Chapter 00235: Countdown
# Countdown
Chapter 235
Novel: Above Destiny
Chapter 235: Countdown
In this world, there is no wall that does not allow the wind to pass through.
What’s more, with someone like Tong Zhihua infiltrating the enemy's territory, first-hand information is being transmitted at all times.
The night before, Ji Jue had been captured alive by Jian Yuan, and even before dawn, encrypted messages reached the forward outpost, personally delivered by Lu Yingyue to Ye Xian.
She had prepared a belly full of comforting words.
Unfortunately, they didn’t serve any purpose at all.
“Oh, I see.”
Ye Xian lowered his head, staring into the furnace, and waved his hand without lifting it: “Leave it there.”
He showed no reaction, utterly indifferent.
The indifference on his face was hard to fake; rather, it seemed like a rare moment of genuine emotion… For a moment, Lu Yingyue was slightly taken aback, doubting whether Yu Hanguang's beating might have been somewhat unjust.
“Aren’t you at all worried?” she asked in confusion.
“Even if I were worried or sad, wouldn’t it just be an opportunity for you to watch the show?” Ye Xian glanced back impatiently, making Lu Yingyue’s smile even more helpless: “I am not that kind of person.”
“Causing trouble for yourself means you must face the consequences. I am a teacher, not a babysitter.”
Ye Xian said coldly, “Besides, if it were someone else, I might pay some attention; as for Jian Yuan’s words, forget it. No need for any rescue or anything.”
“Are you sure?”
Lu Yingyue pressed, “Infiltrating Jian Yuan’s workshop alone to rescue that child, Yan Yue, isn’t just a matter of Chao City and the Lou family. The Security Bureau must acknowledge that debt of gratitude. Now that he’s trapped, you don’t know how he might be tortured.”
“Tortured?”
Ye Xian snorted, “I think he’d probably be enjoying himself, right? You’ve inquired about my background; don’t you know?”
Lu Yingyue shrugged slightly, her expression suggesting, “How could I ever do such a thing?” but it also seemed to say, “You’ve guessed it right; I understand you well.”
“You’re just here to see this joke, aren’t you?”
Ye Xian rubbed his forehead, weary with a sigh: “It’s fortunate I broke in early; otherwise, seeing that old Jian Yuan, who knows, I might have even had to call him ‘master uncle’.”
Within the guild, Ye Xian’s reputation was known among the higher-ups as fearsome, able to make many craftsmen who had suffered greatly stop their old grievances.
Her rise was undoubtedly swift, cruel, and unyielding; in the past seventy years, no one else had come close to her.
Regrettably, seventy years ago… there was a Jian Yuan.
At twenty-four, he became a master; by thirty-one, he had reached the realm of grandmaster; at forty-five, he established his own faction, gaining significant fame between the Empire and the Federation, his crafted weapons unmatched, even among the ranks of the divine artisans.
For instance, the “Dark Dusk,” which Wen Wen had broken in two, was one of his early works.
But at fifty-six, overnight, he fell into stagnation, and as of now, has gone from being a trusted figure in the guild to a veritable menace.
Logically speaking, even if Yu Jin and Jian Yuan were like water and fire, one would expect some compassion given their shared background.
It shouldn’t have been this cruel.
Unfortunately, even among those from the same school, feelings of compassion were utterly absent.
Even if Ye Xian broke away, she could not erase that layer of blood feud.
It is common to see brothers fighting and comrades turning against one another.
Moreover, speaking of harmony and friendship is easy, but when the situation arises, it wouldn’t just be senior brothers and junior brothers; even biological fathers and sons might end up bashing each other’s brains out.
Conflicts of pride, ideological differences, and distinctions of superiority.
Back then, Jian Yuan had three encounters with Ye Xian’s teacher, losing all three times, yet he gained not a shred of advantage, and in fact, the final time, he was let off with a light hand…
If only a magnanimous person existed, perhaps they would have taken the opportunity to correct their ways.
But once someone becomes a craftsman, where could that kind of tolerance possibly come from? Even if it existed, how could they waver in their convictions just because of a simple defeat or death?
Anyone who hesitates because of external circumstances could never reach the heights they’ve attained today.
“Other people are one thing, but if he finds out Ji Jue is my student, he certainly won't let go of this opportunity.” Ye Xian shook his head: “He would love nothing more than to use this chance to slap my teacher several times to prove that he is the true righteous path.”
Back then, you said I was novel and clever, lagging behind and stale; but now, my students cover the world, and your most beloved student has defected, even her students have flocked to my side.
Who, then, is the real righteous path?
Moreover, regardless of anything else, with Ji Jue’s talent, Jian Yuan would absolutely not let such raw talent slip away in front of him.
As for whether Ji Jue could withstand the erosion of stagnation and the temptations from Jian Yuan…
What does that have to do with me?!
After being tossed around by all kinds of fragmentary troubles for so long, it’s about time someone else enjoyed the privilege of being Ji Jue’s teacher!
Furthermore, does she not know how much trouble her student really is?
In some matters, killing him would be simple.
But if one truly wants him to willingly bow his head, even Ye Xian, the official teacher, lacks that ability.
If Jian Yuan thinks life is too easy and wants to stir up trouble for himself, then all she can do is offer her blessings and understanding.
It’s just right to let that scoundrel Ji Jue experience more hardships.
Otherwise, this time, even if he doesn’t die, he’ll surely waste away in someone else’s hands sooner or later.
“Are you just going to leave it like this?” Lu Yingyue asked in perplexity.
“Isn’t it that I haven’t had the time to deal with it yet?”
Ye Xian lifted his head expressionlessly, looking at the countless spiritual circuits and layers of blessings flickering above the furnace like stars.
