Chapter 156 - Former Residence

Morning, it was another new day.

At the Three Fortunes Town entrance, Ghost Li stood face to face with that young man, Xiao Hui on his shoulder, the evil beast TaoTie followed behind the young man, a bored expression on its face.

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The young man glanced at Ghost Li, smiled and said, “What a rare opportunity for us to meet, after today, we do not know when we will see each other again, brother do take care.”

Ghost Li lightly said, “You too!'

The young man seemed to recall something, said, “Now that the world is in chaos and the situation in the north seems to be getting more tense, don’t you intend to go up north to take a look at the fun?”

Ghost Li slightly surprised, could not help but take another glance at the young man, saw his composed expression without any subtle meaning, pondered for a moment and said, “I’ll see first! Why, are you interested in those killings and fights too?”

The young man smiled but did not answer, only cupped his hands together, said, “The roads to the ends of the world are long, the world is filled with hardships and dangers, let’s meet again if we are destined to.”

Ghost Li returned the gesture, said, “Yes.”

The young man laughed and turned away, TaoTie made a low growl, it seemed to be informing Xiao Hui too and then followed along. Crouching on Ghost Li’s shoulder, Xiao Hui seemed reluctant, called out a few times at TaoTie’s back figure. In a short while, that mysterious young man and TaoTie’s figures disappeared.

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Ghost Li looked at the direction where they had gone, was silent for a moment and then slowly turned around, the silent Three Fortunes Town before him, not a single sign of life. Xiao Hui clicked its tongue twice, grabbed that wine bag on its back and drank two mouthfuls, last night from the tavern's cellar, this monkey actually again found some alcohol.

“Let’s go Xiao Hui!”Ghost Li suddenly calmly spoke.

Xiao Hui zhi zhi called out twice, its monkey hand fiddling with Ghost Li’s hair. Ghost Li gazed far into the distant, after a long time, quietly said, “Over there, was where we had once lived together, do you still remember?”

The monkey did not answer, nobody knew if it understood, just that on this completely cold deserted street, a cold wind seemed to blow past…

Qing Yun Hill, Big Bamboo Valley.

The head of Qing Yun Hill Big Bamboo Valley, Tian BuYi, at the moment was alone in Observed Silence Hall with his hands clasped behind his back, pacing back and forth. His mood was extremely foul, faint traces of anger showing on his face and with a hint of irritability. His kind and understanding wife, SuRu, at the moment was not in the valley and instead had went over to Small Bamboo Valley ShuiYue Master there, as for his disciples who had always been respectful to him, saw his mood and had long avoided the place, the only disciple who could still put in a word most of the time, Song Daren the eldest disciple, at the moment also could not be seen.

Tian BuYi knew the reason, now that the world’s catastrophe had arrived, nobody knew when those horrible demon beasts would attack, he as one of the leaders of Qing Yun sect, naturally was troubled over it. But it was also because of this, after repeated persuasion from his wife SuRu, for his disciple Song Daren's happiness, Tian BuYi finally at three days ago made a trip to Small Bamboo Valley, to propose marriage for Song Daren and WenMin.

Unexpectedly, ShuiYue Master, like she had swallowed some gunpowder, exploded at one go, even disregarding SuRu who was there, not to mention her distressed disciple WenMin who was beside, immediately rejected and coldly, sarcastically mocked Tian BuYi.

With Tian BuYi’s temperament, how would he not be angered, there and then had an altercation with ShuiYue Master and almost came to a fight, in the end, SuRu barely pulled him back to Big Bamboo Valley and ShuiYue Master was also stopped by her group of disciples who kneeled and held her back.

After the commotion, Song Daren was naturally extremely depressed, a look of dejection, all day long his face was like a bitter gourd. Tian BuYi who was already in a foul mood, saw his expression and was even more infuriated, scolded him in succession several times, said that so what if he did not have a wife, he just has to devote himself to cultivation, in the future who knows maybe he would instead have blessings in disguise etc.

Song Daren naturally did not dare to contradict his mentor but although his mouth was answering obediently, his disapproval expression was written on his face, clearly he was still thinking of WenMin. Tian BuYi was even angrier upon seeing it, scolded him even more harshly, until in the end Song Daren, like a mouse terrified of a cat, hid here and there the whole day, did not dare to see his teacher again.

