Chapter 19 "You don't seem very sad..."
Relying on his ability to fly through the clouds, Sun Wukong traveled the world, made many friends, and even took several demon kings as his brothers, making a total of seven. Flower Fruit Mountain was bustling with activity every day, with gongs and drums beating deafeningly.
When Jiang Huaisu first met the Bull Demon King, he was as tall and strong as she had imagined, and his appearance was not easy to mess with.
However, he is not rude in his speech and behavior. He speaks with tact and will take the initiative to mediate disputes among those around him. He is the kind of person who is very adaptable and knows how to handle situations.
Today, the Bull Demon King once again drank and feasted with Sun Wukong. Before leaving, he didn't forget to remind Jiang Huaisu:
"Little sister, there's still quite a bit of freshly brewed fruit wine left, but it's very potent, so don't drink too much."
Unable to discern whether his concern was genuine or merely a pretense, Jiang Huaisu nodded in agreement: "Okay."
After seeing the Bull Demon King off, Jiang Huaisu leaned close to Sun Wukong, who was already somewhat drunk, and whispered, "Monkey, why don't you become the boss?"
She had declined their invitation to become sworn brothers, since she was only familiar with Sun Wukong among them and didn't want to force a relationship with the others. Besides, in the original story, they didn't visit Sun Wukong when he was in trouble. Their brotherhood seemed rather superficial.
Regardless, Sun Wukong was the youngest of the seven brothers, and she was his junior sister; by seniority, she was the youngest. Those demon kings now all called her "little sister."
Faced with Jiang Huaisu's questioning of the ranking, Sun Wukong said firmly:
"Because I'm the youngest, it's only natural that I'm the youngest, right? Hehe, but after the youngest, there's a little youngest, and that's you."
"......"
"Want to come out with me to clear my head?" Sun Wukong straightened up, rubbing his hands together. "I'll take you for a spin on my somersault cloud."
Jiang Huaisu was somewhat tempted by the suggestion. She observed Sun Wukong's eyes and found them to be relatively clear, not too drunk.
"Your stomach is definitely full of alcohol. You won't be throwing up while flying, will you?" The somersault cloud is so fast that its effect is comparable to a centrifuge.
"How could that be?" Sun Wukong crouched down, lifted Jiang Huaisu by the knees, and hoisted her onto his back: "Let's go!"
The perspective shifted rapidly, adrenaline surged, and Jiang Huaisu, clinging to Sun Wukong's back, could barely open her eyes due to the wind, experiencing a thrill akin to riding a roller coaster.
Of course, compared to the others, the somersault cloud is faster and more powerful. Fortunately, Monkey King's hands are much more secure than a seatbelt, so she wouldn't be at risk of being thrown out.
"Jiang Xiaoyao, why aren't you saying anything?"
"Hehe, you'll get used to it."
Sun Wukong was already very used to this speed, and he kept talking to Jiang Huaisu as he flew.
"Hey, look down there, a big fish is squirting water."
Jiang Huaisu's face was numb from the wind, but upon hearing this, she finally remembered to appreciate the scenery. Looking down, she saw an endless expanse of blue, with whales rolling on the surface and spouting water like raindrops.
We should still be in the East China Sea, not too far from Huaguo Mountain.
She was just about to ask when they would return when Sun Wukong suddenly changed direction. He had been circling at roughly the same altitude, but now he plummeted straight down, crashing into the sea.
Terrified, she clung tightly to the monkey's neck, guessing he was looking for some thrills. It wasn't until they were almost falling into the sea, and the monkey showed no sign of slowing down, that she realized something was wrong.
At this distance, there was no way to avoid it. She spread her wings and tried her best to reduce the impact, but the next second she was still slammed hard onto the sea.
Falling into the water from that height was no different from falling onto concrete. Fortunately, she was strong and had Monkey King as a cushion, so she wasn't smashed into eight pieces on the spot.
Even so, the immense impact caused Jiang Huaisu to lose consciousness for a moment.
They were swallowed by the giant waves and continued to sink in the cold seawater. In the dim, chaotic light, their two bodies, like lifeless fallen leaves, were pushed deeper by the current.
After an unknown amount of time, the small fish around them began to tentatively approach, driven by their feeding instincts. Occasionally, some soft, rotting carcasses would appear on the seabed, and the fish would try to extract the last bit of nutritional value from them.
Unfortunately, the bird's feathers were too thick, and there was nowhere to bite. The monkey was as hard as a rock, and it was impossible to gnaw on it.
Suddenly, the communication talisman Jiang Huaisu carried emitted a faint light, which stood out starkly against the inky darkness of the seabed. Startled, the fish scattered and fled.
