Chapter 50: The slytherin spear
Ron gripped the crumpled Sorting Hat in his palm; the rough texture of the fabric dug into his skin.
In the distance, deafening roars erupted continuously. Debris flew into the air accompanied by the black light of hell, while the piercing sound of spells being cast and the maniacal laughter of Lord Voldemort mingled together. That was the direction where Su Yu and Graves were battling Lord Voldemort. Ron could imagine the brutality over there—every second was a struggle on the edge of life and death. Yet, he held the object that could potentially turn the tide of the battle, but he couldn't unlock its secret.
The stone path beneath his feet was riddled with cracks from hellish magma, and every so often, spells or energy blasts whizzed past his ears. He hunched his shoulders and lowered his stance, weaving between collapsed stone pillars and broken rubble.
The cry of Fawkes the Phoenix circled overhead, as if guiding him. He could feel a faint magical fluctuation within the hat; the aura of the slytherin spear seemed tightly connected to it, and also had an inexplicable pull toward the figure fighting Lord Voldemort in the distance.
He ran until he was gasping for air. His school uniform had been torn by the air currents, and his arms were scratched by flying debris, stinging with pain, but he dared not stop for a second.
"Su Yu!" Ron shouted with all his might, pushing aside the swirling smoke and dust before his eyes, and sprinted to the edge of the battlefield while clutching the Sorting Hat. He dared not rush into the center of the conflict, so he stood in a safe zone and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Su Yu! Come here! There's something inside the Sorting Hat! We can't pull it out, only you can try!"
He held the seemingly tattered hat tightly, his eyes full of urgency and anticipation, his gaze locked firmly on Su Yu's direction. His heart hammered in his chest, fearing he might disturb Su Yu's battle, yet hoping he would hear his voice, unlock the secret of the slytherin spear, and add a chance of victory to this war.
Ron's shout pierced through the smoke and dust, like a sharp blade cleaving through the chaotic battlefield.
Su Yu was leaning to dodge a black sword aura that grazed his shoulder, which exploded into a charred hole on the stone wall beside him, causing rubble to rain down. Hearing Ron's voice, Su Yu's heart tightened. He caught a glimpse of Ron out of the corner of his eye, clutching the Sorting Hat, looking disheveled yet urgent, and his brow furrowed instantly.
"Don't come over!" Su Yu roared, kicking Lord Voldemort in the chest. Borrowing the recoil, he flipped back several meters, simultaneously raising his hand to fire a Tailed Beast Ball. The gale of the explosion, mixed with debris, blocked Lord Voldemort's vision. "I can't get away from here!"
Beside him, Grindelwald's figure was elusive, his body flickering with faint light. He circled around Lord Voldemort's flank, constantly intercepting and restraining him with sharp magical energy, forcing Lord Voldemort to be unable to attend to everything at once. The two, one on the left and one on the right, firmly locked this hell-form Lord Voldemort in the middle.
Watching the battle situation on Su Yu's side, Ron was sweating profusely with anxiety. The Sorting Hat in his arms seemed to sense something, growing slightly warm. Seemingly having made a decision, Ron suddenly lifted the Sorting Hat over his head, pulled open the brim, and threw it with all his might toward Su Yu.
"Su Yu! This was sent by Fawkes! It contains the slytherin spear! We can't pull it out; only you can take it! Maybe this thing can help you!"
Once these words were spoken, not only was Su Yustunned, but even Lord Voldemort's movements paused for a second.
The slytherin spear? What the hell is that?
The hat came flying through the wind, carving an arc through the mist. Su Yu dodged to the side, avoiding Lord Voldemort's sweeping sword blade, and raised his hand to catch the Sorting Hat steadily.
A crisp buzzing sound suddenly emanated from within the Sorting Hat. Immediately after, the slytherin spear, entirely dark green, flew slowly out of the hat and hovered in front of Su Yu. The snake-like patterns on the spear shimmered under the reflection of Chakra, and the cold light on the spear tip was even more blinding than Lord Voldemort's magic sword.
