Translator: transcendentwings
TN Note: just wanted to write a little more regarding the title as it’s very poetic in Chinese. The title is 镜花水月 (jìnghuāshuǐyuè) which directly translates to “flowers in a mirror (镜花) and moon in the water (水月)”, but really it just refers to illusions or a rose-tinted view
Xu Pingsheng swung his sword and easily cut off the neck of the person before him.
The flesh split apart and the person was beheaded. He seized the ethereal hair ribbon that was instantly blood-stained, stepped on the back of the other’s head and flicked his yuchang blade, causing a line of bloody drops to splatter onto the Tongtian Pillar.
Xu Pingsheng, who grasped a human head, was surrounded by a flurry of sword sparks along with a dense baleful air as dozens of disciples dressed in the Fengling Mountain uniform encircled him, not daring to approach.
The pupil of one of his eyes was dyed a terrifying iridescent black color and his plain bamboo embroidered robe was covered in rivers of crimson, as if large clusters of bloody flowers bloomed all over.
“Tell Jiu Zhideng. . . to get the f*ck over here!” He growled, “My little brother, give him back to me!”
He seemed to have swallowed charcoal before because his roar no longer resembled a human voice.
“Who is your little brother?” A clear voice rang out from above, “Didn’t you repeatedly emphasize that you didn’t know Shixiong?”
Hearing this, Xu Pingsheng first revealed a distressed expression as if he had swallowed a needle, yet when he looked up and saw who the person above was, his eyes lit up with raging flames.
He leapt up, transversed the Tongtian Pillar with a few steps, and landed steadily on the column with the relief pattern of the Eight Immortals. He marched straight to Jiu Zhideng, his posture like he was stepping on the waves.
Jiu Zhideng looked down at Xu Pingsheng and nudged the hilt of his sword out with his thumb, releasing a cold glare from the sheath that hung from his waist.
The thin body of the sword reflected Xu Pingsheng’s bloodshot and murderous eyes.
However, before Jiu Zhideng completely drew the blade, a majestic sword energy ripped across the sky, smashed onto the Tongtian Pillar, slashing out thousands of stars, halting Xu Pingsheng’s advance as well.
Seeing this, Jiu Zhideng loosened his grip, allowing the blade to slide back into the scabbard and the fluttering hair band that had been lifted into the air by the killing intent also dropped softly onto his back which was straight like a pine.
Realizing who the person who manipulated the sword light was, Xu Pingsheng was furious: “Sa Si! You f*cking. . .”
Before he finished speaking, he received a boot in his abdomen.
Sa Si kicked him off the Tongtian Pillar and Xu Pingsheng’s body plummeted to the ground without being protected by any type of barrier, thus smashing several fissures into the bluestone slabs below.
Sa Si’s blade was still wedged into the side of the Tongtian Pillar, vibrating continuously, and the man who wielded it stood lightly upon it. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, greeting Jiu Zhideng loftily: “Young master, how have you been lately ah.”
Jiu Zhideng didn’t enjoy exchanging pleasantries and only frostily pointed at the moaning disciple collapsed on the mountain: “Are you just here to say hello?”
Sa Si spread his hands out and explained with a grin: “It’s a misunderstanding, it’s all just misconstrued. I came here for him.” He pointed at Xu Pingsheng, who was pinned down by layers of swords until he was unable to move, “He snuck out. I just came to take the dog I’ve been taking care of back.”
“Is that so? Then why did you have to engage the grand protection barrier of Fengling Mountain?”
“It’s fun ah.” Sa Si smirked boldly and assuredly, “It’s not as if you weren’t aware that I’m a very inquisitive person. I heard that the Fengling Mountain grand formation was created with ancient methods and tricks, containing thousands of transformations while the center of the array was even more impressive with falling swords like locusts, thus I wanted to come and take a look.”
Jiu Zhideng stared at Sa Si intently while Sa Si wasn’t apprehensive at all as he grinned back like a Cheshire cat.
Sa Si was the nephew of Nian Zai’s younger brother, Sa Luo, the killing god of the demonic sects and Sa Luo’s only blood relative in this world.
He grew up beside Sa Luo since he was a child, was obsessed with swordsmanship and didn’t follow the principles of this world. He had the standard three courts and five eyes, and a slender and long body paired with a pale complexion, even his iridescent black eyes were like Sa Luo.
However, where he was most unlike Sa Luo was that he wasn’t interested in bloodthirsty slaughter.
It was precisely because of this that he was qualified to be regarded as a close friend by Xu Xingzhi back then and since they had an intimate relationship, Xu Xingzhi had been beaten.
“Don’t make this a habit.” Jiu Zhideng furrowed his brow slightly, “I’ve already ordered the disciples to disengage the shielding array, if you try to break through the formation again without authorization next time and are unable to retreat with your body intact, don’t blame me for not warning you.”
Sa Si “ah-ed” with great regret and scratched his hair with the empty scabbard: “You’re no fun, so that’s why the array disappeared just as I broke through the outer seal.”
