Chapter 4: Friends

Chu Yun wanted to bid farewell to her past self—this was her sincere truth. Could a killer really remain one forever? In the past, she had been the perfect tool, but from the moment she became Chu Yun, her thoughts had been touched by the plight of that pitiable woman. Though the path was unbearably difficult, she never gave up. Looking at herself now, besides the blade in her hand and those close to her, who else could truly be considered close? Such people likely no longer existed.

At least, that was what Chu Yun had believed before.

Yet, during her days at the Poison Sect, she saw much more. The people of the Poison Sect were not poisonous; the world’s misconceptions about them ran deep. But the sect’s members refused to explain themselves. Ha, even if they did, who would listen? No one, absolutely no one!

She had witnessed the tacit understanding and bond between Zhuang Yunzhen and Li Moqing. Before, she thought she did not need such things—love was a burden for an assassin. But was it truly so? Why was it that every time Zhuang Yunzhen suffered grievous injuries, he could recover so swiftly?

It was because of the love between him and Li Moqing that gave him boundless strength, enabling him to face any battle at any moment.

Now that she had revealed her true identity, the heavy stone in her heart was finally lifted. As for how others would view her, that no longer mattered so much.

“Li Moqing, you truly are formidable. I should have known long ago: if there’s information you want, you’ll get it eventually. All this time, you never dismissed your suspicions about me. Now you know everything. If you want to kill me, I have no objections. After all, you adore Zhuang Yunzhen so much—how could you allow someone like me near him?”

Her life as an assassin had reached its end. She had committed countless sins before. Now that she was willing to atone, she would do as much as she could.

Before today, if Li Moqing had known Chu Yun’s identity, he would have killed her without hesitation. But she was no longer the person she used to be. Killing someone without fighting spirit—what meaning would that have?

“I will hear what happened today and then forget it. I promise I won’t tell anyone. Lone Wolf, what about you? Will you speak or not?”

Li Moqing would decide what to do next based on Lone Wolf’s response. Whether this man lived or died now was his choice.

Lone Wolf had truly lost interest in these matters. What he wanted now was to become stronger. The quarrels among women held no appeal for him.

“Boring. I’m leaving.”

Those four words summed up the man’s attitude.

The most troublesome person had been dealt with. What was there left to worry about? Li Moqing understood the rules: when an assassin wants to leave the past behind, a final battle was inevitable.

“If you truly want to break free from the past, you must be prepared. Your defining battle will come. If you need help, just ask. From the moment you stepped into the Poison Sect, you became different.”

Those words carried great weight. Li Moqing didn’t know why he felt an inexplicable fondness for Chu Yun. His desire to know her identity was not to harm her but to help. He seemed to see something unique in her, though what exactly that was, he could not say.

Chu Yun looked around the empty training ground. A warm current stirred in her heart; she appreciated the goodwill. But since this was her battle, she must see it through herself.

“Sect Leader, I failed this mission. You promised me that this would be my last mission. No matter the outcome, you would let me go. I hope you will keep your word.”

Yi Shui thought he must have heard some great joke. Why did everyone want to leave him in the end? Was being an assassin under Yi Shui really so bad? These people had all sought great power, and now that they had it, without exception, they wanted to leave. From this, it seemed he had failed terribly.

“You came all this way, using your energy to send me a message, just to say this? If so, I heard you. Let me tell you now: leaving here is absolutely impossible. You know what failure means in Yi Shui’s standards—it means your demise. But you have contributed greatly. Out of respect for the past, I’ll give you one last chance, and that’s final. Complete your mission—take down Zhuang Yunzhen. Don’t forget, we owe Taiyun Golden Valley a vast amount of yuan crystals.”

“Our reputation must not be destroyed by your hands. If you fail again, I will complete this mission myself. When that time comes, Zhuang Yunzhen will not live. You love him—that’s why you want to leave me, isn’t it?”

