Chapter 86: Resolution

At this moment, Shi Yuan could no longer care about anything else. He was devastated, appearing as if he might collapse at any moment beneath the weight of his anguish. Qianshuang, seeing Shi Yuan had not fled, was furious.

She knew Shi Yuan had his reasons, that he had acted for the sake of his father. But was that justification enough to cast Bai Feiyu’s life aside? For his father’s sake, how many had Shi Yuan killed over the years?

“Enough. Stop it. I’m still alive, aren’t I?” Bai Feiyu let out a sigh and walked over. His gaze, cold and sharp as a hawk’s, landed on Shi Yuan.

“Now that you’ve seen me, and know your father has long been dead, that you were used from the very start—don’t you have anything to say?”

Shi Yuan was silent at first, then heaved a deep sigh.

“Bai Feiyu, I know what I’ve done. I owe you an apology.”

“Today, whether you kill me or torment me, do as you please. I don’t care anymore.” With that, Shi Yuan closed his eyes.

He understood that betrayal like this—selling out a friend, plunging them into peril, nearly costing them their life—was unforgivable. Now, with his father gone, Shi Yuan had nothing left to tie him to this world; he would not resist. In truth, he was utterly exhausted and no longer wished to struggle. Since he had wronged Bai Feiyu, surrendering his life seemed the only way to atone.

To him, it was the only solution he could think of.

Bai Feiyu looked at Shi Yuan and snorted coldly. Although he had ordered Yang Fan and Qianshuang to beat the man, that did not mean he was so generous or forgiving as to pardon him. That was impossible.

Still, Bai Feiyu understood in his heart that Shi Yuan was not the sole cause of all this. The Dark Sect and the Grand Elder played their parts as well.

“Forget it. I don’t wish to pursue this further. Now that the Dark Sect has abandoned you, and your father is gone, I doubt you’ll do anything more.”

“However, sparing your life does not mean I have forgiven you,” Bai Feiyu said icily. “From this day forward, there is nothing between us. I am no longer your friend, and you will never have my trust again. Should you ever scheme against me in the future, I will settle all scores, old and new, and see that you do not fare well.”

Having survived by a hair’s breadth, and knowing Shi Yuan had his reasons, Bai Feiyu ultimately decided to let him go. Yet sparing him did not mean forgiveness. Such a betrayal was not so easily pardoned—he was no saint.

Hearing Bai Feiyu’s decision, Qianshuang, Yang Fan, and even Shi Yuan himself were stunned. None of them had expected Bai Feiyu to be so magnanimous, to actually let Shi Yuan go.

In truth, Qianshuang, upon hearing Shi Yuan plead for them and learning of his reasons, no longer wanted to kill him. Still, had Bai Feiyu chosen to exact vengeance, she would not have intervened—it was his grievance to settle.

Yet Bai Feiyu genuinely seemed to pardon Shi Yuan. This surprised her and, in some way, moved her.

“Given all this, thank you, Bai Feiyu,” Shi Yuan said sincerely.

He did not truly wish to die—not when his father’s death remained unavenged. Deep down, he was unwilling to perish like this, or to have been used by the Dark Sect for nothing. However slim his chances, as long as he lived, there was still hope for revenge.

“To think the Grand Elder is such a man, hiring assassins to target Brother Feiyu!” Qianshuang fumed. “When we return, I must report this to my father! Such a person can never remain Grand Elder in the Gui Xu Sect!”

Bai Feiyu sighed, then waved her off. “There’s no point. Bringing down the Grand Elder is no simple matter. He is too careful to leave any evidence behind. Even if your father trusts you, there are other elders in the sect. Should the Grand Elder deny involvement, what then?”

“In the end, he would only bear a grudge against us. To topple him, we must be patient and plan carefully.”

Since arriving in this world, Bai Feiyu had learned one harsh lesson: the strong prey on the weak. Those with status, power, and cultivation could decide the fate of others at will. Many elders were close to the Grand Elder; united, they would be a formidable force. Even the sect master could not execute the Grand Elder on a whim.

“Are you saying we simply let this go?” Qianshuang protested, shocked. She was unused to such intrigue and could not grasp its depths.

“I’m not saying we let it go. How could I ever forgive the Grand Elder?” Bai Feiyu said. “But revenge must be taken step by step. If we act rashly out of anger, we will destroy ourselves.”

“If the Grand Elder is pushed too far, with his strength and connections, he could easily eliminate us. For now, we must endure, pretending the Dark Society deceived him.”

He explained patiently. At that moment, Yang Fan quietly sent a message to Qianshuang, urging her to drop the matter. Shi Yuan was still present, and his fate lay in Bai Feiyu’s hands. If Bai Feiyu could not let go of his resentment and wanted Shi Yuan to testify, there was no guarantee the Grand Elder would fall, but Shi Yuan would surely die.

Moreover, even if they learned the exact location of the Dark Sect from Shi Yuan, wiping it out would not be easy. The Dark Sect was the top assassin organization in the entire Zhao Kingdom—such a group would not be destroyed so easily. To attempt it would require a large-scale war between sects; the sect master would never risk so much just for Bai Feiyu. A war would bring widespread casualties among the disciples.

Seeing Yang Fan’s warning, Qianshuang could only let the matter rest. Yet her heart was troubled and conflicted. So much had happened, such drastic changes had occurred, it left her ill at ease. Worse still, the impression she once had of Shi Yuan had been shattered by his actions.

…