Jiu Zhideng didn’t intend on continuing with this topic: “Your dog comes to disturb me in Fengling every three to five days, crazed and raving madly. One of my disciples was even killed earlier, how will this debt be calculated?”
Sa Si lowered his head and glanced in Xu Pingsheng’s direction. When he jumped down, he pulled out his blade and landed lightly right next to Xu Pingsheng.
He flashed his usual frivolous smile: “. . . Just bear with it ba.”
Before Xu Pingsheng could respond, he raised his sword and struck at the other’s neck, severing his head neatly as blood splashed all over the ground.
All the disciples who were wary of Xu Pingsheng and apprehensive that he would become violent at any time backed away. No one could have imagined that Sa Si would be so cruel.
Xu Pingsheng’s eyes were still wide open and his iridescent black eye stared up at the sky, one bright and one dim.
His dismal dark hair was lifted up by Sa Si like garbage and was shaken at Jiu Zhideng up above: “Here, look. Can you be mollified now with this?”
The thick bloody stench rolled upwards like drifting clouds, Jiu Zhideng’s expression remained unchanged as he stated calmly: “What use do I have for a dead man’s skull?”
Sa Si squatted on the ground and shot him a glance with a grin: “Didn’t I do this to help you vent your anger? When you first returned to the demonic sect, Xingzhi came to find me and told me that you tend to be more somber and exhorted me to come tease you more often so that you would stop suppressing everything in your heart. I promised him that I would do so. . . . How about it, have you released your ire?”
Bringing that person up made Jiu Zhideng’s gaze soften instantly into a rippling lake like the surface of a mirror.
. . . Shixiong.
However this hint of warmth only flowed for a moment before it was covered by a layer of frost again.
Jiu Zhideng stretched out his hand: “. . . Hand the body over to me.”
“That won’t do.” Sa Si laughed in a playful tone, “I also promised Xingzhi that I have to protect all the people he values well.”
“Then you picked the wrong person.” Jiu Zhideng sneered, “This person is most unworthy of Shixiong’s care.”
Sa Si was stunned for a moment and then mused with a very thoughtful tone: “If it was picked incorrectly then let it just be wrong. After so many years of nurturing, even if it were a cat or dog, some affection would be born ba.”
Jiu Zhideng studied Sa Si.
After so many years, the other still carried himself this way, grinning heartlessly as if the heavens and earth were so vast that there was nothing worth worrying about.
Jiu Zhideng clearly remembered that when he first returned to the main hall of the demonic sects, Sa Si had knocked on his door a few days after he had secluded himself behind closed doors due to illness.
Jiu Zhideng didn’t intend to open the door and pretended that he couldn’t hear him, he just quietly consulted the demonic sect’s genealogy of recent years trying to complete a rote memorization of the names of those he had never met before.
Not long after, the window of the door to his palace was suddenly pushed ajar and Sa Si’s face with his customary expression of not being concerned about anything and everything suddenly appeared there.
He straightforwardly greeted: “Hello young master ah. According to seniority, I can barely be considered to be your older cousin.”
Jiu Zhideng wasn’t interested in him, but still got up to pay his respects in line with the proper etiquette: “Cousin, forgive me for my dull hearing, I didn’t hear the knocking.”
Sa Si didn’t mind this sort of soft barb and accepted the excuse with a grin: “You probably have never seen me before. During the few years between your birth and when you were sent away, I happened to be cultivating in seclusion and was comprehending the profound. Though I think you must have heard my name before. . . . My name is Sa Si.”
Jiu Zhideng was searching for the names of his various cousins in his mind in the meantime when he heard this name and was stunned: “. . . It’s you?”
Sa Si leaned on the erected window lattice, smiled and explained: “Xingzhi asked me to come. He promised me that as long as I return to the main hall to visit you every two days and talk with you for an hour, next month he will take advantage of the time he is sent out to subdue demonic beings to engage in duels with me every day.”
It seemed as if “exchanging pointers” was a very delightful thing for him. When he mentioned those two words, he was so elated that his canines were bared: “. . . He said that the interval is flexible, longer or shorter, you can set it however you like. If I come too often, you may end up finding me annoying.”
Hearing the words “Xingzhi” from a stranger, Jiu Zhideng pretended to be indifferent, but his voice still trembled slightly with agitation: “. . . Shixiong. . .”
If it weren’t for the other’s company, this time Jiu Zhideng’s return to the main palace of the demonic sect would’ve been countless more times difficult to endure.
Now, looking at this smiling face that wasn’t any different from the past while he grasped Xu Pingsheng’s head in his hand, Jiu Zhideng ultimately eased up: “. . . There is no next time. If he comes uninvited again. . .”
Sa Si grinned: “No, not again, there won’t be a next time. . . . By the way, how is Xingzhi doing now?”
