PDLP Chapter 61: Next Time...
Chapter 61: Next Time...
The old man had clearly been waiting outside the door for quite some time.
He was hunched over, clutching a coarse cloth bundle tightly to his chest. In the sunlight, a look of understanding and complexity flashed across Old Man Li's deeply lined face.
Upon seeing Zou Yun and the others emerge, he immediately went to greet them.
"Old Master Li... what's this?"
Zou Yun suddenly stopped in his tracks, looking at the old man hesitantly.
Old Man Li didn't answer first, but stepped forward, handed the bundle forward, and said gently.
"I guessed that Mr. Zou and his party were about to leave, so I specially brought some dry food for you to eat on your journey."
As he spoke, he lifted a corner of the bundle.
Under the sunlight, you can clearly see a small bundle of dried meat neatly stacked inside, as well as several pieces of coarse soybean cake made from soybean flour.
"These are all things I prepared myself. I hope you won't find them too stingy and will accept them."
Old Man Li closed the package and handed it to Zou Yun.
Zou Yun's body stiffened instantly. He stared intently at the dusty, coarse cloth bundle, but he still dared not take it.
It was as if it weren't food, but a red-hot branding iron.
"Alright, accept it, then leave quickly. The falling of that star is not a good omen; you'd better avoid it."
The old man's eyes were clear and calm, without any ulterior motives, as he forcefully stuffed the package into Zou Yun's hands.
"Then...what about the old man?! Perhaps..."
Zou Yun said in a hoarse voice.
But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Old Man Li.
"My lord, I know it's not good for me to stay here, but..."
The old man's gaze passed over Zou Yun, looking towards the fields outside the village, towards the simple thatched hut, and towards the children playing at the village entrance.
"But our ancestral property is here, how can we easily give it up?"
Seeing that Zou Yun's face was getting worse, Old Man Li smiled and comforted him.
"Haha... Don't worry, even if His Majesty is angry, he can't possibly take my life, can he?"
Without saying a word, he stuffed the package into Zou Yun's arm, which was hanging in the air.
"Alright, alright, Jun, let's go now."
After saying this, the old man gave Zou Yun no chance to stay and turned to leave slowly.
Step by step, step by step...
Slowly blending into the thatched huts of the village.
Zou Yun stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the staggering figure, then looked down at the still-warm package in her hands.
He felt a tightness and heaviness in his chest, making it hard to breathe.
The package in his hands was so heavy that he could barely lift it.
"Damn it, how am I supposed to escape in peace like this?"
Feng Zhixue keenly noticed the wavering on Zou Yun's face, and alarm bells immediately went off in his mind!
Fearing that Zou Yun might make an irrational decision in a moment of impulse, Feng Zhixue quickly stepped forward to Zou Yun's side and urgently tried to dissuade him.
"Master, rest assured, if you feel bad about it, we can bring you a gift next time you come here."
He emphasized "next time," trying to find a way to excuse his current departure.
"next time......"
Zou Yun repeated the two words in a low voice, his eyes still fixed on the direction where the old man had disappeared.
"That's right, next time..."
Seeing that Zou Yun seemed to be wavering, Feng Zhixue quickly seized the opportunity to strike while the iron was hot.
However, he was shocked to discover that a violent storm was brewing in Zou Yun's eyes, which had been dim and confused.
It was an extreme struggle between the instinct for life and the will of the spirit!
After several intense flashes of light, an exceptionally dazzling light suddenly shone deep within Zou Yun's pupils.
The light was so dazzling, more radiant, more splendid, and more captivating than any jewel Feng Zhixue had ever seen.
Feng Zhixue was momentarily stunned by what he saw.
"I'm not leaving!"
Zou Yun suddenly raised his head and said resolutely.
"Wait...wait?! Great Master!!!"
When Feng Zhixue came to his senses, he was struck dumb, completely stunned, and could hardly believe his ears.
But in Zou Yun's eyes, only determination remained.
He slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over Feng Zhixue's astonished face, Zheng Ze's contracted pupils, Meng Xuande's incredulous expression, and Wei Shuqing's bewildered eyes.
His gaze was calm as water, yet firm as a rock.
"If you wish to leave, then leave now. I've decided I'm not leaving!!"
Zou Yun said solemnly again.
After saying this, he didn't look at them again, nor did he give anyone a chance to dissuade him. He suddenly flicked his sleeves and resolutely walked back to the original courtyard.
"cocoa......"
Feng Zhixue opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.
But his intuition told him that whatever he said would be in vain.
Feng Zhixue could only watch Zou Yun's disappearing figure and his equally shocked companion beside him, feeling a sudden dizziness.
However, just when he was about to despair, two low shouts rang out beside him almost simultaneously.
"only!"
Zheng Ze and Meng Xuande bowed respectfully and followed Zou Yun into the courtyard without hesitation.
Although Wei Shuqing didn't understand why, he scratched the back of his head and followed.
"You...you're all... insane, absolutely insane."
In the blink of an eye, only Feng Zhixue remained outside the courtyard gate.
A gentle breeze brushed against his clothes, bringing a chill to his bones. Feng Zhixue stared blankly at the wooden door, then at the empty alleyway.
His face was a mixture of fear, confusion, anxiety, and a sense of absurdity.
"I'm insane! I'm insane to stay with you all! If you won't leave, I will!!"
Feng Zhixue stomped his foot hard, venting his unquenchable panic and resentment.
However, after venting his anger, a bitter smile, more painful than a grimace, appeared on his face as he resignedly mocked himself, "I've gone mad too..."
"Lord Shang, Lord Shang... this 'rare commodity' is truly difficult to hold..."
Before he finished speaking, he didn't hesitate for a moment.
He took a deep breath, as if gathering all his courage, and then plunged headfirst into the door that symbolized the unknown and the risks.
"Creak—"
The wooden door closed gently behind him, isolating him from outside disturbances and also cutting off his 'safe' escape route.
The courtyard fell into an even deeper silence once more.
Like a lurking beast, waiting for the coming storm.
Inside the courtyard.
Zou Yun looked around at the faces before him, some resolute, some worried, and some helpless.
A long-lost sense of pride ignited the long-dormant flame within him.
"Ying Zheng, right? The First Emperor, right? The First Emperor of All Time, right...? This time, I'm not running away. I'm going to fight you!!!"
Zou Yun's gaze suddenly sharpened as he looked towards the horizon, seemingly traversing endless time and space, piercing straight towards the majestic and imposing Zhangtai Palace.
In the shadows of that deep palace hall, I met a pair of deep, cold eyes across the distance.
As Zou Yun made this decision, an invisible confrontation had already begun.
"Great Master..."
Feng Zhixue, who was the last to step into the house, had a look of helplessness on his face. He patted his face and said in a near-desperate tone, "Tell me what we need to do."
"It can't be that we reveal our identities and let those people capture us and take us to Xianyang, can it?"
After speaking, Feng Zhixue's gaze swept across the crowd, trying to find a trace of agreement on their faces.
Even at this point, Feng Zhixue did not give up trying to persuade Zou Yun.
Zou Yun smiled calmly and said in a deep voice.
"Of course not."