Chapter 87 Go forth and pursue your own future! ...
【Kanshu】is having a great time in the citadel, while on the other side, Kanshu, who has now become the Tendou, knows the reason why his younger self suddenly appeared.
It's because of the will of Heaven; it was Heaven that sent this parallel world version of itself here.
Han Zhou fell silent, not understanding the reason for this. The development of countless worlds may differ in details, but the core will not change; at least, her loss of her parents is an inevitable turning point in many worlds.
There's no point in doing this.
But at the same time, she hoped that there was such an exception in the vast world.
Having learned the reason, Han Zhou returned directly to the citadel.
The first thing you see is Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, who has been stripped of his bedsheets, and Mutsu no Kami Yoshiyuki, whose face has turned purple.
Han Zhou: ...
"What are you doing?"
A familiar, cool voice suddenly rang out.
quiet……
Tsurumaru Kuninaga and [Kanshu], who were playing pranks in the citadel, froze, turning around stiffly to look at Kanshu, who had appeared behind them at some point.
Finished
A gentle golden light spread out, the lingering purple powder on Mutsu no Kami's face disappeared, and the bedsheet in Tsurumaru Kuninaga's hands was returned to Yamanbagiri Kunihiro. She didn't seem to be blaming him, but the culprits exchanged a glance and then shouted:
"sorry!"
This made Han Zhou hesitant to say anything more. She shifted her gaze to her younger self, her voice calm.
"Come with me."
"oh."
The swords exchanged bewildered glances, forced to watch helplessly as the two similar figures departed. The one carrying the younger version of himself simply had something to tell the other.
“Once you get back, just do what you think is right,” Han Zhou said, hoping she could bring something different.
Han Zhou was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. She hadn't expected that she had been called over just to say this. Sure enough, her father and mother would encounter an accident in the future.
"Can't you save them?"
Even as a nine-tailed fox, she couldn't save her parents? What use was her immense power then?
"I've already done it." Han Zhou lowered her eyes and looked at herself from another world. She had already sent the fragments of her parents' souls to other worlds.
However, they will no longer be one's parents; they will become another "self" to rely on.
[Han Zhou] After a moment of silence, she knew nothing and wouldn't blame her future self. But she wanted to, as long as it was "herself," she would never abandon her parents. Having figured this out, she gave a soft hum and placed her hands on her hips.
"I understand, I'll cultivate diligently when I get back!" [Han Zhou] paused as soon as she finished speaking, looking at the other person with a somewhat blank expression, "So... when can I go back?"
Han Zhou could actually send her away right now, but thinking about how her own Tsurumaru Kuninaga and she were making a ruckus together, she felt that it wouldn't be a bad idea to let her stay in the citadel a little longer.
I'll see you off tomorrow.
"Great! Then I can play with the spirits a little longer!"
Don't play pranks on them.
"Okay!"
Han Zhou watched as that small figure suddenly darted away.
Like a bird released from its cage, she joyfully fluttered towards Tsurumaru Kuninaga, who was peeking out curiously. Tsurumaru laughed heartily and, with perfect understanding, bent down, allowing her to skillfully jump onto his back.
"Charge, Tsurumaru!"
"Okay! Hold on tight!"
With his little lord on his back, Tsurumaru Kuninaga, his white figure like a real crane, "flew" across the corridor of the citadel, leaving behind a string of crisp laughter and the sound of "tap tap tap" footsteps.
They first rushed into the courtyard where the short-swordsmen were gathered.
"Miss Hanshu!" Ran Toushirou waved happily.
"Come on, come on, we're having some snacks!" Maeda Toushirou thoughtfully offered his seat.
【Kanshu】slid off Tsurumaru's back, unceremoniously squeezed into the middle of the short swords, picked up a piece of sweets and stuffed it into his mouth, his cheeks puffed out and his eyes squinted happily.
As she ate, she listened to the cute howls of the five tiger cubs and couldn't resist reaching out to touch their furry heads.
Before long, her attention was drawn to Hachisuka Kotetsu and Kasen Kensada, who were busy in the fields not far away.
"Tsurumaru, let's go find Hachisuka and the others to play!"
"Hehe, you have a good idea?" Tsurumaru smiled knowingly.
The two stealthily crept nearby. [Hanzhou]'s fingertips twitched slightly, and a wisp of breeze swept by, just enough to pick up a small splash of water from the bucket at Hachisuka's feet, which landed precisely on Kasen Kanesada's sleeve.
"Hmm? Hachisuka! Be careful!" Kasen Kanesada frowned slightly as he looked at the water stains on his sleeve.
"What? It wasn't me!" Hachisuka Kotetsu looked completely bewildered.
The culprit and Tsurumaru hid behind the bushes, covering their mouths and laughing so hard their shoulders shook.
---
Meanwhile, Hanzhou stood quietly in the shadows of the corridor, watching her lively, carefree self. Sunlight streamed into the courtyard, but seemed unable to penetrate the deep silence in her eyes.
"Oh dear, my lord is here." A gentle, slightly languid voice came from behind.
