Das Leben der Landbevölkerung in der Stadt während der Song-Dynastie

Kapitel 39

"You're awake?" Xue'er asked with a flattering smile.

"How could I not wake up after you've messed with me like this?" Ling'er stretched and went to the wardrobe to get her clothes and change.

"How could I dare to mess with you! You are the number one expert in the Realm of Light. Back then, you wielded the Realm of Light's protective artifact, Eternal, and confronted the demon—oh no! Brother Changxiao—for a whole year in the Wilderness Mountain..."

“I think I’ve heard Meiniang say that before…” Ling’er tied up her long hair and walked out of the room as she spoke. She saw Chang Xiao sitting in the living room and then remembered that Chang Xiao had come to live with them after the God Lord and the others left yesterday.

"Ling'er, are you up? Did you sleep well?" Chang Xiao asked, putting down the newspaper in her hand.

"It's alright, I'm just having those weird dreams again... By the way, where's Yi?"

"He went out to buy breakfast. Meiniang isn't here, so no one's making breakfast, which has really upset him. Hehe," Chang laughed.

Xue'er then chased after them, saying, "Of course Meiniang knows! Who among the people of the Bright Realm doesn't know that you once led a million Heavenly Generals of the Bright Realm to confront Brother Changxiao at Kuangjie Mountain?"

"Oh? By the way, what is this 'eternity' you're talking about?" Ling'er asked, puzzled.

"It is forever the guardian artifact of our realm of light! It is a sword with great spirituality, and it knows how to find a host..."

"Host?"

“Yes, just like an heir,” Xue’er explained.

"Then don't I have Blue Tears?" Ling'er asked, puzzled.

"How can Blue Tears compare to Eternity? Eternity represents the Realm of Light. Eternity exists as long as the Realm of Light exists; Eternity perishes as long as the Realm of Light exists!"

"Oh? Yong is that powerful? Where is it now?" Ling'er didn't notice Chang Xiao, who was sitting to the side, tense and nervous.

"I don't know. Ever since you and Brother Changxiao fell in love, no one has seen Yong... But speaking of Blue Tears, it's no ordinary thing. I heard Brother Kuzhu say that it was a gift from the Old God when you were born..."

"Oh, no wonder I always felt a sense of familiarity with it. But why does everyone know that I am Chi Yong Dui Xiao Dui Zhi, instead of taking the Blue Tear?" Ling'er laughed.

"Because Blue Tears is a dagger!" Chang laughed.

"That's right! Have you ever seen anyone use a dagger in battle?" Menben stepped back; it was Hu Yi who had returned.

Ling'er took the breakfast from Hu Yi and said, "You guys have all learned to commit suicide with nail clippers now, so why can't I take a dagger to the battlefield?"

"Exactly! Brother Changxiao, tell me, why can't we use daggers? Who said we can't go to the battlefield with daggers? I've never heard of that before! Huh? You guys..."

Chang Xiao hurriedly interrupted Xue'er, pointing at Hu Yidao: "I don't know much about this, but he does. There's nothing that A-Yi doesn't know!"

"Ah Yi, explain this to me! Why can't I use a dagger? Who said you can't go to the battlefield with a dagger? I've never heard of that!"

Seeing that Xue'er had shifted her focus, Chang Xiao took a deep breath. "A question that has lasted for a thousand years!" he thought. "I can't bear it. I suddenly feel sorry for the old ghost."

Hu Yi, just like Sun Wukong under the spell of Tang Sanzang, tightly pulled his hair with both hands and said, "Laugh, you're so unfair!"

Upon hearing this, Chang Xiao sat on the sofa, pretending to read the newspaper nonchalantly, but he didn't even notice that the newspaper had been held upside down...

"Ah Yi, stop changing the subject! Answer my question! Otherwise, I'll keep asking you all day..."

Hu Yi looked up to the sky and roared, "Woman, who said your name was 'weakling'?"

Upon hearing this, Ling'er praised, "As expected of A-Yi, your awareness is truly high!"

Unexpectedly, Hu Yi then added, "Woman, your name isn't 'weakness'!! It's 'nagging'!!!"

"You're finished, A-Yi..." Chang Xiao said worriedly, looking at the furious Ling'er and Xue'er.

While applying a thick layer of foundation to his face in the bathroom, Hu Yi muttered something about how a woman's heart is the most poisonous. Ling'er and Xue'er didn't argue, but exchanged a knowing smile.

