Volcanic Age-Chapter 430: Side Stories (1)

Time passed. The snow-covered ground, once dazzling under the sun, slowly began to melt. The long, seemingly endless winter faded along with the turbulent times that had come to an end.
As dew settled at dawn, the night lifted beyond the horizon. A dim light signaled the hour of the tiger.
"Whew…"
He took a deep breath and exhaled. He felt the vital yang qi fill his body.
As expected, my lost cultivation won't return.
Zhou Xuchuan had lost most of his cultivation due to the side effects resulting from consuming his Innate True Qi through the True Yuan Flame.
Hoping to regain them, he had tried to recultivate his foundation, but ultimately, he was never able to reacquire it.
For cultivation methods, even if I recite the sutras or circulate my qi, there's no response from my dantian. If I try to use my sword techniques, my body refuses to follow, and I repeatedly stop mid technique, as if I’ve forgotten how to finish it. It's a bit of a shame.
Zhou Xuchuan slowly opened his eyes, feeling regretful.
"..."
If he hadn’t noticed the presence beside him, he might have let out a startled gasp and fallen backward.
Startled, he blinked and looked ahead.
"Little Ghost, what are you doing?"
"I'm... looking at the Sovereign," Little Ghost crouched down and answered.
"I realise that. No, wait, as I said before, I'm no longer the Phantom Sovereign."
The title of Phantom Sovereign of the Valley of Phantoms was granted only to those who had practiced the Divine Phantom Art. Therefore, Zhou Xuchuan, who had lost the Divine Phantom Art like the other techniques he had practiced, was no longer the Phantom Sovereign.
"..."
Little Ghost tilted her head slightly to the side.
Her expression was as blank as ever, but it seemed as though she was saying that she didn't understand.
"Considering she keeps disobeying the orders of what she considers the Phantom Sovereign, it seems like her mind has come back, but…"
If she were still under the absolute command of the Divine Phantom Art, she wouldn’t be disobeying the order, 'don't call me the phantom sovereign.' However, Little Ghost still continued to call him the Phantom Sovereign even after several days, and just blinked as if she didn't understand whenever he pointed it out.
Her rejection of the order aside, her expressions and emotional responses are the same as before, so it's difficult to tell if she's truly returned.
She had said she felt sad. She still acted oddly from time to time. But without much change in her expressions, Zhou Xuchuan couldn’t help doubting.
He fell quiet for a moment, then chuckled and gently patted Little Ghost's head.
"I told you to return to the Valley of Phantoms, but you really won’t… you really plan on giving me heartburn till the very end, don't you."
Since she regained her senses, Zhou Xuchuan had tried several times to persuade her to return to the Valley of Phantoms, or to simply just follow her heart. However, it was to no avail. Little Ghost remained by his side, silently, as she always had.
"Phantom Sovereign… are you… hurting because of me?"
With wide eyes, she looked up, like a child afraid of being scolded by her parents.
"No way. I was just joking, so don't worry too much about it."
Who would have thought this child was a legendary assassin, a symbol of cruelty and fear?
"Actually, I was just about to call you, so this is good."
"...?"
"I'll teach you the sutra of the Divine Phantom Art from this point on."
Even if he had lost the cultivation of the art itself, that didn't mean he had forgotten its sutra. Zhou Xuchuan handed it all over to Little Ghost.
"I wish I could restore all of your hearts to their original states… I’m truly sorry I couldn’t do more."
Zhou Xuchuan smiled bitterly, a mixture of regret and remorse.
Little Ghost wasn't the only one who had been sacrificed in the name of saving the
murim
. There were other Phantoms as well.
He would have loved to revert them all with his Innate Regression, but he currently lacked the ability.
"Use the Divine Phantom Art as you wish. You can pass it on to others, or you can master it yourself and become the next Phantom Sovereign... but at the very least, I hope those who have suffered Mind Killing like you would be left alone."
Little Ghost nodded.
"Remember, this is a request, not an order."
Little Ghost blinked, her eyes blank as always, seemingly aware of Zhou Xuchuan's feelings.
He had to take solace in the fact that the words, "we have received your orders" didn't come out of her mouth.
Zhou Xuchuan descended from the mountainside. Instead of chasing him like a shadow as before, Little Ghost walked beside him. Soon, the back door of the Tang Family came into view. Opening it, he entered, and saw the Tang Family warriors standing in two rows.
“Greetings, Lord Sword God!”
Even though it was a time of peace, not war, the Tang Family warriors were fully disciplined.
It was an attitude that clearly indicated who the current Matriarch of the Family was.
"The Matriarch really is too much. This isn't even the main gate, but the back. There's no need for you to be so tense."
The main gate involved the Tang Family's reputation, so it couldn't be helped. However, there was no need to act this way at the back gates.
If someone saw it, they’d think something important was happening.
