NOVEL NEXT Chapter 214: The Azure Sky Is Gone, Old Friends Remain
"Shameless! You're truly shameless. How could there be a dog like you?"
Zhang Daoming looked deeply pained. Gazing at the pot of mismatched herbs, he seemed to almost miss a breath.
"Ah? Isn't this how it's done?"The big yellow dog looked bewildered.
Zhang Daoming was completely at a loss for words. He covered his face and waved his hand. "Do it however you like. Just do what makes you happy."
This really was getting on his nerves.
Chen Xia tried to mediate from the side. "The big yellow dog means well. Don't take it to heart. Just give it a couple of slaps. It's not a big deal."
The big yellow dog nodded. "If you really must, you can give me a couple of slaps."
After a moment of hesitation, it lowered its dog head and mumbled,
"If... if it's you, it's okay to hit my bottom too."
There was not a hint of a tone of admitting fault, and it even carried a touch of something... flirtatious.
Zhang Daoming took a deep breath. Fortunately, Chen Xia was here. He wasn't too worried about the pills anymore. Otherwise, he really would have hanged the big yellow dog up and given it a good beating today.
For the sake of his own safety, Chen Xia ultimately didn't drink the concoction of mixed herbs. So, it was all given to the dog.
As the big yellow dog gulped it down, it commented, "It lacks a bit of salt. Some sugar should be added to enhance the flavor."
It was really getting into the role of a cook.
Zhang Daoming sat by the side, looking as if he had aged several hundred years. His face was filled with weariness. He really didn't know what to say about the big yellow dog. He shook his head at Chen Xia.
"Perhaps only you can keep it in line."
"Don't say that,"Chen Xia shook his head. "I can't control anyone, and I don't feel like it either."
This was very much in line with his personality.
"Can we go back to the Celestial Sword Sea?"Zhang Daoming suddenly asked.
Chen Xia shook his head. "Even if you go back, it's no longer the Celestial Sword Sea."
Zhang Daoming nodded, realizing it was true. Maybe it was because he was getting old, but he couldn't help but sigh again.
"Such a huge sect, the overlord of the star field, just vanished like that. Perhaps this is the power of time."
"Hmm,"Chen Xia nodded slightly, not saying anything further. The collapse of the Celestial Sword Sea was a good thing for him.
Although there were indeed many regrets, life was pieced together by these regrets.
There was never a perfect life.
"Burp."The big yellow dog rubbed its belly. It was a bit full from drinking. It didn't feel any nourishment at all, just that it lacked salt.
Chen Xia wasn't sure. "Let's take it one step at a time. First, I'll settle you two down, and then I'll go to a place I've been thinking about for thousands of years."
"To meet someone?"Zhang Daoming asked.
"More or less,"Chen Xia replied, then chuckled. "I just don't know if they'll still recognize me. We haven't seen each other for so many years and haven't had any contact either."
"It's not your fault. It was the Celestial Sword Sea that held you back,"Zhang Daoming explained.
Chen Xia nodded. "It's not my fault, but that doesn't change the fact that I didn't go. I still didn't go after all this time."
"Feelings fade, the world changes, people are born, grow old, get sick, and die. I can't blame them either."
He smiled softly, his eyes narrowing as if lost in memories. He then lowered his head slightly and said softly,
"I just want to take a look."
"Hmm,"Zhang Daoming nodded and smiled. "When the time comes, we'll go with you. If I'm still alive then, haha."
"Okay,"Chen Xia nodded. His words were soft, and his tone was gentle.
He let out a soft laugh, a genuine smile of happiness, as if he could already envision the arrival of that day.
If he could really wait for it.
That would be wonderful.
The big yellow dog tilted its head from the side, raised its paw, and shouted, "Me, me, me! I definitely have to go. And Chi Yu, can we invite Chi Yu too?"
"Sure. We'll all go when the time comes,"Chen Xia laughed.
Could they really go?
For now, it was unknown. But it couldn't hurt to think about it, right?
