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　　山下城鎮又籠罩在爆竹聲裡，沈玨睜開眼，在短暫的迷茫過後，想起這又是一個除夕。
　　除夕，這是沈清軒死後的第三個除夕夜，他的爹爹已經死去三年。
　　
　　沈玨下山，回到沈宅。宅子依然大氣磅礴，亭臺樓閣，雕欄翹簷，美人庭，蓮花池……只是池子裡的殘荷早已凋敝，水面結著一層薄冰，偶爾一陣風刮過，帶了些枯枝敗葉灑在冰上。不過三年時光，這個宅子看起來寂寞許多。以前沈清軒在，還督促著下人打理。而今沈清軒離世，連著第二年老管家也去世過後，宅子就寂寞下來。
　　沈老爺也走了。
　　不過三年時光而已，連續送走了三個人。沈玨去了佛堂，沈老夫人不見他，誰也不見。自沈清軒走後，沈老夫人就將自己鎖在佛堂裡，沈老爺跟著一走，沈老夫人就再也未離開過佛堂。
　　在南院裡站了片刻，沈玨看著自己長大的地方，幾乎不敢去回憶。回憶太美好，反而刺痛人心。那個笑容狡黠的爹爹、躺在父親懷裡醉臥美人亭的爹爹、握著戒尺打他掌心的爹爹、在院中描畫丹青的爹爹，都不在了。那個人的音容笑貌，只能在記憶裡尋找，如果有一天，他也死去，除了父親，這個世上還有誰記得他？
　　沈玨想，誰也不會記得他。
　　雪停了又落。天空飄灑著紛紛揚的雪花，沈玨攏緊斗篷。
　　
　　沈楨是年前回來的，許是家中喪事一而再的發生，他病了一場，被准回鄉休養。這是他離家多年後，在家過的第一個大年。桌上酒是熱的，菜亦是溫的，空氣卻是冷的。這是一個至親之人都離去的團圓夜。沈楨揮退了下人，自斟自飲。
　　沈玨推開門，叔侄對看一眼，都有些意外。他們只見過兩次而已，沈楨對這個侄子並不熟悉，甚至還不如對伊墨熟悉，起碼伊墨還同他說過話。他沒想到今夜沈玨會回來，沈玨也不知道叔叔回來了。兩人意外過後，沈楨招手讓他坐下，坐在自己身邊。
　　沈楨打量著兄長留下的孩子，雖不是親子，神情裡卻有些相似。一樣的淡然恬靜。
　　沉默片刻，沈楨開口道：“如果沒記錯，你該行冠禮了。”
　　沈玨道：“是。”
　　“冠禮在沈家祠堂行，如何？”
　　“好。”沈玨說。
　　兩人無話。
　　又過了片刻，沈楨道：“養好病，我要回南邊，你行了冠禮也是成人了。將來可想過如何？”
　　沈玨沒有說話。
　　沈楨又道：“你雖不是沈家血脈，卻也是沈家人，我希望你留在沈家打理事務……我去了南邊，這邊就照料不上了。”
　　“叔叔是想將家業交給我嗎？”沈玨靜靜問。
　　“哥哥養出來的孩子，不會差的。交給你我也沒什麼放心不下。”
　　“爹爹養我，不是讓我繼承家業的。”沈玨看他一眼，微微笑道，“況且我終不是爹爹的親子，將來叔叔去了南邊，侄兒年幼，哪裡會有人願意侄兒做族長呢？”
　　“你怕他們欺你？”沈楨問。
　　“不怕。”沈玨答：“爹爹在時說過，將來盡可做想做的事，就是不要做族長。”
　　
　　沈楨好奇了，問：“為什麼？”
　　“爹爹說，在那些俗事人情裡虛耗年華不是他兒子該做的事。”沈玨說著輕笑起來，眉眼裡是滿滿的眷念。那是談論到至親之人時，不由自主流露出來的情感。
　　沈楨看到了，沉默片刻，道：“那你想做什麼？”
　　“……暫時還沒有想好，”沈玨說，頓了頓又道：“或許會跟著父親修煉。”
　　“修煉？”沈楨說：“為什麼？難道家裡不好？做人不好嗎？”
　　“不是，家裡好的很，不管是爺爺奶奶還是別人都沒有拿我當外人看過，”沈玨停了一下，“但是……我還是想修煉，不想壽命太短。”
　　“你這個年紀，說什麼壽命的事，”沈楨說，“大過年的，不吉利。”
