Chapter 884: Memory Rotation

Meanwhile, the lion dance, surrounded by admirers, seemed to sense something and abruptly turned its head at the end of the bustling street.

Two gazes crossed the bustling, joyful crowd, meeting instantly. At that moment, an inexplicable feeling arose in Chen Ling's heart.

Chen Ling didn't know how to describe the feeling. He felt as if he had forgotten something very important. After seeing those eyes, it was as if some long-buried memory began to stir—a past shared between him and the owner of those eyes.

Before Chen Ling could recall anything further, the lion dance turned away and walked alone into the depths of an alleyway amidst the crowd's applause.

Chen Ling stood frozen for a moment, then snapped back to reality. He immediately pushed his way through the dense crowd, trying to catch up to the lion dance figure.

He exerted great effort to push through the crowd, past the lively fire-breathing, hoop jumping, and magic acts on the street. He then turned into the alleyway where the lion dance figure had disappeared and ran forward at full speed!

*Pant—pant—* Chen Ling was struggling to run.

The cheers and applause gradually faded behind him, and loneliness and emptiness washed over him like a tide.

The narrow alleyway gradually blurred, as if he wasn't running through an alleyway, but rather someone's long inner journey. Chen Ling realized this wasn't his memory.

He had entered deep into someone else's memory.

Chen Ling ran for a long time in the alleyway. Finally, a faint light appeared at the end of the darkness. Chen Ling plunged into the light without hesitation.

The scene before him suddenly opened up.

It was a desolate open space. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but yellow earth and a few occasional withered trees.

Bustle and noise drifted from behind him. An ancient city, adorned with lanterns and filled with the sound of firecrackers, lay nearby, seemingly immersed in New Year's Eve festivities.

Chen Ling didn't know which dynasty this was, but he could feel that it was quite distant from his own era.

What remained unchanged was that, just like the street he had just left, everyone in the city was immersed in joy.

"Master... is it time?"

A voice came from behind. Chen Ling turned to look, and found that two figures had appeared on the desolate ground, he knew not when.

One was the young man who had been wearing the lion dance costume earlier. He was covered in sweat, as if he had just finished a performance, and cradled a tattered lion dance head in his arms. The other figure was blurred, but appeared to be an elder.

"Yes, it's time," the elder said softly, reaching out to stroke Sun Bumian's head.

"Bumian... you must die amidst the gongs and drums."

Sun Bumian asked anxiously, "Will I really die?"

"You will die amidst the gongs and drums, but you will also be reborn through beautiful prayers. Bumian, your path is unlike anyone else's. You are the embodiment of auspiciousness in this world," the elder said seriously, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed at the festive city in the distance.

"As long as there are people in this world praying for happiness, you will live forever."

"Oh..." Sun Bumian nodded, half understanding. "Will I still see you, Master?"

The elder chuckled. "Although you won't die of old age, you are still in a human body. Every sixty years, you will fall into a death-like slumber... It will be a year until someone nearby prays for auspiciousness and happiness, and only then will you awaken from the prayer."

"Your Master is still hale and hearty. Your Master can certainly wait a year."

"That's good." Sun Bumian sighed in relief.

The elder smoothed his sleeves. "Then I'll be going now."

Sun Bumian obediently nodded. The elder turned and walked a few steps, then hesitated for a moment before turning back to speak:

"Bumian."

"Yes, Master?"

"You are the embodiment of auspiciousness and good fortune; you can attract good luck and avoid misfortune. If you wish, you can live every lifetime free from disaster and mishap. No matter what happens in the future, take care of yourself... Understand?"

"I understand."

The elder took one last look at Sun Bumian, then walked alone towards the bustling and lively city, gradually disappearing at the horizon.

After watching him leave, Sun Bumian looked around, took a shovel from under a withered tree, and began to dig into the ground bit by bit.

*Bang bang bang bang—* Fireworks and firecrackers exploded ceaselessly.

The city was celebrating universally. Sun Bumian quietly dug his own grave while gazing at the distant festivities. Chen Ling watched this scene in silence. He didn't know what Sun Bumian was thinking, but a wave of loneliness washed over him.

After an unknown period, a neatly dug pit appeared on the ground.

Sun Bumian took one last lingering look at the distant city, then lay down flat in the pit, reluctant to leave, his hands folded over his chest.

With a thought from him, the lion dance head, which had been placed nearby, seemed to come alive. Colorful flames intertwined to form the lion's body. With a gentle nudge of its head, the piled-up mound of earth gradually buried Sun Bumian's figure.

Finally, Sun Bumian disappeared from the desolate ground.

The colorful flames dispersed from the lion's body. It reverted to a headpiece, rolling onto Sun Bumian's grave, covered in dust, silent and lifeless.

Only then did Chen Ling step forward. He slowly approached the leveled earth, bent down, and picked up the lion dance head.

He dusted it off. As he looked at the familiar headpiece, a struggle appeared in his eyes, as if a memory was about to break free.

"You must wait for him," a voice said from behind.

Chen Ling turned to look, and saw a white-haired figure wrapped in bandages, standing silently behind a withered tree.

"Who are you?" Chen Ling asked.

"My name is Jiang Xiaohua."

"Where is this place? What exactly have I forgotten?"

Jiang Xiaohua was silent for a moment, then pointed to the ground beneath him. "You'll know once he awakens."

Chen Ling looked down at his feet blankly, his mind a void. But after a long hesitation, he gritted his teeth and sat down cross-legged beside the grave.

"An auspicious embodiment with a sixty-year cycle..." Chen Ling murmured, "Who... are you?"

Sun Bumian slowly opened his eyes.

Biting cold winds mixed with chilling rain, falling lightly upon his thin Tang suit. A shiver ran through him from the cold.

"Where is this?"

Sun Bumian looked around, finding himself standing before the gates of a luxurious mansion. On both sides, northern-style houses stretched into the distance. Blue-green auroras rippled silently above his head like ribbons.

Sun Bumian gazed at the auroras. He felt as if he knew where this place was, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember.

Just then, the mansion's gates suddenly opened.

A figure stumbled out, losing balance as if kicked, and fell headlong in front of Sun Bumian, sending dust flying.

"You cur! A mere servant, daring to defy me??"