Chapter 16: Still Love?

Yan Chaosheng pondered for a moment, then gripping the green bead, he headed north.

To the north lay the Kunlun Immortal Mountain, where vast peach trees blossomed in radiant splendor. By the misty immortal pool, several palm-sized peach wood dolls spotted him from afar and jumped up, crying, “Master, Master, something terrible has happened! The Demon King is here!”

Those who could flee scurried into the hall, while those who couldn’t were mercilessly grasped in Yan Chaosheng’s hand.

“Speak, where has your old man gone?”

The peach wood doll whimpered, “He’s in seclusion, Master is in seclusion.”

Yan Chaosheng sneered coldly, tightening his grip. “Could he not foresee my arrival? Choosing this time to seclude himself?”

The peach wood doll burst into tears, “Spare me, Demon Lord, spare me! Master said he went into seclusion.”

Yan Chaosheng said, “Once I burn Kunlun, he will surely emerge.”

The peach wood doll’s spiritual energy dissipated, and in an instant, it turned into a white paper falling at his feet. Yan Chaosheng’s hand burned with a cold, ghostly flame, akin to hellfire, as he strode into the peach forest.

As if sensing the cold, ruthless killing intent beneath his icy exterior, the trees in the forest, now animated spirits, began to clamor, “Immortal Lord, save us, save us!”

In an instant, the hellfire spread from Yan Chaosheng’s feet, threatening to consume the entire peach forest.

A green-robed old man came running out, frantically jumping around to extinguish the flames. Finally, he managed to put out the cold fire, but his robe caught fire, and he rolled to a stop in front of Yan Chaosheng.

The old man quickly patted his bottom, grumbling, “Arrogant brat, after hundreds of years, you’re still the same hot-tempered fool. Coming to my Kunlun territory as a guest, you show no courtesy. If you really destroy my peach forest, beware, old man will settle accounts with you!”

Yan Chaosheng watched coldly as the old man extinguished the flames. Seeing the old man busy trying to revive the peach wood paper doll, he raised his hand and drew the man into his grasp. “I’m not here to exchange pleasantries. The ancient Jimo clan is skilled in divination, knowing the will of heaven. You know why I’m here. Just perform a divination for me, and I will leave immediately, without delay.”

The old man, also known as Immortal Lord Wujiang, knew that pretending to be in seclusion wouldn’t work today. He sighed with a bitter face, “Why do you have to trouble me? Go find someone else. Let go, let go, ignorant youth, holding old man like this, what kind of behavior is this?”

Yan Chaosheng released him.

Wujiang beckoned, “Come here, I’ll talk to you.”

The two sat down by a stone table. Wujiang took a jug of wine from under the peach tree, opened the lid, and poured a cup for Yan Chaosheng.

Yan Chaosheng remained silent, picking up the cup.

From start to finish, he appeared calm and composed. If Wujiang hadn’t noticed his fingers turning white from the force of his grip, he might have been fooled by his unhurried demeanor.

Wujiang, displeased that Yan Chaosheng had crushed a peach wood doll upon arrival, deliberately made small talk, rambling about this and that. Yan Chaosheng put down his cup and finally spoke coldly again, “Divination, I need to find someone!”

Wujiang pursed his lips, “Old man isn’t deliberately wasting your time. What will you do if you find her? You know better than me, if you find her, she’s already a corpse.”

“Nonsense!”

“Plants can survive without a heart, but once the Hui Spirit Jade is shattered, it’s impossible to restore. You know this well, Yan Chaosheng. Otherwise, with your arrogance, why didn’t you just take her heart? You’re now the ruler of two realms, anyone with a breath left, you can find. But no matter what, you can’t find her, because she has no life left, like a walking corpse.”

