Chapter 127 What is cruelty in giving, and what is love?
How can it be considered cruel to a person?
Is it physical pain, or the shattering of ideals?
Perhaps it's about giving her something she's never had before. Those accustomed to pain don't know what pain is; only in times of peace do they realize that everything they've suffered was undeserved.
Just as someone who has never known what love is experiences love, once they do, it's like a fish in water, unable to bear the feeling of oxygen deprivation when the water dries up.
So even dreams no longer follow instinct; love provides a point of extension, allowing for the fabrication of happiness. No bloodshed, no knives, yet opening one's eyes reveals utter heartbreak.
Shen Lixia has recently come to a profound realization of this.
Those who reach the Golden Core realm are few and far between and remain in the sect. Tang Huairou is an exception. Clearly, her senior sister's gaze is intense, wishing she could be entangled with her master for eternity.
However, she also seemed to want to stay in the sect. It was such a good sanctuary. If she didn't leave, it would be as if she could stay under their wings forever, without having to face the changing world outside or think about the conflicts between the heavens and the earth.
The strongest person she met here was first Qiao Yanshen, then Yan Xueya and Si Changxi. The group of immortals were like the sky; one cannot predict what is in the sky unless one can see it.
I hope my senior sister is safe and sound, and never gets hurt again, and that even the carving of beautiful jade will not take the form of suffering.
But she certainly wouldn't stop there. Shen Lixia knew that Qiao Yanshen wouldn't stop there.
She would always stay by Qiao Yanshen's side. Now that the gap was gradually closing, although she might not be as mature in combat as her senior sister, she could protect her in crucial moments. That was good; she just hoped Qiao Yanshen wouldn't suffer pain or injury anymore.
From the moment I received a response, or even earlier, from the moment I sensed my feelings for her, the world had completely changed. Like a fish in water, I could no longer feel the emptiness that came from lacking that thing. She was everywhere in my dreams and my eyes; perhaps one day, even if we were separated by vast distances, it would feel as if we were right next to each other.
Qiao Yanshen's seclusion lasted until the second spring when the peach trees bore fruit. He shared the fruit with his friends and his teacher's wife, and sealed the rest in ice to be enjoyed by Shen Lixia after she emerged from seclusion.
Today, the peach blossoms are in full bloom, like clusters of pink rosy clouds swaying in the wind.
Hearing the door open, Qiao Yanshen put down his calligraphy brush. His premonition was right; he was indeed emerging from seclusion today.
Water droplets glistened on the fuzzy surface of the freshly washed peaches on the table. Shen Lixia strode out the door, stretched lazily, and then sat down opposite Qiao Yanshen.
Sure enough, after washing her hands, she picked up the peach and skillfully began to cut it open, remove the pit, and slice it into small pieces, leaving a little bit still attached to the end of the fruit—easy to handle without a plate. Once finished, she pinched a slice and brought it to the lips of the person opposite her.
Qiao Yanshen was tidying up her paper and pens when a sweet fragrance suddenly approached. She looked up and saw Shen Lixia smiling brightly—had no one told the boy that she looked adorable at that moment? Just how intense must his love be to burn so brightly, his eyes still shining like torches when he looked at her?
That's right, she only smiles like that to herself, so who else would she tell?
Qiao Yanshen lowered his eyes, hesitated for a moment, then put down his hand and took a bite of the peach she offered. Shen Lixia seemed pleased that the feeding had been successful and wanted to offer another slice, but was stopped by Qiao Yanshen's outstretched hand.
"Junior sister," Qiao Yanshen coughed lightly, "you eat too."
"Feeding me like this is so cheesy." She didn't say it aloud, and Shen Lixia didn't mind. After finishing one peach, she cut off the next. Of all the peaches on the tree, only these two were left in the end.
Those people still had some conscience; they picked so many fruit that the tree was almost bare, but they still left the two best and sweetest ones for them.
