Chapter 448: Generations of Life Endless and Unceasing, River and Moon Year After Year Look Alike

Beneath the moonlit night, the river flowed with a murmuring sound; grass and trees stood dense and shadowed. The water lapping against the cliff stones sounded like shattering jade. Standing here, one felt only the vastness of earth and sky, yet the water was deep, the mist heavy, and the chill pierced to the bone. Though the moon above was round as a mirror, it only added a touch of desolate solitude.

At this moment on the riverbank, the three magical treasures Chen Heng had just summoned were staring wide-eyed at one another.

Seeing the Escape Realm Shuttle look at them displeasedly, even the Five Qi Peng Qian Kun Ring, usually fearless of heaven and earth, felt somewhat daunted and hurriedly offered an excuse for itself:

"I was nearly knocked into a pile of cow dung by that sword strike and given a thorough washing; how could my heart not be angry? Besides..."

The Five Qi Peng Qian Kun Ring immediately began crying out about its unjust treatment:

"How could I know that Master would not even dodge just now? Shuttle Elder, by heaven and earth and conscience! My true intention was merely to put on a good show for that female True Person. Had I known earlier that Master was in such a situation, how would I have acted so rashly? I would have lain obediently on the ground and stared with my eyes wide open. That I was unaware of the inner circumstances truly cannot be blamed on me!"

The Escape Realm Shuttle had intended to say more, but at this moment, seeing the Five Qi Peng Qian Kun Ring desperately winking at it, the Moon Wheel Mirror hesitated for a few moments before finally speaking up to plead on its behalf.

The Dun Dun Jiesuo of the Escape Realm still wished to say something, but at this moment, seeing the Five Qi Peng Qian Kun ring desperately casting glances at itself, the Moon Wheel Mirror hesitated for several exchanges before finally speaking up to plead for mercy on its behalf.

After speaking, the Moon Wheel Mirror paid no attention to the Five Qi Peng Qian Kun Ring, cast a curious glance toward the distant riverbank, then withdrew its gaze and asked:

"Being able to wield such a great divine ability, she must surely not be someone without a name. Yet why did Master willingly endure a sword strike from her? Shuttle Elder, what hidden circumstances lie within this?"

The Moon Wheel Mirror had always prided itself on its beauty, placing extreme importance on outward appearance; this was perhaps one of the reasons Chen Heng had been able to subdue it years ago.

Yet even so, among all the people Wei Wei Lingjiang had ever seen in her life, her beauty was rare in this world. Coupled with Chen Heng's attitude today, which differed completely from the past, this inevitably aroused the Moon Wheel Mirror's curiosity, compelling it to probe the Escape Realm Shuttle for information.

"This old one only gained freedom after leaving the Golden Drum Cave; regarding earlier events, I fear only that Green Rhythm Sword knows the truth," the Escape Realm Shuttle said, shaking its head slightly to deflect the question.

"The Green Rhythm Sword? Is that the broken talisman weapon long ago shattered within Master's Purple Palace?"

The Five Qi Peng Qian Kun Ring clicked its tongue, losing all interest:

"It has not even birthed a true consciousness; how could it remember events or speak? Shuttle Elder is trying to fool me again as if I were a fool."

"And when have you not been one?" the Escape Realm Shuttle teased.

The Five Qi Peng Qian Kun Ring raised an eyebrow, immediately becoming defiant once more.

While they were bickering and quarreling here, the situation on the distant riverbank was entirely different.

Chen Heng and Wei Wei Lingjiang faced each other from opposite banks, and for a time, neither spoke.

It was now the season of midsummer when waters swell; the river's force was more surging than usual, resembling thousands of horses galloping swiftly from afar, raising clouds of dust before shaking the earth as they raced on without cease.

Chen Heng took a gentle breath; between inhalation and exhalation, he felt only thick moisture rushing against his face. As wind and waves surged, even the clouds in the sky seemed dragged down by the cresting waves.