After breakfast, Hu Yi and Chang Xiao returned to school. Before leaving, Hu Yi kept asking Chang Xiao if she could see the bruises on his face, even though Chang Xiao had answered no less than a hundred times. Ling'er called her homeroom teacher, saying she had some things to take care of and needed to ask for a few days off. This reminded her of Zhang Guoqiang, who had been killed by the Eastern Inspector. When she helped him with a mission before, he had spoken to the homeroom teacher; otherwise, how could Ling'er have been so easily able to stay home with Xue'er?

Ling'er hugged the cushion to her chest and asked, "Xue'er, can you tell me something about the Realm of Light? I want to know more about it! But I don't want to regain my memories..."

Xue'er's playful smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression. "Ling'er, this... it's a long story. Actually, I don't know how the Realm of Light came to be. Legend has it that the Realm of Light was created by the Guardian Artifact—Eternity. Don't ask me about Eternity's origins! Because no one can answer that question! Eternity has its own thoughts and soul, and every thousand years it chooses its own successor, and this generation, it's you. Our Realm of Light has always been a peaceful place, free from war and disease, and the people have always lived happy lives. But the people of the Realm of Light all know that on the other side of the Vast Realm Mountains, the Dark Realm has always been eyeing the Realm of Light with covetous intent. So, although our Realm of Light loves peace, we also have an army. The Dark Realm is different. The Dark Realm has always been in a state of war between seven powers. Although it covets the Realm of Light, it is willing but unable to do so."

"Then why is Xiao talking to me...!" Ling'er interrupted Xue'er.

Xue'er said with admiration, "Yes, it's because of his appearance that you know Brother Changxiao's name, right? The Dark Demon General! The Chang family is a relatively weak kingdom in the dark world, but Brother Changxiao's appearance broke the seemingly balanced situation in the dark world! He unified the dark world in less than five years. Ling'er, five years! Actually, there have long been rumors that the reason Brother Changxiao is so powerful is because he was chosen as the successor..."

"What is a calamity?" Ling'er asked, puzzled.

"Zed is like Eternal, but it guards the Dark Realm. Although everyone says that Zed chose Brother Changxiao as its successor, no one has ever seen him use Zed. My understanding of Zed is limited to this."

"Oh, then let's continue our previous topic."

"When the Light Realm received news of Changxiao's great victory over the three northeastern kingdoms of the Dark Realm, you began preparations. You cultivated the Nine Heavens Division: Zengzhangtian, Shumengtian, Jixiangtian, Chenfeitian, Yanyangtian, Haomiaotian, Xufantian, Liuyingtian, and Pushantian! Each of the Nine Heavens Divisions led 100,000 troops and stationed themselves at Kuangjie Mountain. Sure enough, three years later, Changxiao led his army to attack. The Light Realm was in dire straits, but you disregarded the God Lord's objections and resolutely fought back. You have no idea how much the God Lord loved you! After that, you would occasionally return to Fenglai Tower, which was where you used to live, and you would describe to me how brave and resourceful Changxiao was... My ears are practically calloused from hearing it all, haha. I don't know much about what happened after that, because I married the Underworld King at that time," Xue'er said shyly.

Ling'er nodded and smiled, "It's alright, I'm already very happy that you could tell me so much. Is Xiao really as you say? He unified the long-divided dark world in less than five years? I feel like...?"

Xue'er said, "Although I hadn't met Brother Changxiao back then, everyone in the Light and Dark Realms would give a thumbs up when the name of Dark Commander Changxiao was mentioned, even though he was our enemy. However, almost everyone trembled when they gave that thumbs up. It seemed as if he was born for destruction, absolute destruction!"

Xue'er's face was no longer calm. Seeing this, Ling'er said, "Alright, Xue'er, don't think about those unpleasant things! It's really funny how you laugh. Look how scared you've made Xue'er!"

Xue'er said, "No, Ling'er, my fear of Brother Changxiao isn't entirely! Remember after your fourth reincarnation, you had a three-second power vacuum. And that time... that time, a traitor from the Underworld used those three seconds to corrupt all your magical artifacts with resentment and trap you, attempting to seize your power and artifacts for himself, and then usurp the throne of the Underworld King. Brother Changxiao arrived in time. I... I've never seen such terrifying power before. If it weren't for Brother Wolf King and the Underworld King protecting me, I think I would have vanished into thin air. Two hundred thousand rebels, nearly fifty Underworld generals, in just three days, Brother Changxiao chased them down for thousands of miles, leaving not a single one alive!"

