“Leave the Su family, go where you want to go, and do what you want to do. For hundreds of years, this is something that no one has been allowed to do. The old master of our Su family is willing to make an exception for you.”
Su Changhe shook his head repeatedly, “Such generous terms… Sometimes I really envy you. Even though we came from the same crucible, the old master’s favoritism towards you is truly excessive.”
“What if I refuse?” Su Muyu asked.
“The old master fished you out of the river and raised you for so many years. How many years have you followed the patriarch? Can your bond with the patriarch be deeper than your bond with the Su family?” Su Changhe asked rhetorically.
“My bond with the Su family is indeed deeper than my bond with the patriarch. But I am now the Kui, and I can only be responsible to the patriarch.” Su Muyu shook his head gently, “I’m sorry.”
“Exactly, exactly, That’s exactly what I told the old master, knowing you’d say something along those lines.” Su Changhe shrugged, gently flipped his wrist, and he was already holding the dagger, “Then the old master said, ‘If that’s the case, then kill him.'”
Su Muyu gripped the oil-paper umbrella tightly. “Is the old master planning to seize the position of patriarch through treason?”
“It’s not just the old master, the Xie family wants it, the Mu family wants it too. So the position can only belong to whoever is strong enough to take it! Ultimately, all of this stems from you. In previous generations, the next Dark River patriarch was always directly succeeded by the Kui, but this time, the Kui is you. Who are you? You are Su Muyu, just like me, Su Changhe, we both came from nameless origins.” Su Changhe sneered, “People from nameless origins are not qualified to lead the entire Dark River.”
“I don’t want this position. When the patriarch recovers, I will discuss this with him and let him choose a suitable successor to take on the role of Kui.” Su Muyu replied.
“Sometimes you’re terrifyingly strong, and sometimes you’re adorably naive.” Su Changhe leaned slightly and shook his head, “If it weren’t for your martial arts skills, you would have died hundreds of times by now.”
“If he wasn’t terrifyingly strong and adorably naive back then, you wouldn’t have become Su Changhe.” Su Zhe walked in, leaning on a Buddhist staff, and stood beside Su Changhe.
“Uncle Zhe.” Su Muyu respectfully bowed his head.
“Little Muyu, you’re almost as strong as Changhe when it comes to fighting, but what do you think if you add me into the mix?” Su Zhe shook his monk staff, causing the golden rings on it to make a crisp clinking sound.
“If Uncle Zhe and Changhe join forces, then I am naturally no match for you, but I must still try.”
Su Muyu bowed slightly, his killing intent gradually condensing. The three of them had once fought side by side, together resisting the invasion of the demonic sect’s army. They knew each other’s strengths all too well. For any one of them to face the other two at the same time, there was only one path to choose: a fight to the death.
“Perhaps a wooden donkey head is exactly what you are.”
Su Changhe leaped forward, charging towards Su Muyu. Su Muyu dodged to the side, and the dagger in Su Changhe’s hand shot out, grazing Su Muyu’s demon mask and hurtling towards the statue of Lu Zu within the hall.
At that moment, the eyes of the Lü Zu statue suddenly moved.
The dagger plunged into the center of Lu Zu’s forehead, and in an instant, the entire statue crumbled. A scream echoed from behind the statue, followed by a white figure flashing past, crashing through the roof and escaping.
Su Changhe raised his head, looking at the white-robed man standing on the roof, and sneered, “Mu Zhe of the Mu family, did you enjoy eavesdropping in there?”
Mu Zhe pressed several acupoints on his chest to stop the bleeding, then sneered, “The Su family is plotting a rebellion!”
“Doesn’t the Mu family want it? Doesn’t the Xie family want it?” Su Changhe extended his hand toward the hall, and the dagger immediately flew back into his grasp. “To take action, all one needs is a reason. But the outcome depends solely on one’s strength.”
Mu Zhe snorted coldly, then swiftly turned and fled.
Su Changhe tightened his grip on the dagger and turned to look at Su Muyu.
At that moment, Su Muyu’s demon mask, sliced in two, fell to the ground, revealing a young face beneath it.
As Bai Hehuai had said, beneath the mask was a cold and handsome face, only with a slight frown and a hint of melancholy.
“Changhe.” Su Muyu slightly raised his oil-paper umbrella.
“Forget it.” Su Changhe suddenly sheathed his dagger and straightened his back, the killing intent dissipating from him in an instant. He stretched lazily and said, “If you had actually used the sword formation, it would have been such a hassle to clean up afterwards. Let’s end this here for today. How could I truly kill you? We are, after all, the best of brothers.”
Su Zhe suddenly burst into laughter, a raspy “hehehe,” as he pulled out his smoking pipe and slowly lit it. “Exactly, we’re all good brothers. We can talk things over.”
Su Muyu breathed a sigh of relief, retreating a few steps, his eyes still holding a hint of vigilance.
“But if I can’t complete the old master’s mission, I’ll be dead when I go back. An arrow once shot cannot be recalled. The patriarch must die this time, and I must obtain the Sleeping Dragon Sword.”
Su Changhe turned around. “Be prepared, Su Muyu.”
Watching Su Changhe leave, Su Zhe took a puff of his pipe, and said with a melancholic tone, “This little Changhe always spouts nonsense. There are few things he says that can be trusted. But what he just said—I believe him. He won’t kill you; you two are the best of brothers.”
Su Muyu looked at Su Zhe and smiled faintly, “Uncle Zhe, I’ve noticed that when you speak seriously, your Cantonese suddenly becomes exceptionally good.”
Su Zhe raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Is that so?”
On the official road, a horse-drawn carriage was moving swiftly. Bai Hehuai, sitting inside the carriage, felt no bumps at all, and couldn’t even hear any sounds from outside. Curious, she tapped on the wooden panel beside her. “This carriage is really interesting.”
The patriarch, sitting on the soft couch, smiled and said, “This is one of the inventions of the Ban family’s Third Master. It can completely isolate the inside of the carriage from the outside world.”
Bai Hehuai asked curiously, “But what if someone were to attack us from outside? Wouldn’t we be unaware?”
“Hahahaha, this carriage has a total of thirteen hidden mechanisms, each one extremely dangerous. Third Master Ban once said that unless he personally comes, even hundreds of top experts couldn’t breach this carriage.” The patriarch took a sip of tea and said faintly.
“What if Third Master Ban himself comes?” Bai Hehuai asked again.
The patriarch smiled, “Ten days after finishing this carriage, Third Master Ban passed away.”
Bai Hehuai narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Died of an illness.” The patriarch emphasized.
Bai Hehuai sighed softly, “If I cure the patriarch, will I also fall ill and die?”
The patriarch smiled and patted Bai Hehuai’s shoulder. “Of course not, you’re a divine doctor. Besides, can I really be cured?”
“Snowfall Plum Blossom.” Bai Hehuai curled her lip, “I can only say, Patriarch, that for now you can live on, but as for how long…”
“That’s enough!” The patriarch set down his teacup and closed his eyes.