A few days after the mysterious phenomena had appeared on Dagu Road, the court received urgent notification. It’s said that the emperor, who’d been doing “after-dinner activities” with his concubines at the time, made countless “imperial descendents” come out early. After which, he vomited so badly he could hardly eat for three days… of course, whether it was the incident at Dagu Road or the little accident that no one dared whisper about even in the dead of night that disgusted him more was anyone’s guess.
The court, an easily agitated bunch, was thrown into an uproar when they heard about the news. They started arguing like they were at a meat market, name-calling and all.
The news of Zou Yanlai’s, Sir Zou’s, death didn’t make the slightest waves. It seemed that some people, no matter how famous they were in life, no matter how hard they worked, would be unremembered once they died.
The information, brought back by the Cuibing bird, made Shi Wuduan, his once-enemy, pause.
“Oh, Zou Yanlai’s dead?” Shi Wuduan had said. When the Cuibing bird flew in, it’d spilled a bowl of water all over the table and splashed its owner’s sleeve with cold water. At the moment, it was preening itself — ever since the rabbit had died, it’d been pitifully lonely for a long time. But upon seeing Bai Li, it instantly came back to life, somehow knowing that the person it’d feared for so long was the same companion that it’d spent countless years beside.
Meng Zhongyong and Li Si-niang were sitting to the side, waiting to hear his expert opinion. But unexpectedly, Shi Wuduan seemed to have forgotten about the matter as he turned all his focus to wiping off his wet sleeve.
After a decade on the battlefield, Meng Zhongyong was no longer the brash youth who’d once squatted in a courtyard and secretly shared a bowl of noodles with Shi Wuduan. His handsome features now had an air of cold austerity. Even though he was still foul-mouthed and unmannered as ever, he’d already become a dangerous and astute man. He was no longer like a simpleminded large-size pet.
Since Shi Wuduan kept his whereabouts concealed, he’d seen them less and less over the years. Even so, his “so overly-conscientious that he had to overthink it even when he farted” behavior made Meng Zhongyong’s balls hurt every time he saw him.
It was a good thing that Li Si-niang was there because he didn’t quite dare to swear out loud in front of her. He had no choice but to try and pretend politeness as he asked, “You said just then that Zou Yanlai died, so how’s that?”
“Very good.” Shi Wuduan replied, “Yan Zhen’s practically lost an arm, now that Zou Yanlai is dead. Not to mention that the Mi Sect has lost over half their elites on the battlefield. I think it’s a rather good thing. We can celebrate with a bowl of noodles.”
Li Si-niang frowned, catching on to his undertone, “What, you think that emperor’s going to go back on his words and reinstate Yan Zhen?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“It’s no matter if he does. The emperor’s words are worth their weight in gold, so of course, they’re worthless.” Shi Wuduan paused, looked down, and rolled his sleeve before continuing, “Even if he didn’t plan on reinstating Yan Zhen, I’ve already sent a message to eldest brother, the situation will force him to do so.”
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Back when he was still a solemn youth, he’d made a silent vow to himself that one day, he’d end the era of the great sect’s hegemony with his own hands. Then, everyone would be free to choose their own path. Then, anyone, no matter how poor their family or how difficult their childhood, would have the chance to stand atop the masses using their own effort.
The sects’ cheap, twisted tricks would be forgotten by its once devout worshippers. The scholars would govern and the warriors would guard. They would work together to make the lands more productive and let the people who worked them live better lives.
One day, this world would change.
The seeds had already been sown when the first memorial was presented.
Shi Wuduan thought, then let me spread them further.
Some of those ideas couldn’t be spoken aloud, because of Xia Duanfang and all the cultivators in the Redscarf Army fighting on the front lines alongside their fellow soldiers. It was a task that would take hundreds of years to complete. Shi Wuduan laid his hand against the window frame and told himself, don’t rush.
He saw someone standing under a large tree not far away — Bai Li. He knew that Shi Wuduan was talking business with Li Si-niang and Meng Zhongyong, so he waited outside and didn’t interrupt.
His shoulders had already been dusted with a layer of white flowers after standing there for who knew how long. When his gaze met Shi Wuduan’s, he smiled serenely, as if merely the sight of him was enough for him to be at peace.
Shi Wuduan hadn’t even had time to acclimate to Bai Li, who’d suddenly popped up after he’d been missing for so long. He hadn’t even sorted out his thoughts regarding him before he was distracted by all the various tasks he had to handle.
