Not wanting to merge with a shop in the backyard of a random house, Fu Yao nevertheless insisted that they move on the road, and this time Xie Lian did not object. Soon they said goodbye to the elder's family and left his yard. Travel bags with their usual weight fell on the shoulders, as if reminding that they are still part of this world, no matter where they go. "Would you like to say goodbye to your shidi It looks like he likes you," Xie Lian said, and the guy blinked a couple of times in bewilderment, trying to remember when he got the sheedy, until he realized that the prince was referring to Xue Yu.
"I already said goodbye to him the day before," he objected, and yet he froze in place, frowning thoughtfully. He didn't get attached to anyone, people were just the changing scenery of his journey, but Xue Yu really was a bit special. Throwing the bag off his shoulders, he handed it to Hua Cheng, who accepted the burden without further comment. - I quickly. Xie Lian watched him with a smile as Fu Yao took off and disappeared between the houses. Every day he changed and grew above himself, which inspired thoughts of a potential ascension, which the guy himself did not seem to know about. Will this be the best outcome for him, or will the wheel of Samsara just turn and everything will return to its beginning? For himself, Xie Lian decided that he himself would never be the same again, having learned this long-term lesson. Fu Yao found Xue Yu warming up in the courtyard and chastised the younger for his carelessness, reminding him that no one else would sew up his wound so skillfully if the magic caster was not careful. He was going to get off with a short farewell, but at the last moment, unexpectedly for himself, he continued to find something to add. When the instructions did end, both politely bowed to each other, after which their paths finally diverged - the travelers moved to the northeast. In the daylight, the cliff in the forest, where Fu Yao had recently laid down a horde of undead, did not seem so intimidating anymore, they easily overcame it and moved on without looking back. Outwardly, everything remained the same: they talked, told stories, were silent for hours, distributed responsibilities - however, the mood itself moved from another dead point. Fu Yao allowed himself to be more relaxed by hiding some of his spikes. He allowed his hair to be braided more and more, guiding Xie Lian with words so that he would not build a crow's nest on his head. The prince was as diligent as ever. "You helped me with my hair once," he said softly, indulging in nostalgia, while on the third attempt he tried not to get tangled in four strands and still make a decent braid out of them. "I always help you with your hair when you forget to dry your hair," Fu Yao retorted reasonably and immediately fell silent when he understood the true meaning of what he heard. - Oh. Truth? After this question, Xie Lian felt less confident. They never talked about the past openly, balancing on the verge of oblivion and curiosity, so he was ashamed of his own impulse. Comparing Fu Yao to a past he didn't know about was rude. "Yes, most of them are the simplest ones, I know thanks to you," he still answered, not wanting to lose the moment when Fu Yao asked himself and did not hide from the answer. The mind clearing spell worked amazingly. Thinking about his life, Fu Yao marveled at the complexity of artificially created memories: he was a servant in a monastery, then he was taken as a student, and he constantly competed with other students, wanting to develop, not build friendships; during the plague of faces, he fought on the side of the imperial family, destroying the rebels, after which he ascended to heaven. Everything was sewn so tightly that there was no place for Xie Lian in his life at all, except for one vivid memory. Could he be considered himself if his personality consisted of false knowledge? Was there a solution to get rid of what hurt him true? What kind of person was I? the boy asked cautiously, obediently tilting his head back so that Xie Lian could evaluate the result and continue weaving. "You look more like yourself now than on the day you jumped from heaven," the prince admitted honestly. "You were always quick to light up and get angry loudly, so many in heaven tried not to bother you. What a good way to hint that he has a short temper that scares others away. As much as Fu Yao wanted to be indignant, he had to resign himself and admit that he could believe it. "Sounds plausible," he said with satisfaction. "You've only become so self-critical just now," said Hua Cheng, who was lying on top of a sleeping bag nearby. Fu Yao bared his teeth and threw a small stone at him, which the demon easily dodged with a grin. "Speaking of heaven, are you going up on the Summer Solstice?" he asked Xie Lian. "We only get together twice a year, which is enough to let off steam and have fun, so I'm all yours for this holiday," he replied, smiling as his hair finally pulled back into a neat braid under his arms. - Any plans? - Not at all, last year I missed the holiday because I was too carried away with part-time jobs, and I have no special wishes this time. Year. More than a year has passed since they began to roam the Celestial Empire on their own two feet. So much has been seen, done, said. How much they realized in just one past year, and ahead was a whole series of similar and completely different. It's hard to intrigue a Celestial, but Xie Lian was looking forward to meeting them in the future. "Why don't we go to Ghost Town?" When I was there last week, everything was rushing around. Might be interesting," Hua Cheng suggested, drawing attention back to himself. "As long as they don't try to drag me onto the rope, I don't mind," Fu Yao shrugged his shoulders and threw the finished braid over his shoulder. Xie Lian knelt down next to him and reached for the cold tea he had forgotten about. "That's a great idea. I think we'll be welcome," he said thoughtfully. "It's rude to miss the festival that was prepared so hard. "It's almost every day that it's not a holiday, it's a festival," Hua Cheng chuckled. The ghost town was a world of its own, with its own rhythm, like a rushing water current that swept away anyone who set foot on it. And so it was decided to hold a holiday in the Phantom City. In front of many people, the three travelers opened the doors of the inn, after throwing dice into the air, as if for good luck, and disappeared away. No one saw how and where they disappeared. This time, the steel grip of discomfort was not so strong on Fu Yao's heart. He did not feel superfluous next to his companions, and Yin Yu was even glad to see him again, noting the presence of a new amulet that stood out brightly from the previous two. Promoting the birth of a new friendship, Hua Cheng lightly relieved Yin Yu of all duties for the day. He and Xie Lian tried to lure Fu Yao to go with them to greet the residents, but the guy refused, imagining what kind of noise would rise around the prince - everyone's favorite "senior". He did not want to be in the very center of the rising storm, so he headed in the opposite direction, giving spouses to each other. Yin Yu stepped up to him as a silent shadow, pushing the demon mask to the side.
