Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 210: Even in Departure, There Is Still Anticipation
In the vast azure sky, a promise lingers between heaven and earth; Nalan Rongruo.
Yet this promise can only be bestowed upon one person, for I have only myself and cannot be divided.
"Hey, Senior Gu, this decision shouldn't be rushed. I think we should wait until we return and let him think it over properly. After all, staying here isn't a solution," Gu Chen said. Perhaps they all understood his words, as no one spoke up; they were caught in a stalemate until He Si finally interjected.
Gu Chen nodded without saying anything, but I replied without hesitation, "Fourth Brother, you don't need to say more. Even after we return, I will remain the same. I have said that I will not part ways with Mu Yan and the others, and I will not separate from them, even if it means death." My response was unwavering.
Hearing this, He Si couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, "Little brother, your master has his own difficulties and is acting out of necessity."
I didn't know what troubles my master faced, but I knew that since I had made my choice, I would not give up—my word was worth a thousand gold pieces.
"Alright then, you should hurry and pack up. We can discuss this further once we're all back," He Si said, seeing my stubbornness. He shook his head again in resignation.
I nodded in agreement; I had no objections to this.
Because of my situation, everyone had suffered injuries. Although we had rested through the night, everyone still appeared somewhat fatigued. Returning early would allow us to sleep soundly.
Thus, matters concerning Mu Yan were temporarily set aside.
On the way back, I asked He Si about what had happened after I fell unconscious last night.
Although the storm had passed by the time I woke up and we were all together again, facing the Mu Emperor and the Dark Night Ghost Emperor—two formidable Demon Emperors—along with so many Ghost Kings, Ghost Generals, Ghost Soldiers, Monsters and Spirits was no easy task.
So even though no one spoke of it, I understood clearly that the process had not been simple.
Indeed, when discussing last night's events, even now that some time had passed, a serious expression lingered on He Si's face along with a hint of concern.
It was a lingering shock, and even now, I could imagine from He Si's face how arduous their battle had been last night.
"This time, we were fortunate to be well-prepared. We had several Silver Runes on hand, and everyone had mastered their respective techniques. With my Qingwei Thunder Technique complementing us, although it was tough, we managed to fend them off successfully," He Si said, trying to appear relaxed.
I nodded slightly and said, "Fourth Brother, thank you so much for your help this time, as well as to all the seniors." With that, I bowed deeply to each of them.
Among our group, aside from Gu Chen, Grandma Jiang and Mao Guoxue were the oldest.
Grandma Jiang snorted coldly, perhaps still harboring some resentment due to Xiao Juan, so she ignored me.
Mao Guoxue shook his head and said, "Xiao Lin, you are Senior Gu's disciple and one of the Nine Veins. We in the Taoist Nine Meridians are all connected by blood; thus, your matters are naturally our matters. It is only right for us to lend a helping hand. Moreover, with Senior Gu's reputation at stake here, there is no need for thanks."
The others nodded in agreement with He Si's words, but my gratitude was heartfelt.
After a while, we returned to Upper Clear Academy. Once back, Grandma Jiang did not linger; she went straight home.
The others chose to stay here for a good wash and rest for the night before bidding farewell to Gu Chen and Mao Guoxue.
Soon enough, only we remained in Upper Clear Academy: Gu Chen, Mao Guoxue, myself, Mu Yan, Li, Mingyue, and some students from Upper Clear Academy. Mao Shiba stayed behind at Grandma Jiang's to take care of Xiao Juan.
As we were leaving, Anfu was arranged by Gu Chen to go home with Zhou Zhen as a precautionary measure.
That night, under the moonlit sky—whether intentional or not—Mu Yan and Gu Chen unexpectedly encountered each other from afar in the empty courtyard. The moon shone brightly amidst the sparse stars.
"I think you understand what I mean," Gu Chen asked after an unknown duration of silence while still gazing at the night sky.
"I do understand," Mu Yan replied after a slight pause as if answering herself. Ultimately, her response satisfied Gu Chen greatly.
