Chapter 179: The Fatigue of the Heart—The Whole World Can Be Given Up

That moment froze between the two of them. Their gazes spoke volumes—so much sorrow, so much longing, as if in an instant it became a testament to eternity. Their silence was the best expression; they forgot their sadness, forgot their fatigue, as if everything was worth it.

Liu Yi looked into Gillian’s eyes, gently helped her sit down by the table, and asked, “Do you remember? Do you know who I am?”

Gillian simply smiled and nodded, saying, “Mm.”

Though her reply was simple—a single word—it made Liu Yi’s heart feel as if bathed in the spring rain, the source of life slowly awakening, no longer cold or desolate. After a thousand years of waiting, it was no longer lonely; everything seemed worth it.

Liu Yi also sat down and asked, “Gillian, tell me, what exactly happened ten years ago?”

Gillian thought for a moment, realizing he was asking why she hadn’t died ten years ago but was still alive in this world. She sorted her thoughts and replied, “Do you remember when we went up the mountain to help Miss Ajiu find herbs?”

Liu Yi nodded quickly. “Mm, yes, I remember.”

Gillian continued, “Do you remember you dug up a strange mushroom back then?”

Liu Yi nodded. “Mm, yes.” Hearing Gillian’s question, for some reason, Liu Yi still felt a sense of strangeness. The mushroom she mentioned now seemed somewhat odd to him as well.

Gillian continued, “It all started with that mushroom. Inside it was a spirit named Nalan. She once told me many things, but I can’t remember them. Later, it was Sister Nalan who saved me—she not only revived me but also taught me many things. But sadly, she gave her life for me and can no longer be with me.”

As Liu Yi thought about this, he suddenly laughed.

Gillian looked at him and asked, “Why are you laughing?”

Liu Yi replied, “Nothing. I just remembered what you looked like back then on top of the mountain. It seemed strange and funny. I thought something was wrong with you at the time. It turned out to be that spirit causing trouble.”

Gillian’s expression darkened slightly, but she said nothing. Perhaps the memories brought up unpleasant things, and Nalan’s death was due to her own actions.

Liu Yi looked at Gillian and said, “Enough, stop overthinking. Since it’s already in the past, why grieve? Our future will surely be happy. We still have many things to do—together, we can enjoy the wind and the moon, travel to the ends of the world, together…”

Suddenly, Gillian interrupted him, saying, “You… scholar, are you hungry? I’ll make something delicious for you.”

Hearing Gillian’s words, Liu Yi simply nodded mechanically. “Okay.”

Gillian looked at him and said, “Take me with you. I don’t know where to find delicious food.”

Liu Yi looked at Jilier, at her face—everything seemed so real. Yet why did he feel there was a barrier between them? There was still distance between the two of them. With that distance in mind, Liu Yi led Jilier toward the kitchen.

At the kitchen door, Jilier pushed Liu Yi aside and said, “Go wait in the room. I’ll bring it to you once it’s ready. Hurry up…”

Liu Yi smiled. There was nothing he could do, so he turned and went inside. As he entered, the Wolf King and July also came in. Liu Yi sat down quietly, seemingly lost in thought. Although Jilier had admitted that she was Liu Yi, there still seemed to be some barrier between them, preventing them from being as close as holding hands.

At that moment, the Wolf King spoke up, “Lord Demon, I think something’s wrong with Jilier. It seems too simple all of a sudden. It might be a scheme by the Nine Nether Demon God. Lord Demon, you must be careful. We’d better investigate Jilier thoroughly.”

July also stepped behind Liu Yi and said, “Scholar, think more carefully. Don’t you find Jilier a bit strange? Last time in the sea of flowers, she was so cruel and heartless, so distrustful of you. How could she easily remember you now? There must be some scheme behind this. Be careful.”

Liu Yi didn’t reply. Yes, he could sense what they were saying, but… Jilier seemed so real that he couldn’t doubt her at all.

