Fu Qingxuan was truly old. He spoke very slowly, yet no one present interrupted him.
"I wanted to bandage you but almost got eaten by you... After saving you, I thought we'd never cross paths again. But unexpectedly, you swam to the shore the next day. You tracked my scent and found me, bringing me one fish after another. At first, we couldn't communicate properly due to the language barrier. We could only barely communicate through spiritual sense. You said you couldn't find your clan, and my most respected uncle had sacrificed himself for the Tao. We were both in the same sad situation, so I kept you in the pond in the backyard, thinking we could keep each other company. Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, we've accompanied each other for decades."
"I taught you to speak and write. You accompanied me in my cultivation and listened to my complaints. It's my fortune to have such a close friend in my life."
"As a cultivator, I've never had any obsessions. In my life, I've subdued countless ghosts and demons who were reluctant to leave because of their attachments to the mortal world. At first, I couldn't understand why they were trapped in their obsessions. They say that a gentleman's friendship is as pure as water. When the bond is about to end, there's no need to miss the old friends in the mortal world."
The old master Fu paused for a moment and looked at Yu Nian with a bit of shame. "But when my lifespan is coming to an end, I find it hard to let go. Although the Spring Guest has learned the human language, it can't fully feel human emotions. In other words, the Spring Guest can't cry. I've always worried about what would happen to the Spring Guest after I'm gone. Fortunately, Uncle, you're back. You've saved me from my distress again and resolved my knot in my heart."
Hearing this, Yu Nian finally realized why the merman, although extremely intelligent as a race, was as innocent as a child.
It could speak human language, get angry, and laugh out loud, but it just couldn't cry.
Although mermen were symbols of beauty, they were ultimately monsters. The law of the jungle was the norm. A merman that couldn't shed tears was an outcast in both the merman world and the human world.
Maybe that's why it, as a merman, could escape the hunters' pursuit again and again.
Fu Qingxuan read ancient books and tried all kinds of methods, but he couldn't make the Spring Guest shed tears smoothly. Even if it occasionally dropped a few pearls, they were very different from the real merman pearls.
In the end, Fu Qingxuan finally gave up. He started to try to integrate the Spring Guest into human society.
The old master Fu looked at the Spring Guest and said softly.
"Spring Guest, we're fated."
"I know."
"Spring Guest, I may be leaving for a while."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm old. When people get old, they die. This is the law of nature and can't be violated. But our bond is deep. One day, I'll come back to you."
The Spring Guest was silent for a while and then slowly raised its head and asked sincerely, "How long?"
Fu Qingxuan answered seriously, "Maybe decades, or maybe even longer."
The Spring Guest blew a bubble dejectedly. "Does it have to be that long?"
Fu Qingxuan didn't answer. He walked slowly to the table, picked up the teacup respectfully with both hands, and then walked in front of Yu Nian. He solemnly offered a cup of tea to Yu Nian.
Yu Nian's long eyelashes covered the emotions flowing in her eyes. She took the teacup and drank it. Only then did the old master Fu finally feel relieved. He let out a sigh with a smile.
She looked at Fu Qingxuan seriously and found that his end was indeed approaching.
Maybe because Fu Qingxuan had accumulated a lot of good deeds in his life, he didn't have the stench of a dying person.
But those with high cultivation could easily tell that he was on the verge of death.
Yu Nian couldn't explain her feelings at the moment. She was silent for a long time. Feng Chengyuan noticed something was wrong with her and gently held her hand.
Yu Nian was slightly stunned. She held his hand back and then looked up at Fu Qingxuan. "Do you have anything else you want to do?"
Fu Qingxuan didn't show much fear of death. "Uncle has helped me fulfill my wish. I've lived a very satisfying life. They say cultivation is not easy, but in the end, what everyone is cultivating is just their own heart. I have no more attachments now. I can leave this world cleanly. Why should I be reluctant to leave?"
He paused for a moment and suddenly let out a soft sigh.
"The only regret is that I haven't seen Uncle for a long time. I won't have the chance to travel around the world with you like I did when I was a child and witness the mystery of the world... But it doesn't matter. If we're fated, I'll drink with Uncle until I'm drunk and discuss the Tao while dancing with the sword!"
Yu Nian was silent for a long time and then nodded. "Okay."
Yu Nian squatted in front of the Spring Guest and slowly stretched out a hand.
"Spring Guest, do you want to come with me?"
Maybe because Fu Qingxuan was brought up by Yu Nian, their temperaments were somewhat similar.
The Spring Guest didn't reject her. It reached out its hand curiously and placed it on Yu Nian's hand. It stood on the shore unsteadily.
It turned its head to look at Fu Qingxuan and stared at him. "I'm just going to stay there for a while. Remember to come and pick me up when you're done!"
The old master Fu was stunned for a while and then nodded with a smile.
Just as everyone was about to walk out of the room, the old master Fu suddenly called out to Yu Nian.
"Uncle."
Yu Nian turned around. The old master Fu's gaze stayed on Yu Nian and the Spring Guest for a long time. There was obvious attachment and reluctance in his eyes.
"The weather is getting colder. Remember to wear more clothes. Eat well and dress warmly..." As Fu Qingxuan was speaking, he laughed again. Those feelings of reluctance turned into an unending friendship, and it wasn't so sad anymore.
"Take good care of yourself and live a good life."
The Spring Guest stared at Fu Qingxuan blankly. There was a strong sour feeling welling up near its eyes. As a monster, it had a stronger sense of death than anyone else.
It looked at Fu Qingxuan carefully, as if it wanted to remember his appearance firmly in its heart.
...
Three days later, the Fu family issued an obituary.
According to the Fu family, the old master Fu passed away peacefully in his sleep, wearing clean and tidy clothes.
This news shocked the entire Xuanmen.
The old master Fu had achieved great success in his cultivation in his life. Many people in the Xuanmen had received his kindness. On the day of the burial, many people came spontaneously.
Fu Qingxuan's eldest son broke the tile basin. Fu Sui carried the portrait of the deceased and walked at the front of the procession with the butler puppet.
Besides the descendants of the Fu family, there were also several outstanding figures in the Xuanmen who carried the coffin.
Everyone wore mourning clothes and hats and carried the old master Fu up the mountain steadily.
The Fu family chose a cemetery with excellent feng shui. It was surrounded by mountains and rivers. There was also a large flower field beside the cemetery. The view was broad, and the scenery was beautiful.
The old master Fu had exorcised many wronged souls and resolved many people's obsessions in his life. He had also lived a long life and achieved great merits. So the atmosphere at the scene was solemn but not depressing.
Once the loess was filled and the stone slab was placed, the funeral was officially over.
Several younger generations were whispering. "People who have reached a certain level of cultivation can predict the time of their death in advance. It's said that the old master Fu arranged all the remaining matters of the Dao Alliance before he left peacefully."
"Amitabha! The old master Fu specifically told his butler that he hoped the funeral would be kept simple!"
Just as they were talking, it suddenly started to rain lightly.
Everyone was a bit confused. "Why is it suddenly raining? It was such a nice day today."
"Yeah, why do these raindrops hurt when they hit people?"
"It seems to be hail? And it's shining with golden light!"
At the end of the crowd, Feng Chengyuan accompanied Yu Nian and stood there quietly, listening to her recite scriptures for Fu Qingxuan again and again.
Yu Nian silently picked up the shining pearls on the ground and turned to look at the Spring Guest, which was always hiding behind the woods.