Eternal Tale

An endless black night.

Yao Yue sat quietly on the ground, her demeanor calm and serene, reflecting the brilliance of the Nine Heavens’ bright moon.

Chen Xun gazed at this poignant silhouette, unmoving, as if devoid of all emotions, more tranquil than the deep, silent night itself, calm as ever...

This time, he no longer needed to comfort anyone, no longer needed to speak of profound mysteries.

After a long while, Chen Xun’s eyes twitched slightly, his throat rolling gently.

He was clearly a streetwise drifter who could chat even with stray dogs, yet at moments like this, he always found himself at a loss for words... despite having experienced so many separations of life and death.

Chen Xun lowered his gaze, watching as the crouching figure gradually disappeared from his sight.

As long as old friends leave with fewer regrets, it’s enough. At least his presence could make their departure more peaceful. As for everything else, it was never important.

Chen Xun struggled to his feet, suddenly feeling his legs inexplicably stiff, but after standing for a moment, he was fine.

He overlooked the vast tea fields under the moonlit night, his gaze lost, as if a small piece of his heart was missing, leaving a lingering tension, yet without any deep sorrow or grief.Unintentionally, the night breeze blew gently.

A bit chilly.

Just a slight chill.

Chen Xun’s movements were somewhat stiff and slow tonight. He slowly raised his head to look at the high, waning moon... lingering in observation, his figure appeared insignificantly small under the vast heavens and earth.

Unknowingly.

He walked to the tea table, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it all in one go, still without tasting anything.

From beginning to end, he hadn’t spoken a word, his heart devoid of thoughts, a stark contrast to when he was beside Black Bull.

The next day.

Chen Xun’s expression was deep and calm, like an ancient well without ripples. He took out some tools, carrying a bamboo basket, personally collecting scattered camellia flowers blown by the mountain wind in the tea hills.

He didn’t know how many he collected, only that there were no more scattered camellia flowers in this tea hill, waiting for the next bloom.

On a vast meadow.

Chen Xun sat on a wooden chair, holding a delicate woodworking knife. Each carving stroke was extremely steady as he quietly crafted a floral coffin.

His eyes focused on the knife’s tip, his movements skilled and orderly, a craft he had honed since his mundane days, showing no unfamiliarity.

Chen Xun gently and skillfully placed the scattered camellia flowers, gradually revealing the shape of the floral coffin, like a tomb chamber of a sea of flowers, exuding a pure fragrance.

Not far away.

Yao Yue sat with her eyes closed, as if traversing life and death back to the past, quietly watching everything about Chen Xun, her face devoid of sadness, only a profound tranquility.

Chen Xun glanced at Yao Yue unintentionally, then looked again, before continuing to polish.

Three days later.

A tombstone stood in the center of the meadow—

The Tomb of Old Friend Yao Yue, Carved by Old Friend Chen Xun.

Chen Xun carefully lifted Yao Yue, so gently that even the camellia flower on her head didn’t fall, walking step by step toward the floral coffin, neither hurried nor slow.

He laid Yao Yue to rest within, as she had no family, no sect; it was his responsibility.

The camellia flowers adorning the floral coffin emitted a faint fragrance, like a farewell scent, pure and flawless, just like Yao Yue, perfectly fitting.

Chen Xun scattered the camellia petals, gradually covering her entire body, soon to cover that familiar face.

At this moment, his hand paused slightly.

Chen Xun’s gentle gaze lowered, looking at Yao Yue’s serene, sleep-like appearance. It’s good that there was no pain; this life, she had endured enough.

”Yao Yue, rest well.”

”If, in tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions of years, I encounter a crazy little girl from the Yuehuang Clan on the street, I’ll stop and chat with her.”

”I’ll say, once, I met a prodigy of the Yuehuang Clan, she was just like you... but you’re still a bit lacking compared to that predecessor, hehe.”

Chen Xun murmured with a smile, she would no longer disturb others, just as she didn’t disturb Chu Zhen, it held little meaning.

Of course, these were just some beautiful little hopes.

Buzz...

The floral coffin gradually closed, Yao Yue’s face slowly disappearing from Chen Xun’s sight, forever falling into slumber.

After the burial.

Chen Xun draped a linen robe, once gifted to Yao Yue, over the tombstone, gently swaying in the mountain wind. Yao Yue still kept this robe, unbroken, as good as new.

He sat in front of the tombstone, carving a wood carving, Yao Yue’s likeness, vivid and lifelike, falling into endless silence.

A month later.

Chen Xun still sat cross-legged in front of the tombstone, the entire vast meadow left with only that tombstone and the solitary figure swaying in the wind.

At the edge of the meadow, a figure gradually approached.

His face was blue, with ferocious fangs, looking extremely fierce and hideous. Anyone who saw him would likely feel unsettled for days during meditation and cultivation.

This person was Tian Li.

He came holding a bouquet of rare flowers, his steps heavy, his expression unclear.

”Lord...”

Tian Li gradually approached, standing on the meadow, standing behind Chen Xun, speaking respectfully.

The mountain wind never ceased its howling, blowing against the two, one sitting, one standing, also blowing the linen robe on the solitary tombstone.

”You’ve come,” Chen Xun said softly, not turning around.

”Lord, I came to see Yao Yue,” Tian Li spoke in a muffled voice, his words extremely unpleasant to hear, making one feel quite irritable, wanting to hit him.

”It seems you all know.”

”Yes...” Tian Li’s eyes carried a trace of sadness, ”Yao Yue left too early, Ji Yan and the others are on their way.”

Over the years, while staying in the Nine Heavens Immortal Alliance, they had vaguely uncovered some unspeakable matters about Yao Yue from back then, but the trail ended at the Illusory Moon Immortal Sect.

That place had turned into the Ten Absolutes Ominous Domain, forbidden for living beings, Lord Crossing the World had intervened...

Yao Yue’s matter became a cold case, no one dared to investigate, no one dared to mention it, the Yuehuang Clan didn’t dare to utter a word, terrified to the extreme.

Chen Xun nodded, ”She had her own story, no need to force it.”

Upon hearing this, Tian Li’s eyes widened slightly, nodding heavily, no longer dwelling on the matter, understanding that Yao Yue chose to leave on her own, not limited by her talents.

Yet, his eyes still carried regret and a hint of sorrow...

Tian Li could accept dying in battle or other unexpected situations, at least it was a glorious end. Yao Yue’s quiet end on a small mundane tea hill was something even he found hard to believe.

Cultivators, their final resting place shouldn’t be like this.

He had long considered Yao Yue a friend, though she was cold and distant, unable to get along with anyone, never paying attention to anyone, her personality even more solitary than his.

When he heard the news, he was lost for a long time, feeling regret and unwillingness.

But now that things had come to this, he could only come to bid her farewell.

Tian Li brought a few sticks of incense, first bowing to Chen Xun, then stepping past him to place the bouquet of rare flowers in front of the tombstone, solemnly offering incense to the tombstone.