Love & Redemption
Chapter 209: Volume 5 Phoenix Flower Blooms - 16 Phoenix in Flight (6)

Chapter 209: Volume 5 Phoenix Flower Blooms Chapter 16 Phoenix in Flight (6)

The Vice Palace Master paused thoughtfully, but Liu Yihuan grew impatient, leaping up and shouting, "No! I disagree! This matter has nothing to do with you, Si Feng! Don’t be foolish! Can you just wander into the Netherworld as you please?!"

Yu Sifeng shook his head, his voice grave, "I’ve decided, big brother."

"Si Feng! Yu Sifeng!" Liu Yihuan shouted frantically from the Stone Sword, "Wake up! Your father’s situation has nothing to do with you! Don’t get yourself involved in the messy affairs of Lize Palace!"

Yu Sifeng stopped talking to him and turned to look steadily at the Vice Palace Master, waiting for his response. After a long while, the Vice Palace Master chuckled lightly, saying softly, "I admire Si Feng’s courage, but you are still young, entrusting you with the Juntian Ring, how could I be at ease? What if you don’t succeed?"

Yu Sifeng spoke softly, "Since I have promised, unless I die, I will definitely retrieve the Juntian Ring!"

The Vice Palace Master seemed somewhat moved and spoke gently, "You child... don’t mention death so lightly. You’re also grown up now, and the great cause of Lize Palace is your responsibility too. Since you are so determined, it’s indeed good to entrust the matter of the Juntian Ring to you. Your father and I will wait for your return in Lize Palace."

After he finished speaking, he bent down to help the Great Palace Master, but Yu Sifeng extended his hand to stop him. He looked at him puzzled, while Yu Sifeng did not speak, just quietly stared into his eyes. The Vice Palace Master pondered for a while before saying, "Alright, I also promise you, unless I die, no one can change the situation in Lize Palace. Your father is the Great Palace Master, and I won’t touch a hair on his head; just wait until you return."

Yu Sifeng said calmly, "Swear an oath." With that, he suddenly assumed a strange posture, one hand touching his forehead, the other his chest, and closed his eyes. This action caused a slight shiver in the Vice Palace Master. It was the unique oath swearing ritual of Lize Palace, swearing to heaven and earth never to break one’s word, else all one’s blood shall drain and result in death. The ancient oath ceremony was frightening, with its inclusion of an unknown mystical power, much like a certain kind of faith that nobody dared violate. Clearly, Yu Sifeng did not trust him.

The Vice Palace Master watched him for a long time before assuming the same posture, his voice grave, "With heaven above and the yellow earth below, if I break today’s oath, let all the blood in my body drain away in death!"

He lowered his hands and smiled, "Now, are you reassured?"

Yu Sifeng did not respond, only extending his hand, "Give me the key and the ring."

The Vice Palace Master handed over the two items to him, then bent down to help the Great Palace Master up, who staggered a bit, seeming a bit more alert, and called out in a low voice, "Si Feng... go now." The Vice Palace Master laughed, "Brother, don’t worry, he’s about to leave now." The Great Palace Master roared, "You... let go! What are you going to do to him?!" The Vice Palace Master spoke softly, "Brother, you have the Lover’s Curse on you, don’t get too agitated. Go back and rest well first."

The Great Palace Master was both anxious and angry, nearly fainting again, but suddenly a hand reached out, hooking under his ribs, and turning his head, it was none other than Yu Sifeng. His complexion was pale, yet a slight smile was on his face, he spoke softly, "Dad, let me take you back."

He quickly took the Great Palace Master back to Jingui Palace, while the Vice Palace Master followed them to Danyat Platform before saying, "Si Feng, I have been neglectful as your uncle. Since I have always been neglectful, it doesn’t make a difference this last time. I hope that whether or not you retrieve the Juntian Ring, you don’t return to Lize Palace. Isn’t there a girl always waiting for you? Hehe, isn’t being a human much more carefree than being a demon?"

Yu Sifeng paused, not saying a word, but continued to support the Great Palace Master as they walked away. By the time they reached the bedroom, Yu Sifeng laid the Great Palace Master on the bed, bent down, and asked softly, "Dad, do you still have the antidote to the Lover’s Curse?" The Great Palace Master did not speak, perhaps he couldn’t anymore, he could only grip Yu Sifeng’s wrist tightly, tears glistening in his eyes.

