Chapter 1977: Cherish Those You Love
The manor was large but also appeared empty. There were few people living in it. Now it was even more deserted.
At a glance, white fabrics were hung everywhere in the manor, and everyone had a sad expression on the face.
Without needing a guide, Zhang Ruochen came outside the mourning hall after a while.
In the mourning hall was a coffin made of ten- thousand-year ice jade was placed. Looking through the cold air filling the hall, he could vaguely see a body lying in the coffin.
Apart from the coffin, there was another person in the mourning hall, and it was Gu Songzi.
Sensing someone approaching, Gu Songzi could not help but turn his head.
The moment he saw Zhang Ruochen, Gu Songzi immediately ran out of the hall, grabbed Zhang Ruochen’s clothes on his chest. “Aren’t you supposed to accompany your Fairy of a Thousand Flowers and Ling Feiyu? What did you still come here?”
“Let me in. I want to see Lingxi,” said Zhang Ruochen with a trembling voice.
Gu Songzi pushed him away, eyes full of grief and anger, pointing his finger at Zhang Ruochen. “You are a jerk. When you are always together with Ji Fanxin. Have you ever spared a thought for Lingxi? Poor Lingxi. She has been here waiting for you. But in the end, she still couldn’t make it.”
“Now that she is gone, what’s the point of you coming here? Get the h.e.l.l out of here! I don’t want to see you. Lingxi doesn’t want to see you either.”
Someone rushed over as soon as they heard the noise. Those were the faces Zhang Ruochen knew best—his fourth brother Zhang Shaochu and ninth sister Zhang Yuxi.
Zhang Yuxi came over angrily, her eyes red. “Ninth Brother, I am very disappointed in you. You failed Lingxi. She treated our family so well and Concubine Lin as her mother. But what have you done?”
After saying that, Zhang Yuxi turned and left, seemingly not wanting to look at Zhang Ruochen again.
Zhang Shaochu slowly walked over, patted Zhang Ruochen’s shoulder, and sighed. “Ninth Brother, I’m sorry for your loss. But this is something none of us have ever expected.”
Zhang Ruochen said not a word but just walked into the mourning hall.
At that moment, Gu Songzi made his move, forcing Zhang Ruochen back with a palm strike.
“I told you, Lingxi doesn’t want to see you. Get the h.e.l.l out of here.” Gu Songzi roared.
Zhang Ruochen still said not a word as he continued to move forward.
Gu Songzi’s eyes were raging with anger. He struck Zhang Ruochen back again and again.
From the beginning, Zhang Ruochen had not said a word, let alone fought back. He just let Gu Songzi hit him with one palm strike after another.
Seeing Gu Songzi not going to stop, Zhang Shaochu quickly stopped him. “Please spare him, sir. Let the Nine Brothers in!”
Just then, the Head Rat had also come in, quickly reaching to pull Gu Songzi back.
Now Zhang Ruochen could finally go into the mourning hall, one step at a time, until he came in front of the ice jade coffin.
He saw Mu Lingxi lying quietly in the coffin. She appeared peaceful, as if she was just asleep.
“Why are you so foolish, Lingxi?”
He reached out a hand to touch Mu Lingxi’s face lightly.
Even before entering the mourning hall, he still had a glimmer of hope, telling himself that Mu Lingxi was not dead, but just pranking him.
But now, the last glimmer of hope was shattered. Mu Lingxi’s body was cold, without the slightest sign of life. She had really left him.
Losing Mu Lingxi, Zhang Ruochen felt the pain of losing someone he loved for the first time, his world dimming in an instant, colors fading from his life.
Looking back along the way, Mu Lingxi had always been supporting him quietly. But what had he done for Mu Lingxi in return? He had made Mu Lingxi sad again and again, and he could not even fulfill her simple request of companions.h.i.+p.
“I’m sorry, Lingxi. I have come too late. I have let you down.” Sorrow filled Zhang Ruochen’s eyes. He could not remember when was the last time he cried. But now tears flowed from his eyes uncontrollably.
“Let’s all go out first. Give Ninth Brother some quiet moments. He must be very sad.”
Zhang Shaochu sighed as he brought everyone out of the mourning hall.
“I should have come earlier. When I got back to the Kunlun Realm, I should have come to you in the first instance.
“You should have known that even if you were just a mortal, I would never leave you behind.
“I work so hard to practice because I just want to give you and everyone a better future. I will handle everything for you; you don’t have to over exert yourself like that.”
Zhang Ruochen started to choke up. He looked up, opening his eyes wide as he tried to fight back his tears.
“Don’t worry, I will bring you back to live at whatever costs. I will take you to Yueshen; she surely can do something. There must be a way. You must live. I will not allow you to die.”
Zhang Ruochen leaned down and was about to hold up Mu Lingxi’s body and take her to the Celestial Court.
But what happened next stunned him.
Mu Lingxi suddenly sat up from the coffin, staring at him with her pair of beautiful round eyes and a playful smile. “So I am not allowed to die without your permission? How bossy!”
Before Zhang Ruochen knew what happened, Mu Lingxi got up, wrapped her arms around Zhang Ruochen’s neck, and pressed her pastel-toned lips on his.
Time seemed to come to a standstill as Zhang Ruochen was completely stupefied, his mind blank.
It was not until Mu Lingxi pried open his mouth with her moist pet.i.te tongue, colliding with his that Zhang Ruochen came out of his shock.
He immediately reached out his hands to draw Mu Lingxi towards him as he kissed her on his own initiative.
“What’s going on? She has come back to life? Can anyone tell me what is going on?” The Heat Rat was stunned outside the mourning hall.