From the brilliant glow, his solemn face also revealed a certain sharp radiance: “My matters, I will handle them myself. My student, after I’m done dealing with my master uncle, I will naturally retrieve her.”
Lu Yingyue fell silent.
This serious demeanor… she hadn’t seen it in her old friend for many years.
“After all, it’s Yu Jin…” she murmured softly.
At this moment, it suddenly dawned on her that perhaps it wasn’t just Jian Yuan who was harboring anger.
It was quite possible that Ye Xian also wanted to take this opportunity to give her teacher a good showing.
But poor Ji Jue; she was probably going to become the tool in the clash between these two Yujins.
Since entering the sect, she had been raised in the wild, never enjoying a shred of benefits from being part of it.
Yet, the debts and burdens left by the sect all piled up on her head.
With a heartfelt sigh, she thought to herself: “Being your student must be the unluckiest thing in the world.”
Regarding this, Ye Xian simply withdrew his gaze indifferently.
“Same to you.”
At this moment, the arguments in the forward outpost's conference room had come to an end.
The meeting concluded, and the participants dispersed.
“Hmm? Where’s Yingyue?”
The white-haired woman looked to the empty space: “Didn’t she come today?”
“She probably got annoyed with the arguments.”
Beside her, Tong Ting smiled slightly: “After all, it’s just the same old matters being repeated. Director Lu has a broad mind and naturally doesn’t wish to contend with others, letting me take charge. But that kid Ah Shan, he really did let his Uncle show off a bit. Usually, he speaks with such arrogance in Boat City, yet today he seemed to have nothing to say. Even Madam Lou was unusually calm when speaking to me.”
Madam Lou shot him a glance, “There’s indeed a debt of favor thanks to Ah Shan, but isn’t it more from Master Ye’s esteemed disciple? Moreover, you, this lazybones, only appear when the situation is dire; do you really care about how an old woman like me speaks?”
“The old man has taught me ever since I was young to take a step back for a broader horizon. Always being first to argue isn't necessarily pretty. If it’s not an urgent situation, who wouldn’t want to live a peaceful life at home?”
Tong Ting heaved a bitter sigh, “Now the situation isn’t about individual households’ gains and losses; Haizhou and the Federation are involved too. This could very well turn into yet another battle of calamities, and as the proxy being out front, I really feel like a thorn in the back, just a sounding board. Yet, a woman like Madam Lou, a hero among women, often makes me feel ashamed.”
“If there are no young men at home to steer the ship, it falls to me, a woman, to step forth. Gaining a reputation through force can seem imposing, but compared to the Tong family, it’s actually quite hollow. Let’s stop the flattery.”
Madam Lou sighed slightly, gravely asking, “I only just arrived today, and the situation is somewhat unclear; you represent the Tong family here, must give me some certainty.”
“Now that it has come to this, there’s nothing more to say.”
Tong Ting relayed the words from the elder back home: “The discernment between good and calamity must not be confused; a confrontation is inevitable. Isn’t that the same thought from the old man of the Lou family?”
Upon hearing this, Madam Lou’s expression remained calm, showing no sign of emotion.
Rather, it seemed she let out a breath of relief.
Just one battle; what’s the big deal? At worst, it is just death, and if anything, more people in the family might die.
As if no home has ever lost anyone.
The struggles between the Chosen are so brutal, with large families naturally facing inevitable casualties.
Yet now, as the matter concerns Haizhou, all families have nowhere to retreat.
All the elites are out; the fear isn’t from fighting but rather from not fighting.
If this stale standoff continues, how will life go on?
Besides, who has the spare time to play with bombs at their doorstep? Who knows when Lu Changsheng’s mind snapped to pull out the remote control and play with it?
If before, there had been some hesitation regarding Quancheng, then Lu Changsheng’s actions have now completely unified everyone’s consensus.
They must fight!
And they must strike the Evil Cult to the death!
Even if the Federation is incompetent, it cannot allow Lu Changsheng to slap the base in the face.
But the key lies in…
“How is the situation with Master Tao?”
Tong Ting fell silent for a moment, then sighed softly: “He is full of energy and mentally clear. When I saw him yesterday, he was even more talkative.”
Madam Lou did not speak.
The two exchanged glances, and they both sighed together.
Master Tao being appointed to guard Haizhou was a joint effort from various families.
It was rare to have an officer willing to resolve trouble instead of digging up dirt while in office; it felt like a New Year celebration.
Everyone hoped that Master Tao would remain for a long time, ideally living to a hundred or even a thousand years.
Regrettably, it now seems that time is not on his side.
After suffering severe injuries and enduring the invasion of the entire Quancheng, Master Tao had already been in a stupor for years.
Even after waking, unless necessary, he would often be seen in a dazed state.
When the mind is as bright as a lamp, human nature like oil, Master Tao has long been a fire without source.
A flicker of light might endure, but the brighter the flame burns, the shorter its time becomes.
At the same time, it draws ever closer to the Tianyuan…
— The weaker grows stronger!
“Get ready, Madam Lou. Master Tao is not someone who would willingly submit to the constraints of evil.”
Tong Ting slowly got up, finally saying: “After probing each other for so long, it should be in these next couple of days.”
The sound of footsteps gradually faded.
Madam Lou silently sighed, her gaze dropping down.
For some reason, she suddenly thought of the meeting with Master Tao a few years back.
The last words he said to her…
— For the world, what is there to fear of this body?!
It was hard to get out once; in the morning, I faced the morning rush, and in the evening, I hit the evening rush.
It took over fifty kilometers each way, and I ended up stuck on the road in Chengdu for an entire day…
(End of Chapter)