Chapter 306 Night crows cry, clouds fly by, flowers bloom, time flows on...

With a deafening roar, a blade of light ripped through the sky, layer upon layer of clouds piled up, and lightning burst forth from the crack in the heavens, covering a thousand miles in an instant, bringing a moment of light to both realms.

A damp, cold wind began to blow through the city, carrying a long-lost dampness in the air—a sign that a storm was approaching.

Since the eternal night, there has never been such a vast expanse of dampness.

Ru Xian lifted her eyes to look, and said softly, "It's going to rain."

Lin Feiran stopped and looked up. Lightning patterns were still flashing in the sky from time to time. A moment later, he heard a deafening roar. Lightning struck down from above, revealing the outline of the clouds, which were dark with white and heavy.

This is a sign of impending rain, but it's not entirely the same.

The lightning strikes were unusually frequent, occurring in bursts, with winding and twisting patterns that, combined with the swirling clouds, made them appear as if they were struggling.

Her gaze remained unchanged, but she said, "No, it won't rain these next few days."

Ru Xian turned to look at her: "So sure?"

Lin Feiran nodded, her gaze shifting downwards. There was no golden light flashing in her eyes; she simply looked at the roadside with her own eyes.

"The ants in the snow are not moving, and the night birds are not flying low, so the rain will not fall."

That means it's not time for you to worry yet.

Ru Shan raised an eyebrow, instinctively reaching out to touch the back of her neck, then looked at the relatively peaceful city before her. There were cultivators stationed on the city walls, and occasionally faint light flowed across the ground—the patterns of a spirit-gathering array.

"Let's go, Xun Feifei is still waiting for us."

Lin Feiran then withdrew his gaze, suppressed his thoughts, and followed Ru Xian into Tailing City, the capital of Dongyu Prefecture.

This is the location of the Taiji Immortal Sect's headquarters. In addition to its disciples, there are also cultivators from the Star Domain stationed on the city walls.

Now that the Spirit Gathering Array exists, demonic beasts can no longer easily enter the city, but people are still needed to guard the area to prevent the esoteric sect from secretly destroying the array.

As the two crossed the city bridge, they saw several guards in light armor standing at the city gate. However, they were without helmets or hats, their armor was worn out, and their long swords were not as shiny as before. They looked more like stray soldiers.

Ru Xian joked, "Thanks to your wise emperor, Taiwu Kingdom is now on the verge of collapse with no successor. It is all thanks to that national advisor that it is holding on. If the demon realm were to launch a counterattack now, it would probably be able to capture several cities in one fell swoop."

He said this to see Lin Feiran's reaction. She would definitely not want a war between humans and demons, and might even give him a troubled look, telling him to be careful what he said.

Lin Feiran did glance at him, but she didn't make things difficult for him. Instead, she pursed her lips, as if she was suppressing a laugh.

She nodded: "Go ahead and launch a counterattack."

Ru Xian found it amusing: "Not going to be a little hero anymore?"

Lin Feiran raised her eyebrows in imitation of him, smiled indifferently, and then walked around him, getting very close.

"War between two realms is no easy task. When the time comes, seven or eight people will surround you, frantically shouting, 'Lord, something bad has happened! Lord, don't sleep! Lord, what should we do? Lord, you smell so sweet!' You'll be driven crazy with annoyance. Before you even send out your troops, you'll probably have already taken care of them."

This was a rare moment of amusement, and Ru Xian was taken aback, but couldn't help but laugh: "I'll send you then. You're talking to me about these things, do you think I'd get angry?"

Lin Feiran thought for a moment and replied, "If you send me, we won't be able to launch a counterattack. I'll hold back."

Ru Xian stepped forward, stepping out of her circle, and asked, "Which side are you going to water for?"

"I'll put some on both sides, muddy the waters, so you can't fight!" Lin Feiran followed, glanced at him, and smiled with her eyes crinkling. "However, considering our friendship, I'll put in a little more for you."

Ru Xian chuckled softly, glancing at her sideways with her shimmering blue eyes: "The friendship between us is something others would kill for, yet you only offered a tiny bit?"

Lin Feiran nodded seriously: "Then put in two."

As Ru Xian looked into her raised eyes, her heart was already filled with tenderness and affection, but she said nothing. She simply pursed her lips, lifted her long legs, and quickly took a few steps so that she wouldn't see her smiling expression.

