In autumn, the sky is high and the clouds are light, and the maple forest is full of colors.
But the three-year-old kid didn’t know how to appreciate. He just kept walking while crying and was about to cry to death.
The feeling of turning into a human-shaped kite is very mysterious, the already adult Shi thought. I don't know if it's the effect of breaking the ban, but this place is similar to Yan Budu's "state of mind". He was dragged all the way, following behind his younger self like a ghost.
All the thoughts and feelings of the child were transmitted to his consciousness. There were not many opportunities to relive the past, so instead of sighing over the past, the head of the sect found a little fun in finding joy in suffering - after all, he knew the ending in advance, and the child would not die no matter what.
So the headmaster calmed down and carefully observed his past self.
For some reason, his throat was broken and he could not make any sound. He could only hiss and sniff. When he was young, Shi Jingzhi staggered among the fallen leaves. If he was not careful, he would fall down and get dizzy. Then he would struggle to get up by himself.
After crying for a long time, he finally realized that crying silently was useless and no one would come to pick him up.
So he had to suppress his panic and focus on dealing with his fear - not far from him, something made an ugly howl, and it was obvious that it was a ferocious beast with claws.
Three-year-old Shi Jingzhi cried for too long, his head felt dizzy and his legs felt weak. He couldn't even walk far, let alone run for his life. He instinctively found a tree hole, stuffed himself in it, and blocked the hole with fallen leaves, not even daring to breathe too loudly.
The beast stopped howling, and he did not dare to stick his head out. He was tired and scared at that time, so he curled up quietly in the cave, half asleep and half asleep for the whole night.
On the second day, it was hard to tell whether he was awakened by hunger or thirst.
Children get hungry quickly, not to mention that they had not eaten anything for the previous day and had consumed a lot of energy. He was like an ignorant young animal, too far from his nest, destined to die of thirst.
Under the influence of "material addiction", the torture of hunger and thirst is a hundred times more severe than that of ordinary people.
This time he realized how valuable water was, and he didn't even dare to cry. After clumsily climbing out of the tree hole, the young Shi Jingzhi found a medium-sized branch as a walking stick and began to stumble around again.
There were bright red fruits in the forest. He had tasted them. They were bitter and numbing, obviously not edible. There were fruits that had been pecked by birds hanging on the branches, but the trunks were too strong and the branches were too high, so they were inaccessible.
After walking for three or four hours on an empty stomach, he picked up a rotten rat. His desire to survive told him to open his mouth, but the rat carcass was so smelly that he vomited more than he ate.
He finally mustered up the courage to eat it, but instead of satisfying his hunger, Shi Jingzhi almost vomited all the water and his eyes were full of stars.
You must get some water to drink first, and then find something to eat.
Otherwise he would die here.
At that time, he still didn't understand what "death" meant, but the crazy desire was already active and forced him to remain in fear. Guided by the desire to survive, Shi Jingzhi moved forward firmly in a certain direction.
Even though he didn't know what was ahead, he didn't dare to stop.
In order to survive, he had to find something, like a river, a way out, or better yet, a breath of life.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, blood blisters appeared on the soles of his feet, his lips dried up and bled, and his abdomen started to make sounds like a drum. The young Shi Jingzhi gradually saw stars in his eyes, swayed on the spot, and could hardly muster the strength to stand up straight.
Just then, he smelled food.
It wasn't the scent of bloody raw meat or ripe fruit. He smelled the burnt aroma of fat licked by fire, which was as beautiful as a dream.
He was so surprised and happy that his two legs, which were as soft as noodles, regained strength. So he used up all his strength and rushed towards the smell on all fours, fearing that the smell would suddenly disappear and leave him in this dangerous forest.
The fallen leaves around him blurred into a golden red patch, and he only saw a glimmer of hope.
"Little guy, aren't you going to die by coming to a place like this?" a human voice sounded.
Although the man's tone was cold, it sounded like heavenly music to the children at that time.