This day SuRu left early, specifically told Tian BuYi to go Small Bamboo Valley himself to persuade ShuiYue Master, Tian BuYi snorted a few times, coldly made some snide remarks about ShuiYue Master, Su Ru ignored him, went off straight, leaving Tian BuYi to fume by himself. However before she left, SuRu privately spoke a few words with Tian BuYi and made him understood somehow the reason why ShuiYue that woman was so unreasonable that day.

SuRu actually said it very simply, only said, “I heard that the day before we went over, that is the day when Lu XueQi returned, ShuiYue senior sister summoned her alone and they talked for quite a while, in the end for some reason, not only Lu XueQi was reprimanded heavily, even the other disciples were also admonished.”

Tian BuYi might looked stiff but he was definitely not a slow person, after a moment he comprehended the reason behind it but just that after SuRu left, each time he recalled himself going over by his own volition and being insulted, he really could not take it down and fumed with anger.

The Observed Silence Hall right now was silent, only the sounds of Tian BuYi’s pacing footsteps, his expression too slowly changed with his movements, for some reason, in the end, his expression turned rather odd, as if he had recalled some things. The incident where Lu XueQi rejected the marriage proposal in TongTian Peak, he was aware of it, and the rumours regarding the most outstanding disciple of the younger generation, Lu XueQi, Tian BuYi had also heard about it.

Just that his concern deep inside his heart, was the other person in those ‘rumours’.

“Ten years already.” He sighed softly, looking distracted, sometimes even he himself felt a little strange, the disciple who looked so unremarkable, what exactly was the reason, that made himself worried for so many years?

Tian BuYi made a bitter laugh, shook his head, at this moment, as if he suddenly sensed it, frowned and looked out of the Observed Silence Hall, in the distant a tearing sound from the sky was heard. Tian BuYi contemplated for a moment, composed himself and walked out.

A white light was only seen streaking past the sky above Big Bamboo Valley, as fast as lightning, directly headed for the summit of Big Bamboo Valley, landed six feet in front of Tian BuYi, the brilliant dazzling light wavered and dissipated, revealing Qing Yun sect TongTian Peak Xiao YiCai.

Xiao YiCai turned, a smile on his face, cupped his hands together and said, “Greetings to Tian teacher uncle.”

Tian BuYi nodded and said, “Hm, why did you come, is something up?”

Xiao YiCai smiled and nodded but following which he looked around, feeling slightly surprised, said, “Tian teacher uncle, why is it so deserted here, where are your other disciples! Why are they not here?”

Tian BuYi thought in his heart, “If you can see them then you must be seeing ghosts, one by one hiding off somewhere.” But his expression was nothing like that, indifferently said, “They are all doing their homework so did not come out. Here is unlike your TongTian Peak, crowded with people, it is common not to see anyone around.”

Xiao YiCai was stunned, he could hear that Tian BuYi seemed unhappy but he was shrewd enough and appeared not to notice, smiled and said, “Oh, so that’s the reason. Tian teacher uncle, disciple is here today because my benevolent teacher tasked me to come and pay a visit to teacher uncle, there are some questions to seek your guidance on.”

Tian BuYi frowned and was nonplussed, asked in surprise, “Seek guidance from me, what guidance? Senior brother DaoXuan is celestial pedant with unequalled merit good fortune, what is there to ask this good-for-nothing junior brother?”

Xiao YiCai smiled but did not speak, only looked at Tian BuYi. Tian BuYi understood and said, “Then let’s go in and speak!” After speaking, he turned and was about to head into the Observed Silence Hall, Xiao YiCai following behind him. Suddenly Tian BuYi paused, abruptly turned around but it was towards the direction of his disciples’ residences.

Xiao YiCai felt puzzled and also glanced towards that direction but did not see anything, could not help but asked, “What is it Tian teacher uncle?”

Tian BuYi hesitated for a moment, shook his head and said, “Nothing, I must have seen wrongly, how could he…” He suddenly coughed, lightly said, “Let’s go in and talk!”

Xiao YiCai, feeling lost, took another glance towards that direction but only saw the neat rows of houses, silent, couldn’t look anymore normal. He did not give it much thought and only followed Tian BuYi into the hall.

The two figures disappeared into the Observed Silence Hall, the quiet atmosphere again enveloped the mountains of Big Bamboo Valley. After a period of time, suddenly in the corridors of that stretch of houses, a silhouette flashed, it was Ghost Li, he silently gazed towards the direction of Observed Silence Hall for a moment and then turned and following a once extremely familiar winding corridor, unhurriedly walked in.

