Chapter 204 The Parting Snow Melts Feels
After all, she doesn't always have to carry the burden of everything.
The glow of the stove and the oil lamp gradually blended into a warm glow that made one sweat. Their shadows fell onto the wall, overlapping each other.
Time seemed to stand still, and the sounds of sobbing and gasping gradually faded away.
Qiao Yanshen was exhausted from crying. She leaned against Shen Lixia's arm, wondering how it could be so warm, so warm that she felt the heat seeping into her, as if her whole body had turned into steam and floated away.
It's like a pair of airtight wings.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but smile, leaning against Shen Lixia's lap. After clearing her throat, she whispered, "The smell of birds..."
The boy's long, dark brown hair was soft yet slightly rough, like the roots of a bird's feather, with several golden strands peeking out from under the firelight.
Shen Lixia blinked a few times: "Hmm? What's that smell?"
Fluffy, warm, and with a slightly strange sweetness...
She loved this scent; no matter how many times, no matter how subtle, she could always detect it instantly. It was a unique fragrance belonging to Shen Lixia, unlike any other bird or any other person.
Just as she enjoys dining and living with Shen Lixia, they fit together perfectly, creating a unique bond that makes everything ordinary extraordinary.
"It tastes like birds." Qiao Yanshen closed his eyes. "I'm a little tired, junior sister."
Although he had cried like before, his eyes were still stinging and his cheeks were burning from the tears, Qiao Yanshen felt no shame or embarrassment. Instead, he was so relaxed that he blurted out nonsensical things.
"My legs are a little sore... and my knees feel uncomfortable too." She mumbled, taking Chen Lixia's arm for support and standing up. Before she could stand up straight, she felt the ground beneath her give way.
Shen Lixia picked her up steadily, turned off the lights, and walked into the inner room.
A deep, ethereal blue light enveloped her, and Qiao Yanshen heard even the slightest rustling of grass outside. She didn't struggle, quietly waiting until the short distance was over and her back sank into the soft bedding as Shen Lixia released her arms, before letting out a soft sigh.
Shen Lixia smiled and said, "Senior Sister seems to be much stronger than before."
Qiao Yanshen, who had been buried in his pillow, turned around when he heard her say this, and said helplessly, "After all, it's not like before, when I was always hunched over my desk."
"Is that so?" Shen Lixia sat on the edge of the bed, nodded, took Qiao Yanshen's relaxed hand, and played with it on her lap. The traces of tears from earlier were still there, now damp and cool, yet the boy's skin beneath them was warm.
She sighed, "Back then, my senior sister gave off a feeling that, how should I put it... in every aspect, she seemed like she could be blown away by a gust of wind, impossible to grasp. If I had to say I was afraid, I was always feeling anxious and uncertain."
That's an exaggeration. When they first met, Qiao Yanshen was already at the Qi Refining stage. If he threw a punch at them, they would be scrambling to avoid dying.
But she truly was always like a kite. Even with the string in her hand, Shen Lixia had to keep chasing it without stopping. She couldn't control the wind, the clouds, or the unfolding veil; she could only keep moving, tirelessly chasing this kite, feeling the direction of the wind, and accepting its ever-changing distance.
Finally, the kite swirled to her side, and from then on they could travel side by side on the same track, welcoming the changing wind together.
"Now, things are different."
“But we made a promise a long time ago that we would always be on our own, no matter what. So I believe that Senior Sister will not leave without saying goodbye, and neither will I.” Shen Lixia pinched Qiao Yanshen’s fingertips, twirling her neatly manicured nails, occasionally touching her fingertips together and gently stroking them.
The boy's voice was clear and gentle, and when it lowered, it had a soft texture, like gently tapping a piece of warm jade.
She kicked off her boots, lay down, and snuggled into Qiao Yanshen's arms, hugging his waist tightly. She closed her eyes and said, "As long as we remember, we will always remember Master. I don't believe there won't be a turning point. I've heard that gods are omnipotent. If I become a god one day, perhaps I can find a way."
"The eternal lamp will be lit tomorrow, let us bid her farewell one last time."
Shen Lixia sighed.
She felt she shouldn't dwell on this topic for too long. In the face of death, no amount of comfort could truly help; all she could do was keep telling Qiao Yanshen that she would never let him face another separation.
Shen Lixia changed the subject: "To be honest, I've wanted to hug you like this for a long time! You've always been the one to hug me and take care of me, and it's been the same these past few days." She rubbed against Qiao Yanshen with a hint of pride, her voice becoming soft and gentle as she softened her tone.
"Um……"
Qiao Yanshen's voice, tinged with laughter, gradually softened. Shen Lixia understood that she was getting sleepy, so she stopped talking and stayed close to her, her fluffy hair resting against Qiao Yanshen's chin.
Just as she was about to say goodnight, Qiao Yanshen softly and dreamily uttered:
"I might..."
Shen Lixia asked, puzzled, "Hmm?"
The young man seemed to realize something and mumbled indistinctly, "It's nothing... Go to sleep."
...
The next day, as dusk fell and the sky grew dark, a group of students, each holding a lamp, stood beside a lake behind the many peaks of the Taihui Emperor's mountain range.