My junior sister, overflowing with affection, left almost one and a half of the two sweetest nuts to her. Logically, they wouldn't be enough to satisfy her hunger, but at that moment she felt she couldn't have any more, like a butterfly fluttering its wings, warmly sprinkling down its powdery coating.
It probably carries weight because it's been mixed with so much affection.
“Let’s go, Aunt Changyi is waiting for us.” Qiao Yanshen stood up. “This trip may take a long time, and the messenger can’t get there.”
When they arrived at the agreed-upon place, besides Si Changxi, there was another familiar figure. That person was holding a stick, swinging it around idly, and it actually looked quite impressive. The stick was bare, seemingly just an ordinary wooden stick.
With just a few tufts of hair attached, it might become a broom.
Is this really her style?
When Simmons saw the two arrive, she smiled and said, "Long time no see, Fellow Daoist Shen." She tapped the long stick twice, and it gradually shrank into something the size of a bamboo slip, which she clipped to her waist, looking quite convenient.
"I've never seen you use this before." Shen Lixia leaned closer to examine it with curiosity. "A hidden talent?"
"I had your people take this job temporarily. But I think if something really bad happens, it's best to have two legs."
She always said the same thing, but she never ran away when trouble came. Shen Lixia was used to her saying one thing and meaning another, so he simply patted the woman's shoulder and laughed heartily, "Let's have a friendly spar sometime."
“No, I’m over thirty, the age for retirement. My bones are more brittle than chicken bones.” After saying that, Simmons realized that there was an unknown amount of Si Changxi next to her, so she immediately changed her mind, “Anyway, I won’t make trouble for myself.”
Si Changxi glanced at her with amusement, "You've translated two books of the Garan script in a year and a half, which is quite diligent."
“Then you can’t pay less spirit stones, Auntie,” Qiao Yanshen laughed. “This is overtime pay.”
Si Changxi didn't understand what she meant by "overtime pay," but he roughly understood the meaning. He waved his hand and said, "Your salary is quite high, so don't do fortune-telling for your students anymore. Do you know that it shortens your lifespan? Young people always have a lot of new words. Teach me a few more next time."
This is not an exaggeration. Those who frequently divine the secrets of heaven usually have to endure more dangerous tribulations. People like Chi Yueying make people sweat every time they undergo a tribulation. In the past, when she was forming her core, she and three others blocked most of the tribulations together, allowing her to grit her teeth and survive in her weakened state.
For Buddhist disciples, this could lead to an accumulation of negative karma, which could diminish their fortune, cause their spiritual light to fade, and make them more susceptible to misfortune.
"I do hope I don't live too long," Simmons sighed. But fate was not in her own hands. She slid to the bottom of the sea, reaching the gates of hell, yet someone was determined to hold her wrist, to strangle the very fabric of destiny, and to make the River Styx spit her back. It was as if, even a moment's delay would cause the sea to dry up; in short, no one but that person could take her life.
If you ignore everything else, it's probably a romantic story, but unfortunately it's just a tale of suffering.
The four of them talked as they embarked on the path to the Chaotic Rift.
The rift was located on the edge of the Great Domain. They would have to cross two domains and find a way to enter it, making it a long journey. But having been to one domain and crossed several others, but never to the Seventh Domain or even the very edge of the Human Domain, Shen Lixia was still somewhat excited.
Qiao Yanshen was the same, though not as obviously as she was. The boy quickly scurried to Si Changxi's side and bombarded her with questions: "Auntie, Auntie, you still haven't said what you're looking for! Have you been to the Chaos Rift before? By the way, what's the snowfield in the Seven Domains like? That's Master's hometown, right?"
Si Changxi patiently answered her questions one by one: "Go find traces of the Garan people—not their religion, but their entire ethnic group. They lived in the gaps of chaos, but all related records have disappeared in recent years. However, in my memory, these people must have existed."
