Chapter 238 Though Dead, Still Alive (Switched) Could he also be reborn? ...

It was indeed a beautiful scene, but Lin Feiran was worried at the moment, so he didn't appreciate it much.

She sat cross-legged, intending to keep watch here tonight in case anything went wrong.

Unlike her, Wei Changzai, standing to the side, was not calm. He picked up the medicine bowl, glanced at it from the side, and with a competitive spirit that he himself did not realize, he judged the scene from beginning to end.

He is not a very romantic person, so we can only compare him to the most common foods.

He and Ru Xian are not of the same flavor.

Their looks are neck and neck, and besides, he has already started to dress up. Their heights are also similar. The only difference is their temperament. Could it be that Lin Feiran now prefers this kind of person?

He can learn it if he likes it.

Wei Changzai snapped out of his daze, picked up the medicine bowl, and walked to Lin Feiran's side. He leaned down slightly, his black hair slipping down his back, casting several blurry shadows in the smoke.

"Take your medicine slowly."

Lin Feiran thanked him, moved half an inch to the left, drank the medicine in one gulp, and said, "I'll take the bowl away myself in a bit, so don't bother me."

Wei Changzai paused, withdrew his outstretched hand, and responded, but still showed no intention of leaving.

He remained motionless, and Qiu Tong, who had been hiding, could no longer contain herself and peeked out from under the table to look at the two people opposite her.

She had heard the commotion earlier, and because she didn't know how to face Wei Changzai, she immediately crouched under the table before he could see her. She originally intended to avoid him, but when she heard him talking about taking medicine, she couldn't help but show herself.

She looked at Lin Feiran with her eyes wide open: "Are you alright?"

She had seen Lin Feiran fight with others. Although she had been injured, for some reason, she always gave people the illusion that it was not serious and that she would never fall down.

But the slow and careful way Lin Feiran got up just now made her feel a little sad.

Today's events had been too eventful, and Qiu Tong's emotions were already unstable. When she saw Lin Feiran shake his head and say that nothing was wrong, she couldn't help but tear up and start sobbing softly.

Lin Feiran paused, then comforted her, "Actually, it's just some fractures. It'll be fine after some rest. It's not as serious as it looks."

Qiu Tong slowly rose from behind the table, feeling much more at ease: "Really?"

Lin Feiran nodded: "Really."

Throughout their conversation, Wei Changzai kept his eyes on her. Her words were reassuring, even having a calming effect. She could treat Qiu Tong like this, but she was very cold and polite to him.

He turned to look at Qiu Tong and suddenly said, "Why are you crying? It's her who's hurt, not you."

The two paused and turned to look at him together.

Wei Changzai continued, "If anyone should be crying, it should be me. I am her friend."

Lin Feiran couldn't help but glance at him, and remained silent for a moment.

Qiu Tong naturally didn't dare to say that she and Lin Feiran were good friends. After stammering for a while, she finally replied, "Then why aren't you crying!"

"Because I don't cry."

Lin Feiran: "..."

"you!"

Qiu Tong's face flushed slightly, but it wasn't from embarrassment.

Regardless, she still harbored memories of the past with Wei Changzai, and her feelings for him were different. She still held secret feelings in her heart. Now that her beloved had spoken to her like this, she was not only annoyed and embarrassed, but also felt an indescribable frustration and anger.

Unable to hold back any longer, she argued with him and vented all the anger that had been building up inside her for days in a very quick manner.

Wei Changzai sat quietly beside Lin Feiran. Although his expression remained unchanged, Lin Feiran could tell that he had probably not understood the implied meaning of her words and was not speaking simply because he could not respond.

After venting her anger, Qiu Tong knew she had no right to do anything. After speaking, she subconsciously glanced at Lin Feiran, feeling both angry and ashamed. Finally, she bit her lip, hurriedly said "See you next time," and extinguished the incense stick with a flushed face.

Before Lin Feiran could speak, the thin smoke began to dissipate.

Wei Changzai said, "She speaks very fast."

Lin Feiran sighed slightly, then turned to look at him and said very seriously, "Next time you see Qiu Tong, you have to apologize to her, and I will explain."

Wei Chang was taken aback: "Explain what?"

"She is my friend."

Although they didn't get along well at first, Qiu Tong didn't actually do anything to hurt her, aside from verbal arguments. The real adversary was someone else, and in some ways, Qiu Tong even helped her a lot.

"And what about me?"

Lin Feiran waved away the thin smoke: "As I said before, we are fellow disciples."

Wei Changzai clearly disagreed with this answer, but before he could speak, Lin Feiran changed the subject to business and didn't get entangled with him any further.

"There's something I've been thinking about repeatedly, and I'm going to tell you anyway."

Wei Changzai sat up straight, his eyes fixed on Lin Feiran. He subconsciously leaned back slightly, as if resisting what she was about to say: "What are you going to say? You're engaged to him?"

