Chapter 94: The Wanderer
There were some things that, if Sato Daitake didn't mention, nobody would know.
Once he voiced it out, it meant that he truly regretted it.
Otherwise, he didn't have to come.
However, he arrived here and knelt down, wailing in tears.
He deeply loved his father in his heart, even though he rebelled and felt hatred before. He couldn't forget the feeling of sitting on his father's shoulders during his childhood. He wanted to get closer and see if he was doing well now.
He would pretend to be nonchalant, casually sitting beside him, showing concern and willingly discussing some teenage troubles with him. He took his advice to heart.
Whenever something good happened, he would eagerly rush to buy wine and share the joy.
It was not the case that by changing to a new body, the same blood no longer flowed within, and the bond of kinship disappeared.
He cried and wailed, holding onto his father's cold body, but he couldn't call back the person who had already disappeared.
This was too sad.
The person he clearly wanted to find was right by his side. He had already forgiven him, but they still couldn't recognize each other.
He didn't know that the child had long stopped harboring any resentment towards him.
He also didn't know that he had been by his side all along.
Until the final moment of his life, he still ended up embracing lingering grievances, and worrying about whether his son still held resentment towards him.
The lingering obsession formed by this regret, still remained entwined around his being, never dissipating.
Bai Wei could see, so he sighed.
As a bystander, he stood with the perspective of an observer and had already understood everything. But what good is understanding? He couldn't turn back time and fulfill the lingering grievances.
That one time, it was not possible.
[The event has been completed.]
[Enhanced clairvoyance, acquired the spell 'exorcism']
Killing the Taoist offered his two new abilities, one to enhance clairvoyance, allowing him to see ghosts, and another to catch glimpses of sinister and supernatural creatures.
However, he instinctively could already see various exclamation marks, so this enhancement was rather pointless.
The spell of exorcism turned out to be quite practical. It allowed spirits to temporarily inhabit one's body, sharing their past experiences and abilities. However, it was only effective with harmless ghosts. Malevolent spirits certainly wouldn't stay still for you to use them.
The ancient ritual called "nou shu," commonly known as "ghost play," was a form of exorcism practiced in ancient times. However, practices like the "spirit writing" and "money spirit" rituals were not considered part of this, as they involved malevolent spirits.
However, it could also be used directly as long as one's own cultivation level was deep enough.
"I couldn't use it, could I?"
Exorcising spirits required a certain level of cultivation, but he was just a warrior, his body filled with blood and true energy. Where would he get spiritual power and cultivation?
The missing person notice had come to an end. Bai Wei tossed the useless papers into the bonfire, allowing them to turn into ashes and scatter.
He himself also looked at the darkening sky and was contemplating leaving.
Suddenly, Sato Daitake ceased his crying and extended his arms to stop Bai Wei, his eyes filled with intense redness.
Was this to seek revenge for his father?
In the next moment, Sato Daitake knelt down on the ground, pressing his forehead against the floor, and pleaded with utmost sincerity, "Please, I beg of you…"
Bai Wei sighed helplessly and said, "Your father has already passed away."
"I knew."
"He couldn't be saved," he exclaimed, realizing the impossibility.
"I also understood… I didn't expect the deceased to come back to life," Sato Daitake pleaded earnestly, bowing down with great force. "But I implore you! Let me see him one last time! I don't want it to end like this, just a final moment will suffice!"
Bai Wei scratched his head. "This is the specialty of the Daoist sect, and truth be told, it was beyond my capabilities. You've got the wrong person. Perhaps an Onmyoji…"
"I didn't have such great abilities, and besides, my father couldn't wait that long," Sato Daitake pleaded with difficulty. "Please, I beg you, I beg you…"
His forehead pressed against the ground, with sharp little pebbles cutting into it, leaving behind trails of blood stains on the surface.
He repeated these words, continuously bowing down in earnest.
Bai Wei was finding it increasingly difficult to make progress at this moment. He was not adept at inquiring about matters concerning spirits and deities.
The intense desire attracted attention, and Sato Daitake's persistent determination even converged into an exclamation mark in an empty space.
Bai Wei gazed at this colorless exclamation mark, remaining silent for a long time.
[Final wish]
[Daring to inquire of the spirits and deities for the sake of the people]
[Note: Just do good deeds and don't inquire about the future.]
Bai Wei remained silent for a long time in front of the young man, while bowing.
In a relatively short period of time, waiting and silence almost wore away all the expectations and hopes.
Sato Daitake dared not lift his head, afraid that if he did, this silence would turn into emptiness and he would realize that the person had long gone.
But what could he do? All that was left was this plea. He couldn't offer any benefits, so he had to open his heart and expose his bleeding wounds, earnestly begging the passing exile to fulfill his humble wish.
A gentle sigh broke the calm of the night.
"All right."
This response sounded like a hallucination, Sato Daitake lifted his eyes, and he himself didn't expect to be granted the request.
Because this young person seemed so cold and indifferent, as if watching the world from behind a curtain. He was like an audience member sitting beneath the stage, while others were merely actors performing on the stage, not even deserving a handful of sympathetic tears or a few cold chuckles.
But Bai Wei said so.
"I'll do my best."
Sato Daitake lowered his head, burying it heavily, as his tears became clouded by the murky blood.
"Thank you, thank you…"
He never doubted that this statement was insincere. He was simply grateful, as sometimes a single sentence can redeem a person's soul.
"Wait for me here."
Bai Wei left these words behind and slowly walked into the night scene.
His departing figure remained so graceful and independent, as if detached from the world.
However, within this carefree demeanor, there quietly emerged a hint of loneliness and weariness.
…
Why did he agree to this request?
Because… his loved ones, in a distant, very distant place, perhaps a lifetime away, had to journey through.
He didn't know if he could go back again, so he cautiously hid away this regret.
This doesn't mean that it vanished, it's just that he wouldn't show his vulnerability to anyone, and he kept this part hidden very well.
However, there were times when he would toss and turn in his dreams, as unexpected memories stabbed at his heart.
He still remembered when he was once questioned by the village chief in the village where the Chaotic Witches resided, about what his biggest regret in life had been?
He thought for a long time.
From the depths of his heart, he searched through a pile of secrets and found a box that was labeled "regret".
He said.
When he went out, he forgot to say hello to his parents.
Who knew that this walk would be so far, as if it lasted for a hundred lifetimes?
Was there a chance to go back again?
If bowing down and kowtowing would have been effective, I would have certainly done so. As long as I could have caught a glimpse of them once again, abandoning all dignity would have meant nothing.
Bai Wei walked under the moonlight, a wanderer without a home, slowly reciting a five-character poem.
"In the loving hands of a mother's thread…"
"The traveler had worn his clothes…"
"Before departure, he hastily stitched…"
"I was afraid of returning late, afraid…"
"Reluctant to return, afraid of…"
…
The Far East University's apartment.
It was already late at night, and everyone should have been resting peacefully. Even the most determined night owls seemed weak and powerless before the Internet and power outage.
Suddenly, a window was pushed open, and a figure dressed in white stepped into the courtyard. Frost covered the lawn, and a chilly mist drifted and scattered.
"Who goes there?" Yun Wuxin raised her weapon, pointing it towards the figure on the lawn.
Bai Wei raised his hand and walked out, saying, "I am from the Ming Country." He stood in the moonlight, his expression calm.
"Who are you?" Yun Wuxin felt a strange sense of familiarity.
"I have come with a request, I wanted to ask you for two Soul Summoning Talismans… Consider it a personal favor owed to you."
