Time and time again, she would ask of him not to seek revenge any longer with tears in her eyes. It was her only request in the midst of all her selfless sacrificing and giving, but he had never listened… Even until the last moments of her life, she still asked him not to avenge his master nor her… It wasn’t because the ones who killed her were her own family, but because she wished so much for him to stop living a life of endless revenge and hatred.
No matter how much pain he suffered or how much he regretted, what had been lost would never return again. If he could, he was willing to give everything he had in exchange; even if it were his own life and soul.
“Ling’er… Ling’er… Ling’er…”
He held Ling’er tight in his embrace. Again and again, with every cry, he wished he would never have to wake from this dream. The blessed feeling of regaining what he had once lost was so warm that it was unable to described with any spoken words.
“Big Brother Yun Che…” Ling’er’s whisper came from beside his ear, with a light and haziness that seemed almost like a dream, “Don’t think about revenge anymore, okay? Your master’s soul in heaven also definitely wouldn’t wish to see you like this… No matter what it is, I can promise you that as long as you promise you won’t pursue revenge any longer… The two of us can stay in this bamboo forest. You’ll accompany me, and I, you, forever… A lifetime… I’ll be your most gentle wife… and never leave you… okay?”
Her fragrance, her voice and her words; they were all so familiar. These were exact the smell and voice that belonged to her. And even more so, these were the words she’d said to him many times before… In the past, whenever she said these words, he would feel the inside of his heart palpitate, but right after it would be quashed dead under his hatred…
After losing her, he had dreamt many times. If he could turn back time, if the heavens could give him another chance, he never would have rejected it again; absolutely would not.
Without any hesitation, he nodded his head in extreme vigor; nodded five or six times in a row and insisted in a hoarse voice: “Yes! Yes! Ling’er, I’ll listen to you. I promise you, I’ll no longer seek revenge anymore. In the future, you’ll be my life; your life, will be my life. Wherever you are, I’ll be there by your side forever, watching over you and we’ll never part through life and death!!”
Every sentence, every word, and every slightest bit of emotion came from the depths of his soul. How he’d yearned to shout these words at her all those years ago.
Ling’er cried in happiness, her jade-white hands tightly hugged him, “Big Brother Yun Che, do you mean it? Is what you’re saying for real?”
“I’m serious. Every word I said was real. If anything I’ve said was false, may I be destroyed by the heavens.” Yun Che said every word with determination.
After saying these words, he closed his eyes; his expression was so peaceful and content. He felt a sharp cold object pierced deeply into his back. Blood franticly spurted out as his consciousness quickly dispersed amidst the heaviness…
The scene before his eyes distorted and disappeared as the world once again returned to darkness. Yun Che opened his eyes. To the front of his view, there were those two giant, golden eyes.
“I’ve failed.” Yun Che laughed self-deprecatingly, but steadily. “Originally, I’d thought that, with my state of mind, I’d be able to pass through the third stage easily. But I had thought too highly of myself. Heh heh, I must have disappointed you. My pursuit of strength isn’t that resolute after all.”
The phoenix spirit’s voice floated over, “Your soul’s response tells me that you already knew it was only an illusion from the very start, and that you had obviously seen the dagger beside the bed. You also clearly knew that if you were to hold up this dagger and stab the girl, you’d be able to escape the illusion and easily pass this test. Why would you rather stay in the illusion and even tricked yourself into believing that it was real? Unless, within your heart, the great strength that you can immediately obtain can’t even compare to that temporary illusion?”
“I could not do it.” Yun Che shook his head slowly, “This illusion came from the most precious memories in my soul. Even though it was merely an illusion, it’s deeply imprinted in my soul as what true happiness is. You won’t be able to understand how dear that girl is to me, nor will you understand how much I owe her. Even if that was only a dream, even if I have to lose my greatest strength as the price, I would never be willing to harm her.”
“Even if that is so, why did you not dodge, or even push her away when you obviously sensed her pick up the dagger to stab at you?” The phoenix’s spirit asked in a puzzled tone of voice.
Yun Che laughed; but it was a laugh of sadness, “I knew that it was an illusion you’d forcefully created based on my memories… My Ling’er, even if she had to die herself, she wouldn’t be willing to