This sleep, he did not know how long he slept for, just that in his deep sleep, he could feel the familiar smell around him, not knowing how long it had been, he had not felt this sense of security.
So he sank deep into dreamland, as if he did not want to wake up, just that deep in his dreams, there was a piercing pain, lingering and refusing to disperse, constantly piercing his heart.
Letting out a long breath, Ghost Li slowly woke up, the room in front of him, he felt like he was in a dream, quietly looked around. When he was still young, he lived here, and then grew up, the tables, chairs, beds, doors and windows, were all engraved in his heart.
Leaning against the wall of the bed, the huge "Dao" character was still hanging on the wall. However, the color of the words had faded a little, but the strokes still looked as vigorous and powerful as when he had first seen it.
The wooden frame of the window made a light sound, a small gap opened, the grey monkey Xiao Hui jumped in from outside, saw Ghost Li was already awake, half sitting on the bed, couldn't help but became happy, grinned non-stop, jumped onto the bed in a few leaps.
Ghost Li's heart jumped, this scene, seemed to be the same as many years ago, if not for the change in his appearance due to his injuries and the activation of the spiritual eye on Xiao Hui's head, he really felt that it was all a dream.
Just that, that was after all impossible.
Xiao Hui called out to Ghost Li, Ghost Li looked down and saw that Xiao Hui was holding a few wild fruits in its hands, most likely it had picked them outside and wanted to share with its master. Ghost Li shook his head, indicating that he did not want to eat. Xiao Hui also did not give in, turned and with a whoosh jumped onto the table in the middle of the room, sat down and then opened its mouth and started chewing.
Ghost Li quietly watched everything in the room, finally his gaze landed on the window that was opened when Xiao Hui came in, through the gap, a small patch of light shone in, unable to see clearly what was outside but Ghost Li did not need to look to know, outside the window was a small courtyard, there was a pine tree, a green lawn and also a stone paved path, at the side of the courtyard, there was a semicircular arched door. Every grass and every tree here, had long been engraved deep in his memory, could never be erased.
The air was fresh with a hint of sweetness. Even the small courtyard outside the house seemed to have the fragrance of green grass.
In a daze, he felt as if he had returned home. But a moment later, a sharp pain in his heart woke him up.
Footsteps could be heard outside the door.
Ghost Li's gaze turned towards the door. The footsteps soon reached the door, but the person outside the unlatched door seemed to hesitate for a moment and did not immediately open the door.
Ghost Li stared at the door.
A moment later, the door was finally pushed open.
A tall and steady figure stood at the door. Almost at the same time, that person also saw Ghost Li who had woken up. Their gazes met in mid-air, but neither of them spoke immediately. There were too many complicated emotions in their gazes. Perhaps it was because of this that the thousands of words they wanted to say turned into silence.
The monkey Xiao Hui sat on the table, opened its mouth and spat out the core of a wild fruit. Then it glanced at the door, called out twice and continued to bury its head into its wild fruit.
The man standing at the door sighed, the corners of his mouth seemed to reveal a bitter smile, shook his head, walked in, looked deeply at Ghost Li, said, "We haven't met for so many years, should I call you old seven, or call you little junior brother?"
Ghost Li's lips moved. In the end, he looked at the man in front of him and quietly called out,
"Big senior brother …"
Everything in Big Bamboo Valley, was still as quiet as he remembered. It was quiet outside the house, not knowing where the rest of the people had gone to.
Xavion silently looked at the person in front of him. Not so long ago, he was his most beloved little junior brother. He was the most useless seventh disciple under Big Bamboo Valley's Tian Buyi teacher. And now, things had changed. Things remained the same but the people had changed.
Ten years, this was the first time they met.
"These years, how have you been?" Xavion sat opposite Ghost Li and asked.
Ghost Li did not answer. He only kept silent. Ten years, looking back, the time was like water. Unknowingly he had already walked such a long road. Just that, how could he say the word "well"!
Xavion looked at him. That young Zhang Xiaofan, now he still looked the same as before. Just that on his face, there was still an additional taste of vicissitudes. And not knowing when, this person who was much younger than him but now also much more skilled than him, his hair at his temples, had already started to turn white.
Xavion let out a long sigh. He faintly said, "How is your body now?"
Ghost Li looked down at his wound. The rags on his chest had already been changed into neat and clean bandages. Obviously it was the Big Bamboo Valley senior brothers who had rebandaged him. And the wound on his chest, although still aching, was much better than before he fainted. After a moment of silence, he said, "I am fine now. Thank you senior brother for your concern."
Speaking until here, he seemed to have thought of something. He looked at Xavion and said, "I … have already rebelled against Qing Yun, do you all still acknowledge me as your junior brother?"
Xavion smiled. Although his smile carried some bitterness. He said, "Teacher's wife had told us before. When teacher was still alive …" Speaking of the two words, Xavion's eyes turned red. His voice obviously choked. Ghost Li heard it and his body also trembled.
Xavion composed himself and continued, "Teacher when he was still alive, had told teacher's wife many times that he had never personally chased you out of Big Bamboo Valley. And he had never thought that you had done anything wrong ten years ago. So teacher's wife instructed us, today, as long as you are still willing, you are still our Qing Yun Big Bamboo Valley number seven … little junior brother … "
Ghost Li slowly lowered his head. His body trembled slightly. His left hand was placed on the mattress. Tightly clenched into a ball. His right hand covered his face. Quietly wiping away the tears.
In the room, there was a moment of silence. After a long time, Ghost Li's emotions slowly calmed down. Xavion's deep voice then sounded again.
"If your body is fine now, follow me to Observed Silence Hall. Teacher's wife is there to keep vigil for teacher. She wants to see you."