Not far away, that ray of "life" just caught his eyes.
The moment he saw the person in front of him clearly, Master Shi broke out in a sweat. Not to mention that he was having fun watching, the scene in front of him was so absurd that he felt like a basin of ice water was poured over his head.
The face of the man in black was no longer blurry.
This "life" that came to him at the moment of his death had a face exactly like Yin Ci.
For a moment, Shi Jingzhi, who had already grown up, felt cold all over, his back was numb, and he almost trembled. It was as if there was a hand pushing him around and around, back to the starting point.
The man leaned against a tiger demon taking a nap, and his whole body smelled of wine and blood. He tapped the empty wine jar with his bare feet, crushing the fallen leaves to make fine and crisp sounds. His long, silky hair was loose, flowing over his loose black clothes.
The voice was identical, the tone was exactly the same, the momentum was like ice and snow, the hostility was thrilling.
Even if they were father and son, master and apprentice, they would definitely not have exactly the same aura and smell. Shi Jingzhi had been with Yin Ci for many days, and he knew in his heart that he had definitely not made a mistake.
It turns out that this fate had been planted more than 20 years ago.
In the past twenty years, Yin Ci's appearance has not changed at all. Is it because he drank the immortal wine, or... some other reason
If there is one difference, it is that the person in front of him is obviously much colder and harder than the Yin Ci that Master Shi knew.
The man in black in front of him looked more like a hollow paper shell, with a hint of madness between his eyebrows. He exuded a heavy deathly aura, like an old man who was about to die. Although he was smiling at this moment, there was no smile in his dark eyes.
The ghost from the future stood in the afterglow, with cold sweat still on his back. He stared at the person who was so close yet so far away, his lips slightly moving: "Aci...?"
However, the Yin Ci in his memory was unable to respond to his call, and he himself in his memory did not continue to look at the other person.
How can a three-year-old child appreciate beauty or analyze a situation? Young Shi Jingzhi's eyes were burning, and even Yin Ci's sarcastic remarks went in one ear and out the other - he had no intention of paying attention to the "stranger" in front of him, just like a tiger pouncing on its prey, pouncing on the roasted snake residue not far away.
He anxiously tore off the remaining flesh from the skeleton and stuffed it all into his mouth, wishing he could chew and swallow even the bones. When the burning sensation in his stomach was no longer so severe, he dug into a wine jar that was only empty, not caring about the strong smell of alcohol, just to get himself some water to drink.
Unexpectedly, just as he tried to put his head into the jar, Yin Ci pulled him away. The man picked him up with two fingers and drank the remaining wine in the jar.
"This is poisonous wine, you can't drink it." Yin Ci said lightly.
How could a child understand what "real wine" and "fake wine" meant? When Xiao Jingzhi didn't get any water to drink, his eyes turned red again. He tugged at the man's clothes pitifully, and a dry "ah" sound came out of his throat.
Yin Ci looked at him expressionlessly, took out a wild fruit from his sleeve and threw it over. His action was more like sending away a small animal that had accidentally strayed into the place than taking care of a human being.
"Get out of here right after you finish eating."
The man's voice became even deeper, like the sound of a sharp blade stained with blood, with an ominous roughness.
The wild fruit was juicy and sweet, and the young Shi Jingzhi gobbled it up, sucking the core clean. Then he ignored the huge tiger monster, happily walked to Yin Ci, and started pulling at the corner of his clothes.
When he grows up a little more and learns some martial arts theory, he will know that this behavior is essentially the same as seeking death.
Yin Ci's condition was obviously not right.
He stood in front of the tiger demon, his eyes staring into space, his body full of hostility and blood, almost overflowing. His pretty face was extremely pale, with the whites of his eyes stained with blood.
A typical case of stagnation of mental energy and obsession.
The abnormal pressure surged and spread, and the tiger demon opened its six eyes instantly, and the hair on its back all exploded. It struggled to get up, turned around and ran away.
Yin Ci's eyes became more bloodshot.
