Free Web NovelChapter 176: Chapter 168: Shen Jieye’s Journal
"Thank you, Great Immortal!"
"I was just joking earlier! I still hold the utmost reverence for you Great Immortals!"
The common folk showered him with praise, but as Dong Changsheng listened, a wave of sorrow washed over him.
’Sigh, only now do they understand my painstaking efforts.’
’It seems this team can only be saved by my harsh methods.’
’Sending those junior brothers with the lowest Cultivation to scout ahead... did he think that was easy for me?’
’Watching them go off to face danger, my heart was bleeding too!’
’But one cannot be so soft!’
’Spare the rod, spoil the child!’
’The point was that I had to harden my heart and give them a chance to become strong!’
’They should thank me!’
’Thank me for forcing them to grow!’
’And Miss Su... she has the highest Cultivation in the team. She is our final safeguard.’
’Placing her at the rear to cover our retreat not only keeps her on high alert for unknown threats from behind, maintaining peak combat readiness, but it also preserves the team’s most crucial, flexible asset.’
’If something were to happen up front requiring an emergency retreat, Miss Su, being at the rear, could immediately turn around, transforming from the rearguard into the vanguard to clear a path!’
’She could use her immense power to carve out a path of survival for the entire team!’
’Now *that* is the optimal allocation of resources!’
’As for myself...’
He walked calmly in the very center of the group, surrounded by everyone, a sense of boundless loneliness and tragic heroism welling up inside him.
’Sigh, do they think my position is the safest?’
’Wrong!’
’They are dead wrong!’
’My position is the most dangerous, most agonizing place to be!’
’Those at the front only have to face the enemies ahead. Those at the back only need to be wary of sneak attacks from behind.’
’How simple their lives are! How fortunate!’
’And what about me?! I am caught in the middle, forced to endure the fear, doubt, cowardice, and stupidity coming at me from all sides!’
’My spirit is in constant torment!’
’My duty isn’t to charge into battle, but to grasp the entire situation. Naturally, I must command from the center of the formation!’
’I live not for myself, Dong Changsheng, but to lead everyone to survival!’
And so, the party set off once more.
They cautiously rounded the corner and saw a flight of stone steps leading down.
The group followed the steps all the way down, eventually arriving in a damp, cold cellar.
Inside the cellar, most of the wooden shelves had rotted and collapsed, emitting a thick, musty odor.
The disciples who had gone ahead investigated carefully. In the deepest part of the cellar, they found a hidden wooden door, a little over a meter tall. A talisman was stuck to the door, sealing it shut.
Disciples B, C, and D stepped forward to try, but found their Spiritual Power couldn’t budge the talisman in the slightest.
"I’ll do it."
Dong Changsheng stepped forward. Channeling the Cultivation of his eighth layer of Qi Refining, he spread his Spiritual Qi over the talisman.
The talisman struggled violently a few times before turning to ash.
The hidden door swung open.
Inside were a young woman’s personal belongings: a makeup box, pearled hairpins, a person-sized bronze mirror, handkerchiefs... After a hundred years, they still hadn’t completely decayed.
In a wooden box, they found a stack of letters wrapped in special oil paper. Though the pages were yellowed, the ink was clear and well-preserved.
They opened to the first page and saw two words written in elegant, small script.
*Heartfelt Notes.*
It appeared to be the journal of a woman named Shen Jieye.
*Third month, seventh day. Sunny.*
*Today was the spring poetry gathering at the academy. The teacher asked everyone to compose a poem on the theme of "Spring."*
*When it was Mr. Lin’s turn, he recited only a single line and then fell silent.*
*Everyone laughed, thinking his inspiration had run dry. Only I knew he was moved by the sight of the jade bracelet on my wrist.*
*When he looked at me, there was a distinct light in his eyes.*
*My heart, too, became like a willow catkin in the spring breeze, fluttering uncertainly.*
...
*Fourth month, second day. Overcast.*
*Father told me he has arranged a marriage for me.*
*The man is Shen Gang, Mr. Shen from the martial arts hall in the east of the city. He’s a Martial Cultivator.*
*I asked Father why it wasn’t... He only said that a woman must obey the words of the matchmaker and the command of her parents.*
*The Shen Family is powerful, and this will benefit our family.*
*I didn’t sleep all night.*
*Mr. Shen... I’ve only seen him once from a distance. He is a burly man, not gentle and refined like Mr. Lin.*
*What... will the future be like?*
*My heart is filled with dread, yet there is a sliver of hope. Perhaps... married life could still be one of harmony and mutual respect.*
...
