"The eminent monks say that human life is extremely fleeting, lasting no more than 120 years.
Many beautiful things can only remain in memories.
Although the eminent monk is immortal, he can no longer feel the past beauty."
The eminent monk spoke the truth.
Ultimately, we will store the beauty we encounter along the way in our past memories.
It's hard to imagine what it would feel like to be immortal, carrying beautiful memories.
Perhaps there would also be sorrow.
I gazed in the direction of the setting sun and sighed.
"Yes, human life is very short, like a fleeting glimpse of a flower.
However, it is enough to leave many things behind."
Hearing my response, Zhang Tianshi smiled slightly and slowed his horse.
He glanced at A Li and asked him,
"A Li, how old are you?"
A Li thought carefully and replied,
"I think I'm over three hundred years old."
"Three hundred years? Too young, still a child."
He then asked me,
"Mu Ye, how old are you?"
"I am twenty this year."
"Twenty?"
He smiled faintly, lost in thought about something, and after a moment, said,
"What a pity, we are fated but not destined to be together."
I knew what he was referring to, likely about A Li and me.
He was right, A Li and I were fated but not destined.
However, it didn't matter. A Li would soon begin his own life.
In his long life,
I was merely a small boat that had once visited his world.
Witnessing the beauty of his youth.
A Li lowered his head slightly, as if he understood something, but said nothing.
It was better this way, lest he speak and be unable to resist lamenting the unfairness of fate.
The atmosphere grew somber, and the three of us were unusually quiet, lost in silence.
Suddenly, the sound of hooves echoed from ahead.
We looked in the direction of the sound and saw a group of people on horseback approaching.
Each riding a swift horse, they looked like righteous warriors, about thirty to forty in number.
A Li watched them as they rode away, seemingly towards Nanhai City.
He asked in confusion,
"What are these people doing?"
Zhang Tianshi said,
"It seems we've encountered another tricky situation."
"What could it be?"
"I'm not sure, but it's likely nothing good."
Indeed, if it were good news, they wouldn't need so many people. I wondered what had happened.
However, it had nothing to do with us, as I still needed to go home.
As the sky grew redder, the fiery sunset spread across the horizon,
signaling the arrival of night.
Zhang Tianshi suggested,
"Let's find a place to rest tonight and continue our journey tomorrow."
"Alright."
With that, he led us forward to the foot of a mountain.
The setting sun's rays perfectly illuminated the mountaintop.
Zhang Tianshi dismounted first and skillfully started a fire.
We followed suit, dismounting and gathering around the campfire.
At night, the mountain wind raged.
It blew the flames off course, and A Li instinctively shielded his face with his hand,
to prevent the wind from blowing directly onto him.
Zhang Tianshi gazed into the darkness, deep in thought.
In a daze, he seemed to see his sister again, his sister who should have had a beautiful future.
He remembered how she, too, had once run out of the house alone on a windy night.
When she returned, she would always bring back fallen leaves.
He never understood, and whenever he asked,
she would say, "The leaves know the sound of the wind."
Then she would retreat into the house and quietly play the zither.
Seeing Tianshi staring intently into the darkness, I noticed a hint of sadness on his face.
Curiosity piqued, I asked him,
"Tianshi, what are you looking at?"
Tianshi turned his head slightly, shook his head, lowered his gaze, and began to fiddle with the firewood.
A Li also sensed his preoccupation and spoke directly,
"Tianshi, we've known each other for so long.
We've never heard your story. Please tell us."
He looked up slightly, sighed, and after a moment of thought, said,
"Do you really want to hear it?"
"Yes."
A Li and I nodded in unison.
He felt it was time to share this story.
He slowly began to speak.
"In my early years, both my parents passed away, leaving only my sister and me to depend on each other.
My sister's name was Qin'er. She was a beautiful young girl who was skilled at playing the zither.
Her musical talent came from our mother. My mother, in her youth,
was the most renowned zither player in the Western Purple Kingdom.
After both my parents passed away, I vowed to protect my sister for the rest of my life.
However, I still caused irreparable pain.
And the source of this pain was me."
He choked up as he spoke.
A Li and I guessed the outcome and felt pity for him.
He continued,
"My sister and I lived a peaceful life for several years until one day.
She learned all the zither scores left by our mother and felt utterly bored.
She pestered me daily to find new scores for her.
Later, I searched for a long time but could not meet her demands.
