The Aloof Yet Pure-hearted Killer: She Said, As Long As I Don’t Regret It, It Isn’t Foolish
“Being a killer isn’t cool at all”—Fang Xun’gui gradually came to understand the meaning of these words.
When Fang Xun’gui was ten, Fang Yunmo lost his right eye.
When Fang Xun’gui was twelve, Fang Yunmo had his throat slit and nearly died.
When Fang Xun’gui was thirteen, Fang Yunmo became the First on the Celestial Ranking among killers.
Though covered in scars, his eyes still held a smile.
“Xun’gui, I’ve found a great place—Shuochun Lake. Never been there, have you? It’s so beautiful! When I can finally leave the mountain, I’ll take you there to make a living. Then, I’ll find you a beautiful sister-in-law, and the three of us can live happily together. How does that sound?”
Fang Xun’gui often dreamed of the scene Fang Yunmo described.
Peaceful, warm, free from fear—just simple happiness.
Until that late autumn.
Fang Yunmo’s gaze toward Fang Xun’gui was complex and hard to decipher. The only thing Fang Xun’gui could tell was that his brother no longer smiled.
“Xun’gui, no matter what happens, live well and keep moving forward.”
“Brother, what’s wrong?”
“It’s been so many years since I picked you up, and now you’ve grown into a fine young man. That’s wonderful. Xun’gui, Shuochun Lake is a good place. If you like it, go and see it someday.”
“You’re acting strange today, Brother. Are you hiding something from me?”
To this day, Fang Xun’gui still doesn’t know what exactly happened that winter.
The old emperor abdicated, and the imperial capital fell into turmoil.
The Blood-Severing Pavilion received more commissions than ever before.
The path to power was paved with yellow sand and bleached bones.
Until a mysterious mission was personally assigned by the Pavilion Master to Severing Cloud, the First on the Celestial Ranking.
It was the bitter winter of Fang Xun’gui’s fourteenth year.
A great fire in the imperial capital illuminated the desolate night sky.
Fang Xun’gui waited and waited, expecting his brother to return to Moon-Cutting Mountain, battered and bruised as always.
He thought he would eventually see him again.
But all he waited for was the moment when the name “Severing Cloud” was erased from the Celestial Ranking.
Only then did Fang Xun’gui realize he had lost his home once more.
Gripping his longsword, he charged before the Pavilion Master, desperate for the truth.
“Why did my brother die? Who killed him? What exactly did you send him to do!”
The Pavilion Master grasped the tip of the sword, letting the blood gushing from his palm stain the blade, yet his face still wore a faint, elusive smile.
“Didn’t Severing Cloud teach you? This is the fate of a killer.”
“I don’t believe in fate!”
“Want to know about Severing Cloud? Fine. Trade yourself for it. I saved Severing Cloud’s life, and he saved yours. So now, for Severing Cloud’s sake, giving your life to me is only fair, isn’t it?”
“…If I give you my life, will you tell me the truth?”
“Not necessarily, but if you don’t comply, I can kill you right now.”
The Pavilion Master smirked, opening his bloodied palm and waving it before Fang Xun’gui’s eyes as if showing off:
“Anyone who injures the Master of the Blood-Severing Pavilion on Moon-Cutting Mountain has only one fate—death.
“Ah, I almost forgot. Kid, did you know? Before Severing Cloud left on this mission, he asked me a favor: if he didn’t return, to send you safely down the mountain.
“By the rules, once you set foot on Moon-Cutting Mountain, there’s no leaving. I originally planned to cripple you next year before letting you go. But Severing Cloud said if I didn’t let you leave in good health a year later, he wouldn’t accept this mission.””What a devoted brother… For his sake, I can spare your life. As long as you take the Soul-Losing Pill now, cleanse your memories, and leave the mountain, I won’t kill you.”
The Pavilion Master gazed at Fang Xun’gui’s deathly pale face and said with a smile:
“You can choose to leave the mountain right now.”
“I won’t go.”
“Then what do you intend to do?”
“I want to know why my brother died.”
“What a foolish child. In the Blood-Severing Pavilion, there is never a ‘why.’ The truth is the most useless thing. He is already dead and won’t return. Even if you know the truth, what then?”
“I want to avenge him!”
The Pavilion Master feigned an exaggerated look of surprise, then burst into laughter:
“Foolish child, truly a foolish child. Avenge him? Do you know who killed your brother? Do you know how important the mission he undertook was? Child, there are some people and matters you will never be able to touch in this lifetime. Don’t be foolish.”
“…I want to join the Blood-Severing Pavilion.”
