His spear slashed through.
But no blood sprayed out.
Su Ye lowered his spear andsoon, it dissipated into the wind as if it were smoke.
Ling Yu stared at him, almost confused.
"What's wrong? Are you not going to do it?"
Xiao Lan who was at the side, could only be a spectator. But she was glad that Su Ye hadn't dealt the final blow.
Killing was something common in this world, but she didn't want him to go down the path of no return. A path where only revenge mattered, even at the cost of losing yourself.
She had seen many people destroy themselves in this way.
Yet Xiao Lan had decided that no matter what Su Ye chose, she would follow alongside him.
A pink petal fluttered in, catching Su Ye's attention. He held out his hand for it to safely land on his palm.
But even when he tried to catch it, the wind blew it between his fingers.
Following the wind, it rose higher and higher.
For some reason, he couldn't take his gaze away from that petal. Yet, as it flew further away, he didn't try anything to stop it.
Since its journey was to float out of his hands, why force it?
Su Ye spoke while still looking towards the direction the petal had flown off to. His voice was soft, much more than before.
"All this time, I've hated you and Li Tao. There were many times that I wished I could have killed all of you in a instant. Yet now that I've personally brought out Li Tao's punishment...i don't feel as happy as I thought I would."
Ling Yu gritted her teeth, "Only by killing those that harmed you will you be able to sleep well at night."
Su Ye asked, "Do you often have nightmares?"
"Every night." She lowered her head, "In my nightmares, I see my husband begging me to avenge him. Every night, I hear his screams. And every night when I wake up, I see the murderer by my bedside."
She clawed at her arm in disgust. Her silky skin had red claw marks from her own nails.
"I don't which one was more cruel. The dream or reality..."
"...I won't kill you."
"What? Don't you hate me!? I was the one that led your mother to her death."
"That might be true, but had Li Tao not had the thought of striking, my mother would still be alive."
Su Ye looked at her.
Her face was almost in grief. Su Ye understood. Killing her was like releasing her from her anguish, her pain, and her guilt.
Su Ye wasn't a saint, and he wasn't a idiot.
In fact he was petty. Very petty.
Do onto others as they did to you.
But hurting yourself in the process? That in itself was self-destructive and held no results.
Ling Yu knelt down.
"I deserve death! There were so many people that I killed! All of them were innocent!"
He held anger towards her, but after 15 years, now that she stood in front of him, begging him to kill her...
Somehow...
It was simply pitiful.
Su Ye pitied her.
Sympathized? Maybe.
"Kill you? Are you worthy?" Su Ye still had some anger, but he reeled it in, "Every pain that I deal to you will only make you happy. Every time I hurt you, you'll feel less guilt in your heart."
His eyes zeroed in on her.
"Screw off."
Ling Yu eyes widened in shock. Her body fell to the floor almost in despair.
Su Ye looked at her defeated figure for a second before turning his head towards the outside of the main hall.
Su Daoxuan stood there with his back turned to him.
It was like a faint reminder of what he should do.
He already knew the answer.
"Death is too good for a person like you." Su Ye knelt on one knee.
"If you want my forgiveness," His words were slow but full of determination, "Take over the Li family."
It was like thunder had hit the ground.
Xiao Lan opened her mouth in shock and Su Daoxuan lips smiled at the corner, though only slightly.
Ling Yu paused, "Forgiveness? You'll forgive me?"
"Take over the Li family and change it from within. But from now on, if you commit any crimes, I'll make sure that you find a fate worse than your present life."
Su Ye turned as if to say that this conversation was over.
Ling Yu looked at his back. She stood up and bowed once before leaving.
Su Daoxuan entered the main hall.
"Are you really going to forgive her?"
"...I'm not sure."
"Then why did you let her go?"
Su Ye spoke this time with certainty, "Because I want to see what'll happen."
Was it the right call to let her go?
Should he have killed her?
Only time will tell.
But had he chosen any other option, a hole would have formed in his heart. One that may never close.
At the very least, this was the choice that would leave no regrets.
Su Ye looked at Su Daoxuan smiling at him.
"Patriarch, what if I had killed her?"
"Nothing." Su Daoxuan shrugged, "You're choices are yours alone. To kill or not is none of my business. But I can say this..."
He smiled, "You made me proud today."
Su Ye felt like time was moving slower on hearing those words. It was strange.
He had thought that he had become indifferent to things, but now that Su Daoxuan praised him, he couldn't help feeling happy.
Recognition...
Xiao Lan chimed in, "If Miss were to see you now..." She cried tears of joy, "She would have been happy! I'm sure of it!"
Su Daoxuan nodded. His voice turned poetic.
"Life is a long river. There are few that our hearts can truly connect with, and there are only a couple that we are willing to die for."
He patted Su Ye's shoulder's, "Be decisive in your actions. But also learn to take a step back and reconsider your actions. Not every choice needs an answer. Maybe by simply waiting for the right time, an answer will surface in front of you."
"Don't rush things that aren't supposed to be rushed. Don't fret over things that you can't control. And, don't lose yourself amidst the raging storm."
He waved his hands mysteriously. Every gesture of his was exaggerated, but they also made his words hold more weight.
"Waiting..."
Su Ye couldn't help smiling.
"I really don't like waiting."
Su Daoxuan scoffs, "Child! Compared to you, that brat Su Yixiao is 100 times more impatient!"
"If it was him just now, Ling Yu would have been torn into a thousand pieces!"
He stopped himself and looked around.
"Speaking of that brat, where is he!? Don't tell me he's going around and killing members of the Li family again!?"
He rubbed his temples.
"Damn it! Even a 30 year child can learn to forgive, that 1,205 year old brat is even worse than a child!"
This can't do! If he really kills the Li family, how will Su Ye see the course of his actions!? You damn brat, are you a monkey?! Can't you just sit still for once!?
He hurriedly left to look for Su Yixiao.
Here he was, teaching Su Ye. But that troublemaker Su Yixiao was messing up all of his plans!
Su Ye watched Su Daoxuan leave.
He bowed down once out of respect.
But he couldn't help feeling a little empty now that his revenge was gone. It was one of the driving factors of his entire journey.
Yet, it was solved just like that.
What then, does he have to live for?
"...maybe the answer will surface in time..."
He muttered to himself.
"Xiao Lan. Lets go have dinner."
He smiled.