Chapter 88
As an adult, Chu Xianyue always believed that his parents' deaths were related to Jiang Boyu, because on the night he accompanied his parents down the mountain for the first time, Jiang Boyu was the first person to tell Chu Xianyue about their deaths. To be precise, it wasn't that night, but the next day.
That day, his parents left temporarily under the pretext of buying candied hawthorns, telling him to sit under the lanterns and wait, and not to go anywhere. Chu Xianyue believed them. The young boy waited from the time the lanterns were bright until they completely faded, and the crowds in the streets dispersed, leaving him alone in the darkness. Finally, dawn broke, and he was still wide awake, still without the candied hawthorns. Instead, he encountered a Taoist priest in white robes. Chu Xianyue recognized him; he was a friend of his father.
Jiang Boyu of Yunyin Shenshan.
Jiang Boyu came to tell Chu Xianyue the news of his parents' death.
Jiang Boyu was the only witness to their deaths, but no matter how Chu Xianyue questioned him about the cause of his parents' deaths, Jiang Boyu refused to reveal a single word. This made it difficult for the young Chu Xianyue not to suspect Jiang Boyu.
Many years later, Chu Xianyue, now grown up, finally understood why Jiang Boyu hadn't spoken up.
This death, like many of the questions Chu Xianyue had never understood before, all had the same answer—the Feathered Clan.
Why did Fu Yin and Chu Yu suddenly want to take Chu Xianyue down the mountain? And why was their mother, who had been imprisoned for many years, suddenly able to come out?
After so many years of secrecy, Fuyin finally learned that her people were imprisoned in the Boundless Sea, suffering endless torment every moment. How could she remain unmoved, how could she not feel heartbroken and shed tears?
So she practically begged Chu Yu to let her see her family and friends.
In the dimly lit, secluded chamber, Chu Yu, having finished his various affairs within the Sword Sect, returned here once more. Faced with Fu Yin's pleas for mercy, Chu Yu was ultimately powerless. He had already wronged her greatly by hiding her here and imprisoning her here, so he always tried his best to fulfill her wishes. This time, Chu Yu also felt guilty about the matter concerning the Feather Clan.
Fu Yin most likely doesn't know yet that Chu Yu sealed her people to the Boundless Sea. She already knows that Chu Yu lied to her once, telling her that the Feather Clan had survived and gone to another place. Actually, that wasn't entirely a lie to Fu Yin; the Feather Clan were indeed alive, and they had indeed gone to another place. As for how they survived and where they went, that was Chu Yu's well-intentioned ambiguity. He couldn't do anything about it; he had done everything he could, yet things still turned out this way.
If Fuyin were to find out that it was the person she loved who had personally pushed her lover into an endless abyss, what would Fuyin think? Chu Yu dared not think about it, so she cherished these peaceful moments while she was still unaware.
Chu Yu sat on the bed, his gaze heavy as he looked at his wife. He leaned down, placed his hand on her shoulder, and kissed her lips, slowly lowering his head. He finally agreed to take Fu Yin to see her people, to fulfill her last wish. However, Chu Yu didn't know that Fu Yin's desires went beyond that. It was only then that everything spiraled out of control.
Chu Yu knew that during the five years that the Feather Clan was imprisoned in the Boundless Sea, Jiang Boyu had been searching for a way to safely see the Feather Clan from the outside world. He had tried almost every method, and finally, in the fifth year, he found a way.
Chu Yu went to see Jiang Boyu once, specifically for this matter.
At that time, Jiang Boyu was guarding the lotus in its full bloom for the sixth day. After this night, the lotus would give birth to a little Xie Wen. Jiang Boyu was about to take little Xie Wen and leave this place completely. Chu Yu's question came at just the right time, and Jiang Boyu agreed, telling Chu Yu to go down the mountain that night and go to Taiyi City, the place where Chu Yu had sealed the Feather Clan members, to find him.
When Chu Yu brought Fu Yin there, the surrounding area was silent, a light rain was falling, and wisps of white mist rose from the vast, turbulent sea, obscuring the blood-red lotus flower on the shore. The mist softened the light of the crimson lotus, making it appear even dimmer. Chu Yu watched as the sharpness of the light slowly faded, and the once-flourishing lotus gradually withered. At the same time, Chu Yu learned from Jiang Boyu that the lotus contained Xie Qingci's daughter. After this night, the little girl would grow full limbs and a complete body, gaining a new life.