　　“活長一點，就可以陪著父親了。”沈玨說，說的很平靜，也很惆悵，“他已經沒有了爹爹，若是再過幾十年沒有了我，往後的歲月也不知道怎樣渡過去。”略頓，他道：“所以我不想接管家業，我想陪著父親。”
　　
　　言及于此，沈楨也傷感起來，他雖常年在外，家中事卻也自有人告訴他，原先對兄長的選擇也是不能理解，甚至怨憎過，畢竟沈家家風端正，又是當地的名望之族，向來受人尊敬，而哥哥的舉動無疑是給家族抹黑，他埋怨過，也寫信怒駡過。但時間長了，怨憎之情卻也淡了。兄長為人他清楚的很，想來就算是妖，也不會太差。直到沈清軒下葬那天，他在墓前見到了那個人，墓碑上的五個字他看的清清楚楚，也牢記在心。說是刻骨銘心也不為過。甚至會生出一種異樣的感覺來，覺得是自己哥哥，拖“人”下水。
　　飲了一杯酒，沈楨舒了口氣道：“你父親現今如何？過年了，你應該把他叫上一起來。”
　　“父親性情淡泊，爹爹不在了，他哪裡也不會去的。”沈玨說。
　　沈楨聞言點了點頭，“也罷。”
　　“叔叔不在家的那些年，爹爹時常和我談起你，”眼見氣氛沉悶，沈玨換了話題，笑道：“爹爹說，叔叔為沈家爭光。”
　　“那你何不也謀個功名？”說到自己，沈楨笑起來，“你都不作此想法，可見你爹也就是嘴上說說，心裡是不屑的。”
　　“不是的，”沈玨連忙辯解，“爹爹是覺得叔叔為國盡忠，家中事他來處理，您也不會分心。”
　　“那你呢？你既不謀功名，看樣子也不喜錢財……”沈楨饒有興致的問：“你想怎樣？”
　　
　　沈玨沉默片刻，“我想成為爹爹那樣的人。”
　　“嗯？”沈楨坐直了身子。
　　“……為了我和父親，奶奶一生不諒解他，爺爺雖不說什麼卻也疏遠他，族人瞧不起他，商圈裡人人歧視他，丫頭小子們都不願意來伺候他，走在街上，人人都躲著他，但是爹爹……從來沒屈服過。”
　　“無論旁人怎樣笑他辱他、在生意上排擠他、囤他的貨、破壞商鋪、甚至縱火燒了沈家糧行……爹爹也從沒有屈服過，甚至在我們面前提都不提。”
　　“我想成為爹爹那樣的人，為達目的不惜一切，不計生死。”
　　“卻又始終頂天立地，無愧於心。”
　　沈玨低頭取出那只陶泥小狗，在掌中把玩著，聲音弱下去：“爹爹死了，才有人說他這一生活的瀟灑，活的風流。其實他們說錯了，爹爹這一生，從來沒有瀟灑過，一天都沒有。”
　　
　　沈楨無言。
　　叔侄倆又坐了一會，沈楨道：“那你呢？你的事很早就傳開了吧？你長這麼大，有沒有被欺負過？”
　　沈玨搖了搖頭：“爹爹照顧的我很好，沒有人敢欺負我。”
　　沈楨歎了口氣：“哥哥對親人很護內。”忍不住想起兒時的事，自己也笑起來，“你爹爹小時候盡欺負我。”
　　“我知道。爹爹說過。”沈玨也笑了。
　　“那他有沒有說，小的時候，他只讓他自己欺負我，從來不讓別人欺辱過我？”沈楨端起酒盅，“他一定沒有說過。但我一直記得，六歲的時候表叔家的孩子為了一把糖打了我，被哥哥綁起來，打了一個時辰，半年沒有下榻。”說著說著沈楨彎起眉眼，“雖然那個時候他恨著我。”
　　這些往事，沈玨卻是不知道的。沈清軒在世時，只對伊墨說過，伊墨以外，無一人知曉。
　　沈玨卻沒有冒然接話。原因無它，他的叔叔用到了“恨”。這個字放在任何場合都會讓人驚異，用在此時，更是讓人心中凜然。沈玨不是冒失的孩子，沈清軒不會養出性格魯莽的孩子來，所以他只點頭微笑，一言不發。
　　
　　沈楨別有深意的觀察著他，他故意說出這樣的話來，以為會得到什麼回應，最終卻出乎意料，眼前少年波瀾不驚，眼底一片平靜，似乎什麼都未曾聽見。沈楨確定他是聽見了的，他卻什麼都不想說。沈楨不知道他不想說是因為不知道歷史，還是因為他根本就認為那些並不重要，他無法分辨出沈玨的心思。即使他比他年長二十多歲。沈楨想起自己哥哥，那個人就帶著那個秘密入了土，一生不言。究竟要有多大的氣度，他才能做到這步。打量著眼前俊朗的五官，沈楨長歎一聲：“你爹爹養了個好兒子。”