Time passed slowly. The room became much quieter, and Liu Yi’s mind also cleared somewhat. Just then, Jilier pushed the door open and brought in a bowl of fragrant soup—a familiar scent…

That familiar scent took Liu Yi back ten years ago. Up in Yuecang, Jilier had once made the same soup for him—mushroom soup. She gently placed the soup in front of Liu Yi, then stood across from him and said to July and the Wolf King, “Sister July, Brother Wolf, it’s been so long.”

July merely smiled slightly but didn’t say anything. A woman’s intuition made her wary of Jilier before her—she always felt something was off, though she couldn’t put her finger on it.

The Wolf King politely returned the greeting with a smile and said, “It has indeed been a long time. How have you been, Miss Jilier?” His words shocked everyone. Those simple words seemed to hold deeper meaning.

To Liu Yi, he wondered how Jilier had spent all these years. Hadn’t she always been by that fake Liu Yi’s side? So, for all those years, had Jilier been admitting to being someone else?

To July, Jilier seemed even more suspicious. Having lived with that fake Liu Yi for so many years, how could she change just because of Liu Yi’s words today? Back in the sea of flowers, Liu Yi had also mentioned memories, but she had ignored them, not paying any attention.

To Jilier, it was obvious that the people before her were wary of her, seemingly suspecting she had some hidden secrets…

Jilier simply smiled slightly and said, “That’s all in the past. As the scholar said, why worry about what’s gone?” After saying that, she looked at Liu Yi sitting by the table.

Similarly, Liu Yi was also looking at her. Their eyes met once again, yet there was always a barrier between them, impossible to penetrate, preventing them from seeing each other’s hearts. Liu Yi then smiled and said, “Alright, teacher. Ji Er might have just remembered something or isn’t used to it yet.” Saying this, Liu Yi deliberately changed the subject, sniffed the mushroom soup in the bowl, closed his eyes, and said, “Mm, it smells great. It’s been a long time since I’ve had soup made by Ji Er.” Ji Er smiled slightly and said, “If you like it, drink more.” Just as Liu Yi was about to drink, the Wolf King said, “Demon Lord, don’t do it. Please think carefully. Can’t we drink this soup until we understand what’s going on?” With that, the Wolf King’s gaze scanned Ji Er once more, as if trying to see through her heart. Ji Er’s expression didn’t change at all; she simply replied, “Understand what? That we can’t drink this soup? Then I won’t drink it. It’s fine to wait until Brother Wolf understands before drinking it.” It seemed she didn’t understand what the Wolf King meant at all. At that moment, Liu Yi smiled and said, “Teacher… I trust Ji Er.” Without further thought, he took a big gulp of the soup from the bowl. By the time the Wolf King and July wanted to say something, it was already too late—the entire bowl of mushroom soup had gone down his throat. Liu Yi smiled at Ji Er and said, “It’s delicious. Ji Er’s cooking is getting better and better.” Ji Er just smiled back without saying anything. For a moment, the atmosphere in the room became awkward. Liu Yi could sense that July and the Wolf King seemed unsure about Ji Er, always rejecting her. Just as he wanted to defend Ji Er, he suddenly felt a blur before his eyes—the scenery became hazy and unclear. As the blur grew worse, Liu Yi shook his head violently, trying to clear his vision, but he soon realized something was wrong, as he could no longer see anything. As darkness enveloped him, his world lost all light. Liu Yi’s right hand moved rapidly in front of his eyes, but he couldn’t see anything. The entire world turned dark in an instant… Seeing Liu Yi’s reaction, July quickly asked, “What’s wrong with you?” Liu Yi said, “I can’t see. Why is it so dark here? Can you guys see? Is it dark in your eyes too?” He kept asking July and the Wolf King, desperately seeking an answer. July quickly stepped in front of Liu Yi and waved his hand rapidly in front of his eyes, but Liu Yi’s gaze remained fixed, devoid of any light. July suddenly turned around and asked Ji Er, “Tell me, what did you put in that soup?” Ji Er looked at July and said, “I put medicine in it—a medicine that can blind him so he can no longer kill people.” July snapped, “That’s absurd! Who has he killed? Why would you do this to him? He trusted you so much, yet you poisoned his food. Are you even human? You can choose not to trust him, but why harm him?”