"… Yes."
Walking out of the arched door, he saw the familiar circular corridor. Xavion walked in front without saying a word. His broad shoulders and back were like a small mountain.
Ghost Li quietly followed behind him. He couldn't help but think of his youth. When he first came to Big Bamboo Valley, he followed Xavion all the way. Slowly, he blended into the world of Big Bamboo Valley.
Recalling the past, it was like a dream.
His eyes, quietly landed on Xavion's waist. He then discovered that, without knowing when, Xavion's waist already had a white linen. It was tied around his waist. Naturally it was to mourn for his mentor Tian Buyi's passing.
His face was gloomy. He closed his eyes.
Walking out of that corridor, he could see the Observed Silence Hall from afar, just that what was different from the usual tranquility was that today the Observed Silence Hall was constantly emitting smoke and incense, at the same time sobbing sounds could be heard indistinctly.
Xavion silently walked towards Observed Silence Hall. Two steps later, he suddenly sensed something. He turned around and saw Ghost Li standing there in a daze. He was looking at Observed Silence Hall. But he did not follow.
"What is it?"
Ghost Li's face was extremely pale. For some reason, he looked at the Observed Silence Hall. He felt some fear. He was like a child who had done something wrong. He did not dare to face his grieving parent.
Xavion seemed to notice something. He sighed and said, "Let's go." Speaking, he patted his shoulder. Ghost Li's body moved. He glanced at Xavion. He silently nodded his head and walked up.
The nearer he got to Observed Silence Hall, the stronger the smoke, and the sobbing sounds became clearer. But although there were familiar sounds in Ghost Li's memory but there were no female cries, no SuRu's, and also not the senior sister Tian LingEr who was already married, whom he had originally expected.
Finally, under Xavion's lead, he once again stood at the entrance of Observed Silence Hall.
A few gazes instantly turned and stopped on him. Ghost Li's body was faintly trembling as he looked at them one by one.
Wu DaYi, Zheng Dali, He DaZhi, Ludaxin, Amandla!
These familiar faces, right now one by one appeared before Ghost Li, many years ago, they were once his closest kin in this world, his most trusted senior brothers.
Their waists were the same as Xavion. White mourning cloth was tied around their waists. Their faces were sorrowful. Some of their eyes were already red and swollen from crying. Inside Observed Silence Hall, there was a metal cauldron. A fire was burning inside. The senior brothers standing beside, slowly placed the paper money in their hands into the fire.
Smoke lingered in the air.
Ghost Li stared blankly. Behind the smoke, Tian BuYi was quietly lying on a bed. The dirty clothes on his body had been changed into a set of clean ones. Neatly dressed, his countenance and spirit seemed to be much more serene. SuRu was sitting beside Tian BuYi's body. She stretched out her hand and held Tian BuYi's hand.
Her expression was very sad, but she did not shed a single tear. There was a small white flower in her hair. It was a wildflower that still had dew on it in the early morning. It was elegant and beautiful, with a hint of sadness. She only held her husband's hand tightly. She stared at Tian BuYi's face. And her daughter, Tian LingEr, did not appear in this Observed Silence Hall.
And that Da Huang, who was raised by Tian BuYi from young, right now was silently crouching on the ground beside the bed. Its head was also listlessly crouching on the ground. It had completely lost its usual lively temperament.
After Ghost Li's gaze landed on Tian BuYi, he could not move his eyes away. His footsteps were heavy. Slowly, step by step, he inched over. Xavion silently walked to the side. He took a white hemp rope and passed it to Ghost Li. Ghost Li looked at him. A trace of gratefulness flashed past his eyes. He nodded and took the hemp rope. He quietly said, "Many thanks."
Xavion glanced at SuRu. He said, "You go over to teacher's wife." After speaking, he quietly walked back to his fellow disciples, knelt down in front of Tian BuYi's body, kowtowed three times, when he raised his head, his eyes were a little red again, turned around and took a stack of paper money from Wu DaYi who was kneeling beside him, started to slowly throw it into the fire.
Ghost Li looked at the hemp rope for a long time. He then tied it around his waist. The grey white rope wound around his waist. It carried some sorrow. But it also seemed to tie his heart to this place again.
He quietly walked forward. He walked to the bed and knelt down. He kowtowed three times to Tian BuYi's body. Then, he turned to SuRu and knelt down.
"Disciple …" His voice suddenly paused. After a long time, he used a deep voice to speak again. "Disciple Zhang … Xiao Fan, pays respect to teacher's wife."
Behind him, Xavion and the other six Big Bamboo Valley disciples looked over. Their expressions were complicated. But more than that, it was still that kind of joy and cordiality.
Even SuRu's face revealed a faint gratification. She looked at Ghost Li and nodded. Then a trace of pain flashed past her face. She looked at Tian BuYi. She quietly said, "BuYi, did you hear that? This is lao qi. He is back to kowtow to you."
Ghost Li knelt before SuRu. He could not speak.
Behind him, choking sounds were heard.
Smoke lingered and slowly drifted. Observed Silence Hall seemed to be in a trance. Not sure if it was because the owner was no longer here. Even the hall looked empty. It did not become noisy because of the crowd.
After a long while, Xavion wiped the tears from his eyes. He walked up to SuRu. He quietly said, "Teacher's wife, please tell me about teacher's funeral. Inform each branch's teachers and seniors. I still intend to make a trip to Long Shou Valley to inform Ling Er junior sister. Let her …"
"This matter is not urgent." SuRu suddenly interrupted Xavion.
Xavion was shocked, the disciples behind him, including Ghost Li, were also stunned for a moment. In the Observed Silence Hall, it was quiet for a moment, not a sound at all.
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