　　沈玨笑了，帶了些靦腆，“叔叔過獎。”
　　“陪我守夜吧，在家裡過完年再回去。”
　　“可能不行，”沈玨婉言拒絕，“父親還在山中，我若不回去，他又會趴在爹爹墓碑上睡一夜。”
　　沈楨眼前又浮現出那幾個字來，未亡人，究竟要有多深情，千年的妖才願意自詡未亡人？
　　揮了揮手，沈楨道：“喝完這杯，你去吧。我也不拿你當孩子，更不是外人，日後想起來了，就來陪我坐坐，喝杯酒。”
　　沈玨飲了酒，起身告辭。木門打開時，夜風裹著雪花打著旋的湧進來，沈楨在後面輕聲道：“人死由命，告訴你父親，不用太傷心。我哥哥，求仁得仁。”
　　沈玨頓了頓，掩門離去。
　　
　　踏著積雪回到山中別院，屋內空無一人，沈玨燃了火盆，又去溫了些酒水擺好，才關門去尋父親。
　　大年夜，白雪皚皚，伊墨化了蛇形，盤踞在沈清軒的墓碑上睡著了。沈玨找到他時，雪花已經將他徹底覆蓋，墓碑上纏繞的白色一團無聲無息。連腳步聲都沒有驚醒他。三年前的每個冬天，沈清軒都會將蛇形的伊墨摟在懷裡，貼身暖著，捂著，縱然他有千年道行，不懼風吹雨淋，他也護著他怕他凍著。而今沈清軒離世，酷寒時擁著他的人不在了，伊墨便是再纏緊墓碑，也暖不起來。只會冷下去，越來越冷。
　　沈玨化了狼形，通體黑亮毛髮，威風凜凜的模樣，卻小心翼翼的靠過去，前肢屈起縮在伊墨身邊，腦袋偎著那積雪覆蓋的大蛇，合上了眼。
　　
　　醒來時已經躺在屋內的床上，炭火溫存的燒著，身上蓋著一床被子。沈玨跳下床，伊墨正在桌前端坐，獨自飲著那壺溫熱的酒。
　　桌上擺著三副碗筷。
　　“父親，”沈玨恭敬的上前行了禮，坐在一旁，他的身邊尚有一個空位，卻無人來坐。
　　“等你行了冠禮，我要下山去。”伊墨淡淡道：“你要留在山中修煉，還是回家？”
　　沈玨怔了怔：“我是爹爹和父親帶大的，爹爹不在了，父親在哪，哪裡便是我的家。”
　　“我要去的地方你去不了。”伊墨說。
　　“父親要去哪裡？”沈玨望著他，想了想道：“莫非是要去尋爹爹？”
　　伊墨不言。
　　
　　沈玨起身走到一旁，突地跪下了，跪在他腳畔，神情凝重的說道：“爹爹曾有囑咐，他死後父親若是要尋，讓孩兒攔著。爹爹說，他來世不認得你，也不打算認得你，他來生要換個活法。”
　　伊墨垂下眼，望著他的頭頂，“你攔得住我？”
　　沈玨臉上神情微變：“攔不住。”又道：“父親若執意要去，孩兒要跟著。”
　　“我也不知道他在哪裡，轉世了沒有，尋起來許要用上幾百年。你怎麼跟？”
　　“孩兒是狼母所生，原就有妖丹，只需勤加修煉，活個幾百年也沒有問題。我雖攔不住父親，父親也休想甩得掉孩兒。”沈玨言辭錚錚，堅定道：“若是尋得了爹爹，也算團聚。若是途中有個萬一，孩兒好歹還能出份力。”說著，沈玨匍匐在地，叩首道：“求父親成全。”
　　伊墨不言，默默飲酒，一股酒見了底，才點頭道：“冠禮成了，就走吧。”
　　“是。”沈玨露了笑，起身坐回椅上，事情談妥，似乎氣氛也鬆弛了一些，環顧了四周，沈玨問道：“父親就是在這裡遇上爹爹的？”
　　伊墨伸手指著窗外木欄，神情也看不出什麼名堂，輕描淡寫地說：“那裡，他潑了我一盞茶。”
　　於是他掉頭咬了他一口，毒素迅速遊走，在那孱弱體內蔓延，從肌理到血脈，從血脈到臟腑，劇毒終是入了骨。
　　而他，卻被反噬了。
　　名叫沈清軒的毒，也沁入了他的骨。
　　從此萬劫不復。
　　
　　沈玨看著月光下白雪覆蓋的木欄，輕笑一聲道：“爹爹曾經說，他怎麼也沒想到，一碗茶潑出去，遇上了美人蛇。”
　　放下空空的酒壺，伊墨道：“睡吧。”
　　這一夜，山下爆竹徹夜不眠，只是再與他們無關了。