Seeing Yan Chaosheng’s expression grow colder, Wujiang shook his head and sighed, “You know everything, yet you still deceive yourself. Old man didn’t want to expose this, but when you married her, the young master divined an ominous sign and tried to stop it several times. If she hadn’t truly loved you, how could the young master have let go? Today’s outcome was destined. Old man, considering your past kindness to Kunlun seven hundred years ago, advises you to let her walk this path alone, stop searching for her. Your path is destined to be heartless and lonely. If you remain emotionless, you can rule the two realms well. In time, you might even unify the eight wastelands.”

Wujiang looked at him meaningfully, “But if you waver, old man can’t divine the outcome, but I know it won’t be good. I advise you, don’t look, don’t listen, don’t search.”

Yan Chaosheng lowered his eyelids, his tone calm and unemotional, “I have never been moved by emotion, she still has one last use.”

Yan Chaosheng took out the green bead from his sleeve. The bead’s light was clear but dim.

Wujiang gasped, his whole body turning cold.

“For the power of the Hui Spirit, you’ve committed so many atrocities! Yan Chaosheng, have you considered the consequences?”

Yan Chaosheng’s lips curled into a mocking smile, “Consequences? At most, the eight wastelands won’t tolerate me, and I’ll never be reborn.”

“You want to find her? To extract the last bit of Hui Spirit power from her.”

Yan Chaosheng said, “Yes, this bead is far from enough.”

Wujiang grew angry, “Then why didn’t you just take her heart back then? With her heart, you wouldn’t have to worry about your great ambition!”

Yan Chaosheng pursed his lips, silent. After a while, he said, “The Hui Spirit heart wasn’t mature yet, I didn’t have time.”

“Bullshit! Bullshit!” The old man’s cup nearly slipped from his hand as he jumped up, “You, the Demon Lord, descendant of Xiangliu, you have countless ways to hasten the maturity of a heart. You clearly…”

Seeing Yan Chaosheng’s icy expression, his black eyes like deep pools, staring at him.

Wujiang swallowed his words, sitting weakly on the stone stool, unsure whether to pity or hate Yan Chaosheng. Wujiang sighed, taking out a few divination peach wood pieces from his robe.

The peach wood had no edges, its luster excellent, clearly a divine artifact of thousands of years.

As Wujiang performed the spell, he muttered, “You’re a scoundrel, you shouldn’t have married that girl back then. If the young master were still here… if the young master were still here, I don’t know how heartbroken he would be. Thankfully, he left early, and the girl knows nothing. Ignorance is bliss. Now you come to trouble old man, don’t you know divination consumes cultivation?”

The “scoundrel” Wujiang referred to sat across from him, calmly watching his actions.

As the peach wood pieces joined, a scene appeared in the air— a bridge in March, the human world filled with fireworks—

A woman in wedding attire, holding an umbrella, stood on the bridge, her gaze lost, unsure where to go.

Wujiang couldn’t help but feel a pang in his heart as he looked.

Others might not understand, but Wujiang knew what Liu shuang was doing— she was waiting for Shaoyou. The young master of their Kunlun Immortal Mirror, Jimo Shaoyou.

She had no home, no place to go, lost without a heart, wandering aimlessly. In the entire eight wastelands, she only had one friend left— Shaoyou.

Liu shuang still believed that Shaoyou was just a small disciple from the ancient bloodline branch of the peach wood clan.

She didn’t know that in Kunlun, there was an immortal, the young master Jimo, named Shaoyou.

Too much wisdom brings sorrow. Since Liu shuang’s marriage a hundred years ago, Shaoyou returned to Kunlun. Upon learning that the Kunlun immortal veins were gradually withering, he willingly transformed himself into a mirror, becoming the new spiritual vein, forever protecting Kunlun.

He perished within the Kunlun Immortal Realm, turning into the gentle breeze and morning dew of the realm. Since then, the declining Kunlun Immortal Realm gradually regained its former grandeur.

The elder Wujiang, who had watched over Jimo Shaoyou’s growth, came here to live in seclusion, his heart filled with sorrow.

