After Escaping From Death, He Went Even Crazier By Criticizing Black Lotus Chapter 48
byChapter 48: The Finale
This pair, who had endured a hundred lifetimes yet…
Unknowingly, how many cold winters and spring months had passed, and in the blink of an eye, the biting spring wind was blowing again.
Although the early spring wind still carried a hint of chill, it melted the white snow on the branches into droplets of water, which fell into the withered grass, nurturing tender shoots.
Suddenly, a drop of icy water flew through a gap in the dilapidated roof of the ruined mountain temple, landing just below the eyes of the long-faded statue. It slowly traced a wet line across the thick layer of dust, like a god shedding a tear.
Immediately afterward, countless large and small drops of water landed on the eaves, signaling the arrival of the first spring rain.
Boom—
The spring thunder also roared. A blinding flash of light suddenly struck the ruined temple, collapsing a small section of the roof and making the already ancient temple even more dilapidated.
An unlucky sword cultivator passing through this wilderness intended to seek shelter from the rain, but nearly got struck by lightning, causing him to shiver all over.
He wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or the fright.
Just as he was about to leave and find shelter elsewhere, a faint voice drifted out from inside the temple—
“Little A’Yue…”
The sword cultivator didn’t look back and quickened his pace.
As he walked, he shouted, “Hmph, I’m not afraid of you, you lonely ghost! If you dare try to harm me, I’ll let you know the might of my Jiusi Sword!” He gripped his sword tightly, but his hands were trembling so much he couldn’t even draw it.
A certain lonely ghost thought to himself, Yue Jiusi is too timid. As a sword cultivator, he’s actually afraid of ghosts.
Yue Jiusi, embarrassed and angry, retorted, “Can’t I be afraid of the cold!”
The ghost was silent for a moment, then called out again, “Yue Jiusi, look at who I am.”
Yue Jiusi ignored him, rushing straight down the mountain. After a moment, a hand suddenly rested on his left shoulder.
The ghost had caught up to him without him noticing, and the voice was practically right next to his ear, saying, “Why are you running so fast? I almost couldn’t catch you.”
It sounded chillingly ghostly, complete with a slight tremor at the end.
Yue Jiusi’s heart leaped into his throat. He let out a sudden “Aow!” and clutched his head. He was so terrified that he completely forgot he was a cultivator who specialized in slaying demons and monsters. His voice was shaking uncontrollably: “Don’t eat me, don’t eat me! My meat is smelly and old, it doesn’t taste good…”
The ghost: “…”
After a long silence with no movement, Yue Jiusi opened his eyes a crack to look. He saw that the ghost was not grotesque at all, but rather quite beautiful, with a small face, small mouth, and large eyes. His long eyelashes fluttered, and his eyes seemed to have been soaked in spring water, moist and luminous. However, the red lotus mark on his forehead and his snow-white hair made him look exactly like a certain Divine Lord who had died a hundred years ago.
In an instant, the nine-foot-tall man stiffened rigidly, falling to the ground with a thud, shouting, “Ghost!!!”
His voice cracked midway, causing Su Huan to involuntarily crane his neck back. He explained helplessly, “Look clearly, I’m not a ghost. The Heavenly Dao judged my merit complete, so I didn’t die completely. I have now ascended… or rather, been demoted to an immortal.”
Yue Jiusi didn’t believe him at all: “You, you, you’re lying! What kind of immortal, immortal lord, wears burial clothes!”
Su Huan looked down and saw that his clothes were white robes with a left-over-right lapel, and they were still stained with a few specks of dirt, making him look like a freshly unearthed corpse puppet or a malevolent spirit.
He quickly brushed off the dirt and chuckled awkwardly, “I just came out of the tomb, I haven’t had time to change yet…”
Mid-sentence, he realized that sounded even worse.
Yue Jiusi stopped moving. Suddenly, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted. A jade pendant for warding off evil and attracting good fortune fell out from the collar of his robe, dutifully emitting a faint glow to protect its owner from evil.
Su Huan: “…”
Forget it. It’s probably better that he fainted.
It would make it easier for him to cast the Oblivion Spell.
…
When Yue Jiusi woke up again, he found himself alone in the ruined temple. His head felt foggy, and he couldn’t help but mumble, “I feel like I’ve forgotten something…”
The rain outside had long stopped. The clouds had cleared after the rain, revealing another beautiful day.
“Never mind. I still need to deliver the invitation for the Immortal Sect Grand Assembly to the Xuanji Sect…”
Yue Jiusi jumped up and left on his sword.
He was completely unaware that behind the ruined temple, a grave had appeared. The tombstone was inscribed with the words “Tomb of My Son Buhuan,” and the coffin behind the stele was open, with no corpse inside.
*
Recently, as various immortal sects and families rushed to the Jianqing Sect for the Immortal Sect Grand Assembly, the streets were bustling with vendors selling elixirs, artifacts, and spirit talismans, making it much livelier than usual.
Su Huan used the jewelry buried with him in the coffin to buy a set of clean clothes. After putting on a veiled hat, he left the shop, yet didn’t know where he should go.
Suddenly, he heard cultivators on the street discussing gossip:
“Did you hear? A few days ago, that person from the Sea of No Delusion went mad again. Killing all the demon race wasn’t enough; now he’s announced he wants to kill all the immortal cultivation families!”
“Ever since he took over the Sea of No Delusion, he has thrown the Seven Continents and Four Seas into chaos, leaving no peace…”
“He truly is a lunatic. If all powerful cultivators were like him, seeking a thousandfold revenge on the entire cultivation world whenever they suffer a setback in love, how are people supposed to live…”
“Speaking of which, that Venerable Sovereign Cangxuan was too unlucky. He finally reincarnated to live a carefree life, only to be forced out to clean up the mess left by the demon race, ending up with his soul scattered…”
Su Huan paused, adjusted the brim of his hat, and silently melted into the crowd.