————————————————

The town at the foot of the mountain was once again shrouded in the sound of firecrackers. Shen Jue opened his eyes, and after a brief moment of confusion, he remembered that it was another New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve, this is the third New Year’s Eve after Shen Qingxuan’s death. His father has been dead for three years.

Shen Jue went down the mountain and returned to the Shen residence. The residence was still majestic, with pavilions, towers, carved railings and eaves , a beautiful courtyard, and a lotus pond… But the remaining lotus in the pond had long since withered, and a thin layer of ice formed on the water surface. Occasionally, a gust of wind blew by, bringing some dead branches and leaves to the ice. However, in the past three years, this residence looked much lonelier. In the past, when Shen Qingxuan was here, he urged the servants to take care of the house. Now that Shen Qingxuan has passed away, and the old housekeeper also passed away the following year, the residence has become lonely.

Mr. Shen also left.

In just three years, three people had left in a row. Shen Jue went to the Buddhist temple, but Old Lady Shen refused to see him or anyone else. After Shen Qingxuan left, Old Lady Shen locked herself in the Buddhist temple. After Master Shen left, Old Lady Shen never left the temple again.

After standing in the South Courtyard for a while, Shen Jue looked at the place where he grew up, almost daring not to recall it. The memories were too beautiful, but they hurt people’s hearts. The father with a sly smile, the father who was drunk in the Beauty Pavilion lying in his father’s arms, the father who hit his palm with a ruler, and the father who painted in the yard, are all gone. The voice and smile of that person can only be found in memory. If one day, he also dies, who in this world will remember him except his father?

Shen Jue thought, no one would remember him.

The snow stopped and then fell again. The sky was filled with fluttering snowflakes, and Shen Jue pulled his cloak tightly around him.

Shen Zhen came back before the New Year. Perhaps because of the repeated deaths in his family, he fell ill and was allowed to return home to recuperate. This was his first New Year at home after many years away from home. The wine on the table was hot, the dishes were warm, but the air was cold. This was a reunion night when all the closest relatives had left. Shen Zhen waved away the servants and drank by himself.

