Chapter 134 Family We traverse the past and move towards the future. ...
In the city, Simmons sat by the waterway, gently swinging her legs. Suddenly, a bright light flashed before her eyes. She bent down and scooped up a flower floating in the water.
She hadn't been involved much in the events of the past few days, nor did she intend to interfere. It wasn't indifference, but rather a belief that they could handle everything. Besides, they had all come here seeking what they desired, while Simmons had long since relinquished all attachments. She hadn't fully comprehended the myriad truths of Buddhism, nor the many paths to enlightenment, but she had accepted the impermanence of the world.
For someone like her, a deeply unforgettable experience in her life is enough to take away most of her life, and now she simply doesn't have the strength to touch any intense love or hate again.
So, a life as calm as water is fine. Those who shed tears for her are already cherished in her heart.
She will accompany them through the rest of their lives, and that will be enough.
However, since this place is where one seeks traces of the gods, it inevitably evokes some memories.
And coincidentally, the flower was violet. Simmons wiped the water droplets off the flower with her clothes and casually tucked it into her hair. Now, seeing this color, she wouldn't suddenly go crazy and want to tear it to shreds anymore.
The woman stopped humming her tune, looked down at her reflection in the water, and muttered to herself, "The Dragonborn are also connected to the Four Symbols Gods. The affairs among the gods have a profound impact on the mortal realm."
After saying that, Simmons smiled at her reflection again, as if the water wasn't just empty space, but that there was actually someone talking to her.
"I don't know what happened to her in the end. But I heard her say that the Dragon Descendants, and even the Azure Dragon himself known as the Taiyin Lord, all met terrible ends." When the person mentioned this, he seemed to recall something tragic, and he frowned slightly, revealing a look of pity.
She had grown accustomed to the saint's repulsive hypocrisy, but for a moment, her sorrow seemed genuine, a silent lament for her people.
"But it has nothing to do with me. Whether she suffers a terrible death or is forgiven by the person she called Ami, it has nothing to do with me."
The woman sighed softly and fell silent, as if she had nothing more to say. Just then, a whistling, howling wind swept through the city, lashing against the windows and rattling the glass, howling and crashing in all directions, raising clouds of yellow sand. Simmons looked up and saw the sky darken slightly, thinking something terrible had happened. But the next moment, her eyes were filled with a dazzling display of light—thousands of comet-like golden and red arrows crisscrossing the sky, a breathtaking sight.
Just like the fire I witnessed when I first encountered it in Quebec, the great fire that burned away all evil spirits. So bright, so magnificent, as if any handful of burnt-out incense ash could be rekindled, reborn, reshaped, and shine with a crimson brilliance once more.
Simmons raised her hand to trace the light, unwilling to squint, letting the brightness sting her eyes. The warmth wasn't unattainable; it was real, tangible, golden light falling, nourishing everything here, burning away all infatuation, anger, and suffering, warming her palms. Even her gray clothes were tinged with warmth through the threads.
A dull thud came from the sky. Simmons looked up and seemed to see a long crack appear behind the clouds, in a place that should have been endlessly high.
She suddenly stood up, let out a long sigh, and laughed loudly. Without stopping, she walked through the city streets, sharing the same joy as everyone else.
"What a beautiful fireworks display!"
She arrived at the perfect time, just like many years ago when she was desperate and heard her guru ringing the guiding bell.
The violet flowers, unable to withstand the turbulence, drifted down to the ground.
-
Taiyin Jun.
Shen Lixia felt that the name sounded familiar, and a feeling in her heart reminded her that there seemed to be another name that was even closer to this person.
Not the Moon Goddess, not the Azure Dragon, not any vague, replaceable title, like Hua Ying to the Vermilion Bird, like her name to Ling Guang... there must be a more fitting name. The divine fire, having pierced the sky, paused. Holding her bow, she was about to turn and ask Hua Sheng—
But a piercing pain welled up inside.
Fate's gifts always come with a price, and Hua Ying loathed herself to the core, so Shen Lixia suffered along with her, constantly teetering on the edge of self-destruction. The divine fire tormented her relentlessly, as if in retaliation. A searing pain covered the muscles and bones of her back, and the boy suddenly lost his strength in his legs, gritting his teeth and kneeling down, clutching himself tightly.
The others, who had been startled by her arrow, rushed over upon seeing this, only to be stopped by the divine fire that surged forth and covered the ground. The curtain of fire burned fiercely, flowing out like the long, colorful tail feathers of a bird, leaving only Qiao Yanshen behind.
The blazing fireworks instantly turned the room into a volcano-like scorching hot space, making people feel dizzy and nauseous.
