In Life, Nothing Is Harder Than Love

"... Isn't this a classic example of negative education?"

Liu Bai, sitting on Su Mei's shoulders, complained.

"I never realized Ling Shuang was such a free spirit." Su Mei covered her mouth and chuckled. "But thanks to your return, the rest of us are... Sigh, Susang, come over here and greet your great-grandmaster."

"Susang greets Grandmaster!"

Li Sushang bowed obediently.

Her childlike intuition made her vaguely understand that the reason why her aunt and stepmother had reconciled so suddenly was because of the little grandmaster on her aunt's shoulder.

Chapter 272 Life is hard without love

"Li Sushang, what a nice young lady."

Liu Bai nodded to the twin-tailed girl who was bowing to him. "Here, consider this a gift from your great-grandmaster."

Liu Bai handed a crystal-clear pink gemstone to Li Sushang.

This was obtained from the Golden Sand Gang.

"...Wow!"

The shiny object immediately caught Li Sushang's eye, while Cheng Lingshuang continued to bully Qin Suyi on the other side.

"Ling Shuang, you should tone it down a bit. Your junior sister's breasts aren't toys or balls."

"Oh..."

Cheng Lingshuang sheathed her sword expressionlessly.

"My second senior sister is definitely not younger than me."

Qin Suyi said with a wronged expression.

"It's just that Second Senior Sister is wearing tight clothes!"

"Junior sister, what are you saying?"

Su Mei gave her junior sister a harmless smile, "Senior sister, Elder Chi is only five or six years old. She probably only has a few extra ounces of flesh on her body."

Su Mei did not deny that she was actually about the same size as Qin Suyi, but she clearly pointed out the problem to Qin Suyi.

—I'm six years older than both of you. The fifth one only compares himself to me when he's free. Of course, he's comparing himself to someone his own age!

Besides, back when we came down the mountain, your second senior sister was already developing, okay? When you two came down the mountain, you were both flat-chested, but six years later, one of you has become a mountain, while the other is still flat-chested. It would be strange if Fifth Brother's resentment towards you didn't explode!

This is what they call comparing prices...

"..."

Qin Suyi remained silent.

But then again, what does my development have to do with me?

"Cough... Senior sister might just be suffering from acclimatization issues after all these years. Staying on Tai Xu Mountain for a while might help her get better."

Seeing that her plan to divert attention had failed, Qin Suyi came up with another excuse.

It must be said that this reason is quite convincing; at least Cheng Lingshuang has fallen into deep thought.

"And Susang, don't put the gemstones in your mouth!"

"Waaah..."

"This gemstone would be nice to make a necklace for Susang later."

Su Mei chuckled, "Has Susang not thanked your great-grandmaster yet?"

"Susang you, Grandmaster!" Li Sushang held the gemstone and bowed to Liu Bai again with a clever gesture.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Su Mei, where's your master?"

"Master..."

The smile on Su Mei's face, which had been chuckling, slowly disappeared. Qin Suyi and Cheng Lingshuang also lost their smiles, and Ma Yanqing silently turned away.

"Grandmaster, are you looking for that big bad guy who lives in the side room?"

In her excitement, Li Sushang answered instinctively.

"Susang..." Qin Suyi subconsciously wanted to pull Li Sushang back, but Cheng Lingshuang stopped her.

What does "big bad guy" mean?

Liu Bai took in the change in atmosphere, but pretended not to notice anything and asked Li Sushang.

"Every time my aunt and stepmother mention that big bad guy, they look worried and sad, so she really is a big bad guy!"

Li Sushang replied without hesitation.

"Grandmaster..." Su Mei opened her mouth.

"It's alright, it's alright, children say the darndest things... and I know it's a difficult situation for you all," Liu Bai sighed.

For Su Mei and Qin Suyi, the matter was no longer about right or wrong.

The essence has become "My father killed my mother and two older sisters/younger sisters, and after killing them, he also developed Alzheimer's disease and needs to be taken care of by others."

This is something that would make anyone's liver ache if it happened to them.

If they don't take care of him, he is still their master after all, but if they do take care of him... it will remind them of the eldest sister and the third and fourth brothers.

Even though Su Mei is considered to be exceptionally intelligent, she is helpless when it comes to matters of family ethics that are often a matter of right and wrong.

That's why Su Mei was upset before, and after thinking about it for a long time, she decided to go down the mountain.

She truly couldn't protect her master anymore.

If her master hadn't lost his mind, Su Mei would have been able to let it go. At worst, she could lay everything out on the table and sever all ties with him from now on, out of sight, out of mind.

But Fu Hua has lost her mind... Su Mei can only grit her teeth and take care of her.

Moreover, this wasn't just Su Mei's idea. Compared to Su Mei and Qin Suyi, Ma Yanqing went straight down the mountain. If Liu Bai hadn't returned, Ma Yanqing might never have set foot in Fuyun Temple again in his life.

"... Thank you for your understanding, Master."

Su Mei bowed, and everyone was troubled by this matter.

She was upset, and so was Qin Suyi.

She could stand on the side of her senior and junior sisters, but Qin Suyi used to be closest to her master, yet she was also like family to everyone else. After this incident, Qin Suyi was caught in the middle, not being liked by either side.

In terms of factions, Su Mei, Ma Yanqing, and even the newly returned Cheng Lingshuang all tend to prefer to ignore the situation, while Qin Suyi is a staunch supporter and also bears the heaviest psychological pressure.

"Actually, in that sense, Grandmaster, you really should go and see Master... who knows, you might be able to cure Master."

