Mu Yunhe was utterly astonished: "You actually cheated!"
This sword is so light that it can hardly be called a sword!
Luo Zhiheng blinked and laughed, "This is called all's fair in war, okay? Stand further away, or you might get hurt."
"Wait, there's a zither in this room. I'll play it while you practice your swordplay." Mu Yunhe also became interested. Seeing that Luo Zhiheng was interested and happy, he felt an indescribable satisfaction and only wanted to make her even happier.
When Mu Yunhe took the zither out of the room, Luo Zhiheng exclaimed in surprise, "The Dragon and Phoenix Zither?"
"You know?" Mu Yunhe raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Luo Zhiheng's smile held a hint of nostalgia: "I won this zither for you. When I participated in the First Talent Competition, I met the Zither Saint, and he gave this zither to me, so I gave it to you."
Mu Yunhe's face flushed slightly. He had completely forgotten what his elder brother had said when he placed the zither here. His brother had said that the zither was a gift from the woman who loved him, and that he treasured it dearly. He never expected that the zither was actually a gift from Luo Zhiheng.
Tokens of love and such really make one's heart race.
Mu Yunhe sat on the ground, his body weak, and he needed to lean against a tree to sit properly. The zither was placed on his lap. His festering hands were not beautiful, but the music played by his slender fingers on the strings was so beautiful.
Luo Zhiheng smiled alluringly, drawing her battle sword. Her graceful movements, though seemingly chaotic, resembled both the fluidity and allure of a dance, and the lightness and power of martial arts. The slender blade danced in the wind, creating a whistling sound that echoed through the air, slicing cherry blossoms into even finer fragments that danced tragically around her. To the accompaniment of the zither music, she moved like a dragon soaring through the air, graceful as a startled swan, a scene of breathtaking beauty, like a rare and exquisite scroll of harmonious music!
Mu Yunhe, dressed in white, his sleeves fluttering like flowing water, his hair swaying with the rise and fall of his arms, his beautiful eyes not looking at the zither strings, but staring intently at Luo Zhiheng, who seemed to be dancing gracefully or descending as a war god. In a daze, he seemed to have fallen into a scroll of memories from a past life, past and future, present and previous lives, no longer able to distinguish them.
He couldn't see Luo Zhiheng's face, but the way her red robes billowed and fluttered as she turned around, the curve of her slender waist, made his heart flutter. The knife in her hand seemed to have a soul, creating glorious victories alongside her, possessing both a domineering and fierce killing intent, and a tender and poignant love amidst the flames of war.
The single glance she peeked through her disheveled hair made Mu Yunhe's heart skip a beat, then begin to pound wildly. His fingertips, momentarily stunned by the imbalance of his heartbeat, paused abruptly, and when they resumed, they were filled with a majestic and awe-inspiring power!
Luo Zhiheng's emotions rose and fell with Mu Yunhe's music, becoming intense and tender with his feelings. The two complemented each other perfectly; the sword and the zither seemed to be the closest comrades-in-arms and the most inseparable lovers, together composing a magnificent and epic love epic!
At the height of the melody, Luo Zhiheng moved with lightning speed, her movements swift and agile. Amidst the flashing blades, the battle sword in her hand suddenly flew out, aimed directly at Mu Yunhe's head! But Mu Yunhe didn't even blink, as if he couldn't see the sword that could take his life, and the music didn't even pause for a moment.
Was he so engrossed in the moment that he overlooked the existence of the knife, or was he too trusting of Luo Zhiheng?
The sharp blade grazed past Mu Yunhe's ear, without even severing a single hair, before embedding itself precisely in the ground beside him. A soft hum echoed, but Mu Yunhe continued playing calmly, his gaze unwavering. The blade bounced back and forth beside him until it settled, remaining firmly planted in the ground.
With a whirlwind, the fluttering, broken petals almost enveloped Luo Zhiheng as she approached Mu Yunhe amidst the fragrance of flowers.
The petals burst open instantly, swirling and fluttering down above them, slicing their vision into countless fragments, yet their gazes remained locked so tightly together. The music abruptly stopped!
"Why didn't you dodge? Aren't you afraid I'll hurt you?" Luo Zhiheng slowly leaned down, her eyes glistening with tears as she asked with a smile.
Mu Yunhe blinked and answered matter-of-factly, "Because it's you, I'm not afraid."
Even if the knife is at my throat, I won't be afraid if it's you who draws it. Because I know you won't hurt me.
Mu Yunhe had thought this all along, but then he suddenly realized something. He was filled with remorse, regret, and deep heartache. Had he trusted her, knowing she wouldn't hurt him, which was why he had acted so recklessly and willfully towards Luo Zhiheng? It was his fault. He must have hurt her; otherwise, she wouldn't have questioned him so coldly before, nor would she have said those things at the door.
Is she really going to leave him?