Unfortunately, if he could survive this night, Chu Yu would definitely meet his best friend's daughter, touch her cheek, and tell her about his father's embarrassing past.
But in the end, he only saw a lotus flower standing on the shore in the mist and drizzle.
Jiang Boyu smiled at Chu Yu, saying with no small amount of pride, "My future disciple."
Chu Yu didn't know what Jiang Boyu's intentions were. Perhaps he wanted to atone for his past mistakes. No one could take away Jiang Boyu's right to atone, but whether anyone would forgive him for doing so was another matter entirely. Chu Yu thought that Xie Qingci's daughter might forgive Jiang Boyu. His close friend's daughter, like his close friend, would forgive his deceased friend's "small mistake."
Chu Yu longed to see the little girl even more. At that moment, an idea sprouted in his mind: if he could adopt the little girl as his goddaughter, at least in this world, there would be someone to protect her. With this thought in mind, Chu Yu made up his mind that once the girl successfully reincarnated, he would definitely adopt her as his goddaughter. In this way, his best friend's daughter would also have more protection in this world.
The night was drizzling with a cool breeze. Led by Jiang Boyu, Chu Yu held Fu Yin's hand and, through the purified waters of the Boundless Sea, saw the slender, white-haired Feather Clan members. They stood in the depths of the shimmering seabed, and although they had endured this pain every day, they still couldn't help but reveal their ravaged and distorted faces.
In fact, the faces of the Feathered Clan are quite recognizable. Even without their white hair, they stand out in a crowd, both men and women being exceptionally handsome and beautiful. When Chu Yu first met Xie Qingci and Fu Yin, he didn't quite believe that the words "handsome" and "beautiful" could describe the same face. But it was true; these two qualities were perfectly balanced in the Feathered Clan, without any conflict.
When Fuyin reunited with her old friends and family after many years, her clansmen, far away, were deeply stunned. They stared blankly at Fuyin's face, blinked, rubbed their eyes, and it took them a long, long time to believe that they were seeing the real Fuyin, and that they weren't dreaming. "Ayin! You, you're still alive! I thought you had long, long ago..."
As she spoke, she was already sobbing uncontrollably. This was Ning Xu, Fu Yin's best friend from the past. She knew that Ning Xu had endured much suffering. Five years ago, like Fu Yin, Ning Xu had narrowly escaped the human race's siege and was not imprisoned in the Boundless Sea, thus gaining a brief period of freedom. Ning Xu chose to shoulder the mission of saving his people and entered the palace to seek a way to rescue them. Later, because his plan was exposed, Ning Xu was taken back to the Boundless Sea by the cruel emperor.
Fuyin, however, was taken away by Chu Yu and imprisoned every day, unaware of any news about her clansmen.
While her people were living in dire straits, she hid in her high tower, carefree and oblivious to the world's troubles. This made Fuyin feel guilty and tormented, even contemplating suicide, whenever she thought about it.
From the moment the tribespeople saw Fuyin, they all came over, looking at her with tears in their eyes. They were speechless for a moment, and the only thing they could say was, "Ayin, you are still alive."
"Ayin, are you doing well out there?"
Fuyin couldn't utter a single word. Watching the Feather Clan suffer such pain every second, yet still smiling and asking her how she was doing outside, Fuyin could only weep, nearly losing her balance, before Chu Yu steadily supported her. Chu Yu was also filled with bitterness. Seeing his wife's inner turmoil, he blamed himself for not being able to share her burden, and his heart ached just as much. He could only call out, "Ayin."
Chu Yu's voice seemed to awaken the Feather Clan's memories of him. They would certainly remember his face and his voice; it was this very man who had imprisoned them in the Boundless Sea. He was the one they would never forget. Even knowing that Chu Yu had acted out of necessity, the daily torment they endured inevitably made them realize that a large part of their suffering was due to this man before them.
Even if you know that this person has their reasons, it's hard not to feel resentment or hatred.
So, almost instantly, a member of the Feathered Clan pointed out, "It's him! He's the one who imprisoned us here, never to escape!" "Ayin, what's your relationship with him now?"
"You wouldn't be with your enemy, would you?"
Among the Feather Clan, someone said something intentionally or unintentionally. It was neither too light nor too heavy, sounding like a joke, but it was like a heavy hammer, striking Fu Yin's heart and carving a hole from which blood dripped incessantly.
