Love & Redemption
Chapter 170: Volume 4 Hua Meng’s Sudden Rift - 27 Eve (Part 9)

Chapter 170: Volume 4 Hua Meng’s Sudden Rift Chapter 27 Eve (Part 9)

Although the Internal Cavity Sparrow had been removed from Chu Lei’s body, he still felt lethargic, as if he hadn’t slept for three days and nights and had climbed countless tall mountains, extremely exhausted. In the end, he only managed to join them for two drinks before Linglong and Xuanji escorted him back to rest.

After Linglong had attended to Chu Lei until he fell asleep, she took Xuanji’s hand and walked toward the courtyard, seemingly with something to say. Xuanji felt a sense of unease in her heart. She saw Linglong walk to the railing and gaze fixedly at a laurel tree in the courtyard. The moonlight shone like silver, and Linglong’s face glowed with a faint soft light under the silvery gleam—such a calm and gentle expression, one that Xuanji had never before seen on Linglong’s face.

"Xuanji, do you despise me?" she suddenly asked in a low voice.

Xuanji was startled and quickly replied, "Why would I? Why do you ask that?"

Linglong spoke softly, "Actually, it doesn’t matter if you do. By abandoning my father and mother just to follow a man, people who hear about it would say that this girl has no self-respect and will look down on me."

Xuanji shook her head and said, "Why would anyone look down on you? What you’re doing is following your heart, and besides... you haven’t abandoned your father and mother! People who don’t understand the situation and talk nonsense... it has nothing to do with us."

"You’re always saying such childish things," Linglong laughed and tussled her hair, "I just like your carefree nature. It’s wonderful. I tend to overthink things, even back in the days at the Shaoyang Sect. I liked him so much, I had to see him every day and only felt at ease with him by my side. But I was afraid of what the other disciples would say behind my back and scared that the elders would think I, a girl, had no self-respect, always mixing with men. That’s why I was hot and cold with him, and in the end, he was unhappy, and I didn’t even know what I truly wanted in my heart. What I wanted, was it our happiness or was it to preserve the good reputation of the name Chu Linglong?"

Xuanji softly called out, "Linglong..."

Linglong smiled and said, "But now I understand. People’s words are indeed to be feared, but the fear of gain and loss is even worse. He could disregard his own life for me; what are those little words of people worth? Xuanji, my life was saved by him, and even if I were to give it back to him, I would be willing."

Xuanji couldn’t say anything, only nod her head. After a while, she finally said, "You and Sixth Brother being like this, it makes me very happy. I just like it when everyone is cheerful and together."

Being together, just like when they were children, chatting and laughing, with no one leaving or dying. She seemed like someone who had been lonely for too long, yearning to protect this warmth, not allowing anyone to take it or break it. Some things in the world are worth guarding with one’s life. What seems laughable in the eyes of others might be a priceless treasure in someone else’s eyes.

Seeing her talking seriously in her childish manner, Linglong couldn’t help but let out a "pfft" of laughter, and as she pinned the stray hair by Xuanji’s ear, teased her gently, "What about Si Feng? Isn’t he special in your eyes?"

Xuanji’s heart skipped a beat, and she blushed speechless. After a long pause, she eventually said, "I haven’t thought as much as you. I don’t care what others say or do, whether they mock or ridicule, or even look down on me. I just want to be with him. If anyone tries to take him away, my Bengyu will not be polite."

She waved Bengyu around, exuding a protectiveness like that of a loyal dog. Linglong took Bengyu from her, examined it closely, and compared it with her own Broken Gold. She felt one glowed with a dazzling golden luster while the other with a lingering silver radiance, both exhibiting their unique qualities. Yet, Bengyu ultimately possessed an added spirit, far from normal weaponry.

Linglong sighed enviously, "It’s wonderful that you can wield Bengyu. The Island Master once told me about another sharp weapon besides Broken Gold, named Bengyu. I asked Father for it, and he didn’t refuse outright, just said it depended on fate. In the end, I indeed couldn’t wield it, which disappointed Father. Now that you can wield it, he must be extremely happy."

Xuanji opened her mouth to tell her about the origin of Bengyu and Ding Kun, but suddenly realizing something, she hastily changed the subject, "Let’s head back to the banquet, otherwise Uncle Dongfang will make us drink as a penalty, and you will end up passing out drunk."

Linglong nodded, took her hand, and they walked back together. A gust of wind blew towards them, lifting Xuanji’s long hair, revealing a pink spot behind her ear. Linglong exclaimed "Eh" and touched it, laughing, "The island doesn’t experience seasons but has mosquitoes too?"

Xuanji’s face turned intensely red, and she quickly covered it with her hand, stammering, "No... it’s not a mosquito bite... Let’s, let’s hurry on." Her voice carried a coquettish tone, like that of a young girl, begging her not to ask further.

It was Linglong’s first time seeing Xuanji act so coquettishly, and she found it amusing. Then, it suddenly dawned on her what the mark was, and she too felt a blush creeping up her cheeks, marvelling inwardly at his boldness, and whispered, "He... he sure is bold."

Xuanji felt so embarrassed that she wished she could hide. Twisting her dress’s straps, the evening breeze lightly stirred her soft long hair, and her timid, vulnerable look was truly captivating.

"You... you mustn’t tell anyone!" she grasped Linglong’s hand, quietly pleading, "Please, dear sister, don’t tell anyone."

