Chapter 69 Forgiveness

Yongzheng raised his head, with the sword in his hand, shooting two energy rays at Cao Fengge. Cao Fengge flipped backwards, avoiding the first energy ray, and then flipped forwards, avoiding the second energy ray. Yongzheng fast lightening sword had already attacked Cao Fengge's face. Cao Fengge bent down and slid forward with his knees. Yongzheng hovered over Cao Fengge and slid to the other side of Cao Fengge.

Cao Fengge shouted, "Wenyan, don't enter the arena."

Cao Fengge released his red thread needles at Yongzheng. Yongzheng winded the needles around the sword and redirected them straight back at Cao Fengge. One needle was still spinning on the tip of Yongzheng's sword. Cao Fengge jumped up to avoid the needles. As soon as Cao Fengge jumped up, Yongzheng released Cao Fengg's last needle back to Cao Fengge. The small needle pierced right through Cao Fengge's right shoulder.

Cao Fengge fell down on the fighting arena. Yongzheng sprinted forward with his lightness agility foot-skill and hit Cao Fengge's chest. Cao Fengge turned to look at Fu Yuanjun. Instead of seeing worried eyes staring at him, he saw a smirk on Fu Yuanjun's face. Cao Fengge vomits blood.

Yongzheng flew behind Cao Fengge and severed the two tendons on Cao Fengge's ankles. Yongzheng hit Cao Fengge's back with one blow, destroying Cao Fengge's lower spine. Cao Fengge vomited more blood, knelt on the arena, and then slowly fell to the side.

Cao Yanmei flew onto the arena and stood before Yongzheng with her hand wide open. She begged, "Don't kill him."

Yongzheng said, "He killed your mother."

Cao Yanmei cried, "I know he killed my mother, but he has also raised me for more than twenty years." She looked back at Cao Fengge. "To others, he is a demon, but to me, he is a good father who always cares about my happiness." She cried. "Yongzheng, please don't kill him. No matter what, he is my father. In the past twenty years, he has not treated me badly. Please don't kill my father."

Yongzheng said, "I have no intention of killing him."

Rao Zhengsheng jumped onto the arena and grabbed the sword from Yongzheng's hand. He said angrily, "If you don't want to kill him, I will kill him." He stabbed Cao Fengge, but Cao Yanmei refused to move. "Yanmei, move aside."

Cao Yanmei cried and begged, "Rao gege, I'm begging you, please don't kill him. Yongzheng has hurt his nerves and he will be in a wheelchair like my father for the rest of his life." She sobbed.

Rao Zhengsheng gritted his teeth and said furiously, "He killed my parents. He killed my shifu who was like a father to me." His lips trembled. "He killed my shimu…" Rao Zhengsheng roared in anger. "He killed my shimu. Do you understand? He killed my juniors and destroyed my homes." He pointed his sword at Cao Fengge. "Do you understand the feelings of watching the light dimmed out of the eyes of the person you love?"

Cao Yanmei cried, "Rao gege, I won't argue for his crime, but I ask for your forgiveness."

Rao Zhengsheng said, "Today, one of us must die, I will never forgive him."

Cao Yanmei said, "Alright, you kill me first. Rao gege, I won't hold a grudge against you. You are right to avenge for the people my father killed, but he has raised me for twenty years. I should hate him, but I don't. I can only use my life to repay his kindness for the twenty years he had raised me."

Dong Shun, "Yanmei…"

Cao Yanmei looked at Dong Shun, "Helping one father is an ungrateful daughter to another father." She looked at Rao Zhengsheng. "Rao gege, please tell me what shall I do? Please tell me..." She continued sobbing.

Rao Zhengsheng didn't know how to answer Cao Yanmei. His hands were trembling, and the sword in his hands was also trembling.

Yongzheng grabbed Rao Zhengsheng's trembling hand. He said, "Rao Zhengsheng, if you kill Cao Fengge today, then tomorrow, Cao Wenyan will come to kill you. Seeking revenge back and forth, when will it end?" He grabbed the sword from Rao Zhengsheng. "Killing stop with the wise." He smiled. "Someone once told me that life is as simple as three meals a day and a warm blanket at night." He looked at Rao Zhengsheng. "Da ge, do it for me...help me gain merit and lessen my punishment when I face Yanlou in the netherworld."

Rao Zhengsheng, "Alright… Cao Fengge, today... let our family grievances come to an end. As long as you don't make trouble, I won't retaliate against you."

Cao Yanmei cried, "Thank you, Rao gege."

Cao Wenyan walked quickly onto the arena. He slid a pill inside Cao Fengge's mouth. He held Cao Fengge, "Father."

Cao Yanmei said, "Ge, please take a good care of father from now on."

