Chapter 1718: Remembering Friends (1/2)
Li Qiye left Cleansing Incense before the start of the trip and took his time traveling to various locations in the nine worlds.
He entered certain perilous places just to watch the sunset, burial grounds just to see the blooming and withering of flowers, darkness just to see the fluttering of the leaves…
He was retracing his steps and made it to many different places. In one, he struggled with his friends. In another, he faced near-death with his followers. The next was when he taught the dao to a student…
In a particular desert in the nine worlds, he took his time walking to an oasis just to taste a handful of water. After drinking, he stared at the rippling waves and the fire camp of that year seemed to still be jumping. The girl with the veil was still dancing with so many wonderful poses.
Next was on top of a mountain pa.s.s situated on a vast plain, he sat down on the soft gra.s.s to look at the white clouds in the sky. A scene of stallions galloping by, led by a gallant woman. Her happy, bell-like laughter echoed across the plains…
Rain fell during the night but he didn’t seem to care about becoming wet. This was an ominous ground with creaking skeletons and night demons lying in ambush. The rain painted an old picture for him of a little girl continuously walking forward in such a stubborn and fearless fas.h.i.+on despite the tears in her eyes. It was raining that night too with a crow circling overhead to watch the unyielding girl…
Each place was so familiar yet different. The scenery was still there but the people have come and gone. Mulberry fields replaced the blue seas, everything has disappeared along the river of time.
These locations were once visited by a crow, laughter, and suffering. They were blessed with the appearance of great characters who couldn’t be forgotten…
In Sacred Nether, he stood on top of a peak to stare at the lonely city on the horizon and the towering peak standing proudly across the world.
“Goodbye.” He whispered intimately before leaving.
A woman opened her eyes inside the city to watch Li Qiye’s departing figure. Her heart shuddered and her fists clenched.
For them, it was better not to meet. So many words yet expressing them was the difficult part. They didn’t want to show weakness before each other.
Next stop was Stone Medicine. It was a quiet journey, not letting anyone know. He leaned on a giant bamboo tree and seemed to be asleep.
After a long time, he patted the tree and said before leaving: “Goodbye, my friend. May you be eternal and everlasting.”
The leaves and branches rustled as if they were waving goodbye to him. So many words expressed in such a simple manner between two parties who understood each other.
He stepped on a high mound with an old tablet on top. A prosperous city used to be below but only broken tiles remained.
He stood in front of the tablet and stared at the broken place in silence. Eventually, he grabbed a handful of soil and let it sprinkled through the gap of his fingers.
“We once stayed in this prosperous citadel where the great sects used to be. People prostrated before us, now only ruins are present.” Li Qiye spoke softly.
He grabbed another handful and threw it at the sky so that the grains would flutter far away into the ruins.