Return (Part 3)
"I can't come down to earth now!"
Heqi's voice was firm and decisive, leaving no room for maneuver.
"But--"
He Shu said anxiously, and the cat demon's crazy smile and the malicious words "sickly girl" seemed to appear before his eyes again.
"No buts, Heshu, this is the rule! Madam Xi will make her own arrangements at the hour of Chou tomorrow."
Rules, rules…and more rules!
When he left the mortal world, Qingshan's illness had not yet been completely cured, and the cat demon's words must have been a threat to him. Now the shadow demon was still on the run. If he didn't rush back in time...
He Shu gritted his teeth, turned around and left.
No, he had to ask Xuan Tongzi for help. Even if it violated the rules of heaven, he had to come down to earth. After all, he had tasted the bitterness of heavenly thunder once, and he was not afraid of enduring it a second time!
I became more and more anxious, but the message I sent out hastily fell on deaf ears. I wondered if the old baboon was annoyed and blocked everyone!
Xuan Tongzi... Emperor Xuanyue... Where exactly is his bedroom...
He Shu was so confused that he just kept running. When he came to his senses, he accidentally entered a peach orchard.
Suddenly remembering the illusion of the shadow demon, his heart tightened. Peach blossoms were scorching all around him, and a strange fragrance filled his nose. Before he could escape, he felt dizzy and staggered, as if he had stepped into an invisible barrier, and the spiritual power in his body instantly stagnated.
It's a maze! No...
As soon as the thought came to my mind, everything went dark before my eyes and I completely lost consciousness.
"Sister, there's a little crane here!"
I don't know how long it took, but in a daze, He Shu felt a few graceful figures approaching silently.
"Aren't cranes said to be naturally alert? How come this one was trapped by even the small magic array designed to prevent 'gluttons'?"
"Hey, wake up, Master Crane? The sun is shining on your butt... Oh, no, there's no sun in Heaven. It's the Divine Sky Mother's carriage that's coming!"
He Shu's mind was spinning with their whispers, and his long crow-feather eyelashes trembled violently.
The coma caused by the low-level illusion array did not last long and soon dissipated for the most part. He let out a very light, painful whimper from his throat and slowly woke up.
"Sister, he...he woke up..."
The surrounding maids were startled and scattered in twos and threes. Only the one standing in the front remained motionless and even reached out to poke He Shu's trembling eyelashes.
He Shu slowly opened his eyes amid the noise. His vision was blurred, and his pupils were filled with the remaining watery light from coma, and he was confused as if he had just woken up.
His consciousness had not yet fully returned, but he instinctively felt something very close and covered in moisture touching him.
He subconsciously frowned, focused his eyes, and met a pair of curious eyes that were so close to him, and suddenly he came to his senses.
He Shu sat up straight and stepped back suddenly until his back hit a thick tree trunk. He stopped, looked around, and was surprised to find that he was surrounded by a group of unfamiliar carp fairies.
Where is this? Who are they? Does the Shadow Demon have so many allies in Heaven?
"Little Crane Boy, who gave you the courage to trespass into the Peach Garden?"
The leading fairy crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows.
Peach Garden?
He Shu reacted immediately. How could he have forgotten this? The Peach Garden of Shenxiao Yuanmu was one of the few vibrant places in the fairy world. He had always wanted to come and take a look.
"No, I—"
Afraid of being misunderstood, he quickly stood up and wanted to explain.
But his limbs were still soft, and he knelt on the ground with a plop, which made the maids around him laugh and chuckle.
"I... I was just passing by, I didn't mean to disturb you..."
"I really have something urgent to do. I beg you fairies to help me and cure my cartilage disease."
"There's no antidote to this illusion. Just bear with it. You'll recover in due time..."
"But I..."
"Oh, it's only a matter of a moment, why are you so anxious?"
The waitress waved her hand impatiently as she spoke. Pingting turned and was about to leave. Heshu hurriedly tried to stop her:
"etc!"
He put his hands on the ground and raised his head in embarrassment.
Maybe it was because the back of my head hit the ground when I fainted. It still hurts a little there, and everything in my sight is shaking.
The maids saw his anxious look, exchanged glances, and one whispered:
"Sister, judging by the way this little crane is dressed, he shouldn't be a wandering immortal. I guess he's a servant of some immortal monarch..."
"Yes, yes... and this 'Nine-Turn Bewildering Immortal Formation' was set up by us on our own to slack off. He's so anxious, if he really makes a mistake and Yuanmu finds out, we'll be in trouble..."
The maids were whispering to each other, occasionally stealing a glance at He Shu who was still kneeling under the peach tree.
"Tsk, how can I not understand your sister's understanding of the pros and cons of this? There's no way to make him recover, right? Do you have a solution?"
Everyone shook their heads. The leading waitress sighed helplessly, coughed lightly, and walked over to the person under the tree.
