Love Travels through Time (My father who traveled through time and space to cultivate immortality came back to pick me up) - Chapter 88
Chapter 88: Under the Flowers and Moon
Right after this mouthful of warm blood was spat out, the dreamscape instantly collapsed.
Xiang Haikui startled awake from the dream.
She was still sitting in her original spot, her head leaning sideways against Yin Changli’s shoulder, listening to him ask softly, “Awake?”
Xiang Haikui sat up straight and blinked her eyes.
Just as she was doubting whether what had just happened was a dream, the carriage door actually opened on its own, and a streak of light flew into the compartment.
With a heavy clang, the carriage door slammed shut, and a figure sat down on the bench opposite them—it was none other than Blood Asura.
His narrow phoenix eyes were opened to their widest, glaring at Yin Changli.
Aside from towering rage, Xiang Haikui could also spot a few hints of aggrieved frustration.
Yin Changli, however, acted completely unfazed, maintaining his elegant smile.
“You are free to move around as you wish for now. We still have other matters to attend to and will only set out for the mirage realm in ten days.”
“Yin Changli! How can there be such a malicious and shameless person like you in this world? If you must act like this, I can also say…”
Blood Asura could claim that his promise was likewise just dream talk.
However, when Yin Changli had sought confirmation from him, he had deliberately added the phrase “regardless of any circumstances.”
He hadn’t noticed at the time that it was a trap.
Yin Changli asked, “Your demand all along has been for me to apologize to you, and I indeed apologized. As for what I say to others afterward, do you intend to police that too?”
Blood Asura clenched his fists, rendered speechless.
He did apologize, but far from dispersing, the inner demon had grown even more severe, okay?!
“Please.”
Yin Changli motioned for him to get off the carriage with his eyes.
“Meet us at the relay station’s side courtyard ten days from now.”
Xiang Haikui also cupped her fists toward him.
“Senior Blood, see you in ten days.”
Sigh.
Both were Tribulation-Crossing powerhouses, yet while others were clean, bright, and revered by thousands, look at how wretched he was.
Xiang Haikui couldn’t help but transmit her voice: “Senior Yin, you sure know how to pick on ‘honest people’ to bully.”
Unbearably dog-like.
Disdainful.
Yin Changli let out a quiet “Heh” in his mind.
He bullied the dishonest ones all the same.
It was just that apart from that gamecock Han Qi, anyone with even half a brain wouldn’t choose to throw a tantrum at him.
These words were never spoken aloud by him.
Because he could sense Xiang Haikui’s “disdain” toward him.
Yin Changli’s eyebrows knit together slightly as he began to reflect on his own behavior.
It seemed he had messed up.
It wasn’t that he refused to suffer a loss; rather, he had wanted to show Xiang Haikui that it was impossible for him to be taken advantage of.
He felt this was where his charm lay.
At the very least, he himself took immense pride in this particular merit.
Yet in Xiang Haikui’s eyes, it seemed to come across as a form of malice?
When Blood Asura asked if it was for her sake, he should have just answered “Yes”!
“Little Kui, it’s not that I’m bullying him. Given what his grandfather did, I feel zero guilt for severing their family’s inheritance. Besides, I am of the same generation as his grandfather, making me his elder in a sense. Yet every time he sees me, he calls me directly by my name without a single word of modesty. If he had even a shred of…”
Yin Changli attempted to offer an explanation.
Blood Asura had been ready to listen obediently and leave first, but seeing the two of them whispering back and forth like this, a thought struck him.
Having spent most of his life inside other people’s dreams, he was used to seeing infatuated lovers, as well as all forms of sorrow and joy, meetings and partings.
Yin Changli was an old, crafty fox; it was forever impossible to discern his emotional shifts from his facial expressions.
Yet those eyes couldn’t lie—he was deeply in love with this Miss Xiang.
However, while King Xiang had the intention, the Goddess didn’t seem particularly invested.
(T/N: This is a well-known classical idiom referencing an ancient legend about King Xiang of Chu and the Goddess of Mount Wu. Idiomatically, it simply means “unrequited love” or “one-sided affection”.)
Blood Asura’s eyes darted around, and he plopped himself right back down.
Hugging his sword, he said, “I have nowhere to go anyway. I’ll just follow you two around for these ten days.”
Yin Changli narrowed his eyes slightly, shooting him a dark, somber glare.
