Chapter 133 Ten thousand years is too long, remember to eat. ...
But for Chi You, who descended to the human world, life was far from as boring.
The first half was incredibly powerful, but the second half was utterly miserable.
He used his ability to turn stones into gold to win the worship of a group of demon gods and refugees, revived the Chi You tribe, and was revered as the Lord of War by the people of the world.
He experienced the power of authority for the first time. No one knew he was an artificial human; people called him the god-man Chi You.
god.
He felt that the title suited him well.
Chi You not only instigated killings and conflicts in reality, but also used the natural appearance he stole in his dreams as charity and a gift.
Humans are so profit-driven that they would willingly grovel at his feet over a mere stone. It seems that he is destined to be the winner in the bet between Shaodian and Youjiao.
He was able to make his tribe grow stronger with this.
However, Chi You preferred the demon god to the human without identity.
Perhaps, like myself, they have two ambiguous identities mixed in their names alone.
However, they were different from him. Chi You put on a mask with a blue face and fangs, and his power seemed to be able to stand tall and fearless.
He was invincible on the battlefield, beheading his enemies with his sword. Blood and flesh piled up to form a throne of power, and the piles of corpses were nothing more than mud in a riverbed in his eyes.
Humans, once they die, they're gone.
Each time he returned in triumph, his people would shout his name, and Chi You would feel needed more than ever before; it was a feeling that brought him peace. Everyone surrounded him, and all eyes were on him alone. He felt that his once empty and hypocritical heart would be filled with satisfaction.
Although he was unwilling to admit it, unwilling to call that feeling any emotional term.
He only had this feeling back when he was in the crevices of time.
But this state never seems to last long.
When Youjiao wanted to leave him, Shaodian stopped looking at him.
Even now, as the cold wind blows into his tent night after night, he wakes up in terror on his bed to find that he has started to dream.
But God doesn't dream.
He can't either.
But the more you resist, the more your dreams will invade, overwhelming every night and even every day.
He dreamt that humans dragged their severed limbs to claim his life, and that beneath his feet were heads, all of which, when turned over, had the same face.
His face.
Chi You suddenly realized that he was half-human, and he was nothing like You Qiao and Shao Dian.
He will die.
die.
That's something even lonelier than living alone in this world.
He also dreamed of antlers with disappointed eyes.
In my dream, she asked him in a detached tone whether he could wield a merciful sword.
Chi You awoke from his dream with a start and held the broken sword in his arms.
What a merciful sword strike! He thought fearfully, "Not drawing my sword means death, and drawing it also means death."
If he can't do it, then no one in the world can.
He began to think about how to leave the battlefield, how to escape this place that could take his life at any moment.
So he devised a plan: to fake his death and escape during the great battle with Yinglong, and then travel among various families under an assumed name. In any case, almost no one had ever seen his true face before, and hardly anyone cared whether he was really dead or not.
As long as Chi You is defeated, that's fine.
He was actually present when Yinglong bit off his head. It wasn't because he had any particular hobby; Chi You simply wanted to see what kind of impact his death would have.
For his former subordinates and people.
He hid in the crowd, his hood completely covering him except for his eyes, like a coward who couldn't bear the light. The scene was as he expected: some felt pain and sorrow for his death, while others scoffed.
He heard them say, "What kind of god Chi You could die?"
Yes, he actually died.
Chi You fled in disarray, pretending to be a blacksmith. He left behind his masterpieces, the Xuanyuan Sword and the Sun-Chasing Bow, in the Yellow Emperor's tribe. But he would never put himself in danger again, so he abandoned a pile of weapons and left Xuanyuan Hill once more.
This includes another complete replica that is exactly the same as the broken sword of Youjiao.
Later, he heard that a new tribe with the surname Ying had risen in the former territory of the Chi You tribe. After many twists and turns, he returned to this place and, together with the demon gods he had taken in on the way, established a secret organization called "Red Cloud".