Probably because this was in the afternoon! Not a single disciple was seen, in his memory, the most often heard sounds other than junior sister Tian LingEr’s crisp and clear laughters, would be Du BiShu’s shouts with a tinge of dejection, because he must have lost another bet. Then, big brother Song Daren and the rest deep and resounding laughters would be heard, the other senior brothers would also add on their jokes and for that most unremarkable little disciple! Most likely would also be smiling in one of the corner?

Not long after, the past, in the unhurried footsteps sounds, gently flipped over, those old stories as if engraved in every tile, pillar and buildings, echoed beside him.

Initially Ghost Li's face was dazed, gradually it changed, the ice-like expression quietly receded, the past was actually this soul-stirring, even after many years he still could not forget it.

If, if… if everything had not changed...

He stood in the faint sunlight of the corridor, slowly sat down onto the low railings, the warm and pleasant sunlight shone onto his face, like a decade ago.

There were footsteps and conversations, travelling far from the back, approaching, it was Big Bamboo Valley fourth disciple, He DaZhi and sixth disciple, Du BiShu. Two of them walked side by side approaching and when their figures appeared, Ghost Li had already like an apparition, suddenly disappeared, the mountain breeze blew past, the trees and vegetation swayed, nobody knew where exactly he was hiding.

He DaZhi and Du BiShu obviously did not notice anything, both of them whispering and slowly walked past, Du BiShu was also carrying a wooden bucket, filled half with water, a rag draped beside, like he was going somewhere to clean up. And they walked forward and soon arrived at a door of a house, Du BiShu shrugged his shoulders at He DaZhi, He DaZhi smiled and both of them went in together.

A moment later, Ghost Li appeared from another corner of the winding corridor, his eyes’ expression complicated and looking ahead. The room that the two people who were once his senior brothers entered, was actually his when he was still Zhang Xiao Fan Big Bamboo Valley most junior disciple. However, that house should have been abandoned for many years, why did the two senior brothers still go in?

Ghost Li quietly drifted over.

Suddenly, like sinking into an old dream, he stood nonplussed at the door, in this little courtyard, everything was exactly the same as before, there was still a narrow path made of crushed stones, there was still verdant green grasses, even that small pine tree, was still growing there, just that over the years, it had already grown much sturdier.

The sound of water was heard from inside the house, following which Du BiShu and He Dazhi's voices were heard, “Fourth senior brother, why don’t you try to explain, after so many years, why does teacher still want us to clean up this house? Isn’t this deliberately trying to make me suffer!”

He DaZhi scolded laughingly, “Stinking brat, you are trying to loaf on the job again right, I am telling you first, teacher is still fuming over big senior brother’s matter! You better don’t provoke him, if not teacher would for sure skin you alive.”'

Du BiShu he he laughed drily, said, “Senior brother you are joking with me again, how would I dare to provoke teacher. Just that little junior brother has already left for more than a decade, yet teacher still order us to maintain this place as it is, cleaning it every day, I really do not know what is he thinking in his heart?”

That figure standing outside the house, stood erect stiff, slowly lowered his head.

From the house, He DaZhi was silent for a while and instead sighed, quietly said, “Although teacher never talked about little junior brother all these years but we all know that in his heart, his favorite is junior brother Xiao Fan.”

Du BiShu’s voice said, “Yes! This I can tell too, to tell you the truth, sometimes I also missed little junior brother. But what use is that, little junior brother right now has already become another person, don’t tell me he would still return to Big Bamboo Valley, again become Zhang Xiao Fan, and be our seventh junior brother? …”

Outside the window, Ghost Li’s expression turned more and more indifferent, his body was still straight, just that his two hands, were clenched into a fist, gripping tighter and tighter.

Can we turn back?

The steps that you strided in the time, the roads that you have crossed, many years later, do you still remember to look back? Do you still want to go back?

The warm sunlight on his body, yet felt like being cast in ice!

He DaZhi and Du BiShu also turned silent, as if inadvertently this topic, made them also felt heavy and wordless. After tidying up for a while, carrying a bucket out, He DaZhi gently shut the door, he watched the green grasses in the small courtyard, the pine tree swaying, although the scenery had a look of spring but it always had some feeling of loneliness. As if without the owner of the house, even the scenery of spring also turned pale.

He shook his head, sighed and left with Du BiShu.

After a long time, Ghost Li from behind that pine tree, slowly walked out. The familiar mountain breeze blew past his face, ruffling his hair. He walked to the room door, raised his right hand and placed it on the door.

His movement was very slow, very slow, as if his hands were heavily leaden, even his face expression, he looked like he couldn’t breathe. However, that strange inexplicable feeling, like an invisible force, finally pushed opened the door!

