Chapter 1372: Conclusion

Yun Che didn't help Ling Jie up, and he wasn't surprised by the gesture at all. He knew very well that the matter involving Chu Yuechan had always been a heavy burden on Ling Jie's mind. Although it wasn't his fault, that was his nature, and it was what Yun Che appreciated most about him.

"Mother?" Yun Wuxin, who was not accustomed to interacting with outsiders, instinctively hid behind Chu Yuechan, looking at her with a bewildered expression.

Chu Yuechan's reaction was calm: "You don't have to do this. None of it concerns you, nor was it your fault."

"No," Ling Jie shook his head, his voice hoarse and heavy. "As a son, I must atone for my mother's sins. Back then, Mother's jealousy turned into hatred, leading her to do unforgivable things to you... Thankfully, heaven took pity, and you are safe. Otherwise... otherwise..."He choked up, unable to continue.He was no longer the somewhat naive and innocent Ling Jie of the past, but the renowned Azure Cloud Sword Saint. Yet, at this moment, tears streamed down his face incessantly.

Back then, after defeating Xuanyuan Wentian, Yun Che slaughtered the two great sacred grounds, Sun Moon Divine Hall and Heavenly Might Sword Region, which was undeniably cruel. However, he spared Xuanyuan Yufeng... the person he hated most. Ling Jie understood why... because she was his mother. To Ling Jie, this was an immense act of kindness and loyalty, and also a heavy burden he couldn't release. So, he left Heavenly Sword Villa, traveling the world alone with his sword, hoping to find Chu Yuechan, whose fate was unknown. Although he hadn't found Chu Yuechan himself, seeing her safe and with Yun Che, he could finally lay down his heavy burden and a portion of his guilt.

"Xiao Jie," Yun Che frowned. "Did you just say... 'late mother'?"Ling Jie closed his eyes and said slowly, "Back then... after Heavenly Might Sword Region was destroyed, Mother's personality changed dramatically. She was plagued by nightmares every night... Two years ago, one night, she returned to the old grounds of Heavenly Might Sword Region, to the place where she first met my father... and took her own life."Ling Jie spoke these words with great difficulty.

Yun Che's chest rose and fell as he sighed."Though Mother is gone, her sins remain. As a son, I must atone for them."His words reached Yun Che's ears, giving him a sudden bad premonition. He quickly said, "Xiao Jie, you..."But at that moment, how could Yun Che stop Ling Jie? The Sky Sparrow Sword at his feet flew up, and a streak of rainbow light flashed.Beneath the sword's gleam, Ling Jie's left middle and ring fingers were severed simultaneously, flying far away.

"Ah!" Both Feng Xian'er and Yun Wuxin cried out in alarm.Chu Yuechan turned her pale face and softly sighed, "The fault is not yours. Why do you need to do this?""Xiao Jie, what have you..." Yun Che shook his head, looking at the severed fingers carried away by the sword wind.For a profound practitioner whose entire cultivation lay in the way of the sword, the implication of having two fingers severed was self-evident.

With both fingers severed, Ling Jie's face showed not pain, but a sense of relief and calm. What he had severed was not just his fingers, but also the mental shackles that had bound him for years.Ling Jie was undoubtedly a person who valued loyalty and relationships deeply. Recalling his first encounter with Yun Che, Ling Jie was the second young master of Heavenly Sword Villa, while Yun Che was merely an unknown Profound Palace disciple. Yet, in the three-sword wager at the Azure Cloud Imperial Palace, despite losing to Yun Che through the latter's schemes, he still willingly admitted defeat and humbly considered himself Yun Che's younger brother, even as the second young master of Heavenly Sword Villa. To this day, despite all the trials and tribulations they had faced, his loyalty had never wavered.

Although Xuanyuan Yufeng was a wicked woman, in Ling Jie's world, she was his birth mother—the one who gave birth to him, raised him, and showered him with boundless care and love. He felt he must protect her with his life and atone for her sins at all costs.

