Away from Sorrow - Chapter 2

And Shen Yuan—

He had used the wealth stolen from my family to marry a wife, take concubines, and have children.

Perhaps, in the years that followed, he had also used our money to help the poor. Perhaps he had handed out porridge in the streets and earned himself a reputation as a great philanthropist.

But what of it?

My parents had been kind by nature. They had helped countless people every year, yet they still died in torment.

Why should a murderer be declared reformed after a mere two years of good deeds? Why should his family be spared? Why should my parents have died for nothing?

No. I would not accept it!

So—

Since Shen Shuyi had received her parents’ upbringing and enjoyed their benefits, she would bear the burden of their sins too.

Children could be exempt from their parents’ punishment only if they had not shared in the rewards!

The silver stained with my family’s blood had all been stolen by Shen Yuan. It was what kept the Shen household’s dozen or so members in luxury.

And if I was taking revenge, I had to tear out the roots. Leave no one alive.

Otherwise, wouldn’t I merely be leaving trouble for my future self?

I was not that foolish.

Shen Yuan understood this too. For years, he had sent martial experts to hunt me down.

What he did not know was that I had already entered an immortal sect, learned its arts, and become a disciple.

I understood the principle just as well as he did.

So Shen Shuyi’s desperate pleas had not moved me in the slightest. I had killed her without hesitation.

But this time, after my senior brother delivered his accusation, I did not answer at once. I slowly walked up to him and pointed my sword at Shen Shuyi’s head on the ground, deliberately provoking him.

“Even Master never interfered with my blood feud. He merely said that cause and effect come full circle, and retribution never fails.”

I paused. My gaze sharpened.

“Or perhaps…you think Master is too vicious as well? For allowing his only disciple to stain her hands with so much blood?”

Once I invoked Master, Fang Wenzhou could only swallow his fury, however great it was.

In my previous life, I had only learned the truth just before I died.

While away from the mountain slaying demons, he had met Shen Shuyi a few times. He had witnessed her “innocence and kindness” and perhaps developed feelings for her.

But Master had arranged our engagement long before.

Fang Wenzhou dreamed of inheriting the position of sect leader.

Yet he was only an elder’s personal disciple. The Sword Sect had nine elders, each with personal disciples to whom they passed on everything they knew.

The other senior disciples were no less gifted or skilled than he was. Some possessed even greater aptitude. Being the eldest senior disciple gave him no decisive advantage.

The sect leader’s only personal disciple was me.

Only by marrying me and securing my master’s support would he have the best chance of gaining the position he craved.

Until the wedding took place, however much he resented me, he had to endure it.

“Liyou, now that you’ve taken your revenge, come back to Spirit Mountain with me. The sect leader wants to see you.”

His voice betrayed no emotion. He was probably still seething, but he had to hold it in. He no longer called me Little Sister with his old warmth. Instead, he used the new name Master had given me.

Liyou. Away from sorrow. That was Master’s greatest wish for me.

My old name had long since been swallowed by hatred, along with everything tied to this feud.

Now that my vengeance was complete and the obsession no longer haunted my heart, we would return to Spirit Mountain. With his ascension approaching, Master needed to appoint a successor. He also wanted to see me married with his own eyes.

He would bring up my engagement to Fang Wenzhou again.

That, too, was part of Fang Wenzhou’s plan. He was so impatient that he had personally asked for Master’s order to bring me home.

He had never expected to witness this scene—to see a still more ruthless version of me.

I wiped the blood from my sword, smiled exactly as I used to, and fell into step beside him.

“Of course, Senior Brother. Let’s return to Spirit Mountain.”

Only this time—

I would take his life. And the sect leader’s seat would be mine too.