The matter of the body-building sect was settled, and all the guests returned, all very happy.
Everyone felt relaxed and started their journey home. Before leaving, they were still as flattering as ever:
"Yes, yes! I will definitely move around more often!"
"Yes, yes, yes! We must cooperate, and cooperate sincerely!"
"Young and promising, young and promising!"
“…”
Yun Xian and his group stayed at the Body-Building Sect for another night. Before leaving, they chatted with Ji Shang for a while.
She'd originally been willing to leave Qiu Mo's body, but it had taken considerable effort. To be frank, even if the Body Refining Sect was located in the far north, it couldn't withstand such a harsh treatment, even if it was refrigerated. Qiu Mo was practically rotten, yet he still treated him like a treasure. Xue Lingxiu promised her that he would repair Qiu Mo's body, remove the odor, and preserve it, before she agreed to let go.
Yun Xian looked at the finished Qiu Mo and thought silently.
What is this? A real-life version of a life-size pillow from the world of cultivation… No! Yun Xian! Stop thinking about it! Your merits will be deducted!
After visiting the new main hall and observing the new leader handling affairs, I realized that I couldn't delay any longer and it was time to set off and return.
Yesterday, I received a letter from Xiao Wu via carrier pigeon, saying that Nan Ronghong's life has been saved, but her current condition... is rather special, so it's hard to explain in the letter. I asked them to deal with the remaining matters, and then hurried back to Qiankun City for a chat, and brought Jiang Fengtian's stupid son Jiang Lancui with them.
Yun Xian also wanted to tell her about Chi You, so the next day, the group went to Xuantie Sect and prepared to leave.
The black iron gate remained cold and hard, impenetrable, but peering in from the outside, the glazed tiles of the main hall shone like blazing flames on the snow, brimming with life. Inner and outer disciples were still sweating profusely in the training grounds, practicing formations. The Third Elder paced back and forth on Facing Wall Peak, his hands behind his back, occasionally shouting, "Didn't you eat breakfast?! You're so sleepy, how about we bring you a bed here? Cheer up!"
The disciples below roared and screamed: "Ah ...
Ji Rongxue bid farewell to everyone at the gate, followed by Tiedan. No, he should be called Commander He now.
Everyone in the group had different expressions. Yun Xian, standing at the front, looked up at Ji Rongxue and said with a smile, "Thank you for your hard work."
Ji Rongxue: "Smooth sailing."
Yun Xian said, "See you later."
After these eight words, there were no more words.
Yun Xian summoned the treasure ship as he did when the Tathagata arrived. Everyone climbed up the stairs. Driven by spiritual energy, the treasure ship plowed the snow forward. Qiao Lingshan and Feng Ye lay at the rear window, watching the tail of Ji Rongxue's fiery red hair gradually go away until it disappeared.
That ball of cold fire remained in the far north and would not be seen again for a long time.
The two looked at each other, both puzzled.
Is that... just like that?
Nothing at all? The young lady's inner struggles, her future plans... nothing at all?
But this leaves too many regrets.
Yun Xian, however, remained calm and even took the time to practice swordplay for two hours in advance. Qiao Lingshan couldn't help but run to ask her, but Yun Xian said, "Wait."
Qiao Lingshan: "Waiting for what?"
Yun Xian said: "Wait for her to come."
Qi Zhiye was wiping the purple-gold bowl with a cloth, while Xue Lingxiu was washing her hands. Jiang Lan was scrambling in the fishing nets, Su Chi was at the helm. The treasure ship passed through the stormy and windy conditions and entered the night. The sky was cold and starry, and there was silence. Taiping suddenly said, "Someone's coming!"
As soon as it finished speaking, a black figure easily jumped onto the bow of the boat, holding a string of large round wine jugs in his hands.
Qiao Lingshan opened her eyes and was stunned.
The man pulled down his cold-weather clothes, revealing a familiar and cold face.
"Miss!" Qiao Lingshan exclaimed in surprise: "You, why did you follow me! Yun Xian——"
Yun Xian smiled and said, "Miss, since you're here, why are you still bringing things?"
"I have to give you a ride." Ji Rongxue sat down cross-legged and threw the wine jug over. The air was instantly filled with the rich aroma of wine. "I came here secretly without telling Tiedan. I will be back at dawn."
