As the morning sun rose in the east, it shone upon the hill behind Jianlu, its gentle warmth showing no signs of fading, enveloping the mountain peak in a golden glow. The master and disciples of Jianlu, numbering about ten, stood in the warm light, facing the sun, appearing like an oil painting.

Below the hill, the third-generation disciples of Jianlu, the sword attendants, the servants who had attended to Si Gu Jian for countless years, and the officials, watched this scene, knowing that the Grandmaster of Dongyi City had reached his final moment. Many could not contain their sorrow, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing towards the hill.

On the hillside, in the mountain dwelling, Fan Xian and Shadow watched the scene. Though their faces remained impassive, their hearts were deeply moved. Fan Xian suddenly felt a strange sensation. In truth, his relationship with Dongyi City had always been extremely complex over the years, especially with Grandmaster Si Gu Jian. He didn't really have any deep, personal understanding of the man. He only knew that he was an extraordinary powerhouse, a remarkable figure who could alter the course of the world with a single sword. In many past years, Si Gu Jian had been his greatest enemy. Yet, as time shifted and stars turned, the relationship between people had undergone such a drastic change.

But even last night, Fan Xian had no extra feelings for Si Gu Jian. His negotiation with Si Gu Jian was merely a collaboration based on certain mutual interests. Towards a Grandmaster who had caused the deaths of many of his subordinates and killed many Qing citizens, Fan Xian simply couldn't muster much sentiment.

Yet, at this moment.

The sun had risen. Fan Xian couldn't help but chuckle bitterly in self-mockery, looking at the frail figure on the hilltop, wondering if he was seeing things, actually viewing this Grandmaster as a revolutionary, protecting the world and cherishing the people.

Shadow took a step towards the mountain gate, silently, blankly watching Si Gu Jian on the mountaintop, watching his brother whose life was entangled with his in both harm and connection, taking his final breaths in the mortal realm.

Fan Xian retreated into the shadows of the mountain gate, falling silent. For some reason, his heart stirred slightly, and the two distinct types of true qi within his body slowly began to circulate. Especially the powerful, domineering true qi from the snow mountain at his lower back, which was released along both arms, revolving back at the edge of his palms, forming an extremely complete true qi circuit, only half an inch from his palm, yet an extremely sensitive release of true qi.

He sensed something, felt something, turning his gaze towards the east, looking all the way to the vast sea, to the cresting waves on the shore bathed in the red morning sun.

Si Gu Jian's gaze on the mountain peak also fell upon the ocean waves.

A wind came from afar, carrying light, damp rain. Above the morning sun in the sky, there was a patch of slightly heavy dark clouds. The wind and rain were coming, as if to send him off, as if to cleanse him.

……

……

Aside from Fan Xian and the dying Si Gu Jian, no one sensed the aura that person intentionally released. Fan Xian quietly left the mountain dwelling, departing from behind the people prostrating themselves on the ground around Jianlu. He diagonally dashed into Dongyi City, increasing his speed to the fastest possible level. In a very short time, he passed through residential houses and commercial shops, through the harbor and ships, arriving at a secluded beach outside Dongyi City, near the shores of the East Sea.

At this time, the raindrops were falling densely on the shore, making countless pits in the sand.

A gray shadow flashed past, then stopped with incredible force on the bluestone beside the beach, it was Fan Xian. He squinted at the small pits made by the raindrops on the sand, and suddenly thought of many years ago, at the cliff in Danzhou, when he watched that half-sunk boat, and the traces left on the beach.

The wind and rain did not intensify, they only blew and fell so gently and coldly. The morning sun rose higher, ascending into the rain clouds, and the light in the entire Dongyi City dimmed, especially at sea, where the waves beat against the rocks, stirring up countless mists, mingling with the slanting wind and drizzle falling from the sky, adding a touch of haziness.

Behind the hazy mist, the silhouette of a giant ship slowly appeared. The ship was extremely large, the kind of ocean-going merchant ship that could withstand the giant waves of a ten-thousand-mile sea route. The ship could not approach the shore, which was covered with reefs, and only revealed its silhouette in the distant sea. Although the distance was extremely far, the inexplicable sense of oppression still made Fan Xian feel a touch of tension.

