424 A Chat about Life in the Sunse

The mood on the street had shifted too quickly. One moment it still seemed tobe carrying on in a grand and majestic fashion, and in the next moment, it hadsomehow turned into a chat over wine in the sunset, settling into the rhythm ofdiscussing everyday affairs. Of course, everyone knew that the Holy Maiden'squestions had some other profound meaning. In a normal situation, Chen Changsheng's reply was somewhat too firm andlacking in manners, but it was a beautiful thing that the Holy Maiden of thesouth was no normal person, nor was she like those ordinary Holy Maidens inhistory. She loved Su Li. She dared to love the Su Li that had loved a DemonPrincess, so she was very satisfied with Chen Changsheng's reply. She thoughtthat this youth was very calm, very simple, and very forceful. She gave Chen Changsheng a profound glance. This was a true profoundness, notthat sort of profoundness like the glance she had shot at Su Li, filled withcomplex emotions that everyone could understand—what impressions she had ofChen Changsheng before were unknown, but at least today, this meeting had lefther relatively satisfied. Maybe it had a lot to do with how Chen Changsheng stood, covered in blood, infront of Su Li? As she gave him this glance, the rain over Xunyang City ceased. The cloudsalso scattered, revealing the true sky. There was no Moon of the demons of the north, nor was there any rivers ofstars. There was only the clear sky. A setting sun was suspended in the distance over the plains outside the city.It had originally been twilight. The bloody light of dusk fell upon the wounds and congealed blood on LiuQing's face, adding several more layers of terror to it. He began walkingtowards the city gate, paying attention to no one else. "Why?" Su Li asked to his back. Liu Qing halted his steps, and then after a moment of silence, replied, "WhatI said to Zhu Luo was true." Su Li retorted, "Of course I know what you said was true." Not long after they had left the military fort, he realized that Liu Qing wasfollowing him. He had always thought that Liu Qing wanted to kill him and hehad always not cared that Liu Qing wanted to kill him. Both of these had thesame underlying reason. He had known Liu Qing for many years. He knew Liu Qing's assassination habitsand style. He knew everything about everything of Liu Qing. Many years ago, he had taken leave of Liu Qing and those others without theslightest hesitation. He believed that he would never think about those guysagain. In truth, in those endlessly long years, he really didn't think aboutthem much. No matter how he looked at it, Liu Qing and those other guys all hadreason to hate him, to want to kill him. "I think differently from those guys. They always thought that everything wascleared up between our two parties, but I always believed that you owed us.Thus, if I wanted to kill you, this occasion was naturally the bestopportunity." Liu Qing did not turn around. After another pause, he said, "I originallythought you would be as miserable as an old dog, that I would definitely beelated to see such a sight, but as I followed you over these days, I felt moreand more that I found no relish from this. You brought us into the profession.For you to suffer humiliation is for all of us to be humiliated. If someonewanted to kill you, then at least it has to be me. How could I let someone elsetouch you!" After a moment of silence, Su Li replied, "What nonsense." Liu Qing raised his head and watched the distant setting sun. "In fact, it'svery simple. I just suddenly understood why you left us back then. In the end,you're a person of Mount Li. Your life and ours have always been different." Previously in the battle, Zhu Luo had angrily accused Liu Qing of being aperson of Mount Li. Liu Qing did not admit it. Although he used the sword techniques of Mount Li,fair and above board, he was still an assassin that walked in the night. Hearing Liu Qing's words, Su Li settled into a very sincere silence.Afterwards, for the first time, he gave an explanation for that period of hispast which he felt to be a trifling concern, a part of his life which hisyounger self had not paid much attention to. "I left back then primarily because it wasn't challenging anymore." He continued, "Or do you mean that I should have spent every day thinkingabout how to kill the Demon Lord and Black Robe?" Liu Qing gazed at the setting sun and very earnestly replied, "The lastmission we took, the final thing we chatted over, wasn't it rather interesting?" Even when confronting the two powerful experts of Zhu Luo and Guan Xingke, SuLi had still given off an undisciplined and indifferent air, but upon hearingLiu Qing's words, his expression grew solemn. He stared at Liu Qing and said, "That woman is difficult to kill. I advise youall not to think about it." Liu Qing said no more and began walking out of the city. In a short time, hehad disappeared into the twilight. Chen Changsheng didn't quite understand this