cry
He still clasped his hands together in front of him, only reminding me: "Wipe away your tears, little Xu Yi. You should be happy for me. I have walked through the mortal world and returned to my original self. This is a good thing."
I couldn't accept it at all, and I cried uncontrollably, pleading, "Supervisor, please leave tomorrow, okay? I... I'll find them... to see you off together?"
“No, Xu Yi,” he shook his head, “A cultivator comes alone and leaves alone. You will understand in the future.”
"I don't want to understand... I don't want to understand..." I cried and pleaded again, "Please don't leave, okay? Wait until my thirty-year time comes, then we'll go together... together, okay?"
He sighed, shook his head slightly, and then turned and left, leaving behind only the words, "Goodbye, little Xu Yi."
I don't know how long I stood in front of the empty city gate, nor how I got back to the Imperial Observatory...
All I heard was the long, drawn-out hum of the city gates closing... isolating me from that wise, elder-like old man, leaving me alone, a bewildered and clueless junior...
I comforted myself with a lie: at least the supervisor said goodbye, which is much better than the other old man who quietly left without saying a word...
But I was still reluctant to part with him, still heartbroken and sad. I hugged Baohe and cried uncontrollably...
Baohe looked completely bewildered. He patted my back with his little hand and asked, "What's wrong, Xu Yi? What happened?"
Finally, even Mu Li was invited over by Wu Qing. He hurriedly hugged me and said with a face full of tenderness, "It's okay, it's okay, Xu Yi, I'm here."
But this didn't make me feel any better; in fact, it deepened my overwhelming grief...
I sobbed, my voice trembling, "Muli... the chief... the chief... he's gone... sob sob... he's not coming back... he's not coming back..."
"Why?" Muli was also very puzzled. "They've already left? So suddenly?"
"Yes, he's gone... he's gone... I begged him, begged him to stay one more day... but he wouldn't, he just said, just said goodbye... sob sob sob..."
I looked into Muli's eyes, hoping he would say something comforting, but he only frowned and said, "Perhaps... the chief has his own things to do..."
"No, no! He was just tired of it all, tired of this mortal world, so he left... He didn't have anything to do..."
I can't tell if I'm more heartbroken because the supervisor is gone, or because I can't find a reason to convince myself not to be heartbroken...
The pang of reluctance in my heart grew more intense, and I cried unrestrainedly... completely unaware that Baohe beside me had quieted down, gradually enveloped by the ghostly aura emanating from me...
The sky and earth darkened, as if a heavy rain was about to fall.
Wu Qing was originally standing to the side, but seeing that I was making too much noise, he called on everyone to work together to set up an array in the courtyard, and also pulled Mu Li out of the courtyard.
As the dark clouds in the sky grew larger and continued to spread, a familiar aura flew over from the sky. With a wave of his hand, he dispersed the array that was not yet set up, and then pointed two fingers together at my brow...
It was as if a drop of cool mountain spring water had dripped into my mind. I heard him say, "Xu Yi, didn't the supervisor tell you not to let your mind wander anymore?"
I was startled awake by the icy feeling and saw Bai Er dressed in plain clothes in front of me. I looked at him in disbelief: "Bai Er?"
"Hmm," he nodded, and only removed his finger from between my eyebrows when he saw that I was awake.
As I slid down to the ground, he quickly caught me by the shoulders and helped me slowly kneel down. I looked at Bai Er, and my nose stung again: "Bai Er... Supervisor... is gone..."
“I know,” he nodded with a smile, “the Supervisor has severed his ties to the mortal world and it is time for him to leave…”
"But..." My nose started to sting even more...
“I know you’re reluctant to part with it, but this is a good thing. Xu Yi has returned to his original nature, which is the best path for a cultivator…”
I know this is a good thing, I know separation is inevitable, but I'm still sad and heartbroken...
"Are you still sad?" he asked me with concern, looking down at me.
"Yes," I nodded, "I'm still sad..."
He tilted his head, a faint smile still on his face: "What should we do? You're so sad, how about I take you back to my place to eat some dates?"
"I don't like eating dates."
He smiled again, raised his hand to wipe away my tears, and even pinched my nose when he had a moment: "So what do you like to eat? I'll take you there."
"I want to eat snake."
He tilted his head, looking at me with amusement: "That won't do, you can't eat this..."
"Hmph..." I hummed in dissatisfaction.
He smiled and touched my cheek, coaxing me, "It's alright, don't be sad anymore."
"But what can I do if I'm just sad?"
"Then what should we do? Shall I take you to beat up all those people who don't get along with you to vent your anger?"
I burst into laughter through my tears: "Won't that just create even more unsolvable karmic problems?"
"Then I'll take you to break through the waves." With that, he transformed into his original form, circled around me, and flew away with me, thoughtfully adding, "She'll return on her own tomorrow."