"This is the aftereffect of being caught in an illusion. You can't expect to recover quickly, but what's your urgent matter? Tell us, maybe we can help."
He Shu was helped up by the maids behind her and sat down against the tree trunk. He moved his fingertips slightly, but found that he still couldn't muster the strength. After hesitating for a while, he finally said:
"Then I would like to thank the fairy first."
"You're welcome, it's our fault. Oh, by the way, you must accept this..."
The waitress produced a peach as she spoke.
"This is?"
"They are just low-grade peaches, of poor quality. They are merely inferior goods given to us garden-guarding fairies. However, their efficacy is no different from that of high-quality peaches. Eating them can strengthen the body and cure all diseases..."
She said this and moved closer, adding softly,
"If you don't need this thing, you can sell it to mortal spirits at a high price and make a lot of money."
Seeing that He Shu still didn't have the strength to raise his hand to take it, the waitress stuffed it into his arms.
"After accepting the gift, you can't tell anyone about what happened today. It's best to keep it to yourself forever."
"I understand, fairy, I will definitely keep my mouth shut."
He Shu nodded in response.
"You're smart, tell me, what's the urgent matter?"
"...I want to find Emperor Xuanyue."
"Emperor Xuanyue? I know, I know!"
A waitress with a melon-seed face came out with a wink and interrupted He Shu.
"Grandma Turtle asked me to go to his palace at 3:00 PM today to deliver fresh peaches, but when I got there I found out that the Emperor had already been ordered to descend to the mortal world to capture some fugitive."
"Has he already come down to earth?"
"Yes, Master Heshi, what urgent matter do you want to see the Emperor about? Is it about the fugitive?"
He Shu was stunned. His only hope was dashed and his heart sank.
He slowly lowered his head to hide the anxiety and confusion surging in his eyes. Was he really going to just sit there and wait for death?
"I guess so... Thank you for telling me..."
His voice was dry.
Since this is the case, he has no other choice.
——
Before the abyss, the sea of clouds collapsed.
The chaotic energy surged like boiling soup, tearing apart anything that came close.
He Shu's slender figure seemed as small as a drop in the ocean against the backdrop of the mighty power of heaven and earth. The face that always wore a smile now had lost all its color, leaving only a solemnity that was almost resolute.
This is the forbidden area of the Heavenly Palace, and ordinary immortal servants dare not approach it at all. But when he felt unhappy and couldn't hold on any longer, he would come here to take a look.
He felt the fear of Niyuan, which was deeply rooted in every immortal's instinct. He felt the fear surge up again and again, causing his heart to tremble violently in his chest. He always managed to turn back in time, but this time...
Jump down, jump down...
The thought was crazy and clear.
The strong wind blew up He Shu's white sleeves, and her flowing light clothes fluttered wildly, as if she would be dragged into an abyss from which there was no escape in the next moment.
His dark brown eyes stared unblinkingly at the swirling sea of clouds.
Beneath the thick fog, are there broken lightning and dark stardust, or are there the lights and green mountains of the human world?
He Shu closed his eyes and thought.
Immortal servants are forbidden from leaving the mortal world without permission. Apart from following the Immortal Master, this is their only remaining path. However, the price of violating the strict rules of heaven is cruel: either their immortal bones are shattered, their cultivation is lost, or even their entire body and soul are annihilated.
Moreover, one day in heaven is one year on earth. Now that so many years have passed, he still wonders if Brother Qingshan still remembers him...
If he doesn't remember, going there will only disturb his life. If he remembers...
If you remember...
The difference between immortals and mortals is as huge as a chasm. They are destined to take different paths, but there is no turning back after this leap.
Reason screamed at him to turn back, back to that cold, safe cage, and let him forget those ties and delusions that should not exist.
But……
At that moment, the refreshing spring breeze of Luzhu Mountain seemed to penetrate the coldness and loneliness of the nine heavens and suddenly crashed into his heart.
He Shu thought of the peach tree in the Qingshan courtyard, the leisurely fishing by the stream, the warm sunlight streaming into the study, and the light in the mountain cabin that might still be waiting...
Those fresh, bright and free breaths once again lingered around him.
Was he so desperate because of unrequited favors, unfulfilled promises, or because of himself? Because in that world, he felt truly alive, because in that tiny space, he had what he truly sought?
In heaven, what was he? A timid, rule-abiding immortal servant? A prisoner unable to control even his own memories? A caged bird unable to spread its wings?
Others put a lot of effort into cultivating immortality in order to achieve immortality, transcendence, and superiority over all living beings.
But why did he write this letter?
He never wanted to exchange these for eternal loneliness and bondage.
Every step was a coincidence, which made him, who had no ambition to succeed, become an immortal and unhappy, but made those who tried their best and struggled hard to become demons in the end.
The fear, retreat and numbness that had always existed began to retreat step by step in the face of another more surging desire.
Then, all the hesitation was blown away by the strong wind.
If the future is what his heart desires, he should have no regrets even if it means there is no return.
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