Unshakable as a mountain, Blood Asura inquired of Xiang Haikui, “You’re going to see City Lord Xiang, right, young lady? Is it convenient for me to tag along and stay for a few days?”
Xiang Haikui responded at once.
“Of course it’s convenient.”
The warning in Yin Changli’s eyes grew progressively heavier: What are you trying to do?
Blood Asura returned a defiant smile: Just wait and see!
—
When Xiang Haikui last came to Jinling to celebrate Jinling King’s birthday, this relay station had served as an official inn.
As a city lord remaining in Jinling, Xiang Heng stayed in the relay station’s side courtyard—a standalone villa.
Before setting out from Icy Spring Mountain, Yin Changli had already sent news to Xiang Heng through a voice transmission talisman via the little bird staying behind in Jinling, telling him to stay at home over these few days and not venture out.
After the beast carriage arrived at the relay station’s side courtyard, Xiang Haikui stood outside the door without going in right away.
Yin Changli stood shoulder to shoulder beside her.
“Xiang Tianqing is not inside the courtyard right now.”
Xiang Haikui let out an “Oh?” and asked, “What? Is she deliberately dodging me?”
After going through that incident where she was captured at the Lesser Jianmu tree last time, who knew what Xiang Tianqing was thinking in her heart right now—whether she had come to believe her true identity as a noble lady reincarnated from the upper realm.
“Not at all.”
Yin Changli shook his head slightly.
Sending word in advance was originally intended to have Xiang Heng make arrangements for Xiang Tianqing to leave for a few days.
No matter how those two got along, it was impossible for them to become “blood sisters” or “good friends,” so avoiding each other was better—out of sight, out of mind.
To his surprise, she hadn’t been at home to begin with.
“It’s because both her senior brother and master have gone missing, so she had no choice but to go out searching together with her fellow disciples from the Sword Academy.”
“Hmm?” Xiang Haikui was suspicious.
Xiang Tianqing’s master was Sword Venerable Jing Wen, and her senior brother was her upperclassman Jing Ran.
Jing Ran hadn’t gone missing; he had simply transformed into the Emperor and returned to the upper realm.
What was going on with Jing Wen?
Yin Changli explained, “When trouble broke out in Jinling earlier, Jing Wen never showed up once. As the Supreme Elder of the Sword Academy, not a single person in the entire academy knows where he went.”
“Now that’s a bit strange.”
Blood Asura also stepped forward holding his sword.
“That fellow Jing Wen isn’t like me or Old Xu. He cultivates the sword of secular involvement. He doesn’t go wandering about for no reason, and if he leaves the Capital, he usually states his destination.”
As he spoke, he intentionally squeezed himself right between the two of them.
Xiang Haikui stepped to the side, yielding the space to him.
Meanwhile, the corners of Yin Changli’s lips twitched upward with an ambiguous meaning.
“Furthermore, your ten-year agreement with him is approaching its deadline. He has always been a man who keeps his word and wouldn’t break an appointment without reason.”
Tilting his head, Blood Asura said, “With his level of cultivation, he won’t run into any danger. Don’t worry.”
Xiang Haikui found it amusing; why would she be worried about him?
It was just that she felt a slight sense of regret. Coming back this time, she had originally prepared to use these ten days to challenge him and conclude that ten-year agreement; she hadn’t expected him to go missing.
This duel would have to wait until she returned from the mirage realm.
Right at this moment, the main doors of the relay station opened, and Xiang Heng walked out.
“Little Kui!”
His expression was complex, filled with both joy and self-reproach.
“Dad!”
Xiang Haikui’s face beamed with a bright smile as she threw herself into his arms, wrapping him in a tight hug.
Her smile wasn’t forced.
Though she felt some unresolved grievances in her heart, her father had been dead for so many years; knowing he was still alive in a different world was a huge, wonderful surprise to her.
Let alone that time had made him forget how to love her—even if he had forgotten her as a daughter entirely, it wouldn’t have mattered.
Xiang Heng pulled her back to look her over left and right.
Seeing no sign of injury or harm, and noticing instead that her cultivation had already risen to the peak of the Eighth grade, he finally put his heart at ease. Reaching out, he gave her nose a gentle pinch.
“This cultivation of yours is almost catching up to your dad’s.”
Xiang Haikui said rather proudly, “It’ll be quick; I’m just one step away from the Ninth grade.”
