Chapter 134

Chapter 134

Liu Buhua seemed to be lost in deep thought recently.

Ever since returning from the Hungry Ghost Realm instance to the Mingyue Cliff, he had been this way.

Xie Yinxue inquired with concern, to which he replied, "So many people were lost in this last instance."

However, when Liu Buhua thought of those they left behind in the instance, it felt like they hadn't really gone. There were also those who had died in the real world but became ghostly NPCs in "Lock of Longevity", including the malicious woman and the real Feng'an County village corresponding to the Fengnian Fort instance. All these incidents indicated that some instances in "Lock of Longevity" seemed related to reality.

It's as if past events, once modified and edited by someone, became the instances they entered.

Yet, this description didn't quite capture it.

"What exactly is going on?"

The more Liu Buhua pondered, the more hair he lost. But what troubled him even more was that Xie Yinxue seemed preoccupied. The young man hid it well, but Liu Buhua noticed.

Xie Yinxue would often touch the pear blossom bracelet, sitting silently for hours in the pavilion, gazing at the misty clouds amidst the cliffs.

Liu Buhua had also asked him about it, but Xie Yinxue would always smile and reply, "It's nothing," leaving Liu Buhua hesitant to probe further.

After all, having the burden of being an obedient adoptive son, it didn't feel right to pester Xie Yinxue when he clearly didn't want to discuss it.

Hence, Liu Buhua decided to delegate this task to the younger, thick-haired Shen Qiuji.

On Wednesday evening, as Shen Qiuji returned from school and was about to do his homework, Liu Buhua intercepted him. Using the conversation skills he learned in "Lock of Longevity", he said, "Ah Ji, your master has been upset lately and tries to bear it all alone. He won't tell us anything, trying not to worry us, but how can I not be concerned? What should we do?"

"Master has always been in frail health, and the doctor advised him not to stress. I'll check on him."

Being young and concerned about his master, Shen Qiuji rushed to the pavilion, energetically seating himself right in front of Xie Yinxue.

Xie Yinxue gave a small smile, and before Shen Qiuji could speak, he placed three stacked copper coins on the table, saying, "Ah Ji, since you're here, why not divine a hexagram for your master?"

“……”

Divination with copper coins was a Taoist subject Shen Qiuji was currently studying, but his proficiency was average.

How average?

Once, Shen Qiuji tried to divine his own fortune to see if he would ever become rich, like winning a scratch-off lottery. Surprisingly, the result was affirmative.

After seeing this, Xie Yinxue fell silent.

Although he didn't rebuke his young disciple, he was upset enough to skip dinner. Hungry, he suffered from stomach pain that night, barely sleeping. By morning, he looked exceptionally pale, too weak to speak. It took him several days of rest in bed to recover.

So, when Shen Qiuji saw Xie Yinxue wanting another divination, he wanted to urge him to take care of his health. Yet, after pondering his words, he merely asked, "What would you like to know?"

"Marital fate."

The young man cast his gaze downward, brushing an autumn leaf off the table with a gesture. His voice was soft, reminiscent of a cool breeze brushing past on a snowy day.

Shen Qiuji was about to toss the three copper coins for divination, but he froze at the words.

His eyes, wide in astonishment, locked onto the young man before him, who didn't meet his gaze. All Shen Qiuji saw were the dark shadows cast by long eyelashes; the young man's emotions remained inscrutable.

Shen Qiuji pushed the copper coins back towards Xie Yinxue, refusing, "Master, I can't divine this for you."

The young man replied indifferently, "Your predictions aren't always accurate anyway, so go ahead."

"What if I'm right this time?" Shen Qiuji frowned, his expression grave. "What if the hexagram comes true?"

There's a popular saying: One should not easily divine one's destiny.

Once divined, the hexagram will manifest—be it good or bad.

Therefore, divining one's fate should never be too comprehensive or detailed.

Shen Qiuji only dared to predict minor things for himself.

Take his divination on winning a scratch-off lottery, for instance. It didn't really matter if the prediction was good or bad, as long as he didn't buy a ticket, the hexagram's accuracy wouldn't affect him.