Su Yu reached out and grasped the spear shaft. An icy yet incomparably powerful force instantly surged into his body. This power merged perfectly with his Chakra without any rejection; instead, it made his Chakra become more refined and violent. Kurama, watching all this from within his body, stared at the spear with amber eyes, letting out a low, guarded growl in its throat.
"This thing..." Su Yu felt the surging power within him, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes.
Once the spear emerged, a faint dark green light instantly lit up, and an ancient magical aura diffused across the battlefield.
Seeing this, Lord Voldemort let out an angry roar, his black sword shrouded in death energy, stabbing straight at Su Yu's heart. Grindelwald cast magic instantly, a thick light shield standing between the two, forcefully blocking the fatal blow.
"Ron, get back!" Su Yu commanded in a low voice, gripping the spear tightly, and dashed toward Lord Voldemort once more.
This time, his speed was several times faster than before. As the spear swung, it brought with it a whistling blade of wind. Every collision forced Lord Voldemort to retreat several steps.
Su Yu lunged forward, a circle of golden light exploding from his feet as he stepped. The slytherin spear, carrying a faint dark green glow, pointed directly at the left shoulder where the black energy veins were densest. This thrust was faster than an afterimage, tearing through the air with a piercing screech.
Lord Voldemort roared in anger, hastily blocking with his sword. The moment the pitch-black blade collided with the dark green spear tip, there was no expected violent roar, only an eerie "hiss"—the spear pierced directly through the blade, stabbing toward his left shoulder like paper!
"No—!"
The black mist of the hell-form surged violently. The seemingly impenetrable defense, the moment it touched the spear tip, dissolved like snow meeting fire. Where the spear pierced, the black mist disintegrated bit by bit, revealing the gruesome flesh beneath. A soul-deep agony traveled up the spear shaft throughout Lord Voldemort's body, causing him to twitch violently.
Su Yu twisted his wrist fiercely, pulling the spear upward, tearing a wound so deep it reached the bone. The dark green light of the spear seeped along the wound, continuously eroding the foundation of the hell-form's power. The originally violent black energy began to become chaotic and thin.
"Damn it!" Lord Voldemort roared in pain, thrashing his shoulder to break free, but Su Yu pressed firmly on the spear shaft. Su Yu's Chakra surged wildly around him, and a Tailed Beast Ball formed instantly. The black sphere, wrapped in the dark green light of the spear tip, smashed fiercely into Lord Voldemort's chest.
"Boom!"
The Tailed Beast Ball exploded. The power of hell, intertwined with Chakra and the power of the spear, collided. A massive shockwave blasted away all the surrounding rubble. Lord Voldemort was blown back repeatedly by this force, his back slamming hard against a broken stone pillar. The pillar shattered instantly, and rubble came crashing down.
Just then, Grindelwald seized the opportunity. He flashed and appeared on Lord Voldemort's right side, condensing several silver-blue magic blades at his fingertips, which shot toward Lord Voldemort's limb joints like a rainstorm. These magic blades carried precise penetrating power, each striking the blind spots of Lord Voldemort's movements, forcing him to give up attacking and shrink his body in a disheveled attempt to dodge.
Su Yu took the opportunity to step forward, crossing to stand in front of Lord Voldemort, holding the spear horizontally, the tip pressed against Lord Voldemort's throat. His Rinnegan insight allowed him to see Lord Voldemort's current weakness—the black energy was only a thin layer, and the power core had been severely damaged by the spear, no longer possessing its previous violent power.
"It ends here." Su Yu's voice was cold, carrying unquestionable pressure.
Lord Voldemort raised his head, his snake-like eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness. He wanted to channel his final Dark Arts to counterattack, but the moment he moved, he was firmly locked by the Chakra at Su Yu's feet, unable to condense even a shred of magic. Grindelwaldalso approached rapidly, magical light gathering around him, forming an airtight encirclement, completely sealing off Lord Voldemort's escape route.
The battlefield fell silent instantly, leaving only Lord Voldemort's heavy breathing and the slight tremor of the spear in Su Yu's hand. The dark green light of the spear illuminated Lord Voldemort's hideous face and lit up the temporary calm over the ruins of the Chamber of Secrets—this drawn-out, intense battle had finally reached a decisive turning point due to the armor-piercing power of the slytherin spear.