He ignored the fleeing tiger demon and leaned against the big maple tree behind him, sitting on the ground again to regulate his breathing. With only a child by his side, Yin Ci did not hide his emotions. Hatred and sadness mixed together on his face, forming a look of despair.
For a moment, sword energy scattered, splitting countless red leaves.
The sword style had the power of a bone-sweeping sword, yet it was completely out of control and extremely crazy.
Unfortunately, the little bastard was like a newborn calf who was not afraid of the tiger, so he grabbed the tiger's beard. Xiao Jingzhi was very bold, and when he saw that he couldn't get the fruit, he simply changed his route.
He adhered to the creed of "If you keep the green mountains, you will never worry about lack of firewood", grabbed the corner of Yin Ci's robe tightly, and went straight to Yin Ci's waist. He pretended that the majestic evil spirit and the sharp sword energy beside him did not exist, and he was about to close his eyes and fall asleep.
Yin Ci's evil spirit was choked back by this courageous thing.
He glanced at the kid beside his legs, a look of bewilderment flashing across his face. Then, he grabbed the kid by the back of his collar and lifted him up on the spot, as if he wanted to show some courage.
The three-year-old child had a face full of dirt. He smacked his lips and laughed heartlessly at Yin Ci.
Young Shi Jingzhi's head was full of the sweet fruit he had just tasted, and his mouth was still sweet. He felt that the person in front of him was a living Bodhisattva with amiable features. So he spread out his short arms and flapped them vigorously a few times to express that he was a kind person and just wanted to get along peacefully.
If there could be another fruit, that would be even better.
Yin Ci looked at the child in front of him in a trance, and was completely stunned by this young desperado - he seemed to have regained some clarity of mind, and no longer went crazy, but just frowned and handed over another wild fruit.
The little bastard devoured the food in no time and even wiped his mouth with the corner of Yin Ci's sleeve after finishing.
This time Xiao Shi Jingzhi was not full, but he was no longer hungry or thirsty. He was finally freed from the torture of "substance addiction" and no longer had endless fear. Finally finding a little peace of mind, he remained in the position held by Yin Ci and fell asleep on the spot.
Yin Ci: “…”
He put the little bastard aside, but he suddenly rolled over and leaned back against Yin Ci's legs. He held on to that little bit of warmth, fearing that the living Bodhisattva would abandon him.
Yin Ci lowered his eyes, his expression somewhat complicated.
He looked at the young Shi Jingzhi quietly for a moment, as if he had given up something, and slowly leaned his head against the trunk of the maple tree, closing his eyes and falling asleep as well. The latter didn't think too much, but just hugged the other's legs tightly and fell asleep peacefully.
The sun was setting, and the surroundings were quiet. If it weren't for the sword energy and sword marks still left on the ground, the madness just now would have seemed like an illusion.
On the second day, the blood in Yin Ci's eyes became more intense, but compared to yesterday's madness, he seemed to have maintained his rationality.
He began to talk to the young Shi Jingzhi, but compared to the kindness and friendliness of an adult, his tone was more like he was studying a new species.
"My throat... Well, I accidentally ate poisonous grass. It will recover after a while."
Yin Ci seemed determined to relax and started talking.
"Is he a mountain household child? He is fat and white and doesn't look like an abandoned child. Why did he run to this Juyi Valley? Where are his parents?"
Xiao Shi Jingzhi tilted his head and thought about it, but he obviously couldn't come up with an answer that could be told to outsiders. He couldn't even gesture, he just kept shaking his head, almost throwing it off.
Yin Ci suddenly realized, with a look of pity on his face, as if he was just a fool.
He lost interest in communicating with the idiot, and continued to sit cross-legged with his eyes closed, trying to regulate his breathing. However, while dealing with the obsession, he did not forget to prepare some food for the little guy beside him.
On this day, the young Shi Jingzhi not only got sweet fruits, but also had the good fortune to eat some grilled fish. The grilled fish was rich in fat, with crispy skin and fragrant meat, and he almost swallowed his tongue.