Chu Yu staggered back a step, not daring to look Fu Yin in the eye. The second thing he had hidden from his wife had finally been discovered. Chu Yu had always been upright and honest, and had never deceived anyone like this before. He was just too afraid; the more he loved, the more afraid he was of losing her.
Chu Yu was afraid that Fu Yin would find out that her people were imprisoned in the Boundless Sea, and that he was the one who imprisoned them. What he feared most was that Fu Yin would despise and hate him.
But that day finally came.
While Chu Yu was heartbroken, he also felt a sense of relief. The heavy lie he had carried for so many years had finally come to an end.
Fu Yin wept uncontrollably. These sudden and cruel realities were so harsh that she could hardly breathe, and she even shed tears of blood. Her heart could no longer bear it; she could blame no one but herself.
She realized early on that perhaps ending her life immediately would be the only way to find relief.
Fuyin left behind two final sentences. One was for her people: "I'm sorry, I've failed you, I've betrayed you."
After saying that, Fuyin turned around and said to Chuyu, "Ayu, in the next life, let's not let fate play tricks on us again."
Chu Yu's heart trembled. He knew that Fu Yin must be in extreme pain to do this. Chu Yu would not stop her, nor could he.
But he will stay with her.
On the road to the underworld, let's keep each other company; perhaps we'll be husband and wife again in the next life.
As Chu Yu thought this, the sword sliced across his neck, and blood stained the seawater red.
Jiang Boyu stood on the seashore, staring at the two streaks of blood that suddenly rose from the sea surface and spread in all directions, quickly staining the small body of water red. However, it wouldn't be long before the blood was dissolved by the boundless sea, as if the blood had never been there at all.
When Jiang Boyu arrived, the two were lying together, sleeping peacefully.
Those winged people probably never expected things to turn out this way. In fact, even if they hadn't complained about Chu Yu, these things were bound to happen; it was just a matter of time.
Jiang Boyu was the last person in the world to witness the death of Chu Xianyue's parents. In any case, he still brought out their bodies and found young Chu Xianyue.
Back then, young Chu Xianyue sat foolishly under the lantern, waiting for his parents to come back and buy him candied hawthorns. Actually, at this point, the candied hawthorns were no longer important. Young Chu Xianyue just needed the candied hawthorns to give himself an excuse, an excuse to believe that his parents really went to buy candied hawthorns, and not to abandon him.
When Jiang Boyu stood before young Chu Xianyue and told him the news of his parents' death, it felt as if something had been put to rest in his heart. It turned out they had only died, not abandoned him.
This makes everything make sense.
As a child, Chu Xianyue always told himself that his parents had only died because they went to buy candied hawthorns, not because they wanted to die or want to free themselves, and therefore abandoned him in this world.
However, at this moment, standing in the scroll of memories and looking at the whole situation, Chu Xianyue, who had been deceiving himself for more than ten years, finally could no longer even continue to deceive himself.
Chu Xianyue sat with his younger self under the dim, faded lanterns. The story in the scroll of memories was coming to an end, and everything around him quickly dimmed, along with his former self, who was drifting further and further away from him.
It's dawn, time to go back, time to find Awen.
Chu Xianyue stood up, his figure disappearing into the white light.
In the blink of an eye, the white light dissipated, and he returned to the high-hanging Marrow Cleansing Platform, where the crowd below was bustling and noisy.
When people learned about the Marrow Cleansing Platform, almost everyone who could come came to watch, crowding the area below the platform. The scene was unprecedented and as lively as if some grand ceremony had been held.
Chu Xianyue opened his eyes and found himself lying on the marrow cleansing platform, his cheek pressed against the dirty ground. Waves of spiritual light were washing over his bone marrow, and pain was spreading from the depths of his marrow. Sweat soaked his forehead, and his face was extremely pale. He, who had never been arrogant, was now humbled to the dust in front of everyone.
His narrow field of vision revealed Xie Wen's figure not far away, that fragile figure, now like a thin sheet of paper, floating weakly on the ground, as if any slight breeze could blow her away. Xie Wen lay on her back, veins bulging, cold sweat glistening, her pale fingers digging tightly into the ground, drawing faint bloodstains.
What was even more agonizing than the Marrow Cleansing Platform was witnessing this scene firsthand. He struggled to move his body, and under the cleansing force of the platform, every inch he moved brought him ten or a hundred times the pain. Such a short distance, yet he had to walk a great distance and endure immense suffering.