The deeply buried affection in Shaoyou’s heart, Wujiang knew all too well. If Liu shuang hadn’t already given her heart to another, even if Shaoyou couldn’t bear to see Kunlun decline, he wouldn’t have resolutely transformed himself into the spiritual vein, safeguarding Kunlun for a thousand years.

The more Wujiang thought about it, the angrier he became, shouting, “Alright, the person is found, see? You don’t want her, she doesn’t want you either. In her final moments, she’s waiting for my young master. Get out, get out! I’ve done all I can for you. From now on, the Kunlun Immortal Realm owes the Demon Lord nothing!”

Yan Chaosheng looked at the image of the young girl in the scene, then stood up and walked away.

Even when Wujiang used Jimo Shaoyou to provoke him, he didn’t bat an eyelid.

Wujiang angrily threw a cup at him, but didn’t dare to actually hit him, only daring to hit a nearby peach tree, cursing indirectly, “You beast, you won’t even let her have her final moments in peace, must you squeeze out the last bit of value! Heartless monster! Take whatever Hui Spirit power you want, she’s already given up on you.”

After cursing, Yan Chaosheng paused for a moment.

Wujiang, fearing his narrow-mindedness and that he might seek revenge, unable to fight him, was just about to sneak away when, unexpectedly, Yan Chaosheng didn’t turn back, disappearing into the peach forest in a few steps.

Wujiang blew life back into the peach wood doll in his hand and sighed softly. The rustling of the peach forest seemed to carry the sound of someone sobbing in sorrow.

“Young master, if only you were alive, if only you were alive, alas…”

The wind passed, flowers fell, and the gentle man who once broke willow branches by the bridge could never return.

Liu shuang stood on the bridge, not knowing how many willow leaf paper cranes she had sent out.

By now, Shaoyou still hadn’t come. Her spiritual power was almost exhausted, and she didn’t know if she could still wait for Shaoyou.

She remembered, two hundred years ago, the first spell Shaoyou taught her was turning willow leaves into paper cranes.

Shaoyou looked into her innocent eyes and said, “After all, you’re not truly mortal. Without spells, you might encounter accidents. I’ll teach you the art of seeking people. Learn this spell, and next time you’re in trouble, you can come find me.”

He pondered for a moment, casually broke a willow branch, and the willow leaves turned into paper cranes in his hand, dancing around Liu shuang.

Liu shuang’s eyes lit up, holding one in her palm.

This was the first spell she learned, and during her travels with Shaoyou, she always used this spell to find him.

A few days ago, there were still tears of blood in Liu shuang’s eyes, but now she no longer felt sorrow. More precisely, without a heart, she couldn’t feel sorrow.

Her eyes were blank, unsure what to do.

So, relying on her memory, she stood by the bridge, waiting for Shaoyou, her last friend in the eight wastelands. She felt she might soon die, touching her chest, it was empty, nothing there.

Liu shuang thought, I want to bid farewell to Shaoyou. If there’s anything in this world worth cherishing and longing for, it’s probably only Shaoyou.

She felt somewhat useless. Shaoyou knew where she was born and raised, but she didn’t know where Shaoyou’s hometown was. Thinking of him as a carefree immortal, he probably had no fixed abode.

If she could wait for Shaoyou, she wanted to hear about the beautiful mountains and rivers he had traveled through these years.

Liu shuang didn’t know if she regretted anything, as the light rain continued to fall.

She originally didn’t have a single coin and couldn’t afford an umbrella. An old man selling umbrellas, seeing her pitiful state, gave her a scarlet oil-paper umbrella.

Liu shuang had nothing to give him, so she quietly placed the last half of the double fish jade pendant into his basket.

The once bustling willow embankment, now with people hurrying to take shelter from the rain, was left with only Liu shuang.

Without a heart, she didn’t feel much hardship, standing there, almost like a stone without sensation.

Actually, this feeling wasn’t bad, Liu shuang thought, much better than before. She wasn’t sad anymore.

If Shaoyou came, she wouldn’t shed tears of blood and scare him.

