Picking Jade Feathers

--Chenghuan Pavilion--

This is Chenghuan Pavilion. I don't know how long I've lived here. Every day, I wait for my Cui beneath the enchanting leaves of roses, witnessing the countless cycles of roses blooming and falling. I know she will surely return. I will definitely wait for her to return.
I am the king of the Immortal City. For three thousand years, my mission has been to lead the warriors of the Immortal Clan to destroy the Demon City, that dark kingdom full of sin. When I first came here, it was still desolate, with endless yellow sand swept up by the cold north wind, stinging sharply across my face. I couldn't see the expressions on my guards' faces as they died; their blood-stained battle robes stuck to their wounds, the broken parts constantly filled with yellow sand. They lay in the wind pointing toward the Immortal City, knowing they would never rise again. When they fell, they used all their strength to point ahead and said to me: Yu, my dear king, you must live.
I know that beyond the sands, ahead lies the Immortal Forest, which is already the territory of the Immortal City. If we go further, we can return to the Immortal City, and I will survive. But I could clearly hear the dull thunder of the Demon City knight's iron hooves stomping into the dust. I saw countless dark shadows swaying and swaying on my mount, the sharp, piercing cries of battle mixed with the chaotic hoofbeats, the wind forcibly entering my eardrums and reaching every nerve in my body. I felt my breathing become blocked and difficult, as if something inexplicable was blocking my chest. The shadow of death made me bend over, wanting to vomit violently, but it tugged at the still-healed flesh of my wound, blood flowing thickly, waves of pain instantly spreading throughout my body. I suddenly raised the Heavenly Sword in my hand and let out a long, mournful cry. Even in death, I am still the greatest king of the Immortal Clan.
North of the vast yellow sands, there are always people coming and going in my life. I drink my sword and sing loudly, unable to grasp this lifetime of compassion.
Just as the sword blade was about to cut through my throat, the demon cavalry arrived in through the sand. To my surprise, it was a woman fleeing for her life. Her clothes were stained red with blood, and the howling wind tore her already messy hair up, making it impossible for me to see her face. The demon army chased after her, their brazen and arrogant laughter echoing continuously. This war, which lasted three hundred years, finally led to the complete defeat of the Immortal Clan.At that moment, she collapsed, her head convulsing violently in the direction I was standing. I knew she wanted me to save her. Enveloped by pain and fear, she could not make a sound, only her body instinctively struggling. To me, life seemed like the magnificent and enchanting sunset on the horizon. No matter how beautiful it was, I was too exhausted to chase it and never pursued it frivolously. Yet when I was ready to give up on life, she fought so tenaciously to live. I understood her desire to survive, but could I still save her?\ In that instant, an inexplicable surge of strength rose within me, and in a daze, it seemed as if a voice kept whispering in my ear: Save her, at any cost.\ I gritted the Heaven Sword in my hands. Wind carrying sand kept slamming against the blade, producing fierce howling sounds. Iron cavalry rolled, and rivers of blood flowed between clashing metals. I saw the twisted faces of the demon army. They stared at me in disbelief, and I was too familiar with this expression. Over the past few days, when my soldiers fell, they had the same look, filled with incredulous fear and reluctance.\ I finally saved her, and in doing so, I saved myself. Her name was Cui, my first queen in three thousand years.\ Cui held the lowest rank among the fairies in the Immortal City. She was the daughter of a cook, relying solely on her father since childhood. When I personally led the campaign against the Demon City, deploying all my troops, after three hundred years of countless victories, we were ultimately defeated. She and her father followed my guard all the way from Nine Demon Mountain to the Great Gobi, with everyone else perishing except the two of us.\ In the days that followed, Cui never left my side. While I handled the daily affairs of the Immortal City, she always stood quietly behind me, waiting until I finished, and then skillfully draped my coat over me, snuggling in my arms like a raccoon that had always accompanied me through the ages, gentle and serene.\ On bright, sunny afternoons, Cui would always say to me in her clear and soft voice: Yu, my dear king, I want to sing you a song.\ Cui sang for me "Picking Feathers for You." She lightly strummed the strings and sang with melody: "In this life of joy, what could bring more flavor? Seeking traces of immortals, moonlight like water…"\ I can let you touch my sorrow, yet I do not want you to see my tears.That war greatly damaged the vitality of the Immortal City, leaving the population scarce. Whenever I stood on the high city walls and looked down upon the desolate cityscape, I thought of the countless familiar faces I once knew, who ultimately perished before my eyes, their expressions full of fear and helplessness. I thought of the warhorses that once ran freely in the Immortal Forest; they were forced into the war, clad in heavy armor. I thought of them being beheaded, pierced by countless arrows, and I could not help but weep. And Cui always stood quietly behind me. Late at night, she would drape a coat over me and then softly say: 'My King, it's time to return.' The fleeting, subtly elusive sadness that sometimes crossed her eyes often made the softest parts of my heart ache with stabs of pain.

