Chapter 45
A small bird with a tail feather as red as blood nimbly slipped in through the gap in the window frame.
Its dark little eyeballs rolled around, and it landed lightly on the table, tilting its head curiously to look around the room.
"I have no appetite."
A hoarse voice broke the silence, and Tang An turned his head to avoid the medicine spoon that was brought to his lips.
He closed his eyes tightly, with deep fatigue and boredom etched between his brows, as if he had even exhausted the strength to breathe.
"Don't bother. I know this body best..."
“…”
Su Chengyue remained silent, and with a slight movement of her fingertips, the bowl of brown medicine juice flew back to the table.
There was a slight clang sound, startling the red bird so much that it flapped its wings and was about to fly.
However, the next second, an invisible terrifying force suddenly descended. The bird didn't even have time to make a sound before it exploded silently in mid-air, turning into a fleeting blood mist, without even a feather left behind.
Tang An was breathing weakly; just speaking was too much for him.
The thick eyelashes trembled, and finally could not close.
Su Chengyue did not leave. He knelt silently in the shadow beside the bed, his eyes fixed on the person on the bed.
The once almighty and unrivaled Immortal Lord Qinglian was now trapped in the horrific process of the Five Degenerations of Heaven and Man. The vast spiritual power was like a bursting dam, flowing out of his body at a speed visible to the naked eye.
This morning, the last strand of jet-black hair that reached his waist was completely swallowed up by the dazzling white of frost. If it weren't for the fact that his face had not yet been eroded by deep wrinkles, anyone looking at his back would have thought that he was an octogenarian who was about to die.
The functions of his internal organs had not yet completely failed, but the disturbingly rich aura of death had wrapped around every inch of his skin like cold vines, slowly and steadily eroding the remaining vitality.
Su Chengyue had to face this cruel fact.
He came back too late.
However, after more than two months away, when he returned, he saw Gu An lying on the ground, unconscious, with the dragon, who was also sleeping, lying beside him.
He threw the annoying beast directly into the deep and cold underground dungeon.
Gu An was in a coma for nearly a month before he slowly woke up. When he woke up, he looked exhausted and emaciated.
What made him feel as if his heart was pierced by a sharp knife was the look Gu An gave him after he woke up.
He was no longer as gentle and kind as before, but suddenly avoided it as if he had seen something filthy that he could not avoid. At this moment, his distracted eyes only reflected the shadow of that beast!
A violent murderous intent instantly surged in Su Chengyue's sea of consciousness. He forced his internal energy to suppress it.
'Behave yourself!'
"I leave you as a remnant soul in the afterlife, not out of pity, but because you are still useful."
"If you dare to have any more thoughts, you will never be able to return!"
The surging sea of consciousness instantly returned to silence.
Su Chengyue raised her eyes and her gaze fell on the pale and fragile figure on the bed again. Her voice was deliberately soft: "Master?"
The only response he received was the sound of breathing, so faint it was almost inaudible.
He stretched out his hand, and his cold fingertips caressed Gu An's bloodless cheek almost greedily.
"Disciple knows that Master loves his disciples the most."
"Master, don't worry," his voice deepened, carrying a morbid persistence, "I won't let you go..."
"Disciple will definitely save you."
"I will definitely save you."
The footsteps faded away and the door closed gently.
On the bed, the tightly closed eyelashes trembled very slightly.
After a while, Gu An struggled and used all his strength to barely sit up.
He looked around blankly, the unfamiliar environment filled his eyes with confusion.
"This is..." His throat was as dry as sandpaper, and he struggled to squeeze out the words.
The intense thirst drove him to get out of bed, and his target was the teapot on the table.
However, he seriously overestimated the condition of this body. As soon as his feet touched the ground, a severe dizziness came over him like a tide, and he fell heavily on the carpet like a puppet with its strings cut.
Fortunately, the thick velvet blanket saved him from physical pain, but the dizzying and nauseous feeling still made him lie prone on the ground. He gasped for a long time before he barely supported himself on the edge of the bed and sat up again little by little.