The sea suddenly became calm at this moment. Although the wind and rain continued, the raindrops fell into the sea silently, into the sand silently, nourishing the world in silence. The waves no longer violently crashed against the shore, but slowly rose and fell, like the breathing of this continent.

Within the white mist, a small boat was faintly approaching.

Fan Xian took a deep breath, then stepped on the slightly wet and soft sand, and walked towards the sea, welcoming the arrival of this small boat.

A person stood at the bow of the small boat. This person held his hands behind his back, and his slightly white long hair was tied behind his head with a cloth strip. His face was strange and ancient, his eyes were clear and unfathomable. A bamboo hat was on his head. Although the bamboo hat was small, it prevented the gentle but dense wind and rain from approaching the small boat.

A person was sitting at the bow, also wearing a bamboo hat, but the brim of the hat did not cover his hair of unusual color, and the strange and terrifying smile on his lips.

Ye Liuyun had arrived. As Si Gu Jian was dying, he finally came to send him off.

Fan Xian's heart was slightly shocked, then he looked at the person sitting at the stern of the boat and smiled gently. Fei Jie had also arrived. In this season of almost mental and physical exhaustion, being able to see a loved one diluted the shock brought about by Ye Liuyun's sudden appearance.

……

……

The small boat approached the sea. Ye Liuyun stood quietly at the bow, his eyes passing through the green trees and hills on the shore, casting towards the distance. Probably in that direction, Si Gu Jian was on the hill, watching the seaside miserably and coldly.

Fan Xian stood in the wind and rain, wiped the rain off his face, looked at the silent Ye Liuyun, his thin lips slightly opened, but he still didn't say a word.

The sound of water gradually rose. Fei Jie jumped from the stern and walked towards the shore in the shallow water. Fan Xian quickly went forward and helped his teacher ashore. The master and disciple looked at each other, their eyes gentle and gratified.

Fan Xian didn't mention the problems in the capital, the problems in the Ten Families Village, or Chen Pingping's problems, because he knew that Teacher Fei Jie's lifelong wish was to travel overseas. This Grandmaster of poisons loved freedom. If it weren't for himself, he would have left Qing long ago. Since Chen Pingping had tricked him away, Fan Xian would naturally continue to trick him.

"We wandered around the islands in Nanyang for the past two years," Fei Jie said, looking at his most proud disciple with a smile, "Originally, we decided to set sail this year and go to the West."

"The West is far away." Fan Xian glanced at Ye Liuyun, who was standing woodenly at the bow, ignored this Grandmaster, took his teacher's hand and walked away a little, saying with concern, "With your temperament, I'm afraid you'll go deep into the Western continent. How many years will this round trip take?"

Fei Jie looked at him with a smile and said, "Given the age of me and Master Ye, if we go this time, I'm afraid we won't be back."

Fan Xian's throat seemed to be blocked by something. He originally thought that he would never see his teacher again in this life. He didn't expect to see him today, but it was a final farewell. He felt secretly saddened for a while, then forced a smile and pointed to the sea and said, "With such a big ship, we can go anywhere in the world."

Fei Jie looked back, looking at the looming giant ship behind the water mist, and chuckled, "I bought a lot of foreign servants, and some foreign girls, who are very different from our women. You will definitely like them when you see them."

"I've spent some time with Ms. Ma Suosuo." Fan Xian responded with a smile, "Why are you here today?"

Fei Jie had wanted to talk about this issue earlier. He looked back at Ye Liuyun, who was standing at the bow of the small boat, not landing. After a moment of silence, he said, "He seemed to sense something, knowing that Si Gu Jian was going to die, so he wanted to come and see him off."

"Hmm..." Fan Xian lowered his head slightly, glanced at Ye Liuyun, who was like a statue in the rain at the bow, and said with a complex emotion, "Wasn't Si Gu Jian killed by him and His Majesty?"

Fei Jie shook his head and didn't say anything. Fan Xian also stopped this topic, looked at Ye Liuyun's posture, and shook his head with his teacher.