The slytherin spear in Su Yu's hand pressed hard against Lord Voldemort's throat, locking down the turbid energy surging through his body, leaving him unable to move a single inch.
Lord Voldemort leaned against the broken stone pillar, the power of the hell-form collapsing step by step, his physical body already beginning to rot slowly, yet he still refused to admit defeat, babbling incessantly.
"Do you think a single spear is enough to completely crush me? Don't dream that you can end everything just like this! I have studied the Dark Arts for years; my plans for eternal life have never been so easily shattered!"
Before he finished speaking, another cold, distant voice suddenly rang out at the scene. It was Lucifer, residing within Lord Voldemort's soul, from the depths of hell, his voice echoing from across the layers of the soul.
"Hello there, Su Yu, right? I've heard your name in hell. Every time Belial mentions you, he has to cover his backside." When saying this, Lucifer was still laughing wildly. "You special little brat, why have I never seen the power you use?"
"Maybe I'm just special." Su Yu's tone was very flat, and the spear in his hand did not loosen a bit. "Why are you all able to come to the human world via Lord Voldemort every time?"
Lucifer's laughter stopped. Inside Lord Voldemort's body, two voices intertwined, intermittently recounting the secrets of the past.
"Back then, he coveted eternal life, wanting to split his soul and transcend life and death. The Dark Arts of the magicworld alone were not enough to complete the seven-layer perfect soul split. He was at his wit's end, so he actively sought the power of the abyss, seeking help from hell."
Lucifer's voice continued to resound in the depths of Lord Voldemort's soul, revealing the scam of that year: "The seven demon kings of hell feigned a helping hand, pretending to be willing to lend power to help him forge Horcruxes, but it was a scam from start to finish. Every time he split his soul and forged a Horcrux, a shackle was planted on him. Within each Horcrux, a fragment of a hell demon king's power was sealed."
"That's not all." Lucifer's tone carried a cold indifference. "Lord Voldemort will never imagine that his complete soul was branded with the abyss mark of hell. So as long as it is a soul fragment belonging to him, the demons of hell can parasitize and attach themselves along the mark, using the channel of the soul to project a portion of their power into the surface world. There is no need to break the barrier between the two worlds—his soul is the only carrier for part of our power to reach the current world. Among these, Belial's time doesn't count; he only lured you into the inner world, but could temporarily cast a portion of power into the inner world. That damn guy actually wanted to swallow it all alone."
Lord Voldemort roared in disbelief: "I always thought I controlled the power of hell, thinking I used the power of the abyss to gain eternal life. In the end, was I just a vessel for your power to parasitize in the current world from the very beginning?"
"Exactly." Lucifer replied lightly. "You thought you commanded the darkness, but in reality, from the moment the Horcrux was formed, all of your soul had already become a parasitic medium for hell. My ability to reveal a phantom through your body today is entirely dependent on your split, incomplete soul as a springboard."
Lord Voldemort's emotions completely spiraled out of control, spitting out words of hatred and unwillingness, constantly arguing, cursing, and babbling without stopping, recounting his life's plans and unwillingness over and over. The incessant noise filled the entire ruins, making Ronfrown behind him.
The long-winded nonsense kept stretching the oppressive atmosphere on the field. Su Yu listened to the endless arguing and clamoring, his patience wearing thin.
"Enough with the nonsense. One last question: why do you keep targeting Harry Potter?"
"Want to know? Then come to hell. We are waiting for you here, hahaha, hahahaha—" Lucifer's laughter echoed continuously in the ruins, growing farther away and lighter.
Su Yu's wrist exerted sudden force, thrusting forward with the slytherin spear, instantly piercing straight through Lord Voldemort's chest!
"Arrogant!"
A sharp tearing sound rang out. Lord Voldemort's body stiffened abruptly, all the words in his mouth coming to an abrupt end. The tattered physical body instantly lost all signs of life, and the split, incomplete soul within his body was heavily damaged by the power of the spear—the carrier supporting the hell power's habitation had completely collapsed.
