Chapter 124: The Invincible Will to Fight

"I was able to kill Ye Tianhua back then, and I can kill you today. Sun Zhongmou, I have already shown you enough restraint." At this moment, my grandfather, standing at the bow of the boat, seemed to have lost his patience as he spoke to my elder brother.

His words sent a chill through me. I understood that my brother was simply consumed by hatred; he knew he was no match for Grandfather, yet in such a situation, he still spoke of blood debts. I was truly terrified that Grandfather might just strike him down. Just as it had been days ago—if Chen Dongfang hadn't intervened at the critical moment when we were leaving the mountains, my brother might have already died at Grandfather's hands. I looked at Grandfather, shaking my head. "Grandfather, my father is already dead. Please, don't let this continue."

Afterward, I pulled on my brother's sleeve. "Brother, the one who truly forced Grandfather's hand was the Ghost Path. Grandfather had no choice. Let it go."

"I cannot let it go. I will settle the score with the Ghost Path myself," my brother replied.

With that, he raised his drum, preparing to strike again.

Grandfather sneered from the bow. "If you dare show me disrespect again, I will not hold back this time."

"Who asked for your mercy?" These two men, equally proud and equally stubborn, seemed unable to reach a resolution today.

I went up to pull my brother back, but he shoved me aside and looked at Fatty. "Take Ye-zi and go!"

"I'm not leaving!" I shook off Fatty, who had come to grab me. How could I leave now? I knew that if these two started fighting, my brother would certainly die.

"Zhongmou!" Suddenly, a hysterical cry rang out from the shore. I knew that voice all too well—it was my mother's. I looked back and saw Han Xue supporting her; I didn't know when they had arrived. When my mother saw Grandfather and my brother about to clash, she broke free from Han Xue's grip and waded into the mud, walking toward us. As she walked, she shook her head at my brother. My heart ached for her. I turned back to my brother. "Brother, look at Mom. Don't do this. We are family. This is our family business—does it really have to be this way?"

My brother looked down at me. "Do you think this is what I want?"

I suddenly felt speechless. This matter was simple, yet complex. Given my brother's temper, it was only natural he couldn't let go. Even with my mother intervening, he showed no signs of stopping. I turned to Fatty. "Fatty, leave me be. I'm fine. Go take my mother back to the shore; don't let her come here."

Fatty looked at me and nodded. "Take care of yourself."

After saying that, Fatty used a talisman to move across the water. Despite my mother's struggles, he managed to carry her back to the bank. Just as she climbed ashore and tried to rush back toward us, I saw someone reach out from behind and grip her shoulders. He nodded to her and said, "Jin Zhi, leave this to me."

My mother looked back at the man and finally calmed down.

The man was dressed in black, wearing a mask over his face. He stepped into the mud and walked toward us. Fatty tried to stop him, but the man waved him off and removed his mask.

When the mask came off, his entire face was revealed—scarred and twisted to the point of horror. Even so, I recognized him instantly. It was Uncle Zhuzi, who had been captured by Tang Renjie. Fatty clearly recognized him too, so he stopped trying to block him and let Uncle Zhuzi walk toward us. He walked with great difficulty, but eventually, he jumped onto the altar.

"Uncle Zhuzi," I called out.

He nodded at me, patted my shoulder, and without another word to me, walked up to my brother. "Zhongmou, let it go."

My brother shook his head.

Uncle Zhuzi looked at my grandfather on the boat and said, "Old Ye, it's come to this. Stop hiding the truth from the children."

Grandfather shook his head at him.

Uncle Zhuzi shook his head back. "The children are grown. They deserve to know."

He gestured for me to come over. I walked to his side, and he had us brothers stand together. Uncle Zhuzi smiled; his scarred face looked terrifying, but to me, it was filled with kindness. He patted my head. "In my memory, you were both still children. How time flies! You've grown into men. Zhongmou, put down the drum. Your grandfather chose to peel his skin back then because it was the only way your father could have a sliver of a chance at survival. If the people of the Ghost Path had done it, he would have died without a doubt."