Mu Yunhe frowned, raising his hand to touch her, but then froze in mid-air. His ugly hand reminded him that he might not live much longer, that he might be a burden to Luo Zhiheng. For the first time, he hated his own willfulness and impulsiveness; for the first time, he feared death!
Her soft little hand enveloped his hand, until it rested on her cool mask and ears. In her ear was Luo Zhiheng's sweet and tender voice, lingering and melancholic yet endearing: "Don't be afraid to hurt me. I know you have no choice in the matter. Yunhe is willing to do anything for you."
"Why? Aren't you afraid I'll infect you? You might die." Mu Yunhe asked, seemingly puzzled.
Luo Zhiheng smiled faintly, her forehead suddenly touching his. Their eyes met, and they could clearly see each other in each other's eyes. She said, "I'm not afraid, because it's you."
Mu Yunhe felt a warm glow in his heart and body, and even the pain that had just risen disappeared. He gently touched her ear; its softness softened his heart. Suddenly, Mu Yunhe's eyes widened. A soft touch suddenly assaulted his lips.
Luo Zhiheng suddenly pressed her finger to his chapped lips, applying a sweet, honey-like balm. She extended her fragrance, gently tracing his lips, moisturizing them, and lightly pecking at them like a cat, bewitching him.
Mu Yunhe trembled uncontrollably, his body filled with a burning heat—a feeling he often experienced recently when he was with Luo Zhiheng. It was a strange feeling he didn't usually like, but today he found himself particularly drawn to it. He carefully pulled her into his arms, and seeing that she didn't resist, Mu Yunhe boldly took her soft lips into his mouth.
In the midst of kissing, they become intimately close, endlessly repeating that sweet action, savoring the kiss that makes their hearts sweet.
Mu Yunhe opened his eyes groggily and saw Luo Zhiheng's closed eyes with her eyelashes curled and trembling slightly. Instantly, he had a strong urge to see her face, and his large hand landed on her mask.
First update! The final chapters start today! We had guests over again today, so it was a mess and I was sweating bullets. I'll try my best to write more, and if I can't finish today, I should be able to finish tomorrow. Love you all! Please vote, leave comments, and give me monthly tickets! There will be another update today.
586 Farewell at Luoxin Courtyard! (Final Episode 2)
Updated: 2014-02-03 17:43:39 Word Count: 4590
Luo Zhiheng's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she suddenly opened her eyes to meet Mu Yunhe's gaze. Her eyes were filled with a light mist that seemed about to take flight.
"Is it alright?" Mu Yunhe's voice was hoarse and trembling slightly with nervousness. He, who had never known fear before, felt fear repeatedly in Luo Zhiheng's presence. At this moment, he was even more afraid of being rejected by Luo Zhiheng. Because he knew that if Luo Zhiheng didn't let him see her face, he would definitely not force her.
Luo Zhiheng gazed at him quietly for a while, then smiled faintly, her eyelashes fluttering.
Mu Yunhe understood immediately, his eyes brimming with joy and excitement. His large hand, gripping the mask, trembled slightly, making the thin, cicada-wing-like mask feel as heavy as a thousand pounds. He carefully removed the mask, letting it fall bit by bit. A strand of Luo Zhiheng's hair fell, brushing against the back of his hand, a light, ticklish sensation that traveled all the way to his heart.
Her forehead was smooth, her eyebrows were arched like distant mountains, and her eyes were bright and narrow. Her delicate eyes were pure and deep red. When those eyes appeared, Mu Yunhe couldn't help but gasp and hold his breath. As her large hand fell, when Luo Zhiheng's face finally appeared in his eyes, Mu Yunhe was stunned.
Luo Zhiheng is a thousand times more beautiful than me; you'll definitely like her when you see her.
These words suddenly appeared in Mu Yunhe's mind. These were the words Sun Yunyun had said to him that day. At that time, Mu Yunhe did not believe it, but now that he had truly seen and clearly seen Luo Zhiheng's appearance, Mu Yunhe had to admit that Sun Yunyun had not lied. In the whole world, there was probably no woman more beautiful than Luo Zhiheng.
She must be perfect. Breathtakingly beautiful and mesmerizing.
Although Mu Yunhe's gaze towards Luo Zhiheng was filled with amazement and shock, it was not blasphemous or greedy. Although he was infatuated, there was no repulsive expression in his eyes.
Luo Zhiheng's tense heart finally calmed down. A smile curled her red lips, and her movements, though neither coquettish nor charming, were full of allure and charm because of her face, making her even more breathtakingly beautiful.
"What are you laughing at?" Mu Yunhe asked lightly, blinking, a smile involuntarily curving his lips.
"I was just worried that you might fall for me because of my good looks, or want to keep me here. If that were the case, I'd rather just kill myself," Luo Zhiheng said lightly.
