Chapter 23: Is It Real or Not

A week passed in no time,

Yang Zhai was looking at the blue and pink flowers in the garden. They were swaying with the wind. But strangely, not even a single petal fell on the ground. These flowers were the same flowers that Yang Zhai was growing and also one of the reasons for him to stay here.

The sky was filled with dark clouds as if they could rain at any moment. The air was calm. The wind that was blowing was also gentle. It was a little dark outside the cave because of the dark clouds. He wanted to make sure that the flowers were growing nicely. 

For the past whole week, he hadn't come to check them, because of the fight and most importantly because of Essence Honey. His robe's left sleeve was swaying with the wind.

"Thank you!" A female voice came from behind.

"For what?"

"For protecting my life,"

"No worries, it was me who brought you with me to get the Essence Honey."

"And also, I am sorry"

"And what's sorry for?"

"Because you lost your arm due to me, I am deeply sorry… If we had made sure that the boar was dead, this wouldn't have happened." In the middle of the sentence, the female voice started to stutter and a sound of crying was also mixed with it.

Yang Zhai turned around and saw that Cho Byeol was looking at him while the tears were flowing from the corners of her eyes, that flowed down her cheeks.

"Hey, don't cry. This is a cultivation world. A mere arm can be healed with appropriate methods, you should be happy that I am alive and have lost only my arm. Don't you think that's fortunate" Yang Zhai smiled and wiped the tears off of Cho Byeol's face with his right hand and said. 

"Anyway, how is your cultivation coming along?" Yang Zhai changed the topic.

"I am about to advance to Rank 4, I should be able to advance in two days. And you?" Cho Byeol said.

Yang Zhai turned to look at the flowers again and said, 

"It would take me two months or so to advance. But you're already about to reach Rank 4. Indeed, I have to accept that even after your aperture was damaged, and your physique was weakened, your talent is far superior to mine. And what about Bae Ah?" 

"She should be able to reach Rank 4 in four days or so," Cho Byeol said and came to Yang Zhai's side. 

"Can you tell me something?" She asked Yang Zhai, who was lost in some thoughts.

"What is it?" Yang Zhai said nonchalantly.

"Can you tell me about your past?"

"What do you want to know? Ask away,"

"Have you ever loved someone more than your life?" She asked something strange all of a sudden.

"Why would you want to know that? Don't tell me you are jealous?!" Yang Zhai teased her.

"Well, it's not like this. When we came here, you were all alone. You aren't even concerned about your left arm. You stand alone to appreciate nature, lost in thoughts. Not just that, from the way you are familiar with the terrain here, I can tell that you are living here for many years. You give me the aura of loneliness," Cho Byeol blushed after hearing what Yang Zhai said and hurriedly waved her hands while explaining the reason for asking this question.

"I thought all along that you were alone all this time, but when I saw how you behaved in the forest a week ago, I could tell that you were suppressing your emotions for a long time now. "

"So, I suddenly want to know about your past and what happened to you. Is this world really that cruel that it leaves a person numb to many things?"

"Huh, so that's why. I thought that you fell for me. Well, if you would like to know about me, you should know that I can't tell you all the things about me. There are some things that even I don't understand about myself. Like, why didn't I die? Can you tell me why are you still alive? Was it fate that saved you in your past, or was it free will? Is fate real, or are we free? If fate really does exist, then are we making our choices by ourselves, or is someone making it for us?"

"Then let me tell you something. I have already died once in this world. But I am still alive. So, did I die or not? I still don't know this myself. As for your question, yes, I did love someone in my previous life. Or was it really my previous life? It could also be possible that I didn't die, and it was my present life. After all, I was the one who was burned, not them, so they are still alive and present in this world. So, how could it be my previous life?" Yang Zhai said this and was lost in thoughts again.

Cho Byeol was confused by Yang Zhai's words. She somewhat understood him and somewhat not. There was also information about his past. Like, she now knew that Yang Zhai was burned to death by some people. But he was still alive, she did not understand this. He died, but he was still here. Could it be that he was resurrected? However it was never heard before that someone could be resurrected. Nevertheless if he was really resurrected, who could be the one that revived him? The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. And also, she now knew that Yang Zhai had indeed loved someone.

"As for the one I loved. She was also crazy. She loved me dearly, as much as I did. But in the end, she didn't believe me like she used to. Even then, she loved me. But she believed others over me. Is it love or not? Anyway, what is love? Now, I don't even know that. Is it caring for someone? If she did love me, why didn't she believe me?" Yang Zhai continued.

"Anyway, did you get the answer you were looking for?" Yang Zhai asked.

Cho Byeol:"..." Completely speechless by Yang Zhai's answer. She even doubted herself now. Had she not learned the language well enough?

"And lastly, you will always try to protect the one you love and won't be able to see that person in pain, right?" Yang Zhai said.

"Yes, that's right,"

"Then, tell me, what will you do if the one you love is in pain and there is no remedy in the world for that pain? Will you kill him to free him from the pain or will you let him be tortured so that he could always be with you?" 

Cho Byeol fell silent after hearing what Yang Zhao said. These lines really were painful to think about.

Coincidentally, exactly after Yang Zhai said those words, the rain started to fall, as if the sky itself was sad.

"Can I ask you something else?" Cho Byeol said again.

"What is it?"

"You will never betray me, right?"

"Why would I?"

"You know what, ever since I met you, I am starting to see this world from another point of view. Maybe, I am changing. Do you think this change is good for us?" Cho Byeol answered with her heart.

"Do you really believe in me that much?" Yang Zhai knew what Cho Byeol was trying to say.

"I do. For the first time, I believe that I want to change." 

"Very well then. I guess we both need to move on with life"

When Cho Byeol heard this, she became happy. She knew that Yang Zhai understood what she was trying to say.

And just like that, six years passed.

**********