“What a fool. I told you long ago: love is our greatest enemy as assassins. I never imagined you would become like this. I told you before—assassins are lonely, destined to walk in darkness forever. There is no light for us!”

“You have ambition and strength. If you want to change the assassin’s rules, fine. But you must defeat me first. You should know that the leader of Yi Shui is not easy to kill.”

“Difficult or not, I will kill!”

Had she really fallen in love with Zhuang Yunzhen? No. Her heart was clear—such things could never happen. She only longed for freedom, and for freedom, she was willing to do anything.

“Zhuang Yunzhen, I will not kill you. Yi Shui is right; I am determined to change these rotten rules. If that means I must kill you, then I am willing. All the skills I have were taught by you, and in truth, I should call you master. But you don’t deserve that title. In your eyes, we are merely pawns. When we are useful, you treat us well; when we lose use, you cast us aside.”

Chu Yun had reached this point with Yi Shui’s faction. She had no regrets. The only thing she felt sorry for was Dong Ju, the girl who had always sought to surpass her and now had no chance left.

“Since you’ve heard everything, you should understand: once I make a decision, no one can change it—not even you. I know, Dong Ju, you are a born assassin. You enjoy this life because it pays well. But I don’t care what your end will be. I have taken the profession of assassin to its extreme, and I have no more expectations.”

Dong Ju had anticipated this day, but not so soon. She had so much to say to Chu Yun, but now there was no chance. If only she had spoken earlier.

“Where are you going? Can I come with you?”

Dong Ju did not want to lose this woman, who had been her lifelong goal. Now that goal was leaving, and her heart burned with hatred. If not for Zhuang Yunzhen, her sister would not be like this. That man deserved to die.

Dong Ju had resolved that she herself would complete the mission to kill Zhuang Yunzhen. Chu Yun no longer bore the killing intent she once had. An assassin without killing intent cannot survive.

“I don’t know where I should go now. But wherever I go, I will think of you. That will never change.”

“No need. Since you renounced being an assassin, our paths have diverged. I know you yearn for freedom. You’ve always felt like a bird in a cage. Goodbye, my sister.”

Dong Ju did not look back. She was a born assassin and could not imagine doing anything else. She returned to Yi Shui’s faction and met with Sect Leader Yi Shui.

It seemed Yi Shui had long been waiting. “Among my disciples, you are the most like me. Once you set your mind to something, you persevere. Your visit shows you have made your decision. Are you truly without regret? You want to kill Zhuang Yunzhen; your sister wants to protect him. There will be a battle between you two. Do you have confidence in victory?”

Dong Ju did not answer—she did not know what to say. Did she have any chance of defeating Chu Yun? No, not even ten percent. But without hope, was retreat the only option?

“Sect Leader, I know all you said. But Chu Yun is no longer my sister. She is a traitor to Yi Shui. Can my current strength really not replace hers?”

Dong Ju’s heart had grown cold. A woman so selfish did not deserve her admiration and should have died by her hand long ago.

“Sect Leader, say no more. I will complete this mission. I know you have long wanted to test my abilities. Now is the best chance.”

“Good. Since you have decided, I will let things proceed as you say. I have retired years ago, but if you truly can do this, even if you hand it over to Yi Shui’s sect, that is acceptable.”

Yi Shui hoped to see this unfold. Chu Yun and Dong Ju were now his two strongest disciples. If they fought, what would be the result? Regardless, it would benefit him.

The Poison Sect had been unusually quiet since Dong Ju’s departure. The quieter it was, the more it signaled a greater storm brewing. Was this his fault? Had his selfishness once again brought danger to the already burdened Poison Sect?

He had wondered if his leaving would improve things, but in truth, nothing would change because of his absence.

*Knock knock.*

After some thought, Chu Yun decided she should tell Zhuang Yunzhen the truth—that he had always been in danger and that now the only thing left was to find a way to avert this crisis.

“Come in.”