He wished to explain that Wei Wei Wanhua's death had not been his intention, to say that he had been beyond his own control at that time, to clarify those past reasons.

But lifting his eyelids and looking into her eyes, Chen Heng knew he could offer no defense.

The past was gone; at this moment, any words would likely seem pale and empty.

Just like those stacks of white paper still piled on his desk at Changli Island; each time he ground ink, he always found it difficult to put brush to paper.

At this moment, Wei Wei Lingjiang suddenly raised her head, then slightly extended her hand in invitation.

Chen Heng heard her voice penetrate through the mist:

"Would Chen Chen Shidi be willing to walk with me?"

Though much time had passed, she performed this gesture without any hint of awkwardness, as if they were still within Daojun Fu Yu Lake, exhausting their thoughts discussing how to eliminate that evil-tempered Yin Sheng Demon.

Time flew swiftly; decades had passed in a blink, yet the person before him seemed not to have changed in the slightest.

As if recalling something, Chen Heng smiled with relief; after pausing briefly, he simply said, "Good."

Chen Heng smiled with relief as if he had thought of something; after pausing briefly, he simply said, "Good."

Gelu originally comprised six great powers, established to manage the hundred clans and pacify the myriad people.

But with the destruction of Tuanyang and Qifang, and Tongxu Mountain having escaped along with the Three Heavens, only three families now remained standing upon the chessboard to divide the profits.

Along this journey, the two of them seemed to have let go of all grievances, returning to how they once were, each recounting old tales and experiences.

Chen Heng spoke of the Changying Courtyard, the East Sea, the Ganliu Medicine Garden, and the current Gelu dispute.

Wei Wei Lingjiang recounted her childhood experiences, how she had entered the Chiming Dao Academy, her observations during her travels, and matters concerning those within the sect.

At this moment, a bright moon hung in the sky, illuminating everything above and below like silver. Looking down upon the clouds, all within and without appeared clear and pure; the sky was high, the earth vast, a single stretch of azure extending a thousand li.

In the distance, one could still glimpse several small towns seemingly celebrating a festival, with fireworks and illuminated trees rising sequentially into the sky. The sounds of strings, pipes, gongs, and drums could be faintly heard; behind ten thousand doors and households lay the red dust of the human world.

Although the recent Gelu battles had been quite fierce, those were merely conflicts among cultivators. Moreover, this place was far from Northern Pingshan; distant from the battlefield, after the situation stabilized, it had suffered little disturbance from the turmoil.

Wei Wei Lingjiang had intended to enter the city for a look, but dark clouds gathered from all sides, and suddenly a heavy rainstorm broke out, sending everyone in the city scrambling to seek shelter.

The two of them thus descended from their clouds outside the city, landing within a small temple situated beside a lake.

No one currently dwelled within this temple; although it seemed someone had recently come specifically to sweep and clean it, traces of mottled green moss could still be seen upon the painted walls of both corridors, emitting a faint verdant glow.

Following the mountain path downward not far away, one could see a vast great lake; flowers and trees cast dense shade along its shores, reflecting unevenly against one another...

At this moment, the two of them suddenly fell silent, remaining quietly wordless within this small temple for a long time.

Outside the eaves, the rain wove itself into strings; farther away lay the lake water shrouded in thin cold mist, and the mountain shapes appearing indistinct within the white fog.

Outside the eaves, the rain wove into strings; farther away lay the lake water thinly veiled by cold air and the mountain shapes faintly visible within the white mist.

No one was in the rain, yet no one was outside the rain either.

Chen Heng thought that listening so quietly to the rain tonight felt like something from very long ago.

He did not regret anything done that day, and he clearly understood that after striking out with his sword toward Wei Wei Wanhua, like many things, much could never return to how it once was; some choices, he simply could not make.

Yet all this before him felt like revisiting an old place.

It was the same falling rain, the same mist slowly rising from the lake's center to creep onto the embankment.

