I Really Deserve to Die!

Su Yun's eyes lit up as he finished listening. He clapped his hands sharply, his face brimming with genuine admiration:

"What a fine poem!"

"The bright moon hangs overhead, an ancient bridge stands alone, longing for a distant close friend, sharing memories of the elegant pastime of playing melodies. How vast and pure the mood is! This is the very model of brotherly affection!"

As he spoke, he jabbed Tang San's chest with his elbow, looking like a teacher disappointed in a failing student.

"I say, Xiao San, with such a wonderful poem about missing a friend, why were you hemming and hawing and hiding it just now?"

Looking at Su Yun's eyes—so clear, without a single impurity—Tang San felt a sharp pang in his heart.

Heavens...

What was I even thinking?!

His mind is full of art and gentlemanly conduct, and me?

Tang San, Tang San, you've lived two lives—how have you regressed so much?

How could your thoughts be so filthy?!

I truly deserve to die!

But Su Yun paid no heed to that, continuing to examine the belt in his hands.

"Since it's a gift of apology from Master Yu, and it evokes the mood of the Twenty-Four Bridges..."

Yu Xiaogang's face bloomed like a chrysanthemum, nodding repeatedly.

"Right, right, why not call it the Twenty-Four Bridges..."

Su Yun grinned, revealing a mouthful of stark white teeth, and shouted loudly:

"Let's call it Jade Blowing Xiao!"

Crack.

As if something shattered in the air.

"Jade... Jade what?"

Yu Xiaogang's smile froze instantly, his whole body stiffening in place.

Even Tang San beside him stumbled, nearly losing his footing.

If this name got out, how could Yu Xiaogang ever hold his head up again?

"No! Absolutely not!!"

Forgetting all pretense of masterly dignity, Yu Xiaogang rushed forward a few steps, face flushed red, both hands gripping Su Yun's sleeve tightly, his voice trembling:

"Su Yun! This name is too... too indecent! Too scandalous! If it spreads, what will people think of me? I... do I still want my old face?"

He was almost begging, his eyes reddening:

"I beg you, change it! Even Bright Moon Belt or Twenty-Four Bridges would do!"

Watching the Grandmaster's utterly shattered expression, as if the sky were falling, Su Yun slowly withdrew his smile, his brow furrowing slightly.

He took off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of eyes as clear as a mountain stream, pure and bottomless.

That gaze was filled with shock, confusion, and a trace of deep disappointment.

Su Yun took a slow step back, widening the distance from Yu Xiaogang, as if frightened by something.

"Grandmaster... your words, Su Yun does not understand."

Su Yun's voice was young and sincere, every word striking Yu Xiaogang's conscience like a heavy hammer:

"This is the refined art of ancient gentlemen, expressing feelings through mountains and waters. How, in your mouth, Grandmaster, does it become scandalous? How does it become indecent?"

"I..."

Yu Xiaogang opened his mouth, his throat clogged as if with cotton, unable to utter a sound.

Su Yun gave him no chance to catch his breath. He lifted his head, meeting Yu Xiaogang's eyes with those unstained pupils.

"This belt was a gift from you, Master Yu. The name carries the word 'jade' to honor your kindness in bestowing this treasure."

"The mood behind it is to constantly remind us to be as noble and upright as music."

"This is my praise for your lofty character, Grandmaster!"

At this point, Su Yun paused, his gaze turning somewhat deep, even carrying a hint of pity:

"Grandmaster, you are a titan in the realm of theory. Could it be that in your understanding, this instrument passed down for millennia, this art representing the gentleman's way, is... something vulgar?"

Boom—!

Yu Xiaogang felt as if struck by lightning, his face pale as paper.

Shame surged from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head, making him wish he could draw his sword and end his life on the spot to atone.

Heavens... what was I even thinking?!

His mind is full of art, gratitude, and gentlemanly conduct.

And me?

I, Yu Xiaogang, have studied books my entire life—how could I stoop to such depravity?

I am nothing but a beast in human clothing!

I truly deserve to die!

"Sigh..."

Su Yun let out a long sigh and shook his head, wearing an expression of deep disappointment toward the two men before him.

With a listless air, he fastened his belt around his waist.

"Since Grandmaster feels that elegant name doesn't suit you, then forget it."

Su Yun's tone was flat, even carrying a hint of concession, as if to save face for Grandmaster:

"Let's just call it Yueyue Bao!"

Yu Xiaogang jerked his head up, his chin nearly hitting his foot.

Yue... Yueyue... Bao?!

What kind of ghost of a name is that?!

"What? Grandmaster still isn't satisfied?"

Su Yun raised an eyebrow, seeming disappointed by Grandmaster's reaction.

"If you think this name is too childish and lacks depth, then let's go back to the earlier one..."

