Original God Zhongli BG Xiao Qinglong traveled through time

Chapter 410: The Vastness of Cause and Effect in the Mortal World (Part 2)

As dusk fell, the outline of the abandoned village on Tianheng Mountain gradually blurred in the setting sun, like an old ink painting stained by time. Wild grass overgrown among the ruins sagged in the evening breeze. Only a fading scent of flowers and the staggering figure of the old man named Mingjun whispered of a recently resolved worldly entanglement.

Paimon and Ying's figures have disappeared into the mist rising by the lake, chasing the vague traces of the secret stone.

Yun Jin, however, remained still. She stared at Shen He's back, her eyes, accustomed to capturing the subtlest shifts of emotion on stage, now filled with a complex and inexpressible mix of emotions—the solemnity after a moment of shock, the pity that comes from understanding the truth, and the almost reverent throbbing that comes with being an artist faced with stark tragedy. The yellowed notebook in her hand seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.

"Miss Shen He." Yun Jin's voice was softer than usual, as if she was afraid to disturb the wandering spirits of the mountains. "We... have found your father's handwritten notes. As for the original text of 'The Goddess Splits the View'..." She paused, carefully considering the words, "It's quite different from what my father wrote in the play... I think... I should compose a new text for you to set the record straight."

Shen He slowly turned around, her pale face etched in the twilight like a sculpture of cold jade. Her lavender eyes were as deep and tranquil as an ancient well, revealing no trace of sadness or joy, only piercing insight. "Unusual?" she repeated softly, her gaze sweeping across the scroll of notes. There was no surprise, no ripples. "No need to change."

"Why?" Yun Jin was surprised. "The opera praised you for volunteering and sacrificing your life to fight the devil, but the truth is clearly..." She stopped talking abruptly, unable to bear to utter the heartbreaking word.

"Because I think... the play you sang is already an excellent story." Shen He's answer was unexpectedly simple. She raised her eyelashes slightly and looked at the distant mountains swallowing up the last ray of golden sunlight. "Master once said that only when I learn to use this power for others can I truly step into the human world. The goddess in the play... is the one I want to emulate." Her tone was still flat, but the last syllable revealed a very subtle, almost elusive yearning and confusion.

These words, more than any wailing, clenched Yun Jin's heartstrings. She suddenly understood that Shen He wasn't unconscious, but rather, he had sealed the deep, visible wound beneath the red string, choosing instead a more glorious, warmer "phantom" to approach and emulate.

Just at this moment, Xizhi, who had been lying quietly on Shen He's shoulder, suddenly moved.

The silver-gray warm cloud that had once seemed to blend seamlessly with her white dress suddenly exploded with its fluffy fur, its tail tip brushing against the side of her cold neck. Without a single warning purr, it leaped from Shen He's shoulder like a stream of light compressed to the extreme and then suddenly bursting forth, swiftly and accurately, even with a hint of heaviness, as it crashed directly into Shen He's slightly cool embrace!

“Meow! Woo…!”

It was no longer the usual lazy, comfortable humming. Instead, it was laced with a suppressed, anxious tremor, like a series of tiny, scorching sobs. It didn't even have time to adjust its posture; it eagerly rubbed its furry head against Shen He's jaw, wrist, and any other piece of cold skin it could reach. Its pink tongue, quivering with tiny, soft thorns, licked her knuckles quickly, over and over, as if using its own warmth and vitality to violently dispel the bone-chilling silence that emanated from the stale pages.

The long, fluffy tail, like a cloud, tightly wrapped around Shen He's forearm. The tip of the tail even trembled slightly due to the force, conveying an almost clumsy but unquestionable protective power.

It had obviously taken everything to heart - the cold truth about being rejected by loved ones, the revised, lonely heroic epic, and Shen He's words of "willing to follow suit" that concealed endless loss beneath the calmness.

Shen He was startled by the sudden weight disappearing from her shoulders, and the passionate, almost reckless, "invasion" of her arms that followed. She subconsciously raised her hand, firmly holding the furry warmth that had involuntarily crashed into her arms. She could even clearly feel the faint trembling of emotion coming from that small body.

