616: Chapter 27 Thoughts

After finishing the memories related to Meng Li, Guo Jing, and Mu Nianci, Jing Tian fell into silence once again.

Hong Kui and Lan Kui were the same.

Their experiences, one after another, were like watching a tear-jerking tragedy followed by a plain, heartwarming drama.

The story of Long Yang and Long Kui was undoubtedly depressing; the story of Meng Li, Guo Jing, and Mu Nianci could not be considered a comedy, but against the backdrop of the former's tragedy and the connection between the characters, those plain, heartwarming moments seemed very healing, enough to offset the previous lingering regrets to a certain extent.

Jing Tian did not have the memories of Long Yang and Guo Jing, so he was purely a bystander in the process; one after the other, his emotions were neutralized.

Hong Kui and Lan Kui, however, felt strange.

Knowing that they and their Royal Brother had another life of fate together, they were quite happy.

Especially since the ending of this life was happy and fulfilling, which greatly soothed the sadness of a thousand years ago.

However...

Their Royal Brother had become Brother Jing, looked not very smart, and had found a quirky sister-in-law.

They had gained an extra husband, right before their eyes.

This feeling... was very strange, indescribable.

Jing Tian also felt a bit awkward. He swept his gaze between Meng Li, Hong Kui, and Lan Kui, then asked Meng Li in a teasing tone: "Should I call you 'Elder Brother Meng', 'Brother-in-law', or 'Future Brother-in-law' now?"

"Brother!"

Hearing this, Hong Kui and Lan Kui called out to Jing Tian in unison, but their reactions were different.

Hong Kui carried a trace of feigned anger.

Lan Kui looked slightly shy and annoyed.

Meng Li smiled and replied: "You should still call me 'Elder Brother Meng'. After all, that life was that life, and this life is this life. You are Jing Tian and Long Kui; although you have similarities with Guo Jing and Nianci, you are ultimately not them."

Hong Kui and Lan Kui's eyes flickered, lost in thought.

Jing Tian said: "Elder Brother Meng, what you say makes sense, but the fact that we could meet after several lifetimes, and even become friends or family, shows that our fate is quite deep. Putting everything else aside, I have acknowledged Long Kui as my sister, and you as my elder brother."

Meng Li did not refute this, but simply stood up and said: "Let's end here for today. It's getting late, go back and rest."

Jing Tian nodded and prepared to leave, and Lan Kui and Hong Kui immediately followed.

Jing Tian asked in confusion: "Why are you following me?"

"Going back with you, of course," Lan Kui said matter-of-factly.

Hong Kui didn't speak, but she meant the same thing.

Jing Tian scratched his head, looking troubled: "There are no extra rooms at Yongan Pawnshop. I share a room with Maomao and Biping. It doesn't matter for the three of us men, but you are girls, so it's not very appropriate. Elder Brother Meng has extra rooms here; why don't you stay here instead?"

"Brother, are you going to leave Long Kui behind again?" Hearing him say this, Lan Kui's eyes welled up with tears, on the verge of crying.

Jing Tian hurriedly said: "No, it's just that conditions are limited. I'll be at Yongan Pawnshop and won't run away. Tomorrow, when everyone is gathered, I have to go on a very important mission with Elder Brother Meng. At that time, you and Hong Kui can follow him to find me, and then we can explore the Jianghu together."

"Once I complete this mission, I will be the boss of Yongan Pawnshop. By then, I will arrange several extra rooms, and you can stay whenever you want."

"Really?" Lan Kui asked.

"Really, I promise." Jing Tian patted his chest.

"Then Long Kui will listen to Brother."

"Alright, then I'll be going first."

Once Jing Tian left, only Hong Kui, Lan Kui, and Meng Li remained.

Hong Kui turned to Meng Li and asked: "Where is our room?"

Meng Li replied: "Except for my room, you can choose any of the others. However, you shouldn't need to sleep, right?"

"What are you trying to say?" Hong Kui asked.

Meng Li didn't respond immediately, but condensed two rays of spiritual light and tapped them into the space between Hong Kui and Lan Kui's eyebrows, then said: "Since you don't need to sleep, then Cultivate. This Internal Alchemy method focuses on improving Soul strength. You only need to reach the level of manifesting the Yang Spirit to no longer fear the light, and you will be no different from ordinary people in daily life."

Hong Kui and Lan Kui were both stunned.

A moment later, Hong Kui seemed to understand something, and looking into Meng Li's eyes, she said: "Lan Kui and I are not her."

Meng Li smiled and said: "I know, just as you are also clearly aware that the current Jing Tian is not the Long Yang of the past."

As soon as these words were spoken, Hong Kui and Lan Kui's expressions changed, but they did not refute it.

Jing Tian was not Long Yang; Long Kui certainly knew that.

After all, Long Yang had already died in battle before she jumped into the furnace to sacrifice herself to the sword.

