Chapter 49: Starting Anew

Wenren Sheng’s heart suddenly sank.

The joy of reuniting with Wenren Jing hadn’t even begun before he was doused with a basin of cold water.

With those words out, even a fool could tell that Wenren Jing didn’t remember them.

Although he had already prepared himself, upon truly learning that the clan leader had lost his memories, a look of sorrow still appeared on Wenren Sheng’s face, and even his pupils dimmed considerably.

“Clan leader…”

He Mu stroked his back and comforted him. “It’s fine. The memories of a soul are inherently unstable. Chat with him a bit, and he might remember.”

Wenren Sheng’s eyes lit up as he looked toward He Mu. “Really?”

He Mu curved his eyes. “There’s still plenty of time. I’ll keep you company while we wait.”

Wenren Sheng instantly felt much more assured. He nodded vigorously and hurried forward to grab Wenren Jing, lest he get lost in the crowd again.

“You’re Wenren Jing, right?” Wenren Sheng stared fixedly at him. “I have something to discuss with you.”

Wenren Jing was very timid. Seeing Wenren Sheng grab him so aggressively, he immediately shrank back, his hand twitching slightly as he tried to break free.

“I haven’t done anything wrong!” Wenren Jing shouted. “Why are you grabbing me? Are you an ox-headed ghost? I-I’m fifty this year, and I’ve never done anything wicked! I-I have over a hundred rabbit descendants down there, and a little wolf pup that’s just been weaned. Don’t… don’t take me…”

“Little Wolf?”

He Mu exchanged a glance with Wenren Sheng.

“It’s from when you were little, right?”

Wenren Sheng caught on too and quickly leaned in to ask, “You adopted a little wolf? What’s its name?”

Wenren Jing said in surprise, “A name? He’s still so young and hasn’t even learned to shapeshift. Why would he need a name?”

But halfway through, he muttered to himself, “A name… a name. I really should think of one…”

Wenren Sheng looked toward He Mu again, his expression anxious. “The clan leader’s memories have regressed to right when he picked me up. What do we do?”

“Shengsheng,” He Mu leaned down slightly and rubbed his neck. “First, think clearly about what you want to tell the clan leader.”

“I…”

Wenren Sheng paused for a moment and lowered his voice.

“I want to tell him that I miss him a lot and ask if he can visit me in my dreams more often. Also… I want to know when he’ll reincarnate, so I can sneak a peek at his next life.”

He Mu nodded. “Try asking him about that little wolf first and see if he remembers you.”

Wenren Sheng thus tugged at Wenren Jing and pressed, “What does this little wolf you picked up look like?”

Wenren Jing looked at Wenren Sheng with a strange gaze.

“Why are you asking about this?”

He muttered to himself a couple of times, seemingly suspicious of Wenren Sheng and He Mu’s identities.

But after just a few seconds, he dramatically began describing it to Wenren Sheng.

“This little wolf was one I saved from under a stinky fox. He’s got such an obedient look, like a puppy, and his cries are all whimper-whimper like that. You’ve definitely never seen a little thing like him.”

He grew more excited with his gestures, even reaching out to touch Wenren Sheng’s braid. “Oh, his fur is the same color as your hair here—one streak gray, one streak black. Do you know how I kicked that fox over?…”

He prattled on endlessly, recounting in full detail how he kicked over the fox, how he picked up Wenren Sheng, and how he brought him home to care for him.

Wenren Sheng felt a bit dazed halfway through, and by the end, even He Mu started to doze off.

“He talks so much,” He Mu yawned. “I thought rabbit spirits weren’t the chatty type.”

Wenren Sheng still wouldn’t give up and continued to subtly guide Wenren Jing toward recovering his memories.

Half a shichen passed like this. Just as Wenren Sheng finally couldn’t hold back and was about to interrupt, Wenren Jing slapped his palm with his fist and said in realization:

“I got it!”

The two immediately perked up and leaned in.

Wenren Sheng blinked and asked expectantly, “Got what?”

Wenren Jing lowered his voice and said mysteriously, “I know what to name this little wolf.”

Wenren Sheng let out a disappointed “ah,” not particularly curious about this secret.

He Mu, on the other hand, got interested and asked eagerly, “Hey, I know what he should be called too.”

“You?” Wenren Jing looked at him skeptically. “How would you know what Wenren Sheng is called?”

“I just know,” He Mu shrugged and said. “He’s called ‘Dummy Wenren Sheng,’ right?”

“Ah, yes—wait, no!” Wenren Jing denied it outright.

“No!” Wenren Sheng hurriedly refuted too.

What was this? At a time like this, He Mu still had the mood to joke around!

“Kids aren’t dumb or smart. How do you young people talk like that!”

Wenren Jing beat Wenren Sheng to it and began lecturing He Mu first.

“What, was your kid a prodigy from birth? Even prodigies shouldn’t look down on others. Wenren Sheng has the face of a smart child and will make something of himself later. He might even ascend someday, so don’t wish ill on him!”