Mu Yunhe's expression changed, and he suddenly tightened his grip on her hand, his voice turning cold and sharp: "What nonsense are you talking about! You are mine to begin with, so what's with the talk of beauty? Even if I can't remember you now, I will try my best to remember. I won't say anything about your fuss before, it's over now, come home with me."
His matter-of-fact and self-righteous attitude was Luo Zhiheng's happiest moment. In any case, Mu Yunhe was still the same Mu Yunhe; he wouldn't change anything because of someone's appearance. However, she couldn't just go back with him so easily.
"I haven't had enough fun yet. This place is so beautiful. Can you stay here with me? Let's stay here for the night, okay?" Luo Zhiheng pouted and acted coquettishly. Her soft voice was irresistible, not to mention her stunning beauty.
Mu Yunhe's heart melted. He felt a strange mix of familiarity and unfamiliarity with Luo Zhiheng's intimacy. The woman from his fragmented memories shouldn't have been like this, but because of Luo Zhiheng now, it felt natural and perfectly reasonable. It was a very strange feeling.
He just frowned slightly and decided to stay the night.
Seeing him frown, Luo Zhiheng feigned anger and said, "Can't you even stay and keep me company for one night?"
"It's not that I can't, I'm just worried about my health. I don't know if I can hold on for another night." Mu Yunhe didn't hide the truth; his body was weak, and it was uncertain whether he could hold on. Even now, he was already forcing himself to stay. He added, "I need to go back and rest properly so I can stay with you longer."
He blurted out those words without thinking, and the moment they came out, he froze, his ears turning red instantly.
Luo Zhiheng smiled and shook his arm, saying, "No, just stay with me for today, we can talk about the future later."
I don't know if we'll have a future after today. I just want to cherish the present. Mu Yunhe, I want to cherish you now.
Mu Yunhe couldn't bear to disappoint her, so despite feeling unwell, he nodded in agreement.
They sat there on the ground, and as time passed and the past became too painful to recall, Luo Zhiheng chose to remain silent. Their past was filled with so much, both beautiful and despairing, but they had overcome it all. Now that Mu Yunhe had forgotten everything, she thought, perhaps it was fate.
Fate knew they would face this calamity, Fate knew she would meet a madman, and Mu Yunhe would face this ordeal. Whether they could truly stay together forever was still unknown. Now, she truly didn't ask Mu Yunhe to remember her anymore, she only asked that Mu Yunhe forget her in the days when she couldn't come back.
After this departure, her future is uncertain. Should they continue the vows they made during their sweet times?
All she asked for was that this courtyard, this house, every blade of grass and every tree here would bear the traces and marks of her presence, and hold moments of her time with Mu Yunhe. Even if she couldn't remember, even if she... died, at least this memory would have been so vivid in her mind.
Leaning against the lush tree, they nestled together. After everything had changed, all that remained between them were two broken lovers who had once loved each other deeply, the War God Blade that had accompanied Luo Zhiheng through life and death and protected Mu Yunhe time and time again from danger, and the Dragon and Phoenix Zither, the most revered zither among lovers.
A zither, a sword, and two people, seemingly lonely, desolate, and forlorn, with petals fluttering and swirling around them, covering the ground once again with delicate petals, and as petals fall layer upon layer from the glazed tiles, as they fall asleep together in quiet warmth, time seems to stand still at this moment.
The painting depicts her, him, and their home. Simple and beautiful.
As the sun completely set and the moon rose high in the sky, Mu Yunhe wearily opened his eyes and looked at the delicate woman in his arms, who was fast asleep on his lap. The silvery moonlight made her face look hazy and soft. She slept like an innocent child, so peaceful and gentle that it softened his heart.
Mu Yunhe reached out and gently stroked her face. It seemed so familiar, yet he couldn't quite place it. His heart grew colder in the cool night air. Mu Yunhe finally realized that he seemed to have forgotten something truly important. The more he tried to remember, the less he could, and the more panicked he became. It was as if forgetting what he had forgotten would bring him some terrible disaster.
She was heaven's darling; day and night, she was a radiant sprite, so beautiful that no one could look away. Mu Yunhe simply gazed at her, his body numb from the lack of blood circulation, yet he didn't want to move, didn't want to wake the sweetly sleeping Luo Zhiheng. He only wished this moment could be eternal, to be preserved forever. Even if he couldn't remember, as long as Luo Zhiheng didn't despise him and was willing to stay by his side, he would give up everything for her, even for a lifetime.
Thinking of their forever, Mu Yunhe smiled, holding Luo Zhiheng's hand tightly. Finally, unable to resist the onslaught of drowsiness, he closed his heavy eyelids, but a smile remained on his lips.