No matter when, Zhuang Yunzhen’s voice was always pleasant. Would he believe what she said? Well, now that things had come this far, she could only go with the flow.

In recent days, Zhuang Yunzhen’s condition had improved greatly. He was somewhat surprised to see Chu Yun, since they had never spoken before. Why had she come?

He always felt a distance from unknown women, an uncomfortable feeling. But Chu Yun did not care.

“Brother Zhuang, if you want to live well, you must leave now. If you delay, it will be too late. We are not friends; we barely spoke, so I have no reason to deceive you.”

Zhuang Yunzhen believed in her character, but words alone were not enough. He could not leave. If he escaped while others died because of him, was that truly what he wanted? Of course not. No matter what, he would not leave. If he could leave once today, he could do it twice.

“Thank you for your concern, miss. But I have decided never to run away again. To be honest, I used to flee whenever danger or difficulty arose. But I have changed. From now on, I must rely on myself. This path is hard, but I feel something different in it.”

“I am the young master of the Poison Sect. Although the disciples don’t accept me and defy me, since I defeated my foster father, I must protect this place for him. Since you’ve decided to leave, why bother with these matters? It only adds trouble.”

“Brother, you should rest. I told you your internal injuries just healed. Do not practice now. Even if you do, don’t rush.”

Li Moqing noticed Chu Yun beside him. “Sister Chu, why are you here? Well, you and brother should have met long ago. It’s only today that you finally have.”

“Miss Li, I came to tell you someone is trying to kill Brother Zhuang. His internal injuries are nearly healed; he should leave soon. I can guess who will be sent and how long I can hold them off. This is all my fault. I should have seen it coming.”

“Sister Chu, don’t be so anxious or blame yourself. Do you think brother doesn’t know your identity? I told him. Yi Shui’s sect trains ruthless disciples. If they can’t act, they can only wait.”

Like a ghost in the night, Dong Ju returned once more to the Poison Sect. This mission was her chance to make a name. She avoided everyone and stormed to Zhuang Yunzhen’s room.

“Zhuang Yunzhen, if you are a man, come out! Let’s settle this once and for all!”

“Dong Ju, it’s really you. I knew only you and I could accomplish this in Yi Shui’s sect. If possible, I don’t want to fight you.”

“Sister, this is the last time I call you that. From today, we are mortal enemies. You know my greatest goal is to surpass you. I couldn’t before, but now I will.”

Dressed simply, cold and unmatched, with eyes devoid of warmth, Dong Ju had prepared for this battle alone, determined not to lose.

She looked around angrily. “Why do you all train in the Poison Sect but refuse to return? Have you forgotten who taught you your skills?”

“You are traitors. Traitors deserve death!”

Dong Ju’s face was pale from the cold, but her fierce palm strikes came relentlessly—truly formidable.

No hesitation—Chu Yun sidestepped and struck Dong Ju’s arm with a heavy hand chop, using full strength. Dong Ju’s moves were powerful, but Chu Yun was faster.

*Crack.*

A sharp sound—the bone in Dong Ju’s arm broke. Chu Yun’s strike was merciless. As the strongest assassin, she knew how to allocate her strength and when to unleash her full power. Dong Ju was wounded; the battle was effectively over.

But would Dong Ju admit defeat? No. In her dictionary, there was no such word. One arm broken, she lashed out with the other like a whip, striking at Chu Yun’s face.

Chu Yun knew this technique well—it was Dong Ju’s signature move. Only she used it in Yi Shui’s sect. Dong Ju’s mind was narrow; she had trained tirelessly in this one style, reaching this level.

Chu Yun’s feet tapped swiftly as she moved back with remarkable agility, evading the powerful whip strike.

*Thud.*

The hard stone cracked beneath the blow, showing the whip’s strength.

“Trying to run? Sister, do you know how long I’ve waited for this moment? Today, with me here, you can’t escape!”