As Lord Voldemort's physical body slowly turned to ash, the host residing in his body disappeared completely. The phantom of Lucifer deep in the soul began to fade bit by bit, losing its outline, and slowly dissolved into the air.
"This farce is temporarily shelved. Remember, when you gaze into the abyss, the abyss is also constantly gazing at you. We will not let this go!"
The last sentence's echo dissipated in the wind. Lucifer's phantom scattered completely, and the hellish pressure that shrouded the entire ruins receded like a tide, the cold aura brought by the abyss swept away, leaving only a mess behind.
Everything fell silent.
On the other side.
The battle on the other side also reached its conclusion.
Harry held the silver sword gleaming with cold light, spotting a gap in Lockhart's spellcasting, and decisively swung the sword, severing the arm Lockhart was holding his wand with. Fresh blood splattered, and Lockhart let out a shrill scream. His magic power dissipated, and he fell backward.
Seeing this, Hermione stepped forward immediately, quickly using a Binding Curse to tie Lockhart up tightly, leaving him no room for any struggle or resistance.
Thus, this battle came to an end.
Harry managed to stand up, trembling all over. He felt as dizzy as if he had just ridden a rocket for several kilometers. He leaned against the wall, panting heavily, barely able to hold the sword in his hand.
"Su Yu, hurry and save Ginny!"
Su Yu's brow furrowed abruptly.
"What? Why is Ginny here? Didn't she not take the diary? How could she still appear here?"
Chapter 51 Ginny
Su Yu swept his eyes continuously across every stone chamber. His Rinnegan's insight was fully activated.
Thank goodness, finally, in one of the stone chambers, he found Ginny lying there unconscious.
Su Yu leaped over, golden Chakra tracing an arc in the darkness.
Ginny lay weakly at the base of a statue in the stone chamber, her consciousness dim, her body limp, her slight frame curled up on the spot. Su Yu squatted down and reached out to check her pulse—nothing was wrong, she had just fainted.
He picked up Ginny. A faint moan came from his arms. Ginny stirred, her confused gaze shifting from the dark stone chamber to Su Yu, and then she suddenly gasped, hugged Su Yu tightly, and tears streamed down her face.
"It's okay now," Su Yu gently stroked Ginny's head, "Lord Voldemort is dead, and Lockhart has been captured. Why were you here? Didn't I give you the badge?"
Ginny cried for a good while before saying intermittently: "Su—oh—Su Yu, I was drugged by Professor Lockhart. I went to his office this morning to ask him to sign for a book loan, who knew I would be drugged by his tea." She sobbed once, wiped away her tears, "Right! And Lord Voldemort, he wanted to absorb my life force to revive, but with the automatic defense of the Kurama Cloak, he didn't succeed. But later I was scared unconscious, and I don't know what happened..."
Su Yu sat on the ground, held Ginny on his lap, embraced her, and began to slowly tell her the story of today.
On the other side, Grindelwald was also searching the Chamber of Secrets for other treasures.
He stepped on the rubble, rummaging through every corner of the Chamber. After walking through a few stone chambers, he discovered the Basilisk that had just died not long ago.
This should be the Basilisk. Grindelwald squatted down to examine it and found that its life force had been forcibly drained, not a drop of blood left in its body.
This was probably done by Lord Voldemort to revive his physical body. If Su Yu were here, he would understand—Lord Voldemort failed to absorb Ginny's life force, so he had no choice but to absorb the Basilisk, using the Basilisk's life force to fill his incomplete physical body.
Now, the Basilisk was left with only a withered, thin body, like a sun-dried snake skin wrapped around bones. Grindelwald squatted down, snapped off its fangs, collected the fangs, and then put the Basilisk's body into the Undetectable Extension Charm pocket on his back, preparing to peel it when he got back to see if he could make something out of it.
Lockhart was already pale from blood loss by now, his lips white, his eyes unfocused, his whole person leaning against the wall, like a candle about to go out.
Hermione had no choice but to interrupt Su Yu and Ginny's chatter. She stood at the entrance of the stone chamber, hands on her hips, "We need to go back quickly, Lockhartcan't hold on for too long, we must take him to the Hospital Wing immediately. Also, you two, don't go kissing secretly!"
