Chapter 139: Recalling My Departure.
Within the chaotic rift, several days passed in the blink of an eye.
Time was erratic here; sometimes it was dark, sometimes it was light; sometimes it was pitch black, sometimes it was shrouded in thick fog. There seemed to be many figures of people and beasts in the fog, but they vanished in the blink of an eye. Shen Lixia felt a chill run down her spine and tightened her grip on Qiao Yanshen's hand, fearing that everyone would disappear into some turbulent current at any moment.
Si Changxi said that those were nothing to fear; they were merely the souls of the dead who could not be reborn. Over thousands of years, they had long since become mindless remnants, wandering aimlessly.
"Why?" Qiao Yanshen's gaze fell on one of the swaying shadows.
Si Changxi pondered for a moment and said, "I heard that after the collapse of Luochuan, the matter of life and death was handed over to the Heavenly Dao... Who knows what happens among the gods?" Her words made Qiao Yanshen frown slightly, and a sense of displeasure rose in his heart.
Murder to seize power—is this how the gods operate? Reincarnation isn't even a right, but a responsibility. To treat it so carelessly—what kind of useless idiots hold those positions above?
After the conversation, there was a long silence. The eerie feeling dissipated slightly after an incense stick was lit on the Simmons mattress, and the cool, calming incense swirled around, dispelling the damp, sticky feeling of evil spirits lurking in the shadows.
Passing through the dark valley, the ruins of an ancient era gradually revealed themselves. The land turned pitch black, and the rampant vegetation only accentuated the desolation of the place. Ahead, the bronze-tiled roof and porch were covered with moss, and the ruins were close at hand.
Just as they approached the shimmering valley entrance, the heavy clanging of chains echoed in the darkness. Immediately afterward, a crimson light shone from below.
Runes lit up, seemingly placed here many years ago and thus hidden by the rampant weeds. Shen Lixia's pupils contracted; her avian instincts allowed her to notice the fleeting golden light in the darkness before others, like an inextinguishable lamp in the long night.
Then, the golden light gradually became clearer, the nictitating membrane ruptured, revealing a clear, bright red diamond-shaped pupil inside, which met Shen Lixia's gaze directly. She stood before this enormous eye, her wings uncontrollably flapping out, their feathers bristling.
The surrounding darkness suddenly began to move, gradually taking on a physical form and solidifying.
The valley is alive.
Or perhaps it should be described as a gigantic, bizarre creature, large enough to blanket the sky.
A rustling sound was heard as things scattered. Rotten flesh, reduced to mottled rust, and stark white bones... all peeled away from the moving bodies along with the moss. Scales shimmered with a cold luster, and the rustling sound continued as the bodies crawled across the ground... The valley that had been shrouded in darkness vanished, and sunlight streamed down through the towering trees.
A huge, long snake appeared before them, its tail coiled around their sides, as if it could tighten and crush them at any moment.
It has only one golden eye, shining as bright as day, located on its forehead, while its jet-black and red scales can form a night sky. With each breath, cold and heat intertwine, creating a thick, candle-smoke-like mist.
This thing had clearly developed sentience, its eyes filled with a chilling coldness. Si Changxi bit her lower lip, turned to the others and quickly said, "You all go, I'll handle it."
“No.” Qiao Yanshen frowned, and in the blink of an eye, he gripped the Rain Blade tightly. “Nine Yin is an ancient demon. If it sets its sights on us, none of us can escape. We should fight.”
The long serpent known as "Nine Yin" lowered its head, its gaze falling on the white-robed youth. The extremely yin and cold aura emanating from her seemed to penetrate its surface, directly transforming into needles that pierced it relentlessly. As a descendant of the Candle Dragon, which was worshipped as a deity by a few tribes in ancient times, it possessed a natural sensitivity to ancient things and was able to detect Qiao Yanshen's unusual behavior.
If it can be swallowed, it may even shed its skin and transform into a dragon, becoming the only Zhulong in the world, just like the Dragon Mother of ancient times.
At this moment, Qiao Yanshen also noticed something amiss: "It has many scars on its body."