The appearance of this light means that someone is contacting her via cipher text.
On the surface of the talisman paper, which was soaked by seawater, several lines of writing slowly appeared.
【Where are you】
I think I'm going to die.
Would you like to meet me?
......
Jiang Huaisu
I'm coming to find you.
Jiang Huaisu couldn't see these words. Because at this moment, both her and Sun Wukong's souls had already been taken away by the ghost messengers.
They had arrived in the Netherworld. Two ghostly messengers, one in front and one behind, flanked Jiang Huaisu and Sun Wukong, guiding them with a rope. Under the guidance of a lamp emitting a faint green glow, they slowly moved forward, their destination unknown.
As she walked, Jiang Huaisu gradually regained consciousness. Looking around, she realized she was in completely unfamiliar territory, and a sense of panic immediately gripped her.
But soon, she heard a familiar voice beside her.
It was Sun Wukong shouting, "Where is this place?!"
The ghost messenger replied impatiently, "Naturally, it's the Netherworld. Your lifespan has ended, and we've come to collect your soul... What are you doing?"
Sun Wukong's expression changed the moment he heard the words "Netherworld," and he tried to break free of the ropes. The ghost messengers sneered inwardly at this little demon's overestimation of himself, and grabbed him from both sides, shouting sternly, "You're already dead, so behave yourself!"
Jiang Huaisu was also pulled and staggered. Looking at this scene, she gradually realized that it was probably time to start the part about causing a ruckus in the underworld.
Knowing full well that Sun Wukong wouldn't surrender easily, she stepped aside to avoid being caught in the ensuing fight. As expected, the next instant, the two ghost messengers screamed as Sun Wukong kicked them away.
The ropes used to bind his soul broke into several pieces like overcooked noodles; such things could not restrain Sun Wukong at all.
"Don't be afraid, I've chased the ugly thing away!"
Jiang Huaisu thought Sun Wukong hadn't noticed her, but after kicking the ghost messenger away, he immediately turned to her and signaled that the danger was over and there was no need to worry.
He grabbed her wrist and tore off the ropes binding her: "It's dark here, let's not get separated."
The underworld was bitterly cold. She said with a touch of sorrow, "Brother Monkey, we're dead."
She had pitied Miaolian's unfortunate fate, for not being able to live to a ripe old age, but before Miaolian even died, she herself had already arrived in the underworld. What a cruel twist of fate!
And why did he have to die at such a bad time? He just flew through the air and kicked the bucket, killing one Sun Wukong and drowning her in the process. For the underworld, it was truly a buy-one-get-one-free deal.
"It's nothing to worry about. You can come back to life even if you die." Sun Wukong looked around and found that there were other souls wandering nearby, but the visibility was too poor, and they couldn't see them clearly from a distance.
The bull-headed demon and the horse-faced demon seem to be in charge of supervising and patrolling this area, moving among the wailing and howling spirits so that they can deal with any emergencies in a timely manner.
Noticing the commotion, a bull-headed demon walked towards Sun Wukong, dragging a bloodstained iron chain in its hand.
This menacing and terrifying aura caused Jiang Huaisu to involuntarily take a step back.
Sun Wukong sneered and stepped forward without fear. After a brief but not intense fight, he grabbed the bull's ear and shouted, "Take your grandpa to see the King of Hell, do you hear me!"
Jiang Huaisu squatted down beside it, examining the iron chain. To be honest, she didn't smell any blood. She suspected it was just red paint applied to the bull's head to enhance its imposing appearance.
With Monkey King leading the way, they entered the Yama's Palace without any trouble. The Ox-Headed Demon seized the opportunity to slip away, and Sun Wukong didn't stop him, since they had already reached their destination. He didn't believe his lifespan had ended and wanted to find Yama, the King of Hell, to get an explanation.
The worker, Niu Guitou, has left; now it's the boss's turn to suffer. He was chased around three times by Sun Wukong, while Yama, the King of Hell, begged for mercy as he ran.
"Stop hitting me! Put down the stick! Immortal, wait until I bring out the Book of Life and Death, then you'll see for yourself that there has been no wrong judgment!"
"Okay, bring it up."
Sun Wukong sat in the King of Hell's seat, carefully flipping through the records. According to the numbers recorded there was no falsification; his lifespan had indeed come to an end.
"Hmph." He scoffed, picked up the pen, and said, "It doesn't matter what it says, only what I say matters."
King Yama was in agony. He couldn't reason with him, nor could he defeat him. He could only watch as Sun Wukong swept his brush across the paper, erasing his name and that of all the monkeys from Flower Fruit Mountain.
