The late afternoon sun blazed down, cresting toward evening, washing the rough ground outside the Sunset Sect's iron gate in a harsh, unforgiving light. Fu Yuanjun's eyes were not merely looking at his target; they were staring with the chilling intensity of a tiger crouching at its prey. A grim, terrifying certainty hardened his resolve.
He knew. If Ma Jingguo had come this far, standing before him now at the sect's entrance, it meant the impossible had happened: Ma Jingguo had successfully unblocked his last acupoints. A cold dread mixed with grudging admiration settled in Fu Yuanjun's heart, for he knew that right now, no one here would be able to defeat Ma Jingguo.
Though a part of his mind suggested surrender—to leave his fate in the hands of the martial artists and perhaps survive—he violently rejected the notion. As a man who had nothing left to live for but vengeance, he refused to go down easily. He aimed his final, desperate assault not at his true enemy, Ma Jingguo, but at the man's heart: Mu Dishi.
If I have to die today, Fu Yuanjun thought, a final, spiteful triumph lighting his eyes, I will take the antagonist's beloved man with me.
Driven by this cold, destructive purpose, he continued heading straight for Mu Dishi, who was held nearby as a hostage. Fu Yuanjun knew that his target was now no more than an ordinary man with fighting skill but no internal energy to block his final, most powerful attack.
Seeing Fu Yuanjun launch himself into the air, flying straight toward the hostages, Wang Biming knew precisely what was happening. Fu Yuanjun, defeated and exposed, would refuse to go down without a fight. Wang Biming understood the depth of Fu Yuanjun's spite: a man like him would be perfectly willing to die, provided he could deal a final, crippling blow to Ma Jingguo. He would aim to stab Ma Jingguo where it hurt him the most by killing Mu Dishi.
Wang Biming also knew Mu Dishi's mind. After learning the truth about Fu Yuanjun's participation in the massacre of Mu Village, Mu Dishi would not let Fu Yuanjun live until tomorrow morning. Despite being drained of his internal energy, Wang Biming realized Mu Dishi would deliberately allow Fu Yuanjun to stab him, using that moment of close contact to unleash his final, hidden move: his poisonous golden needles.
A terrible, settling justice overtook him. If one person deserved to die and be utterly erased from this world, that person was him. His only family member, Ma Jingguo, now saw him as nothing more than a treacherous enemy. His best friend, Fu Yuanjun, had been driven to ruin and now sought death because his dreams were shattered. The only person he had ever love, Mu Dishi, his heart no longer belongs to him.
Without a second thought, Wang Biming accepted his fate. He was the root of all the sorrow: without his treacherous actions, he might still be living happily with Mu Dishi and his shifu, Mu Jiao Long, enjoying life with his juniors in Mu Village. He had committed the ultimate sin, betraying every bond he cherished. Therefore, he should be punished.
As Fu Yuanjun closed the distance between himself and Mu Dishi—now only two arms' lengths away—Wang Biming made a split-second, terrible decision. He shoved Miao Mingzhu aside and dove, slamming his body in front of Mu Dishi.
The incoming knife from Fu Yuanjun, meant for Mu Dishi's heart, instead pierced straight into Wang Biming's heart. Simultaneously, Wang Biming's other hand shot out, tightly grasping Mu Dishi's right hand, which was already clutching the hidden poisonous needle. He stopped the needle from finding its own target.
Blood erupted from Wang Biming's mouth. He looked at Mu Dishi, tears filling his eyes, and begged, "Dishi… please... don't kill him." He took the needle away from Mu Dishi's fingers, his breath shallow.
Miao Mingzhu screamed in terror. "Da shixiong!" She rushed to Wang Biming's side.
Fu Yuanjun was utterly lost in confusion and horror. Holding Wang Biming in his arms, his tears streamed down his face. His trembling lips managed a broken whisper. "Biming, why?"
Wang Biming forced a smile through the pain. "Because you two are important to me." He vomited more blood. "Mingzhu…" He stretched out a weak arm to Miao Mingzhu.
Miao Mingzhu grasped his hand, sobbing. "Da shixiong, I am here!"
Wang Biming said faintly, his voice fading. "Go home... I... want... to go home... home..." He died in Fu Yuanjun's arms; his gaze fixed on the distance.
Miao Mingzhu wailed, clinging to him. "Da shixiong… da shixiong… wake up…"
Fu Yuanjun held Wang Biming's hand tightly, rocking the body. He sobbed, denial gripping him. "Biming… our dream is about to come true! I won't let you die! You wake up!"