Damaged scales, half-exposed new flesh, dried, oily, murky gold bloodstains... Her words were concise, yet enough to draw attention. Si Changxi drew his sword first, said nothing, pointed at one of the wounds, and slashed.
Jiuyin was prepared and dodged by spinning around. Its massive body, as large as a mountain range, was surprisingly agile.
It darted forward, opening its mouth to bite, aiming directly at the few people with lower cultivation levels behind Si Changxi. Qiao Yanshen was startled, knowing that his cultivation was insufficient to retaliate at this moment, so he tried to mobilize Luo Chuan's demonic energy. The next moment, an arrow suddenly pierced into Jiuyin's mouth, disappearing into its throat and tongue.
This bought them time. In the blink of an eye, Si Changxi struck again. The powerful sword energy opened up cracks on its already wounded body, and thick, turbid golden blood splattered out. However, it did not smell bad, but instead emitted a warm and refreshing fragrance.
Qiao Yanshen suddenly recalled the words about the Zhulong lineage recorded in ancient books: "The blood and fire essence of Zhulong were bestowed upon all living beings in the ancient times, illuminating the night forever."
Therefore, the blood of the Nine Yin has the same effect—
It can be ignited!
As expected, the divine fire burned fiercely, instantly turning the serpent's body bright red. The heavy, exotic fragrance almost suffocated them, making them feel dizzy as if bathed in a warm wave. Nine Yin let out a long howl, angrily raising its long tail and slamming it heavily to the ground.
Sand and stones flew everywhere, but luckily the group dodged quickly, or they would have become fertilizer for the weeds. Its jet-black scales were burned to a bright red, and golden light flowed in its eyes. At first, it was whimpering in pain, but gradually its gaze became burning, and the exotic fragrance changed from warm to scalding, burning out a different kind of dangerous, scorching aura.
Its life was not diminished; on the contrary, its brilliance shone even brighter. It was not the oil that ignited the candle, but the radiant sun waiting to be awakened.
Ancient legends tell of the Candle Dragon controlling day and night, and there are also myths about it wanting to devour the sun in the sky.
Shen Lixia's hand flickered with divine fire, her expression grim. Jiuyin glanced at her, and without much hesitation, attacked once more.
There is no room for a second sun in the world.
Despite her burning rage, she still remembered that she was merely a newly born Vermilion Bird, not the soaring deity she once was. The young man flapped his wings to dodge the serpent's coils, his strong arms bulged, and the moment the bowstring was released, several arrows were fired simultaneously.
The arrows transformed into flames, seeping into the gaps between the scales. Seeing her agility, Jiuyin didn't linger, instead turning to entangle the others. Si Changxi, who was covering the other two, turned her head and saw it approaching with its vertical eyes. She simply leaped towards its massive jaws, using her sword to block its upper and lower jaws, intending to slide into the snake's body.
She needs to find the most vulnerable spot.
The fine, sharp teeth tightened step by step, and Jiu Yin frantically tried to close her mouth, even at the cost of letting the long sword pierce her bones.
Saliva dripped onto Si Changxi's body, hissing and burning dark marks on his skin.
Its biting force was more astonishing than imagined. In an instant, a clear cracking sound came from the sword that was stuck with it, and several cracks appeared on the blade that could not withstand the pressure.
A sharp fang pierced through Si Changxi's shoulder. Blood dripped down, landing between Jiuyin's teeth. But at that moment, the pupil in that single eye suddenly contracted, Jiuyin let out a low groan, and his body suddenly became weak and unsteady.
The scale patterns disappeared, and it quickly transformed into a cloud of black mist. Its vertical eye also took one last deep look at Si Changxi, who had lost his support and fallen to the ground, before closing its eyes. It then dashed into the thick mist at an unstoppable speed and disappeared in an instant.
Although they didn't know what had happened, they were more concerned about Si Changxi's injuries. The three of them gathered around and saw the young man supporting himself with one hand, head bowed and silent, his disheveled long hair like slightly torn clothing, stained with specks of blood.
The beast's fangs not only pierced her shoulder but also left long scratches all over her arm. She seemed oblivious, resting her injured arm on the longsword lying across her leg.
