Chapter 479: 479. Evil cannot defeat righteousness
Translator: 549690339
The little girl was in a daze and almost woke up, but Peng Wu managed to lull her back to sleep.
After settling the little girl, Peng Wu turned around and saw her two long-lost sons. She couldn’t help crying, and the mother and sons embraced and wept together.
Once their emotions calmed down, Peng Wu asked the children if they were hungry. The younger boy said he was, so Peng Wu took him to the kitchen to make a late-night snack. The older boy volunteered to stay and watch his sister.
“Mom, the Island Master has returned, and a lady jumped into the water,” the younger son told Peng Wu.
Feng Ming had covertly informed Peng Wu about Mo Yan’s return, so Peng Wu suspected that the woman who jumped into the water might be Su Liang. A worried expression crossed her face. Her children were now back with her, but they were still on Xingluo Island, unable to leave. She believed in Gu Ling’s promise but still felt apprehensive, not knowing what would happen next.
“Mom, is Dad asleep?”
At the mention of this, Peng Wu came back to her senses. As she looked at her son, who was eagerly awaiting her answer, she sighed inwardly. She had never felt any affection for the man who had forced her to beat and abuse her. That man had left, and Peng Wu’s only regret was not being able to kill him herself, even though he was her two children’s biological father.
However, in Peng Wu’s eyes, her family on the island consisted solely of her sons. She had no connection with the man who abandoned them. Besides feeling disgusted, Peng Wu had no other thoughts about his decision to abandon his two sons. She was also not sad for her children, as she knew she would take good care of them; they might need a father, but not one with such a corrupted character.
Since getting to know Gu Ling and Feng Ming, Peng Wu had regained hope. Now, she was just waiting for the opportunity to take her children back to the Peng Family – her true home, with her real relatives.
“He left,” Peng Wu told her son truthfully without any attempt to deceive him. “They were afraid the Island Master would come back and harm them, so they all ran away.”
The child couldn’t understand this and his eyes reddened. “Will Dad ever come back?”
Peng Wu shook her head. “None of them will come back, and we will leave eventually too.”
The child was heartbroken. “Dad doesn’t want my brother and me.”
“Don’t cry for someone who isn’t worth it.” Peng Wu, who was usually very gentle with her children, showed a stern expression. “As for someone like that, just pretend he doesn’t exist. He abandoned you, and you should abandon him.”
The child was shocked and stopped crying. He stared at Peng Wu for a while, then got up from the small stool and went behind her, wrapping his little arms around her leg. “Mom, you will never abandon us, right?”
Peng Wu turned around and embraced her son. “Of course not. Don’t worry, I’ll take you back home after some time. There will be grandfather, maternal grandparents, and uncles.”
The child had never heard Peng Wu mention the Peng Family before, and he couldn’t help but be curious. “Where is Grandfather’s home?”
Peng Wu smiled. “It’s very far away, and it’s beautiful. There’s heavy snowfall in winter.”
The little boy’s eyes lit up. “My brother and I both want to go to a place where it snows in winter!” Peng Wu had told them about snow before, and the children were very curious about it.
As Peng Wu continued to prepare food, the child asked about the people in the Peng Family. Peng Wu began to recount her most beautiful memories from her past.
After making the late-night snack, Peng Wu took her younger son back to the room and called her older son to join them.
“The sister is still asleep.” The elder boy had just sat down when the younger boy said, “Brother, Mom said Dad doesn’t want us anymore!”
The older boy pursed his lips, “I know.”
“Mom also said that she will take us to Grandfather’s house after a while! Grandfather’s house is great – it snows in winter, and our great-grandfather is a very powerful General!” The younger boy was excited.
The older boy looked at Peng Wu, and she nodded with a tender expression in her eyes. “Yes, we will go home soon, to our true home.”
Feng Ming had been waiting at the Bajiao Pavilion. It wasn’t until late at night that he saw Gu Ling return.
“Prince, is everything alright?” Feng Ming asked. He wanted to know if Mo Yan had captured Su Liang.
