I don't want to be a heroic spirit

Qianhua's mother hugged Qianhua for a long time, and then suddenly kicked Qianhua's father.

"It's all your fault! If you weren't so useless, Qianhua wouldn't have to suffer so much!"

"Blame me?! I at least made it to the end, okay? Didn't you walk before me, mother? How dare you blame me?!"

"If you dare to talk back again, you'll sleep in Ma Gai's house tonight!"

"..."

Qianhua's father stretched out his hand in front of his mouth and made a zippering motion.

Satisfied with her partner's reaction, Qianhua's mother looked at Qianhua in her arms again, and said in a gentle voice, "So, Qianhua, is there anything you want to eat? Mommy will make it for you."

Upon hearing this, Qianhua immediately ignored her father and said happily, "Viola! Qianhua wants to eat viola!"

"Mom can cook so many dishes for Qianhua, why does Qianhua like eating violet melon so much..."

Qianhua's mother hugged Qianhua and sighed. Qianhua's father behind her was about to cover his mouth and laugh, but was glared at by Qianhua's mother and forced to hold it back.

"Okay then... Mom will take Qianhua out to pick violets."

One's own daughter must be favored. Qianhua's mother took Qianhua's hand and walked out the door.

However, when they reached the door, both of them stopped and turned to look at Qianhua's father. Qianhua even swung her other hand that was not being held, signaling to her father.

Seeing this scene, Qianhua’s father also smiled gently.

"Here we come, it's been a long time since we last went on a family trip, let's go!"

A family of three, reunited in harmony.

This is the vision they have been waiting for, a vision that has come hundreds of years late.

It seemed that because her parents were around, Qianhua became particularly lively and excited.

"Mom and Dad! Qianhua has made a new friend!"

"Really? What kind of person is that?"

Chika's mother asked with interest.

"They are all very beautiful sisters... Qianhua has never seen such beautiful sisters before. And the sisters have white wings, just like the angels in the picture books. That's why Qianhua always calls them Angel Sister. And Sala Sister came with Angel Sister."

"Sister Sara is so gentle and willing to play games with Qianhua. And Sister Angel even taught Qianhua a few songs. Qianhua sang them for Mom and Dad."

Under the blurred shadows of the trees, a long and leisurely singing voice was heard.

It awakens the intoxicated past and drifts away into the unreachable distance.

"I was once unable to extricate myself from the vastness of the world~~and was also addicted to the dream talk within it~~?"

"No truth or falsehood~~No struggle~~No fear of being laughed at~~?"

Chapter 146: Thousands of Cherry Blossoms from Bloom to Fall

"Five hundred years ago, an unprecedented catastrophe befell the continent of Teyvat. Seven gods led their nation in a desperate resistance, yet even so, they suffered heavy casualties. Ordinary people, warriors, those with divine eyes, immortals, monsters, and even gods... Corpses piled up like mountains, blood flowed like rivers. Facing the monsters that endlessly crawled out of the dark abyss, everyone was equal, and everyone was powerless."

"In this country, in a remote village, there lives a gifted Yin-Yang master. He can even single-handedly create a formation that covers the entire village, making it difficult for invading monsters to invade. This makes the village a rare pure land in this country."

"However, he knew that this hard-earned peace was temporary and false. His formation could not protect the village forever. As long as the tide of monsters outside continued to wreak havoc, as long as the country remained mired in turmoil, true peace would never come."

"He trusts the gods of this country, just like everyone else in this country. He believes their gods haven't given up on them. They're definitely in the most dangerous places, working hard for the future of this country. So, all they have to do is do their best to hold back the waves of monsters and hold out until the gods return."

"The Onmyoji trusts the gods, and everyone in this village trusts the gods and him... This is the beginning of the story."

"Carrying the trust of the people and embracing faith in the country and the gods, the Onmyoji, leveraging the principle that monsters are attracted to the aura of this world's creatures, modified the formation originally protecting the village. Using the aura of the villagers as bait, he drew in as many monsters as possible. Among them was the Beast King, who commanded the monster army and was the Onmyoji's primary target."

"That Yin-Yang Master is a true genius. The Beast King and an unimaginable number of beasts were attracted here, and his plan was successfully carried out."

"The Onmyoji sealed all the monsters with a triple seal formation. The first seal was the stone gate outside, the second seal was the village shrouded in thick fog, and the third seal was the black sun in the sky. As the king of the monsters, he was sealed into the black sun and fell into a deep sleep for five hundred years."