……

……

Ye Liuyun stood silently at the bow of the small boat, silently looking towards the direction of Dongyi City. At this time, the bamboo hat on his head seemed to have lost its effect, allowing the wind and rain to hit his body and slide into the boat, a sense of wetness.

After a long time, this Grandmaster suddenly lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then waved to Fan Xian.

Fan Xian was slightly surprised, but his expression did not change at all. He walked over calmly, stood in the knee-deep seawater, looked at the small boat less than five steps away, and greeted respectfully.

"I'm leaving." Ye Liuyun looked at Fan Xian gently and said, "I may never come back. Do you have anything to ask me?"

Among the four Grandmasters of the world, Fan Xian had never seen Ku He, only knowing the power of this Northern Qi national master from Haitang, from the post-arrangements in Northern Qi, and from Xiao En's memories. As for Si Gu Jian, he had personally experienced the other party's shocking sword intent, and clearly knew the other party's battle line. As for His Majesty the Emperor, Fan Xian knew from the bottom of his heart that the other party was incredibly powerful.

Only Ye Liuyun, Fan Xian had seen him when he was young, and he had also seen him in Jiangnan. That sword that toppled the building made him have a complete understanding of the realm of the Grandmaster for the first time.

Moreover, Ye Liuyun was essentially different from the other three Grandmasters. He was like a wandering cloud, drifting on the mainland all his life, temporarily staying, then leaving, like a light spot without a thread, unrestrained.

Because of this, Fan Xian had always admired Ye Liuyun the most and respected him the most. However, first at the Junshan Gathering, then at Dadong Mountain, Fan Xian finally understood that it was impossible for there to be people who did not eat the fireworks of the world.

If there was one, it could only be Wu Zhu, not this Grandmaster on the small boat at this time.

Fan Xian knew why Ye Liuyun was speaking at this time. After a moment of silence, he did not ask any questions about martial arts, but directly asked, "Why did you come?"

Ye Liuyun in the rain raised his face slightly, and his entire ancient face appeared from under the bamboo hat. He seemed to have not expected that Fan Xian would ask such an unexpected question in such a precious opportunity.

After only a moment of silence, Ye Liuyun said, "I came to say goodbye."

"Why are you leaving?" Fan Xian asked again.

"Because I like it." Ye Liuyun replied with a smile.

"Then why did you take action in the first place?" Fan Xian asked last.

"Because... I am a Qing citizen." Ye Liuyun replied seriously.

Fan Xian pondered this question for a long time. A Qing citizen, he was also a Qing citizen. In this world, could belonging really determine all motivations, even for a Grandmaster?

Fan Xian took a deep breath and said with a smile, "There are no other questions, just curious, will you come back in the future?"

"Who can know the future?"

Fan Xian shook his head and didn't say anything more. With the realm of Ye Liuyun and Fei Jie, even the distant and mysterious Western continent, I'm afraid there is nothing that can keep them or hurt them.

Fan Xian had no questions to ask, but Ye Liuyun seemed to have something else to say. He looked at Fan Xian and said with a gentle smile, "Since the Great Wei, the world has been in chaos, with wars and battles everywhere, and the people have been displaced and miserable. I helped your father clear the last obstacles. The rest is up to you young people."

Yes, Ye Liuyun, with the status of a Grandmaster, had endured for twenty years, secretly cooperating with His Majesty the Emperor's plan, and swept away all the hidden dangers within Qing in one fell swoop, eliminating the two greatest obstacles to unifying the world, Ku He and Si Gu Jian.

It was meaningless for Ye Liuyun to stay on this continent any longer, so he would take one last look before leaving, and then say these words to Fan Xian.

In the eyes of this Grandmaster, Fan Xian was undoubtedly the most outstanding strong man of the younger generation, not only in martial arts cultivation, but also in his scheming ability and the attention he paid to ordinary people on a daily basis, so Ye Liuyun would entrust him with his hopes.

However, Ye Liuyun did not know Fan Xian's heart. It was an impossible task for a Grandmaster to see through a person's heart.