He nodded and suddenly turned around. At that moment, his gaze fell on Mu Yan with an unusually serious expression. "You must know that if you live with Li and him together, I can assure you that his lifespan will not exceed three years. Three years! You must realize how young he is right now—just in the prime of his youth. I know he values relationships deeply; you are well aware of your significance in his heart. But even so, allowing him to live only three years because of you—how could you bear that?"
When the sound fell, Gu Chen's eyes were already slightly reddened.
Deeply responsible, deeply affectionate.
He had only one disciple like me; to say he didn't care or didn't value it would absolutely be a lie. It was precisely because of this that his attitude this time was so resolute.
He just didn't know how to express it; the way was simply different.
"Three years."
Mu Yan was momentarily taken aback. At that moment, she also turned around calmly, her gaze landing on Gu Chen, appearing somewhat confused and at a loss.
She said, "I originally thought that humans and ghosts were on different paths, but I never imagined it could be so serious. Three years? He is still young; how can he only live for three years because of us?"
"Precisely because of this, I must have you separate. I have said before that humans and ghosts cannot end well together, yet he just wouldn't listen. But now that we have reached this point, I have no choice but to harden my heart and make you leave him. Only in this way can he survive, can he inherit my legacy, and carry on the lineage of the Ancient Family, walking further down this path."
"Alright, if that's the case, I promise you. Tomorrow morning, I will take Lili and leave here. In this life and the next, I will not meet him again."
Though reluctant, though unwilling, though knowing that doing so would cause her great pain and heartache, when she realized that if they stayed together she could only live for three years at most, Mu Yan still chose to leave. Each word felt like a needle piercing her skin, leaving her battered and bruised.
"No, that's far from enough." But this time her response did not satisfy Gu Chen.
Mu Yan was surprised and looked at Gu Chen with tearful eyes. "Then what else do you want me to do?"
She seemed a bit angry; having him let her go was already an incredibly difficult thing for her. If it weren't for the concern over my lifespan being cut short, even if it meant losing her soul completely, she probably wouldn't have agreed.
But now Gu Chen insisted that it was far from enough, pressing forward.
"I want you both to leave this world entirely. Only by completely leaving this world can he truly sever his attachments. Only then can he devote himself to practicing Taoist Techniques and start anew, beginning a life that belongs entirely to him." Gu Chen spoke each word as if they were heavy stones, each syllable striking fiercely against Mu Yan's heart.
She stared blankly at Gu Chen, her eyes filled with disbelief as she asked, "Leave this world, completely leave this world?"
Gu Chen replied calmly, "Yes, completely leave this world."
With a sigh, he continued, "I know this sounds cruel to you, but there is no other way. If you think that just because you leave, he will give up and start a new life, you are mistaken. He will search for you."
After a pause, Gu Chen added, "I don't think he would give up. Even if it means traversing mountains and rivers across the entire land of Huaxia, he wouldn't stop. In that case, it would only lead to more separation and sorrow. It is better to have a short pain than a long one. I won't force you to choose, but if you love him, I believe you wouldn't want to harm him. Before six in the morning, if you've come to terms with it, bring her to me. I will personally help you both reincarnate. Perhaps in the next life, you will meet again without any barriers between you. Wouldn't that be better?"
With that, Gu Chen said no more. He sighed again and turned to leave.
Watching Gu Chen's retreating figure, Mu Yan felt as if all her strength had been drained away in an instant, collapsing onto the ground.
"Mother!"
A figure rushed over quickly and caught the almost-falling Mu Yan. With a worried expression on her small face, she asked, "Mother, are you okay?"
"Li, you heard everything," Mu Yan said softly as she turned her head slightly to look at the little girl beside her who was nearly her height but had yet to reach a year old.
In less than a year's time, according to Gu Chen's words, she would have to face the possibility of losing her again. How cruel was that for her?
Thinking of this made Mu Yan even sadder.
But when she thought of herself in this situation, she felt so helpless and lost.
"Enough. Mother has done enough for me since I was born because I have received your care and felt the warmth of family. Although this process has been so brief, it has been enough." Li's response seemed to understand Mu Yan's thoughts but only made her feel more devastated.
She reached out to touch Li's forehead but didn't know what to say or how to respond.