Dong Ju’s arms moved like boneless limbs, forming two radiant light curtains—lethal weapons that inflicted grievous wounds on contact. Only two people had ever completely avoided this attack: Sect Leader Yi Shui and this woman before her.

Chu Yun’s movements were clean and precise, leaving several circles on the ground. The whip strikes landed within these circles. Constant defense was unsustainable; she had to find a way to turn defense into offense.

“Sister, what’s wrong with you? You used to have great power. Look at what you’ve become. Now that you see my strength, you must be afraid. I always knew my power had surpassed yours, but you only believe it now.”

“Yes, little girl, your strength is formidable. Even I am forced to flee. I have no answer to your techniques now.”

*Bang bang bang.*

The fierce whip struck the ground, kicking up dust. There seemed no better solution yet, but if Chu Yun wanted something, she would achieve it.

“I’m done playing. I don’t have that much time!”

Chu Yun suddenly grabbed both of Dong Ju’s whip-like arms with her hands. This was risky for her, but even if injured, she had to stop Dong Ju.

*Thud.*

A sweeping leg strike came fiercely—actually a feint. As Dong Ju dodged, Chu Yun hurled the young woman away.

*Crack.*

Dong Ju’s arms were ruined.

*Pfft.*

Dong Ju absorbed Chu Yun’s leg strike, as if hit by a boulder. Her face twisted in pain, clearly seriously injured.

“Dong Ju, your arms are destroyed. You can no longer use that move to do harm. Remember, I told you before this whip technique is ruthless and easy to counter but requires great hardship to master. Do you think Yi Shui really cared about you?”

“You’re wrong. He only wanted us pawns to try powerful moves. You used to be so kind, but look at what you’ve become. It saddens me deeply, but there’s nothing I can do. If I could, I would bear this pain for you, but I know that’s impossible.”

“Because you have your own pride—your most valued possession that no one can destroy. For years, I didn’t want to fight you because I knew this would be the result.”

“I didn’t lose, and you didn’t win. Chu Yun, I’ve wanted to fight you for years. This last bout doesn’t count—I will defeat you. You know, if I want to, I can.”

“Stop fighting. The outcome is clear now. If this continues, it will end badly. Dong Ju, you should realize you are no match for me.”

Dong Ju was defeated. Though she had known it was inevitable, accepting the fact was another matter.

She refused to accept it. “Zhuang Yunzhen, this is all your fault. If not for you, my sister wouldn’t have become like this. Are you satisfied now?”

“You little brat, don’t get smug. I will kill you. You know I will do whatever it takes to accomplish my goals.”

Dong Ju left, carrying her failure. Yi Shui dreaded failure most. How would he punish her now?

Though worried, Chu Yun no longer cared. She had meddled too much before. Now she only wanted freedom.

“That girl is so strong-willed. What do you think her fate will be?”

“No matter what, she must learn to endure it. Brother Zhuang, do you think this is the end? Soon, Yi Shui himself will intervene. That man is the real trouble. Be careful. I’m worried about Dong Ju—I have to follow her.”

Chu Yun worried most for her sworn sister. In moments, she disappeared.

Dong Ju finally calmed down and saw clearly her strength. No matter how hard she trained, she could not surpass her sister. What was all her hard work for?

“You lost. I invested so much in you, but it was wasted. Don’t you have anything to say? You know the rules: if the mission fails, what is the outcome?”

Yi Shui’s voice was cold and emotionless. As an assassin, this was expected. That young Zhuang Yunzhen was impressive. Looks like it was time for him to act.

Cold—utterly cold. The leader had abandoned her. Dong Ju never expected this, but she was willing to endure without admitting defeat. That was who she was.

Yi Shui wanted to see her admit defeat, to bow to him, but that never happened.

“Hmph. You’re tougher than I thought. Fine. Since you’re so strong, think carefully about how to make up for this one failure.”

She was not wrong; why admit defeat? Now she understood her sister better. The longer one was an assassin, the more emotions one lost. She was very different from before. Why she became this way, even she could not understand.