The original intention of establishing the Crimson Cloud was to provide a sanctuary for sick and disabled demon gods. He led Zouwu and Huanrumeng to steal the innate appearances of others and then distribute them to those demon gods.
He did these things not because he was so kind and loving, but because Chi Yun could give him a sense of being needed and noticed.
He wandered around like this, changing countless names and masks. A thousand years passed, and five thousand years were as difficult as an arrow or water dripping on stone. The rift in time could not be returned to, and Youjiao did not know where he was.
He was not a god, nor even a human being. He could not be truly accepted anywhere, and could not find a so-called home no matter what.
He could live forever, yet he could be easily killed. Nightmares continued to remind him day after day of how many withered bones and dead souls had perished at his hands.
For a long time, he didn't have a single night of restful sleep.
My heart is like ashes, my body like an unmoored boat.
Sometimes, he would loathe the vastness of the world, which made him seem so pitiful.
Later, he returned to Shaohao and secured a place for himself as Ying Huo. Decades passed quickly, and he thought he'd leave again when he grew tired of this role-playing game.
But at that Nine Heavens Assembly, the replica he made suddenly appeared. He hid in the secret room of Starfall Golden Spear and caught a glimpse of the person holding the sword.
He looked her over from head to toe, but he still couldn't understand why she could use his sword.
As he pondered, the woman seemed to sense something and looked towards him through the ornate facade. Knowing the secret room was well-hidden and wouldn't be discovered, he still hesitated for a moment.
That feeling that made him tremble reminded him of Youjiao.
A tsunami, unseen for ten thousand years.
If it weren't for her desire to go to the human world, the Time Rift wouldn't have fallen apart, and she wouldn't have ended up like this.
Ying Huo was certain of his feelings; he hated Youjiao.
In his eyes, the woman of unknown identity became a hypocritical disguise for Youjiao. He was determined to expose her true colors and then question her about why she had abandoned him.
Xia Zhu? How wonderful, she even gave herself a respectable name. He angrily cornered Xia Zhu in the woods, only to be met with her pressing the sword against his throat.
He was so angry he laughed, trying to force her to reveal her identity, but she beat him to it.
"Who is it? The one you think I am?"
One sentence from Xia Zhu made him lose his arrogance, and Xia Zhu's oppressive aura even made him stutter.
The result that day was that not only did he not get anything out of her, but he was also kicked and forced to flee.
Ying Huo vowed that he would make Xia Zhu pay the price.
After returning to the Ying family, he had Zouwu and Huan rack their brains all night to come up with a revenge plan. The final conclusion was that they should follow her and pester her until she felt guilty and couldn't take it anymore, at which point she would naturally drop her pretense.
So he became like a persistent leech, sticking to Xia Zhu's side no matter what, whether she was in her dreams or back at that lousy school. Even though she was always surrounded by a bunch of strange and talkative people, he endured it all for the sake of his ultimate success.
Before that strange dream, he thought Xia Zhu was You Qiao.
Until he fell into that cold vortex, he could clearly feel the winds of hell blowing from the battlefield ten thousand years ago, until Xia Zhu grabbed his hand before falling into the abyss.
Nightmares are like a persistent, intractable disease; below the abyss lies the hell that will soon devour his life.
He didn't want to go back to the past, didn't want to go back to that place full of death.
So he put aside his so-called pride and begged Xia Zhu, "Don't let go."
Don't give up on him.
It's as if he was created arbitrarily and then thrown aside a long, long time ago.
He heard a sound like an arm dislocating, but she didn't say a word, she just held his hand tightly.
As the longsword thrust at him, the woman stepped in front of him, blood gushing out and flowing down her elbow.
He couldn't understand how she could use her own body to shield someone whose life was so important, and why she would do such a thing.
The blood-stained sword struck from behind again, and he instinctively called out Youjiao's name.
It was at that moment that he suddenly realized that Xia Zhu was not her.
