Tang Lianyue put away the Storming Pear Blossom Needles and spoke gravely, “It seems the poison of Snow-Fallen Plum Branch remains unhealed. No need for me to act—you’ll be dead soon enough.”
The Patriarch smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying.
Su Muyu turned to look at Bai Hehuai, who had turned pale and could only sigh softly.
Su Changhe smiled meaningfully. “I expected tonight to be interesting, but not this interesting.”
Tang Lianyue stepped back three paces. “Then I’ll take my leave. May the Patriarch fare well on his journey to the Yellow Springs!” With that, he leaped over the courtyard wall and disappeared.
The Patriarch turned to face the silent group and spoke slowly, “Divine Physician, Muyu, Changhe, come with me.” He carried his Sleeping Dragon Sword and walked slowly into the room. Bai Hehuai quickly followed, “Patriarch, we must immediately begin acupuncture treatment with breath control.”
The Patriarch shook his head. “No need. I can feel my time has come. Even immortals cannot reverse life and death now.”
Su Muyu and Su Changhe entered as well. Su Changhe closed the door, and Su Muyu turned to Bai Hehuai. “Divine Physician, what exactly happened?”
Bai Hehuai inserted three silver needles into the Patriarch’s nape. “After being poisoned, the Patriarch suffered several severe injuries. Though I found a treatment, it was too late. I could only help him appear normal these past few days. But now…”
“Don’t blame yourself, Divine Physician. My sins run deep. Even King Yama would consider me beyond salvation when I face him in the underworld,” the Patriarch said with a smile.
“Who in Darkriver isn’t the same?” Su Changhe spoke slowly, finally glancing at Su Muyu. “Well, except perhaps Su Muyu. After all, these years he’s only killed corrupt officials and evil cult leaders. Judging by his merit in eliminating evil, he might even get a favorable reincarnation.”
Su Muyu ignored him and asked the Patriarch, “Patriarch, what about the current situation…”
The Patriarch shook his head, gesturing for Su Muyu to stop, then turned to Su Changhe. “You wish to change Darkriver?”
Su Changhe’s lips curved slightly. “I wish to change many things. This is only the beginning.”
The Patriarch held the Sleeping Dragon Sword before him. “I can give you this sword, though I’d prefer to give it to Muyu. In my youth, I had thoughts similar to yours. You don’t realize how much more difficult this task will be than you imagine. You must defeat not just Su Jinhui or me, but opponents several times more powerful and fearsome than us.”
Su Changhe’s expression changed slightly. “You mean the Three Officials of the Soul-Summoning Palace?”
The Patriarch snorted. “The Soul-Summoning Palace is merely their puppet within Darkriver. For centuries, the world has known Darkriver as the most feared assassin organization, but even Darkriver’s assassins don’t know its true nature.”
“So what is Darkriver’s true nature?” Su Changhe asked.
“Darkriver’s truth cannot be explained in a few words. Those secrets lie in the tunnels below. After I die, you may look for yourselves. Though it matters little whether you do—when you truly grasp the Sleeping Dragon Sword, they will find you.” The Patriarch placed the sword before him and released his grip. “So, which of you will take this sword?”
Bai Hehuai couldn’t help but exclaim, “Su Muyu, take it! Don’t let this villain have it!”
Su Changhe glanced at Su Muyu, then smiled. “In this world, you’re the only one I’d yield this sword to. I think you’d gain more support than me—the Twelve Zodiac Shadows would die for you, while the Bi’an members would draw swords against me.”
After a long silence, Su Muyu shook his head.
“But I knew you wouldn’t. You despise Darkriver, you hate killing. You constantly think of leaving this place, hoping to sever all ties with Darkriver forever,” Su Changhe said, shaking his head with a smile.
“Do you truly want to change Darkriver?” Su Muyu asked gravely.
Su Changhe nodded. “As I said, I wish to change many things. This is only the beginning.”
“Then take the sword,” Su Muyu closed his eyes. “Become the first Nameless One to succeed as Patriarch.”
“Then, Patriarch, I’ll take this sword!” Su Changhe reached out and grasped the Sleeping Dragon Sword’s hilt. The dragon’s eyes on the hilt opened at that moment, flashing with golden light.
“The Sleeping Dragon Sword accepts you.” The Patriarch waved his hand. “Go out and announce this news to everyone.”
Su Changhe turned toward the door but paused at the threshold. He turned slightly: “After today, Darkriver will have no Umbrella Ghost. I will raze the Soul-Summoning Palace, and no one will issue execution orders against you. You said you like Qiantang—I have a large mansion there, bought secretly over these years. Go to the Shouyue Bank in Qiantang City and find the manager; he’ll give you the deed. There’s ten thousand silver taels buried beneath the courtyard—use it if you run short of money. Each autumn, when osmanthus flowers fill Qiantang City, I’ll come to drink with you. Of course, if you don’t want anyone, including me, to know your whereabouts, you can sell the mansion to the Shouyue Bank manager for ten thousand taels. But I still hope we might meet again during the autumn osmanthus season in Qiantang.”
“You never belonged here—leaving is natural. I crawled out of corpse piles since childhood; life means little to me. If I left, I’d have nowhere to go.”
“But you’re quite foolish—you dislike killing yet only excel at killing arts, knowing nothing else. After being a puppet for so many years, you’re still poor as a temple rat, while I, a common assassin, embezzled twenty thousand taels in just a few years. Someone like you might get cheated in the outside world.”
“Many female assassins in Darkriver love you desperately. People are naturally drawn to beauty, but you probably wouldn’t like them. After all, you rejected Yumei, which made me so angry—I quite liked Yumei, you know. But now she has found someone she truly loves. When Darkriver’s people find good matches outside Darkriver, perhaps that’s true liberation. This White Divine Physician is quite good—long legs, ample bosom, though not as alluring as Yumei, but that makes her more suitable for you.”
“Farewell, Su Muyu.”
Su Changhe reached to push the door, but a fair, slender hand opened it first. Su Changhe turned to see Su Muyu standing calmly beside him. Su Muyu spoke slowly to Su Changhe:
“After we go out, you’ll succeed as Patriarch, and I’ll lead the Su family.”
“I’m not leaving. Together, we’ll bring forth a new Darkriver.”