Chapter 65: He is Right Beside Me
The three months spent in the Buddhist Sect allowed Ning Ke to continue maintaining his composure in front of Lou Yunxiao.
It was just that when his gaze swept over that tattered sachet worn at Lou Yunxiao’s side, he still felt his breath catch.
The aftereffects of gouging out his heart’s blood, which hadn’t flared up in a long time, began acting up again.
A tearing pain.
Lou Yunxiao raised his eyes, staring at Ning Ke’s face.
At the same time, the Hongyun Sword strapped to his back suddenly began to tremble lightly.
The vibrations making the scabbard sway gently.
Ever since A-Ke died, Lou Yunxiao had been carrying both the Cangyin and Hongyun divine swords on his back.
Feeling the shaking right now.
His eyes, which had been empty and lifeless, were suddenly lit up by sparks.
He subconsciously looked around.
To search for A-Ke’s shadow.
He even rode his sword to stand on the city gate tower, drew the Hongyun Sword, and spoke to it.
“Hongyun, you can find A-Ke, right?”
“He is here, isn’t he?”
“Help me find him, quickly, find him!”
Zeng Xi called out to him: “Daoist Lou?”
Zhuang Yusheng also asked anxiously: “Lou Yunxiao, what are you doing?”
“Come down quickly!”
Below the city wall, Ning Ke blankly watched this dramatic scene.
Realizing Hongyun wanted to point downwards, he used the divine sense left on the Hongyun Sword to issue a subconscious command.
—Do not recognize me.
Detecting this command, the tip of the Hongyun Sword abruptly paused, stopped vibrating, and plummeted from the city wall.
It stabbed diagonally into the crevice of the stone bricks and ceased all movement.
The afterglow of the setting sun outlined Lou Yunxiao’s desolate figure on the city wall.
Watching from below, Ning Xiaoxiao clenched her back teeth.
Her eyes felt sore and astringent: “Lou Yunxiao, how much longer are you going to throw a tantrum?”
“My brother is gone! He’s been gone for a long time!!”
In three months, Ning Xiaoxiao had argued with Lou Yunxiao countless times.
She had had enough of this crazy Lou Yunxiao.
It was exactly because of Lou Yunxiao’s behavior like this that hope rose in her time and time again, only to turn into despair.
She also wanted her brother to resurrect, but also knew deeply that this was simply impossible.
The mental blows time and time again pushed her to the verge of collapse as well.
“My brother is gone.”
The little girl lowered her head, teardrops falling down her cheeks.
She tried to wipe them with her hands, but they just couldn’t be wiped dry.
She merely choked back sobs and repeated: “My brother is gone… He won’t come back…”
Wu Gou looked at Ning Ke beside him.
Noticing that the hand beneath Ning Ke’s monk robes was dripping blood.
It must have been from clenching too hard, injuring his palm.
“Ming Xin.”
His voice called back Ning Ke’s train of thought.
The next moment, Wu Gou watched Ning Ke walk up to Ning Xiaoxiao and hand over a handkerchief.
“The dead have passed; the living should also look past it and cherish the present.”
He gently comforted Ning Xiaoxiao.
Ning Ke then walked over to the Hongyun Sword.
His thin figure stretched long by the setting sun’s afterglow.
His palm grasped it, applied a bit of force, and pulled it out.
Then he handed it back to Lou Yunxiao, who had come down from the city wall.
“Benefactor Lou, the Buddha said: Humans have eight sufferings: birth, aging, sickness, death, encountering what one hates, parting with what one loves, the burning of the five skandhas, and failing to get what one desires.”
“This is the six paths of reincarnation; there is no escaping it.”
“Please accept my condolences.”
Lou Yunxiao’s eyes were completely red.
Like a trapped beast in a cage, he took the Hongyun Sword, but grabbed Ning Ke’s wrist with one hand and asked.
“You understand Buddhist principles so well, then tell me, what did I do wrong? Why must I lose everything I love?”
“The Buddha saves all sentient beings, why did he forget only me?!”
Grabbed by him like this, Ning Ke met Lou Yunxiao’s eyes.