This time he was full and his tense nerves relaxed a little. Xiao Jingzhi began to push himself further, sticking to Yin Ci, trying to gather more sense of security.
He came closer, and Yin Ci did not hide. Yin Ci just slightly opened his bloodshot eyes and stared at the child beside him quietly. His expression was subtly solemn, and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.
"In the place where strange monsters gather, a three-year-old child suddenly appears... Are you sent by destiny to give me the answer?"
Young Shi Jingzhi stuffed fish meat into his mouth, trying hard to look confused.
Yin Ci sighed softly and pulled his face: "Boy, after you eat and drink well, give me the answer."
At that time, Xiao Jingzhi was so hungry that he was afraid that he would have no food to eat next time. He was so busy eating that he had no time to think about Yin Ci's words.
At the other end of time, the adult Shi Jingzhi stood silently. He couldn't help but reach out his hand, but he couldn't touch Yin Ci who was one step away.
During all the time they had been together, he had never seen Yin Ci show such an expression—sad and melancholy, almost fragile.
What is destiny? What happened to you? ... Why do you have such an expression
His chest ached with questions, but memories were just memories. No matter how vivid the memories were, the real "him" did not exist here and now.
The initial excitement of feeling the memories disappeared completely, and Shi Jingzhi grabbed nothing, leaving only a bitter taste in his mouth.
On the second day after they met, Yin Ci suppressed his anger, and the two, big and small, lived in peace.
Unfortunately, on the third day, something unexpected happened.
Since ancient times, being possessed by a demon has never been a state that can be easily quelled - no matter how hard Yin Ci tries to stay clear-headed, that clarity is only temporary.
If the knot in his heart is not resolved, it is only a matter of time before he goes crazy. Yin Ci is still hovering on the edge of madness, just one step away from the final step.
That day, Yin Ci seemed to have lost interest in talking to Xiao Jingzhi, or he just couldn't muster the energy to talk. Apart from getting some food for the children around him, he spent most of his time in a daze or sleeping.
At noon, Yin Ci was leaning against the maple tree as usual. He was possessed by some unknown evil spirit, veins bulged on his neck and forehead, and the whites of his eyes had completely turned an ominous dark red.
He gradually hugged his arms tightly, his ten fingers deeply embedded in his arms, and the blood instantly dyed the black clothes darker. Around Yin Ci, the sword energy full of murderous intent began to become chaotic again, blasting the wine jars and bones around him into powder.
Young Shi Jingzhi approached again. This time, Yin Ci mercilessly opened Shi Jingzhi's hand and squeezed out the words with difficulty.
"Wait for me... here, don't wander around... there's a demon."
Yin Ci was silent for a moment, his voice was drenched with paranoia, every word was tinged with blood, half like an order, half like a plea.
"Just wait here, I won't come back... Please wait for me... ok?"
Perhaps it was because the emotion was too desperate, even though Shi Jingzhi was only three years old at the time, he finally came to his senses. He looked at Yin Ci hesitantly and nodded carefully.
Yin Ci breathed a sigh of relief, and stood up shakily, as if he was enduring great pain. His eyes had begun to blur, and he squeezed out the last bit of clarity and forced himself to leave the maple tree.
However, this was the memory of Shi Jingzhi when he was a child. Even if Shi Jingzhi wanted to keep up as an adult, he couldn't really follow Yin Ci. He could only be trapped beside his younger self, listening to the beast-like screams and roars from afar, and watching the flocks of birds startled by the uncontrolled sword energy.
Yin Ci was trying his best to fight against the state of being possessed.
But the obsession is caused by mental illness. If the paranoia is not broken and the mental illness is not resolved, no matter how hard you struggle, it will only delay. Even though they are far apart, Jingzhi can still identify the despair of falling into the abyss when he grows up.