One of the Tang Family warriors hesitated for a moment at Zhou Xuchuan’s words, then, seemingly determined, spoke.
“I don’t mean to contradict you, Lord Sword God, but would it be all right if I said a few words?”
"As long as you don't call me by that ridiculous title of Sword God, it's fine," Zhou Xuchuan replied with a slight smile. His current nickname was burdensome, as his swordsmanship was now just reduced to the Plum Blossom Sword Technique or his physical prowess.
“Thank you.”
The Tang Family warrior expressed his sincere gratitude.
"Great Hero Zhou Xuchuan. You're the great hero who saved the Righteous Faction, or rather, the Central Plains Murim, from a crisis. Without your noble sacrifice, the war would have never ended, and countless people would have suffered. Many people, including myself, are grateful to you, and respect you."
“It's as he said," the warrior next to him added with a look of respect.
“I assure you, our actions were in no way forced. We may be cleaning up the area or guarding the back gate, but I hope you understand that we're paying our respects in our own way.”
"When we heard that the Great Hero often went out to the back mountain through this gate, all of the warriors of the Family rushed to offer to guard it. I've been in charge of the Tang Family's back gate for over ten years, but this is the first time I've seen such enthusiasm," the other warrior said.
The warrior continued with a gentle smile.
"It's not just the warriors. Even the main branch and collateral blood relatives, as well as the servants and maids, work without anyone ordering them to make the Great Hero feel comfortable. Even those who usually grumbled about not wanting to work would wake up half an hour early for a meeting, to the point that I couldn't believe my eyes."
Zhou Xuchuan said nothing. His heart stirred with emotion.
"May I know your names?" Zhou Xuchuan asked quietly.
The warriors exchanged a glance, then simply smiled and bowed their heads again.
"Please accept our apologies. We understand it's rude, but we won't be able to answer you. As I said before, we're not asking for anything in return. Just think of us as people who wish to repay you, Great Hero."
"Me too."
Their expressions and demeanor were sincere. It seemed they genuinely didn't want their names revealed.
Gratitude and respect—that was all.
Zhou Xuchuan’s face went still, overwhelmed. Then, slowly, a smile formed.
"Thank you."
"No. We were just doing what was expected of us."
Zhou Xuchuan cupped a fist at the warriors and passed them, accepting their respectful gazes.
Entering the Family Estate, he couldn't help but be the center of attention. Not long ago, this stare had been burdensome and uncomfortable, but now, for the moment, he was able to accept it with ease. Still, it wasn’t long before it felt like he’d stepped onto a bed of thorns, and a wry smile appeared on his lips.
"Oh my, who's this? Isn't this the person who, after regaining consciousness after a month, wandered around carelessly and mercilessly trampled on the hearts of those who truly care for him?"
It was the first thing Zhou Xuchuan heard as he sent Little Ghost on an errand and entered the infirmary alone.
Tang Hui sat at the edge of the bed, glaring at him with a look full of reproach. He could feel the venomous aura around her, as if she might kill him at any moment.
"I just wanted to get some fresh air."
Zhou Xuchuan had immediately lost consciousness and collapsed as soon as he had brought Little Ghost's mind back. It was the result of exhausting his Innate True Qi.
Tang Hui's heart had burned as Zhou Xuchuan failed to regain consciousness. She regretted not having stopped him then, and hadn't slept properly that night.
"Well, I guess there's nothing I could do. How could I possibly say anything to the Great Hero who saved the
murim
?"
Tap, tap, tap.
Tang Hui crossed her arms and tapped her fingers.
Zhou Xuchuan hadn't returned to Mount Hua for the past few days, even after regaining consciousness.
No, he couldn't.
Tang Hui had been glaring at him and threatening him, refusing to let him leave unless he received proper treatment and rest.
"Don't be so angry. I came after hearing from the Divine Physician that there was nothing wrong with me."
Zhou Xuchuan smiled wryly, seemingly apologetic.
"..."
Tang Hui's expression became complicated after hearing Zhou Xuchuan's words.
A mixture of relief and regret lingered on her face.
"Matriarch Tang."
"It's embarrassing, so stop."
Tang Hui reacted fiercely.
While she said that it was embarrassing, her true feelings were different.
I don't want to be treated like a stranger by you.
Tang Hui bit her lip and swallowed her words.
"My health has improved, and Master must be worried, so I think it's time to start heading back to Mount Hua."
Winter had passed. Spring had arrived. Another year had begun.
"...yeah."
There was no stopping it.
Tang Hui had tried to let go of her feelings as she nursed him back to health, but instead of fading away, they only grew stronger.
Her heart ached, as if it were being torn apart, but for her happiness, she had to let him go.
"Tang Hui, before, you..."
"Give it back."
Tang Hui cut Zhou Xuchuan off, as if she already knew what he was about to say.
"What?"
"The Mind Qi Separator."
"Ah, um. Okay."
