Unsterblichkeit, Unsterblichkeit

Kapitel 9

Tianxia Inn is short for "The Number One Inn Under Heaven." It's a place in the martial arts world where information is sold.

It is said that Tianxia Inn knows everything about any disturbance in the world and any gossip, big or small, in the martial arts world. Anyone who wants to know the news only needs to pay, but whether Tianxia Inn is willing to sell is another matter. There are many grudges in the world, and not everything that the righteous and the wicked want to know can be revealed. Tianxia Inn has been established in the martial arts world for a hundred years and will know how to keep its distance.

"Ache, do you think I'm stupid?" After a moment of silence, Shuangjing suddenly asked a completely unrelated question.

What's the point of asking for my opinion now? Che Shui originally wanted to answer like that, but she just sighed deeply and couldn't help rubbing her temples: "No, I don't think so."

It was clearly a perfunctory answer given without any thought, but Shuangjing still breathed a sigh of relief, wrapped her coat tighter, and lowered her head, not daring to look at Cheshui.

A gentle breeze blows, and the flowers that bloom at dusk release their delicate fragrance.

The lively sound of clinking glasses came from behind, it seemed that even Shuangqing had joined the banquet.

"But what then?" Che Shui asked casually, raising his head to see the unchanging silver moon, its gentle light casting its glow upon the ethereal mountains. White clouds drifted back and forth, while blue mists vanished upon closer inspection. Looking at the scene before him, he realized how insignificant they truly were.

"We've found the Youying Grass, but what then? Will Xuansheng regain his memories along the way? We have absolutely no idea, Xiaojing..." Gone was her usual playful smile; beneath Cheshui's seemingly calm words of advice lay undisguised worry.

Once bitten, twice shy. Neither he nor she had the energy to suffer the same loss again.

They were filled with desolation.

Chongchonglou and Qishimen have been indifferent to the affairs of the martial world for many years, not because their power has declined, but because things have changed and people are no longer the same. Every time they try to speak, tears well up in their eyes. Xuansheng has lost his memory, Shuangjing is seriously injured, and Tiansha has died tragically. Cheshui is terrified every time he thinks about it, as if he can still see Tiansha falling from the high building with injuries, Shuangjing being spitting blood after being struck by a palm, and Xuansheng remaining unconscious.

They can't afford to lose.

“But if we don’t do this… Ah Che, if Ren Xuansheng returns to Half Moon City this time, I will never see him again…” Shuang Jing said softly, “Where Half Moon City is located, even the Tianxia Inn cannot be found… My memories… are almost blurred… What if I can’t see the images clearly when I think of him in the future?” She spoke softer and softer until her words were almost inaudible in the wind.

The clear water remained silent.

Now that the emperor's heart has changed in a single day, I will sigh for this for the rest of my life.

In this world, love ultimately boils down to infatuation. Yet, while those caught in the situation are infatuated, those who observe also become entangled in it.

If it were Tian Sha who came, he would have followed her without hesitation. Even if she had no memory of him whatsoever, he would still have walked behind her so selflessly, protecting her like a shield.

He was like that, Shuangjing was like that, and if it were Xuansheng or Tiansha now, it would be the same.

There is such a person in the world who will make you look at him alone in the whole colorful world, search for him in the vast land, wait for him in the sea of people, and quietly accompany him through the ages.

Shuangjing met Xuansheng, and he met Tiansha. So, they chased after them to the ends of the earth.

Like moths drawn to a flame, they are willing to turn to ashes.

“It’s alright, Xiao Jing.” He heard his own voice ring out firmly, and what he saw before him seemed to be the gentle smile of Tian Sha from the past. He smiled somewhat absentmindedly: “I will go with you.”

"Huh?" Shuang Jing looked up in surprise: "...What?"

"Oh, have you forgotten? I said before that wherever you go, I'll go too, right?" Seeming a little embarrassed, Che Shui quickly turned his head and coughed as he answered.

Che Shui and Shuang Jing actually knew each other a long time ago.

Before they were even the heirs of Chongchonglou and Qishimen, they had both escaped while practicing martial arts. They met and fought by the river. The boy was thrown into the river by the girl, but stood up, soaked to the bone. Instead of being angry or upset, he laughed heartily, and with a splash, swung a large wave at the girl, laughing through the sunlight:

—This was great! It was really fun. —

"That's right, Seven Stones Gate wouldn't be so boring with me around!" the girl replied, laughing as she splashed water.

—When I venture out into the world in the future, I'll definitely come find you. Following you, I'm sure some fun things will happen.—

"—Oh, like a mangy dog..." Shuangjing laughed, dodging a stone thrown by Cheshui, but stood up, her eyes sparkling in the ripples. She turned back and smiled: "Alright, let's conquer the world together."

Together.

To conquer the world.

Shuangjing looked up and saw Cheshui's smiling eyes.

She suddenly smiled.

It's as if time has turned back, and it's that time of youth that's gone forever.

Beneath our feet lies a thousand-mile road, countless mountains, and a surging river, an unknown path leading to the vast ocean.

In the blink of an eye, time rushes by in a daze, carrying with it death, separation, forgetting, and wounds.