That spring, I finally raised the Heavenly Sword in my hand again. For over three thousand years, I had been constantly striving for my glorious and sacred mission. After experiencing failures, pain, and countless heart-wrenching separations, the immortal clan I ruled still survived invincibly and grew stronger each day. I knew that the demon city's army must not have been idle either. If the demon city were easily defeated, the war would not have lasted for over three thousand years. After every temporary ceasefire and regrouping, what followed was mass slaughter and rivers of blood.

I led the army of the Immortal City to sweep away all opposition; wherever we went, the demon troops fled in panic. The warriors were passionate, their morale soaring like dragons. Every evening, Cui would stand outside the city gate waiting for me to return. She would grasp a handkerchief and gently wipe the blood from my face before helping me back into the city. In the mornings, she silently washed my sword, cleansing the blood from the blade and then carefully polishing it with a silk cloth until her haggard face was clearly reflected on the shining edge. She would then smile happily and say, 'My King, I've been waiting for you.'

With the Heavenly Sword cleansed by Cui, I became unstoppable. The demon troops retreated under the charge of our iron cavalry, and the territory of the Immortal City expanded to the Nine Demon Mountains south of the Gobi Desert. When this Gobi Desert became part of the Immortal City's domain, Cui wanted to build a pavilion here. I thus dispatched five hundred strongmen to execute her plans. A year later, she said to me: 'Yu, my King, please move to the Chenghuan Pavilion.'

I could hardly believe that this was once the vast, sand-swept Gobi. Before my eyes stood a pavilion that was simple yet charming, delicate yet dignified, elegant yet bustling.The pavilion was surrounded by roses as bright and fiery as flames, intertwined endlessly, their enchanting and wild beauty highlighting the luxury of the Chenghuan Pavilion. Cui gently brushed the strings of the zither and said, “Yu, my dear king, I want to sing a song for you.” -- Picking Cui Yu --

The victory of the war gradually made life in the Immortal City leisurely and relaxed; the immortals enjoyed a carefree life, and the city was filled with the sounds of music and dance all day. Yet Cui became increasingly anxious. Whenever I saw her brow furrowed yet forcing a smile, I felt a surge of ominous premonitions.

Cui more frequently took me to the Chenghuan Pavilion. She lightly touched the roses that were blooming in vigorous competition. She said, “King, I planted these roses with my own hands for you. If I am no longer here, you will take good care of them, won't you?”

After the splendor fades, what remains is boundless loneliness. The bored ministers began to feel that Cui's background and status were insufficient for her to be my queen. They submitted a joint petition, demanding her position be revoked, even threatening with death.

My heart raced like thousands of cavalry dashing forward. As the King of the Immortal City, did I have no right to choose my queen? Could I not even protect the person I love most?

When I loved you, I was prepared to give everything for you.

I moved with Cui out of the Immortal City. We lived outside the Chenghuan Pavilion, where as far as the eye could see, the roses bloomed red as flames. I finally saw her smile again, like a beam of sunlight in March, warm and gentle. It gave me the strength to love, easing my long-held sorrow. I told her, “For you, I am willing to abandon everything.”

Clad in coarse clothes sewn by Cui, I wandered through the roses. Cui laughed softly behind me. When birds flew overhead, we lay down. I watched the deep blue sky and thought of the song Cui once sang for me. At that moment, Cui half-sat up and said, “King, I want to sing a song for you.”

I have always believed that our hearts can communicate. Every night I think of you, do you feel my heart torn as if by a knife?

Cui's voice was clear yet desolate; each note was a rose of bitter fragrance. They pierced my eyes and deeply pricked my soul, making my tears fall endlessly.