Ma Jingguo, ignoring the emotional devastation, stood in front of Mu Dishi, quickly checking his lover. After determining that Mu Dishi was not injured, he turned and kicked Fu Yuanjun violently. Fu Yuanjun slid across the field toward the Iron Gate.
Ma Jingguo gnashed his teeth. "How dare you try to hurt my xiao shushu!" He rushed forward, transferring eighty percent of his internal energy to his palm, intent on killing Fu Yuanjun with one blow.
While Ma Jingguo was fighting with Fu Yuanjun, Miao Mingzhu quickly took Wang Biming's body and disappeared. Jiang Koshing and Yen Tung also decided to flee.
Fu Yuanjun stood up slowly. When he realized that his best friend and confidant was dead, and the plan they had established over the years was utterly destroyed, he no longer wanted to live. After Wang Biming's death, he knew no one in this world would ever take his place. He closed his eyes and waited for Ma Jingguo to kill him with one strike.
He felt his body sliding away, but he didn't feel the pain he expected. When he slammed into the iron gate and heard a soft snort, he opened his eyes. Yuan Chaomei fell heavily into his arms.
Fu Yuanjun was utterly surprised when he saw Yuan Chaomei in his arms. His trembling lips whispered, a long-lost name. "Chaomei..."
Yuan Chaomei stretched out a weak hand toward Fu Yuanjun's face, blood bubbling at her lips. She gasped, "Li... gege... Li... gege..."
Fu Yuanjun grabbed Yuan Chaomei's trembling hand and placed it on his right cheek, tears falling onto her hand. "Chaomei… Why?"
Yuan Chaomei struggled to speak, the blood in her mouth thick. "Because... because... I like you so much... Li gege... maybe your happiest moment is with others, but mine..." She coughed, and more blood poured out. "Mine was with Li gege... two young lovers... who have no hatred but only... only love..."
Fu Yuanjun was suddenly plunged back into the past, remembering Yuan Chaomei and the days when he was sixteen. The two lived cautiously in a small bamboo house in the back mountain of Yuan Manor. He would fetch water from the well, pour it into a wooden basin, and help Yuan Chaomei wash their clothes. At dawn after supper, he helped Yuan Chaomei wash the medicinal materials and set them to dry.
Fu Yuanjun knew that life was simple, but that period was his happiest time. At that time, he had made up his mind to forget everything and stay there with Yuan Chaomei, but their short, happy life was ruined by "some bad men."
Fu Yuanjun smiled down at Yuan Chaomei, his tears hitting her forehead. He picked her up and hugged her tightly, the final vestiges of his rage melting into sorrow. He smiled. "Chaomei, that was also my happiest moment." He kissed Yuan Chaomei's left cheek. "The simple food you made was the best, because you were the one sitting at the opposite table eating with me. I want to go back."
Yuan Chaomei's voice was barely a whisper. "Me too." She slowly retracted her hands, reaching into her waist, and took out a black pill. "Li gege…" She brought the pill to Fu Yuanjun's lips, slid it past them, and then her hand fell away, lifeless.
The martial artists surrounding them refused to close the distance, frozen by the fear that Fu Yuanjun would take Yuan Chaomei hostage. Among all the people standing there, no one knew the grim reality better than Ma Jingguo. He knew that the moment his palm strike hit Yuan Chaomei, all the major acupoints in her body were destroyed, and death had been inevitable.
Fu Yuanjun chuckled, swallowing the pill down his throat, and suddenly old memories flashed before his eyes.
It was New Year's approaching, and Fu Yuanjun was pushing a wooden wheelbarrow full of firewood, with Yuan Chaomei sitting at the front.
Fu Yuanjun looked at Yuan Chaomei, who was holding a dilapidated umbrella. He said, "Chaomei, when the innkeeper pays me, let's buy another umbrella."
Yuan Chaomei smiled at Fu Yuanjun. "Li gege, this umbrella is still okay. You can patch it with some paper." She looked at his feet. "Let's buy you a pair of shoes. It's so torn, I can't sew them together anymore."
Fu Yuanjun looked down at his feet, where parts of his skin could be seen through the holes. He smiled at Yuan Chaomei. "Alright…"
He delivered the firewood, and the innkeeper paid him. The innkeeper said, "Ah Yuan, the New Year is almost here. I need more firewood; can you give me more? I will pay you twice as much."
