Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 9: The Second Aftermath
Ji Zichen had never tasted Lin Chuyu's cooking, but the dishes looked quite appealing, and he assumed they must taste good as well. The two sat across from each other at the table, and noticing they were alone, Ji Zichen asked, "Where are Bifan and Uncle De?"
Lin Chuyu smiled and replied, "You might not know, but Uncle De sells yam for a living. He just heard someone was coming to collect herbs, so he went off to get busy. These days, Sister Bifan has been helping him out. It's fine; we can eat first and leave some for them."
Ji Zichen raised an eyebrow in curiosity and said with a smile, "Bifan is helping Uncle De sell herbs?"
"Yes," Lin Chuyu confirmed. "We can't just eat and drink for free at Uncle De's place."
Ji Zichen nodded, his gaze fixed on Lin Chuyu as he fell silent.
Though Lin Chuyu was sitting right in front of him, Ji Zichen felt a strange sensation in his heart. Her appearance and body were still the same as before, but she had lost her memory. Looking at her was both familiar and unfamiliar.
Ji Zichen silently vowed to find a way to help her regain her memories.
The dishes remained untouched on the table as flies began to swarm. Ji Zichen waved his hand, trying to swat one, but Lin Chuyu quickly exclaimed, "What are you doing? Don't kill it! Even a fly has the right to live."
Ji Zichen couldn't help but chuckle. Although Lin Chuyu had lost her memory, her true nature remained intact. He recalled how she had once urged him to rescue those slaves.
Not wanting to wait for them to return, Ji Zichen picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.
The next morning, Ji Zichen decided to check out World's End. Uncle De borrowed two lean horses from the villagers, and after half a day's bumpy ride, Lin Chuyu and Shen Bifan arrived at the outskirts of the World's End jungle.
It was inconvenient to ride in the woods, so they dismounted and led their horses. As they walked along the path, Shen Bifan suddenly sighed. While Lin Chuyu wasn't exactly a tragic beauty, losing her memory was close enough. Why did kind-hearted people have to endure such hardships? Shen Bifan felt deeply concerned for Lin Chuyu, but Ji Zichen appeared calm on the surface.
Shen Bifan knew this was merely a facade; no one was more anxious than Ji Zichen.
"Brother Zichen," Shen Bifan said lightly, "Even though Chuyu Sister has lost her memory, she cares about you deeply. For the past three months, she has been by your bedside taking care of you. She has shown great interest in you. When you were unconscious, she kept asking me what kind of person you are and whether your voice is pleasant to hear. I believe that although she has lost her memories, her feelings for you remain unchanged."
Ji Zichen was taken aback, his face turning red as he hurriedly defended himself. "How could she like me... Don't say such nonsense."
Shen Bifan smiled without replying and halted his horse. "We have arrived."
Before them stood a Rainbow Gate, but Ji Zichen's imagination was somewhat different. From Shen Bifan's description, Ji Zichen had thought it was merely an illusory Rainbow Gate appearing out of thin air, but it was not.
They were at an abandoned ruin within the jungle, where stone pillars stood in a cross formation. In the center was a platform, and the Rainbow Gate was situated above it.
The Rainbow Gate shimmered with brilliant colors. Shen Bifan announced to Ji Zichen with great solemnity, "This is the entrance to World's End."
The Rainbow Gate was not particularly remarkable; it resembled the entrance to the Flower Hall, with only the addition of its vibrant colors.
Around the base of the gate was a circle of patterns that resembled a Vermilion Bird. Above it were some crooked sacred texts that Ji Zichen did not recognize; they must be understood only by those of the Vermilion Bird clan.
The entrance to Divine Dawn was right before them, and Ji Zichen found himself breathing more rapidly with anticipation.
-
At the moment Ji Zichen and Shen Bifan reached the entrance to Divine Dawn, another city in the Desolate Central Plain had fallen to the Desolate Evil Hall. Thick columns of smoke rose from the towering city walls. Inside the lord's hall, Great Seat held an axe against the neck of a military commander and sneered arrogantly, "Hmph! How boring. You say Tai Xi City is easy to defend but hard to attack? It seems no different to me."
The commander spoke with despair and anger, "Why kill so many people? We have already surrendered. Go ahead and take my head as a tribute to your master, but spare the innocent citizens within the city!"
Great Seat chuckled coldly. "You're definitely going to die, but let me tell you something: the lives of Vile People are worth nothing at all."
With a swift motion, Great Seat severed the commander's head from his body.
In a tall pavilion within the Doomed Court, Yukang stood by the window, shaking his head with a sigh. "I suppose another city has fallen."
Yuxuan sat at the tea table behind Yukang, her expression tinged with sorrow. "Third Uncle, with the Evil God resurrected, I wonder what this world will become."
Yukang remained silent for a moment before murmuring, "I don't know where Brother Ji is right now. I have a feeling that only he can defeat the Evil God. This world truly needs him."
Yuxuan turned her gaze toward Yukang and seized the opportunity to ask, "Third Uncle, can your Ji Zichen deal with the Evil God?"