Gu Songzi stroked his beard with a pleased smile on his face.
He then gave the Head Rat and Zhang Shaochu a pat each. “Stop looking. Let’s get out of here.”
Without waiting for the two to respond, Gu Songzi dragged them away forcibly.
The kiss between Zhang Ruochen and Mu Lingxi lasted forever in the mourning hall.
Zhang Ruochen carried Mu Lingxi out of the ice jade coffin, clasping her hands as if she would leave him if he loosened his grips.
“This is too much. You colluded with everyone to prank me. It is your idea, right?” said Zhang Ruochen.
Mu Lingxi was a little worried, looking up and locking eyes with him nervously. “Are you angry?”
Zhang Ruochen let out a smile and shook his head. “Of course not. It was not until I learned you died, I realized how important you are to me. I am sorry, Lingxi.
“It is my fault. Drunkard and Gu Songzi are right; I should have come to see you as soon as I returned to the Kunlun Realm. I shouldn’t have made you worry about me.”
Zhang Ruochen knew Mu Lingxi’s well. If she were to infuse her ancestral heritage by force, then maybe what happened today would have become a reality.
He would regret it if that happened.
Mu Lingxi gently leaned her head against Zhang Ruochen’s chest with a sweet smile on her face. She nodded slightly. “I will always be by your side. You live, I live; you die, I die.”
An emotion surged within Zhang Ruochen. He drew Mu Lingxi even tighter to him.
From this moment onward, his and Mu Lingxi’s life became intertwined. For the sake of Mu Lingxi, he told himself, he must stay alive.
“I didn’t know that you could cry, kid!” Drunkard burst into laughter as he entered the mourning hall.
At the same time, Gu Songzi, the Head Rat, Zhang Shaochu, and Zhang Yuxi had also come in.
“Hey, Drunkard, what do you think of this Elixir of False Death that I made? Isn’t it amazing? Zhang Ruochen couldn’t spot any flaws at all.” Gu Songzi had a smug expression on his face.
“Truly amazing. You have got things handled flawlessly,” said Drunkard.
“It’s a pity that Lingxi woke up too early. We have rehea.r.s.ed this for a long time; it has all gone to waste.” Gu Songzi sighed, shaking his head.
“You know nothing, Bro. Lingxi couldn’t wait anymore.” Drunkard then turned to Zhang Ruochen. “I really have to tell you, Zhang Ruochen. You can’t blame Lingxi for this. The problem lies with you. How long has it been? Only now you come to Lake Phoenix. You don’t really have Lingxi in mind.”
“I totally agree. I have seen Lingxi sitting alone by the lake in a daze several times. Don’t you feel bad about it? We do.” Zhang Yuxi echoed.
Zhang Ruochen felt guilty at hearing those words, realizing that he owed Mu Lingxi too much.
Without waiting for him to speak, Mu Lingxi pulled a naughty face with a smile. “It’s not as complicated as you all said. I just want to give Zhang Ruochen a surprise.”
“Obviously it was a fright.” The Head Rat muttered.
“All right, you all clean up the manor while I will prepare some dishes so we can have a gathering later.”
After saying that, Mu Lingxi walked out of the mourning hall with a smile on her face.
“Let me help you, Lingxi.” Zhang Yuxi quickly followed.
Zhang Ruochen still stood there in a daze as he watched Mu Lingxi walking out.
“Cherish those you love while you still can.” Gu Songzi patted Zhang Ruochen on the shoulder with a meaningful look.
Regardless of whether Zhang Ruochen had any relations.h.i.+p with other women, they all hoped that Zhang Ruochen and Mu Lingxi would go well.
Many things are unpredictable in this world. So they really hoped they could see the day of Zhang Ruochen and Mu Lingxi tying the knot. That was the one thing they had been most looking forward to.
Of course, they could not rush it as it was between Zhang Ruochen and Mu Lingxi. They could not decide things on their behalf.
“Cherish those you love.”
Zhang Ruochen mumbled to himself.
He realized he should cherish Mu Lingxi and marry her.
Zhang Ruochen had actually been pondering about it a long time ago. Just that the Kunlun Realm was still in a chaotic state; he had no time for other things.
His priority at the moment was to improve his level of cultivation. Only in this way could he protect all the people and things that he cared about.
Drunkard and Gu Songzi made light work of cleaning up the manor. They had pulled down all the white fabrics in no time, changing out the depressive vibe instantly.
Meanwhile, Zhang Ruochen followed Zhang Shaochu and came in front of a separate small courtyard.
This was where Concubine Lin lived. On normal days, only Mu Lingxi, Zhang Shaochu, and Zhang Yuxi would come here.
Both Zhang Shaochu and Zhang Yuxi’s biological mothers were long gone, so they both regarded Concubine Lin as their mother. When Zhang Ruochen was away, they would stay with Concubine Lin and do their filial piety.
“Fourth Brother, I thank you and Ninth Sister for everything for all these years,” said Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Shaochu wrapped his arm around Zhang Ruochen’s shoulders with a smile. “We are brothers, remember? So don’t talk like that. Ninth Sister and I did nothing. Lingxi did most of the things. She has been taking care of Concubine Lin all this while. You must treat her well, or I won’t spare you.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded. “Don’t worry, I will never fail Lingxi. Otherwise, I won’t spare myself.”
“This is more like it, my good Ninth Brother. Let’s go and see Concubine Lin. She has been missing you all these years after you have left. She would be very happy to see you back.” Zhang Shaochu urged.
Zhang Ruochen said nothing more, but immediately stepped into the small courtyard. He had been away for years; how could he not miss his mother?