She had hot blood flowing through her body, she would frown when she was injured, she was a living, breathing person.
However, when you cut open the skin of the ant, you can only see the same blue color as the ant.
Knowing this, he became increasingly puzzled. If Xia Zhu was just an ordinary human being, where did she get the courage to stand in front of everyone every time, including himself, who seemed to have become someone she was protecting?
He believed that no one in the world could see themselves better than Xia Zhu, and no one was more independent and strong than her.
These are all completely opposite to him.
Although Ying Huo didn't want to admit it.
A merciful sword strike is inherently paradoxical, but Xia Zhu's back, standing in front of him, made him understand one thing: wielding a sword is never for mercy, but only for resistance.
To fight for good, for evil, for oneself, for others, and for all injustices in the world.
Even though he already knew she wasn't pregnant, he still didn't leave for some reason. Maybe it was the wrong timing, or maybe it was just his nature. In any case, Ying Huo told himself that since he had nothing else to do, he might as well stay a little longer.
But Xia Zhu was injured and bleeding again. He stared at her wound and blood, as if he had been awakened from a long dream. He suddenly realized that if Xia Zhu had not had the antler, she would have died just like him.
What if she dies? If she dies, he will be all alone in this world again.
Wait, why would he think that?
Ying Huo was startled by his own sudden thought. He secretly glanced at Xia Zhu—his eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth…
He suddenly clutched his chest, but his heart, which shouldn't have been beating, was beating deafeningly.
Ying Huo was utterly terrified. He couldn't believe his own suspicions. He made an excuse to sneak away, but Xia Zhu caught him again.
He went back to confirm some things, about Chi Yun.
He told Xia Zhu this, and he told himself this as well.
It's not about being afraid or avoiding.
He returned to his lair in a sorry state, but thankfully, Zouwu and Huan hadn't abandoned him. Someone was causing trouble in Chiyun's name, but he didn't know who it was and didn't want to get involved anymore.
He let himself sink into the soft sofa, frantically grabbing his hair. Huan gently rubbed against his arm, which made him feel a little better. He wanted to reach out and rub its head, but saw that it had a pair of brown eyes.
He thought that Xia Zhu's eyes were also light brown.
The hand, which was halfway outstretched, froze in mid-air.
Ying Huo's body slumped down little by little. He curled up on the sofa, muttering to himself, looking as if he had just been dumped by his beloved girl.
"Like her? Do I really like her?"
"But I also like the Zouwu, I like the Huan, and I like the wine that people just brought over..."
"No, no, no, it's different... I just like her..."
Ying Huo happily stepped onto the sofa and walked back and forth between the sofas before returning to a sitting position.
"How strange, liking someone is really strange. Ten thousand years have passed, and this world is bustling with people, so why do I like her instead of others?" He turned to the two demon gods and asked.
Zouwu and Huan exchanged a puzzled look.
But Ying Huo didn't expect them to answer.
"Is it because she resembles a hawk, because she is different from other women?"
"No, none of that is..."
"Xia Zhu is Xia Zhu. The moment you saw her, you knew you were doomed, Ying Huo. You were destined to fall for her."
Falling in love with Xia Zhu was an easy thing.
He collapsed onto the sofa, the crystal chandelier overhead casting a soft, shimmering light. He shielded his eyes with his hand and watched as colorful particles, like tears, slipped through his fingers.
He chuckled foolishly twice.
"I want to go back to her."
"I want to be with her forever."
"Go first thing tomorrow morning... No!"
"Let's go now!"
…
"Cough cough cough." Youjiao covered her mouth and coughed twice. She winked at Xia Zhu and smiled obviously. "If you mind, I can turn around for this part."
"No need." Xia Zhu said expressionlessly, but her ears secretly turned red. "I've already finished reading it."
Youjiao couldn't help but nudge her with her elbow. "Alright, alright, now you know who you are. You've always been Xia Zhu. Yinghuo and I both know that you're an independent individual, not someone's reincarnation, and certainly not a substitute."
