Two people are walking side by side on the road.
The man wore an ordinary straight-sleeved shirt, pure white, and he must have paid more attention to keeping it clean. Compared with most men in the world, his hair is a little short. However, in today's era, people's obsession with long hair is no longer so deep, and the relationship with loyalty, filial piety and etiquette seems weak. After all, both Easterners and Westerners visited their land frequently, and the first Hu men who came into contact with them all had short hair. The collision and integration of cultures are inevitable in historical development, and he understands this well. But his reason may not be so complicated.
Women's clothes are a little more fancy. What’s fancy is not the color, but the pattern. Occasionally there are a few cool colors for embellishment. Her skirt is long and soft, and it looks like it is made of good material. No matter how many folds are piled up, they are smoothed out by patting them. The most beautiful thing is the zizi, which not only has dark patterns printed and dyed, but also finely embroidered patterns. Most of those patterns are flowers, including proud roses, shy lilies of the valley, beautiful peonies, elegant daisies, etc. All kinds of flowers come in different sizes and styles, but they complement each other and are very harmonious on this piece of rice. But if you look closely, you will find that no flower is complete. They are either missing a few petals or slightly damaged, as if to make room for more patterns. Although it's strange, you can't tell it at first glance.
The main body of her clothes are mostly red and white, as red as clouds and as white as clouds. She was also wrapped in a thin shawl, which was a mixture of soft pink-orange and sweet water-red. From a distance, she looks like clouds coming from dusk. If you don't pay attention, she will rise into the sky and float into the distance in the next second.
The hairstyle is ordinary, just tied low with paper ribbons, no other decorations, at most a bell.
The man was fine, but it seemed too strange for a woman to wear such clothes and go on the road. After all, this should be done on a sedan chair and carried by four or more people. She doesn't. But judging from the flat-heeled embroidered shoes, these comfortable shoes don't seem to be prepared for people who don't like to run around.
"What are you going to do on this trip?" the man asked.
It was obvious that he had already walked with her for a while. For some reason, he didn't ask her clearly at first. Maybe he was talking about something else before and just remembered it now. He was holding a royal coin in his hand, and it was unclear whether it belonged to him or to a woman. The woman held a Kagura bell in her hand. Her pace was very steady, and the bell in her hand and the slightly raised bell almost made no sound.
"Go and do a small errand." She always does this, speaking in a confused manner.
The man didn't ask any more questions, probably because he was used to it.
Next, most of their conversations started with questions and answers, which seemed to be an established habit. Strictly speaking, the woman was probably the man's master, but they never addressed each other. Because most of men's questions are questions, with the purpose of seeking answers; while most of women's questions are questions, with the purpose of inducing thinking. Maybe neither party can remember how long they have known each other.
But it must be a long time that far exceeds human lifespan.
"Long Miao? Don't move."
The man was a little confused, but stood still and stopped moving forward. The woman stopped and looked at him, then continued walking. The man followed, and the woman asked him:
"Is your hair... longer? Compared to the last time we met."
"Ah..." Taki Miao twirled the hair on the temples, "Probably. I thought my characteristics as a monster were becoming more and more obvious. A few days ago, I accidentally pulled out a hair, and in the blink of an eye, I became a monster. It turned into white velvet. Pick up the scissors and cut a row, and the broken hair turned into pale velvet."
"Oh, that's really..." the woman thought for a moment, then continued after a short pause, "Maybe the demon power is not stable and it's a temporary thing. If the power is controlled properly, she can make any decision, including her hair and nails. You can decide for yourself whether you want to continue growing it or not. Well, speaking of which, when did you cut off your hair? When you first met other people, I heard that you still had long hair. But since I met you, It’s basically what it is now, and it hasn’t changed.”
"It must have been five hundred years ago... I can't remember clearly. At first, I wanted to make a break with the so-called family. At that time, when I heard anything that promoted skin, flesh and blood, I hated it with all my heart. It's itchy. That's all for now, I just feel short is convenient."
"This is a good change."
"Probably. Maybe it just took a long time to let it go."
"Time is good medicine. You have cured this heart disease, and other related diseases will no longer exist."
"Really? But since I won't notice it, how can I think it is a good change?"
"If you notice it, you should be sad about why this happened. It's better not to come."
"Ah... um." Takimiao took another look at the woman in front of him, "Speaking of which, when I first met you, you were wearing a miko's outfit. But you don't seem to be wearing it recently."
"Ah, that's the one I wear occasionally." She smiled, "I will change into that one when I need to visit the temple frequently."
"Is this so?"
The two stopped talking. Silence is not their normal state. Whether they talk more or less depends on how long they haven't seen each other. They don't always see each other, but when Utsuki-kun is on a mission and he thinks the occasion is appropriate, he will ask him. He usually comes and there's nothing else to do anyway.
The breeze in the morning came one after another, looking bleak in the cold winter. None of their clothes looked like winter clothes, but no one felt cold.