Listening to the wind brushing past his shoulder and the rustling chirps of insects in the trees, he sighed that the long sword of time truly cut through iron as if it were mud; that long summer spent in the elm shade of Daojun Fu Yu Lake now felt to him as if separated by a lifetime.

Not far away, Wei Wei Lingjiang, who had remained silent for a long time, suddenly turned slightly to the side:

"Chen Chen Shidi, I must ask—"

"Yes, I once admired Senior Sister," Chen Heng said with a smile, interrupting her as if he already knew the unfinished words on Wei Wei Lingjiang's lips.

"Yes, I once admired Senior Sister."

As if knowing Wei Wei Lingjiang's unfinished words, Chen Heng smiled and interrupted:

"Senior Sister?"

Wei Wei Lingjiang nodded gently, and when their gazes met, they inexplicably smiled in unison.

It was not until half a moment later, when the rain ceased, that the two walked out of the temple side by side.

Wei Wei Lingjiang followed the quiet mountain path outward without stopping; as her sleeves brushed against the rain-laden emerald branches, several droplets trembling on the budding tips fell silently. Chen Heng merely stood outside the hall to see her off, not following.

Their movements were remarkably tacit, one walking while the other stopped, without another word being spoken.

It was not until Wei Wei Lingjiang reached the foot of the low hill that she turned back to look, smiling earnestly as she said:

"The Great Dao can be sought, and immortals are no fabrication; I only hope that you and I can both calm our minds and cease our worries, not obscuring our true nature... Chen Chen Shidi, let us meet at the Pill Yuan Assembly!"

In that instant, heroic spirit surged between her brows, radiant and illuminating; she then solemnly performed a bow and declared:

"Chi Ming True Disciple, Wei Wei Lingjiang!"

Chen Heng watched that bright and pure woman, her face bearing a smile, her eyes shining brilliantly, appearing unsurpassed in divine elegance; his memory suddenly returned to long ago, when it seemed they had also exchanged greetings just like this.

Chi Ming True Disciple Wei Wei Lingjiang had never been some petty woman given to self-pity.

He smiled faintly; Wei Wei Lingjiang saw his gaze clear and bright, like a slice of moonlight falling into the heart of a lake and flying into his eyes, then he raised his sleeve to return the bow, his voice equally solemn:

"Yu Chen True Disciple, Chen Heng!"

That night, clouds piled like surging waves, spreading flat across ten thousand li.

After traveling several dozen li, Wei Wei Lingjiang suddenly felt something in her heart; she pressed her sword light down into the sky, and shortly after, accompanied by a clear chime, Seeing Seeing Qingzhi's figure entered her view.

Seeing Seeing Qingzhi hung her head low, hesitating and unwilling to approach, her expression vastly different from usual.

Wei Wei Lingjiang understood her thoughts; she extended a hand to rest on Seeing Seeing Qingzhi's head and shook it slightly.

"All dharmas resolved are like an illusion, like a mirage, like the moon in water, like fire within stone, like a body in a dream..."

Wei Wei Lingjiang chuckled softly.

"Young Lady?" Seeing Seeing Qingzhi lifted her face.

"Things have come to this; what more can be said?"

Wei Wei Lingjiang gazed into the distance; after a brief stunned pause, she returned to calmness, concealing all emotions within her eyes, and simply said:

"Let us go."

At the same time.

After stepping down the mountain path, Chen Heng saw only flowering trees along the lake spreading across the ground like canopies, scattering clear shade.

Even with the night curtain overhead, it could not conceal that expanse of emerald green that seemed to flow in the wind, bright and vibrant.

And after the rain stopped, sounds of people gradually drifted from the distant small city, a bustling murmur.

Arriving at the lakeside, upon the water surface floating with fine willow branches and flower petals, Chen Heng saw his own reflection; after falling silent for half a moment, he suddenly smiled, reached out to snap off a flower branch and tossed it away, then turned and left.

The moon's shadow and the human silhouette shattered silently; fine ripples rose on the lake surface, layer upon layer, rippling into patterns.

A sound of water splashed.