Shen Jue opened the door, and the uncle and nephew looked at each other, both a little surprised. They had only met twice, and Shen Zhen was not familiar with this nephew, not even as familiar as Yi Mo, at least Yi Mo had talked to him. He didn’t expect Shen Jue to come back tonight, and Shen Jue didn’t know his uncle was back. After the two of them were surprised, Shen Zhen waved him to sit down and sit next to him.

Shen Zhen looked at the child left behind by his brother. Although they were not his biological children, their expressions were somewhat similar. They were equally calm and peaceful.

After a moment of silence, Shen Zhen said, “If I remember correctly, you should have your coming-of-age ceremony."

Shen Jue said: “Yes."

“How about the ceremony of coming of age be held at the Shen Family Ancestral Hall?"

“Okay." Shen Jue said.

The two were silent.

After a while, Shen Zhen said, “After you recover from your illness, I will return to the south. You have completed the ceremony of coming of age and have become an adult. Have you thought about your future?"

Shen Jue didn’t say anything.

Shen Zhen added: “Although you are not of the Shen family’s bloodline, you are also a member of the Shen family. I hope you can stay in the Shen family and take care of the affairs… If I go to the south, I won’t be able to take care of this place."

“Uncle, do you want to pass on the family business to me?" Shen Jue asked quietly.

“The child my brother raises won’t be bad. I have nothing to worry about leaving it to you."

“Dad didn’t raise me to inherit the family business." Shen Jue looked at him and smiled slightly, “Besides, I am not Dad’s biological son after all. When my uncle goes to the south in the future, my nephew is still young. Who would want my nephew to be the patriarch?"

“Are you afraid that they will bully you?" Shen Zhen asked.

“No." Shen Jue replied: “Dad said when he was alive that I can do whatever I want in the future, but I don’t want to be the clan leader."

Shen Zhen was curious and asked, “Why?"

“Dad said that wasting time on mundane matters is not what his son should do." Shen Jue chuckled as he spoke, his eyes full of nostalgia. That was the emotion that came out involuntarily when talking about the closest relatives.

Shen Zhen saw it, was silent for a moment, and said: “Then what do you want to do?"

“…I haven’t decided yet," Shen Jue said, and then he paused and said, “Maybe I will practice with my father."

“Practice?" Shen Zhen said, “Why? Is it that your family is not good? Is it that you are not a good person?"

“No, my family is very well off. My grandparents and others never treat me as an outsider," Shen Jue paused, “but… I still want to practice and don’t want my life to be too short."

“At your age, talking about longevity," Shen Zhen said, “is unlucky during the New Year."

“If I live longer, I can accompany my father." Shen Jue said calmly and sadly, “He already has no father. If I am gone in a few decades, I don’t know how I will get through the rest of my life." After a pause, he said, “So I don’t want to take over the family business. I want to accompany my father."

At this point, Shen Zhen also became sad. Although he had been away from home for many years, someone had told him about the family affairs. He could not understand his brother’s choice at first, and even resented it. After all, the Shen family had a good family tradition and was a prestigious family in the local area. It had always been respected, and his brother’s behavior undoubtedly brought discredit to the family. He complained and wrote letters to scold him. But as time went by, his resentment faded. He knew his brother very well, and thought that even if he was a monster, he would not be too bad. Until the day when Shen Qingxuan was buried, he saw the man in front of the tomb. He saw the five words on the tombstone clearly and remembered them in his heart. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is unforgettable. He even had a strange feeling, thinking that it was his brother who dragged “someone" into the water.

After drinking a glass of wine, Shen Zhen breathed a sigh of relief and said, “How is your father now? It’s the New Year, you should call him up."

“My father has a calm personality. Now that daddy is gone, he won’t go anywhere," said Shen Jue.

Shen Zhen nodded when he heard this, “Well."

“Dad often talked to me about you during the years when uncle was not at home." Seeing the dull atmosphere, Shen Jue changed the subject and said with a smile: “Dad said that uncle brought honor to the Shen family."

