Chapter 321 (2/2)
A fearful expression crossed Prince Long Qing's eyes as he muttered, ”This is not the story of a believer of Haotian, or a story of someone who had fallen to the dark. It is not a story full of pain and hope. It is just... a story of a man that had been forgotten by Haotian.”
”The struggle between light and darkness is indeed bitter. Surrendering to the darkness is even more so. But it is so full of vitality. It is alive. But what about me right now? I wanted to surrender to the dark, yet, I was refused. I wasn't even qualified for Haotian to abandon me. I am just a tiny creature left in the Wilderness and forgotten by Haotian.”
He coughed painfully, and scrunched up like an old man, as if he was about to become one with the pile of snow in the Wilderness.
Lu Chenjia looked at him dazedly. The sadness disappeared from her gaze as she slowly stood up and said calmly, ”I'm going to kill Ning Que now.”
”Is there a point?” Prince Long Qing struggled to stand up. He turned around and cradled her haggard but beautiful face. He rubbed his dirty fingers on her skin and said, ”There is no point.”
Lu Chenjia looked at the face before her and realized that it looked foreign to her. Her heart twinged painfully and she bit her lips lightly. She knew that she would never be able to bring Prince Long Qing out of the wilderness if she did not get rid of the despair and demons that plagued his heart. And she knew that there was no way for him to return to the man he once was.
She had known Prince Long Qing for many years. From the palace of the Yuelun Kingdom to the Revelation Inst.i.tute. They had been in love for many years and he knew very well of the burning pa.s.sion beneath the Flower Addict's cold and aloof outward appearance. He could guess what she was about to do and backed away from her, creating a distance between the two. He bellowed with an unusual coldness in his expression, ”Don't try to knock me out.”
”I am a useless man, but I do not wish to ask you not to pity me and to stay away from me like what other useless people would say. Can't we just have a simple conversation? Why do you have to do such disgusting things like what happens in the theatre? Do you want me to cry like an idiot?!”
Prince Long Qing's voice was hoa.r.s.e as he bellowed at her angrily.
Lu Chenjia looked at him with a pale face. She held her hands at her chest as if she was begging, or as if this action would sooth the pain in her heart, or as if she was proving to him that she wouldn't knock him out.
All was silent in the cold Wilderness.
After a long moment of silence, Prince Long Qing calmed down. His face that had once been perfect was devoid of vitality and hope. He spoke in a slow manner and in a cold and despairing tone, saying, ”Don't pity me. don't make me feel as if you are pitying me. We might as well not meet if this is so.”
Lu Chenjia did not say anything, but lowered her hands that were on her chest.
Prince Long Qing turned around and picked up the branch that had broken into two and continued walking towards the north.
Lu Chenjia fell silent for a moment before following him towards the north.
Long Qing was severely injured and walked really slowly. He did not walk more than ten feet even after a long time. He fell thrice along the way, and the tree branch was tossed far away during his fall. He did not have the energy to pick it up, and the wound on his chest tore open again. Blood seeped through his thin s.h.i.+rt and froze into pearls of blood in the winter winds.
Lu Chenjia followed behind him. Her face grew paler, but she did not move forward to help him.
Prince Long Qing was tired. He sat down on the hard ground of the Wilderness and picked up a handful of snow from the ground and stuffed them into his mouth. Then, he tried to stand up and continue towards the north. However, he did not manage to stand upright before falling to the ground heavily once more.
He struck the ground beside him angrily. However, he was so weak, he did not even manage to make the snow on the ground flutter.
Lu Chenjia watched him silently from behind.
Long Qing knew that she was behind him. He panted for a moment before yelling, ”I have said my piece. You've already seen me, so why are you still following me? I will die before you if you follow me anymore.”
Lu Chenjia's body trembled before she caught herself. A spark of determination crossed her face. Even the most beautiful flower had thorns, and she had a threshold to her patience.
She looked at the back of the man who was more like a dog and yelled, ”Then I will watch you die!”
Prince Long Qing stiffened.
Lu Chenjia's face was pale, but she was determined not to cry. She yelled, ”We have been together for so many years, but you have refused to allow me to see you clearly until the very end. Will you not let me watch you die? I really want to see you. If you want to die, die before me. I will bury you and marry someone else when I return to the Central Plains.”
Long Qing fell silent before laughing maniacally, ”You're really one crazy woman. Even if you wanted to marry someone else, no one would marry you.”
Lu Chenjia shouted, ”I would marry someone else. You'd be dead by then, so you don't have to worry.”
Long Qing was silent, then, he continued northwards.
Lu Chenjia did not say anything else, but continue to follow him northwards.
The snow horse trailed behind them tiredly.
From dawn to dusk, the winds in the Wilderness started once more.
The piercing cold wind.
The falling snow.
They walked on together.
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