Guilt and Making Amends

"Su Yuan, what are you still pretending for?"

As these words fell, everyone present except Yun Xu was stunned.

"Su... Su Yuan? Senior Sister, are you joking?" Ji Haoyang felt she must have lost her mind.

What was wrong with Senior Sister?

Why did she call everyone she met Su Yuan?

Thinking of this, he felt even more bitter.

"Miss, you are joking. Please watch your tongue. How could this humble one be mentioned in the same breath as that running dog of the Liang People, Su Yuan?" Su Yuan said coldly.

Yun Xu chuckled, stepped close to Su Yuan, and circled him, looking him up and down. "Su Yuan, I still underestimated your thick skin. You don't even skip a heartbeat when cursing yourself. That punch just now contained both the Golden Vajra Horse-Head Strength and the techniques of the Heavenly Horse Flying Star Fist. In this Ji City, who else but you, Su Yuan, could master both of these arts?"

Of course, the most important reason was that she was very familiar with Su Yuan's hands.

But she didn't say that out loud.

Su Yuan's face darkened.

Yun Xu truly knew him inside and out.

Only she knew that Su Yuan practiced the Golden Horse-Head Technique.

Su Yuan had originally thought that since the master of Xingyun Pavilion was severely injured, the others were not worth worrying about. He hadn't expected Yun Xu to be so powerful and have such a sharp eye, piercing through his disguise instantly.

Glancing at Ji Haoyang's shocked expression, he laughed inwardly.

So, my cover is blown just like that?

Yet, he remained stubborn in his speech. "Hmph, have you never heard that there is always someone better? You are standing so close, Miss, and this Green Ghost feels quite uncomfortable. Perhaps... should I raise my volume a bit more?"

Yun Xu let out a coquettish laugh, feigning terror. "Senior, please forgive me. This junior was too abrupt. This little girl knows she was wrong; please, you must not shout."

That dramatic performance reminded Su Yuan of the first time he met her.

"Since Senior Green Ghost is willing to meet us in private, it means you trust us, and we naturally trust you. You must be a good person."

Her tone shifted, her eyes reddening as if she were about to weep. "The events of the past, Senior, have you truly forgotten them all?"

Su Yuan couldn't stand her act any longer. He simply removed his mask, revealing his clear, handsome face, and chuckled. "Miss Yun, long time no see. However, what is the meaning of you wearing this humble one's clothes?"

The moment the mask was removed, Ji Haoyang felt as if he had been struck by lightning; he felt the sky collapsing.

Green Ghost was actually Su Yuan!

All his previous admiration and the filtered image he held of him shattered into pieces.

How could the resistance fighter who secretly slaughtered the Liang People, whom he regarded as a role model, be the traitorous dog Su Yuan?

His face flushed red, his breathing grew rapid, and he found it hard to accept this reality.

Su Yuan's subsequent words made his heart ache even more, and he couldn't help but look at Yun Xu.

When did Senior Sister change her clothes?

He hadn't even noticed.

Yun Xu's cheeks turned bright red as she was called out by Su Yuan.

Seeing this, Ji Haoyang's heart broke even further.

Could it be... that they really...

In his heart, Senior Sister had always been a cold, pure, and bright moonlight.

Even with those humiliating works circulating, he had always believed she was forced into it, but this situation before his eyes...

His vision went dark, his legs felt weak, and he was only saved by Zhou Xing supporting him from behind.

Though Zhou Xing was not as agitated as him, her heart was also in turmoil.

Su Yuan had only appeared in everyone's sight for four months; how could he have the cultivation of a mid-stage External Force?

What kind of heaven-defying talent was this?

Was this person really of low-grade aptitude?

What a joke. She, with her medium-grade aptitude, had practiced diligently for two and a half years just to reach the mid-stage of External Force.

A rosy flush appeared on Yun Xu's face. "My previous clothes were torn, so I had no choice but to change."

"This one hasn't been washed yet," Su Yuan said out of the blue.

Everyone was stunned once again.

Yun Xu subconsciously sniffed under her delicate nose, the blush on her cheeks deepening.

"Does it smell good? Is it very fragrant?" Su Yuan pressed his advantage, taking back control of the conversation.

"You! You stink!" The teasing was clear, and Yun Xu immediately retorted and spat.

"If you think it stinks, take it off."

Yun Xu knew she couldn't get tangled up in this topic. Her composure was already lost, so she straightened her expression and said, "Let's talk business. You came to find us tonight—what is your purpose?"

"Please, you are the ones who hid in my house," Su Yuan said, spreading his hands.

After the jesting concluded, it was indeed time to discuss serious matters.

He took out the blood-stained letter from Duan Hongyan and handed it over: "The previous remarks were merely a joke. This is Hongyan's final testament; I brought it back. Regarding his fate... please accept my condolences."

Hearing the word "joke," a trace of inexplicable disappointment flickered in Yun Xu's heart.

