Chapter 155: 155 Epilogue (1) [Revised]

◎HE Ending◎

Sang Li used her last divine power to protect a wisp of his faint immortal essence. He was still alive, but his soul was almost dispersed, unable to even maintain a form.

That wisp of snow-white immortal essence was carefully nurtured by Sang Li. Later, she invited True Lord Wuyan Zhaoxu to cast a Heaven-Holding Charm over it, to prevent the immortal essence from completely dissipating. Following his guidance, Sang Li took Ji Hengyu to Wuji Mountain.

This place was rich in spiritual energy. In as little as ten years, or as long as a thousand, he would reforge his golden body.

Although the wait would be long, having hope was always a good thing.

Sang Li enclosed a small courtyard in the glazed flower garden and built two small cottages. The houses were exact replicas of where they lived in Bamboo Stream Village in her spiritual realm. After building them, Sang Li planted two mulberry trees in the courtyard. By next year, they would bear branches.

Waiting was the most agonizing part.

From spring to summer, from summer to winter, that white glow showed no sign of change.

Sang Li wasn’t disheartened. When day broke, she would take Big-Eyed Cub out to find immortal herbs and spiritual grasses to feed him; at night, she would hug that wisp of immortal essence and fall asleep.

Sometimes, she would also feel lonely and sad.

However, every time she had a nightmare, a warmth would envelop her, and then she would see vast fields of flowers in her dream. Thus, all fear and bitterness would be soothed.

Another five years passed, and the white light transformed into a white pearl.

Sang Li invited Qu You to examine it once, and she stated with certainty that it was time.

Sang Li grew nervous at the news, staying awake for many days and nights, guarding the pearl, afraid of missing anything, not even daring to blink.

But Ji Hengyu seemed to be deliberately contrary, showing no signs of movement for seven days. She guarded it until she grew drowsy. When it was late at night, with the candlelight glowing softly, Sang Li couldn’t hold on any longer. Her eyes closed, and she fell asleep directly on the table.

Her breathing was long and steady. She didn’t notice the white pearl cracking open like an egg. After a burst of shimmering silver light, a small silver snake emerged.

The little snake was no longer than a palm. Lacking strength, it struggled to slither to Sang Li’s front, gently touched her fingertip with its head, then settled beside her and fell asleep.

Only when the sun was high the next day did a small gasp of surprise erupt from the waking Sang Li.

The silver snake lay beside her hand, so tiny, even its scales were soft. Sang Li stared wide-eyed at the little snake in her palm. Seven years of guardianship and waiting culminated in disbelief at this moment.

“Ji Hengyu?” She cautiously poked him.

The touch was very soft.

Sang Li was still immersed in her shock, unable to break free. She couldn’t help but hold her breath, gently cradling him in her palms. Looking closer, his eyes were closed, and his chest showed faint undulations.

As if sensing something, the silver snake opened its eyes. In an instant, brilliant colors flowed, and those familiar eyes made her heart pound fiercely. Tears streamed uncontrollably.

“Ji Hengyu, I’m so glad to see you.”

Ji Hengyu was truly too weak. He closed his eyes again, but the tip of his tail hooked onto her ring finger.

Sang Li smiled, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, hugged him, and went out again.

She searched everywhere for spiritual beasts. The spiritual beast’s core could nourish his primordial spirit, allowing him to quickly transform, though “quickly” still meant thousands of years.

Under her daily meticulous care, Ji Hengyu gradually regained his vitality.

Most of the time, he would coil himself in Sang Li’s hair as a decoration. Sometimes, he would also wrap around her shoulder or wrist. Sang Li really liked him in this small, silvery form – cute, clingy, and not scary.

However, Ji Hengyu grew very quickly. In another two years, he was as tall as a person; in two more years, he was as large as a python, no longer able to coil around Sang Li as before. He could only silently follow behind her, his silver body like a flood dragon.

The bigger he grew, the clingier Ji Hengyu became.

When night fell, he would coil himself around her legs, spiraling upwards, finally resting his head on her chest.

Wuji Mountain was extremely hot in the summer, and the giant snake’s body was cool, which indeed felt comfortable to hold.

But Ji Hengyu was a restless one. If he had just coiled properly, it would have been fine, but he particularly liked to provoke or bump her with his long tail. Even if Sang Li had accepted his original form, this behavior was still a bit too much for her.

“If you keep doing that, I’ll make you go outside.”

Inside the room, the lamps were unlit. The window was half-open, letting in the faint moonlight.

The bed, large enough for two, felt cramped with a giant snake occupying it. Sang Li was curled up, unable to move, her spotless inner garment unbuttoned. At her words, the giant snake, which was nestled in her neck, raised its eyes, then quickly buried its head again.

Sang Li, unable to bear it, kicked him twice. He refused to give up, his snake tail directly entwining her slender white ankle.

Pulling, separating.

She let out a soft hum, completely giving up.

After tossing and turning until midnight, the silver snake wanted to stroke her tail again. Sang Li, exhausted and sleepy, exposed a few fluffy fox tails, letting him stroke them.

The fluffiness made the snake excited.

He grew overconfident and initiated another round.

Sang Li didn’t wake up until the afternoon of the next day.

Ji Hengyu was already gone. Seeing the red and blue marks on her body, she grumbled inwardly, cursing as she changed her clothes and went out.

Outside the courtyard, white mist.

The mist was thick and hazy. The two mulberry trees in the courtyard were in full bloom.

A person stood beneath one of the trees, their black hair reaching their waist, their white clothes whiter than snow.

Sang Li stood at the door, momentarily dazed. The person slowly turned. Perhaps the mist was too thick, her vision gradually blurred.