Because of this, she became increasingly melancholic.
Until one day, a passerby gave me a zither score.
Without much thought, I gave it to my sister.
Upon receiving the score, Qin'er treasured it as a priceless gem.
She practiced day and night but could not fathom its mysteries.
Seeing my sister's obsession, I tried to take the score back, which led to a fierce argument.
Then, for some reason, she insisted that I make a zither from her bones.
How could I agree to such a thing?
That night, my sister cut off her long hair, drew a knife, and severed her own arm.
She forced me to make a pipa from her bones and hair. I was in immense pain.
I still refused her, and then she committed suicide, leaving behind a letter.
The letter was filled with instructions for me to make a pipa from her arm.
My heart was cut like a knife. After burying my sister, I followed her last wish.
And made a pipa from her arm.
From then on, I wandered the land with the pipa, exiling myself.
Until I met the eminent monk."
After finishing his story, he was sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face.
He had carried the guilt of his sister's death for years, unable to let go.
Hearing his story, I couldn't help but shed tears as well.
It felt as if I were listening to my own story, not his.
A Li's eyes were also filled with tears. None of us had expected
that Tianshi had such a tragic past.
His willingness to speak today was his way of learning to let go of the past and start his own life.
I slowly stood up, walked to his side, hugged him, and comforted him.
"It's not your fault. You did your best.
From now on, you are not alone. You have friends who can be your family."
Seeing my actions, A Li was deeply touched.
He also slowly stood up, walked over, and hugged Tianshi tightly.
He said,
"Whatever happened in the past, it's in the past.
Even if you can't forget it, you must live on with that regret.
We are always here for you."
Tianshi was deeply moved, his tears flowing like a spring.
After so many years, he finally knew that he was no longer alone.
He had countless good friends.
I suddenly remembered that Liu Shinian was also alone, and Tianshi was also alone.
If they could live together, they could look out for each other.
So I said,
"Tianshi, after I leave, you should go find Liu Shinian. He's also alone.
I'm sure he already considers you family."
Tianshi nodded slightly. He thought that if he could, he would go.
The three of us wept for a long time, and it was already late into the night.
I don't know how we fell asleep, but when I woke up, it was already broad daylight.
A Li and I woke up together, seeing the sun rising, its dazzling light filling our eyes.
Tianshi stood in the light, his face radiant, like an immortal from heaven newly arrived in the mortal realm.
A Li and I were astonished and exclaimed in unison,
"Tianshi!"
He smiled faintly, like the gentle sun in midwinter, warm and comforting.
"Let's go, it's time to head to the Western Purple Kingdom."
He called out.
A Li and I smiled genuinely. It seemed his inner turmoil had largely subsided.
We got up one after another and said,
"Coming."
We mounted our horses with him and, facing the dawn, set off towards the Western Purple Kingdom.
The mountain valley was located on the border between the Western Purple Kingdom and the secluded land of the Northern Wilderness Plains.
After five days and five nights of fast riding, we finally arrived at the Western Purple Kingdom.
Despite the bumpy journey, I didn't feel much soreness in my back or legs, only a slight fatigue.
The Western Purple Kingdom, formerly known as the Xuanyuan Kingdom, was vast.
It stretched east to the Northern Wilderness Plains, west to the Western Mountain range, north to the extreme northern frozen lands, and south to the Southern Sea.
It was once a powerful, large kingdom.
Unlike other capital cities, the Western Purple Kingdom had independent border crossings.
Upon reaching Linshan Pass, we entered the territory of the Western Purple Kingdom.
The small town of Shanxing was the border crossing between the Western Purple Kingdom and Nanhai City.
After passing the checkpoint, we saw many people with masked faces and colorful headscarves.
Some walked through the streets with long swords at their sides, while others rode horses for business.
The most distinctive attire was a bright yellow robe and a small square cap.
The young ladies' clothing was even more peculiar.
Long boots, long skirts, flower garlands on their hands, jewels and jade on their heads, and bells on their feet.
As they walked, they jingled melodiously, both unique and beautiful.
The architecture of the houses here was also different from elsewhere. Their house designs were odd and varied.
Some were round, some were square, and there were also standard rectangular tall buildings. The paths were paved with pebbles.
Stalls lined both sides of the roads, truly a feast for the eyes.
Zhang Tianshi, familiar with the area, led us towards a bustling restaurant.
He said with a hint of mystery,
"Today, I'll treat you to the exquisite flavors of this 'Heavenly Tower.'
