Chapter 142 Peach Blossom Immortal under the Peach Blossom Tree
This chapter is updated by Novelfree.ml
historical
Luosang City.
Xiangnan Teahouse.
In the courtyard of the teahouse, there was a peach tree. As it was already the sixth month, the peach blossoms had already withered, and there were large peaches hanging all over the tree, looking bright and juicy. A handsome Daoist priest in purple robes strolled lazily in the courtyard, reached out his hand to pluck a large peach, sniffed at it deeply, and immediately gave a faint smile. "Back then, I never did get to eat my peaches. I didn't expect I would get to eat one here."
The Daoist priest had a handsome face and fair complexion. A peach wood sword hung loosely at his waist, and his purple robes fluttered even without wind. There was an indefinable air of Daoist immortality around him. There were a number of people who had wanted to enter the courtyard, but when they saw the Daoist priest, they were filled with an inexplicable sense of shame for their own inferiority so they could only stand far away, watching the Daoist priest whispering to himself.
"Looking at him now, he does have some resemblance to the legendary Daoist Sword Immortal." Xie Xuan stood in the side room, opened the window to look at Zhao Yuzhen in the courtyard, and smiled faintly.
However, State Preceptor Qi Tianchen looked on calmly, and he frowned when he looked at Zhao Yuzhen.
"By the way, why did the State Preceptor leave Heavenly Revelations? Everyone knows that Zhao Yuzhen has not come down from Qingcheng Mountain in over thirty years, but I know that State Preceptor has not left Heavenly Revelations City for about thirty years as well," Xie Xuan suddenly asked.
"I made a promise to an old friend," Qi Tianchen replied.
"Old friend? Who?" Xie Xuan was puzzled.
"Qingcheng Mountain’s previous Sectmaster, Lü Suzhen," Qi Tianchen said slowly.
Xie Xuan did a double take, and nodded. "So, has the promise been fulfilled now?"
Qi Tianchen lightly waved his horsetail whisk, but he only shook his head without answering the question.
In the courtyard, Zhao Yuzhen bit into the peach with satisfaction and the juice trickled down his chin. He raised his head contentedly, and said softly, "It's so sweet." Then, he muttered to himself in a low voice, "I wonder if I had managed to eat those peaches back then, would they have been just as sweet?" Zhao Yuzhen shook his left hand lightly, and the wooden sword named Peach Blossom flew out, made a circle around the peach tree, and dozens of large peaches fell from the tree. Zhao Yuzhen lightly flicked his fingers, a glimmer of purple qi shot out, knocking each of the peaches towards the people standing outside the courtyard. One by one, the peaches landed at their feet.
A child caught one of the peaches and yelled in pleasant surprise, "Immortal Uncle!"
More than a few adults who saw this sight really thought an immortal had descended and they were so excited they were practically groveling on the ground.
Xie Xuan and Qi Tianchen also received a peach each. Xie Xuan brought it to his nose and sniffed at it deeply, then he took a big bite. Qi Tianchen looked at the peach in his hand, still silent.
"What is State Preceptor thinking about?" Xie Xuan asked.
"I'm thinking about how withered trees meet the spring, and how autumn comes once spring is over," Qi Tianchen said quietly.
Zhao Yuzhen finished eating the peach in his hand, withdrew his Peach Blossom sword, and suddenly walked up to the peach blossom tree. He reached out a hand and gently touched the tree trunk. Then, the entire peach blossom tree started transforming at a speed visible to the naked eye. The leaves that were originally green suddenly withered to yellow, and then fell one by one to the ground. Finally, the entire peach blossom tree was bare, as if it were now in the cold of winter. However, while the people were still bewildered, the peach blossom tree started growing new leaves that were as green as emeralds. Amongst the emerald green leaves, clusters of stamens slowly bloomed, and the stamens slowly unfolded, and finally turned into peach blossoms that glowed like the pink of dawn.
"Spring comes upon a withered tree like a new lease on life, but humans can never relive their youth," Zhao Yuzhen remarked softly, his eyes full of memories. "When I first saw the day peach blossoms bloomed, I was still a youth." He turned around and looked up at the side room.
Xie Xuan turned his head to look and saw that Li Hanyi, who had been resting on the bed, had woken up. However, she no longer had that fierce expression. Her eyes were full of tenderness as she lowered her head to look at Zhao Yuzhen.
A wait that lasted more than ten years seemed like a moment, a snap of the fingers and they were that youth and young lady again.
"Little angel." Zhao Yuzhen raised his hand lightly, and the full tree of peach blossoms fell instantly. With another wave of his finger, the peach blossom petals condensed into his hand, and slowly transformed into something that looked like a dress. "I have made an exceptional wedding dress for you. There’s no other like it.
