In the third year of his stay at Baiyun Temple, the abbot, Master Huineng, still refused to allow Bai Jinshu to shave his head and become a monk. Fortunately, Bai Jinshu no longer insisted on it. Whether he cultivated with or without hair no longer made any difference to him. He understood Master Huineng’s reasoning. After all, those who enter the Buddhist path should sever all earthly ties and be free from attachments. But he couldn’t do that. He had made a promise to Ye Lihen in his heart—to regret for a lifetime, to feel guilt for a lifetime, to suffer for a lifetime. These were burdens of the mundane world that he would never let go of.
Buddhism was not his true refuge. It was merely a place where he could pray for a better next life for Ye Lihen.
Bai Jinshu never chanted sutras or recited prayers for himself—only for the one thought that remained in his heart, silently reciting the Heart Sutra as a guide for the road ahead.
One day, a young monk came to Bai Jinshu’s room and handed him an empty envelope.
“Brother Bai, someone outside asked me to give this letter to you.”
Bai Jinshu accepted the envelope with a slight sense of confusion. He had not hidden his identity while staying here, but he had no friends with whom he exchanged letters. “Who was it?”
“I don’t know. The person was wearing a straw hat and seemed very mysterious.”
Whether it was an old acquaintance or someone looking for trouble, it no longer concerned the current Bai Jinshu. He thanked the young monk and casually waved him away, then absentmindedly opened the envelope.
He assumed that the letter inside would hold nothing of importance. But what he found was a blank white sheet of paper inside the empty envelope.
Bai Jinshu’s heart unconsciously began to race. He dared not think too deeply, but he couldn’t help but recall the blank letter Ye Lihen had given him in the past. Once, it was to deliver news at Yue Man Lou; another time, it was the wordless letter left in the cave. This was the third time in his life that Bai Jinshu had received a blank letter.
If he dared to hope again, he might once more face unbearable pain and despair. But his body moved on instinct, and Bai Jinshu immediately rushed out of his room.
Outside the small Baiyun Temple, the mountain road was wide, yet when Bai Jinshu looked around, he saw no sign of anyone.
“Little Li…” Bai Jinshu unconsciously whispered the name, filled with endless fear and unease. “Little Li?” He tried to raise his voice, hoping that the person he was calling for could hear him.
“Little Li—” Finally, he shouted at the top of his lungs.
Two years of longing, guilt, and pain—emotions that had never been expressed—burst forth in that moment, turning into cries that seemed like calls for help.
“Little Li—”
But the only response was the echo of his own voice reverberating through the valley.
Bai Jinshu chased down the main road like a headless fly.
They had said the mysterious person was wearing a straw hat, but in reality, Bai Jinshu didn’t even see a woodcutter or a hunter. He wandered aimlessly at the foot of the mountain, feeling utterly lost.
It wasn’t until much later that he regained a bit of clarity.
—He had to confirm this!
It didn’t matter if he couldn’t find the person. At the very least, he needed to confirm that Ye Lihen was still alive!
In order to stay close to Ye Lihen, Bai Jinshu had chosen the nearest temple after burying him in Renwang Mountain, hoping to remain near him. Now, he used his lightness skill and soon arrived at Renwang Mountain.
The disciples of Renwang Sect were surprised and happy to see Bai Jinshu, but he didn’t have time for any reunions with his junior brothers or nephews. He headed straight for Ye Lihen’s grave.
When he reached his destination, he saw Jiang Cheng already there, digging up the coffin with his own hands.
More than two years ago, Bai Jinshu had been so emotionally drained that he hadn’t involved himself in any of the matters concerning Chang’an’s Lin family, Huolian Sect, or the Wulin Assembly. However, Jiang Cheng had taken Ye Lihen’s request—relayed through Mo Feixiao—to heart and thoroughly investigated the Lin family. Once their conspiracy was exposed, the Lin family, rather than retreating, openly declared the existence of their secret organization, “Tianxue.”
Overnight, Tianxue spread terror throughout the martial world, becoming a feared cult. Jiang Cheng, as the Wulin Alliance Leader, was not only responsible for confronting this new threat but also driven by personal reasons. He had been in and out of life-threatening situations in his fight against Tianxue, leaving him with little time to rest over the past two years. Bai Jinshu, who had often secretly visited Renwang Mountain to pay his respects to Ye Lihen, was roughly aware of how long it had been since Jiang Cheng last returned to the sect. Seeing him now, a thought flashed through Bai Jinshu’s mind.
