Chapter 650: Never Again

Without anyone quite noticing, four months had passed.

Most of the Zhou Kingdom had already entered winter, especially the capital, which seemed to grow colder even more quickly than elsewhere.

Xiao Mo felt this year's first snow would likely arrive early and ever since the Confucian Academy's phoenix tree had been transported to the Zhou Kingdom's capital, Xiao Mo could indeed clearly sense the kingdom's literary fortune growing richer with each passing day.

Over these past few months, above the Zhou Kingdom's capital, Xiao Mo could see several ink-colored clouds appearing every day.

These ink clouds would then gradually dissolve, scattering in every direction throughout the Zhou Kingdom.

Just as rain nourishes all living things.

Xiao Mo felt that, by next year, the children born within the Zhou Kingdom would include no small number of promising scholars, future pillars of Great Zhou.

And this small kingdom of Zhou would, through them, spread throughout the world, becoming known to others.

Though it would take another decade or two before this first "batch of seeds" grew into maturity.

Xiao Mo, having become a cultivator himself, sometimes felt that time truly did pass swiftly.

What felt like several years to an ordinary person seemed, to Xiao Mo's eyes, to pass in the mere snap of a finger.

As for Han Jiu Palace.

Qin Siyao's injuries had fully healed.

Fully restored to her former self, Qin Siyao continued visiting Xiao Mo whenever she had free time, as she always had and Xue Kui, too, would often bring Little Hundun along to play with Xiao Mo.

With that towering ancient tree now established within Confucian Grace Garden, Xue Kui and Little Hundun often climbed up and down it, even frequently napping upon its branches.

They had become friends with the tree spirit as well, often playing together.

Whenever Xue Kui fell asleep on the treetop and accidentally tumbled down, the tree spirit would often catch her securely.

For a time, Confucian Grace Garden was filled with childlike innocence and cheerful laughter and Xiao Mo, too, often went to rest beneath that phoenix tree.

Even with winter's arrival, this phoenix tree remained perpetually full of spring vitality, as though its leaves would never fall and listening to Xue Kui and the others' playful sounds, Xiao Mo's own restless heart gradually settled, and he would slowly drift off to sleep.

…

"Hey, cowherd boy, what's your name?"

"Xiao Mo... I have some silver here. Would you teach me to read?"

"Xiao Mo, Old Auntie Wang and the others say I'm well-suited for bearing children, that once I have a baby, you and the child will never go hungry. What does that mean?"

"Xiao Mo, I just made this garment for you. Come try it on..."

"Brother Xiao Mo, Brother Xiao Mo..."

Beneath the phoenix tree, Xue Kui pushed at Xiao Mo's shoulder, calling out loudly, her tone carrying a note of urgency.

The dream gradually dissolved, and Xiao Mo slowly opened his eyes, finding Xue Kui kneeling before him, looking at him with worry, while Little Hundun flew back and forth ceaselessly.

That tree spirit in the short jacket and skirt, too, tilted her head, biting her finger, her dark green eyes blinking as she watched Xiao Mo.

"Brother Xiao Mo... you're finally awake. You scared us to death..." Seeing Brother Xiao Mo wake, Xue Kui let out a sigh of relief, patting her chest.

"What's wrong? Why so frightened?" Xiao Mo asked with a smile, rubbing her head.

"Brother Xiao Mo, you're asking what's wrong." Xue Kui pouted. "You were sleeping so peacefully, and suddenly you started crying..."

"Crying?"

Xiao Mo paused, reaching up to touch his own face, only then realizing his cheeks were damp with tears.

"Brother Xiao Mo, are you feeling unwell somewhere?" Xue Kui still looked worried.

"I'm not unwell." Xiao Mo shook his head with a smile. "Big brother just had a dream, that's all. Don't worry about me. Go on and play."

"Really, you're okay?" Xue Kui didn't quite believe him.

"Really, I'm fine." Xiao Mo smiled helplessly. "Go on, go on."

"Okay, then."

Seeing that big brother truly seemed fine, Xue Kui gathered Hundun into her arms, glancing back every few steps as she walked away, returning to climb the tree.

Leaning against the tree, Xiao Mo watched Xue Kui and the others playing and laughing, recalling the dream he had just had, his mind drifting.

This was not the first time Xiao Mo had had such a dream.

These past days, Xiao Mo kept dreaming of a woman dressed in a white gown.

He kept seeing her standing before him, hands folded behind her back, looking at him with lively, graceful bearing.

Though Xiao Mo could never quite recall her name.

Though her face grew hazier each time he woke.

Xiao Mo knew, in his heart, that she held an extraordinarily important place within it.

"I... shouldn't have forgotten her..."

Xiao Mo let out a soft sigh.

"The Book of a Hundred Lives... the Book of a Hundred Lives..."

If everything within the Book of a Hundred Lives was real then where was she now?

Was she doing well?

…

Ning Xue Palace.

Yan Ruxue sat in the front courtyard, sleeves rolled up, painting.

Upon the painting scroll appeared to be a winter scene.

A young woman in the snow waved her small hand, as though seeing off a young man and that young man, dressed in clean, dark-blue scholar's robes, carried a book satchel on his back, seemingly heading into the city to sit for an examination.

"Miss, your painting is truly beautiful."

Watching the miss's careful brushstrokes, Xiao Chun, standing nearby, praised her genuinely.

"Enough chatter." Yan Ruxue reached out, gently tapping Xiao Chun's head. "That coat I had you deliver to His Majesty earlier, what did he say?"

When the weather had first begun turning cold, Yan Ruxue had started making the garment, finishing it just the day before, and had Xiao Chun deliver it right away.

"His Majesty was naturally delighted." Xiao Chun said with a smile. "His Majesty put it on immediately, praising my lady's fine craftsmanship."

"Good, then." Yan Ruxue nodded. "Also, these past days, you haven't had any conflicts with those maids from Han Jiu Palace, have you?"

"No, my lady, truly not. This servant wouldn't dare..."

Xiao Chun hurriedly waved her hands.

The last time, after Xiao Chun had fought with Laoyue and the others from Han Jiu Palace, tearing each other's clothes, Yan Ruxue had punished her severely with the paddle, leaving her bedridden for several days, and even having her copy out the palace rules a full hundred times...

After that, Xiao Chun had gone out of her way to avoid Laoyue entirely whenever she saw her...

"Good that you wouldn't dare."

Yan Ruxue glanced at Xiao Chun, then withdrew her gaze, continuing to refine the painting in her hands.

Xiao Chun, meanwhile, obediently ground the ink nearby.

"?" Half an incense stick's time later, Xiao Chun raised her head as though sensing something, saying with delight, "My lady, look, it's snowing!"

Yan Ruxue set down her brush, watching the pure white snow drifting down from the sky.

The first snow melted into her hair, falling upon her painting scroll.

"Miss, do you like snowy days?" Xiao Chun asked happily.

"I don't." Yan Ruxue shook her head.

"Why not?" Xiao Chun asked, puzzled. "Snow is so beautiful."

"Is it beautiful?"

Yan Ruxue smiled gently, reaching out a hand, touching the icy chill of the first snow.

In the woman's heart, every snowy day meant either her own hibernation, or a young man setting off for his examination.

However beautiful that white snow might be.

It was no longer beautiful to her.

"But from now on..."

Yan Ruxue blew the snow from her hand, scattering it.

"Never again..."