Chapter 932: The Grassland Withers and Flourishes, People Remain as Before
Zhe Xiu looked even more disheveled than Chen Changsheng had been moments earlier. His body, harder than metal and stone, was covered in wounds and thick with dust.
Chen Changsheng took a handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it over, asking curiously, "How did you get through?"
Zhe Xiu's expression was blank as he replied, "I didn't fight back, didn't argue back. I just kept walking forward."
Chen Changsheng said, "That actually worked?"
Zhe Xiu said, "Or he could have just killed me."
Chen Changsheng said, "...That doesn't seem like your nature."
Zhe Xiu said, "I can change."
Since childhood, he had been regarded as a demon, cast out from his tribe, struggling between life and death, barely surviving.
Zhe Xiu had never been someone who cared about others' opinions, and he didn't even know how to write the word "compromise." His temperament was cold and hard to the extreme.
But for certain things, he was willing to change himself, even if it meant going against his own heart and his most ingrained habits.
Like now, he took the handkerchief Chen Changsheng handed him and very seriously wiped the dirt from his face.
After a moment, he looked at Chen Changsheng and asked earnestly, "Is it clean?"
Chen Changsheng looked for a while and said, "It'll do."
Zhe Xiu glanced at his clothes, torn by sword intent, and said to him, "I know you always carry a lot of clothes with you. Lend me a set."
"I had some free time and made a few sets of clothes. You can see if they fit later."
Qi Jian's voice came from behind Chen Changsheng.
Her voice was soft, trembling slightly.
Chen Changsheng stepped aside.
Seeing the young girl in the green dress, Zhe Xiu was stunned.
Qi Jian looked at him, nervous.
A silence fell.
They hadn't seen each other for many years.
There was some strangeness.
Some discomfort.
He was still the same.
She had grown into a young woman.
...
...
Qi Jian lifted her skirt and bowed.
As Su Li's daughter and the sect leader's direct disciple, she was the most special junior sister on Li Mountain.
She rarely bowed to anyone, so her movements were a bit clumsy.
Zhe Xiu clasped his hands and returned the bow, his movements even stiffer because he had never bowed to anyone in his life.
The atmosphere was also stiff.
They were silent for a long time, not knowing how to start a conversation.
"My time is running out," Zhe Xiu suddenly said.
Qi Jian knew his illness was worsening. Hearing this, she thought he was being like he used to be, and couldn't help but feel a little angry.
But Zhe Xiu continued, "So I want to cherish the time I have even more."
Qi Jian was slightly startled and asked, "What do you want to do?"
Zhe Xiu looked at her seriously and said, "I want to hold you."
Qi Jian's face turned bright red, and she didn't know how to respond.
Zhe Xiu awkwardly opened his arms.
Qi Jian felt like crying and said, "I want you to carry me on your back."
Zhe Xiu turned around and crouched down in front of her.
Qi Jian leaned onto his back, wrapped her arms around his neck, and then started to cry.
"Don't cry," Zhe Xiu said, a little uneasy.
Qi Jian felt wronged and said, "I want to cry."
Zhe Xiu thought for a moment and asked, "Where do you live?"
Qi Jian grew nervous and asked, "What are you going to do?"
Zhe Xiu said, "Didn't you say you made me a few new sets of clothes?"
Qi Jian leaned on his back, let out a soft hum, and said, "Who said I made those clothes for you?"
Zhe Xiu smiled but said nothing.
Qi Jian whispered, "South Wilds, Zhen Star Position, four li."
Zhe Xiu was stunned for a moment, then slowly closed his eyes.
He carried her on his back and ran in that direction.
That area was a vast grassland. Under the sunlight, it looked like a wheat field, rippling with golden waves.
It looked just like the grassland in the Garden of Zhou.
...
...
After Chen Changsheng stepped back, he tried to stay as quiet as possible so as not to disturb them.
Then he realized it was unnecessary, because it was obvious that Zhe Xiu and Qi Jian only had eyes for each other, and no one else existed.
Otherwise, how could Zhe Xiu, known for his vigilance, not have heard such dense footsteps and voices?
Qiu Shan Jun and the others, along with Tang Thirty-Six, walked through the stone path and arrived beside Chen Changsheng.