"...kill them all?" Ling'er asked in disbelief, her mouth agape.

Xue'er nodded and said, "Leave none alive!"

Ling'er suddenly found Chang Xiao terrifying. Over two hundred thousand people, not a single one spared—it was too bloody! She finally understood why Lei Zhu'er called Chang Xiao a demon the moment she saw him, and she also understood why her master, the Hunter Saint, said he had single-handedly defeated the eight elders working together. But could that seemingly always smiling young man really have such a cruel side? Ling'er shook her head haphazardly and said, "Forget it, let's stop here for today!"

Xue'er said, "Alright, Ling'er, why don't you come with me to buy some things? I want to go to Pacific Department Store..."

"Huh? Going out again? I'm not going!!" Tears had finally gone to the Realm of Light, and no one was dragging her shopping anymore, but Xue'er jumped out again!

"Why won't you come with me? I asked you to come shopping with me, not to go to hell with me! Do you think shopping will be tiring? Or do you think shopping will give you a tan?..."

Ling'er fainted on the sofa. This girl's skill at talking nonsense is really strong. Every question she asks is absolutely boring... No wonder she is the legendary questioner who can answer questions for thousands of years!

"It's autumn now. Are the ultraviolet rays strong in autumn? Or not? Tell me, Ling'er! Hey, why are you hitting your head so hard? Oh dear, are you feeling unwell? If you're not feeling well, why don't you go see a doctor?"

"I'll go with you!" Ling'er cried out in despair. This Xue'er must be her nemesis!

Xue'er smiled maliciously; she was still as easy to deal with as before.

"Ling'er, what do you think of this outfit?" Xue'er held up a white coat against her body; she loved white.

"She looks beautiful. Xue'er looks good in anything," Ling'er said sincerely.

"Daughter, what do you think of this dress?" A voice rang out from the side. Ling'er felt that the voice was very familiar. Looking in the direction of the voice, she saw a middle-aged woman also picking up the same dress and holding it up on a girl. They... how could they be mother and daughter?

"Mom! I told you, you can buy it yourself if you like it! I don't want anything!" the girl muttered somewhat discontentedly.

"You child..." The middle-aged woman rolled her eyes at her daughter and put the clothes back where they were.

Seeing that Ling'er's expression was strange, Xue'er asked, "Ling'er, what's wrong?"

“I…I’ve seen them…” Ling’er’s thoughts were a bit jumbled.

"You know them? Then why don't you go over and say hello?" Xue'er said, about to go over and greet them, but Ling'er grabbed her and said, "I don't know them. I've only met them once. Oh dear! I can't explain it to you right now. I'll tell you in detail when we get back!"

"Alright!" Xue'er surprisingly didn't press the matter further. "So, what should we do next?"

“Go to the school and find Xiao and A-Yi,” Ling’er said. “What? You said you ran into those two people who were arguing in the supermarket before at Pacific Department Store, and they’re actually mother and daughter?” Hu Yi exclaimed in surprise after hearing what Ling’er said.

"Yes!"

"Then what exactly is their purpose in doing this?" Xue'er looked at Hu Yi with a puzzled expression.

"Their goal is to make Ling'er believe that the Old Man of Fate can truly know a person's past and future!" Chang Xiao took a deep drag on his cigarette.

"Do you mean that the Old Man of Fate has no control over the past or the future?" Ling'er asked.

"Yes!" Chang Xiao nodded.

"How is this possible? Even if he bribed those two people, he couldn't have bribed A-Yi, could he? Also, how do you explain that he knows everything about my past life and my childhood?"

"I still don't understand this," Chang Xiao said, somewhat frustrated.

"Alright, I'll investigate tonight," Hu Yi said, waving his hand as if he had made a major decision.

"What are you investigating?" Xue'er asked, puzzled.

"Investigate whether they were really bribed by the old man of fate, as Xiao said."

"How are you going to investigate? Are you going to torture me?" Ling'er asked.

"Of course, I'll use my handsome looks and clever mind! I refuse to believe that anyone can be immune to my charm! For my master, I, Hu Yi, would go through fire and water without batting an eye, let alone sacrifice my looks..." Hu Yi tossed his hair and said sternly.

"Stop it already! I'm about to throw up if you keep talking! Do you really need to go through all that trouble?" Xue'er rolled her eyes at him.

