Chapter 32: Tail Star Chapter (Contains 1000 nutrient solution plus more)
After finishing his work at the General Affairs Department during the day, Zhiyi, who was in his early twenties, took advantage of the night, packed his bag, and left Liyue Harbor without a word. He was alone, with only dry food, water, and lighting in his bag. But he was going to a mysterious place rarely seen in the world. [1]
Starting from Liyue Harbor and continuing straight ahead at Wuwangpo, you will reach the "border" that separates life and death.
Ordinary people without divine eyes, immortal fate, or magical talent couldn't even glimpse a corner of it, let alone reach it. After two days of non-stop travel, Zhiyi successfully caught up with the opening of the Heavenly Gate during the Ghost Month.
A chilly wind blew across Wuwang Slope, and a faint black smoke rose from the horizon. That must be the gate to the "border." Looking up at the distant moonlight, Zhiyi took a deep breath. He had felt a chill at his back since he stepped onto Wuwang Slope, but now his mood finally calmed down a bit.
Because of his humble background and the heavy debts he faced, he had always been very sensitive to the gazes of others. Now it seemed that the sources of these gazes were about to expand.
He is also very sensitive to the gazes of other ghosts.
Zhiyi certainly knew where the information that lured him here came from. It was simply that the Fatui were puzzled by the recent movements of Liyue and the Treasure Thieves, and were using it to test the Liyue officials' means.
But he still came, because the person targeted by the Fatui, and the Hall of Rebirth related to that person... Zhiyi couldn't accept such news.
Especially after he discovered that Uncle Tian had at least one other disciple... Uncle Tian was the Tianshu Star, Uncle Tian was his teacher and benefactor, and Uncle Tian was training him as his successor...
——But teacher, since you are already biased towards me, why can’t you be more thorough?
Zhiyi couldn't sleep because of this problem.
Uncle Tian taught him very well, and he knew it in his heart. It was just that as Uncle Tian's teacher, he could be partial, but -
Liyue’s Tianshu Star cannot be partial.
So, here he comes.
Zhiyi held the lamp, closed his eyes to calm himself, and stepped into the "door".
"He went in." Hu Tao turned her head and found Ming Chong looking around. "What's wrong? Did you see a ghost?"
Ming Chong shook his head, looking confused. "I always feel like someone is calling me."
"Then you better be careful, Xiao Chongzi." Hu Tao's expression suddenly became serious. "In Wuwangpo, at this time, if someone calls you, you must not turn back!"
"..." Ming Chong was speechless. "Thank you for reminding me."
"You're welcome!" Walnut smiled proudly, "Okay, let's catch up!"
…*@￡■§……
Ming Chong took a few steps, paused, and continued walking.
Because ■冂斯＄……
...Pa*mi￡%■§......
“…Wuwangpo?” Whose territory was it before?
Ming Chong was startled and was about to stop, but one foot had already stepped into the "Water and Land Gate".
Entering the "Water and Land Gate," countless ghosts came and went, some in a hurry, some with expressions of resentment. Ming Chong pouted, still wondering whose scrap parts those were, calling out to him repeatedly.
But she soon had to put it out of her mind because Hu Tao discovered Zhiyi, who had a calm temperament like water, carrying a bag on his back, and walking step by step into the depths of the border.
The lamp in his hand emitted a trembling, yellow light, but there was a faint frost on the places where he walked.
Hu Tao lowered her head slightly and looked around, then immediately pulled Ming Chong, who was still confused, to chase after them.
"Ah? Are you going to catch up now? Why don't you do something——" It was the first time that Ming Chong saw Hu Tao so serious and neat. He felt a subtle sense of disappointment as if his friend had hidden the title of the top scorer from him.
The movement behind did not affect Zhiyi at all. He only felt a sharp chill coming from the palm of his hand holding the handle of the lantern, which weakened his perception of the outside world.
——As expected, the things the Fatui used as bait had a certain power, but also had some side effects.
Zhiyi slowed down his pace and tried to keep his mind active. He was worried that he had not yet broken through the limits of being a mortal, and would forever remain on the "border" under the influence of this lamp.