Lin Feiran paused slightly, then immediately followed: "Ru Xian, I was just joking. Four, five, six, seven, or eight points are not out of the question!"

Before anyone could catch up, Ru Xian chuckled upon hearing this, and Lin Feiran realized that she had been "tricked" again.

...But it seems quite interesting. There's no anger at being tricked, only an indescribable feeling.

They finally approached each other when they reached the city gate; one had a smile on his face, while the other seemed a little dizzy.

The purpose of entering the city was to investigate, but Lin Feiran's face was too famous. Although he was not as handsome as the people beside him, he easily attracted the attention of the others.

Her face was already her pass. The guard stared at her for a moment before coming to his senses, his gaze still somewhat complicated: "It's you... If it's you, there's no need to investigate. Go in."

Such a gaze was not purely benevolent, but Lin Feiran faced it calmly. She then wrote down her and Ru Xian's names in the entry book before entering the city with him.

Although Tailing City is not as gloomy and desolate as other prefectures, with medical tents everywhere, it has long lost its former prosperity and tranquility.

The inns and restaurants on both sides of the street have all been converted into shelters for patients with cold-related illnesses. Disciples of the Taiji Immortal Sect can be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys and in the air. The air is filled with a strong smell of medicine, but there is still a glimmer of hope for life.

"Where does Xun Feifei live?" Lin Feiran turned and asked.

Ru Xian took out a letter, unfolded it, and saw a small map drawn on it. The map was clearly marked. After the two locked onto the location, they were about to walk forward.

After taking only a few steps, they paused briefly, and Lin Feiran turned around to look behind him.

Ru Xian folded the letter back: "Just follow along. The current situation is special, and having one more person won't be a bad thing."

Lin Feiran's eyes flickered slightly, then she looked away and walked away with him.

In order to find Bi Sheng and the others, the two were originally heading north, relying on the faint senses between their Heavenly Eyes. However, on the way, Ru Xian received a secret letter from Xun Feifei, mentioning that Ru Niang was seriously ill and asking him to come to Tailing City to treat her. That's why the two came here.

Previously, when the monsters caused chaos, people from all over rushed to the prefectures that had the power to protect them. Xun Feifei also led the people of Jinling Ferry to Tailing City, which was more stable and conducive to recuperation.

Xun Feifei had a branch of Fusang wood given to her by Lin Feiran, so Ru Niang's illness had been under control. However, not long ago, for some unknown reason, the condition of many patients with cold-related illnesses suddenly worsened overnight, and Ru Niang was not spared either.

The two walked to the courtyard they had drawn, but before they could do anything, the door creaked open.

Xun Feifei stood quietly behind the door, his long hair still tied into a high ponytail. He was dressed in a close-fitting outfit and looked no different from usual. However, the torn cuffs, the stray hairs on his forehead and the back of his neck, and his even paler lips all indicated his depressed state at this moment.

The most obvious change was his gaze, which had become serene.

"You've arrived." These were his first words.

Xun Feifei stepped aside to make way. His face no longer showed the urgency of the letter, nor did he immediately ask Ru Xian to come forward for treatment. He only revealed an indescribable calmness, as if he had already accepted everything, but his voice was rough and hoarse.

"Come in."

The lightning in the sky continued, but it was silent. A flash of white light illuminated the courtyard in front of us for a moment, then suddenly disappeared.

Ru Niang sat on a reclining chair in the courtyard, draped in blue gauze, her blind eyes gazing at the sky. Her stiff fingers tapped along the armrest as she sang a folk song from Jinling Ferry.

She was originally a dancer there, but after adopting Xun Feifei, she was implicated and suffered the punishment of having her mouth ripped open, so she was never able to perform on stage again.

The three looked into the courtyard and fell silent for a moment. At this moment, the red umbrella on Lin Feiran's back emitted a spiritual light, and Jin Lan transformed into her. She took the first step and walked forward.

The closer they got, the more refined her figure became, and a distinct sound of footsteps could even be heard in the courtyard.

Ru Niang paused, rose from the recliner, and looked in this direction with her slightly grayish eyes, but without focus: "Feifei, is it them?"

Her hand had already been raised when it touched something cool and soft. Upon closer inspection, it was a human hand.

