Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"Exactly! Stop wasting time! Otherwise, your fate will be just like that Spider Demon!" Ling Yanzi threatened fiercely.
"You did well, I appreciate it. So, I'm going to take the risk of sending you out," Yao Guang said decisively as she turned around and urged the Phoenix to fly towards the Immortal Palace.
Ling Yanzi was taken aback by her lack of resistance. But there was no time for him to think; the Phoenix flew at an incredible speed. Yao Guang merely whispered a prompt, and it immediately flapped its wings, covering thousands of miles in an instant, leaving behind those small characters who were searching around like flies.
With another flap, they sped another thousand miles. Ling Yanzi felt dizzy, vaguely seeing large, magnificent buildings of the Immortal Palace rushing past below, and then caught a glimpse of neat streets filled with exotic charm, as well as fields crisscrossing outside the city.
Before he could take a closer look, the Phoenix flapped its wings twice more and had already flown over four thousand miles. Suddenly, Ling Yanzi froze.
Before him lay a wide river, about ten miles across. It looked as if a giant hand had mercilessly swept down from the sky, revealing endless yellow sands that stretched far and wide, even the sky appeared a dull yellow. Ling Yanzi was astonished to turn back; behind him was blue sky and white clouds, green mountains and clear waters. In the distance of two thousand miles, he could faintly see layers of auspicious clouds surrounding a grand Palace. It was clearly two different worlds.
Yao Guang jumped off the Phoenix and floated in mid-air, her beautiful face pale and expressionless. She coldly stared at Ling Yanzi and said, "You are out now; can I leave?"
"Wait!" Ling Yanzi called out.
"What else is there?"
Although Yao Guang appeared slightly impatient on the surface, Ling Yanzi noticed that deep in her eyes was an uncontainable curiosity about him, along with a strange hidden anticipation.
Ling Yanzi decided to ask directly: "I didn't ascend alone; I have two companions—one named Chu Hongzi and another called Heavenly Torch, who is a Divine Dragon. Have you seen them?"
"No, you are the first person to ascend here in three thousand years," Yao Guang replied affirmatively.
Ling Yanzi was stunned and exclaimed loudly, "What about Chu Xi? Do you know her? She's a Fairy who ascended twenty years ago. She's very beautiful; surely you've seen her?"
"I told you already; you are the first person here in three thousand years. However, I can assure you that this Immortal Realm is not what the lower realm describes it to be. As for your friends, if I'm not mistaken, they are over there." She pointed ahead towards the wide river and the endless desert beyond it.
Ling Yanzi was increasingly confused and could hardly remain calm. He urged, "Please clarify!"
"I'm sorry, I can't say more. Taking you out is already my limit. I must return immediately because I don't want to die yet. If there's a chance in the future, please bring your friends to rescue me; that would be the best repayment for me. You should leave quickly; they are coming." Yao Guang jumped onto the phoenix, her cold gaze for the first time showing a hint of human emotion as she fixed her eyes on Ling Yanzi. "Good luck."
With that, she gently tapped the top of the phoenix's head, and it immediately flapped its wings, disappearing into the sky in an instant. Soon after, countless small black dots appeared in the sky.
Ling Yanzi sighed deeply, beginning to have a vague understanding of this celestial realm. He turned his gaze towards the Desert, looking deeply for a moment before swiftly taking off, unhesitatingly crossing the wide river and racing into the Desert. Behind him was a million-strong army pursuing him with murderous intent.
********
In the boundless Desert, there was only one color between heaven and earth: yellow. Upon closer inspection, there were many shades of yellow; the sky was murky yellow, and the sand was golden. Sometimes a gust of wind would sweep across, stirring up clouds of dust on the sand surface, creating a dark yellow hue.
Li Hong and Heavenly Torch had been traversing this vast Desert for a full three years equivalent to time in the Human Realm.
At first, they flew forward continuously without rest, but gradually, the issue of dwindling Spiritual Energy became more severe. Li Hong had no choice but to keep taking Ten Thousand Year Spirit Herbs from the Yin Yang Platform space for both himself and Heavenly Torch to chew on. As time passed, the monotonous scenery tormented them to the brink of madness. Even though Li Hong was anxious about Chu Xi, he had to take turns with Heavenly Torch to rest in the Yin Yang Platform space.
In this monotonous landscape of dull yellow hues, Li Hong thought most about Chu Xi. How was she doing now? Where exactly was she? And was this really the celestial realm? If so, where were the immortals? Where were the ancestors of Nine Li Sect who had ascended?
These questions tormented Li Hong's mind, making him feel increasingly pessimistic. At this moment, Heavenly Torch became Li Hong's greatest source of mental support. After all, he was a Divine Dragon who had cultivated for tens of thousands of years and had a carefree nature. Sometimes when they were truly bored, they would bicker just to pass the time. However, as days turned into weeks and weeks into months with no end in sight to the monotonous Desert scenery, even Heavenly Torch couldn't stand it anymore and often grumbled, "If I had known that the celestial realm was worse than Li Fire Formation, I wouldn't have rushed to escape!" He would sometimes curse Yandao Demon Lord and Ling Yi Zi for dragging them into this inexplicable dead zone where they were reduced to eating sand with Li Hong. During such times, Li Hong could only smile bitterly.