The big yellow dog suddenly spoke again, "I've long wanted to come find you, but Old Zhang needed to refine pills, so I could only take care of him first."
At this point, it let out a sigh and shook its head in resignation. "Really, a man of several thousand years old, still so much trouble for a dog."
Zhang Daoming, sitting by the side, didn't even bother to argue. He just nodded. "Yes, yes, yes."
It was just that Zhang Daoming thought it was beneath his dignity to fight with a dog. If other cultivators saw it, it would be embarrassing. Otherwise, he would have fought the big yellow dog long ago.
"We're all grown - ups, but still so childish. You should learn from me and be more mature in the future,"the big yellow dog went on, getting more and more excited.
Zhang Daoming was suppressing his anger, waiting to unleash it all at once.
Chen Xia sat by the side, having no intention of mediating. He was quite eager to see the man and the dog fight.
He bet on the big yellow dog to win. After all, the big yellow dog knew how to use a broom smeared with excrement. That was not something an ordinary person could handle.
Even Chen Xia would keep his distance.
It might not be very lethal, but it could certainly put a lot of psychological pressure on people.
In the end, they didn't fight. Zhang Daoming kicked the big yellow dog, and that was the end of it.
The big yellow dog didn't have the heart to bully the old bones of Zhang Daoming. One kick was just one kick. Anyway, he didn't use much force.
Chen Xia's injuries had improved a bit. He could barely get out of bed and walk. The Past and Future Technique had taken a huge toll on him. Now, every part of his body was in a closed state, and he couldn't mobilize his spiritual energy.
Even his divine sense had become a bit dull. Summoning the flying swords in his inner sword sea was out of the question.
It was only because he had the Heavenly Dragon Imagination and had enhanced his physical strength that his body was tougher than the average person's.
Otherwise, if an ordinary cultivator suffered two serious injuries in a few decades, they would have surely dropped in cultivation realm.
It was only Chen Xia's body that could endure this and showed signs of slow recovery.
A few days later, on a night when the moon was quite round, the big yellow dog went into the kitchen and made three dishes and a soup. They were all made from common herbs. It also bought a pot of wine for Zhang Daoming.
The two humans and the dog carried the table outside the courtyard and sat under the moonlight, holding their bowls and chopsticks.
"Is this considered a reunion?"Zhang Daoming smiled as he filled the wine cup in front of him. He was rarely this happy.
The big yellow dog furrowed its brows. "It's just that there are still some people missing."
Chen Xia picked up his bowls and chopsticks. "We'll meet again eventually. Why worry so much?"
"Will Pan Datiao too?"The big yellow dog suddenly asked.
Zhang Daoming's hand trembled as he was pouring the wine, and some of it spilled out of the cup.
"Let's think positively. What if Pan Datiao was reincarnated as the offspring of some Great Emperor? Wouldn't he be living a much happier life than before?"Chen Xia laughed.
"That's true,"the big yellow dog nodded.
Chen Xia fell silent. In fact, besides the good possibilities, there were also bad ones. But he could only think of the good side.
Only in this way could he feel better.
The moon in the sky wasn't perfectly round. It was actually missing a corner.
At noon the next day.
The big yellow dog ran in cheerfully, holding a box of Chinese chess. It said to Chen Xia happily, "I finally got it. This place is really shabby. It's so hard to buy Chinese chess."
Chen Xia was also glad. "Come on."
The man and the dog started setting up the chessboard for a confrontation.
Zhang Daoming watched from the side, tilting his head, ready to offer advice at any moment.
The chessboard was set up.
Chen Xia looked up, seeing the chess and the dog. For a moment, he felt as if he had returned to the Celestial Sword Sea thousands of years ago.
He picked up a chess piece, moved the cannon to attack a pawn, and smiled as he said a phrase he had said thousands of times.
"Your horse is gone."
The big yellow dog also grinned.
The Celestial was no longer there, but the old friends remained.