Yun Xian took the wine pot and said cheerfully, "You're so polite? I'm so embarrassed to have to keep sending it back and forth."
Ji Rongxue smiled and said, "When three people walk together, there must be my lion among them."
Xue Lingxiu was almost chilled to the point of breaking apart: "..."
"It's been a while since I've heard a joke." Feng Ye held the wine jug and stretched his neck to sip it, saying, "I still miss it so much."
Ji Rongxue's skills have not diminished.
"..." Qi Zhiye took the wine pot and said hesitantly: "I can't drink."
"Master Mingguang isn't here now," Yun Xian urged, "It's okay to drink a little. Besides, haven't you broken the precepts enough? Too many lice won't itch!"
Qiao Lingshan still had a shred of conscience: "Master Mingguang will be angry... Never mind, he's not here anyway."
Su Chi also had a share. He held the wine pot and thought calmly that it seemed that no one here knew how to drink.
Everyone sat down. After a while, Feng Ye seemed to think that wine alone was not enough, so he showed off his cooking skills and fried a few side dishes and brought out a few plates of peanuts. The aroma was so good that Jiang Lancui below burst into a curse: "Let me go! I won't go back to Qiankun City!!"
Yun Xian and Ji Rongxue sat together. The space in the front of the boat was so small that everyone's arms, legs and feet were leaning against each other. It was rare that there was no snow, and a full moon hung in the sky.
Ji Rongxue suddenly said, "It's a pity that Jimo Shu is not here."
"Hmm." Yun Xian tried to take a sip. The wine was probably a specialty of the Body Strengthening Sect. She choked so hard that her throat almost burst. The concentration was too high. She coughed and said, "I think we'll see each other in a while."
Ji Rongxue looked at her, "How do you know?"
"It's a premonition." Yun Xian said confidently, "My premonition is very accurate. Besides, she must miss me too."
Qi Zhiye couldn't stand it: "Could you not use such vague words?"
Yun Xian changed his words: "My premonition is very accurate."
Qi Zhiye was annoyed: "That's not it!!"
Under normal circumstances, Xue Lingxiu would have said something sarcastic like, "Just shut up if you don't like others," or "You're just angry out of shame," but he was used to drinking all kinds of plum wine and osmanthus wine from the romantic scenes of the Southern Realm. He was caught off guard and took a gulp. Now he was speechless: "..."
Is this wine?? This is for treating wounds! What's the point of drinking this?
Qiao Lingshan thought Fellow Daoist Xue's wrinkled face was very funny, but she didn't dare to laugh and tried hard to hold it back. Feng Ye patted her and said understandingly, "You can pretend to laugh at me."
Qiao Lingshan saw that Feng Ye had taken two sips and was now red from the top of his head to his belly, like a sad sweet potato: "Hahahahahaha!!!"
Su Chi was stationed at the corner, keeping an eye on all directions and keeping an eye on all sides, alert to the dangers around him.
Yun Xian wanted to see him make a fool of himself: "Big Brother, have a sip."
"..." Su Chi took a sip helplessly. Yun Xian watched him drink the liquor like it was water, his expression unchanged. He couldn't help but drawl out his voice in disappointment, "Why is this? It's boring!"
Su Chi lowered his eyes: "Then what's interesting?"
Yun Xian said, "Don't you blush at all?"
Su Chi said, "Don't you often see me blushing?"
What the hell is going on?! Yun Xian almost choked. His attempt to tease failed, and his ears began to turn red.
Taiping said greedily, "I want to drink too... give me a sip."
Yun Xian was indifferent: "Why would a child drink alcohol?"
"Damn Yunxian!! I'm going back to Jiange tomorrow!" Taiping, unable to get any wine, threw a tantrum and screamed, "Even if I didn't contribute anything, I've worked hard!! And this is your attitude now!!!"
“…”
Everyone knew what Ji Rongxue had come for. Ji Rongxue also understood that everyone understood, but the topic had been circling back and forth three hundred times, seventy times, all talking about the funny things that had happened before, without getting to the point once:
"Oh my god, Senior Jiang Fengtian's acting is even worse than Yun Xian's! I really didn't expect that!"
"Um, do you still remember Senior Liang Xiao from the Hehuan Sect... She had a really special fragrance, I still can't forget it."