They stood silently by the lake, occasionally uttering only low whispers, like the rustling of wind through grass, as if afraid to disturb the soul of the deceased. Seven days passed, and even the most eloquent tears dried up, leaving only the emptiness of lips moving slightly, unsure of what to say, and the habitual glances towards a certain spot only to find the person there gone. The lamp was in their hands, its metal base cold, the oil still unlit.
The autumn rain falls like silk threads.
It wasn't heavy enough to make you need to wear a straw hat or hold an umbrella, but it was impossible to ignore. It fell densely, like cotton wool brushing against your skin, quickly covering your clothes and hair with a thin layer of water.
Unlike other places, Emperor Taihui preserved the ancient legends about the River Styx. This led them to firmly believe that the deceased would walk on the water, guided by the River Goddess, and return to the place they cherished most in life on the seventh day.
The eternal lamps are lit now to guide these souls and help them find their way home.
Many people are born and raised here, and their relatives have passed away over the long years. The friends, teachers, or students around them are their family.
Without the bond of blood, they can endlessly share food and drink, spend the evenings together, share the day's experiences, marvel at the different flavors of food, and laugh and joke through lonely times.
At this moment, their own chosen family members are all waiting here.
In some cases, in accordance with the deceased's final wishes, the body is temporarily stored and a message is sent to the surviving family members to take it away.
Two figures walked down the mountain path, their feet sinking into the soft, damp earth.
Shen Lixia held a lamp that burned eternally in her hands.
They had all changed into dark, plain clothes today, and like the other students, they walked silently to the shore near the lake.
Tiny ripples dotted the water, and a hazy mist slowly descended, heavy yet gentle, enveloping all the twilight's glow.
Only the lake water reflected tiny glimmers of light.
There was no organization involved this time; the event ended when the last student placed the eternal lamp into the water.
Footsteps approached, and Shen Lixia looked up to see Si Changxi dressed in a long black robe with a black veil tied around her arm. She carried no ever-burning lamp, only an oil lamp, as if this could add a touch of warmth to the desolate evening and dispel the lingering sorrow.
She nodded to them, then walked to the lakeside and quietly watched the students on the shore.
Compared to the previous small competition, it has decreased by more than half.
Someone cursed, "Not even one lamp is enough! Who told you to—"
Si Changxi's lips curled into a smile, his heart filled with bitterness.
“If everyone had a lamp, the lake would be full.” Shen Lixia shook her head, took Qiao Yanshen’s hand, and suddenly turned her gaze.
Chi Yueying noticed them too, and was watching them with pursed lips. Behind her, Yi Xiaohan's face was still pale, but his features were normal. When he was called over, he even showed a familiar smile.
If it weren't for the fact that her left sleeve was bare...
Shen Lixia felt a lump in her throat. She held back, forcing a smile instead of a bitter expression, and walked over with Qiao Yanshen.
"Master Yi, Master Chi." Qiao Yanshen, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.
Her gaze fell on the lanterns in the two people's hands, and she couldn't help but wonder, "Master Changyi... isn't she coming to release the lanterns?"
Before Chi Yueying could sigh, Yi Xiaohan snorted, "She said she wasn't qualified... and doesn't know how long she'll keep herself trapped in this guilt."
She carefully held the lamp with her one arm.
"Sigh, Xueya, if you knew..." She paused under the light nudge of Chi Yueying's elbow, suddenly becoming somewhat annoyed, and raised her voice.
"Don't tell me you can't mention it! What's so unacceptable about mentioning a dead person? You can't talk about being sad for her, you can't miss her, everyone just tries to avoid it, thinking that crying is shameful, and that you can pretend it never happened by never mentioning it again until you forget it, right? It's like you think anyone can easily forget, but you'll still be heartbroken for most of your life!"
After delivering his aggressive speech, Yi Xiaohan's hoarse voice echoed in the silence, causing even the students with their heads down to look up.
After she finished speaking, she suddenly deflated, and even the lamp in her hand trembled. The semi-solidified ointment inside looked like the tears of a mermaid, about to fall to the ground and shatter into a shower of clear light.
But Yi Xiaohan still managed to hold it firmly. She lowered her head, and some of the loose, messy hair from her low, crooked braid came loose, obscuring her dark red eyes.
"I miss her so much..."
Chi Yueying's lips moved slightly, but she remained silent, and tears gradually welled up in her eyes.
Years of being classmates, lifelong friends.
Yi Xiaohan only regretted that he couldn't stay by Yan Xueya's side.
I regret not being able to see her one last time.
When they were young, she and Yan Xueya never got along. Their peers would jokingly write couplets about these two prominent figures, one of which was a joke about how the two of them would always cause chaos whenever they met, with the horizontal inscription: "Ice and Fire Cannot Coexist".
Later, they both realized that they shared the same straightforward nature, and only she could accompany Yan Xueya in drinking that strong vintage wine.
The aged wine is called "Full Bow Knife," brewed with snow water, and is exceptionally refreshing. A sip brings a cool sensation that washes over your entire body, calming even the most volatile temper and leaving you feeling refreshed.
