Chapter 80080 Memoirs (Part 3)
I wasn't obsessed with the memories of my past life, but the moment my remnant soul was withdrawn, I was no longer in control. All those memories came flooding back, and even if I didn't want to recall them, it was useless.
So I could only be forced to witness the scene of Nezha cutting flesh and removing bones.
The sky that day was an ominous gray, and the wind was fishy.
I'd actually played this scene out in my head more than once, but seeing it with my own eyes was always the most shocking. I wanted to rush over, but the look he gave me made me freeze.
Don't come over here.
He said so.
Why?
I wasn't really that familiar with him, having only been incarnated for a few days. But I was also very familiar with him, knowing where he would go and how far he would go.
This journey must be taken.
I stopped and saw him off for the last time.
The wind died down, and there was a dead silence between heaven and earth. The leaden clouds seemed to have descended even lower.
The once rebellious and high-spirited young man was now nothing but a silent, bloody body, lying quietly on the cold earth. Li Jing's expression was complicated, and Madam Yin had already fainted from crying.
No one came forward.
Everyone seemed to be frozen, as if the scene had faded. Finally, I took stiff steps and walked over, ignoring the stunned looks around me.
At that moment, four enormous dragons flew through the clouds, their huge, ugly heads bowed, coldly gazing at Nezha's corpse. Their eyes held a look of deep hatred, yet tinged with a hint of disbelief and shock.
"The wicked son... has been executed!" The Dragon King's roar shook the earth. "The wicked son has been executed!"
"The evil son has been executed!"
"The evil son has been executed!"
"The evil son has been executed!"
They shouted and cheered, and the sound that resounded between heaven and earth was deafening.
Li Jing's lips moved, but he ultimately said nothing, closing his eyes deeply. The Dragon King's gaze swept across everyone present, finally landing on me.
I had only been transformed for a few days, my spiritual power was minimal, and none of the immortals, gods, or dragons present would take me seriously. But perhaps it was my insignificant existence, and the calmness on my face that didn't belong in this turbulent vortex, that made the Dragon King feel a little strange.
"Who are you?" The Dragon King's pressure was like a mountain.
I slowly knelt down beside Nezha, gently covering his scarred face with a piece of silk. Then I looked up at the huge dragon head and said in a low but remarkably clear voice, "A passerby. Come to see him off."
"Send him?" The Dragon King sneered. "This evil child has committed grave sins. It is only right that he should be annihilated, both physically and spiritually! Do you still want to collect his body?"
"He has returned his blood to his parents, and all grudges are settled," I replied calmly, my hands moving non-stop, wiping the tears and blood from his face, avoiding the hideous wounds as if he were merely asleep. "In this vast world, there must be a place for him to rest. Your Majesty the Dragon King's hatred has faded, so why bother with a senseless, unconscious creature?"
The Dragon King fell silent, its huge eyes fixed on the young man beside me. Finally, it snorted coldly, and its head slowly sank into the clouds. "That's it! This matter is over. Sihai and Chentangguan have nothing to do with each other anymore!"
The dark clouds dispersed, but the sky did not clear up, and it remained that dead gray.
I looked at his tightly closed eyes and sighed helplessly. Then I looked at Li Jing.
"Master Li, do you have any needle and thread?"
Li Jing said in a hoarse voice: "What do you want this for?"
He didn't ask about my identity, and I saved myself the trouble of explaining. I simply said, "The flesh has fallen off. It needs to be sewn back together properly. If the body is incomplete, how will one reincarnate?"
Li Jing had a complicated expression on his face, and then he sent someone to get needle and thread.
I took the needle and thread, thanked him, and tucked up the pieces of flesh Nezha had cut off.
I'm not suited to needlework, and the stitches don't look very beautiful. I don't know when the people on the city wall had already left, leaving only Li Jing, Nezha's corpse, and me.
"Look, even if it's sewn up stitch by stitch, it won't be the same as before."
Li Jing didn't say anything, so I put away the needle and thread and returned it to him.
Then I carried Nezha on my back. Of course, it was not easy to carry a corpse alone, so I called Li Jing.
"Master Li, please lend a hand."
Li Jing's breathing became disordered. He helped Nezha onto my back and asked me, "Where are you taking him?"
"Go where he belongs," I said. "The world is so big, there's always a place for him."
I didn't wait for his response, but turned and left. My steps were steady, even steadier than I'd imagined. I never imagined I'd be the one to see him off. Alas, things in this world are truly unpredictable. I could still recall his unruly demeanor when I first transformed.
I'm taking him to Qianyuan Mountain. It's the only place that can take him in right now. Besides, wasn't it his master, Taiyi Zhenren, who shaped Nezha's body?
But I don’t know which direction Qianyuan Mountain is.
But it doesn't matter, I'm already a carp spirit, so I can always ask for directions. So I'm not worried at all.