The young man regained his composure, his pupils contracted slightly, and he quickly came over and hugged her, asking in a low voice, "Is it divine fire?"
Shen Lixia didn't even have the strength to answer her. Her golden eyes slightly blurred, but the diamond-shaped pupils in the center became increasingly clear and bright, tinged with a crimson similar to that of her past life. She bit her lower lip, letting Qiao Yanshen gently stroke her hair again and again, channeling gentle spiritual energy into her. This time, unlike before, there was no relief. The divine fire fiercely burned her, bringing crackling sounds, as if something was struggling to break through layers of bone, flesh, and blood within her body, growing aggressively...
A soft sound reached his ears, and Qiao Yanshen looked up, his breath catching in his throat.
The fire raged fiercely, engulfing almost the entire hall, yet nothing collapsed or burned. Amidst the crimson flames that illuminated everything around them, a pair of bright red wings unfurled behind the boy.
Luo Yang's words echoed in his ears once again: "Two things are the essence of my heart and soul: one is the divine fire, and the other is the sword technique."
The sword technique is incomplete, but the divine fire is about to be formed.
Sins were burned away one by one. Along the way, first came slander, turning meritorious officials into sinners, spending countless millennia in the image of gods; second came deception, stealing the glory of women who founded the nation and reversing the Heavenly Gang; and third came exclusion, labeling anyone who disobeyed or surpassed them as an outcast, causing the innocent to fall into a terminal illness.
The sound just now wasn't an illusion; that arrow shattered something in the sky.
The divine fire gradually broke free of its shackles, and their past lives slowly surfaced. Of all the memories, they couldn't recall how they had arrived in the future.
In other words, the cause of their deaths in their previous lives has always remained a mystery.
Now, the mystery seems to be about to be revealed. The wings spread slightly, with specks of blood clinging to them, the blood beads gathering at the tips of the feathers and dripping down.
Qiao Yanshen lowered his eyes, allowing his spiritual energy to gradually merge with the boy's, helping her heal the wounds inflicted when the wings broke through her flesh. Shen Lixia, panting and pale, finally regained her strength and stood up after a long while. Her lips parted a few times, managing to squeeze out a few words:
"I......"
The divine fire gradually subsided, and the figures of the others slowly appeared. Qiao Yanshen leaned closer to listen to what she had to say, but was instead given a tight hug by the boy, who enveloped him in her warm breath.
She finally said the whole sentence excitedly: "I have wings!" After saying that, she strained her shoulders as if she wanted to spread the wings on her back, but only made them tremble twice.
Qiao Yanshen caught a glimpse of this scene, and a line of words inexplicably popped into his mind: a precious record of early birds taming their own wings.
The pain from just now seemed insignificant compared to the joy at this moment, and so it all vanished. Qiao Yanshen smiled helplessly and whispered, "That's great, little bird."
"No wonder my back kept hurting! I almost thought I had some incurable disease... By the way, can this be taken back? If I go back with this on, those people will definitely chase me and pluck my feathers..." Shen Lixia had already experienced Hua Ying's life in her dream, so she was quite accepting of the fact that she had grown wings. She circled around Qiao Yanshen, chattering away nonstop.
Their conversation was interrupted by a soft cough.
Hua Yun and Hua Sheng both stared intently at the pair of wings behind Shen Lixia. Blood droplets fell from them, were wiped away by hand seals, but the color did not fade at all; instead, it became even brighter.
Since they were from the Vermilion Bird tribe, they naturally knew what those crimson wings represented. The patterns and wingspan were exactly the same as those of the deity seen in the relief.
Si Changxi's gaze towards Shen Lixia became subtle. She harbored no covetousness for the precious items, nor any xenophobic thoughts; she was simply worried that if they couldn't be taken back, they would have to find another place to settle them. The three races were deeply entrenched in conflict, and if the entire world were to launch a siege, she feared she couldn't guarantee the boy's safety.
The spiritual energy flickered at her fingertips, but after a moment she calmed down, a hint of coldness flashing in her lowered eyes.
Forget it, there's no point in worrying about whether she can protect him or not; there's no point in even considering the possibility that she can't. If anyone tries to harm her, they'll have to face her sword first. Even if the Heavenly Dao sends down a god to chase after her, she will fight to the very last moment.
The world is so vast, can't it even accommodate two people? It's about time that the conflict between humans and other races found a way to ease tensions.
Yan Xueya will definitely do the same.
Si Changxi defied fate and refused to heed others' pronouncements of "obedience." Therefore, she didn't believe in any unavoidable necessity in the world. Rather than saying "sacrifice is necessary," she suggested pointing her sword at the very object demanding sacrifice and reversing the situation.
