Chapter 90: She is Bamboo Gentleman
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Orchid Gentleman, Plum Gentleman, and Bamboo Gentleman each experienced different illusions. Yet all three became deeply trapped, unable to escape.
To Yu Zhao’s surprise, the only one among the Four Gentlemen to retain her clarity and break free from the illusion was the most impulsive and hot-tempered of them—Chrysanthemum Gentleman.
Soaked in sweat, as though she had just emerged from water, Chrysanthemum Gentleman’s eyes were unusually bright. She stood still for a while, shaking off the lingering fear from the nightmare she had just endured.
Glancing around, she saw Bamboo Gentleman, Orchid Gentleman, and Plum Gentleman all with their eyes closed, trembling slightly, their faces twisted in terror.
Rage flared in Chrysanthemum Gentleman’s eyes.
Having just escaped the illusion, she knew how horrifying it was. It was the kind of nightmare she would never want to relive.
“Yu Zhao! You deserve to die!” Chrysanthemum Gentleman bellowed, raising her sword and charging at Yu Zhao.
She knew that killing Yu Zhao would shatter the illusion and free her companions.
Yu Zhao, sensing the intent, pushed off the ground with her toes and retreated swiftly.
Chrysanthemum Gentleman gave chase, unwilling to let her prey escape.
When she realized she couldn’t close the distance, she abruptly halted, her spiritual energy surging. Her robes, embroidered with chrysanthemums, seemed to ripple in the air.
With both hands gripping her sword, Chrysanthemum Gentleman swung downward, unleashing a nearly tangible wave of sword energy. It roared toward Yu Zhao with murderous intent, the sheer speed of it creating sonic booms.
A chill ran down Yu Zhao’s spine. Every fiber of her being screamed of imminent danger.
“Phantom Shift!” Yu Zhao’s hands rapidly formed a seal. Her figure blurred, and an identical copy of her emerged.
Then a second. A third.
In mere moments, fifteen identical copies of Yu Zhao surrounded her, each radiating the same aura as her original form.
In the next instant, the sixteen “Yu Zhaos” scattered, darting in all directions.
Chrysanthemum Gentleman’s eyes widened in shock.
Even with her divine sense, she couldn’t determine which one was the real Yu Zhao.
Her earlier attack had consumed nearly half her spiritual energy. If she failed to significantly injure Yu Zhao, the tides of the battle would undoubtedly turn against her.
“Split!” Chrysanthemum Gentleman extended her arm, clenching her fist. The massive sword energy she had released halted mid-air.
Opening her fingers, she split the sword energy into sixteen smaller streams.
“Go!” she commanded, sending each of the sixteen sword energies to pursue a Yu Zhao clone.
This maneuver left her face flushed and lips pale. Redirecting attacks mid-flight demanded immense focus and spiritual energy. Normally, she wouldn’t resort to such a self-destructive method, but she was determined to end the fight quickly.
As she watched Yu Zhao scramble under the relentless pursuit of the sword energies, Chrysanthemum Gentleman couldn’t help but feel a surge of satisfaction.
One of the sword energies caught up with a fleeing Yu Zhao and pierced through her back.
With a soft pop, the figure dissolved into a puff of smoke.
A clone.
Chrysanthemum Gentleman’s disappointment was fleeting. She understood how difficult it was to pinpoint Yu Zhao’s true body among so many copies.
The truth was, Yu Zhao’s mysterious techniques had planted seeds of fear deep in Chrysanthemum Gentleman’s heart. She was acutely aware that if Yu Zhao survived this encounter, she would haunt her as an unshakable nightmare for the rest of her life.
Thus, Yu Zhao had to die.
One by one, the clones disappeared with faint bursts.
Chrysanthemum Gentleman’s grip on her sword tightened with each vanishing clone.
Finally, only one figure remained, still dodging frantically.
“Got you!” Chrysanthemum Gentleman exclaimed with elation.
Without hesitation, she poured the last of her spiritual energy into her sword and struck once more, unleashing another devastating wave of sword energy.
