True "Pain"

In the vast expanse of the moon, Li Qi paid homage to Changxi, the legendary Moon Mother, who was also the first 'moon spirit' born in the world.

He was able to see the other person's face.

Well, how should I put it?

It's still pretty ordinary.

She is indeed a great beauty, much prettier than Shen Shuibi, and far superior to Trumpet Flower God, but I always feel... she is not worthy of the other's reputation.

The other party is someone whose beauty is renowned throughout the heavens. Even if she can't compare to White Chen Fox King Bodhisattva, she should be at a similar level, right? Like the Peony Flower God.

But now it seems that although it is indeed beautiful, it is just ordinary beauty and does not reach a higher level, which makes Li Qi somewhat disappointed.

However, as soon as the thought crossed his mind, Li Qi wanted to slap himself.

Oh no, everyone saw it!

However, the other party did not care and got up from the jade bed.

Li Qi immediately bowed.

For some reason, ever since he arrived here, he has felt increasingly unsettled, and he's been losing control of his thoughts. He's always thinking about all sorts of things, and none of them are anything serious. He's constantly comparing others to White Chen Fox King Bodhisattva...

What happened?

Suspicion arose in Li Qi's heart, and he once again guarded his mind, silently waiting for the other party to come to his side.

But then Changxi waved his hand lightly, and a table appeared in front of him.

Then, as a third-rank powerful being, she personally set out the snacks and wine pot, and poured wine for Li Qi.

Li Qi was terrified and immediately stopped him, saying, "My lord, I dare not..."

Changxi smiled and said, "You dare not let me pour the wine, but you dare to stop me?"

Upon hearing this, Li Qi immediately stopped, feeling incredibly embarrassed.

What on earth is this third-rank expert thinking...?

Then, after the wine was poured, Changxi began to question Li Qi.

To Li Qi's surprise, the first question the other party asked was, "Under what circumstances did you and your wife meet?"

"Huh?" Li Qi was taken aback.

What's going on? We're here to discuss the Human-Shaman War, our own abilities, what positions we can hold, and what contributions we can make, right?

Why are you asking about my love life?

However, being a third-rank official, Li Qi didn't dare to hide anything and said, "It all started about eight hundred years ago..."

When he said this, Li Qi suddenly paused.

Eight hundred years?

It's been eight hundred years.

With that in mind, he continued.

There's nothing to hide from someone of the third rank. If they really want to know, they can just look it up in their own head. Asking now is just out of politeness.

Besides, there's nothing shameful about it.

Li Qi began to recount his story with Shen Shuibi, which was actually quite ordinary, without any dramatic or exciting moments.

It could even be said that it was somewhat 'far-fetched' and 'awkward'.

But... when does something like this always need a reason?

Back when Li Qi bought a wooden hairpin for Shen Shuibi in Yi County, Li Prefecture, he was already thinking about many things.

With this in mind, Li Qi continued to talk about the things they had experienced.

However, as they were talking, Li Qi suddenly felt...

He seemed to have calmed down, and his previously restless and even somewhat out-of-control mind gradually recovered.

As the story continued, Li Qi also noticed that when he was calm, Changxi became increasingly eye-catching.

Her appearance remained unchanged, but her temperament grew more profound, making her even more unforgettable.

The moonlight around them grew even brighter. As Li Qi awoke from his narration, he vaguely realized—

The surroundings were like a fairyland, and I felt as if I were in the heavens and the earth.

Upon closer inspection, it resembles a bed propped up by the moon, a cool fragrance brushing against one's face, and shimmering points of light, paired with countless Guanghan Palace beneath the falling leaves... Truly, when the mist and willows are dark, the clouds drift past the moon, and countless blades of grass in the human world become fireflies.

At the same time, Li Qi also felt that his mood had completely calmed down, and the thought that he had previously complained that Changxi was not as good-looking as White Chen Fox King Bodhisattva had completely disappeared.

Sure enough, something was wrong just now.

Looking at it now, although Changxi wasn't as beautiful, her temperament was in no way inferior to the other woman's, and combined with the scenery of the Moon Palace, she was just as stunning.

So, there's a reason why Lord Changxi asked him to recount his love story. Is it because of this?

"Changxi... what was that just now?" Li Qi couldn't help but ask.

"Hmm, it's hard for you to understand. Let's talk about it again when you can understand it later," Changxi said gently.

