Chapter 61 The Begonia Branch Returns to Baiyujing
Fu Yunyao gazed at the lit jade slip and sighed softly.
"Young Master, is there still no news of the Young Master of Zhaixing Tower? Recently, Yaotai Realm has been receiving inquiries from Kunwu Sect and Nanheng Sect."
The Third Elder cautiously inquired from the other end of the jade slip.
"Hmm," Fu Yunyao responded. "How's the border?"
"Currently, the Demon Lord has only been spotted in three places: Kunwu Mountain, Tianyan Spirit Vein, and the South China Sea. However, since the Kunwu Sect Master sacrificed himself half a month ago, killing one Demon Lord and seriously injuring two others, the situation at the border has been basically under control."
After the Third Elder finished speaking, he couldn't help but ask again, "Young Master, do you really have no news of Young Master Shi?"
Time has passed and white...
Fu Yunyao tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, vaguely guessing where he had gone.
However, she couldn't understand it.
"Young Master?"
When the Third Elder received no response from her for a long time, he asked her.
"It's nothing," Fu Yunyao replied, cutting off the telepathic communication.
She didn't think there was anything wrong with the spiritual artifact obtained from the Linglang Secret Realm; Mu Shu's aura must have appeared in the North Sea.
The last place Shi Yubai appeared in before disappearing was also Beihai.
Fu Yunyao couldn't help but connect the two events.
And... wooden plaques in the endless world.
She recalled the scene in the dungeon where Shi Yubai questioned her with red eyes.
He was the most devastated by Wanyin's death.
But……
What about that Endless Sect wooden plaque that could protect her?
...
"Wanyin, why does this wooden plaque look so much like it was made of sacred wood?" In the spring sunshine, the boy examined the wooden plaque in his hand, the ends of his braided hair falling down in front of him.
A young girl in a blue dress was handling the ingredients when she heard this and looked up.
“This was given to me by my master. She told me that I must always keep it with me. She said it could save my life in a critical moment.”
The boy chuckled softly as he listened to her words, "Don't casually hand over things that can save your life to others."
"Are you someone else?" The girl raised her eyebrows slightly, her eyes clear.
In the dimly lit room on the top floor of the Star Gazing Pavilion, a screen stands in front of the door, obscuring the view inside. Only a kneeling figure can be vaguely seen.
A man dressed in black spoke from behind the screen, his voice filled with anger.
"The ceremony was about to begin, but the new body vanished into thin air, and the person disappeared along with it. Can you honestly say you knew absolutely nothing about all of this?"
The room was silent; the slender fingertips seemed to be gently caressing something in their hands.
Receiving no response, the man in black grew even angrier.
"Are you trying to go back on your word? Don't forget what you promised me. If she doesn't wake up, you can forget about hiding this from me any longer!"
As he spoke, he chuckled, "I'm not as 'compassionate' as Qingwu. All I want is for her to come back. If she doesn't come back, I don't mind letting you experience my pain too."
"Alliance Leader Mu." The person in the room finally spoke, his voice clear and even carrying a hint of youthful spirit, "How could I forget what I promised you?"
"Then tell me, how did those two people in the dungeon just disappear into thin air?"
“Their disappearance has nothing to do with me,” he replied calmly. “However, you can wake her up without a container.”
Mu Jiuqing suddenly looked up.
“I went to the North Sea and found a wisp of Sect Master Mu’s remnant soul there.” He raised his hand, a wisp of soul fire dancing in his palm. “With this wisp of soul, plus the divine soul in your hand, it’s enough to rebuild her physical body.”
You'll be able to wake her up soon.
He raised his hand, and the soul fire in his hand flew away from his palm, went around the screen, and finally stopped in front of Mu Jiuqing.
He reached out, feeling the familiar presence, and murmured softly, "Master..."
"Remember what I said: in seven days, when the moon is full, that will be the best time to call her back."
