Chapter 81, Chapter 81, Linglong what...

Linglong said nothing. He looked at the crowd coming and going, the gentle light in his eyes gone, replaced by a gloomy and dark expression.

Finally, one day, the group of demons who had been silently waiting to die at the foot of the mountain, distinct from the aging old people in the cave, all stood in front of the peach tree, like soldiers guarding a general, loyal and stubborn, blocking the greedy humans who came up the mountain to pray.

Shi Wenzhe learned from their arguments and criticisms that it wasn't just the demon race that survived the war between immortals and demons; there were also some humans who had been captured by evil cultivators to refine into living dead.

When the great war ended, the demon race had lost their homeland, and so had they. Zhao Hua took pity on all the creatures of the Zhao Yao Continent, so Ling Long silently accepted them. After all, Peach Blossom Valley was so big, there would always be a place for them to stay.

That was his original thought, but greed is human nature, and it is difficult to change one's nature from beginning to end.

Behind the name "Xiangjianhuan" lies an underlying sadness.

Humans dared not act recklessly in front of demons. The tree demon's suicide also imposed a strict prohibition on them. Unlike the demons who voluntarily awaited death, they had no respect, love, or pity for the peach tree. They silently guarded the cave, simply recuperating. The old man's appearance broke this prohibition.

They then discovered that the mountain god was benevolent to all people and would grant any request.

And so the fire of greed was reignited. Their desire for life outweighed all their cowardice, and their frequent prayers, like a wildfire, fueled the desires in their hearts.

However, the mountain god often refused to help those who were blinded by greed, those who were unreasonable, or those who harbored evil intentions. He would not help even those who had made a small mistake.

He seemed to have become the judge who judged others, his words becoming golden pronouncements, obsessive and arrogant. The human race gradually grew dissatisfied with the mountain god's oppressive power, their scheming in their eyes becoming blatant, and their pent-up fear of the demon race gradually transformed into a powerless rage against Zhaohua. This fire burned ever brighter, until today, the demons gathered before the peach tree have also become the judges who judged them.

Those demons preferred to commit suicide in agony rather than disturb the mountain god. Their bodies were already shrouded in malevolent energy, and the black mist, like annoying flies, stared menacingly at the rotting flesh.

Now, standing in front of the peach tree, it looks like a puppet doll pieced together from scraps of flesh and blood, extremely dilapidated and on the verge of collapse.

They said that the humans should not be allowed to disturb the mountain god.

They said they wanted the mountain god to come freely, live freely, and leave freely.

The two opposing races stood on opposite sides of the valley, like the Chu-Han border, with undercurrents surging in the silence. Since that day, the mountaintop has returned to silence.

The demons at the foot of the mountain suddenly came to life, no longer as lifeless as before. Inside the cave, there was a polite old man who felt ashamed of the wrongdoings of his kind and worked with the demons to build a home.

Peach Blossom Valley has many more buildings, almost indistinguishable from human cities. From this time on, Shi Wenzhe could already see the shadow of Shifang City.

But the peace was short-lived. Black mist enveloped the valley, rising into the sky and surrounding all the creatures within, like lambs being led to slaughter.

More and more people died quietly, and the cries rose for a moment and then quickly faded away.

Zhao Hua stood under the tree, sighing as he looked at the gradually decaying canopy inside. He smiled faintly at Linglong for a moment, and the weariness and sorrow in his eyes froze Linglong in place.

Linglong opened her mouth in a hoarse voice and reached out her hand to try to hold on, but how could anyone hold onto a star that was about to fall?

Besides, this star came voluntarily.

There is a festival in Peach Blossom Valley called the Morning Dew Festival, which is held around Grain Rain. It is a festival to celebrate the blooming of all flowers and to pray for a glorious year with good weather and abundant harvests.

Now that the demon race has reopened the Morning Dew Festival, Shi Wenzhe is happy for them. The demon race is finally no longer in a state of decadence and has begun to yearn for a new life.

But the smile didn't last long. When she heard someone say, "I want to become nourishment for Peach Blossom Valley, to die in this Morning Dew Festival, and to be reborn in the next Morning Dew Festival," her face froze.

She opened her mouth, her soul floating lightly, lonely and desolate between heaven and earth.

On the day of the Morning Dew Festival, they lit a huge bonfire under the peach tree. Peach Blossom Valley had long been without light, shrouded in black mist all day long, and that bonfire became the only light in the dark world.

The bright red light shone on their diverse faces, and only then could Shi Wenzhe clearly see their strange features.

The occasional bursts of laughter briefly enlivened the crowd. Shi Wenzhe clutched the hem of her skirt, her fingers clenching, thinking to herself, "Whatever they may be thinking, at least for this moment, they are happy."

There are several huge rocks on the mountaintop. People are crowded together in front of the rocks, sitting on the rocks like boneless people, divided into several groups, watching the flames rise around the big tree.

A simple and obscure chant suddenly rang out in the darkness. As more and more people joined in, the chanting resounded through the valley, echoed through the clouds, and floated straight up to the heavens. The people who were sitting stood up and danced a mysterious dance around the bonfire.

