Chapter 13. Kissing him, his wanderings to the ends of the earth finally came to an end. ...

The sky was already turning a pale white when Sang Wan and Li Fu dragged their heavy steps as they climbed off the small boat.

After a night of hard work, Master Sang and Master Li finally retrieved all the river lanterns from the river. At this moment, their clothes were disheveled, their cuffs and hems were soaked, and they were covered with mud and sand. Their thin outer garments clung to their bodies, bringing a chill, and their bodies felt as if all their strength had been drained.

Neither of them wanted to see river lanterns again in their lives.

Li Fu's muscles ached, his joints were stiff, and his eyelids were so heavy he could barely open them. He mumbled, "Sang Sang, let's go back quickly, we really can't go on like this."

Sang Wan was also exhausted, her shoulders drooping. She had cheated a little with her magic, but her spiritual energy was depleted after a night of physical labor. Her face was pale, and she couldn't answer. She just nodded casually.

Sang Wan and Li Fu walked slowly back along the river, one after the other. They hadn't gone two steps when a strange wind suddenly arose.

The wind came strangely, and it cleared Li Fu's muddled mind a little. Then, he opened his eyes wide involuntarily!

Suddenly, a pair of pitch-black ghostly hands reached out from the river and pulled Sang Wan to the bottom.

With a loud "thud," before Sang Wan could even scream, the ghost dragged her away!

Li Fu was so frightened that he shuddered, and in an instant, large beads of cold sweat poured down his face.

The river surface was instantly stained black, so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. It felt as if countless eerie ghosts would rush up from the bottom of the water and devour you if you looked at them.

The stories of fairies and ghosts that Sang Wan had told him echoed in his mind. Could this be a water ghost?

His teeth chattered, and he called out in a trembling voice, "Sang... Sang Sang!"

As Li Fu cried out, he struggled against his inner fear and stumbled to the riverbank to look for her. His fear of the unknown ghosts made his legs weak and he could barely stand.

Li Fu stared at the river in horror, trying to pull Sang Wan ashore with his long pole, but he couldn't see her at all; only eerie waves kept surging up. Tears welled up in his eyes a beat later, and he called out to her from the riverbank like a child.

What should we do? He can't swim.

He was terrified, but he was even more afraid that the little girl would be entangled to death by the water ghost.

His hands and feet were ice cold, and he realized he couldn't just sit and wait to die; he had to find someone to save her!

If an ordinary person went down there, they would probably become a scapegoat for the water ghosts. His mind went blank, and in his confusion, he remembered that Sang Wan had told him that it was Zhui Ming who saved her in the ghost forest.

Yes! Third Master, Third Master Cui definitely has a way.

As if he had found a lifeline, he practically scrambled to Magistrate Li's residence to find Zhui Ming.

...

Zhuiming drank all night, but the wine could not relieve his sorrow; his loneliness and grief were all contained in the wine.

Those words, once spoken, shattered his heart into a million pieces.

But this is the best for her.

Those smiling eyes flashed in his mind. Zhuiming hugged the jar and gulped it down, spilling the wine all over the ground.

This is not how wine is supposed to be drunk, but he couldn't spare the energy to appreciate this fine wine.

A series of hurried footsteps approached from afar. Xiao Yao ran breathlessly to the door of Zhui Ming's room. Before she could knock, the door opened directly from the inside.

Zhuiming was described as disheveled and haggard, with dark circles under his eyes, a strong smell of alcohol, and a pale complexion. He was nothing like the dashing and carefree man he used to be; he was just a heartbroken man.

Xiao Yao was startled by his disheveled appearance, but she also knew the matter was urgent. "Young Master Li stumbled here saying he came to find you, as if he had been frightened."

Zhuiming frowned; that kid had come looking for him.

But suddenly, as if he had a premonition, his face turned pale, and he abruptly thought of Sang Wan turning away with tears in her eyes.

He turned around abruptly and staggered towards the outer courtyard, wanting to find the little girl who should have been there.

He quickened his pace and finally bumped into a young boy at the courtyard gate.

Li Fu looked as if he had rolled in the mud, completely lost in thought.

Until he looked up and saw Zhui Ming, a sudden realization dawned on him—it was Master Cui.

A glimmer of light finally appeared in his eyes, and he scrambled towards him like a drowning man grasping at a straw, his voice hoarse with barely suppressed sobs: "Help! Help Sangsang..."

He cried uncontrollably, his words broken in panic, and he didn't know what to do; he just felt utterly helpless.

Zhui Ming's pupils dilated suddenly, and he swiftly lifted Li Fu up in front of him with both hands.

He was breathing heavily, almost tearing his clothes to shreds. "Where is she? Tell me!"

His eyes were bloodshot, and Li Fu's two sentences made him tremble all over.

"She's been dragged down by the water ghost of the Shuangxi River, please save her... please save her!" he said tremulously, hot tears streaming down his face the whole way.

Zhui Ming felt as if he had been struck by lightning; the taut string snapped completely.

