Seeking Truth with a Sword-Chapter 664 - 598: Lost
"Risheng?!" Song Shaoyuan waved his hand to disperse the lingering dust. "What’s wrong with you?" he asked, his voice tinged with surprise and concern.
Li Ang did not answer. He clenched his fists. Risking exposure, the Mo Si Clone in Golden City Square hurried toward the mansion at top speed, searching for any trace of Chai Cuiqiao.
*It sounds hard to accept, but I can remember all the memories from my previous life—in the Zhou Kingdom, in Yizhou, in Chang’an, right up until now.*
*If it were possible, I would really, really like to continue staying by your side, Young Master.*
The ink on the paper had become blurry, as if soaked by tears.
*Young Master, you don’t need to feel sad for me, because it’s only been a few days since I truly appeared in this world.*
*From the very beginning, I was born from your memories—a fake.*
*Everything about me... the closer the memories are to the present, the more real they seem; the further away they are, the more distorted they become.*
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
Li Ang’s expression turned savage. He grabbed the bewildered Song Shaoyuan by the collar and demanded, his voice harsh, "Do you remember Chai Cuiqiao?! The little girl from the Zhou Kingdom my parents took in! The young maid who was always by my side!"
Song Shaoyuan grasped Li Ang’s hands, his voice filled with shock and unease. "Risheng, what on earth are you talking about?"
Li Ang pressed, his voice sharp, "How could you not remember?! I lived with her for so long! After my parents died, we relied on each other to survive in the Security Hall!"
"Risheng," Song Shaoyuan took a deep breath and said earnestly, "from beginning to end... wasn’t it always just you alone?"
Li Ang stood frozen, bewildered.
In the back alley of the Security Hall in Yizhou:
After Li Ang had left, Aunt Song watched his retreating figure. Recalling her own widowhood, she was overcome with emotion. She took out a handkerchief, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and whispered softly, "Sigh, this child has truly suffered, maintaining the family business all alone..."
At the riverbank during the Dragon Boat Festival:
The little girl edged closer to her mother, a touch of anxiety in her voice. "My mother hasn’t bought any jewelry for a long time. I’ve saved up a hundred cents; I want to buy a piece for her."
Li Ang nodded. "I see."
The girl’s mother smiled and asked, "Young master, are you buying it for your sweetheart?"
"No, it’s for my young maid."
Li Ang chuckled and waved his hand, reaching to his side—only to grasp at empty air.
"Please wait a moment, Judge Niu. I’ll just wash my face and be right there."
Li Ang stood up and gestured with his eyes for Chai Cuiqiao to follow. The master and servant walked to the backyard.
Chai Cuiqiao lowered her voice, speaking urgently, "Young Master, why would they call for you if they’ve discovered a demon? You haven’t exactly made a name for yourself with your skills yet, have you?"
Did she really need to say that last part?
Li Ang, watching the falling leaves in the courtyard, rolled his eyes.
Niu Wenshu, standing inside the Security Hall, serenely closed his eyes and focused, pretending not to hear Li Ang’s voice from the courtyard.
"Assisting the garrison and the Academic Palace in eliminating demons is the duty of every citizen of the Yu Country and every disciple of the Academic Palace. Since they’ve called for me, I cannot refuse. Perhaps they need some particular skill I possess."
"Anyway, just look after the house well. Don’t go out unnecessarily during this time."
"Be good. I’m leaving."
So, it turns out, from beginning to end, it truly was just me alone.
Li Ang slowly released Song Shaoyuan’s collar, feeling as if he had aged countless years in that brief instant.
*I’m so happy to have shared so many memories with you, Young Master. I know my traces are disappearing bit by bit. I originally wanted to draw a self-portrait as a keepsake, but my drawing skills are too poor, so I secretly went through your things and found that... camera thingy!*
*Boohoo, it’s really complicated, you know? Taking photos, developing film... I studied the manual for ages before I finally managed to get one picture, and I nearly broke the camera! I hope you won’t blame me, hehe.*
*Anyway, that’s how it is. After I leave, you have to take good care of yourself, okay? Don’t always stay up late, drink fewer cold beverages, and try to control your temper a bit. And you’re not getting any younger; you should really start thinking about settling down. If you get married and have children soon, I’ll be able to rest a bit easier.*
*Hmm, who knows? Maybe if you and Le Ling, or someone else, have a daughter, I could be reincarnated. Then I could continue to eat your food and use your things, freeloading off you in the next life too, hahaha!*
*Yours,*
*Chai Cuiqiao*
SWISH.
