Zhao Jiangui didn't expect Ji Han would bring him to this kind of place.
There are a number of shelves before them with the spiritual tablets of the previous leaders of the Demon Sect spread across, an incense burner is placed in the center. The light in the room is muddled, smoke curling up.
Zhao Jiangui doesn't know if he should say something right now, so he's only able shut his mouth and wait for Ji Han to open his.
Ji Han lifts his eyes towards those shelves, suddenly saying, "My yifu is also up there."
Zhao Jiangui asks, "Why did you bring me here?"
"No reason." Ji Han says, "Just that I suddenly recalled, I already hadn't come here for a few days to put up incense."
As expected he lights a stick of incense, arrives before those spiritual tablets, and taps three remnants respectfully.
At present, Zhao Jiangui finds this scene is actually somewhat difficult, although for the sake of the dead is large, but no matter what these people are all Demons of the Demon Sect. He absolutely won't lower his head for the. Before, however many Demon Sect leaders didn't have Ji Han's kind of softheartedness, seeming like just one will be a kitten baring teeth and yowling.
Fortunately, Ji Han doesn't have this idea, too.
He calmly stands there a moment, suddenly opening his mouth to speak.
"Half of these ancestors died by the hands of the righteous." He seems to worry Zhao Jiangui misunderstands, soon also mending his statement, "But I'm not someone who lacks common sense, I know the righteous also have many people who have been killed by members of my sect."
Zhao Jiangui says, "I understand."
From ancient times, the righteous and the evil path have been unable to coexist, this is just an unchanging truth all over.
Ji Han says, "When I was very young, yifu taught me a phrase."
Zhao Jiangui asks, "What phrase?"
Ji Han, "For those in Jianghu, one cannot act independently."*
Naturally, Zhao Jiangui has also heard this phrase.
In fact, he cannot clearly remember himself how many mouths he's actually heard this phrase from.
There is no freedom in Jianghu.
Zhao Jiangui thinks of Ji Han's intention in saying this phrase, probably hoping after these matters Zhao Jiangui can understand enough. He considers the Haoran Alliance, these things aren't at all what he wants to do.
Zhao Jiangui already feels his own words are far too weak. He does it all himself, and yet did he ever escape the shackles of this phrase. For a moment he doesn't know how to respond, thinking for a long while, however he can also only insipidly manage to state, "You should hold your life in your own hands."
But Ji Han responds to his statement with a question, "In your life, was there really not something you would rather not do?"
No speech comes for Zhao Jiangui to say.
"If it's like this, I really envy you." Ji Han says, "My life has never been my own."
Zhao Jiangui asks, "Why are you talking like this?"
However, Ji Han has already turned his head, "Let's go, we're going to see Wei Qi."
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*人在江湖，身不由己/rén zài jiānghú, shēn bù yoú jǐ - You can translate the whole phrase as something like "one must compromise in this world," but since they're specifically talking about people in the world of martial arts, I thought it would be better to keep Jianghu (which is what that refers to, by the way), and I really wanted to capture the...involuntary/do what you're told aspect, but I couldn't figure out a nice way to do it. It gives me the "your life is not your own" impression, but that's stated more explicitly later.