Yukang pondered for a moment and sighed lightly. "As for that Primal Vortex, I don't know how he wields it. His origins are certainly extraordinary. Whether he can confront the Evil God is uncertain. However, perhaps his Primal Vortex can put up a fight against the Evil God's power." At this point, Yukang's long white brows furrowed together, revealing that despite his estimation, he held little confidence.
Yuxuan sighed in agreement. "I used to think I could defeat him..." Her words trailed off suddenly as she stopped, her eyes reflecting a strange light—part regret, part confusion and longing, even tinged with fear.
Just as Yuxuan was about to continue, Yukang forced a smile and asked, "Yuxuan, do you still remember this place?"
Yuxuan's memories of the Doomed Court were limited to her childhood. As she recalled the past, her heart felt a mix of joy and sorrow. She looked at Yukang; in her memories from that time, he was a powerful figure who commanded respect.
But time had changed everything; what good was reminiscing? Yuxuan sighed. "I remember some things, but most are already hazy."
Yukang smiled bitterly and shook his head. "Second Imperial Brother kept his promise. I opened that door, and he did not annihilate us completely. While we are fortunate in that regard, we are now imprisoned here. No matter what happens, this will always be our home."
Given the circumstances, Yuxuan had nothing more to say. After all, Yukang was acting this way to protect her. She forced a smile and said, "Second Uncle has stationed heavy guards to watch over us; there’s no chance of escape. But that's fine; I can spend more time with you, Third Uncle."
Yukang replied, "Though it sounds that way, it ultimately depends on human effort."
Yuxuan's spirits lifted at hearing this; it seemed Yukang had a plan for escape. She perked up her ears and momentarily forgot her own tragic situation. "Does Third Uncle have a way out?"
Yukang did not answer directly. He said, "In the world of martial arts, the lower tier relies solely on brute strength, the middle tier skillfully uses tools, while the upper tier adapts to the situation. To defeat an opponent, one must spare no effort. Although we are currently trapped and at a loss, if we wait patiently, opportunities will arise. When that time comes, if you have a chance, you should escape without worrying about me."
Yuxuan replied earnestly, "Third Uncle, how can I leave one person behind to escape?"
Yukang sighed and comforted Yuxuan, saying, "Second Imperial Brother may have reclaimed the palace, but he still dares not harm me. I believe he still wants my support to ascend the throne. As long as you can escape, there will be a chance for a comeback. In my heyday, I was quite prominent; I have no regrets in this life."
Yuxuan's expression suddenly turned serious. "Third Uncle, I won't allow that. If there's a chance, we should leave together; otherwise, no one should leave."
Seeing Yuxuan's firm attitude, Yukang did not press further. "We'll see when the time comes."
A flicker of uncertainty crossed Yukang's eyes as he said, "Regardless of whether the Evil God is resurrected or not, we must always believe that good will triumph over evil."
Yuxuan opened her mouth to speak but suddenly fell silent. Upon reflection, she realized that the phrase "good triumphs over evil" was merely comforting words.
Noticing her silence, Yukang smiled slightly and continued, "All things in the world are constantly changing. In extraordinary times, extraordinary people will emerge."
---
In Menhe Village, Lin Chuyu moved like a country girl as she skillfully drew water from the well into a tub. Just as she filled half of it, the wooden bucket clattered to the ground. Lin Chuyu knelt beside the tub and rubbed her temples, muttering to herself, "Why have I been feeling dizzy lately? Something feels off with my body."
Outside the courtyard came the sound of horses neighing; it must be Ji Zichen and Shen Bifan returning. Lin Chuyu forced herself to stand up but suddenly felt darkness envelop her vision and collapsed to the ground.
It was indeed Ji Zichen and Shen Bifan who had returned. As they entered the courtyard and saw Lin Chuyu lying on the ground, Ji Zichen's body trembled and her face turned pale. She rushed forward to hold Lin Chuyu in her arms and called out softly, but Lin Chuyu remained unresponsive. Ji Zichen picked her up and carried her back inside.
Ji Zichen gently laid Lin Chuyu on the bed and worriedly said, "What happened to her...?"
Shen Bifan remained silent for a moment before responding, "She has been spending time with me lately; her dizziness has been recurring."
Ji Zichen frowned and said, "Fainting? Could it be an illness?"
Shen Bifan stepped forward and gently pressed his hand against Lin Chuyu's forehead. "Sister Chuyu doesn't have a fever, but she's sweating coldly. You should step outside while I change her into clean clothes."
Following his advice, Ji Zichen left the room, pondering, "Could this be another aftereffect of her revival?"
Night quietly descended once more.
Lin Chuyu remained in a deep slumber, and Ji Zichen asked Yuxuan to rest for the night while he took care of Lin Chuyu.
Ji Zichen sat by the bedside, his gaze fixed intently on Lin Chuyu's delicate, pale face.
Though he remained silent, his heart was shouting, "Open your eyes! Don't die in front of me again!"
He knew he was overly worried, but he couldn't shake off the fear that gripped him.
After a moment, Lin Chuyu let out a soft sound from her nose and slightly opened her weak eyes. As soon as she did, she saw Ji Zichen's concerned face.
With a gentle smile, Lin Chuyu whispered, "Brother Ji."
Seeing her awake brought joy to Ji Zichen's heart. "You... you woke up," he said.
Comment 0 Comment Count