"Why isn't Jiang Huaisu's name here?" He grabbed the King of Hell by the collar and demanded, "Are you sure all the bird registers are here?"
"It's all here!"
"That means there are flaws in the content."
When his professionalism was questioned face-to-face, the King of Hell was so angry that his eyebrows almost stood on end.
Jiang Huaisu also leaned over and flipped through the notebooks, looking at each one until her eyes were almost blurry. Unfortunately, her name was indeed not among them.
She guessed that her name hadn't been added to the list yet, probably because she was a time traveler.
The King of Hell glanced at her sideways: "All souls born here are recorded; there are no mistakes. Young lady, could you perhaps be from somewhere else...?"
Unexpectedly, the knowledgeable King Yama saw through her disguise the moment they met. Jiang Huaisu was speechless for a moment, then decided there was no need to hide it any longer. She honestly revealed that she was a time traveler, and received a reply from King Yama: "Just as I thought."
She confessed so readily mainly because she was unsure whether not having her name on the Book of Life and Death would have any impact on her.
A look of surprise flashed across Sun Wukong's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. The world is full of wonders, and there must be more than one case like Jiang Huaisu's.
He glanced thoughtfully at Jiang Huaisu, recalling that when they first met, she had said she "had nowhere to go back to." So that's what she meant.
Fortunately, she met him, and now Flower Fruit Mountain can be her home.
Sun Wukong put his hands on his hips, flicked his tail, and grinned at Yama, the King of Hell: "So, what happens if your name isn't on the Book of Life and Death?"
"Nothing will happen." Yama waved his hand. "Once you enter the cycle of reincarnation and are reborn, you will have a new life and a new name, and naturally you will appear in the Book of Life and Death."
However, Jiang Huaisu did not want to cross the Bridge of Helplessness and preferred to return to life with Sun Wukong.
She was unwilling to accept that her life would end so abruptly. It was like having a game account that she had leveled up for a long time deleted—it felt like all her efforts had been in vain.
"What if I don't want to? Can I still go back to the mortal world?" she asked Yama, the King of Hell.
Under the warning gaze of Sun Wukong, how could Yama dare to refuse, with the golden cudgel still sticking out at the back of his head? He straightened his hat, nodded under great pressure, and his eyes revealed numbness: "Of course, it's up to you."
“If the ghost messengers bring up lifespan again, just ignore them.” Sun Wukong winked at Jiang Huaisu. “Anyway, you’re not on the Book of Life and Death, so you can live as long as you want.”
Grabbing Jiang Huaisu's hand, Sun Wukong was about to take her back to the world of the living. He lightly glossed over the fact that she was a time traveler, showing no intention of questioning her.
Just as she was about to leave the Yama's Palace, Jiang Huaisu suddenly remembered something, turned around sharply, and looked at Yama.
"What...what's wrong!" Yama glared, his outward appearance strong but inwardly weak.
"I would like to ask about reincarnation." I believe that everyone has their own expertise, and asking the King of Hell would provide a more accurate answer.
"you say."
Are deities reincarnated as humans destined to meet a tragic end?
The King of Hell's reply was perfunctory: "It depends."
"Then... what category do people like Prince Nezha fall into?"
Do you know Nezha, the Third Prince?
Sun Wukong chimed in from the side, "She asked you, not you asked her."
King Yama took a deep breath, thinking that once this was over, he would definitely go to the Heavenly Court to file a complaint against this monkey, for he was too arrogant.
But the little girl before him seemed to know Nezha, her expression revealing concern, suggesting a friendship. To avoid further trouble, Yama chose to answer politely:
"Gods descend to the mortal realm for three reasons: to undergo tribulations and attain enlightenment, to repay karmic debts, and to monitor good and evil. Alternatively, they may be punished for crimes and banished to the mortal world. In any of these cases, there is no such thing as an early death. However, Prince Nezha's situation is even more special. He merely left a wisp of his divine soul in the mortal world, without crossing the Bridge of Helplessness or descending the Terrace of Banishment."
"you mean......"
"He will not have a complete life. Due to the call of his original body, his soul will soon return to its place. His human body will not live for long; indeed, it can be said that he will not have a good end."
......
When she left the underworld, Jiang Huaisu was still somewhat dazed.
Sun Wukong was never one to waste his time internally. Seeing that she was worried about Nezha, he immediately suggested, "Let's go up to heaven and see how he is? That Nezha."
Are you very interested in him?
"A little. I'm curious about what life is like for the gods in heaven. But mainly it's because of you. If you want to go, then let's go."