"A-Zhu, you are very good. Many people like you. Don't doubt yourself anymore."
Xia Zhu stared into her dull eyes, her heart feeling like it had just been taken out of the refrigerator and immediately put into hot water. She was a part of her body, and she was the one who gave her the name.
Youjiao may not be the mother of the earth, but Xia Zhu felt that she should be his "mother".
"But what's with the heavenly fire outside?" Her heart sank again at this thought. "Could it all be because of the Heavenly Dog... because of Little White?"
Youjiao nodded, her expression turning somber. "Xiaobai thought that this would end the bet between me and Shaodian, and that it could return to the Time Rift and go back to Shaodian's side."
As she said this, her expression suddenly turned very angry, as if she was disappointed in Xia Zhu. She said, "How could it cause such a big mess? Just to find Shao Dian, it probably thinks that the more chaos it causes, the more likely Shao Dian will show up."
"It's still too naive. That unreliable fellow is probably fast asleep right now! He has no idea what's going on in the human world!" Youjiao said angrily.
“But I won’t forgive it.” Xia Zhu suddenly spoke, her voice trembling slightly as she looked at You Jiao. “Feng Mian is dead, Yun Huan is dead… The outside world is in chaos, and there’s Ji Yinxiu, and Ying Huo…”
“I know.” Youjiao gently patted her shoulder. “You can’t forgive it, and neither can I.”
"But..." Xia Zhu really didn't know what way there was to salvage the situation.
"We have to punish Xiaobai a little, don't we?" Youjiao curled the corners of his mouth, his expression somewhat sly.
"Can you save the world right now?"
Youjiao shook his head. "No one can save the world alone."
She took Xia Zhu's hand and said, "Civilization endures, and the spirit never fades. It depends on you, me, her, and everyone."
“Ah Zhu, have you forgotten your role in all of this? I said from the beginning that you are the observer, and you are the most important link in saving the world. I have seen everything through your eyes.”
"Even if I do something, it's because of everything that humanity itself has done that led to the final result."
"Just like long ago, when the first human raised a torch from the darkness, and since then, life has continued to grow and thrive."
“I have another question,” Xia Zhu asked. “Shao Dian believes that what the officials returned was not a natural phenomenon, so what was it?”
Youjiao smiled and said, "Actually, I don't know either. However, one's appearance is a reflection of one's heart."
"What you perceive it to be, that is what it is."
Youjiao radiated a bright white light, and the still water beneath her feet rippled outwards, her feet dangling above the water.
"Oh, right, I forgot to ask you, Azhu, what do you think about just being a pure 'person'?"
Xia Zhu tilted her head slightly and saw her long hair fluttering in the air, her face serene, like a true deity.
“Very good,” she said with a smile.
Youjiao nodded slightly, and before the radiance completely engulfed her, she suddenly winked at Xia Zhu.
"If possible, don't be angry with Ying Huo."
*
Shao Dian was awakened by a bird's chirp. He opened his eyes groggily, looked left and right, and suddenly sat up in fright.
"Where am I!?"
A shady green tree overhead, several birds chirping on the branches, soft green grass beneath, emitting a faint fragrance, sunlight making the dew on the grass tips glisten, and a stream must be in the distance, the sound of its babbling always in my ears.
"Woof woof woof!"
A white pine tree was charging towards him at the speed of a cannonball. He had just scrambled to his feet when the dog slammed him back to the ground before he could dodge.
"Ouch!" Shao Dian cried out as a sharp pain shot through his buttocks.
Wait, does it hurt?
He pushed aside the dog that was wagging its tail wildly and looked from a distance.
"Xiao Bai? What are you doing here? Wait..." He looked at it more closely, even touching it, "You look a little different..."
How did it turn back into an ordinary mongrel dog?
He suddenly remembered something and reached out to touch his face.
"I...I think..."