Linglong nodded with a smile, "Look at you, always like a child, and Si Feng has always been so gentle and refined. It’s unexpected." Then, humming, she added, "Sixth Brother might seem bold, but he’s actually quite reserved."

Xuanji was momentarily stunned, not knowing whether to call her bold or reckless. After a long pause, she too said, "Actually, Si Feng can be quite dull at times."

Under the moonlight, the faces of both were slightly red. They looked at each other for a long time, and then burst into laughter, finding such bold conversation quite amusing. Holding hands, they returned together.

Back in the parlor, Dongfang Qingqi and Liu Yihuan were having a blast, their unhinged natures coming through as they got along fabulously after a few drinks. Ting Nu was quietly eating, while Tengshe seemed ready to climb onto the table to stuff his face with all the dishes. Zhong Minyan and Yu Sifeng, buoyed by the spirits, had much to discuss; they didn’t even notice Linglong and her company returning.

On hearing that Ting Nu had used magic to set her soul back in place, Linglong was extremely grateful but hadn’t had the chance to thank him face-to-face. Now was the perfect opportunity, so she approached and struck up a conversation with him. She found his speech elegant and his demeanor gentle. Among all the men she knew, Zhong Minyan was erratic and not very steady; although Yu Sifeng was stable, he was cold and aloof, offering little to converse about; her eldest brother’s knowledge wasn’t as vast as Ting Nu’s; her father and the other Elders, not being young, would seldom chat with her about anything. Now, seeing how gentle Ting Nu was, she instantly took a great liking to him and kept chatting, asking about all sorts of amusing things.

Xuanji, seeing Tengshe’s unseemly way of eating, felt embarrassed that she, as the host, had lost face. She couldn’t help but pull him back and, seeing his face smeared with rice grains and vegetable soup, used a handkerchief to wipe it clean, while saying, "How can an immortal eat like this? Don’t you know how to use chopsticks? Does everyone in heaven grab food with their hands?"

Tengshe initially wanted to grab a soft-shelled turtle to eat with his hands. When he heard her say this, his immortal pride at stake, he reluctantly switched to chopsticks, stuffing food in his mouth and mumbled his complaint, "If the food in heaven was half as delicious as it is here, I wouldn’t need to act this way. It’s not just me—even Ying Long and Emperor Bai, upon seeing such delicious food, would definitely be unable to resist grabbing it with their hands."

To save face, he shamelessly dragged Emperor Bai and Ying Long into his excuse. Xuanji shook her head continuously, seeing him get stained with vegetable sauce, or when he couldn’t resist using his hands, she promptly corrected him. In the end, she felt less like his host and more like his nurse.

Dongfang Qingqi laughed heartily and said, "Little Xuanji, to be human is to be unrestrained. Eating should be lively and joyful. Let him be! Come, have a drink. Today, recognizing that demon was largely your credit."

When he brought up the shape-shifting demon, everyone spontaneously stopped talking. Dongfang Qingqi lamented, "Unfortunately, we let it escape. Ah, Fuyu Island’s reputation, cultivated over hundreds of years, has been marred by harboring danger, and I didn’t even notice earlier that Ouyang was a demon..."

Something kept nagging at Zhong Minyan, and he couldn’t help but ask, "Island Master, that day... Brother Ouyang... he..." He hesitated, unsure of how to continue.

Dongfang Qingqi understood what he meant and said, "He was certainly human. I, too, have been racked with regret since, but nothing can change the past. I ordered him to be buried on the mountain behind us and provided with regular tomb sweeping and fresh fruit. If you wish to pay respects, I can have someone take you there early tomorrow morning."

Zhong Minyan heaved a sigh of relief and said with a wry smile, "So it is... it’s all my fault anyway."

Dongfang Qingqi chuckled, "At a young age, it’s good to suffer a bit. You’ll understand later that having setbacks when you’re young is actually a very valuable experience. Those who have an easy life can’t beg for this kind of precious learning."

Linglong said in surprise, "Uncle Dongfang, when you talk about an easy life, you’re not referring to me, are you?"

Dongfang Qingqi burst into loud laughter, and the others joined in.

"Brother Chu is fortunate to have two daughters beautiful as flowers, truly enviable," he shook his head, sighing. Then, he thought of his own marriage of many years without offspring, and the tragedy of his wife, realizing that the greatest joy of family, the delight of kinship, was something he would never experience in his life.

After a round of laughter and conversation, only when the moon had reached its zenith did they dismantle the banquet and retire to their respective rooms for rest.

Yu Sifeng, quite drunk, staggered as he walked while Zhong Minyan, still mumbling, wanted to continue the revelry. Their drinking lasted until the next morning when, without waiting for Yu Sifeng’s consent, an agitated Linglong cracked him on the head, scolding, "Drink what?! Get to bed now!"

Zhong Minyan, his eyes squinting from inebriation, grabbed hold of Linglong’s hand with a grin and murmured, "You, will you sleep with me?"

Linglong’s face turned a deep red, she spat at him and forcefully shook off his hand, "In your dreams! Get moving! Don’t be the laughing stock here!"

Seeing that Zhong Minyan was too drunk to walk properly, Linglong had no choice but to half carry, half drag him away. Suddenly, she remembered Xuanji and turned to look—Yu Sifeng was walking ahead in silence, with Xuanji following with her head down, both without a word. She paused, her thoughts briefly drifting to them, but quickly got distracted again by Zhong Minyan’s drunkenness, pushing the thought of the two to the back of her mind. (To be continued. For future story development, please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters are available, support the author, support genuine reading!)