A blind bird suddenly crashed into the spiritual light of the Marrow Cleansing Platform from the horizon. It let out a sharp cry the moment it entered, then landed on the platform with a thud, its eyes rolling back in its head, dead. Chu Xianyue finally moved to Xie Wen's side. "Xie Wen, A-Wen, don't be afraid."
As he spoke, he raised his arm and offered it to Xie Wen, who was in so much pain that she was almost unconscious. As if grasping at the last straw, she grabbed his arm and bit down hard, trying to slightly alleviate the boundless pain.
Only when the blood from her forearm slowly flowed down, into Xie Wen's mouth, the metallic taste of blood spreading and choking her, causing her to cough violently with a flushed face, did she regain some clarity. Her eyes, glazed, stared at the gray-blue sky, watching birds fly by and finally land with a soft thud. Xie Wen watched one bird land, then turned and saw Chu Xianyue beside her. Tears welled up in Xie Wen's eyes, blurring her vision and obscuring Chu Xianyue's appearance.
The crowd below watched the whole thing. At first, the crowd was in an uproar, then it gradually calmed down, and finally there was a deathly silence. It was as if the only sounds in the world were the operation of the spiritual light of the Marrow Cleansing Platform, the intermittent painful groans, and the occasional pattering of birds falling.
Yun Yan stood in the crowd, never having seen his master and senior sister so wretched and in such pain. This was being subjected to slow slicing in front of everyone—painful, and all their humiliation and wretchedness would be laid bare before them. There was no heavier punishment in the world. Yun Yan stared unblinkingly at the suspended Marrow Cleansing Platform. He felt as if someone was slowly choking him, making it harder and harder to breathe, and his blood seemed to run cold.
Sikong Mingxue, who had come with Yun Yan, couldn't bear to watch any longer. She wept uncontrollably, her eyes brimming with tears. Chi Yufei also stared blankly at the Marrow Cleansing Platform. After a long while, her eyes seemed to be stung by the intense light, turning red and tears streaming down her face. However, she wiped them away, silently lowered her head, and refused to look again.
Xie Wen's consciousness was both hazy and clear, clear and hazy. She only knew that her hand was being tightly gripped by another hand and had never let go. She knew that Chu Xianyue had indeed been by her side the whole time.
Xie Wen couldn't help but burst into tears. She wished Chu Xianyue wasn't by her side; he could have avoided this pain. If he hadn't revealed his true identity, no one would have known.
But he just happens to be so foolish.
He was in so much pain at the marrow cleansing platform that he couldn't even cry. Xie Wen really wanted to cry his share of the pain too.
Tell him that it's okay to cry, then it won't hurt so much.
When Xie Wen woke up again, she felt as if everything at the Marrow Cleansing Platform had been a dream. Now, she was back in that little house, the little house that belonged only to her and Chu Xianyue.
How did she end up back here again?
After Xie Wen fully regained consciousness, he realized that he had indeed returned to the small house in Qinglian Village. It should be late evening, and the house was extremely dark. He could only vaguely see the outlines of things. In early winter, the window paper was constantly rattling by the cold wind. Through the white window paper, he could vaguely see the shadows of trees.
Xie Wen struggled to his feet, lit a candle, and everything became clear.
But once everything quieted down, Xie Wen watched the candlelight burn downwards and suddenly felt abandoned by the world. Her first reaction wasn't gratitude for surviving the Marrow Cleansing Platform, but rather a profound emptiness welled up inside her. Xie Wen realized with a start that this was the first time she had woken up and the first person she saw wasn't Chu Xianyue.
The candlelight burned for a while, but Xie Wen still hadn't seen Chu Xianyue. If he were still safe and sound and able to stand and come to her, he would definitely come. But so much time had passed, and Xie Wen still hadn't seen him.
A great fear and unease welled up in my heart.
She stumbled to her feet, and as soon as she opened the door, she bumped into a figure.
The cold wind emanating from him carried the sharp scent of sandalwood, which wafted into Xie Wen's nostrils. Xie Wen looked up, and Chu Xianyue wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes. "What's wrong?" Chu Xianyue asked.
He looked perfectly fine and didn't seem like he would leave her at all.
Xie Wen felt a sudden surge of grievance, his nose stinging. He threw himself at Chu Xianyue without hesitation, hugging his waist and burying his head in his chest, inhaling Chu Xianyue's unique scent to calm himself down.