Is it Fei Ran?

The three of them had already walked up to her. Lin Feiran did not speak, but Jin Lan spoke up. This time, she did not hide her voice, revealing her natural voice that was a headache to hear. It was slightly hoarse, but clear.

"Jiang Ru, it's me."

Ru Niang paused, her smile freezing on her lips, but quickly returned with a burst of joy. She raised her other hand in mid-air, and Xun Feifei immediately stepped forward to help her, but she waved him away with a smile.

"What are you doing? I'm blind, but I'm not lame. I can still stand up."

The moment she stood up, everything about her came into view. Only then did Lin Feiran realize that Ru Niang was not wearing a gauze dress, but rather that her royal blue outer robe was covered with white frost, making it appear from a distance as if it were covered with a light gauze.

Her outstretched hand was covered in scars, wounds that had healed after being exposed to ice spikes.

Nevertheless, she remained cheerful and unconcerned, showing no signs of illness or old age. Instead, she appeared radiant and full of life, with glimpses of her youthful, smiling self.

She held Jinlan's hand tightly, and although she couldn't see, she still skillfully slapped her on the head and scolded her with a laugh.

"I knew that evil deeds will last for a thousand years. It could never be you who gets into trouble. I don't believe a single word about your death."

"Where have you been all these years? Your daughter has come all the way to me looking for you!"

Her smile was brighter than almost anyone else's.

Jin Lan was silent for a moment, then chuckled softly: "If I had to say, Sister Ru understands me best. I made a huge mess before and was hunted down everywhere, so I had no choice but to hide, and I've been hiding for ten years."

"I knew it right away."

Ru Niang snorted, her raised hand stiff but not hindering her movements: "I've said it so many times, you're a cultivator, at least a hundred years older than me, so you're not allowed to call me sister."

Despite saying that, she held Jinlan's hand tightly: "But why are your hands so cold, like they have no bones?"

Jin Lan looked at her hands, which were shimmering and almost transparent, and her gaze flickered slightly. She said in her usual tone, "This is what you call hands as soft as tender shoots. What do you mortals know?"

Ru Niang scoffed, "What, are you going to say you'll take me to cultivate Tao again? You used that to deceive me before, and now you're using the same thing to deceive your husband. You're really good at using the same trick. Luckily, your daughter isn't as cunning as you. Even a bad bamboo can produce a good shoot."

She tilted her head slightly, a certain part of her face asking, "Feiran, did you bring your mother back?"

Lin Feiran looked over and immediately saw the bluish-gray tinge spreading across Ru Niang's face. Her heart sank even further. She said, "No, it was her who came to find me."

Jin Lan's eyes flickered slightly as she turned to look.

Ru Niang smiled, not too surprised: "Although your mother is infuriating, she is very protective of her own. Perhaps she secretly went back to see you many times in the past ten years, and couldn't stand it anymore, so she showed up."

At this moment, no one mentioned the cold illness, and no one spoke of death. It was as if old friends who had not seen each other for many years had reunited, and the atmosphere was very light and warm.

She turned to Lin Feiran and smiled, "I asked Feifei to call you here. Now, old friends have either left or scattered, and you are the only ones I still care about. But today there was an unexpected surprise: I met your mother. This time, the call was worthwhile."

She patted Jinlan's hand and skillfully pulled out her white cane: "Old friends reunite. I invited you here today for this moment. There's no need to say anything else. Let's eat my noodles one more time."

Thankfully, we still made it this time.

With the help of Jinlan, she walked to the kitchen, leaning on her bamboo cane. She lifted the lid of the pot where she was proofing dough. Her body was so weak that she could barely walk. She was already out of breath after just a few steps.

However, the breath she exhaled was not hot air, but a light, cold white mist. She rested by the stove for a while before starting to cook.

“I taught you how to make noodles. You just watched and pointed out any mistakes I made.”

Jinlan responded, suppressing the bitterness in her heart, and began to talk to Ru Niang in a low voice.

Lin Feiran and the other two were still in the courtyard. Xun Feifei withdrew her gaze, but instead of sitting down, she crossed her arms and leaned against the stone table. The face mask hung loosely at her waist and was covered with dust.

Under the night lights, the tiny scars on his cheeks became noticeable, casting two long, narrow shadows.

