Boundless Legacy Chapter 36

TRAGEDY

The fighting was over, but the victory was bittersweet.

Shen Chen stood among the fallen, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The convoy was theirs—the wagons, the treasure, the ancient resources. But the cost had been high.

Old Liu. Where is Old Liu?

He searched the battlefield, his heart pounding with fear. And then he saw him.

Old Liu lay on the ground, his body broken, his face pale. A massive wound stretched across his chest, blood pooling around him.

"Old Liu!" Shen Chen shouted, rushing to his side. He knelt beside the old man, his hands trembling.

Old Liu opened his eyes, a weak smile on his face. "Boy... you did it. You won."

"Don't talk," Shen Chen said, his voice desperate. "I'll get help. I'll—"

Old Liu reached up and grabbed his arm, his grip surprisingly strong. "Listen to , boy. There's sothing I need to tell you."

Shen Chen leaned closer, his eyes filled with tears. "What is it?"

"I know... I know you've been searching for the legacy of the Blazing Sovereign," Old Liu said, his voice weak. "I know you want to claim it. And I know you'll succeed."

"Old Liu, please—"

"Take the resources," Old Liu continued. "Take them and grow stronger. I've lived a long life... a good life. And eting you... it was the best part of it."

Shen Chen felt tears streaming down his face. "You can't leave . Not now. Not when I've just found a family."

Old Liu smiled, a warm, fatherly expression. "You'll always have a family, boy. The bandits... they're your family now. Take care of them."

His eyes closed, his grip loosening.

"No!" Shen Chen shouted. "No, no, no!"

But it was too late. Old Liu was gone.

Shen Chen knelt beside the old man's body, his grief overwhelming him. He had lost so much—his clan, his ho, his future. And now he had lost the one person who had truly cared for him.

Why? Why does everyone I love leave ?

He felt a hand on his shoulder—i's hand, her voice soft and steady.

"Chen, we need to go. The sect will send reinforcents. We have to move."

Shen Chen looked up at her, his eyes red with grief. "Old Liu is dead. He's dead because of ."

"No," i said, her voice firm. "He's dead because he chose to fight. He chose to protect his family. And he did it willingly."

Shen Chen was silent for a long mont. Then he nodded slowly.

"Help carry him. We're not leaving him here."

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They buried Old Liu at the edge of the canyon, beneath a rocky outcropping that overlooked the desert.

Shen Chen stood at the grave, his hands clasped in front of him, his voice raw with grief.

"I didn't know you for long," he said, his voice trembling. "But you were more of a father to than my own blood. You gave a ho when I had none. You gave a family when I was alone. You taught that strength wasn't just about power—it was about the people you protected, the lives you touched."

He paused, his eyes fixed on the mound of earth.

"I'll make you proud, Old Liu. I'll beco strong. I'll protect our family. I'll make sure your sacrifice wasn't in vain."

The bandits stood behind him, their heads bowed, their faces filled with grief.

i stepped forward, her hand resting on his shoulder. "He was a good man. He'll be missed."

Shen Chen nodded, his jaw tight. "He will."

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