Hearing him mention “Xingzhi” at this time, Jiu Zhideng’s face, which had just been slightly more relaxed, suddenly tensed up again, his gaze was full of vigilance: “. . . Are you really only here to catch your dog? Or did you come to take Shixiong away as well?”
Sa Si admitted readily: “He is an old pal of mine. I haven’t seen him in thirteen years, so I just wanted to take a look. Isn’t that just part of human nature ma.”
Jiu Zhideng refused coldly: “No need. Shixiong won’t see anyone.”
Sa Si whistled: “So heartless ah.”
“Take him away swiftly.” Jiu Zhideng turned so his back faced the other, slightly irritated, “If I see him again, he won’t just suffer some flesh wounds or something simple like that before he’s let go next time.”
Sa Si thus descended the mountain with Xu Pingsheng’s headless body on his back.
His bamboo-motifed robes were completely soaked in blood as his body continued to twitch like a string about to snap, he was struggling against the arrival of his ultimate fate with all his might in each jerk.
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.
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Vj Vl xcfk atja atlr atjamtfv mbaajuf kjr yelia ys We Wlcuhtl lc atf qjra.
He had even asked him why he wanted to patch up such a thing on a whim and Xu Xingzhi had answered that originally someone had wanted to live there, but now that person couldn’t come anymore.
Sa Si was curious, since that person would no longer be living here, why do you still repair it.
Xu Xingzhi responded that building a thatched cottage was not a big deal and wasn’t too much trouble, so just take it as a wish of his ba.
At that time, Sa Si laughed at him, Xu Xingzhi you have such a peace-loving heart, why don’t you practice Buddhism then.
He never expected that after so many years, this precarious and dilapidated thatched cottage would actually come in handy.
Sa Si tossed him into a dark, moss-covered corner and even sighed deeply “Dead again”, before he pulled needle and thread out from his pocket.
It was a set of needle and thread a woman would use, thin needles, cotton threads, such small tools were not suitable for a pair of hands which wielded swords, but this needle and thread in the hands of Sa Si were used familiarly, twisting and turning like a dragon.
Soon after, Xu Pingsheng’s neck was returned to the body. . . with a dense ring of stitches.
After Xu Pingsheng’s head was reattached to his body, Sa Si reached out a hand to cover the other’s stiff eyeballs and once he felt the orbs begin to soften and then rotate left and right, he withdrew his hand.
Xu Pingsheng sat up, raised his hand to touch the packed sewn stitches on his neck and peered at Sa Si in confusion.
Sa Si unceremoniously responded with a kick: “What’s the matter, why are you having another fit again?”
Xu Pingsheng tilted his head slightly, as if he didn’t understand what Sa Si was talking about.
Sa Si jabbed at his forehead with resentment: “Last time you lost your arm, the time before that it was the leg that was severed, it was all laozi who searched for the limbs to piece you back together. . . . And this time was the head’s turn, what are you planning on getting chopped off next time? Ah?”
He eyed the place between Xu Pingsheng’s legs and grabbed it neither lightly nor heavily: “If this thing is gone, then things will become really lively.”
Xu Pingsheng finally reacted: “. . . Hands off.”
Probably because the neck and head were separated for such a long time, Xu Pingsheng’s voice was extremely hoarse and his throat sounded like it had been scalded by a branding iron.
After teasing Xu Pingsheng, Sa Si felt much better. Withdrawing his hand, he scrutinized the stitch work on Xu Pingsheng’s neck and nodded with satisfaction: “Xingzhi was right, if one is able to handle a hefty blade, then one must also be proficient with a needle and thread. Practicing in this way a few times truly can make one’s swordplay more meticulous.”
Capturing the two words “Xingzhi”, Xu Pingsheng seemed to have been stimulated. He slowly brought his legs together and attempted to stand up.
Sa Si swiftly pressed on the other’s hand that was braced against the ground: “What are you trying to do?”
Xu Pingsheng: “Xingzhi. . . Little brother.”
Sa Si slapped him on the head but after giving him a whack, he recalled that the other’s head was still fragile and switched to patting it twice: “How many times have I told you, you can’t see him. . . . Even I can’t catch a glimpse.”
Xu Pingsheng’s eyes were bloodshot as he enunciated word for word: “He’s your younger brother. You, plead with him, he’ll let you see.”
Sa Si instantly cleared up their relationship: “. . . From my mother’s side, a cousin. Don’t you understand that one cousin is separated by three thousand li ah.” Xu Pingsheng stared at him, his left eye iridescent blue and the right eye crow black. In the dim light of the thatched cottage, one eye seemed bright while the other seemed dull, like an enraged cat: “He has to, return Xingzhi to me.”
Sa Si felt helpless: “Stop thinking about Xingzhi for the moment. Go to bed quickly and you’ll forget about him after one nap.”
Xu Pingsheng was obstinate: “Xingzhi is with him. It’s not good. He will harm. . . Xingzhi.”
