Chapter 38 Spring Flowers, Autumn Cicadas
Chapter 38: Spring Flowers, Autumn Cicadas
“Is this also one of your designs?”
“What do you think? Quite realistic, isn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
It was another bright, sunny morning.
The plants on Stilled Waters Peak had all matured, and the grape vines in the small courtyard were nearly climbing over to other areas. Besides these, many small saplings had been planted here as well.
When they grew up, they would become a small grove. Then a few unsightly trees could be cut down to make a pavilion where one could sit during summer.
This year, Luo Hongyu was twenty years old.
Luo He sat in a wooden wheelchair, talking with Huoxin.
“I thought that since it was a dream, the effects would be like acting in a play.”
“I never expected it would actually hurt that much, and even affect this dream version of me.”
“Are all ghost cultivators at the Tribulation Passage Realm this powerful?”
“Not necessarily.”
A year ago, everyone in the Sword Sect knew that the young mistress had suffered serious injuries, and Luo He by her side had severed one of his own hun souls to heal her.
Afterward, the young mistress not only gained enlightenment and revealed her talent, but because of this also earned the recognition of the Lulan Sword. In just a short year, she broke through Foundation Establishment and rushed straight to the Crystallization Realm.
As the price, Luo He completely lost his cultivation prospects and, due to damage to his soul’s origin, had become disabled.
He was brought back to Stilled Waters Peak by the young mistress to live with her.
In Luo He’s view, this life wasn’t much different from before, just a bit more inconvenient to move around.
And Huoxin was always there, though now her voice had begun to sound weaker.
Over twenty years, Huoxin and Luo He had long since given up on attacking and testing each other.
“Ordinary illusions naturally couldn’t have such realistic effects. I also borrowed the power of external objects.”
“The Immortal’s Tear, a legendary treasure that helps people trace their previous lives and glimpse history. I used its power as a foundation to create this dream world based on your memories.”
“You can view it as a small world that still has its own operating rules, just not as perfect.”
“But the basics—being killed means death, being injured means pain—still exist.”
“Because of this, at most I’m just adding designs to this world.”
“How your stories develop, even I don’t know.”
“I see.”
Luo He nodded.
It sounded impressive.
“Speaking of which, can you guess why Luo Hongyu is such a mediocre talent in this dream?”
Huoxin’s tone carried a hint of puzzle-solving curiosity. Luo He smelled the flower in his hand and slowly said:
“In the real Luo Hongyu’s nineteenth year, she once lost a sword match to me, because at that time I had taken up the Qiunü Sword, and the killing energy within me was slightly suppressed.”
“After that time, she didn’t practice sword with me for a whole year. She was in seclusion. When she came out, she sought me out once more.”
“She was somewhat afraid of me, and had lost to me once, so in front of me, her heart harbored slight doubts about herself. Not hard to guess.”
“Tsk… you really are a worm in her belly.”
“I told you, I understand her very well.”
Luo He gently placed the flower on his lap.
“Then how did you guess that the correct choice was for you to continue sacrificing yourself for Luo Hongyu?”
“…”
“Your Senior Sister Gu, your little Hongyu, don’t they both like you so much? Why do you think they subconsciously want you to sacrifice yourself?”
Luo He thought for a moment, then answered:
“If all this were real, perhaps they wouldn’t think that way.”
“But this premise doesn’t exist. No matter how real they seem in this dream, they’re still those two people who collapsed two days before the Ascension Assembly.”
“Their false memories aren’t flawless. I discovered this early on with Senior Sister Gu.”
“Interesting. What else?”
Huoxin asked with great interest.
“Since they’re still the same people, some things won’t change. After all, the option I needed to choose wasn’t the most reasonable, but the most authentic.”
“And in their eyes, the most authentic Luo He is a flawed Luo He.”
“The facts proved I chose correctly.”
“Hmm… boring.”
Huoxin’s attitude changed immediately.
“I originally thought you might be hurt by the fact that they subconsciously wanted to sacrifice you, but you don’t even consider them real people.”
“I have no reason to be hurt by something fake.”
“Hehe, that’s true.”
Huoxin’s voice sounded increasingly faint.
“The morning dew is cold. Be careful not to catch a chill.”
Suddenly, a thick, dark fur cloak was draped over Luo He’s shoulders, and a pair of hands pushed the wheelchair, slowly moving him toward the house.
It was Luo Hongyu’s voice.
She noticed the flower in Luo He’s hand and bent down to whisper in his ear:
“The magnolia we planted last year is already blooming. I thought we’d have to wait until late spring to see it.”
“Because last winter’s snow was thick, it fertilized this patch of ground.”
Luo He casually tucked the flower into his clothes.
“How were the North Dizhou trials?”
“Not bad.”
Luo Hongyu answered vaguely to Luo He’s inquiry.
She tried to avoid mentioning anything related to cultivation in front of Luo He, not knowing if he disliked hearing about it.
Or if she was unwilling to think about it.
“The town at the foot of the mountain seems to be celebrating a festival. It looks very lively. When things settle down in a few days, I’ll take you to see it.”
Cultivators generally don’t celebrate new years. For them, a year isn’t really a passage of time worth commemorating.
Luo Hongyu only discovered this when she returned.
She didn’t actually think it was interesting, but she thought Luo He might like it, so she remembered to come back.
Luo He gave a soft sound of acknowledgment.
“What’s your cultivation level now?”
“…Late Crystallization.”
Being asked about one’s realm should be a matter of pride for geniuses.
But for Luo Hongyu, it was only difficult to speak of.
Especially when it was Luo He asking.
“Is that so… then it won’t be long.”
As soon as the words fell, Luo He felt Luo Hongyu embrace him from behind.
The young woman’s body temperature felt particularly real in this dream.
“Shall we go down the mountain tomorrow morning?”
Luo Hongyu asked softly.
“Mm, let’s go.”
“After breakfast, I’ll take you to see Senior Sister Gu… she hasn’t seen you in a long time.”
“Mm, let’s go.”
“…”
At twenty, Luo Hongyu was in the late stage of Crystallization Realm.
At twenty-two, Luo Hongyu ascended to the Golden Core Realm.
At twenty-four, Luo Hongyu reached the late stage of Golden Core, just one step away from the Nascent Soul Realm.
It was a quiet autumn.
Luo He actually liked the sound of cicadas. He felt that cicada cries had a nighttime quality and were also a sound of life.
But not in autumn. In autumn, the cicadas were dead.
A gentle breeze brushed the front of his hair, now threaded with a few strands of white. Around his neck was a knitted scarf.
It was woven by Gu Jing.
A rustling sound came from behind—Luo Hongyu walking through fallen leaves.
“Luo He, I’m going to the Ascension Assembly.”
“Mm.”
Luo He slowly turned around to look at Luo Hongyu, revealing a faint smile.
“Go ahead.”
…