When he was young, he didn't quite understand this emotion, but he could smell the pain and depression in that person's tone. When he was young, Jingzhi looked in the direction where Yin Ci left with worry, and began to wait obediently.
One hour, two hours.
The wailing in the distance became more and more painful, and Yin Ci did not come back. Xiao Shi Jingzhi sat on the bed with a frown on his face, turning around several times like an ant on a hot pot, and the worry on his face became more and more serious.
The child didn't have any deep thoughts in his head. He tapped the ground with his toes eagerly, gritted his teeth, and ran out. The direction was exactly the opposite of the wailing, which looked like he was running away.
The head of the sect was dragged along the way and was nearly pissed off to death by his past self.
Do you have any special hobby of touching tigers' buttocks? Must you be the one who stimulates the half-footed benefactor
Who knew he wasn't just running for fun - when he was young, Jingzhi walked back along the route he took to find Yin Ci and found a depression with wild flowers blooming. The flower field was not far from the big maple tree, and it took only one stick of incense to walk back and forth.
…Children’s thinking is really simple.
If the other person is feeling uncomfortable, then giving him or her something beautiful will make him or her feel better.
The three-year-old believed in this iron rule without a doubt. When he was young, Jingzhi specially picked the most beautiful flower and carefully put it in his arms, with a face full of pride that said "I have repaid the favor".
However, on the way back, things went wrong.
No matter how he walked, he couldn't find the way back.
Gradually, the sun set and the fog thickened, with a strong evil aura in the fog. Shi Jingzhi held the flower carefully and couldn't help sniffling.
It was only half an incense stick's distance, but he walked for two or three hours and still couldn't find the way back. He seemed to be going around in circles on the same fork in the road, and with each turn, the scenery on the roadside became more and more desolate.
In the end, the ground under his feet was full of black mud from rotting leaves, and the forest before him was all bare rotten wood.
The fog was so thick that one could not see the road ahead, and the young Shi Jingzhi's legs and feet became weak as he walked. He did not dare to stop or look back - he did not know if it was an illusion, but he always felt a friction sound behind him.
The sky gradually darkened.
Xiao Shi Jingzhi finally couldn't walk anymore. He was scared and aggrieved, and turned back almost giving up.
Behind him followed a mass of wriggling flowers.
The flower was as bright as blood, just like the one he had just picked.
They bloomed one by one, their petals overlapping, forming a nearly perfect giant ball. The ball was as tall as a person, with root-like limbs winding underneath, supporting it to move slowly. In this mist of only black, white and gray, the flower ball was bright red, beating from time to time, like a heart that had just been cut out.
The drowsy floral scent spreads like a big, warm hug.
The moment he saw the flower ball and smelled its fragrance, young Shi Jingzhi was bewitched. He staggered towards the flower ball, getting closer and closer, until he could see the rotting corpses of animals under the flowers.
His instincts screamed to flee, yet his body insisted on moving forward—
As if sensing the struggle of its prey, the scent of the flowers grew stronger. They were sweet and soothing, wrapping people in a daze, making even the rotten flesh and bones look cute.
Three steps, two steps, one step.
Just before he hugged the bouquet, the mist dissipated instantly.
An extremely evil sword energy slashed over, creating blood-spotted petals all over the sky.
It’s Yin Ci.
The flower ball was quite sensible. It screamed and gave up the tender meat at its mouth, and fled away in a winding way, leaving only the corpse with roots entangled on the ground.
The sun had just set, the stars were far away, but the sunset glow was still there. The golden and red leaves were returning to their original positions, and the black mud underfoot turned back into soft fallen leaves.
The young Shi Jingzhi was extremely excited. As soon as he turned around, he was frightened by the other party's increasingly strong murderous intent.
The whites of Yin Ci's eyes were still red from the surging blood. He mentioned Xiao Shi Jingzhi's collar, his voice sounding like a dream.
"Didn't I ask you to wait for me?"
Not far away, Cheng Sheng Shi Jing Zhi shuddered. It was the first time he heard Yin Ci speak in this tone, and also the first time he saw someone say murderous words so gently.