However, after going around in circles, when everything started over and we stood at the starting point again, the same person was still by my side, saying, "I'm willing to fight alongside you to conquer the world."

Suddenly, I felt incredibly courageous and full of energy.

It turns out that even as we traverse the years, and amidst the fiercest currents, you have always stood by my side.

Just like the towering buildings, they are always behind the Seven Stone Gate.

Thank goodness.

Tianxia Inn: The Plains Are Vast and the Road Is Long 1

Awakening at night, the spring river flows, and green willows sway.

The spring morning sun shone down in thin rays, and as far as the eye could see, the plains before me, washed clean by the heavy rains of the previous nights, were so clear they seemed almost transparent. Waves of emerald green grass rolled in and out, stretching all the way to the horizon, and the air was filled with the refreshing fragrance of leaves and flowers.

Looking up, there is an endless sky and white clouds that roll over mountains and valleys; looking back, there is a winding, endless road.

"La la la..." Shuangjing leaned against the carriage window, humming a song as she looked at the sky.

"With the thatched gate closed, I roam freely amidst the misty clouds; hidden among the forests and mountains, a small abode of immortals. White clouds outside the building, green bamboo before the window, cinnabar at the bottom of the well..."

The melodious and clear singing voice carried across the blue sky, white clouds, and grassland. The two men who were driving the cart couldn't help but laugh. Feeling relaxed, they leisurely squinted their eyes and leaned back to enjoy the good weather.

But she paused, took a sip of tea, and continued:

"...Five acres of land, no one to grow melons; a village temple, guests to share tea. □ Not many, the roses bloom, the pear blossoms fall... Ah... fallen pear blossoms...! Fallen pear blossoms, fallen pear blossoms!" The last few lines were drawn out with all their might, a scream that sounded like a broken throat. Che Shui and Xuan Sheng were immediately speechless, and almost fell off the car.

"It's so noisy!!" Che Shui shouted back without any politeness. The sound suddenly quieted down, but after a while it gradually started to sing loudly again.

"Sigh..." Che Shui rubbed his temples and shook his head: "There's never a moment's peace..."

They set off from Ning Shuang Gate three days ago. Although they had expected to encounter enemies and assassins like Lü Ming soon, they did not anticipate that someone would come looking for them as soon as they left Lingxia Mountain. Thus, what should have been a comfortable and relaxing journey unfortunately turned into a escape.

Neither Che Shui nor Xuan Sheng wanted to start a massacre, but it was quite difficult to fight while protecting the carriage full of herbs and the woman who kept rolling around on the soft couch. Therefore, the two of them had no choice but to speed along the way, keeping a low profile and avoiding trouble.

Fortunately, although Shuang Jing sent Ning Du and An Xing back to Qi Shi Men, she still sent He Feng and Bai De to keep an eye on them from the shadows. Bai Yun and Jin Guan from Chong Chong Lou also ordered their subordinates to protect the three of them. So they were able to walk leisurely on the road, probably because the assassins who came had been dealt with by their respective subordinates.

Shuangjing's singing voice still lingers everywhere:

"Stone Pool, Sword Gate Pass, even ascending to heaven is not as difficult as traveling. The world turns, things fade, and old age brings leisure..." She paused again, then, as expected, began to sing incoherently:

"Wenjun's ancient tunes are no more, Shuweng's woodcutter's new song is now played. The plum pavilion has twelve railings, and there are two or three thatched huts... ahhhhhh!!!"

"..." Che Shui groaned as he slammed his head against the wood beside him, while Xuan Sheng, his face ashen, continued on his way without uttering a word.

"Ah ah ah, the plum pavilion has twelve railings, and there are two or three thatched huts. Look, what a beautiful landscape... la la la la... la la la la... what a beautiful landscape..." Before the last word was uttered, the singing abruptly stopped.

Che Shui and Xuan Sheng exchanged a glance, and the former immediately turned to ask, "Xiao Jing? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm just thirsty..." came the sound of teapots clinking behind her. Shuangjing groaned absentmindedly, "Ugh, I'm so hungry... I really want to take a bath..."

"Why don't you get some sleep first?" Che Shui said with a smile. "We'll be in Xiliu Town soon, so let's find a place to rest."

"Oh..." Shuangjing responded, and then heard Xuansheng whisper something to Cheshui. The two chatted for a few minutes and then began to talk leisurely.

She slowly stepped back a little, moving slightly away from the gleaming knife pressed against her neck. She swallowed hard and looked at the person in front of her, asking, "Um... can I sit down?"

The woman threatening her with a knife before her was dazzlingly beautiful.

The woman seemed unable to conceal the fiery charisma emanating from her. Though her nose and mouth were veiled, her large, bright eyes shone like stars, staring directly at Shuang Jing. Her face was like a lotus blossom, her skin like snow, her hair like a waterfall, her eyebrows like willow branches. She raised her eyebrows high as she looked at the Seven Stones Sect Master, a crescent-shaped scimitar pressed against Shuang Jing's neck; a single backhand strike would send blood splattering everywhere.

"I'm asking you, where is your crescent moon tassel?" she asked, applying more pressure to her hand.