Lin Feiran said, "Ru Niang's health seems to be alright, it's not beyond repair."

Xun Feifei looked up at her, but only shook her head silently, then withdrew her gaze from the kitchen: "Life is about to end, there are only a few days left."

If coldness were an illness, there would be ways to cure it, but it is not.

Xun Feifei tapped the silver mask at her waist and said in a hoarse voice, "The Lord has already told me about the cold illness. It's because the Qi has been cut off... There's nothing that can make up for it. When I sent the message earlier, I was just holding onto a sliver of unrealistic hope."

My mother had a relapse yesterday, and I used a lot of hibiscus wood to calm her down. When I bathed her last night, I noticed her body had become mottled with bluish-gray stains.

At that time, he knew that everything was beyond saving.

In the stillness of the night, he finally showed signs of exhaustion. With a slight exertion of his fingertips, half of the silver surface was crushed, but he no longer had the strength to even glance at it.

Lin Feiran remained silent, her heart filled with bitterness. She turned to look at the kitchen, where two wandering souls stood: Ru Niang and her mother.

Ru Xian looked at him, her eyelashes slightly lowered. He still remembered the time when he first met Xun Feifei.

At that time, he had just ascended the throne and was troubled by the affairs of the city, so he went to a certain green mountain to search for spiritual herbs. It was at this time that Xun Feifei appeared.

His long hair was disheveled, his face was pale, he was sweating profusely, and he looked travel-worn, as if he had been searching for a long time before finally finding this place. His gaze was fixed on Ru Xian, his eyes filled with panic, but his face was forced to remain calm.

His breathing was erratic, his chest heaving violently. He slowly walked forward, as if afraid of bumping into the person in front of him. When he was five steps away, he slowly knelt down, his voice still not calm.

"Please, Your Majesty, grant me medicine to save my mother's life."

His reputation preceded him, and countless people sought his medicine. The servants scrutinized him, asking neither his origins nor his reasons, but simply asking, "How did you find this place?"

"...Reporting to Your Majesty, I am a member of the Spirit Crow clan, and I am naturally familiar with the birds in the mountains. It was they who told me this."

As he glanced around, the surrounding sparrows immediately took flight as if nothing had happened. He sneered and withdrew his gaze: "The Spirit Crow Clan, no wonder you arrived so quickly. I've only been here for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and you've already caught up with me."

As a fellow member of the Feathered Clan, Ru Xian was somewhat curious: "I heard that the Spirit Raven Clan was wiped out and subjected to the punishment of having their mouths cut off. Where did you survive? In the human realm?"

Xun Feifei nodded.

Ru Xian retrieved the spirit herb, then looked down and asked, "What's your name?"

“…Xun Feifei.”

"You have a surname?" Ru Xian raised an eyebrow. "Did you recognize parents in the human world?"

Xun Feifei kowtowed again, but there was no trace of guilt in his words. He readily agreed, "Yes."

According to the information he received, getting Ru Xian to help was an extremely difficult task. At this moment, he could only be very honest so that Ru Xian would not feel bored during the conversation. If he was willing to talk, it meant that there was a chance.

Instead of coldly driving him away as he expected, Ru Xian stepped forward after he said those words, speaking very directly without beating around the bush.

"Fortunately, you had the opportunity to reveal your identity. I have some connection with the Spirit Crow Clan, and you can be considered their only descendant. I can't possibly refuse to help you, but you have to tell me the whole story first."

How did you get to the human world?

Upon hearing this, Xun Feifei dared not hide anything any longer and sincerely recounted the whole story.

"My clan suffered a terrible calamity, and my elders risked their lives to break through the boundary gate and send me to the human realm. Fortunately, the guardians of the boundary did not make things difficult for me and even helped me by stopping the pursuers, which allowed me to escape..."

At that time, I was still in the Feather Emergence stage, with almost no spiritual power. I wandered in the human realm and was later pursued by soldiers. During my escape, I was saved by a woman, which is how I survived until now.

To repay her for saving my life, I recognized her as my godmother, and she gave me this name.

The name of the demon race must no longer be uttered due to the cutting of the mouth.

Ru Xian nodded: "What illness does she have?"