Li also reached out to caress Mu Yan's face as if comforting her but said seriously, "Mother, no matter how you choose, I will follow your decision. Perhaps in the next life we can reunite; then we can be together happily. I think it should be better then."
As she spoke, Li's gaze turned towards the distance, a faint smile appearing on her small face. It was as if she had already envisioned that day, in that kind of setting, where there were no barriers, no boundaries, and no worries—only laughter and joy.
In the room, I waited for a while but still did not see Mu Yan or Li. A sense of anxiety began to creep in. Just as I was about to step outside to look for them, I opened the door and found them returning, standing right in front of me.
"Mu Yan, where have you two been?" I asked, concern evident in my voice.
Mu Yan smiled lightly and said, "What’s wrong? Do you not trust your master?"
I understood the implication behind Mu Yan's words and knew she was aware of my worries. I remained silent; sometimes it wasn't about trust but rather the chaos that worry could bring.
With a smile, she and Li walked inside.
Sitting in the room, she looked at me and said, "Lin Hao, your master does everything for your own good. I hope you won't hold it against him."
I nodded gently. "I know. I don't blame him; it's just that separating me from you is something I absolutely cannot agree to."
She nodded back softly, her eyes filled with deep affection as she said, "Lin Hao, thank you. With your words, I'm content. I'm not afraid of anything; even if the sky were to fall, I wouldn't be scared."
For some reason, I felt that something was off with her, but I couldn't pinpoint what it was.
I forced a light-hearted tone and said, "How could the sky possibly fall? Even if it did, I'm not shorter than either of you. I'll just hold it up myself."
"Mm." Mu Yan smiled, but tears shimmered in her eyes.
I reached out gently to wipe them away and asked what was wrong.
She shook her head and said it was nothing—just being moved.
Taking a deep breath, I pulled her into my embrace. At that moment, an overwhelming sense of parting life and death washed over me.
"Father," Li called out.
"Mm." I gently lifted my head to look at Li.
A smile appeared on her delicate face as she asked, "Do you love me?"
I chuckled lightly, "Of course."
She continued, "Love me like you love Mother."
I nodded again, unable to deny, "Yes, I love you just like I love your mother."
With a hint of playfulness, she said, "Then kiss me."
I shook my head with a wry smile but still obliged her request, lightly kissing her cheek. It felt as cold as when I kissed Mu Yan.
Yet, this sensation warmed my heart; this was the essence of family love.
"Kiss Mother too," Li teased again.
I glanced at her helplessly, then looked at Mu Yan. I made a deliberately exasperated expression before gently kissing Li's smooth and fair forehead, and finally pressed my lips against hers.
"Li is still here," she shivered as I kissed her.
I was somewhat surprised; this wasn't the first time I had kissed her. Logically, she shouldn't react this way. But just as I was puzzled, she pushed me away and shyly said, "But I'm still your daughter."
I awkwardly smiled and released her without thinking much more about it.
"Mother, come with me to a place," Li said at that moment, reaching out to take Mu Yan's hand. She then turned to me and declared, "Father, you can't come. I want Mother to accompany me alone." With that, she made a playful face and pulled Mu Yan outside.
I forced a smile and nodded, saying, "Alright, alright, I won't go out, but you all need to come back quickly."
"Mm." Li nodded deeply.
"Lin Hao," Mu Yan called out as she was being pulled outside by Li.
I waved my hand with a smile and said, "Go on, go with your daughter."
With a beaming smile directed at me, Mu Yan nodded. After giving me one last lingering look, she suddenly turned her head and followed Li's footsteps out of the room, closing the door behind them.
Little did I know that this would be the last time I saw them. I was unaware of how much reluctance was hidden in Mu Yan's gaze or how painful that call of "Lin Hao" was for her, filled with despair.
"You've arrived."
Outside Gu Chen's room, before Mu Yan and Li could knock on the door, his voice had already reached them.
Silently nodding, the door opened. Mu Yan and Li exchanged a glance; though their eyes were filled with deep reluctance, there was no hesitation left. They stepped inside.
Comment 0 Comment Count