Chapter 28

Lin Zheng looked at Li Ruoshui's troubled little face and gently pulled her into his arms, saying, "It's okay, I'll be right down the mountain. Do you remember the small village at the foot of the mountain when you came up? That's my home, and my family is there. You won't be able to come down the mountain and return home for another year, but I will be in the small village at the foot of the mountain for the whole year!"

"But then I won't be able to see you every day!" Li Ruoshui's little face was so pitiful that it made one feel extra loving!

"I've already thought about it. I want to take you home with me, to meet my current family. I'll go down the mountain for a few days first, and then come back to pick you up. Anyway, you don't have much to learn in the sect now, and it would be better to stay in the village with me. My elders are all experts, even more skilled than the elders in the sect!"

"But the Great Elder and the others definitely won't agree!"

"It's okay, we'll let the old man tell them. I've noticed they all respect the old man very much. Let the old man handle it. Besides, you can come back often, and I'll come back with you frequently! The village is right at the foot of the mountain, so it won't take much time to go back and forth. I hope you can be with me. My family will definitely be very happy to see you, and they will welcome you warmly, okay?"

"Okay, I'll go back and prepare, and tell my senior sisters and junior sisters. What do the elders at home like? What do the children like? Should I bring some things back?"

Lin Zheng liked Li Ruoshui's thoughtful nature even more. He gently kissed her forehead and said, "No need, nothing at all. When you come, you will be the best gift. My family is very kind, and the children are very cute. You will definitely like them!"

"Okay, you must come to pick me up as soon as possible! The sooner, the better!" Li Ruoshui was a bit shy after Lin Zheng's kiss but still reminded him.

"Okay, don't worry. I'll go back and check first, and then come back to pick you up. Before I go down the mountain, I need to go see the old man."

"Hey, you brat, you still remember me? I thought you had forgotten about the old man!" A lazy voice came from above the small courtyard.

The two looked up, and the old man was drinking from a large green gourd, sipping the wine with relish and looking at them with a teasing expression.

Li Ruoshui's face turned red with embarrassment, and she bowed to the old man. Lin Zheng was less polite and said loudly, "Old man, who are you? Why do I feel so familiar with you but can't remember? What's your surname? Is it Yue? Is it Lin?"

"Hmm, the little girl is much better than this stinky brat. Don't worry, follow this stinky brat down the mountain. You don't need to worry about the sect. It's better for you to go down the mountain. The Wu Kong Sect can't help you much now. Just go down the mountain with the stinky brat! And stinky brat, I already told you, the old man's surname is Qing, the Qing of the green robe!"

The old man's first sentence was gentle to Li Ruoshui, but when he turned to Lin Zheng, he resumed his usual carefree manner, especially the last sentence, which made Lin Zheng feel even more familiar!

"Alright, I know. Thanks, old man, for taking care of me these past few years." Lin Zheng bowed deeply to the old man, and Li Ruoshui quickly followed suit.

The old man took a sip of wine, a hint of kindness flashed in his eyes, and then disappeared. He shook the large green gourd and said to the two, "Alright, tell those old fossils I said hello. I need to go train my little follower!" Then he reached out into the air!

"Ha, so many good things! What should I pick? Hmm, I still need to go to the alchemy room later!" The fat man was drooling over a pile of magical treasures when he suddenly felt an invisible hand grab him!

"Damn, who grabbed me, I..."

Before he could finish, the fat man disappeared from his spot!

In the air above Lin Zheng's courtyard, Lin Zheng and Li Ruoshui watched the old man reaching out into the air, grabbing and pulling. Li Ruoshui whispered in Lin Zheng's ear, "Senior Qing, is he okay? My senior sister said this is what it looks like when someone has a seizure!"

Lin Zheng couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the old man in the air. The old man's face turned red, and he clenched his hand, pulling hard. A wave of energy rippled through the air, and the fat man dropped out of the sky!

"Damn, who, who dared to grab me? You've got some nerve! Ouch..."

Two loud thuds hit the fat man's forehead, instantly forming two large bumps. The fat man quickly got up from the ground, ready to curse, but then he saw the old man looking at him with a teasing expression, and he felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him!

"Fat man, you call yourself 'Grandpa,' what does that make me?"

"Ouch, Master, you are the one who makes flowers bloom, makes water flow backward, and is adored by countless young girls, an invincible master!"

"Ha ha..."

"Ha!"

Li Ruoshui and Lin Zheng couldn't help but laugh. The fat man really knew that the old man was a strong ally! The fat man looked at the old man with a fawning expression, his eyes shining!

"Heh, well said. Come on, follow the old man for special training. Your current strength is really embarrassing!" The old man raised the gourd, took a sip of wine, and then grabbed the fat man, disappearing into the air!