Sang Wan and Li Fu went to Shuangxi River late at night, but Li Fu just left her there alone.

Zhui Ming, who never complained about others, now had bloodshot eyes and ruthlessly threw Li Fu aside.

His heart was pounding wildly in his chest, and the thin air made it almost impossible for him to breathe. He was only glad that he had learned leg techniques, and even with his lightness skill at its peak, he still felt that he was not fast enough.

He left the howling wind behind him, never realizing how far the road was, as if it would never end. All he could hear was the chaotic pounding of his heart and his rapid breathing.

After an unknown amount of time, amidst the chaos and panic, he finally heard the bell at his waist ring out suddenly, its clear and melodious tinkling sound resonating.

He began to tremble, and guided by the incessant ringing of the bell, he saw the pitch-black lake surface and the surging water.

As he drew closer, the ringing of the bell was intensifying, screaming and urging him to leave!

That was the sound of an alarm bell.

But Zhui Ming didn't hesitate for a moment and jumped into the treacherous river. If there really was a water ghost, let him die in her place!

He plunged into the water, the icy lake water washing over his entire body; the water was so cold it sent chills down his spine.

He was surrounded by black water from all sides, his ears were filled with the sound of water, and he could smell a strong fishy odor. His body's functions seemed to be forcibly suppressed, and his wounds, which had not yet fully healed, began to ache sharply. His instinctive reaction drove him crazy, making him want to escape.

But Zhuiming sank deeper and deeper, further and further away, hoping to find something, even a water ghost, to ease his anxious heart.

Time stretched on endlessly, like a gaunt shadow trying to devour him. Amidst the swirling shadows before his eyes, he finally saw a glimmer of light.

In a small, deep pool of water, lay the girl with a cinnabar mole between her brows. Her hair was scattered like seaweed in the lake, and her eyes, which once held the sweetest and brightest light in the world, were now gently closed. Pale and unresponsive, she lay in the dark, cold water, as if abandoned by everyone in this filthy and terrifying place.

It felt as if an invisible hand was tearing Zhui Ming's heart to shreds, ripping it into pieces of flesh, and his lungs felt like they were filled with a thousand sharp blades. He struggled against the surging water, a long-forgotten sense of fear rising within him. His mind went blank, leaving only one voice.

A voice inside him screamed in despair.

His consciousness was somewhat blurred; he only knew that he had to get to her side.

Sang Wan was lost in fleeting illusions in her sleep. In her hazy consciousness, she heard one sharp ringing sound after another.

Breakthrough bell...

Cui...Lue Shang...

Her dormant consciousness struggled to wake up, and she could already smell the familiar scent of alcohol. Her fingers curled up slightly.

He's here.

When that broad, warm chest, brimming with life, held her in its embrace, she almost burst into tears.

He will always be there, no matter what.

Zhuiming pressed his face against hers, his whole body trembling. Before Sang Wan's tears could fall, she felt the burning heat of his eye socket against her skin, which snapped her out of her daze.

Sang Wan struggled to open her eyes. The bottom of the water was pitch black, and her vision was blurry, but she could still see Zhui Ming's face so clearly.

His disheveled, unattractive face touched her heart so deeply.

Noticing that Zhuiming was trying to lift her up, she reached out and pulled him into the dim light, and together they sank into this strange body of water.

As Zhuiming sensed Sang Wan's movements, the tide of fear gradually receded, and his blood finally began to flow again.

My heart was falling endlessly, but was perfectly held up before it reached hell.

It's as if it's holding up the whole world.

Zhuiming held her tightly, completely forgetting the boundaries between men and women, and even the words he had said. The joy of regaining her and the peace of mind he felt at this moment surpassed everything else. He had to comfort himself in this way, to tell himself that this sweet little girl who always looked at him with bright, sparkling eyes was still alive and well.

His unease was like a tangible expression of love and cherishment, making her unable to resist reaching out to touch Zhui Ming's cheek. She leaned close to him without a care in the world and mustered the courage to kiss him amidst the crisp, sharp ringing of the bell.

The way it stretched its neck out resembled a fearless sacrifice.

The moment their lips met, the black water slowly dissipated, and a faint light wrapped around Zhui Ming, transforming into strands of thread that mended the wounds on both of them.

Zhuiming felt no warmth from the faint light; his eyelashes trembled, and all that remained in the world was the touch of his lips against the girl's.

Sang Wan wrapped her arms around his neck, their bodies pressed close together like two fish mating.

Her jade-like skin pressed against his cheek, her honey-like eyes closed, the cinnabar mole between her brows smoky red, her cheeks flushed with rouge, making her look like a water fairy, breathtakingly beautiful.

Zhui Ming's muscles tensed instantly, his heart pounded, and the spring water that had melted the ice of the entire world plunged into it. He could no longer escape the palpitations and excitement in his heart.

He couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her. This carefree and playful rogue's kiss was so tender, lingering, and precious.

An unfamiliar surge engulfed and tossed them both.

Home is where the heart is, and his wanderings to the ends of the earth have finally come to an end.