"But our bodies are still in the sea." If we delay any longer, they'll be soaked and shriveled.
"It won't make a difference if we take a quick look and then come back. We're still in spirit form, which makes it easier to hide."
Seeing that Jiang Huaisu was somewhat persuaded, Sun Wukong immediately said, "Wait a moment."
He told Jiang Huaisu to stay where she was and drew a circle around her with his golden cudgel.
Having experienced the treatment of Tang Sanzang, Jiang Huaisu was a little bewildered: "Where are you going?"
"To gather information."
Sun Wukong turned back and charged into the underworld. This time, he was unimpeded, and the ghost messengers avoided him as if he were a plague god.
Before an incense stick had burned for a while, he returned to Jiang Huaisu's side with a message:
"According to Di Ting, Nezha is subduing demons in the mortal realm. He is in the northwest of the Eastern Continent."
As for Dongsheng Shenzhou... it's not far.
The two exchanged a glance and silently reached a consensus:
go!
Based on the fluctuations in spiritual energy in the area, Nezha's location can be quickly pinpointed. With the great deity leading celestial troops down to the mortal realm, all the nearby demons and monsters tightly shut their doors, fearing being affected.
Sun Wukong lay on a cloud, narrowed his eyes, and pointed higher: "Is it him? Do the gods in heaven always have such a grand procession when they go out?"
Above the clouds, there were layers upon layers of figures. Everyone's clothing seemed to have been copied and pasted, all wearing the same silver-white armor. Only a splash of flowing red at the very front stood out from the crowd.
Jiang Huaisu looked in that direction and saw the Hun Tian Ling (a magical ribbon), making it easy to recognize.
Pressing down Sun Wukong, who was eager to rush to the front, she quickly said, "Getting too close might get us spotted. Let's take a look from a distance and then go back."
Considering their bodies were still submerged in the water, they couldn't afford to waste any more time. Sun Wukong nodded, "Oh. But I think they should have already spotted us from this distance, they just haven't paid any attention."
It seems that this demon-slaying operation is a targeted strike, and unrelated personnel are not within the scope of the heavenly soldiers' law enforcement.
Jiang Huaisu felt relieved. Since that was the case, as long as the two of them just stood by and watched without causing trouble, nothing would happen.
She carefully moved a little further in that direction to make it easier for her to see the situation clearly.
It seemed that the process was nearing its end, with dozens of monsters bound like rice dumplings lined up and pinned to the clouds by heavenly soldiers, unable to move.
The leading boy had a pretty, girlish face, but his expression was icy cold. His aura of blood still lingered, clearly indicating he had just been through a fierce battle.
Riding on his fiery wheels, he looked down at his defeated opponents, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over the monsters.
After thinking for a moment, he stretched out his hand and pointed to them one by one:
"This is the leader; send him to the Demon-Slaying Platform."
“Kill these people on the spot.”
“These few, strip them of their demonic power and revert them to their original forms.”
"This crime doesn't warrant death; he's quite capable. Send him to Li Tianwang and let him handle it."
"this......"
Although he seemed to be in a bad mood, Nezha did not kill them all in a perfunctory manner. Instead, he adopted a completely official attitude and decided their fate based on the severity of their crimes.
Having had a wisp of his soul extracted, Nezha's judgment and decisions are no longer easily influenced by emotions, and he has become more indifferent in his attitude. However, the orders he gives are much more detailed than before.
Then they sounded the retreat and headed to the next location.
With such intense overtime work, it's no wonder the soldiers looked so numb.
Before leaving, Nezha turned around and glanced at Jiang Huaisu seemingly unintentionally.
The two gazed at each other across the sea of clouds, and in the next instant, Nezha looked away. Jiang Huaisu's brow twitched; she thought to herself, "Sure enough, she and Sun Wukong had already been discovered."
But there was no murderous intent in the young man's eyes. Even though he had just been fighting in the blood-soaked battlefield, he showed no emotional fluctuation. This was his job; his mission was to send those damned demons to their deaths, nothing more.
The Hun Tian Ling ribbon, wrapped around her arm, snaked upwards, gently wiping the blood from her face.
The heavenly soldier beside him couldn't help but ask, "Third Prince, what about over there...?"
"Ignore the wandering ghosts who are just watching the show."
He hasn't even finished his own work; how can you expect him to meddle in other people's business? The project of guiding wronged souls to peace isn't even on his to-do list. Speaking of which, what are the ghost messengers even doing? Instead of hurrying up and taking the souls to the underworld, they just let them wander around.
Little did he know that the "wandering ghosts" he spoke of were currently running back with all their might, their destination clear: the shores of the East Sea. Having witnessed the spectacle, the most important thing now was, of course, to return to life.