I'll be waiting for you atop Yujing Mountain.
Mu Jiuqing carefully stored the soul fire into the Soul-Locking Bell at her waist, and gave him one last deep look.
"If they knew that all of this was your doing, what a wonderful scene it would be."
His figure disappeared from the spot, and the room returned to silence once more.
In the candlelight, the kneeling man slowly raised his head, the ends of his braided hair falling in front of him.
He gently stroked the wooden plaque in his hand, his eyes reflecting the three thousand white candles before him and...
Three thousand spirit tablets.
His soft sigh echoed in the silent room.
"I'm really looking forward to it too."
...
Fu Yunyao never expected that when she saw Shen Mingxu again, it would be him coming to find her.
She looked at the person in front of her with delicate features who seemed to be no more than seventeen years old, her expression somewhat complicated.
The memory of that time in Beihai resurfaced before her eyes once again.
"I know you have many questions, but unfortunately, I can't answer them for you right now."
Shen Mingxu spoke, the tea in the cup still steaming.
Fu Yunyao hadn't expected to hear an answer from him. "So, what's the reason you came to find me?"
"I hope you can visit Baiyujing again."
"reason?"
Shen Mingxu looked at her, and he could give her many reasonable reasons to go.
For example, the secrets hidden deep within the Jade Palace.
For example, a method that could completely suppress the dust restriction on her body.
But in the end, looking at her gentle eyes and brows, he spoke softly.
"Liao Liao, I don't want you to be sad."
Fu Yunyao raised her eyes, her eyebrows slightly curved, as if she found it amusing, even her voice contained amusement.
She asked.
Why should I be sad?
Shen Mingxu simply said, "You know that."
Fu Yunyao lowered her eyes again, "He went to Baiyujing?"
She thought of how frail and sickly he looked when she saw him that day; if he went to Baiyujing, he would have no chance of survival.
"You'll go, won't you?" Shen Mingxu asked in return.
Fu Yunyao toyed with the teacup in her hand. "Should I address you as the Sect Master of the Boundless Sect, or the old monk who raised me, or perhaps..."
Three thousand years ago, the forbidden zone of Yaotai was inscribed with its restrictions—
The progenitor?
Not waiting for his reply, she spoke again.
"No matter who you really are, you don't seem to know me at all. Instead of wasting your breath arguing with me, you'd be better off going back and making arrangements for his funeral."
"That's it." He sighed softly, as if helplessly facing a playful child. "You know, only you have the chance to bring him back. Don't do anything you'll regret."
Fu Yunyao ignored his words and said, "Then I'll tell you again, I'm not going."
Shen Mingxu raised his hand, and a jade pendant appeared in his palm.
He placed the jade pendant in front of Fu Yunyao and slowly stood up. "Perhaps you can think about it again. At least, don't you still want to kill him with your own hands?"
The jade pendant, carved from spirit-gathering jade, glowed in the candlelight. The position and pattern of each begonia petal on the pendant were identical to the one he had given her before.
Fu Yunyao reached out and lightly touched the patterns on the jade pendant with her fingertips.
Fragmented memories followed one after another.
There was that line: him dressed in red, his eyes full of smiles.
"Hello, Liao Liao, my name is Fu Yusheng."
He held the jade pendant and coaxed her softly.
"Do you like it? I also enjoy talking to you. How about we exchange gifts?"
He rested his chin on his hand, tilted his head to look at her, and begged for mercy with a smile.
"Liao Liao, don't be angry with me."
In the dimly lit cave, the red tassel on his mask swayed gently, and that sound...
“A long time ago, someone told me that he liked me wearing red.”
There was that sentence: His clothes were stained with blood, his expression was pale, but his eyes were still shimmering.
I miss you so much.
A warm sensation spread through her fingertips. Fu Yunyao closed her eyes briefly, the soul bell on her wrist swaying gently.
One sound after another, it seems, fell into someone's heart.