Gu Ling shook his head slightly. “He captured decoys – Yan Shiba disguised as Su Liang, and there are other hostages.”
Feng Ming breathed a sigh of relief, “As long as the one who was captured isn’t our Master. For the others, we’ll figure something out.”
“Mo Yan freed the three children from the cave. Sheng Yue has already sent them to Peng Wu,” said Gu Ling.
Feng Ming’s face lit up with joy, “That’s great! Even if there are hostages, as long as the children are released, things will be much better.”
“Go find Peng Wu and have her get ready to leave before daybreak,” Gu Ling said.
Feng Ming’s expression changed, “I’m afraid she won’t be able to make it with just the children. The journey isn’t safe either.”
“Ask my master to escort them.” Gu Ling said, “I’ll go find them, you go help Peng Wu prepare.”
“Yes.” Feng Ming saluted and left Bajiao Pavilion with Gu Ling, heading in the same direction.
Inside the cave, Mo Yan and Sheng Yue had to wait slightly longer than last time. Yan Shiba surfaced, choking on water, struggling with both hands, and sank again.
Without waiting for Mo Yan’s order, Sheng Yue jumped into the water to rescue Yan Shiba, quickly pulling her up.
Yan Shiba didn’t have the strength to stop Sheng Yue from touching her this time. Sheng Yue helped her, vigorously patting her back. She spit out several mouthfuls of water, coughing and gasping for breath, looking quite miserable.
Seeing this, Mo Yan’s face showed disappointment, his eyes still void of any warmth as he coldly asked, “What about this time?”
After a while, Yan Shiba caught her breath and replied, “I didn’t see it.”
Mo Yan’s face darkened, “I don’t believe it!”
Yan Shiba coldly looked at Mo Yan, “I don’t know what’s down there, and neither do you. I’m risking my life to explore for you, and if you don’t believe me, go down there yourself! I don’t know what’s going on, but this time I tried my best, and the white light didn’t appear again! Maybe it only appears once a day, or maybe it only appears at certain times a day! Who knows!”
Mo Yan snorted coldly, “You’re deliberately stalling for time, waiting for Gu Ling to save you.”
Yan Shiba nodded, “If you say so. Right now, I don’t have any strength left, and I need to rest. I can’t go down there for the time being.”
“I thought you didn’t want Gu Ling to fall into my hands,” Mo Yan said coldly.
“Of course, I’m not crazy. But that’s a separate matter.” Yan Shiba frowned, “First, I tried my best and didn’t find anything new. That’s true. Second, I don’t want to leave or die. Even if you force me to leave, I still want to say goodbye to my man. That’s also true. You can’t think I could choose not to enter the Transmigration Road when it opens for me, right? The situation in the water can only indicate that I haven’t seen the right moment to move.”
When Mo Yan heard the last two sentences, his eyes narrowed, “Su Liang, don’t play tricks.”
“In any case, if you don’t believe whatever I say, then there’s nothing to talk about.” Yan Shiba got up and wrapped herself with the quilt on the small bed, “Even if you want to force me to go back down there by killing innocent people, let’s wait until I’ve completely recovered before talking about it. I’m cold, tired, and irritable right now.”
Mo Yan didn’t say a word, walked over to Yan Shiba, and put his hand on her shoulder.
Then, Sheng Yue once again saw Yan Shiba disappear before his eyes.
Mo Yan turned his head and asked Sheng Yue, “Do you think what she said is true?”
Sheng Yue respectfully replied, “She’s an extremely clever person. Apprentice believes that her words may be a mixture of truth and lies.”
“How can I make her willingly go?” The question was both for Sheng Yue and for Mo Yan himself.
Sheng Yue sighed softly, “Tomorrow, Gu Ling is likely to show up. At the moment, Su Liang is waiting for Gu Ling to save her and will not be willing to explore the way for Master. Perhaps, once Master catches Gu Ling, Su Liang will truly be obedient.”
Mo Yan’s eyes slightly narrowed, “That’s the only way.”