As time passed day by day, half a year went by, then a year... After flying for an entire year in this vast and monotonous Desert, Li Hong began to lose hope. He started taking turns with Heavenly Torch; each would fly outside for three days before resting in the Yin Yang Platform space.
When Li Hong was in the Yin Yang Platform space, he often found himself lost in thought while gazing at the central Five Elements Spirit Lake, as if he could always see Chu Xi's smiling face reflected in the clear water filled with Spiritual Energy. One day he had a sudden inspiration and began trying to draw; every painting depicted Chu Xi.
At first, his drawings of Chu Xi bore little resemblance to her; however, as time passed and he focused intently on his work, Chu Xi in his paintings became increasingly vivid and lifelike. Thus, after finishing each portrait of Chu Xi, Li Hong would often stare at it blankly for three whole days without moving until Heavenly Torch shouted from outside that it was his turn to rest.
The materials used for these paintings were some silks and rice paper that Li Hong had inadvertently found in his Cosmic Bag; however, the ink was extraordinary—made from grinding Supreme Celestial Stone into fine powder mixed with a special Ink Jade Grass that grew in the Yin Yang Platform space. Ink Jade Grass was originally a rare medicinal herb; those aged over ten thousand years were even more precious on earth—just a bit could restore bones and meridians. But here, Li Hong only valued its color. He ground Ink Jade Grass finely and mixed it with Supreme Celestial Stone powder before adding water from Five Elements Spirit Lake to create ink. Because of this unique ink, when Li Hong completed his drawings, Chu Xi appeared incredibly lively. The figure radiated a faint five-colored glow; her cheeks seemed to carry a rosy hue while her deeply affectionate eyes gazed through the paper at Li Hong.
Three years have passed, and the vast space of the Yin Yang Platform has changed dramatically within the grand Jade Palace.
A gentle breeze blows through the spacious, open Jade Palace, where hundreds of Chu Xi dance gracefully in the wind. The back view of Chu Xi, her profile, her front view, her smile, her tears, and her elegant movements as she rides the wind with flowing garments... over a hundred beautiful Chu Xi, like fairies or poetry.
Scenes of meeting and falling in love with Chu Xi flash before my eyes.
When I first saw her, the lovely girl with jade-like skin stepped down from the carriage. A slight smile from her planted the first seed in my heart. Later, at the master apprenticeship ceremony, she smiled again, disregarding everyone else; her sweet smile was like the first light of dawn on a snow-capped mountain. In Jade Flower Valley, amidst the snow-like flowers fluttering in the air, she danced gracefully like a snow spirit. It was only then that I realized that she, who always seemed so happy, actually had a tragic and sorrowful past.
For herself, she went to great lengths to break through the Li Fire Formation and resolutely accompanied me to Revival Valley to steal medicine to revive the Heavenly Torch. In the treacherous Heavenly Grain, no matter when I looked back, I could see her sweet smile and her small yet determined figure.
But later, due to Wanyi's death, I hurt her deeply with my indifference and harsh words. I rejected Ling Xiangzi's proposal, causing her to lose face. Yet she remained steadfast; in her heart, there was always only me. She tried every means to uplift herself, wanting only to forget those sorrowful memories.
Finally, I awakened to the realization that at some point, I had become accustomed to looking back and seeing her there!
Foolishness—how foolish I was! Why did I let so many years slip by? Why did I allow her to be sad for so long? Why did I let her suffer and cry? Even at the last moment, I abandoned her, leaving her inexplicably hurt and ascending.
"Chu Xi, I'm sorry."
Looking at the countless Chu Xi around me, Li Hong found himself speechless and choked up.
At this moment, Li Hong hoped more than anything that what lay before him was a real person and not just an image.
Every inch of longing transformed into deep affection on paper and endless yearning in his heart.
"Chu Xi, are you well? Why does fate play such tricks on us? Just when I truly realize you are my true love, you are taken away from me. Where exactly are you?"
"We have sworn that our love would remain unchanged through heaven and earth and across countless years. Yet why can I still not find you?"
"You once said you would wait for me forever, a lifetime waiting for me. One day, we will be together and never part. But why hasn't that day come yet?"
"Do you know that although I have been pretending to be indifferent, my heart is anxious? I wish I could be by your side right now. It has been twenty years since we parted, and I am afraid it could be two hundred years, or even two thousand..."
"I regret misunderstanding you back then. I regret wasting our precious youth, those carefree days in Nine Li Cave Heaven are gone forever. Chu Xi, even though you have forgiven me, I cannot forgive myself."
"On the ten-mile lake, frost fills the sky; every strand of black hair carries sorrow for the years. Alone under the moon, longing for companionship; I only envy the mandarin ducks, not the immortals."
"Chu Xi, where are you?!"
A man does not easily shed tears; he only does so when he reaches his breaking point. At this moment, Li Hong's heart ached as if it were being twisted. He shed tears and buried his head deep in his palm, his lonely cries echoing in the hall and resonating in the space of Yin Yang Platform.
For three whole years, the two had wandered through this boundless desert, and Li Hong sank deeper into despair day by day. Until one day, Heavenly Torch suddenly alerted him, sending a message through Yin Yang Platform: "Brother, come out! I have made a significant discovery!"
*******
While writing the latter half of this chapter, I felt deeply moved. I hope all readers cherish those who treat them sincerely and do not waste their precious youth; may lovers eventually unite.
Comment 0 Comment Count