Published: March 8, 2025
CHAPTER SEVEN: THIRTY-SIX - HEAVENLY STAR WOOD
"You've come." The Ancestral Patriarch stood before the portrait, seeming to sigh as he said this.
"I've come." Chu Yang knew this statement didn't require a response, but at that moment, he felt a bit suffocated by the oppressive atmosphere in the room, so he spoke up to break the tension.
Because when the Ancestral Patriarch spoke, even his voice seemed to merge with the atmosphere, indistinguishable from it. If Chu Yang remained silent, he would be engulfed by the silence here.
Moreover, Chu Yang dared to bet that as long as he stayed quiet, the Ancestral Patriarch would fall silent once again.
"Mm..." The Ancestral Patriarch mumbled and fell into contemplation again, suddenly asking without context, "Do you know who the person in the painting is?"
Who is the person in the painting?
Chu Yang was puzzled and thought, could it not be the Chu Family’s ancestral grandmother? Why would there be a need to guess? But... what was the Ancestral Patriarch's intention behind this question?
After thinking for a moment, Chu Yang carefully replied, "The person in the painting... is the person in one’s heart."
"The person in the painting... is the person in one’s heart..." The Ancestral Patriarch seemed to unconsciously repeat this phrase, suddenly turning around and looking deeply at Chu Yang, sighing, "The person in the painting is indeed the person in one’s heart... this statement holds great truth."
Chu Yang calmly replied, "Yes, the person in the painting is the person in one’s heart, and also an unforgettable person, someone who lingers in one’s heart. Even after thousands of years, even if the once beautiful figure has turned into an old woman, the one who still occupies the heart, who often meets in dreams, is still that youthful maiden, still as charming and lively as she was back then, full of varied emotions..."
"Even as time passes, even as bones turn to ashes, the vivid memories condense over thousands of years into a painting in the heart. It will never fade."
Chu Yang sighed softly, "I do not know who the person in the painting is, but I know this painting is the heart."
From the moment Chu Yang began to speak, the Ancestral Patriarch slowly turned around, quietly watching him, his gaze shifting with a divine light. Eventually, it seemed somewhat moist, as if tears were forming in the eye sockets that had been dry for hundreds of years?
The heartaches and longings of hundreds of years were all stirred up by Chu Yang’s words.
He listened intently, raising his head. The tears that were about to spill were forcefully held back.
A light mist formed at the corner of his eyes.
The room fell silent once more.
After a long while, the Ancestral Patriarch spoke softly, "It seems you have experienced quite a lot outside over the years."
Chu Yang’s words stirred his feelings; but this single sentence of his was enough to evoke the bittersweet experiences of both of Chu Yang's lives. Chu Yang sighed deeply and said, "Lonely and desolate, a solitary shadow adrift, the four seas feel like home, yet I cannot find my family’s door. The days of drifting like a rootless water plant are hard to express in words."
The Ancestral Patriarch nodded gently, "Have you also experienced many life-and-death situations?"
"Yes." Chu Yang admitted frankly.
"And have you also had a beloved who would never leave your side across lifetimes?" the Ancestral Patriarch asked again.
"Yes."
The Ancestral Patriarch fell silent, and after a long pause, he gently sighed, "No wonder."
Then he turned around and no longer stood before the portrait, taking a seat on a chair facing Chu Yang. He scrutinized Chu Yang closely, finally saying, "You are quite remarkable."
Chu Yang stood upright, without uttering a word.
"Your injury lies in your spirit. But you are not merely injured; rather, your spirit is overflowing, affecting your meridians." The Ancestral Patriarch looked at him softly and said, "This is not an injury, but a blessing. As long as you can digest it, all adverse effects will immediately vanish, and you shall henceforth possess powerful spiritual power!"