Yi Xiaohan drank to his heart's content, slammed his cup on the table, and said happily, "Well done, Yan Xueya, you've been hiding such a trick. Is there anything you can't do?"
Yan Xueya lowered her eyes, took another sip of wine, and then smiled, "It's not enough. A real full-bow sword... doesn't taste like this."
We want natural snow, we want a sky full of fluffy snowflakes, we want cavalrymen singing their triumphant songs as they cut through the gale.
Ordinary people might not understand her melancholy, but Yi Xiaohan could. She sensed something was amiss and said, "If you miss home so much, why don't you go back? What, are you really feeling lonely? I'll go with you—it's perfect timing, I've been wanting to see what your tent is like, and the Garan Land on the other side of the mountains for ages..."
“Don’t sigh. Everyone else who comes here cries and begs to go back. Look, wasn’t that what happened to the disciple that Luo Ying took in before? You’ve forgotten, back then the sect leader was still putting on airs every day, insisting that someone would take her back… but you never mention these things.”
"Don't you miss home?"
Yan Xueya stopped talking about the topic. Even though Yi Xiaohan asked many more questions, she just shook her head slightly, lowered her head, and poured herself another cup.
The flickering firelight reflected in her eyes, her smile was faint, and she silently finished the wine in her glass without saying a word.
The wine shimmered with a clear light, like a bright white crescent moon.
The first light came on.
Ripples spread across the lake, its surface shimmering. One after another, flickering lights were cast into the lake, casting brilliant, trembling shadows on its surface.
The rain suddenly intensified, crashing against the water and creating waves, as if the departed souls had truly returned, now standing quietly on the lake, gazing tenderly at the living on the other side from a world unseen by them.
The waves of water are their footsteps, and the ever-burning lamps are pushed together, forming the prelude to their arrival.
The lights intertwine, burning brightly on the surface of the flowing river, until the long night is no longer cold, until someone's tears flow with the rain, no longer indistinguishable from one another.
As night fell, Shen Lixia did not return home, but instead went to Frostblade Peak.
The snow is melting slowly, and the familiar chill has disappeared.
But surprisingly—
It seemed to be the first time the snow beasts had encountered such warm weather. Although they had the same perception of life and death in the world, they were more accustomed to it than humans.
At this moment, these furry creatures emerged from the cave, oblivious to the future and delighted by the changing environment, unaware that the snow would continue to melt. Several cubs kept nudging the ground with their wet noses, as if making room for the growing weeds to breathe; their mother stood nearby, searching for plants that had been exposed or grown as the snow melted.
The snowy owls flew in the air, and some recognized Shen Lixia, calling out to her. They were completely unaware of her presence.
For these snow beasts, it seemed to be just the first time they had experienced the changing of the seasons in their lives.
Shen Lixia landed in front of the cave and carefully crouched down. She had been here before, and a few of them remembered her scent, so they were neither wary nor concerned. Only one rushed over joyfully and crashed solidly into the boy's arms.
She lowered her head, paused slightly, then smiled: "Ah, it's you—"
It was the cub she held when she first came to Frostblade Peak...
She touched noses with it, her face warmed by its breath, and couldn't help but smile even more brightly.
"You've grown so big! You're so healthy, with such smooth, full fur, and such a strong body... Your mother must love you very much!"
She vigorously rubbed the snow beast's head for a while, and finally, it nudged her, pulling her down onto the snow. Several small furry balls nearby gathered around, curiously huddled not far away, blinking their dark eyes.
These kittens must have been born recently, and she didn't recognize any of them. However, they were all healthy, with short but thick and strong legs, and were quite powerful.
The snow beasts in Shen Lixia's arms let out a light cry, and as if given permission, they all came running over on their short limbs, happily lying down beside the warm-looking girl, licking her eyes, nose, and hair with their tongues. The snow beasts' fur was soft and thick, making her chest feel hot, and even her hair felt warm.
Shen Lixia hugged the snow beast, laughed for a while, then closed her eyes, letting the itchy and warm touch remain on her face, and whispered:
"It's so good, so good... But I've lost my mother. She didn't treat me the way a mother treats her child. Why can't I call her 'Mom' anymore..."
The snow that melted across the mountains and fields, and the sudden arrival of spring in the autumn chill, are like a gift from Yan Xueya to all life here.
They brought her homeland, and she reciprocated by giving them a view she could never see in the snowfields.
Afterwards, these snow beasts will be sent back to the snowfield.
They always have to go home.
The coldness of the snow slowly crept up from my back, causing a burning sensation to rise in my wound.
Shen Lixia lay in the warmth brought by the fluffy ball, quietly snuggling with the grown-up snow beast, thinking that they would live well wherever they were.
However, in doing so, nothing would be left on Frostblade Peak...
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The author's note: Actually, Master learned a little bit of everything, and her skills were quite diverse, but she later specialized in swordsmanship.
So she was actually quite happy to take Xia in, and never restricted what she could learn. She felt that a variety of subjects was a good thing; the sky's the limit, and what's wrong with a child learning more?
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