Chapter Six Hundred Thirty-Eight: Every Encounter is a Reunion After a Long Time Apart
Waiting for news took a day and a night.
Young Master Sang wanted to witness the battle with his own eyes. However, he clearly underestimated the level of conflict between the Primordial Deities.
Since Yan Rouwan sent them away from a place that turned out to be the realm of some unfortunate soul, the area had since turned into pure chaos. The rules of power were completely shattered, the concepts of time and space collapsed utterly, and just the dissipating aura was almost enough to obliterate everything.
What seemed like a battle lasting only a day and a night could have very well been fought for thousands of years inside.
Given the intensity of the conflict, and prioritizing his own life, Young Master Sang wisely decided not to join the fray. Instead, he patiently awaited the outcome.
Finally, in the darkest hour just before dawn, Sang, Nian Nian, and Yan Rouwan, who had been waiting in the office, all lifted their heads at the same time.
After exchanging a glance with Yan Rouwan, Young Master Sang casually opened a space and stepped out, instantly arriving at the National Master’s residence in Tianlang City.
…Huo Longyuan was sitting at his desk.
He still appeared deep and steady, but his complexion seemed slightly pale, and his eyes bore an unmistakable hint of fatigue.
Upon seeing Young Master Sang, Huo Longyuan simply nodded at him calmly.
“…It was successful.”
Young Master Sang immediately sighed in relief.
“What about Ancestral Cang?”
“His rules of power have all been divided up, and the Primordial Soul escaped, whereabouts unknown.”
Young Master Sang frowned slightly: “Was he not sucked into the cycle?”
“That was the initial plan,” Huo Longyuan sighed softly, “but due to Jiang Mei and the others being disorganized, they delayed a bit and ultimately let him escape.”
…What a pity.
If Ancestral Cang’s Primordial Soul had entered the Abyss Realm, Young Master Sang could have even used the Original Immortal Talisman’s ability to arrange a full-service experience for his soul there.
Even if he couldn’t eliminate the Primordial Soul, preparing a golden-haired, double ponytail body for him to spend a few decades in a brothel wouldn’t have been difficult.
Now that the soul had run away, all of Young Master Sang’s carefully prepared gifts had gone to waste, making him involuntarily click his tongue in regret.
“Alas, well, it’s still all right.”
He said leisurely, “One should be content in life. Resolving Ancestral Cang so smoothly is already quite good luck.”
A faint smile appeared on Huo Longyuan’s pale face.
“All these… are for you.”
He extended his hand, revealing the Original Immortal Feather and the Original Immortal Talisman resting on his palm.
“You mentioned something… what was it again?”
“Civic money is to be returned in full,” Young Master Sang cheerfully accepted the two treasures, “the common folk’s money gets split seventy-thirty.”
“Of course, I’m not that greedy and have no interest in the rules of power. Whatever the king grabs himself belongs to him alone.”
Huo Longyuan fell silent for a moment, suddenly looking like he wanted to say something yet hesitated:
“Um…”
“Hmm?”
“Well, I actually have a request,” he gazed solemnly at Young Master Sang.
Young Master Sang blinked, seeming to return to his senses, before lightly chuckling: “I know what you want, Your Highness.”
“However, I still must remind you. Being too obsessed isn’t a good thing.”
Huo Longyuan’s broad robe concealed his slightly thin figure, vague moonlight shining down on his dark and sharp features.
“I… just want to see her one more time.”
“Even if seeing her will bring you great pain? Even if the person you see is no longer her?” Young Master Sang asked again.
Huo Longyuan pressed his lips together, saying nothing.
The empty Grand Master’s hall suddenly fell into silence. It was a long while before Young Master Sang’s sigh broke the quiet.
“Alas, I spoke too much.”
“I’ve been well cared for by Your Highness, so naturally, I should help with this.”
As he spoke, Young Master Sang slowly raised his hand, the Causal Lotus materializing: “Your Highness probably already prepared for this; my extra chatter would only seem annoying.”
“Then, let it be as you wish.”
What Huo Longyuan wanted was, of course, to use the Causal Lotus to find Luo Qingqing’s reincarnation.
For Young Master Sang, this was certainly not difficult. He just had to trace back the causality using Luo Qingqing’s remains.