When we reached the river outside the city, his enormous body floated on the water, carrying me on his back, rising and falling with the waves of the river...
This was the first time I had ever been so close to and had such a direct experience of the river waves...
Watching Bai Er carry me upstream, breaking through wave after wave of spray, I felt as if the grief in my heart had been washed away by the massive river waves...
The cool river water splashed on me, miraculously calming the intense emotions within me...
I knelt down, hugged Bai Er, and kissed the scales on his back: "Thank you, Bai Er."
"All done?" he asked me.
"Hmm, much better."
“That’s good,” he said, leading me away from the water to a dry spot on the riverbank.
The water droplets slid down the lines of his robe and disappeared in a moment.
He raised his hand and slid it over my head, instantly drying my clothes.
He pinched my cheek indulgently and smiled, "It's good that you're not sad anymore." Then he hugged me and gently touched my forehead, "Xu Yi, I have to go too. It's not convenient for me to stay in the capital for long."
“Okay,” I nodded, “then you can go.”
He pulled me back slowly, then, just as my arm was fully extended, he swiftly and forcefully pulled me close to him again, cupped my face, and kissed me passionately…
My breath was taken away, and I couldn't catch my breath, so I pushed him away: "Aren't you going?"
He smiled at me, tilted his head and said, "I suddenly feel that I'm not in such a hurry to go back right away..." Then he leaned close to my ear and continued, "However, if we're together, it's easy to cause a change in the heavens and earth, so it's better to find a place to hide."
Then he hugged me, turned around, and jumped back into the water.
He led me to an abandoned cave at the bottom of the river, sealed it with his spiritual power, and then kissed me again in his arms...
They plundered and attacked inch by inch, and I was overwhelmed by the onslaught... I gradually lost track of time...
But the hay spread on the ground still left some irregular marks behind me...
He finally let go of me after a long, long time, then took my hand and led me back to the city gate. He tapped my nose and said affectionately, "Go back now, and remember to miss me."
I rolled my eyes at him and could only retort, "Fine, then remember to miss me too."
As soon as I turned around, he pulled me back, wrapped his arms around my waist, and smiled tenderly: "That's against the rules, I've been trying so hard to control my longing for you!"
"Okay, okay," I pushed him away, "then remember not to think about me."
He smiled again, leaned in and kissed my lips, then turned and flew away first, leaving me only a trailing shadow that shimmered with white light.
I returned to the Imperial Observatory and found Mu Li still waiting for me under the eaves. I was quite embarrassed: "You haven't gone back yet?"
"Hmm," his calm gaze slowly swept over me, "I'm worried about not being able to leave until you come back."
"I'm sorry, I'm all better now. You should go home and get some rest."
He stood up and suddenly pulled me into his arms with great force, his voice deep and heavy: "Xu Yi, who is that man who is suppressing you?"
“He was a friend of mine before, and he was also a cultivator.”
"I think I saw his tail..."
"Yes, he is a giant snake, a snake demon."
He released me and gently stroked my temple: "You know what? When he took you away, I couldn't stop him at all. It made me see the huge difference between mortals and cultivators..."
“It’s alright,” I pulled his hand down and held it tightly. “Demons and humans are the same, only their cultivation methods are different. There is no difference in their level. Moreover, demons also need to take human form and walk the path of the mortal world before they can be destined for the Great Dao. They need to cultivate twice. Compared to human cultivation, they are really inferior.”
But Muli's brows were still furrowed, showing his concern about his own shortcomings. I took his hand and pressed it against my cheek again, comforting him, "They're just stronger than people... In terms of martial arts alone, they might not be as good as you!"
He lowered his head and kissed my lips, smiling softly, "Although I know you're trying to comfort me, I am indeed comforted..." As he said this, he pulled me into his arms again and said gently, "I'm glad you don't mind."
"How could that be? It's good that you don't mind me. After all, I'm just a skeleton."
He smiled gently, lifted my chin, tenderly sealed my lips with his, and then carried me back to the room...
The next day, just as dawn broke, I looked at Muli sitting on the edge of the bed tidying his clothes and asked him, "Are you leaving?"
"Mmm," he turned around and leaned down to kiss my lips, "I'll come find you after I finish my shift."
Did I tell you to come every day?
"I want to come every day."
Then he pulled the blanket up and wrapped me up tightly before kissing my forehead and leaving.
When I woke up again, the sun was already high in the sky.
Baohe was sitting on the ground in front of the rocking chair as always, peeling and eating candy.
Seeing me come over, he pointed to an invitation on the table and said to me, "That was sent by the Prime Minister's office. They said they want to host a banquet."
"A banquet? So formal? Is there something wrong?"
Baohe shook his head: "The servant who delivered the message did not specify."
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