“The Chaotic Rift… I don’t know either,” Si Changxi continued, a gentle smile in his eyes concealing all other fluctuations. “Perhaps I’ve been there, but it’s been too long, and I can’t remember clearly. Xueya was indeed born in the Snow Plains, and I heard that she was raised by the cavalry. There, the snow is white all year round, the mountains are high and the water is clear, and it is a very important border.”
The cavalry was responsible for patrolling the border, ensuring that no outsiders would intrude, and also preventing criminals from escaping.
There, too, the wind and snow never cease. And from the moment the snow began to fall, Frostblade Peak began to resemble it in some ways.
"Kalan people? What are Kalan people, and what do they look like?"
“They are usually very tall and live independently,” Si Changxi said. “Legend has it that the ancestors of the Garan people were those who fought alongside the Four Symbols Gods during wartime. In gratitude, the Four Symbols blessed this group, giving them characteristics similar to their respective gods, and naturally strong bodies…”
Furthermore, they have an extremely long lifespan.
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What constitutes cruelty?
Give a child from a background of poverty love and respect, friendship and warmth, and then let her choose among them. No matter what she chooses, she will lose one side. The power to decide everything in her life is not in her own hands; whether to sacrifice or give, it is not up to her to choose.
But it's so hard to choose, so naturally the thought comes to wanting everything.
But that's the easiest way to end up with nothing.
Even direct disciples must accept sect missions. Only after accumulating enough contribution points can they peacefully go into seclusion. Therefore, Wu Zhuyue chose a high-level mission, intending to solve the problem once and for all.
As it happened, Lu Changqing also needed it, so Ruan Luoying arranged for her to accompany Wu Zhuyue so that they could take care of each other.
The higher the mission level, the more dangerous it is, and sometimes it may even conceal other terrifying things.
"boom--"
The stone wall collapsed, and the wooden house was ruined. A huge monster retracted its long tail, its pupils contracted, and it aimed at a spot below, waving its sharp claws.
The stench of the sea was overwhelming, especially strong in spring. A flash of light, and in an instant, flesh was torn open on its massive claws. The beast growled in pain, then pounced in a frenzied, almost reckless frenzy.
Wu Zhuyue fought it to a standstill. The sword was a sharp weapon, worthy of its reputation as the most fearsome of all weapons, and with its incomparably sharp golden spiritual power, the tiger's roar further suppressed the demon beast.
The boy's face was as cold as frost, and wisps of soft blue spiritual energy flickered behind him, healing her wounds.
This is a fishing village in the South China Sea, a region known for its peace. Recently, however, a strange disturbance has arisen, with demonic beasts causing unrest. Some villagers say it's because a true dragon is about to be born, and the South China Sea merfolk are about to set sail.
She described it in an exaggerated way: a huge, black body rolled on the sea with the waves, with a pair of purple pupils appearing and disappearing, which was terrifying amidst the thunder and rain.
I don't know if it's true or not.
The demonic beast, its intelligence newly awakened, seemed to understand the current situation, and its eyes darted around. Wu Zhuyue was about to swing her sword to end the battle when, unexpectedly, the enormous figure suddenly changed direction and pounced on Lu Changqing!
The boy, who was intently performing hand seals to protect her, was caught off guard and was about to be swallowed whole by the demon beast.
Blood splattered three feet deep.
The red was so deep and intense, it resembled clusters of winter plum blossoms suddenly blooming.
The sound of the knife piercing flesh was clearly audible. A rush of air entered its heart, then shredded the demon core within its abdomen. The beast let out a low growl, its eyes losing their luster.
Then, with no one holding the knife, it fell to the ground, soaked in two streams of mingled blood.
Lu Changqing instinctively reached out and caught the boy's body. His hands were warm and slippery, making her heart race. There was even more blood than when she last saw Wu Zhuyue injured.
In her anxiety, her mental cultivation slowed down even more. Holding Wu Zhuyue, her mind went blank, and she instinctively turned back to find a place where she could heal in peace.
