Eternal Night - Chapter 16
This question startled Yuepo, as he had never considered it before. So, he looked at An Ye very seriously and said, "That day will never come. You know, I've always considered you a brother."
These words stung Xinghun's nerves. He smiled bitterly, thinking, "Please don't treat me like a brother."
As dusk approached, he could no longer delay. After taking a few steps, he turned back and saw Yuepo's reluctant gaze. Xinghun suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
In the small building, amidst the bamboo grove, bathed in the moonlight, the purple-robed child slept peacefully, as if lost in an eternal dream. Even now, Xinghun hadn't been able to speak to the purple-robed child.
"Sleep now, the happiest world is one of solitude," he murmured. This was fate. Even though he had grown weary of the assassin's life in his past life, he had been reincarnated in the Valley of Wandering. His hands were destined to never be clean. But how could he have wanted such a life?
Looking at the child he was about to replace, a sinister look flashed across Xinghun's face. "I will never become a second you!" He turned and walked out of the bamboo forest. This reincarnation was a gift from heaven, and he would hold it firmly in his hands!
The man in green stood quietly outside the bamboo forest. Xinghun jumped onto him and hugged him tightly. "Master, let's go home."
The man in green embraced Xinghun, his eyes gazing at the bamboo forest, and hesitated before saying, "That, that..."
"Oh, that little boy in the purple clothes, I treated him to a fish I grilled, and he fell asleep. Master Huihun said that even immortals can sleep for a thousand years after eating fish grilled with that kind of seasoning." Xinghun looked up and asked with a smile.
Looking at Xinghun's innocent and smiling face, the man in green suddenly felt a chill run through his body. He hesitated for a long time, but ultimately remained silent. Perhaps, he had truly taught the best disciple.
Walking slowly along the mountain path, the little one in his arms seemed sleepy, desperately burying his head in his chest. His body trembled slightly, his two tiny, delicate hands gripping his sleeve tightly, as if letting go would mean losing his lifelong support. The night was cool and still, and the man in blue knew his beloved disciple wouldn't shiver from the cold. He couldn't help but hold Xinghun even tighter.
The starlight filled the sky, and the moonlight cast long shadows of travelers on the mountain path. In this scene, the man in blue suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu… Just three years ago, he had walked this very mountain path, carrying his little apprentice. He couldn't forget the first time he saw Xinghun; the little fellow, who had been secretly eating, had jumped onto him without fear, saying, "Master, let's go." Looking at Xinghun in his arms, his little face appeared even whiter than snow in the night. This was his beloved apprentice, the child he had raised with his own hands.
"Star Soul, Star Soul..." He gazed up at the starry sky, the souls of the stars! As long as the stars in the sky never fall, the person in his arms will never leave him. A smile appeared on the man in blue's face, and his steps became more firm.
At dawn, Xinghun suddenly awoke. He was back in the stone chamber, with a man in blue sitting by his bedside.
Xinghun recalled the child's sleeping appearance. He now understood that the child had severe autism. Before, when he was in the bamboo house, he could hear the child reciting poetry from a distance, but when he got closer, the child wouldn't utter a single word. That's why the people in the valley allowed him to observe from a distance.
How could he possibly imitate such a child properly? Xinghun was very worried. He looked at his master in blue robes, wanting to ask him many questions, but he couldn't bring himself to say them.
The man in blue seemed to have much to say to him as well, but hesitated to speak. The two remained silent. Only the faintest breaths could be heard in the stone chamber.
After a long while, the man in blue sighed and took Xinghun's hand: "Come with me."
He led Xinghun to his room. Xinghun had come in and peeked around here more than once when he wasn't looking. There was a stone cabinet against the wall, which An Ye had secretly opened before; he knew it was full of various hidden weapons.
The man in blue lit a lamp and solemnly took out a box from it, opening it: "This is armor made of black gold silk. Its advantage lies in its lightness and toughness. Those who study hidden weapons are most afraid of being hit by hidden weapons, and this can provide some protection. You can wear it close to your body."