conversation. He asked Su Li,"What were you two talking about?" Su Li replied, "Many years ago, someone requested that I kill a person." "Kill who?" "You know of it, Tianhai." In Su Li's view, the world's strongest women were three and a half: the DivineEmpress, the Holy Maiden of the south, as well as the demi-human empress inWhite Emperor City, and then there was also that mutant in Xuelao City. But the most difficult to kill had always been that one. Of course, it was Tianhai. "Wasn't it the elders of the Longevity Sect that tried to force Senior to doit?" "There were also people that attempted to pay me to do it." "Truly insane." "No matter the person, they all have a price." "Senior, these words seem to be more fitting coming out of Liu Qing's mouth." "Is my saying it very strange?" "Senior, you and Liu Qing…just what's the relationship between you two?" "He became an assassin because of me, and his skills were taught by me." Su Li's answer was very casual, as if this matter was a trivial affair thatwasn't even worth mentioning. Chen Changsheng suddenly thought of a matter, a certain possibility. Back then in the wilderness when they had encountered the twenty-eighth DivineGeneral, Xue He, with Su Li's guidance, he had cut off Xue He's arm. He wasconcerned that Liu Qing, concealed in the plains, would opportunistically killXue He, at which point Su Li had explained Liu Qing's origins, at the same timementioning that assassin who ranked at the very top of the Pavilion ofDivination's Ranking of Assassins. Su Li had spoken of this number one assassinwith quite some respect. Chen Changsheng stared at Su Li and asked incredulously, "Could it be…Senioris that world's number one assassin?" "When I was young, I worked that profession for a time." "And then?" "To do a job, you must love a job, to carry it out to the pinnacle." Su Li acted as if it was only right. "As an assassin, it's only natural that Ibe the strongest assassin." Chen Changsheng was incredibly shocked, incapable of comprehending just whysuch a talented person above the affairs of the world would go and be anassassin. Su Li glanced at the Yellow Paper Umbrella in his hands and sighedregretfully, "At that time, I really was lacking money." He did not finish the sentence—back then, he had been so lacking in money thathe didn't even have the money to buy a shabby old umbrella. Some questions had now been easily resolved. At the time, Chen Changsheng had felt something was off. How could Su Liadmire an assassin, even if it was the world's greatest assassin? Now heunderstood that the so-called admiration was still merely a bout of narcissism. The twilight gradually dimmed, no longer seeming like blood and taking on awarmer tone. An extremely pure ray of light slowly entered Wang Po's body, and his woundsvisibly closed up. Previously in the inn, in order to defeat Painted Armor Xiao Zhang and LiangWangsun in one stroke, Wang Po had paid a massive price. After that, in orderto block Zhu Luo, he had suffered heavy wounds. Now, these injuries werebasically all healed, though it was unknown whether the damage to his lifeessence could be recovered. In the hands of the Holy Maiden, the Sacred Light technique truly was close toa divine technique. Comparing it to the Sacred Light technique of the priestsof the Li Palace, the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, and the South StreamTemple, was like the difference between a star and a firefly. Wang Po stood up and bowed to the Holy Maiden in thanks. He didn't even glance at Su Li because he had never liked Su Li. He had cometo Xunyang City for his own affairs and principles, not for this person. He walked over to Chen Changsheng and said, "We met once before." Several months ago, by the main gate of the Mausoleum of Books, ChenChangsheng and Wang Po happened to meet once. That night was the night that Xun Mei intruded upon the Divine Path, lost, anddied. Chen Changsheng replied, "Yes, Senior." Wang Po's eyebrows powerlessly drooped, seeming to be lacking somewhat inspirit, as was his voice. "You're not bad." Chen Changsheng felt very happy, because he thought that Wang Po truly was avery good senior. Many young geniuses worshiped Su Li, but he did not. He thought Su Li was veryannoying, even though Su Li had taught him a lot. He felt that compared to WangPo, Su Li was riddled with flaws, even though Su Li was far stronger than WangPo. In his sixteen years of life, he had only worshiped his senior brother YuRen. Now it seemed like he had added a person called Wang Po to his objects ofworship. On the other side, Su Li finally asked that question, "How is my family's girldoing?" The Holy Maiden replied, "Mount Li sent a letter, there shouldn't be any bigcomplications." Su Li asked, "Then what about Mount Li?" The Holy Maiden answered, "I left in a hurry. I only know that there are someproblems." Su Li's eyebrows rose up like swords, then gradually descended. After a momentof silence, he said, "Qiushan is there, it should be fine."