It resembled a grand sacrificial ceremony.

Zhao Hua sat on a tree, isolated from the crowd, his eyes encompassing everything, quietly watching all of this. Ling Long sat beside him, carefully tilting her head to rest her head on Zhao Hua's neck. Their breaths slowly intertwined. At this moment, he shed his coldness and gloom, and was just a little bird yearning for tenderness.

The warmth emanating from Zhao Hua's skin melted away the chill on the tips of his ears, and through the sound of blood flowing, he seemed to hear the beating heart within this body.

"Thump thump—", strong, real, and something he longed for.

A long time passed, but the chanting continued for a long time until the campfire died down and a glimmer of light appeared on the horizon.

Shi Wenzhe was stunned for a moment. Peach Blossom Valley had not seen sunlight for a long time. Where was this light coming from?

The gathered crowd looked up in surprise, gazing towards the source of the light. Their eyes were mostly lifeless, weary and numb; their resentment tormented them, every day of their lives was torture, and their resentment outweighed their will to live.

Unwilling to suffer even after the war ended, unwilling to endure the torment of evil and heresy, and unwilling to have survived such a difficult struggle for survival only to have their lives taken by malevolent forces.

How can I be content with this?

The light was very faint in the vast expanse of heaven and earth. The sound of the wind rustling through Peach Blossom Valley seemed to have traveled across a thousand years, bringing with it the long-lost fragrance of grass and trees.

The crowd on the ground stirred for a moment, bewildered, but the fragrance was so delightful that even if tonight were their death night, they would be willing to sleep forever in its sweet aroma.

They fell asleep.

It felt as if something had slipped away silently. Shi Wenzhe's heart skipped a beat, and he desperately tried to grasp at something.

Suddenly, Linglong's faint question rang in his ears, audible only to Zhaohua. Her voice was hazy, as if veiled by a layer of mist, "Zhaohua, if I miss you in the future, where should I look for you?"

Linglong's eyes were wide open, her unfocused gaze fixed on the void, lingering there for a long time.

Shi Wenzhe bit her lip, her lips trembling slightly. All she could hear was the incessant buzzing in her ears. Suddenly, her legs lost their strength, and she could no longer stand. She slid to the ground with difficulty, leaning against the tree trunk. All she could hear in her mind was Linglong's words, "Where should I look for you?"

She wondered, "What does this mean? Will Zhaohua leave? Where will he go? Does he no longer want Peach Blossom Valley? Does he no longer want Linglong?"

Shi Wen's eyes were lifeless, and before he knew it, tears were streaming down his face.

Zhao Hua's voice was weak, but a faint smile remained on his lips. He stroked Linglong's hair and said with amusement, "Why are you missing me?"

"Can't I miss you? But I just can't stop thinking about you."

“Then…” He paused for a moment, looked down at the delicate Linglong nestled against his neck, and said softly, “Let’s meet in our dreams.”

Linglong snorted and quietly choked up, "Big liar."

"You say you live as long as Peach Blossom Valley, that you are practically immortal, you're lying."

Zhao Hua smiled helplessly, his smile filled with regret. He seemed to have not slept in a long time, so exhausted that even his response was so soft, "Yes, it's my fault."

This was a farewell ceremony attended only by the two of them. Zhaohua's murmurs lingered in their ears, and with each additional word of advice, there was an increase in their concern and reluctance to part.

Even whispers eventually fade away.

There was only one Zhaohua in the world, but such a wonderful Zhaohua was gone forever at dawn.

The faint light was hidden among the tree canopy, illuminating only a small area. But as dawn approached, a dazzling light burst forth from the peach tree canopy, piercing through layers of clouds and dispelling the gloom.

The sun finally appeared in the place that had been dark for years, and it seemed as if the sun was a blessing bestowed by the gods in their last glance at the world.

Thus, the flowers bloom for a thousand years and wither in a single day, the peach blossoms falling in the wind, sweeping across the entire mountain and covering the Yuansheng River Valley.

The bare branches stretched out, standing tall between heaven and earth. In an instant, a rich fragrance of fruit wafted from the treetops. A tree full of red peaches swayed precariously on the branches, falling to the ground. Then, the peach tree withered and shrank, collapsing as if it had completed its mission, its last breath dissipating.

The lifeless peach tree, illuminated by the scorching sun, reverted to its original form, resembling a menacing ghost, exuding an eerie aura.

Finally, someone was drawn in by the sweet aroma of fruit and woke up from their sleep.

They raised their hands in astonishment, touching the vibrant body, and couldn't help but cry and laugh at the same time.

The aroma of the fruit was so enticing that some people couldn't resist picking up a peach that had fallen to the ground and taking a bite.

The moment the fruit was swallowed, as if by magic, the black mist surrounding the person disappeared, the wounded body healed, and the ugly, hideous face returned to its original state.

Exclamations rose from under the tree, one after another, like waves crashing on the shore.

Everyone went mad, scrambling for the red peaches on the ground as if grasping at a lifeline, acting like complete madmen.