“Then why don’t you also seek fame and fortune?" Shen Zhen laughed when talking about himself. “You don’t even think about it, which shows that your father only talks about it, but he doesn’t care about it in his heart."

“No," Shen Jue quickly defended, “Dad thinks that uncle is loyal to the country, and you won’t be distracted if he takes care of the household affairs."

“What about you? You don’t seek fame, and you don’t seem to like money…" Shen Zhen asked with interest: “What do you want?"

Shen Jue was silent for a moment, “I want to be like my father."

“Hmm?" Shen Zhen sat up straight.

“… because of me and my father, my grandmother never forgave him. Although my grandfather didn’t say anything, he kept his distance from him. The clan members looked down on him. Everyone in the business circle discriminated against him. Girls and boys were unwilling to serve him. When he walked on the street, everyone avoided him. But my father… never gave in."

“No matter how others laughed at him, insulted him, excluded him from business, hoarded his goods, destroyed his shop, and even set fire to the Shen family grain store… Dad never gave in, and he didn’t even mention it in front of us."

“I want to be like my father, who will do anything to achieve his goal, regardless of life or death."

“But he always stands tall and upright, with a clear conscience."

Shen Jue lowered his head and took out the clay puppy, playing with it in his palm , his voice becoming weaker: “After Daddy died, some people said that he lived a carefree and romantic life. In fact, they are wrong. Daddy never lived a carefree life, not even for a single day."

Shen Zhen was speechless.

The uncle and nephew sat for a while, and Shen Zhen asked, “What about you? Your story has been spread a long time ago, right? Have you ever been bullied since you were a child?"

Shen Jue shook his head: “Daddy takes good care of me, no one dares to bully me."

Shen Zhen sighed, “My brother is very protective of his family." He couldn’t help but think of his childhood and laughed, “Your father bullied me when I was a child."

“I know. Daddy said so." Shen Jue also smiled.

“Did he tell me that when I was little, he only let himself bully me and never let others bully me?" Shen Zhen picked up the wine cup, “He definitely didn’t say that. But I always remember that when I was six years old, my cousin’s child beat me for a handful of candy. My brother tied me up and beat me for an hour. I didn’t leave the bed for half a year." Shen Zhen curved his eyebrows and said , “Although he hated me at that time."

Shen Jue didn’t know about these past events. When Shen Qingxuan was alive, he only told Yi Mo about them, and no one else knew about them.

Shen Jue did not respond rashly . The reason was that his uncle used the word “hate". This word would surprise people in any situation, and it was even more awe-inspiring when used at this time. Shen Jue was not a reckless child, and Shen Qingxuan would not raise a child with a reckless character, so he just nodded and smiled without saying a word.

Shen Zhen observed him meaningfully. He deliberately said such words, thinking that he would get some response, but in the end, to his surprise, the young man in front of him was calm and his eyes were peaceful, as if he had not heard anything. Shen Zhen was sure that he had heard it, but he didn’t want to say anything. Shen Zhen didn’t know whether he didn’t want to say it because he didn’t know the history, or because he simply didn’t think it was important. He couldn’t tell what Shen Jue was thinking. Even though he was more than 20 years older than him. Shen Zhen thought of his brother, and that man went to the grave with that secret and never spoke of it for the rest of his life. How magnanimous does he have to be to be able to do this? Looking at the handsome features in front of him , Shen Zhen sighed: “Your father raised a good son."

Shen Jue smiled, a little shyly, “Thank you for the compliment, uncle."

“Stay with me to keep watch, and then go back after the New Year is over at home."

“Maybe not," Shen Jue politely refused, “Father is still in the mountains. If I don’t go back, he will sleep on his father’s tombstone for another night."

Those words appeared in front of Shen Zhen’s eyes again: Widow, how deeply does one have to love someone so that a thousand-year -old demon would be willing to call herself a widow?

Waving his hand, Shen Zhen said, “After drinking this cup, you can go. I don’t treat you as a child, let alone an outsider. When you remember me in the future, come and sit with me and have a drink."

Shen Jue drank the wine and stood up to say goodbye. When the wooden door opened, the night wind wrapped in snowflakes swirled in. Shen Zhen whispered from behind: “Death is determined by fate. Tell your father not to be too sad. My brother, you got what you asked for."

