Chapter 659: So Be It

"So... Lord Supreme Cloud, say, should I continue to hang on to this inconsequential life of mine... or should I just die to make things easy?"

Until now, Wu Ying's voice had remained calm; his eyes were cold. Seeing that Yun Yang made no move to answer, he asked again before muttering to himself, "Frankly speaking, if I were you, I wouldn't allow my enemy to continue living. No one knows what will happen in the future; the potential for trouble is limitless. A moment of leniency could become a lifetime of regret in the future. The safest approach would be to thoroughly uproot the hidden threat."

Yun Yang sniggered and said, "Whatever you may say, you still wish to stay alive. Whatever your aim may be, you still want to keep living. Are you not afraid of provoking me?"

"Who in this world wouldn't want to stay alive when they've come to a point when they must die?" Wu Ying replied indifferently.

"That's right!" Yun Yang felt an incredible fury rage within him as he cried, "You're absolutely right! Who in this world wouldn't want to stay alive when they are about to meet death face to face?"

His voice rumbled ominously as he growled, "My brothers - even when they came to their final moment in the battle at Tianxuan Cliff, would they not have wanted to live as well?"

He spat the question out like a thunderbolt.

Wu Ying stood frozen on the spot, as still as a statue.

"Throughout these seven years, the millions of heroic souls who've sacrificed themselves in the battlefield to protect the empire... Despite not having any regrets when they perished in the field, wouldn't they have wished to stay alive instead?" Yun Yang pressed on, taking a menacing step forward and glared at Wu Ying.

Wu Ying stood his ground in stoic resignation.

"Which one of them isn't patriotic and loyal? Which one of them isn't a pillar of the country? Which one of them isn't a faithful official? Which one of them isn't a passionate soldier? Which one of them isn't a man of Yutang- a true-hearted man who bled and fell for Yutang?"

"Are you the only capable one? Who among these brothers were incapable?"

Yun Yang's gaze was unforgiving; his breathing was ragged and harsh as he advanced upon the stationary man, step by step.

Wu Ying remained riveted to the ground, allowing Yun Yang, who was approaching, to spray spit all over his face.

"You asked me to speak frankly; we shall speak frankly then. Everyone wants to stay alive - everyone who has brothers, comrades, wives and children, parents and families!"

Yun Yang's words were singularly sharp. "nonetheless, they've chosen death - they've gone to fight for their country without holding themselves back!"

His gaze was akin to a bloodstained saber that was trained on Wu Ying's face. "As someone who has brought ill to the empire and its people, as someone who conspires against the state, what right do you have to say that you want to stay alive?"

A sense of loss flickered in Wu Ying's gaze. He seemed a little dazed when he murmured, "I... I didn't want to... keep on living forever... I - I just wanted to... stay alive for a few more years... As long as I see the Four Seasons Tower fall... it's enough... Is this too much to ask for?"

He seemed to be arguing with himself, but his voice grew weaker. Finally, he shut his eyes and said, "When that day comes, I'll list down my sins and bid farewell to this world as I embrace my death. Supreme Cloud need not do anything by then; Wu Ying's head will be placed on a platter and presented to you."

He then opened his eyes to look at Yun Yang only to be rewarded with the latter's cold gaze.

For some reason, Wu Ying could not bear to face that gaze. He shifted his vision forlornly and shut his eyes for a long time without moving. He then spoke hoarsely, "It's only human nature if Lord Supreme Cloud finds it hard to feel at peace. You can do it now - it's a life that is destined to be doomed anyway. It doesn't matter whether it's sooner or later. This old man doesn't have much invested in this world, but pleading for my life right now would be too hypocritical!"

There was a violent twitch on his face as he mumbled, "God knows what one did... Even when the sin committed is recompensed later, it doesn't suffice. In truth... I have always wanted to redress my country and my people all these years... the reality is that it was for my personal selfish reasons to make amends..."

"Lord Supreme Cloud is right. There really isn't any reason for me to stay alive."

"No matter our conscience, our initial intentions, too many great men have died because of the two of us. Bi Zhongliu's died, why am I trying to live so hard? What if I have thousands of reasons and justifications? They're mere lies I deceived myself with... My self-deception has actually become a habit throughout these many years - I really thought that I could redress the sins I've committed!"

"I have said all that I wanted to say. Please begin."

His eyes remained shut while he spoke. His voice was increasingly broken as his state deteriorated like he had aged decades instantly. Grey and silver dotted his sideburns visibly.

He stood with his neck stretched out, unmoved. His eyes closed in anticipation of the fatal blow, to start his journey to the underworld and make amends to God's will.

In spite of this, the fatal blow of the saber did not come after a very long time.

"Why isn't Lord Supreme Cloud making a go for it?" Wu Ying sighed, "What are you waiting for?"

There was no answer.

After some time, Wu Ying opened his eyes only to realize that there was no longer anyone standing in front of him. Lord Supreme Cloud, who was surrounded by smoke and fog, was already gone.

Lifting his head quickly, a faint wisp of a cloud was seen rising and reaching where the lush canopies were. There was no hesitation nor pause as the cloud of vapor left, drifting quickly away. Then, a gush of wind whistled across the sky before everything returned to silence.

Wu Ying stood on the spot in a stupor. For a long time, he was quiet as well.

Supreme Cloud had left without saying anything or giving any instructions. He had chastised him so harshly with a burning killing intent, but in the end, he had opted to let him go.

"It Looks like he isn't going to kill me anymore - furthermore, he's agreed to my request." Wu Ying squatted down to trifle with the ashes on the ground and mumbled, "We have erred indeed."

"He must really want to kill me, but... I'm still useful to the Empire of Yutang - very useful. Yutang is laden with threats now, reeling badly with just a little blow. He wants me to work for it..."

"He truly wishes to kill me, to sate his appetite for revenge... nonetheless, for this country he's guarding, he's willing to put aside his personal grievances first. All this so that the defenses can be at its best..."

"Lord Supreme Cloud is truly singularly good man, the best I've ever seen in my life."

"Don't you worry, I'll go down and reunite with you once I see the Four Seasons Tower fall. As for this additional time I've got, I'll help the Empire of Yutang with all I have, to help you realize your original intention, to help the emperor unite the world! If I can't do it by then... I'll still go and find you."

"I believe that these extra years are enough, don't you think?" Wu Ying mumbled to himself.

"If I ask for more, it'd be too much..."

He retrieved more candles and hell money from his interspatial ring and continued burning them.

"I'll just burn more now. Use them slowly, don't scrimp. I'll burn a lot more when I'm free in the future - I'd burn more while I'm alive... Don't you be too thrifty, but don't you spend it all at once, you hear me? Save some for me. When I go down, I don't think we'll have these..."

"There won't be anyone burning hell money for people like us..."

He murmured and muttered like someone was sitting quietly in front of him, looking at him and listening to him.

"So be it for me now. I'll have to return this favor. I'll recompense as much of this blood debt as I can..."

...

Yun Yang transformed into a cloud and left the Board of Military. While the affair had come to an end, he still felt suffocated, the heaviness within stifling him.