“You’ve grown so tall.”

His voice was gentle, carried by the summer breeze to her ears.

Sang Li wiped away her tears and walked over. “A hundred years, of course, it’s very tall.”

Ji Hengyu smiled, plucking a tender mulberry leaf, then turned his gaze to her.

She looked up, her profile radiant, a hint of red trailing from the corner of her eye.

“Sang Sang, I’m sorry.”

He suddenly apologized, unsure if it was for his sacrifice a century ago, or for Sang Li’s steadfast wait throughout that century.

But no matter which it was, Sang Li would not accept it.

She had never blamed him, so how could she accept this apology?

“More than an apology, I want you to hold me.”

A hint of surprise rippled across his brows, then he bent down and embraced her.

As Ji Hengyu held her, he squeezed her waist. “You’ve lost weight.”

Upon hearing this, Sang Li couldn’t help but retort, “You’ve been clinging to me day and night, and only now do you realize I’ve lost weight?”

Ji Hengyu smiled, noticing the rose-red marks on her neck, and said with a hint of self-mockery, “When I had not yet transformed, many things were purely instinctive, involuntary.” He paused, “If I was excessive, Sang Sang, you don’t have to indulge me.”

In his snake form, his human emotions had not yet fully developed.

Although he still possessed past memories, there was always a veil between them, making it difficult to comprehend. Furthermore, being a snake, he was more controlled by desire.

Sang Li was flushed with indignation, but before she could lash out, Ji Hengyu’s figure became ethereal, as if about to dissipate.

The blush instantly turned into intense unease. Ji Hengyu saw the panic in her eyes, lowered his head, and kissed the corner of her lips. “Don’t be afraid. It’s just that my immortal body hasn’t fully ascended yet. It will become autonomous in a few days.”

Sang Li immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

This transformation probably consumed a lot of Ji Hengyu’s energy. He slept for a month, but the benefit was that he could maintain his human form for longer, first for a day, then a month, slowly returning to his original state. However, his cultivation couldn’t compare to before. Ji Hengyu didn’t care about these things. He chuckled and joked with Sang Li, saying that from now on, she would protect him. Sang Li also smiled and agreed.

After living on Wuji Mountain for a few more years, the two moved to the Human Realm.

The Human Realm was now a beautiful and harmonious place under Si Tu’s protection. Sang Li loved lively places, so she bought a mansion in Chang’an City. She didn’t hire maids, instead continuing to use Ji Hengyu’s little green leaf monsters to clean and tidy up.

Soon it was New Year’s, the first New Year they spent together since Ji Hengyu’s recovery.

People in the mortal world loved such days. Sang Li actually couldn’t remember how she celebrated New Year in modern times, but some things were ingrained in her blood. Ji Hengyu had excellent calligraphy, so she had him write a few couplets to paste on the main door and windows. She, on the other hand, handmade several lucky knots. The bright red lucky knots hung everywhere in the house, adding to the festive atmosphere.

After becoming immortals, their need for food was low, yet Sang Li still made dumplings on New Year’s Eve.

Ji Hengyu didn’t know how to do these things and had never seen it before, so he sat by, watching her make dumplings with great interest. After a while, he also felt an itch to try, rolled up his sleeves, and started helping.

His dumplings were ugly and quite laughable. Sang Li was speechless, but she didn’t deliberately dampen his enthusiasm.

She made a few little rabbits and lotus flowers, their plump shapes very cute. Finally, Sang Li put a freshly washed copper coin inside.

“What is this?”

“A custom,” Sang Li said. “Eating the coin will bless you with a year of peace.”

Ji Hengyu remained silent, a thoughtful look on his face.

Soon the dumplings were cooking. Thinking that Chang’an City would have fireworks that night, they moved all the food and dishes to the courtyard.

A dark moon hung high in the sky. Over the courtyard wall, they could clearly hear the joyful laughter of children and the sound of firecrackers.

Sang Li specifically arranged for the little leaf monsters to perform a play, and they ate dumplings while watching.

Her bowl was filled entirely with dumplings Ji Hengyu had made. Some had broken skins, their fillings spilling out, and their appearance was truly not good.

Before Sang Li could even take a bite, she saw the copper coin inside the filling. She glanced at Ji Hengyu, whose expression was normal. He chewed slowly, his eating manners graceful.

With suspicion, Sang Li took a bite. The filling was fresh and fragrant, bursting with juice in her mouth, and there was a hard copper coin; another one, the same. She broke open all the dumplings and found that every single one he had made contained a copper coin.

“You put them all in?” Sang Li couldn’t help but ask.

Ji Hengyu nodded, “Didn’t you say eating them brings good luck?”

Sang Li couldn’t help but laugh, tapping his head with the end of her chopsticks. “Silly.” She didn’t correct him, happily finishing the bowl.

At midnight, as the old year passed and the new one began.

Fireworks exploded, filling the sky with brilliant clarity.

Sang Li stared at them for a while, then turned to look at Ji Hengyu.

He was looking slightly upwards, his dark pupils reflecting the twinkling fireworks. The usual aloofness was absent from him, and his shoulders were illuminated by a subtle, bright light. Sang Li suddenly felt a sense of daze. He was no longer the high and mighty divine being of the past, but her husband, by her side day and night, forever.

“Husband.”

“Hmm?”

Ji Hengyu looked at her.

Sang Li smiled at him. “Happy New Year.”

Warmth spread through Ji Hengyu’s eyes. He lightly touched Sang Li’s eyelashes and said, “I wish Sang Sang more happiness.”

New years come annually, and annually I wish for your well-being.

Ji Hengyu did not ask for much, but all his countless desires seemed to pale in comparison to this moment.