust it down fiercely. Lin Wanrong remained unmoved, a smile spread across his face.

"Why, why are you smiling?" Her sword met his skin but could not penetrate further. Fairy Ning was visibly confused, her teeth clenched.

"Sister, is Master Jing'an your mother?" Lin Wanrong asked, his smile innocent, like an unguarded child.

"She is my aunt—I won't tell you!" Fairy Ning caught herself, her eyes widening in surprise.

‘So, she's not her mother?’ Lin Wanrong sighed in relief. "I knew it. How could someone as ethereal as you be the daughter of that phony Master Jing'an? You scared me."

His body was still trembling from the risk he'd taken, his life wagered on a gambit. He forced a smile onto his face, his skin tightening. "Sister, if you tell me who Master Jing'an is to you, I'll reveal a huge secret."

"I'm not interested," Fairy Ning huffed, her expression darkening. "I need to avenge my aunt. She's the only family I have left in this world."

So it was her aunt, Lin Wanrong sighed in relief with a smile, picking up the musket from the ground. Fairy Ning was taken aback and readied her longsword hastily.

Lin Wanrong shook his head slightly, a smile covering his face. "Thank you for your sincerity, Fairy Sister. Now it's my turn to repay you. You don't have to hesitate to kill me; I can do it myself."

He raised the musket and aimed it at his temple. Fairy Ning watched, alarmed, her voice trembling, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing special, just curious about the power of this musket," Lin Wanrong nonchalantly replied. He pressed the muzzle against his forehead, his smile turning mysterious. "Don't worry. Perhaps this musket lacks power, or maybe my skull is too hard. The bullet might not harm me."

"Then go ahead and die!" Ning Yuxi's expression grew increasingly irritated, her teeth clenched.

Lin Wanrong's face turned serious, his eyes closed, and his finger reached for the trigger. As he concentrated, Ning Yuxi's beautiful eyes flickered, filled with a mixture of hate, concern, and confusion—emotions even she couldn't discern.

He said nothing, remained calm, his finger slowly moving on the trigger. Even the usually composed Ning Yuxi couldn't maintain her calm; her heartbeat accelerated, her grip tightened on the sword, and her teeth clenched audibly. Her mind was torn between conflicting thoughts.

Lin Wanrong sighed softly, his finger quickly pulling the trigger. Fairy Ning's heartbeat surged, and without thinking, she swung her sword at his wrist.

"Aow!" Lin Wanrong cried out in pain as his wrist dropped. "Sister, what are you doing?"

Ning Yuxi gritted her teeth, "This is a sacred place. Don't tarnish it with bloodshed. Jump off this cliff; let's put an end to all of this."

Lin Wanrong couldn't help but chuckle quietly. He opened the case of his musket, revealing it was empty, with not even ammunition loaded. He shook his head and sighed softly, "Today, I took this musket to ask for the two young ladies of the Xiao family’s hands in marriage. To avoid accidental discharge, I had already removed the ammunition. The aim I took at you earlier was deliberate, so you would hesitate to act."

"You can call me despicable or shameless, but I am true to myself. As with the Recluse Jing'an, our viewpoints clashed but there was no hatred. I gave her a proper burial and kowtowed with Qingxuan at her grave. Standing here on this high peak, I can proudly say I have no regrets."

His expression was stern, every word forceful. Ning Yuxi looked at his resolute face and felt an indescribable sense of awe, her mind in turmoil.

Lin Wanrong turned back to her and smiled, but his smile was tinged with a kind of indescribable freedom. "Life is full of complexities and uncertainties, as intricate as Fairy Sister's desire to kill me—nothing could be more complicated than that."

"There's nothing more complicated than this," Ning Yuxi muttered to herself, suddenly struck by a realization she'd never had before: the Lin San facing him was someone she could probably never kill, even if she spent a lifetime trying.

Alas, Brother San's skills, they were effortlessly sublime, bordering on the miraculous.

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