Yin Ci didn't come here specially to save him. This man had obviously received some undue stimulation and was already in an irrational and half-crazy state.
The young Shi Jingzhi was also frightened. He could only stare at Yin Ci blankly, with a look of panic in his eyes.
Yin Ci held him like this, standing there for a long time. His whole body was shaking, and there seemed to be blood in his eyeballs, and his dark pupils were gradually covered with blood.
At the same time, the sword energy around him did not stop. The area they covered was getting larger and larger, and the speed was getting faster and faster, destroying everything almost crazily.
"If you were going to betray me from the beginning, why did you nod at the beginning? Ah, I understand, so it was God's will... You just came here at this critical moment to send me off on the edge of the cliff..."
Without waiting for Xiao Jingzhi's reaction, Yin Ci's tone became increasingly gentle.
With just one hand, he suspended the young Shi Jingzhi in mid-air, as if he were pinching a fragile bird. Yin Ci's eyes were almost bloodshot, and his pupils were shattered.
"You came to tell me that even the most innocent children have the nature of betraying others. The world is so turbid, and human heart is useless... What a good answer, I like it very much."
Yin Ci used more force on his fingers, and every word he uttered was filled with blood, his pupils completely drowned in red. His voice became softer and softer, and his killing intent became stronger and stronger.
"I should have learned from Yan Budu a long time ago, taking human life lightly and killing innocent people. Maybe God will punish me with a bolt of lightning, which will be a relief... Otherwise, I should start from scratch."
He did not break Shi Jingzhi's neck in one breath, but slowly closed his five fingers, his hands still trembling slightly.
The young Shi Jingzhi was strangled to the point of being unable to breathe.
Although he was born smart, at this time he had the mind of a five or six-year-old child at most. He could not understand those words, and there was only one simple thought in his mind—he failed to keep his promise and his benefactor was angry.
If it was someone else, he would have probably bitten him. But this was the person who saved his life, and he was in the wrong first, so he couldn't bite him.
Young Shi Jingzhi scratched his chest hard, struggling to find the flower. He grasped the wilted branch and passed it to Yin Ci's arm, trying to make good friends with him.
Although breathing was becoming increasingly difficult, he still stared into Yin Ci's eyes, trying to make the other person understand what he meant.
These are the flowers I gave you. They are very beautiful.
Next time I won't run around anymore.
do not be sad.
From beginning to end, he did not scratch the hand that was pinching him. The child's eyes were very clear, with only apology, worry, and a little instinctive panic in them.
Pure as hell.
Yin Ci's hand around his neck failed to tighten in the end.
After letting go of Shi Jing, for some reason, Yin Ci looked even more desperate than before. He pinched the deformed wildflowers and sat down on the fallen leaves dejectedly.
The violent sword energy gradually dissipated, and Yin Ci exerted more strength on his hands. The flower was almost crushed by him, and blood-like juice oozed out.
His madness slowly faded away, leaving behind only the mess and a bit of helpless sadness.
The young Shi Jingzhi thought that Yin Ci was still angry.
He stroked Yin Ci's head like a little adult, and his hand naturally slid down the side of his face to tidy up his messy hair. Then, Xiao Jingzhi, as if afraid that the strength was not enough, opened his arms and hugged him carefully.
The last ray of sunset also faded away.
Yin Ci did not move or respond. Shi Jingzhi, who had already grown up, stood aside, staring at this memory that had been sealed for more than 20 years, speechless.
After a long time, he finally got to know Yin Ci's past.
It was extremely heavy and cold.
He could only stand one step away like a wandering soul, watching Yin Ci slowly close his eyes, bloody tears running down his face.
When he was young, he knew nothing, and now he can't even touch a strand of hair.
In the twenty-seven years of his life in this world, Shi Jingzhi has experienced resentment, grievance, and disappointment, as well as resentment, anger, and despair.
He had never felt so sad as he did at that moment.