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墨書 Inktalez
Almost instantly, an incredible thought flashed through Ye Chuanze's mind: this was not Hongjun, or rather, it was not the Hongjun he knew. The Dao was unified; from now on, Hongjun was not the Heavenly Dao, the Heavenly Dao was Hongjun.
Ye Chuanze closed his eyes slightly and said, "Master must have missed his disciple after such a long time apart!"
Upon hearing this, Hongjun's expression remained cold and indifferent; he did not speak.
Ye Chuanze lowered his head and smiled lightly, masking the gloom in his eyes. He raised a hand to ruffle his hair, the dark strands falling over his shoulders and chest. He said, "Master, why don't we go outside to drink under the moon? It's been so long since we left Purple Cloud Palace, and I've been thinking about your wine!"
After saying this, he slightly lifted his head, feigning calmness as he looked at Hongjun's reaction. As expected, he was met with a period of silent stillness from Hongjun. Hongjun's face showed no hint of emotion, and his aura was cold and unfeeling. Ye Chuanze's heart sank little by little; the last thing he wanted to see had happened.
After unifying with the Dao, influenced by the Heavenly Dao, it seemed that... his temperament had changed.
"If you want to, I will accompany you," Hongjun suddenly spoke.
Ye Chuanze was taken aback; clearly, he had not expected Hongjun to agree. His intention in saying that was merely to test him. After being surprised for a moment, Ye Chuanze returned to normalcy with a light laugh and said, "Then let's go! Master, you can't hold back. Bring out all your fine wines!"
"Do you like drinking?" Hongjun asked abruptly.
Ye Chuanze looked up at him in surprise and asked, "Master, do you not know whether I like drinking? My capacity for alcohol was all developed while drinking with you!"
Hongjun remained silent after hearing this; his expression was cold and inscrutable.
Ye Chuanze got up from the soft couch and turned to walk outside. In a place where Hongjun could not see him, the smile on his lips faded away, and the joy on his face gradually disappeared. Hongjun... truly had a problem; this Hongjun before him felt too unfamiliar. It wasn't just that he felt strange towards Hongjun; Hongjun felt the same way towards him. They were like two strangers to each other.
Ye Chuanze now resides in a building that was originally a lotus pond. Before he transformed into human form, he was merely a Black Lotus, growing within that pond, nourished by the spiritual spring inside. Later, after successfully undergoing tribulation and taking on human form, he could no longer stay in the lotus pond, so he moved to the Northern Courtyard's Quiet Harmony Residence. The lotus pond is very close to Hongjun's palace, just a corridor away. During the days when Ye Chuanze had not yet cultivated into human form, at night, Hongjun often left his palace wearing only a thin garment to visit the lotus pond. He would sit by the stone table nearby, either speaking softly with him or sitting in silence, sometimes drinking alone.
Now, that stone table remains, with Ye Chuanze and Hongjun sitting across from each other.
Hongjun took out two jars of wine and placed them on the table, then retrieved two cups.
Ye Chuanze reached for one jar of wine and said, "Why go through all this trouble? Just drink straight from the jar; such a small cup isn't satisfying!" Saying this, he uncorked the jar and tilted it back to drink deeply. Some wine spilled out, soaking his clothes, causing them to cling tightly to his skin and become transparent, revealing a large expanse of skin on his chest.
"Master, why aren't you drinking?" Ye Chuanze set down the jar and looked at Hongjun, who sat there without moving.
Hongjun replied coldly, "I don't like drinking."
"Ha..." Ye Chuanze couldn't help but chuckle at this.
Upon hearing this, Hongjun frowned.
Ye Chuanze lifted the jar again and drank heartily. After a long while, he shook the jar; it was empty. He casually tossed it aside with a crisp sound as it shattered on the ground. He reached for another jar of wine on the table when a hand stopped him. Looking up, he saw Hongjun staring at him expressionlessly. "It's better to drink less," he said.
Ye Chuanze frowned and replied unhappily, "What does my drinking have to do with you?"
Hearing this, Hongjun withdrew his hand and no longer stopped him.
So Ye Chuanze raised the jar again and drank recklessly, his dark hair hanging low, exuding an untamed demeanor and an unrestrained expression.
Hongjun sat quietly to the side, expressionless as he watched him, as if trying to wash away his worries with alcohol.
After a long while, Ye Chuanze's eyes turned red, his demeanor wild, seemingly intoxicated. He casually tossed aside the empty wine jar and then leaned over the table.
Hongjun stared at him for a long time without expression, finally coldly uttering a single phrase, "Just like this."
After sitting in silence for a moment, Hongjun stood up and left.
Once he was gone, Ye Chuanze, who had been drunkenly sprawled on the table, suddenly lifted his head. His gaze was clear, showing no signs of intoxication. Only the redness at the corners of his eyes indicated that he was not in a good state.