The soul can sense the general location of the body and just follow the path.
Jiang Huaisu remembered that both her and Sun Wukong's bodies had sunk to the bottom of the sea and she was ready to dive down. However, when she went to look for them, she found that her and Sun Wukong's bodies were lying side by side on the beach.
A person wrapped in a cloak, whose face was obscured, was squatting nearby. Perhaps he was a passing fisherman who had accidentally retrieved their bodies.
Without thinking twice, Jiang Huaisu plunged headfirst into her body. The next instant, the sound of approaching waves crashed into her ears, and her senses became clear again.
She took a deep breath, and her vision gradually cleared. Having just experienced a trip to the underworld, the blue sky and white clouds now seemed especially lovely.
However, all her joints were extremely stiff, so she had to stand up, shake her feathers, and move her limbs. To make matters worse, she still had sand in her mouth, and after spitting it out for a while, she heard Sun Wukong coughing beside her, seemingly choking on seawater.
She stretched out her wings and patted Sun Wukong on the back. Out of the corner of her eye, she remembered that there was a passerby who looked like a fisherman next to her.
I wonder what this guy thinks about catching a monkey and a bird while fishing, especially since both bodies had clearly stopped breathing but have now come back to life.
Not knowing how to explain, her gaze slowly shifted to the right, meeting that of the "fisherman".
Then she saw a pair of very familiar eyes.
"Wonderful... Wonderful Lotus?"
The man's face was mostly covered by a strip of cloth, his hair was disheveled, and his clothes were no different from a beggar's; he didn't look like a young master from a wealthy family at all. But Jiang Huaisu could still guess his identity by looking at his eyes.
Even so, she couldn't be 100% sure her guess was correct, so she could only tentatively ask, "Is it you?"
"Hehe, besides me, who else would come all this way to see you?" He spoke in that familiar tone.
But Jiang Huaisu noticed the slight tremor in his voice, indicating that his emotions were not as stable as they appeared.
Didn't you see what I wrote to you?
Jiang Huaisu looked bewildered: "What?"
“I told you I was going to die and wanted to see you one last time. After all, I still had to make some arrangements for my affairs after I died…” Miaolian paused, “I didn’t expect you to die first.”
He rarely felt well, and his premonition of death was particularly strong. He believed it was a final burst of energy before his death, and that he was nearing his end. So he immediately tried to contact Jiang Huaisu, but received no reply for a long time. He then went straight to Huaguo Mountain.
The monkeys said she and the king were out for a drive, probably near the East China Sea.
He had never seen the "King" the monkeys were talking about, but he knew it was the monkey who had a good relationship with Jiang Huaisu.
The East China Sea is so vast, how could he possibly find Jiang Huaisu? Besides, his current physical condition is truly terrible, and it's uncertain how long he can hold on.
Beneath the cloak, his skin was covered with scars of all sizes, some from his own accidental injuries during his attacks, others appearing out of nowhere. Scars had even appeared in places where he had never been injured before.
Of the three family members, how come he's the most seriously ill? Looking at it this way, dying from eating poisonous mushrooms could be considered a comfortable way to die.
While marveling at her father's good fortune, Miaolian waited for Jiang Huaisu to return at Flower Fruit Mountain. However, as the wait dragged on, he grew restless and went to the cave entrance several times, wanting to go out, but fearing that his rash action would only waste more time.
In the end, it was Old Monkey who realized that he was in a bad state and seemed to have something urgent to discuss with Jiang Huaisu. So he kindly pointed out a way out, saying that he could ask the manager of the East Sea for help.
The "manager" naturally refers to the Dragon King. The entire East Sea is under his jurisdiction, and the shrimp soldiers and crab generals are his eyes and ears. Finding someone is not difficult for him. Moreover, the Great King once borrowed a precious divine weapon from there, which is enough to show that the Dragon King is easy to talk to.
He thought it would take a lot of effort to persuade the Dragon King to help find the person, but he didn't expect the Dragon King to be the same as the patrolling sea yaksha. As soon as he saw him, the Dragon King hurriedly put on a smile, and the wrinkles on his face trembled a little.
"Third...Young Master, what brings you here?"
He was surprised: "You know me?"
"I know all the important figures around the East China Sea."
Miao Lian found it strange that he had become a "big shot" in the Dragon King's words. However, he didn't have time to delve into it now; he needed to find Jiang Huaisu as soon as possible.
Upon learning his purpose, the Dragon King agreed to help without hesitation, rendering the explanations he had prepared on the way useless.