Thus, he instantly averted his gaze, abruptly feeling rather clueless about how to face the current Bai Li.
Before, that person had always seemed like a child, simple and stubborn, often throwing fits of temper, always wanting things that weren’t his, not willing to compromise in the slightest, single-mindedly selfish and willful, never caring about what others thought. That was just his innate disposition; the violent bloodline of demons mixed with that of yao, hidden deep within Cangyun Valley, he’d grown up without a trace of cunning.
That was the Bai Li he once knew, that he once liked, was annoyed by, and had even hated. He’d even faintly thought that “wouldn’t it be better if this person had never existed” before.
But now, Shi Wuduan found that all his memories regarding Bai Li were actually all jumbled.
That little fox who’d put on a smile, even if he wasn’t feeling it, just for him; that man, carrying the weight of all those demon shadows and an insane possessiveness; that demon, who on the most yin night, had ruthlessly tried to take his life; that enemy, who, at Dazhou Mountain, had drawn his bow and shot an arrow at his heart.
That Bai Li, who, in the Inferno Realm, was moody, temperamental, and in pain because his soul was incomplete; and the Bai Li that stood before him now, calm and patient. They were all Bai Li.
People were always like that. When they were at each other’s throats, they always thought that they were the ones who’d been wronged and that they’d done no wrong themselves. Even if they knew the truth, they’d never admit it, spurred as they were by youthful insolence.
But after so many years, when their dispute had already gotten so messy that it couldn’t be resolved or figured out, one of them had suddenly lowered their head, one-sidedly ending the tug-of-war rope they’d been engaged in for so long, leaving the other at a loss.
Shi Wuduan’s gaze wandered for a moment before he couldn’t resist looking back at Bai Li. He found that the other’s eyes were still locked onto him, as if they’d never looked away.
His heart, which had been dead for many years, suddenly warmed. He felt an indescribable bitterness well up from within. Shi Wuduan thought, if only he hadn’t been so stubborn, if only he hadn’t held him to such stringent standards because he was Bai Li. If only he could’ve been just a bit more tolerant, a bit more forgiving, a bit more compassionate, if he hadn’t treated him like that… treated everyone like he had to guard against them, if he was just a bit less conniving, if he’d just spared him one more glance and seen what’d happened to him… then did it mean that perhaps… those things wouldn’t have happened?
However, now, it was he who silently returned, who, in penitence, took back the blood he’d once carved out in grief and indignation, who, nearly lowlily, reclaimed the part of his soul that’d been residing in an animal, and lowered his head first.
He was once… such a prideful person.
As Shi Wuduan thought, he suddenly felt very pained. His eyes prickled, and he ducked his head to hide them.
Li SI-niang had actually noticed Bai Li for quite a while now. Upon seeing his attention wander, she tugged Meng Zhongyong and said, “You’re probably tired, Little Sixth, since you’ve only just come back today. You should rest early, so we won’t be disturbing you anymore.”
Only then did Shi Wuduan snap back to his senses. After Meng Zhongyong finished yawning, he made a sound of affirmation. Meng Zhongyong wanted to add a few words, but was forcefully dragged away by Li Si-niang. He sent an odd look at the man standing beneath the tree, wondering where his sixth brother had brought this person from.
He’d never faced off against Bai Li before, and plus, though Bai Li’s appearance didn’t change, his aura was different enough that Meng Zhongyong wasn’t able to immediately recognize him. As he was being hauled off by Li Si-niang, he mused that he seemed familiar, but couldn’t recall who he was.
After they all left, Bai Li walked out from under the tree and silently entered the room. Shi Wuduan was still staring off blankly through the window. He didn’t interrupt; he stood by his side like a soundless shadow.
Suddenly, Shi Wuduan turned around and said quietly, “Little Li-zi….”
The moment that long-unused nickname left his mouth, Bai Li’s eyes, which were so tranquil they were almost dull, flashed with light like a firework bursting in the lonely night, so dazzling one could hardly look away. Shi Wuduan forgot what he was going to say next.
“Were you calling me?” Bai Li asked in that soft, gentle voice of his, as he took a step forward in disbelief.
For some reason, his expression made his heart pained and heavy as lead. He suddenly reached out and embraced Bai Li. When his hands rested on his protruding shoulder blades, he could almost touch his fragility.
Shi Wuduan closed his eyes and thought, why’s this little fox so dead set?
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OK I AM AT PEACE NOW,, THIS NOVEL MADE ME FEEL THINGS I FEEL SO HOLLOW OH MY GOD. AM I DYING..
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