"Then... can you give an analogy?" Li Qi asked, puzzled.

He really wanted to know what had just happened.

"Well, let me use an example that you can understand better." After thinking for a moment, she seemed to think it was okay to tell Li Qi.

Then she continued, "You are like this cup of wine in your hand. Wine is made from a kind of yeast. The yeast eats all kinds of Spiritual Material to produce wine, and then it is suffocated by the wine and eventually becomes part of the wine."

"Yeast destroys its own ecosystem with its own products. While they are eating, they are suffocating to death by their own creations. The reason is simple: because they have limited intelligence, they never think that they are making fine wine."

"Now, you are the leaven."

The other party was not tactful at all, so Li Qi understood it easily.

Changxi is using him to produce something he cannot understand. His wisdom and knowledge cannot keep up with the other's, so the other cannot tell him what it is.

But... why is it my own love story?

Seemingly sensing what Li Qi was thinking, Changxi then spoke up, "Mingyue, you are always accompanied by sincerity. Alright, let's get down to business and see what you're capable of."

Getting down to business, Li Qi immediately cleared his mind of distractions and began to undergo the assessment.

This is the real test.

Changxi asked Li Qi what he was good at and then had him demonstrate it himself.

After about a Chen, once she was sure she knew Li Qi well enough, she gave Li Qi a position in the Executioner Squad.

That's right, Li Qi didn't become the commander. Now, he and Shen Shuibi have become the leaders of an Executioner Squad.

Then, he would take Shen Shuibi to the front lines to be assigned by the local commander and continue their battle.

Having left the Moon Palace, Li Qi bid farewell to the renowned Moon Mother.

He quickened his pace.

Because, after more than three hundred years of confinement, he was finally able to see Shen Shuibi again.

They hurried along, leaping over various palaces.

About half an hour later, a leaf fell from a giant tree and plunged into the Milky Way.

On the banks of the Tianhe River, Li Qi was finally able to catch his breath.

Because he saw a mother and daughter on the banks of the Milky Way.

The mother sat by the river doing her hair, while her daughter practiced playing in the Milky Way, making Method Formula to create waterfalls.

He stood frozen in place, hesitant to move forward.

A sudden wave of sorrow washes over me as I stand motionless, my horse's hooves still.

The celestial music of the Moon Palace resounded throughout the palace towers, and once, a ferry crossed the Milky Way at both ends.

However, Li Qi stopped and carefully observed the scene. Not far away, the rabbit seemed to sense something, got up, and looked in Li Qi's direction.

Their eyes met, and the tension in Li Qi's heart melted away instantly.

The footsteps that had been stationary then began to move.

Feeling light and nimble, as if floating clouds were beneath my toes.

The fact that the whole family was reunited in Guanghan made Li Qi feel a little strange.

After all, the bright moon itself carries the connotation of longing and yearning... Wait, upon thinking of this, Li Qi seemed to suddenly understand what the 'wine' he, the yeast, was brewing was.

I see, I see.

"Father!" Before Li Qi could think any further, Li Shiwei threw herself into Li Qi arms like a swallow.

This also dispelled Li Qi's distracting thoughts.

Forget about all that, let's just make wine, it doesn't matter.

Let me tell my wife and daughters about the past three hundred years first.

After that, Li Qi and Shen Shuibi met again, but the couple did not talk about their own affairs. Instead, like all parents, they began to settle accounts with Li Shiwei.

The first issue is that Li Shiwei contacted the Demon Prince without authorization.

You've got some nerve! Even Li Qi doesn't dare to have too much contact with the Demon Prince, and you little brat actually dare to go looking for Demon Prince? Are you out of your mind?

Then there was the matter of her coming to the battlefield without permission, thinking she could help Li Qi...

Cough cough, she did help, but even if Li Qi didn't need her help...

That doesn't seem to work either. If Li Qi doesn't want her help, he'll be held back and defeated by Liu Junyi.

Well...

Li Qi suddenly lost his reason for disciplining him and could only stand there awkwardly.

In the end, Shen Shuibi took over, but since the child was grown up, she couldn't do it herself. So she just held Li Shiwei's hand and solemnly told her not to put herself in danger.

Faced with Shen Shuibi, Li Shiwei couldn't make any jokes and could only nod awkwardly, indicating that she would be more careful in the future.

Li Qi could only sigh.