Xinghun unfolded the armor, looked it over, and thought, "An ancient bulletproof vest? Is it breathable? Won't it be unbearably hot to wear in the summer? Master, you keep it!"
"I'm afraid I'll grow old and die in this valley. It's useless for me. You're still young..."
"Then I'll keep it." Xinghun casually crumpled the armor into a ball and stuffed it into his pocket. "Did Master have any other instructions?"
The man in blue was silent for a moment before saying, "Only I know your secret."
Xinghun's heart skipped a beat, and he smiled, saying, "What secret do I have?"
Seeing the light flickering in Xinghun's eyes and his innocent smile, the man in blue said with a double meaning, "If you are discovered, you should run away. The world is vast, and Anguo is not the only place you can find refuge. It's just that it's hard on you, you're only nine years old."
Xinghun looked up and met the gaze of the man in blue. He suddenly reached out and hugged the man in blue: "Master, I really hate to part with you... I didn't want to kill that child either, he was like a rabbit... Your flute playing is terrible!"
The man in blue was taken aback. Xinghun had already jumped up with a smile and waved at him: "I'll come back to see you when I grow up! And, Mr. Beauty."
Xinghun returned to his room and lay down on the bed, wanting to sleep.
He felt a cool, damp sensation sliding down his face. He reached up and touched it, then froze. It was like a scene from a romance movie; he was actually crying.
The oil lamp in the stone chamber went out. He sensed the blue-robed master standing at the door, sighing softly.
My new identity is kind of cool.
It was the hour of Mao (5-7 AM). A few stars were visible in the sky, a crescent moon hung in the sky, and the snow-covered ground was silent.
The man in blue looked at Xinghun, whose eyes were clear and bright, with a complicated expression, and reached out to button up his collar. "Only lewd people expose their necks in winter and their chests in summer. Don't go out and learn bad things."
His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone present to hear.
Xinghun answered loudly and cooperatively, "Master's teachings are correct!" After saying that, he hugged the man in blue, stuffed a wad of paper into his hand, and then let go.
He wrote a sentence on the paper: "The Beauty Master's building smells of the Soul-Returning Master's sleeping potion."
He wasn't very tall, wrapped in the white fox fur coat the handsome gentleman had given him, with a fur hat on his head, his face mostly hidden by the fur. A leather pouch with small throwing knives hung from his waist. Xinghun felt like a chubby kid who'd gained weight from eating McDonald's. Thinking this, he glanced at Master Huihun.
Huihun was frowning as he looked at his face. "Master Huihun, I will definitely try my best to lose weight!"
"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"
"My handsome sir!" Xinghun threw himself into Cheng Dieyi's arms, rubbing his head against the fragrant, soft embrace a few times before straightening up contentedly. He blinked and whispered, "Master Qingyi as my husband, and Master Huihun as my lover, I won't let either of them go!"
Cheng Dieyi was taken aback, then covered her mouth and laughed so hard she was shaking.
Xinghun then formally kowtowed to his three masters as a gesture of gratitude.
He saw that his three masters' eyes were all gentle. He thought with satisfaction, "I've even arranged for your future happiness. From now on, I owe you nothing."
The carriages were ready, each pulled by eight horses, eight carriages in total. There were twenty cavalrymen in front and twenty behind. It was Xinghun's first time participating in such a horse-drawn carriage tour, and he found it incredibly novel.
“Here,” Li Yannian waved to him from the front of the car.
Xinghun scurried over and leaped onto the carriage. As he lifted the curtain, the smell of orange peel wafted towards him again. He sighed, recalling the scene three years ago when he entered Li Yannian's small building. Only this time, he didn't kneel; instead, he sat opposite Li Yannian.
With a sway, the convoy left the valley.
Xinghun noticed that all the carriage windows were covered with cloth, not a single gap visible. Was he not allowed to leave the carriage the entire journey?
"Your name is Li Yongye, the heir of the Duan Prince's mansion. The Duan Prince only has one son, you." Li Yannian began to get down to business.