Chapter 759: Suicide

WARNING: If you have depression, suicidal thoughts, or have/had a loved one with those issues, the second half of the chapter might be a bit hard for you to read. If you choose to read it, do read the whole thing because it ends on a brighter note.

"What does this mean?" Chu Liang asked, glancing at Xue Lingxue.

If that Xue Lingxue is real, then does that mean the Xue Lingxue standing beside us is fake?

Tie Chui waved her hand, dismissing what she said before. Choosing her words carefully, she explained, "Ah, no. What I meant is that she doesn't seem like a fake. I investigated that Xue Lingxue… and I really couldn't pick out anything that wasn't right. That Xue Lingxue looked exactly like the real one.

Ugggh!

"

Tie Chui punched the air fiercely in annoyance, producing audible bursts of wind.

Seeing that, the gazes of the people around her turned apprehensive.

No one's forcing you to do this. Just tell us slowly. Why are you getting mad at yourself?

After a while, Tie Chui finally explained the situation clearly.

About half a month ago, there were rumors circulating in the martial world that Xue Lingxue would be performing at a certain location. Rumors like that were common for popular figures, so the South Melody Conservatory didn't bother paying attention to them.

Three days later, it was reported that the performance had indeed happened. That changed everything. If the performance had taken place, then someone had to have gone there to perform. This wasn't just a case of spreading rumors anymore. Someone was impersonating a disciple of the South Melody Conservatory to commit fraud.

This sort of thing had happened before. People would disguise themselves as disciples of the South Melody Conservatory, go to remote places, and scam others into giving them money or having sex with them. In the end, it was always the South Melody Conservatory that had to bear the consequences.

So, after finding out about the fake Xue Lingxue's performance, the South Melody Conservatory sent disciples to investigate the matter. Nevertheless, the impersonator was highly secretive and left no traces that could lead to their whereabouts.

In the meantime, they received news from another city that Xue Lingxue was scheduled to perform there. The South Melody Conservatory immediately sent their fiercest and mightiest combat musician, Miss Tie Chui. She took her drum and went there to investigate.

Tie Chui arrived at the concert location ahead of time and hid among the crowd, planning to expose the impersonator the moment they took the stage. However, when the concert started and "Xue Lingxue" stepped onto the stage, Tie Chui was stunned.

That person looked exactly like Xue Lingxue, and she even played the guqin with the same style and charm.

Even if someone could perfectly replicate someone else's appearance, they wouldn't be able to replicate their playing style as well—regardless of how advanced their illusory spells were.

That was why Tie Chui found herself in a confused daze. She thought that perhaps Xue Lingxue was truly short on money and had taken on some individual work.

Consequently, during the mid-concert break, Tie Chui barged into the backstage area. She approached that "Xue Lingxue" and tested her.

"I asked her why she was performing there," Tie Chui said. "She told me that she hadn't performed in a long time, so she snuck out to perform. She hoped I wouldn't report it to the conservatory master when we returned.

"When I spoke with her, she was just like Lingxue. Her expressions, her voice, the way she talked—everything was the same. So, I agreed to keep her secret and returned to the South Melody Conservatory. But not long after that, the real Lingxue came to my room and asked how the investigation had gone."

Xue Lingxue shared her account of the incident. "I had been in closed-door cultivation for days. When I came out, I heard someone had been impersonating me, so I went to ask Tie Chui about it. But she insisted that I was the one who told her to keep it a secret."

"It's so strange." Tie Chui looked very perplexed. "There wasn't any fluctuation in the impersonator's foundational qi. No matter how advanced an illusory divine skill she might have been using, it shouldn't be able to replicate Lingxue's music skills as well."

Someone replicated her appearance and even the way she played the guqin…?

Chu Liang found the matter quite strange too.

He was reminded of the Xiao sisters from the Celestial Charm Sect. They had mastered the world's most advanced illusory techniques and spells, but even they could only replicate appearances.

