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墨書 Inktalez
The wind chimes tinkled around the Tea Garden, and everyone was surprised by the slight time difference. Luo Yue was about to step forward when she was stopped by Shaomeng.
"This is Ran Xing's own choice," Shaomeng said briefly. The others remained silent, only the sound of the wind chimes and the rustling of fallen maple leaves and bamboo leaves could be heard.
"No, there are many things I should have known. Perhaps if I had known, this wouldn't have come to pass," Luo Yue said, her hands suddenly exerting force as she shook off Shaomeng's arm and strode forward. Ziyuan gave a clear look, signaling Shaomeng not to interfere.
Sometimes one can't help but lament how some intangible things can wreak havoc before us, exerting influence in places we cannot see or understand, complicating what should have been resolved with a simple apology. These invisible blades are conjured out of thin air, piercing the hearts of those involved. Here, they twist every facet of the situation, bringing waves of anguish. Why must it be Luo Yue, who is only sixteen or seventeen? This matter concerns her, yet so many factors obstruct her. Now, because of her father and these circumstances, she is about to lose a friend. She stood silently before Shaomeng, not speaking, but inside she was enduring tumultuous emotions.
Yet, on Luo Yue's face, there was no sign of the raging storm beneath the surface. Perhaps she felt guilt for not knowing these things sooner as the person involved. If only she had learned earlier—even just a minute before seeing Ran Xing—she wouldn't have spoken such harsh words due to Ran Xing's sudden change. But now, the door to the Forgetfulness Mirror was tightly shut; all she could do was try!
Luo Yue opened her tightly closed eyes and adjusted her breathing. Kneeling on one knee, Vitality quickly formed a circular formation around her. With her recent emotions still fresh, Luo Yue prepared to use Vitality to forcibly transform into an illusion before the Forgetfulness Mirror to see Ran Xing, who had entered here due to some rumors or other matters.
Accompanied by the sound of wind chimes, Azure Hawk flew out from this courtyard and headed straight for Qianwen.
At that moment, You Long was beside Qianwen, waiting for him to give his final instructions after resting with his eyes closed.
The materials on the table had piled up like a mountain. Various external resources had been gathered here, and the elite Liangyi Hero guards had already reported outside Qianwen's pavilion. It seemed that Qianwen was like a hunter who had seized an opportunity; he had discovered traces of his prey and was ready to pave a way for it to an unknown destination.
The Azure Hawk soared through the clouds in the sky and landed on You Long's shoulder, leaning its neck against You Long's hand repeatedly as if showing off to its master after receiving a pat from him. It then extended its leg where Ziyuan's letter was tied...
"Commander. Ran Xing has arrived at the Forgetfulness Mirror; at this moment..." You Long frowned but quickly relaxed. Without Qianwen speaking up, he might have guessed something.
"What about everything else? Is everything in order?" Qianwen asked leisurely as he opened his eyes, enjoying having his hair groomed by his attendant. He merely smiled at You Long's report; he wasn't concerned about that right now. Looking around at the guards and items on the table, it seemed that all his letters had been piled on Qianwen's temporary desk. At this moment, it felt as though Qianwen had drawn his sword from its sheath, holding a blade capable of taking lives in hand while waiting for significant events to unfold.
"Everything has been taken care of," You Long replied succinctly and directly.
"What is Xing Han's situation?" Qianwen asked with interest about this individual who had attempted to collude with unknown parties during meetings. All those letters were currently on his desk; coupled with the replacement of guards, those originally loyal to Xing Han had been entirely replaced by the elite Liangyi Hero guards. He wanted to see what kind of trouble Xing Han could stir up now!
"All guards recognize only my and Ziyuan's orders; he cannot escape now," You Long's response pleased Qianwen, who nodded in satisfaction and personally took paper and pen to prepare a reply.
"That's good; handle Ran Xing's matter according to this letter's instructions. I've taken care of your concerns; just tell Ziyuan to proceed without hesitation. Afterward, we need to soothe them; after all, we have reasons we cannot clearly explain—leave that to you." While writing the letter, Qianwen instructed You Long beside him that when they met Xing Han later, they should treat him with respect.
"Understood, Commander." You Long took Qianwen's handwritten letter and prepared to depart with several teams of guards. Before leaving, he sent another letter to Ziyuan via Azure Hawk. Meanwhile, at the Trial Ground, preparations for the Convention were still proceeding smoothly; autumn harvests and normal production activities continued without triggering an autumn storm.
