Chapter 38 A Farewell To The Past

After the classes had ended, the students walked out of the classroom, their chatter filling the air, into the front of the school. The students circled in their own groups of friends, talking excitedly about the approaching Mid-Autumn Festival, their plans and hopes for the celebration. The laughter of young hearts echoed in front of the school, a vibrant, joyful sound.

Deming walked out of the classroom with Fu Yongrui and Cao Yifei, his steps still a little stiff. As they made their way near the other students, Fu Yongrui suddenly said, his voice enthusiastic, "Let's go celebrate our friendships, brothers! The festival is almost here!"

Cao Yifei smiled, a gentle warning in her voice. "Yes, but don't drink too much. Remember what happened last time."

Deming looked at the two cousins, a faint grimace on his face. "I'll pass on the celebration," he said, his voice a little weary.

"Why not, Brother Dong?" Fu Yongrui turned around and asked, his brow furrowed in surprise.

"I was out for two days because I went drinking, and I was very sick," Deming explained, a touch of embarrassment in his voice. "I'm still recovering."

"Then we won't drink alcohol, Brother Dong, just eat and talk," Fu Yongrui offered, trying to persuade him. "It'll be fun!"

Deming refused again, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I'm still not feeling well. I just want to take a break, truly."

"How about the day after tomorrow, then?" Fu Yongrui persisted, his enthusiasm unwavering. "You'll be better by then!"

The more Deming refused Fu Yongrui's invitation, the more the persistent young man insisted. He finally relented, sighing. "Okay, fine. The day after tomorrow."

The three friends saw some Guozhao students and some other classmates talking in a lively group nearby.

"Let's go see what they are doing over there," Fu Yongrui suggested, his curiosity piqued.

The three friends walked over to the group.

Tam Kun was holding a scroll and a brush. "Come on, everyone, write your name here!" he urged, gesturing to the scroll.

"What are you guys doing?" Fu Yongrui asked, looking at the scroll.

Tam Liang, seeing Fu Yongrui, grinned. "We are going to participate in the Mid-Autumn Festival competition!" He looked Fu Yongrui up and down, assessing him. "Hey, classmate Fu, you're not too bad. How fast can you run? You look quick."

Fu Yongrui smiled, a confident glint in his eye. "Fast enough, Brother Tam."

"Let's race, then!" Tam Liang challenged, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"No," Fu Yongrui replied, shaking his head.

"Why not?" Tam Liang frowned, disappointed.

"Your spiritual power is much stronger than mine, Brother Tam. I can't win, so why bother?" Fu Yongrui stated his voice practical.

Tam Liang said with a wide smile, "It is forbidden to use spiritual energy in the competition, Fu Yongrui! It's purely about physical speed." He smiled. "What did you say, let's run from here to that clothesline and come back? A quick sprint!" He pointed to the clothesline far away from them, a distant white line.

Fu Yongrui smiled, his confidence returning. "Well, if you don't use your spiritual energy to support you... I have no problem racing with you, Brother Tam. You're on!"

"I won't," Tam Liang promised, holding up a hand. "On my honor as a Guozhao Hunter."

The two stepped forward and began to stretch, warming up their muscles, the other students gathering around them.

"Who do you think will win?" Tam Kun asked, looking at Deming and Cao Yifei, a playful challenge in his voice.

Cao Yifei smiled confidently, a knowing look on her face. "Yongrui, of course."

"I think Tam Liang will win," Tam Kun countered, shaking his head. "He's surprisingly fast."

Cao Yifei smiled confidently, a hint of a smirk. "Brother Tam might win if he races against someone else, but if he is racing against Yongrui..." She smirked at Tam Kun, raising her right thumb and pointing it down, a clear sign of dismissal. "There is no way, Brother Tam will win. He's too slow for Yongrui."

"Why is that?" Deming asked, intrigued by her certainty.

Cao Yifei smiled, her eyes twinkling. "His nickname is Leopard. He's incredibly swift."

A male classmate, who had been listening, said, "Then he must be fast, indeed!"

"Wait and see," Cao Yifei replied, her smile unwavering.

When Tam Kun counted to three, the two runners burst forward, sprinting towards the clothesline. Fu Yongrui's speed was truly astonishing, a blur of motion. He ran to the clothesline first, touching it, and three minutes later, Tam Liang, panting heavily, crossed the finish line, defeated but exhilarated.

Tam Liang was excited even after losing, his face flushed. "You are very fast, Brother Fu! You must join our team! We need your speed!"