Sa Si was a little impatient: “Do you know how many people outside want to take Xu Xingzhi’s life? Rather than letting him go, it’s better to follow Jiu Zhideng.”
“No.” Xu Pingsheng repeated, “No way. Little brother, mine. Mother said, take good care of him. . .”
Sa Si raised his voice: “Be obedient!”
Xu Pingsheng mumbled blankly: “I looked after him when we were young. I told him to scram; he called me, big brother. I have to take him back.”
“I’ve never f*cking seen an awakened corpse like you who doesn’t listen to a single word I say.” Sa Si saw that the scolding was useless and irately prodded the other’s forehead repeatedly, “Laozi shouldn’t have picked you up from the mountain back then.”
Only now did Xu Pingsheng escape from his memories: “. . . It’s none of your business.”
“If your surname wasn’t Xu, why would I be concerned with you.” Sa Si huffed, “Follow me, if you dare to sneak away one more time, I will break your leg. . . Forget it, you won’t feel pain even if I broke it.”
“Where to?” Xu Pingsheng thought hard, “. . . To find Yuan-shimei?”
Sa Si knew that the other’s period of sobriety had passed and started to relapse again. As if he had been granted amnesty, he coaxed the other: “En, yes, indeed, Yuan-shimei, Yuan-shimei.”
Xu Pingsheng furrowed his brow and scanned his surroundings: “Where are we now?”
Sa Si babbled nonsensically: “A barren mountain.”
Xu Pingsheng: “Why are we here?”
Sa Si looked at Xu Pingsheng’s face: “Who the hell knows why we came here.”
Xu Pingsheng leaned on the wall and attempted to rise, but when he lowered his head, he noticed the blood all over his body and frowned, Sa Si was too lazy to explain, thus he directly tore off his similarly stained robes and tossed it at Xu Pingsheng’s face, stating directly: “Don’t ask, take off those dirty clothes and put this on backwards.”
Sa Si’s robe also had the blood from Xu Pingsheng’s neck running rivulets everywhere. Fortunately, his robe was thick and the other side was dark, so the abnormality wouldn’t be perceived if it were worn backwards.
Facing Sa Si, Xu Pingsheng obediently disrobed. Layers of garments slid down his slender legs and fell to the ground, it was as if he had no sense of shame.
Sa Si squatted on the ground and gazed upwards at Xu Pingsheng.
Xu Pingsheng’s shoulders, waist, thighs, and knees all had rings of dense stitch marks, like a puppet doll that had been dismembered by five horses and hastily pieced back together.
After straightening his clothes, Xu Pingsheng suggested, “Let’s go ba.”
As soon as those words fell, he careened forwards and fell face down on the ground with a pengdong.
Only then did Sa Si realize that the other’s left calf was bent to the side in a bizarre angle and when the other stood up just now, he had relied entirely on his right leg for strength.
. . . He probably injured it when he fell from the Tongtian Pillar, but Xu Pingsheng had already lost his sense of pain, so he wasn’t aware of it at all.
Seriously a f*cking pain in the neck ah.
Sa Si ruminated viciously.
Noticing that Xu Pingsheng was about to climb to his feet, Sa Si simply bent over and hoisted the other over his shoulder: “Just lie there and don’t move. D*mn it, if you fall again later and knock your head off, I’d have to sew it up again, it’s already bothersome.”
Xu Pingsheng was very upset: “Put me down.”
Sa Si ignored him and carried him out of the ruined house: “Others say that awakened corpses always listen to their master’s words and treats them like gold, commanded to go east and they wouldn’t dare go west. But you, you just keep baring your fangs at me.”
The so-called awakened corpse was a servant created from the body of the dead. The awakened corpse possessed its own mind and consciousness, but was still different from while in life. Love and hate were indistinguishable to them, black and white reversed, light and dark difficult to perceive, and cold and hot switched.
But Xu Pingsheng, who Sa Si picked up and brought to his side thirteen years ago, was just a semi-awakened corpse, as if he had been discarded after unsuccessful refinement.
Sometimes he functioned with normal cognition, other times he operated in a state of confusion. Every time his mind was clear, he would run all the way to Fengling mountain and demand Jiu Zhideng to return his little brother Xu Xingzhi to him.
However, when he woke up after sleeping, he would forget the past and only occasionally call out a few familiar names.
The worst part was that he wasn’t like a normal awakened corpse, even if he recognized Sa Si as his master, he would only obey the other’s orders if he was in a good mood.
In the end, it was still Sa Si, this master, who ferried him down the mountain.
Xu Pingsheng was extremely weary and dozed off draped over Sa Si’s shoulder.
In his dreams, he continued to mutter to himself: “Little brother. . .”
Sa Si sighed, peered back at Fengling Mountain, which was already immersed in twilight: “. . . Since you care so much, why act as such initially ne.”
Now, the four sects and all matters of the righteous sects were controlled by Jiu Zhideng. Sa Si was an idle wanderer since the beginning and never interfered with the internal affairs of the righteous factions so now he was even more unable to comment on Jiu Zhideng’s actions.