"..." Shuang Jing couldn't help but roll her eyes.

What's going on? Has her crescent moon tassel become an essential item in the martial arts world? It's so popular that people coming to assassinate her these past few days have all started their lines with this phrase? That day, Green Tea only intervened just as Green Tea was about to hand the jade pendant to Xuan Sheng.

Oh dear, we really need to investigate the origin of this jade pendant.

"Are you going to tell me or not?!" the pretty young woman in front of him asked angrily.

"Mmm, I'll tell you, I'll tell you..." she replied perfunctorily, looking at her with a mixture of thought and observation.

The girl must have been only eighteen or nineteen years old, but her lightness skill was truly remarkable. Although she could no longer practice martial arts, her hearing and alertness were still extremely high. The person in front of her was able to jump onto the moving carriage without making a sound, climb into the carriage, and come up behind her. She was indeed a formidable young woman.

"Speak!" The little girl, seeing her eyes darting around without saying a word, stamped her foot in frustration and glared at her fiercely: "Do you believe I'll make your neck explode right now? Huh?!"

"Is he out of his mind?" Shuang Jing thought to herself, rolling her eyes. But outwardly, she feigned fear and panic, hurriedly waving her hands. "Okay, okay, I'll tell you, um…" She began to back away, shaking her head from side to side. "Um… the Crescent Moon Jade Pendant? I don't think… um… I don't have a Crescent Moon Jade Pendant…"

"Don't try anything funny with me!" the pretty girl yelled fiercely, stomping her foot. "Do you believe I'll cut your head off right now?!"

"Yes, yes, I believe you!" Shuangjing said, feigning fear and trepidation, but inwardly she was overjoyed.

Keep shouting, keep shouting! I don't believe those two men in front of me didn't hear you. She thought to herself, her face contorted with fear and on the verge of tears.

The woman in front of him continued to threaten, "Then why don't you speak up now!"

But before Shuangjing could speak, just as she expected, the curtain in front was lifted, and Xuansheng poked half his body in: "The door...?"

He abruptly stopped speaking, noticing that the two women, standing extremely close together in an intimate pose, were both looking at him. The one with a knife pressed against her neck was even smiling and waving at him.

"Ah, Xuan Sheng, are you tired from driving?"

Xuan Sheng moved with incredible speed, giving his opponent no time to react. With a clang, the woman's hand was struck hard by something. She cried out in pain and released her grip. Before the knife could even hit the ground, a gust of wind swept in from the front and struck her shoulder!

"Drink!" She stepped back in time, waving her hand to block, but felt her strength being absorbed by the other party and bounced back heavily. Her arm immediately ached. "Ugh!" She was covered in sweat, but she was still unwilling to give in. She looked up while holding the other party's hand, and saw that Shuang Jing had been protected behind Xuan Sheng. The man's cold and ruthless eyes were fixed on her, expressionless, but with a hint of anger in his gaze.

"...As expected of the second young master of Half Moon City, his speed is indeed well-deserved." The woman curled the corners of her lips and sneered.

"I dare not accept such praise." Xuan Sheng's reply was brief and concise, and coupled with his bland tone, it was tantamount to him being angry.

Behind him, Shuangjing couldn't help but laugh like a cat that had successfully stolen some cream. "Ahhh, more assassins, more excitement! Watching Xuansheng save the beauty is so exhilarating!" She nestled against the man's back, taking the opportunity to tightly hug his waist, and sighed comfortably.

"Sect Leader... get down!" Feeling her face almost rubbing a hole through his back, the person in front of him could no longer bear it and coldly ordered.

"Oh... alright..." Shuangjing reluctantly pouted and got off his back, then tiptoed over his shoulder and peeked out. She looked at the wary woman in front of her for a moment, then said with a smile, "I say, Ah Xuan, just put your hand down... she won't do anything to us?"

"...?" The two people in front of her simultaneously turned their gazes slightly away to look at her.

Shuangjing sat down on the soft couch next to her, poured herself a cup of tea, took a sip, and said with a grin, "Am I right? Lin Meihua, the head of the Plum Blossom Hall of Tianxia Inn?"

Lin Meihua's murderous expression softened slightly, but she still looked suspicious and wary. She raised an eyebrow and glared angrily at Shuang Jing: "How do you know who I am?"

"Why can't I know?" The other person looked at her innocently. "Does the leader think that only your subordinates have information about the martial arts world?" Seeing Lin Meihua purse her lips, she laughed again and said, "Even if I don't know, you are the only person who still smells of plum blossoms in early summer."

"Damn it!" Lin Meihua couldn't help but stomp her foot, glared at Shuang Jing, and retreated on her own. She sat down opposite Shuang Jing, rubbing her arm that had just hit Xuan Sheng, and pouted as she glared at the man.

Seeing this, Xuan Sheng silently bent down and picked up the knife from the ground. After thinking for a moment, he still didn't return it to Lin Meihua. He sat down in the middle and turned to look at Shuang Jing next to him. He saw a very thin bloodstain on her neck, as if she had been cut by a piece of paper. He immediately frowned and squatted down to start rummaging through the drawers for medicine powder.