"Brother Fu, please... you need to join our team," Tam Kun pleaded, his voice earnest. "We're desperate!"

Fu Yongrui, catching his breath, said, "I still don't know the reason for joining your team. What's the competition about?"

Yu Lei, a senior student, said from behind him, "It's a five-course competition, Brother Fu. It requires a diverse team." He walked in with the Fang twins, who had just arrived.

Tam Kun pleaded with tears in his eyes, "C'mon, Brother Fu, we never win! We're always fourth place! It's embarrassing!"

Fu Yongrui was startled. "What? But you are Guozhao Hunters, why have you never won?"

Fang Weimin, sighing, said, "The problem is that most of us have the strength but no brains, Brother Fu. We're not strategic."

Fang Weisheng, scoffing, said, "Hmph, don't underestimate your teammates, Weimin."

"That's why we always came in fourth place," Fang Weimin explained, ignoring his brother. "We lack tactical minds."

"What is your answer, brother? Please join us," Tam Liang pressed, his voice hopeful.

Fu Yongrui looked around at the other Guozhao juniors. "How about your senior brothers? Why aren't they joining?" he asked.

Fang Weimin frowned. "They all refused to participate, Brother Fu."

"Why?" Cao Yifei asked, surprised.

Fang Weisheng frowned. "They all said that besides caring for the juniors, they have other more important things to do. They're too busy."

"Who is in the team so far?" Fu Yongrui asked, considering.

Tam Kun smiled. "This brother here." He patted one of the tall students on the shoulder. He cleared his throat, trying to remember the name. "Hey, what is your name again?"

Ho Jinhai, the tall student, sighed. "Ho Jinhai, Brother Tam. I wrote my name on it, how could you forget it?"

Tam Kun smiled sheepishly. "My fault, Brother Ho! So, it's Lei, the Fang twins, Tam Liang, Tian Xiang, me, and you, Jinhai. We still need one more person."

Fu Yongrui looked at Deming, a hopeful expression. "How about Brother Dong? He's smart!"

Deming refused the invitation, shaking his head. "No, sorry. I don't like competition. I don't have muscles or the brain for such things."

Fu Yongrui said sadly, his face falling. "I'm sorry, brothers... If Brother Dong doesn't participate, then I can only refuse. I need a full team."

Tam Kun grabbed Deming's arms, his grip surprisingly strong, and knelt in front of Deming, his eyes pleading. "Brother Dong!" He shouted, his voice raw with desperation. "Please help us! Think about all the good things our sector has done for you! We have not treated you badly, have we?" Deming wanted to free his hand, but Tam Kun held it even tighter, his grip unyielding. "You have to be on the team, Brother Dong! We need him, we need your brain!" He continued to cry, pleading on his knees, a spectacle.

Tian Xiang saw Guozhao Zhiqiang walking towards the group, his presence radiating cold authority. He looked at his fellow brothers, and everyone suddenly stopped talking, their faces paling. Tian Xiang said quietly, his voice urgent, "Ah Kun, get up! Now!"

Tam Kun did not hear Tian Xiang and other warnings, too consumed by his pleading, and continued to beg and cry.

"Just say yes, Brother Dong!" Fu Yongrui urged, still unaware of Zhiqiang's approach.

"What are you doing, Tam Kun?" Guozhao Zhiqiang said sharply, his voice cutting through the air like ice.

Tam Kun stood up quickly, startled, releasing Deming. "Senior Brother!" He elbowed Tian Xiang and muttered, "Why didn't you warn me?!"

Tian Xiang replied quietly, "I did, Ah Kun. You cried too loudly to hear me."

Deming, seeing the tension, explained, "They wanted me to join their team for the Lantern Festival competition, Senior Brother Guozhao."

"Do you want to join, Dong Enlai?" Guozhao Zhiqiang asked, his voice still cold, his gaze fixed on Deming.

Deming shook his head. "No, but Brother Fu refuses to join if I don't join."

Guozhao Zhiqiang immediately said coldly, his voice firm, "He is ill and cannot join, Tam Kun. He's not well enough for competition." He then turned to Fu Yongrui. "Student Fu, please join their team. We will cheer you on by the side."

Fu Yongrui smirked, a challenging glint in his eye. "Guozhao Zhiqiang, I heard that you are talented in many aspects, why don't you help your juniors compete? You're the Black Hunter; you'd guarantee a win."

