Death… and me

“Disappeared… it must have been… a fortnight… since they vanished,” the man said trembling, “Even the people who were monitoring them have… also… also disappeared… ”

“Bastard!” Jing Meng suddenly stood up, and kicked the table with his foot. He then stomped his foot in rage and cursed, “A bunch of useless people! A bunch of… ”

He walked back and forth in the room, roaring anxiously. He was like a tiger shut inside a cage; his face fierce, and body trembling with rage.

He turned around to discover that those people were still present in front of him. He couldn’t help but get furious. He flung his hand into a slap, and shouted, “Aren’t you aware that looking at you is making me angry? Get lost!"

As his tone faded away, that person’s head went rolling into the air. The cavity of his neck was oozing blood. In his rage, Jing Meng hadn’t put any restraint on his strength; just with a slap of his, that man’s head was sent flying…

“… ” Jing Meng Hun dashed out like a furious dragon. He kept cursing incessantly in rage, “Investigate for me! Search fiercely! You must find the culprit, and bring him to me even if you have to dig 3000 feet below the surface of the Great Zhao!”

Everyone was left trembling with fear on seeing the crazed appearance of this First King Level Master; none of them could say a word. They didn’t even dare to heave a single breath in front of him.

“Investigate… ” Jing Men Hun was invariably struck with grief and indignation. He looked up towards the sky and bellowed, “You… damn it… who the hell are you… ”

He had concentrated almost all of his body’s elemental force in saying this. It went far and out, spreading in each and every direction.

One could tell that he was extremely grieved and depressed; so much so that he felt like vomiting blood. The people who heard his voice couldn’t help but sigh. [What in the world forced this guy to let out such a sound?] His voice sounded similar to a situation where the troops are drawn into a war horses’ stable, and are then made to strip. Afterwards, according to the duty roster, they take a thousand turns to feed aphrodisiac to the war horses… that being said, even then the resulting grief and indignation couldn’t reach to such an extent, right?

Chu Yang faced the mirror, and carefully applied a thin coat of make-up. Jun Lu Lu and Young Master Yu stood on his sides, and saw his appearance change little-by-little into a different person’s. Moreover, there wasn’t any flaw whatsoever; not just his facial features, but also in his mannerisms. They couldn’t help but express admiration.

He looked like a 40 year old man. The whitened hair on his eyebrows and temples showed that he had been through the hardships and torments of life. His eyes revealed his intelligence, as if he had seen the vicissitudes of life and knew the ways of the world. They were effusing sadness, as if looking back at the years that had passed, and revealing a faint yet wistful sense of loss…

If Jun Lu Lu was to see him with prior knowledge of his identity, even she would think that this was ‘Jun Qing Yang’ himself.

Chu Yang finished dressing up after completely altering his appearance. He then put on a thick dragon beard. As for the real Jun Qing Yang, he immediately went down the boat, and disappeared into the vast sea of people.

His only mission was to expose his face in public. Then, he could return to the Middle Three Heavens. Now in the Lower Three Heavens, there would only be one Jun Qing Yang; whether he was genuine or fake… he would be regarded as the real one here!

The three of them sat in a circle around a table, and took out some wine to celebrate.

“Qing Yang, I didn’t expect you to have this skill!” Young Master Yu said as he used his hands to hold up his wine cup. He faintly smiled, and said as he squinted at Chu Yang, “These eyes of yours show that you have seen the vicissitudes of life! Teach me how you can fake that.”

“That is very simple… ” Chu Yang took a sip from his wine cup. Then, with a bitter smile, he said, “When your loved ones die one after another… your beloved dies in your arms… and your most trusted brother betrays you… then your life feels like death, and you curse the heavens. But, then you suddenly take a rebirth with all your past memories intact; only to live the same life again… I assure you that your eyes would have a sense of vicissitudes even if you were reborn as a child… ”

“Haha… ” Young Master Yu laughed till there were tears in his eyes. He rocked back and forth laughing, “Die once and then live the same life again? Haha… You are really funny. I am f**king dying with laughter. I did not think that you could joke like this.”