The agreement they had made across the void was also to meet again in the next life.

However, Long Yang had died a normal death, entered Reincarnation, and had a next life. But because of regret, Long Kui had sacrificed herself to the sword, her obsession was deep, and she had turned into a sword spirit; to this day, she had not entered Reincarnation and had no next life.

The result was that when the two reunited, one was a Reincarnation who had forgotten the past, and the other was an undead being who could not release her obsession.

No matter what, they could never return to the way they were back then.

Long Kui knew this in her heart, but after a thousand years of waiting, it was hard to let go.

Meng Li understood this as well and did not try to persuade them, only sighed softly: "However, people living in this world must always have some longings. Otherwise, even if one lives for thousands of years, one is just a cold stone, devoid of interest, and no different from being dead."

Hearing this, Hong Kui and Lan Kui agreed quite a bit.

In an instant, Hong Kui seemed to think of something, crossed her arms, and snorted lightly: "Longings are one thing, but don't treat Lan Kui and me as her substitutes."

Meng Li smiled and said: "I won't. I have said that you are not Nianci."

Then, he restrained his smile and said seriously: "Let us have a formal introduction. I am Meng Li, a Loose Cultivator."

Hong Kui was slightly stunned, then immediately replied: "Long Kui; you can also call me Hong Kui, the Princess of Jiang Kingdom from a thousand years ago."

Seeing this, Lan Kui found it interesting and followed up: "Long Kui, the Princess of Jiang Kingdom from a thousand years ago; Elder Brother Meng, you can also call me Lan Kui."

Meng Li smiled slightly, summoned Hua Ying from his storage bag, and introduced her: "This is Hua Ying, a Five Venom Beast born from the condensation of the essence of heaven, earth, the sun, and the moon. She is currently my spirit pet."

Hong Kui nodded.

Lan Kui curiously examined Hua Ying, and upon seeing her appearance, she couldn't help but exclaim: "So cute!"

Hearing this, Hua Ying happily flew a circle around Lan Kui, chirping in response.

Lan Kui didn't understand and asked Meng Li curiously: "What is she saying?"

Meng Li translated: "She says 'Thank you for the compliment, you are also very beautiful'."

"Really?" Lan Kui asked Hua Ying, and seeing her nod, she couldn't help but be surprised and happy. She took the initiative to introduce herself: "Hello, Hua Ying, my name is Long Kui, you can call me Lan Kui. She is also Long Kui, you can call her Hong Kui. We are friends of Elder Brother Meng."

"Chirp..."

Hua Ying was about to respond, but suddenly seemed to think of something. Her whole body emitted light, and she transformed into human form.

"Hello, two Big Sisters Long Kui, I am Hua Ying."

Seeing that Hua Ying could not only turn into a human but also speak human language, both Hong Kui and Lan Kui were somewhat surprised.

Immediately after, Lan Kui curiously examined Hua Ying.

Hong Kui's eyes flickered, her gaze sweeping between Hua Ying and Meng Li, and then she said to Lan Kui: "It's getting late, let's find a room to Cultivate. We still have to go find Brother tomorrow."

After saying this, she turned and walked outside.

Seeing this, Lan Kui said to Meng Li and Hua Ying: "We are going to Cultivate first. Goodbye, Elder Brother Meng, goodbye, Hua Ying."

Meng Li nodded slightly.

After Hong Kui and Lan Kui left, Hua Ying said to Meng Li: "Master, I feel like that Big Sister Hong Kui doesn't seem to like me very much."

Meng Li was stunned, then thought for a moment and smiled: "Her personality is just like that, don't worry too much about it."

This was not an empty statement; Long Kui herself was delicate and weak by nature, which was basically consistent with Lan Kui. But Hong Kui was the opposite of Lan Kui; she was not only powerful and had a strong, sharp personality, but her jealousy and possessiveness were also very strong.

In the original plot, when Hong Kui met Tang Xuejian for the first time, even before the latter had revealed her relationship with Jing Tian, she had forcefully asserted her sovereignty.

Currently, for Hong Kui and even Lan Kui, Meng Li definitely could not compare to Jing Tian.

But the memories of the legend of the condor heroes world had some influence on them.

This could be seen from Hong Kui emphasizing that she and Lan Kui were not Mu Nianci.

On this basis, with Hong Kui's personality, it was not strange that she would have some resistance to Hua Ying manifesting in human form.

After a simple explanation, Meng Li changed the subject: "Let's Cultivate."

"Okay." Hua Ying agreed, summoned the Hua Ying Pavilion, turned back into her pear shape, and lay into the warm, soft quilt to sleep.

Meng Li sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and began to comprehend the Dao.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Things had come to a temporary pause on Meng Li's side, but Xu Changqing, who had gone to subdue demons alone, had encountered trouble...