Ye Chuanze fixed his gaze on Hongjun's receding figure. For some reason, he felt a tightness in his chest—unhappy, angry, powerless. He was unhappy that Hongjun had become like this, turned into someone he did not recognize and who did not recognize him.
What could be more sorrowful than two people who once knew each other well becoming strangers overnight, facing each other without recognition or familiarity?
Hongjun… could he ever return to his former self?
For a brief moment, Ye Chuanze felt a flicker of panic in his heart when he realized that perhaps from now on, Hongjun would no longer be the Hongjun he once knew and could never return to how things were before.
The moonlight was desolate, stars fell from the sky, leaving only a chill in the air.
******
The next day, when Ye Chuanze saw Hongjun again, Hongjun looked at him with a pale expression. When he noticed the redness in his eyes from last night's drinking, his gaze paused for a moment before he disapprovingly said, "Alcohol can harm the spirit; one should drink in moderation."
Ye Chuanze felt a tremor in his heart and looked up at him. Hongjun was still Hongjun, his expression remained indifferent, but Ye Chuanze could clearly sense his concern. He could even see the disappointment and reproach in Hongjun's calm gaze.
This was Hongjun, the same Hongjun he knew.
Realizing this, Ye Chuanze's heart shook violently, and an indescribable feeling surged within him, a mix of emotions.
"What happened to you? Who bullied you?" Seeing Ye Chuanze's unusual expression, which seemed to be a mix of tears and laughter, sadness and joy, Hongjun furrowed his brows and asked.
Ye Chuanze did not respond, his expression still deeply moved.
Seeing this, Hongjun fell silent for a moment. He understood Ye Chuanze's nature well; he was steadfast and rarely let anything affect his emotions. Such a temperament could be described as strong-willed or, less kindly, as cold-hearted. Now that such evident emotional fluctuations were showing, it was clear that he was genuinely affected. For a moment, Hongjun felt quite emotional himself and swallowed back the reprimands he had intended to say. Instead, he reached out and gently patted Ye Chuanze on the head, speaking with a tone of helplessness, "You're already grown up; why do you still act like a child? Are you crying to me?"
Hongjun's sudden gesture shocked Ye Chuanze. He looked up at Hongjun, momentarily stunned.
Hongjun extended his hand, his fingers brushing against Ye Chuanze's eyelids, gently rubbing them a few times in a soothing manner. "Don't be afraid; I will always be here. Remember, no matter how the world changes, I will remain the same."
It was just this sentence—just this sentence—that made Ye Chuanze's heart ache, nearly bringing him to tears.
An unprecedented feeling washed over him; a night of worry was alleviated by Hongjun's casual words.
As Hongjun said, as long as he remained unchanged, as long as he was still himself, then what was there to worry about?
Only at this moment did Ye Chuanze finally understand what he had been thinking all along. He had always possessed very little but lost more and more. He knew that in the future, he would lose even more. Therefore, he cherished what little he had now; he... feared losing it. He had so little that he could not bear to lose anything; thus, he feared loss more than anyone else. And Hongjun was one of those few things he held dear.
Hongjun is both a master and a father figure to him. He has repeatedly saved him from danger and has taught him with great care. Ye Chuanze is wary of him and respects him, but he also feels grateful and close to him. As long as he is around, Ye Chuanze feels a sense of security in his heart. He knows that if he encounters peril, Hongjun will come to his aid, just as he always has.
Ye Chuanze has a cold and strong disposition, pursuing the supreme Great Dao and seeking to comfort himself through strength. However, it cannot be denied that his power is limited, and there are times when he finds himself in dire situations. He will not be deeply discouraged by this; instead, he will work even harder on his cultivation to enhance his own abilities. Similarly, he does not feel ashamed when Hongjun helps him; he remembers Hongjun's kindness in his heart.
Ye Chuanze calmed his emotions and steadied his mind, returning to a normal expression. He said to Hongjun, "Master, I am fine." After a pause, he continued, "You mentioned yesterday that you would help me refine a magical artifact. I have brought the Primordial Gourd with me today; I hope it won't trouble you." With that, he handed the blue gourd to Hongjun.
Hongjun glanced at his now-normal expression, but his previously gentle demeanor turned cold again. He lowered his gaze and took the gourd. "Please wait for a while; refining the magical artifact will take some time."
"I understand," Ye Chuanze replied respectfully.
Hongjun looked at him and said, "If there's nothing else, you may leave."
Upon hearing this, Ye Chuanze turned and left.
After his figure had disappeared into the distance, Hongjun suddenly spoke up: "I told you before not to seek him out. He is very perceptive; you cannot hide anything from him."
The room fell silent, as if he were the only one there, talking to himself.
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