Chapter 9: New Life

How am I not dead yet?

As his consciousness completely blurred, such a question suddenly flashed through Xun Qiu’s mind.

He could no longer feel his own body.

The pain, as if his entire being was being gnawed and devoured by tiny insects, and burned by hot oil and flames, had long since faded.

However, a phantom-like pain still lingered in the depths of his consciousness, causing him to “twitch” subconsciously, completely losing the will to live.

If an outsider were present at this moment, they would surely be terrified by the sight in the wooden tub—what was surging inside was no longer hot water, but a strange fluid of such complex color that it seemed to encompass all hues, a substance between solid and liquid, which now seemed to have quietly solidified.

It was slightly transparent overall, and upon closer inspection, one could see fine, blood-red threads within.

Those were all the meridians of Xun Qiu’s body.

At a glance, they faintly formed a human shape, and under the effect of the medicinal liquid, they were gradually growing stronger, developing into the most suitable form.

Without the covering of bones, flesh, and skin, it was an incomparably horrifying sight.

The part of the medicinal liquid in contact with the meridians was flowing slowly but surely.

From time to a time, it tried to seep into the meridians, to reshape a suitable vessel for them.

But this vat of medicinal liquid, ground from heavenly materials and earthly treasures, had long been stripped of all its potency by Yun Qingping.

Although it still had a slight spirituality sufficient to cooperate with the person bathing in it, Xun Qiu was currently in a daze, unable to generate a single desire or thought.

Therefore, such attempts could not achieve any result in the end.

The medicinal liquid quieted down, its temperature and medicinal properties slowly dissipating, awaiting the destined moment—life or death, it all depended on Xun Qiu’s choice.

The feeling Xun Qiu had at this moment was like not having slept for a whole week.

Just as he was about to lie down and sleep to save his own little life, he suddenly found that he had developed a sleep disorder due to staying up late, and no matter what he did, he couldn’t truly fall asleep.

Dizziness, a feverish head, drowsiness, no strength in his whole body, difficulty concentrating, wanting to stir up some temper or thought, but even having lost the spare energy for that… so he could only quiet down, unable to go back, unable to move forward, just waiting in the middle of the bridge of helplessness for the judgment of fate.

“…”

‘What is this?

If I had known it would hurt this much, I wouldn’t have done it…’

Xun Qiu sighed silently, although he didn’t know if he still had the ability to do so, but surprisingly, he had no regrets in his heart.

To live, to cultivate, to become an immortal who lives forever, that would be great.

To die, to go down and find the parents who had abandoned him, that also seemed not bad.

Either way was a good thing, so, was it still necessary to try?

Xun Qiu closed his eyes, letting his will sink in the empty feeling.

A distant, yellowed, and blurry memory flooded his mind.

It seemed to be on some afternoon.

At that time, truly still a child, he was sitting on a woman’s lap, staring blankly at the azure sky before him, at the birds singing and flowers fragrant, at the orioles flying and swallows dancing, at a world that was still strange and wonderful enough for him.

“Mother…”

Little Xun Qiu stretched out his hand, pointing into the distance.

“A little bird fell down.”

“Oh my.”

A gentle voice that made Xun Qiu want to immerse himself in it sounded.

He was lifted from the woman’s lap, and then, holding her hand, they walked all the way to the little bird of unknown species.

A pair of plain white, soft hands gently lifted it.

“Little Yue, its wing is injured.

Look, it’s bleeding here.”

The woman, whose face he couldn’t see clearly, sighed.

“…Mother, aren’t you going to stop the bleeding for it?”

At that time, little Xun Qiu, who still had a real name given by his parents, said.

“Before, when I got hurt, you would always do that.”

“Little Yue, people and little birds are different.”

The woman placed a handkerchief in her palm, her fingers gently stroking the little bird’s head.

“Let’s take it back.

We’ll put some medicine on its wing and feed it something, and it’ll be fine.

These little guys are very sensitive.

If we watch them too much, they’ll get nervous and won’t eat…

Hehe, Little Yue, you mustn’t learn from the little bird.

Don’t be a picky eater, okay?”

Little Xun Qiu awkwardly hugged the woman’s leg.

“Mother, I’m different from the little bird.

Didn’t you just say so…

Just by feeding it a little something, can the little bird live?”