What he saw was extreme pain and sorrow.
“Benefactor Lou, you didn’t do anything wrong.” Wu Gou stepped forward, blocking in front of the distracted Ning Ke, and said: “But Ming Xin didn’t do anything wrong either. Please calm down and let go of Ming Xin.”
Only then did Lou Yunxiao suddenly snap back to his senses.
His fingers loosened, and the Hongyun Sword returned to its sheath.
He said hoarsely: “Sorry for causing you trouble.”
…
Zeng Xi arranged accommodations for everyone in Beiyou City, planning to rest for a day and conduct investigations the next day.
As soon as the door closed, Zeng Xi was pulled by Zhang Chen who asked: “Senior Sister, what exactly is going on with that Lou Yunxiao? Isn’t he number one on the talent rankings? Why is he acting like a madman?”
“His junior brother died in the secret realm to save him, and he became like this afterwards.”
“What kind of senior and junior brothers have feelings so good they reach this extent?” Zhang Chen asked doubtfully: “Besides, the person is gone. After so much time has passed, he should have adapted by now.”
“That junior brother of his was a genius among geniuses.” Zeng Xi sighed: “Despite being in the Sword Sect, he was proficient in even talisman arts and arrays, and his appearance and personality were absolutely top-notch.”
“If he hadn’t died in the secret realm, he would be the leading figure of the Sword Sect now…”
She recalled the speculations of some sisters in the sect.
Telling Zhang Chen: “So we guess, this Lou Yunxiao probably likes his junior brother.”
“A man liking a man?” Zhang Chen’s eyes widened in shock.
Zeng Xi glanced at him: “What’s so strange about that. Stop staring at Lou Yunxiao and hurry up to practice the pill recipe Master gave you, don’t waste time.”
“Why don’t you refine it yourself, only knowing how to boss me around.” Zhang Chen mumbled, but seeing Zeng Xi hold up her fist as a warning, he quickly shrank his head and went to refine pills.
…
On the roof of the inn.
Lou Yunxiao sat on the edge of the eaves, his fingers brushing the sachet at his waist, rubbing it gently.
Looking at the desolate streets of Beiyou City caused by the demon’s attack, it was unknown what he was thinking about.
“You really are here.” Zhuang Yusheng climbed onto the roof.
Lou Yunxiao pursed his lips and asked: “My Junior Sister, is she okay?”
“Heh, I thought your heart couldn’t hold anything else besides A-Ke.”
“Looking at it now, you still care about Xiaoxiao.”
Zhuang Yusheng walked up beside him: “Lou Yunxiao, I know A-Ke’s death makes you suffer, but have you ever thought that if you continue like this, you’ll drive everyone around you crazy?”
“When he was alive, you didn’t speak of love. Now that he’s dead, who are these displays of yours meant for?”
Lou Yunxiao remained silent, which made Zhuang Yusheng even angrier.
“Lou Yunxiao, stop acting like a sealed gourd, will you?”
“Couldn’t beat a fart out of you with eight poles! In the past, you would at least speak. Now that your eyes are healed, has your mouth gone mute?!”
“Do you think if A-Ke knew about this in the netherworld, he would want to see this half-human, half-ghost state of yours?!”
Just as he finished saying this, Zhuang Yusheng suddenly saw Lou Yunxiao raise his head, those dark red eyes staring straight at him.
He opened his mouth and said.
“He didn’t die.”
His tone was extremely certain.
He said it again: “Previously, I only guessed he didn’t die, but now I am certain…”
He drew the Hongyun Sword, closed his index and middle fingers together, and slid them from the base of the sword to the tip.
After nearly a year, he revealed his first smile that could be called excited.
“He is right beside me.”
Translator’s Note:
- Eight Sufferings (八苦): A core concept in Buddhism detailing the fundamental sufferings of human existence. Ning Ke uses this to sound wise and detached, but it only agitates Lou Yunxiao more.
- Couldn’t beat a fart out of you with eight poles (八竿子都打不出一個屁): A very descriptive Chinese idiom for someone who is extremely quiet, tight-lipped, or refuses to speak no matter how much you prompt them.
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