“But this really can make you experience the flavor of life,” Chu Yang said with a serious expression. This caused Young Master Yu to burst into laughter again since it was unlikely that anyone would believe this.

For example… one day you and I standing in front of a friend, and he suddenly says, “Hey, Brothers! I have taken a rebirth! I remember, you used to beg for food in your past life… ” Don’t know about you, but I know how I would respond. I will straightaway look for a hardcopy of ‘Transcending the Nine Heavens’, and start smacking him with it. I will keep on hitting him until I can no longer… you think you are Chu Yang, ah… (1)

“Yu, this matter is actually feasible.” Jun Lu Lu smiled sweetly, and gave a fluid glance to Young Master Yu. She then spoke pensively, “Only I don’t know… if someone really died in your arms… who it was?”

“Cough… ” Young Master Yu coughed as he was put in a difficult situation. He stood up and said, “Oh shoot! I must go and bring more wine…”

Jun Lu Lu’s eyes showed a trace of hidden resentment.

Young Master Yu took a pot of wine, and came back after a while. He bumped into Chu Yang, who at the time was giving him a meaningful look. Young Master Yu couldn’t help but blush due to shame, and asked as he laughed, “Why are you looking at me like this? Did I do something?”

“Brother Yu, I want to ask you a question,” Chu Yang casually asked, “Taking your cultivation into consideration, how long can you live?”

Young Master Yu was unable to control his laughter and said, “This young fellow has asked my deepest secret.” He held the wine cup and muttered to himself irresolutely for a while. He then said, “If I do not die from a fatal injury… I should live for several hundred years, or maybe thousand years, I guess?”

The tone of voice he used was full of uncertainty.

Chu Yang smiled, and said as he got up, “If you have regrets at the time of your death… and you have the opportunity to live your life once more, will you make up for your mistakes?”

“… ” Young Master Yu looked at him and suddenly turned silent. He heaved a long sigh as he muttered to himself, “How is one to know of the next life’s matters?”

“Right,” Chu Yang also sighed softly as he gulped an entire cup of wine down his throat. His fingers gently patted his thigh as he said softly, “How is one to know of the next life’s matters? When did a beautiful woman’s youth ever stay such? Just as a flower blooms and then withers in the deep valley… who says that this life is without regrets?”

Young Master Yu’s whole body trembled. The wine cup he was lifting suddenly stopped mid-way. The wine inside suddenly splashed out and dropped onto the table cloth, thereby making a patch of stain on it.

“This sheet has been stained with wine… slowly the smell of wine will also fade away. However, a mark will always remain. Even a thousand years later, this table cloth wouldn’t be able to deny that it was once stained by wine. This mark will only vanish when the cloth does.” Chu Yang said with a sigh, “Humans are also like this!”

Young Master Yu lowered his head in silence; and did not say anything. It seemed as if he was making a difficult choice in his heart. After a long time, he raised his head, but his hand still remained on the wine cup. He ensured that not even a drop of wine remained as he inverted the cup and carefully gulped the wine down his throat. He then said in a heavy tone, “I have drunk a lot of fine wine in my life… even if I have wasted a lot… In my life… there would be no regrets.”

Chu Yang laughed heartily. He raised the wine pot and started to pour wine in his glass. Then he drained it all in one gulp and said, “Such fine wine… it would be regrettable even if a drop of it is wasted… ”

Young Master Yu giggled and said, “Won’t be wasted again. Ah Lu, what do you say?" he spoke to Jun Lu Lu with a drool over his face.

Jun Lu Lu’s beautiful face turned red as she felt helpless. This generation’s Zither Master was just like a young girl at the moment; all shy and bashful. After being put in a difficult situation, she angrily said, “I definitely don’t understand what you are saying… two grown men getting drunk and talking nonsense… don’t have any shame… ”

“Hm, I admit that I got drunk… and what I just said was nonsense.” Chu Yang smiled, “Brother Yu, I will offer you another cup. This wine is tasty.”

