The moon shines brightly over the empty mountains, and flowers fill the sky

Chapter 5

But they are not like that either.

They didn't know when it started, but the two of them had become so cautious with each other, and the carefree bickering and arguing of the past was gone.

Feeling Che Shui slowly walk over and sit down beside her, Shuang Jing took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Xuan Sheng has arrived?"

"Hmm..." After thinking for a long time, the master of Chongchonglou only said this one sentence.

"Is it really him?"

"Um."

"Have you really lost your memory?"

"……real."

"I see..." Shuangjing said calmly, blowing on the hot tea in her hand, the steam rising and obscuring her expression.

"Xiao Jing...why did you send him here?" After hesitating for a long time, Che Shui still asked cautiously.

“I thought… he had some hidden reason for hiding it from me. So I thought he might reveal some flaws to you.” Shuangjing took a sip of tea and said in a low voice, “But it seems he really has amnesia.”

She put down her cup and leaned back in her chair, her gaze calm yet cool, the sunlight reflecting off it, shimmering and clear, without a trace of gloom, like a pool of pure water.

"Actually, Ah Che... we can't go back, can we?" After a long while, she turned to the man beside her and said calmly.

“Even if Xuan Sheng hadn’t lost his memory, I’m no longer the Ye Shuangjing who could rely on his martial arts skills and carefree roam the martial world; you’re no longer the spirited and carefree Young Master Chonglou, Du Cheshui… The past is truly the past…” she said softly.

Che Shui remained silent, listening to her ethereal and empty tone, floating in the air without any grounding, and suddenly felt sad.

"Xiao Jing... I..." The usually dashing man's face now held the timidity of a child who had committed a grave offense. His eyes were filled with sorrow as he looked at the woman beside him. His former sharp tongue was nowhere to be seen. He wanted to say something, but his mouth opened and he couldn't utter a word. He clenched his fist nervously, and after a long while, he finally managed to stammer:

"Yes...it's my fault...I...I don't know how to make it up to you...and now Xuan Sheng is like this again...I can never repay you for what happened five years ago..."

"Enough." Shuang Jing rolled her eyes at him, raising an eyebrow. "You're really getting distant with me. How many times are you going to say that?"

"but……"

"It's so noisy, Du Cheshui, can't you just let me have some peace and quiet?" she said impatiently, rubbing her temples.

Knowing that her calling him by his full name was a sign of anger, Che Shui immediately fell silent, lowered his head in grievance, and nervously fiddled with his fingers. He glanced cautiously at Shuang Jing beside him, and couldn't help but feel saddened.

Five years ago, internal strife broke out in Chongchonglou. Cheshui's uncle killed the former leader and attempted to seize the position.

The building was divided into two factions, each supporting a different leader.

At that time, Che Shui was traveling and enjoying himself with Shuang Jing and others. Upon hearing the news, he rushed back, gathered sixty loyal subordinates, and began to break through the barriers, heading straight for the deepest part of the tower.

The final result of that sensational event in the martial arts world was that Che Shui finally secured his position as the leader of the sect, but it led to the serious injury of Shuang Jing and the unknown fate of Xuan Sheng, and also began the five-year long wait for the leader of the Seven Stones Sect.

Che Shui would forever feel guilty about this. Therefore, Chong Chong Lou would forever protect the Seven Stones Sect, ensuring it was free from any harm or provocation.

"What should we do now?"

Shuang Jing's low muttering to himself interrupted Che Shui's meditation. He finally came to his senses and, after a long pause, asked, "By the way, what exactly did Xuan Sheng go to the Seven Stones Sect for?"

“…” After a pause, Shuang Jing took a deep breath and slowly said, “He went to Ning Shuang Sect to seek medical treatment for his fiancée, but my sister asked him to take my half-moon jade pendant, so he came here.”

"?! Fiancée?!" Che Shui gasped, almost jumping out of his chair, but seeing the person in question's calm expression, he opened his mouth but couldn't say anything. After a long while, he asked, "And then you sent him to Chongchonglou to confirm whether he really had amnesia, right?"

Shuangjing nodded silently, slowly curling up in the chair, resting her chin on her knees, staring blankly ahead, and muttering, "Now, what should we do?"

Beneath the overly stable tranquility lies a jumble of conflicting thoughts and restlessness.

Even someone as intelligent and quick-witted as her could never have foreseen such an ending.

