In the conference hall of Sword Village, many martial artists watched the blood from Ma Jingguo's hand dripping onto the floor. With every drop of blood, their hearts beat faster. The Six Sects and Four Households knew Ma Jingguo had already distributed his subordinates across their territories. Those who had the most to lose were not on Wu Jianping's side, and they stared at the Mangsha chief angrily.
Wu Jianping spat out a mouthful of blood and slowly got up. "Ma Jingguo, you took over Mangsha Sect and caged me like a dog. I will never let this humiliation go."
Ma Jingguo scoffed, the left corner of his lips curving into a sneer. "You really are a dog. You don't care about the lives of your servants and disciples who are still in Mangsha Sect?" He gnashed his teeth. "I know that a lowly person like you doesn't have the courage to weather the storm. Do you really think that the person you helped will come to rescue you when needed?" He stared intently at Fu Yuanjun.
"Even if the five sects agree, I won't," Wu Jianping declared fiercely.
Wu On pleaded, "Da shixiong, how can you do this? You have to consider the well-being of our disciples and servants who are still captured in Mangsha Sect."
Wu Jianping pushed Wu On to the ground. He roared wildly, "I am the Chief of Mangsha Sect, not you!" He looked at the martial artists inside the conference hall. "Everyone, Demon Xin was injured and poisoned. If we kill him today, our most powerful obstacle will no longer stand in our way... what is everyone still waiting for? Kill him!" He pointed his sword at Ma Jingguo.
A loud laugh echoed from behind Ma Jingguo. Si Meifang stepped forward, standing directly beside him. "Anyone of you who is brave enough," she challenged, "step forward." She quickly took out her handkerchief and wrapped Ma Jingguo's injured hand. "Chief, you lost this time."
Ma Jingguo shook his head, a look of profound disappointment on his face. "I surrendered. I think I had too much hope for these desperate people."
"Then I can do whatever I want with these desperate people, right?" Si Meifang asked, a sweet smile belying the danger in her voice.
Ma Jingguo's voice was cold and absolute. "Except for Yong Gui, Yong Taihua, and Yan Zhanjin, you can do whatever you want with these people."
One clan leader quickly interjected, "Chief Xin, we have already accepted your sect as the Fifth Household of Central Plain. We didn't know that Chief Wu would be like this."
Monk Ling offered a word of caution. "Benefactor Xin, the next step, please consider carefully. You have worked hard to persuade the Six Sects to accept the existence of Sunset Sect. If you choose the wrong step, your efforts will be in vain."
"Yes, but you don't seem to acknowledge our existence wholeheartedly," Ma Jingguo retorted. "I will keep my promise and I will find the murderer. At the same time, if any of you feel the same as Chief Wu and Chief Gu, I will accept your challenge."
Wu On stepped forward, paying a humble tribute to Ma Jingguo. "Chief Xin, I know that da shixiong is acting in anger, and he didn't think clearly before he acted. Please forgive him and don't hurt anyone in Mangsha Sect."
Ma Jingguo smiled, seeing his opportunity. "I will not kill him nor the people inside Mangsha Sect, if only he..." Ma Jingguo pointed directly at Wu Jianping. "If he steps down, and you take over Mangsha Sect as their new Chief."
"But I'm just an ordinary disciple, and I don't have any credibility," Wu On protested, stunned.
"I am convinced that the people in Mangsha will agree with me after hearing what happened today," Ma Jingguo stated confidently.
As if on cue, one of the elders of Mangsha stood up and declared, "As one of the elders of Mangsha, I agree with Chief Xin."
Ma Jingguo nodded, settling the matter. "Well, you give me time to prove my innocence, and I will give everyone time to regain my trust." He looked at Monk Ling. "Monk Ling, please advise, if someone wants to attack Sunset Sect, what should we do?"
Yong Gui answered instead. "Chief Xin, protect yourself from any attacks just like any other sects would do."
Ma Jingguo looked at Yong Gui. "I will keep your words in mind." He gave Fu Yuanjun one last, chilling sneer before he walked out of the door with Si Meifang.
Li Kong Bai looked at Wu Jianping and shook his head disappointedly. He stood up and announced, "Everyone, see you in Jiangnan."
Tang Jianyu addressed Yong Gui. "Chief Yong, I have to say goodbye." He then turned to Wu On, offering the new chief crucial support. "I don't know how others will evaluate you, but you will get my full support. An excellent leader cares about all the lives around him, not just himself." Tang Jianyu and his four Kunlun disciples left the meeting hall, leaving the others to contend with the wreckage of the peace talks.
Outside the gate of Sword Village, Ma Jingguo vomited more blood. Si Meifang grew frantic and held tightly onto him.
"Chief, hang in there. Yuan meimei is coming," Si Meifang said worriedly.
"Take me to Mu Village," Ma Jingguo instructed, his voice weak. "If I have to die... I want to take my last breath inside xiao shushu's arms."
Si Meifang supported Ma Jingguo all the way to the bamboo shed. "I'll go get Yuan meimei," she said.
