Chapter 84: Chapter 19: Is the Last Name An or Su?
In the pavilion by the clear spring stream, An Zhisu gazed down at the babbling water, sadly recounting her life story:

“I was born in a mountain village in Yangzhou’s Guangling County.”

“My mother was a widow in the village, my father had passed away before I was born, so life was very tough.”

“But ever since I can remember, my master would often visit my mother and me.”

“Each time he came, he would bring some money to help out, so our life wasn’t too destitute.”

Ling Yunpo listened with interest, only then understanding that Su Jian wasn’t some swordsmanship-obsessed murderous lunatic—he too possessed the kindness and warmth of an ordinary person.

An Zhisu continued:

“Every time my mother would refuse to take master’s money, saying he ‘doesn’t owe us mother and daughter anything’.”

“But master always found a way to leave the money, making it impossible for my mother to refuse.”

“Sometimes he would seemingly take it back, yet in the blink of an eye, the money would reappear on the stove, beside the pillow, or hidden in the clothes pile.”

“When my mother saw the money he’d left behind, she would sigh helplessly.”

Ling Yunpo sympathetically sighed:

“Ah, Sister’s family life hasn’t been easy.”

“It’s not just about poverty.” An Zhisu said with a touch of sadness, “A widow in a village without the support of her parents or husband is subject to gossip and even bullying.”

“Sometimes, the idlers in the village would gather outside my house, spewing unspeakable filth and laughing boisterously.”

“My mother would hold me tightly in her arms, not letting me hear those dirty words.”

“How despicable!” Ling Yunpo immediately glared with anger, saying righteously, “If I had been there, no matter how many of them there were, I’d grab a firewood cutter and rush out to kill all the scum who dared to bully a mother and her daughter!”

[Unyielding Character, Synchronization Value +1.]

“Brother, you have the same temperament as master,” An Zhisu laughed, “When master first learned of this, he immediately grabbed his sword and went door to door, killing all those scoundrels one by one.”

“How exhilarating!” Ling Yunpo clapped his hands in approval, yet inwardly criticized: retracting previous words, this Su Jian is still a murderous lunatic.

“However, from that time on, there was a rift between my mother and master.” An Zhisu continued to reminisce, “The village people all avoided our house, even taking detours to avoid meeting us on the road.”

“My mother was very sad, not because her reputation in the village declined, but because she felt that master considered ordinary people to be no better than pigs or dogs, and that sooner or later, he would also become estranged from us.”

“Master had a few arguments with my mother because of this, and finally, he decided to take me to cultivate immortality, secretly teaching me Shushan Swordsmanship behind the sect’s back.”

Ling Yunpo mused silently, suddenly finding something strange.

He originally thought Su Jian had taken an interest in An Zhisu’s qualifications for cultivation and thus took care of her family’s finances.

But according to Sister’s account, it seemed that Su Jian had some sort of intimate relationship with An Zhisu’s mother, and that was why he chose to accept her as a disciple?!

“Sister, I have a question,” he cautiously asked, “Is there a possibility that your father is not dead, and he is just trying to win your mother’s recognition in various ways, like stuffing money into your home, standing up for your mother, and taking you on as a disciple?”

An Zhisu looked at him silently, then after a long moment, smiled and said:

“Brother, you’re talking nonsense again. Master’s surname is Su, and mine is An, how could we possibly be father and daughter?”

“What is your mother’s name?” Ling Yunpo asked.

“My mother’s name is An Susu,” An Zhisu replied.

“So, you actually take your mother’s surname,” Ling Yunpo immediately said.

“What else?” An Zhisu opened her eyes wide looking at him, “My father was gone before I was born, so taking my mother’s surname is quite normal, isn’t it?”

“What I mean is,” Ling Yunpo got tangled in her logic and took a while to come to his senses, “perhaps your mother was unwilling to forgive your father, and that’s why she let you take her surname…”

“Junior Brother,” An Zhisu fell silent again, and it took a long moment before she spoke, “Stop guessing.”

“If there was even a sliver of possibility to what you’re suggesting, then our master should have stayed at home to accompany my mother instead of sparing only a monthly visit.”

“To neglect his wife and daughter, to be immersed in swordsmanship with only occasional, perfunctory returns for brief visits, how could such a man possibly be my father?”

Ling Yunpo was at a loss for words.

From the slightly annoyed tone of Senior Sister An’s words, he understood her meaning.

Su Jian could only be her master, and not fit to be her father.

She was resisting the acceptance of this fact.

However, since it was, after all, Senior Sister An’s family matter, it wasn’t right for him to press further, so Ling Yunpo decisively changed the subject, asking:

“What happened later then, between your master and your mother…”

“Later,” An Zhisu paused for a moment, then said, “My mother passed away.”

“Passed away?”

“Yes, her natural life came to its end,” An Zhisu said softly, “Master accompanied me to bury her, and then took me back to Shushan to officially start my cultivation.”

“On the way, we were ambushed by a Nascent Soul Elder of the Demon Cult, and Master was gravely injured. After arranging my entry into the sect, he hastily went into seclusion, possibly to the death.”

Ling Yunpo thought to himself, so that’s how it was.

Actually, with Su Jian’s status as a Nascent Soul Elder, had he taken An Zhisu to Shushan earlier, she might have been the next Shi Liuli—the daughter of Shushan’s God of Killing; who would dare provoke Miss Shi?

But Senior Sister An’s childhood was vastly different from that of Miss Shi.

Her childhood was spent in the countryside, and her adulthood was spent alone with Su Jian learning swordsmanship.

After cultivating to the Refining Mansion stage, and with her mother having passed naturally, Su Jian, unbound by worldly ties, took her back to Shushan, only to be ambushed on their way. Then, upon their return to the mountain, he secluded himself, possibly to death…

Her life was indeed fraught with hardship, an endless ordeal!

Senior Sister An, this unyielding character’s template should truly be yours.

“Let’s not talk about this anymore.” An Zhisu suddenly smiled, with all traces of gloom swept away, “Master will surely make it out of seclusion successfully. Let’s not dwell on the past.”

“Today, we should be celebrating for Junior Brother’s ascendancy to the second seat of the Immortal Sword Ranking.”

As if by magic, with a wave of her hand, the Frostfall Sword emerged as a beam of Sword Light, bringing along a platter and a wine flask.

Ling Yunpo was somewhat astonished to see this: wine and appetizers were all prepared; Senior Sister had come fully equipped!

An Zhisu grasped the flask, tilting its narrow neck, as the wine flowed into the cup.

A rich amber hue and the fragrance of sweet orchids filled the air; it was Shushan’s specialty Spiritual Wine “Jade Brow Spring,” a precious commodity.

In the dish lay eight vermilion fruits, plump and lustrous, resembling small tomatoes but emitting an exotic fragrance.

With a gentle wave of the Frostfall Sword, all the vermilion fruits were halved into equally sized sixteen segments.

Ling Yunpo picked up a segment and tasted it, finding it sweet and refreshing, almost like swallowing Spiritual Liquid, an endless aftertaste.

With another small sip of wine, the effect was lingering and gentle, not intoxicating but making him feel satisfied and invigorated, as if his Divine Sense had become much clearer.

In his gaze, the silhouette of Senior Sister An, who continued to pour wine for him, became even more softly graceful and charming, making it difficult for him to shift his eyes away.