The man traveled over mountains and valleys to find her, but it was for another woman. From then on, her shadow was nowhere to be found in his time and memories; for more than twenty years, his life was filled with someone else.

As you think about it, you feel incredibly lost.

It was as if he were no longer there.

Between heaven and earth, there was no expectation, no hope, and not even him.

Thus, the land was no longer the land, the world was no longer the world, and even memories were empty and adrift.

Honestly, if that's the case, it would have been better if I had just died.

“Call Xuansheng here.” Shuangjing sighed and said softly, “I’ll just give him the jade pendant.”

"Huh? What?" Che Shui looked at her in surprise: "But...but...but like this..."

"So what?" Shuangjing said calmly, turning to look at him. "He's willing to brave countless dangers for her. How could I refuse?"

"But that's not necessarily love!" the Tower Master said urgently. "You know Xuan Sheng values etiquette above all else; that doesn't mean he loves that woman..."

“So what if it is? The Xuan Sheng of today is no longer the Xuan Sheng…” Shuang Jing interrupted him, sighing softly, “The era that belonged to the four of us… ended five years ago. I should have… realized that much sooner…”

"Xiao Jing..." Che Shui couldn't say anything. She instructed the servants to invite Xuan Sheng to the hall, and then quietly stayed by his side without saying a word.

The light on the ground moved slowly, and Che Shui watched its movement, knowing that with the fading of that light, they were getting further and further away from the world they had known five years ago.

At that time, he was still young and spirited, fearless of the world, he won a fierce horse on foot, a pot of wine could drown his sorrows, and a sword could block a million soldiers.

However, brilliance is like fireworks, magnificent yet lonely; though it bursts forth in dazzling splendor, it vanishes without a trace in an instant.

For both him and her, these were wounds that could never be healed, memories that could never be replaced. But Xuan Sheng simply forgot them, and it was impossible to define whether it was good or bad.

Towering Towers, Youthful Days Don't Wait for the Young (Part 4)

For a moment, the two sat in silence, watching helplessly as time finally disappeared.

When Xuan Sheng and Lü Ming entered the hall, they saw two people sitting solemnly in their chairs, looking as if their mothers had just died. The two women in the main seat even wore rabbit ears that seemed completely out of place with their expressions. Lü Ming almost laughed, but Xuan Sheng gently tapped her, causing her to burst into tears from the pain. She stood to the side, hands down, head bowed, wiping away her tears.

"Greetings, Sect Master, Pavilion Master." Xuan Sheng greeted them with a polite fist and palm salute.

“Xuansheng…” Seeing that Shuangjing was still lost in thought, Cheshui coughed twice and said, “Don’t you want to know about your past?”

Xuan Sheng was taken aback, then shook his head: "After I invite the divine physician from Ning Shuang Sect, I will return to Half Moon City to get married and will live there until my death. I don't know anything about the affairs of the martial world, nor do I want to get involved in any trouble. If I knew, it would be pointless. Why bother myself?"

Che Shui looked at him, blinked, and couldn't help but sigh again.

It was clearly Xuan Sheng; his answer was entirely expected.

“I’ll go with you,” Shuangjing suddenly said, looking up.

"What?" the other two asked in unison.

"I said, I'll go with you to Ning Shuang Gate."

"Are you crazy?!" Che Shui jumped up and exclaimed excitedly, "How can your body withstand this?!"

“Even if you have my crescent-shaped jade pendant, my sister might not agree to see a doctor.” Thinking of her elder sister’s temper, Shuangjing couldn’t help but rub her temples: “So, I’ll go with you.”

"Are you an idiot?!" Che Shui almost roared, then coughed twice to cover it up and advised, "Ah, I still don't think it's good. Xiao Jing, your health isn't suited for traveling... Wouldn't it be better to write a letter? Just tell Shuang Qing about the situation, wouldn't that be enough?"

“She’ll think it’s fake. She’ll think I was forced into it.” Shuangjing answered very seriously, “Then she’ll use Xuansheng for human experiments.”

Che Shui remained silent for a long while, then nodded without saying a word.

That's true. Thinking back to the fiery temper of the Frost Sect Master's wife, she probably kicked Xuan Sheng down the valley before she even finished reading the letter. But if Shuang Jing really goes alone, Shuang Qing might come knocking on the door in a fit of rage and tear down the entire Chongchonglou.

Che Shui leaned against the wall; being his friend and the host was really not easy.

"Sect Master, I also feel the journey is too long. Considering your health, would you really consider writing a letter to inform us?" Xuan Sheng, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but frown and ask.