Sheng Yue asked if they needed to search for Gu Ling’s whereabouts.
Mo Yan shook his head, “No. We’ll just guard the forbidden area and wait for him to show up voluntarily. If we go looking for him, we might fall into some kind of trap.”
“Master’s words make sense.” Sheng Yue nodded.
“I’m here, you should go rest, and come back when it’s daylight. You’ve had a hard time these days,” Mo Yan said.
“To be on the safe side, I’ll rest here. If I leave the forbidden area alone, I’m afraid Gu Ling might catch me or kill me,” Sheng Yue said.
“That works too,” Mo Yan nodded.
Peng Wu had just finished having a late-night snack with her two sons and was preparing to wash them up and send them to bed quickly when Feng Ming appeared. Peng Wu’s oldest son looked vigilant at first, but soon recognized him, “Uncle Feng, didn’t you leave already?”
Peng Wu told her children that Feng Ming was their ally and had helped them a lot.
Feng Ming smiled at the children, then quickly said to Peng Wu, “There’s no time to explain too much. The prince has ordered you to leave Xingluo Island tonight. Prepare now, take extra clothes for the children, and as much food as you can manage.”
Peng Wu hesitated for a moment, “I can’t navigate, I don’t know how to sail, and we have three children. What if we encounter rough seas on the way…” These were all very real concerns.
Feng Ming shook his head, “The prince has arranged everything next door. There will be someone to escort you, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
Peng Wu’s expression brightened, “Really? That’s great, thank you! Thank you so much!” She then asked Feng Ming if this would hinder Gu Ling’s plans.
Feng Ming shook his head, “No, you don’t have to worry, the prince must have weighed the pros and cons. You staying here actually might give Mo Yan a chance to use you as threats against us again.”
Upon hearing this, Peng Wu immediately went to pack her luggage.
The two children were a little baffled. Feng Ming walked over and rubbed their heads, assuring them everything would be alright. They would have someone escort them to their grandfather’s house.
“Who is the prince?” Peng Wu’s eldest son asked curiously.
“You should have met him, a very beautiful man, like a celestial being,” Feng Ming smiled, “and incredibly powerful.”
The older son thought for a moment, “Is it that uncle who met us in the cave that day? The one with our teacher… No, Sheng Yue is not our master, he’s a bad person. Anyway, that uncle is the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen!”
Feng Ming nodded, “Yes, he’s been trying to save you all along.”
“I knew it! An uncle who looked so good must be a good person!” the younger son said.
Feng Ming chuckled, “Well, that’s not necessarily true.”
Next door, Gu Ling was discussing with Qiao Cong and Laomu who should go.
“I’m not going,” Qiao Cong frowned. “I’ve come such a long way twice and haven’t accomplished anything, and now I have to leave you and Jingjing behind. How am I going to explain this to Xiaoliang?”
“Grandfather, escorting Peng Wu and their children away is the most important thing to do right now, it’s also very crucial,” Qiao Jing said earnestly.
Qiao Cong frowned, “You just want me to go, so there will be no one to nag at you, right?”
Qiao Jing shook his head, “Of course not. It’s because grandfather has the richest experience in living at sea, and the highest Martial Arts skill. After all, there are three children and a woman who need a reliable person for protection, and grandfather is the safest person to do this job.”
Hearing this, Qiao Cong couldn’t argue, and looked at Gu Ling, “You decide. If you think I’m the safest person to go, then I’ll listen to you!”
Gu Ling nodded, turned to Qiao Jing, “You go too.”
Qiao Jing was taken aback, “Me? No, I can’t! I need to stay here and help out!”
They all knew by now that the Su Liang caught by Mo Yan was a stand-in impersonating Yan Shiba, but they were still not very optimistic about what was to come next.
Old Mu knew why Gu Ling made such arrangements and advised, “You and your grandson should just go back. You’ve guarded Jiaye City for such a long time before, and you haven’t been able to go home during the New Year. It’s time for you to go back and rest. The house needs someone to watch over it these days. It’s not useful to have more people here since we can’t confront Mo Yan directly for now.”
