Chapter 50: Rebirth (IV) "Then, let's go and take a look." Lian Qiangwei...
Lian Qiang's heart wasn't made of stone; it would be warmed. The details of the past became increasingly vivid. Lying on Chi Xingji's back, she could almost hear his heartbeat, which was much steadier than her own.
She might have been secretly happy. But the scene of Chi Xingji's resolute ascension was still vivid in her mind, and Lian Qiang couldn't tell which one was the real Chi Xingji, and which one was the Chi Xingji she expected.
Because she had something on her mind, Lian Qiang didn't say much this time, and the two of them maintained the silence until... it became too quiet.
When Lian Qiang reacted, the sound of flowing water had disappeared for a while, and Chi Xingji was still standing there, not moving an inch.
"...Immortal Lord?" she called tentatively, "Chi Xingji?"
Without waiting for a response, Lian Qiang's heart sank, and she simply slid down his back. She made a lot of noise, but Chi Xingji remained indifferent.
Lian Qiang came to Chi Xingji and saw him with his head down, his eyelashes drooping, looking lifeless. Lian Qiang thought to herself that this was not good. Considering Chi Xingji's previous description of her being possessed, what else could she not understand?
But Chi Xingji was carefree, his cultivation profound, and he wouldn't be easily deceived. What illusion could possibly have so engrossed him? Lian Qiang was anxious, but she didn't dare to pull him, fearing she'd startle him. Unwilling to sit there and wait for death, she called out to him over and over again, "Chi Xingji, Chi Xingji..."
"...Aji." The moment this name came out of her mouth, even Qiang herself was suddenly shocked. After so many years, so many people and things, she repeated it, "Aji."
She was just shouting without any hope, but the next moment, the handsome face in front of her, like a sculpture, trembled its eyelashes, as if waking up, and looked up at her leisurely.
Lian Qiang saw a small, clear image of herself in his bright eyes.
"I... woke up." Chi Xingji spoke with some difficulty. He hadn't expected that upon waking up, he would see Lian Qiang, her face full of concern, leaning forward slightly. The palpitations that had been following him like a shadow soon faded.
Seeing that he was somewhat distracted but had regained consciousness, Lian Qiang breathed a sigh of relief, raised her chin to signal the two of them to walk away, and said, "Did you see anything in the Yellow Springs water just now?"
"...Nothing." Chi Xingji pursed his lips and said nothing. The two walked side by side, and for a while, only the sound of flowing water could be heard.
"I..." Chi Xingji spoke again, and this time it seemed very difficult to speak, "I just... seemed to hear you calling me."
Lian Qiang paused, then pretended to be calm and said, "Ah, I didn't dare to pull you, I could only call you, hoping you could come back to your senses."
The tips of her ears felt slightly hot, and if Chi Xingji had observed carefully, he would have noticed it. However, he was also preoccupied with something, so he just responded softly, and the topic dropped.
The two of them reached the exit smoothly, and Wangshengshi was not surprised to see them return safely.
"At first I thought you two must be a pair of enemies," it said with a hint of teasing, "but now it seems that's not entirely true. Have any of your grievances been resolved?"
Chi Xingji politely shook his head, not intending to elaborate, and said, "Thank you for your help, Senior. If you need me in the future, please feel free to ask."
"Of course. I never do business at a loss. If I need your help, I'll send someone to find you."
Regardless, it let him go. Lian Qiang also changed his previous dissatisfaction and saluted properly: "Thank you, senior. See you later."
"Thank you, but there's no need to say goodbye later. I can't leave Huang Quan. This is not a nice thing to say, and I don't have to make exceptions for certain people again and again." Wangshengshi was not very happy, but he also knew that the grudge had been resolved. Lian Qiang smiled and the grudge was forgotten.
Lian Qiang was about to leave, but when she was only one step away, Chi Xingji grabbed her arm again.
He seemed to be hesitant to speak, but finally said, "Think carefully. Regardless of success or failure, if you take it away, there will be no possibility of reincarnation in this life."
Chi Xingji's tone couldn't be more solemn. Lian Qiang didn't understand why he was still dwelling on this question, but she still said patiently, "I've thought it through. Regardless of success or failure, I will do this. Didn't you promise so much before? Why, are you no longer so sure?"
"It's not that I'm unsure," he said firmly, "I just don't want me to influence your decision too much."
He said it implicitly, but Lian Qiang understood: "You mean, you're worried that I'll be pushed into making a decision by you?"
Seeing Chi Xingji nod, Lian Qiang smiled and waved her hand, saying, "No. I originally had no way out, but I have to thank you for giving me another way out. No matter whether this road is easy or not, I will give it a try. Moreover, no matter how hard I try, it won't be more difficult than the one I'm walking on now."
Even if she couldn't reincarnate, if she succeeded, at least she could live a less fearful life and not have to worry about the backlash of evil spirits all the time. That was enough; if she couldn't... then that was another matter. Lian Qiang was actually very easy to be content.
"I will do my best to pave the way for you." Chi Xingji said. Lian Qiang just smiled and didn't respond.
