Chapter 643: Red Lotus
Lu Zhou opened his eyes and exited the room. He saw Mings.h.i.+ Yin standing respectfully outside. He said, “Lead the way.”
“Understood.”
The two of them went to the courtyard where Yu Zhenghai was resting in.
On their way there, Mings.h.i.+ Yin asked curiously, “Master, that red fish is really tough. I only managed to cut it after several attempts.”
“The red fish is from the abyss. Don’t be reckless… Also, Chi Yao’s Heart can grant one 1,000 years of life. It must be guarded well,” Lu Zhou said.
When he heard this, Mings.h.i.+ Yin was shocked. He nodded vehemently at once and said, “Yes, master!”
Shortly after, the two of them were by Yu Zhenghai’s bed.
When Yu Zhenghai saw Lu Zhou, he tried to get up, but Lu Zhou said, “Dispense with the formality.”
“I…”
Lu Zhou extended his hand. Primal Qi swirled around Yu Zhenghai.
He gauged the vitality inside Yu Zhenghai’s body. As he expected, it had recovered quite substantially. Indeed, he seemed to have about 100 years of life in him.
Mings.h.i.+ Yin had already examined Yu Zhenghai before this. Hence, he was not surprised.
“Eldest Senior Brother, you’re alright.”
“Thank you.”
“Uh… Eldest Senior Brother, I feel awkward when you’re so polite to me.”
After examining him, Lu Zhou said, “You’re alright now… Sometime later, you’ll come with me to Lou Lan.”
“Lou Lan?”
“I’m going to deal with your obsession. Once that’s dealt with, your memories will naturally return,” Lu Zhou said.
Young Yu Zhenghai did not understand these words.
However, Mings.h.i.+ Yin understood what his master meant. He could not help but sigh.
Lou Lan was the land of sufferings for Yu Zhenghai. It was also where his obsession lay…
After examining Yu Zhenghai, Lu Zhou turned around and left.
Mings.h.i.+ Yin sat on the bed and said, “Fortunately, master came back just in time. Otherwise, who knows what would’ve happened to you?”
Yu Zhenghai was grateful. However, he was still at a loss. He asked, “Am I… really master’s first disciple?”
“There’s no doubt about it.”
Mings.h.i.+ Yin stood up, adjusted his posture, corrected his att.i.tude, and bowed to Yu Zhenghai respectfully. He said solemnly, “Eldest Senior Brother.”
From the day Mings.h.i.+ Yin called him Eldest Senior Brother, Yu Zhenghai had become Mings.h.i.+ Yin’s Eldest Senior Brother for life.
This familiar form of address brought many fleeting voices and scenes to Yu Zhenghai’s mind. Perhaps, his obsession had melted away slightly… In his mind, he could hear others calling him Eldest Senior Brother. A warmth filled his heart. His fingers shook.
“F-fourth Junior Brother…”
At this moment, a voice reached them from the other side of the door. “Fourth Senior Brother!”
Mings.h.i.+ Yin turned, recognizing the voice immediately.”Eighth Junior Brother? Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be at the Divine Capital?”
The one who came was none other than Old Eighth, Zhu Honggong.
Zhu Honggong said, “The Divine Capital is fine for now. I came because I miss master. Where’s the old man?”
“You’re out of luck. He just went back. You shouldn’t disturb him now,” Mings.h.i.+ Yin said.
Zhu Honggong eyed young Yu Zhenghai on the bed and asked, “Who’s this?”
“Well? Aren’t you going to greet your Eldest Senior Brother?” Mings.h.i.+ Yin asked.
Zhu Honggong shook his head and said, “Fourth Senior Brother, cut it out. I may not be as smart as the rest, but I’m not a r.e.t.a.r.d.” He walked over to them and rested an arm on Yu Zhenghai’s shoulder. He greeted him casually, “h.e.l.lo, there.”
Young Yu Zhenghai responded stiffly, “H-h.e.l.lo.”
Mings.h.i.+ Yin. “…” There was nothing he could do to stop this.
Zhu Honggong studied young Yu Zhenghai’s face. “I say, you do resemble Eldest Senior Brother slightly…” Then, he reached out and pinched Yu Zhenghai’s face.
Mings.h.i.+ Yin. “???”
Mings.h.i.+ Yin cleared his throat and said, “Erm, Old Eighth… This is truly Eldest Senior Brother.”
“Stop pulling my leg! I rushed here from the Divine Capital. It was an exhausting journey. Don’t worry, comrade. This is just how my Fourth Senior Brother is. He loves a good laugh. Don’t mind him,” Zhu Honggong said as he turned to look at young Yu Zhenghai.
“…” Yu Zhenghai flashed a stiff but polite smile. “No, not at all.”
Although Yu Zhenghai knew these people were his fellow disciples, due to his lost memories, his manner was rather stiff.