Death has a very strong tempering effect on one's will. This is the information Zhiyi found when he was researching the Hall of Rebirth a few days ago.
He was still unwilling to give up.
What's the difference between him and Walnut?
Besides gender, the other person was born into an unusual family, which allowed Kurumi to access other powers that he did not have.
Zhiyi also knew that no one in the Seven Stars of Liyue came from a family of sorcerers or alchemists, or was from an immortal sect.
Although Ningguang of Tianquan Star possesses the Eye of God, the Eye of God only possesses power, which is different from the Eight Strange Sects. Miss Ganyu of Yuehai Pavilion is from the Immortal Sect, and secretly controls the magic of the Yelan Society, which is in charge of the intelligence department, but they are only assistants to the Seven Stars.
——Those who seek the Tao and practice Taoism cannot serve as the Seven Stars. Even if others are willing, they will follow their own hearts.
If Zhiyi cannot obtain the Eye of God and instead pursues power other than that bestowed by God, he will not be able to become the next Tianshu Star.
But, is it possible for him to become the next Tianshu Star?
Zhiyi didn't know. He had only recently learned that his teacher was Tianshuxing, that he had only recently started working in the General Affairs Department, that his teacher had other disciples, and that there was another person whose experience was very similar to his own...
All this was irritating his fragile nerves.
Hu Tao's grandfather has recovered, and she will not become a lonely person like him... Maybe he is not a lonely person either, he still has a teacher, but his teacher is Tianshuxing.
Despite all the differences and unexpected events, Zhiyi and Hutao seem more and more similar rather than identical.
The only difference is that he is an ordinary person.
What's more, it wasn't him who gave up Tianshu Star, it was Tianshu Star that rejected him first.
Zhiyi's arm, gripping the lantern handle, trembled slightly as he continued forward. He didn't notice the fog thickening around him, slowly enveloping him...
“Hey—”
Hu Tao was in a flash of lightning and sparks, and she grabbed Ming Chong and plunged in.
"ha!"
…
ah?
Dementia.jpg
"What is this?!"
Once inside the fog, all around was white, nothing in sight. In the distance, there was a figure; Zhiyi was still on his way even after reaching this point.
Walnut looked around, understanding everything. She folded her arms and nodded, "So that's how it is."
"What's the matter? Why don't you tell me?!"
"You'll understand if you take a look at it first." Walnut spread his hands.
Ming Chong's eyes narrowed. He felt that his current resentment could support 10 evil sword immortals.
Riddler, get out of Teyvat!!!.jpg
Then, some vague sounds came from various directions in the open space, as if they were coming from behind some layer of something.
——"Don't stop me! I'll beat you up, get out!"
——"Why are you so useless? You can't keep your father here, and he still goes out to gamble! Wuuuuuuu——"
"Humph! You raised a freeloader, why would you give birth to a child? You're such a loser, you can't even farm!"
——"I thought that after having a child, he would change back to his old self. He used to love me! But he didn't. It's all because of this child! It's all because of his uselessness!"
"...It's the voices of Zhiyi's parents." Hu Tao's breathing hitched, and her expression grew serious. "I wonder if there are other people who are very important to Zhiyi..."
Ming Chong raised an eyebrow. "So these are his memories! Is this a revolving lantern? Could the lamp in his hand be a revolving lantern?"
Walnut gave him an affirmative look.
“…Oh, it really is!”
Zhiyi didn't look away, and even his expression didn't change.
Those vague sounds gradually became clearer, and some projections gradually appeared around.
As they walked, they passed by Zhiyi's memories.
——"That child is so pitiful. When his mother was beaten by his father, she bumped into the corner of the table. When they found her, there was a big pool of blood on the ground. She had been dead for half the night!"
"Not only that! His father slept soundly all night, and the next day he still took the money to gamble as usual!"
——"Stop talking! The kids are at home!"
As they walked forward, the talking figures fell behind and disappeared.
The next scene is that Zhiyi's father beat him up, stole the food in the house, and then owed a huge sum of money to the gambling house. After losing all the money, he took the remaining money and got drunk. On the way home, he missed a step and fell into the river.
Little Zhiyi stood in the crowd. The adults made room for him while they were whispering to each other. He looked pale and alone, thin and weak, with a bandage on his head, as if he would fall over in the next second.
