Chapter 278 Epilogue - New World Arc (Seventy-Five)
To detach oneself from memories—
Yu Qingzhou felt a slight stinging in her eyes, perhaps because she had been gazing at the same moonlight for so long.
The white moonlight spread out softly and coldly in my eyes.
Does the moon have a heart?
I don't know.
But as long as the moon doesn't say anything, no one will know.
"...Do you still remember what you said when you first met me over there?" Yu Qingzhou suddenly asked.
"What?"
Instead of getting the answer he wanted, Lin An, who was being questioned, showed a completely unprepared and bewildered expression.
"Nothing, just thinking about some things from the past," Yu Qingzhou said, slowly standing up from the rock. It was just a question asked on a whim, nothing to dwell on.
"Hey! They're leaving already?! We haven't even—"
We haven't even had a proper chance to catch up yet...
Lin An wailed inwardly.
Just as he was about to take a step to catch up, he saw that the young man was just standing there, seemingly not in a hurry to leave.
He couldn't help but stop in his tracks.
"Because there are people I want to see more here."
"ah?"
Lin An was initially confused by this seemingly nonsensical statement, but then realized that the other person was answering his earlier question.
An excuse.
One reason to stay here.
It's because there's someone the other person wants to see here—
That's really hurtful.
Lin An thought to himself, somewhat troubled.
The same meaning could be expressed by omitting the prefix, but they insist on pointing it out.
Just like before, showing no mercy.
"...I suppose I can still be considered your master for now."
Lin An couldn't help but touch the tip of his nose, revealing a rather helpless bitter smile.
Yu Qingzhou looked back at Lin An, who was bewildered, his gaze calm and resolute in the moonlight.
“Of course.” Yu Qingzhou nodded slightly.
At least give your teacher some face.
Lin An silently complained in his heart, but then he saw Yu Qingzhou bow down and give him a solemn bow.
This is a common courtesy within the sect, and it is perfectly natural.
But Lin An, seeing this, couldn't help but feel inexplicably flustered.
Despite his outward appearance, he was still an ordinary wage slave working tirelessly day and night, and clearly could not bear such a grand gift.
Moreover, it was Yu Qingzhou who performed the ceremony.
My colleagues, friends, dining buddies, and—
"What...what are you doing?"
Lin An rarely suppressed his smile, and looked at the young man in front of him with some wariness.
I always felt that the other person was intentionally trying to distance themselves from me.
But why?
Everything was fine before, wasn't it? How did it suddenly...?
“I have always been grateful for your care and I am also ashamed of causing you a lot of trouble, including this time as well—because of me, you have been forced to stay here.”
"What's wrong...?"
Lin An was still completely baffled.
I thought to myself, why does it sound like we're saying goodbye forever? I thought about it but didn't say it out loud, because it felt a bit ominous.
Even so, I still can't go back with you.
Yu Qingzhou's voice wasn't loud, but it possessed a strangely resolute strength. It was as if the dust had already settled, leaving no room for maneuver.
So, I'm sorry.
The night was silent for a moment, as if it too was waiting for Lin An's reply.
Yu Qingzhou was unsure how the other party would react.
Understanding, disappointment, angry scolding... or something else?
Yu Qingzhou had no confidence in this matter.
Only one thing is beyond doubt—
He would not leave this place with the other party no matter what.
This world he once tried to escape, and even once thought he had successfully escaped...
It is the path he came from, and it is also his destination.
After a long pause, the person opposite him let out a snicker.
"What the hell—"
Lin An touched his nose and muttered to himself, as if he had instantly reverted to his carefree self, and said with a chuckle, "Haha, you almost really scared me."
"You...don't mind?"
Seeing Yu Qingzhou's puzzled expression, Lin An's smile deepened.
"Well, to put it simply, there is a little bit."
He paused, then suddenly moved towards the direction where Yu Qingzhou was.
The latter remained standing in the same spot, watching the person walking towards him under the moonlight.
A gentle breeze blew by, bringing a slight chill to the night.
The clouds gathered and dispersed, and a brief haze swept across the frosty earth, like the enormous shadow of a whale cast underwater.
He saw the young man step into the darkness, his figure becoming blurred.
Thus, step by step, they walked out of the darkness and stepped into the moonlight once more.
Above, the clouds and mist dispersed, revealing a bright moon and sparse stars.
"Shouldn't we add something like, 'You're a good person,' as a consolation to the loser in these situations?"