"I have other more important things to attend to, Classmate Fu," Guozhao Zhiqiang replied, his voice dismissive.

Fu Yongrui smirked, his confidence unwavering. "If you can beat me, Guozhao Zhiqiang, I will join their team without Brother Dong. And, if I lose, you can do whatever you want with me. My word is my bond."

"No one can do whatever he wants to you, Brother Fu," Deming said quickly, a sudden protectiveness in his voice. He glanced at Guozhao Zhiqiang shyly, remembering the previous night.

Guozhao Zhiqiang scoffed, a low, amused sound. "Okay. Come, Student Fu."

Fang Weisheng warned Fu Yongrui, his voice filled with concern, "Brother Fu, are you crazy to challenge our Senior Brother in a friendly fight? You'll get hurt!"

"I really want to test his skills," Fu Yongrui stated, his eyes bright with challenge.

Fang Weimin, sighing, said, "Senior Brother, please don't hurt him too much, we still need him for the competition. He's our best bet."

Fu Yongrui frowned. "You said it as if I had no chance of winning, Brother Weimin!"

"Yeah... This is exactly what he wanted to say, but in a more polite way," Yu Lei said, a wry smile on his face.

Fu Yongrui threw his punch at Guozhao Zhiqiang, a swift, powerful strike. Guozhao Zhiqiang caught Fu Yongrui's fist easily and quickly bent Fu Yongrui's wrist backward, twisting it. Guozhao Zhiqiang then kicked Fu Yongrui's left upper shin, and Fu Yongrui, unbalanced, knelt on his right knee, defeated.

"You lost," Guozhao Zhiqiang said coldly, his voice flat.

Fu Yongrui grunted, his face grimacing in pain. "Fine. I will join their team. What do you want, Guozhao Zhiqiang? What's your price?"

"I can't think of anything yet, Student Fu," Guozhao Zhiqiang replied, his gaze distant. "I'll let you know if I thought of something."

"But Senior Brother, we are still one person short!" Tam Kun interjected, his voice desperate.

Just when Guozhao Zhiqiang saw Guozhao Zhaohui and two female disciples walking past him, he seized the opportunity. He shouted, "Zhaohui, this year's Mid-Autumn Festival competition, join their team! You're the last member!"

"What...?" Guozhao Zhaohui opened his mouth in shock, completely taken by surprise.

"Yes!" the brothers shouted happily, a triumphant roar.

"Why are you so happy?" Fu Yongrui asked, rubbing his shin, confused by their sudden cheer.

Tam Kun said with a big smile, his arm around Fu Yongrui's neck, "You are the fastest, Brother Fu, he is the quickest! We will definitely win this year! This is our year!"

"Everyone goes to lunch. Lunch is getting cold," Guozhao Zhiqiang said coldly, dismissing them.

Tam Kun stretched his arms around Fu Yongrui's neck, pulling him along. "Let's go to lunch and start strategizing for the competition!"

The students and hunters walked towards the kitchen area, their excited chatter filling the air, leaving Guozhao Zhiqiang and Deming behind in the quiet courtyard.

"What were you thinking, Deming?" Guozhao Zhiqiang asked, his voice soft, a hint of amusement.

Deming turned to face Guozhao Zhiqiang and said, his voice firm, "I don't want you to do whatever you want with anyone else other than... me."

Guozhao Zhiqiang patted Deming's head lightly, a tender gesture. "Don't think too much, my love. I understand."

A junior hunter walked to Guozhao Zhiqiang, bowing respectfully. "Senior Brother," he said, then looked at Deming. "Brother Dong, a female student from Guzheng Sector is looking for you."

"Who?" Deming asked, surprised.

"She said her name is Li Bingqing," the junior hunter replied.

Deming smiled, a genuine warmth in his eyes. "Thank you. I'll go see her."

"I'll take her to the guest hall, Senior Brother," the Junior Hunter said, and left quickly.

Guozhao Zhiqiang grabbed Deming's right wrist, his grip firm, and continued to walk towards the guest hall, pulling Deming along.

Deming stopped, surprised by the possessive gesture, and turned around. "What are you doing, Zhiqiang?"

"Who is this, Li Bingqing, Deming?" Guozhao Zhiqiang asked coldly, his voice laced with a possessive jealousy.

Deming said, his voice defiant, "It doesn't matter who she is, Zhiqiang. Just say she's special to me."

"Is she special to you, Deming?" Guozhao Zhiqiang asked coldly, his gaze piercing.

