Chapter 1497

After Dan Feng saw the faces of those three people clearly, he said meaningfully: "... What remains in your mind from the past is far more than I thought."

Dan Heng: "I have dreamed of this pre-battle farewell more than once."

"For the newly born Yu Ming, the past life is merely an illusion. You know this is 'your' memory, but you cannot empathize." Dan Feng slowly closed his eyes, "For personal desire, recklessly using the power of dragon transformation, turning former friends into enemies... You will surely ask me: Is such a price worth it?"

Not far away, Jing Yuan explained to the two people before him: "The Military Affairs Bureau attaches great importance to this battle of 'Yu Que,' and 'Ying Qing' urgently summoned her back to carry out the scouting mission."

Yingxing walked up to the long table, lowered his head to inspect the fine wine and dishes laid out on the table: "Some people just have wind in their blood, they can't sit still for a moment. No matter, I'll drink her share!"

"Why are we toasting already? Won't you wait for Dan Feng?" Jing Yuan asked with a smile.

"Lord Long Zun naturally has endless Long Shi meetings to attend, and cannot disperse for a moment. I won't wait for him." Yingxing raised his head and drained the cup in one gulp, but the next second, his whole face wrinkled as he spat out everything he had just swallowed, going "Pah pah pah."

"Pah... Isn't this just water?!"

Seeing this, Jing Liu's lips also involuntarily curled upward. She rarely laughs like this, but once she does, even her eyes, which usually carry a chill, shine bright and clear, like an ice spring just thawed under the moonlight.

"I relay her original words: With the battle at hand, indulging in drink delays affairs, so I will first place here a spring from the Ying Qing Yu Que Crystal Palace of Lhasa. She said, wine should only be drunk after victory to be truly flavorful."

Yingxing helplessly held his forehead: "... You should have said so earlier."

"I originally didn't want to, but she insisted on seeing your expression when you took the first sip."

Jing Yuan smiled and smoothed things over: "Whether it's water or wine, if it's a gift from a friend, it's equally rich and mellow."

"..."

Seeing Jing Yuan still speaking this way, Dan Feng beside him also seemed rather helpless: "Do you always have to tack on value? Your old habit hasn't been cured yet?"

Before the words even finished, "Dan Feng" had already arrived beside the few people, saying exactly the same thing as him: "Do you always have to tack on value? Your old habit hasn't been cured yet?"

—

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

"Is that... Jing Liu? She's smiling too brightly?!"

After seeing the cheerful Aglaea, unexpectedly seeing Jing Liu smile like this made Zenitsu feel utterly unfamiliar... After all, he had never seen her smile from the heart before.

Even if Jing Liu smiles now, Zenitsu must suspect she is a Ming Yin Shen preparing to attack and kill.

"Was this the usual daily life of the Cloud Striders Five Heroes before? If we set aside that regrettable ending... this bond is truly worth reminiscing, and it's no wonder Dan Feng would always keep it in mind." Tanjirou lowered his head despondently.

"Was this battle the one in which Bai Hang died in battle? Did they never get to drink that victory toast together?" Zenitsu turned his head to look at Tanjirou.

"Well, after this battle they would go their separate ways—some became criminals, some became wanted fugitives... Indeed, it's no wonder Jing Liu's Ming Yin Shen acted up after experiencing these things. The Cloud Striders Five Heroes had their good times, but the series of shocks after Bai Hang's death caused her great harm."

"If Bai Hang had died in battle back then, and Dan Feng had not used Hu Xu's flesh and blood plus the dragon transformation marvel to revive her, but instead handed her remaining bodily tissues to Lady Ruan Mei, could she have revived Bai Hang?"

Xiao Kui walked into the room carrying a wooden basin full of clothes, and couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Lady Ruan Mei?"

Upon hearing this, Tanjirou also couldn't help but stare blankly for a moment— that lady had once revived an incomplete Fecundity Envoy and pulled the dying Stop Cloud back from death. If it were her, perhaps she could truly help rebuild a body for Bai Hang?

Tanjirou lowered his head to think: "Even if it could be done, Jing Liu and Jing Yuan would probably not agree."

"Eh? Why is that?"

"From Jing Liu's attitude toward Dan Feng and the others, we can see that the Xianzhou people's view of death differs from that of other races." Tanjirou said seriously, "They do not fear death; on the contrary, they pursue a kind of 'correct' death. To Jing Liu, Bai Hang's death on the battlefield already represents her comrade-in-arms embracing a 'correct' death. Dan Feng and Yingxing's actions have completely tainted this, so she must be furious about it."

—

"You've come just in time, everyone's been waiting for you. How about you punish yourself with three cups?"

Dan Feng helplessly shook his head, a hint of weariness appearing in his eyes: "Spare me, have I not drunk enough bitter water by the ancient sea? I have already persuaded the Long Shi, and in this battle, the Yu Ming Yun Yin Shi will personally come to the front lines to fight alongside our army."

Upon hearing this, Yingxing also instinctively glanced at his comrade beside him: "It seems your plan for dealing with the Ji Du Shen Lou can now be carried out, Jing Yuan."

"Thank you for overriding the opposition, Dan Feng."

"I didn't expect those Long Shi to actually relent. After this battle, there will certainly be..."

"There will certainly be countless Yu Ming who go and never return, with no chance to shed their scales and be reborn. Everyone knows this." Dan Feng took over Yingxing's words, slightly lowering his eyelids, "But if we do not share sweetness and bitterness, the Yu Ming cannot become part of the Alliance Fate, and will remain merely observers of others' suffering."

"This, we all know just as well." Jing Liu raised the porcelain cup in her hand, "This is why we have gathered here. Come, let us raise our cups, everyone. This cup is not to bid farewell to each other... but to honor those envoys who will not return, to honor our comrades."

"..."

Dan Feng approached the few people, and the "Dan Feng" from memory, upon seeing him come here, closed his eyes and vanished from the spot.

"Sorry, my reckless plan must have burdened you greatly." After the toast exchange, Jing Yuan looked at Dan Feng with a slight apology.

"Don't say such things." Dan Feng lifted his eyes, calmly meeting Jing Yuan's gaze: "If our positions were reversed, no matter how reckless my plan, you would surely support me. Isn't that so?"

Jing Yuan was stunned for a moment, then gave a knowing smile: "Of course. But still, don't go too far with the recklessness."