Su Mei chuckled softly.

Upon hearing this, Ma Yanqing turned and left.

"Junior brother just remembered that some friends from the martial arts world have invited me to have a drink in a few days. Please forgive me for not being able to stay long!"

"Senior brother seems quite carefree." Qin Suyi was also somewhat annoyed by Su Mei's words, and then half-sarcastically remarked after hearing Ma Yanqing's words.

Although some things can be said if Master returns to normal, isn't that just forcing us to take sides?

Even though their master had lost his mind, the disciples, though resentful, still gathered together to take care of him. After all, he was their master, and they couldn't just ignore him in his condition. Besides, his plight was pitiful enough, or worse, it was retribution.

Thinking about it this way makes everyone feel a little better, and they can manage to get by.

However, once their master recovers, they will inevitably have to talk about their senior sister and the third and fourth brothers.

Of course, this isn't entirely a bad thing. If the father sincerely admits his mistake, everyone can say that the matter is over, even if they still have a thorn in their side. After all, although the matter is messy, Fu Hua at least has some sense of the truth, and the fact that the fourth brother has become a demon is undeniable.

Among the Seven Swords, quite a few parents were killed after falling into demonic possession, so they naturally knew the dangers of demonic possession. Although everyone thought that with the strength of the fourth brother and the help of the third brother, he would definitely not completely fall into demonic possession..., this assumption is actually unreasonable.

So as long as the father is willing to admit that he was reckless, that he also bears responsibility for not handling things well, that he regrets and feels sorry for accidentally killing Chaoyu and Lao San, etc., even if he only says that he is only 1% responsible, what can his disciples say? If their master gives them face, can they really not cover for it?

Even with Fu Hua's personality, if she were willing to shed a tear, the others could really pretend this never happened—after all, their master had shed tears for the first time ever! What more do you want?

As long as we build a tomb for the eldest sister and the third and fourth sisters on the mountain, they can all let this matter go!

However, the problem is that they all know what kind of personality their master has.

—Those who fall into demonic possession shall be killed without mercy!

If this is the attitude, then we're done playing together, and we'll have to part ways.

If a real decision is made, even Qin Suyi, who is closest to Fu Hua, might not be able to stand with Fu Hua.

Needless to say, the other three— Su Mei, Cheng Lingshuang, and Ma Yanqing —are all inclined to break off all ties and end things amicably.

"Let the little horse go if it wants to. He's not the little guy who used to follow us around anymore."

Su Mei sighed.

Once Ma Yanqing leaves this gate today, he will have no further connection with the Tai Xu Sword Sect for the rest of his life.

Of course, the Tai Xu Sword Sect is the Tai Xu Sword Sect now, and they are themselves; there's no need to sever all ties.

Even if things get out of hand today, we'll still be like brothers and sisters once we get down the mountain.

"In that case, I'll lead the way... Is Sister Otto feeling any better?" Qin Suyi asked, turning to the side.

"... Okay, okay."

Although he still feels nauseous occasionally, Otto is now able to stand up and has even thrown his filthy coat aside.

After all, if she doesn't go, Liu Bai can't go either.

With the thought that he couldn't hold the Lord God back, Otto persevered.

Afterwards, the group walked through Fuyun Temple and arrived at the door of the side room.

"... Master, please go in alone. It is not appropriate for the rest of us to go in."

Su Mei and the others stopped outside.

"Master, this matter is a mess. We disciples are incompetent and rely entirely on our grandmaster."

"What if we can't win?" Liu Bai asked as if telling a lame joke before entering the room.

Su Mei gave a silent, bitter smile.

Then, Liu Bai abandoned his Soul Steel body and went in as a ghost—after all, Fu Hua, with her Feather of the Wind, could passively observe Liu Bai.

Liu Bai entered the room and went straight to Fu Hua, who was lying on her back on the bed.

His clothes were as elegant and ethereal as they had been back then, but his eyes were empty, staring blankly at the ceiling. He had no injuries, except for a symbolic cloth wrapped around his head.

"Magnificent?"

"... Teacher Liu, you're here again... Do you also think Hua did something wrong?"

Upon hearing Liu Bai's voice, Fu Hua murmured subconsciously, but her face remained expressionless, as if this had been repeated a thousand times before.

(Master! I can't let you kill Wanru like this! Wanru can still be saved!)

The scenes from that year kept replaying in Hua's mind, and Hua was already tired of them.

His most trusted disciple repeatedly experienced the backstab and the helpless plea in his hallucinations.

If nothing unexpected happens, Teacher Liu will appear beside him next, expressionless, and ask, "Do you regret it?"

Hua didn't know how to answer that question.

If she answers that she regrets it, then Teacher Liu's figure will ask herself, "They kept begging you, why didn't you hesitate at all, and now you regret it?"

If he answers that he has no regrets, the scene of him severely injuring his two disciples and then being ambushed by Chaoyu will reappear.

"Yes, you're wrong," Liu Bai said softly. "I don't remember teaching you to be a brute who only knows how to fight."

"...!"

Hua turned his head in surprise.

"Teacher Liu...?"

"If you're not really stupid, sit up and talk."

Liu Bai sat next to Fu Hua.

That's right, Fu Hua is not mentally impaired at all—or rather, she is not mentally impaired in the conventional sense.

Dementia? In the original world Cheng Lingshuang's sword opened Fu Hua's skull, but it didn't make Fu Hua completely lose her mind. Now that she's fallen into the Abyss of the East Sea, at most she's bumped her head a few times and swallowed some water. Her head is still intact, so how could she lose her mind?