‘In this life of joy, what could add more flavor? Seeking traces of immortals, moonlight like water. The roses have intent, fallen petals become tears. Look, the land is filled with restless suffering. They say love is affectionate, yet wind and rain make one weary. At the pavilion, laughing, listening to your beauty.'Mandarin ducks steal their moments together, phoenixes and luan birds get drunk together. Listen, my lord, is this sound the worry of this good night?”\ The piece "Picking the Green Feather" became Cui's death song. She said, “Yu, my beloved king, you must shoulder your mission. You should not betray this mission that has lasted for thousands of years for my sake. My dear king, in the next life, I will surely become someone worthy of you. Please, you must wait for me to return.”\ That day was the darkest in my life; Cui summoned all her magical power and took her own life.\ Cui, my beloved consort, how am I to bear this immense pain? Without thought, without a soul, I was allowed to tear my heart apart, to cry my tears dry and scream till my throat broke, yet you no longer wish to open your eyes.\ From that day on, I have lived here alone. I wait for my Cui. I know she will surely return, because she must also know that I will always wait for her.\ That spring was unusually cold, as if winter had never left. When I opened the window in the morning, I immediately saw Ge Yan kneeling in the courtyard. He is my most capable general, commanding the finest Youlong army of Xiancity. He came to ask me to return because, after hundreds of years of silence, the Demon City finally had a new ruler.\ She is the queen of Demon City, and everything about her remains a mystery. I do not know her appearance, age, or background. I only know her name is the Insect Queen. Under her leadership, the demon army finally made a comeback. I had no choice but to return to Xiancity to lead my people in facing repeated resistance and counterattacks.
During the years of the demon race's silence, my people had grown accustomed to a life of luxury and luxury. They were powerless before the demon army's iron cavalry, turning the war into a brutal and lawless slaughter. I saw my people fall under the iron hooves of the demon army, flesh and blood flying everywhere, but I could not hear their desperate cries. At that moment, tears blurred my eyes once again. I raised my heavenly sword and shouted loudly, "Immortal people, raise your weapons! We will surely defeat the demon army." We will definitely reclaim our home...... A rocket whistled over, and I saw it instantly pierce through Goyan's left eye. Blood gushed out, blocking my unfinished words. Goyan collapsed straight down, then twisted and curled up, covering his eyes and speaking intermittently, "King...... Please save me......
This battle filled me with unprecedented fear and despair. In just three days, the demon army reached the Immortal Trace Forest. I was forced to retreat into the city with the wounded Goyan and the few thousand remaining soldiers to defend the city. I stood on the city wall, watching my kingdom suffer unprecedented calamity. Countless corpses piled beneath the walls, their clothes tattered and faces unrecognizable; some were beheaded, some still bleeding, unable to struggle. The city gate was finally breached by the demon army the next morning. I swung my heavenly sword. I vowed to live and die with the immortal city, even if I died, I would never die at the hands of the demon army. But I was dragged by several soldiers toward the back door. No, I didn't want to run anymore. Since victory or defeat was decided, what use was merely survival? I swung my arms hard, trying to break free, but saw Ge Yan holding onto countless blades with both hands, his belly blocked by blood-red blades. The blood was like wildly growing flames in midsummer, instantly engulfing Ge Yan's body and my eyes. I heard Ge Yan's final hoarse cry: My dear king, you must survive. You must wait for the princess to return. "Yes, I cannot die. I must wait for my Cui. She will surely return, appearing beside me like a dazzling rose, softly calling me: Dear King." I fled to Chenghuan Pavilion, where all the soldiers around me had already died in battle. I no longer had the strength to run. Cui, why haven't you come back yet? Are you saying I will never see you again in this lifetime?The warhorses neighed loudly, and the stench of blood made me vomit incessantly. I leaned against the pillar of the Chenghuan Pavilion, watching a black figure leap down from a horse.\ I knew she was the Queen of the Demon Tribe, the Insect Princess. Alas, I had no chance to defeat her anymore; I had already lost irrevocably.\ In this lifetime of pleasure, what could enhance the flavor… I softly sang this song 'Picking Jade Feathers' and raised my sword to slash my throat. As blood spurted out, I saw the Insect Princess's face contort in extreme terror. I clearly saw Cui's face—the face I had longed for hundreds or thousands of years. At this moment, her mouth was wide open, yet she could not make a sound. In that instant, I collapsed powerlessly.\ 'Yu, my beloved king, I will definitely wait for your return…' These were the last words I heard her say.
--Picking Jade Feathers--The ending, not the ending--
My name is Yu. I prefer people to call me Killer Yu because it makes them fearful, not as intimate and peaceful as simply calling me 'Yu.'\ I am an assassin. I enjoy the fear people feel toward me. When I see people fall under my sword, their pupils dilate with immense fear, I smile happily.\ I consider killing an indispensable art and pastime in my life, or rather, a pursuit. I always strive for the perfection of each person who dies by my sword. For this, I spend a lot of time before each kill, designing and calculating their deaths precisely, so I never miss.\ For eighteen years I have always had the same dream: a woman as delicate and enchanting as a rose, leaning in a pavilion full of blooming roses, repeatedly singing a song, vaguely going, 'In this life of pleasure, what could enhance the flavor…'\ I do not know the connection between this dream and me, nor do I know who the woman in the dream is, only that every time I wake, I inexplicably feel heartache, as if the woman sprouts from the deepest part of my heart, and every movement she makes affects my fragile and sensitive nerves.\ Now, I have awakened from the dream once again. The woman in the dream still softly hums that indistinct tune. After finishing her song, she stands up and says to me: 'Yu, my beloved king, I have always been waiting for your return.'Heartache, like a carnivorous ant clinging to my heart, slowly gnaws at it. It is neither hurried nor restless, yet it pierces deeply, and I suffer in a way I cannot dispel.