His eyes were dark and no one dared to approach him.
Hu Tao and Ming Chong had been holding their breath subconsciously when they saw the two people huddled together. It was only when the couple died that they realized they could breathe.
Weak, pitiful and helpless.jpg
But in my later memories, life was not much better.
The adults around him would occasionally help him out, with second-hand fishing rods from the [fishing club], simple but free bait recipes, and fish that were not fresh and could not be sold by the fishmongers... It was not much help, as he relied on the water for a living, just to keep him alive.
Accidents often occur in life, which always make Zhiyi particularly embarrassed and make him be ridiculed and mocked by his neighbors.
Later...
"He must be Uncle Tian!" Hu Tao was certain.
"That old man fishing!" Ming Chong spoke confidently.
The two looked at each other——
"Haven't you met Uncle Tian?"
"You weren't even paying attention to the fish I was showing you!"
Ming Chong/Walnut: ...
"Keep watching, keep watching!"
One time, Zhiyi went fishing to eat, and as before, accidents happened frequently. Then, Uncle Tian appeared, and his memories after that became visibly peaceful.
Uncle Tian gave Zhiyi a living, so that he wouldn't have to rely on his poor fishing skills to make a living, and he would also teach him some experience and lessons for free...
Life gradually got back on track.
Zhiyi slowly paid off his debts and went abroad to study. Then he resorted to underhanded tactics and bankrupted his neighbor.
"Great!" Ming Chong couldn't help but cheer and applaud. "Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west. Don't look down on the young and poor!"
Um?
Something seems wrong?
Got bankrupt?
Walnut hit him with a punch that was hard to describe.
"What's wrong? Don't think I won't yell at you just because you're young!" Ming Chong looked at her in confusion, thought for a moment, and tried to explain, "What's wrong again?!"
"Xiao Chongzi, even if Zhiyi did nothing wrong, the neighbor shouldn't be praised for this."
Ming Chong turned around to take another look, even more smug. "Isn't that great? If I were to praise him, it would mean I'm uncultured and have distorted values. Wouldn't it be better if you just stopped imitating me?!... And look, didn't Zhiyi help this neighbor later?"
"This neighbor wept and knelt, apologizing and thanking me. It made me feel so good from the soles of my feet to the top of my head!"
“…”
Never mind, the kid is happy.
The complex emotions that had just risen up in Walnut were suddenly disturbed.
However, the good times didn't last long. Zhiyi's life took another sharp turn for the worse when he was returning home from the dock after meeting Uncle Tian one night.
Ming Chong: ...
The villain is actually me?! .jpg
Ming Chong in Zhiyi's memory was so stunned by his gaze that the corners of his mouth almost stretched to the back of his ears.
The oppressive atmosphere of the treasure-stealing group's lair, overflowing with talent, made it easy for anyone to spot his lies. And then there was Ming Chong, sitting directly above him, half his face in shadow, his eyes sharp in the darkness.
"Hahahahaha! Yes, yes, that's exactly the effect I wanted! Keep promoting me like this from now on!"
——They also got his brain for free.
The laughter stopped abruptly.
Hu Tao raised her eyebrows and couldn't help but smile: Keep smiling, keep smiling!
The next day, Zhiyi suddenly discovered that Uncle Tian, who was fishing at the pier, was actually one of the Seven Stars of Liyue, and he was actually the chosen heir.
Just as he was beginning to get familiar with all this and trying to learn how to be a Tianshu Star, fate played a trick on him again.
The life of the General Affairs Department changed after Zhiyi discovered a clue after dealing with the affairs of a brother and sister one night.
Walnut: The smile gradually disappears.jpg
Ming Chong (smiling with a squinting look): Hey! So you also...
Zhiyi discovered that his experiences were similar but not identical to Hutao's.
Blind student, you found the bright spot.jpg
"...I didn't expect him to notice this so early. Sigh..." Walnut suddenly felt a mixture of boredom.
"Yeah! He's turned evil."
"...What's good about this?!" Walnut pulled his collar and questioned.