"Are you worried about me?" Shuangjing's eyes lit up as she looked up and asked.

"..." Actually, I don't want to travel with you. Xuan Sheng remained silent, then suddenly thought, "But, Master, did you bring the Half-Moon Jade Pendant?"

"If I give you the jade pendant, will you agree to let me travel with you?" Shuangjing asked with a smile.

"This..." Xuan Sheng was momentarily at a loss, still somewhat embarrassed: "But Sect Master, your health..."

"How about this, I'll bring Anxing and Ningdu along, so you don't need to worry about my health or safety... How about it? If you agree, I can give you the jade pendant right now." Anyway, her sister didn't ask her to come to the Seven Stones Sect for this thing, Shuangjing said with a smile like a fox.

"This..." Xuan Sheng looked at her overly bright smile with some suspicion, feeling as if it were a flower about to burst open, and vaguely felt a sense of unease. But after thinking for a moment, he nodded: "Alright, then, thank you for your trouble, Sect Leader."

"And you've already done so much trouble! You've clearly been tricked! She only went there because she wanted to be alone with you!" Che Shui almost smashed the teacup beside him with his palm. He immediately stood up and said firmly, "No, no, Xiao Jing, I absolutely will not let you go to such a far place! If anything happens to you and your sister finds out I didn't accompany you, I'll be in big trouble!"

“Then A-Che…” Shuang Jing turned her head, her bright and clear eyes wide open as she looked at him, asking in a wronged and timid tone, “Do you mean I should stay in the Seven Stone Gate for the rest of my life and never come out?”

The owner of Chongchonglou was completely petrified, frozen in his previous posture, unable to utter a word.

“Alright, since you don’t object, I’ll give the jade pendant to Xuan Sheng first.” Shuang Jing happily took out a cloth bag from beside her, but then thought of something and said, “…You’re not going to sneak away, are you?”

Xuan Sheng sighed, and a subtle change finally appeared on his cold and stern face.

He smiled faintly, like a gentle breeze brushing leaves, and a subtle tenderness welled up in his eyes. He bowed slightly and said:

“A word spoken by Xuan Yi is a word that cannot be taken back. I am willing to go to Ning Shuang Sect with the Sect Master.”

The setting sun cast its rays at an angle, and suddenly a gentle golden light appeared on the profile of that cold, godlike man.

His long, wispy hair brushed against his face, and his gentle smile seemed to transcend time and dreams, truly appearing before her.

Shuangjing looked on, feeling bewildered.

It was as if it were a past life, and the same person was carrying her, covered in wounds, as they walked step by step through the twilight, tears streaming down their faces. They gritted their teeth and said, "Shuangjing, you can't get hurt. If anything happens to you, I'll kill them all and then come to you to die with you... How troublesome..." At that time, her back was a bloody mess from being whipped, and even breathing hurt. She walked a bumpy road, tears streaming down her face from the pain, but when she heard these words, she still smiled.

The image in my memory overlaps with the person before me, as if I've returned to that time by the roadside in the setting sun, as if I'm in the twilight again, listening to his calm promise of forever.

Shuangjing was lost in thought for a moment, then finally coughed and reached into the cloth bag to take out something: "Here..." She tried to cover her voice: "This is a crescent-shaped jade pendant. Please keep it safe." After all, it was something you gave me.

"Thank you, Sect Master." Xuan Sheng clasped his hands in thanks and went to take it.

Suddenly, the scene changed drastically!

brush!

He felt a gust of wind rush past him, and heard a whooshing sound as it flew by. Without thinking, he rushed forward and stood in front of Shuang Jing, who was sitting in the seat. At the same time, Che Shui, who was standing next to him, had already leaped up. A flash of white light appeared, and the sword at his waist was drawn. He rushed forward and pierced straight through the shoulder of Lü Ming, who had just attacked, pinning him to the wall behind him.

But the thing in Green Tea's hand had already been shot out!

"Waaah!"

"Xuansheng!"

Shuangjing felt her blood freeze. She opened her eyes wide and saw Xuan Sheng's painful expression as he forcefully suppressed his groans.

"Xuansheng! Xuansheng!!"

His body blocked her way, his hands gripped the armrests of her chair, and his face rested on her neck, so close they could feel each other's breath and heartbeat.

"What's wrong?! Where are you hurt?!" she asked anxiously, almost in tears. Her weak hands held him tightly, her whole body trembling.