Had Xie Yinxue asked about encountering a beautiful woman next week or some minor romantic fortune, Shen Qiuji wouldn't have hesitated. But "marital fate" was too broad a topic.

Moreover, when Xie Yinxue entered the mystical path, it was foretold he had a solitary destiny. His marital fate had already been divined by Chen Yuqing.

At that time, Chen Yuqing's divination resulted in the Hexagram of Ming Yi, indicating declining brightness.

This hexagram signifies the sun setting beneath the earth, where light diminishes, resembling a setting sun.①

Chen Yuqing's predictions, unlike Shen Qiuji's, were never wrong.

He believed that where a flying goose lands on snow, it leaves traces.

People's hearts resemble freshly snow-covered grounds in the depth of winter, a pristine blanket of white. Yet, if someone braves the bone-chilling cold, leaving footprints in the snow, even if they eventually leave, the impressions on that snowy heart will remain.

The presence of the Mingyi hexagram signifies misfortune.

The moment the divination revealed itself, Chen Yuqing knew that if Xie Yinxue couldn't relinquish desire and emotions, forsaking love and hatred, the moment he lets his heart sway, disaster would befall him.

For this reason, Chen Yuqing renamed Shen Qiulin, now known as Xie Yinxue, with the name "Yinxue," constantly reminding him of the reflection of his heart and to leave no trace.

"Master, if you're testing my learning, I can divine something else for you," Shen Qiuji stared intently at Xie Yinxue, emphasizing, "Anything but romantic fate."

The young man sighed, gathering the coins on his wrist, "Your reading is off. Maybe you shouldn't pursue this. It's too difficult for you."

Shen Qiuji: "..."

Well, looks like he’s the one who'll be too upset to eat dinner tonight.

Seeing his apprentice's frustration, Xie Yinxue felt rather pleased, smiling as he asked, "Why did you come to see me right after class today? Do you have something to discuss?"

Shen Qiuji paused for a moment, then said, "Today, our teacher announced we're going to Maple Leaf Park for an autumn outing this Friday. I wanted to ask what I should do."

This question genuinely troubled Xie Yinxue.

An autumn outing to a park would surely include a picnic.

For most kids, a picnic is straightforward: their parents buy some tasty snacks from the supermarket, and during the picnic, they share them with their classmates.

But Shen Qiuji couldn't do that.

He's fated with "poverty" and can't carry many valuable things.

While snacks might not be expensive, they are food. Can someone laden with a bag full of food be associated with "poverty"? If he took a backpack full of snacks, they'd surely vanish without a trace once they arrived at Maple Leaf Park.

And that's not the only issue.

During the outing, a child's popularity often correlates with the amount of snacks they bring—the more snacks, the more popular; the fewer snacks, the more likely they are to be excluded.

After all, everyone shares their snacks. If you bring very few, who would want to play with you?

Unlike adults, kids often wear their feelings openly. If Shen Qiuji went on the outing without any snacks, he'd undoubtedly be left out during the picnic.

He might even face unkind comments and find himself isolated.

And... it has already happened once.

Xie Yinxue didn't want to see history repeat itself. He furrowed his brows and pressed his lips together, suggesting, "You should focus on your homework first. Your brother Liu Buhua and I will figure this out for you."

"Thank you, Master."

Shen Qiuji stood up, expressed his gratitude towards Xie Yinxue, and left with his backpack.

Liu Buhua, who was waiting in the corridor outside Shen Qiuji's room for an update, quickly grabbed him to inquire, "How did it go, Ah Ji? Did you get any insights?"

Shen Qiuji hadn't asked, but he had his suspicions.

Who would consult the hexagrams about their romantic fate without reason?

Only someone with a stirring heart.

He turned to Liu Buhua and questioned, "Has Master taken a liking to someone recently?"

After pondering for a few seconds, Liu Buhua replied, "There's quite a list."

Shen Qiuji: "?"

Liu Buhua elaborated, "He seems to fancy everyone who's attractive."

Wants to adopt them all as his disciples, livening up the atmosphere at Mingyue Cliff.

Shen Qiuji: "..."

Was that the kind of "liking" he was referring to?