"..." Lin Feiran couldn't help but click her tongue. "What I want to talk about is your affair with another 'Wei Changzai'."

She rubbed her fingertips, still looking somewhat hesitant, but still said, "I think it was Zhang Chunhe who changed your birth."

Lin Feiran had previously suspected that the strangeness was related to Zhang Chunhe, but she had never had any concrete evidence and could not determine what Zhang Chunhe had done in the matter.

Now, thinking about the rebirth of Prince Qingping, everything becomes clear.

Wei Changzai, who should have appeared in Dongpingcang, appeared in Youfang Town instead. Now, in Dongpingcang, there is a person who looks different from him but has a similar figure and the same Taoist name.

This is clearly an exchange or substitution.

The only person capable of doing all this, and with the will and willingness to do it, is Zhang Chunhe, who has been reborn.

He had known of Wei Changzai's existence long before this, and knew everything about this personal disciple's past. Finding him when he was just born would be easy, and for a Venerable who had entered the Free and Unfettered Realm early on, switching places would not be difficult either.

But what was his purpose in doing this? And what did he gain from it?

Lin Feiran looked at him: "Think about it carefully again, does Zhang Chunhe have any dealings with the Esoteric Buddhism?"

"I don't know." Wei Changzai looked at her, then quickly looked away. "I told you, if you really want to ask, you can ask the eldest brother. He is Master's right-hand man, and he should know best whether there is any contact with the esoteric sect."

Lin Feiran continued to rub her fingertips, sizing him up, lost in thought. After a moment, her gaze shifted, and she suddenly spoke.

"I remember back at Daohe Palace, you said that Qiu Tong was your destined one. Is that your own belief, or did someone else tell you?"

Lin Feiran rarely thought about the day the engagement was called off at first, and later felt it was unnecessary. But today, his conversation with Qiu Tong reminded her of what had happened back then.

When Wei Changzai spoke of destiny, she had no doubts, only sadness, but that was because she had already recalled the plot of the book, so she could not refute it.

But where is Wei Changzai?

How could he be so certain of something being predestined?

Could he also be a reincarnation?

Such things have happened too often, so Lin Feiran couldn't help but be suspicious. She looked at Wei Changzai, wanting to see how he would respond.

Wei Changzai looked at her without speaking immediately. He was clearly thinking, because once Zhang Chunhe was involved, he wouldn't be so reckless.

But it wasn't entirely for Zhang Chunhe's sake; if he were to reveal certain things, he feared Lin Feiran would be even more furious with him.

After a short while, he finally spoke: "It was my master who told me."

"He once consulted a fortune teller who said that Qiu Tong and I were destined to be together and would eventually become a couple, and that I would marry you, but nothing came of it."

"When I confessed my feelings to you, you knew it was hopeless, yet you still accepted..."

Lin Feiran exhaled slowly, not saying anything more, but his eyes darkened slightly.

She wasn't saddened by the relationship's abrupt end, but a chill ran down her spine—a horrifying realization that her fate had been manipulated by someone else.

The fact that Zhang Chunhe was reborn is beyond doubt.

Perhaps her struggles, escapes, and betrayals were nothing more than a small, insignificant move on a chessboard to him and to the esoteric sect.

Lin Feiran's gaze remained fixed on Wei Changzai's face. She thought, "Isn't he one of them too?"

Such a complex look rarely appeared in her eyes, and Wei Changzai rarely saw it either. After staring at her for a long time, he suddenly spoke: "It's different."

Lin Feiran asked, "What's different?"

"Slowly, even if you look at me like this, you are still different from Master and Qiu Tong."

"What's the meaning?"

"You might not believe it, but sometimes I can sense that when they stare at me like that, they're actually trying to find the shadow of another person in me."

They weren't looking at me.

Lin Feiran paused, immediately understanding what he was talking about, and couldn't help but be somewhat surprised by his keen insight.

Wei Changzai continued, "Only the me in your eyes is me, only the me you see is me. In your eyes, Wei Changzai has always been this kind of person."

Lin Feiran wanted to say something, but saw him purse his lips and smile gently; he rarely showed such a smile.

"There might be a reason for this that you know, but I haven't thought of."

He turned to look at the sky, his little world, where only a flawless moon hung in the sky, free of dark clouds and stars.

"But I'm so glad you're not like them. They can't see me, but you can't. If even Wei Changzai, whom you know, is someone else, then who am I?"

Lin Feiran is like an anchor point for him. From the time he can remember and when he fell in love, everything he does is related to her, and he is happy to have it this way.

Whether it was his master or Qiu Tong, they mistook him for someone else, and he would only understand: So that's why they treated me this way, it was because of someone else.

There may be other emotions in my heart, but I can keep them to myself.

But if Lin Feiran mistook him for someone else, he couldn't accept it.

Lin Feiran fell silent upon hearing this, then couldn't help but ask, "They treated you like someone else, aren't you angry?"

