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墨書 Inktalez
In the depths of the valley, within a hidden cave, a handsome man surrounded by a pure white light faced an ugly, hunchbacked old woman. The two stared silently at each other.
“It has been so many years; why must you do this?” Xiao Bai's expression was filled with sadness and helplessness.
“To you, it may be in the past, but the scars etched in my heart will remain with me for a lifetime. The Celestial Master was right; the master brought by Feng Fei will also bring you,” the old woman said, her grotesque face flashing with various emotions that were hard to define as love or hate.
Xiao Bai remained calm and unyielding. “I wronged you in our past life, but that person has long since died. Now, I am merely a divine beast, descended from Kunlun Mountain to assist my master.”
“She is also my master. I will assist her in becoming a great emperor as my lifelong wish. Since we share the same goal, why do you keep obstructing me?” the old woman retorted angrily.
Xiao Bai sighed lightly. “I thought I was indifferent, but after being with her for so long and witnessing all her sacrifices for the Jin Kingdom, for her companions, and for the subjects who love her, I cannot remain unmoved. Murong Yan, you are not heartless; why must you be so cruel to her? You know very well that this is not the life she desires.”
Murong Yan sneered coldly. “She is chosen by Feng Fei; therefore, she must bear such responsibilities and cannot let personal feelings hinder her.”
Xiao Bai looked at her sadly and said softly, “You have already altered Sima Rui's memories, making him forget that Xie Weiying is An Jin, creating misunderstandings that will haunt him for life. Is that not enough? You want your master to willingly forsake her memories for him as well? You are too cruel.”
The old woman's yellowed face turned pale, yet she coldly replied, “If you won't do such things, someone must. Since you refuse to be the villain, I shall take on that role myself.” She sighed deeply. “Everything I do is for her sake. She will understand.”
Xiao Bai fell silent. Looking at this stubborn woman, he found himself at a loss for words.
Moreover, in their past life, he owed her much. To cultivate his powers, he had transformed into human form seven times to undergo trials that would take forty-nine tribulations to achieve enlightenment. Each time followed a predetermined plot and ending; in his last life, he was the one who wronged her. He never expected she would discover his secret of returning to the human realm and even find him.
As someone who also aimed to assist her in becoming the Unified Continent's ruler, he did not anticipate her extreme methods. She had used so many tactics to turn herself into someone truly cold-blooded and indifferent, solely focused on matters concerning the Jin Kingdom. Aside from the person beside her and her daughter An Yijun, she seemed to care little for anyone else.
During the conference where various nations sought to attack the Jin Kingdom, he feared she might go mad over An Yijun and disrupt the balance of the entire continent.
Her arrival had already disrupted that balance; if she were to alter the course of history further, divine retribution would surely follow. Thus, he worried about what extreme actions she might take.
He disagreed with Murong Yan; only someone who harbors love can truly be a good master—someone who genuinely cares for all subjects.
Finally, Xiao Bai looked at her calmly and said, “Since we cannot reach an agreement, let us proceed according to our own ideas. However, we must ensure that neither of us harms our master. Is that acceptable?”
Murong Yan stubbornly met his gaze, pursed her lips tightly before finally responding coldly, “Fine.”
I stood up calmly, my face betraying no emotion. Aside from my slightly moist eyes, there was no other sign of anything unusual.
I looked at him and finally said softly, "If that's what you wanted to say, then I understand. You can go now."
His sorrowful gaze washed over me like a sudden wave: "Have you truly forgotten... forgotten..." He fell silent, turning away and stumbling off.
I stood there and suddenly burst into an odd, loud laugh, almost gasping for breath as if I had heard the greatest joke in the world, unable to stop. Yet, why did my laughter sound so desolate and aged?
I collapsed on the ground, clutching my stomach and laughing for a long time. Tears streamed down my face.
The sky was a deep blue, clear as if it reflected my own visage. It was very quiet, so quiet; this was a secluded place where I preferred solitude, having deliberately sought out a rarely traveled path. All around me were flowers blooming in vibrant colors, yet why did I feel so haggard?
Even if I were merely one of the fallen petals in her life, I would have no regrets.
Do you really have no regrets at all? I closed my eyes, a tear escaping from the corner.
Lost in thought, I made my way back to Frostfall Palace.
I had Xiao Quanzi fetch many jars of Blossom Plum Wine. Sitting on the ground in the courtyard, I drank deeply.
Seeing that no amount of persuasion would sway me, Xiao Quanzi shook his head with a sigh and left.
But not long after, Shaoshao came running back. Although he appeared calm and expressionless when he reached me, I could still see his anxiety; the jade pendant hanging from his waist swayed in the wind, still unsettled like him.
He smiled at me as I sat on the ground drinking like a child.
With slightly blurred vision from the alcohol, I looked at him and said, "Shaoshao, you're here."
He nodded and came over to sit beside me. Silently, he picked up a jar of wine and drank without hesitation.
I watched him and teased, "Brat, what are you drinking? Put that down."
He turned to me with a serious look and cupped my slightly flushed cheeks with both hands, forcing me to meet his gaze directly. Then he looked into my eyes and spoke slowly: "Mom, take a good look at me. I've grown up; I'm no longer that child who can be bullied. Now, I have enough strength to protect you."
Sima Shao gazed at the extraordinary woman before him. Ever since she had recklessly stormed into Jingyang Palace in her childhood, vowing to never abandon her family and caring for him with her own blood, he had silently thought about what might have been if he had survived. If he lived, then in this life, he would follow her forever and cherish her always.
His tone was serious as he made a promise, and I stared at the transformed young man in disbelief. He had truly grown up; he was no longer that child.
I smiled as I caressed his now angular face. Though it lacked the softness and smoothness I remembered, it was a sign that he had finally come of age.
"I'm glad you've grown up. But your mother is starting to age," I said. "Shaoshao, even when I'm not by your side, you must take good care of yourself. And let me tell you something," I leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "in this world, you have a sister. If you ever meet her one day, remember to treat her well for your mother. Do you understand?"
He looked at me with a hint of confusion, not quite grasping my meaning, but he nodded obediently. "Okay."
"That's good." I pushed him away playfully and took another swig of wine, laughing heartily. "Come on, let's drink! We won't stop until we're drunk."
As I spoke those words, they felt oddly familiar, causing me to pause for a moment before returning to normal.
He smiled back at me and raised his cup to join in the drinking.
The gentle breeze enveloped us as we sat together, laughing freely, shedding all pretense and worries. The past may have been beautiful, but we drank for today alone, reveling in the present moment.
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