The only thing he could do was take Xu Pingsheng away from Fengling, the farther the better.
As for whether Xu Pingsheng would return to Fengling to make trouble the next time he recovered his memories. . .
When the time comes ba.
After Xu Pingsheng left, Jiu Zhideng didn’t use his spiritual energy and just slowly trekked from the Tongtian Pillar back to Qingzhu Hall.
Everything along the way was as it used to be.
After he left, Fengling Mountain was hit by a thunderstorm and several of the hundred-year old pine trees planted before Qingzhu Hall suffered some damage, their roots scorched.
Following Qingjing-jun’s orders and Xu Xingzhi’s commands, the disciples had planted a few more young oak trees.
Later when Jiu Zhideng returned to Fengling Mountain, he instructed to have these oak trees be uprooted and traveled across thousands of kilometers away to search for several pine trees similar to the ones from his memories and transplanted them in front of the palace.
—The trees were still there, but the people were no longer.
From the Tongtian Pillar to Qingzhu Hall, there were a total of 768 steps which Jiu Zhideng traversed steadily. Pushing open the doors of the palace, he isolated all the commotion outside the heavy doors.
Whether someone was outside the hall rallying to kill or shake the heavens, or someone inside was mourning and weeping, those within and those beyond the doors weren’t aware of one another.
Jiu Zhideng sat on the main seat in the palace, pondered for a moment, then reached out his hand to grasp the shallow-mouthed inkstone used to hold the cinnabar. Circulating some spiritual energy at his fingertips, the streaks of starlight that came with high-speed movement instantly whirled around in front of him.
When he opened his eyes again, he had already physically departed from Qingzhu Hall and was now situated in a bustling secular street.
An ocher-colored twilight had descended on this particular street market while the night life had just begun.
Beside him was a vendor selling orange-colored zao’er gao and the entire street starting from this point, was an extension of infinite excitement and splendor. Lanterns lit up one by one. The faint earthy smell rising up from the ground was mixed with a reassuring sweet fragrance. Strong tea was being brewed in the teahouse by the roadside and the aroma of the tea slowly unfurled out the windows, blending into the various scents that filled the streets of the mundane.
It seemed that it was about to rain and a damp breeze blew along the flat ground. The peddlers sensitively recognized the sign of rain and set up canopies one after another.
Dressed in a clean white shirt, Jiu Zhideng strolled along the dusty street with fluttering sleeves, appearing very exquisite and conspicuous, yet the peddlers regarded him as nothing, continuing their sale of wares, attracting customers, telling each other dirty jokes to garner a laugh, making the passing maidens glare crossly.
Jiu Zhideng aimed straight for a blue brick house facing the street.
The tile-roofed room was filled with the warm glow of candles and flitting insects slammed into the translucent shining paper, leaving behind spots of dark stains.
When Jiu Zhideng passed through this quaint courtyard planted with grape trellises and tread over the wooden threshold pushing the door open to enter, the smell of wind and rain rushed into the room.
The main room was kept very clean. There was one table with three chairs, several bright windows, and a plaque with the characters “Condensing Splendor, Concentrating Good Omens” inlaid on the wall in the center of the main room. The ink seemed as if it was dripping down, the writing free and easy, its high-spiritedness could be conjectured to have come from the hands of an arrogant young man. The man who was setting the bowls and chopsticks turned around and spoke with a smile: “Wutong, you’re back?”
Jiu Zhideng nodded lightly: “En.”
Standing in front of the door was no longer the Jiu Zhideng who was dressed in white clothes, but a girl with a warm smile on her face. Her hair was neatly combed, and her goose-yellow clothes billowed up in the wind that gusted beyond the door, outlining her maturing figure with the early hint of breasts and a slender waist.
Xu Sanqiu continued while smiling: “Go and wash your hands. Wait a bit, your elder brother hasn’t returned yet.”
Jiu Zhideng heard himself say: “Okay.”
He took a step forward, pinning the strands of hair hanging by the side of his face to reveal his pale pink ears.
In an instant, he was plunged into an abyss.
The blue brick building, the canopies, lanterns, small stalls, and teahouse all disappeared.
The busy father who turned his back to him, the peddler who was uttering dirty jokes, the infuriated girl, and the busboy serving tea, all turned into phantoms, flying from all directions to return to Jiu Zhideng’s figure.
In a short while, the street turned into a land where not a single blade of grass grew, only the false curtain of sky that was torn apart by lightning revealed a genuine and horrifying face.
Standing on the barren ground, Jiu Zhideng returned to his original appearance with plain clothes white like the snow, but in such an empty place, his graceful figure like a crane was just like a beautiful illusion.
All the mundane sounds lingered in his ears, echoing again and again. Opening his eyes, his blood-red eyes swept around blankly.
He stretched his hands forward as if to catch something that was about to disappear.
Shixiong, return quickly.