However, both men knew the truth.
Once a soul enters the reincarnation cycle, it may no longer be the original soul.
The only eternal thing in existence is the Primordial Soul. An ordinary person’s soul, once reincarnated, would be shattered and reformed into a new soul, entering a new body.
Beginning a new life.
Yet for Huo Longyuan, as a Primordial Deity, the long years would turn an obsession into an unfathomable abyss.
He also understood that Luo Qingqing was already long gone.
But without seeing her with his own eyes, he just couldn’t let go.
“Well, I shall begin.”
The two men descended into the underground palace beneath the royal tomb of Tianlang City. Huo Longyuan’s avatar had long since scattered, leaving only him and Luo Qingqing’s remains preserved in the Cold Crystal Coffin.
This was also Young Master Sang’s first time seeing the face of this legendary queen of the Holy Kingdom.
What surprised Young Master Sang was that…
…Luo Qingqing’s face was quite ordinary.
Not unattractive by any means. But compared to Huo Ningxue of later generations, it was an entirely different level of beauty. It was the kind of unremarkable appearance that would vanish into a crowd.
Seeing Young Master Sang looking a bit taken aback, Huo Longyuan did not feel anger; he simply shook his head calmly.
“She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”
“Not one of them.”
Young Master Sang remained silent for a long while, then respectfully cupped his fists in salute.
“Queen Luo.”
“My apologies.”
——
——
Young Master Sang had actually imagined what Luo Qingqing might look like now.
After reincarnation, she could turn into anything.
She could even become a man.
Or a pig, a dog, a bird, or a rabbit.
She could even become flowers, trees, or weeds.
Any living being could potentially be her current form.
Young Master Sang couldn’t help but ponder how Huo Longyuan would feel if he found out that Luo Qingqing had reincarnated as an unkempt, pot-bellied middle-aged man.
Would his beliefs collapse, and his worldview shatter?
…Maybe not. For a Primordial Deity, it seemed gender wasn’t that important.
So would he then reignite a romance with this middle-aged man?
…
In any case, before finding out the result, Young Master Sang couldn’t help but feel a touch of unease.
But ultimately, when the result came out, even Young Master Sang was taken aback.
Seeing Young Master Sang pause, Huo Longyuan’s stable face first revealed impatience: “Did you find her? Why not take me with you?”
Young Master Sang remained silent for a long time, eventually bowing deeply:
“Congratulations, Your Highness. Good news. The queen, after reincarnating, is still in the Abyss Realm.”
“And furthermore, she is still human, still a youthful girl.”
“Even…”
“…right here in the Grand Master’s residence.”
Huo Longyuan suddenly froze.
It was as if some destined gear had begun to turn.
Suddenly, a gentle knocking at the door could be heard from outside:
“National Master? Is that you?”
Moments later, a girl clad in a maid’s lotus skirt, holding a lantern, cautiously pushed the hall door open.
Upon seeing Huo Longyuan and Young Master Sang, she immediately snapped back to reality, hastily kneeling in respect: “This servant deserves death, this servant was merely conducting a routine check, and upon hearing movements inside without a lamp, I did not realize the National Master and Young Master Sang were having a private discussion and intruded—”
Huo Longyuan stepped before her, gently picking up the lantern she had dropped on the ground.
“You, raise your head so I can see you clearly.”
The maid timidly lifted her gaze, her beautiful eyes filled with panic and unease.
She feared hearing something she shouldn’t and being punished.
But she instead heard Huo Longyuan’s slightly trembling voice:
“I remember you.”
Several times when he had stayed up late working, it was this little maid who kept the candle burning for him, brewed tea, and kept watch at night.
Huo Longyuan just had never thought to ask her name.
“What… what is your name?”
“Reporting to the National Master, this servant is Qing’er…”
The little maid named Qing’er hung her head, treading carefully.
But she didn’t receive any reprimand from Huo Longyuan.
Instead, she heard a strange sound.
It was like something was clogging in his throat, a low, strangled noise.
“National, National Master?”
Behind her, Young Master Sang silently observed the two. After a while, he withdrew without a sound.
He knew.
He was somewhat unnecessary.
