Love & Redemption
Chapter 187: Volume 4 Hua Meng Sudden Cracks - 44 Riot (Six)

Chapter 187: Volume 4 Hua Meng Sudden Cracks Chapter 44 Riot (Six)

Before she awoke, Xuanji had a series of vague dreams. They were about everything she had experienced since meeting Yu Sifeng, flowing past her like water.

Back then, she had caught the Little Silver Flower with her first move, nearly choking it to death, which had infuriated Yu Sifeng, who called her a wicked woman repeatedly. They truly despised each other at that time. But now, thinking back, he must have been nervous and at a loss during his first encounter with a girl. It’s not that he truly disliked her; it was just a young boy’s way of hiding his embarrassment with harsh words.

They went to Lutai Mountain together, saved Ting Nu together, and played tricks on Wu Tong together... He was always there with her, just a short distance behind, and when she turned around, she could see the boy’s slender shoulders and dark brows, smiling gently at her.

Maybe it was because his tenderness was too easily obtained, and things that come too easily are often not cherished. During the four years on Little Yang Peak, she hardly thought of him, lying exhausted on the bed after cultivation, dizzy with fatigue, and remembering the boy with the Silver Snake, her heart filled with an indescribable feeling—a mix of fear and avoidance because he was too nice to her, yet she forgot to write him letters, leaving him out of her mind entirely.

Because she could not repay him with the same kindness, she preferred, in her heart, to keep her distance from him—and to forget him if possible.

But then they met again. She never knew that a capricious argument in her childhood had caused him so much hardship, and he never mentioned it. He was so good to her that it made her fearful, and sometimes she felt it would be better to have light-hearted, boring quarrels with Zhong Minyan than to be with him.

But she still liked him, just as she liked Linglong, Min Yan, and her parents. In her heart, everyone was a whole, and no one could leave anyone else. But Yu Sifeng wanted not the whole; he wanted her alone, and over time, this contradiction grew ever larger.

Now, she would never again say she didn’t understand the difference between the two.

She clearly understood what Yu Sifeng wanted. The only thing unclear was her own heart. Did she love him? Could she see him as the only one in the world, just as he did for her? He said, to love someone is to share life and death. What would it feel like to die without hesitation for someone? What kind of happiness would it be to embrace the one you deeply love mutually?

As a child, she loved the sugar figurines sold at the foot of the mountain, thinking they were the best thing in the world. But as she grew older, she suddenly lost her taste for them.

She had also liked Zhong Minyan, thinking he was the best boy in the world, but Yu Sifeng said, "There is someone even better." Who could that be? At the time, she looked at him naively, and the boy did not speak, only his face gradually turning red.

Now she understood, the better one was him. If she no longer liked eating sugar figurines after growing up, did she need to grow up once more to understand what she truly liked? How could she grow up?

Growth is always a troubling matter. The future is like a maze where a myriad of paths entangle, and you never know if the path you’re walking is the right one. But everyone must go through this, and she too must muster the courage to keep going...

Xuanji slowly moved her eyelids and opened her eyes—a large face loomed before her. Instinctively, without a second thought, she slapped it, causing Tengshe to scream in pain, nearly jumping up and cursing, "You wretched girl, hitting someone the moment you wake up! So ungrateful!"

Groggily getting up, Xuanji saw that she was in a guest room on Fuyu Island. A few people were surrounding her, all looking at her hesitantly, as if wanting to speak. She saw a charming woman in purple sitting by the bed, her eyes red, and couldn’t help but softly call out, "Zi Hu..."

Zi Hu first nodded her head and then couldn’t hold back her tears, crying out, "Are you alright? I was so worried about you! Just forget about that heartless thief! Men are no good anyway!"

Liu Yihuan shouted from behind, "Hey, hey! Little Fox, aren’t you being a bit biased? What do you mean ’men are no good’?"

Zi Hu angrily retorted, "Are you any good? You’re the worst! None of your business when I’m talking!"

Liu Yihuan muttered something about her being a stunning beauty and therefore as a good man he wouldn’t argue with a woman. Ting Nu sighed, "At a time like this, what are you arguing about? Xuanji, are you feeling okay? Do you need a drink of water?"

Xuanji, looking tired, propped up her head and nodded. Ting Nu quickly poured her a cup of warm tea, handing it to her with a gentle voice, "Don’t think too much. I see that Si Feng isn’t so heartless, nor would he leave in a fit over a misunderstanding; he’ll be back in a couple of days."

She slowly shook her head, her voice hoarse, "I know he won’t come back. Don’t try to comfort me, I’m fine. If Si Feng... can find something he prefers doing, I should be happy for him."