Hanshu didn't turn around, but he knew it was Higekiri who had come. He walked slowly to her side and followed her gaze. He saw Hanshu trying to pin a freshly picked flower in Tsurumaru's hair. Tsurumaru bent over obediently, with a "I can't do anything with you" smile on his face.
"It's quite lively here," Higekiri said with a smile. "Seeing such a lively lord makes the citadel feel different."
"Mm," Han Zhou responded softly.
Higekiri withdrew his gaze from the distance and landed on his calm and composed lord beside him. His golden eyes held a clear understanding of the world: "What does it feel like to see your past self? Do you feel nostalgic, or... a little sad?"
Han Zhou was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "It's not sadness. It's just that some things have been confirmed." She looked at the small figure, "In all worlds, 'loss' is inevitable. Her arrival was just a brief miracle."
“A miracle is a miracle precisely because it is fleeting and rare.” Higekiri’s voice remained gentle. “Even if you know the ending, isn’t the process itself a treasure worth cherishing? That young lord’s smile right now is real.”
Han Zhou's gaze shifted slightly. Yes, even knowing that separation was inevitable, the joy that "himself" felt at this moment, and the vitality he brought to this citadel, were all real and tangible.
“You’re right.” Han Zhou’s voice was as soft as a sigh. “It is precisely because the process is precious that we must do our best… to allow other ‘possibilities’ to have different processes.”
Higekiri smiled, not pressing for details about the specific meaning of those somewhat profound words. He simply stayed by his side gently, with a calmness that had settled in him after witnessing countless joys and sorrows over the past thousand years.
In the distance, Hanzhou's laughter drifted on the wind once more, like a clear bell ringing in one's heart.
As Hanzhou watched, the last trace of icy coldness in his eyes seemed to melt away in the laughter and warm sunlight. At least for this moment, in this citadel, there was one "Hanzhou" who was truly happy. That was enough.
As dawn broke, the courtyard of the citadel was bathed in a pale gold light. The hustle and bustle of the night seemed to linger, but the moment of parting had already arrived.
All the swordsmen gathered in the courtyard, even the usually sleepy Juzumaru Tsunetsugu and Kousetsu Samonji stood quietly under the eaves.
Their gazes all fell on the two people standing in the center of the courtyard—the older one had his usual aloof expression, while the younger one pouted slightly, looking around at everyone with some reluctance.
"Are you really leaving?" Gokoto hugged the little tiger, his eyes a little red.
[Han Zhou] nodded vigorously, forcing a bright smile: "Yes! I have very important things to do when I get back!"
Han Zhou didn't say much. She raised her hand, and soft yet powerful golden spiritual light began to gather at her fingertips. The light, like living water, slowly swirled before her, gradually forming a complex and dazzling array of light. The space at the center of the array began to distort, emanating a distant and unfamiliar aura.
"After you go back, practice diligently, but... don't be too hard on yourself." Han Zhou looked at his younger self and gave him his final advice, his voice a little gentler than usual.
"Got it!" [Han Zhou] responded loudly, then suddenly turned to the swords and bowed deeply. "Thank you everyone! I had a lot of fun!"
Straightening up, she pounced on Tsurumaru Kuninaga like a little rabbit, giving him a tight hug around the waist: "Tsurumaru! Let's think of an even funnier prank next time!"
Tsurumaru paused for a moment, then burst into laughter and ruffled her hair: "Hahaha, great! When you come back, I'll definitely prepare a big surprise to scare you!"
Then, she ran up to Yamanbagiri Kunihiro and tugged at the edge of his neatly draped sheet: "Yamabbagiri, I'm sorry for pulling your sheet yesterday. But you look good like this, you don't need to always cover yourself up!"
Yamanbagiri Kunihiro abruptly pulled the sheet up, his voice muffled as it came from inside: "...Nonsense. Be careful on your journey."
She then ran to the group of short swords one by one, patted the little tiger's head, waved to everyone in Awataguchi, and made a face at Hachisuka Kotetsu and Kasen Kanesada as an apology for yesterday's prank.
Finally, she stopped in front of Han Zhou, tilting her head back, her golden eyes reflecting his image. Suddenly, she stepped forward, opened her arms, and gently hugged Han Zhou, her movement as swift as the wind.
"I'm leaving! You... take care too!" she said softly and quickly. Without waiting for a response, she turned around, took a deep breath, and walked with firm steps toward the golden array of light.
Just before stepping into the light array, she turned back again, gave everyone a bright and enthusiastic smile, and then resolutely stepped inside.
She's going to pursue her own future!
The figure was swallowed by the golden light, and the light array rapidly contracted, finally turning into a point of starlight and disappearing completely into the air.
The citadel fell silent instantly, as if a part of its vibrant life had been lost, even the sunlight seemed to dim. The swords silently gazed at the spot where [Kanshu] had disappeared, a faint sense of melancholy filling the air.
She withdrew her gaze, turned around, and her clothes fluttered slightly in the morning breeze.
"Everyone, disperse."
A cool, clear voice rang out, as always, as if the farewell had never happened.
But she stood there alone, gazing at the lawn in the courtyard that had been trampled by Hanshu and Tsurumaru the day before, and did not move for a long time.
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