Chapter 640: The real ‘pain’

In Guanghan, Li Qi bowed before the legendary Moon Mother Chang Xi, the first Moon Essence to be born in the world.

He was able to behold her face.

How should I put it?

She was still very ordinary.

She was indeed a great beauty, much prettier than Shen Shuibi, and far more stunning than the Lingxiao Flower Goddess, but somehow… she didn't seem to live up to her reputation.

She was, after all, renowned throughout the heavens for her beauty. One would think she should be at a similar level to the White Chen Fox King Bodhisattva, if not surpassing her, perhaps like the Peony Flower Goddess.

But looking at her now, while certainly beautiful, it was… just ordinary beauty, not reaching a more advanced level, which left Li Qi feeling a bit regretful.

However, the moment this thought emerged, Li Qi wanted to slap himself.

Oh no, she saw it!

Yet, she didn't seem to mind. Instead, she rose from the jade bed.

Li Qi quickly bowed.

He didn't know why, but ever since coming here, he felt increasingly agitated, almost unable to control his thoughts, always thinking random things, and none of them serious. He kept comparing everyone to the White Chen Fox King Bodhisattva…

What's going on?

Doubt arose in Li Qi's heart, and he once again guarded his mind, silently waiting for her to approach him.

Chang Xi gently waved her hand, and a table appeared before them.

Then, as a Third Rank Great Power, she personally arranged pastries and a wine pot, and poured wine for Li Qi.

Li Qi was flustered and immediately stopped her: "Your Excellency, this junior wouldn't dare…"

Chang Xi merely smiled: "You dare not let me pour wine, yet you dare to stop me?"

Li Qi immediately withdrew his hand upon hearing this, his scalp tingling with embarrassment.

What on earth was this Third Rank Great Power thinking…

After the wine was poured, Chang Xi truly began to question Li Qi.

But to Li Qi's surprise, her first question was: "Under what circumstances did you and your wife meet?"

"Ah?" Li Qi was stunned.

What was going on? We should be discussing the Human-Shaman War, my capabilities, what position I can hold, what contributions I can make, right?

Why are we talking about my love life?

However, as she was a Third Rank, Li Qi didn't dare to hide anything. He said: "It started about eight hundred years ago…"

As he said this, Li Qi suddenly paused.

Eight hundred years?

It had already been eight hundred years.

Thinking this, he continued his narration.

Facing a Third Rank, there was nothing to hide. If she truly wanted to know, she could directly see it from his mind. Asking now was merely out of politeness.

Besides, there was nothing shameful.

Li Qi began to recount his story with Shen Shuibi, which was actually quite ordinary, without any grand or dramatic moments.

One could even say it was a bit 'forced' or 'stiff'.

But then again… when did such things ever need a reason?

Back then, in Yi County of Li Prefecture, when Li Qi bought a wooden hairpin for Shen Shuibi, he was already thinking many things.

With this feeling, Li Qi continued to recount the events they had experienced together.

However, as he spoke, Li Qi suddenly felt…

He seemed to have calmed down. His previously restless and somewhat uncontrolled mind gradually recovered.

As the narration continued, Li Qi also noticed that as his mood became peaceful, Chang Xi, before him, became increasingly captivating.

Her appearance hadn't changed, but her aura grew deeper, making her look even more unforgettable.

The surrounding moonlight became brighter. The moment Li Qi awoke from his narration, he suddenly realized in a trance—

The surroundings were like a celestial realm, as if he were in the Jasper Sky.

Upon closer inspection, it was as if he was leaning on a bed under the moon, a cool fragrance brushing his face, points of light flickering, accompanied by the countless Guanghan palaces beneath the falling leaves… Truly, when mist-shrouded willows darken, clouds pass the moon, and countless fireflies glow in the human world.

And at the same time, Li Qi felt his mood completely settle. The previous thoughts of complaining that Chang Xi wasn't as beautiful as the White Chen Fox King Bodhisattva, which had caused his mind to wander, completely vanished.

Indeed, he had been abnormal just now.

Looking at her now, although Chang Xi wasn't as beautiful, her aura was in no way inferior to the other, and combined with the scenery of the Guanghan immortal realm, she was not inferior at all.

So, there was a reason why Lady Chang Xi asked him to recount his love story? Was it because of this?

"Lady Chang Xi… what was that just now?" Li Qi couldn't help but ask.

"Hmm, it's difficult for you to understand. We'll talk about it when you can comprehend it later," Chang Xi said, her tone soft and gentle.