Wu Zhuyue's breathing gradually weakened from rapid to shallow. She coughed a few times, her clothes becoming soaked, and she vomited some blood clots. Lu Changqing's clothes were also stained with blood; the pink color deepened, as if contaminated, and it emitted an unpleasant metallic smell.
Why did you shield her from it?
—It's obvious that things are likely to turn out badly. Wu Zhuyue thought vaguely.
It seems that from a certain moment on, life felt very short. Knowing that the event was bound to happen in the future, her time in Taihui abruptly ended with an inescapable conclusion.
Thus, her entire teenage years ended tragically and abruptly.
Like a snake biting its own tail.
Therefore, I also want someone to share my pain.
That's all. It's not that I don't want Lu Changqing to get hurt, nor that I want to save her life. Someone like me, with no other choice and selfish, how could I have such a noble purpose, and how could I be worthy of the word "sacrifice"?
I just wanted Lu Changqing to experience the feeling of having his heart gnawed by snakes and insects day and night—
Snap.
Snap.
One after another. It's raining? Wu Zhuyue barely opened her eyes, wanting to take a look at the sky, but after a moment she realized: Why is the rain warm?
Lu Changqing didn't lower her head; warm liquid dripped down her face. It was tears.
"Lu Changqing."
"Don't speak!" Lu Changqing's voice was indeed trembling with sobs, and he was breathless, but his arms around her and his steps remained steady. "You silly girl! You idiot! You bad guy!"
“…Lu Changqing.” Wu Zhuyue closed her eyes.
She suddenly felt a strong urge to give up everything and be with Lu Changqing. So she said this:
"Come with me to the sea."
Entering the sea.
It's true that he has an inextricable karmic connection with water throughout his life.
Before the vast ocean, all are children. Clinging tightly together, the waves cannot separate them; even their withered bones intertwine as they plunge together into the deepest seabed, swallowed by sand and stones, where no one will ever disturb them again.
To live together, to die together.
However, Lu Changqing didn't do as she expected; she didn't say "I like it" or readily agree. She must have heard Wu Zhuyue's words clearly, but after taking a few steps, she burst into tears.
The warm spiritual energy soothed the wounds like water, and many tears streamed down her face.
“If you die, I’ll never speak to you again! I’ll burn a hundred caterpillars for you on Qingming Festival! You’re not allowed to die—” Lu Changqing finally stopped, burying his face in her arms as if he were wiping away tears with his blood-stained clothes. “You’re not allowed to die… Wu Zhuyue. I want to live well with you.”
After finishing her speech, she seemed finally exhausted, quietly tending to Wu Zhuyue's wounds while tears streamed down her face. As they moved further out of the sea, the dense aura of demonic beasts dissipated, leaving only the sweet, metallic scent of blood.
"Don't speak anymore."
Upon hearing this, Wu Zhuyue sighed softly.
Lu Changqing's words gently silenced any further words she might utter.
Whether it's self-deprecation or self-pity, ultimately one is defeated here. Like snow meeting warm sunshine or tofu hitting a sharp knife, all entanglements are resolved with a sharp blade.
Perhaps it's not that I suddenly don't want to die, but that I'm not so sad anymore.
But a thought quietly and completely settled in her heart.
—I want Lu Changqing to be safe, I want her to live. Her life is long, without end; she will progress, she will attain enlightenment, she will ascend.
I really didn't want her to suffer. I wanted her to forget me, to forget everything that happened after she turned fifteen.
Thinking of this, Wu Zhuyue couldn't help but twitch her lips again.
Lu Changqing had so many tears that they soaked her face and clothes, leaving them wet and impossible to dry.
I really want to tell her to stop crying, it's so annoying.
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Author's Note: I said I wouldn't write about supporting characters for long, but I ended up doing it anyway. Oh well, I've already been honest. I'll add more about Xia's side in the next chapter.
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