The sole divine authority rested with him. If he didn’t step forward, no one could alter the predetermined ending of world destruction. To exchange his life for a vibrant future was worth it.
He just hadn’t expected that the decree he issued would also take effect on himself, allowing him to resurrect.
Thinking of this, Su Huan felt a headache coming on.
If that boy found out that he had abandoned him to face death, only to fail to die…
Su Huan silently tightened the veil, wrapping himself up securely.
Passing a restaurant specializing in spirit food, Su Huan’s gaze involuntarily fixed on the fragrant spirit fruits displayed inside.
Fresh, plump, and translucent.
Su Huan stopped.
When he left the shop, Su Huan had two paper bags in his arms, the red fruits inside piled into two small peaks. He picked up the reddest one and took a bite. It was so delicious that he couldn’t help but narrow his eyes, his entire being radiating comfort and ease.
He had only taken one bite when Su Huan seemed to sense something and abruptly turned around.
In the crowded flow of people, his gaze met a pair of black eyes.
Upon the sudden collision of gazes, the originally dull black eyes burst forth with light. A torrent of emotions surged out—shock, ecstasy, sorrow, pain… thick and turbulent like a pot of messy porridge.
The black-clad youth’s eyes instantly turned red, his body trembling. He uttered a sentence of extreme, suppressed agony: “…You abandoned me again.”
Su Huan froze. The fruit in his hand dropped to the ground with a splat.
It was Xiao Jianming.
Upon meeting again, Su Huan’s first reaction was to run, but before he could move, Xiao Jianming had somehow appeared before him, gripping his wrist, and calling out softly, “Brother A’Qing.”
The tone was light as a feather, like a lover’s whisper, yet it carried a strange undertone.
Su Huan suddenly shivered, sensing danger: “You, you listen to my explanation…”
“Shh.” Xiao Jianming placed his index finger over his lips. The surrounding people suddenly froze, as if time had stopped.
He whispered, “I won’t believe your words anymore.”
In the previous life, he used his dying wish to bind him to life, and in this life, he heartlessly abandoned him again…
Xiao Jianming no longer wanted to listen to his brother. He slowly said, “I will lock you up, so you can only stay by my side, unable to escape, unable to break free, until… Brother A’Qing will never abandon me again.”
Su Huan’s eyes widened in shock: “How can you do that…”
Xiao Jianming smiled lightly, taking the paper bag full of spirit fruits from his arms. He lowered his gaze gently and chuckled, “Why not?”
He took out a slightly worn lotus water jade from his chest and tied it to the youth’s waist. He said warmly, “I’m not an unreasonable person. This is Brother A’Qing’s item, and now I’ll temporarily return it to its owner.”
“If Brother A’Qing can escape from my grasp with it within one hour, I won’t lock you up.”
“Brother A’Qing, start running.”
“…If I catch you, I’ll work you to death.”
Su Huan was stunned, but he didn’t move.
A hint of confusion appeared in Xiao Jianming’s black eyes. He watched as Su Huan pursed his lips, took a step closer to him, and slowly spoke: “I never intended to run.”
Xiao Jianming was taken aback, clutching a corner of his robe. His voice was hoarse, saying, “…Do you know what you’re saying?”
Su Huan took a deep breath and sighed, “Although I don’t like this crazy side of you, Ji Buhuan loved Xiao Jianming, and Cangxuan also loved Wuwang.”
Now it was Xiao Jianming’s turn to be stunned. Only disbelief remained in his eyes, as if he were in a dream.
…What?
Seeing that he wasn’t reacting, looking as if his soul had left his body, Su Huan couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong?”
Xiao Jianming looked at him, almost whispering, “Say it again.”
Su Huan was confused but repeated, “I said, Ji Buhuan loves you, and Wuwang also loves you.”
Xiao Jianming suddenly realized what he was about to say, and disbelief surged in his eyes.
Su Huan was grinding a small pebble under his foot, speaking slowly, quietly, and very quickly: “But I don’t like you yet… so you need to be less crazy and try harder to make ‘Su Huan’ fall in love with you, okay…”
Xiao Jianming’s hands trembled, and he abruptly embraced the youth he had longed for.
He truly didn’t know what to do with Brother A’Qing.
His Brother A’Qing was truly too soft-hearted.
*
Later, a strange pair appeared in the Immortal Continents, traveling through mountains and rivers:
A white-haired youth with a red lotus mark walked in front, always holding a bag of spirit fruits. Behind him was a cold, black-eyed youth in dark robes, following him closely.
People often said that this was the Divine Lord returning with his Divine Emissary, concealing their identities to travel the world, uphold justice, and eliminate evil.
Unfortunately, this path of justice was filled with constant bickering, all originating from the same person.
“The lotus leaf chicken we bought yesterday was so delicious! Much better than the one at the restaurant below the Xuanji Sect…”
“What? What? You picked another Blazing Feather Fruit for me? Mmm… so sweet! How much do I like you today? Hmm… just a little bit more than yesterday, only a tiny bit.”
“You’re asking if I can like you a little more? Of course not! If I do, I’ll have to put in twice the effort to like you tomorrow!”
“…But I can like you a little bit more tomorrow than today.”
Later still, when people saw them again, they were still traveling and performing acts of chivalry.
However, the two were no longer one in front and one behind, but walked side by side, their fingers intertwined.
This pair of youths, who had endured a hundred lifetimes and walked through a path of mutual love and conflict, finally achieved a positive outcome.
[The End]