On the other side, Xing Han watched as unfamiliar blue-marked guards surrounded his door and realized that his recent exuberance had raised Qianwen's alertness. These blue-marked guards were part of an army marked by official orders—only recognizing those orders while possessing strength comparable to his own—now stationed at every entrance of his home. Although they hadn't caused any trouble so far, once orders were given, he would quickly find himself a prisoner at the feet of victory.
At this moment, Xing Han’s room had undergone several thorough inspections by guards and had lost its former splendor; only a few servants remained to bring meals while only a few close associates waited for him to make arrangements alongside the steward.
"I couldn't execute my plan; how lamentable," Xing Han said as he removed his jade pendant—the two symbols overlapping—and handed it along with his family's red insignia to his steward.
"Take good care of these items; everything stems from me; you will be safe. The family must be comforted well; after this period passes, you and I will meet again. So don't shed tears," Xing Han reassured those in the room while arranging his belongings. Outside the door, Zhu Pi Army members had already surrounded the area tightly; dozens formed a long line outside his house which caused those inside to begin crying out once more.
"Stop crying! The people here are here for me; don't make it seem like a funeral!" Xing Han shook himself awake and took his steward’s arm as they stepped outside under the lead of Zhu Pi Army guards across the threshold into view. You Long approached respectfully with Qianwen’s letter in hand.
"My lord, I bring you Commander’s handwritten letter as an invitation for you; please cooperate," You Long spoke respectfully while instructing Zhu Pi Army members to remove their iron shackles from him. "Commander Qianwen’s letter states that Xing Han is one of Trial Ground’s noble families whose contributions are well recognized—it is significant and should not be punished but served according to Liangyi Hero standards." He then slightly bowed while inviting Xing Han to accompany him.
At that moment in the sky, dark clouds passed overhead obscuring the moonlight. After an ambiguous smile from Xing Han, he raised his head in satisfaction towards You Long’s demeanor: "It seems you've gone through quite some trouble coming here personally; everything appears in order now. I will comply with your arrangements."
Xing Han gazed at the sky, letting out a soft sigh. You Long had not arranged for the Zhu Pi Army to intervene until Xing Han bid farewell to his family. Only then did You Long allow the Zhu Pi Army to protect Xing Han as they retraced their steps, heading into the unknown.
In this hazy moment, perhaps it was also a time for contemplating certain answers. Luo Yue's shadow and the faint light trying to break through the clouds were akin to the darkness within the Forgetfulness Mirror. Only a few purple paths, formed by Ran Xing's inner Evil Thoughts, stretched forward. The road was long and bumpy, with no end in sight. It wasn't until Luo Yue caught a glimpse of vague edges that she realized Ran Xing stood before her, arms wide open, welcoming her into the Forgetfulness Mirror.
As Ran Xing approached the mirror, he seemed to hear something—a voice that was deep yet gentle.
"Ran Xing, since you have chosen to come here, I believe you must have made a decision."
Ran Xing looked at the array of mirrors before him. Before he could respond, memories began to surface: fighting alongside Shaomeng, receiving gifts from You Long, meeting Luo Yue, and encouraging her—all these scenes unfolded within the copper mirrors.
"Since you have made your choice, lift your head and look at these mirrors. In half an hour, everything will vanish from them. At that time, you can leave here and live as a mortal."
Could it really be that simple? Ran Xing covered his chest with his hand; his heart raced violently. In the still air, he suddenly found it hard to breathe. That feeling... was Vitality draining from his body!
Ran Xing froze for a moment. Vitality—the technique of a hero. Then... it must be his memories. He had been so resolute about Lan An before coming here, yet now faced with these painful copper mirrors, he found himself wishing he could grasp certain things within them—he reached out, trying to seize an image from the mirror: the moment he first met Luo Yue and her smile.
Seeing this, Luo Yue felt a pang of sorrow. This fool—why couldn't he see that someone was waiting for him to leave this place?
"Ran Xing, what are you hesitating for? Can you really bear to part with these memories?" Luo Yue called out. As Ran Xing turned back to her, her tumultuous heart began to find some calm.
