Hua Che didn't know whether to cry, laugh, be angry, or run away.

Recalling everything Chu Binghuan had done, remembering that day at Huale Pavilion, Chu Binghuan's affectionate confession made Hua Che feel somewhat bewildered. Could it be his own hallucination?

Recalling his past life, Chu Binghuan clearly disliked him, didn't he?

"Hua Che." Chu Binghuan finished dealing with matters over there and hurried back, visibly relieved to see Hua Che standing here safe and sound.

Chu Binghuan urgently said, "My uncle said there's a camp set up a hundred miles outside the Fen Qing Palace. Since your Golden Core is sealed and you can't participate in the battle, I'll take you there!"

Hua Che said nothing, but raised his eyebrows deeply, looking at Chu Binghuan.

They had grown up together, childhood friends, learning together as fellow disciples, entangled across two lifetimes. They were so familiar with each other that often just a glance was enough to understand what the other was thinking.

It was precisely because of this glance that Chu Binghuan guessed Hua Che's thoughts.

Between the two of them, the vague window paper of reincarnation was torn without words.

There was no need for more words, because a major battle was imminent.

Chu Binghuan thought Hua Che would angrily scold him right away. He had given him hope in his past life, then disappointment, and finally despair. How could he have the face to pursue him again in this life? And shamelessly confess at Huale Pavilion...

Chu Binghuan actually hoped to be scolded by Hua Che, but his hope was dashed. Hua Che just smiled at him and didn't say a word.

This made Chu Binghuan even more anxious, fearing that Hua Che no longer felt anything for him, not even bothering to scold him.

"Hua Che, wait..." He called out anxiously but didn't know what to say next. After hesitating for a long time, he finally struggled to say a few words, "Do you... hate me?"

Hua Che was stunned, took a moment to react, and then burst out laughing, "Why would I hate you?"

Chu Binghuan found it difficult to speak.

"You never owed me anything," Hua Che said, "It's my own fault for falling into the demonic path, becoming a demon lord, killing wildly, and having a bloodthirsty nature. Our identities were never equal. I was delusional to expect the impossible from you. If it weren't for me clinging to you desperately, you would have been free from distractions and tranquil in mind, and perhaps would have ascended long ago."

Hua Che looked at him with a wry smile, adding a hint of bitterness even he didn't noticed: "Why would I hate you? From beginning to end, I've only blamed myself."

Little did he know, Hua Che's heartfelt words tore at Chu Binghuan's heart.

"You haven't delayed me." Remembering the last words Hua Che said before he died in his past life, Chu Binghuan was heartbroken. "I was the one who coveted you first!"

Hua Che was stunned, "Huh?"

Chu Binghuan spoke fervently, "In my fantasies, we would have been married long ago, living an ordinary life together."

Now Hua Che didn't understand a single word, and the current situation didn't allow them to engage in a heart-to-heart talk. Yin Wuhui approached aggressively, hoarsely shouting, "Hua Che, you are my son! You are the child of me and Hua Sijin!"

Hua Che didn't know what was happening. Yin Wuhui had been erratic even before imprisoning him, and now he seemed even more agitated and frenzied. Could it be that Chu Binghuan had said something to provoke him?

Yin Wuhui landed, ignoring Chu Binghuan handing Listening Spring under his neck. He grabbed Hua Che's wrist, emanating a strong smell of blood, gritted his teeth, and said to Hua Che, "You belong to me. No one can take you away! Anyone who covets you will die, all of them will die!"

Hua Che remained eerily calm. At this critical moment, he didn't forget to add fuel to the fire, "So, I really am your own son. You sealed my Golden Core and made me powerless to resist. Luckily, I've been blessed along the way, or else I would have been torn to pieces by the demonic cultivators of the Fen Qing Palace!"

Yin Wuhui was indeed provoked again. Unfortunately for Hua Che's hopes, Yin Wuhui didn't release him from the Golden Core's restraint.

Hua Che felt deeply disappointed.

Xie Wanting's heart trembled three times, "Yin Wuhui!"

Upon hearing this, Yin Wuhui glared fiercely at Xie Wanting, "It's him, Hua Che! Remember, this man is a devil. Don't let him deceive you!"

Hua Che was overwhelmed with confusion. He struggled against Yin Wuhui's restraint but couldn't break free. "Deceive me about what?"

"That shameless scoundrel dares to oppose to me for my son," Yin Wuhui sneered, his eyes bulging, demonic energy surging wildly in the air. "Xie Wanting claims you're his son, hahaha! If he dares to spout such nonsense, I'll cut off his tongue and shred him into pieces!"

Hua Che's breath stagnated. He thought he had misheard.

He carefully recalled all of Yin Wuhui's frenzied words. He couldn't fully trust them, but he couldn't completely dismiss them either.

Everyone heard this statement, and their expressions varied widely.

"What son?"

"Who is whose son?"

Mu Rongsa was so frightened that he covered his mouth, " Hua ge is Master Xie's..."