Tang Hui stared blankly at Zhou Xuchuan's fingers.
Seeing the empty space where the Mind Qi Separator had once been, it felt to Tang Hui as though she herself had been pushed out of Zhou Xuchuan’s heart. Before Zhou Xuchuan could say anything, Tang Hui quickly extended her left hand and nodded.
“Yes, yes, ma’am.”
Zhou Xuchuan smiled helplessly and supported Tang Hui’s hand with his left. He then lifted the ring with his right hand and slowly placed it on her left ring finger.
With this… it's enough.
Tang Hui withdrew her hand, as if afraid of losing the ring, and stroked the ring with her other hand.
“Zhou Xuchuan.”
“Huh?”
“Forget about what I said earlier.”
Tang Hui couldn’t bring herself to raise her head. Her sorrowful eyes were fixed on the ring.
“…Huh?”
“I don’t want things to become awkward between you and Luo Xiaoyue because of what I selfishly said. Just pretend it never happened. Please.”
It was a lie, saying that she didn't love him.
"You won't find a woman like Luo Xiaoyue in the Central Plains, or even in the world. Don't let her go. Seriously."
At the age of twenty, Luo Xiaoyue had achieved the Harmony Realm. Her beauty rivaled even the most beautiful of Shaanxi, or, even the most beautiful throughout the
murim
.
Moreover, what about her personality? Her heart was kind, capable of genuinely grieving empathetically over someone else's suffering or tragedy.
However, even with such compassion, it didn't mean that she was so naive as to be ignorant of reality.
Yes, she was truly an immortal fairy, a woman straight out of myth.
"I never thought I'd be rejected before I could even confess."
"...What?"
Tang Hui’s voice trembled slightly. Her eyes widened as she finally looked up.
Zhou Xuchuan scratched his head and smiled awkwardly. It seemed he was unfamiliar with the current situation.
"It seems you're misunderstanding something... I cherish Junior Sister Luo more than anyone else, but it's not the type of cherishing you're thinking about."
Zhou Xuchuan recalled his conversation with Luo Xiaoyue a while ago and told Tang Hui.
"It's true that I like Junior Sister Luo, but it's more like a Senior Brother's love than the love between a man and a woman. It's not that I don't like her, but to be honest, it's more admiration."
To Zhou Xuchuan, Luo Xiaoyue was an object of admiration, a hero.
It would be a lie to say that he didn't have feelings for her, as he was a man and she was a woman, but his feelings for her weren't as strong as his feelings for someone else.
"Then…"
"So that's how things have turned out. I'll make sure I return from Mount Hua as soon as possible, so please let it slide—"
Thwack!
Zhou Xuchuan's head snapped back.
"I gave up everything and became the Matriarch of the Tang Family… what do you expect me to do when you say that
now
, you buffoon!"
Tang Hui's venomous gaze radiated with anger. Perhaps, it was the first sincere insult she'd ever uttered toward Zhou Xuchuan.
"Is there… really no solution?" Zhou Xuchuan asked, genuinely concerned. Tang Hui rushed towards Zhou Xuchuan, then immediately embraced him and kissed his lips.
“Young Lady, this way.”
Yuan Dashi treated Little Ghost with the utmost respect.
After the war ended, news of the decisive battle with the Dark Heavens Association Lord spread, and Little Ghost also gained fame.
Although she was unable to fight with the Dark Heavens Association Lord, the greatest disaster, she still provided assistance at a crucial moment.
In the
murim
, upon hearing that Little Ghost was Zhou Xuchuan’s shadow and protector, her achievements were also praised and respected.
"The lord is over here…"
Yuan Dashi suddenly stopped walking. The Tang Family masters patrolling the corridors also stopped.
“…?”
Little Ghost tilted her head, puzzled.
“I-It doesn’t seem. To be this way.”
Yuan Dashi turned around, face drenched in cold sweat. His voice trembled.
“You’re lying… why?”
His breath was uneven, his heart racing. Something was wrong.
"Move."
“Ah, no!”
Yuan Dashi spread his arms.
“Move."
“I cannot—ugh!”
Little Ghost’s fist slammed into Yuan Dashi’s gut.
“From inside, I can faintly hear. The voice of the Phantom Sovereign. Move."
"
Cough! Cough!
Damn it! Stop her! We have to stop her somehow! Subdue her without leaving even a scratch on her!" Yuan Dashi shouted desperately.
“B-but…”
The Tang Family warrior hesitated.
Little Ghost was a master and a distinguished guest. Subduing a master without a scratch was no easy feat.
“If we don’t stop her here, the Matriarch will kill us!”
Gulp!
The Tang Family warriors narrowed their eyes. They felt a sense of dread, as if they were facing the Dark Heavens Association.
A group of fifteen, if not more, surrounded Little Ghost.
"Agh!"
"Ugh!"
"Agk!"