I walked for who knows how long, crossing wastelands and mountains. The body on my back grew colder, but my steps grew more resolute. Qianyuan Mountain is perpetually shrouded in mist, a land of immortals, untouchable to ordinary people. But when I reached the foot of the mountain, the swirling mist suddenly parted, revealing a winding stone staircase, as if it had been waiting for me.
I carried him on my back and walked up the stone steps step by step.
In front of the cave, Taiyi Zhenren was already waiting there. His usual playful expression was gone, replaced by a long sigh. He looked at me, then at the disciple on my back.
"Did he ask you to come?" asked the real person.
I shook my head: "I thought I should come. He... didn't object." After all, he couldn't object.
Taiyi Zhenren walked forward, looked at Nezha's peaceful but lifeless face, and a trace of regret flashed in his eyes.
"Foolish child..." He waved his hand, and the spiritual energy in the cave gathered, and a red lotus bud slowly emerged.
"Give him to me," the Immortal said, "I will rebuild his immortal body for him."
I carefully placed Nezha's body down, watching as it was lifted by a gentle golden light and slowly dissolved into the lotus. At that moment, the tension in my heart suddenly relaxed. Mission accomplished.
I bowed deeply to Taiyi Zhenren and turned to leave.
"My friend," the Immortal called from behind, "What is your connection with him?"
I paused, gazing at the rolling sea of clouds in the distance, and whispered, "There's no connection. I just happened to be passing by and witnessed a sunset."
After saying that, I continued walking down the mountain.
…
The descent was much easier than the ascent. The weight had been lifted from my back, leaving only a sense of emptiness and an inexplicable pull. I had no idea where to go, so I simply let my feet wander, following the wind towards the densely populated area.
This journey slowly led from the Chentang Pass area into a wider but more turbulent world.
According to chronological calculations, this was the end of the Shang Dynasty. Under Emperor Xin's rule, the Shang Dynasty seemed prosperous, but in reality, its foundations were rotten. Throughout my journey, all I've witnessed is suffering.
Barren fields lined the roadside. The crops, which should have been lush and green, drooped with age. Ragged farmers knelt on the cracked earth, their eyes hollow, as if their souls had been drained away.
Heavy taxes and endless corvée labor weighed down like two mountains, crushing people. I've seen mothers stuffing the last bite of bran bread into the mouths of crying children, their own stomachs growling with hunger. I've seen emaciated old men collapse on the roads of migration, never to rise again. I've also seen slaves chained together with ropes, driven like animals, the light long gone from their eyes.
"Master... please be kind and give me something to eat..." A skinny little girl with a pale face timidly pulled the corner of my clothes. Her eyes were surprisingly big, but there was only instinctive begging in them.
I'm no immortal. I've only recently transformed, and my magical powers are limited. Turning stone into gold or sending beans into battle is difficult for me. But I'm a spirit after all, possessing a bit more strength and a few subtle spells than ordinary mortals. I crouched down, pulled some dry food from my bag, and handed it to her. I also quietly channeled a faint spiritual energy, hoping to dispel the slightest bit of her illness.
"Thank you, Immortal!" The girl's eyes lit up and she began to eat voraciously.
If you can help, then help.
I cannot change the torrent, but perhaps I can prop up a seedling that is about to collapse.
I helped the injured woodcutter stop his bleeding and bandage his wounds, used my weak magic power to find underground water for the thirsty village, and occasionally scared away one or two bullies and soldiers who bullied the village.
I don't get involved in big disputes, but just do insignificant little things quietly like a wandering doctor or traveler.
Gradually, my direction of travel became vaguely westward. The tension in the air grew more palpable. More refugees were arriving on the road, and the words "Xiqi," "King Wen," and "King Wu" appeared more and more frequently in their whispers. The Shang Dynasty's checkpoints were rigorous, and slander and vigilance against Xiqi became a common practice among officials.
I finally entered Xiqi. The landscape here was quite different from the core areas of the Shang dynasty. The fields were more neatly organized. Though still facing natural and man-made disasters, the faces of the people were less gloomy and more hopeful. There was also a greater sense of order. I saw the army in training, their strict discipline a stark contrast to the Shang army's lax and arrogant demeanor.
I settled temporarily in a small village in Xiqi, treating patients and healing the wounded in exchange for food and lodging. The villagers were both curious and grateful for this outsider. From their mouths, I heard about King Wu's wisdom.
One day, I was performing acupuncture on an elderly man at the village entrance when I saw a procession of carriages passing by in the distance. The procession wasn't extravagant, but it possessed a certain dignity. A handsome young man sat in the middle of the procession. He seemed to notice my unfamiliar face, his gaze lingering on me for a moment, then he nodded slightly and continued on his way.
Someone told me that it was King Wu.
It’s already this late, I thought to myself.
I had no intention of fleeing to Xiqi, nor did I plan to return to the Shang Dynasty. Packing my simple bag, I continued westward, heading even further. The world's suffering is endless, and my actions are limited. But having passed by and seen it, I could no longer turn a blind eye.
It’s hard to imagine that I still have this kind of dedication.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com