"Yuechan," Yun Che said, "Regarding Xuanyuan Yufeng, do you...""I no longer hate her," Chu Yuechan said softly before Yun Che could finish. "I've even forgotten what she looks like."Her gentle words made Ling Jie, who had been holding back tears, tremble all over, and his eyes welled up again.

"Alright, then I forgive her too," Yun Che said with a smile, looking at Ling Jie sincerely. "Though she almost made me lose my little fairy, they are ultimately safe and sound. Besides, if it weren't for your mother, I would have one less good brother in my life. So, let's call it even."

The words from both of them, especially Chu Yuechan's own admission, were undoubtedly the warmest redemption for Ling Jie's soul. He was overwhelmed with emotion, momentarily speechless, and was about to prostrate himself again..."Alright, alright, get up already!" Yun Che stepped forward and firmly pulled him up. "My little fairy is your sister-in-law now, not your elder! Why are you always bowing down!"Ling Jie: "Uh..."

"Mother, what's a 'sister-in-law'?" Yun Wuxin whispered.Chu Yuechan: "...""And!" Yun Che exclaimed, looking annoyed. "You felt great cutting off your fingers, but next time, could you give a warning first?! You scared my daughter, do you understand?! Get up now!""...Huh?" Ling Jie was instantly bewildered. "Your... daughter?"

"Ahem, Wuxin." Yun Che's face straightened, adopting the dignified demeanor of a father. "This is your Uncle Ling Jie. His action of cutting off his fingers just now was extremely wrong; you absolutely must not imitate it!""..." Yun Wuxin parted her lips, still half-hidden behind Chu Yuechan, and softly called out, "Uncle... Ling Jie?"

Looking at Yun Wuxin, Ling Jie's mouth hung open. "She... she she she she... she's your daughter?""That's right," Yun Che nodded.Stuttering, he hurriedly stood up, simultaneously quickly sealing the blood flow from his severed fingers with profound energy. The news of Chu Yuechan's pregnancy had been widely known throughout Azure Cloud back then, but over a decade had passed... Ling Jie had seen Yun Wuxin earlier, but it simply hadn't occurred to him that this girl, already in her early teens, could be Yun Che's daughter.

He frantically fumbled through his clothes and spatial ring but couldn't find anything suitable. Finally, steeling himself, he took off a precious jade pendant that had been hanging around his neck, bowed slightly towards Yun Wuxin, and said, "I can't believe Boss actually has a daughter, and she's so grown up! Your name is... Wuxin, right? That's a beautiful name. Uncle didn't bring anything proper, so this... consider it a welcome gift for Wuxin."Yun Che's mouth twitched slightly as he glanced at the jade pendant in Ling Jie's hand. That was clearly the Young Master's token of Heavenly Sword Villa! With that token, Yun Wuxin could walk around Heavenly Sword Villa with complete impunity... though she could probably do that even without it.

Yun Wuxin instinctively recoiled slightly again and quietly asked, "Mother, can I accept it?"Chu Yuechan smiled and nodded, "Since it's a welcome gift from Uncle Ling Jie, go ahead and accept it."Only then did Yun Wuxin reach out and take it. The precious jade in her hand emitted an unusual light that she had never seen before in her eyes. Her eyebrows immediately curved, and she happily chuckled, "It's so pretty! Thank you... Uncle Ling Jie?"She seemed unsure about the title, adding a slight questioning tone to the end of her sentence.

"No need to thank me, no need at all. It's my pleasure," Ling Jie quickly waved his hand, then said to Yun Che, "Truly the Boss's daughter, so charming."If he knew that this eleven-year-old girl's profound cultivation was higher than his own, he would probably be so shocked he'd kneel again.

Yun Che took Ling Jie's hand, looked at his severed fingers, and sighed softly, "Xiao Jie, after today, not another word about atonement or anything similar.""Okay!" Ling Jie nodded cheerfully, his eyes gleaming with a brightness clearer than at any time in recent years.