Unexpectedly, Wei Changzai did not answer immediately. He just stared at the bright moon in front of him for a long time, until the shadows of the flowers swayed and a wind inexplicably blew in this small world, before he spoke.

"My Master has shown me the kindness of giving me life and has nurtured and taught me for many years. Even if he treats me like a dog, it is only right. What is the essential difference between a human and a dog?"

Lin Feiran was at a loss for words.

He turned around, and a few strands of hair got tangled in the plum blossom hairpin and then blew into his eyes.

"Slowly, you can treat me like a dog, and I will always be willing. Compared to Master, I will definitely be more loyal to you, or rather, I am more willing."

Lin Feiran knew from a young age that Wei Changzai had never felt shame; even if he were stripped naked and thrown into the street, he could walk around calmly.

But she was still deeply moved when she heard these words.

She immediately changed the subject: "Then what about you and Qiu Tong?"

Wei Changzai said, "What does it have to do with her? She doesn't like me, and I don't like her."

"She's so close to you, didn't she tell you that she's actually a little afraid of me? It seems she doesn't consider you a friend at all. You shouldn't be so close to her."

I am your only friend.

At that moment, Lin Feiran suddenly understood. She looked at him strangely for a long time, then subconsciously moved half an inch away: "You don't mean to say that you've changed your mind now?"

Wei Changzai didn't quite understand, but after realizing what she meant by regret, he nodded.

"Do you like it here? Although I created the Boundless Land some time ago, this little house is something I've been decorating bit by bit over the years."

It was originally just an empty side hall, not very useful. Later, when you were throwing away your unwanted old things, I felt it was a pity, so I picked them up and put them here, filling it up little by little..."

As he accumulated more and more possessions, he became increasingly fond of visiting the side hall, and eventually decided to make it his master bedroom.

“I didn’t know that before, but I think if I like Qiu Tong, then this place wouldn’t contain your things.”

Lin Feiran looked down at the roof ridge, then frowned at him, and suddenly stood up and said, "You know, Ru Xian and I are already together."

"Um."

"...Don't pretend you didn't understand."

He knelt down in front of her, looked up at her, and said, "So what? You were with me before."

The implication is that she and Ru Xian will eventually part ways.

"Slowly, nothing in this world is permanent."

I will not turn back.

Wei Changzai looked at her quietly: "You used to say you didn't eat eggs, but after practicing swordsmanship you ate at least three a day, so I gave you all my eggs."

“…You!” Lin Feiran laughed in anger.

Lin Feiran, who hadn't been angry before, now showed a hint of rage. She said in a clear voice, "People aren't eggs. By acting like this, you're belittling me, belittling yourself, and belittling Qiu Tong!"

She bent down to pick up the shimmering water, shoved it back into his hand, and then, with a heavy heart, summoned the Golden Wave Sword, struggling to step onto it to reach the peach tree that was already covered in frost.

She didn't look back again, but simply sat down gently beside Ru Xian, meditating and letting the ice patterns spread to her arms and shoulders, without saying another word.

Wei Changzai remained silent, looking down at Lianyan in his arms, then at the two people opposite him. He stroked the sword, sat down cross-legged, and said nothing more, but his gaze never left Lin Feiran.

He thought, "I've messed up again."

...

Lin Feiran stepped onto the branch, and although she felt angry, she did not express it at this moment, but suppressed it in her heart.

She carefully approached Ru Xian, avoiding the seemingly fragile ice patterns, and placed her hand on his wrist pulse. Only after finding nothing amiss did she feel truly at ease and sit down.

She had barely settled down when the cold, misty ice patterns turned around and spread to her sleeves and arms. But there was no chill as she had imagined. It looked cold, but it actually exuded a cool and soft quality like jade.

Lin Feiran glanced at Ru Xian subconsciously. He did not change his position and remained leaning against the branch, sleeping soundly. However, he seemed to have relaxed his brows and his hair looked soft in the lingering wind.

She paused, then looked at the vein-like ice patterns, carefully picked up a few strands, and gently placed them on her forearm and knee.

Although I don't quite understand what it means, it seems to be looking for a heat source, so let's put all the heat on her.

She picked up quite a few more, and only after her dark robe was covered with white frost did she quietly breathe a sigh of relief. She was in good health and had a warm body, so it wouldn't hurt to warm him up.

After doing all this, Lin Feiran did not look at the person opposite him, but ignored the faint gaze. He closed his eyes, and a precious pearl quickly rose in his palm.

She began refining it.

She plans to refine at least half of it by noon tomorrow.

Just a few weeks after Xingling started, she felt a slight itch on her neck. She opened her eyes and looked down to see a thin icy pattern spreading from her collar to her side of her neck. As soon as it touched her, it seemed to spread faster.

Lin Feiran: "..."

Author's Note: Lin Feiran: What else can I do? It's definitely hotter near the blood vessels. Let's warm him up (X)

P.S.: Damn this darn job! It's preventing me from writing the plot points. I'll sneak in a break tomorrow but still write until I get there! [Angry]