Cao Wenyan, "Yanmei, will you not return with us?"

Cao Yanmei shook her head and said, "No." She held onto Cao Fengge's left hand. "Father, please take care of yourself." She knelt before Cao Fengge and kowtowed three times. She stood up, walked off the stage, and followed Rao Zhengsheng to Dong Shun's side.

Yongzheng walked to Liang daoshi. Liang daoshi asked, "Have you untied the knots inside your heart?"

Yongzheng said, "Yes."

Liang daoshi asked, "Are you going home with me or leaving with them?"

Yongzheng said, "Shifu, I will return home in three months. When I know that the Cao family will not avenge, and Rao Zhengsheng has recovered, I will go back."

Liang daoshi, "Alright. After you return home, if you still want to be a Taoist, I will let you go through the ceremony this time."

Yongzheng said, "Thank you."

The sun rose high, and Xue Horan drove through many rice fields in his horse carriage. He found a small farm shelter, and there was a little girl catching frogs next to the shelter.

Xue Horan stopped the carriage and walked towards the little girl. He asked, "Xiao meimei, do you have extra water to share with this da ge?"

The young girl looked up at him, "Yes, I was about to go wash my hands."

Xue Horan asked, "What's your name?"

The young girl said, "My name is Xue Nuo."

Xue Horan smiled and said, "Really? My surname is Xue, too."

Xue Nuo said, "Xue da ge, come."

When they reached the small roadside shelter. There are two children sleeping in the open shelter.

Xue Nuo pointed to a little girl, "That is my little sister Ah Rou."

Xue Horan murmured "Ah Rou. Rou shijie." Xue Horan looked at the boy. "Is his name Zhengsheng, Ah Nui, or Horan?"

Xue Nuo smiled and said, "He is Ah Nui. My da ge Zhengsheng is chopping woods with my father. I heard my mother say when she give birth to the baby, the baby will be name Horan."

Xue Horan eyes were wetted with tears. He murmured softly, "Xiao meimei, where is your mother?"

Xue Nuo pointed and said, "Oh, they are here."

Xue Horan saw the pregnant Dong Lanying carrying a basket. Walking with her was a big boy, and beside the big boy was a handsome young man.

Xue Nuo shouted, "Mother."

Dong Lanying put the basket on the ground and looked up. She saw Xue Horan looking at her. She slowly got up and asked, "Are you here to end it?"

Xue Horan shook his head, "Shi…furen, I'm passing by and just want water for my horses."

The young man smiled and said, "Zhengsheng take this da ge's horses to drink water."

Xue Zhengsheng and Xue Nuo took the two horses away.

Dong Lanying said, "This is my husband, Xue Long."

Xue Horan asked, "Those children."

Dong Lanying said, "They are my adopted children." She poured a bowl of tea and handed to Xue Horan. "Sorry, please forgive me."

Xue Horan smiled and said, "Xue furen don't have to be sorry, a bowl of cold tea is better than water."

Dong Lanying tried to open her mouth a few times, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

Xue Horan reached into his robe and took out a small jade pendant. He smiled and said, "Xue furen, it is fate to meet you. This is for your unborn child. My mother gave it to me. She said it will protect me from harm."

Dong Lanying's eyes were moist with tears. She took the small jade pendant with the word 'Horan' written on it. She smiled and said, "I'm truly sorry...Thank you."

Xue Long also thanked Xue Huoran. Then Xue Zhengsheng and Xue Nuo returned with the two horses and the carriage.

Xue Zhengsheng said, "Mother, laolao is calling us for dinner."

Dong Lanying said, "Xue gongzi, would you like to stay for dinner?"

Xue Horan smiled and said, "Xue furen, thank you, but I'm in a hurry. I'm glad to see you and your family. Thank you for the bowl of tea." He smiled at the two children. "Thank you for taking my horses to drank water."

Xue Long, "Xue gongzi safe travel."

Dong Lanying, "Ho…Xue gongzi, thank you."

Dong Lanying watched Xue Horan jump into the carriage and drive away from them. She smiled at Xue Long and said, "Lao gong, go and wake them up, let's go home."

Xue Long asked, "What kind of dishes is laolao cooking today?"

Xue Nuo, "She cooks a lot of dishes."

The family began to leave the rice fields. Dong Lanying stopped and looked at the carriage that was almost disappear in the afterglow of the setting sun. She whispered, "Horan, thank you."

Xue Zhengsheng shouted, "Mother, hurry up."

Dong Lanying smiled and shouted back, "I'm coming."

Xue Long said, "That Xue gongzi is a good person."

Dong Lanying smiled and said, "Yes, he is indeed a very good person." She stretched out her hand and took Xue Long's hand.

As the sun sets, the couple walks home with their four children.