"Lingshan, it's a good thing you said this. If it was someone else, I would have called them a pervert."
"What kind of wine is this? I'm so used to it, it actually tastes quite good."
"If anyone calls me a bald donkey again, I'll punch him... "
“…”
After three rounds of drinking, it became clear that none of them could handle drinking; they were all staggering and grotesquely drunk. Feng Ye was the first to collapse, slumped over at Qiao Lingshan's feet, completely oblivious to the world around him. Qiao Lingshan was also dazed and drunk. Xue Lingxiu went downstairs to sober up. Qi Zhiye became less talkative as he drank more. Su Chi went to the stern to continue his night watch. A cold wind howled on the deck, but Yun Xian and Ji Rongxue were still sitting.
Yun Xian said, "Why is it getting hotter and hotter?"
"This is strong liquor." Ji Rongxue shook the wine pot in his hand and said thoughtfully, "This is my first time drinking it too."
Yun Xian grunted and changed to a more comfortable sitting position: "Is it delicious?"
Ji Rongxue said bluntly, "It's unpalatable. I don't understand why some people like to drink it."
"Occasionally, I drink it once in a while." Qiao Lingshan interrupted dazedly, "It feels pretty good..."
Yun Xian smiled, and Ji Rongxue also slightly curled the corners of his lips.
It was a rare occasion when the sky wasn't filled with snow and wind, a rare moment of mercy in the North. The moon was bright, and the surroundings were a vast expanse of white snow. The treasure ship sailed above it, like a tiny leaf of duckweed.
Ji Rongxue suddenly spoke up and asked, "Are we still friends?"
"Hmm?" Yun Xian said, "What do you think?"
Ji Rongxue said: "...I don't understand either."
"I think what Chi You said is right." Ji Rongxue looked at the huge moon and said blankly, "I feel like I've been chasing something all my life. Everything I do has a purpose. Going to the Four Directions War was to break free from control, going to the Lotus Seat and rescuing people was to use these to silence others. Everything I do is for the position of leader, for survival. Is there really anything happy?"
"I'm definitely not someone who likes me, and no one has ever said they like me. At least, some people still have parents, but I...it's like I don't even have one. It's like the world wouldn't have any connection without me."
Ji Rongxue said, "But I... this is my own fault. Even if someone put their hand in front of me, I wouldn't dare touch it. I don't blame anyone but myself."
Yun Xian looked at her quietly, and she looked at the moon quietly.
"I seem to be drunk. That's all." Ji Rongxue said coldly, "But even if I truly believe that what he said is right, I won't distrust you. Because there are so few things in this world that I can trust. I don't want to lose even one of them. In the hall, I thought countless times, let it be. No matter how serious the consequences are, I will bear them. I never want to live... a life where no one can be trusted!"
She seemed to be really drunk, her words were a little incoherent, and her expression was unclear. Suddenly she asked, "Do you know Fulai?"
"I know." Yun Xian said, "It's the puppy you raised."
"Yeah. It's my puppy." Ji Rongxue smiled and said, "I was picking up food from the trash can and it snatched it from me. I fought with it and it gave in. After that, it became my follower..."
"Its fur is brown and yellow, and no matter how you groom it, it always looks messy. Its eyes are black, round, and bright. When it looks at you, it's as if it's not just an ordinary dog; it understands what you say. When I'm sad, it comforts me. When I'm cold, I keep it warm together. It's also very greedy, but it's never full. Fortunately, I only let it starve for two years, and then it lived a good life. It's the best dog in the world."
Yun Xian whispered, "It must be very happy."
"But it can only live for thirteen years," Ji Rongxue said. "No matter how good I treat it, no matter how much spiritual energy I give it, it's still just an ordinary puppy! No matter how many years pass, I will never forget the way it looked when it left me. It looked at me as if it was very tired, its eyes unable to open. I cried and begged it not to leave me, crying until my head ached. It knew I was suffering, and it was suffering too. In the end, it struggled and licked me, then lay still with its eyes open. Do you understand? Its eyes were clearly open, but it could never...never look at me again."
Qiao Lingshan said sadly: "Miss..."
