18 – Rivals in Love, Tension in the Air
The five men let out agonizing screams. Due to the excruciating pain in their wrists, they couldn’t grip their swords tightly, causing the weapons to clatter to the ground.
The tall man had already prepared to die there, never expecting Yun Sangsang to suddenly intervene and save him. He glanced at her in surprise, then seized the opportunity without hesitation. Wielding his sword, he swiftly slit the throats of all five men around him, killing them instantly!
Watching the five men fall to the ground, their eyes wide open in eternal resentment, the tall man finally sheathed his sword. Despite his injuries, he turned and walked gracefully toward Yun Sangsang.
Meanwhile, Yun Sangsang was being icily stared down by Yuan Ning Wang.
Yuan Ning Wang never anticipated Yun Sangsang would suddenly rescue someone!
She had just earnestly lectured him, saying that the masked man over there clearly invited trouble and it was best not to save such a person. And now?
Didn’t her actions contradict her words too quickly?
Were all her earlier words just empty talk?
Yuan Ning Wang glanced at the approaching tall man, paying extra attention to his handsome, now-revealed face, and felt even more displeased.
He remembered that the Broom Star had only intervened after the man’s mask fell off. Could it be that what those two little demons said was true?
Had the Broom Star, driven mad by unrequited love for Lingyao God, truly sunk to the point of obsessively pursuing any handsome man she encountered?
Did she refuse to save him earlier because she hadn’t seen his handsome face, and now that she had, she wanted to rescue him just to flirt?
The thought irritated Yuan Ning Wang immensely.
He must be insane to travel with such a infatuated Broom Star!
He glared fiercely at Yun Sangsang, then coldly averted his gaze, lowering his head to adjust his sleeves. Sarcastically, he remarked, “Hah, so much for not saving him. Do you celestial maidens enjoy contradicting yourselves so much?”
Yun Sangsang frowned at Yuan Ning Wang.
Reflecting on her own inconsistency, she found it absurd and ridiculous. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, but she remained silent in response.
Hearing the approaching footsteps, she turned her attention back to the man, her gaze distant and unfocused, unconsciously clenching her fists.
That face was one she had never forgotten all these years.
It was the face she had once loved most.
In the blink of an eye, the tall man stopped three feet away from Yun Sangsang, cupping his hands in a respectful salute. “I am Xie Sanghua. Thank you, miss, for saving my life.”
Hearing that gentle, jade-like voice utter the name “Sang Hua”—a name long engraved in her heart—Yun Sangsang froze.
Sang Hua…
Staring blankly at that familiar face, her eyelashes suddenly trembled violently, and a lump formed in her throat, making it hard to speak.
A distant memory hazily surfaced in her mind.
In the harsh cold of winter, she had been huddled in a corner, freezing to death, when a handsome young man picked her up and took her home. He tenderly wiped the hands and face of three-year-old her, spoon-fed her meal by meal, summoned a physician to nurse her back to health, and let her recuperate in his home like a pampered young lady.
After she recovered, the young man smiled and asked for her name.
She shook her head dejectedly and said she had no name.
She asked him instead what his name was. Sitting by her bedside, he smiled, his elegant brows like a painting, and gently told her, word by word—
He said—My name is Yun Sanghua.She thought this name was so beautiful, Sang Hua—two characters so gentle and melodious.
After a moment’s thought, she asked him expectantly, “Brother Sang Hua, can I have the same name as you? Because… I really like you…”
The youth’s cool fingers gently tapped her forehead as he smiled and said, “How can you have the same name as me? If our names were identical, how would we distinguish who’s being called in the future?”
Not being allowed to share his name left her utterly disappointed.
Perhaps noticing how her eyes instantly dimmed, the gentle youth continued—
“Alright, don’t be sad. If you have no name or surname, why don’t you take my family name Yun? I’m called Sang Hua, so you’ll be… Sang Sang. Is that acceptable?”
Yun Sang Hua, Yun Sang Sang—they sounded like family at once. Overjoyed, she nodded vigorously and buried herself in the youth’s embrace.
From that day on, Yun Sangsang became her name.
It was engraved upon her heart and soul.
It would accompany her through this lifetime and all eternities to come.
Just like the person named Sang Hua.
…
As the memories faded, Yun Sangsang gazed dazedly at the face before her—one carved so deeply into her soul it had never faded.
So familiar, so handsome.
Exactly identical to her memories, so familiar it made her want to weep.
She hadn’t felt such emotions in a long time. Even when facing Lingyao God in the Celestial Realm, her heart remained placid.
Because she clearly understood that Lingyao God—who had regained his divine nature and become cold-hearted—was no longer the Sang Hua she had known and loved in the mortal realm. That wasn’t the person from her heart.
Yet now, looking at this stranger she was meeting for the first time, her heart ached as if being wrung.
Because this person before her claimed his name was Xie Sanghua. Not only did he possess the exact same face as her beloved, but he also shared the same name—Sang Hua…
Suppressing her heartache fiercely, Yun Sangsang silently watched Xie Sanghua, while the Parrot stared at them both from the tree in shock.
Looking left and right until its eyes nearly cramped.
After several breaths, it murmured via mind transmission: “Sang Hua… Sang Hua… Heavens, Master, how can such a coincidence exist in this world… When Lingyao God underwent his mortal tribulation and fell in love with you, he was called Sang Hua!
Yun Sanghua! Now this person looks exactly like Lingyao God and happens to be named Sanghua too—what connection does he have with Lingyao God? What relation does he bear to your former husband Yun Sanghua?”
Hearing the Parrot’s mind transmission only deepened Yun Sangsang’s dull pain.
She closed her eyes, avoiding that overly familiar face, and transmitted her reply: “People can merely resemble each other. He is not my Sang Hua… My Sang Hua died on our wedding day. Since then, Yun Sanghua has vanished from this world, leaving only an emotionless Lingyao God…
Lingyao God is not Sang Hua, and neither is this person before me… Whether through reincarnation cycles or regaining divine nature and forgetting all past attachments, this world holds only one Sang Hua who died millennia ago. No one else can replace him.”
After speaking to the Parrot, she composed herself and slowly opened her eyes to regard Xie Sanghua again.
She smiled as if nothing was wrong. “No need for thanks. It was merely a trivial effort.”
Pointing toward the path leading away, she added with a faint smile, “Young master, you’ve disturbed us long enough. If you have no other business, please leave and grant us some peace.”Hearing his savior so quickly telling him to leave, Xie Sanghua was momentarily taken aback.
He looked at Yun Sangsang with some surprise. “I hope you can tell me your name and address. I will remember this life-saving grace for the rest of my life and will surely repay it—”
“Hmph.”
Before Yun Sangsang could speak, a cold snort came from Yuan Ning Wang beside her.
Yuan Ning Wang slowly folded his sleeves, glanced at Xie Sanghua, and said indifferently, “Some people just love to push their luck. Saving you once isn’t enough—you also need to leave a name and address so you can run to her for help whenever you’re in trouble, is that it?”
Xie Sanghua turned his head in surprise to look at this eight-year-old child. Why was he so full of malice toward him?
He shook his head gently and smiled as he explained, “You misunderstand. I truly wish to visit and thank your mother for saving my life…”
Hearing the words “your mother,” Yuan Ning Wang’s eyes darkened, nearly revealing a murderous intent!
He stared coldly at Xie Sanghua, flicked his sleeve, and said, “Get lost!”