“Hmm? What did you say? I don’t think I heard you clearly.”
Fang Xun’gui threw aside the long sword in his hand, knelt on one knee before the Pavilion Master, his eyes filled with resolute hatred:
“I want to join the Blood-Severing Pavilion!”
…
“Do you think I’m foolish?”
Fang Xun’gui asked Yuyi Yue this.
Perhaps he was also asking himself.
Too many people had described him this way.
Was it worth it? For a meaningless truth, willingly plunging into the center of the vortex, sacrificing a lifetime, with no path of return ever again.
Yan Zuoxiu had once said to Fang Xun’gui, “At this point, you’re merely clinging to your own obsession. Even you know the truth itself is meaningless.”
Fang Xun’gui knew this himself, but he simply couldn’t let it go.
He quietly watched Yuyi Yue, wanting to know how she would judge him.
Yuyi Yue let out a soft sigh and asked Fang Xun’gui:
“Do you regret it?”
Fang Xun’gui stared at the candle flame and shook his head:
“I don’t regret it. Whether it was joining the Blood-Severing Pavilion or pursuing the truth, I have never regretted it.”
Yuyi Yue suddenly smiled:
“That’s enough. As long as you don’t regret it, you’re not foolish.”
No matter how many times, Yuyi Yue always managed to touch the softest part of Fang Xun’gui’s heart in unexpected ways.
Yes, this was the answer she would give.
Thinking this, Fang Xun’gui unconsciously wore a relieved smile at the corner of his mouth.
Yuyi Yue refilled Fang Xun’gui’s teacup:
“Ultimately, you feel that your life was saved by your brother, so a part of your life belongs to him. This is not something for outsiders to judge, after all, your life belongs to you.”
She set down the teapot, resting her cheek on one hand:
“I can help you. The Truth-Telling Gu isn’t difficult to control. One Gu Insect will cost you ten taels of gold. Ah, but you’ve guarded my courtyard for so long, forget it!”
Before Fang Xun’gui could refuse, she walked to the display shelf, retrieved an exquisite porcelain bottle, and handed it to Fang Xun’gui:
“Take it. I’ll explain it to you in detail tomorrow… Oh, it’s already ‘tomorrow.'”
Both of them looked out the window simultaneously, where the first light of dawn broke through, and a thin mist lingered in the desolate courtyard.
Only then did Fang Xun’gui realize how much he had told Yuyi Yue.
Memories buried for too long were unearthed again at the transition between dusk and dawn. Fang Xun’gui couldn’t tell whether he felt more relief or heaviness in his heart.
Yuyi Yue didn’t dwell on those stories any longer and softly asked Fang Xun’gui:
“We talked so much we lost track of time. How should we handle You Huo’s corpse? Is the Corpse-Dissolving Insect still suitable?”Fang Xun’gui pondered for a moment, then nodded:
“Thank you for your trouble.”
He pressed further:
“Can I really not take a look at the Corpse-Dissolving Insect? Just one glance.”
Yuyi Yue shook her head solemnly:
“I promised not to hand the Corpse-Dissolving Insect over to anyone. Since I made that promise, I cannot go back on my word.”
Fang Xun’gui immediately spotted the loophole:
“That person only said not to hand it over to others, but didn’t say others couldn’t look at it, right?”
Yuyi Yue’s expression went blank for a moment.
Seizing the opportunity, Fang Xun’gui continued:
“I’ll just take a look by your side. Please, this might be related to what happened nine years ago. If you’re worried, you can seal my meridians!”
His tone was earnest, and Yuyi Yue finally showed signs of wavering:
“That makes sense… Alright then, come with me.”
Back in the storeroom, You Huo’s corpse had already stiffened.
Yuyi Yue first retrieved the Truth-Telling Gu, then untied the hemp rope binding You Huo and laid him flat on the dusty floor.
The door was tightly shut. Fang Xun’gui remained outside the room, watching the scene inside through the window.
He saw Yuyi Yue take out an ancient wooden box from her sleeve, then bend down to place it on the floor beside You Huo. She opened the mechanism on the wooden box.
A cloud of blood-red mist instantly enveloped You Huo’s body, deliberately avoiding Yuyi Yue.
The “mist” quickly dissipated. Using some method, Yuyi Yue collected the “mist” back into the wooden box.
The box closed, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.
All that remained on the floor were You Huo’s clothes and a wooden plaque.
Nothing else.
The moment Fang Xun’gui saw the blood-red mist, his eyes widened in shock.
This “Corpse-Dissolving Insect” was identical to the Corpse-Dissolving Powder he remembered, which had only ever existed in Fang Yunmo’s possession.