Chapter 43043 Don’t Stay So Far Away From Me
Near dawn, the main hall of Yingyue Palace welcomed new guests.
Nianyou was overwhelmed by the exploding amount of information. She had no time to think about her uncle's conspiracy and his strange death, nor did she have time to worry about her engagement with Yu Huansheng, which had become a laughing stock. Her mind was filled with the only thing that suddenly appeared in her eyes when she was at the foot of the mountain in the middle of the night.
...Zhuang Rong'er is colluding with Ji Yuan?
It's absolutely impossible!
What happened next to cause the scene she saw? It was as if the righteous sects had joined forces to attack Cui Huan Valley...
Before she figured it out herself, she had no idea how to talk to the person involved about it.
What if, by some unintended mistake, her incoherent prophecy caused Zhuang Rong'er to become wary and disgusted with the righteous path, and this actually led to that outcome?
Nianyou had no idea at all, when a palace maid came to report that Ah Huai had arrived.
He was alone, not with Zhuang Rong'er, and there was no little snake around him.
Recalling the prophesied groom whose face was unclear, the one lying in a pool of blood, Nian You froze slightly. She stared at the face that looked almost identical to her old friend and pursed her lips. "Is the Valley Master awake? Is there something he needs from me?"
"Not yet." Ah Huai raised his eyes and said calmly, "I want to ask the goddess something."
"Just tell me, I will tell you everything I know."
Nianyou agreed solemnly. She was always concerned about the situation in the Xingluo Sea and had never looked down on the man in front of her.
After two seconds of silence, Ah Huai spoke thoughtfully, "I want to ask, what kind of person is Jing Huai?"
“…”
Nian You was stunned.
What kind of person is Jing Huai?
—A rare genius who appears once in a century, a savior hero who sacrificed his life for the cause, a handsome young man in this troubled world... and also the deceased lover whom Zhuang Rong'er had loved for a hundred years.
Of course she knew the answer to this question. As someone who survived the Battle of the Abyss a hundred years ago, how could she have no impression of the Savior?
But is it appropriate to say these words to Ah Huai in public?
No matter it was Zhuang Rong'er herself, the little snake beside her, or the Wujimen's Wuheng people, none of them talked to her about Jing Huai, so how could she have the right to speak?
I thought she would tell me everything she knew, but I didn't expect that she knew everything but didn't dare to say it.
As a bystander, she could feel the emotional flow between Ah Huai and Zhuang Rong'er, and was moved by it. At this moment, she was afraid that what she said would cause a rift between the two of them, which would become an obstacle to the development of their relationship.
She fell silent, but another voice in the distance took over the conversation.
"If you have anything you want to know, why not ask me."
Yu Huansheng's voice was still a little weak as he walked in from the side door, but perhaps he had figured something out after half a night of contemplation. The look in his eyes when he looked at Ah Huai was very firm, and there was no longer the trance of "suspecting that it was an old friend returning", only a kind of scrutiny and exploration.
"I'm a fellow disciple of Jing Huai." He gave a complicated smile, or rather, it wasn't a smile, just a meaningful curl of his lips, and said, "I understand Jing Huai far better than the goddess does."
Ah Huai and Yu Huansheng looked at each other and nodded after a while.
Nianyou's throat choked. She didn't know whether she should join in the conversation and try to ease the tension, or go find Zhuang Rong'er to ask her opinion...
After hesitating for less than half a second, Yu Huansheng had already made the choice for her. He said, "I have received a letter from the sect. Representatives from several major righteous sects will arrive at Yingyue Palace this morning to discuss the reappearance of Jiyuan. Please make some preparations, goddess."
"You're here so soon?" Nian You was surprised.
Yu Huansheng nodded and added, "I'll come find you in a quarter of an hour."
What he meant was that within this quarter of an hour, he and Ah Huai would be the only ones left in this place.
Even if Nian You wanted to pull away, she didn't have time. She hurriedly retreated, leaving only two palace maids guarding outside the hall to be more careful.
However, they were outside, so as long as there was no intense noise like fighting coming from the room, they would not hear what was happening inside.