"I took him to see mountains, snow, and rivers. He was well fed and well watered, and his master was always by his side. I think he must have been very happy," Ji Rongxue said indifferently. "But every time I think of him leaving, I can't help but wonder if it would have been better if I hadn't taken him away in the first place. If I hadn't raised him in the first place, would it have been better? If I hadn't invested my heart and soul in him from the beginning, would losing him not have been so... so painful!!"
Her tone was indifferent, but her fingertips were clenched tightly in her palms, and her knuckles turned white from the force.
There is no way to forget. I can't forget. I have thought about the pain of loss countless times before I even started. It's better not to start.
Without relatives, there is no making friends. Relatives will leave, friends will disperse. Who dares to say that it will last a lifetime, who can guarantee that it will last until the end?
The full moon was still hanging in the sky, the cold wind was howling, and in the silence, Ji Rongxue seemed to be seeking some answer. She asked Yun Xian, "If it were you, what would you think?"
Sigh, comfort yourself? Fulai has gone to another world, and we'll meet again sooner or later. It's just a temporary separation. Or, go get another puppy... but that won't be Fulai anymore!
The wine was just lingering at the bottom of the pot, and no fragrance could be smelled from it anymore.
On the snowy plain, Yun Xian met her stubborn gaze and sighed, "Me."
Finally it began to snow, the snowflakes fell into the wine jug and hung on the branches.
"Although I've never raised a puppy." Yun Xian paused, then said firmly yet gently, "...If it's for its happiness in this life, I'm willing to endure any amount of pain in the future."
“…”
On the gentle snowy night, Ji Rongxue's face was a mixture of sadness and joy, his throat rolling, and after a long pause he said in silence: "Is that so?"
Yeah?
Is she willing?
…No matter how many times she asked herself this question, she was willing.
"For its happiness in this life, I am willing to endure any amount of pain..." She smiled, her smile melting away like the words she had said on the treasure ship when she first set off for the Body Refining Sect, "What a wonderful way of saying things."
"Yeah." Yun Xiandang, unable to see the light in her eyes, said naturally, "It's snowing, isn't it cold? Drink up!"
Ji Rongxue smiled and said, "Drink!"
The two jugs clinked together, making a crisp sound, and the strong liquor flowed into their throats again, making them feel dizzy. In the end, there was no time for the two men to enter the cabin, so they drank until the jug fell to the ground and they fell asleep.
Fortunately, the night was mild and the deck was crowded with people, so at least we were not shivering with cold.
Ji Rongxue unconsciously transformed into a beast, burying his head on Yun Xian's shoulder, his warm and fragile belly pressed against Yun Xian, emitting a burning heat. He closed his eyes and fell asleep. For the first time, he was completely defenseless, sleeping with his legs spread out, almost drooling.
Qiao Lingshan and Feng Ye leaned on their legs and slept soundly.
Xue Lingxiu choked on the liquor and felt uncomfortable. After just a few tastings, she felt something was wrong and immediately went down to sober up. Now back on deck, seeing the four people sleeping rolled together, her already aching head hurt even more. She said angrily, "Qi Zhiye, why don't you just yell and let them go to bed? What's going on now?"
Qi Zhiye was drinking in the corner, and asked with a smile, "Will you freeze to death if you sleep for one night?"
Xue Lingxiu: “…”
Given everyone's cultivation level, they certainly wouldn't freeze to death. Even freezing for three days and three nights wouldn't be a problem, but he looked extremely uncomfortable. He went back and forth several times, frowning in disgust as he covered himself with the quilt.
He tugged at the corner of the quilt and said, "You should drink less. You've never drunk before!"
Qi Zhiye said: "Leave me alone!"
Xue Lingxiu was furious: "You think I want to control you? Who are you?!"
Su Chi took him aside, bent down silently, put away the mess of cups and plates, and prepared to wash them. Before leaving, he only said coldly: "Keep your voice down, don't disturb others."
“…”
The sound of falling snow, the sound of water washing dishes, soft snoring, and the suppressed quarrel between the two people lingered for a long time.
Ji Rongxue dreamed of many hands, but this time she finally plucked up the courage and firmly grasped one of them.
The moon follows, the stars accompany, and the boat rides on the wind and waves.
The distant starry sky comes into my dream, telling a long night song.
The bright moon is setting in the distance, and I long to see you again.
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