Lin Zheng helplessly pulled Li Ruoshui to sit down. Li Ruoshui gently asked, "Do you know Senior beforehand?"

"Actually, I'm not sure. Three years ago, when I came to the mountain, the old man appeared out of nowhere. For the past three years, he has taken me all over the place..." Lin Zheng scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed to say the rest. He couldn't tell Li Ruoshui that the old man had taken him to spy on people for the past three years!

"Ha ha..." Li Ruoshui playfully made a face at Lin Zheng and smiled sweetly. She knew what Lin Zheng meant by the rest. Lin Zheng's fame in the sect was unmatched, and he, the old man, and the deceased Zhao Yu were considered the three pests of the sect!

"But I always feel like I know the old man. My intuition tells me that the old man won't deceive me or harm me. In the past three years, he has always protected me. You didn't see that I could take anything I wanted in the sect without any elder questioning it. The old man was secretly taking care of it. I owe him a lot. I always feel like he is like family to me, but I have no memory of him. I need to find a way to recover that lost memory!" Lin Zheng's voice became very soft, but Li Ruoshui still heard it!

"Okay! Wait, Lin brother, you have amnesia? I never heard you say that before!" Li Ruoshui's face turned tense, and she asked urgently!

"It's nothing, I can't remember a lot of things from before. It's complicated and hard to explain in a short time. I'll tell you when I have the chance. There are many things I'm afraid you won't be able to accept right away. I'll tell you bit by bit and let you get used to it!" Lin Zheng wasn't being evasive, but he didn't know how to explain to Li Ruoshui in a hurry. After all, he didn't know if there were still enemies on this wild continent, and if the world knew his identity, it would cause a huge storm, bringing countless dangers and killings. Lin Zheng didn't want Li Ruoshui to be involved in this disaster!

"Okay, I'll wait for Lin brother to tell me!" Li Ruoshui was very obedient and didn't press further. The two talked for a while longer. The sun was high in the sky, and it was noon. They had lunch together, and Li Ruoshui, like a little wife, started packing Lin Zheng's luggage. In the end, Lin Zheng decided to keep it simple. There wasn't much to take, just a few clothes. Li Ruoshui packed a lot of small trinkets and gave them to Lin Zheng to take to his family.

At the entrance of the Wu Kong Sect, Lin Zheng gently hugged Li Ruoshui, turned, and leaped down the mountain like a monkey, quickly disappearing from Li Ruoshui's sight. Li Ruoshui smiled softly and turned back to the sect.

As Lin Zheng ran and leaped down the mountain, images of people began to appear in his mind, and he couldn't wait to get back to the village! His steps quickened, and he sped down the mountain path like a bolt of lightning. A moment later, the leaves and dust on the ground were stirred up and slowly settled.

The small village nearby looked the same as it did three years ago, with smoke rising in the distance. When Lin Zheng reached the outskirts of the village, he slowed his steps, his heart unable to calm down!

Excitement, sadness, the urge to cry, the urge to laugh, longing, and grief all mixed together, making his steps heavier. His nose felt blocked, and after a thousand years, he was finally back, finally seeing them again!

The closer he got to the village, the more nervous he became. It felt like his legs were carrying a thousand-pound weight as he walked toward the village!

The small tree at the entrance had grown, and he could hear the sounds of children playing in the village square, and the occasional sound of hammering from the blacksmith. Lin Zheng moved forward with difficulty, his eyes filling with tears. He was afraid that this was all a dream, and if he moved too quickly, he would wake up!

The village was just a stone's throw away, but suddenly there was no sound from the village. Lin Zheng's heart raced, and he quickened his steps. He dropped his bag and pushed open the village gate with both hands. Familiar faces appeared before him, the excited eyes of the children, the hopeful eyes of his peers, the kind eyes of the adults, and the caring eyes of the elders!

The blacksmith was grinning at him, the aunt who made his clothes was looking at him with kindness, and the fortune-teller was playing with a turtle shell, his withered fingers trembling!

It felt like an arrow had pierced his heart, and Lin Zheng was speechless, choked with emotion!

Suddenly losing his strength, he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face, and he bowed deeply!

His voice was hoarse and rough, "I, Little Zheng, am back after a thousand years! Are you all okay? Uncle, Third Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Aunt!"

The names he called out became hoarser and more choked, and then turned into a heart-wrenching wail!

The long-suppressed grief and longing burst out in an instant!

Life is good! It's good to see you all again! Lin Zheng's heart-wrenching wail was filled with happiness!

PS: Finally, I see you all again! I must admit, I'm also very moved! The reunion of family and friends is a feeling that is hard to express! Again, I ask for your support! If the number of favorites breaks through, I will update again! Thank you all for your companionship!