"How is it?" Suddenly, a woman walked out from behind the big tree and walked step by step to Shao Dian in his dazed gaze. She bent over slightly, put her hands on her knees, and looked down at him. "Someone just told me that it's very good to be a pure person."
Shao Dian's pupils dilated slightly, and the woman's figure was reflected in his eyes.
After a long while, he finally managed a silly smile, his voice trembling slightly.
“You’re back,” he said.
*
A leaf drifted down onto Xia Zhu's eyelids. Without even looking at it, she reached out and picked it off.
After a few seconds of silence, another leaf landed on her other eye. She clicked her tongue, opened her eye a crack, and saw a dazed-looking crow in the tree, a laurel leaf still in its beak, staring at her with an innocent expression.
She glared at the crow, moved the recliner she was on to the side, and just as she closed her eyes to take a nap, a loud shout came from inside the room.
"Ying Ya! Bring that pot of soup here for me!"
"Ji Yinxiu! You look so smart, how come you're so clumsy when it comes to doing things? Put it down! I'll do it myself."
Xia Zhu opened her eyes wide, sighed, and sat up.
The sun was shining brightly today, making the plants in the yard sparkle and almost blindingly. She squinted to adjust for a while, then was drawn in by the fragrance wafting from the house, and her stomach began to rumble.
"Okay, I'll go help out too."
As she spoke, she stood up and walked towards the door.
A string of wind chimes tinkled as she left the door open, intending to let the air out. She casually picked up a rickety cushion from beside her feet and tossed it back onto the carpet.
"Ah Zhu? You've come at the perfect time, come and have a taste."
She looked up and saw Ji Wuchou, wearing an apron and carrying a steaming pot of soup, standing beside the table. She quickly went over and straightened the white daisy-patterned heat-resistant mat on the table.
He fanned the slowly rising steam with his hand.
"It smells so good!" Their eyes immediately lit up.
Ji Wuchou was a little embarrassed, and she reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I've been learning from Xiaofeng for so long, and I've only just learned how to make one soup."
She looked a bit plumper, even more beautiful than before when she was thin, with sparkling black eyes.
"What's the big deal? I haven't even learned how to make soup yet."
"You'd better wait to eat!" Feng Feng came out of the kitchen and clung to Xia Zhu like a koala, wrinkling his nose to sniff the food on the table. "It really smells delicious."
Then he turned and shouted into the kitchen.
"Hurry up, you two inside! We can start eating as soon as they get back!" She suddenly seemed to remember something and leaned close to Xia Zhu's ear, "Oh right, wait for me."
Then she ran upstairs and quickly came downstairs, pushing a cute little cake in front of Xia Zhu.
A colorful candle is stuck on the cake.
"Although you've already had one before, the candle was chewed up by Meow Meow that time, so I'll still grant you another wish!" With that, he lit the candle with a snap.
"Now?" Xia Zhu felt a little surprised. She looked at Feng Feng and then at Ji Wuchou, both of whom gestured to her with their chins.
"All right."
Xia Zhu glanced at the candle burning with colorful flames in the center of the cake, then raised her hands and slowly closed her eyes.
desire.
What should I wish for?
To be honest, she rarely makes wishes.
But not a single candle should be wasted.
Then...
May every year bring us to this day, and may every year be like this morning.
In the darkness, the sound of wind chimes rang in my ears again.
"Ah, I'm finally back!"
"Friends, let's eat!"
(End of text)
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Author's note: My first full-length novel is finally finished.
Before finishing the story, I thought I would write a long post in the final author's note about how difficult the writing process was and how miserable the data collection was.
The moment I finished writing it, I didn't want to say anything more.
Once it's finished, that's all.
The original intention of writing this article was to tell myself, and also to tell every friend who can see it.
Ten thousand years is too long; seize the day.
Ten thousand years will pass quickly. Wishing you happiness every day.
Okay, I need to go down and reflect for a bit. See you in the next book.
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