“Exactly! With Xue’er around, why make things so complicated? As long as she casts the Soul-Capturing Spell, that person can even tell you about their infancy!” Ling’er giggled. Although Hu Yi was glib, he was truly devoted to her.

Upon hearing this, Hu Yi awkwardly scratched his head and laughed, "Ah...you see, I didn't know Xue'er had this ability, no wonder she's the Queen of the Underworld..."

Chang Xiao, standing to the side, couldn't manage a smile at the sight. Ling'er had even remembered Xue'er's Soul-Capturing Spell; her memories were returning day by day. Although he was prepared to face this day, he still felt uneasy when it arrived...

"Brother Changxiao, don't worry! Hu Yi and I will go together, and we'll definitely get to the bottom of this!" Xue'er comforted her.

"Yes, we'll be back by tonight at the latest. You two should go home and wait for news. The master hasn't been getting enough rest these past few days."

Ling'er nodded and said, "Remember to come back soon!"

Chang Xiao held Ling'er's hand: "Let's go, I'll take you to get something to eat." The early winter night wind was already quite chilly, so Chang Xiao took off his coat and draped it over Ling'er. Downstairs, Ling'er said, "Xiao, I don't want to go home..."

"You want to go to the rooftop again, don't you? You always want to go up high when you're troubled." Chang Xiao pulled Ling'er into his arms and laughed. "Ku Zhu will be fine. So many people are helping him, what are you worried about? If you're still worried, we'll go to the Realm of Light tomorrow after Xue'er and the others go back, okay?"

"You're terrifying! I've discovered you can read my mind instantly. No way, I'm going to kill you to silence you!" Ling'er said, pulling at the clothes draped over her shoulders.

"It's not that I'm scary, it's that whenever you have something on your mind, it's all written on your face!"

"Is my brother very capable? What kind of person is he?" Ling'er found it ridiculous that she had to ask others about her own brother. She smiled self-deprecatingly.

"He is a man who does not contend with the world. If it weren't for the pressure from the old God-King, who is also your father, he would never have become the God-King. Think about it, how many people would hand over the entire Bright Realm to someone else just to protect their sister? I think he is a true hero. I misunderstood him before."

"Oh? What did you think of him before?" "Although I didn't know that Kuzhu was the Hunter King before, since you were always involved with hunters in every reincarnation, I guessed that hunters must be related to the Light Realm. So..."

"So that's why you're going against the hunters?" Ling'er asked with a smile, tilting her head.

"Yes, I always thought it was Kuzhu cursing us, but now that I think about it, how could that be? He loves you so much, he stays by your side just to protect you from harm, even though sometimes his actions are too extreme..."

"What extreme thing did my brother do?" Ling'er pressed.

"Ling'er, do you remember when we first met Shiba, he said that he obtained the Three Treasures by chance?"

"Remember."

"I once said that three hundred years ago, a first-class female hunter was severely injured during a mission and was fortunately rescued by a young man. This young man took meticulous care of her, and over time, they developed feelings for each other. The girl pledged herself to him, and the two made a solemn vow to never be apart. Later, the girl recovered and wanted to return to the hunter headquarters to resign from her post as the Hunter King. The young man waited for her on the mountain where they first met. When the girl met the Hunter King, she explained her purpose, but the Hunter King refused. At that time, all hunters' marriages were arranged by the Hunter King, especially for first-class hunters. The girl was imprisoned in the headquarters and couldn't leave. The young man..." The more anxious the young man waited, the more he assumed the girl's old injury had flared up again. He searched everywhere for treasures, intending to take them to the Hunter's Headquarters to find her. Just as the young man finally found the three treasures after overcoming countless hardships, he heard the news that the girl had married another. In a fit of anger, he threw the three treasures off a cliff, hating the girl for her heartlessness and abandonment. In reality, the news of the girl's marriage was deliberately spread by the Hunter King, who also had someone tell the girl that the young man had already changed his heart. The girl didn't believe him, so the Hunter King sent someone with her to find the young man, only to find him gone. Heartbroken, the girl's old injury flared up again, and she soon passed away.

"This is not your ancestor, but your and my past life, right?" Ling'er remembered feeling an indescribable sadness when she first heard Xiao say this.

"Yes...that's why I don't have a good impression of hunters."

"Then...we...did we really have a child?" Ling'er's tears fell, dripping onto Chang Xiao's chest.