Chapter 3567

In An Chengxi's heart, her perception and understanding of Lin Wanan gradually began to become more diverse.

On one hand, she clearly knew that Lin Wanan was nearly four hundred years old, absolutely an elder of the Laozu Sect level; on the other hand, she also vaguely felt that Lin Wanan was just a little girl, a cute girl younger than her own son, and sometimes she even seemed like a close friend who had forgotten her age, giving her a feeling of a confidante.

Respect, reverence, admiration, liking, and affection—when these several feelings concentrated on one person, An Chengxi also found herself somewhat unaccustomed to it to a certain extent.

Lin Wanan lightly sighed and smiled: "I, a humble woman, felt an instant rapport with Lady Ye upon our first meeting, and we conversed very happily; if there is an opportunity in the future, I hope we can chat as freely as we do today."

An Chengxi knew Lin Wanan was truly leaving, so she nodded and said: "This junior also hopes to meet the senior again, but due to special circumstances, this junior will not see the senior off."

Lin Wanan smiled: "Lady Ye needs not see me off; I will go out by myself."

After speaking, she turned her head to look at Kongyin, only to discover he was already tearful, and so she said with a smile: "Zhengping, I am leaving now."

Kongyin knew Lin Wanan was leaving, and could not help but choke up: "Miss... Zhengping has not seen you for a hundred years, and today we finally meet again; I dare to beg you to stay a few days in the temple, even if... even if just one night..."

Kongyin very much wanted to say, "Miss, Zhengping misses you greatly," but it was like a bone stuck in his throat, and he simply could not get it out.

The more the words in his heart could not be spoken, the more they turned into tears, flowing nonstop, two streams merging into tear tracks on his face, flowing down from his wrinkled face, just like river water flowing over dry, cracked yellow earth.

Everyone nearby was moved with compassion.

They even could not help but look toward Lin Wanan, hoping she would fulfill Kongyin's small wish.

Lin Wanan, however, softly said: "Zhengping, that we can meet again is due to fate; you know I have long been accustomed to parting over these many years; staying a few more days would only increase risk and only make the next parting more painful; since that is the case, it is better to keep this reunion as a sweet memory in our hearts."

Kongyin could no longer hold back his emotions; he did not continue sitting cross-legged, but instead changed to kneeling on both knees, his hands resting flat on his knees, and like a child, he burst into loud sobs: "Miss, Zhengping knows the hardships of your life; Zhengping absolutely should not have made such a request... but... but..."

Kongyin said this, and his speech became broken and intermittent due to sobbing: "But... but Zhengping has a feeling... a feeling that he has lived over one hundred and twenty years... his lifespan... his lifespan is already right before his eyes..."

"Miss... in Zhengping's life of over one hundred years, the earliest... the earliest part of his memory, is... is being held in your arms..."

"Now... now that his lifespan is drawing to an end, Zhengping dares to hope that the final part of his life's memory will still be you accompanying him to the end..."

"That way... that way... Zhengping would then... then die... without regret..."

Having said this, without waiting for Lin Wanan to speak, he felt a sudden pain in his heart, his vision went black, and he collapsed sideways.

Lin Wanan instinctively wanted to help him up, but she was not quick enough; instead, Master Jingqing, with sharp eyes and quick hands, immediately supported Kongyin up, saw his face deathly pale, lips white as paper, and inwardly thought, "Not good," and asked him with concern: "Master Kongyin, are you still alright?"

Others also nervously looked toward Kongyin, fearing he might meet with misfortune.

Lin Wanan bit her lower lip, her heart also torn like everyone else's.

At this very moment, Kongyin suddenly opened his eyes, looked toward Lin Wanan, and with difficulty managed a smile: "Miss, you... you must take care!"

Lin Wanan's heart gave a jolt; she saw he had truly reached the end of his lifespan, and tears instantly flowed from her eye sockets.

In the flash of lightning and stone, she hurried forward, bent down, and without hesitation produced a pill, placing it at Kongyin's lips, smiling as she coaxed him like a child: "Zhengping, be good, take this pill and everything will be fine."

Kongyin strained to squeeze out a smile, his voice trembling: "When... when I was sick as a child... Miss, you would... you would persuade Zhengping to take medicine this way; the medicine you decocted was... especially bitter, bitter... bitter to the point that after drinking it, my whole body would... would tremble uncontrollably, but... but every time, it truly... truly cured the illness..."

As he spoke, Kongyin took a few deep breaths and continued: "But... but this time is different, Miss... Zhengping's lifespan... truly... truly has come..."