The world that you wanted is here ah, it is also the world that I want.
With just you and me, all you have is me, your bed, desk, house, friends, family, your loved ones, it was all just me.
Wasn’t that enough? Wasn’t this what Shixiong always wanted?
Jiu Zhideng let out a deep breath, then slumped back on his side with empty hands.
Immediately, countless apparitions split from him, the lights became brilliant again, the voices of the people were loud once more, and the earthly fireworks eliminated most of the terror from the lightning and thunder.
Jiu Zhideng turned around and walked slowly to the room filled with Xu Xingzhi’s smell.
Xu Xingzhi has been involved with the cultivation world since he was twelve. He burned incense and swept every day so a very pleasant smell of agarwood had permeated into his body. This scent penetrated into his bones, thus despite having changed his physical body, it was still distinct.
Jiu Zhideng glanced at the corner of the room as if he could still see the Xu Xingzhi and hisself who were just sitting there a few months ago.
The young man was holding a brush in his left hand, dashing on ink, while the girl was leaning closely on his right arm, her eyes shining brilliantly.
The youth tugged on her braid with a smile: “What are you sniffing for? Like a puppy.”
The young girl answered softly: “Big brother, I like the smell on your body.”
The young man laughed: “You’ve been mentioning a scent that I have had since you were a child. . .” He pulled up the fabric on his shoulder and gave it a sniff, “Why can’t I smell it.”
The girl stopped talking, merely maintaining a grin directed at the youth.
The young man was also amused and touched her hair with his right hand made of rosewood.
Flashing back to the present time.
Jiu Zhideng sat on the edge of the bed that Xu Xingzhi usually slept on and slowly stroked the elegant carvings on the head of the bed with his fingertips.
He murmured to himself: “. . . Shixiong, we obviously lived very well here, why did you have to write such things ne.”
Along with his mutterings, he exerted all his strength in his fingers and pinched the carvings into fine mottled lines: “Why did you still have to recall Meng Chongguang? . . . Was Meng Chongguang so difficult for you to let go of?”
He breathed heavily, trying to calm the rage that was churning in his chest.
His “father” called for him from outside the room: “Wutong, come out to eat la.”
After a while, the young girl adorned in the warm goose-yellow color appeared at the door of Xu Xingzhi’s room with her hands behind her back and a light smile, her eyes and brows curved pleasantly: “. . . Coming la.”
. . . It doesn’t matter, Shixiong, Xiao-Deng will continue to reserve this world for you. As long as you come back, I won’t quarrel with you about anything.
We will continue to live as before. I will be your younger sister, and I can even be your lover in the future.
Shixiong, return swiftly ba.
In the outskirts of the looming tower in the savage wasteland.
The disciples rekindled the flames again on the ash nest formed from the one that had been burnt out the day before and relied on it to keep warm. Only Wen Xuechen was seated far away from them as he played with the jasper bell in solitude.
A disciple approached him, bowing respectfully first before opening his mouth to speak: “Wen-shixiong, come and warm up by the fire ba. It’s too cold in the wasteland.”
Wen Xuechen acknowledged the other casually as he continued to fiddle with the bell at his fingertips, making it ring with a crisp dingdang sound as it swung around.
This disciple wasn’t simply asking the other if he needed to huddle for warmth.
He forged on cautiously: “Wen-shixiong, how long are we going to wait here?”
“Impatient already?” Wen Xuechen secured the bell within his palm.
The disciple whose thoughts were nailed on the head by those words turned around to glance at the other disciples who were looking at him expectantly then after bracing himself, he explained: “Everyone has been lingering here for more than twenty days now and we haven’t seen a hint of Meng Chongguang or any of the others. . . I think. . . We thought, wouldn’t it be better to go back first.”
“Very well.” Wen Xuechen lifted his head, his gaze like snow, “After returning to the present world will you report to Jiu Zhideng?”
Postulating about this, the expression on the disciple’s face changed slightly.
“You’ll go ahead to tell him that you couldn’t even find out about Xu Xingzhi’s whereabouts and couldn’t wait any longer so you returned to the present world.” Wen Xuechen uttered leisurely, “Guess how he will deal with you when he hears that this was what you had to report.”
“But, it also isn’t a solution for us to just wait here like this.” That disciple faltered, “. . . What if Meng Chongguang and the others don’t return?”
“Then what do you want to do?” Wen Xuechen was tired of such brainless questions, “Are we just going to choose any road regardless of the four cardinal directions? You may be willing to become such a headless fly, but I am not. Besides, Meng Chongguang must have a reason for choosing this location to settle down. Feng Mountain, the only nearby threat, has also been severely crippled by Meng Chongguang recently and would probably not launch another attack so easily in the next year or so. Thus for us to remain here is the safest.”
He rasped lightly: “Furthermore, in the wasteland, there are quite a few ghostly practitioners and other bizarre things. If we were to head out to seek them, I am definitely able to preserve my life, but I can’t guarantee yours if you all were to encounter danger.”