Was Liu Buhua genuinely misunderstanding, or was he feigning ignorance?

Clearly, Liu Buhua did understand. He continued, "However, there is this one person. Not particularly good-looking, has a temper, occasionally colder than the snow on our mountain, often blurting out peculiar... uh... nonsense. Yet, it seems your Master is... quite fond of him."

The hesitation in the concluding "quite" revealed that even Liu Buhua couldn't precisely decipher Xie Yinxue's feelings.

"How could that be?" Shen Qiuji raised an eyebrow in challenge, "Leaving everything else aside, who doesn't like attractive people? When I seek a partner in the future, it'll definitely be someone good-looking. If he isn't handsome, what could Master possibly see in him?"

Liu Buhua spread his hands helplessly, "That's all I know."

Shen Qiuji confidently asserted, "Master certainly doesn't like him."

Liu Buhua lowered his eyes, "...I hope so."

Chen Yuqing's marriage hexagram was the same as Xie Yinxue's, both being the hexagram of Earth Fire Mingyi.

As a man fated with loneliness, he died at such a young age. Liu Buhua often wondered if this was due to his own emotional involvement.

If Xie Yinxue were to become emotionally attached, in line with the hexagram, what misfortune would he encounter?

To Xie Yinxue, his current greatest dilemma was how to prepare snacks for his young disciple's Friday picnic.

He pondered over it for a day and a night but couldn't make up his mind.

Liu Buhua suggested a solution, "Why not draw pictures of the snacks on paper? He can pick what he wants when he's hungry."

"That won't work," Xie Yinxue immediately shook his head, "Remember last time? On the spring trip, Ah Ji did just that. A mischievous kid in their class opened his backpack. When the other students saw he only brought a snack drawing book and no actual snacks, they all ignored him. Ah Ji came home crying..."

Shen Qiuji, who was engrossed in his meal, immediately retorted, "Nonsense, I didn't cry!"

Liu Buhua remarked at his reaction, "He's defensive."

Only Chen Ma offered a reliable solution, "How about I make some handmade pastries in shapes kids like? We can pack them in a food box for Ah Ji."

"That's our only option," Liu Buhua sighed deeply, "but I feel it's... mysterious."

"Prepare both, the snack drawing book and the pastry box," Xie Yinxue decided, "I'll draw the book tonight and give it to you tomorrow."

Shen Qiuji was indeed very obedient to his master.

Knowing that Xie Yinxue's health had deteriorated over the past year, using his unique skills would be torturous for him, Shen Qiuji gently declined, "Your health isn't great. I can draw it myself."

Xie Yinxue affectionately patted his disciple's head, gently saying, "It's fine, just a few drawings. Yours... aren't that appealing. Master's drawings are prettier."

Shen Qiuji: "..."

Not outright calling it ugly was indeed a tactful way to put it.

In reality, Shen Qiuji didn't care if the snacks looked appetizing or could attract other kids. He didn't mind even if he didn't bring any.

Anyway, he didn't really fit in with those kids, and they didn't enjoy playing with him either.

Yet, when he saw the concern from Xie Yin Xue, Liu Bu Hua, and Chen Ma about his simple autumn outing the next day, he found himself unable to voice any complaints. It even brought a small hint of anticipation to a day he initially wasn't looking forward to.

Unfortunately, for most, their dreams and aspirations often get crushed by reality.

The next day, before Shen Qiu Ji met with his teacher and classmates, Liu Bu Hua wanted to check if the snack box was still in his backpack. Upon unzipping it: the box was there, but the snacks were all gone.

Their mysterious disappearance left many questions. To say that mice had eaten them seemed improbable since the box was sealed without any holes. Claiming ghosts had taken them seemed less likely than Shen Qiu Ji eating them all in the middle of the night due to hunger.

"…Godfather, what's this?" Liu Bu Hua looked at Xie Yin Xue in astonishment, "Qiu Ji hasn't even reached Maple Park yet."

Xie Yin Xue gazed at the empty snack box, his pale lips sealed in silence.