Not long after Mu Yunhe fell asleep, Luo Zhiheng opened her eyes, sat up, looked at his face, and then nestled into his arms. Her eyes were filled with countless longings and reluctance as she murmured softly, "You forgot me twice, and each time it broke my heart so much, yet I was helpless. I can't blame you, because I never blamed you. I always believed that I could make you fall in love with me again. I always felt that we were a match made in heaven, and that our lives would only be complete because of each other."
"Was I too arrogant? Yunhe, from beginning to end, we never betrayed each other. We only ever had each other. Did we not love each other enough? No, we loved each other very much, so much that we could give up everything we had for each other. Could it be that Heaven couldn't bear to see us love each other too much? Otherwise, why would there be so many hardships and disasters?"
"If this is a challenge and test from God, then I will strive to complete it and face it head-on. I will never back down. But this time, I'm truly afraid that the odds are against me. I don't know what the future holds, so please take good care of yourself. If I can bring back the antidote, I will never let you go again in this life. If, unfortunately, I lose my life, please cherish yourself. Since you can't remember me, then forget me completely. Being able to come here and fall in love with you, my life, though not spectacular, has been quite wonderful."
“Mu Yunhe, every time it was you who gave up everything for me, risking your life and disregarding everything. I could never understand why you could so easily let go of me and choose to fight alone. Now, when I am facing the same choice, I finally understand how you felt back then. That is, for the person I love, I can really go without hesitation and really go crazy.”
"Yunhe, meeting you is truly the luckiest thing in my life, and the thing I will never regret."
"Mu Yunhe, I love you, I really, really love you!"
"Mu Yunhe, if I am still alive, may I love you again?"
"Mu Yunhe, if I unfortunately die, just pretend I never existed..."
Dawn broke before sunrise. As the first rays of sunlight leaped from below the horizon and illuminated the earth, Luo Zhiheng stood up from Mu Yunhe's arms. He had been sleeping soundly, but his exhaustion was palpable. His face was ashen, and his decay continued to spread. He was in great pain; even in his dreams, his brows were furrowed, his thin lips were tightly pressed together, and his large hands groped haphazardly across his chest before grabbing Luo Zhiheng's skirt. He held on tightly to the hem, as if he had grasped some life-saving remedy that could soothe his soul, yet his furrowed brows never relaxed.
Luo Zhiheng squatted down, stroking his face with heartache in her eyes, being careful not to wake him, but he was unable to wake up due to the poison.
"Yunhe, I will definitely save you! Even if it costs me my life!" Her gentle tone was heavy, making it hard to breathe. After speaking, she stood up and slowly pulled her skirt out of Mu Yunhe's hands, her bloodshot eyes filled with broken reluctance and resolute ruthlessness.
She had no right to hesitate or waver, no right to continue her reluctance and struggle. Now, all she wanted was for her Yunhe to live and be free from suffering.
As the skirt disappeared completely from Mu Yunhe's hands, the pain between his brows seemed to intensify. Luo Zhiheng bit her lip tightly, not daring to look at him again, and resolutely turned away.
Mu Yunhe let out a painful groan, crying out in a terrified and indistinct voice, "Aheng, Aheng!"
Luo Zhiheng's steps abruptly halted, frozen in place as if by magic. Her heart tightened instantly, and a sudden, frantic clash of ecstasy and disbelief overwhelmed her. She whirled around and saw Mu Yunhe, his eyes tightly shut, struggling in agony, as if trapped in a terrible nightmare from which he couldn't escape. He needed someone to save him and pull him out of this horrible nightmare.
Luo Zhiheng knew that she was that person.
But she didn't have the courage to go back to Mu Yunhe's side. She was afraid that if she went back and Mu Yunhe woke up, she would never be able to leave again.
Faced with the choice between rescuing Mu Yunhe from his nightmare or bringing him back to life, Luo Zhiheng had no choice but to choose the latter!
His painful screams and calls nearly tore Luo Zhiheng's heart apart. Her face turned deathly pale as she backed away. The scene before her was so jarring and shattered. There were still dreamlike houses and courtyards, clusters of cherry blossoms, a famous zither that had been passed down through the ages, a magnificent and sacred battle sword, and a handsome man, but she was no longer there, no longer the lonely soul from another place and era!
With her skirt billowing in a resolute arc, Luo Zhiheng abruptly turned and strode toward the courtyard gate, refusing to witness the desolate and broken scene behind her. Tears streamed down her face at that moment, but she wiped them away fiercely the instant she stepped out of the gate!
Her battlefield forbade her to shed tears. Let all her tears be reserved for the man she loved and longed for.
A gentle breeze blew by, and as her figure completely disappeared into the house, the painting instantly lost its luster. In the painting, Mu Yunhe brushed past a tree trunk and fell heavily to the ground, a single tear sliding down his tightly closed eyes. The continuous breeze could not dry the tears rolling down his cheeks.
At this moment, Mu Yunhe's face was twisted into a near-grotesque grimace, but he was unable to open his eyes.