Although Wen Xuechen was the one seated in a wheelchair and situated at a lower position, the pressure he exerted on others was still extremely strong. The disciple was stimulated by Wen Xuechen’s words, his whole body tense as he retreated in embarrassment: “Yes. . . right.”
The disciple left hastily with a pale face.
Wen Xuechen leaned on the back of the wheelchair, stroking his slightly feverish forehead.
Such a long speech was a great drain on his spirit.
Yet he was still softly mumbling to himself: “. . . And, do you think we can leave?” As he spoke, his pale lips curled tauntingly to one side.
Before entering, Jiu Zhideng didn’t tell him when he would open the door to the savage wasteland for him. At that time, Wen Xuechen had a premonition of what he was about to face.
. . . Jiu Zhideng merely wanted to exact his vengeance upon him for pilfering the key to the wasteland and tossing Xu Xingzhi within it of his own accord.
But if he didn’t do this, if Xu Xingzhi was allowed to continue writing his script, it would definitely trigger a huge calamity.
Jiu Zhideng knew how serious the consequences would be, but because he possessed a womanly benevolence, he was indecisive, as such he, himself, made the decision for him and requested for Xu Xingzhi to kill Meng Chongguang while the other was unaware.
This move of killing two birds with one stone would not only have been able to solve the great source of trouble that was Meng Chongguang, but at the same time, Xu Xingzhi would be able to return to the present world and according to his soft heart, he would definitely not continue to write that text.
Who would have imagined that Xu Xingzhi would just tag along with Meng Chongguang to travel.
He wasn’t sure if the other had recovered his memories or if he had other plans.
. . . Xu Xingzhi had been like this since long ago. His behavior and mind were unpredictable, and just a transient moment of carelessness would allow him to give people an unexpected result.
If it weren’t for the fact that the situation was urgent, Wen Xuechen would never have betted on him.
Wen Xuechen pinched the bridge of his nose, distraught as he felt physically and mentally drained. Only the jasper bell in his palm was warm enough to make his heart, which was always tense, feel much more at ease.
The feeble groan of the lord of Feng Mountain came faintly from inside the tower again fading into the half-dimmed sky of the savage wasteland, merging to form an odd and desolate ambiance.
. . . Within the Hutiao Ravine.
Although Meng Chongguang told him that he wiped him down daily, Xu Xingzhi still felt very uncomfortable after not bathing for a long time.
When Zhou Wang came to visit him, she mentioned that there was a natural hot spring on the southern side of Hutiao Ravine. She and Yuan Ruzhou had dipped in it together and the water was hot and very soothing.
She patted Xu Xingzhi neatly: “Xu-shixiong, get well soon, and we’ll continue to seek the key shards. I can’t wait to escape from the wasteland now.”
Saying as much, her eyes already shone brightly: “I want to see what the street market looks like in the present world. My godmother always illustrated what the outside world was like to me and my godfather. I really can’t wait to try what the mortal realm’s zao’er gao tastes like ne.”
The way Zhou Wang smiled was very similar to Zhou Xian from the memories of the original owner.
If this kind of smile was recorded in a portrait, it would be a little ordinary, but as long as it was in person, it would become lively and sweet, causing people to can’t help but laugh along with her.
“Okay.” Xu Xingzhi’s heart softened and he made this promise unconsciously, “After we get out, Xu-shixiong will take you to snack on zao’er gao.”
He originally wanted to add that after leaving his house and turning right, there was a shop selling zao’er gao that was extremely authentic, soft and sweet, but when the words came to the tip of his tongue, he could only swallow them forcefully.
Reminiscing about his hometown which he no longer knew where it was made his heart sink heavily.
But whatever the outlook was, a bath was still a must.
Xu Xingzhi hastily pulled on a robe and wandered to the hot spring that Zhou Wang informed him about in his inner garments.
Who would have thought that before he got close to the spring, he would hear Lu Yujiu’s voice from afar: “I don’t need to have my back scrubbed! Stay away from me!”
Zhou Beinan’s voice was louder than Lu Yujiu’s: “It’s not easy to have laozi serve someone for once! What are you dissatisfied about? Be more obedient and lie on your stomach for me.”
After the commotion of pulling and struggling, there was a “putong” sound of water splashing.
Zhou Beinan was taken aback for a moment before he burst into wild, rambunctious laughter.
Qu Chi’s nervous voice followed: “Xiao-Lu, are you alright?”
He tugged at the person next to him and pointed to the place where the sound of falling into the water came from: “Tao Xian, he fell into the water.”
Tao Xian didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry: “Qu-shixiong, it’s fine.”
“How is it fine ah.” Zhou Beinan crouched down beside the misty pool and couldn’t contain his amusement, “He has short legs, even if he just plunged headfirst into a teacup, he might drown.”
Qu Chi swiftly became more anxious and paddled through the water to check on Lu Yujiu’s condition.