"Have you seen Kisaragi-kun and Shigetsuki-kun recently?"
Long Miao asked again. Almost every time they met, he would ask this question, even though he knew he probably didn't. In fact, he didn't care much about the answer, but it was more like a ritual - motivated by engraving memories. Only these two people have been the most profound in the long five hundred years. He didn't know their names, and their faces were a little blurry. But he is very confident that if he meets them one day, he will definitely recognize them.
"No. You know, we don't see each other that often. But..."
"but?"
"I met Mizumu-kun."
"ah……"
He also knew Shui Wujun, but he was not as familiar with him as the first two. But in the end, he didn't know much about the first two. But for Shui Wujun, it is a real and genuine relationship. She became an impermanent thing in the Six Paths, caught between Shuangyue Lord and Kisaragi Lord.
"Shuiwu-kun... left a deep impression on me. Although I actually don't even know her name. It's not that I forgot, I really didn't pay attention to it, and I didn't record it. To me, she is just a charlatan... "Long Miao recalled, "I was present when her partner died, but it was difficult to focus on her, so much so that I couldn't even remember the name of the other person she called at the end."
"It's understandable. After all, so many years have passed."
"I only remember you saying that the man who was hunting me at that time was named Tang He. He died and was killed by Lord Shuangyue."
"Well... I heard about this too." There was not much emotion on Mr. Uoyue's face, and he just recounted the facts he knew calmly, "Tang He - there is something wrong with this person."
"Wasn't he killed long ago?"
"It's reincarnation."
"Is it possible that he can still inherit the memories of reincarnation? This is impossible, not to mention so many years have passed... Even if he remembers, what kind of trouble can he cause? After so long, he should not be the same as before."
"Ah, that's not the case. If he had retained the memory of his previous life, I'm afraid that lord would have sent someone to check it out a long time ago. The bad thing I'm talking about is the birth date of his future generations. The heavenly stems and earthly branches reincarnate every sixty years, and now the future generations are born His stems and branches are exactly the same as his, even the moon, day and hour are the same. This is probably not a coincidence, and the only thing that can do this is the six realms of impermanence...but there is no evidence."
Long Miao thought of something, but didn't say anything. He just said:
"It's hard not to suspect something."
"For now, we can't make any inferences. I haven't told Shui Wujun about this. Although she forgot her name, she has a blood feud with this person. Her companion died at the hands of this person. On such a strange birthday, she There will definitely be unnecessary pursuit. Besides, she has something important going on now."
"What is her mission?"
"This is what I was going to tell you before. Shui Wujun was appointed to undo the curse on a troubled child. She said that she was going to ask Master Lintian for help. Shui Wujun was a killer during his lifetime and had almost no knowledge of Onmyoji. After she became the Six Paths Impermanence, she also learned the spell from an acquaintance called Master Lintian. Shui Wujun felt that this person could probably help them."
Master Lintian... Long Miao knew this person, and he still remembered his name deeply, so he didn't forget it. Now he is a highly respected immortal, and he has a long life because his mother was once impermanent. But after all, it is a mortal body, and I am afraid that it will end earlier than a half-demon like myself. Compared with Master Lintian's past friends, such as Shuoyue-kun and Ruyue-kun, their lives have been much longer than mine.
Will time erase the pain of separation and death?
After living for too long, Long Miao would always spread his thoughts based on one thing and then make many associations. Whenever this happens, he remains silent and has no new questions. Lord Uoyue knew he was thinking and never disturbed him. She thinks this is good too.
They walked for a while. Lord Maoyue suddenly asked him:
"Do you think hatred will disappear over time?"
"Yes. The longer time goes by, the more love, hatred and resentment we have heard of and seen, whether it's a person or a monster. In comparison, the past seems fragile and light. Neither me nor Shui Wujun. Well, Lord Shuoyue, it should be like this - I guess."
Lord Uoyue nodded slowly and asked again:
"What if this person is bound and no longer sees other people's joys and sorrows, and is immersed in his own past all day long?"
"……let me see."
Tong Miao didn't know the context of Uoyue-kun's words, but he still started to think about various possibilities. What kind of situation would make someone trapped? That's how the devil became. It seems that not only might he not forget it, but he might even care more about it. It's like a tiny thorn between your fingers. When you're busy, you almost forget about it. When you're free, whether you touch it or not, you feel the stinging pain and it's extremely disturbing.
They passed through the undulating hills of this area. He was still thinking, walking with Uoyuki-kun. Suddenly, Uoyuki-kun stopped and faced the scene down the hillside, his lips slightly opened in surprise. She quickened her pace, and Long Miao chased after her. They came to a desolate ruins. It's hard to tell that this place was once a village. After being hit by the sun and rain, the bricks, tiles, and earthworks have all rotted away, and it seems that a slightly strong wind can destroy it.
He also saw several pale bones lying on the ground. There is no sign of life here, only death. Even the crows would never want to stay here any longer.
"...We're late."
