When my uncle suddenly asked that, I immediately thought of my master's lung cancer.
I nodded.
"I know, stage four lung cancer."
Upon hearing my reply, my uncle sighed.
"Alas! Yunxia just told me about this earlier.
I knew this idiot had consumption before, but I didn't expect it to be this serious."
As he spoke, I could feel my uncle's sadness.
Although these two often bickered and cursed at each other, they were truly brothers who cared about each other's lives.
I remained silent.
My uncle had finished preparing the medicine and gestured for me to take off my shirt.
I complied directly.
Then I heard my uncle speak again.
"Although your master is very annoying, and we have irreconcilable grievances between us.
If he were to die, I might still find it a bit unsettling.
After I bandage you, please take something to him for me.
But don't say it's from me."
Hearing my uncle's words, I paused.
"What is it, Uncle?"
My uncle smiled.
"It's Chinese herbal medicine I made myself, it can treat coughs.
That way, your idiot won't have to smoke ashes anymore..."
I stared at my uncle with wide eyes.
So my uncle knew about my master smoking ashes to stop his cough.
My uncle's expression was relatively calm.
However, besides this.
I was even more curious about what grievances and estrangement there were between my uncle and my master.
Clearly, the two old men cared about each other.
Why did they act like that on the surface?
So, I opened my mouth to ask.
"Uncle, what exactly happened between you and Master, why did things get so tense?
Actually, I can see it.
Your relationship with Master isn't truly irreconcilable, you just can't stand to be soft-spoken."
When my uncle heard me say that.
He was stunned for a moment.
Then, he picked up the bandage and started wrapping it around me.
He was silent for a long time, and I didn't press him, just watched quietly.
After a while, I heard my uncle speak.
"When we were young, your master and I both fell in love with the same woman."
My uncle said leisurely.
Hearing this, I frowned.
I immediately thought of someone they had inadvertently mentioned before.
Yunxia's senior sister, "Yunxiao."
"Is it Yunxia's senior sister, Yunxiao?"
I asked subconsciously.
My uncle nodded, and tied the bandage.
"Yes, Yunxiao!
Back then, we were both still young.
But due to an accident, Yunxiao's life was lost.
From then on, the two of us had grievances and estrangement..."
Perhaps it was because my master was in the late stages of his illness and didn't have much time left.
Now that I asked, my uncle calmly told me about the estrangement between him and my master.
My uncle said that he and my master were both in their early thirties at the time.
In order to improve their cultivation and find the evil cultivator Liang Lin as soon as possible to avenge their master's master, they decided to return to Qingshan City to settle down, as per their master's master's last wish.
To temper themselves, they chose to return on foot.
Along the way, they went wherever there were demons and evil spirits.
They slew demons and exterminated monsters everywhere, thereby improving their combat abilities.
Thus, they met the Qingcheng Sect disciples, sisters Yunxiao and Yunxia, who were out on a trial.
Yunxiao was beautiful and kind-hearted, attracting both my master and my uncle.
Both of them fell in love with Yunxiao.
From then on, some resentment arose.
After all, they went from fellow disciples to rivals in love.
The relationship between the three continued for over a year.
Until they passed through Xiangxi and encountered a rare Red-haired Corpse King.
When the Corpse King appeared, the area within ten li was deserted, with no birds or beasts.
To eliminate such a menace and restore peace to the region.
The four of them decided to go and eradicate this evil creature.
Unfortunately, their cultivation was too low at the time.
Even with their combined efforts, they could only fight to a draw against the Corpse King.
To kill the Corpse King, they jointly devised a formation.
However, the activation of the formation required moonlight and a buffer period.
Everything was going smoothly.
But then, an accident occurred.
Before the formation was activated, the zombie suddenly became frenzied.
It launched a desperate attack on our Yunxiao. Yunxiao, who couldn't handle a zombie that all four of them couldn't defeat, how could she endure?
My master, my uncle, and Yunxia all rushed forward to rescue her.
However, all three were blasted away and gravely injured, unable to get up.
They could only watch helplessly as Yunxiao was bitten to death.
At this moment, the formation's buffer period ended.
In their grief, the three activated the formation, and thus annihilated the Red-haired Corpse King.
But Yunxiao was dead.
Because of this incident, my master and my uncle began to blame each other, and a rift formed between them.
Both accused the other of having issues at the time and not exerting their full strength.
Finally, after my master, uncle, and Yunxia escorted Yunxiao back to Qingcheng Mountain, they bid farewell to Yunxia without a word.
They returned to Qingshan City, back to their master's master's hometown.
There, they opened two opposing funeral parlor storefronts.
This led to Yunxia having no further news of my master and uncle.
Twenty-odd years passed since that parting.
My uncle described it very simply.
He only gave a general overview and did not explain the details.
But after listening, I felt that it should have been an accident.
After all, neither my master nor my uncle would have wanted Yunxiao to die.
At that time, when facing the life and death of the woman they loved, my master and uncle must have done their best.
It was just that the outcome was difficult to accept.
It also caused my master and uncle to transform their love for Yunxiao into hatred for each other.
From then on, my master took up smoking.
My uncle took up drinking.
Both harbored the love for Yunxiao deep within their hearts and remained unmarried for life.
Their hearts held only the revenge for their master's master.
However, as time passed, my master and uncle likely came to understand.
In their hearts, they no longer resented each other.
It was just that they were unwilling to compromise with their words.
This relationship has persisted until now.