She lowered her head and met those upturned blue eyes filled with undisguised worry and... clear pain.

In an instant, the frozen emotional armor bound by the red rope seemed to be cracked by this straightforward and fierce "hairy impact", leaving a tiny but unignorable crack.

She almost blurted it out, her voice tinged with a softness that she herself hadn't noticed, almost dependent:

"Junior Master...I'm fine."

The moment the words fell, the air seemed to freeze.

"It's all over now," Shen He added softly, as if to comfort the cat, or perhaps to comfort herself. She bent her fingers slightly, and with her knuckles, she gently scratched the kitten's jaw. The anxious whimper in Xizhi's throat gradually subsided, transforming into an unusually loud, almost roaring purr. It even stretched out its entire body, pressing tightly against Shen He, wishing it could wrap every strand of its fur around her.

On the side, Yun Jin was struck by lightning and suddenly stood still.

Little...uncle master?

Her eyes moved back and forth between Shen He and the cat in disbelief.

Miss Shen He, this woman with a cold temperament, extraordinary skills, and suspected to be a true descendant of the immortal sect, called a cat... "Junior Master"?

Yun Jin's understanding was slightly overturned at this moment. The next moment, countless previously overlooked details burst into a brilliant light in her mind, like a string of pearls!

Thinking of the inordinate doting and indulgence shown to "Xizhi" by Mr. Zhongli, the guest official at the Wangsheng Hall; thinking of the cat's incredible understanding of human nature; thinking of its occasional calm glances, so different from its cute appearance; thinking of Shen He's complete trust and affection for it; and now, the earth-shattering cry of "Junior Master"...

An extremely reasonable yet absurd inference, like moonlight breaking through the thick fog, illuminates Yun Jin's heart clearly.

Being able to be respectfully addressed as "Uncle Master" by Shen He, and whose true form is very likely to be a fairy beast (or can appear in cat form)... his identity is almost obvious!

And that "young master uncle" who followed him so closely, perhaps even staying in Liyue because of him... that guest official from the Rebirth Hall, so knowledgeable, so magnanimous, so capable of making immortals bow down to him, so much so that he seemed to be the embodiment of the principles... could his true identity be...?!

Yun Jin suddenly took a deep breath and subconsciously covered her lips with her fingertips, stifling the exclamation that threatened to escape her lips. She looked again at the cat, still radiating light and warmth in Shen He's arms, with a completely different look in her eyes.

It's no longer just a cute and adorable pet.

It was... the incarnation of an immortal. It was a living link connecting a deep, ocean-like connection to immortality and history that she had accidentally glimpsed. And at the other end of this link, perhaps, was the legendary Rock King.

The evening breeze blew gently, carrying the damp scent of distant mountains and lakes. Xizhi gradually calmed down under Shen He's soothing caresses, but she still refused to leave his embrace. Her sapphire-like eyes glanced warily at Yun Jin for a moment, then fixed their gaze on Shen He with worry.

Yun Jin quickly suppressed all outward shock, leaving only her shrewd eyes brimming with a luminous, awe-filled glint of insight. She smiled, a smile imbued with an indescribable depth and understanding, and whispered, "It seems... Miss Shen He is not alone. It is a blessing to have such a caring elder to protect and protect you."

Her words were a double entendre, referring to the fact that Shen He was favored by his master, and also hinting at the vast origin and power symbolized by the cat.

Shen He did not fully understand the hidden meaning of Yun Jin's words. He just followed his gaze, lowered his head to look at the warm ball in his arms, and said "hmm" very softly, his fingertips unconsciously combing the silky hair on Xizhi's back.

Xizhi, on the other hand, let out a long and contented snore as if he had successfully completed an important mission, and rested his head in Shen He's arms. His blue eyes narrowed slightly, and when he looked at Yun Jin, his guard faded a little, and there was an imperceptible trace of fatigue and forgiveness belonging to an elder.

The last rays of evening light passed over the ruins, casting a serene and holy halo over the embraced girl and cat, as well as the star of the Yunhan Society, who seemed to be realizing something nearby. A long-forgotten sorrow had just been soothed, and the tip of the iceberg of an even vaster epic had quietly revealed itself to those who cared.