Fu Yuanjun nodded. "Sure. I will try my best to get as much firewood as I can."
The innkeeper smiled. "Thank you." He handed Fu Yuanjun a white bag.
Fu Yuanjun asked, "What is this for?"
The innkeeper replied, "Leftover dessert."
Fu Yuanjun smiled. "Thank you, Xu laoban." He took the small white bag and pushed his wooden wheelbarrow out of the back door of the inn.
When Fu Yuanjun walked to the street, he saw Yuan Chaomei standing under a tree waiting for him. He looked at her. Her clothes were an old, light gray dress, and she carried the shabby umbrella, yet she looked at him with a gentle smile. He smiled back. He knew that although Yuan Chaomei's clothes were not as flashy as other women on the street, to him, she was a goddess in disguise.
He smiled and murmured to himself, "So beautiful, just like the sunrise." He walked up to Yuan Chaomei and handed her the money and the white bag of desserts.
Yuan Chaomei took the bag and money. She asked, "What is inside?"
Fu Yuanjun smiled. "Xu laoban gave it to me."
Yuan Choamei decided. "Let's go buy you a pair of new shoes."
Fu Yuanjun smiled. "Okay."
Fu Yuanjun held one handle of the wheelbarrow; Yuan Chaomei held the other. They walked side by side down the market street. He made a promise in his heart: "Chaomei, you may still be wearing this gray old dress today, but I will work harder in the future and buy you the best clothes the world has to offer." He stretched out his hand and held Yuan Chaomei's right hand. The two young lovers walked toward the cheapest clothing store.
The memories of the past gradually dissipated. Fu Yuanjun looked down at Yuan Chaomei, who was lying peacefully in his arms in her grey and black clothes. He couldn't help but laugh—a final, broken sound. Immediately afterward, his laughter began to lower, and blood spurted violently from his mouth.
Approaching from behind Mu Dishi, the recently rescued martial artists arrived at the Sunset Sect complex, encountering an ugly scene. People were dying everywhere. Among all the people from Seventy-Two Islands, the only person left was Fu Yuanjun, who was holding Yuan Chaomei.
Two disciples of Beixing Sect pushed Cao Fengge to the forefront of the other martial artists. Cao Fengge saw Fu Yuanjun and ordered the two disciples to take him closer. Cao Wenyan chased behind them.
When the wheelchair was close enough, Cao Fengge dropped himself to the ground and crawled desperately to Fu Yuanjun's side. He knelt before his son. He asked worriedly, "Yuan'er…"
Fu Yuanjun scoffed, bitterness consuming his final moments. "You came to see my failure?"
Cao Fengge shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "No... Yuan'er... I am here, no one can hurt you."
Fu Yuanjun sneered, delivering his final condemnation. "In what relation? Did you forget that my surname is Fu, and not Cao? Even if I take my mother's surname, it is Li, not Cao." He sighed, the anger exhausting him. "Cao Fengge, I will never forgive you for taking me away from my foster mother. Without you, my life would have been happier. For this... I hate you."
Cao Wenyan bristled. "Fu Yuanjun, don't talk to my father in that way!"
Cao Fengge cried, humbled and broken. "Yuan'er... I'm sorry... Please forgive me."
Fu Yuanjun looked at Cao Wenyan and then back at Cao Fengge. "You continue to enjoy your golden son. I know that in your eyes, he is better in every way. Let us never meet again. Even if my eyes are covered by soil, I will never want to see you again." He picked up Yuan Chaomei. "Father... I hate you. I hate you because of all the bad things you brought me." He slowly carried Yuan Chaomei away from the martial artists.
Cao Fengge cried hysterically. As Fu Yuanjun got further and further away from him, he shouted, "Yuan'er!"
Fu Yuanjun walked about twenty steps from Cao Fengge and Cao Wenyan. Then he began to vomit blood violently, the black pill Yuan Chaomei had given him finally taking its toll. He knelt to the ground, still holding Yuan Chaomei. As the sun began to fall into the red sky, Yuan Chaomei and Fu Yuanjun fell to the ground together.
Fu Yuanjun stretched out his hand to Yuan Chaomei's face and gently wiped off the dirt. He smiled and said softly, his voice barely a breath, "So beautiful… just like the sunrise…" His hands slowly fell to the ground, his eyes wide, the corners of his mouth smiling, fixed on Yuan Chaomei as he took his last breath.