The people in the room exchanged glances, all expecting her to wake up crying and screaming in despair, but she was surprisingly calm. Zi Hu hesitated before placing her hand on Xuanji’s forehead for a moment and whispered, "You’re not sick... Xuanji, are you really okay?"

After finishing the cup of tea in one gulp, Xuanji wiped her mouth, looked around, and asked, "Zi Hu, you can come out now? No one will trouble you again?"

Zi Hu nodded and said, "I’m fine now. It was your sister and senior brother who let me out. They spent ages prying open the prison door. Right now, everyone on Fuyu Island is busy taking care of the injured, no one is bothering about me."

"Injured... Right, how is everyone? At that time... I wasn’t there, nothing happened afterward, right?"

Zi Hu shook her head: "Everyone is fine, nothing happened. It was you who were carried back by that bastard man, looking as pale as a ghost, nearly scared us to death."

With a bitter smile, Xuanji paused for a moment, then feeling something amiss, she asked in surprise, "Where is Linglong? Where is my father? Why aren’t they here?"

The four people in the room seemed to pause for a second before Ting Nu sighed deeply and said, "Xuanji, don’t act rashly. After you chased after them, Red Bird suddenly flew up to Fuyu Island. Tied to it was a piece of cloth with blood-written letters, claiming Shaoyang was in trouble. Your father and the others didn’t dare to delay and immediately rushed back to Shaoyang Sect. Zi Hu and I were worried about you, and we couldn’t be of much help if we went, so we stayed to wait for you."

Shocked, Xuanji jumped out of bed immediately, too hurried to even put on her shoes, and grabbed Bengyu, rushing to leave. Zi Hu quickly embraced her and pleaded, "Don’t panic! They’ve been gone for a while now! There’s no need to rush at this very moment. Put on your shoes, tidy yourself up, and eat something first! You look terrible!"

Without a word, Xuanji turned to put on her shoes, gathered her disheveled hair, and pushed the door to leave. Liu Yihuan and the others had no choice but to follow, but upon opening the door, they were confronted by Dongfang Qingqi and Valley Master Rong standing in the doorway. The group stared at each other in astonishment for a long time, until Dongfang Qingqi finally said, "Little Xuanji, you’re in such a hurry, your hair is all disheveled. The matter of Shaoyang Sect is not urgent at this very moment. Calm down first."

Anxious, Xuanji said, "No! Uncle Dongfang, I must rush back! I... I can’t wait!"

Gently pushing her back into the room, Dongfang Qingqi spoke with a gentle yet serious tone, "You don’t need to rush. Get yourself ready first, and Valley Master Rong and I will accompany you! Going out with unkempt hair, what kind of impression does that make?"

Feeling helpless, Xuanji had no choice but to let Zi Hu accompany her outside to fetch water and tidy up a bit. When she came back, she overheard Valley Master Rong saying, "...I always found that name very familiar, and now I remember, Dianjing Valley once had a female disciple who also used that name. Speaking of her, she was indeed an unusual child..."

As she pushed the door open, she heard him continue, "Considering, that child must have been an old acquaintance of that person, why else would she use such a pseudonym to attend the conference? For Dianjing Valley to have such a disciple is indeed a disgrace to our ancestors."

Dongfang Qingqi asked, "Did that female disciple commit any despicable acts?"

Valley Master Rong shook his head, sighing, "It’s all ancient history now; that female disciple has long passed away. I’m just feeling a bit sentimental after suddenly recalling that name."

A flash of insight struck Xuanji, and she hurriedly inquired, "Valley Master Rong, the female disciple you’re talking about, is her name Hao Feng?"

Valley Master Rong nodded and said, "Correct... Her surname was Yu... or perhaps Yu, I don’t quite remember."

Xuanji murmured, "But, at this grand conference, the Hao Feng who came wasn’t a disciple of Li Ze Palace but the Great Palace Master of Li Ze Palace... Could it be that he and that female disciple..."

Surnamed Yu... Yu, Yu... Si Feng’s surname is Yu, Vice Palace Master said: The real father hasn’t spoken, yet the fake father acts so presumptuously... Could it be the Great Palace Master is Si Feng’s father? Could Si Feng’s mother be that female disciple?!

"Little Xuanji, are you ready? What are you muttering about, don’t you want to go back to Shaoyang?" Dongfang Qingqi’s voice brought her back to reality, and she quickly said, "No! We... let’s go now! Si..." She started to call out Si Feng’s name instinctively, but suddenly remembering he was no longer there, her heart sank sharply, and biting her lip, she felt an immense sorrow.