Bathed in moonlight, Wu Yu moved Yang Chen's body out of the door, and struggled onto the back of the last mule outside the house.
The mule was the last asset that Yang Fan and Liu Yue had left him. They had been able to survive this long thanks to the mule, which had the strength to plow a modest garden to grow vegetables in.
This was the last asset that they had.
Wu Yu directed it out of Willow Town now, leaving the place that he had stayed at for 40 years.
In his past life, 40 years might feel like nothing. Seclusion could take thousands of years already.
But in these 40 years, he had been through an entire life, with all the flavors of life that came with it. He had been fortunate enough to have loving parents, but unfortunately cursed with a frail body that could not even practice martial arts.
"Even if I die, it will be on the road to Capital Wu......" Wu Yu vowed.
Although he should have been in the prime of his years, but he was frail, and the journey tired him out more than ever.
If not for Yang Fan and Liu Yue, he could have left house earlier. Not that it might have made a difference.
Wu Yu's personality was unshakable. He had set his sights on Capital Wu as the singular goal of his life. He acknowledged reality. It was impossible to cultivate dao and head to Heavenly Sword Sect in this lifetime.
And yet, thinking of them in the distance, and in his memories - all of it spurred him forward.
Just on the back of one mule, he moved forward at a very slow pace. And yet steadily he was getting closer to Capital Wu.
Wu Yu ate weeds along the way, copying whatever the mule ate. That way, he could ensure it wasn't poisonous. Thankfully, there was enough of it along the way that his problem of food was cured.
When he had been 10, Wu Yu had not thought of such an idea. He had also not chosen a good path.
But this time, he was going to go further.
Although his constitution was even worse than his 10 year-old self, but he persisted, clinging on grimly to his last hope.
He felt strength slowly seeping back into him. Although he could not walk himself, but he did not need to, with the mule.
He at least wanted to set eyes on Capital Wu in this lifetime.
Along the way, he passed villages and towns. He would go begging for food in order to save time hunting in the wild.
As long as he could make it to the next settlement, there would not be a lack of food.
His current state engendered pity in all, and the kind villagers were willing to help him.
When he reached the trading posts, some merchant groups would even take him a ways, and feed him so he could go even further.
This all felt like a miracle to Wu Yu.
His mind was immersed in a deep and dark depression, and yet still a bastion o fighting spirit persisted within him.
The conditions of this life had been poor. But if he could just see Capital Wu, he would have accomplished his dreams from when he was 10.
Even if there was no future after that, he would have successfully fought against his fate. It was enough for him to rest. Wu Yu did not spare a single moment thinking about what came after death. He thought it meaningless.
He could not change anything about what came after death. In that case, why not move a step closer to his goals before death came for him?
Day after day passed, and Wu Yu was carried along the trading routes. As the number of merchants increased, Wu Yu knew that he was nearing Capital Wu.
One problem was that many trading groups shunned Capital Wu entirely, as the sheer distance made transport costs high. But Wu Yu knew that he had taken the most important step, and the next would only get easier.
On the back of one mule, it seemed like nothing would stop Wu Yu heading for Capital Wu.
One time, he met a group of bandits, but even they were uninterested in him. After all, he had no money, and nothing of value on him. He was even poorer than they were.
However, after they let Wu Yu go, he passed along the information to a merchant caravan who were about to go over the hill.
They did not believe that there were bandits ahead, but grudgingly sent someone over for a look. When he did not return in time, they knew that there was indeed danger ahead.
They chose a detour and also thanked Wu Yu profusely. When they heard about his dream, they offered him a wagon and driver to take him on towards Capital Wu.
These businessmen had dealings with Capital Wu, and so were familiar with the routes.
Wu Yu finally came down from the back of the tired old mule and boarded the wagon. Besides his dream, he had nothing. He was completely unafraid that this merchant group would do anything to him.
If they wanted to send him on his way, he was more than happy to take it!