With resolute steps, the two left Huangquan, and the lingering cold atmosphere finally dissipated. After some deliberation, the two of them concluded that only that small courtyard was suitable for growing spiritual leaves.
So, the two of them returned there. Lian Qiang sat leisurely, watching Chi Xingji busying around, sometimes setting up the barrier, sometimes hoeing the ground and loosening the soil. It seemed that she was being lazy.
After he carefully carried the spirit leaf into the pit, he called Lian Qiang over and said, "Since it's your spirit leaf, you should use your blood to feed it."
Lian Qiang was not pretentious. She cut her fingertip neatly, adding a new wound to the old one. Although it was a minor wound, it looked different in Chi Xingji's eyes.
Drops of blood fell into the soil, staining it red. This red was quickly absorbed by the leaves, and in an instant, a small seedling emerged against the wind. Lian Qiang wanted to water it more to see if it could grow faster, but Chi Xingji quickly grasped her fingertips and wiped them away.
After the brief pain, there was a tingling sensation. His body temperature was much higher than hers. Lian Qiang stared blankly at the wound that was quickly repaired by spiritual power. It was strange to say, she had always used the conflict of breath to refuse Chi Xingji from healing her. Although it was an excuse, it was the truth. When did he learn to heal her without hurting her?
"Too much blood loss is never a good thing. Let me be responsible for the remaining spiritual power." Chi Xingji took over this responsibility naturally, and only used his fingertips to mobilize the spiritual power and pour it into the seedlings.
"...You are so polite to me, I don't know how to repay you." Lian Qiang joked, stroking his fingertips that still retained some warmth.
The words were a joke, but there was a hint of sincerity. Lian Qiang didn't really want to care about gains and losses. She wouldn't regret anything she was willing to give. When Chi Xingji owed her something, she didn't want to ask him for it back. But when she found out that this wasn't the case, Lian Qiang instinctively panicked again.
She didn't want to owe him too much, always feeling embarrassed. Or maybe it was because she had developed a habit of self-deprecation over the years. Just as she was thinking about it, Chi Xingji sighed, pulled her up, and squatted down to brush off the dust that had gotten on the hem of her skirt.
"You don't have to think like that. If you do, neither you nor I will feel good." He patted the hem of her skirt gently, patiently and carefully. "Whether it's for compensation or... for some other reason, I want to do this, so I'll do it."
At this point, he tilted his head slightly, looking up at her seriously, his eyes half shining and half her: "In life, people always need to do things that are enjoyable rather than necessary. For me, these are enjoyable things. I even hope to have an excuse to keep doing them."
Lian Qiang was embarrassed by what he said and took a step back. He never talked about these things before, on the contrary, it was more common for her to talk about them. Therefore, when Chi Xingji said these things seriously, she felt that she was a little overwhelmed.
"...Hmph." She let out a breathy sound in response. Chi Xingji didn't care about her sudden temper. He stood up and said as if remembering something, "Oh right, besides waiting for this Netherworld Spirit Tree to grow into a body, we also need to obtain something."
Lian Qiang was curious: "What is it?"
"The Phoenix Fire of the Phoenix Clan."
As a clan as famous as the Feathered People, Lian Qiang was naturally familiar with the Phoenix, but she didn't understand Chi Xingji's intention: "Why do you want to obtain the Phoenix Fire?"
"Phoenix fire is known for its ability to purify all things. If it can wash away some of the demonic energy in you, that would be helpful," Chi Xingji explained. "Phoenixes don't particularly enjoy communicating with outsiders, but they will periodically open their borders to welcome guests, to avoid being cut off from information. Coincidentally, the next opening will be at Wutong Mountain in ten days."
"That's quite a coincidence. Why not start the journey sooner?" Chi Xingji had considered everything carefully, and Lian Qiang had no reason not to obey. However, he shook his head and said solemnly, "I've calculated the distance, and it won't take that long. Four days will be enough."
Lian Qiang suggested without hesitation: "Then let's take a good rest for a few days."
Chi Xingji still didn't respond. When she frowned and looked at him, he slowly said, "I heard that there's a patch of peach blossoms blooming in the nearby mountains, out of season. Do you want to go with me to see it?"
They had been traveling together, so where would he find the time to listen? Lian Qiang was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "Does this count as part of the thirty days?"
"No. But if you want to count... then count." Chi Xingji hesitated slightly, but quickly gave a reply.
The woman gazed into the distance, at the dead branches that filled the yard. They hadn't even had time to clean them up. Lian Qiang lowered her eyes, not knowing if it was regret or emotion: "It's not peach blossom season right now..."
She said it politely, and Chi Xingji thought she was refusing and was about to open her mouth to ease the atmosphere. But then she frowned and murmured thoughtfully, "... Peach blossoms are out of season, which is strange. They should be very beautiful, right?"
Chi Xingji was stunned, and understood what she meant: "Words are not enough, one look will tell."
"Then, let's go and take a look." Lian Qiang turned slightly sideways, and smiled at Chi Xingji under the rosy glow of the sky.
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