From behind them, Yin Changli spoke up, “Fellow Daoist Xiang…”
Pausing briefly, he changed his form of address, “Uncle Xiang also needs to keep working hard, otherwise Little Kui really will surpass you very soon… However, now that the situation in Silver Sand City has stabilized and is no longer overrun with demons like back then, it won’t be an easy task for Uncle Xiang to raise his cultivation level.”
“That’s very true.”
Xiang Heng nodded, thoroughly agreeing.
Back when governing Silver Sand, Xiang Heng was covered in wounds and suffered immensely, yet his cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds.
After pacifying Silver Sand and settling into stability, the speed of his cultivation progress had slowed down instead, growing more and more sluggish.
It seemed he also needed to go out and temper himself through real-world experience…
Wait, no.
His position was facing Yin Changli, and seeing that Yin Changli’s expression didn’t look quite right, it didn’t seem like he was merely offering advice.
Yin Changli’s words contained a deeper meaning.
Thinking it through carefully, Xiang Heng understood the implication behind his words.
His daughter must have suffered immensely over these past few months.
“Dad, I haven’t introduced him to you yet. This is Senior Blood, Blood Asura.”
Xiang Haikui turned sideways, presenting Blood Asura.
“Blood…” Xiang Heng was dazed for a moment before finally recalling who Blood Asura was, hurriedly cupping his fists.
“Senior Blood.”
Blood Asura returned the courtesy as well, “You’re too polite.”
“Let’s head inside first.”
Xiang Haikui took Xiang Heng’s arm as they entered through the door.
By now, night had already fallen.
After entertaining the two big shots, it was already late into the night.
If there was anything to discuss, it would have to wait until tomorrow.
Yin Changli and Xiang Haikui stayed in the same courtyard.
With the moon bright and clear in the sky, Yin Changli saw that the light was still on in her room.
He went over to knock on the door, asking with a smile, “Are you sleepy?”
“Not sleepy.”
Xiang Haikui happened to have things to ask him as well.
Stepping out of her room, she accompanied him to sit down in the gazebo, leaning in to ask, “What did you see in my father?”
She pointed to her own eyes.
“Could it be that my father’s eyes have a natural talent? That he can see other worlds?”
Yin Changli actually had a good idea in mind long ago; he had pulled Xiang Haikui out purely to foster feelings between them.
Before he could answer, Xiang Haikui suddenly thought of something.
“Senior, will this delay your proper business?”
“I don’t have any pressing business to attend to right now,” Yin Changli advised her to relax.
He had to wait until Little Bai’s condition stabilized to assess the situation before proceeding with other matters.
“Besides, the strange condition on your father might very well be related to my business.”
Xiang Haikui knit her brows.
Yin Changli folded his hands.
“When speaking of the Twelve Divine Swords earlier, I mentioned that a formidable race exists in the neighboring Three Thousand Realms—the Four Clans of Deities: Heavenly Maiden, Heavenly Martial, Heavenly Artisan, and Heavenly Spirit.”
“Mm.”
Xiang Haikui asked curiously, “What relation do the Four Clans of Deities have with the Celestial Clan here?”
“No relation,” Yin Changli said.
“Both were created by higher-tier intelligent beings—that is, ‘gods’.”
However, by comparison, the Four Clans of Deities in the neighboring Three Thousand Realms were far stronger than the local Celestial Clan.
“For instance, the Heavenly Artisans who excel at ‘creation’ forge magical artifacts that carry inherent divine power.”
Xiang Haikui touched the sword scabbard by her side.
“As for a pure-blood Heavenly Martial, any random one pulled out could trade quite a few moves with the Emperor.”
Just as Yin Changli was speaking, the sound of a suona suddenly echoed through the courtyard.
Xiang Haikui, who had been listening attentively to Yin Changli, felt her heart thump from the sudden noise, her soul nearly jolted right out of her body.
Looking toward the sound, Blood Asura was standing on the courtyard wall, flashing a mischievous grin at the two of them.
“Flowers before us, the moon above—a suona suits this scene best! How about I play a tune to liven things up for you two?”
Yin Changli, you thought I wanted to steal your woman from you?
No, you guessed wrong. I only want to ruin your good moment.
You act as a tiger blocking my road of cultivation, so I’ll act as a stumbling block on your road of chasing a wife.
Hmph!