"You don't even know this? Darkened ones are three times stronger, and whitened ones are three times weaker!" Ming Chong raised his head and turned his nose at her with disdain. "Humph! You don't even know this. Looks like it's time to replace my best friend!"
Walnut, Walnut was so angry that he almost laughed.
Everything that happened after that passed by like a fleeting moment, passing Zhiyi completely unaware. The Fatui's plot was so pungent that Zhiyi noticed it almost from the beginning, but he didn't resist at all.
"Ming Chong! Don't act like you don't take other people's lives seriously!" Hu Tao was furious, her eyes filled with compassion. "These aren't some novels or miscellanies, nor are they stage plays! This is a living human being, and what we're seeing is practically the first half of his life!"
Ming Chong's ears were buzzing from the roar, and he couldn't respond for a long time.
"Don't you understand? If the lantern walks to the end and still doesn't have any memories that make him nostalgic and let go, then he really can't go back!" Little Walnut said seriously, clenching his fists stubbornly. "Even though this is the road Zhiyi has walked, I still can't help but imagine--"
"If the person here is me, Hu Tao, why would I come here, and what would I experience? Then I suddenly realized that if Grandpa was gone, I, Hu Tao, would definitely come here and stay here for a long, long time..."
Ming Chong just looked at her quietly without saying anything.
"You know... Xiao Chongzi." Walnut's lips trembled, and tears fell one by one. "Because you know everything, you have been so nonchalant until just now..."
In another possible fate, she would make the same choice as Zhiyi, but Hu Tao did it out of love, while Zhiyi did it out of desire.
So, Hu Tao can be relieved because of love, learn to return to reality, and try to live a life without his grandfather; but Zhiyi, but does Zhiyi have someone who can pull him back?
Does Uncle Tian have this ability for Zhiyi?
Absolutely not.
Uncle Tian did raise Zhiyi again, but the color he cultivated could not cover Zhiyi's original color. Maybe Uncle Tian could make Zhiyi hesitate and shake his determination, but he could not take him back.
Walnut never tries to test human nature, so when she knows she'll put those around her in danger, she tries her best to avoid it. At three, she memorized her lessons while standing on her head, reading through the famous works in the collection. At six, she chose a day to skip school and sleep in a coffin...
Because she had to learn to be alone and stay away from the people she cared about, Walnut learned to entertain herself.
If someone experiences something bad and knows that her Walnut will bring some unknown impact, will the other person doubt and hate her?
If she uses this kind of thing to test others' determination and sincerity to be friends with her.
Then... then such a world is really terrible!
Zhiyi did make a bad decision, but this shouldn't have happened to him. This kind of test was not prepared for him, so even if the result of this test was not good, Hu Tao would not be able to accept it.
What happened to Zhiyi was distorted by her, Hu Tao, her grandfather, and Ming Chong.
This is terrible!
If Zhiyi had not experienced all this, he might have gotten used to being a good person step by step and learned to go to Tianshu Star. For someone who has the favoritism of Uncle Tian and has learned some of the essence, this is simply easy!
But now, just because he has desires and a strong desire for revenge, is it wrong and must he sink into death?
This is really, really bad...
Some people are used to and adapt to smooth sailing; some people are good at turning the tide; some people can survive in desperate situations and then embark on a smooth road... But only a few people can experience ups and downs continuously.
Kurumi sniffed, immersed in a huge sense of guilt, unable to turn over.
"Oh - that's why I keep saying that you don't pay attention to what I say." Ming Chong stretched and rubbed Hu Tao's head heavily.
"Little Walnut, I told you from the beginning, that old man fishing is Uncle Tian. He caught a fish that's very good at camouflaging. It just looks good, but it's a toxin that will give you diarrhea if you eat it."
Ming Chong leaned back, resting his head lazily on his arms. "But in order to survive, is the fish doing anything wrong? It strives to adapt to the water quality and survive in various environments; it grows bright patterns to avoid being eaten; it grows poison sacs to coexist with parasites to avoid being eaten and affecting the entire population..."
"In my opinion, what Zhiyi did was no different from that fish.
In order to survive, he created a harmless and gentle appearance for himself, which earned him occasional sympathy from people around him and favoritism from Uncle Tian.