Where was Chu Xianyue? He was suddenly embraced by Xie Wen, and was startled at first. A small porcelain bottle in his hand fell to the ground, its clear, tinkling sound abruptly amidst the howling evening wind. The sound lingered in his heart.
The girl buried her face tightly in his chest, her breath coming in heavy gasps through the layers of fabric, but it scalded Chu Xianyue's chest as well, making it burn like a raging fire.
He took a deep breath, and seemingly helplessly lowered his hand to gently stroke her hair and pat her shoulder and back.
Chu Xianyue said, "Sorry I'm late."
Xie Wen shook his head in front of him.
The two embraced for a while in the cold wind before Xie Wen finally looked up at Chu Xianyue again. She scrutinized his face, seemingly unwilling to miss a single detail. How could someone who had undergone the Marrow Cleansing Platform remain unchanged?
Chu Xianyue stood calmly before Xie Wen, just as before, but Xie Wen still noticed that his sharp, dark eyes had lost their luster, his expression was exhausted, and his face was pale. There were also a few strands of white hair visible in his hair.
To be honest, although Chu Xianyue has half-feathered blood, he was born with black hair.
After being observed by Xie Wen for a long time without letting go of even the slightest clue, Chu Xianyue finally couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed Xie Wen and pulled him into the house. As the door slammed shut, all the cold wind and the sound of the wind were shut out.
The candle that Xie Wen had just lit burned softly, filling the room with warmth. Xie Wen picked up the small porcelain bottle that Chu Xianyue had just dropped; inside were precious pills, highly nourishing.
Chu Xianyue said softly, "Eat up, finish all of this, and you will fully recover. The Marrow Cleansing Platform is over; it won't affect you at all. You won't feel pain anymore."
Xie Wen smelled the pill, then looked up at him with her big, watery eyes, "And what about you?"
Chu Xianyue said, "I don't need it."
Xie Wen shook his head, stepped forward and grasped Chu Xianyue's hand, "I mean, did that Marrow Cleansing Platform affect you?"
What Xie Wen really wanted to say was, "Why did you come up with me? It hurts too much up there."
The candlelight shone into Xie Wen's eyes, and her gaze lingered on Chu Xianyue. Chu Xianyue felt as if he were that red candle, about to be burned away by her gaze. After a while, Chu Xianyue said, "No. I'm perfectly fine."
"Really?" Xie Wen tilted his head, his gaze unchanged.
Before Chu Xianyue could answer, Xie Wen suddenly leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Chu Xianyue's slender waist. Her smile was gentle, but genuinely happy. She had survived the pain of the Marrow Cleansing Platform, which meant that she could now live openly and honestly in this world, and live a little easier, no longer burdened by the sins imposed upon her by the world, no longer hiding and living in darkness.
With less than four days until the dawn breaks, Xie Wen felt unusually relaxed. Whatever happened in the world four days from now, even if she died, she would die in the sunlight.
Xie Wen couldn't contain her joy, as if she had been reborn. A sweet smile spread across her lips. Standing in front of Chu Xianyue, she tiptoed and kissed him on the lips—this time, it wasn't just a quick peck. A soft smack echoed in the quiet evening.
Xie Wen was surprised by the loud noise and immediately lowered his head, his cheeks turning red.
Chu Xianyue couldn't help but smile. He raised his hand to hold Xie Wen's chin, lifting her face up, and leaned down to kiss her. It was sticky, wet, and lingering. With his other hand, he held her waist and slowly lowered her down.
In the deep of night, a room was filled with the flickering light of candles.
Heavy, intermittent breathing sounds filled the air.
Although the time was not shorter than before, Xie Wen still vaguely sensed something strange. He didn't have as much energy as before, nor was he as excited. Everything he did seemed to be just to please himself.
It was very late when he withdrew from her. The candle was still burning, and Xie Wen was so sleepy that she didn't have time to ponder the unusual situation. She nestled in Chu Xianyue's arms, murmuring that he should extinguish the candle.
The candlestick stood on the other side, out of reach. But for Chu Xianyue, wasn't this as simple and easy as breathing? He only needed to use a little magic to extinguish even the most distant candle.
But this time, the dim candlelight illuminated Chu Xianyue's face, revealing his distress and the turmoil of pride in his eyes. Chu Xianyue thought, "I can't even do this small thing."
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