"However, as a price, everyone in the village also lost their physical bodies and was trapped in a sealed space, becoming undead souls bound to this land, memories without a future. For five hundred years, they continuously provided energy to the seal. As long as everyone in the village survived, the seal would remain in place, and the Monster King would remain asleep forever."

"Nothing in this world is permanent. Even a rock so solid that not even a whirlpool can break it will eventually wear away under the scour of time. Time for them is not stagnant, but they are forced to wander forever between life and death, unable to be born and without the right to die."

"Mondstadt's God of Wind falls into a slumber to avoid wear and tear, waking only when something major happens in Mondstadt that demands his attention. Liyue's God of Rock chooses to actively endure wear and tear, and Inazuma's God of Thunder... well... I won't go into that."

"Even gods, possessing supreme power, would be extremely afraid of [wear and tear], let alone the villagers whose minds and souls are merely those of ordinary people."

"In order to minimize wear and tear and preserve their own identity, they reject change, reject new things, reject curiosity, and only do what they already know how to do, what they should do, and what they already can do, continuing a monotonous and even mechanical life."

"Because they're afraid... afraid of losing themselves due to wear and tear. Even more afraid that disappearing will cause the seal to break, releasing those monsters to continue wreaking havoc on the outside world."

"But these are ultimately mere stopgap measures. They're fine for delaying the wear and tear, but to completely halt it is wishful thinking. Gradually, people in the village have disappeared. Those who have vanished have all lost their true selves, becoming a kind of residue called 'filth'. They retain their original skills and abilities, but have become frantic and irrational, attacking everyone around them."

"The more resolute one is and the purer their soul, the less they will be affected by wear and tear. For example, there is a man in the village called the Blind Sword. He lost his sight, abandoned his name, and dedicated everything he had to the sword. He was purer than most people in the village."

"As time went by, almost all the people in the village disappeared, becoming 'filthy'. Only the Onmyoji's daughter remained. It is her presence that keeps the seal effective."

"In order to reduce the impact of wear and tear on his daughter, the Onmyoji also specially created two paper Shikigami. These were to take care of his daughter after he and his wife disappeared and turned into 'filth'. They would do housework for her, cook for her, and remind her of time."

"The girl traveled alone through thousands of years, waiting for someone to destroy all the sealed monsters. Only after the monsters were completely destroyed and the sealed space was broken, was the girl finally freed from her five hundred years of duty."

"In reality, they were already dead five hundred years ago. What remained within the sealed space was nothing more than a memory, a ghost. So, when the sealed space that bound them disappeared, the freed girl finally found long-overdue peace."

Under the quiet and beautiful starry sky, Gui Yifayan let his long hair, as soft as silver satin, be blown by the evening breeze, while holding Sara's hand.

"This kind of thing...really...really..."

Sara didn't know how to describe it.

A person cannot imagine something that he has not experienced. The so-called empathy is nothing but self-deception.

But... just by listening to Gui Yifayan's description, Sara felt suffocated, as if he was sinking into turbid and dark water. Even if he struggled to swing his arms, he would only be swallowed by despair. Even if he ignored the black water pouring into his mouth and shouted for help, he could not cross this ocean.

It was absolutely cruel and lonely, a cruelty and loneliness beyond her cognition, imagination and understanding.

That's why she was afraid, because this cruelty could not be described or understood.

It is hard to imagine what kind of obsession can support a person across five hundred years and still have expectations for the world.

Although he only spent two days with Qianhua, her existence left a strong mark in the book "Sara's Life".

It’s not just because Qianhua is the first friend Sara made, but also because Qianhua is such a girl as dazzling as the sun.

The process of getting along with her may make you feel annoyed, just like the light emitted by the sun is sometimes too hot, but when the sun sets in the west, leaving only darkness and cold night, you begin to miss the warmth and light of the sun.

"So... it's great that Qianhua can finally see her family again and doesn't have to force herself anymore..."

Sara held tightly in his hands a broken wooden box with many cracks, which contained two wooden paddles painted with cherry blossoms and a few feather shuttlecocks with some feathers missing.

Sara lowered his head and looked quietly at the things inside, revealing a slightly sad smile.

Gui Yifa, who was standing by, saw this scene and frowned.

"That's why I hate mature people... because mature people are particularly good at deceiving themselves and forcing themselves."

Suddenly, Sara was hugged.

"Master...master?"

"You still remember that I am your master?"

Gui Yifayan rubbed Sara's head fiercely and said with gritted teeth, "I am your master, your elder. Since your master is still by your side, why do you have to force yourself to act so mature?"

