novelSusiti Chapter 18 The Legacy of Canglang
Chapter 18 The Legacy of Canglang
When Song Bie knocked the Xiangjian knife from Xie Chenghuan's hand with a single blow, Song Bie's mind vaguely recalled that afternoon when he first became a disciple. His second senior brother, Xie Chenghuan, had secretly broken off half a piece of rice cake from his hidden stash and carefully wrapped a freshly picked, plump, purplish-red mulberry in oil paper, making Song Bie squint his eyes with sweetness.
At this moment, the sweet, purplish-red berries of his memory had transformed into the bright red blood that kept spilling from Xie Chenghuan's lips. The ever-burning lamp on the ancestral altar illuminated Xie Chenghuan's face, utterly distorted by defeat and madness. This man, who had once taken the punishment from his master's ruler for him and taught him acupuncture points and pulse diagnosis, now staggered and collapsed before the altar filled with ancestral tablets, letting out a bitter and resentful sneer.
"Master taught us... 'Martial arts should be used to advocate for the common people'! He did this because he didn't want to be a lackey of the court, and he didn't want to forget his original intention and prey on the people!" Song Bie's voice choked with emotion, but it was filled with unwavering determination. He believed that his master must have been driven to a dead end to make such a resolute choice, which was why he chose to give away all his wealth and dismiss his disciples in order to preserve Canglang's reputation.
Blood from Xie Chenghuan's open wound gushed out, staining the open "Canglang Sword Manual" on the offering table. This man, who had once led Song Bie to secretly drink their master's twenty-year-old aged daughter's red wine and talked about their dreams of the martial world under the moon, saw that all was lost and, in despair, used his last strength to violently throw the blood-stained sword manual and the sect leader's token, a symbol of power and responsibility, into the burning brazier beside him!
"Martial arts for the sake of the common people! Haha! Well said! Then let your people... go to hell!!"
Song hurriedly reached his hand into the brazier. Although the brazier was scalding hot, fortunately the sword manual had just been ignited. Ignoring the burning pain, he forcefully extinguished the flames.
A wave of unrest, a wave of up again.
Devastated by his defeat, Xie Chenghuan used his last ounce of strength to charge towards the bottomless cliff outside the ancestral hall. Song Bie instinctively gave chase, screaming, "No—!" In a flash, his mind went blank, leaving only his most primal instinct—he didn't want him to die! He had already lost his master, his eldest brother, and all his fellow disciples; he couldn't bear to watch his last brother perish! Even if he was already deeply sinful and utterly depraved.
He lunged toward the edge of the cliff, reaching out with all his might to grab it—but all he managed to grasp was a handful of cold rainwater.
Xie Chenghuan's figure plummeted into the darkness. His last words before falling off the cliff were torn to shreds by the raging wind and rain, but could still be vaguely discerned:
"...The Heavenly Secrets Alliance...is not something you can easily... provoke..."
The sound abruptly ceased, but the torrential rain and thunder continued their relentless fury, as if to completely wash away all the sins and sorrows of the world.
"Master."
Fang Yingyu, kneeling on the ground, called out softly, abruptly pulling Song Liu back to reality from the abyss of bloody memories. The cold wind at the alley entrance remained. He took a deep breath, his gaze falling on the small blue cloth bundle in Fang Yingyu's hand. Inside was the "Canglang Sword Manual"—the charred marks on the cover were still glaring, as if he could still smell the thick smoke and blood mingled in the ancestral hall that night. What he had desperately snatched from the brazier that night was far more than just a few pages. It was the sect's last ultimate technique, the last hope to pass on the name "Canglang" without letting it be extinguished.
Fang Yingyu looked at him hesitantly, not understanding why this unfathomable Master Song would suddenly be in a daze. The pain and vicissitudes surging in the depths of his eyes were far beyond what an ordinary guard could possess.
Coming to his senses, Song Liu pressed his fingers firmly on Fang Yingyu's still slender yet resolute shoulder, his voice deep and heavy: "Fang Yingyu, if you one day achieve success in your martial arts training and encounter... Xie..." He paused, swallowing the name that almost escaped his lips, and changed his words, "...encountering evil people in power, oppressing the good, what will you do?"
"I should emulate the heroes of old, uphold justice, and eliminate all injustices in the world!" The flattered young man answered without hesitation, his eyes bright and clear, radiating a burning and pure light.
That light was so familiar, yet it instilled in Song Liu a deep-seated fear. Once upon a time, the same light had shone in the eyes of his fellow disciples in the Canglang Sect, illuminating the morning training grounds, igniting their youthful ambitions, but ultimately… it too had burned into a raging inferno that consumed everything.
This answer is indeed the most authentic reflection of Fang Yingyu's daily experiences with the legends of the martial arts world, her heart's desire, and her dreams, filled with the most simple and passionate imagination of a young person regarding the word "chivalry".
Song Liu stared into those eyes, speechless for a long time. He knew that the seed had been sown, and whether it would grow into a towering tree that sheltered all living beings or ignite another uncontrollable fire was no longer entirely within his control.
"Alright!" Song Liu's voice was resolute, as if he had made a momentous decision. "I accept you as my disciple. I will guide you when I have time. If there are any parts you don't understand, you can come to the Ruan residence to find me."
Before he could finish speaking, and before Fang Yingyu could kowtow again, Song Liu's figure had already drifted backward like a ghost. In the blink of an eye, he had become a fleeting shadow on the roof tiles, and then completely disappeared into the twilight.
Fang Yingyu remained standing there, gazing up at the direction where Song Liu had disappeared, his heart filled with overwhelming shock. He had long known that Master Song was exceptionally skilled, but he had never imagined that his lightness skill was so remarkable, almost like the legendary ability to fly on land. He couldn't help but be secretly impressed, and his anticipation for what was wrapped in the blue cloth grew even stronger.
He carefully tucked the blue cloth bundle into his robe as if it were a priceless treasure, hiding it tightly against his skin. Then, he took a deep breath, calmed his turbulent emotions, and hurried home, taking two steps at a time.
As dusk settled, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of Sanlipu Village, filling the air with the familiar, warm aroma of firewood and home-cooked meals. But at this moment, Fang Yingyu's heart was pounding far more violently than usual, his chest pounding incessantly, as if he were carrying not a sword manual, but a blazing fire that made his blood rush and his chest burn.
He was incredibly excited. To gain the approval of someone like Master Song and be accepted as a disciple was an opportunity he had accumulated over eight lifetimes! Of course, he should also thank Ruan Shanruo for her introduction and persuasion.
Fang Yingyu pushed open the creaking wooden door, and the dim yellow light of the oil lamp barely illuminated the small room. Her elder brother, Fang Xiaohe, was bent over the table, studying Mencius by that faint light, his brows slightly furrowed, immersed in the words of the sage.
"Brother, look at this." Fang Yingyu carefully approached Fang Xiaohe and, as if presenting a treasure, gently unfolded the blue cloth bundle that she cherished on the table.