Chapter Ninety-Six: Special Amnesty

Che Wuyou looked at Li Yiqiu and suddenly broke into a grin. His smile was so natural, so radiant, that the afternoon sunlight falling on his otherwise plain and dull face made him surprisingly pleasant to behold, even somewhat intoxicating. After a long moment, a tender, nostalgic gleam flickered in his eyes. Then, in a slow, dreamlike tone, he said, “When I die, please tell my senior sister... I miss her. Tell her... not to wait for me. Tell her... that the Che-Liu pact ends here.”

Though he had countless words he wished to say to Senior Sister Liu Lanzhi, in the end, they dissolved into a long, silent sigh...

Li Yiqiu kept her gaze fixed on Che Wuyou. Though he looked in her direction, she knew his eyes were not truly seeing her. His gaze was hollow, as if piercing through infinite distances, focusing on some distant presence elsewhere. This feeling unsettled Li Yiqiu somewhat.

Regarding her own beauty, Li Yiqiu had never doubted it. Though still young and not fully blossomed into the breathtaking beauty she would become, she could tell from the furtive glances of the junior disciples that she was admired. Yet, this time, the utterly ordinary young man before her seemed to overlook it entirely. Though his gaze rested on her, his thoughts and words were clearly about another.

“The Che-Liu pact, huh,” Li Yiqiu murmured to herself, curiosity flickering within. What exactly was this pact about? She longed to ask the boy, but her inherent feminine reserve, or perhaps the dignity derived from her noble status, stifled the urge. “As if I’m so eager to know,” she thought with a trace of disdain.

Still, she harbored a rough guess—that it must be some agreement between this boy and a woman, likely both unattractive and foolish. Why such a judgment? Because only then would they seem fitting for each other, she mused with a touch of malice.

“I won’t deliver your message to her,” Li Yiqiu said softly, her voice tinged with a subtle, unspoken sadness.

“Why? Is this a request so small and even that you refuse?” Che Wuyou’s gaze hardened as he watched Li Yiqiu’s expression grow cold. Any sympathy he might have felt toward her vanished in that instant, replaced by a chilling emptiness.

“Because you should be the one to tell her. Besides, I don’t like acting as a messenger,” she replied.

“But, but I...” Che Wuyou was at a loss. Would he still have a chance to see Lanzhi? Was this little girl really going to let him go? But could she? This was his only lifeline. Even if she spared him, what about Li Muqiu?

Li Yiqiu was well aware of his thoughts. She fixed him with a cold stare, then suddenly smiled. “No one will make you into a human elixir. As a pillar of the Immortal Path Alliance, the Azure Pool Sword Sect would never sully its reputation with such deeds. Even if Azure Pool is flawed, it would never stoop to emulate the Demon Sect. Do you understand?”

“I, I...” Che Wuyou glanced at Li Muqiu, then at the others from the Azure Pool Sword Sect, before looking back at Li Yiqiu. He was at a loss for words. What was happening? Was Li Muqiu intentionally trying to frighten him? But as the sect leader, how could she speak so lightly?

“Don’t doubt it. Azure Pool has stood for hundreds of thousands of years, with its own rules and laws. No one acts recklessly. Unless you’re blind and courting death, no one wants your life,” Li Yiqiu said calmly.

“Although you took my restorative pill and repeatedly defied me, according to the sect’s rules, I could have sentenced you to death many times over. But seeing that you still have some sense of loyalty, that even at the brink of death you don’t forget your promises, I’ll spare you today. I’ll let you live, so you have the chance to fulfill your pact.”

“S-sparing?” Though he knew the girl intended to let him live, Che Wuyou felt no joy. Was this what privileges meant? This little girl had just spared him. After offending her a few times, she had deemed him deserving of death, only to magnanimously grant him life as a display of her mercy.

“Thank you for your magnanimity, young lady,” Che Wuyou said with a stiff bow. His six years with the Miao family had taught him how to speak in such moments. Though inwardly resentful, he knew these words were necessary. After all, he had defied her in the hope of a last chance. The unexpected turn gave him some hope.

“You’re free now. You may descend the mountain,” Li Yiqiu said, satisfied with his attitude. Though she despised his manner and looked down on him, as a person of authority within the Azure Pool Sword Sect, such treatment was her due. Everything in the world had its rules. One could hate or challenge them, but without the power to establish new ones, one must abide by them.

“I don’t want to leave the mountain. I want to stay in Azure Pool,” Che Wuyou declared firmly. This might be his opportunity. Compared to others, this little girl was noticeably easier to deal with. Though she had once wanted a giant eagle to peck him to death, that was because he had persistently challenged her authority.

Che Wuyou could tell this girl’s words carried great weight within Azure Pool Mountain. At least for now, no one opposed her significant decision—not even Li Muqiu. This gave Che Wuyou a glimmer of hope. If he could persuade this girl, perhaps he could join the Azure Pool Sword Sect. Despite his recent disenchantment with the sect, it didn’t diminish his determination. After all, cultivating to the Foundation Establishment stage was crucial—it was a matter of his entire life’s happiness.

“Hmph... You’re overreaching. Do you think it’s that easy to enter the Azure Pool Sword Sect? Have you passed the first trial, the Sword Inquiry Stone? And the trials afterward only grow harder. You have no hope. Besides, Azure Pool only accepts outstanding talents, not only with great aptitude and comprehension but also with unblemished backgrounds and a readiness to sacrifice their lives for the Immortal Path. Someone as sly, selfish, cowardly, and petty as you? How could you be admitted?”

Li Yiqiu’s face twisted with scorn and disgust. This impudent boy actually dared to dream of entering the Azure Pool Sword Sect. Did he think it was some open door? Azure Pool was the foremost power in the Southern Frontier. Countless had tried, many brilliant youths had considered it an honor to join, but how many truly succeeded?