“It should be able to.”

The woman used her free right hand to stroke little Xun Qiu’s head.

“That’s what your father said.

He seems to have taken care of a little guy like this before.

It should be right.”

“Mmm… what if it doesn’t work?”

Xun Qiu couldn’t see the woman’s face, but he could feel that her gaze was a little sad, a little dazed, as if she had remembered something.

Finally, she said in a gentle tone:

“Little Yue, then it will die.”

“Die… what does that mean?”

“It means falling asleep forever.

It won’t wake up again, won’t eat again, and won’t make its beautiful sound again…

Little Yue, death is a permanent farewell.”

Little Xun Qiu was a little dissatisfied with this answer.

“But Daddy said that dead people go underground, and every year… on the Ghost Festival!

They can all come back.

It’s the same for the little bird, right!”

“Your father is full of nonsense.”

The woman was a little disdainful, but her face wore a smile.

She paused for a moment, then put on a serious expression.

“Don’t listen to his nonsense.

He’s lying to you.”

“Lying to me?”

The woman nodded gently.

“He’s afraid you’ll be sad, afraid you’ll misbehave, so he made up such a story to lie to you…

But, Little Yue, I want to tell you, there is no underworld after people die, nor is there reincarnation.

Everyone has only one life, and everyone’s life will have a day when it ends.”

Little Xun Qiu sensed his mother’s seriousness.

He didn’t yet understand why, and could only subconsciously hug his mother tightly.

“Birth, old age, sickness, and death are all part of the human condition.

One day, your father and I will also leave you…”

“I don’t want that!”

Little Xun Qiu shouted, then his voice suddenly lowered.

“If, if that happens… I, I will go find you too…”

“Little Yue, if that day really comes, you will never see us again.”

The woman placed the little bird on the grass beside them and gently embraced little Xun Qiu.

“Promise Mother, don’t come looking for us, and don’t die…

Live on, live on forever.

As long as you are still alive, as long as you still remember us, we will live by your side.”

She stretched out a hand, making a pinky promise gesture, her eyes curving into crescents.

“Little Yue, can you promise Mother?

No matter what, you have to live on.

No matter what, don’t forget today’s words.”

Xun Qiu opened his eyes… he still couldn’t see anything, couldn’t see anything clearly, but in this world of consciousness, his right hand also reached out, making a pinky promise gesture.

He suddenly remembered another matter.

Unlike the promise to his mother, this was something he had never forgotten.

It was on some night, when the Dongfang residence where he lived in his childhood was attacked by bandits.

The servants and maids were all killed by the intruders, and the man, reeking of blood and holding a long sword, finally found him hiding in the wardrobe and thrust his sword over…

His mother, who he thought had long since escaped with the guards, suddenly appeared and stood in front of him.

She could have escaped, because someone immediately discovered the massacre at the Dongfang residence, and the bandit, afraid of being found, left immediately.

But to protect him, she had turned back.

It was a useless effort, because that one sword pierced through both of them.

She died, and he only survived by luck.

Fairy Yun said that his meridians had been severely injured, and it was from that time…

Xun Qiu’s gaze was dark.

His body once again felt the pain he had experienced that night as the long sword entered his body.

Like a dark fire burning his heart, like ten thousand insects gnawing at his bones.

It was not as painful as reshaping his body, but it was even harder to forget, because it did not come from the outside, but from the depths of his heart.

She reached out her hand again.

She caught nothing.

“Hey… you good-for-nothing…”

Sitting at the doorway, Su Wantian, who was already a little drowsy, heard the voice from behind the door and was instantly jolted awake.

He confirmed that the voice was not his illusion, then suddenly pushed the door open.

“What’s wrong?

Xun Qiu, is it over or did you fail?

Are you alright…”

As he spoke, his body froze.

Xun Qiu, with grayish-white long hair draped over her body and a face so exquisite it didn’t seem of this world, was still in the wooden tub.

Her arms, so smooth and tender they reminded one of a baby’s, rested on the edge.

She was foolishly looking up, as if wanting to see the silver, bright moonlight outside the house, her face wearing an expression that Su Wantian couldn’t understand…

Hearing the sound, Xun Qiu turned her head.

It was still the familiar face, but it now had a dazzling brilliance that made it impossible to look away.

“No, everything, has just begun.”