"No!! Satisfied! I'm very satisfied!!"

Yu Xiaogang shrieked immediately, his voice cracking.

At that moment, he even felt that the words "Yueyue Bao" were the most pleasant, safest, and purest vocabulary in the entire world!

"Yueyue Bao... easy to understand! Simple yet profound! That's a good name!"

Su Yun watched Grandmaster, who looked grateful as if reborn, and nodded with satisfaction.

Finally, as the group walked and talked, the massive iron fence of the Soul Hunting Forest came into view.

The black iron bars stood ten meters tall, their tips glinting coldly. At intervals, fully armed squads of guards patrolled.

That murderous atmosphere instantly overpowered the clamor of the market.

The group walked straight toward the gate.

"Halt!"

Two gleaming spears crossed in front of Red Hair.

The guard on duty swept his cold, sharp gaze over this motley crew:

"The Soul Hunting Forest is a restricted area. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed near. Show your Martial Soul Hall token!"

Red Hair's originally swaggering step froze mid-air.

Then, in an instant, he spun around, palms facing up, and respectfully extended his hands toward Su Yun.

"Godfather, these blind fools insist on seeing the token. Please trouble yourself—grant this humble one the token, and I'll slap it right in their faces to teach them a lesson!"

Su Yun was stunned.

He blinked, his sunglasses slipping down a little, revealing a pair of innocent, wide eyes: "Token? What's that?"

He turned to look at Tang San: "Xiao San, didn't Wang Sheng tell you?"

Tang San was also baffled and shook his head: "Wang Sheng only said to form a team; he never mentioned a token..."

The air fell into a deathly silence.

A cold wind blew, sweeping up a few withered leaves that slapped against the group's dazed faces.

The Guard Captain stared at these clueless lawbreakers, his brow furrowing deeper, his grip on the spear tightening:

"No token? Then leave at once! Or be charged with trespassing on a military restricted area!"

"No, no, no! Brother, calm down!"

Red Hair panicked and quickly looked at Su Yun: "Godfather, what do we do?"

The group exchanged blank stares, and finally, all eyes turned to Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang stood in the wind, completely dumbfounded.

In that instant, his mind underwent a violent storm.

He looked at the utterly innocent Su Yun, then at the Yueyue Bao fastened around Su Yun's waist.

A brutal truth pierced through his skull:

Wait...

So you don't have a token?!

You mean, without me, you couldn't even get through the gate???

If I had just pulled out the token instead of giving away that belt to join the team, wouldn't these people have had to kneel and beg me to be their leader just to get through the gate?!

Then what I did just now...

Why did I act like a damn grandson, crying and pleading, handing over a priceless storage Soul Tool to them for nothing?!!

"Grandmaster? Grandmaster, what's wrong? Why is your face so green? Did your blood sugar drop this morning?"

Su Yun's concerned voice came through, his face full of worry as he looked at Yu Xiaogang.

The Guard Captain saw they still weren't leaving and had already started signaling his men to surround them.

Yu Xiaogang felt a bitter taste in his chest, nearly spitting out a mouthful of old blood.

But now, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

The belt was already given away, and judging by Su Yun's expression, there was absolutely no getting it back.

If he didn't pull out the token now and they all turned back together, then that belt would truly be a meat bun thrown at a dog—gone forever.

To cut his losses...

Yu Xiaogang's hand trembled as he pulled a token from his chest.

His movements were stiff, and every inch he raised it, his heart dripped with blood.

"I have... a token."

Yu Xiaogang's voice was hoarse, as if he had aged decades in an instant.

The Guard Captain saw the pattern on the token, his expression sharpened, and he immediately waved for his men to step back, his tone turning respectful:

"So it's an esteemed one holding a Third-Level Token. Let them through!"

The Steel Gate slowly creaked open, letting out a rusty groan.

The crisis was over.

Red Hair and the others let out a long breath, all giving Yu Xiaogang a thumbs-up:

"Oh hey, not bad, old man! Didn't know you had that up your sleeve! You've been hiding it deep!"

Su Yun was grinning even brighter.

"Ah, all thanks to Grandmaster! Look at you, you're way too polite."

"Not only do you hand out gear, but you also cover the entry fee. Not only do you guide us, but you also double as a ticket checker."

"Grandmaster, you're such a good person! Selfless, honest folks like you are rare these days!"

"Pfft—"

Yu Xiaogang clutched his chest, his body swaying, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Selfless? Honest?

Every single word was like a knife, stabbing deep into his heart.

He, Yu Xiaogang, had schemed his whole life, yet today he had been stripped bare by a child, losing everything down to his last shred of dignity.

"Let's go... enter... enter the forest."

Yu Xiaogang waved his hand weakly and stepped through the gate first.

At that moment, his back was hunched, his steps unsteady, drenched in utter desolation.