Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 272 270: White Moonlight

A handsome young boy lay lazily on a massive branch of the old acacia tree at the entrance of Lishui Village, gazing up at the ink-black, star-dotted sky.

Beneath the acacia tree, a slender, pretty young girl looked up at the boy.

A gentle breeze rustled the swaying leaves of the acacia tree. In the tranquil little village, everything was peaceful and serene.

"Brother Pei, Dad took the villagers to offer incense at the Dragon King Temple in Linjiang again today... Do you think there are really Dragon Kings in this world?"

Lin Qianyan's brows furrowed slightly, her big eyes filled with curiosity.

"No."

The young Pei Yuhang, still gazing at the starry sky, casually dismissed the girl's innocent fantasy.

"Then why does it rain?"

"And floods, and terrible droughts... Isn't the Dragon King responsible for all that?"

Lin Qianyan pressed, unconvinced, gently kicking the old acacia tree. She seemed to be trying to get the handsome boy's attention and stop him from foolishly staring at the sky.

"Those are all related to the water cycle and atmospheric conditions."

Pei Yuhang's voice remained calm, as if he were stating a simple fact.

'Water cycle and atmosphere? What are those?'

Lin Qianyan froze, her brows knitting together even more tightly.

She wracked her brain for those two unfamiliar terms but came up empty. She remembered that her father, the village teacher, had never mentioned them in class. 'Could it be—'

'Did Dad give Brother Pei private lessons?!'

'That must be it! Dad is always going on about how Brother Pei is a literary genius incarnate, the first prodigy from Lishui Village capable of studying at the Imperial College in the Capital City. He must have been secretly giving Brother Pei extra lessons!'

"Well, Brother Pei, if there are no Dragon Kings, are there Immortals?"

"No."

"Why not? The storyteller in town is always telling stories about Immortals using Sword Control to slay demons... And they say Immortals even come down to the mortal realm to find fated people and take them back as disciples!"

"Oh."

Pei Yuhang answered perfunctorily, seemingly too lazy to explain any further to the earnest girl.

But Lin Qianyan wasn't a fool. Seeing Brother Pei's nonchalant attitude, as if he wasn't taking her words to heart at all, she suddenly felt indignant.

She put her hands on her hips, tilted her head back, and widened her eyes, as if she could glare him right out of the tree.

"Brother Pei, aren't you excited? Dad says you have great innate talent. If an Immortal came down, they'd definitely take you as a disciple! Then you could live forever!"

"Is that so? That would be nice."

Pei Yuhang said, his tone devoid of interest, as if he were just humoring a child.

'In any case, he didn't believe in any of that stuff about immortality or undying Immortals. He thought it was all just folk myths and legends.'

'But there was no point arguing about it with a naive little girl like Lin Qianyan. He would just agree with whatever Qianqian said, as long as he didn't make her cry.'

However, little did Pei Yuhang know that his listless and indifferent demeanor would only make Lin Qianyan more anxious.

'After all...'

'When Lin Qianyan struck up a conversation with Pei Yuhang, it wasn't always because she truly wanted an answer.'

'The girl simply wanted to talk more with Pei Yuhang.'

'Her dad always said Brother Pei was a genius, and Lin Qianyan knew Pei Yuhang had a calm temperament, unlike the other rowdy kids their age in the village. The only way she could find common ground with Brother Pei was to constantly ask him questions. Only then could she capture his attention.'

'But Pei Yuhang's dismissive, lazy attitude of just humoring a child made Lin Qianyan feel completely disregarded!'

'So in Brother Pei's heart, I've always just been a troublesome little girl...'

The girl's toe tapped the ground unconsciously, as if to vent her frustration, and a thin mist began to cloud her bright, clear eyes.

Hearing quiet sobs from under the tree, Pei Yuhang thought to himself, 'This is bad. I wasn't even teasing her, so how did I manage to make Qianqian cry?'

"Qianqian, why are you crying again... Please don't cry, okay? I'll sing you a song in a bit."

"SOB... I-I don't want to hear you sing! Do you still see me as a little kid? Wang Erya... she's my age, and she's already getting married!"

As she said this, Lin Qianyan's earlobes turned blood-red. Fortunately, the moonlight was dim, so she figured Brother Pei probably couldn't see them clearly.

Up in the tree, Pei Yuhang was silent for a moment before suddenly saying, "Sorry."

"What are you apologizing for, Brother Pei? You think talking to me is boring anyway, less interesting than watching the stars!"

Lin Qianyan sulked, refusing to look at him.

Pei Yuhang looked at the pretty figure with her back to him and smiled silently. He thought for a moment and finally figured out how to get Qianqian to acknowledge him.

"Qianqian, I haven't really been to town much to hear the storyteller's tales about Immortals. Could you tell me about them?"

Hearing this, Lin Qianyan's bright red earlobes twitched. Though she wanted to be stubborn and ignore Pei Yuhang, her body betrayed her and turned to face him.

The girl pouted, her cheeks puffed like an indignant little squirrel. "The storyteller in town said that Immortals can use Sword Flight and summon the wind and rain..."