Lin Wanan wiped her tears and said earnestly: "This time is the same; take this pill, and everything will be fine; this is the Returning Spring Pill given to me by the Young Master, which can add twenty years to your yang lifespan; take it, and you will recover just as you did in childhood!"

The surrounding people all gasped in shock.

Returning Spring Pill—who does not know its efficacy and value?

An Chengxi knew even better: her elder brother had once offered several billion US dollars and still failed to buy a single Returning Spring Pill; Ye Chen giving Lin Wanan the Returning Spring Pill was surely meant as a life-saving medicine for her, yet she took it out without hesitation to give to Kongyin.

Just as everyone was moved by Lin Wanan's selflessness and rejoiced for Kongyin, Kongyin smiled and shook his head, saying: "No, Miss, I feel... I feel the Buddha seems... seems to have come to receive me..."

Lin Wanan shouted sternly: "I will not let you die, even if the Buddha has come! Zhengping! Take this pill immediately! Otherwise, do not blame me for having someone pry open your mouth and force it down!"

Kongyin used all his strength to keep shaking his head, looking at Lin Wanan with a choked voice: "Miss, let Zhengping just... just go like this; a life of one hundred... one hundred twenty-five years, at the... at the end of the road, still able to... still have you accompany... accompany him, is... is truly the great... great perfection... and also Zhengping's... Zhengping's lifelong merit cultivated..."

Lin Wanan's face rarely showed anger; she severely scolded: "Zhengping, you refuse to listen to Miss's words? If you do not take the medicine, I will take action!"

Kongyin shook his head, earnestly: "Miss... Zhengping does not... dare... but... but Zhengping does not want to... not want to live another twenty years... one hundred... one hundred twenty-five years, in... in the secular world... is already... extremely rare, all... all Japan knows... knows Zhengping's age; if... if Zhengping were to... live another twenty years, Miss's enemies would surely... surely suspect... Zhengping does not want to... not want to bring harm to Miss..."

As he spoke, his whole body had already reached the brink of death; in his dying moments, he choked: "Miss... Zhengping will... will become... the brightest star in the West, just as you... you told me when you were young..."

Lin Wanan cried: "Zhengping, take the medicine; the twenty years ahead, you can find a place where no one knows you, hide your name and live in obscurity; being alive is always good; you asked me to stay a few days, did you not? If you take the medicine, I will stay a few days here, alright?"

At this moment, Kongyin's eye sockets were already full of turbid tears; he struggled desperately, shaking his head to fling the tears out, but soon they were again filled by tears he could not hold back.

He looked at the already very blurry Lin Wanan, smiled, and said: "Miss... please forgive Zhengping this time for... not being able to obey..."

Lin Wanan held the pill in her hands, her heart torn apart.

She wanted to force the medicine down him, but knew his resolve was firm, and feared that forcing twenty years of life upon him would instead become his burden.

Kongyin knew Lin Wanan's struggle, smiled, and said: "Miss... let go... you once said... always... always must let go to let... let us fly out and spread our branches; now also... also please let go to let... let Zhengping go... go see... see those brothers and sisters..."

Lin Wanan's tears fell like rain, yet she firmly nodded, then gripped Kongyin's hand, rough as old tree bark, and cried: "Then you must remember to convey my greetings to them for me."

Kongyin gave a knowing smile, instantly relaxed, and grabbed Lin Wanan's hand, saying: "Rest assured, Miss, rest assured..."

After speaking, he looked contentedly at Jingqing and said: "Master Jingqing... trouble... trouble to convey... to convey to Yuan Cheng, after my death... on the tombstone... do... do not carve my dharma name, but... but carve my secular name... Sai... Sai Zheng... Sai Zhengping... this... this is the name Miss gave me..."

Jingqing, seeing this scene, could not hide his sorrow, and said solemnly: "Master Kongyin, rest assured, I will surely convey this!"

Kongyin nodded, then looked at Lin Wanan, and with his last strength said: "You must take care, Miss! You must... must live until the very... last day... you must... must remember to enjoy... enjoy life, rather than... rather than always... always giving to others..."

Having said this, his pupils gradually dispersed, his body went limp, and he completely lost all signs of life.

However, Kongyin's corpse showed no trace of pain or resentment, but rather bore a satisfied and open-minded smile.

Those nearby could all see that meeting Lin Wanan, having her accompany him through the final stretch of his life's journey, for Kongyin, life had already achieved true great perfection.

In this life, at first he was fortunate to be saved by a benefactor; at the end, he was again accompanied by a benefactor; in between, he lived through a hundred and twenty-five years of ups and downs, the process wonderful, with a beginning and an end, life complete.