Then he recalled another situation that was similar to Xue Lingxue's. Previously, the Sea Master had made a fake Golden Toad and falsely delivered the decree of the South Sea's Hallowed Mother. The toad demon's disguise had been incredibly realistic, and it had been almost indistinguishable from the real Golden Toad.

Could these two incidents be connected?

However, even the fake Golden Toad hadn't been able to replicate the real Golden Toad's treasure-exchanging ability. It could only perform a crude imitation, producing subpar enchanted tools.

After thinking about it for a moment, Chu Liang asked, "Since you're seeking my help, I assume you already know where that impostor will be heading next?"

"That's right." Xue Lingxue nodded. "It's said that her concert tour will continue eastward and arrive at her next stop the day after tomorrow. It's… the Fuyao Kingdom."

…

By the shores of the East Sea, a tall, dark-skinned man with unnaturally long limbs that reached past his knees stood at the edge of a cliff. His dull, vacant eyes were filled with despair as he stared at the raging waves below.

He muttered sorrowfully, "To think that I would fall and wither like this for half my life…

"I gave my all in everything, yet I've been branded a traitor who turned against his master. How could the heavens be so unfair? How could the world be so unjust?

"It's true I killed someone… but does that mean I deserve to be condemned by everyone like this?"

This man was Du Wuhen, the former head disciple of the Thunderbolt Stronghold.

His downfall had begun when he was still part of the Thunderbolt Stronghold. Tempted by the great rewards that the Penglai Supreme Sect offered, Du Wuhen had agreed to secretly collude with them to stir up conflict between the Thunderbolt Stronghold and the Celestial King Sect. However, that ended up forcing the Thunderbolt Stronghold into a corner. Left with no other choice, the Thunderbolt Stronghold aligned with Penglai and became their pawn.

Huang Hanshan, the lord of the Thunderbolt Stronghold, secretly bore a grudge against Du Wuhen for that and nearly caused him to die. In the end, Du Wuhen had no choice but to sever ties with his sect and fully submit to the Penglai Supreme Sect.

He had thought the Penglai Supreme Sect would honor their promise and provide him with an abundance of spirit-stone coins, resources, and beautiful women… But in the end, Daoist Xuan Lu just coldly tossed Du Wuhen, in his severely injured state, into the Sea of Demons. If he died, so be it. They would only talk about everything else if he managed to kill his way out.

Du Wuhen struggled to survive in the Sea of Demons. Then the radiant Chu Liang appeared, and Du Wuhen was about to escape thanks to him…

But Yang Bujue suddenly entered the scene and nearly killed Du Wuhen with a saber-like knifehand strike. If not for his Azure Mysterious Wind Bird swiftly carrying him back to the Thunderbolt Stronghold for treatment, he would have perished in the depths of the Sea of Demons.

Fortunately, Huang Hanshan and Wei Tiandi were away at the time, and the soft-hearted Huang Ling'er had been left in charge. She secretly hid him elsewhere and treated him in secret for several days until he finally recovered.

However, once Du Wuhen was well again, Huang Ling'er drove him away, unwilling to have any further involvement with him. She had saved him because they used to be fellow disciples. That was all there was to it.

Huang Ling'er's look of disdain hurt Du Wuhen deeply.

I was once one of the immortal sects' top prodigies, the Thunderbolt Stronghold's most outstanding disciple of my generation. How did I end up like this?

Did I truly make terrible choices in the past?

Is there truly no way to wash away all of my shame in this lifetime?

If so, what's the point of living?

Du Wuhen raised his scythe and slashed his throat.

"

Keeew!

"

As a sharp cry rang out, the scythe emitted a flash of light. It transformed into the Azure Mysterious Wind Bird and broke free from Du Wuhen's grasp.

"Azure Mysterious Wind Bird?" Du Wuhen gazed at the large bird before him, gently stroking its neck. "In this world, you're the only one who still cares about me. You're the only one who still cares whether I live or die, right?"