His days were much more comfortable on the wagon, but Wu Yu could feel his life slipping away from him with every breath.
This life had been too short. There was nothing spectacular about it. He had become the laughing stock of Willow Town. He had consigned Yang Fan and Liu Yue to a miserable existence......
And now, death was waiting around the corner.
The old driver chatted with Wu Yu along the way. Hearing that he had come all the way from Willow Town, he expressed his admiration: "Willow Town! That's a goodly ways away! Even our businesses don't reach that far. This cart would take 3 months to get there. You got so far on a half-dead mule?"
Plus, Wu Yu was an invalid, unable to even walk. The old driver was full of awe at his achievement.
He felt a budding respect for Wu Yu, and goodwill towards him for the warning against bandits.
The old man continued to bring Wu Yu closer and closer to Capital Wu.
He did not know how long had passed. Wu Yu just watched the streets roll by. Perhaps it had been a year.
One day, he finally saw a grand castle peek over the horizon.
This was nothing compared to all of the wondrous places he had seen before. It was nothing even compared to the Heavenly Sword Sect's Bipo Mountain Range, Shushan, or Yan Huang Imperial City.
But having seen this castle, Wu Yu wept hot tears of joy.
This was Capital Wu. He had finally laid eyes on it. His dream of a lifetime, accomplished. After all these years of hopelessness, this was the first ray of hope that bathed hsi soul.
Capital Wu grew steadily on the horizon.
And the last wisp of life sighed out with Wu Yu's last breath. He had been enduring on the sheer power of will alone. He knew that even if he reached Capital Wu, he could do nothing.
Being able to see Capital Wu was already a fulfilled life, as this one went.
The old driver had emotional tears in his eyes as well. Wu Yu closed his eyes. He, Yang Chen, had found peace.
The world started to blur from the moment he saw Capital Wu, but Wu Yu could no longer see it.
Yang Chen's death did not mean Wu Yu's death.
As Wu Yu opened his eyes again, he found himself in a sealed passage. Behind him was the second door of the Graveguarding Palace, on which the word "Struggle" was written.
This was the Place of Struggle. It was like the Place of Overcoming with the reflections. Another test.
But Wu Yu still trembled. The life of Yang Chen had been one that drained all hope from him.
"You're finally awake!" Ye Xixi cried with joy. She thought that Wu Yu would never wake.
"Really now...... Old Wu, you've been unconscious since you entered the room. What did you go through?" Full Moon of Nanshan was hopping with curiosity as well, pestering Wu Yu.
Wu Yu told the story of Yang Chen as he regained his sense of self. He laughed.
A laugh filled with triumph and the glow of accomplishment at having overcome fate.
"It seems like this room pits you against fate itself. Can you rise above your destiny to accomplish your dreams? No wonder I failed at everything, and even my body betrayed me. The circumstances only grew worse and worse. All of these were obstacles that the room designed for me!"
Wu Yu explained to them. A wave of delayed terror flooded him.
He now understood that all that Yang Chen had faced was but a test, including the misfortunes that he had encountered when he had left home at 10 years old.
If he had died at Willow Town, he would probably be unable to return to Wu Yu's body.
If he had not successfully laid eyes on Capital Wu, perhaps Wu Yu would be unable to return to this room.
But in any case, he had managed to scrape by and succeed.
After experiencing that completely different life, he now had a new revelation about life.
After emerging from such despair, what else was there to be afraid of?
After hearing Wu Yu's tale, Full Moon of Nanshan, Ye Xixi, and Wu Jun all lapsed into an anxious silence. Hearing such a tale of woe made them think. They would probably have failed if it had been them.
Willpower was something to train, and the demands were high. Even an ordinary immortal could not keep it up for so long, to battle against fate for one's own dream.
"In any case, it's time to go to the last room." Wu Yu came to the end of the tunnel. He faced the door ahead of him, a complex expression on his face.