“Of course, of course.” Young Master Yu said with a smile, “This is my wine! Isn’t it obvious that it is tasty?”

“Haha… ” They pressed their cups together in celebration. They continued to drink while chatting and laughing. The atmosphere around them seemed quite lively.

Jun Lu Lu eventually couldn’t stand the two guys’ exceedingly explicit talks. She pouted playfully, and grunted in protest as she stood up while covering up her face. She looked both shy and delighted at the same time. She scolded in a flustered manner, “I really can’t stand you two… humph!”

Her slender waist turned around and she left; leaving behind a burst of fragrant smell.

“That’s strange… we are drinking properly, why did she suddenly get embarrassed?” Chu Yang asked with a smile.

“Haha… she is afraid that I will steal her ‘wine’ tonight… ” Young Master Yu said as he burst into a loud laughter. Suddenly, a shoe came flying out from the other side of the curtain with a ‘whiz’, and hit him on his head. This was followed by a faint groaning sound of a playful protest.

The two people were very happy.

The sound of zither resounded. Unlike in the past, this time its sound was unrealistic. Almost as if it was wrapped around in soft touching emotions… as if it contained a harmony of emotions between a man and a woman in love; it revealed a shy girl’s happiness and satisfaction. Furthermore, it had a little bit of hope… and jubilation.

Chu Yang laughed heartily and pushed his cup aside as he stood up and said, “Hey! You have the wine to drink, and I do not; so I am going back to sleep.”

Young Master Yu pointed a finger at him and scolded happily, “You are so talkative; don’t know when you will change. It is important to hold your wine; do not spill it… ”

“My wine will not spill.” Chu Yang smiled and turned around to go back.

The zither’s sound changed; it became melodious with a sense of deep gratitude. Chu Yang listened with rapt attention. The song was actually “Thanks to the Gracious Monarch”.

The corners of his mouth curled up to reveal a meaningful smile. He laughed and said, “I am not a real Emperor… still you thank me like this… ”

He then winked at Young Master Yu, “You owe me once again. After sometime, I will come to Middle Three Heavens to seek my dues.”

Young Master Yu raised his eyebrows and said, “If you bring good quality wine… I won’t be stingy.”

“Certainly. Certainly.” Chu Yang laughed as he shook his head, and started to leave. This time he went back to sleep.

Young Master Yu was calmly sitting at the table. He kept smiling and muttered, “If you have regrets at the time of your death… and you have the opportunity to live your life once more, will you make up for your mistakes?”

He suddenly shook his head, and recited in a sing-song voice, “How is one to know of the next life’s matters? When did a beautiful woman’s youth ever stay such? Just as a flower blooms and then withers in the deep valley… who says that this life is without regrets?”

Once he finished talking, he stood up and said in a low voice, “The wine in this cup is finished, but how would I not want to drink more seeing that empty cup?” He frowned and took two steps. Then he said, “I am not drunk yet; must drink more to get drunk!”

He dashed inside at once.

At this moment, a voice gently echoed, “Is Young Master Yu in there? Diwu Qing Rou seeks an audience!”

Young Master Yu stopped in his tracks and stared blankly. He bitterly spat a mouthful of saliva and cursed out loud, “This bastard has really come at a bad time. I was just thinking of drinking some more… just when I started feeling uncomfortable from holding back, he came… ”

Pop! A pillow came flying from the inside, and hit his face. Jun Lu Lu’s embarrassed voice was heard, “People have come to meet you. Why don’t you go?”

Young Master Yu sighed and turned around to go outside. He secretly made a fierce resolve, “Diwu Qing Rou, you better give me a good reason. Otherwise, do not blame me for being rude!”

He took one step after another as he left.

Notes:

That’s the author; I swear.