"How can this be..." Mu Qiniang shivered, suddenly remembering something, "Ah yes, there were rumours years ago that Master Xie brought home a girl, betrothed to her from childhood. Master Xie treated her very well, but then the girl fell seriously ill and passed away mysteriously. Later, some people mentioned this, but Master Xie denied it adamantly, and gradually, no one spoke of it anymore, treating it all as rumours."

Wuji Sword Master pondered, "So, was there really something like that? Why did Master Xie vehemently deny it back then?"

"What 'this son' and 'that father'," someone exclaimed, "Who is whose son and whose father exactly?"

"I'm confused, my goodness!"

Everyone turned to Xie Wanting one after another.

Hua Che stiffened and turned his head, his bewildered gaze falling on the pale-faced Xie Wanting. "What does this mean?"

"It means nothing!" Yin Wuhui interrupted the eye contact between Hua Che and Xie Wanting, speaking ominously, "This man is vicious, attempting to sow discord between us as father and son. It's despicable! Don't doubt it, and don't waver. You are the flesh and blood of me and Hua Sijin!"

Yin Wuhui's sanity was not right. He wasn't senile, but his memory was flawed; this was obsession and inner demons. In his mind, he and Hua Sijin had become a couple, living happily together, and Hua Sijin had borne his child. He firmly believed that Hua Che was his son!

As a medical cultivator, Chu Binghuan had already diagnosed Yin Wuhui's condition—he was afflicted by a mental disorder caused by inner demons.

Xie Wanting avoided mentioning "biological father" out of fear that Yin Wuhui would go berserk and kill Hua Che. Clumsily, he exchanged eye signals with Hua Che, fearing that Hua Che's youthful impulsiveness might further provoke the crazed Yin Wuhui.

However, it seemed Hua Che didn't notice at all. Expressionless, he continued, "I know why you placed the Heartburning Gu on your subordinates."

Yin Wuhui's eyes shot bloodshot. "Hmm?"

"To make your subordinates heartless and without emotions, easy to control—that's one reason," Hua Che smiled cryptically, "and the second... since you couldn't find love yourself, you won't allow others to have emotions. If your subordinates lead blissful lives, wouldn't you find it even more unbearable?"

Yin Wuhui's face changed drastically.

Hua Che added fuel to the fire, "If your subordinates had prosperous families, wouldn't that be even more intolerable for you?"

Yin Wuhui was enraged. While he was distracted, Chu Binghuan seized the opportunity with Mu Rongsa and the Chongming Bird from the rear to attack. Although they didn't inflict fatal wounds on Yin Wuhui, they barely managed to save Hua Che.

Hua Che's wrist throbbed with pain. Yin Wuhui hadn't held back, and he might have broken bones.

Suddenly, the sky, cloaked in dense black clouds, emitted a rumble of thunder. People looked up to see a purple-red lightning bolt split the sky as if it intended to split the heavens in two!

Simultaneously, fierce winds howled, and a torrential downpour of thunderous rain struck without warning, heightening the spectacle of lightning. As the rolling thunder grew louder and the lightning intensified, someone in the crowd shouted in fear, "Heaven's Tribulation!"

Endless slaughter, blood, malice, and tyranny had finally drawn the punishment of the heavens, unleashing Heaven's Tribulation, indiscriminately attacking these arrogant humans.

Using the sky as a drum and the earth as a mallet, a mighty strike shook the heavens and earth, causing the sun and moon to lose their brilliance and the sky to change colour!

Everyone hastily erected barriers to protect themselves, watching Chu Binghuan shielded in front of them. Hua Che kindly reminded, "I have no cultivation base; Heaven's Tribulation won't strike me."

With Hua Che's Golden Core sealed, he was considered a mortal by the heavens.

Chu Binghuan paid no attention, fearing that the Heavenly Tribulation might accidentally harm Hua Che while he was distracted.

Three consecutive waves of Heavenly Tribulation struck, baptizing countless cultivators. Mu Qiniang happened to stand at the epicentre of the Heavenly Tribulation, using all his skills to resist. Despite this, he lost two hundred years of cultivation base to the divine thunder, leaving Mu Qiniang in agony, nearly spitting out blood and dying.

Far away, Xie Wanting couldn't come over, so he could only shout from a distance, "Chu Tianyu, it’s troublesome!"

"It's necessary," Chu Binghuan responded. Ignoring Hua Che's objections, he lifted him horizontally, soared on his sword, and headed straight for the campsite a hundred miles outside the Fen Qing Palace.

Hua Che couldn't help but lean his head against Chu Binghuan's shoulder. The wind whistled in his ears. As the Heavenly Thunder gradually receded, the rain finally stopped.

"Ice Cube," Hua Che unconsciously asked, "Is Master Xie really..."

"He is."

Hua Che's heart trembled.

"You are not the son of a demon." Chu Binghuan held him tightly, and his cold lips lightly kissed Hua Che's forehead. "Your father is the highly respected cultivator of music, gentle and noble, a gentleman praised by everyone in the immortal sects, the Master of Yeyou Mansion."

 

Translator: DarNan