This delicacy is only accessible to those with great wealth and power."
Then he went to the front desk. The person there looked up, saw him, and exclaimed in surprise,
"Heavens, Tianshi! You're back."
"Just passing by, thought I'd visit you."
The innkeeper, visibly moved, stepped out from behind the counter and hugged him tightly.
Patting his back, he chided,
"Where have you been all these years? Why are you only returning now?"
It seemed Tianshi was also missed.
Tianshi explained,
"I've been traveling far and wide, accustomed to staying out, and forgot to return."
The innkeeper playfully hit him, saying with a hint of sadness,
"You left without a word, making me send people to look for you for years.
Only to find out later you were in Beishen Capital."
Tianshi was also deeply touched. He hadn't expected his old friend to miss him so much.
"I met that person. I'm so happy you still remember me."
"We've been friends since childhood, like brothers.
Your sudden departure truly saddened me for a long time."
"It's my fault. I should have returned sooner."
"You're not leaving again this time, are you?"
Zhang Tianshi thought for a moment and said,
"Yes, once I've seen these two friends to their destination, I won't be leaving."
Only then did he notice us and ask curiously,
"Are these your new friends?"
"Yes, I met them in Beishen Capital. Let me introduce you.
This is Liu Mu Ye, and this is A Li."
A Li and I cupped our hands in greeting, saying in unison,
"Greetings, Innkeeper."
"Good, good, good. Tianshi is impatient by nature. It's rare for him to make new friends."
Tianshi nudged him and smiled,
"Are there any more delicious dishes?"
The innkeeper guessed what he was referring to and chuckled,
"You rascal, you're not perhaps craving that exquisite meat, are you?"
"If there's something better, I've brought two friends."
"Ah, did you eat the ones I sent you?"
"They were gone long ago, truly delicious."
"I knew it. You haven't changed over the years. Wait, I'll get it for you."
Then, a waiter led us upstairs and into a private room.
While waiting in the private room, he started chatting with us.
"The innkeeper of this restaurant is my childhood friend.
We are like brothers, and he hides nothing from me.
He has a special dish here called 'Pear Mountain Beauty,' which is an unparalleled delicacy."
"'Pear Mountain Beauty'? What is that?"
A Li, having lived in this world for many years, had never heard such a strange dish name.
"Fish meat."
He replied.
Fish meat?
This made me involuntarily think of home,
where I often ate grilled fish, braised fish, steamed fish, and boiled fish.
I wondered which kind he was referring to. It had been a long time since I'd tasted such a delicacy.
However, I preferred spicy fish. The thought made my mouth water.
Before long, we heard a shout.
"Coming!"
The innkeeper himself came up with a pot of red, spicy broth.
Followed by waiters carrying plates.
As soon as they were set down, we saw the plates filled to the brim with thinly sliced, translucent fish meat,
as delicate as silk.
Tianshi gazed at the pot of red chili peppers and then at the translucent thin slices.
Tears of anticipation welled up in his eyes, and he wished he could start eating immediately.
The innkeeper said,
"This is my restaurant's signature dish, 'Pear Mountain Beauty.'
The red spicy broth is heated. You just need to dip the sliced meat into it.
Please, dig in."
A Li said,
"Thank you for your hospitality, Innkeeper. We won't stand on ceremony."
"You're most welcome. Please try it."
I eagerly picked up a piece of meat, dipped it into the pot, and then put it into my mouth.
The moment it touched my tongue, it melted like snow, as if ascending to paradise, with celestial music surrounding me.
It was truly a heavenly delicacy, unparalleled in the world.
I couldn't help but exclaim,
"This is truly the finest in the world, with an unforgettable aftertaste."
Seeing my exclamation, everyone couldn't help but laugh.
The innkeeper also laughed and said,
"It seems my exquisite delicacy has pleased your palates. Fortunately, you've come early.
In a while, it will be crowded, and there will be nothing left."
Tianshi also spoke with ease,
"It's good that I came quickly. I was thinking of coming later,
but I've since dismissed that thought."
"Don't say that. If you want to come, come early. I'm afraid you'll get distracted and disappear again."
"Hahaha, how could I?"
As we spoke, we all burst into laughter.
However, a doubt lingered in my mind.
This delicious meat had no hint of the sea's brininess, but rather a taste like snow.
I couldn't help but wonder what kind of fish it was.