Chapter 53: Rebirth (End) If one day, I can still wait until I am old and gray...

After an unknown amount of time, someone leaned over to Lian Qiang and patiently wiped away the tears from her face. Lian Qiang's tears only grew more intense. Chi Xingji squatted down, tilting his head slightly upwards to look at her. "Stop crying."

Seeing that his attempts to comfort her were useless, he sighed and said with a hint of helplessness, "If you keep crying like this, I'm in a difficult situation."

Seeing him like this, Lian Qiang smiled and finally wiped away her tears.

Fu Yiran spoke first, "Ordinary demons leave behind demon elixirs and other items after death, hoping to revive or protect their tribe. Luo Wu left behind this peach branch, so there may be room for maneuver."

"Yes," Jiang Ruzhen agreed. "If we plant it in the soil, it might give it new life next year."

The four of them hit it off immediately, chose a suitable place, and carefully planted the peach branches.

Gazing at the peach branches trembling in the wind, Lian Qiang felt something: "Perhaps our existence in the universe is just like a blade of grass or a tree."

"But there will always be someone who will remember, whether they are fellow plant and tree people or others," Chi Xingji stood beside her, "Let's go."

After several people left here, Lian Qiang finally looked back, but saw a scene that surprised her.

——The countless plants and trees surrounding the peach branch poured their remaining vitality into it, causing the peach branch to grow taller in an instant.

Lian Qiang's eyes were filled with tears again. Chi Xingji was right, there would always be... someone who would remember.

The next moment she blinked, Lian Qiang suddenly spotted a lush green meadow. A group of girls in peach-colored dresses flitted and played among them, their laughter like silver bells carried on the wind. One of the girls, seemingly catching sight of Lian Qiang, glanced at her from afar, her lips curling into a smile.

Lian Qiang was stunned, her eyelashes drooping. When she opened them again, everything had vanished into thin air, as if it had never appeared. But she saw clearly that it was Luo Wu, there was no mistaking her. It was Luo Wu, and that scene just now was the past?

How could she have seen their past for no reason? While Lian Qiang was stunned, Chi Xingji saw that she was reluctant to follow him and came back, so he asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

"...Nothing." Lian Qiang shook her head, as if nothing had really happened.

The meeting with Jiang Ruzhen was a coincidence. Now that the matter was resolved, it was naturally time to part ways.

Before leaving, Jiang Ruzhen couldn't help but ask again: "Miss Lian, are you really not coming to watch the ceremony?"

Although she and Lian Qiang had only met twice, she somehow felt that they hit it off from the first sight, as if they had some special fate.

"No," Lian Qiang declined with a smile, "I still have things to do, and I might not be able to make it back in time. It's better not to say I can't do it."

As she spoke, something appeared in her hand. It was two red bracelets. Each bracelet was plump and of the same size, looking very cute.

"This is made of polished hundred-year-old acacia wood. I was lucky enough to get it before, but it has been gathering dust for a long time. I just remembered it now, and it is suitable as a wedding gift for you two, for good luck."

Lian Qiang fabricated a story about its origins, revealing that the acacia wood bracelet actually belonged to Jiang Lang's private collection. She'd immediately fallen in love with it, and after much persuasion, Jiang Lang finally agreed to give it to her. He'd even asked her what she was doing and whether she had a new lover, but Lian Qiang, who had always been articulate, fell silent.

Yes, bracelets are bought in pairs. She is all alone, so what’s the point of asking for one?

Lian Qiang was about to answer with a melancholy look, but when he saw the teasing smile in Jiang Lang's eyes, he realized that Jiang Lang was deliberately trying to be annoying and blackmail him.

After that, she asked Jiang Lang for something again, but it was never as difficult as asking for this bracelet.

She didn't know why Jiang Lang cherished these bracelets so much, but now that she was giving them to Jiang Ruzhen, Lian Qiang felt that it was a good use of them. Even if she had misunderstood, she was willing to give them such good wishes.

"Thank you." Jiang Ruzhen didn't refuse and took it. He was also happy to see it and smiled lightly at Lian Qiang: "I like it very much. Thank you, Miss Lian."

"That's good that you like me. We will meet again if we are lucky." Lian Qiang also smiled.

She thought that was the end of it, but Jiang Ruzhen gently stepped forward and hugged her, tilting his head and whispering, "The world is difficult. I hope you can... always live according to your heart."

With this hug and this blessing, no more small talk was necessary. Lian Qiang watched the two of them slowly descend the mountain, bathed in the morning light. The mountain's vibrant beauty and the tourists that had filled it when they arrived were gone. Fortunately, she had someone to keep her company, so she didn't feel too lonely.

Lian Qiang was about to greet Chi Xingji, but saw that his face was uncertain. Just as she was about to ask, Chi Xingji spoke first: "You just said that you got this by luck?"

She was stunned for a moment, and it took her a long time to remember that this sentence had come from her own mouth. Then she understood his intention in bringing up this old matter again, and she said frankly, "Yes, it was given to me by a friend."

"Since it was given to you by a friend, why do you say it was a fluke?" Chi Xingji looked sideways at her, with confusion and a little unhappiness in his eyes.

It was rare to see him react like this. Lian Qiang was amused, but she tried not to show it on her face. She pretended not to understand his hidden meaning and smiled, "I begged my friend for a long time, and he finally agreed to give up this pair. Why can't I consider it a fluke?"

...I gave you a pair, not a whole string.