To protect himself, he hides in the shadows and does harm to others. He does it well, doesn't he? Not just for his sensitive heart."
"Little Walnut, even if his tactics against his neighbors weren't wrong, you said they shouldn't be praised. But I think Zhiyi was going through a lot of hardship back then, and those early experiences, especially his neighbors' behavior, shaped him into who he is.
I only understand one thing -
No snowflake is innocent in an avalanche.
What if Zhiyi hadn't gotten out of his desperate situation, and had suddenly collapsed one quiet afternoon? Would the world suddenly love him after his death? Would his neighbors suddenly come to their senses, weep bitterly, and kneel down, confessing how much they'd wronged him?
Kurumi opened her eyes slightly and forgot to continue crying.
No.
When a person dies, there is nothing left, and all the guilt is meaningless.
But Zhiyi is not exactly like that fish. He is sensitive, dark and twisted. In the troubled times, he will definitely have a place, but now——
He could either struggle to protect himself from the unbearable gazes of others, or he could master strength and gain power. In an environment he was not comfortable with, he would learn and apply everything Uncle Tian had taught him, learning to face the entire Liyue with tolerance and equality.
——Either be cooked in raging oil or boiled in warm water.
He can only choose the way that is less painful for him.
Ming Chong knows the power of verbal violence better than anyone else on the continent of Teyvat.
Without anyone to guide or lend a helping hand, everyone watched silently from afar because of the foreign debt left by his father, and the only voice he could hear was that of his neighbor...
In fact, if he were to say, after Zhiyi pays off his foreign debt, he can just find a better corner and become a dark crawling insect.
But who let fate give him the chance to turn things around?
Who can resist the temptation of returning home in glory?
"Besides, Little Walnut, didn't I tell you? I'm very strong. I can do things that Morax and even the Seven Gods can't do.
What's more, it's just now——
The trouble with a little fish."
Ming Chong leaned sideways, his arm resting on Hu Tao's shoulder, his eyebrows raised confidently. After watching the revolving lantern show, he no longer felt that this was an unforgivable sin.
…
The vast expanse of white surroundings faded away unconsciously. At this time, they had arrived at the edge of the "border". At the end of the road was a huge platform like an array plate, engraved with intricate and ancient patterns.
After crossing the long road and standing on it, you will reach a place where only the truly dead can go. Maybe it is the place where their souls return to the earth after letting go, or something else.
Zhiyi stopped in front, staring blankly at the round platform in front of him. The hand holding the lantern could no longer move. At this moment, he suddenly shuddered and woke up as if from a dream, realizing that he was infinitely close to a moving corpse.
...How could that be?
Why haven’t you awakened spiritually yet?
It's all come to an end...
At this moment, Zhiyi's mind kept flashing through various fragments of memory. Sometimes it was Uncle Tian calling him to eat, and sometimes it was the neighbors' past abuse and ridicule...
Were the information and props he had received truly correct? What if he finally understood the truth the moment he stepped onto the platform? What if his body actually became a corpse the moment he stepped onto it?
But, but, he has come this far, why is it still not working?
Memories fused into a jumbled mess in Zhiyi's mind. Was he just going to go back? To face an uncertain future, losing his status as a Tianshu Star? To listen to the Fatui's suspicions and interrogations from Liyue?
Do you want to go back?
Go back go back go back go back go back go back go back go back go back go back go back go back go back go back go back go back *ミ￡%■§……
Zhiyi smiled stiffly. He realized that at this moment, the clearest thought in his mind was actually—
"The sword...is in my hand, and I can roam the world..."
For some unknown reason, he felt very sad.
"Uncle Tian..." The lantern fell to the ground with a bang. The light flickered slightly, and finally it lay on the ground still bright. Zhiyi walked forward slowly in despair, muttering in a low voice.
“My whole life has been like walking on thin ice.”
"Can we still reach the other side?"
"Bang——" "Brake——"
The light of the lantern flickered and flickered, making a crackling sound as if it had malfunctioned, followed by small explosions of varying sizes, and it suddenly exploded.
"Hey! Brother Bo Bing!"
With this movement, Ming Chong emerged from the smoke, put his arm around Zhiyi's shoulders and stopped him from moving.
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