Lin sighed dramatically, noticing that Yu Qingzhou still looked suspicious.
So he straightened his expression slightly, coughed lightly, and announced, "I've decided to stay here."
"?!"
"Haha, you were really scared, judging from that expression."
As he spoke, Lin An laughed again. This guy was probably the type who couldn't be serious for more than three seconds.
Amidst laughter and conversation, he reached out and hooked his arm around Yu Qingzhou's neck, pulling her close—a gesture Lin An often made in the past.
In the past, Yu Qingzhou would have already shooed him away.
This time, however, she simply let the other person pull her along, her eyes lowered, seemingly lost in thought.
Finally, he spoke: "You... you don't actually need to go to this extent."
His tone was somewhat hoarse.
It's impossible to say that I was completely unmoved.
Honestly, Lin An had been very kind to him from the very beginning. This had far exceeded the other person's expected behavior. And he himself seemed to have done nothing to reciprocate that kindness.
"I--"
"Alright, alright, look, it's not a loss for me to stay here. After all, I went from being a lowly worker to a high-ranking servant in the sect. Besides, I'm an orphan, and it wasn't easy for me to make a friend like you. I don't know how lonely it would be if I went back alone."
Lin An counted on his fingers and listed a bunch of benefits of staying here.
Seeing that Yu Qingzhou remained silent, he suddenly clapped his hands as if he had remembered something. Meeting the former's questioning gaze, he then touched his neck somewhat embarrassedly and chuckled foolishly.
"On the other hand, if Xiao Yuyu really feels bad about it, she can repay him with her body~ Although the master-disciple relationship sounds a bit... well, we are modern people with progressive ideas, and forbidden love is nothing to us! Ugh, my butt!"
Lin An fell flat on his backside.
It was pushed by Yu Qingzhou.
If someone else had said that, it probably wouldn't have been something that could be resolved with just a shove of a butt.
By the time Lin An, groaning and clutching his buttocks, stood up from among the jagged grass and pebbles, Yu Qingzhou had already walked far away.
"Well, this joke has gone too far..."
The young man muttered to himself, hesitating whether to chase after him and try to defend himself, at least to salvage some of his image.
But then they bumped into an uninvited guest—
The fiend, shrouded in darkness, was only hinted at by a touch of red at the end of his hair, suggesting a living being.
Ah, I almost forgot, this body has taken on more than one apprentice. Although, the original intention of taking on apprentices wasn't really to impart knowledge and skills.
"...It's been so long, my eldest disciple, you're still as irritable as ever."
Lin An stared at the black sword tip that had just stopped in front of him, gave a casual greeting, and seemed completely unconcerned about his current situation.
"On the other hand, swords have no eyes. If something were to happen, Qingzhou would be very upset if he found out."
The young man's words were sincere.
Shen Yun pursed her lips, a flicker of murderous intent flashing in her eyes, but in the end, she silently sheathed her sword.
"That's more like it," Lin An laughed.
That look was utterly despicable in Shen Yun's eyes. If it weren't for this person, he wouldn't have found himself in such a dilemma, making one mistake after another…
"Stay away from him," Shen Yun said coldly.
Lin An shrugged noncommittally, seemingly somewhat helpless: "You've seen it yourself, I've just learned my lesson."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yun's expression softened slightly.
Lin An, observing this, suddenly asked a question as if deliberately trying to stir up trouble: "But guess where he's rushing off to in such a hurry?"
"..."
Shen Yun didn't reply, but left with a warning look before turning and leaving.
Only after confirming that the other party's aura had completely dissipated did Lin An's legs go weak, and he almost had another intimate encounter with the ground.
—Hey, thank goodness I didn't give myself away.
Lin An patted his chest, thinking to himself. What they said earlier was true, and the other party's desire to kill him was also real.
This is a case of taking someone else's place.
It was one thing to run into Xuanmao, who had bad eyesight, but I never expected that I would almost lose my life here. It's really... so unfair.
On the other hand... where could his adorable little apprentice have gone in the middle of the night?
She must have returned to the side of some young master.
God help me, I hope his hot-tempered eldest disciple doesn't choke to death by pouring too much vinegar down his throat.
Of course, it would be even better if they started fighting.
Lin An doesn't mind having more fun on the mountain—ideally, if both sides are injured, he really wouldn't mind being the one who gets the spoils.
After all, he has plenty of time.
They have plenty of time.
This cycle of cause and effect continues endlessly...
-fin-
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