Time-Traveling Love

Perhaps I truly do not belong to this era; I was born in this world, but I must return to the Five Dynasties. Maybe everything is destined by fate. I hope you can understand.” Xu Caitong said sincerely. “I don’t understand, but I’m trying to understand,” said Liang Binghui, lowering his head. “Oh, what’s wrong with you two? With thunder and lightning outside, it’s about to rain, and you’re still talking by the door?” Yaping called out from inside the house. Seeing Liang Binghui escorting Caitong back, and them still talking outside, the sound of thunder tearing through the sky made her heart race with fear. Seeing that Caitong and Master Liang were not coming inside, Yaping couldn’t help but speak. Liang Binghui hurriedly said goodbye to Caitong, who watched his departing figure, feeling a pang of guilt in her heart. Xu Caitong returned to the living room, and Yaping, seeing only Caitong, asked curiously, “Where’s Master Liang? Why didn’t you invite him in?” “He said he had something else to do and would come another day,” Xu Caitong replied casually. Yaping furrowed her brows, looking at Caitong with a strange gaze; she knew the young master of the Liang family liked her daughter, but her daughter would eventually leave them. Thinking of this, Yaping sighed deeply. “Mom, what’s wrong?” Xu Caitong asked, concerned by her mother’s troubled look. “Caitong, it’s nothing. You’re not so young anymore; it’s time to think about romance and making friends. But, Mom understands, Mom really can’t bear to let go.” “Mom, I can’t bear to leave you all either; I just want to stay with you,” Xu Caitong understood her mother’s words and couldn’t help but shed tears. “Caitong, my good daughter.” “Mom, sister, what’s going on?” Xu Haiping entered from outside, seeing his mother and sister embracing and crying. “Nothing, nothing,” Yaping wiped her tears and shook her head. Xu Haiping sighed inwardly; he knew why his mother and sister were crying. “Mom, just think of it as sister being mischievous and walking into the wrong house. We took her in, but when her family comes to find her, we must return her,” Xu Haiping tried to lighten the mood. “Yes, that’s right. She mischievously ran to our house, and we should return her when her family comes,” Yaping said, nodding while wiping away tears. “Yes, she’s just coming back to say goodbye,” Haiping added. Yaping nodded again. “Sister, we will always remember you,” Haiping went over and hugged his sister’s shoulders. “I will always remember you too,” Xu Caitong held back tears, not wanting her mother to be too upset. She indeed had walked into the wrong house, not belonging to this century or this space-time. Perhaps today’s return was destined by heaven, to bid farewell to her family. After dinner, Xu Caitong locked herself in her room. She felt restless, as if there were unfinished tasks weighing on her mind. That night, Xu Caitong dreamt of the world being destroyed by the resurrected Fuxiu because the Mo Xie Sword’s seal was not broken, and Liu Bugun could not stop Fuxiu. The era following the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms disappeared, entire swathes of land were upheaved, the sky collapsed, and the earth slowly merged, crushing countless commoners. Liu Bugun, struggling to stand, shouted in a hoarse voice, “Caihong -” Xu Caitong woke up from her dream, drenched in cold sweat. “Bugun, Bugun,” she murmured, still dazed, jumping out of bed. She stood on the ground, unsure of what to do. Looking at the dark night sky outside, the clouds were thickening, threatening to collapse. Xu Caitong came to her senses, turned on the light, and sat at her desk to write a letter to her parents. She was going back to the Five Dynasties; she had a mission to fulfill. In her letter, she wrote that she was like a daughter marrying far away, unable to visit often, and wished them well. After finishing the letter, she placed it on the desk, dressed in her attire from her return, and went to the back garden to lead out her black horse. As lightning split the sky, amidst the rolling thunder, Xu Caitong glanced back at the place where she grew up, her heart filled with infinite attachment, but with the world’s destruction at stake, she had an inescapable responsibility to avert this catastrophe. “Goodbye, Dad, Mom, brother, goodbye, all my caring and loving friends, goodbye, goodbye.” The black horse seemed to sense her departure from the 21st century. Xu Caitong spurred the horse forward, hooves clattering as they chased the wind. “Take me back.” The horse’s speed increased rapidly, taking Xu Caitong into the twisted space-time. She wanted to see how the horse would transport her through time, but the speed was too fast for her to make out her surroundings, so she closed her eyes. The wind roared, and Xu Caitong felt an intense excitement at the thought of reuniting with Liu Bugun. This black horse was originally a divine steed from the heavens, sent to help Mo Xie stop the evil dragon Fuxiu from destroying the world. Heaven sent this horse to the dilapidated temple to aid him. The horse’s neighing caught Liu Bugun’s attention. What a divine steed, entirely black without a speck of other color, though covered in the dust of the mortal world, it was spirited, neck arched proudly. The horse, aware of its significant mission, wanted to test the martial prowess of Liu Bugun, the reincarnation of Mo Xie. Seeing him approach, it raised its front hooves and charged at Liu Bugun. Liu Bugun dodged to the side, and in that moment, grabbed the horse’s mane, leaping onto its back. The horse, restrained, exerted its divine strength, trying to throw Liu Bugun off, but he clung to its neck until it tired out and calmed down. The divine steed returned Xu Caitong to the 21st century to say goodbye to her parents. She was not of this mundane world; although she had experienced cycles of life and death, with the world’s destruction looming, only they could confront the demon threatening the heavens and earth. Chapter Eight: The divine steed, with Xu Caitong, raced forward like lightning. As the sky gradually cleared, before the sun rose, the horse slowed down. Xu Caitong opened her eyes to an unexpected sight. Everywhere were towering mountains, undulating and continuous, shrouded in mist, presenting a scene of divine mountains and celestial music. The horse trotted along a path around the mountain, and as they turned, in the swirling morning mist, atop a hillock, Liu Bugun stood, holding the Mo Xie Sword, his face weary, eyes filled with anxiety and expectation, looking down the path. “Caihong -” His call echoed through the morning light across the mountain. “Hey -” Xu Caitong responded with joy, spurring her horse quickly towards him.