Shen Jue paused, closed the door and left.

Walking on the snow, he returned to the villa in the mountains. The house was empty. Shen Jue lit the brazier, warmed some wine and set the table, then closed the door and went to look for his father.

On New Year’s Eve, the snow was white, and Yi Mo turned into a snake, coiled on Shen Qingxuan’s tombstone and fell asleep. When Shen Jue found him, the snow had completely covered him, and the white ball wrapped around the tombstone was silent. Even the footsteps did not wake him up. Every winter three years ago, Shen Qingxuan would hold the snake-shaped Yi Mo in his arms, warming him up, and covering him up. Even though he had a thousand years of Taoism and was not afraid of wind and rain, he still protected him for fear that he would freeze. Now that Shen Qingxuan has passed away, the person who hugged him in the cold is gone, and Yi Mo can’t get warm even if he wraps himself tightly around the tombstone. It will only get colder and colder.

Shen Jue transformed into a wolf, with shiny black hair all over his body, looking very majestic, but he approached cautiously, curled up beside Yi Mo with his front legs bent, leaned his head against the snow-covered snake, and closed his eyes.

When he woke up, he was already lying on the bed in the room, with the charcoal fire burning gently and a quilt covering his body. Shen Jue jumped out of bed and saw Yi Mo sitting at the table, drinking the pot of warm wine alone.

There were three sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table.

“Father," Shen Jue stepped forward respectfully and bowed, then sat aside. There was an empty seat next to him, but no one sat there.

“After you have performed the ceremony of coming of age, I will go down the mountain." Yi Mo said calmly: “Do you want to stay in the mountain to practice, or go home?"

Shen Jue was stunned: “I was raised by my father and my father. Now that my father is gone, my home is wherever my father is."

“You can’t go where I want to go." Yi Mo said.

“Where is father going?" Shen Jue looked at him, thought for a moment and said, “Is he going to look for my father?"

Yi Mo said nothing.

Shen Jue stood up and walked to the side, then suddenly knelt down at his feet, and said solemnly, “Daddy once told me that if you want to look for me after he dies, I should stop you. Daddy said that he won’t recognize you in the next life, and he doesn’t plan to recognize you. He wants to live a different life in the next life."

Yi Mo lowered his eyes and looked at the top of his head, “Can you stop me?"

Shen Jue’s expression changed slightly: “I can’t stop you." He added: “If father insists on going, I will follow you."

“I don’t know where he is, or whether he has been reincarnated. It may take hundreds of years to find him. How can you tell me?"

“I was born to a wolf mother and I already have a demon pill. I just need to practice diligently and I will have no problem living for hundreds of years. Although I can’t stop my father, my father can’t get rid of me." Shen Jue said firmly, “If I can find my father, it will be a reunion. If something happens along the way, I can at least help." As he said that, Shen Jue prostrated himself on the ground and kowtowed, “Please help me, father."

Yi Mo said nothing, but drank silently. When the wine was finished, he nodded and said, “The ceremony of coming of age is over, let’s go."

“Yes." Shen Jue smiled and stood up and sat back in his chair . The atmosphere seemed to be a little relaxed now that the matter was settled. Looking around, Shen Jue asked, “Is this where father met daddy?"

Yi Mo pointed at the wooden railing outside the window, his expression unclear, and said casually, “There, he spilled a cup of tea on me."

So he turned around and bit him. The poison quickly spread throughout his weak body, from the muscles to the blood vessels, from the blood vessels to the internal organs, and finally the poison penetrated into his bones.

But he was bitten back.

The poison named Shen Qingxuan also seeped into his bones.

There will be no recovery from now on.

Shen Jue looked at the wooden fence covered with snow under the moonlight, chuckled and said , “Daddy once said that he never thought that a bowl of tea would be spilled and he would encounter a beautiful snake."

Putting down the empty wine jug, Yi Mo said, “Go to sleep."

That night, firecrackers exploded all night long at the foot of the mountain, but it had nothing to do with them anymore.