Chapter 529 - 263: When Fallen Flowers Meet You Again_2

Chapter 529: Chapter 263: When Fallen Flowers Meet You Again_2

After all, the two of them never dated, let alone slept together. She was not his woman, so he certainly didn’t feel the need to take responsibility for her.

As time passed, there was no word from Li Qiuyue, she must have forgotten him...

Soon after the battle between good and evil ended, Chu Xuan experienced some changes.

He deeply felt that he was too sentimental, causing many women to be heartbroken and weep for him. Finally, he began to reflect on his actions over the years and was determined not to flirt around anymore.

Of course, later, Chu Xuan encountered Ji Mingyu, a goddess-like figure in the North, and made an exception for her by falling in love again, but that was a story for later.

Overall, during this period, Chu Xuan’s determination was quite firm, and since that was the case, he didn’t want to disturb Li Qiuyue’s life any further. So it was a farewell, wishing each other well.

And so, Chu Xuan continued on the track of his life, not even realizing that it was his last meeting with Li Qiuyue.

From then on, until his death when he was besieged by righteousness, during a long period, he never returned to Wuyou Valley, completely leaving behind the gentle yet stubborn woman in green.

...

Now, looking back at the wall full of countless painstakingly drawn portraits, Chu Xuan couldn’t help but fall silent.

Clearly, Li Qiuyue loved him, but she hid her feelings deep in her heart and never spoke of them lightly.

And what did he do? He simply asked jokingly, got a negative answer, and then never saw her again.

Li Qiuyue was not the type of woman to beg or plead. She waited silently for several years before finally unable to bear the anxiety in her heart, carefully inviting her beloved twice to meet, only to be ruthlessly rejected.

So she never contacted Chu Xuan again, assuming he had no interest in her.

But can this be blamed on her?

Now looking back, Chu Xuan realized that the details of the girl liking him were not nonexistent, just overlooked by him, or rather, he underestimated his importance in her heart.

Rather than saying Li Qiuyue’s "pride ruined her life," it’s more accurate to say his "abrupt breakup" led to the current result, even if they never officially dated...

During those years Chu Xuan was away from Wuyou Valley, how did Li Qiuyue manage alone? Perhaps she silently thought of him, hated him, resented him, but couldn’t help repeatedly drawing his image in her mind.

And so it continued for many, many years, until even after his death, so there came the saying "Passionate people are always wronged by the unfeeling."

Chu Xuan always thought he was the passionate one, only to realize today how unfeeling he had been.

His pain also stemmed from this, not the instinctive reaction from regaining memories.

Under the curious, probing gazes of "Xiaoxue" and Lady Baihua, Chu Xuan spoke hoarsely, summarizing the past.

Lady Baihua couldn’t help feeling some sympathy, "So that’s how it is, fate plays cruel jokes."

She couldn’t easily say who was right or wrong. After all, objectively, Chu Xuan did help Li Qiuyue greatly without asking for anything in return, so theoretically, he didn’t owe her.

But from the emotional standpoint, it all started because of him, yet he abandoned it halfway, undoubtedly breaking the girl’s heart.

Ji Mingyu privately discussed with Xiaoxue:

Both believed that if Li Qiuyue had taken the initiative to find Chu Xuan back then, the scoundrel would probably have taken her into his harem.

Of course, there’s no "if" in such matters.

Chu Xuan paused and asked, "How did she die? Did she leave any last words?"

Lady Baihua recalled, "Li Qiuyue suffered severe injuries early on, shortening her lifespan, and passed away three hundred years ago. It’s said that in her later years, her injuries flared up, and she could only rely on ’Wuyou Flowers’ to sustain her life and relieve her physical pain."

"As for last words, she didn’t say much, just asked the future generations to develop and strengthen Wuyou Valley."

"And what was mentioned earlier, sealing the cave residence and leaving the portraits."

The pain in Chu Xuan’s eyes deepened, almost making it hard to breathe.

Severely injured, shortening her lifespan?

This must have happened after they drifted apart, right? She never thought of seeking his help, nor did he care if she encountered any trouble...

Li Qiuyue quietly hid her longing for her beloved, storing it behind this meticulously crafted stone wall.

Even before her death, she couldn’t bear to burn these portraits or take them into the grave with her.

Did she once fantasize that one day her beloved would come here himself, uncover this secret, and discover her undying love?

Thinking of this, Chu Xuan suddenly said, "Can I take these portraits with me?"

Lady Baihua nodded repeatedly, "These were painted for you by the master ancestor, of course there’s no problem."

But Chu Xuan didn’t immediately collect them. Instead, he took them down one by one, carefully searching for any notes left by Li Qiuyue.

If she ever fantasized that he would find this place, she should have left a letter or something, not just the seven words filled with obsession.

Soon, Chu Xuan discovered a hidden compartment behind a note, with a yellowed letter lying silently inside!

The envelope was marked with four delicate words: To my beloved.

Chu Xuan happily took out the letter carefully, but upon pulling out the paper inside, he was shocked to find it was a blank sheet.

A few drops of ink stained the paper, as if its owner had once held a brush soaked in deep ink, pondered for a long time, but ultimately didn’t write a word.

Perhaps she thought Chu Xuan would never see this letter; or she was full of emotions but didn’t know how to put them into words, so she simply gave up on this childish act.

Maybe all she wanted to say was left within these wall-full of paintings, no need to entrust words anymore...

Chu Xuan fell completely silent, without saying a word, carefully gathering and storing all the old papers from the wall into the Six Souls Banner.

Finally, he looked at the empty stone wall, then picked up the painting scroll on the desk, and quietly studied it.

The painting depicted a delicate and beautiful woman in a light green dress, holding a long sword, looking out of the painting with a gentle yet determined gaze.

But her time had forever stopped on that summer afternoon, with cicadas chirping, while the man focused intently on the mural in the cave, unaware of her arrival, nor how long she silently watched him.

...

Li Qiuyue’s grave was built on the hillside behind Wuyou Peak, standing alone, although most of the graves of the other sect members were buried near the azure Soul Nourishing Wood.

It’s said the Spirit Root there could nourish the souls of deceased cultivators, perhaps allowing for resurrection and rebirth after thousands, tens of thousands of years.

Of course, everyone knew this was nonsense. Once people are dead, how could there be souls?

But every generation of Wuyou Valley cultivators still buried their bodies there, even just for a memento.

Only Li Qiuyue was different. She seemingly didn’t want to be far from this stone cave, so her cave residence was opened nearby, and even her grave was built here, as if the cold man might come again one day to see the mural.

Chu Xuan sat before Li Qiuyue’s lonely grave, and instead of laying flowers, he took out paper, ink, and brush to sketch her image repeatedly with his awkward drawing skills.

Her serious look, her shocked look, her nervous look, her surprised look, her joyful look, her stubborn look, her look while pouring wine for herself, her look glancing at him tenderly under the moonlight...

Chu Xuan burned these drawings, whether crude, detailed, vivid, or emotive, one by one in front of the grave for her.

Until the last few drawings, where the person no longer depicted just her, but also Chu Xuan himself.

As flower petals fell in the forest, the man who usually showed a cold demeanor, approached her with a smile, taking her small hand.

Li Qiuyue blushed deeply, merely looking at him with questioning, shy eyes.