As Qi Jian had said, there were many ways to get through that stone path, and the disciples of Li Mountain Sword Sect naturally had their methods to calm the sword intent.
When they arrived, they happened to see Zhe Xiu awkwardly opening his arms, trying to pull Qi Jian into an embrace.
Tang Thirty-Six laughed loudly and said, "Is this guy trying to impersonate Xuan Yuan Po?"
Qiu Shan Jun raised an eyebrow.
Gou Han Shi shook his head.
Guan Fei Bai's face was as cold as frost.
Liang Ban Hu frowned in silence.
Bai Cai almost cursed.
Seeing the junior sister they had raised in the palm of their hands about to be held in another man's arms, anyone would feel a bit upset at such a sight.
Even a gentle gentleman like Gou Han Shi, or a broad-minded man like Qiu Shan Jun.
Zhe Xiu carried Qi Jian on his back and ran down into the emerald valley.
Guan Fei Bai and the others' expressions softened slightly.
Chen Changsheng walked over and said to Qiu Shan Jun, "Thank you."
Qiu Shan Jun pointed down into the emerald valley and said, "If it's about this, forget it."
There was naturally sympathy and pity for the junior sister, especially from him, but to say he truly wished for this pair of lovers to be together would be a lie.
So he said to forget it.
But Chen Changsheng wasn't talking about that.
"I heard that before Senior Su Li left, he wanted to leave you a letter, but you didn't accept it."
Chen Changsheng said, "It was only when I was crossing the stone path earlier that I understood the meaning."
Qiu Shan Jun said, "There was no deep meaning in my action. I just didn't like the way the Grandmaster acted that day. I was a bit annoyed, so I didn't accept it."
Chen Changsheng was silent for a moment before saying, "The senior's actions were indeed somewhat irresponsible. I don't like them either."
"Everyone says I'm very similar to Senior Su Li. I imagine if I met him, I would surely like him."
Tang Thirty-Six said with regret, "It's a pity we missed the chance to meet. Otherwise, the senior would surely have passed on some good things to me."
Guan Fei Bai sneered and said, "Why don't you go look in a mirror?"
Tang Thirty-Six raised an eyebrow and said, "Every morning when I wake up, I look in the mirror. I'm quite handsome. Was your Grandmaster ugly?"
When it came to witty remarks, all the disciples of the various peaks of Li Mountain Sword Sect combined were no match for him.
Gou Han Shi signaled Guan Fei Bai to be quiet and said to Chen Changsheng, "The Pope broke the Dao with his sword. According to the rules, from now on, you can be considered a member of our Li Mountain lineage."
If it were an ordinary cultivator in the world, being considered a disciple of the most powerful Li Mountain Sword Sect would be a dream come true.
But Chen Changsheng was no ordinary person. His status was extremely noble, incomparable even to the sect leader of Li Mountain Sword Sect.
Gou Han Shi's words had no other intention; he was just informing him. In his mind, Chen Changsheng naturally wouldn't accept.
And indeed, Chen Changsheng had no objection to Li Mountain Sword Sect. Over the years, their ties had been deep, and he got along quite well with the younger generation of disciples like Gou Han Shi. But as the Pope, he could never formally join the Li Mountain sect. How else would the priests in the Li Palace face themselves?
Chen Changsheng said, "We are already fellow travelers on the same path, naturally we are of the same school."
Gou Han Shi praised, "These words hold true meaning."
Just then, Qi Jian's happy laughter came from the grassland outside the emerald valley.
Watching the clear trail of dust on the grassland and the two figures ahead, everyone had their own thoughts.
Chen Changsheng and Qiu Shan Jun shook their heads and said in unison, "I wonder what that guy was thinking."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire place fell silent.
Everyone knew that the "guy" they were talking about was Su Li. The silence wasn't because of the disrespect in the words.
Gou Han Shi looked at Chen Changsheng and Qiu Shan Jun with a slightly strange expression and said, "You two are very in sync."
The others were also looking at them.
Chen Changsheng and Qiu Shan Jun exchanged a glance, then, with perfect synchronicity, turned around and said nothing more.