The crimson blood spread out, embedding itself in the cracks on the sword, becoming a shocking river.
The sword is destroyed.
After a moment, she bit her lip, tearing her gaze away from the sword, and said with a bitter smile, "I understand now that a Nascent Soul cultivator from the demon race can rival a Void Refinement cultivator. My friends, this Nine Yin must have been placed here by someone else."
Just as Lingguangjun commands all birds, and Jianbingjun commands all beasts, Taiyinjun is the head of all dragons. The warriors of our ancestors received this blessing, drank her blood, and from then on were connected with the stars, sharing their rise and fall.
It seems that their blood has now acquired the aura of the gods. Ordinary people cannot detect it, but demonic beasts are extremely sensitive to it.
The Nine Yin Joy appears in places with heavy Yin energy. It can be drawn to such places by drawing talismans and setting up arrays, protecting the thousands of sleeping beings from being disturbed by anyone. The Azure Dragon Tribe has always had a deep connection with the Dragon Clan, so they naturally know how to deal with the Nine Yin Joy.
Monsters that live by clinging to death energy have appeared on these ruins.
The ominous suspicions in my heart were being confirmed step by step.
Beside her, Shen Lixia carefully used divine fire to burn away the flesh corroded by Jiuyin's saliva. Xi Mengsi took out wound medicine and skillfully bandaged Si Changxi.
The spiritual energy is currently scarce, so we can only use ordinary methods to stop the bleeding and heal the wound.
The ointments and herbs she brought were all quite potent, and when applied to the wounds, they felt like flesh was being ripped away and bones were being scraped. Coupled with the excruciating burning pain, even Qiao Yanshen, who was just watching, broke out in a cold sweat.
Si Changxi accepted it without batting an eye.
The strong stench of blood was somewhat pungent. After the bandaging was finished, the young man stood up and said, "Let's go, the tribe should be just ahead."
The sunlight shone quietly on the ruins. The village houses and tiled roofs once housed mills or pharmacies…
None survived; most of the land was burned. The area wasn't large, and this tribe fell quickly, unlike another tribe in the distance that was so prosperous.
The secret ritual allows the child chosen as the high priest to inherit the shared memories of everyone—the history of the tribe's continuation. However, all the past images collected and passed down to them by others can no longer be touched by their own hands.
There's one last place.
Si Changxi stopped and said with a smile, "Young friends, although this place has been destroyed, it is still safe. You have been traveling for several days and just had a fierce battle. Why don't you rest for a while?"
“But Aunt, you’re still injured…” Shen Lixia looked at her arm with concern.
She needs someone to be by her side and take care of her.
Si Changxi shook her head and said softly, "It's nothing, it doesn't hurt anymore."
After saying that, she continued walking deeper into the ruins.
-
There's really no need to reminisce anymore.
I imagine her picking out red bean paste pastries especially for me, I imagine her personally teaching me to write stroke by stroke, I imagine her holding my hand and placing it between my lips and down to my throat, showing me the gentle way she speaks.
Time has gently filtered through her features, remaining unchanged for a thousand years. In the hazy memories, she is the clearest and brightest, even her shocking scars are not frightening; when touched, the slight roughness seems to forever seal away the pain beneath.
I hate you, and I hate even more myself for loving you despite knowing you are guilty.
I am not worthy to be called a righteous person.
The young woman slowly walked through a desolate area. The road was buried, and the fields had turned into grassland. A familiar scent guided Si Changxi to a stone wall, where drooping green vines silently faced her.
She turned sideways and slowly passed through a crack in the stone wall. It was a passage that was very difficult to find, and no one would have thought that it held all the childhood joys of that boy.
The sunlight grew gentler, and the comfortable coolness, carrying a faint dampness, rushed towards him as the young man emerged completely from the gaps.
Before me lay a lake, beside which stood tall mulberry trees, which, remarkably, had not withered and remained as lush as I remembered. The water's surface was as smooth as a mirror, devoid of fish, so clear it was almost desolate.
Following the intertwined memories of her and Si Liuhua, Si Changxi knelt beside the mulberry tree and began digging at a patch of soil with her bare hands. She didn't care that her clean hands were getting dirty; she was focused on searching for what was hidden beneath the soil.
