Immortal Travel of Longevity

Ruyi knew that all she had to do was ask, and the matter would become incredibly simple. For Uncle Chen, resolving it would be as simple as lifting his hand.

But she did not want to. Everyone had to grow up eventually. Just like a young eagle reaching a certain age, she could not rely on shelter forever. There were some things she simply had to do herself, things she had to learn to handle on her own.

After studying martial arts for so many years and wielding a spear for just as long, there had to be a place to finally put those skills to use.

Chen Changsheng understood her intentions, so he did not offer to help again. He did, however, give Ruyi a Talisman. It contained a wisp of his Magical Power, capable of saving her life in a moment of critical danger.

Though it would be best if she never had to use this Talisman at all.

"Why won't you take Lihua with you!?"

Lihua was heartbroken. Faced with Ruyi's sudden refusal, it felt incredibly gloomy.

Ruyi tapped its head. "I'm going out to fight. Bringing you along will only drag me down!"

Lihua rolled around on the ground. "Nonsense! How could Lihua drag you down? Lihua is much stronger than you!"

"I wanna go, I wanna go, I wanna go..."

Who knew when Lihua had learned how to throw a tantrum and roll on the floor like this.

It simply refused to get up, rolling back and forth in front of her until its fur was covered in dust.

Ruyi felt a headache coming on. She glanced at Mister Chen and said, "Weren't you reluctant to play with me anyway? Isn't this perfect? Besides, Uncle Chen is here too. Didn't you keep talking about the dried fish Uncle Chen gave you for the entire journey here?"

"That's different! Completely different!"

Lihua scrambled to its feet. "Lihua wants to go with Ruyi anyway! What if someone butchers Ruyi with a single strike? Lihua would be so sad."

"Don't talk nonsense."

Ruyi said, "Nothing like that will happen."

Lihua blinked its eyes. "It just might!"

Ruyi crossed her arms. "Give it a rest. I can't be bothered to argue with you anymore. You're just a silly little Mao'er."

She let out a soft hmph and walked straight out of the courtyard, acting completely heartless.

Lihua was about to follow when Ruyi suddenly turned around and glared at it. "Don't follow me!"

Seeing Ruyi's fierce expression, Lihua immediately stopped in its tracks.

It stared at Ruyi, but then retorted, "No!"

Lihua was absolutely determined; it was going to follow Ruyi no matter what.

Chen Changsheng walked over. "If it wants to go, you might as well take it along. It can be of some help on ordinary days."

Ruyi shook her head. "I'm not taking it. It's too heavy. I can't carry it."

Lihua argued, "Lihua can walk by itself!"

"Still no. You walk too slowly."

"Lihua can run really fast too!"

"I still don't want to bring you."

"Ahhhhh..."

Lihua shook its head, running forward to tug at Ruyi's pant leg. "Lihua isn't leaving! Lihua isn't leaving!"

Ruyi looked a bit helpless. She crouched down and reached out to rub Lihua's head. "How about this? I'll give you an answer tomorrow, alright? Just stay here at Uncle Chen's place for today."

"No."

Lihua said, "Lihua wants to sleep with Ruyi and eat with Ruyi."

Ruyi let out a sound of surprise. "Where did such a clingy Mao'er come from? A Mao'er is supposed to be reserved, you know?"

Lihua shook its head, not understanding.

Ruyi patted it and gently pulled its claws away. "Alright, go over to Uncle Chen now."

Lihua was reluctant to part with her. It turned to glance back at Chen the Good Man.

"Be good," Ruyi said.

Lihua raised its head. After hesitating for a moment, it said, "You can't sneak away in secret, Ruyi."

Ruyi said, "I won't."

"Pinky promise."

"You don't even have hands."

"Claws work too."

"Alright, alright..."

"Pinky promise."

The cat's claw hooked around Ruyi's pinky finger, sealing the deal.

Only then did Lihua finally return to Chen Changsheng's courtyard.

Ruyi also went back to her own courtyard.

She had originally planned to go see her mother, but after thinking it over, she decided against it. If she went to see her only to leave again in the blink of an eye, her mother would probably be even more heartbroken. Rather than do that, it was better to keep her in the dark.

After Lihua returned to the courtyard, it asked Chen the Good Man.

"Chen the Good Man, why won't Ruyi take Lihua with her?"

Chen Changsheng glanced at the cat resting beside him and asked, "Why do you think that is?"

"Is Lihua really too heavy?"

Lihua blinked. "Is Lihua a burden?"

Chen Changsheng shook his head. "I don't think so. Haven't you both traveled together all this way?"

Lihua was confused. "Then why?"

It couldn't shake the feeling that Ruyi was leaving something unsaid.

Chen Changsheng rubbed its head and said, "Ruyi has an important matter to attend to. Perhaps she's afraid that Lihua would suffer by tagging along."

"Lihua isn't afraid of suffering!"

Lihua continued, "Lihua can even skip eating. Skipping water is fine too, and Lihua doesn't even need to sleep. Anyway, Lihua is super strong now, not the same Lihua as before."

Chen Changsheng had no way to give it an answer. The Mao'er had grown up; if he spoke outright, it just might guess the truth.

After night fell.

Lihua lay on top of the wall, keeping a close eye on both courtyards.

It lay right in the middle, constantly on guard, terrified that Ruyi would suddenly run away.

But in the end, Ruyi still left.

She took the back door.

Lihua watched her go with its own eyes.

Under the veil of night, the surroundings were cloaked in darkness, but the Mao'er could see everything with perfect clarity.

Ruyi opened her window and slipped out to the back of the house.

Lihua watched her, entirely unable to understand why Ruyi would rack her brains so hard just to avoid taking it along.

Ruyi looked up and immediately spotted Lihua lying on the roof.

Lihua didn't say a word. It just quietly stared at Ruyi.

Ruyi suddenly felt incredibly awkward. She pursed her lips, at a total loss for what excuse to give.

One person and one cat stared at each other under the night sky.

Lihua didn't ask anything; at this moment, it was surprisingly quiet.

After a long while, Ruyi let out a sigh.

She took one last look at Lihua before turning and walking away.

Just like that, she left under Lihua's watchful gaze.

Lihua stayed on the roof. It didn't give chase, only watching Ruyi leave. Blinking back the sudden sting in its eyes, it mumbled, "Who wants to follow you anyway..."

Perhaps it had picked up some of Ruyi's habit of acting tough.

Ruyi walked all the way out of Qingshan City.

It was not until she was outside Qingshan City that she finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked back.

A figure was standing at the city gates.

It was Uncle Chen.

"Uncle Chen?"

Chen Changsheng stepped forward and said, "I came to see you off."

Ruyi smiled and asked, "Seeing a child off on a long journey?"

"It's what an elder should do," Chen Changsheng said with a nod.

"Mhm."

Ruyi said, "Don't worry, Uncle Chen. Nothing will happen to me. I've been wandering the jianghu for years now."

"It's always better to be careful."

Chen Changsheng paused for a moment before asking, "Did Lihua..."

"It saw me, but it didn't try to stop me."

Ruyi sighed and continued, "That Mao'er is really quite silly. Uncle Chen, please take good care of it for me. I'll be back soon."

"Why didn't you take it with you?"

"It's just a foolish little Mao'er, or rather, it's exactly like a child. And since it's a child, it's better to let it be a child forever. It's best not to let it see or know about anything else."

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