Chapter 224: Honglian’s Thoughts

Tender green leaves swayed around the thatched cottage by the cliff, while the glow of the sunset streamed through the window lattice from the western peak. 

Lu Liangsheng set down the book in his hands and looked over at Honglian, who was standing by the wall. Since that day, the female ghost had rarely spoken to him and had seldom come out of the painting. 

Now, hearing her suddenly say such words, he was surprised, and a faint unease stirred within his heart. 

“Honglian, what is it that you wish to say?” 

The door gently closed on its own without a breath of wind. Nie Honglian lowered her eyes, staring at the ground, her eyelashes trembling slightly as she spoke in a low voice. 

“Young Master, Honglian wishes to enter reincarnation…” 

Hearing those words so suddenly, Lu Liangsheng lowered his head slightly, then raised it again with a smile. 

“To be honest, I also feel that a lone wandering soul existing like this is contrary to the Heavenly Dao. It was simply difficult for me to bring it up before.” 

He turned back to the desk and continued arranging his books, though his movements had become noticeably slower. Just as he was about to speak, he felt a stirring behind him, and a trace of coolness pressed against his back. 

Within the sunset glow shining through the window lattice, Honglian stood within the scholar’s shadow. Gently, she extended her arms and wrapped them around his waist from behind. Silken black hair slipped down, resting against his cheek and the warm back that radiated heat. 

Without blinking, she spoke in a soft and gentle voice. 

“I have thought about it for a long time. For the past half month, I have been thinking about it constantly. I did not wish to see you, nor did I wish to speak with anyone. The truth is… I was afraid I would not be able to bear leaving.” 

“Honglian…” 

“Young Master, please do not speak. Let this humble one finish.” 

Nie Honglian rubbed her cheek lightly against Lu Liangsheng’s back, feeling the man’s broad shoulders and warmth. Closing her eyes, she softly said: 

“It is truly wonderful here. There is Daoist Sun, who may seem cynical and lustful, yet never forgets righteousness; there is Toad Master, who loves good food and boasts endlessly; there are your parents and your younger sister. And now so many more people have come here. If I stay any longer, this humble one truly will not be able to bear leaving…” 

She turned her face slightly, pressing her forehead against Lu Liangsheng’s back. 

“Honglian has never had a home since childhood. I have always regarded this place as my home. Being together with so many people makes me feel as though I am still alive. But, Young Master… this humble one is a ghost, a Rakshasa Ghost. I can never live as the living do. How I wish I could sit together with all of you, holding a bowl and chopsticks, eating, laughing, and talking alongside everyone.” 

Honglian suppressed her emotions and forced a smile onto her face, dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth. 

“During this time, I often imagined such scenes. They would surely be wonderful—eating together around the same table, sitting together on the edge of the cliff watching the sunrise and sunset, and accompanying Toad Master as we traveled across the world.” 

Lu Liangsheng tightened his grip on the corner of a book and turned around. As though unwilling to meet his gaze, the woman threw herself into his embrace. 

“I’ve always… treated you as though you were alive… The things you mentioned—we’ve already done them together…” 

Honglian shook her head in his arms. 

“Not just those… What Honglian wants is more than that. I want to truly feel the Young Master’s warmth. I want to…” 

Her voice gradually faded until it was as soft as a mosquito’s hum, audible only to herself. 

“I want to marry the Young Master.” 

Lu Liangsheng held her in his arms. Though there was no tangible sensation to grasp, his hand still gently stroked her silky hair. One man and one ghost embraced beneath the sunset glow. Only after a long while did he finally speak. 

“I understand… I will find a way.” 

Night descended outside. 

They remained in that embrace for quite some time before Lu Liangsheng finally opened his eyes. Nodding to Honglian, he pushed open the door and walked out. He did not use any spells, simply making his way down the mountain on foot, immersed in thought. 

When he returned to the small courtyard, the Daoist, whom he had not seen for more than ten days, was waiting for him at the entrance. A bandage was wrapped around his forehead, tied there by Lu Xiaoxian. 

“Do you know who this Daoist met while comprehending the Golden Core?” 

“Who you met is the least of my concerns right now. There’s something I need to discuss. Follow me.” 

After saying that, Lu Liangsheng beckoned him along and pushed open the door to the room. Looking over at his master, who was snoring loudly in his sleep on the couch, he sat down beside him. 

Mingyue, who had come from the kitchen to call everyone to dinner, tilted his head as he stood at the doorway. Seeing the usually gentle Mr. Lu with such a serious expression, he felt somewhat at a loss. 

“What happened to Sir?” 

A moment later, she turned and ran back to the kitchen. Before long, Li Jinhua and her husband, along with Yuwen Tuo and the other two, all hurried over and gathered at the doorway. Even the speckled old hen poked its head between everyone’s legs, craning its neck to peer inside. 

“What happened to Master?” “Could it be that our studies this afternoon made Master unhappy?” 

The woman standing at the doorway furrowed her brow. “Liangsheng…” 

She had only spoken two words when her husband gently tugged at her sleeve, signaling for her not to interrupt. 