As Lin Qianyan spoke, she seemed to forget her earlier unhappiness and began to smile at Pei Yuhang again. She said softly:

"Brother Pei, if you became an Immortal's disciple, you'd definitely be even more impressive than you are now."

Pei Yuhang chuckled. His gaze returned to the starry sky, and his tone was as casual as ever. "Impressive is one thing, but—"

He paused, turning to look at her with a hint of teasing in his eyes. "If I really became an Immortal's disciple and lived forever, what would you do?"

Lin Qianyan was taken aback, not expecting such a question. Her face flushed red, and she looked down, unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. Her voice dropped to a whisper, "I... I'd be happy for you, of course..."

"If you lived forever... what's that got to do with me? I'll just... be me..."

Seeing her flustered state, Pei Yuhang couldn't help but laugh out loud.

He sat up, bracing himself on a branch with one hand and leaning down to look at her, his eyes full of playful teasing. "Really? Just happy for me?"

His gaze made Lin Qianyan even more embarrassed. She stomped her foot, turned her back to him, and said in a muffled voice:

"Believe it or not! Anyway... once you become an Immortal, you won't remember a country girl like me... just like when you go to the Capital City to become a high official, you won't... you won't come back to see me."

Her voice grew quieter and quieter until it was almost a mumble. A mist veiled her eyes again, and she seemed even sadder than before.

The girl was sharp-witted. Perhaps she had long considered the reality that she and Brother Pei were not fated to be together and would be separated, but she had never dared to face it.

Seeing her wounded expression, Pei Yuhang's heart softened. He sighed softly and jumped down from the tree, landing beside her.

"Who says I wouldn't remember?" He reached out and ruffled her hair, his voice gentle. "Even if I really became an Immortal, I would never forget you."

"Really?"

Lin Qianyan looked up excitedly, her eyes sparkling like brilliant stars.

"Really." Pei Yuhang dotingly messed up her hair again, earning a playful protest from her.

After a bit of playful roughhousing, an exhausted Lin Qianyan lay in Pei Yuhang's arms and began to daydream. She smiled slyly and said, "Then... then if you become an Immortal, you have to take me flying with you! I heard all Immortals can fly!"

Pei Yuhang was stunned for a moment, then broke into a smile. "Alright, I'll take you flying."

"I won't just take you flying; I'll make you immortal with me! I'll bring you to live on an Immortal Mountain!"

"Mmm, Qianqian never wants to be separated from Brother Pei!"

...

...

Pei Yuhang slowly opened his eyes, a dazed look flashing within them. He subconsciously raised a hand to wipe the corner of his eye. Feeling moisture on his fingertips, he froze for a second.

"Mmmh... Bad Ah Han... I really can't eat anymore..."

The sound of soft breathing reached him, and a warm breath carrying a sweet fragrance brushed past his ear.

Ye Liyuan's eyes were closed, her long lashes fluttering like a butterfly's wings. Her soft pink lips were slightly parted as she murmured indistinctly.

Her voice was soft and sweet, with a hint of flirtation, as if she wanted to be close to him even in her dreams.

Pei Yuhang turned his head, quietly watching his Dao Companion's sleeping face. He wondered what she was dreaming about to make her cheeks flush so faintly, like delicate and enchanting peach blossoms blooming in the spring.

After a long moment, he looked away and raised his hand, his fingertips gently caressing the ring on his ring finger, the one engraved with the character "Li."

The silver ring gave off a faint, cold glint in the dim light, as if silently reminding him of something.

Pei Yuhang's gaze gradually deepened, and his thoughts drifted away.

'On this finger, there used to be a ring engraved with the character "Qian." But later... it was destroyed by Shang Miaoyan. Where the ring once was, a circle of teeth marks was left behind, bitten by a gloating Shang Miaoyan.'

'After that, he had put on his current ring, covering all traces of the past.'

'Perhaps I really should let it all go completely.'

'Whether that person was her or not, it probably doesn't matter to me anymore.'

Pei Yuhang lowered his gaze, the corner of his lip twitching into a faint, self-deprecating smile. Whether out of reason or cowardice, he no longer wanted to investigate, no longer wished to chase after a past that had long since blurred.

'I already have someone to protect for the rest of my life.'

'Fate has run its course. It cannot be forced.'

Pei Yuhang's gaze fell upon Ye Liyuan's face again, the complexity in his eyes gradually replaced by tenderness. He gently reached out, his fingertips brushing her cheek, his touch so light he seemed afraid of waking her from her sweet dream.

"Liyuan..."

Ye Liyuan seemed to feel his touch. She stirred slightly, the corners of her lips curving into a sweet smile, as if she were dreaming of something wonderful.

Watching her, a warmth surged through Pei Yuhang's heart, as if all the gloom within him had been dispelled in that very instant.

He lowered his head and gently placed a kiss on Liyuan's forehead, then pulled her into his arms and closed his eyes.

'Goodbye, Qianqian... I'm no longer worthy of you. I hope you don't think of me, either.'