Before leaving the Crystal Palace, Miao Lian suddenly noticed a guy with dragon horns peeking at her from behind Coral.
He turned his head and asked, "Who is it?", which caused the guy to let out a strange cry and run out of the main hall in a panic. His posture was indescribably strange, with his upper body slumped and his legs kicking and swinging wildly without any order.
The Dragon King wiped his sweat and explained, "It's nothing, it's nothing. That's my son. He got into a fight when he was young and hot-blooded and got beaten up. He's still not fully recovered and basically just stays in his palace. He gets uncomfortable when he sees outsiders."
"You're traumatized by that beating? Go get your revenge." He's supposed to be the son of the Dragon King, how can he be such a coward?
"No, no, no, no..." The old dragon king's mouth moved so fast that his tongue almost tied itself in knots, "That's all in the past, let it go. The most important thing right now is to find your girl."
"Oh, right. Since she's just going for a drive, she might not be in human form right now. If you see a bird with a monkey, that's most likely her."
The old Dragon King received the message and nodded to indicate that he understood.
Since everything went so smoothly, Miaolian couldn't help but suspect that there might be some kind of conspiracy involved. But the person who helped her left decisively without asking for any reward.
Watching the group of seafood hurriedly leave, he could even sense a hint of them fleeing in panic.
Without time to think, he focused his attention on the magpie and monkey in front of him. The two had been pulled from the sea and were no longer breathing, looking completely like corpses.
...Jiang Huaisu. Dead?
Even the Dragon King couldn't wake her up. It was absolutely true; her soul had left her body and gone to the underworld.
"That's good for you now." Miao Lian stroked her now dull feathers. After going through so much trouble, from heaven to sea, he could feel that he was also at his limit, and might die on the same day as her.
He swallowed the blood with difficulty, squatted down beside her, and began to think about what to do with the monkey. Should he bury it on the spot, or send it back to Flower Fruit Mountain?
Even unconscious, Sun Wukong's hands were still wrapped tightly around Jiang Huaisu, refusing to let go. Miao Lianhua used a great deal of strength to pry his fingers open, thinking sarcastically to herself how close these two were, even in death. But it was fortunate that they weren't separated by the sea; otherwise, finding them would have been much more troublesome.
Completely lacking any concept of respecting the dead, Miaolian was still grumbling to herself, "How can this tiny monkey be called 'King'? He should be called 'Little King'."
"Jiang Huaisu. Jiang Huaisu?" He tried calling out a few more times, but the other person was already a corpse and of course wouldn't respond.
He didn't know how long he had been sitting beside her when a thought suddenly popped into his mind: if he died now, perhaps he could be reincarnated in the same wave as Jiang Huaisu? On the road to the underworld, at least he would have someone to look after him.
I looked up at the sky; the sun was shining brightly today, perfect for burying a body.
However, the next moment, the two animal corpses in front of her simultaneously emitted a faint sigh, as if it were the prelude to breathing. Catching this subtle change, Miaolian frowned in surprise. Could it be a case of zombies turning into corpses?
Fortunately, that terrible situation didn't occur. The lifeless body merely showed signs of revival, as if forcibly injected with life force, its stiff muscles becoming soft again. He saw the bird wobbly stand up.
The monkey next to him also propped itself up and shook its head.
For some reason, he felt a pang of regret, but he quickly suppressed the emotion. He was relieved to see Jiang Huaisu full of energy again.
Jiang Huaisu noticed him quickly.
Bird's eyes are indeed sharp; he could be recognized even with most of his face covered.
After a brief exchange of information, the two sides fell silent.
Jiang Huaisu wanted to say something, but her feelings were complicated. She had just witnessed Nezha's heroic deeds in slaying demons, and now she was being told that Miaolian was dying. This somewhat tragic contrast left her struggling to process it.
I secretly hope he can live a little longer. By human standards, Miao Lian is only in his early twenties, right? Too young.
But...on second thought, he is special.
For others, death is death; for Miaolian, disappearance is equivalent to rebirth. Perhaps she shouldn't view this with conventional thinking? For Nezha, this is just a small episode in his life, not some tragic love story like in a TV drama; he's simply sending a clone down to experience life.
That's right! Miao Lian is both Miao Lian and Nezha. He won't really disappear, and there won't even be any ghost messengers to collect his soul. He'll just go straight to heaven through the VIP passage.
Having figured this out, she patted Miaolian on the shoulder and comforted her, "It's alright, you'll go to a better place after you die."
Miaolian pondered, "But I don't think I've done any good deeds. Perhaps I won't be able to be reborn as a human in my next life."
