Dusk Returns to the Ruined Building

Chapter 1022 Farewell Ceremony: Three Kowtowings

As the Buddhist saying goes, karma is created by the mind. As the Taoist saying goes, all phenomena arise from the mind. Whether a person becomes a Buddha or a demon depends entirely on his own mind.

In other words, a person's actions will reflect their thoughts, and this has little to do with hiding, forgetting, or letting go.

When Shen Yichen jumped off the cliff, Murong Ruoxi was also about to enter Death Valley, because she had decided to join the Shadow Hall!

Murong Ruoxi still has Shen Yichen in her heart, but is it still love?

Murong Ruoxi really didn't know!

Murong Ruoxi sought answers in wine, remaining drunk for over a month from Yingzhou to Yanquan, yet she still found no answers.

Jiu Xiaoyao and Helian Xiaoyue were very cooperative and genuinely felt sorry for Murong Ruoxi. They accompanied Murong Ruoxi all the way and were both drunk the whole way.

All three of them were seriously injured in the sword-fighting battle; the injury was not to their bodies, but to their hearts!

Why get drunk? It's to stop the pain in your wounded heart and stop tormenting yourself, but after you sober up, it seems like nothing has changed.

Yesterday's sorrows and grief, the obsessions and resentments in my heart, have not lessened in the slightest; I have only become much more haggard.

Outside Death Valley, the three men, who had been living a life of debauchery, finally awoke. They all knew very well that some things were unavoidable and that they had to face them.

“Master, I know why my love is regrettable. I didn’t give my all. I haven’t let go of Youzhou in my heart, and I couldn’t give my body to the fool. Tell me, if one day I let go of Youzhou, will the fool still want my body?”

Looking at the misty Death Valley, Murong Ruoxi knew that she would be gone for an unknown period of time. No, that's not the point. It had nothing to do with the length of time. Murong Ruoxi knew very well that when she came out again, she would be a completely different person!

"You brat, will you still give it to him? Can you still give it to him? Is there still a chance for him?"

Jiu Xiaoyao continued drinking, but he was well aware that his words had hurt Murong Ruoxi.

Murong Ruoxi thought about it all the way, and felt regret the whole way. More than a month had passed, and there was still no news from the Shadow Hall about Shen Yichen. Perhaps the person she wanted to give to was really gone.

But Murong Ruoxi asked herself, would she really give her virginity to Shen Yichen? He was her father's killer!

Murong Ruoxi touched the two cross-shaped scars on her face. Even if she had overcome the hurdle in her heart, would Shen Yichen accept her ugly appearance?

"Does missing out mean there's really no chance left?"

Murong Ruoxi's eyes welled up with tears again; her love had become all affection, no longer love!

Helian Xiaoyue looked at Murong Ruoxi, who was so haggard she was unrecognizable, and felt guilty.

If he hadn't been there that morning, the love between Murong Ruoxi and Shen Yichen might have had a different ending.

Helian Xiaoyue knew that on that morning, Murong Ruoxi wanted to give Shen Yichen the most beautiful thing in her life. How beautiful and vibrant the flower blooming in the water would be! What a pity!

"Girl, I'm sorry!"

Helian Xiaoyue's apology came from the bottom of his heart. The person he cared about most in his life never received love, and now it seems that he has also caused Murong Ruoxi to never receive love in her life. He seems to owe this master and disciple pair too much!

Murong Ruoxi knew that Helian Xiaoyue's apology stemmed from Wengli Pavilion, because she too was thinking of the pool bathed in morning light. She had traveled a thousand miles to Jianying, a place where her love with Shen Yichen should have blossomed.

Murong Ruoxi could only blame it all on fate!

Outside Death Valley, the three of them fell silent again.

When the sunlight pierced through the thick fog and shone on Murong Ruoxi's face, the tear stains had already dried.

Murong Ruoxi reached out to touch the sunlight, but she couldn't reach it at all. How she longed to hold that ray of sunlight in her hand, because it might be the last ray of sunlight she would ever touch in her life.

Murong Ruoxi is going to join the Shadow Hall. It's not just about cultivation; she wants to join the Shadow Hall and become someone who will forever exist only in the shadows, never seeing the sunlight or the warm breeze, forever hiding in the shadows. She will no longer be afraid to kill, no longer feel heartache, and no longer hesitate!

"Master, let our fate end here, for you have become a demon by abandoning love!"

Murong Ruoxi turned around and knelt before Jiu Xiaoyao, respectfully kowtowing three times.

The three kowtows that Murong Ruoxi didn't perform when she became an apprentice have now become the farewell ceremony!