Even so, I will not change my plan of action. This dream has followed me for eighteen years, and I have long since grown accustomed to it.

I do not know her name. When I arrived here, it was already late at night. The air was filled with a chilling cold, and insects continuously let out chaotic cries, which only intensified a terrifying quiet. I stood tall amidst a blur, seeing only the outline of a dilapidated pavilion. It stood alone on this desolate hill, seemingly weathered by thousands of years of wind and rain. I truly could not understand why this woman would live here alone.

Are you here to kill me?

A voice sounded, like a ghost wandering out of hell, erratic yet piercing deep into my nerves. I suddenly felt a brief pain deep in my heart. This voice—how could it be so familiar?

I have been looking for you for a long time, I said coldly.

But even now, you still haven't seen me.

I will see you soon.

Aren't you afraid of dying? she said contemptuously.

I laughed. Can the dead make me die? Finding you already means you are a dead person. I have planned for a long time to kill you, so carefully that failure is impossible.

At that moment, she appeared. In the darkness, I could not see her face, nor did I know from where she came. When I noticed her, she was already in front of me.

I was startled, for no one had ever moved freely before me while I remained completely unaware. You are just a mortal.

She said slowly, Do you know who I am?

I laughed again. I said, Every time I kill someone, people try to reveal their names to scare me, yet no one has ever succeeded.

I saw her figure suddenly shrink. She turned around and slowly squatted in front of me, as if I were there to keep her company, not to kill her.

She muttered to herself, You are only a mortal. Even if you know, what does it matter?Standing behind her, I suddenly felt her silhouette was so desolate and lonely. I didn't know how long she had lived here, how many cold nights she endured. At that moment, I suddenly felt a bit of sympathy for her. My limbs went stiff, and boundless fear instantly enveloped me. I felt my stomach shrinking continuously—was this me? How could I fall in love? I am an assassin. My mission is to kill her, kill her, I told myself resolutely.
The long sword was drawn, a cold gleam piercing to the bone. Amidst the swirling sword energy, her figure suddenly unfolded, like a nimble night owl darting over the wall. In an instant, she retreated outside the pavilion. I chased after her, my sword piercing the sky like lightning, sharp and swift. She casually flicked her finger, and my sword lost all strength, like a snake struck in the slightest spot, sliding limply to the side. My heart sank to the bottom of the valley; no one had ever had such immense power, and I began to feel my breathing becoming difficult. I thought she would fight back, but unexpectedly, she cried out in shock, "You used the Heavenly Sword?" "How did you get this sword!" At that moment, heavy thunder rumbled faintly from the sky; it looked like it was about to rain. I disdained her question. I just wanted to end her life before it rained, then go back and take a good bath. That was beyond my plan. I never imagined she possessed such powerful abilities. It seemed killing her wouldn't be so easy.
I raised my longsword again. She stopped attacking, just nimbly dodged my attack. I instinctively sped up, the sword emitting a sharp, piercing zither that tightly wrapped around her. She said hurriedly and flusteredly, "First, tell me your name. I'm Insect Princess."
At that moment, while she was distracted, I raised my longsword horizontally, as if everything stood still, dust settled, and the air drifted coldly across my body. A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, and she slowly collapsed, her throat swallowed by the blood gushing out. Her expression twisted in terror, but a strange smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, making people feel terrified. I felt my stomach contracting again, and an inexplicable pain mixed with endless loss swept through my whole body. I couldn't help but bend over and vomit.Another fierce lightning bolt struck, and I saw the dilapidated pavilion, with three large characters boldly written on its nameplate: Chenghuan Pavilion.

In this life, to enjoy happiness, what could add more flavor... When all memories of past lives surged into my mind like a tide, I could no longer hold onto all the tenderness you gave me. Please look at me once more, so I can remember this one tiny luxury of happiness over thousands of years.

Yu, my dear king, you must wait for me to come back.

These were her last words. She lay beneath my sword and never stood up again.

— — — — — — —
Busy with work. Originally, today I should have fulfilled my promise and posted the Children's Day activity post.
This was because of my lingering childlike heart and wanting to test the results of some changes,
but Qian is a child easily swayed by external forces.
Anyway, Qian is someone prone to breaking promises, so I'll break it once more. I'm making up for it with the novel, deleting the originally prepared activity post.
Oh, I accidentally posted in the wrong section. Helping Qian move the post to the novel section.
Leaving now, that's it.