Chapter 138 - Revisit the Old Place

“Too many children of the human realms. I’m afraid that Kunlun cannot afford them.”

“Kunlun can. It is their good luck to meet you…”

Wuyou was fully aware that war was the fundamental cause. If it was not solved, the refugees would increase unstoppably. As things dragged on, Kunlun would be pulled down without doubt. In the empty square, Wuyou walked to him slowly. The big hands held his little woman, and the two flew out of Ao Ze.

Tonight, Xu Linghe wanted to take Jiang Wuyou back to the place where they met for the first time. Because the place had cherished their first memory. After tonight, he would go to the Jin City. The journey was more ominous than propitious. No matter how unwilling Xu Linghe was to part with his woman, he still felt it was his compelling obligation.

In the sea of clouds, the two snuggled with each other. Xu Linghe kept off the cold for the woman. When they arrived at the human realm, Wuyou realized her husband’s intentions. The cries for sale revived Wuyou’s memory. Thinking about her look when she came to the human realm for the first time, Wuyou could not help but raise the corner of her mouth. Everything here was still what it used to be in the memory. Orange lanterns swayed in the night wind. Wuyou flew up. The little orangr lantern in her memory was still warm.

“It’s been three years. How are these orange lanterns still the same?”

Wuyou pouted her little mouth. So lovely! Her eyes were invitingly bright. Xu Linghe looked at her quietly. The woman had been Douya’s mother, but was still so tender. His fingers gently touched her, and her face turned red.

“People are there…” Wuyou pointed to the distance. When the man turned around, Wuyou came up, gave him a kiss, and then ran to the crowd. The man regretted that the kiss was so abrupt. In the crowd, the man followed the woman tightly. When the crowd receded, Wuyou stood at the street side and bargained with the vendors. Xu Linghe looked at her in the distance. When did the woman learn to be frugal? However, the man did not know how Wuyou lived in the Immense Sea. In order to live better, Wuyou had learned to cook, sew and mend, she had even been good at farm work.

“Present it to my wife…” Xu Linghe picked up a small withered flowers. Wuyou widened her eyes, thinking why Xu Linghe dared to give such a flower to her. She condensed her Spirit Power and tried to destroyed the flower, but was stopped by the man. Xu Linghe circled her into the arms. Next second, a large bunch of iris appeared. In November, she could see the iris of March. The man did set his mind on her.

“Little woman still remembers the candied haws.”

How could Wuyou forget it? At the thought of the candied haws, Wuyou’s stomach rumbled. Along the way, the two searched their memories. When seeing the vendor selling the candied haws, Xu Linghe recognized him immediately. It was still the same as it used to be. Wuyou fixed her eyes on the candied haws.

“10 pennies for a stick.” The pedlar took the taels of silver and hunted vainly through his pockets for some change, so he rubbed his hands with embarrassment. His business was just small-scale trading. How could he give that change?

“Keep the change. I want these all and let my woman enjoy them as much as she likes.” There was still a core in Wuyou’s mouth, and she coughed at the man’s words. She kept patting her chest. Well, the man did treat her as a child.

“You… you.” Wuyou pointed at the man on the street, lost for words at that moment. The core of the candies haws made the woman’s eyes brighter. Then, tears overflowed from her eyes.

“There are yours. Eat slowly.” Wuyou jerked the corner of her mouth, thinking the man did say it deliberately. But Xu Linghe did not think so, but just wanted to make the woman happy.

“Linghe, there are little sugar-molded figures.”

The woman like a child scurried into the crowd. Xu Linghe carried the straw bunch with candied haws sticked on it in order. The candied haws looked more inviting with syrup on them. What the woman saw was the scene. Though it looked funny, in Wuyou’s mind, it was unique scenery. A handsome and graceful man carried the candied haws, which attracted the passers-by’s strange look. However, Xu Linghe did not care about it, because what he carried was the woman’s favorite refreshment. People gathered in the street, and little kids ran to the man. When they saw clearly the man’s look, they did not dare to come closer, because his elegant bearing was different from the common vendors. Wuyou giggled. Then, the man realized the embarrassing atmostphere, but his eyes were full of gentleness. Wuyou shared the candied haws to the kids, and her heart was filled with warmth. Xu Linghe was a bit unwilling to share the candied haws, because they were the woman’s favorite things when she came to the human realm for the first time. How could they be handed out? Several kids surrounded the staw bunch. Xu Linghe felt a bit reluctant, but he still shared the candied haws to them. Xu Linghe and Wuyou cherished the chance that they could revisit the old place. The big hands held the little hands tightly. The Saint Lodge was ahead. Xu Linghe entered it, and the Steward came up to greet him. It was several years since he had met the master, and the master became more handsome.

“This is your hostess…” The hostess looked familiar, but the Steward patted his forehead, unable to remember her at that moment. Xu Linghe came to the second floor. They walked to the bamboo bridge of the back moutain, and Wuyou was a little scared. The wind in the mountain tangled the inky hair. The man tore a piece of cloth and covered the woman’s eyes. Then, Wuyou saw nothing but darkness in front. The big hands held the little hands closely.

“Do you still remember the flower field?” The man asked with a husky voice. Wuyou felt a tremor in her heart and escaped the warmth instantly, because they were on the bamboo bridge. But Xu Linghe, like a child, leaned down and held the woman in his arms. When the two flew down the bamboo bridge, Wuyou ran to the place of her memory. The stone door’s mechanism was not changed. With a rumble, the door opened. Wuyou’s little feet stamped on the path covered with wilted leaves. It was really soft to walk on them. The broken leaves cracked. Wuyou looked around and found everything was familiar to her. In the courtyard, the ginkgo was dyed with golden color. A wind breezed, and then, leaves danced like butterflies. Pieces of pieces dropped and covered the entire courtyard. Wuyou looked at the dancing leaves intently, and could not get back to herself. In the autumn of November, the leaves decorated the courtyard into an incomparably beautiful scene. Xu Linghe flipped his little woman. The woman was still as innocent as a child. The man looked at the woman with indulgence. His fingers itched to flip the woman’s nose again.

