Mu Zizhi wasn’t just a Mu Clan Elder and head instructor of this generation’s Nameless Ones—he was also the heir apparent to the Mu Clan leadership. How could Su Muyu, who barely emerged from The Crucible, dare to threaten him?
Su Jinghui, the Su Clan Leader, finally stopped gazing at the sky and suddenly gripped the sword at his side.
“Clan Leader, they’re just two Nameless Ones. It’s not worth creating conflict with the Mu Clan over them,” a Su Clan Elder whispered beside him.
“I could kill you with just a twitch of my finger,” Mu Zizhi sneered at Su Muyu.
Su Muyu drew a deep breath. He certainly knew the gulf between himself and Mu Zizhi, but if he gambled everything, he still had a one-in-ten chance. As for what would happen after killing Mu Zizhi—he hadn’t thought that far.
He only knew that to live even a moment longer, he had to kill the man before him!
“Stop!” An elderly yet powerful voice rang out from afar. Everyone was startled, and all disciples except the clan leaders dropped to one knee, raising clasped fists and shouting: “Grand Elder!”
An old man leaning on a silver dragon-headed staff slowly approached Mu Zizhi and Su Muyu, flanked by several towering assassin guards.
“Grand Elder!” Mu Zizhi withdrew his qi and bowed his head.
The Grand Elder acknowledged him faintly, then turned to look at the blood-covered Su Muyu and the dying Su Changhe on the ground. He spoke gravely: “For a hundred years, only one person has ever emerged from Ghost Wail Abyss. Your actions challenge not only Dark River’s authority but my authority as well.”
Su Muyu faced the Grand Elder. He knew this man’s position in Dark River, and only he could save them now. Through gritted teeth, he said: “But we both must live.”
“You think you two are worth Dark River breaking a hundred-year-old rule?” the Grand Elder asked.
“Yes!” Su Muyu declared.
“Oh?” The Grand Elder smiled slightly.
“Within six years, we will become Dark River’s finest assassins in a century!” Su Muyu shouted, “All of Dark River will change because of us!”
“Idiot!” Su Changhe laughed weakly from the ground, “Now we’ll die together!”
Mu Zizhi smirked coldly. Speaking so boldly before the Grand Elder—even if the Su Clan Leader intervened, he probably couldn’t save them now.
“Of the three clans, which would you choose?” the Grand Elder suddenly asked after a moment’s silence.
Mu Zizhi was shocked and stepped forward: “Grand Elder, you can’t! Don’t listen to his reckless words!”
“Rules can be broken. Dark River has broken many rules these past hundred years, but always on the condition that those who break them are strong enough. I can break this rule today and personally perform your naming ceremony, but if you fail to fulfill your words, I’ll personally take your life in six years.” The Grand Elder waved his hand lightly, knocking Mu Zizhi aside. “Dying by my hand is a hundred times more painful than dying by another’s.”
“Thank you, Grand Elder, for your grace. We both wish to join the Su Clan,” Su Muyu said slowly.
The Grand Elder turned to look at the Su Clan Leader on the high platform. Su Jinghui stood up, spreading his arms: “The Su Clan welcomes you both!”
“Have you thought about what names you’ll take?” the Grand Elder asked.
Su Muyu raised his head, looking at the Grand Elder: “I want to be called Su Muyu.”
“Why?” the Grand Elder smiled kindly.
“The day my family was killed, my father put me in a wooden barrel. I floated downstream to this place. It was evening, and there was a light rain falling,” Su Muyu said slowly.
“A good name,” the Grand Elder stepped forward to look at Su Changhe on the ground, bowing his head. “And you? What do you wish to be called?”
“Su Changhe,” Su Changhe said through clenched teeth.
“Su Changhe.” The Grand Elder turned, his guards raising black umbrellas around him as they escorted him away. “That’s quite an ambitious name.”
The Grand Elder walked far into the distance surrounded by his guards. Su Muyu watched him, as did everyone else, waiting for the Grand Elder’s final words. Only with those words would the naming ceremony be complete. Not until the Grand Elder’s figure had almost disappeared did they hear those words:
“Very well, from this day forward, you shall be Su Muyu and Su Changhe, officially members of Dark River’s Su Clan!”
“The double sun radical means prosperity and brightness. Changhe means bringing Dark River out of darkness into light.” In the carriage, Su Changhe awoke from a long dream, recalling the scene as he spoke softly.
Beside him, Su Zhe chewed betel nut, lounging absently. Seeing Su Changhe awake, he smiled: “You were sleeping so soundly. Have sweet dreams?”
Su Changhe wiped the sweat from his forehead and stroked his small mustache: “Not sweet dreams, just memories from long ago. Back when Su Muyu and I were still Nameless Ones.”
“That was indeed long ago. Back then, I taught you both swordplay. You were noisy, little Muyu was quiet—couldn’t figure out how you two ended up together,” Su Zhe said.
“Back then, you could say the Grand Elder saved both our lives. Now I’m meticulously plotting to hunt him down on the Clan Leader’s orders,” Su Changhe laughed self-mockingly. “Does that count as betraying a benefactor?”
“Young man, you have no honor,” Su Zhe raised his pipe.
“Can’t be helped. Back then, the instructors wanted us to become emotionless killing machines,” Su Changhe shrugged. “What I’m doing now could be seen as repaying the Grand Elder’s nurturing grace!”
“When it comes to shamelessness, the Su Clan is number one!” Su Zhe gave a thumbs up.
“Uncle Zhe, do you have any friends?” Su Changhe suddenly asked.
“I did. They’re all dead now.” Su Zhe slowly blew a smoke ring.
“What about family? You’re an original Dark River disciple—surely you married and had children at your age?” Su Changhe asked curiously.
“I did. They’re all dead too.” Su Zhe’s expression flickered through the smoke. “I had a daughter once. Delicate as carved jade, lovely as a porcelain doll.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Su Changhe didn’t pursue the topic further. He lifted the carriage curtain, letting in a spring breeze mixed with raindrops that refreshed his entire being.
“It’s raining again,” Su Zhe squinted slightly.
“Do you think it was raining like this, that evening when Su Muyu floated to Dark River in that wooden barrel?” Su Changhe murmured.