"You should know that you are very similar to Jing Huai in both appearance and figure." Yu Huansheng spoke first.
Ah Huai remained silent.
"...Even the way they remain silent during conversations is remarkably similar." Yu Huansheng curled his lips. "He's Jing Yixu's beloved disciple. When it comes to cultivation, no one in the world is more gifted than him."
Jing Yixu...this name has been mentioned many times in ancient books.
The image of the old man who played chess with him in the underground barrier appeared in Ah Huai's mind.
It turned out that he was the former leader of Tianque Sect and the former senior brother of Jing Yimeng, the leader of Tianjing Peak of Wuji Sect.
So, was that why Jing Yimeng always looked at him that way? With a kind of frustration, like a man hating someone who couldn't match his abilities. It turned out to be because he resembled Jing Huai, yet... not as good as Jing Huai.
Ah Huai lowered his eyes and asked calmly, "Did Jing Huai die in the Battle of Jiyuan a hundred years ago?"
No one told him that Jing Huai was dead.
But there is absolutely no doubt about this point. If Jing Huai were still alive, Zhuang Rong'er would not have bought him when she first met him in Changbao Pavilion - he suspected that she would most likely have executed him.
The question is, why did Jing Huai die?
Did you communicate with Zhuang Rong'er before your death?
"...Yes." Yu Huansheng's breathing became heavier. His gaze was fixed on an incense burner in the hall, and his face was stiff as he was lost in memories.
From his expression, it was clear that Jing Huai's death was not an ordinary one.
But... this doesn't make sense.
Why was the reputation of a man who perhaps died gloriously in the Jiyuan War buried a hundred years later?
Ah Huai looked at Yu Huansheng quietly, without asking any further questions. However, the other party had already further explained under his gaze: "Jing Huai and the evil creature from the abyss perished together. He was a man of great righteousness who died for the people of the world."
"...But the evil creatures from the abyss have returned."
"Yes... but Jing Huai clearly sealed the entrance to the Abyss at the Soul Ruins Ancient Battlefield at the cost of his own life..."
Yu Huansheng uttered every word with difficulty, and he seemed to be more impressed by the battle than anyone else.
Ah Huai had previously realized that although this person was famous throughout the world and held a high position, he was not a top master. It seemed that he had an old illness... So, did he also die in that battle?
In just a few conversations, the positions of the two people seemed to have been reversed.
Yu Huansheng, who came with doubts and inquiries, fell into the gloom of memories, and Ah Huai became the one who examined the other.
He hadn't shown any obvious emotion throughout, and now he simply asked the question that was deep in his heart: "Why, as the savior, is it as if Jing Huai's news has been wiped out from the world?"
The savior should not be treated like this.
Even if it is not worshipped and praised by the world every day, it should not be completely ignored.
A bitter look appeared on Yu Huansheng's face. He looked at the ground and replied in a low voice, "It was...his master's idea."
If a savior continues to bear the title of savior, he will always be under this equally heavy shackle.
The next time the world is in chaos, people will still feel that he has the responsibility to save the world from danger again.
"...Next time?" Ah Huai raised his eyebrows slightly.
How can there be a next time for a dead person?
Yu Huansheng hummed, then shook his head dejectedly, "...No one wants him to go on with such a heavy burden. Carrying a halo on one's back will inevitably lead to its constraints."
"I'm so much like him, why have you never thought that I am him?"
Ah Huai asked suddenly.
"...Because it's impossible." Yu Huansheng's lips trembled as he repeated, "Impossible. His soul exploded and died, leaving only a wisp of his spirit. His body was even weathered to stone. Even reincarnation...is impossible."
It's indeed impossible.
Ah Huai nodded lightly.
As an ordinary person, there is a huge gap between him and the savior genius of a hundred years ago.
The difference was so great that he couldn't even feel any hostility towards this person whom he called a "rival in love".
"...Young Sect Master, have you ever seen Jing Huai without his eyes covered?" he asked again.
Yu Huansheng closed his eyes, looking a little tired.