“My husband, I want to get older fast…”

“What a fool.”

“But I want to see what you look like when you’re old…”

“Fine. I promise you.”

Spirit Power bleached the man’s inky hair out and turned into grey, and his face was covered with wrinkles. The woman gently stroked the deep wrinkles.

“My husband, you must come back safely.” Wuyou hugged Xu Linghe, unwilling to loosen her hands. Wuyou knew her husband would go to the Jin City tomorrow. No matter how reluctant she was, she had to release her hands, because the children there were innocent…

“When the world is peaceful, we will always live here, and then grow old together. Just be a mortal pair of couple, like your Uncle Jiefei.”

“Linghe, you can’t break your promise.”

“I will remember it here…” Xu Linghe patted his chest. Afraid that the woman did not believe his words, he increased his strength. However, the children of the human society were rather innocent. The night in the late fall was especially cold. Xu Linghe boiled the wine and filled a cup for the woman. Wuyou sipped the wine. As her husband was to leave tomorrow, Wuyou wanted nothing but just accompany him quietly. The strong wine was boiled over the fire, and the entire yard was inundated with the scent of wine. Wuyou was slightly drunk, and her body became light. When she woke up again, she found herself in a sea of flowers. Flowers bestrewed the slope in November, including Wuyou’s favorite sweet-scented osmanthus and cape jasmine flower. Viewed from afar, flowers blossomed vividly.

“Do you like it?”

Xu Linghe knew the woman liked it. The flowers there were blossoming and scenting for three years, and the hostress came finally. Wuyou was too excited to express herself. How could the man not move her? The man was always taking care of her carefully in every possible way.

“My husband, thank you…”

In the sunshine, the two cuddled. It was time to part. Although Wuyou was unwilling to let him go, she had to loosen her hands. She went through the defensive cover, looked after his man till he disappeared and then turned around. Xu Linghe flew up to the clouds and headed to the Jin City. Today was the second day of the test. Wuyou had to go back to Kunlun. When she landed from the clouds, Xiao Douya threw himself into Wuyou’s arms. Granny Moon told Wuyou that Douya had been looking for her for a long time. The little kid was unwilling to leave his mother’s arms. New disciples gathered in the square. Chengyi asked them to draw lots to determine the order. This match was to test the childrens’ courage, which was a great challenge for the kids from the human society. A whistle raised the curtain of the match. Xiao Douya left there obediently with Granny Moon. Wuyou felt bitter when seeing Xiao Douya’s disappointed look. Her child was just in front of her, but she could not have time to accompany him. Little Lingchong let out a sigh and flapped its wings to fly to the back yard. Little Lingchong’s company dissolved Xiao Douya’s depression. Children’s upset would not last long. Only a small hug would make them happy, but adults did not know it at all.

Wuyou did worry about the children from the human realm. As long as they could pass the courage test, their tests were finished generally. She waved her spiritual fingers, and then, the children entered the illusion space where all they saw were false images. When everything was ready, Changyi let out an order and all of the kids ran to the stone door. Wuyou stared at the illusive scene, afraid something unexpected would happen to those timid kids. The kid running first was named Xiaochu about eight or nine years old, followed by a boy named Ni Feng. Ni Feng clenched his fists. The moment the stone door opened, a flock of lions roared from inside. Xiaochu moved carefully, while Ni Feng was a bit rash and ran to the first. The two boys moved forward one after another, and the other children were scared to run back. Wuyou looked at them and shook her head. Not until the lions stopped roaring did the children turned upon the back track and groped forward. A group of children held hand in hand and came inside. Wuyou raised the corner of her mouth and thought that though the children of the human realm were cowardly, they were not frightened in front of difficulty. In the illusion, the kid named Xiaochu always waited for his companions, while Ni Feng kept dashing forward. The lions’ roars resounded, and children emboldened each other, because no one wanted to return to the human realm. These little kids called out nursery rhymes to get rid of fear. Xiaochu took the leading position. Wuyou had a higer opinion of Xiaochu’s virtue. For a kid of seven or eight years old, timidness was his/her nature. However, Xiaochu himself was really scared, but he still did not abandon his companions. Ni Feng was different, because this kid had a clear aim, that was, to win the match, and he showed indifference to his companions’ life. Xiaochu moved carefully. After the lions’ roar, they were blocked by werewolves. The kids huddles up together at the sight of the ferocious werewolves. It was too late for them to escape, even the werewolved had obstructed the retreating road. Xiaochu squatted down and picked up stones. He cast out the fist-size stones, and then the images faded away. Xiaochu told the other kids not to be scared. The kids picked up stones and rushed forward. The flock of werewolves were broken up by them. Wuyou flipped her spiritual fingers, and the scene changed suddenly. The common kids did not know the shape-shifting at all. Surging waves rushed to them. Xiaochu was still a kid after all, he had not seen such sight before. His legs got weak with fear. However, Xiaochu wanted to be a spirit cultivator, so it was a must to pass the test. Ni Feng ran back hurriedly. Then, a giant wave about 100 feet high charged at him, and he fell to the ground, frightened. Xiaochu grasped his hands and decided to take his companions back safely. Ni Feng picked himself up from the ground and joined his companions to form a circle. When the giant wave came again, the children straightened themselves up and raised the heads. Waved came over their heads one upon another. Xiaochu protected his companion. Wuyou swept her spiritual fingers.