What else can I say?

She's already several hundred years old, and a seventh-rank official...

In the end, Li Qi had no choice but to continue keeping her by his side.

In these chaotic times, with the demonic forces involved, sending her back to the world is already unreliable; it's better to keep her by my side.

After asking about the children, it was the wife's turn to ask Li Qi.

Li Qi frankly explained what he had encountered in the past three hundred years, but he did not mention the matter of the Witch God.

The sorcerer god is too terrifying; there's no need for that. Just explain your whereabouts.

Upon learning the reason for Li Qi's confinement, Shen Shuibi simply nodded and said nothing more.

She can understand.

Li Shiwei just stuck out her tongue. She had no right to interfere in her father's affairs; she would just listen and let it go.

But... can it erase the future?

It seems like Uncle Bo Yue also has this ability, so it doesn't sound like anything special.

Li Qi didn't know what his daughter was thinking, but after that, the liquidation period ended, and the family enjoyed a period of harmony.

Li Qi started brewing fine wine on the spot, Rabbit cooked some dishes, while Li Shiwei lay down and waited to eat. However, she was lively and had a sweet tongue, which made her parents who were working happy.

After finishing their meal, the family boarded a spirit raft.

They can take a nap here and then get to where they need to go.

Li Qi lay on the spirit raft, completely satisfied.

Even if I have to go to the battlefield later, I am with my family at this moment, and I have no worries. I can just do what I want to do.

How wonderful.

He hugged Shen Shuibi from behind, stroking the rabbit's belly, feeling its soft texture, and gradually fell asleep amidst her steady breathing.

Only--

When Li Qi woke up, he found himself in the Guanghan Palace.

He looked into the distance and saw Shen Shuibi slowly getting up and looking at him.

Li Qi was immediately filled with anger!

You fucking bastard!

He even lost his breath for a moment because of it.

But he quickly regained control.

He smiled as always, moved forward, and just like the very first time, made the exact same gesture, spoke in the exact same tone, and said the exact same words.

They spent exactly the same wonderful time together, with his wife and daughters, and once again embarked on the spirit raft.

However, this time, it wasn't pleasant at all.

Once again, I awoke atop the spirit raft...

He discovered that he had returned to the Moon Palace.

Li Qi really wanted to smash things.

However, he remained calm and did the same thing again.

The rabbit and her daughter... they knew nothing. They had waited for her for over three hundred years, especially her daughter. Over three hundred years... that was half of her life.

They didn't even ask why; they just welcomed me right away.

Therefore, Li Qi didn't want their 'first time' to become an unpleasant experience.

So he fell asleep on the spirit raft time and time again, and appeared in the Moon Palace again and again.

The situation was different when Li Qi held Shen Shuibi in his arms to sleep for the eighty-fifth time.

The rabbit's hand suddenly grasped Li Qi's hand.

"You... have something on your mind? Did you experience something at Ranked Shaman?" Rabbit turned to look at Li Qi.

Li Qi immediately shook his head. "How could that be? No, it's not true."

"Is there something you're hiding from me? Is it something about Ranked Shaman that you can't tell me?" the rabbit asked.

Li Qi hesitated for a moment, then said, "Really... no."

"Then there's nothing. Get some rest. I'm right here." The rabbit smiled, rolled over, and buried its head in Li Qi's chest.

Li Qi took a deep breath, letting the fragrance of the hair fill his chest.

He slowly fell asleep.

When I awoke again, I was still in the Moon Palace.

The first touch of meeting my family has disappeared, and all I have in my heart now is resentment.

Li Qi even wanted to let out a long howl and curse the heavens.

But he can't do that.

"It needs to be normal... it needs to be normal." Li Qi patted his face.

This is the first time my wife and daughter have seen me; this is the first time my wife and daughter have looked at me...

Then he continued walking forward, but with a touch of sadness.

Time and time again.

Once, and again.

After the 267th time, Li Qi finally became numb. He was no longer angry, nor even sad.

For the 288th time, Li Qi appeared in the Moon Palace once again.

He looked up at the sky.

Is this the witch god's warning...?

Is this the 'pain' that the sorcerer spoke of?

It's not the kind of ordinary retrospection that Li Qi thought it was before.

Instead... now.

It doesn't matter how many times passersby look back.

But what about family?

The heartbreak of losing my order is just as painful as Li Qi's.