Gillian said, “He knows who he killed. He ordered his men to kill the scholar’s entire family. It was also because of him that the scholar and I were separated. He did it all. Are you helping him? Your father, Aotian, was killed by him too. Countless souls have died under his sword. Are you still defending him?”
Qiyue took a step back. Although Aotian was her father and though she refused to admit it, hearing that Liu Yi had killed her father still shocked her for a moment.
Liu Yi stood up and shook his head. “I didn’t kill Aotian. I only disabled his martial skills and severed one of his arms. Is that so cruel? Compared to everything he did to me and my family, what’s this?”
Qiyue looked at Liu Yi and said softly, “I believe you.”
Gillian shook her head and sneered coldly, “A joke! You murderer, what right do you have to kill others? Back then, you killed the scholar’s entire family and then separated the scholar and me alive. What kind of intentions do you have?”
Hearing Gillian’s words, Liu Yi was confused for a moment but quickly shouted, “What scholar’s family? I didn’t kill them.”
Gillian shook her head. “Yes, you’re right. It wasn’t you who killed them, but you ordered Wei Feng to do it. I saw it all.”
Liu Yi shook his head, seemingly unable to believe it. Gillian not only failed to recognize him but also misunderstood him even more. Shaking his head, he shouted, “No, what you say isn’t true. What you saw isn’t true either. I am the real Liu Yi.”
Gillian shook her head. “You can’t deceive me. I don’t know where you heard about my story with the scholar. Although you described it in great detail, it’s still false.”
Hearing Gillian’s words, Qiyue could no longer hold back and shouted angrily, “Shut up! Do you even know what you’re talking about? How much has the scholar given up for you? What more has he done for you? It’s you who really has no right to judge. Over the years, his love for you has never diminished, but what about you? You’re so stubborn and deluded. How deeply do you want to hurt him before you’re willing to let go?”
Gillian looked at Qiyue and said, “Shut up, you witch! He’s your father’s killer. Yet you defend him so much. I know you like the scholar too. You must be colluding with him to separate me from the scholar. That’s for sure.”
Qiyue grew even angrier. “Shut up! The man by your side isn’t even a man in my eyes. Stop calling him the scholar. He makes me disgusted.”
Gillian continued, “It’s useless. You can’t undermine the relationship between the scholar and me. None of you can hurt him.”
Qiyue could no longer bear Gillian in front of her. She had hurt Liu Yi once again, and her heart ached even more. Qiyue shouted angrily, “You don’t deserve his love.” Then, she raised the ‘Dance of the Moon’ sword in her right hand and thrust it straight at Gillian’s heart.
From a distance of ten feet, it was just an instant. With a flash of a black shadow, there was a ‘pop’ sound as the pink-lit ‘Dance of the Moon’ sword pierced through someone’s body—but it wasn’t Gillian’s body, it was Liu Yi’s.

