Chapter 886: They Who Cling to Each Other

Chen Ling grasped Sun Bumian’s hand as he broke through the soil, and a portion of Sun Bumian’s memories surged into his heart like a tide!

Chen Ling saw it;

In Sun Bumian’s memory, this seemed to be his first slumber.

In that original memory, Sun Bumian broke out of the wasteland after ten years, and all that remained were the howling wind and sand, and the broken walls standing amidst the ruins.

Sun Bumian was stunned.

His impression of the city was still stuck in the celebration of ten years ago, but now, it was deserted... It was an indescribable feeling. The familiarity and sense of security he once had were completely gone, leaving only endless bewilderment and anxiety...

It was as if he had been forgotten by the whole world.

"Master..."

The anxiety in Sun Bumian’s heart grew stronger, and he ran quickly toward the ruins of the city.

Perhaps due to the long slumber, Sun Bumian’s steps were slightly unsteady. He stumbled through every corner of the ruins but couldn't find a trace of the past...

Sun Bumian stood blankly in the ruins for a whole day like a homeless child, until the midnight wind cut his cheeks painfully, only then did he snap back to reality and walk out of the city in a daze.

He walked in the desert for three days without a drop of water before finally finding an inhabited city.

After asking, he learned that ten years had passed since he fell asleep. Dynasties had changed, the map of the empire was unrecognizable, and countless cities had been forgotten in the vast desert.

The ten years were like a heavy blow, nearly causing Sun Bumian, who was experiencing his first slumber, to collapse. Sun Bumian knew very well that with his Master’s physical condition, he couldn't have survived ten years... The things and people he once cherished had basically disappeared into the ruthless torrent of history.

Everything was because he had slept for too long.

Sun Bumian cried for a long time. He didn't know how to make up for all this, so he could only blame himself for everything. As if to punish himself, he began to fast from food and water, trapping himself in the desert for ten days.

Perhaps favored by the aura of auspiciousness, just as Sun Bumian was dying, a caravan happened to pass by, saved him, and headed toward a distant city...

Sun Bumian survived, but the guilt and pain in his heart did not disappear; they trapped him for twenty full years in that lifetime before the wounds gradually healed.

Back to the present,

Chen Ling, as if he had experienced this past along with Sun Bumian, had a complex look in his eyes...

Rustle—

The palm reaching out from the soil was still struggling, as if it were about to break through at any moment.

Chen Ling seemed to realize something and looked back. In the distance, in the desolation, a white-haired figure seemed to be watching this place quietly...

"You asked me to wait for him... to make up for all this?" Chen Ling muttered to himself.

Jiang Xiaohua in the distance nodded slightly.

Chen Ling’s gaze returned to the palm about to break through. After hesitating for a long time, he gritted his teeth and pulled with force!

Bang!

A figure was pulled out of the soil, stumbling due to inertia, and nearly fell to the ground.

"You..." Sun Bumian, just awakened, breathed in the surrounding air deeply. Seeing Chen Ling beside him, his eyes showed some surprise. "Who are you?"

Chen Ling stared into his eyes. After a moment of silence, he didn't answer with his name, but spoke directly:

"Your Master asked me to bring you a message."

"Master?"

Sun Bumian looked around, seeing the desolate land and the city with only ruins in the distance, and stood frozen in place... He seemed to have a bad premonition and asked immediately, "Where is Master?"

"You slept for ten years, and he has already passed away."

Hearing this, Sun Bumian’s heart shook. Before he could ask anything else, Chen Ling spoke again,

"However, he lived very happily these past few years... Although you weren't by his side, perhaps favored by your aura of auspiciousness, his later years were free of disaster and trouble... He was very grateful to you. Having a disciple like you was his honor."

Sun Bumian stood frozen.

What Chen Ling said wasn't baseless. Six years ago, when the old man appeared for the last time, he had spoken to Sun Bumian’s grave alone for a long time, and he had heard every word...

Chen Ling even suspected that the last look the old man gave him was intended for him to relay the message... He had said it specifically for him to hear.

Who was that old man, exactly?

"Master..." Sun Bumian’s eyes turned red instantly, seemingly unable to accept it for a moment.

"Your Master also said that it wasn't your fault that you didn't meet again, but Heaven’s will... If you feel guilty because of this and waste your life, he would be very angry." Chen Ling patted Sun Bumian’s shoulder.

"Remember? Master told you that no matter what happens, you must take care of yourself..."

"I..."

Sun Bumian had been skeptical of Chen Ling’s words just a moment ago, but after hearing the second half, he believed it... He stood there like a child who had lost everything, at a loss, tears sliding down his cheeks.

Chen Ling didn't speak again; after all, these last few sentences were all made up by him;

He just watched Sun Bumian cry out in the desolation, submerged in the endless wind and sand...

When the sun set behind the mountains, the twilight sun draped over Sun Bumian like a red satin. The latter finally recovered his emotions slowly. With red-rimmed eyes, he looked back at the city ruins in the wind and sand. There was no longer the original bewilderment and guilt in his eyes, but instead, a trace of determination.

"I’ve embarrassed myself." Sun Bumian looked at Chen Ling, seemingly a bit embarrassed.

"It’s okay."

Anyway, I’ve already seen you wail several times in the memories, Chen Ling thought to himself.

"...What is your name?"

"Chen Ling."

"Chen Ling..." Sun Bumian muttered, as if trying to keep the name in his heart. "Regardless, thank you for coming to find me... You’re right, the last thing Master said to me was to take care of myself. If I can't even do that, I would be unfilial..."

"It’s good that you’ve come to terms with it."

“……”

Chen Ling saw Sun Bumian staring at him and frowned slightly, feeling a bit puzzled.

"Have we met before?" Sun Bumian couldn't help but ask. "I don't know why... but since just now, I feel like I’ve forgotten something..."

As he spoke, a hair-like thread of memory was pulled out from the void above Sun Bumian’s head, and another segment was stuffed into Chen Ling’s hand. An aura of a curse spread wildly in the air...

Chen Ling was startled. Just as he was about to say something, the surrounding yellow sand shattered inch by inch!

At the edge of the desolate horizon,

The corners of Jiang Xiaohua’s eyes curved slightly, and a smile appeared on his face.

……

"Chen Ling...?"

In front of the Star Chamber of Commerce, Sun Bumian suddenly stopped.

Sun Bumian suddenly felt that a part of his memory had been overwritten by someone. At the same time, all his memories were falling back into place, as if someone were pulling the end of a thread, and those memories he had once forgotten surged into his heart like a tide!