He panted, his eyes slowly and carefully scanning every corner of the room, trying to find a sense of familiarity in the gorgeous yet cold furnishings.
Confusion enveloped him like a thick fog.
besides……
He raised his hand and hesitantly pressed it against his forehead.
who I am?
He lowered his eyes, trying to catch any fragments from his chaotic mind, but the only response he got was a sharp, stabbing pain, as if countless long, red-hot needles were stirring frantically in his skull.
"Ugh." He curled up in pain, clasping his hands tightly around his temples, letting out a suppressed whimper, cold sweat instantly soaking through his thin pajamas.
It's okay, it's okay...
He gasped for breath like a dying fish, trying desperately to comfort himself.
I don’t know how long it took before the heart-piercing pain slowly receded like the tide, leaving behind endless fatigue and a deeper emptiness.
He exhausted his last bit of strength and almost crawled back to the bed. His long silver hair, soaked with sweat, stuck to his pale cheeks and neck. His heavy eyelids could no longer support him and he fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Su Chengyue brought the freshly boiled medicine and knocked on Gu An's door again.
Boom boom boom.
There was a flurry of hurried footsteps from inside, followed by a vigilant question from behind the door: "Who is it???"
Su Chengyue's voice remained gentle: "Master, it's me."
The door creaked open from the inside.
Su Chengyue was slightly stunned.
In his lifetime, he could actually see such a surprised expression on Gu An's face. The pair of eyes that were always cold and distant were now looking at him brightly, full of curiosity and exploration.
But the next second, as the other party spoke, the smile on Su Chengyue's face gradually disappeared.
"You call me Master, do you know me?"
“…”
Su Chengyue looked straight at Gu An, trying to discern any trace of disguise on the other's face, but there was only a blank clarity in those eyes.
After a moment of dead silence, a gentle smile appeared on his face again, and he walked into the house carrying the bowl of medicine.
"Yes, Master." Su Chengyue gently placed the medicine bowl on the table. "I am your only direct disciple."
The door closed behind him.
Su Chengyue naturally walked to Gu An's side, half-knelt down, and very naturally took Gu An's hand hidden in his wide sleeves, and put it against his cheek, his eyes full of admiration and attachment.
"Master was seriously injured while fighting demons and defending the Way in the mortal world a while ago, and his spirit was damaged. Therefore, it is understandable that he has forgotten some of his past." He looked up at Gu An, his tone sincere and impeccable. "Before you fell into a coma, you earnestly instructed your disciple. When you wake up, I must stay by your side, serve you medicine, and calm your mind. I dare not forget for a single day."
The look was so caring, the words so sincere, without a single flaw.
Gu An's tense nerves gradually relaxed. He hesitantly pulled his hand out and gently touched Su Chengyue's head with a hint of comfort: "Then, thank you for your help."
Su Chengyue's smile instantly blossomed like a spring flower, and a trace of satisfaction flashed across the depths of her eyes: "It is a disciple's blessing to be able to serve Master."
The bowl of medicine on the table had a strange color. Above the brown medicine soup, there was a layer of light purple that could not be dissolved, like solidified blood.
Gu An picked up a porcelain spoon and stirred it, but the purple color still stubbornly remained suspended.
He scooped up half a spoonful and was about to put it into his mouth when he suddenly stopped. He looked up at Su Chengyue with a hint of embarrassed curiosity: "By the way, what's my name? What's yours?"
Su Chengyue smiled, and a light flashed at her fingertips, and a brush and a piece of rice paper appeared out of thin air.
He picked up the pen and wrote two names on the paper in clear and elegant handwriting.
"Master's surname is Gu, and his given name is An. My disciple's name is Su Chengyue." He handed the paper to Gu An.
Gu An looked at this magical scene in amazement: "Is this a spell?"
"It's a magic, Master." Su Chengyue explained gently, with just the right amount of nostalgia in her eyes. "This telekinesis was taught to you personally back then."
"Me?" Gu An pointed at himself, his eyes slightly widened with unbelievable joy, "I'm so powerful?!"