"Uh, no. Don't be so pessimistic, let's talk about something lighthearted." Jiang Huaisu tried to make her tone sound casual. "Do you have a preferred burial plot? Have you thought about how to arrange your estate? Don't be shy, just tell me. I'll take care of everything for you."
"Inheritance?" Miaolian thought of this question for the first time. "Well... you can decide what to do. I haven't been involved in family affairs much since my parents died. The shops and land have already been converted into banknotes, and I think they're in a cabinet in my room. You can take them if you need them."
Jiang Huaisu's eyes lit up for a moment.
No, this wasn't the time to show joy; it would be terrible if she were misunderstood as coveting someone else's wealth. But having gained such a huge benefit for free, the corners of her mouth had already instinctively turned up slightly. Before becoming a demon, she had been a mortal for over twenty years, and it was truly difficult for her to let go of her desire for material possessions.
Having deeply experienced the bittersweet feeling of life, she chose to mask her smile with bitterness: "I'll definitely make sure your funeral is grand and lavish. Would you prefer a traditional burial or..."
“No.” Miaolian resolutely rejected the idea. “If it’s buried underground, insects and ants will gnaw at it. I don’t like that.”
Moreover, being unable to see sunlight all day must be very stifling.
"Sea burial?"
“No, I’ll be eaten by fish. Just burn me to ashes first, then find a scenic spot to scatter the ashes. That’s the only way I can accept it.” He coldly stated, “Nobody can eat me. Unless I’m reincarnated as a radish in the field or a pig or sheep in the shed, and someone cooks me and serves me on the table.”
No, you won't turn into a radish or a cow... The only possibility of you being made into a dish is as a cold lotus root salad.
Jiang Huaisu shook her head, venting her jumbled thoughts, and then earnestly stated that she would follow his last wishes.
Sun Wukong, still outside the channel, said: "Hey, wait a minute. You're the one who fished us out, right?"
Miaolian: "Mm."
"And you even gave money to my little sister?" Sun Wukong's face showed no sorrow of parting or death, only the joy of receiving a windfall. He judged in his heart that this kid was a good person; he really did give her something. Jiang Huaisu hadn't been thinking about him for nothing!
"Your little sister? Can monkeys and birds be related by blood?"
"What are you thinking? Of course not!" Sun Wukong looked at him like he was an idiot. "What I mean is that Xiao Jiang and I have a very good relationship. Like siblings!"
Miao Lian turned to Jiang Huaisu: "The Demon King of the Cave must be very wealthy. You don't need my meager sum, do you? Why don't you give the silver notes to the beggars on the roadside and do me some good deeds?"
"oh oh......"
The piece of fat that was almost in her mouth suddenly slipped away, and Jiang Huaisu's smile vanished. But upon closer reflection, the plan wasn't entirely unacceptable; indeed, there were people who needed the money more than she did.
Sun Wukong: "Hehe, I'm not exactly rolling in dough, but our Water Curtain Cave is a really nice place, we have everything we need. If you live a little longer, I can take you around the vicinity of Flower Fruit Mountain."
Miaolian: "......"
Jiang Huaisu: "What are your requirements regarding beggars? Is it a specific area, or random selection throughout the city, or perhaps in the form of disaster relief supplies, so that everyone who sees one can get a share?"
Miaolian felt a little stifled. She didn't know what was bothering her.
"Just kidding." He waved his hand weakly. "The money is still yours. You can do whatever you want with it. I don't know beggars."
Three question marks appeared on Jiang Huaisu's forehead. What did this mean? Was this fickle behavior meant to test her character?
Fortunately, she was quick-witted and immediately updated her plan. If she were to arrange it herself... she would keep half and donate the other half.
“We can have a cenotaph to bury my things in.” Miao Lian remembered something, rummaged through her pockets, pulled out a communication talisman, and handed it to Jiang Huai Su. “Put this in a box too, and bury it.”
The three sat on the beach, basking in the sun, calmly discussing their final affairs, creating an eerie sense of warmth.
Miaolian had removed the cloth covering her face; she was pale, haggard, and had several scars of varying depths on her chin.
Jiang Huaisu carefully noted down all his requests and then asked, "Is there anything else you need to tell me?"
"there is none left."
"OK."
"Jiang Huaisu".
"Um?"
You don't seem very upset.
"Because I firmly believe that you will go to a very good place after you die."
Miao Lian tilted her head to look at her: "...Speaking of which, you and Sun Wukong also died just now. Where did your souls go after leaving your bodies?"
Jiang Huaisu replied half-jokingly, "I'm just wandering around. My lifespan hasn't ended yet, so I've come back."