Observing the increasingly frail figure of the young man as winter approached, Shen Qiu Ji, fearing he'd catch a cold from the breeze at the entrance, quickly pulled out a small booklet from his backpack and said, "It's fine. The snack illustration book Master gave me is still here. If I want to eat something, I just tear out the corresponding page."

As he said this, he tore out a page depicting cheese balls. The page transformed into a packet of cheese balls in his hand. The remaining booklet still had illustrations of various snacks, such as cream-filled cookies, chocolate globes, cotton candy ice cream, and even simple candies like pinwheels — all specially prepared by Xie Yin Xue to help Shen Qiu Ji bond with his classmates.

Xie Yin Xue never had the chance to enjoy these snacks in his childhood due to his frail health; there were few days he could even get out of bed without feeling unwell after consuming random snacks.

As an adult, he was no longer at an age where he'd actively seek out such treats, but now he had drawn an entire booklet of them for Shen Qiu Ji.

Shen Qiu Ji wasn't sure how long Xie Yin Xue had spent drawing these or where he got the references from. He only knew that Xie Yin Xue probably wanted him to enjoy his outing.

"I'll wear my backpack in front today." Shen Qiu Ji adjusted his backpack's position and declared, "If someone tries to mess with it, I'll hit them."

Xie Yin Xue chuckled, "Then, they might call your parents."

He bent down to straighten Shen Qiu Ji's disheveled collar, advising with the same care any parent would give their child, "Listen to your teachers at school, don't jaywalk, and don't fight with other kids."

Shen Qiu Ji hummed in acknowledgment, "The maple leaves at Maple Park should be red by now. I'll bring one back for you as a bookmark."

Xie Yin Xue smiled softly, "Sounds good."

Shen Qiu Ji opened the car door and settled in, then rolled down the window to wave at Xie Yin Xue, "I'm leaving now. You should head back and rest."

Xie Yin Xue nodded, watching the car carrying Shen Qiu Ji and Liu Bu Hua drive away before turning to leave.

With every step, droplets of deep red, hotter than the most vivid autumn maple, fell to the ground. He hadn't gone far when Xie Yin Xue had to lean against a pear tree nearby to keep himself upright.

Unspeakable anguish surged and writhed in every corner of his body. Yet, to Xie Yin Xue, the sorrow in his heart was even more unbearable. To add to his torment, he couldn't even succumb to sleep or unconsciousness to find a brief respite from the pain.

Every time he closed his eyes, he was reminded of that day when the Shen family members knelt by his deathbed, pleading with Chen Yuqing—

"Yuqing, give your life to save Ah Xue..."

"He can't die..."

"If he dies, there will never be another like him in the Shen family..."

In the end, the one who departed was Chen Yuqing.

Chen Yuqing once told him that his talent was unparalleled, unmatched in the realm of Qimen arts, surpassing all but the most exceptional.

But when it came to divination, Xie Yin Xue could never rival Chen Yuqing.

All his knowledge in arcane techniques was of little use, for with his frail body, how many of those techniques could he genuinely muster?

For someone as useless as him, the best he could do was to stay alive.

Moreover, the pain he currently felt was but a fraction of what he felt watching Chen Yuqing die, let alone the agony endured by their shared masters.

If he were to die, the next to suffer would be Shen Qiu Jie.

And after Shen Qiu Jie, countless other members of the Shen family, whether by blood or name, would suffer. It would be best if everything ended with him—unlike Chen Yuqing, who was a protective master from birth till death, the most he could do for Shen Qiu Jie was just this.

"A lone star in one's destiny, estranged from kin, solitary until death..."

Reciting the fate Chen Yuqing once predicted for him, Xie Yin Xue whispered with a faint smile, "Master, you never told me—what if I don't die?"

"You surely foresaw it, but chose not to say."

"I'm not like you... I divined a thousand omens yesterday. Although none revealed an answer, I will find out."

There are five gates left to the Lock of Longevity.

Once he passes these five gates and achieves immortality, he will know the answer.

Author's note:

①From the "I Ching" (Book of Changes).

②From "Han Shu: Biography of Kong Guang".

Shen Tudi: What does my master see in him?

Liu Buhua: He's irresistibly charming.

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