"Then… can you give me an analogy?" Li Qi was puzzled.

He really wanted to know what had just happened.

"Hmm, then I'll use an example that you can understand better as an analogy," she thought for a moment, seemingly deciding that she could tell Li Qi after all.

So, she continued: "You are like this cup of wine in your hand. The wine is made from a kind of yeast. The yeast consumes various spiritual materials to produce wine, and then it is suffocated by the wine, eventually becoming part of the wine."

"The yeast uses its own product to destroy its own ecosystem. They are eating and being suffocated to death by their own creation. The reason is simple: their intelligence is limited. They never realized they were making fine wine."

"Now, you are that yeast."

What she said was not at all subtle, so Li Qi understood easily.

Chang Xi was using him to produce something he couldn't comprehend. His wisdom and knowledge couldn't keep up with her, so she couldn't tell him what it was.

But… why would it be his love story?

As if seeing what Li Qi was thinking, Chang Xi interjected: "The bright moon is inherently accompanied by true feelings. Alright, let's get to the main topic now. Let me see your capabilities."

Getting to the main topic, Li Qi immediately cleared his mind of distractions and began to undergo the assessment.

This was the real assessment.

Chang Xi asked Li Qi about his strengths and had him demonstrate them.

After about an hour, once she was sure she understood Li Qi well enough, she assigned him a position in the Zhang Lu Small Team.

That's right, Li Qi didn't become a commander. Now, he and Shen Shuibi together became the leaders of a Zhang Lu Small Team.

Next, he would take Shen Shuibi to the front lines, accept assignments from the local command, and continue his fight.

Leaving Guanghan, Li Qi bid farewell to the renowned Moon Mother.

He quickened his pace.

Because, after more than three hundred years of confinement, he could finally see Shen Shuibi again.

He rushed along, leaping through various palaces.

After about two quarters of an hour, where giant tree leaves fell and plunged into the Heavenly River—

Right by the Heavenly River, Li Qi finally managed to catch his breath.

Because he saw a mother and daughter by the river.

The mother was sitting by the riverbank, grooming herself, while the daughter was playing in the Heavenly River, forming hand seals and conjuring waterfalls.

He stood rooted to the spot for a moment, not daring to move forward.

Emotions solidified, speechless and sudden sorrow, standing rooted to the spot, hooves halted.

Guanghan's immortal melody permeated the palace, where once the Silver River bridged two ends.

However, as Li Qi stood still, carefully observing this scene, he saw that not far away, the little rabbit seemed to sense something, rising and looking towards Li Qi's direction.

Their gazes met, and the tension in Li Qi's heart instantly melted like snow.

His halted steps began to move again.

Light as the wind, swift on two feet, as if floating clouds were beneath his toes.

The family reunited in Guanghan, which felt somewhat strange to Li Qi.

After all, the bright moon inherently carries the meaning of longing… Wait, as this thought came to mind, Li Qi suddenly seemed to understand what kind of 'wine' his yeast was brewing.

So that's it, so that's it.

"Father!" Before Li Qi could ponder further, Li Shiwei, like a young swallow returning to its nest, threw herself into Li Qi's arms.

This immediately dispelled Li Qi's distracting thoughts.

He wouldn't think about those things anymore. If it was brewing wine, then so be it. It didn't matter.

He should first tell his wife and daughter about these past three hundred years.

— — — — — — — — —

After that, Li Qi and Shen Shuibi reunited, but the couple didn't talk about their own affairs. Instead, like all parents, they began to address Li Shiwei's matters.

First was Li Shiwei's unauthorized contact with the Demonic Prince.

Gotten bold, haven't you? Li Qi didn't even dare to have deep contact with the Demonic Prince, and you, Little the little rabbit, dared to go find the Demonic Prince? Do you have a death wish?

Then there was her unauthorized arrival at the battlefield. She thought she could help Li Qi…

Cough, cough, she did help, but even if Li Qi didn't want her help…

It seemed he couldn't. If Li Qi didn't want her help, he would have been held back and defeated by Liu Junyi.

Uh…

Li Qi suddenly lost his reason to discipline her and could only stand awkwardly in place.

Finally, Shen Shuibi took over, but since the child was grown, it was impossible to use force. So she just pulled Li Shiwei aside and very solemnly told her not to put herself in danger.

Facing Shen Shuibi, Li Shiwei couldn't clown around either. She could only nod sheepishly, indicating that she would be careful in the future.

