Late at night, I watched as Tang Xiaohua fell into a deep slumber. I tucked her into the quilt that'd slipped because of her poor sleeping posture and then turned around to walk out the door.
Standing at the highest point in the deep mountains, I gazed at the pitch-black night sky devoid of stars and the moon. I took a deep breath, sat down with my legs crossed and focused all my thoughts, searching for the voice that had brought me to Tang Xiaohua's side, that evil old fox who refused to reveal any truth!
Only this elusive old fox could unravel my doubts. I knew that if Tang Xiaohua were just an ordinary girl, he would never have sent me, a noble from the fox clan, to her! Conspiracy! There must be a conspiracy at play here!
That old fox hadn't contacted me in at least a decade, not until after I had established a close bond with Tang Xiaohua. Tonight, even if it exhausts my primordial spirit[1], I must establish contact with the old fox!
The mountain wind blew relentlessly, penetrating to the bone, but my forehead was covered with thick beads of sweat. I lost track of how much time had passed, until a ray of moonlight fell upon my head, and at last, a voice, that of an ageless man, reached my ears. To be precise, it resonated within my mind—
"You're looking for me?"
I was overjoyed and quickly asked, "Where are you? I want to see you; there are many things I need to ask you in person!"
"I'm in the water."
I opened my eyes, and not far away, the river shimmered in the moonlight, with the sound of flowing water.
I scrambled to the riverbank, stuck my head out, and looked at the water's surface. Apart from my own reflection, there was no sign of the old fox.
"Why did you erase my past memories?" I shouted at the river, not caring too much.
"Your memories have always been there."
"That's impossible!" I was getting a bit angry. "Who is Tang Xiaohua really? Her powers couldn't have come out of nowhere. I want to know the truth!"
"When you can recall her name, all your questions will be answered."
"Old fox, are you kidding me?" I punched the water, and the icy splash hit my face.
"This is your own choice. The only person who can completely unravel the mystery for you is yourself." The voice gradually sank into the water, leaving no trace.
On the surface of the river, only my shattered silhouette remained.
I shouted until my throat was hoarse, but the voice no longer responded to me.
When you can recall her name, all your questions will be answered.
I mindlessly repeated this phrase like a fool, forgetting my ability to fly with the wind. Driven to distraction, I walked on the winding mountain road in the dead of night.
Ahead, the roar of an engine approached, and two bright headlights mercilessly pierced into my eyes.
My body was pierced through by the icy steel...
The sheer ecstasy of being completely torn apart and disintegrated triggered memories that had lain dormant for who knows how long.
I saw a crimson three-petal flower flying out from my body, drawing a lonely arc in the air, and finally silently disappearing on the other side of the air.
Give me your hand. Hey, what's your name? My name is Ah[2] Tou.
My name is...Bu Yu[3].
Bu Yu...
Bu Yu...
Footnotes:
[1] 元神: fundamental essence of life. The term "Yuánshén" is a Taoist concept used in spiritual cultivation. Those who cultivate their Yuánshén, can temporarily leave their physical body and traverse between the realms of Heaven and Earth. They can even choose to separate from the physical body entirely, exist independently, ascend to higher realms, or undergo reincarnation as part of their spiritual journey.
[2] Prefix used in front of the surname or last character of someone’s given name to express familiarity or friendliness. I forgot to add this footnote in the first(Ah-Liao) arc, sorry.
[3] bù yǔ: to remain silent; to say nothing.
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