Chapter 61 The Non-Existent Person
“Then I look forward to getting to know this enchanting lady,” the man said, clasping his hands in farewell.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished in a wisp of smoke.
It turns out to be a clone in the literal sense.
This person was named Shen Guisong. He was a friend that Qing Jiujie met by chance during his travels. Although he had never heard of this family before, Shen Guisong's skills were unfathomable. The two became friends after a while.
The Shen Guisong family seems to have very strict rules; they can only meet at fixed times, and the meeting cannot exceed one hour.
Qingjue had never heard of this person's name in the book, and thought that he was probably some noble family that had been forgotten over the years.
Memories flowed forward like a river, and soon it came to the second meeting between Qing Jiujie and Mu Yuan, which Qing Jue knew.
However, Qingjue did not expect, and for some reason, that from Qingjiujie's perspective, this memory actually included Shenguisong.
From Mu Yuan's perspective, the subsequent trip to the mountain with Qing Jiu was a matter discussed by the two of them together, and it was only the two of them who were chatting.
Strangely, in Qing Jiujie's memory, there was another person standing on this mountain.
The majestic pine tree stands tall and proud.
"How come you..." Qing Jiujie saw him and her first reaction was confusion: "Isn't it not time for our monthly appointment yet?"
"This is..." Mu Yuan wasn't blind to him; in fact, she even asked, "Who is this?"
“Ah, I’ve overstepped my bounds and forgotten to introduce you, young lady. This is my friend, Shen Guisong. Guisong, this is the young lady I mentioned to you.” Qing Jiujie coughed and whispered, “I didn’t say anything else, only that I met you once.”
With the mirror clearly displaying his thoughts, Mu Yuan naturally believed that he wouldn't easily reveal anything else.
"So we're friends. Nice to meet you. Just call me Muyuan."
"Hmm," Shen Guisong said seriously this time, his expression unsmiling, "Young lady, your cultivation is profound. Did you come here to help on your own initiative?"
“Ah, right,” Mu Yuan said then, “Patriarch Qing, please forgive my rash actions. I felt an unusual tremor in the mountains just now, and Quanzhou and Zhangzhou are not far from where I am, so I came here without permission.”
Qing Jiujie waved his hand and said, "How could that be? It is I who should be thanking you for your help. If it weren't for you, the casualties would probably have been much worse."
"Of course, it's a matter of life and death."
The conversation felt both familiar and strange.
Because there was one more person.
...A person who doesn't exist?
Qingjue swallowed hard, horrified by his own thoughts.
The memory continues to unfold, with the only difference being the addition of one more person in the dialogue, but the general meaning remains the same, as Qingjue had seen before.
When the topic of ferocious beasts came up, Shen Guisong said, "It seems it really happened."
Seeing his serious expression, Mu Yuan couldn't help but take it seriously as well.
"...You don't usually talk like this," Qing Jiujie said worriedly, "Has something happened?"
“I have questions for you two, and there is something I must tell you,” Shen Guisong said, forming a vow in his hand. “Are you two willing to swear an oath, to be true to your word, and to believe that even after a hundred years in the grave, you will still be bound by responsibility and goodness?”
Mu Yuan and Qing Jiu Jie exchanged a glance and nodded solemnly.
Once the oath was made, the incantation in Shen Guisong's hand emitted a white light, and nothing happened.
It's true.
Shen Gui breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Do you two know about 'Shuofeng'?"
I've never heard of Qingjue before.
"I know a little about it," Mu Yuan said, as if he had heard about it before. "I happened to pass by before. It was a dangerous place where monsters gathered. Our ancestors left a restriction and did not allow anyone to get close."
“That’s right,” Shen Guisong said, placing his hands behind his back. “I am that restriction.”
His identity is shrouded in mystery, he is rarely seen, possesses profound cultivation, and can only meet with friends in the form of an avatar at a fixed time each month...
But……
I still don't understand Qingjue.
Why is he not in Mu Yuan's memories?
Could it be that these events were part of the original plot?
But that doesn't make sense... I hadn't time-traveled back then, so I couldn't interfere.
"Let me introduce myself again. I am the seventh generation of the guardian of Shuofeng Mountain, Shen Guisong."
Clearly, Qingjue wasn't the only one who was confused.
Mu Yuan and Qing Jiu Jie were also dumbfounded.
They had never heard that the barrier around Shuofeng was a real person.
"Listen carefully now, and don't tell anyone about this."
Qingjue felt embarrassed. Had he unintentionally learned something he shouldn't have?
Through Shen Guisong's explanation, Qingjue also learned the origin of this "mountain guardian".
To be precise, the mountain guardians are not actually human beings.
Each generation of mountain guardians is a humanoid spirit born from the gathering of spirits. Although they are no different from humans in every aspect, their birth methods are different.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the guardian of the mountain is replaced every hundred years; they are born to bear responsibility.
They guard the summit and suppress the monsters in the mountains.
Although it transcends the understanding of the Pure Technique, it is not difficult to understand that this is probably a kind of natural law.
You may leave briefly on the full moon day of each month, but you are theoretically required to stay in Shuofeng for the rest of the time.
