Chapter 722: I Can’t Die Yet
Feng Xiyan fell silent for a long time before lowering his eyes and whispering with a trembling voice, "She... is gone..."
As his choked voice echoed in the tent, Yan Bingyang’s eyes widened in shock. After a long moment, he finally whispered in disbelief, "...What did you just say?"
Feng Xiyan could not bring himself to repeat those words for the second time.
Every time he recalled Gui Ying’s words in the spiritual hot spring, he felt his sanity slipping away. Too afraid to dwell on it, he could only pretend that his Yun’er had gone out to play for a while and would return soon.
To forget reality, he buried himself in work and training. However, work would end, and training would finish, but his Yun’er would never come back.
Sitting across from Feng Xiyan, Yan Bingyang saw the shift in Feng Xiyan’s expression and understood that the cause of his deteriorating health was Bai Hanyun.
Lowering his eyes, Yan Bingyang’s clenched hands tightened, his slender fingers turning pale.
’Out of all the illnesses in the world, matters of the heart are the hardest to cure. And the sickness of losing a loved one has no remedy.’
Looking at Feng Xiyan with concern, Yan Bingyang took a deep breath. ’Unless Fairy Bai returns, Xiyan’s condition will only worsen with each passing day.’
While Yan Bingyang was lost in thought, Feng Xiyan suddenly asked, "Bingyang, how much time do I have left?"
At the question, Yan Bingyang’s eyes dimmed.
He looked at Feng Xiyan’s emotionless face and replied softly, "If you take care of your body, sleep well, and eat properly, you could live to a hundred years."
Feng Xiyan thought for a second, then changed his question. "How long can I live if my condition doesn’t improve?"
Under Feng Xiyan’s calm gaze, Yan Bingyang had no choice but to tell the truth. "Six months if you are lucky... Two months if not."
Hearing this, Feng Xiyan let out a soft chuckle. "That’s enough."
The moment Yan Bingyang heard this, he knew Feng Xiyan had no intention of living any longer.
He looked up at Feng Xiyan in shock and said, "Xiyan, you—!"
Feng Xiyan raised his hand to interrupt him. "Bingyang, I will drink the medicine on time and follow your instructions to rest and eat properly. Don’t worry. I can’t die yet."
Yan Bingyang fell silent at his words. After a long moment passed, he let out a long sigh, packed his medicine box, and stood up.
Looking at Feng Xiyan solemnly, he said, "Xiyan, Fairy Bai is a goddess. She will return. You... must stay alive until she is back."
Leaving those words behind, Yan Bingyang shook his head regretfully and left the tent.
Left alone, Feng Xiyan chuckled softly and whispered in despair, "Bingyang, I have long known that Yun’er is human. There are no gods in this world... Otherwise, why would they keep taking away the people I love?"
Outside the tent, the guards suddenly heard suppressed sobbing coming from within.
The soldiers exchanged glances, shock and disbelief flashing in their eyes, but none of them dared to enter.
As they stood in silence, pretending to be deaf and mute, the moon climbed higher into the night sky, and the sobbing gradually faded.
Early the next morning, news of Feng Xiyan’s condition had already reached the generals.
Before the sky had even brightened, Xue Ruhong, Tan Pengtai, Ding Zhenshun, and Fan Wanming had gathered outside the commander’s tent.
Looking at the tent from afar, Xue Ruhong whispered, "What I feared has come true."
Hearing this, Tan Pengtai couldn’t help but pace back and forth anxiously. He kept sighing as he muttered, "What should we do? What should we do?"
Ding Zhenshun looked at him helplessly and said, "General Tan, please stop pacing. You’re about to dig a trench here and make this general dizzy."
At his words, Tan Pengtai stopped in his tracks. Turning to the others, he said, "We can’t just stand here and do nothing! There must be something we can do to cure the Great General."
Fan Wanming shook his head. "General Tan, even Physician Yan said there is no cure for love sickness. Unless... we can bring Fairy Bai back."
The moment his words fell, the four of them froze and looked at each other.
"Wait—" Xue Ruhong’s eyes lit up. A hint of excitement appeared in his calm voice as he said, "We might actually be able to bring Fairy Bai back."
Hearing this, the other three generals turned to him, waiting for him to continue.
Xue Ruhong gestured for them to come closer, then lowered his voice. "Do you all remember how Fairy Bai first appeared in this world?"
At his question, Fan Wanming, Tan Pengtai, and Ding Zhenshun recalled the golden pillar and nodded.
Xue Ruhong smiled mysteriously, then continued, "If we can recreate that golden pillar, we might truly be able to bring her back."
Ding Zhenshun frowned slightly at his words. He frowned slightly, then asked, "But... how? We don’t even know what that golden pillar was. Without knowing its nature, how can we recreate it?"
Xue Ruhong looked at him and said, "Brothers, this general has been thinking about this since the first time Fairy Bai appeared."
When he said this, Tan Pengtai looked at him curiously. "General Xue, why would you think about that? Shouldn’t people just be grateful when a fairy descends to help? How could you still question the golden pillar?"
Xue Ruhong rolled his eyes at Tan Pengtai. "Isn’t this general worried that if Fairy Bai disappeared one day, we would be left helpless?"
Spreading his arms, he added, "Look—hasn’t that fear come true? Not only did she disappear, but her disappearance might even cost the Great General his life."
Seeing they had strayed from the main topic, Fan Wanming said, "General Xue, since you have thought about this from the beginning, you must have found the answer by now, right?"