To be precise, Li Chaoyang was “about to wake up,” but hadn’t truly awakened yet.
Following the antidote formula provided by the great monk, which contained countless medicinal herbs that Lu Qianqiao had never even heard of and had to ask Lord Meishan to help gather, the herbs were boiled daily in a giant cauldron, and the cursed person was soaked in the medicinal broth. No one knew how long the soaking should last. Even with skin as thick and tough as the war ghost Li Chaoyang, after these months of soaking, her skin had wrinkled and turned yellow – the yellow of medicinal broth.
When Lu Qianqiao arrived, she was curled up in the vat full of medicinal broth, frowning and groaning, eyes tightly shut, her facial expressions changing constantly.
The war ghosts of the Li clan crowded in the room, not daring to blink, just staring at her.
Such an expression on Li Chaoyang was rarely seen.
Born into war ghost nobility, she had been strict and disciplined from childhood, seldom speaking or smiling. After successfully surviving her transformation at twenty-five and achieving the perfect war ghost body, she rarely even frowned. A Li Chaoyang with rich expressions was unimaginable.
She was now frowning tightly, as if encountering some extremely difficult decision in her dreams. A moment later, the corners of her lips suddenly lifted, and she actually smiled.
A sweet smile.
Li Min and the others didn’t dare breathe.
A snow-white sheet was suddenly spread down, covering the large vat filled with medicinal broth. Lu Qianqiao bent down beside the vat, brushing away the sticky wet hair from her forehead, saying in a low voice: “Everyone out.”
No matter how reluctant they were, Lu Qianqiao was currently the person closest to achieving a perfect war ghost body in the clan. The war ghosts, who worshipped power fanatically, would never resist his words. They filed out of the room one by one, gently closing the door.
Lu Qianqiao brought over a bucket of clean water and began untangling her matted, sticky long hair, carefully washing it, then clumsily combing it through with a horn comb.
She smiled one moment, frowned the next, looked sorrowful, then relieved.
Was she dreaming of the most brilliant and turbulent period of her life?
He didn’t know much about his parents’ affairs. When he was very young, he had heard people mention that the clan elders weren’t optimistic about their union. Later came her killing Lu Jingran and returning alone to the clan, rejecting all tender emotions, and mother and son had been separated ever since.
Perhaps… perhaps she and Lu Jingran had also shared sweet experiences like he and Xin Mei. Unlike him, seventeen-year-old Li Chaoyang had been direct and passionate in love, never considering escape routes, wholeheartedly marrying the man she liked. In the beginning, she had been happy too.
Unfortunately, the trivialities of life had worn away that happiness. Perhaps when she transformed into a perfect war ghost and killed Lu Jingran in that instant, she had felt a liberating release. She had lost to her instinctive bloodlust, leaving only emptiness and vague regret after the release.
Was that why she didn’t want her only son to walk the same path?
Lu Qianqiao used a soft cloth to gently wipe her wet cheeks when he suddenly felt her eyelashes tremble, and two large teardrops rolled down. Immediately after, the eyes that had been closed for nearly half a year finally opened.
His movements stopped.
Two pairs of eyes silently locked in gaze.
“Qianqiao.”
After a long while, Li Chaoyang spoke, her voice hoarse and dry. She looked at him and for the first time showed a smile – somewhat sad, somewhat weary.
“I dreamed of your father.”
Lu Qianqiao picked up a strand of her wet hair and continued combing: “…What did he say to you?”
“He said he had something to ask me, and that he would wait for me.”
She gazed somewhat blankly toward an unknown distance, blinking in confusion.
“Seeing him again made me very happy.”
Lu Qianqiao looked up in amazement. The words “very happy” coming from her mouth were truly incredible.
Li Chaoyang tried to prop herself up in the large vat but was too weak to even stand. When he reached out to help, she grasped his wrist and instructed: “The large redwood cabinet on the east side, third drawer on the right – bring me what’s inside.”
He went over and opened the drawer as instructed. Inside was a dark purple brocade box containing two wax pills the size of chicken eggs, with brilliant golden light flowing within and emitting a faint, elegant fragrance.
He brought the wax pills over, but Li Chaoyang shook her head.
“These are rewards left by the last celestial deity… Our Li clan has worshipped them for generations, only daring to use them in the most difficult and desperate times. When you failed to transform and the fox clan came to provoke us, I considered taking one to resolve the crisis. However… fortunately, I didn’t use it.”
Someone was still waiting for her by the Wangchuan River, year after year, season after season. She wouldn’t trade an eternal immortal life for his waiting – nothing could make her make that trade.
“My body still needs several years of rest to recover. Qianqiao, today I formally pass these two pills to you. I hope… you’ll never have occasion to use them in your lifetime.”
Lu Qianqiao smiled and tucked the two pills into his chest: “Let me help you up.”
The curse that Li Chaoyang had suffered was extremely vicious and domineering. Combined with being soaked in medicinal broth for nearly half a year, even the strongest body couldn’t withstand such torment. She probably wouldn’t recover the grace of a perfect war ghost for a year or two. The great monk must have calculated this, right? Though he hadn’t truly killed her, he had effectively held her back for several years, giving the fox clan a chance to breathe, or rather, giving both clans a chance to cool down.
When the Li clan learned that Li Chaoyang had awakened, there was naturally great joy and celebration. War ghosts from other major clans also shared in the happiness and relief, significantly lightening the recent atmosphere of slaughter in the clan.
After hastily washing off the sticky medicinal broth, Li Chaoyang was extremely exhausted and soon fell into deep sleep again.
The moon climbed to the zenith. Lu Qianqiao sat by the bed, one hand on his mother’s wrist monitoring her pulse, the other unconsciously reaching into his chest to take out the carefully wrapped amethyst hairpin.
Tomorrow was May third. He probably couldn’t return. This hairpin… was destined not to be worn in her hair on her birthday.
The general felt somewhat depressed and guilty.
“Have Li Yan send it to the Imperial Tomb.”
Li Chaoyang on the bed suddenly spoke, startling him slightly.
She kept her eyes closed, expression calm, adding: “The clan has been heavy with killing intent lately. Don’t have that girl come here. Let Li Yan deliver the gift.”
Lu Qianqiao hesitated: “Mother…”
“I won’t stop you from anything, but if you’re on the battlefield with your heart divided by concerns, others will surely take advantage. Qianqiao, I need you to give our clan five years. At least wait until I recover before returning.”
He fell silent.
“If you miss her, then use all your abilities to resolve the fox clan matter in the shortest time possible. Having no worries behind you – that’s what makes a man.”
Still silent.