At that moment, Lu Liangsheng, seated on the edge of the bed, suddenly smiled and looked at everyone. 

“Actually, it’s a happy matter, and I wanted to tell all of you. Honglian… she wishes to enter reincarnation. We’ve all treated her as family. She saved Xiaoxian, and she helped the village vent its anger against those mountain bandits who came to raid us back then.” 

The people outside fell silent. The Daoist had originally intended to bring up the matter of Chen Jing and Zhang Lihua, but he chose to remain silent for the time being. 

“After she’s reincarnated… she’ll be reborn as a person again, right? Will Honglian still remember us?” Li Jinhua was usually outspoken and fiery, but her voice now sounded somewhat weak. 

Lu Liangsheng shook his head. “I don’t know. Perhaps she won’t remember.” 

He did not know much about such matters. His gaze shifted toward the Daoist at the doorway. 

Sun Yingxian turned his face aside. “Why are you looking at this Daoist? I’ve never been reincarnated before. Bah, what nonsense am I saying?” 

The lamplight flickered. 

Toad Daoist half-opened his eyelids but did not wish to speak. Truthfully, he had never been particularly concerned about the little female ghost. Still, not having any more songs to listen to in the future would be somewhat regrettable. 

The room remained quiet for a while. Staring at the lamp wick, Lu Liangsheng smiled. “I once read a strange tale. Not everything is necessarily forgotten after reincarnation. I think… she won’t forget us either.” 

“Oh, right, Old Lu. Honglian is a Rakshasa Ghost. She can’t be reincarnated.” The Daoist suddenly remembered that detail. 

“Perhaps the City God has a way.” 

Lu Liangsheng was silent for a moment. “Then in a little while, I’ll go to Tianzhi and seek an audience with him.” 

Time slowly passed beneath the caress of the night breeze. Without bringing anything with him, Lu Liangsheng mounted the donkey’s back. Turning around, he gently waved his sleeve toward everyone gathered in the courtyard. 

“It’s late. Get some rest.” 

With a flick of the reins, the fingers hidden within his sleeve formed a hand seal. In the blink of an eye, both he and the old donkey vanished into the night. 

“Oh no! This Daoist forgot about those two! You all go to sleep first, go to sleep. This Daoist will settle them somewhere before Old Lu returns!” 

Only after Lu Liangsheng had gone far away did Sun Yingxian suddenly remember the mother and son who were still traveling along the roads of Qixia Mountain. After bidding farewell to Li Jinhua and the others, he swept his sleeve and dashed toward the village entrance at full speed. 

On the mountain road beneath the night sky, two figures—one tall and one short—could be seen in the distance, shivering as they made their way forward. By the time the Daoist arrived, Zhang Lihua was nearly unable to walk any farther. 

“Daoist, is Mr. Lu at home?” 

Seeing Sun Yingxian return, Chen Jing ignored his hunger and exhaustion. His eyes brightened with expectation. 

“Unfortunately, the timing is rather poor.” 

The Daoist patted the boy on the shoulder. “He’s gone to see the City God. This Daoist will first take you and your mother somewhere to settle down temporarily. We can discuss the rest after he returns.” 

To see the City God? 

The woman standing nearby froze in astonishment. 

For ordinary people, even meeting a cultivator was as difficult as ascending to the heavens. As for meeting a City God—a figure who appeared only in myths and ghost stories—even when people visited a temple, all they saw was a clay statue upon the altar. 

To actually converse with a City God of the Netherworld… Zhang Lihua could not even begin to imagine such a miraculous scene. 

She reached out and gently tugged at her son’s sleeve. 

“Jing’er, it’s fine. We’ll listen to Daoist Sun. Let us settle down first. When Mr. Lu returns, we can pay our respects then.” 

“I understand, Mother.” 

With the matter temporarily settled, the mother and son were arranged to stay in an empty house in North Village. The village head there had a bit of a friendship with the Daoist, so accommodating them for a few days was no difficult matter. 

As the night deepened, the darkness gradually gave way to light. A distant procession arrived, having accepted the surrender of Fushui County before continuing south toward Qixia Mountain. 

“So that is the mountain where Mr. Lu resides? What magnificent scenery.” 

Seated atop his horse, Yang Guang gazed at the mountain ranges stretching across the horizon. The pleasant scenery of early spring left him feeling refreshed and filled his spirit with joy. 

Behind him rode Yang Su, along with several imposing generals of powerful build, each carrying a different weapon: Han Qinhu, Yu Juluo, He Ruobi, and Shi Wansui, lined up side by side. 

As for the “Mr. Lu” whom the Prince Jin repeatedly mentioned, some regarded him with disdain, some treated him with caution, while others were eager to find out for themselves whether this man was truly worthy of the esteem shown him by both the Emperor and the Prince Jin! 

Honglian’s storyline has arrived. I originally intended to make it a bit more heartbreaking, but after thinking it over, I decided against it. Hmm… there will be a surprise later on—or perhaps a shock.