She took the blood-stained letter, and after reading it carefully, a heavy sense of grief and indignation surged within her, though her mood gradually calmed: "This matter is not your fault. Hongyan was a good child, a hero. We will all remember him."

Before taking his own life, Duan Hongyan had added a passage explaining Su Yuan's situation.

She passed the letter to the two people behind her.

As her gaze swept once more over Su Yuan's handsome profile and slender fingers, she felt a sense of vexation.

Just moments ago, she had truly lost her composure.

She could not even sort out what had come over her; was it the excitement of seeing Su Yuan again?

She did not know when she had begun to care so much for this man, even during this month of separation, she had been secretly keeping an eye on him.

Perhaps it was because when she had wanted to despairingly seek death, he had left behind a glimmer of survival and hope.

Or perhaps the defenses she had held for months were finally broken by his own hands, through that daily, rhythmic kneading.

Or perhaps it was that silent solace and companionship they shared in the hell of the execution grounds.

It was even more so the guilt buried deep in her heart; every step Su Yuan had taken to reach this point was because of her, and she owed too many people...

But at this moment, she could only suppress her chaotic emotions.

With the nation in peril, she could only keep moving forward, striving to make amends for her own mistakes.

Once they had calmed down slightly, Su Yuan spoke again: "I have come for only one thing: help me destroy the Shan Family and rescue Gao Mian."

He had weighed the matter repeatedly before deciding to reveal his identity, especially since he still held a trump card in his hand.

From his earlier observations, the master of Xingyun Pavilion was severely injured, but he might be able to help stabilize her condition.

As for destroying the Shan Family and rescuing Gao Mian, the objective was too obvious to be hidden any longer.

Gao Mian?

The name caused ripples to stir in Yun Xu's heart once more, though they quickly subsided: "You do not need to beg for help with this; the Shan Family has always been our mortal enemy, and our desire for revenge has never ceased. However, the Shan Family currently has three Vein Splitting martial artists and the support of other factions. To topple them, one must shake the entirety of Ji City. Su Yuan, join us, join the Jiguang Society, and contribute to the restoration of Ji City!"

"What is the strength of the Jiguang Society?" Su Yuan had been curious about this for a long time.

Just as Yun Xu was about to speak, Ji Haoyang interrupted: "He has not joined the society yet!"

Yun Xu paused briefly, then stated concisely: "Currently, we have seven Internal Force martial artists."

"Seven?" It sounded like a significant number, but it was not even half of the Shan Family's Vein Splitting martial artists, and that was without counting the other factions that had surrendered.

Seeing his hesitation, Yun Xu continued: "Do not worry. We have support on the surface, and besides, the Jiguang Society is merely a hidden piece. The key lies in the Great Jing army moving north. The rumors in the streets are true; Ji City is located in the south, and its recovery is imminent."

He asked: "If Great Jing truly recovers Ji City, wouldn't my identity be ruined?"

"It does not matter. As long as you join us, we can all testify for you, declaring that you were an undercover agent. By then, not only will your reputation be cleared, but you will also have performed a great service." Yun Xu painted a bright future.

Su Yuan remained silent.

He was only worried that by the time the main army moved north, he would have already reached the Vein Splitting realm and could rescue Gao Mian and fly away.

Su Yuan glanced at Ji Haoyang again, thinking of the Ji Family—were they hedging their bets on both sides?

Perhaps he could do the same.

However, before that, he still insisted on his previous plan; for now, continuing to extract resources from both sides to reach the Vein Splitting realm as quickly as possible was the only true path.

He spoke: "Yun Xu, I can trust you, but I cannot trust anyone else besides you."

He deliberately swept his gaze over Ji Haoyang and Zhou Xing.

"You know I am a pragmatic person, so there is no need for empty words. The price the Chai Family offered me is three hundred taels a month."

"Three hundred taels a month! Don't you dare open your mouth like a lion!" Ji Haoyang shouted angrily.

With supplies currently scarce, his own monthly cultivation resources amounted to little more than one hundred taels.

He still found it hard to accept reality: "Su Yuan, you are a carpenter; this mask must be something you forged! You are just pretending to be the Green Ghost! If you have the guts, then fight me!"

Su Yuan's face also turned cold. He suspected that many of his previous troubles were likely the work of this person, and he decided to take this opportunity to teach him a lesson.

"Come."

Yun Xu, however, stepped between them: "Do not fight."

She turned to Su Yuan and said solemnly: "I accept your conditions. I know we have caused you quite a bit of trouble, and I apologize. As compensation, for the three hundred taels the Chai Family offered, we will give you five hundred."

"Furthermore, I know your identity must remain confidential. I stake my life that no one in this courtyard today will leak it. This includes the Jiguang Society; I can act as your liaison. You may join solely under the identity of the Green Ghost, and you can exchange your contributions to the society for various resources just the same."