Chapter 594 - 77: A Reluctant Farewell, Gifts (Part 2)

"Of course I remember, but your injuries haven’t fully healed yet. You can’t go outside. I’ll take you when you’re better."

In this matter, Kongsang Xiruo was unusually firm, remaining unmoved no matter how much Song Changsheng tried to persuade her.

Seeing this, Song Changsheng had no choice but to temporarily suppress his desire to send a message and began to recover from his injuries with Kongsang Xiruo’s help.

Every day, Kongsang Xiruo would bring him a fine, pure white powder. According to her, it was ground from Thousand-Year Eastern Pearls and Colored Shells and was exceptionally effective at treating internal injuries.

And it was true. After taking it for just three days, his injuries showed obvious improvement. He also used the Light of Resurgence to mend his body daily, and after only five days, he was about seventy or eighty percent healed.

True to her word, Kongsang Xiruo took him to the place where she had found him.

It was only then that Song Changsheng realized this wasn’t some underwater cavern—it was clearly a massive underwater palace, where every brick and tile was priceless.

"They say the Merfolk Race is wealthy. Seeing this today, it’s truly the case." Song Changsheng was overcome with emotion. The value of this palace alone probably exceeded that of the entire Song Clan.

If not for the life-debt he owed Kongsang Xiruo, even Song Changsheng would have found it hard not to be tempted by such a Treasure Vault.

"Aren’t these all things you can see everywhere?" Kongsang Xiruo was clearly oblivious to the wealth she possessed.

Song Changsheng’s mouth twitched, and he ultimately decided to drop the subject.

"The Restriction my father set up is just ahead. His Cultivation is far beyond mine, and I don’t understand Restrictions or Arrays, so... I can’t help you with this," Kongsang Xiruo said apologetically.

"You’ve already helped me more than enough. Let me handle the rest."

Song Changsheng took a step forward. Gazing at the dark river water before him, he slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, an uncanny pattern had appeared within them.

A spherical golden barrier suddenly materialized before his eyes, and they were inside it.

But as he looked around, he found that the Restriction was truly as solid as a fortress, completely seamless. Even with his Eye of Truth, he couldn’t find the slightest flaw.

Of course, this wasn’t to say the Restriction was truly without weaknesses. Rather, the person who had set it up had a Cultivation level far superior to his own and possessed exceptional skill in the art of Restrictions. All the flaws had been cleverly concealed, making them impossible for someone of Song Changsheng’s Cultivation to discover.

Unwilling to give up, Song Changsheng circled the Restriction and examined it carefully twice more, but he still couldn’t find any openings.

"Dammit!" Song Changsheng’s expression turned grim. ’Am I going to be trapped here for the rest of my life?’

Unlike Kongsang Xiruo, he had a life outside—his family, his clan, his lover. These were all ties he couldn’t bear to sever.

"If you absolutely must get out, there is another way." Just then, Kongsang Xiruo came to his side and spoke softly.

Hearing this, Song Changsheng’s eyes lit up. As if grasping at a lifeline, he hurriedly asked, "What is it?"

"Although my father forbade me from setting foot in the outside world, he didn’t mean to confine me for my entire life. Before he left, he told me he had left an Array in the residence. If I can break it, I’ll be able to leave."

"Please, take me there to try."

...

Kongsang Xiruo led Song Changsheng to a hidden chamber.

The chamber was empty, save for a strangely shaped indentation in the center of the wall directly facing them.

Kongsang Xiruo walked forward, took out the Sea Conch she had previously kept on her dressing table, and carefully placed it into the indentation.

A bright light flashed before their eyes. The emerald wall suddenly warped, eventually transforming into a dark vortex.

"The Array is inside. You need to think carefully. My father said that once you enter, you can’t come back out. The only way forward is to break the Array. If you can’t, you’ll be trapped in there forever," Kongsang Xiruo said, her face filled with worry.

"If I didn’t have a compelling reason to leave, I wouldn’t want to take this risk. I will never forget your care over these past days." Song Changsheng shook his head with a wry smile. If he were alone in this world as he was in his past life, staying here wouldn’t be so bad. But in this life, he had far too many attachments.

"If you leave... will you come back to see me?" After a moment of hesitation, Kongsang Xiruo finally voiced the question in her heart.

After spending these past few days together, she and Song Changsheng had become friends—and he was the only friend she had ever had in her entire life.

Now that Song Changsheng was leaving, she didn’t know what reason she could use to make him stay, but she still hoped he would have the chance to come back and visit her.

After all... she was just so lonely.

The word "friend" carried a profound weight for her.

Seeing the downcast Kongsang Xiruo, Song Changsheng’s heart stirred. He smiled, nodded, and said, "If I have the chance, I will definitely come back to see you."

Hearing this, a joyful expression immediately blossomed on Kongsang Xiruo’s face.

"Really? You’re really my very best friend."

Watching her light up with joy over such a vague promise, Song Changsheng couldn’t help but feel a prickling in his nose. For a fleeting moment, he even had the thought of taking her out with him.

Fortunately, he hadn’t lost his senses and quickly suppressed the idea.

After a moment of silence, Song Changsheng turned to Kongsang Xiruo and held out a small, sword-shaped pendant. "If you ever grow tired of this place and want to see the outside world, you can use this to find me.

Remember, after you leave, you must take on a human form, don’t use your real name, and find a veil to cover your face."

"Why? Am I ugly?" Kongsang Xiruo touched her smooth cheek, confused.

Gazing into her big, innocent eyes, Song Changsheng was at a loss for words. He gave a wry smile and said, "If you were ugly, then there would be no beauties left in this world.

The hearts of men are treacherous. Your beauty would easily attract the covetous eyes of others, which would bring you great danger."

"Oh, I’ll remember," Kongsang Xiruo nodded, though she didn’t seem to fully understand.

"By the way, I noticed your home doesn’t have any greenery, which makes it a bit drab. This contains the seeds of a Bright Moon Wisdom Orchid. Once it grows, it will bloom once a month and is quite beautiful to look at.

It’s very easy to care for; you just need to water it with a little Spiritual Liquid each day. Think of it as a way to pass the time." As he spoke, he took out a clay pot engraved with an orchid pattern and handed it to her.

Kongsang Xiruo accepted it as if it were a priceless treasure. Her eyes curved into crescents as she said happily, "This is the first gift I’ve ever received.

Oh, right! I read in a book that when you receive a gift, you’re supposed to give one in return. Wait here, I’ll go pick a gift for you too."

With that, she bustled away.

Song Changsheng had wanted to say it was just a pot of orchids, nothing precious, and that a return gift wasn’t necessary. But she was so fast he didn’t even have a chance to speak.

After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, Kongsang Xiruo reappeared before him, holding out a delicate Jade Box with both hands.

She said, a little shyly, "I’ve never picked out a gift for anyone before, so I don’t know if it’s suitable."

Song Changsheng didn’t think much of it and accepted the box with both hands, smiling. "A gift given with heart is the best kind of gift.

Xiruo, it was a pleasure to meet you. Until we meet again!"

Mimicking the etiquette of the Merfolk Race, Song Changsheng bowed, then turned and stepped into the vortex.

Staring at the wall, which had returned to its original state, Kongsang Xiruo stood there in a daze. She felt an emptiness in her heart, a feeling she had never experienced before.

Cradling the clay pot, she returned to her chambers. After looking around, she finally placed it on the edge of her dressing table. Then, following Song Changsheng’s instructions, she took out a small cup of Spiritual Liquid and watered the soil.

Then she lay her head on the dressing table, her eyes fixed on the pot, waiting for the moment the seed would break through the soil...

...

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