With eyes full of disdain, the Azure Mysterious Wind Bird suddenly spoke in human language. "Initially, I thought you were a prodigy of this era and that if I accompanied you, I would have a bright future ahead, at least for the next hundred years. I might even be able to advance further in my cultivation.

"But seeing you now, so weak and miserable… You're just a useless person that seems strong, but you're actually all withered and weak inside. Don't go dying in front of me and giving me bad luck for no reason."

The Azure Mysterious Wind Bird then spread its wings, soared into the sky, and flew far away.

Du Wuhen watched the Azure Mysterious Wind Bird become a tiny speck in the distance, like a star in the night sky. He raised his hand and tried to grab it, but all he grasped was air.

He sank into a deep silence.

A moment later, he suddenly burst into tears.

"Even you have abandoned me… Now, there really is no reason left for me to live!" Du Wuhen cried out. "AAAAAHHHHH!!!"

He struck his palm toward his heart.

However, just as his palm strike containing a thousand jun of force was about to hit his chest, an elderly man suddenly yelled from the sea. "STOP! You mustn't do that!"

"

Eh?

"

Du Wuhen had no intention of listening to what the elderly man said, but the moment he heard those words, his arm stopped moving, seemingly unwilling to finish the strike.

What is going on?

With a confused expression, Du Wuhen watched a large ball of red light float up from the sea. The light faded and revealed an elderly man with a kind smile and a courteous and amiable demeanor. At a glance, he seemed like an exceedingly polite elderly gentleman.

"Young man, I sincerely apologize for interrupting your suicide attempt. Please allow me to offer my earnest apologies first," the elderly man said, his tone incredibly polite. "But do you not know that the heavens cherish life? Since I have witnessed this today, I cannot allow you to die before my eyes."

"Sir…" Du Wuhen uttered hesitantly.

As a well-traveled prodigy of the immortal sects, Du Wuhen knew that most seventh-realm Eminent Ones would not possess such a gentle and polite demeanor.

This old man seems to be either a powerful cultivator at the pinnacle of the seventh realm… or an eighth-realm cultivator, a master of the Heavenly Origin.

But it seems like too much of a coincidence to randomly run into such a powerful cultivator in the vast East Sea. Could it be that the opportunity has arrived for me to turn my life around?

With that thought in mind, Du Wuhen lamented, "I spent half my life straying down the wrong path. Now, I have no family, no friends. I'm completely alone. I've lost all reason to live. I might as well just die now."

"That is a mistaken belief, young man." The elderly man chuckled and shook his head. "I, too, spent half my life making mistakes, and now I am also alone in the world. But as long as you spend the rest of your life doing good, you may still redeem your past sins. As long as you live, there is hope. If you die… then there is nothing left."

Du Wuhen might not have fully absorbed the latter half of what the elderly man said, but the first half struck him deeply. His brows twitched, and his eyes gleamed. He had made a decision.

Suddenly falling to his knees, Du Wuhen proclaimed loudly, "Sir, you have shown me great kindness by saving my life. If you do not mind, I would like to recognize you as my adoptive father and care for you in your old age!"

At this moment, he had already placed everything on the line, hoping to make this a positive turning point in his life. If the elderly man refused, Du Wuhen wouldn't be surprised in the least. And if the elderly man agreed, it would be the most pleasant surprise and blessing for Du Wuhen.

Nevertheless, the elderly man's reaction was completely unexpected—something Du Wuhen had not even considered.

The mysteriously powerful elderly man suddenly knelt down as well and exclaimed, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! That would be far too presumptuous of me! I am grateful that you wish to do so, but I cannot agree to that. If you really want to form a bond with me, let's just become sworn brothers!"

GLTD Alternate Universe's Thoughts

Translator: LD

This novel is normally such a light read that this chapter totally caught me off guard. I don't think any of us are fans of Du Wuhen, but I do hope this is the start of his redemption arc.