Su Chengyue stuffed the paper with the name on it into Gu An's hand, then picked up the medicine bowl beside her, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it considerately, and passed it to Gu An's lips: "Master is naturally extremely powerful. You cultivated Qi and established your foundation at the age of a hundred, and transcended the tribulation and ascended to heaven at the age of a thousand. You finally reached the ninth heaven and were honored with the title of Green Lotus Immortal Lord."
His eyes fell on the medicine spoon, and his tone was filled with just the right amount of concern. "This medicine is made from a rare treasure that I, your disciple, have painstakingly found. It's specially made to treat Master's old ailment. The medicinal properties are precious, and I'm afraid it will lose its effectiveness if it gets cold."
Hearing him say this, Gu An took the medicine bowl without hesitation and said, "I can do it myself."
He held his breath and drank the bowl of strange-smelling medicine in one gulp.
"I'm done." He put down the empty bowl, suppressed the nausea in his stomach, and covered his mouth tightly with his hands.
A neatly folded goose yellow silk handkerchief with a light fragrance was handed to her at the right time.
"Master, I have some sweets here."
Gu An had just taken the handkerchief to wipe his mouth when, the next second, a crystal-clear orange candy was gently stuffed into his mouth.
The rich sweet fragrance instantly exploded on the tip of the tongue, dispelling the nauseating sour and bitter taste.
Gu An held the candy in his mouth, squinted his eyes in satisfaction, and asked vaguely, "What is this candy called? It's delicious."
Su Chengyue stared at him, her smile deepening: "This is what my disciple brought back from the human world..."
Gu An listened attentively, his eyes flashing with curiosity about the unknown world. The light was pure and bright, reflecting only Su Chengyue's figure.
Yes, that's it.
Su Chengyue whispered silently in her heart.
that's all……
Just look at me.
Thanks to Su Chengyue, Gu An knew his identity and name.
In the days that followed, he took the bowl of strangely colored medicine on time every day. Miraculously, his body, which had been as weak as a candle in the wind, gradually regained some strength under the nourishment of the medicine, and he was even able to get out of bed and walk for a while.
When Gu An was able to step out of the room and walk outside, he found that everything around him was breathtaking.
Carved beams and painted buildings, swirling clouds and mist, and flying cranes, everything here shows that this is not an ordinary place.
And so, the days passed.
That day, when it was time to deliver the medicine, Su Chengyue was still not there.
Gu An was hesitating whether to go out to look for someone when the door was gently pushed open.
The person who came in was not Su Chengyue, but a thin and slender figure.
The man wore an expressionless gilded mask, obscuring most of his features. He gently placed a bowl of steaming medicine on the table and spoke in a respectful yet flat voice, "My lord, you have important matters to attend to and cannot come in person today. I have specially ordered this servant to gather the ingredients and boil the medicine on time and bring it to you, the Immortal Lord."
As he spoke, he pulled out a small package carefully wrapped in plain oil paper from his sleeve and placed it next to the medicine bowl. "The orange jade candy that Immortal Lord wanted is currently sold out. I took the initiative to prepare some candied fruit. It tastes quite good. Perhaps you can try it after taking the medicine."
Gu An's eyes inadvertently swept across the back of the other person's hand exposed from the sleeve.
There were several dark brown old scars there, hideous and twisted, obviously caused by a sharp knife.
He didn't ask any more questions, just said thank you, then picked up the bowl of medicine, held his breath and drank it with his head tilted back.
As soon as the disgusting smell hit his throat, he couldn't wait to open the oil paper package, grabbed a handful of candied fruit and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing it whole.
The masked man silently withdrew his hand and clenched it quietly in his wide sleeves.
"This candied fruit is quite sour. If you use so much at once, you might feel unwell..."
Gu An waved his hands and said vaguely: "It's okay, I can eat sour food, would you like to try it too?"
He handed over the oil paper bag.
“Absolutely not!!!”
With a loud muffled thud, the masked man fell straight to his knees, his forehead hitting the cold floor heavily, his voice trembling with panic.