The meaning of the mountain guardian's name is not as simple as a title. The name of each generation of mountain guardian appears together with the inherited powers, which is equivalent to a symbol of identity, but they all begin with the word "god".
"But," Qing Jiujie asked after processing the information, "Today is not a full moon, why..."
“That’s why I’m telling you this,” Shen Guisong frowned. “The restrictions have loosened, and I can’t hold out for long on my own. We must find a way before the great demon beast breaks out.”
“This matter is indeed of utmost importance…” Mu Yuan also looked troubled and said, “If there is anything I can do to help, I will do my best.”
“Miss Muyuan, your abilities are special. I will teach you a mental technique. If the restriction is truly broken, you should be able to complete the new seal using the power of the divine tree.”
"good."
Seeing that they were both frowning, Shen Guisong suddenly broke down and laughed.
"Don't be too nervous, I'm still very strong. You guys relax, there's no rush."
Qing Jiujie was speechless and retorted, "Only you can still laugh..."
After discussing for a while, the three decided to find the culprit first. It was almost time for Shen Guisong to return, and Muyuan also planned to take his leave.
Qing Jiu said to Mu Yuan, "The people all want to thank you. Won't you stay a few more days like Gui Song?"
"No, it's best not to let too many people know about my existence. Actually, although I know about Shuofeng, I only want to protect that one mountain, and only a small number of people and demons. I don't want my reputation to spread and attract more people..."
"It was my oversight. Very well, I will take responsibility for explaining to the people."
"This is your pass to enter and leave the Qing family. You are welcome to come again anytime, as a friend, so as not to expose your identity."
"Thank you, Master Qing."
Qing Jiu, in response to Shen Guisong, said, "You don't need to. You come and go without a trace; you've never taken the Qing family's barrier seriously."
"Haha, with my abilities, that little bit of mist can't possibly do anything to me."
"So this is what the mountain guardian is like," Mu Yuan said. "He's quite different from my impression of him."
Shen Guisong laughed and said, "If it were really gloomy, how could you stand the loneliness of being alone for so long?"
Mu Yuan smiled and said, "That's true. This kind of loneliness is not something that ordinary people can endure. I definitely couldn't do it. I admire you."
After Mu Yuan left, Shen Guisong did not go. Instead, he became serious again and said to Qing Jiujie, "There is one more thing. Whether or not to tell Miss Mu Yuan is up to you."
"...Speak freely."
“If there is no other way,” Shen Guisong said, “our lives can also protect the people.”
"..."
"Knowing your feelings for her, you can choose not to mention this for now. If you don't want to, that's understandable, after all..."
“Okay,” Qing Jiujie said, “If there’s no other way in the end, then we’ll do it this way.”
"...Are you really sure you've thought this through? You think you can just die like that? It's not that easy."
“What can we do?” Qing Jiujie shook his head. “If we don’t fight with all our might, we can’t protect anyone. Just tell me exactly what to do.”
“…I knew you were going to say that,” Shen Guisong sighed and said, “If the restriction is completely shaken in the end, I will try to suppress it with all my spiritual power. I will teach you a method of dispersing souls, which is a powerful weapon against demonic beasts. If I can’t suppress it, you will have to fill the gap for me, but that is a pain that no ordinary person can endure.”
"Understood. You can teach me. I'll cover for you if anything goes wrong. And Mu Yuan, she knows what to do too."
Qing Jiu Jie has one and only one secret.
That is, he was already prepared for his demise.
Shen Guisong did not leave until nightfall, and Qing Jiujie returned to the Qing family.
Even though Shen Guisong tried his best to appear relaxed afterward, it was still hard not to care about such things.
But later, things were surprisingly calm. Apart from exchanging information with Mu Yuan and Shen Guisong through letters, Qing Jiujie had no major memories.
Even when things were going smoothly, if Shen Guisong had a few more days, the three of them would have a chance to meet up at the foot of Muyuan Mountain and build a brief friendship.
Shen Guisong never showed the sorrow of that night. Instead, she took every opportunity to play matchmaker for the two of them, laughing as if she were watching a comedy. As they got to know each other's personalities, she became like a best friend to Mu Yuan. It was wonderful to be both a man and a woman.
"Do you people who are born from the gathering of spirits also have genders?" Qing Jiujie couldn't help but ask, watching the two of them get along so naturally. "Are you asexual?"
“I’m a real man,” Shen Guisong said. “Gender is just random, not nonexistent.”
Mu Yuan: "So, among the first seven generations of mountain guardians, there were women?"
"Of course, but in the past, people usually transferred their powers when they were on the verge of death, so I don't know much about the specifics. We are all independent individuals and do not inherit memories."
As he was talking, he snatched the last piece of tea cake.
Mu Yuan: "...Sigh!"
Shen Guisong: "Just have him bring it to you again! It's all just an excuse anyway."
Even sitting down, Qing Jiujie got caught in the crossfire, her face turning red: "You can't just not expose my shortcomings in front of A Yuan."
"You have to admit it next time, don't you understand?"
"You should give the food back to them."
Mu Yuan wasn't angry: "Haha, forget it, he rarely comes out. I'm curious if his clone can taste the flavor?"
...They really did become friends as promised, in their final days.
For some reason, seeing this brief bond made Qingjue feel a pang of pain in her heart.
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