"No."
"Has anyone in the world seen it?"
Zhuang Rong'er must have never seen this before, otherwise she wouldn't be obsessed with the blindfolded look, but Ah Huai still wanted to ask.
"If there is, it can only be Jing Yixu." Yu Huansheng said.
No matter what his purpose was in answering Ah Huai's question on behalf of Nianyou, it was obvious that he did not get what he wanted from this conversation. He just looked more powerless.
And he was powerless not because of Ah Huai's question, but because of his own answer.
Ah Huai took everything in and said, "I have one last question for the Young Sect Master."
"you say."
"Is there any magic in this world that can cause a cultivator to suddenly lose all his spiritual power and memory one day, turning him into an ordinary person with no memory of his past?"
Yu Huansheng's expression shifted slightly, and he asked in astonishment, "Are you describing your own situation?"
Ah Huai responded hesitantly.
"Such a spell doesn't exist. Besides, you haven't lost all your spiritual power, you just don't have a spiritual vein." Yu Huansheng stared at him, his brows furrowed. "If what you said is true, then someone has clearly dug up your spiritual vein."
Ah Huai shook his head: "If there is no spiritual vein at all, it is impossible to condense spiritual power, right?"
"Of course." Yu Huansheng said without hesitation.
Ah Huai pursed his lips.
But before this, he had taken a sword from the air under the ground.
The power that filled his body at that time could not be an illusion, he just didn't know how to reproduce that scene.
"...You've asked me so many questions, it's my turn to ask you." Yu Huansheng said in a serious tone, "Where did you come from?"
"This is also the answer I have been looking for." Ah Huai said.
As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Huansheng suddenly raised his hand and attacked him.
Neither of them had any weapons in their hands, and they fought with bare hands.
Ah Huai leaned back and grabbed Yu Huansheng's wrist with his tiger's mouth, blocking his attack, and then hit his shoulder with his backhand.
Yu Huansheng's breathing became disordered, and he couldn't help but take a half step back. His hand fell down with difficulty, just like the sword that was knocked away that day.
Ah Huai, with one hand behind his back, used only one hand the entire time, and just like that, he easily counterattacked him, just like... another person.
Yu Huansheng stood there in a daze.
Ah Huai glanced at him and turned away.
"A quarter of an hour has passed. Thank you, Young Sect Master, for answering my questions." he said.
…
The Dongshan Villa was extremely quiet, with only the sound of falling leaves hitting the ground.
As soon as Ah Huai crossed the archway, a woman threw herself into his arms.
Even when he was suddenly attacked by Yu Huansheng, he was not as surprised as he is now.
His body stiffened instinctively, but his hands still caught the other person steadily.
But the faster frequency of his eyelashes trembling showed that the ease he had maintained throughout the journey was finally destroyed by the unexpected closeness.
"Where did you go?" Zhuang Rong'er asked in a muffled voice.
"...I went to the main hall."
"Don't stay so far away from me again." Zhuang Rong'er wasn't curious about where he had gone. She didn't even think about the answer. She just buried her head in his chest and whispered in a deep, threatening tone, "Don't leave my sight again."
“…”
The skin of Ah Huai and Zhuang Rong'er that came into contact with each other began to feel hot.
He tried to distance himself a little, but she quickly came close again, her look of undisguised dependence on him.
"……Owner?"
The little snake came out of the house holding a medicine jar and stood there in a daze with a stunned expression. The medicine jar in his hand was tilted and the juice flowed all over his hands. It seemed that it would be smashed to the ground in the next second.
But Ah Huai had no time to pay attention to others.
——After waking up, Zhuang Ronger started to stick to him.
This is an unexpected change.
However, he, who always likes to have everything under control, seems... happy to accept this?
"You can't even take a step away from me, do you hear me?" The woman's voice was soft, but it couldn't hide the fact that she was giving a rather willful order.
Ah Huai lowered his eyes, his Adam's apple rolled slightly, and finally he gently placed his hand on her back, and while Zhuang Rong'er was awake, he hugged her back lightly.
"……Um."
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