After hearing her explanation, Chi Xingji's expression softened slightly, realizing his own misstep. He clearly had no position, yet he repeatedly... He calmly glanced at Lian Qiang's face, and seeing that she was acting normal, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Lian Qiang pretended to be indifferent, but in fact, she had seen Chi Xingji's expression change completely. Seeing that he tensed up again in an instant, she said generously, "If you have anything to ask, you might as well ask it together." "...Why did you want these bracelets then?"

Unexpectedly, Chi Xingji would ask this. Lian Qiang turned and walked away. She walked slowly, not seeming angry. Chi Xingji followed her. After a while, Lian Qiang finally opened her mouth and said, "I forgot."

Of course, this statement was false. How could she not understand the meaning of the acacia tree? But at that time, she only felt that this life was long and boring. She asked Jiang Lang to come, firstly because she liked him, and secondly because...

There are always some unrealistic thoughts left. If one day, I can still wait for the person who will be with me for the rest of my life; if one day, someone can still come back to my side.

I just didn’t expect that the nonsense I talked about at that time would actually come true at this time. It’s a pity that my original intention is no longer the same.

After that, the two of them set off towards Wutong Mountain. The closer they got to their destination, the more people they met.

Whether it was the demon clan, human monks, or the demon clan, Lian Qiang did not feel that she was special among them, and unexpectedly gained a sense of security.

Seeing that Lian Qiang had changed from being depressed at first to smiling all the time, Chi Xingji felt relieved. He even felt that even if he returned empty-handed this time, the trip would still be worthwhile.

Only when she reached the foot of Wutong Mountain did Lian Qiang finally understand the true meaning of "there are always people better than you, and there are always higher grounds." She had originally thought that Wutong Mountain was a mountaintop specifically chosen by the Phoenix Clan for their home, but she had never imagined that Wutong Mountain was actually floating in the air, not connected to the ground.

Such a huge mountain floating in the air, casting a huge shadow on the ground, is enough to scare people away.

Except for those with advanced cultivation who can fly directly to the top of the mountain, the only thing connected to the land on Wutong Mountain is a row of stone steps in the air from high to low.

The stone steps were also extremely dangerous. There were no handrails on either side, and they were narrow and short, only accommodating one person at a time. The steps were suspended in the air, so if you weren't careful, you'd fall directly to the ground.

"Do you want me to take you upstairs?" Chi Xingji took the initiative to ask, but Lian Qiang waved her hand to reject it.

"That would be quite eye-catching." Countless powerful people came to this event, and only a few of them tried to fly directly, which attracted a lot of people's attention.

If they were among them, their identities and origins would inevitably be speculated. If her identity as a demon cultivator was discovered, it would be a small matter. But if they discovered that Chi Xingji was traveling with her... After a hundred years, Lian Qiang seemed to have returned to the past, determined to keep her relationship with Chi Xingji a secret from everyone.

Even though he is no longer the naive boy he used to be and may not tolerate others' random comments, Lian Qiang does not want to take the risk.

Although he didn't know what Lian Qiang was thinking, Chi Xingji still respected her thoughts. The two of them lined up at the foot of the stone steps.

Although the line was long, it moved quickly. The guards who checked our identities only took a few glances and quickly let us pass. Lian Qiang was puzzled at first, but then she was relieved.

Is there anyone who dares to cause trouble here? Even if someone has such courage, how can the great demon Phoenix clan easily tolerate it?

Chi Xingji was naturally walking in front, turning back from time to time to check on her situation. His strides were not too fast or too large, leaving Lian Qiang with enough energy to look around.

She would look at the people flying up, wondering about their level of cultivation; she would scan the surrounding scenery, wondering if the mountain could move according to her thoughts and reach different beautiful scenery... She enjoyed thinking about it, but the journey was monotonous and she soon got bored.

Lian Qiang wanted to put aside these wild thoughts, but when she looked up at the towering mountain peaks and the endless stone steps, and then looked at the height under her feet, she suddenly felt that it would be better to think about it.

Chi Xingji turned around to look at her at that moment and silently waved his right hand behind him. Lian Qiang didn't understand what he meant, but he said simply, "Hold it."

Lian Qiang wanted to refuse, but Chi Xingji refused: "If something unexpected really happens, I can come back to protect you in time. Otherwise, you won't know in time. If you don't want to, you can hold my sleeve. I can also sense it in time."

Because of this, the two of them could not help but stop on the long steps. The people in front were not in trouble, but the people behind were suffering. They all looked up to see who had acted carelessly and was blocked in front.

Chi Xingji didn't rush her, but Lian Qiang couldn't stand so many scorching gazes, so she made up her mind and put her hand on him. Chi Xingji took it without thinking, but it was empty - Lian Qiang firmly grasped a piece of his sleeve, not his hand.

Lian Qiang shook twice to make sure she had a firm grip on his sleeve before she raised her head slightly and said seriously, "Okay, let's go."

Chi Xingji wanted to say something, but he was the one who said it first. Even though he was reluctant, he had to swallow it and walked up without complaint.

Lian Qiang, who was at the back, was being led by someone, which made it much easier. She stared at the wrinkles on her wide cuffs, covering her mouth with her free hand and laughing secretly.

Let her play a trick on him for once.

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The author has something to say: Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated nutrient solution between 2023-05-24 22:59:33 and 2023-05-28 17:48:10~

Thanks to the little angel who irrigated the nutrient solution: 5 bottles of edamame;

Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!