The attack came fast—so fast that it overtook Yu Zhao in the blink of an eye, striking her body before Chrysanthemum Gentleman could even celebrate.
But with a loud bang, Yu Zhao’s figure shattered into fragments. Another clone.
“How can this be?” Chrysanthemum Gentleman was rendered speechless, her face pale with disbelief.
Out of the sixteen clones, none had been the real Yu Zhao. So where was she?
Before she could process the thought, a cool, calm voice spoke behind her. “Looking for me?”
Chrysanthemum Gentleman’s expression changed drastically. She spun around, thrusting her sword backward.
The blade grazed Yu Zhao’s robe, leaving a shallow cut on the fabric. Yu Zhao remained composed, raising a hand to flick a small ray of spiritual light toward Chrysanthemum Gentleman.
The light shimmered briefly before vanishing into Chrysanthemum Gentleman’s body.
Unbeknownst to her, the scene around her subtly shifted. Chrysanthemum Gentleman turned, her gaze landing on what appeared to be three of Yu Zhao’s clones standing in the distance.
Gripping her sword tightly, she dragged her left hand along its blade, smearing it with her own blood. The crimson stain seeped into the sword, and a dark aura began to radiate, filling the air with a faint, metallic tang.
A twisted grin spread across Chrysanthemum Gentleman’s face. “Die!”
With a roar, she unleashed a flurry of sword light, slicing through the air with terrifying force. It was as if the entire world was being torn apart.
A scream echoed.
Blood splattered across the ground, thickening the stench of iron in the air.
Chrysanthemum Gentleman watched as Yu Zhao fell into a pool of her own blood. Throwing her head back, she laughed maniacally. “Yu Zhao, no matter how clever you are, death is your only end!”
From behind, Yu Zhao’s cold voice pierced through the triumphant atmosphere. “Is that so? Then take a good look at who lies before you.”
Chrysanthemum Gentleman froze, an inexplicable sense of dread rising within her.
As if a veil had been lifted from her eyes, her vision suddenly became crystal clear.
What she saw shook her to the core.
The bodies of Bamboo Gentleman, Orchid Gentleman, and Plum Gentleman lay sprawled on the ground, their breathing faint, their forms battered and torn by sword energy. Their injuries were devastating—there wasn’t a single unscathed inch on their bodies.
“No… no! No!!!” Chrysanthemum Gentleman shook her head violently, repeating the denial as though sheer willpower could undo the reality before her.
Sword cultivators were known for their unparalleled offensive strength. With her companions trapped in an illusion and unable to defend themselves, the devastation she wrought had been catastrophic.
Plum Gentleman and Orchid Gentleman had perished, their lifeless forms pale and still. Bamboo Gentleman clung to life, barely holding on.
Not an hour ago, the Four Gentlemen—Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum—had stood with unwavering confidence. Now, only Chrysanthemum Gentleman remained standing.
“Ahhh!” Chrysanthemum Gentleman dropped her sword, clutching her head as a desperate wail escaped her lips.
She had killed her closest companions with her own hands.
She was the villain.
Under the crushing weight of guilt and despair, her cultivation heart shattered. In her anguish, she chose to end her life by turning her blade upon herself.
As her body collapsed to the ground, her mind echoed with a single thought:
Never again… never let me face a cultivator skilled in illusions…
Bang.
The dust settled.
Yu Zhao stepped past Chrysanthemum Gentleman’s lifeless form, stopping before the gravely injured Bamboo Gentleman.
Bamboo Gentleman struggled to open her eyes, her voice faint as she used the last of her strength to ask, “Am I… am I Bamboo Gentleman… or just Little Bamboo?”
Yu Zhao was silent for a moment before answering, “You are Bamboo Gentleman.”
A weak smile spread across Bamboo Gentleman’s face, mingled with relief. “Ah… haha…”
Blood bubbled from her lips as she laughed softly, her eyes filled with a flicker of contentment.
How wonderful. She was Bamboo Gentleman, the assassin who roamed the cultivation world—not the helpless girl trapped in her family home.
With that thought, her smile faded, and her gaze dimmed as life slipped away.
One final send off.