Even Jiu Xiaoyao was marveling at the wonder and mystery of fate! He didn't stop Murong Ruoxi, nor could he stop her!

It might be better for Murong Ruoxi to leave him, but is entering the Shadow Hall really a good thing?

Jiu Xiaoyao has no idea!

"Sigh, I shouldn't have challenged you to a drinking contest back then. I accept these three heads, and I also accept the end of our master-disciple relationship. You brat, will you still call me an old man next time we meet?"

Jiu Xiaoyao helped Murong Ruoxi up. Murong Ruoxi didn't cry, but Jiu Xiaoyao shed tears instead.

"I won't, but I promise you, if the Shadow Hall sends me to kill you, I will refuse once, just once!"

After Murong Ruoxi finished speaking, she laughed, and then she cried.

The immortal in wine is ultimately just a dream, and human love has become a bubble. The past is like clouds, smoke, and dissipation!

"Let's go. I really hope one day I'll die by your hand. Remember to bring a good bottle of wine!"

Jiu Xiaoyao turned and left without hesitation, filled only with sorrow. Ji Xuanfeng's words were right, but only half right. He had indeed only ever sought one relative in his life, but that relative had abandoned him!

Jiu Xiaoyao let out a long sigh:

"Wine and carefree living—these aren't referring to the same person! I only just realized it now!"

Murong Ruoxi reached out as if to call her master, but she held back. The killing intent that had been hidden in her heart for a long time suddenly erupted, overshadowing everything in Murong Ruoxi's heart, all her emotions.

"I will learn all the art of killing in the world, and I will kill that vile woman!"

Helian Xiaoyue watched quietly for a long, long time. Murong Ruoxi's entry into the Shadow Hall was not his intention, but Murong Ruoxi's own obsession, and she had asked him for it in front of the tomb of the Sage.

Helian Xiaoyue had no reason to refuse, because he and Murong Ruoxi were the only two people the Painting Saint cared about, and he wanted to take care of Murong Ruoxi and keep her alive.

Helian Xiaoyue knew that the only way to survive was to always be able to kill the people who wanted to kill her!

When the thick fog once again obscured the sunlight, Murong Ruoxi turned to look at Helian Xiaoyue.

"Senior Uncle, I have severed my last ties of affection. My heart is now free of all ties. I can join the Shadow Hall!"

Before Helian Xiaoyue could respond, two voices simultaneously rang out from within the thick fog, both saying the same thing:

"Can't!"

Helian Xiaoyue and Murong Ruoxi were taken aback at first, then Helian Xiaoyue's true energy surged, indicating that the person who could come here was no ordinary person!

At the edge of Death Valley, on the cliffs to the left and right of Murong Ruoxi's location, two people simultaneously leaped down.

One of them was a young Taoist boy, the one who protected Mu Qingxue. In Ganqing City of Yingzhou, the young Taoist boy saw Murong Ruoxi and followed her all the way from Yingzhou to Yanquan, observing her the entire way.

The other was a middle-aged man with long, flowing hair that covered half his face, so only half of his face was visible. He was holding a folding fan, which appeared to be made of jade.

This person is Yin Tang, sent by Murong Lubo to protect Murong Ruoxi. Of course, Murong Ruoxi doesn't recognize him, because in the entire Murong family, only Murong Lubo knows that Yin Tang has been with Murong Lubo for almost forty years. He is Murong Lubo's personal bodyguard and the most reliable and loyal person.

Back then, half of Murong Lubo's child's blood was given to Yin Tang, which is why Yin Tang is so loyal!

Helian Xiaoyue and Murong Ruoxi both watched the two warily, but they stared at each other for a long time before speaking simultaneously:

"you are still alive?"

After a moment of contemplation, Helian Xiaoyue said in a cold voice:

"You two have come uninvited; Shadow Hall has failed to greet you properly!"

A gray-white light flashed in Helian Xiaoyue's hand and entered Death Valley. Soon, more than a dozen people appeared around Death Valley in the mist and bowed in worship!

"Welcome, Your Excellency!"

These people, whether intentionally or unintentionally, surrounded the two strangers.

The young Taoist and Yin Tang paid no attention, continuing to look at each other. After a moment, they spoke simultaneously:

"You speak first!"

Murong Ruoxi reached out and stopped Helian Xiaoyue. Helian Xiaoyue was furious. This was at the entrance of the Shadow Hall, and these two people were ignoring the people of the Shadow Hall.

Murong Ruoxi knew that these two people had come for her, and she didn't want to cause trouble for Helian Xiaoyue before even joining the Shadow Hall.

"Senior Uncle, this is my unfinished business, and it's fine too. I can finally settle my worldly ties and let my lonely heart enter the shadows!"