"This is something that the young master purchased specifically for the Immortal Lord! I, a lowly slave, would never dare to trespass and touch it!!!"
Gu An was so shocked by this sudden gift that he froze in place and almost dropped the candied fruit in his hand.
"S-Sorry, that's not what I meant..." He hurriedly put down the oil-paper bag and stood up to help, "Hey, I was just asking..."
The masked man dodged Gu An's hand nimbly as if he were avoiding a branding iron, and quickly leaned forward to perform an impeccable salute.
"There is a distinction between master and servant, and etiquette cannot be abandoned. If the Immortal Lord has no further instructions, I will take my leave and take the medicine bowl."
His voice returned to normal, but with a barely perceptible tension.
Looking at the other person's respectful yet distant attitude, Gu An felt an indescribable boredom and loneliness in his heart.
Since waking up, he had hardly had any proper communication with anyone except Su Chengyue. He finally met a living person and wanted to get closer to him, but...
He sighed dejectedly and waved his hand: "Go away, I won't get bored staying alone."
For a while afterwards, Gu An thought he would never see the masked guy again.
But unexpectedly, the masked man did not disappear, and in the following days, he almost completely replaced Su Chengyue's position, delivering the medicine on time every day.
As he delivered medicine more often, Gu An was gradually able to get some fragmentary information from A Tao.
For example, the masked man is called A Tao, a mortal. Because he was saved by Su Chengyue many years ago, he followed him to the Ninth Heaven wholeheartedly.
For example, Su Chengyue has not appeared recently because he has urgent matters to deal with personally, and he will be back in some time.
Hearing this, and thinking that Su Chengyue hadn't been heard from for a long time, Gu An frowned slightly: "Is the situation difficult? Do you need my help?"
The corners of Ah Tao's lips seemed to twitch ever so slightly beneath her mask, and her voice carried a hint of elusive meaning: "The Immortal Lord seems to miss you, too?"
Gu An was peeling a green pistachio and paused when he heard this. "After all, he is my only disciple. As the saying goes, once a teacher, always a father. I am half his father, so it is only natural that I should show some concern for him."
Ah Tao's body stiffened slightly, her voice a little dry: "... Immortal Lord, you're joking."
After a brief silence, Ah Tao's gaze fell on the plump kernel at the tip of Gu An's finger, and she spoke casually, "Young Master once said that after the Immortal Lord's injury, he has forgotten all about the past?"
Gu An's fingers stopped peeling the fruit.
Although he had lost his memory, he was not stupid, so he could naturally hear the clumsy temptation hidden in these plain words.
Gu An's heart was filled with doubts, but he remained calm on the surface. He continued to speak calmly in the tone of a good brother, "Yes, I have forgotten everything. I can't even remember my name, where I live, or where I live. It was your son who told me."
A Tao fell into silence, the cold mask blocked his expression, only his slightly drooping eyelashes revealed a hint of his complicated mood.
Gu An threw the peeled nut into his mouth and glanced at him casually: "Looking at you, it seems like you have something to say to me?"
Ah Tao's body suddenly stiffened, and her voice was tense: "I dare not."
Gu An put down the fruit shell in his hand, patted the crumbs on his fingertips, and his eyes were calm but with an unquestionable gentleness: "Speak."
Ah Tao lowered her head, as if she was going through an intense inner struggle, and her knuckles were white from being pinched under her wide sleeves.
Gu An stood up and walked slowly to A Tao.
The two of them were very close to each other. Gu An leaned forward slightly, almost whispering in his ear in a low voice that only the two of them could hear.
"It's okay. It's just you and me here. Su Chengyue won't know."
This whisper was like a stone thrown into a deep pool, instantly breaking A Tao's last line of defense.
He suddenly raised his head, and through the eyeholes of the mask, Gu An saw a pair of solemn and resolute eyes.
"Immortal Lord..." Ah Tao's voice was extremely low, trembling with desperation, "Do you still remember Master Shen Qi?"
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