The Sorrowmender

Chapter 42 – Cooperation

The night was dark and colorless, with the wind and rain howling.

A bolt of lightning pierced the sky, accompanied by the rumble of thunder.

In an alley on the outskirts of Frostsky City, two figures, one large and one small, stood facing each other.

Young Man in Black: "Street Urchin, it's been half a month, and the Lady is losing her patience."

White-haired Child: "And then?"

Young Man in Black: "The Lady asked me to remind you not to forget your original promise."

White-haired Child: "Go back and tell her that I'll do the killing, but it's not the right time yet. Tell her not to rush me."

"Heh—it's been half a month, don't tell me you've really started to think of yourself as one of the Pavilion of Forgetting Worries?" The Young Man in Black sneered.

The white-haired child furrowed his brows, a glint of coldness flashing in his eyes, but it was too dark for anyone to notice.

"Have you been following me?"

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The child's voice carried a chill, colder than the rain from the sky.

"It's my duty, I have no choice."

"Get lost, I'm heading back." The white-haired girl calmed her thoughts and turned to leave.

"Street Urchin, if you don't act soon, I will. You can wait, but I can't."

The white-haired girl stopped in her tracks, turned in the pouring rain, and looked coldly at the Young Man in Black.

"You dare?"

"Heh, dare? Try me."

"Looks like I went too easy on you last time."

Hearing this, the Young Man in Black gripped the hilt of his sword and said coldly:

"If I fail the mission, you won't die, but I will. Don't be so selfish."

"Then, I'll let you die first," the white-haired girl said in a low voice.

With a crack of thunder, she vanished from her spot, cutting through the rain, charging forward to attack.

The Young Man in Black's eyes darkened, his sword unsheathed, spiritual energy enveloping the blade, a flash of cold light.

"You really think I'm afraid of you?"

"I learned a new idiom today, just for you: 'like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, overestimating one's abilities,'" the white-haired girl said, her fist landing squarely on the Young Man in Black's sword edge.

"Boom—"

A burst of air erupted, the surrounding rain was blown away by the shockwave, reversing the flow of the sky.

The Young Man in Black's pupils contracted, watching in disbelief as his sword shattered in his hand.

"Damn it."

But as the sword shattered, the force of the punch continued, slamming into the Young Man in Black's cheek.

"Boom!" Another dull thud, a splash of blood into the rain, and then a shadow flew through the air, crashing down dozens of meters away.

With just one punch, the opponent was left with no strength to fight back.

Fortunately, the rain and thunder were so loud that no one was alarmed by the commotion.

The Young Man in Black struggled to his feet, the pain in his body almost suffocating him.

If last time he was caught off guard, this time he was truly defeated head-on, unable to withstand even a single punch.

"You monster, cough—"

The white-haired girl flickered, appearing in front of the young man in just a breath, rain pouring down, soaking her, her voice rising amidst the noise.

"I don't want to kill you, but there can't be a next time, or I won't hold back."

The Young Man in Black sat on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his expression twisted in a near-roar:

"If you don't kill me, the Lady will when I return. Either way, I'm dead. If you have the guts, finish me off."

The white-haired girl was silent for a long time before saying, "You're a pitiful soul, go on."

The Young Man in Black got up in a sorry state, stabilizing himself with difficulty, weakly saying:

"I know you want to protect them, but it's impossible. This is your last chance, or not only will Mister Forgetting Worries die, but you will too, and that child with you, she'll die as well. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"She won't, because I'm here."

The Young Man in Black snorted coldly, "We'll see."

With that, he limped away down the alley, and the white-haired girl headed back to the Pavilion of Forgetting Worries.

In the darkness, Xu Qingzhou stood at the end of the alley with an umbrella, having witnessed everything, the shock in his eyes yet to fade.

A child with no cultivation, looking frail and weak, had punched a powerful Innate Realm, Seventh Layer expert, nearly overwhelming him.

This undoubtedly overturned his current understanding, making him wonder if the white-haired girl was also a transmigrator, like him, with a system.

He wanted to approach and say, "Change is constant."

But he knew the white-haired girl's nature, it was impossible, so she must have an extraordinary physique, like a beast or a deity, a natural-born powerhouse.

Her strength was immeasurable, but the physical power of the white-haired girl before him could definitely shake the Foundation Establishment. No wonder she could confidently say she could kill him.

In the end, he had underestimated her.

He felt an unprecedented sense of gravity in his heart.

"She's talented, but unfortunately constrained by others, though she truly cares for Wuyou."

"If I could recruit her, she might protect Wuyou in the future."

He thought of Wuyou's side quest, possibly becoming an enemy of the world, and the white-haired girl before him was so in sync with Wuyou, even saying, "As long as I'm here, she'll be fine."

With patience and cultivation, her future potential was limitless, sure to become a great help, and she had a child's pure heart, a rare candidate.

But how to resolve this crisis was the challenge.

"Looks like I need to use my brain."

He quietly followed, intercepting the injured Young Man in Black.

The rain continued to fall, showing no sign of stopping.

The Young Man in Black looked up, startled to see the scholar with an umbrella.

"Mister Forgetting Worries."

Xu Qingzhou smiled, maintaining his elegant demeanor, and said:

"Brother, may I have a word with you?"

"I don't think we know each other, there's nothing to say."

Xu Qingzhou wasn't angry, calmly saying:

"We don't know each other, but you must know Ning Feng."

Hearing Ning Feng's name, the Young Man in Black paused for several moments.

"Follow me, Mister."

"Lead the way."

The two walked through a narrow alley, arriving at a secluded spot in the city. Under the Young Man in Black's guidance, they entered a house.

Xu Qingzhou closed his ink umbrella, found a spot to sit calmly, not minding the Innate Realm, Seventh Layer Young Man in Black was there to kill him.

He spoke leisurely, "A master of the Innate Realm, Seventh Layer, living in such a shabby place, truly a grievance for you, brother."

The Young Man in Black, enduring pain and internal injuries, leaned against the door frame, "What does Mister want to say?"

Xu Qingzhou shook his sleeves.

"Alright, I'll be straightforward. I need your help with two things."

Before he could finish, the Young Man in Black interrupted, "Why should I help you?"

Xu Qingzhou, unhurried, said, "You know Ning Feng, so you must know I cured his poison, and I can cure yours too. You help me, I help you, mutual assistance."

"I, Xu, am a reasonable person, never forcing others to do what they don't want. Whether you help or not, it's your choice."