I was overjoyed, but my brother frowned and looked at Uncle Zhuzi. "What do you mean by that?"

Uncle Zhuzi pointed in the direction of the Dragon Head Stele at the school's geomantic eye. He lowered his voice. "The day the Dragon Head Stele opens, everything will be laid bare. Whether your father can return depends on that day."

I finally understood. Perhaps my father's survival was tied to that stele. I looked at Grandfather. "Grandfather, is what Uncle Zhuzi says true?"

Standing at the bow, he nodded gently.

"If that's the case, why didn't you say anything? If Uncle Zhuzi hadn't told us, were you planning to keep quiet forever?" I asked. I couldn't understand his actions. If it was something that couldn't be told to outsiders, why hadn't he stopped Uncle Zhuzi? And if it could be said, why risk being misunderstood by my brother, even to the point of a fight to the death?

"Your grandfather wanted to use himself as a whetstone to sharpen your invincible fighting spirit," Uncle Zhuzi said, looking at my brother. "The path you cultivate is too overbearing; it requires you to push forward without ever tasting defeat. This has subtly affected your character. That is precisely why, after losing to your grandfather, you were so desperate for a rematch. This is your path, and also your inner demon. So, your grandfather decided to fight you today—to lose to you, or even die by your hands. The stronger the opponent, the fiercer your fighting spirit will become. By killing him and avenging your deep-seated hatred, you will break through the plateau you’ve been stuck in for years."

My brother looked at Grandfather, his expression complex. Though he didn't speak, I knew he was asking the same question.

Uncle Zhuzi sighed and patted my brother's head. "Your grandfather didn't want me to tell you this, but I was afraid. The truth would eventually come out. If you killed him today, it might have fueled your invincible spirit, but when the truth was revealed later, you would have perished from your own inner demons. You are a kind-hearted child at your core. If you had learned of your grandfather's sacrifices too late, you would have been destroyed. That is why I had to tell you the truth."

After saying this, Uncle Zhuzi produced a bottle of liquor, took a swig, and said, "Come, drink this wine and see your grandfather off."

Uncle Zhuzi's words had resolved the knot between my brother and me, and the misunderstanding with Grandfather had been cleared. But before I could feel relieved, his last sentence made my heart tighten. I took the bottle from him, staring in disbelief. "See my grandfather off? What does that mean?"

"The endless corpse energy and spirits of the Twelve Ghost Caverns created the Corpse King of the Luo River, but they also kept it suppressed. Today, by purifying these spirits, the Corpse King loses that suppression and will truly see the light of day. Today is the 'Ghost Gate Opening' day, which occurs once every sixty years, coinciding with a lunar eclipse and a blood moon. If the Corpse King emerges, it will bring devastation. Furthermore, the Dragon Essence within the Twelve Ghost Caverns will be left unguarded. Ye-zi, your father died trying to retrieve that Dragon Essence for you. The only reason you survived is because your father died, and your grandfather took up the mantle of guarding the Dragon Essence for the Ghost Path, preventing outsiders from seizing it," Uncle Zhuzi explained.

I looked at Grandfather. He had turned the boat around, heading upstream toward the Twelve Ghost Caverns.

"No!" I cried out.

"Do you see the people on the shore? Your grandfather cannot stop them while he is alive; only by entering the caverns can he hold them back. Ye-zi, you will understand eventually: living people are far more terrifying than any Corpse King. The only way to keep secrets safe is to bury them beneath the water," Uncle Zhuzi said, holding me.

At that moment, I saw a massive wave erupt from within the Twelve Ghost Caverns.

A colossal stone sarcophagus burst through the surface of the water.

"Fatty could help! There's no need for this!" I shouted, watching Grandfather's boat draw closer and closer to the sarcophagus.

"The Ghost Path needs no help from others," Uncle Zhuzi said with a bitter smile.