"Will I be able to come back too?"
"This... I don't know, maybe." Not wanting to disappoint him, Jiang Huaisu chose to give an ambiguous answer.
"All right."
Miaolian's voice weakened as she lay on her back on the beach, looking listless and pitiful.
Just as he was about to close his eyes, Jiang Huaisu pecked the back of his hand: "Are you sleepy?"
"A little."
"Your heartbeat and breathing are very weak right now."
Miaolian, who was not present, said, "I know."
Sun Wukong: "Hey, the sun looks like it's about to set. Would you like to have dinner at Flower Fruit Mountain, young man?"
"I'm not hungry."
"Alright." He understood that Sun Wukong genuinely wasn't in the mood for food. He flicked his tail, turned around, and closed his eyes to continue his feigned sleep.
Miaolian rested her hands on her pillow, sinking into the soft sand, looking quite content.
Jiang Huaisu was beside him, closely watching his condition, her gaze lingering for a moment on his slightly bent knees.
I wonder if his old leg injury has recurred during this period?
She had previously considered using Sun Wukong's connections to treat his leg, but now it seems the leg problem is minor.
They waited quietly until the sun set. Jiang Huaisu's eyes grew a little sore from staring at him. She rubbed her temples and even felt a bit sleepy. Suppressing a yawn, she tentatively asked, "Are you still alive?"
"He's not dead yet."
Sun Wukong was humming a little tune to himself, when suddenly, a new idea popped into his head, and he snuggled up to Jiang Huaisu. "Have you ever had your ears pierced?"
"I've had it before." She paused, then subconsciously rubbed her earlobe. "It's grown back now."
"Wearing earrings would definitely be a big hindrance in a fight. But they look pretty when they're dangling around."
Actually, Sun Wukong was thinking of Nezha. When he subdued demons, his body was covered in jingling gold ornaments and jewels, and his voice preceded his arrival. How could that achieve the effect of a surprise attack? Wasn't it just sending a message to the enemy?
He then asked Miaolian, "You have pierced ears, right?"
"have."
"I knew it, you're so vain."
"?" Too lazy to deal with this short-circuited monkey, Miaolian closed her eyes and remained silent.
"Wearing those things is such a hindrance when fighting. If you ever fight me..."
"I won't fight you."
After saying that, Miaolian ignored him. Clearly, this monkey was mentally unstable; he could barely stand, let alone fight, and certainly wouldn't amount to anything.
"Alright, alright." Noticing his weakness, Jiang Huaisu quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Monkey, I'll fight you. Let him rest."
"You? But I don't want to hit you."
Jiang Huaisu was just joking; how could she possibly fight Sun Wukong? One blow from his staff and she'd be turned into mincemeat.
She wanted Miaolian to rest quietly for a while, but when the time came for everyone to talk, she felt a little uneasy. In the past, Miaolian would definitely have argued with Sun Wukong. But now he just lay there listlessly, like a dehydrated plant.
The sun has set.
The moon peeked out from behind the clouds, illuminating a corner of the sky. Little turtles and crabs were still rustling about on the beach, and the waves beat rhythmically in the distance. Evenings can be lively, but unfortunately, it wasn't the best time to enjoy the scenery.
"Jiang Huaisu".
"What's wrong?" Suddenly called out, she quickly responded, fearing that the other person was about to give some important last words.
I'm sorry I hurt you back then.
...So that's what you wanted to say?
Jiang Huaisu was a little surprised.
The saying "a dying man's words are good" is indeed true. Miaolian actually brought up old grievances and apologized to her.
She waved her hand and said magnanimously, "It's alright, that's all in the past." What else could she do? He was about to die; she couldn't exactly go against him.
Miao Lian didn't reply. After a while, he turned to the side and curled up slightly, as if he was a little afraid of the cold.
The temperature did drop after nightfall. Noticing Miaolian's movement, Jiang Huaisu felt she should give him a jacket.
But what clothes could be warmer than her feathers? A thought struck her, and she used magic to enlarge her wings several times their original size, covering him with them. From a distance, it looked like she was covering him with a white quilt.
She asked, "Is it warm?"
Miaolian did not answer.
She remained in that position for nearly fifteen minutes before looking at Sun Wukong.
"monkey."
"What?"
“He seems to be…” Jiang Huaisu leaned down and pressed her ear against his chest. After half a minute, she looked up again and continued, “…his heart has stopped beating.”
Compared to his dramatic suicide in his previous life, this life as a mortal was devoid of fateful entanglements, bloodshed, and the clash of swords. On a quiet, cold night, he drifted away from the world like the dissipating sunset after the moon rose.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