“Dong Ju, why are you here alone? If you want, you can come with me. I brought you in. Even if I leave, I will take you with me. I once swore I would never let you be alone.”

Chu Yun finally arrived. The two had just fought but now seemed calm. Only like this could Dong Ju grow. Growth was necessary.

“Sister, you came after all. I know you worry about me most. But this is my fate. I blame no one but myself. Since you left the assassin world, my life or death is no longer your concern.”

“How could that be? You are my sister, and that will never change. Do you still want to be an assassin? Have you not wondered what else you could be? It’s simple—you can leave here with me and start anew. I believe you can, even if you don’t know how yet.”

“Chu Yun, you’re bold. I gave you a chance, but you still dared to come. Fine. Now that you’re here, neither of you may leave today. Try if you dare!”

“I never left far. I wanted to see what you two would say upon meeting again. As expected, you both want to betray me. But I will not allow it!”

So a fight was inevitable? Yet more fighting would lead nowhere.

“No. Our skills were taught by you. Fighting won’t help. I suggest I take the mission to assassinate Zhuang Yunzhen. Once done, Dong Ju’s fate is mine. She must come with me.”

Leaving the assassin world was impossible. Since it was unavoidable, this would be her last mission—she would end it once and for all.

Yi Shui never expected Chu Yun to go this far for Dong Ju. “Good. Since you insist, if I can’t grant your wish, it would be troublesome. But know this is your last chance. Fail, and you both die.”

“Sister, why do this? I am not worth it. You left—why return?”

Dong Ju was genuinely at a loss for words.

“My reason is simple: I don’t trust you. I want to take you with me. I think I’ve said this before. You should trust me.”

Trust? Of course. If anyone could earn Dong Ju’s complete trust, it was Chu Yun.

The sisters had come this far—that was something to be proud of.

“Good. That is our agreement. You always keep your word. I await your good news. I know if you try, you will not disappoint, right? Dong Ju, you are lucky. You should have died, but your sister became an assassin again for you. Can you really surpass her?”

“Impossible. No matter how hard you train, you can’t catch up. You know this better than anyone. Maybe now you finally believe it.”

Whether it was worth it or not, Yi Shui could never understand. All these years, his heart was only for himself; others’ lives meant nothing.

“Sister, why? Don’t you see you’ve fallen for Zhuang Yunzhen? Don’t lie to me. Assassins cannot fall in love, but if they do, it’s a grave matter.”

Did she like him? She didn’t know. What should she do? She didn’t know either. Perhaps, as the saying goes, the onlooker sees most clearly. When did this happen?

“What? Is it really that obvious? Everyone seems to see it, but I don’t know what to do. Forget it—these things are not so important. Are you hurt? If so, leave the rest to me. This is my matter.”

“Brother Zhuang, I must tell you—I plan to kill you. Aren’t you at all worried?”

Zhuang Yunzhen was sometimes too calm—too cold. He never took things to heart.

“I know. This is your mission. Since you returned from Yi Shui’s sect, your face has been grim. I knew you had made a choice. So, what’s the point in talking? Just act. I’ve long known we are both friends and enemies.”

The more casually Zhuang Yunzhen spoke, the more Chu Yun felt worthless.

“No need to say more. If you want to kill me, why hesitate?”

“What are you hesitating about? I know everything you’ve done isn’t for yourself. You’re a good person. Everything you do is for your sister.”

It turned out this man knew everything. He understood her completely. To be a true kindred spirit was rare. Sadly, they met too late to become the best of friends.

“If we had met earlier, we’d be better friends. I’ve never had any friends. If I had one, it would be you.”

“Best friend? That’s too high praise. I know I don’t deserve it, so you don’t need to say anything. Actually, since you became a disciple of the Poison Sect, we’ve been friends. What, you don’t want to be?”

“You’re right. We are best friends. I admit it.”