After meeting the Old Willow Deity, Ximen Xueya had personally asked the elder to help him with his memories. As he expected, his memories were sealed by his uncle. This fact didn't surprise him, if there is someone who could lock up his memories there are few who could do so, and only his Uncle Baojun would be able to do it flawlessly without leaving a trace.
Asking the Celestial Willow Tree is the safest method, Ximen Xueya had thought to unsealed his memories. He could also do it on his own, but at present not only his cultivation is sealed, but even his state is too weak. He would have a hard time even if his real capabilities are unlocked. His Uncle Baojun is one of the strongest Gods in all of the realms after all.
But Old Willow's requirement in freeing his memories is death. Only by exchanging his life, that the memories of his existence would flow naturally within the willow tree branches, storing his memories within those crystal-like leaves. He has the bloodline of Mo. The meaning of death had no use on him. He is immortal no matter what he does, even if he dies countless times, he would revive as if nothing happened.
A Mo would only be able to die at the hands of their own or their other half's conduct.
He followed the instruction of the Old Willow Deity and closed his eyes. In the darkness, all he could use to check his surroundings is his ears. The worried voice of the elder lingers in Xueya's ears, then the sound of wind being cut can be heard from his surroundings. What follows next is a sharp pain in his chest and his consciousness was suddenly cut off. Ximen Xueya knew that he died.
Ximen Xueya felt his strength leaving him, his body is turning colder and colder each second, but he is unconcerned of his whole being's state. He could only watch those broken fragments floating within his soul domain. Each shard shows a scene that he couldn't remember. He knew that these fragments are his sealed memories.
He continues to watch the fragments float within his soul domain fixing themselves within the space like puzzles. Xueya looks at each shard and the memories flow within his mind like a film.
His memories ripples and countless conversations can be heard.
First conversation:
"A'Ye, you are the one who saved him! Why are you acting like that!?"
"Shut up! I'm only passing by. Moreover, I had helped before he got himself banged by those people."
"Can't you watch the words that come out of your mouth? He's waking up~"
---
"You've finally woken up. How are you feeling?"
"Kick him out now that he's awake!"
"Didn't he just woke up? A'Ye, don't be cruel."
"Noisy."
"What did you say?"
"Don't fight. How are you?"
A pouch full of gold coins was passed on the kind man while the other one was ignored.
"G-Gold coins!?"
"Payment for the treatment. I'll take my leave."
---
"W-Who the hell... are you!?"
"Don't worry I will make it... extremely painful."
"AAH~~ No help me."
Surrounded by blood and corpses, Hei Anjing stood at the center looking at the sky with no emotion on his face. There is only loneliness and tiredness within those silver eyes.
"Did you kill all of them?"
He gave the man a cold glance and said, "Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"
"...---..."
"...---..."
"Liang finished cooking dinner. Go back with me."
---
"You paint all day. Don't you get bored?"
"...---..."
"Don't ignore me."
"...---..."
"My words before... I'm sorry."
"...---..."
---
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere."
"Where is that somewhere?"
"So noisy."
"I won't talk anymore. Can I go with you?"
"Whatever."
---
"You are too picky! Don't waste food!"
"Shut up! I don't eat carrots and peas! You eat yourself then if you can't stop yourself from complaining!"
"Fine! Give me your plate!"
"Why do you guys keep fighting?"
"We are not fighting!"
---
"I told you not to let the rain fall on you! Why didn't you come home right away!?"
Murmured: "Isn't it because you are flirting with that bitch that I have to watch and ignore the rain."
ACHOO!!!
"Drink your medicine!"
"I won't! It's bitter!!!"
"This brat!!!"
"Ah~ don't hit him. He's sick. Jingjing here. Drink your meds with candy!"
"You keep on spoiling him!"
---
"I told you there is something wrong with her!"
"No."
"Do you need her to stab you in your heart first before you realize something is wrong?!"
"Shut up."
"Don't tell me you like her!?"
"Is that your business whether I like her or not!? Who the hell are you in my life?! You are not even my friend! Do you think I'm your lover or something!? Don't be disgusting. I'm just playing and coaxing you because Liang told me to do so!!"
"...!?..."
"...!!!..."
"I...I didn't mean..."
"You are on your own."
After the latter had taken his leave, the left behind person murmured.
"She is my mother thought."
---
"What are you doing, Jing'er?"
"Leaving."
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere."
"Jing'er!"
"Leave me alone."
---
"Where is my target, system?"
[The target's location is the middle-aged man in front of you. The host only needs to kill him.]
"Okay."
---
"Jing'er... Don't cry..."
"System. Get me something to heal him. I want every cure in the mall. Everything!!!"
[M-My Lord... His heart and soul had been stabbed by the Death Scythe. T-There's nothing...]
"It's ...fine, Jing'er. It's... not... your fault!"
Eyes dulled.
"AAHHHH!!!"
---
Ximen Xueya's head is aching as if he's going crazy. The throbbing within his head is too much to bear. The remaining memories entered his head and the scene within is not something he wanted to see. He can only scream as he bears the agonizing pain in his head. Before he lost consciousness again, one last memory with him talking to Hei Jue and his uncle, Mo Baojun can be seen.
Jue: "Are you crazy!? Xiao An, do you think this man really loves you!?"
A dull and lifeless-eyed Hei Anjing ignored his cousin's words.
"Is he the one, Jing'er?" asked Mo Baojun. His voice is mellow but the tone is cold.
Hei Anjing didn't reply with words and just nodded his head.
Jue: "Sire, please stop him! It is impossible for this man to love him. He is from that clan!?"