Jiang Cheng’s expression brightened slightly when he saw Bai Jinshu approach, as if some realization had struck him.
“Did you receive something?”
Bai Jinshu nodded. “A blank letter.”
Jiang Cheng wasn’t aware of the significance of a “blank letter” but that didn’t dampen his hopeful excitement. “I received the Fu Bei Token.”
When they had buried Ye Lihen, Jiang Cheng had placed the Fu Bei Token with him as a keepsake, a secret only the two of them knew. If someone had robbed the grave, there was no way they would have returned the token to Jiang Cheng.
Only one person would do such a thing, just as only that person would send Bai Jinshu a blank letter.
Finally, the coffin that Bai Jinshu and Jiang Cheng had buried together two years ago was unearthed once more.
The two exchanged a glance, then simultaneously reached out to slowly lift the coffin lid—
Inside the coffin, there was no one.
Bai Jinshu let out a soft laugh and collapsed onto the ground beside the coffin.
“I should have realized it earlier. Little Li is too clever to be fooled by me. He must have known that the third cave was the escape route. He was just so angry back then that he deliberately ran into the second cave. The continuous collapses in that cave must have been caused by Little Li using his internal energy to shake loose the walls. His inner cultivation techniques are unusual, so he must have known some form of breath-holding technique. He was so angry with us, saying he’d make us regret it for the rest of our lives, so he faked his death as part of his plan.”
“But in the end, he couldn’t bear to make us suffer forever, so he finally left us a hint.”
A lifetime of punishment had been reduced to just two years. Ye Lihen, though petty and vengeful, was still so soft-hearted. It made Bai Jinshu, who had once thought him cold and unfeeling, ache with both pain and sorrow.
“Maybe he’s willing to forgive us, but he doesn’t want to see me.” Bai Jinshu murmured to himself.
It must have been Ye Lihen. He had come to Baiyun Temple, delivered the letter to Bai Jinshu, but left immediately without lingering.
“As long as he’s alive and well, that’s all that matters.” Jiang Cheng said softly after a moment of silence.
Bai Jinshu slowly stood up.
“Martial Uncle, I’m leaving.”
“Where are you going?” Jiang Cheng asked.
Bai Jinshu gazed into the distance, towards an unknown direction. “If Little Li doesn’t want to see me, I’ll stay out of his way. But if it’s just his pride keeping him from showing himself, then I’ll shamelessly stick by him. I can’t let him be lonely just because of his pride.”
“But do you know where to find him?”
“I don’t, but I believe I’ll find him eventually. After all, I have a lifetime to search.”
(The End)
Translator Note :
Finally, it has ended. Even though it is not a Happy Ending (HE), at least it leaves some space for imagination. Such a short story, but it truly takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. When I first started reading this, I thought it would be a lighthearted, fluffy, and cute type of story. But the ending really caught me off guard. I don’t want to be the only one feeling sad, so I decided to translate this and let all of you feel sad as well 😏.
This novel starts off deceptively simple, drawing you in with its seemingly light and carefree tone. The characters, especially Bai Jinshu and Ye Lihen, are so well-written that you can’t help but get attached to them. What begins as a story of camaraderie and playful banter quickly takes a dark turn, unraveling layers of hidden emotions, betrayals, and misunderstandings. The unexpected depth of their relationship is what makes this novel so impactful.
Bai Jinshu’s internal struggle, from believing he knows Ye Lihen to doubting everything, adds a sense of tension that keeps the reader hooked. Even though Ye Lihen may seem distant and mysterious at first, his vulnerability and pride slowly reveal themselves in the most heartbreaking ways. The final chapters are filled with emotional weight as everything falls into place, leading to an ending that is both painful and bittersweet.
For those of you who love open-ended conclusions, this story provides just enough room for you to imagine what could happen next. Maybe Bai Jinshu will find Ye Lihen someday, maybe they will reconcile. Or maybe, they will continue to exist separately, carrying their memories of one another in different directions. The beauty of this story is that it lets you choose how to continue their journey in your mind.
Thank you for reading along with me, and I hope this translation helps you experience the same emotional ride that I went through.
✨Translation complete!✨
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