novelraw Chapter 9 – This is a lie
Chapter 9 – This is a lie
"Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!
Without a Spiritual Root, how will you continue your cultivation in the future?"
Sen Sword Hall.
Tiger patterns in the clouds, ethereal smoke, ancient trees covering the sky.
Li Wanshou's face was grim as he shouted at Xu Xi for the first time. For the usually kind old man to be so furious, it was clear he was truly enraged this time.
"It's simple, I just won't cultivate anymore, teacher."
Xu Xi replied with a faint smile. Perhaps because this simulation was nearing its end, he felt no fear facing the enraged Li Wanshou.
He paused.
This time, his voice was calm: "After all, I won't have many years left to live after this, so it doesn't matter if I cultivate or not."
Hearing this, Li Wanshou's expression froze, the anger on his face gradually fading, replaced by a complex look as he gazed at his beloved disciple who had lost all his cultivation.
"Speak, explain everything from the beginning. What exactly have you done?"
"Yes, teacher."
There was no concealment, nor was there a need for it.
Xu Xi explained in detail how he researched the External Spiritual Root and burned himself to create it, leaving nothing out for Li Wanshou to hear clearly.
"Ah," Li Wanshou's eyes widened.
He even accidentally pulled out a white beard.
"How is it possible? I only mentioned it casually, and you actually created an External Spiritual Root. A genius, a true genius!"
Li Wanshou was initially overjoyed, but then shook his head with regret: "What a pity, you have severed your Spiritual Root, otherwise ascending to immortality wouldn't have been impossible."
The old man suddenly fell silent, shaking his head and sighing.
He paced back and forth in the hall.
Finally, he stomped his foot in frustration.
Angrily, he looked at Xu Xi.
"Traitor, why so hasty? Do you even know what you've done? Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"
Facing the old man's scolding, Xu Xi shook his head slightly: "If I had told you beforehand, you would have stopped me, right?
I understand your intention, teacher. You wanted me to take it slow and steady, to save Moli without harming myself.
But, I couldn't do it.
I couldn't stand by and watch my loved one step into death."
The old man was speechless.
His lips moved unconsciously, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to scold.
His gaze gradually became understanding, with a hint of relief.
It was as if he saw a childish child grow up, and as an elder, he couldn't help but feel emotional.
"I understand. Since it's your decision, as your teacher, I have nothing more to say."
All the anger dissipated, and Li Wanshou said, "I'll handle the sect for you. I can still say a few words there. But about Moli..."
Li Wanshou hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping.
He knew the siblings had a deep bond. If Xu Moli found out her brother sacrificed himself to save her, her emotions might collapse.
A gentle breeze blew, rustling the ancient trees outside the hall, forming a sea of shadows with waves.
In a trance, there was also the humming of ancient bells.
Xu Xi's pupils were dark: "I don't plan to tell her the truth. After some time, I will leave the Heavenly Sword Sect. By then, I'll leave Moli in your care, teacher."
Sacrificing a brother's life for survival was too harsh a reality.
Even those who have weathered many storms would feel guilt and remorse.
Let alone.
The girl who had always relied on Xu Xi as her support, always together.
***
After discussing everything with his teacher, Xu Xi left the Sen Sword Hall with an ancient wooden sword on his back, a sword the old man had insisted on giving him.
Specifically:
"Get lost, traitor! Take this sword, so you won't get beaten to death by mortals and disgrace me!"
The old man cursed, jumping as he drove Xu Xi out of the ancient hall.
With a bang, he shut the door.
As if he never wanted to see Xu Xi again.
Xu Xi stood outside the hall, the stone-paved path winding down. He reached back, gripping the wooden sword's hilt, feeling the surging power within.
With the original owner's permission.
Even a mortal could wield it freely.
"Disciple accepts the command."
***
Returning to his cave dwelling, Xu Xi watched over the bed for two days until the External Spiritual Root fully integrated with the girl's body, and the Heavenly Calamity silently dissipated.
In its place was the girl's inexplicable breakthrough in Qi Sensation.
Even though she hadn't truly started cultivating.
She took her first step into the extraordinary with her innate talent.
"Brother..."
Xu Moli's voice was soft, carrying the weakness of someone recovering from a severe illness, but she quickly realized her body was no longer in pain, even feeling an indescribable lightness.
"That's great."
As if guessing something, she smiled sweetly at Xu Xi from her sickbed: "Brother kept his promise to Moli."
"Yes."
Xu Xi gently held the girl's warm, white hand.
As if holding a falling flower.
Grasping the summer breeze.
His tired voice was filled with warmth: "I promised you, I would definitely save Moli, definitely."
The girl smiled even more happily, but as she smiled, her eyes uncontrollably reddened, and she kept wiping them with the back of her hand.
"I'm sorry, brother, I don't know why, but I suddenly feel like crying. It's as if something very sad happened.
How strange, I should be happy now."
For some reason.
For reasons unknown.
Xu Moli clutched her clothes, her fingers turning white with force, as if something extremely important was slipping away, something that absolutely couldn't be lost.
More important than her own life, more precious than all her perseverance.
Like the roots of a tree, the wings of a bird, the teeth of a beast.
Without it, survival would be impossible, suffocating.
"It's okay."
Xu Xi's comforting voice came from beside her, his hand gently stroking the girl's hair. Only at this moment did the emptiness of losing that important thing get temporarily filled.
"I think maybe little Moli slept too long, and her body is a bit unaccustomed. It will get better over time, don't worry."
Is that so...
The 17-year-old girl felt something was off, but thinking carefully, Xu Xi had no reason to lie to her. Maybe it was just the long illness that made her unable to control her tears.
Thinking this, her emotions gradually calmed down.
Already.
There's nothing to fear anymore.
No matter what difficulties arise, her brother will be by her side. As long as her brother is there, there's nothing to be afraid of.
Yes, as long as her brother is there.
Xu Moli took the initiative to hold Xu Xi's hand tightly, gripping it with all her strength, refusing to let go.
"Will brother leave Moli?"
"...No, I won't."
This was a lie.
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan