581 Can I See Her Again? (1/2)

In all honesty, Dugu Chou was not possessed of a beautiful voice; his singing was mediocre at best. However, everyone present could hear his effort and feelings flow into his song; his low and scratchy voice gave birth to a melancholic mood in those who listened to him.

As the skeletal person listened, he condensed all his thoughts into a drawn-out, quiet sigh.

Ling Xiaozui looked sad as well, while Feng Xiange had closed his eyes to listen wholeheartedly. One of his hands tapped out the beat on his thigh, as he reminisced about days gone by.

White hair fluttered in the night's breeze, silent and grim.

For a moment, the four legendary figures who had long reigned at the peak of this world indulged in their own thoughts, causing a sense of desolation to fill the room. The experience of such legends was far richer than that of a common person's; who among these legends who had attained so many achievements would not be filled with a memorable past?

Time flew by with the snap of a finger, the past drifting past like a smokescreen. At this very moment, when hundreds of years had turned into smoke and dust, how did it feel when his lover's favorite song had been sung once again?

Where were those enchanting confidants to whom those sincere feelings had been poured out?

Those beauties who were affectionate and loving… they were long gone now…

When the prime of life had passed and the competition was gone, only four old men were left sitting here drinking wine. They were standing at the tip of clouds overlooking the world, but did they still have companionship to call their own?

The way to Dao was a difficult one; one could expect to be lonely. Yet when reality struck, the heartache was an arduous challenge to overcome.

Yun Yang stood by the kitchen's entrance; watching the quartet, he could not help sighing inwardly and think to himself, 'After decades, after centuries, will I be like them? Sitting before wine and reminiscing about the past? That feeling…”

The skeletal person heaved a deep sigh. He finally looked up to take a deep breath and with a flick of his wrist, a purple jade flute was produced and placed on his lips.

Fragments of a lingering flute melody resounded like quiet sobbing; it was near yet far, echoing yet it could not be heard. It traveled straight to the deepest part of one's heart.

When Yun Yang sat back at the table, the singing faded and the flute reached its last note. Only soft sighs resounded in everyone's ears as if all those present around the table had gone through a cycle of life within this single song which was accompanied by the flute.

…

”This is your lifelong signature dish, Chinese cabbage tofu…” Dugu Chou speared a portion, looking even more melancholic, and drank a bowl of wine; he then sighed in a low voice, ”Right, right, this is Chinese cabbage and tofu indeed!”

Ling Xiaozui and others were quiet as well, drinking and sighing to themselves.

Dugu Chou ate a few mouthfuls of the dish and suddenly fell into a trance. He then looked towards the skeletal person in all seriousness.

The person smiled and asked, ”Do you have something else you wish to ask for?”

”I want to ask you a question. Will you give me a straightforward answer?” Dugu Chou stated after a deep breath.

”Ask away, I'll try my best,” said the skeletal person.

Dugu Chou slowly uttered his question, ”Can I… still see her?”

The moment the question was spoken, everyone present reeled in shock. Everyone, including Yun Yang, was well aware who the 'her' mentioned by Dugu Chou was.

She had been dead for hundreds of years now. How could he see her? Even if there were to be a reincarnation, the centuries that passed would have meant several lifetimes of reincarnation already.

It was so unexpected that the strange, skeletal person continued to ruminate for some time, not speaking during the entire period.

The longer he was silent, the brighter Dugu Chou's eyes grew brighter. The other party did not reject straightaway but grew silent in thought. That meant hope, that meant opportunity; as long as there was a possibility, it was better than anything!

Ling Xiaozui and group were made exceptionally nervous as well, their eyes trained at the strange skeletal person, unblinking.

Yun Yang held his breath and felt his heart thump wildly.