He Mu: “…………”

He helplessly raised a brow, thinking to himself that when he ascended, Wenren Jing’s father hadn’t even been born yet. For the esteemed (former) Cangyu True Monarch to one day get scolded by a mere rabbit spirit.

What a disgrace.

But Wenren Sheng seemed quite happy, hiding behind Wenren Jing and giggling like a kid who had snuck some sweets.

“Childish,” He Mu pulled him back to his side and chided. “You’re siding with your clan leader instead of your Mountain God brother?”

Wenren Sheng quickly suppressed his smile and replied solemnly, “The dead take precedence.”

He Mu pointed at his soul body. “Then I’m one of the dead now too.”

Wenren Sheng couldn’t outtalk him and resorted to pettiness. “You died poorly, so you’re getting punished.”

“Heartless,” He Mu feigned hurt. “You’re really breaking my heart.”

Wenren Sheng said, “You can punish me too. I never said you couldn’t.”

“Oh…”

Hearing this, He Mu narrowed his eyes.

“You’re the one who said it?”

Wenren Sheng had no idea what he was thinking and replied with complete sincerity. “A hero’s word is his bond. If I do something wrong in the future, as long as there’s a good reason, you can punish me however you like.”

Of course, he was certain He Mu wouldn’t punish him harshly—just like when he was little, a couple swats on the butt at most.

He could fake a cry or two and get past that easily.

He Mu didn’t pursue the topic. He pointed at the jade token in Wenren Jing’s arms. “You should check the birth chart now.”

“Right,” Wenren Sheng hurried forward and tugged at Wenren Jing’s clothes. “Clan leader, can I see the jade token in your hand?”

Wenren Jing quickly clutched it protectively and eyed them warily.

“What for?” he said. “If I just show it to you casually, what if you come hunting me down in my next life?”

He Mu said, “We’re dead souls too. Once we cross the Bridge of Helplessness, none of us will know each other. What’s the harm in a look?”

“B-But I don’t even know you guys? Who are you?!”

Wenren Sheng quickly stopped He Mu to prevent him from saying anything rude that might scare Wenren Jing off.

Then, he shuffled forward on his own, grabbed Wenren Jing’s arm, shook it, and wheedled, “Clan leader… You don’t remember me, so take a look at my eyes?”

“Your eyes?”

Wenren Jing thus frowned and looked into Wenren Sheng’s eyes. He Mu unconsciously followed suit.

Wenren Sheng’s eyes were very beautiful, like brilliant blue gems. No river, lake, or sea in the world could match that color.

Though still somewhat childish, it didn’t diminish their captivating power.

He Mu loved these eyes. In the past, they always reflected his own image against that stunning backdrop, filled with unmasked affection.

Wenren Jing looked for a few seconds and soon noticed the special thing about Wenren Sheng’s eyes.

They were identical to those of the little wolf he had picked up.

He stopped his fussing and stared at Wenren Sheng in a daze.

“How do you…”

His lips trembled slightly as he shook his head and murmured,

“It can’t be. I left you at Fragrant Ze Mountain. There’s a barrier from the Mountain God there. You couldn’t have died…”

Seeing his expression, Wenren Sheng realized the clan leader might have misunderstood that he was dead. He quickly leaned to his ear and whispered, “Clan leader, I’m not dead. I snuck down here to see you.”

“Snuck…?” Wenren Jing hesitated.

“Yep!” Wenren Sheng curved his eyes. “I missed you so much, so I came to see you.”

Wenren Jing half-understood, his memories having faded quite a bit. He didn’t remember how he had died, and Wenren Sheng’s human form was unfamiliar to him.

But no matter what, he wouldn’t mistake those eyes.

That was a color unique in the world.

Wenren Sheng still had the birth chart on his mind and pointed at the jade token in Wenren Jing’s hand. “Can you let me see it now?”

“Oh…” Wenren Jing snapped back and slowly handed over the jade token. “L-Look, then.”

Wenren Sheng hurriedly took it, scanned the eight characters on it quickly, silently recited them in his mind once more, then conjured paper and pen to record them.

After writing, he folded the slip of paper and clutched it in his fist, excitedly looking toward He Mu.

“Got it!”

He Mu nodded at him and gave a thumbs-up.

Flattery worked after all.

Wenren Sheng happily hugged the clan leader. “Thank you, clan leader!”

Wenren Jing staggered from the pounce but steadied himself.

He looked at Wenren Sheng with a complicated expression and hesitated. “You really are… that little pup?”

“Yep, I’m Wenren Sheng, the little wolf you picked up.”

With that, Wenren Sheng pulled He Mu over and whispered, “This one’s the Mountain God of Fragrant Ze Mountain, though he’s been demoted. Now he’s just your run-of-the-mill peerless expert.”

He Mu pinched his cheek. “Is that what your master taught you?”

Wenren Sheng yelped and dodged away.

“That’s just how it is,” he retorted. “He used to be invincible under heaven, so now isn’t he just run-of-the-mill? But compared to others, he’s still a peerless expert. What’s wrong with that?”