"But I might not have another chance. Do you see? The moment the images in the mirror disappear, my opportunity will vanish too. I'm sorry, Luo Yue." Ran Xing hesitated and lowered his head as he moved toward Luo Yue's direction. Even though it was just her shadow, for the first time he did not hesitate and grasped that shadow's hand. Perhaps this was his last chance; even if it was just a shadow, holding onto it was better than wounding someone’s heart and letting go.
"No! There is still a chance! As long as you are willing to change and haven’t given up yet, anything is possible!" After being surprised by his grip, Luo Yue continued speaking. She was unaware of the apology letter Ran Xing had written her; it had been kept by Teacher Ziyuan and never delivered in time. She also didn’t know that her father had interfered, leading to their current predicament.
"Believe me; this isn't entirely your fault! If I had known what you did or about this letter's existence—if I had known about my father's actions—I wouldn't have ignored it! We understand each other; believe me—everything is possible! No one can stop me!" As she spoke anxiously, she looked at this foolish boy behind her and saw herself reflected in the mirror: just moments ago there were three reflections of herself; now only one remained!
Luo Yue released his hand; she knew that the owner of the mirror had sensed her presence and that their only chance would soon slip away!
"Ran Xing! Don't give up on these memories! They are our shared testament—don't leave them behind! You must bring them back!" Before she could fully let go of his hand, she heard that once-gentle voice turn impatient.
"Interrupting the execution of the Forgetfulness Mirror is a grave offense; you'd best leave quickly. His memories of you have already vanished!"
The owner of the mirror from an unknown place had not finished speaking when Ran Xing and Luo Yue found themselves just a fingertip apart, instantly transformed into a vast sea that seemed to stretch further away.
A few drops of tears fell as a heartbroken girl knelt helplessly on the ground. For the first time, she felt the invisible blade of losing someone who was willing to listen to her whispers. The pain was indescribable for Luo Yue at that moment.
"Teacher Ziyuan!" Just as everyone was about to approach Luo Yue to comfort her, An Qi's voice rang out. He had gone to Ran Xing's dormitory and returned with all of Ran Xing's belongings.
"How is it? Did Ran Xing come out?"
No one answered.
An Qi seemed to realize he had said something inappropriate. He lowered his head and took out everything he had found belonging to Ran Xing.
"Everything is here, Teacher Ziyuan. I hope this can help!" An Qi opened the bag, revealing Ran Xing's bracelet, the wrist guard gifted by You Long, and Luo Yue's painting.
The door of the Forgetfulness Mirror opened once more. An Qi was taken aback and immediately rushed forward to greet the Ran Xing before him.
However, An Qi's enthusiasm was quickly extinguished by a simple question from Ran Xing. Everyone realized that his memories had vanished; the person before them, who had lost his mark on his left hand, was merely an ordinary person.
"Who are you?"
The question struck An Qi like a bolt from the blue. What nonsense was this guy talking? "Hey, look closely! I am An Qi, son of the Imperial Chef from the Trial Ground! We are both part of the Imperial Chef duo. Recognize me and stop saying such things!" An Qi grabbed Ran Xing's shirt, angrily rebuking him for making jokes at such a moment.
But Ran Xing ignored him, simply shaking off his hand and continuing forward.
"Ran Xing, look closely! Who is this person in front of you?" Another person jumped in front of Ran Xing, holding up the painting and questioning him about the girl he was pointing at.
Yet no matter how much Shaomeng expressed his fury, Ran Xing remained indifferent, still dazedly repeating, "Who are you? And who is that girl?"
Shaomeng knew that the only thing that could provoke a reaction from this guy was the softly crying Luo Yue behind him.
Ran Xing continued walking forward. Luo Yue seemed to see a glimmer of hope but felt that hope slipping away from her grasp. Her hand could not stop Ran Xing's hurried steps; soon she could no longer feel that hand holding onto anything...
At that moment, tears streamed down Luo Yue's cheeks, falling to the ground. Though there was no sound, everyone could hear the splash made by that single tear hitting the floor, the sound of sorrow breaking apart.
It seemed that at this instant, Ran Xing suddenly froze in place, as if recalling something.
"Go on!" Lan An immediately tossed a bracelet from his bag to Shaomeng. It was a birthday gift he had given to his sister. Luo Yue quickly seized the opportunity, directing her gaze toward Shaomeng.
A soft murmur escaped, and hope ignited once more in everyone's eyes: Ran Xing stood still for a moment, and after a brief silence, he lifted his head. He did not turn around but slowly called out Luo Yue's name...
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