The slender, dark silver blade of “Dance Moon” pierced Liu Yi’s body mercilessly. Qi Yue’s face showed shock as she shook her head, seemingly unable to find words, only repeating, “Why? Why are you still so foolish?”
Liu Yi turned his head, relying on his intuition to look in Gillier’s direction. But everything before him was darkness; he couldn’t see anything. Black blood dripped down. He tried to touch Gillier’s face, but he couldn’t anymore, as Gillier was avoiding him.
Finally, Liu Yi helplessly lowered his hand. He knew it was all impossible. His misunderstanding of Gillier had deepened even further. It was all Blue Shadow’s doing, the work of the Nine Nether Demon God. Yet he had willingly stepped into this trap.
Liu Yi shook his head. So much affection, so much love made it impossible for him to hate Gillier. Now he suddenly understood that everything Gillier had done was to protect “Liu Yi,” to protect that fake Liu Yi. He should feel happy. Although that Liu Yi wasn’t him, Gillier’s love had always been for him—only… it was love missed.
Liu Yi sighed, “Go away.” Those three short words—unknown what he meant—but the Wolf King and Qi Yue heard disappointment, pain, and exhaustion in them.
Hearing Liu Yi’s words, Gillier seemed prepared, for the Nine Nether Demon God had once said that even if she poisoned him, this devil wouldn’t harm her and would surely let her go. Without hesitation, Gillier turned and strode outside.
Hearing Gillier’s retreating footsteps, Liu Yi’s heart ached terribly.
The world was so cruel. Why? His world was in darkness, without any sunlight left. It seemed the entire world was against him. Liu Yi violently pulled out the “Dance Moon” sword with his right hand and shouted loudly, “Why? Why such unfairness? What have I done wrong? Why treat me like this? The whole world treats me like this…” His voice shook everything in the room, echoing far and wide, as if he wanted the whole world to hear it.
At that moment, a warm hand grabbed him and said, “Scholar, why be so foolish? The world is fair. It’s people who are unfair. It’s people who are cruel. You won’t be alone. Even if the whole world ignores you, I’m here by your side.”
Hearing Qi Yue’s words, Liu Yi said nothing. His heart seemed to calm down. The pain from his wounds had numbed, but the pain in his heart was unbearable. The person he loved most was also the one who hurt him the most. It was all the fate of those three lifetimes at work. He must break that fate. But Qi Yue? What choice could he make for her?
Liu Yi shook his head and said, “Go away, Qi Yue. Besides Gillier, I won’t fall in love with anyone else. I can’t give you anything. I already owe you too much. Staying by my side will only bring you pain. Leave.”

July shook her head and said, “No. Being able to see you—even if it hurts—is happiness. A broken heart is still sweet. July won’t leave. Since you’ve lost your eyes, July will be your eyes, forever and ever. Right? Didn’t you say you wanted me to be your sister? If I’m bothering you by being around you, I can be your sister and take care of you forever.” By the end, July’s voice trembled noticeably, but she continued speaking. Perhaps it was all because of this fateful bond.

Liu Yi released July’s hand and, relying on his memory, headed toward the door. July followed, along with the Wolf King. Liu Yi shook his head and said, “Give me some time. Don’t follow me.” Then, that solitary figure slowly disappeared at the end of the corridor.

The Wolf King watched Liu Yi’s retreating figure and shook his head. “If love brings so much suffering, I’d rather not experience it or fall in love. Seeing theDemon Lord’s love feels terrifying.”

July smiled bitterly. “Brother Wolf, how can you be afraid if you’ve never experienced it? If you had truly experienced it and loved someone, I don’t think you’d say such things. Scholars may suffer, but their lives are fulfilling.”

The Wolf King shook his head. “Jili’er hurt him too deeply. I don’t know what realization theDemon Lord will have this time.”

July replied, “The scholar won’t give up on Jili’er. As for Jili’er’s hurt toward him, it’s just a scheme, just helplessness. One day, Jili’er will, like the scholar, regain her memories as a celestial maiden and be together with him again.”

The Wolf King shook his head. “It’s difficult. TheDemon Lord was able to regain his memories from his past life because of the ‘Sorrowful Dream’ sword and the four red jades left by the Nirvana people. As for… Jili’er wanting to regain her past memories, I can only say it’s difficult.”

July nodded firmly. “No matter how difficult it is, it’s definitely possible.”

The Wolf King looked at July and asked, “July, why are you doing this? Staying by theDemon Lord’s side like this won’t get you anything. It will only bring more pain. Even if you keep clinging to him, he still won’t accept you.”