Li Qi could only sigh.

What else could he say?

She was already a child several hundred years old, a Seventh Rank even…

In the end, Li Qi could only continue to keep her by his side.

In these chaotic times, with the Demonic Dao also involved, sending her back to the world was no longer very reliable. It was better to keep her by his side.

After asking about their daughter, it was the wife's turn to ask Li Qi.

Li Qi candidly recounted everything he had experienced during these three hundred years, but he didn't mention the Shaman God.

The Shaman God was still too shocking; there was no need. He only needed to explain his whereabouts.

Upon learning the reason for Li Qi's confinement, Shen Shuibi merely nodded, saying nothing more.

She could understand.

Li Shiwei just stuck out her tongue. She had no right to comment on her dad's affairs; she just listened.

But… being able to erase the future?

Uncle Bo Yue also seemed to have this ability. It didn't sound like much.

Li Qi didn't know what his daughter was thinking. Anyway, after that, the 'settling accounts' period ended, and then it was the phase of the family enjoying themselves.

Li Qi began to brew fine wine on the spot, the little rabbit made some dishes, and as for Li Shiwei, she lay waiting to eat, but her lively nature and sweet words made her working parents happy.

After the meal was finished, the family boarded a spiritual raft.

Sleeping on it would take them to where they needed to conduct their business.

Li Qi lay on the spiritual raft, feeling content.

Even if he had to rush to the battlefield afterward, being with his family at this moment, without any worries, he only needed to do what he wanted.

It was truly wonderful.

He held Shen Shuibi from behind, stroking the little rabbit's belly, feeling the soft touch, and gradually fell asleep amidst her steady breathing.

Only—

When he woke up, Li Qi found himself… in Guanghan.

He looked into the distance and saw Shen Shuibi slowly getting up and looking at him.

Li Qi instantly felt a surge of anger!

Damn it!

His Qi even became unstable for a moment because of it.

But he immediately controlled himself.

He smiled as usual, moved forward, and just like the very first time, he made the exact same movements, used the exact same tone, and said the exact same words.

He spent the exact same wonderful time with his wife and daughter, and once again boarded the spiritual raft.

Only, this time, it wasn't wonderful at all.

Again, he woke up from the spiritual raft…

He found himself back in Guanghan.

Li Qi really wanted to smash something.

However, he remained calm. He still did the same things.

the little rabbit and his daughter… they knew nothing. They had waited for him for over three hundred years, especially his daughter, three hundred years… that was half of her life.

They didn't even ask why, but welcomed him immediately.

Therefore, Li Qi didn't want their 'first time' to be an unpleasant experience.

So, he lay down on the spiritual raft again and again, and appeared in Guanghan again and again.

On the eighty-fifth time, when Li Qi was once again holding Shen Shuibi to sleep, things were different.

the little rabbit's hand suddenly held Li Qi's hand.

"Are you… troubled? Did something happen at Ordained Invoker?" the little rabbit turned her head to look at Li Qi.

Li Qi immediately shook his head: "How could that be? No, not at all."

"Is there something you're hiding from me, something about Ordained Invoker that you can't say?" the little rabbit asked.

Li Qi hesitated for a moment, then said: "Truly… nothing."

"Then there's nothing. Get some good rest. I'm right here," the little rabbit smiled, turned over, and buried her head in Li Qi's chest.

Li Qi took a deep breath, letting the fresh scent of her hair fill his chest.

He slowly fell asleep.

When he woke up again, it was still Guanghan.

The initial emotion of seeing his family was completely gone. All that remained in his heart was resentment.

Li Qi even wanted to let out a long cry and curse the heavens.

But he couldn't do that.

"Be normal… be normal." Li Qi patted his face.

This was his wife and daughter seeing him for the first time. This was his wife and daughter seeing him for the first time…

Then, he continued to walk forward, only with a hint of sadness.

Again, and again.

Again, and again.

After the two hundred sixty-seventh time, Li Qi finally became numb. He was no longer angry, nor was he sad.

On the two hundred eighty-eighth time, Li Qi reappeared in Guanghan.

He looked up at the sky.

Is this the Shaman God's reminder…

Is this the 'pain' the Shaman God spoke of?

It wasn't about the ordinary regressions Li Qi had experienced before.

But… now.

It didn't matter how many times a stranger regressed.

But what about loved ones?

The heartbreak of falling out of love, I am as pained as Li Qi.