He sure had a way with words when arguing—truly taught by Wenqu Star.

He Mu rubbed his forehead and sighed lightly.

If he’d known, he should’ve taught him himself back then. That way, he’d have raised a little fool who only stuck to him, and there’d be no worry of Wenren Sheng running off.

Wenren Sheng thus frolicked around Wenren Jing, not caring if he believed him or not, and immediately began chattering about the ups and downs of his two years in Cangzhou City.

He Mu stood to the side listening while quietly observing Wenren Sheng’s expression.

This time, it was genuine joy. For the first time in a long while, He Mu saw that happy sparkle from two years ago in his eyes, flowing like spring light, bright and radiant.

Under his sleeve, he quietly twisted his thumb ring.

Upon reflection, back then with his mind set on ascension and pursuing some grand impartial dao, he rarely stopped to behold such gazes or scenery. In chasing freedom, he had missed even greater freedoms.

Now, he felt—

Staying in this moment forever wouldn’t be bad.

The three of them stayed in the Underworld for a full seven days.

Over these seven days, Wenren Sheng patiently recounted in detail all the stories Wenren Jing had forgotten.

Though the clan leader didn’t remember much in the end, the way he looked at Wenren Sheng held a bit more affection—he must have believed him.

On the seventh day at zi hour, as the time for the Soul Separation Technique to end approached.

Wenren Sheng still clung to Wenren Jing, reluctant to let go, until He Mu quietly reminded him. Only then did he dejectedly release Wenren Jing.

“It’s time, clan leader,” Wenren Sheng said softly with regret. “I have to go back.”

Wenren Jing offered no words of retention. He gently stroked the back of Wenren Sheng’s hand and said warmly, “Don’t be sad. You still have the Mountain God with you.”

Wenren Sheng hummed in acknowledgment and took a step back, holding He Mu’s hand.

“Clan leader, I’ve grown up now.”

He lowered his head slightly, his face a bit bashful.

“Originally, I came to the Underworld because I couldn’t let go of you. But unexpectedly, before even seeing you, my heart found release.”

At this, he paused, raised his eyes to meet Wenren Jing’s gaze.

“Now, I’ve found my dao heart and can properly bid you farewell, clan leader.”

His dao heart had awakened the moment he avenged the clan leader.

The Heavenly Spiritual Root granted him his first ability: sensing all things. He could feel the heartbeat of all things a hundred times more keenly than ordinary people.

But the world brimmed with suffering, and one person’s power was too insignificant. How many suffering souls could he possibly support?

All along, the Heavenly Spiritual Root had reminded Wenren Sheng not to view the world through any gaze tinged with warmth.

To feel the myriad things of the world most deeply would ultimately lead to indifference toward everything—a form of self-protection.

Wenren Sheng had vaguely sensed it himself: his aptitude was innately suited to the Emotionless Dao.

In the moment he drew his sword, his heart had indeed died. He had wanted to sever the root of all this pain.

But in the final second, he heard He Mu’s voice—and his own heart.

He Mu had already walked this path.

What he needed to do was not follow in He Mu’s footsteps, but find his own Dao Heart.

It was stepping back from the pinnacle of emotionlessness: accepting all living beings, pitying them, and fully experiencing every shred of the world’s love, hate, pity, and resentment without reservation.

And after all that, still harboring a gentle heart, treating the myriad things of the world with kindness.

This was Wenren Sheng’s Dao Heart.

“Growing up is good.”

Wenren Jing gently ruffled Wenren Sheng’s hair.

The color of his soul had already faded somewhat, but Wenren Sheng could still feel the warmth in that gesture.

The clan leader was telling him:

Good child, see you in the next life.

…

The Underworld knew no sun or moon crossing the sky. The departed would wade through endless, meandering time here, bit by bit recalling the countless events of their past life, then bit by bit letting those memories slip away—until the Waters of the River of Forgetfulness in the Underworld cleansed them anew into pristine souls.

Though he hadn’t been in time to witness Wenren Jing’s rebirth with his own eyes, Wenren Sheng knew this kindhearted little old man had already accumulated enough merit for his next turn through Reincarnation.

He clenched the Birth Chart in his hand and cast a particularly reluctant glance back at the Rebirth Platform.

Tens of thousands of departed souls shuffled along slowly. From afar, they resembled a wisp of ethereal smoke.

Wenren Sheng stood before the earth temple they had come from, quietly taking in the scene.

He Mu stood at his side, leaning against the wall, tacitly refraining from disturbing him.

After a long gaze, Wenren Sheng spoke. “Walking the path of rebirth once feels just like dying once. Suddenly, my mood lightened up.”

For some reason, those words made He Mu’s emotions tense abruptly.

He straightened up at once, drawing close to Wenren Sheng’s side, and softly replied, “Shengsheng.”

“The clan leader is starting his life over.”

Wenren Sheng pursed his lips and lifted his eyes to meet He Mu’s.

“Do you think we should give it a try too—starting over?”

He paused there, a gentle smile curving at his lips.

“Not from becoming family…”

“But from you and me, beginning.”