She opened her eyes again.
The phantom of the boy appeared before her, his light-colored eyes filled with a smile, and he spoke slowly.
"That's it."
"I will always be with you."
fraud……
...
Bai Yushan remained exactly the same as before she left.
As the first rays of sunlight fell, the mountaintop faintly revealed a hue of red, orange, and yellow.
As the ancient voice arose, the incantations on the jade steps lit up.
Fu Yunyao stepped onto the jade steps once more, her white robes brushing against the ancient incantations that lit up on the steps.
Finally, her figure disappeared into the clouds.
Amidst the sparse shadows of the branches, Fu Yunyao opened her eyes.
A gentle breeze brushed her cheek, bringing a familiar scent.
The fluttering crabapple petals landed on the hem of her dress, and the ground was covered with blooming, swaying flowers.
Fu Yunyao raised her eyes and looked at the red-clad figure in front of her.
The boy had jade-like eyebrows and eyes, and the red ribbon in his hair fluttered gently in the wind, brushing past the corners of his eyes to reveal a pair of light-colored eyes.
He is aloof and arrogant, yet full of youthful spirit and boundless freedom.
He gripped his sword, its sharp edge causing frost to fall from its blade, which, upon landing on the ground, blossomed into a profusion of flowers.
The sword intent swept in, mixed with specks of frost. Yet, the wind whipped up by the sword energy was gentle and serene, carrying the boundless vitality of newly sprouting plants.
The sword wind whipped up Fu Yunyao's wisps of hair, like a gentle spring breeze caressing her and softly kissing the ends of her hair.
She had always known that Fu Yusheng's sword intent was like a gentle spring breeze, full of vitality, which was the complete opposite of hers.
She stood quietly beside him, watching this still-young phantom dance with his sword.
Even the simplest sword moves, when performed by him, are exceptionally pleasing to the eye.
Seeing him again at seventeen, full of youthful vigor, Fu Yunyao had to admit that the reason she treated him differently from others when she first met him was not only because of the Rangchen Sword in his hand, but also because of his face.
She loves all things beautiful.
During her ten years in the forbidden area, she had never seen anything so vibrant.
It was warm and dazzling, making her unable to resist wanting to get closer.
After finishing a set of sword moves, the boy sheathed his sword, the sword energy sweeping away the severed branches and leaves of the crabapple blossoms.
He looked up, his red robes fluttering, as if in a dream.
Fu Yunyao reached out her hand.
What I'm holding are the petals that lingered for her.
What cannot be grasped is the slowly dissipating phantom of youth.
The crabapple blossoms that had been severed by the youth's sword intent were now swept up by the wind generated by the sword energy.
It drifted past Fuyun Yao.
It drifted into the deserted back mountain.
It fell into a forbidden land, a place of utter darkness.
Fu Yunyao watched all of this silently.
She stood in the bright spring sunshine, gazing at the girl in the dark and damp.
An invisible barrier separates two worlds.
The girl in the forbidden area picked up the fallen crabapple branch, but the spring sunshine did not reach her.
The blood from his palm stained a corner of the branch.
Fu Yunyao slightly curved her eyebrows.
Under her gentle gaze, the girl raised the branch in her hand.
As the crabapple petals fell from the branches, the array barrier shattered and eventually dissipated.
Ice flowers bloomed at the entrance, and the piece of crabapple blossom fell from the girl's hand.
Spring sunshine finally fell upon her.
From beginning to end, Fuyun Yaodu remained standing still.
The girl walked past her, the hem of her dress brushing against the back of her hand—a void, carrying both coldness and warmth.
The ice flowers shimmered in the sunlight, making the begonia petals on them even more vibrant.
Fu Yunyao reached out and picked up the crabapple branch that her former self had left behind.
She felt the vitality above.
That was the sword intent belonging to Fu Yusheng.
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Author's Note: Liao Liao and Yu Yu, let's meet soon!!
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