Chapter 180: Good Friends

"She forgot me?"

Your eyes went vacant, and you collapsed onto the bed.

The Fox Clan Empress recounted to you everything that happened after you fell into a coma.

Sangyu, using the Grand Array of Mountains, Rivers, and State, together with the massive qi of the Human Race, rescued the nearly annihilated Yun Baobao from the Heavenly Tribulation.

But Yun Baobao's identity is special.

As a uniquely favored spirit monster, the First Auspicious Cloud of the world, Yun Baobao could have lived as long as the heavens, but opposing the Heavenly Tribulation caused her to suffer an extremely powerful backlash.

By a stroke of luck she clung to a life, yet Yun Baobao also forgot the vast majority of things.

"Once you have healed your wounds, go see her."

The Fox Clan Empress sighed, "Perhaps only you can make her recall the past; she deserves for you to love her properly."

"Thank you for the Empress's understanding."

You thanked the Empress for her generosity.

The Fox Clan Empress smiled, "She earns my respect, achieving what I never could; she is wonderful."

Regarding the betrothal, the Fox Clan Empress said nothing.

You also no longer had the mind to concern yourself with that matter.

"Where is Sangyu?"

Logically, the one sitting here to tend to you should be Sangyu, not the Fox Clan Empress who has not yet married you.

"Sangyu has left; she must cross the Heart Tribulation of Cultivation."

"She told you not to worry; after waking, go find Yun; compared to us, Yun needs you more."

The events progressed in an unreal, dreamlike manner, achieving astonishing advancement.

The sorrow in the dream could not suppress Lin Chuan's primary consciousness's ecstatic joy.

"Finally peace?"

"Indeed, only when suffering bears down on you can you stop fretting over those things; this method works well."

"It's just a bit tear‑draining."

Before you knew it, two streams of clear tears were already sliding down your cheeks.

Lin Chuan's heart trembled.

If all this happened in reality, perhaps he could not bear such grief at all, nor would he be willing to exchange such a price for peace.

After a few days of recuperation, you were able to move freely.

The sad part is that your Foundation of Dao was completely destroyed, the Perfect Body no longer exists, and the Physical Body and Primordial Spirit are severely damaged.

This means you can no longer cultivate.

Perhaps you can use heavenly materials and earthly treasures to restore some, but the outcome is fated; you can never again reach your former heights.

"Yun Baobao, you gave everything to save a waste like me—was it truly worth it?"

Your mood was complicated.

To have someone who loves you completely is such a pride, how lucky.

Yet from the big picture, this is a loss‑making deal.

Perhaps only the world's most foolish would agree to such a trade.

You arrived at the summit of Initial Mountain.

Among the crowd, the Girl in White Dress was charming; you saw her at a glance.

You hurried over.

She also saw you.

"Yun Baobao."

You called her name softly.

She looked at you with slight doubt, "You... who are you?"

Your throat caught; you hurriedly said, "Chuan! It's me, Chuan—do you not remember me?"

"Chuan? Such a familiar name."

Yun Baobao tilted her head and thought.

The worst scenario you had imagined still occurred: Yun forgot you; she only knows she is waiting for someone, but doesn't know that person is you.

The evening wind blew, carrying a faint chill.

Yun Baobao asked you, "Is the one waiting for me the one who sent you with a message? Will he still come to see me?"

Your lips moved, but you couldn't utter a single word.

"Hey, why aren't you speaking?"

Yun Baobao looked at you puzzled, "If you don't speak, I'll leave."

You asked, "Do you still know that person's name? And do you recall what he looks like?"

"He—!"

Yun Baobao looked toward the sky, her eyes full of tiny stars, "He is the most wise and mighty person under heaven, utterly perfect, perfectly perfect."

"But..."

"Time seems too long; I can't recall his appearance."

"But if he appeared before me now, I would surely recognize him at a glance; he said he'd wait for me to grow up, then come to marry me!"

Yun Baobao wore a proud expression.

You faded in gloom.

Perhaps this is the true tribulation, far more painful to you than the barrage of thunder and lightning.

【Your hesitation let down Yun Baobao.】

【Now that she has forgotten you, it is your punishment.】

【You were helpless, only hoping that in the few days she had left, she could remember you.】

【For a period after, you spent your days in pain and torment, striving to repair your Physical Body and Primordial Spirit, restoring your Foundation of Dao.】

【You still hoped to Defy Heaven and Change Fate.】

【Every day you came to the sangyu tree to keep Yun Baobao company, hoping she could remember you.】

【You were waiting for her.】

【She was also waiting for you.】

【Only, the two of you were not waiting for the same each other.】

【You could feel Yun's life constantly slipping away; even though she retained the appearance from when you first met, she could not stop the erosion of time.】

【Yun Baobao's only communication with you was the same question she asked you every day.】

【"Why hasn't he come yet?"】

【Other than that, you had no communication at all.】

【You also invited all the people of the Human Race that Yun Baobao had once met, such as Xi, Chi, Hong, and others, but she had no impression of any of them.】

【Watching her go out full of expectation every day, sit at the mountain summit until late at night, then return utterly disappointed, your heart felt sliced by knives.】

【You decided to try a different approach to get her to recall the past.】

【You said to Yun Baobao, "The person you're waiting for sent another letter. He says he's prepared a surprise for you and asked me to take you to see it."】

【Yun Baobao looked at you warily. "Are you lying to me?"】

【"How could I."】

【You smiled and said, "I am that person's best friend. I would never lie to you. If I lied to you, may I be struck by lightning and blasted by five thunderbolts."】

【The moment you said those words, Yun Baobao reacted as if pricked by a needle, clutching her head with a pained expression.】

【She kept shaking her head, muttering, "No lightning! I don't want lightning!"】

【It was a long time before she calmed down.】

【You realized that Yun Baobao was subconsciously avoiding past memories, especially the Tribulation Transcendence Battle, which she did not want to remember.】

【Perhaps this was the key reason she could not remember you.】

【But this also showed you the hope of reviving Yun Baobao's memories.】

【You decided to take her to experience the things you had experienced together in the past, hoping she could recall some things and find her true self.】

【After this, you waited quite some more days. Once she had recovered a little, you sought her out again, once more inviting her in the name of 'that person's' friend.】

【Yun Baobao hesitated for a long time before replying:】

【"I'll trust you just this once. Since you're his good friend, then you're my good friend too. I hope you won't deceive me."】