--- Just like, opening a window of the past, looking into the past time.

That familiar bed, that familiar tables and chairs, as well as what was hanging on the wall, after those years the painting of Tao character already had a slight decayed yellow color, even the kettle and cups, looked exactly the same!

Who would know, this simple and plain room, how many times had it appeared in his dreams? Even the smell of the air here, also seemed to carry a faint smell of the past. He slowly walked into the room, went to the bed and slowly sat down, gently stroked his bed bedding, the soft feeling, traversed from his palm.

Who would see, him suddenly biting on his lip, that hard, that deep!

In the Observed Silence Hall, Tian BuYi and Xiao YiCai sat down together, Tian BuYi looked unsettled, facing Xiao YiCai but his eyes were looking at another direction, as if contemplating something. Until Xiao YiCai coughed once and called out, “Tian teacher uncle.”

Tian BuYi like being awaken, nodded his head and said, “Um, alright, say it! What does senior brother DaoXuan want that requires you his favourite disciple to especially make a trip down?”

Xiao YiCai smiled and said, “You flatter me, It is like this, benevolent teacher has two things, wish to ask Tian teacher uncle through disciple.“

Tian BuYi said, “Oh, say it.”

Xiao YiCai said, “Firstly, the number of Good Factions fellow members coming to Qing Yun Hill is still increasing, the other branches have already received quite a number of people, TongTian Peak has also arranged hundred over fellow friends to stay in the houses at mid-level of the mountain. However, even it is so, the residences are still not enough, so teacher wanted disciple to entreat teacher uncle, possible to arrange more of the Good Faction friends on Big Bamboo Valley?”

Tian BuYi’s eyebrow twitched, glanced at Xiao YiCai, Xiao YiCai looked a little awkward but still with a courtesy smile, said, “Teacher uncle, this is also for the imminent catastrophe, a last resort, and our Qing Yun sect has always considered ourselves as the leader of Good Faction, we can’t push our fellow friends out of the door right?”

Tian BuYi snorted, said, “Don’t treat me as a fool, those so-called righteous fellow friends, when it is really time to fight those demon beast monsters, those that can really contribute is less than thirty percent, most of them probably only because of our fame, ran over here to take refuge.”

Xiao YiCai gave a wry smile, said, “Tian teacher uncle over exaggerate but even if it is so, we can’t push them out of the door, if we really do so, how would the world look at our Qing Yun? For the sake of the overall situation, would have to request Tian teacher uncle to render more help.”

Tian BuYi rolled his eyes, suddenly seemed to think of something, his eyes suddenly lit up, a mocking smile revealed at the corner of his mouth, coughed once and his face revealed a righteous awe-inspiring expression, said, “Since DaoXuan senior brother also said it like this, I shall not decline further, anyway it is for the world Good Faction and the current situation, then let’s do it that way!”

Xiao YiCai was overjoyed, cupped his hands and said, “Thank you teacher uncle.”

Tian BuYi smiled then suddenly raised his hand and said, “Just a minute, I have not finished.”

Xiao YiCai was startled for a moment, said, “What? Tian teacher uncle please say.”

Tian BuYi smiled, said, “Since the calamity is imminent, everything should be for the sake of the current situation. I heard among our seven branches, there is still one branch, er, seems like the branch which has more female disciples…”

Xiao YiCai who was initially smiling, his face already stiff halfway, gradually could not smile anymore.

Tian BuYi naturally smiled by himself, said, “I remember in that branch, their terrain vast and a few days ago I have been there, the number of empty houses are innumerable! Why is it that sect head senior brother who has been brilliant his entire life, did not even think of this place?”

Xiao YiCai forced a smile, after a long while said, “Tian teacher uncle, this, this…”

Tian BuYi snorted, his plump face looked up to the sky, silent. Xiao YiCai saw his expression, secretly shook his head and could only said, “Yes, after disciple returns today, will take it to report to benevolent teacher and ask him to make a decision.”

Tian BuYi did not speak and his expression also did not change, only nodded his head but he was feeling delighted in his heart, laughing secretly inside.

Xiao YiCai composed himself for a moment then said, “Then Tian teacher uncle, there is the second thing but more important than the matter just now, teacher has also repeatedly reminded, for teacher uncle to think carefully before answering.”

Tian BuYi saw Xiao YiCai’s serious face, greatly different from before, evidently this matter was not something trivial, could not help but feel stunned, nodded and said, “Oh, what is it that is so serious, say it.”