Even before she was born, when she was still curled up inside her eggshell, she remembered the smell of this place.
Because her older sister always brought her here.
This is it. He parted the thick layer of soil, startling the insects and ants hiding within, and the things buried underneath gradually came into view. Si Changxi forcefully pulled them out of the soil.
A stone slab and a wooden box.
She carefully wiped the mud off the stone slab and sat down by the tree.
The language of Garan, spanning millennia, carries a part of that once spirited youth.
Today, my mother took me to see the newborn egg.
She said this was a blessing from the gods, and that from now on, the two of them together would surely become unparalleled geniuses, unmatched in the world.
[Your age is approaching, and you show no sign of hatching. The clan elders want me to name you, but I haven't decided yet. Just thinking about you being by my side makes me so happy I could cry.]
Give me some more time; I need to think of a really, really good name for you.
I brought you here to see this little place that we will share together in the future.
Changxi, my moon, my darling...
I hope you'll like all of this. There's another gift: a sword I made for you myself. It's just a little something I learned from a craftsman; it might not be enough to be your permanent sword, but it'll be perfect for starting out.
In a few days, I will travel to the human realm. Although I cannot yet call myself a Kalan, if we can gradually help them understand us, one day we can coexist and love each other.
Perhaps in the future, you will be able to play with more children your age and see a wider world.
Changxi, wish your sister well. While I'm away, you must grow up well.
If I return just in time to see you hatch, how wonderful that would be.
...
[Twenty-two people were killed.]
[Killed thirty people.]
In the thirteenth year of Yongqing, none of the participants in the massacre of the tribe, including their descendants, survived. I have destroyed all records concerning Jialan.
From then on, no one could find any trace of the Kalanites; once completely forgotten, greed would vanish.
Si Changxi turned over the stone slab and saw a string of characters recording the year, month, and day.
You were born on this day.
I may forget your birthday, but you must remember it yourself.
There are no more words.
At first, it felt like returning to the days when she was still an egg, but she was given consciousness and could hear the boy hugging her tightly, pressing his warm cheek against her shell, and speaking softly.
The tribe is gone, but this past that Si Liuhua didn't want her to see still surfaced before her eyes.
Sending Si Changxi to the sect, far away from him, without offering any explanation, was simply to make her forget everything about the tribe and never, ever return home again.
Therefore, she doesn't remember that she was taken away by her elder sister because of the destruction of her tribe and the encirclement of the masses. She doesn't remember that her elder sister held her in her arms even when she was seriously injured. She doesn't remember that Si Liuhua gave a piece of his soul to the demon race so that he could take her safely across the demon realm.
Her birth was the result of her elder sister's best efforts.
One soul not only represents most of her cultivation, but also all her love, hate, infatuation, and anger. From then on, only a fragmented soul wandered the world, and her elder sister became an empty shell.
Hatred can be borne by only one person, while the other only needs to be happy.
Si Changxi stroked the stone slab and put it down.
"Fallen leaves return to their roots... Even though you went to great lengths, I still came back."
She spoke softly, then placed the wooden box on her lap. She unlocked the rusty latch, revealing its contents.
They are straw toys. They are arranged one by one inside, grasshoppers, puppies or rabbits. It can be seen that the person who made them is not very skilled. Some of them seem to have run out of patience and were not tied tightly, so they are not very good.
Si Changxi hugged the wooden box to his chest and closed his eyes.
Actually, there were many more later on, and her skills became more and more refined. These were probably the first time her older sister tried to weave them, and several of them fell apart.
It may not be as perfect as it is in the future, but it contains the warm and innocent heart of the older sister.
Warm tears gently fell onto the tangled grass stalks. All the tears that did not fall were shed by her in place of Si Liuhualuo.
I realized that I had already lost her a very, very long time ago.
All that we ever felt was the lingering warmth after love had burned out.
Even the ashes felt so warm.
-----------------------
Author's Note: I'm thinking about whether to write my sister's story as a separate chapter... I'll think about it later and put it in the side story next door.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com