Yu Sifeng pried his fingers open, turned, and began searching around his room. If he had prepared an antidote for the Lover’s Curse in the morning, then the recipe and medicinal ingredients should still be left. The Great Palace Master’s room was somewhat cluttered, with many things piled on both the table and the bed. After searching the table for a while, he finally found a crumpled scrap of paper, with the words "Lover’s Curse Antidote" written clearly on it.

Behind the bedroom was a room storing various precious medicinal herbs. The recipe listed several ingredients that were not from the mortal world, such as Qilin Horn and Dragon Heart String—things unheard of. Fortunately, the Great Palace Master had prepared everything needed to concoct the antidote for him earlier, and there were leftovers.

He set up a fire in the room, closed all the doors and windows tightly, and began carefully concocting the medicine. Soon, a thick sweet fragrance filled the air—it was the scent of the antidote from that morning. It was only then that Yu Sifeng truly breathed a sigh of relief. Turning around to look at the Great Palace Master, he realized he had already sat up, his gaze flickering as he stared blankly at him.

Yu Sifeng didn’t know what to say as they looked at each other; suddenly, he found the term ’father’ hard to voice.

After a long while, the Great Palace Master finally sighed softly, "Love—the matter of love—has misled me my whole life. Si Feng, such things as love are too luxurious for us. If untouched, well and good; but once touched, it is nothing but self-destruction."

Yu Sifeng’s lips trembled slightly as he whispered, "The one who fell into evil, it’s you."

He always said he had been bewitched, destined to be ruined by Xuanji in this life, but now, it seemed he had always been talking about himself. The Great Palace Master was silent, finally giving a miserable smile, lying back down, and murmuring softly, "The phoenix takes flight... Hao Feng, Hao Feng..."

Finally, the antidote was ready. Yu Sifeng brought it to the Great Palace Master and said, "Father, drink the antidote. I have always been willful. Now, let me be wilful this last time; let me do something."

The Great Palace Master closed his eyes, his eyelashes trembling slightly, his voice quivering, "Once drunk... everything will be forgotten, even you won’t be remembered..."

Yu Sifeng’s lips curled slightly as he whispered, "If I can be forgotten, so be it, Master."

Whether it’s the beautiful lies we tell ourselves or the cruel reality, it’s better to forget all of it—a clean slate. He and she... they had never begun; whether she ever loved him or how much she hated him, those annoying questions would all disappear.

Indeed, the matter of love is too luxurious for them. Too sweet to afford, too painful to endure; better to forget. Being a person is also a very tough task, having to pin the wings, straighten the back, utter those equivocal words, changing masks one after another. Better to forget.

Forget everything. The father and son who had just acknowledged each other, filled with hope not yet matured, are all frozen cold now. It’s as if he never had parents, never missed them.

Yihuan Liu had waited a long time on the beach until she finally saw that slender green figure emerge from the palace gates, walking slowly towards her.

"Alright, big brother will accompany you to the Netherworld," he said solemnly, "Big brother won’t leave you alone!"

Yu Sifeng nodded silently.

Yihuan Liu patted his head hard, softly saying, "Come on. Silly boy, don’t cry!"

A few tears as big as beans fell from Yu Sifeng’s face, or perhaps it was rainwater; in the end, all fell into the sand silently. He leapt onto the Stone Sword, whispering, "Let’s go, big brother."

******

When Xuanji arrived at the Li Ze Palace with Tengshe at a leisurely pace, Yu Sifeng had already been gone for half a month. However, she did not know this and was still lost in fantasies about what to say to him once they met again. Although their separation had not been long, it felt like a lifetime to Xuanji.

Had he changed a bit? Lost weight? Grown taller? Would he be reluctant to see her? Would he be cold and ignore her after meeting? Xuanji’s head was spinning with these thoughts until she finally made up her mind; no matter what he had become, the first thing she would do upon seeing him was to hug him tightly and never let go.

Tengshe noticed her smiling yet non-smiling expression and felt a wave of embarrassment, not holding back, he said, "We’re here! Stop daydreaming! If you’re going to be love-struck, wait until you actually see him, okay?"

Feeling good, Xuanji couldn’t be bothered to argue and directly descended from the clouds, landing on the beach of Li Ze Palace. Unexpectedly, the beach was completely deserted, unlike her previous visit when many young disciples had been playing in the water.