"I know. But, Jing'er made his choice. This is a choice even I couldn't interfere with."
Staring at his beloved cousin with dubiety, "I-Is he... Is he your chosen other half Xiao An?" asked Hei Jue.
"Yes. It's him. I would never be wrong." replied Hei Anjing.
Mo Baojun spoke, "I will not stop you if you want to save him but... right now I do not accept him. But I will give you two a chance. I will seal your memories and strength. Do you agree, Jing'er?"
"I agree, Uncle."
"Sigh~ then I will watch you two. If in the end, he chooses you over everything I would spare him. If not... I would kill him even if you hated me your whole life. Jing'er, you are much more important to me than him who is still a stranger."
"Uncle. I promise you. He would love me in the end."
"Then... I will see to it that your promise shall be fulfilled in exchange for all your sacrifice just... to bring him back alive. Jing'er I want to believe you are right. But his fate is different from your right in the very beginning. Even I, the God of life and death, cannot see both of your futures. I only wish for your happiness and support you until the end."
Ximen Xueya's consciousness blackened and he only again felt the pain in his chest. When he opened his eyes his emotions fluctuated for a few seconds before his face turned extremely cold. He nonchalantly pulled the branch stabbing his chest and even ignored the blood that spurted out after it.
He looked at the hole in his chest without any emotion on his face. Staring at the blood gushing out from the open wound, Xueya's reaction is not that of pain.
"Blood, Return," murmured Xueya.
Everyone watched as the hole on Xueya's chest closed up with inhuman speed. His blood returned and his limbs grew back including his lost heart. As the blood once again flows in his body passing through his newly healed heart, Xueya's complexion slowly returns to its healthiest state.
If not for his clothes dyed in blood and the clear cut hole left above his renewed chest. No one would believe he was dead a few hours ago. But there is something different from the Xueya without his full memories and the current one with full memories. His cold yet elegant temperament is still there. But his eyes show friendliness when looking at Zhi Yue and the other three.
The Ximen Xueya in front of them is more like a human than the one before. His smile this time isn't fake and the emotions imprinted within his eyes are much softer than usual.
Yun Suisen reluctantly called, "A'Jing?"
Xueya looked at his friend with bewilderment on his face.
"Yes?"
A mellow voice replied to Suisen.
"N-Nothing," responded Yun Suisen as he hid behind his husband's while sneaking a peek at that human-like Ximen Xueya in front of him.
"You guys should rest. I would be fine on my own. Go ahead and sleep. I will take a shower first. Good night." said Ximen Xueya intending to enter his dimensional space to take a bath.
Zhi Yue upon remembering the message the old immortal had tasked him to pass on Ximen Xueya, stopped the latter from leaving at the moment.
"Lord Hei, please wait."
He hurriedly called as Zhi Yue was afraid of being ignored but unlike what he had anticipated, Xueya waited for him with a small smile. This made him even more nervous than facing an aloof Ximen Xueya.
"What is it, Yue?"
"T-That... The willow deity wanted me to pass a message for Lord Hei. The old immortal says he wishes to speak with you privately once before we return to the base." said Zhi Yue while trying to avoid looking at the smiling Xueya before him.
Ximen Xueya chuckles upon seeing Zhi Yue's weird reaction.
"Heh~ Okay. I will meet him after my bath. You guys should go back and sleep. No need to wait for me." said Xueya before disappearing in thin air.
Once Xueya had entered his dimensional space, the left behind four people were all wearing stunned expressions on their faces. A smiling Lord Hei, no one would believe them even if they told everyone about it.
Mystified Yun Suisen asked, "Is that... really, A'Jing?"
"Someone pinch me! I think I'm dreaming!" said Shi Moye at loss.
Su Liye did as he asked and pinched Shi Moye's arm with great strength. The latter could only jump around in pain but didn't dare to scream, afraid they might wake up someone they shouldn't.
"Hiss~ I'm in pain. It's real. He is really smiling. OMG!" said Shi Moye while rubbing his bruised arm.
"Are you going to wait for him to come out of his space?" asked Su Liye.
It was Zhi Yue who responded to his question, "No. Let's go back to the camp and go to sleep. Lord Hei says there is no need for us to wait. Don't go against his words."
"Yawns~ agreed. I'm so sleepy~" said Yun Suisen.
"The problem is how could we go back to the other side of the cliff. The bridge we had crossed this morning is three hours away from here. We need five hours of walking before we get to return to the camp. By the time we arrive at the site, it will already be dawn." said Su Liye.
CREAK~ Creaks~
It was at this moment that the silent humongous willow tree suddenly struck. Its branches weave on their own erecting a bridge made of wood. The four young men knew it was the old willow deity who constructed the bridge for them. They all cupped their willing hands and carefully lowered his head towards the willow tree.
"Thank you, elder (gramps)!"
{Cross now. Once you've crossed the bridge, it will fall.}
They walked past the wooden bridge constructed from the willow branches. It barely required 20 minutes for them to comfortably reach the other end of the prominent cliff. After all four of them had landed on the other side; the bridge crumbled and fell on the trench in between the two cliffs.
The sleepy Yun Suisen yawns with an open wide mouth. Seeing their wife's current state, Shi Moye had to carry him in his arms. The three exchange a short message of farewell with Zhi Yue.
"Goodnight, Yueyue~," said Yun Suisen.
Zhi Yue responded. "Good night." while the rest nod at each other as the last greeting for that night. As for what happened the rest of the night, no one else knows. Only the huge moon in the black sky had witnessed everything.