When the others heard young Yu Zhenghai had regained consciousness, they came to visit one after another.
Little Yuan’er and Conch were the first to arrive.
“Eldest Senior Brother.”
“Eldest Senior Brother,” Conch greeted with a smile.
Zhu Honggong. “???”
Soon after, Si Wuya, Pan Zhong, and Zhou Jifeng arrived.
“Eldest Senior Brother.”
“Mister First.”
Zhu Honggong turned to look at his arm that was still resting on Yu Zhenghai’s shoulder. His expression was stiff and unnatural. ‘Are they colluding to trick me?’
Duanmu Sheng was the last one to arrive. His expression was solemn and he kneeled before the bed and said, “Please forgive me, Eldest Senior Brother.”
“…”
When young Yu Zhenghai saw this, he pushed Zhu Honggong’s arm away and got off the bed. “Third Senior Brother, quickly stand up!”
Thud!
Zhu Honggong fell to his knees immediately as tears streaked down his face. “E-eldest Senior Brother… I’ve made a mistake… Can you please forgive me?!”
Yu Zhenghai turned around. “Please get up.”
“I won’t. This is a trick… I won’t fall for it again!” Zhu Honggong pulled a face.
Mings.h.i.+ Yin walked to Yu Zhenghai’s side and whispered something into his ear.
Yu Zhenghai was first taken aback. Then, he mumbled his agreement. He cleared his throat, placed his hands behind his back, and sternly said, “Get up!”
Duanmu Sheng and Zhu Honggong stood up immediately.
Then, Yu Zhenghai said, “Get lost, everyone.”
“Right away!”
The others went away.
“Fine, we’ll go. Hmph!” Little Yuan’er held Conch’s hand and led her out of the room.
Mings.h.i.+ Yin scratched his head awkwardly. He smiled and said, “Eldest Senior Brother, the final statement was slightly overboard… That little ancestor can’t be crossed.”
“Is that so?” Yu Zhenghai looked up and stared at Mings.h.i.+ Yin.
Mings.h.i.+ Yin lowered his head, stowed his smile away, and said, “Eldest Senior Brother, you should rest well. I’ll take my leave as well.”
Everyone finally left.
Yu Zhenghai sighed in relief as he sat on the bed. He wondered out loud, “Was I… really so scary in the past?”
…
Meanwhile, inside the abyss.
A glowing scarlet sword hovered above the boundless black water.
Yu Zhenghai was standing on the scarlet sword. His expression and mind were blank, and his senses were numb. He had lost all sense of time; he had forgotten how long he had been flying above the water. However, he did not give up. He kept flying forward.
Splas.h.!.+
He could occasionally hear splas.h.i.+ng sounds.
Yu Shangrong turned around and saw a red fish leaping into the air like a ball of flame in the dark. It drew an arc in the air before it plunged into the pitch-black water again.
“What a powerful monster.”
This was the third ‘monster’ he saw.
He had been shocked in the beginning. Now, he was already used to their presence.
“I’m in luck.”
He had only been picked on by the monster once. Feeling helpless, Yu Shangrong could only desperately fly out of the monster’s range.
He was now lost in the boundless dark s.p.a.ce. He did not know where he was at. He was aimlessly flying about.
Perhaps, one day, he would fill the monster’s belly. Perhaps, his mind would finally crumble one day, and he would plunge to his death.
Swoos.h.!.+
A cold breeze blew in the air.
Yu Shangrong was slightly taken aback. “Wind?”
If there was wind, it meant that there was pa.s.sage.
Sparks of hope and motivation were rekindled in Yu Shangrong’s heart. He circulated his Primal Qi and sped forward. At the same time, he raised a palm and illuminated his path with an energy seal.
In the dark s.p.a.ce, Yu Shangrong dragged a meteor-like tail behind himself as he zoomed toward the incoming wind.
A moment pa.s.sed, Yu Shangrong saw a ray of light. There was a semi-oval exit that resembled a cave!
He was overjoyed. He flew on his sword in the dark and flew out of the cave.
Swoos.h.!.+
Immediately, his vision widened. There were no clouds in sight. The sun was bright in the skies. He saw a dense forest and felt the surge of Primal Qi.
He turned to look at the entrance to the abyss. It was like a black eye that was moving further and further away.
“Where is this?” Yu Shangrong was shocked.
…
In the faraway skyline.
A huge Luan, a mythical bird, soared in the skies. Its appearance resembled a colorful long-tailed pheasant. Its wings were like long rivers and brightly-colored waterfalls. It was emitting red energy from its body!
Yu Shangrong’s instincts told him he was in a dangerous situation. He had heard about the legends of Great Yan’s Four Great Forests.
“Have I… wandered into the deepest part of the forest by mistake?” Yu Shangrong lowered his alt.i.tude and sped away. He decided that it was best to avoid a beast like this and flew in the other direction.