Deming smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Yes, she is."

Guozhao Zhiqiang let go of Deming's wrist abruptly, his face darkening. Deming smiled, a small, triumphant smile, and quickly walked towards the guest hall, leaving him behind. He stood there for a while, his jaw tight, and then slowly followed Deming to the guest hall. As he approached the guest hall, he heard laughter, light and happy. He looked through the open window and saw a beautiful lady, Li Bingqing, feeding Deming, a tender, intimate gesture.

Li Bingqing, her face radiant, said, "How was it, Enlai? Is it good?"

Deming replied with a smile, his mouth full, "As good as I remember, Bingqing. Delicious."

Li Bingqing said, "It will taste better if it is freshly made, Enlai. I just wanted to bring you a treat."

"What are you doing here, Bingqing?" Deming asked, swallowing his food.

Li Bingqing, her eyes soft, said, "It's been a month since you left, Enlai. I miss you so much." She smiled at him, a wistful expression. "Have you made any new friends here?"

"Yes," Deming replied, his gaze sweeping the room. He raised his head and caught a glimpse of Guozhao Zhiqiang's cold, furious eyes through the window. "Wait, I think that's one of them now." He got up and walked towards the door, but Guozhao Zhiqiang, his face a thundercloud, had already left the guest area and walked out far away, disappearing quickly. He sighed, a mixture of exasperation and amusement, and walked back and continued to talk with Li Bingqing.

Li Bingqing said, "My uncle's birthday, that's why I came to Cloud City. I have a few words with you, and then I have to go to his house for the celebration."

"Is your uncle a teacher here?" Deming asked, recalling Teacher Li.

Li Bingqing shook her head. "No, he owns a small clothing shop. Why do you think my uncle is a teacher?"

Deming smiled. "Because our teacher's surname is also Li. I thought you might be related."

Deming and Li Bingqing both laughed, a warm, easy sound, and continued their conversations, catching up on the past month.

For the rest of the afternoon, Deming did not see Guozhao Zhiqiang anywhere. He decided to go to his house to find Guozhao Zhiqiang, sensing his anger. When he walked up to Peach Blossom Mountain, the path familiar from the previous night, he knew, with a certainty, that Guozhao Zhiqiang must be angry with him and had left him with Li Bingqing on purpose, a deliberate act of jealousy. Only then did Deming realize that he had not invited Guozhao Zhiqiang to go with him to the guest hall, a thoughtless oversight.

Deming sighed, a quiet sound of exasperation, and said to himself, "You are such a big baby, Zhiqiang, why are you suddenly angry with such a trivial matter? It's just a friend." He continued to walk up Peach Blossom Mountain, the scent of blossoms filling the air.

Guozhao Zhiqiang sat cross-legged on the porch of his house, his face grim, recalling the moment when Deming and Li Bingqing were smiling together, their faces close. The two young people looked like a match made in heaven, a perfect couple. He touched his necklace, the transparent tube holding Deming's ashes, and suddenly realized, with a crushing weight, that his Deming has been dead for a long time, reduced to dust. He watched Deming's body slowly turn to ashes in his mind, a painful memory. When his Deming was alive, Deming never laughed happily, never smiled so freely, but seeing the new Deming today, he is alive and full of laughter, vibrant and joyful. Does he dare to take that laughter away from the new Deming? Does he have the right to claim him and potentially extinguish that joy? No, he will never take the laughter away from Deming. His Deming deserves all the joy and laughter the world has to offer him, even if it's with someone else.

Guozhao Zhiqiang sighed, his eyes wet with tears, a profound sadness washing over him. "You're right, Deming," he whispered to himself, "everything is different from what it was back then. I can't be selfish." He grabbed the transparent tube, his fingers trembling, and kissed it, a final, heartbreaking farewell. "I just realized that I can never put that kind of smile on your face, Deming. I can't give you that happiness."

Guozhao Zhiqiang sighed again, a sound of profound resignation, and stood up. He went into the bedroom, picked up a clean cloth, and began to wipe Deming's spirit tablet, a solemn ritual. He put Deming's spirit tablet back on the table, and as he did, a bright magic circle symbol suddenly appeared on his hands, glowing faintly. He put his hands together and closed his eyes, concentrating, and a bright, pulsating magic circle appeared around him, engulfing him. His body disappeared as the magic light dissipated, leaving only an empty room, a profound silence, and the faint scent of peach blossoms.