Kapitel 35: Bitter Revelation [Pt 1]

"It's… quite serious…"

Liu was currently listening to Yisheng as they spoke right outside the Sword Saint's Shrine. It was already late at night, with the sun long set.

After Yui fainted, Liu had hurriedly dashed toward Yusheng's residence to fetch him. Due to how slow he was in climbing the mountain, Yui even had to carry him so they could get to the shrine sooner.

Once they arrived, Yisheng did his thing and used the best of his abilities to treat Yui right there and then. Fortunately, it seemed all the necessary herbs and materials were already present in the shrine. At the moment, Yui was stabilized, and it seemed like her temperature was being regulated, but all of the treatments performed were only temporary.

"Tell me what's going on, Yisheng? Talk to me!" Liu raised his voice, something he wouldn't naturally do to a senior.

For the past couple of years, he had refined his behavior to best reflect the kind of master he had. He was always respectful, calm, and kind. Yui had changed him to become a much better person than he was in the past.

But, at this point, it seemed like all of the efforts he made in that regard had been lost. No courtesy or consideration dwelled in his eyes.

"Liu… I'm sorry, but the Sword Saint specifically instructed me not to tell you anything."

The moment Liu heard this, his eyes widened. His master… was hiding something from him? How long had it been? How long had she been keeping her illness hidden?

'She… told Yisheng not to tell me?'

He had thought he was the only one who could keep his master's secrets, but was he just being very conceited?

"Trust me, Liu, I also want to treat the Sword Saint, but this his condition has worsened far more than even I can prevent. At this rate…"

Liu swiftly grabbed Yisheng by his robe and gave him his long-lost murderous glare. His eyes gleamed with actual bloodlust, and the sound of his grating teeth echoed through the compound.

"Tell me what is wrong with the Sword Saint!"

"I already told you, he forbade me from—"

"I DON'T CARE! TELL ME!"

Liu could feel his heart racing, almost to the point that he was hyperventilating. It felt like something in his chest woule explode, and that caused his eyes to grow ever so bloodshot.

In all likeness, he resembled a demon at this point.

"F-fine. I understand. I'll… I'll tell you." Yisheng finally let out a whimper.

Upon heaing this, Liu let the older man go. He had an expression of guilt mixed in with his anxiety, but he chose not to say anything. This was the time to listen.

"The Sword Saint has had this condition even before you arrived in this Sect. After his battles with the Three Pillars, he was able to usher the world into an era of peace, but he also sustained a heavy injury that plagues him till now."

'A heavy injury?!' Liu had never heard of anything like that. Not from his master, nor from anyone else.

"The injury caused the Sword Saint to be extremely weakened, to the point that he couldn't even muster ten percent of his original strength. He decided to go into seclusion, refusing to make a public appearance after that battle. That's because doing so would alert the Pillars that he has grown weaker."

Liu understood now. If it was made public that the Sword Saint, the one who maintained the balance and served as the guardian of the era of peace, was unable to use 'his' original strength, then it would spell doom for the world's already fickle notion of stability.

"He decided to spend the rest of his days here, in this Sect, taking in people and raising them to be able to take care of themselevs. I'm sure the Sword Saint often wanted to help the world more, but… his weakness prevented him from doing anything more drastic."

Liu also understood this. He could remember how many times Liu expressed her desire to help everyone. Wasn't that why he was trying so hard? So he could help her?

So they could save the world together?

"The damage done to him wasn't really fatal as long as he regulated his remnant energy and didn't stress his body too much. For as long as I have known the Sword Saint, he hasn't succumbed to any averse effects… not until recently." At this point, Yisheng gave a very grave expression as he stared at Liu.

"Why? Why is it only surfacing now?"

"It's because of you."

Liu's heart thumped loudly once he heard this. He felt a very hot feeling in his chest, but he couldn't quite understand it.

"M-me?" He asked.

"Yes. Though he never explicitly told me, I diagnosed the progression of the damage from when the Sword Saint started teaching you. No, maybe about five years ago to be exact."

Once Yisheng mentioned this, Liu's face instantly turned pale. He instantly realized what the source of the problem was.

'Swordcraft! Yui is like this because she taught me Swordcraft!'