Xun Feifei immediately said, "My adoptive mother was implicated by me, and the torture of cutting her mouth has relapsed. She has a high fever that won't go down and is bleeding non-stop. We have consulted many skilled doctors, but none of them can do anything about it. I think that only someone as accomplished in medicine as Your Excellency can save her. I beg Your Excellency to save her. From now on, her life is yours. You can take it as you please!"

Upon hearing this, Ru Xian glanced at him a few more times and said in a cold voice, "Life is the most precious thing to oneself, there is no need to treat it so lightly, and besides, your lives are of no use to you anyway."

This illness isn't too serious. I was just looking for someone to do this job, so why don't you come and handle the odd jobs for me?

His tone was not one of discussion, but of command. After speaking, he turned and left, then paused, looked back at the kneeling figure behind him, raised his eyebrows and said in a low voice.

"Weren't you in a hurry to save people? Now you're not?"

After that, Ru Niang, who was on the verge of death, was rescued by Ru Xian, and Xun Feifei also went to the Demon Capital as promised, becoming the first envoy.

When recounting the past, Ru Xian's tone remained calm, which made Xun Feifei smile slightly, finding it amusing.

“When I went to the city of Yao as an envoy, my adoptive mother was actually the happiest person at the time.”

Lin Feiran asked, "Why?"

Xun Feifei smiled slightly: "Because I've finally found a suitable job."

Lin Feiran: "...She does look a lot like her."

"I am a demon, and my lifespan is long. She always wanted me to return to the demon realm so that I wouldn't have to suffer the pain of separation and death that mortals experience."

I finally found a job, even in the Demon Capital. Although she didn't know it was as an envoy, she thought it was a good job. When her lifespan ended, I would have somewhere to go, so she was naturally happy.

When talking about the past, Xun Feifei's expression improved considerably, her eyebrows and eyes curved slightly, and she regained some vitality.

The three of them had already sat down at the table, and the sound of bowls and chopsticks clinking could be heard from the kitchen behind them.

Lin Feiran suddenly remembered something: "Why is Ru Niang's surname Jiang, while yours is Xun?"

“Because he doesn’t have to take my surname.” Ru Niang’s voice came from behind.

Lin Feiran turned her head and saw that Ru Niang had already walked into the courtyard, while her mother was using her spiritual power to hold a plate with several bowls of steaming noodles on it.

Ru Niang pushed away Xun Feifei's hand that was helping her, groped her way to the table and sat down. Although her eyes were covered with a layer of gray, the smile in her eyes could still be seen.

"My surname is not good, so I looked up a book and found a lucky surname for him. However, I chose his given name myself, and it is my favorite poem."

'Clouds drift by, flowers bloom, let time slip by in leisure.'*

A boy couldn't very well be called Duoduo, so he was named Feifei.

This was the first time Xun Feifei had heard the origin of his name, and she was taken aback.

Ru Niang smiled, and even though she couldn't see, she accurately located Xun Feifei's position. She 'looked' over and said meaningfully.

“I named you Feifei not because I hoped you would achieve great success or have lofty ambitions like a man, but because I hoped you would live a leisurely and happy life like this poem.”

"No matter what happens, no matter how we part, we can continue to appreciate the drifting clouds and blooming flowers, and remain carefree in our hearts."

Author's note: Feifei comes from this poem.

Stepping on the Grass - A Life of Fleeting Moments

Song Dynasty, Zhang Lun

Life is fleeting, bound by fame and fortune; by saving oneself, all things can be accomplished.

When searching for flowers, I stroll along the green stream; when watching the clouds, I sit alone leaning against a green pine.

Clouds drift by, flowers bloom, and time slips away in leisure.

Who else in this world is so carefree and detached, except perhaps for the bright moon and the gentle breeze?

P.S.: Every character with a significant role in this story had their name carefully considered by the author, including Consort Wei, whose name was asked by every reader at the beginning of the chapter. Although it's a bit strange, it actually suits him very well. It's just that the author doesn't watch many Qing Dynasty dramas and only realized it when readers made the connection [sigh]. But because it has a Taoist flavor and is so fitting for the ever-present feeling of a male ghost, I still prefer this name (although his real name is Wei Jun).

(Actually, when I was drafting the manuscript, I thought everyone would find the name Ru Xian strange x)

P.S.: Hehehe, that's how ensemble pieces are these days, time to cut! [melted][melted]