After saying this, Ye Liuyun stopped talking to Fan Xian, just continued to stand at the bow, looking at the hill over there, and the person on that distant hill who was about to die, perhaps a friend.

Fan Xian lowered his head and was silent for a moment, then walked back to the shore and spoke softly with Fei Jie. He was about to say goodbye, and he had a lot to say to his teacher, even if it was just some childhood memories, there would not be many more opportunities to recall them.

……

……

Fan Xian took out the small booklet that Ku He had left him from his arms, handed it to Fei Jie, and said, "The things Ku He left behind should be related to magic. Ask someone in the West to read it out, and those people should be able to understand it. It's probably related to Italy, Rome, or something like that."

Seeing him so solemnly, and also saying that it was Ku He's relic, Fei Jie frowned, took it, put it in his arms, and said in a hoarse voice, "Don't worry, no one can take this thing from my hands."

Fan Xian had sharp eyes and had long seen what tricks the teacher had done on this booklet, and said with a smile, "If those thieves are not afraid of death."

"Since it was something that Ku He left for you, it must be useful, why don't you keep it yourself?"

"I memorized it last night." Fan Xian pointed to his head and reminded his teacher with a smile of the strange memory he had since childhood.

Fei Jie laughed, remembering the days and nights when he taught this little monster in Danzhou many years ago.

The wind and rain on the shore of the East Sea gradually subsided. Fan Xian and Fei Jie sensed something at the same time, stopped chatting, turned their heads and looked at the small boat gently undulating with the waves on the sea, looking at Ye Liuyun at the bow.

The smile on Ye Liuyun's face was becoming more and more gentle, more and more relieved, as if he had seen through something, full of unrestrained meaning.

A wave hit, the small boat shook slightly, Ye Liuyun took advantage of the situation to bow his body and deeply bowed to a small mountain somewhere in the direction of Dongyi City, somewhere in a thatched cottage.

Fan Xian's heart sank, knowing that that person had gone.

Fei Jie watched this scene silently and said, "I'm leaving."

……

……

The long-legged mosquito in the thatched cottage finally couldn't endure the torment of time. Seeing that the weather was about to get hot, the most joyful season of life, it could no longer stand in the corner, desperately staring at the thick quilt, and the empty space in the quilt. It slumped from the wall and fell to the ground, and was blown away by the wind leaking in from the crack in the door, not knowing where it went.

On the small mountain behind the thatched cottage, that thin figure had fallen into the arms of his disciples, without any breath left.

The small boat slowly left the shore and sailed towards the big ship in the water mist. Fan Xian stood on the beach and bowed deeply, taking it as a farewell.

Until the end, Ye Liuyun still did not abandon the boat and land. Perhaps this Grandmaster had given himself a limit in his heart, that he would never want to set foot on this land full of killing and helplessness again, because he didn't know if he would be willing to leave again once he set foot on this land.

This is the uninhibitedness and determination to let go and abandon.

Fan Xian watched the small boat gradually disappear into the wind and rain, thinking in his heart that this is the so-called "the small boat has passed away from now on, and the rest of my life is spent in the rivers and seas", but some people can leave, and more people can't. When can I go to the free rivers and seas?

……

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(Full of wind and rain, I came from the sea, and then hid in this desert. The desert and the sea are actually the same meaning. Coming from the sea means going to the sea. This small section is written here is a breakpoint, and the meaning I want to express is clearly expressed. It not only refers to Si Gu Jian living by the sea, dying by the sea, coming from the sea, pointing his sword at the world, nor does it only refer to Ye Liuyun coming from the sea to say goodbye, and then going to the sea with Fei Jie. That kind of thing is mainly to create that kind of atmosphere, so as to highlight the helplessness of Fan Xian.

Many people say that Fan Xian hasn't been happy for a long time. Yes, in the words of Jiang Yicao four years ago, it's already like this, how can I still laugh...

Everyone can laugh today, because this is a day of universal celebration. The fierce god Si Gu Jian is finally dead... Uh, actually, today is my birthday. I'm going to accompany my parents and do my filial piety. I wish you all good health and happiness.)