A photograph fluttered down from the back of the letter. Li Ang picked it up. In the photo, Chai Chai was wearing the dress brought back from Yizhou—the one that had been altered to fit her—sitting in the living room of the Golden City Mansion, smiling at the camera.
Looking at the photo, Li Ang felt as if his heart had been gouged out.
He raised his head, holding the photo between his thumb and forefinger, and asked Song Shaoyuan in a daze, "Do you see it? This photo?"
Song Shaoyuan hesitated. "...What photo?"
Li Ang turned his head to look at his right hand; there was nothing between his fingers.
He silently picked up the letter. The text on it was swiftly fading, like evaporating ink.
And his memory of the letter was also rapidly vanishing—he gradually couldn’t recall what he had seen.
Li Ang staggered back two paces. His Qi Sea churned at its limits, and the Telekinesis of his Cloud Patrol Realm cultivation formed a visible, massive vortex behind him.
"Risheng, where are you going—"
Song Shaoyuan’s words were cut short by a deafening sonic boom. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
Li Ang’s figure instantly disappeared from the mountaintop. He dived through the sea of clouds, passed over the Academic Palace, ignored the sudden alarm bells of the Prohibition below, and rushed toward Chang’an City.
Chai Cuiqiao!!
He watched as the letter vanished into thin air, the name echoing repeatedly in his mind, as if trying to carve those two words deep into his soul.
BOOM!
His afterimage sped past the walls of Chang’an City.
The fierce gale he generated kicked up sand and stones, which pelted the surface of the city walls with sharp, crackling sounds.
In the watchtower on the wall, a soldier who was slurping locust leaf cold noodles from a bowl, jumped in fright. He quickly bit off the noodles, grabbed his broadsword, and yelled, "General! An intruder—!"
"Intruder, my ass!" Yan Zhou, clad in Bright Armor, approached and smacked the soldier on the back of the head. "That’s my brother!" he said, annoyed.
"What?"
The soldier, bowl in one hand and broadsword in the other, stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded.
"Tsk."
Yan Zhou clicked his tongue, hesitated for a moment, but still picked up the horn resting by the wall and blew it.
Chai Cuiqiao!
The memories were fading fast.
Li Ang desperately repeated the name, plunging into the courtyard of the Golden City Mansion.
The house was tidy and spotless. Clothes hung neatly on the drying rack in the courtyard, and the kettle on the coal stove boiled merrily on its own.
The Mo Si Clones he had dispatched earlier, now in sludge form, were extending tentacles, frantically ransacking the place.
Nothing found.
Chai Cuiqiao.
He rushed upstairs to the bedroom. Inside, a single bed stood forlornly.
Chai Cui...
Li Ang went to the bedside and sat down. He gently placed his palm on the soft pillow, a bewildered expression slowly creeping across his face.
Chai...
Damn it, what was it? I can’t remember.
I should remember. It was something very important, more important than life itself. I absolutely must not forget.
Li Ang clutched his head, rocking back and forth.
I must not forget!
I must not forget.
I must not forget... what was it?
It wasn’t just him; all the Mo Si Clones froze, their movements ceasing as if they had turned to stone.
Wait, what was I about to do?
Li Ang lowered his hands from his head, looking around the bedroom with a puzzled expression.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
The sound of dense footsteps approached from outside.
Li Ang hastily waved his hand, signaling all the Mo Si Clones to sink into the ground. He then leaped down from the upper floor.
A squad of fully armed garrison soldiers stormed into the mansion.
The lead sergeant, his expression stern, questioned Li Ang, who had come out: "Mr. Li, was that you who just flew into Chang’an City?"
To prevent disturbances and maintain public order, cultivators of all levels were forbidden from flying arbitrarily within Chang’an City.
Flying secretly within one’s own residence might be overlooked, but flying over the streets without approval, especially over busy urban districts, would result in severe punishment.
Li Ang, unable to recall why he had rushed home, scratched his head. "Yes, that was me. Uh, there was a sudden emergency at home."
The sergeant pressed, "What kind of emergency?"
Li Ang scratched his head again, frantically searching for an excuse. His gaze fell upon the kettle on the coal stove, and he quickly pointed. "The kettle! I forgot to take the kettle off the stove!"
"..."
The sergeant’s eyebrows shot up.
Li Ang could only manage an awkward smile.