"You're just a kid who's only lived a few years and experienced a few separations. Are you looking down on me like this? Stop being so arrogant! You're still a million miles away from true maturity! Stop trying to act like a big shot with a feather duster stuck behind your butt. Live another five hundred years before you try to act mature."

Sara was speechless. His master... could even be so gentle when scolding him.

but……

Pretending... is indeed tiring...

"Master, please... squat down a little."

"Alright, since it's your good disciple's request, Master, I'll do it... Do you need Master to keep the box in your hand for a while?"

"Well... I'll leave it to you, Master."

"Then... come and act coquettishly in Master's arms for a bit."

After putting down the small wooden box, he put his free hands around Gui Yi Fa Yan's neck, and Sara also put his face close to him. He could clearly smell the fragrance of his master's hair, and the soft hair tickled his face.

In this position, Guiyi's Dharma Eyes could not see the expression on Sara's face, and could only feel the wetness on his shoulders and neck.

Keeping this posture, Gui Yi Fa Yan stroked Sara's back while raising his head to look at the starry sky above his head.

I remember reading a sentence once that said, "The starry sky of the continent of Teyvat will always reserve a place for you."

So, among so many stars in the sky, could there be one that belongs to Qianhua?

Now... and in the future, will the star belonging to Qianhua illuminate the way forward for Sara?

…………

The sea of ​​cherry blossoms formed by thousands of cherry blossoms blooming at the same time is absolutely beautiful.

What is even more stunning than that scene... is perhaps the cherry blossom rain formed by thousands of cherry blossoms falling from the branches.

For those cherry blossoms, this extremely beautiful scene foreshadows the coming death.

But at the same time, it also represents that she, who has been tied to a tree branch since birth, can finally touch the sky that she has looked up to all her life at the end of her life.

Chapter 147 Junior Brother Wu Lang

It was a cloudy day, and only a shadow of the sun could be vaguely seen through the thick clouds.

A mother bird is building a nest on a very dilapidated red torii gate.

But just as she turned around, a gust of evil wind blew out of nowhere, and the mother bird was shocked to find that her eggs were gone!

“Squeak, squeak, squeak—!!”

"Oh, I didn't expect to find three bird eggs while walking on the road. I will eat them carefully with gratitude."

Gui Yifayan had a smile on his face, and was looking forward to the bird egg dish he was about to eat.

She was carrying a person on her shoulders, a not-so-big boy who seemed to have fainted.

"Speaking of which, what dishes can be made with bird eggs? Hmm... there are so many things that it's hard to believe. After all, it seems like they taste delicious no matter how you cook them..."

"It's good fried, grilled, and for something lighter, you can try poached eggs. And there's also omelette... Hmm? Omelette?"

Gui Yifayan's expression changed immediately.

She suddenly remembered a meme picture she had seen before: Kujo Sara, with a flushed face, brought a plate of special bird egg omelette to the traveler.

"..."

Gui Yifayan lowered his head and took a deep look at the three bird eggs in his hand.

"...I suddenly don't want to eat the eggs anymore. Let's return them to the mother bird. After all, eating someone else's children isn't very nice. I hope she doesn't have a heart attack from the shock of losing her children."

Afterwards, Gui Yi Fa Yan went back and returned the three bird eggs to the mother bird who was panicking because her children were lost.

…………

"Great! The barrier protecting the yard is still there. It seems no one has discovered this place while we were away."

Easily passing through the barrier he had set up, a very ancient Japanese garden appeared in front of Gui Yifayan like a flower in the mirror and a moon in the water.

When she arrived at the door, a figure who seemed to have been waiting there for a long time bowed slightly to her.

"Welcome back, Master."

"Oh! It's Sara. Have you eaten? Have you gained weight? Have you been training well while we were away... Never mind, this question is a bit unnecessary for you."

Stepping lightly on the neatly laid bluestone floor, Gui Yifayan greeted the girl at the door with a slightly frivolous smile.

As Gui Yi Fa Yan's apprentice, Sha Luo was already familiar with his master's eccentricities, so his face showed no emotion at all.

“…Sara.”

"What is it, Master?"

Looking at Sha Luo's icy serious face, Gui Yifayan touched his chin with a complicated expression.

"Since we've been away... have you become more conservative?"

"Nothing, Master."

Sara raised his head, and after his eyes met Gui Yi's, a faint smile slowly appeared on Sara's face.

Several months have passed since the issues in the sealed space were resolved.