Thinking of this, she walked to Shen Lixia's side, patted her on the shoulder, and smiled, "Congratulations, young friend. I heard you say earlier that you have a special background. Are you indeed gods who have come down to gain experience?"
By now, he should have remembered something. However, the boy just blinked blankly and shook his head, saying, "No, I didn't inherit... nor am I a god."
Shen Lixia stroked her wings. "Perhaps what I'm doing now is just following in her footsteps." To find those who did not meet a good end, to understand the cause and effect of the past life, and even to expose the intertwined dark secrets behind it.
To give Hua Ying and Luo Yang, their past friends, and also to give myself and Qiao Yanshen an answer.
She shares the same goal as the divine fire—to crush the many injustices in the world and protect all living beings.
Shen Lixia picked up the longbow and said sincerely to Hua Sheng, "May I take it with me?"
Hua Sheng smiled and nodded, then handed over the wooden box, "You can take this with you too—try if you can open it."
Generally, these kinds of things seem to require blood to be drawn. Shen Lixia first channeled her spiritual energy into it, but as expected there was no reaction, so she cut her fingertip and let the blood droplet roll down.
The vermilion on the wooden box glowed brightly, but the light dimmed in an instant, and the seal could not be broken, as if another half was missing. She pondered for a moment, then her eyes lit up. She held the wooden box in both hands and placed it in front of Qiao Yanshen, indicating that she should try it too.
A drop of blood from the young man's fingertip fell onto the surface of the wooden box, and as if drawn, traced runes along the cinnabar. The two drops of blood mingled, illuminating the crimson, and with a soft click, the shackles were indeed broken.
Inside, lying quietly, was an ancient scroll. When unfolded, the text on it was also bright red, but the writing was obscure, and due to its long period of dust, it was somewhat damaged, and it would probably take some time to decipher.
Seeing their troubled expressions, Hua Sheng waved his hand and said, "Go back first and take a good look at this scroll."
"I'm afraid that whether you like it or not, you'll have to stay here for a few days," Hua Yun nodded and added. "New wings need time to develop, and we will teach you how to fly."
As she spoke, she walked up to the two women and embraced them both. She regarded Shen Lixia as a member of her clan who had returned home, as their child, and naturally, she also regarded Qiao Yanshen, with whom she had a close relationship, as her daughter. The woman's arms were warm and strong, and her large wings wrapped them tightly, warming them and wiping away all their pain.
Shen Lixia closed her eyes, her heart filled with joy. Her eyes met Qiao Yanshen's, and they both understood what the other was thinking.
Despite their tumultuous past, they were not alone in the end. There were many, many others in the world who loved them and considered them family.
After Shen Lixia and the others left, Hua Sheng looked at the empty square platform and sighed sadly.
She had a vague premonition—the miracle her ancestors hadn't witnessed, perhaps she could see. If so, she would definitely write it down carefully, then ask the boy for a feather, and carry it with flames to deliver to her ancestors.
They had waited for Lord Lingguang for far too long, and among the people Hua Sheng remembered, many had waited for a tree in the desert to grow branches and leaves for a very long time.
In some mysterious way, the gods have returned to their side. Their mother would surely be delighted to hear this news.
Thinking of her mother, she recalled their conversation last night and turned to Si Changxi, saying, "Come on, I'll take you to see your mother."
-
Voices approached in the dimly lit room. Heavy curtains were drawn, blocking out much of the light.
There were three knocks on the door, and a hoarse voice came from inside: "Come in." She spoke without difficulty; her voice was low and hoarse, yet it had a steady strength, and her pronunciation was very clear.
Si Changxi pushed open the door. Hua Sheng said they should talk alone; she trusted Si Changxi, so she wouldn't watch from the side. The old woman's dwelling was scented; it was a simple little place with a table, chairs, bookshelves, and a bed separated by a gauze curtain. A small door led to the backyard, with dried vines hanging from it. The warm, mellow scent of oil and milk enveloped the young woman, drawing her into a cozy atmosphere.
She recalled the past, and a certain scent always accompanied her: the faint herbal fragrance emanating from Si Liuhua. It was bitter yet gentle, like green bamboo standing tall in the rain.
My sister said this tastes like home.
They say that in the tribe of writers, medical skills have been passed down through generations, and many herbs have been cultivated, so the whole area is often bathed in the fragrance of herbs.
Si Changxi walked to the bedside and sat down in a chair. The old woman lying on the bed put down the book in her hand and looked at her with a sharp yet gentle gaze. The signs of aging were evident in her; the black of her feathers and hair had faded, and wrinkles had etched themselves onto her face, but they had not taken away her vigorous vitality.