*Seventh month, nineteenth day. Distant thunder.*
*One month into the marriage, and I finally know what hell on earth is.*
*Shen Gang... He is no good man!*
*At the slightest displeasure, he beats me.*
*Today, just because my cooking was a little too salty, he threw a whole bowl of hot soup on me.*
*It’s so hot... It hurts so much... I want to run away, but where can I go?*
*In the dead of night, I always think of Mr. Lin.*
*If only back then... No, there is no "back then" anymore.*
*Ninth month, third day. Cold.*
*I’m... pregnant.*
*I told Shen Gang. Maybe with a child, he won’t treat me like this anymore...*
...
*Twelfth month, eleventh day. Snow.*
*My child... I’ve named him Junxiong.*
*But Shen Gang still treats me the same as before.*
*I spend my days washing my face with tears, able to pour all my hopes and affections only into my child.*
*Recently, a gaunt old Daoist has been visiting our home. Shen Gang is utterly deferential to him and has taken him as a master.*
*The way that old Daoist looks at people is so sinister.*
*Since then, Shen Gang often follows him out late at night. I don’t know what sort of shady business they’re up to.*
*I have a feeling it isn’t any kind of righteous cultivation.*
...
*First month, fifteenth day. No moon.*
*I saw it! I saw it!*
*That old Daoist... the things he’s teaching Shen Gang are evil arts for controlling lonely ghosts and stray spirits!*
*I saw Shen Gang torture and kill a black cat and a child with my own eyes, and then rip their souls out!*
*It’s horrifying!*
*They... they are Evil Cultivators!*
*Should I... should I report them to the authorities...*
...
*Second month, second day. Howling wind.*
*(The handwriting here becomes messy and panicked.)*
*Shen Gang is back... He reeks of alcohol and is smashing things in the courtyard in a rage...*
*I’m so scared... I’m hiding in the room with Junxiong, not daring to make a sound... He seems to be looking for something...*
*(The ink is smudged here, as if from fallen tears.)*
*He’s coming... He’s breaking down the door...*
BANG... BANG... BANG...
*The door’s about to break...*
*Hel... p... p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p!@#$!%@#$&!#*@^%#...*
*(The final characters are a frantic repetition of the word for "life," of varying sizes, distorted like demonic talismans and almost illegible.)*
*(At the very end is a chaotic mess of slashes that tore through the paper, and a large, dried, dark-red stain.)*
After reading the final entry in the journal, everyone gasped.
A woman’s tragic life was condensed onto these pages, soaked in blood and tears.
Wang Xiedi was filled with righteous indignation, his body trembling with anger. He slammed his fist on a nearby piece of rotten wood and roared:
"He’s worse than a beast!
"They were married! As a husband, how could he be so violent toward his own wife?!
"That Shen Gang is a disgrace to all men! He’s worse than an animal!"
Su Ling’er nodded slightly at Wang Xiedi’s words.
Dong Changsheng, however, was unimpressed.
’Since this Shen Gang had already taken a master and embarked on the path of Cultivation to pursue greater power, he had become a superior being. How could he be bound by the morals of mere mortals?’
’The path of Cultivation is fraught with thorns and sacrifices. Trivial things like familial affection are as fleeting as smoke.’
’Besides, this Shen Jieye stumbled upon her husband’s secret Cultivation. Instead of thinking of how to support him, she grew fearful and even considered reporting him to the authorities?’
’That’s no way for a person to act! They were husband and wife, yet she failed to grasp the situation and seize the opportunity!’
’Her end may seem to have come at Shen Gang’s hand, but it was actually the will of heaven!’
’So, what did Shen Gang do wrong?’
’He was merely clearing an obstacle from his path to success. My junior brothers and sisters still lack true insight.’
Just as everyone was lost in the thoughts brought on by the journal, a sound suddenly echoed through the cellar.
A voice that belonged to none of them.
"Ghhh... ghhh... ghhh..."