Listening to the gags from this group of people, Xu Xingzhi smiled to himself unconsciously and approached in the direction behind where Zhou Beinan faced.
Lu Yujiu surfaced from the water furiously, picked up the wooden barrel used to drench oneself in water, scooped up a bucketful, and flung it out towards Zhou Beinan with a splash.
Zhou Beinan moved agilely to avoid it.
Therefore when Xu Xingzhi raised his head, the water had already come dousing over his head.
. . . He was completely soaked from head to toe.
The bucket in Lu Yujiu’s hand smacked the surface of the pool with a peng then floated away in the blink of an eye: “Xu. . . Xu-shixiong. . . Xu. . .”
Zhou Beinan was delighted to no end when he turned around: “Hahahahaha. Xu Xingzhi, you’re no good ah, you couldn’t dodge it?”
Xu Xingzhi raked his wet hair backwards and then wiped the beads of water on his cheeks roughly, not irate in the slightest: “Great! With this accident, it won’t do if I don’t come down to have a wash. Is there a place for me?”
Zhou Beinan shooed him away: “There isn’t, shoo, go away, scram.”
As soon as his words fell, hurried footsteps echoed from behind him.
Some water got into Xu Xingzhi’s eyes and it was difficult for him to distinguish people by the sound of their footsteps, so he turned his head while squinting, trying to see clearly.
Seeing this situation, Meng Chongguang, who followed closely behind, condensed his gaze at once.
Xu Xingzhi’s whole body was tightly wrapped in wet clothes and his flexible muscles were clearly outlined. His fingers brushed back the sopping wet hair hanging on the side of his face, revealing his handsome and full forehead. There was a drop of water hanging on his eyelashes, about to drip down, yet not falling.
After realizing who approached, Xu Xingzhi raised his eyebrows: “Did you come here after detecting a whiff of the situation ah.”
Meng Chongguang swiftly shelved the hunter-like glint in his eyes, and slowly came before Xu Xingzhi, using a soft and nasally voice to answer: “. . . I went to deliver a meal to Shixiong and became really worried when I didn’t see Shixiong in the room so I made my way over. . .”
His pitiful and aggrieved voice softened Xu Xingzhi’s heart almost instantly.
He was somewhat sheepish: “My bad. I should’ve informed you before I came here.”
Meng Chongguang didn’t pursue this matter, but his eyes seemed as if it couldn’t wait to undress Xu Xingzhi.
He stared at Xu Xingzhi intently, and at the same time asked the four others in the spring in a very quiet and gentle tone: “Have you all finished washing up?”
Lu Yujiu and Zhou Beinan answered in unison followed by a meek Tao Xian: “. . . Washed up.”
However, Qu Chi stated straightforwardly: “Not at all ya. We just arrived.”
He was stretched out by the edge of the pool and returned Zhou Beinan’s winking signals with a pure gaze: “Beinan, are you guys heading off now? You haven’t even come down yet ne.”
Zhou Beinan: “. . .”
Xu Xingzhi was still enveloped in wet clothes and already felt slightly chilled. He slipped off his outer robe and took off his inner garments as he suggested heartily: “Why leave? It’ll be more lively to wash up together.”
Meng Chongguang: “. . .”
Before he could stop him, Xu Xingzhi had already removed all of his clothing, only leaving a pair of underwear. The large stretches of firm muscles and his legs that went on for miles complemented each other very harmoniously, making for a very alluring sight to behold.
And of course Xu Xingzhi was completely unaware.
He turned around to look for a place to put down his clothes, yet didn’t expect that as soon as he turned back around, he would be met with the widened gazes of the three others except for Qu Chi.
The author has something to say:
This is the reason why Jiu-mei is called Jiu-mei la~
Jiumei, Jiumei, a beautiful little sister~
Author’s Chapter Summary:
Façade, hot spring, Xu Wutong.
The translator has something to say: The reveal! Everything we know of is all just a lie, those who live in the illusion who thought it was real and those who know it was just an illusion and wanted it to be real. As for all of those who suspected that Xu Ping WAS, in fact, Xu Xingzhi, congrats!
lit. “soap cake”, a type of Chinese snack that tends to be more savory than sweet and is often shaped like a soap bar, but the texture is loose and dry (not moist and sticky like traditional sweet cakes)
Ah I knew it and now I can’t wait for XX to actually remember all his memory and to know why WX betrayed all his friends and lover… Can’t wait for his reaction meeting his daughter.
OOh me sorprendió este capítulo porque explicó que esa realidad en verdad era ilusion… yo adivinaba que era el XXZ real y que esa realidad bueno era un engaño de alguna forma pero no creí que fuera así…. estoy un poco perturbada por todo lo que pasó pero quiero saber la verdad 😅😅.Gracias por la actualización muchos éxitos 😊😊
I have a mind blow…. So I was expecting some things, but we get so many informations in this chapter that I need a moment to organize all of them ><
Thank You for the new chapter ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)˚๐*˟ ♡