"Please be my wife." Zhao Yuzhen bowed his head slightly, bashful yet elegant.
Li Hanyi leaped slightly and jumped down from the window of the side room.
She really jumped without using even a bit of her lightness skill, because she wanted Zhao Yuzhen to catch her.
Zhao Yuzhen smiled and shook his hand lightly. Those scattered peach blossom petals flew into the air, caught Li Hanyi who had jumped down, and steadily brought her to the ground. The peach blossom petals floated around her, transforming into a real flower wedding dress.
"You’re beautiful." Zhao Yuzhen smiled.
"Because I met you, I’m beautiful," Li Hanyi replied lightly.
In the side room, Xie Xuan was shocked when he heard their exchange. He and Li Hanyi had known each other for more than ten years, but he never dreamed that she would ever say such words. He looked with surprise at that stinky Daoist priest who he’d thought was bragging, and couldn't help but be moved. "So this Daoist priest really didn’t lie to me.."
Zhao Yuzhen gently took Li Hanyi's hand, led her slowly to the peach blossom tree, and suddenly knelt down in front of the peach blossom tree.
"They say when you get married, you must kneel and pray to your parents. I have never met my parents. My shifu raised me. Shifu is buried at Qingcheng Mountain, so I will face the east.”
"My parents are buried at Sword Heart Cliff in Sword Tomb, also to the east," Li Hanyi said.
The two knelt and bowed their heads slowly.
"If I’d known, I would have come down the mountain a few years earlier. All my life, I have never experienced such joy as I have at this moment." Zhao Yuzhen turned to look at Li Hanyi and smiled tenderly.
Li Hanyi was slightly surprised because the hand with which Zhao Yuzhen was holding hers suddenly lost its strength.
Those onlookers were already shocked into a daze by this incredible scene, but suddenly there was an exclamation in the crowd.
At that moment, the peach blossom tree, which was still luxuriant even though its flowers were falling, withered into yellow in an instant and collapsed, as if the entire tree lost its vitality. Only the peach blossom petals that surrounded Li Hanyi were still floating about her.
Xie Xuan glanced at Qi Tianchen in alarm, but Qi Tianchen seemed to have expected it, and he sighed softly.
Zhao Yuzhen stepped into Spirit Wandering with a single sword, killed three elders of Tang Clan, injured Xie Qidao, defeated Su Muyu, and repelled Su Changhe, but the backlash of that consummate sword move was far more terrifying than imagined. On top of that, he used up the last of his Great Dragon and Elephant Strength when he forcibly pulled out the Pear Blossom Needle. By the time Qi Tianchen saw Zhao Yuzhen, he was already a lamp that was out of oil, and all that’s left of him was an empty shell. Back then, he’d promised Lü Suzhen that one day, he would help Zhao Yuzhen overcome his heavenly calamity, so this time, he’d left Heavenly Revelations City for him. But, in the end, he was unfortunately a step too late.
"His fate was destined to be a boundless eternity. It was inescapable." Qi Tianchen shook his head slowly.
Zhao Yuzhen was still smiling at Li Hanyi, but his smile was starting to look exhausted. "What’s the point of being an immortal and understanding the Dao? All my life has been worth it for just this moment."
"Zhao Yuzhen, what's wrong with you!" Li Hanyi held onto Zhao Yuzhen, who was on the verge of collapsing onto the ground.
Zhao Yuzhen reached out his hand and caressed Li Hanyi's cheek. "Little angel, I'm dying.
"But before I die, you’ve become my wife.
"You can't marry anyone else for the rest of your life.
"The peach blossoms outside still bloom as always, the person inside is more beautiful than the peach blossoms. Little angel, I’m so happy that I met you in this life.
"Farewell."
The peach blossoms wilted, and the west wind danced wildly.
Li Hanyi hugged Zhao Yuzhen who slowly closed his eyes, and roared into the sky, "No!"
A thunderbolt fell from Heaven and struck Li Hanyi directly.
"Don’t!" Xie Xuan drew his Book of Knowledge, trying to block the thunderbolt from the Ninth Heaven.
But, he was a step too late.
The thunderbolt fell. Fell on Li Hanyi's body.
Her fine black hair turned purple in an instant, the Peach Blossom sword and the Armoured Glacier sword cried out in a continuous wail.
In Li Hanyi’s arms, Zhao Yuzhen’s corpse had turned into dust. She raised her head slightly, a purple flash in her eyes. Xie Xuan’s heart was gripped with alarm and he exchanged a glance with Qi Tianchen, who looked equally stunned. They confirmed the answer in each other's hearts.
Li Hanyi had demonised.
*