Xuanji looked around bewilderedly, finding truly no one around, the palace doors were shut tightly, the weather overcast, with a fine rain falling coolly onto her body. She had no choice but to go and pound on the giant copper ring of the palace gate. After more than a dozen knocks, the gate creaked open, and a young disciple peeked out. Recognizing Xuanji, and remembering the times she had caused trouble at Li Ze Palace in the past, he immediately recoiled and raised his hand to close the gate.

Xuanji used the Bengyu to jam the gate, shouting, "Don’t run! I’m not here to fight!"

The disciple clutched the door tightly and repeatedly said, "Miss, if you’re looking for Yu Sifeng... He, he’s already left the palace! Please go back!"

Xuanji exclaimed, "Where has he gone?... You’re lying to me!"

The man, pale with fear, hurriedly responded, "No, no lie! He really isn’t in the palace!"

"I’ll see for myself!" She pushed the gate forcefully; the man couldn’t stop her and fell to the ground. He got up and ran away, crying out, "An outsider has breached! An outsider has come in!"

Xuanji took a few steps forward only to see many Li Ze Palace disciples surrounding her in an instant, each wielding a sword, silently blocking her way. Xuanji had decided not to fight this time; she immediately put away the Bengyu and called out loudly, "I’m only here to find Yu Sifeng! Please, let him come out and speak with me!"

The crowd fell silent for a while, finally, someone said, "Yu Sifeng left Li Ze Palace half a month ago. Both Palace Masters have decreed that from now on he is no longer a person of Li Ze Palace. Miss, please look for him somewhere else."

Xuanji was shocked and urgently said, "He really left?! But the Lover’s Curse hasn’t been lifted from him... No, I must go in to look for him!"

As soon as she finished speaking, whoosh, everyone raised their sword points towards her, showing a readiness to fight. Xuanji panicked and jumped, "I’m not here to fight!"

Suddenly, behind the crowd, a gentle laughter was heard, followed by the voice saying, "Little Xuanji, you really came again."

Xuanji focused her eyes and saw a man in a green robe standing behind the crowd, leisurely fanning himself with a feather fan, the Vice Palace Master who was always stirring trouble. Distaste filled her as she frowned and said, "I want to see Yu Sifeng! I don’t want to fight, don’t force me to take action!"

The Vice Palace Master laughed, "Even if you wipe out everyone in Li Ze Palace, you still won’t find him. He really left, he left half a month ago."

Xuanji was still somewhat skeptical, the Vice Palace Master waved his feather fan, and the crowd parted, he smiled and said, "If you don’t believe me, come in and look for yourself. If you find him, Li Ze Palace is yours to deal with, but if you can’t, I apologize, I will have to seek justice from the Shaoyang Sect Leader."

Hearing him mention her father, all of Xuanji’s anger disappeared in an instant. That’s right, her rash actions could bring trouble for the Shaoyang Sect, and as the daughter of the Sect Leader, she shouldn’t behave rashly in a way that tarnishes her sect’s reputation.

She muttered, "Why would he leave? Where has he gone? Has the Lover’s Curse been lifted?"

The Vice Palace Master spoke softly, "People grow up, and they eventually have to leave. He has reached the age to leave, and from now on, his affairs no longer concern Li Ze Palace. Please seek him somewhere else. As for the Lover’s Curse, it’s up to you to lift it for him, an external force won’t work."

Xuanji was silent for a long time before she slowly bowed with her fists, "Apologies for disturbing your peace... Please, Vice Palace Master, can you tell me where Yu Sifeng has actually gone?"

The Vice Palace Master, clearly pleased with her now polite attitude, whispered, "Don’t worry about it. Where exactly Si Feng has gone, I’m not sure either. But he left with Liu Yihuan that day, you might want to find Liu Yihuan and ask her about it."

Xuanji was stunned for a moment before slowly turning to leave. Tengshe, puzzled, followed her, repeatedly asking, "Eh? Aren’t we going to fight? Really not going to fight?" She shook her head, "No... I’m going to find Si Feng. I must find him!"

But where could he be? At this moment, Xuanji truly understood how vast the world was. Fate, when tying two people together, made the world seem small, but once separated, the path ahead became overwhelmingly vast, and she could no longer find any trace of him.

Why didn’t I cherish the moments when we were together?

She repeatedly asked herself, but even knowing the answer, what could be done? Often, only after losing something do we realize how precious it was. The lucky ones might find it again, but the unfortunate spend their lives in regret.

She left Li Ze Palace with Tengshe, embarking on a long journey to find him.

This search lasted over a year.

******

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