"Boss, your profound strength really..." he asked, still unable to believe it."Mm," Yun Che nodded with a smile. "But it's fine, at least I'm alive and well. And it doesn't matter if my profound strength is gone; just think about the women around me..."Suddenly sensing Chu Yuechan's gaze, Yun Che abruptly stopped speaking and quickly changed his words: "I'm surrounded by the most powerful people in this world! Who could possibly harm me!"

For a profound practitioner, having one's profound veins completely destroyed was undoubtedly the cruelest fate; the stronger one was, the crueler it felt. But seeing Yun Che's demeanor, Ling Jie sighed inwardly and expressed his sincere admiration: "It truly is you. Whether it was my grandfather or Xuanyuan Wentian... indeed, nothing in this world can ever defeat you."

Yun Che smiled and shook his head, saying, "Have you been traveling all these years?""Yes," Ling Jie replied with a resolute expression. "Without the Heavenly Might Sword Region as its backing, the Heavenly Sword Villa can actually gain true freedom. In those years, Heavenly Sword Villa made repeated grave mistakes, and its reputation fell into decline. I will use my sword to reshape the Heavenly Sword Villa's beliefs and its former glory."Yun Che patted his shoulder. "If it's you, you can definitely do it.""From now on, I will likely reside in Demon Imperial City of the Demon Imperial Realm. If you ever pass by, don't forget to visit me. I'd like to witness your growth firsthand.""It's a promise!" Ling Jie nodded emphatically.

The two bid farewell, and Ling Jie departed. Having severed two fingers but also released a heavy burden from his heart, the Azure Cloud Sword Saint's future growth would undoubtedly be even more remarkable.

Chu Yuechan said, "Ling Yun is a gentleman among swordsmen, elegant and dignified, soaring high but not arrogant. Ling Jie's talent surpasses his brother's, and he values loyalty so deeply. Heavenly Sword Villa lost its backing, yet it produced two outstanding descendants."Yun Che nodded in deep agreement. "Their father, Ling Yuefeng, though prioritizing his own interests and Heavenly Sword Villa's benefit over the Azure Cloud Nation's peril, putting that aside, his actions throughout his life were worthy of the titles 'righteous path' and 'gentleman'."

"And their mother, Xuanyuan Yufeng... as the daughter of an elder of Heavenly Might Sword Region, she was so infatuated with Ling Yuefeng that she left her father and sect to return with him to the small Heavenly Sword Villa. Even knowing that Ling Yuefeng might have been using her to climb the ranks of Heavenly Might Sword Region, she remained by his side for decades, without complaint or regret.""It's not surprising that they raised such excellent descendants. It's just that..." Yun Che shook his head, "As deeply as Ling Yuefeng was infatuated with you, that's how intensely Xuanyuan Yufeng hated you out of jealousy. Even the best woman, once she falls into the abyss of jealousy and hatred, can become a terrifying demon."

"..." Chu Yuechan turned her gaze. "Are you implying that I forced Xuanyuan Yufeng to become a villain?""Uh..." Yun Che waved his hands at the fastest speed he ever had. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, that's not what I meant, of course not. I meant... uh... ah... your charm is simply too great, any man... no, that's not right... Ah! Right, Wuxin!"Yun Che quickly took his daughter's hand and pointed forward. "There's a rock up ahead that your father touched personally back then. I'll take you to see it."Yun Wuxin: "Huh?"

Watching Yun Che practically flee with his daughter, Chu Yuechan's lips subtly curved, and her eyes held a faint, dream-like haze.The cold detachment of the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace—she had once believed that would be her entire life. After her half-year inseparable from Yun Che, she returned to find that her "ice heart" was no longer; she had desires. She tried desperately to suppress them, but only upon learning of Yun Che's supposed death did she truly realize that her desires had grown so strong she was willing to betray her sect for him... Now, with him by her side and their daughter, this was true life, a complete life... no matter where they would be in the future.Behind them, Feng Xian'er quietly watched the family of three, unwilling to make a sound and disturb them.