"Go, I can walk by myself from here," Ma Jingguo insisted.
Ma Jingguo walked slowly to the bamboo shed. He opened the door and walked in, closing it behind him. He stared at Mu Dishi, who was still asleep on the bed. He climbed onto the bed and pulled Mu Dishi into his arms.
Ma Jingguo kissed Mu Dishi's right cheek and said softly, "Xiao shushu, I'm back." Tears welled in his eyes as he looked at Mu Dishi's face. He moved, resting his head on Mu Dishi's abdomen. "How did we get to the point where we no longer trust each other? In order to keep you from not leaving me, I must hurt you. Xiao shushu, I'm sorry. I'm just so scared... so scared that you will leave me. I'm afraid of being alone. I'm afraid of living a life without you."
He then felt Mu Dishi's right hand rubbing gently on the back of his head. Mu Dishi murmured, "Jingguo..."
Before Mu Dishi opened his eyes, he heard the mating sound of night crickets resounding across the night. He realized he had been sleeping since the morning. He slowly sat up on the edge of the bed, feeling dizzy from overslept. He walked to the table, where a lit oil lamp and a towel next to a basin waited. Mu Dishi walked out of the bamboo shed slowly. At the door, he saw Ma Jingguo humming and cooking in the kitchen. He walked out and sat on the stone bench.
Ma Jingguo looked up. "Xiao shushu, you are awake now," he said with a smile. "Dinner will be ready in a moment."
Mu Dishi stared at Ma Jingguo's bandaged left hand. "How serious is the wound?" he asked.
"It's not bad. It's just scratches," Ma Jingguo lied smoothly, pouring the fried dishes onto a plate. He grabbed the plates and sat in front of Mu Dishi. He picked up a piece of cabbage and put it into Mu Dishi's bowl.
Mu Dishi said nothing further. He didn't want to eat; he just stared at Ma Jingguo.
Ma Jingguo stretched out his right hand and held Mu Dishi's left hand. He smiled. "Xiao shushu, I fulfilled shifu's wish for him. The Six Sects agreed for Sunset Sect to be the Fifth Household of Central Plains."
"In exchange for it?" Mu Dishi asked.
"I was given two years to prove my innocence," Ma Jingguo explained. "If I can't prove my innocence by then, then I must commit suicide in front of the Six Sects." He smiled again. "Whether I can prove my innocence on time or not isn't important to me. I hope to be with you every day for the next two years. If I can prove my innocence, then I'll be able to stay with you until your hair turns white like mine." He chuckled. "If not... it's not a big deal."
Mu Dishi remained silent.
Ma Jingguo leaned forward. "I know we can't defeat destiny, so I want to live with xiao shushu every day, as if this is my last." He smiled. "Hurry up and eat. Tomorrow we will return to Sunset Sect."
After dinner, Ma Jingguo and Mu Dishi finished bathing. Ma Jingguo sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Mu Dishi, who was sitting at the table. Ma Jingguo smiled. "Xiao shushu, do you still remember after the first time we made love, you were sitting in the exactly same place?" He chuckled wistfully. "I asked you why you didn't go to bed, and you told me you didn't want to have sex with me, but I was too injured and couldn't do anything. To be honest, even at the moment I was seriously injured, I still wanted to have sex with xiao shushu."
"I am not tired, because I have slept all day," Mu Dishi said.
"I know... Xiao shushu, let me hold you until I fall asleep," Ma Jingguo requested.
Mu Dishi blew out the oil lamp and walked to the bed. Ma Jingguo immediately hugged Mu Dishi's waist, holding him tightly. Mu Dishi rubbed the back of Ma Jingguo's head. He whispered, "Jingguo, forgive me. Please give me another chance to win your trust again?"
Ma Jingguo shook his head, burying his face in Mu Dishi's neck. "I never doubted you. No matter what you do to me, I am not angry enough to hate you because I love you too much. Maybe I love you more than I love myself." He paused for a moment and scoffed softly. "Sometimes I wonder, why would my parents create a person that no one wants to love and is hated by everyone?" He sighed. "I am the biggest mistake my parents made."
"You may be someone else's mistake, but to me, you are the best gift heaven has given me," Mu Dishi said, looking at Ma Jingguo with a loving smile. "Jingguo... make love to me."
Ma Jingguo slowly kissed Mu Dishi's hand, his kiss climbing up to Mu Dishi's lips. He put his tongue into Mu Dishi's mouth and slowly pulled down Mu Dishi's pants. He spread Mu Dishi's legs apart and slowly inserted himself into Mu Dishi. He thrust slowly while kissing Mu Dishi, and said softly, "Dishi... forever is a long time, but I wouldn't mind spending it with you because I love you so much."
"Jingguo... I want to grow old with you," Mu Dishi murmured.
Ma Jingguo smiled. "Let's grow old together." His thrusting became faster and faster.
As the night deepened, the moaning sounds of Mu Dishi and the mating calls of the crickets intertwined and echoed into the dark.