Qiao Cong refuted, “Old Mu, didn’t you also fail to go home for the New Year?”
“I don’t have a grandson or a grand-disciple. Xiaogu is my disciple, and your disciple is Xiaoliang.” Old Mu shook his head.
“That’s settled then,” Gu Ling said. “You all pack up as soon as possible, take them with you, and go straight back to the capital after disembarking.”
Qiao Jing pulled Gu Ling aside and asked privately, “You’re not arranging this because you think I have a grandpa, a sister, and a fiancée, so I can’t afford to have an accident, are you?” Comparatively speaking, Old Mu and Cheng Yun both had no relatives with similar relationships.
Gu Ling shook his head, “No, it’s just that the three children need at least two people to escort them. An old and a young are the best pairs. Your grandfather has the most experience at sea, but if Cheng Yun goes with him, both of them are not reliable enough, and I won’t be at ease. I need my master to stay and help here, so you and your grandfather are the best choice.”
Qiao Jing frowned, “Alright, you convinced me. In that case, I’ll go with Grandpa and leave the rest to you…” He sighed, patted Gu Ling’s shoulder and said, “I trust you’ll handle whatever trouble comes your way, but still, be careful. Remember, Su Liang and Nuannuan are waiting for you at home.”
“Nonsense.” Gu Ling left as soon as he finished speaking.
Qiao Jing shook his head, “Really…why can’t he say something nice? I’ll be sure to complain to Su Liang when I get back.”
They didn’t have much time; if they couldn’t leave before daybreak, there might be trouble. Qiao Cong and Qiao Jing packed in a hurry, and picked up the kids from next door.
Feng Ming held the little girl, while Qiao Cong and Qiao Jing each carried one, with Old Mu and Cheng Yun escorting them to the beach.
Gu Ling followed them in secret without showing himself, to make sure they got away safely.
By the time they reached the spot where Qiao Cong and the others had come ashore before, the sky was already brightening.
They pulled a boat out of the pool cave, put Peng Wu and the children on board first, and let them sit down.
“Uncle Feng, aren’t you leaving too?” Peng Wu’s older son asked Feng Ming.
Feng Ming smiled, “There are still things to do. I’ll leave after they’re done, and I’ll come to find you then. Listen to your mother on the way and take care of your sister.”
“Okay!” The twins nodded together.
Qiao Jing looked back one last time, but did not see Gu Ling. With a sigh, he followed Qiao Cong onto the boat.
Old Mu and Cheng Yun waved from the shore. Their boat set sail and disappeared gradually into the vast morning mist.
Old Mu and Cheng Yun left the shore quickly as well. They knew why Gu Ling didn’t show up; for the sake of safety, it was risky for them to gather together. Mo Yan might capture them all at once with his magic treasure.
As the sun rose, the fog over the sea dispersed, making the sky bright and warmer.
The twins were asleep, and the little girl was awake, but she stopped crying after Peng Wu cooed her for a bit.
Peng Wu held the child and stepped out of the cabin, watching the eastern sunrise. She looked back and could no longer see Xingluo Island in her sight. She had finally escaped from the Demon Cave after so many years, and she felt somewhat unreal, as if she was dreaming.
Qiao Jing took the child from her and told Peng Wu to sleep a little longer, so she could have the energy to take good care of the children.
Peng Wu thanked him again and then fell asleep next to her sons.
Qiao Jing stood at the bow with the little girl in his arms, pointing at the birds flying overhead and teaching her to speak, “Flying bird.”
The little girl’s voice was clear and crisp, “Fly-fly!”
Qiao Jing laughed at her and noticed Qiao Cong was also smiling, “We’re finally going home. I’ll fight anyone who tries to take Nuannuan from me when we get there!”
Qiao Jing looked back towards Xingluo Island, with a determined expression in his eyes, “I believe that evil won’t triumph over righteousness, and Gu Ling will be alright.”
