Silent and still.
"With a beautiful woman by your side and the martial world at your fingertips, what more could you ask for?"
Cen Ji did not answer. He leaned back slightly, resting against the stone table, his gaze slowly rising as he tilted his body.
“Ten years…” Cen Ji suddenly spoke up: “Ten years, isn’t that long enough?”
Rong Fu was taken aback and couldn't help but look at the woman's figure on the wall, although he didn't know why Cen Ji would suddenly bring this up.
“Yes, it’s very long…” Rong Fu murmured.
"Have ten years worn away your regrets?"
Rong Fu chuckled self-deprecatingly: "Ha, worn down? If that were really possible, what would I be doing here?"
"Ten years isn't enough, so how long will it take?"
Cen Ji suddenly felt something awaken in his heart, a feeling that burst forth from the earth, impossible to suppress or conceal. All attempts to stop it were like trying to cut water with a knife, or a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
Cen Ji tilted his head slightly, his vision filled with darkness and twilight.
"How long will it take? A lifetime?"
"I'm afraid even a lifetime isn't enough. You'll eventually be buried with regrets."
“I said, such a life is not as good as dying in that great battle ten years ago.”
Upon hearing Cen Ji's self-talk, Rong Fu's expression froze instantly. Then, as if struck in a vital spot, he abruptly stood up and walked towards the door.
“So…” Cen Ji seemed not to see him.
"I can't let myself have any regrets."
Upon hearing this, Rong Fu seemed to pause for a moment, but did not stop. In the blink of an eye, his figure almost disappeared through the doorway.
The lights dimmed briefly, and when they came back on, Cen Ji was already standing behind Rong Fu.
"Heh, following me?"
"You can be so carefree as to leave halfway through your sentence, but I can't."
"Is there anything else you want to know?"
"a lot of."
"But I don't want to say."
"Then say whatever you want to say."
Rong Fu couldn't help but chuckle. He stopped, turned his head, and suddenly asked, "Guess how many rooms there are in total?"
The two were currently in the same room where Cen Ji had woken up.
After a moment's thought, Cen Ji replied, "Six rooms."
Rong Fu raised the corners of his mouth and said, "Wrong, there are seven rooms."
"Some things can't be judged by appearances alone, can they?"
Seeing Rong Fu's mocking smile, Cen Ji raised an eyebrow and remained silent with his hands behind his back. He knew that Rong Fu was deliberately mocking him because he was annoyed by his words earlier.
Rong Fu walked to the largest bronze door, reached out and patted the right side of the door, and said, "Push it open, and you can see the Jade Pool."
Cen Ji glanced at the heavy bronze door, which he had pushed open not long ago.
Rong Fu suddenly pulled the door open from the left, revealing a doorway just wide enough for one person.
“There are other ways to open a door besides pushing it.” Rong Fu turned around and gave Cen Ji a meaningful smile.
Cen Ji stepped forward to examine the door and discovered that it was actually fixed from the central axis. However, because the bronze door was so large, Cen Ji did not notice this when he pushed it open.
"Come in." Rong Fu turned his head slightly and slipped inside.
Cen Ji followed, and before he even went inside, a very faint smell of alcohol wafted towards him. He couldn't help but ask, "You drink?"
"Why not drink?" Rong Fu said, lying down on a large rocking chair, finding a comfortable position, and leisurely closing his eyes.
"But why can't I smell alcohol on you?" Cen Ji asked, puzzled.
"This wine is very mild, and I don't like to drink alone. I only drink it with the master occasionally."
Cen Ji recalled the wall of paintings, his eyes flickered, and he asked, "When will Master Kongshan come again?"
"I don't know." Rong Fu glanced at Cen Ji's eyes and added, "I really don't know."
Cen Ji walked to the stone bench to Rong Fu's right and sat down.
Rong Fu closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, but he knew in his heart that Cen Ji was quietly observing him.
When is the Empty Mountain Ceremony held?
"Eleven days later."
A moment of deathly silence followed. Rong Fu opened his eyes, feeling a little strange, and said, "Don't even think about getting out. There's no way you can."
Cen Ji pursed his lips tightly, his lean profile as sharply defined as if sculpted.
"I will wait eleven days. I will also attend the Empty Mountain Festival."