The sky gradually darkened, and Liu shuang was disappointed, thinking that today she wouldn’t see Shaoyou. She just didn’t know how long she could hold on.

She closed her umbrella, about to leave, when she turned and saw a figure in green under the willow tree.

He stood there, watching her for who knows how long.

Seeing her blink in astonishment, he extended his hand, “I’m back.”

Liu shuang didn’t know if the sensation in her broken chest at that moment could be called the joy of meeting an old friend, but Shaoyou had indeed not lied to her.

Liu shuang ran over, stopping in front of him. Originally, she had many things to say, but after losing her heart, she became slow and dull, and could only dryly call out, “Shaoyou.”

Shaoyou’s eyes were like deep, cold pools, his lips curving into a smile as he responded, “Hmm.”

His dark eyes contained too much, vaguely making Liu shuang feel strange and afraid. She instinctively took a step back, immediately seeing his gaze turn obscure, and she quickly stopped.

How could she be afraid of Shaoyou?

Perhaps after a hundred years of trials, the gentleness on him had faded, leaving more gloominess? She was Shaoyou’s close friend, she couldn’t dislike him for this.

So Liu shuang said, “You’ve been gone for so long, you must have encountered many interesting things these years. Let me treat you to tea, and you can tell me stories.”

Shaoyou liked tea, but then she remembered she had no spirit stones, nor anything to exchange for money.

Fortunately, without a heart, she didn’t feel embarrassment. Realizing this, she said, “I forgot I have no money, let’s just sit under the bridge.”

The “Shaoyou” before her nodded silently.

But in the end, they didn’t sit by the bridge. He had somehow rented a small boat, warmed some wine on it, and asked her to come over.

Before Liu shuang could speak, a white fox fur cloak draped over her, which he fastened for her.

Liu shuang’s frozen body, which had lost sensation, now felt warm with the cloak on.

The scene somewhat resembled their travels through the human world a hundred years ago. Liu shuang said, “It’s a pity, there’s no moon.”

The human world was pitch black, the rain had just stopped, and strange muffled thunder continued in the sky. Where would there be a moon?

“Shaoyou” carefully scanned her features with his gaze, then moved his fingers after a while, saying, “Come out and see.”

Liu shuang stepped to the bow of the boat, softly exclaiming in surprise, indeed seeing a sky full of stars and moon, and the constant muffled thunder had disappeared.

How strange.

“Shaoyou, where have you been all these years? Have you been well?”

“I’ve been to many places, and I’m fine.” He looked up, his eyes dark and deep, “You… have you been well? Has Yan Chaosheng treated you well?”

He had thought that from her mouth, he would hear words more resentful and angry than what old man Wujiang had said.

But the pale-faced girl nodded, “I’ve been well too, Yan Chaosheng has been good, in the past, he shielded me from my bloodline calamities. It’s just that we had no fate, in the past hundred years, I was the one who forced it.”

“You don’t blame him?”

“No.” Liu shuang said. After all, it was the man she chose, and later the man she gave up. She didn’t regret marrying Yan Chaosheng, nor did she regret leaving him. Her disappointment in Yan Chaoshen for not saving Canglan had dissipated along with the shattering of her heart. Liu shuang could barely remember the pain of Canglan turning to scorched earth, how could she still harbor a fleeting resentment towards Yan Chaosheng?

After the spiritual separation, it could be said that they were merely strangers to each other.

“Then do you still love him?”

“Shaoyou, this isn’t like you.” Liu shuang’s long lashes were damp with rain, her voice puzzled, “It’s been a hundred years, why have you become so straightforward?”

The Shaoyou before her didn’t speak, nor did he intend to explain.

Under the bright moon, he suddenly heard her calm and gentle voice say, “I don’t love him anymore.”

The green bead in his sleeve almost fell out. He clenched it tightly, almost crushing it. After a long while, not wanting to reveal his emotions, he closed his eyes, “That’s good.”