The Galan people may have been younger than her until death, and their bodies remained resiliently strong. Hua Sheng said that her lifespan was coming to an end, but Si Changxi could not see any fear of death in her eyes, only peace, at most a hint of regret in her eyes, which made her gaze slightly sad.
Civilizations always share commonalities. She had heard from Hua Sheng that when someone dies, the entire tribe gathers around her to mourn. Just as an elephant herd touches the bones of a fallen elephant with their trunks during a long journey, the people of Jialan gently caress the deceased with their eyes, wishing her soul a safe return to Luochuan.
—Luochuan. The people here call it the Other World, using no other name but simply Luochuan. A legendary river that others believe doesn't exist, yet they consider it the only destination for the dead.
There is still a herd of elephants mourning here, but at either her or Si Liuhua's funeral, only the other is destined to attend.
The old man broke the silence first: "Ah Sheng said you are from the Azure Dragon tribe?"
Si Changxi nodded. "The clan has designated me as the successor to the High Priest, but it seems that I had already left the clan before I was born."
"Left the tribe?"
“My memory is incomplete, so I can’t remember why I left the tribe. And the person who visited you a thousand years ago never told me…”
All she remembered was that the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Si Liuhua.
Most people are afraid of scars on other people's faces, but Si Changxi, though a newborn child, was not at all alarmed by the scar on the young man's eye. Instead, she reached out to touch it. As the high priest, he was born with a wealth of memories and knowledge from his clan and also possessed an exceptional memory.
Therefore, Si Changxi could still recall his first thought at that time—
It must have hurt a lot.
When this injury appeared on her face, how did she get through it and how was she able to show that warm smile she had when they first met?
Si Changxi closed her eyes, and fragments of memory surfaced. She continued, "So, do you remember why the Azure Dragon tribe... was destroyed?"
Although she doesn't believe the tribe has truly disappeared, her heart still aches when she speaks the word.
The old man shook his head: "I don't know why the Azure Dragon tribe disappeared overnight. We've been separated for too long... Legend has it that in the history of the demon race, the Wise Ruler used his own body to form an array to separate heaven and earth, the Soldier Supervisor acted willfully without regard for personal feelings, and the Yin Lord and the Light Lord, due to their many disputes with the Soldier Supervisor, gradually disappeared without a trace. Just like the Four Symbols, who should have been inseparable but went their separate ways, our tribes have also been torn apart."
According to legend, the Four Symbols were born as supreme gods, children of the creator god, and the closest relatives among them in the world.
“Many years have passed, but all we received was a message that that tribe no longer exists…” Sadness appeared in her dim eyes. “Have you ever seen that young man?”
“We have indeed met…” Si Changxi was a little flustered and couldn’t help but bite her lower lip lightly.
Before Si Changxi could finish speaking, the old man gripped her hand tightly and said in a hoarse voice, "If she were still alive, then you would be each other's only family in the world. Cherish each other."
Cherish...the other person?
Si Changxi lowered her head, looking at the old man's rough hands, and for some reason, she remembered how Si Liuhua had once held her hand so tightly. Cherishing. She had once cherished Si Liuhua, just as he had cherished her.
The Garan people are parthenogenetic, living from eggs. So, before she had developed a physical form, she was taken away by Si Liuhua.
Her elder sister had changed at a certain stage, but it didn't mean she had never loved her. From the moment of her birth, Si Changxi's first sensation was the saltiness and dampness of tears. The young man's lifeless eyes, because of her safety and health, regained a final spark of life.
She held the young and lonely member of her tribe, tears streaming down her face, choked with sobs, her joy and sorrow mingling.
That was the first and last time Si Changxi saw Si Liuhua cry. The tears fell to her lips, bitter and astringent, then turning into a hint of sweetness. It was the complex taste of love; at that moment, Si Changxi shared the young man's emotions, feeling both happiness and sorrow.
She was genuinely happy that Si Changxi had come into this world.
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Author's Note: This chapter has a lot of content!
I've looked at the outline and it seems to be a really long story. I'll try my best to fill in the gaps and I definitely won't abandon it, so don't worry.
*Regarding Buddhist terminology, I've used some terms that I consider neutral, such as "guru" and "venerable one." Please let me know if there's anything inappropriate. These generally refer to women; exceptions will be specifically noted.
Then, let me add a personal little detail: Si Liuhua said that sacrifice is necessary; but Si Changxi's view was that it would be better to eliminate the object that required sacrifice. This idea actually carries a sharp naiveté and purity, but it is exactly the opposite of Si Liuhua's.
So, in fact, her older sister really loved her, which gave her the courage to have such thoughts and to remain a spirited young person instead of submitting to any divine will.
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