Ginny's face turned bright red all of a sudden. She sat up from Su Yu's arms, head down, fingers twisting the hem of her robe, not daring to look at Hermione.
Su Yu then reluctantly let go of Ginny. He stood up and first carried Ginny onto his back. Ginny's arms were around his neck, her face buried in his shoulder, silent. Then he jumped to Hermione's side and scooped her up. Hermionelet out an "Ah," subconsciously hugged his neck, then pretended to be calm and put her hands down.
Su Yu said to Harry and Ron: "You two let Fawkes take you back. Old man! You take Lockhart back, won't you?"
"Heh..." Graves looked at Su Yu speechlessly, "Why don't we just kill him, that would be simpler."
Lockhart couldn't even care about the pain anymore, almost kneeling to Graves. His face turned even whiter, his lips trembling, his eyes full of terror, and he kept saying "No, no" in his mouth.
No choice, Graves lifted Lockhart by the back collar, picking him up like a chicken. With one Apparition from Grindelwald, the two disappeared from the Chamber of Secrets.
Su Yu leaped continuously behind, carrying Hermione, with Ginny on his back, maneuvering between the rubble and stone pillars. Harry grabbed Fawkes' claws, Ron held Harry, and the two and one bird wobbled as they flew up.
The group returned to Myrtle's girls' bathroom.
When they came out, the faucet hiding the pipe returned to its original state. Myrtle floated out from her stall, glaring at them.
"You're actually still alive," she said frankly to Harry.
"No need to be so disappointed," Harry said coldly, wiping the blood and mud from his eyes.
"Oh, uh... I was just thinking, if you had died too, you would be welcome to share this toilet with me." Myrtle's face was blushing, her fingers twisting the corner of her clothes, her eyes glancing at Harry and then quickly looking away.
"Ouch!" When they left the bathroom and walked in the dark, empty corridor, Ron teased, "Harry! I think Myrtlelikes you! Why don't you two give it a try? I've never seen a ghost dating a human."
Ginny silently lay on Su Yu's back, looking at her unruly brother, her mouth twitching. She didn't want to get down either, and Su Yu didn't expose her, just carried her like this. Only Hermione was unhappy—there were so many people here, and she wasn't thick-skinned enough, otherwise she would have made Su Yu carry her too.
"Where to now?" Ron asked while walking.
Harry pointed to Fawkes.
Professor Graves lifted Lockhart with his hand, "I'm taking him to the Hospital Wing first, you guys follow Fawkes." Saying that, he walked in the direction of the Hospital Wing.
The others were led by Fawkes, following closely, striding forward, passing through one corridor after another.
Before long, they arrived outside Professor McGonagall's office. Harry knocked on the door and pushed it open.
This moment was very quiet, with Su Yu carrying Ginny, and Hermione, Harry, and Ron standing at the door. Harryand Ron were covered in filth and mud, and Harry had blood on his face and body.
Then came a scream.
"Ginny!"
It was Mrs. Weasley's voice; she had been crying by the fireplace just now. She strode forward, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, both rushing towards their daughter.
Su Yu put down the Ginny on his back. When Ginny's feet touched the ground, she swayed a little. Su Yu supported her arm and didn't let go until she stood steady. By now, Ginny finally wasn't clinging to him anymore, but her face was even redder, her head down, not daring to look at her parents.
And the trio of Hermione were watching them. Headmaster Dumbledore stood by the mantelpiece, smiling happily, with Professor McGonagall standing next to him, who was breathing loudly and steadily, her hand tightly covering her chest.
Just as Harry realized that Su Yu and the others, and himself, had all been pulled into Mrs. Weasley's embrace, Fawkes leaned on Headmaster Dumbledore's shoulder, whispering a few words in his ear.
"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?" Mrs. Weasley's tears welled up again, one hand hugging Ginny, the other patting Su Yu on the shoulder several times.
"I think we all want to know that," Professor McGonagallsaid in a weak voice, sitting down while holding the back of the chair.
Mrs. Weasley let go of Su Yu and the others. Harryhesitated for a moment, then walked to the table, placing the ruby sword from the Sorting Hat and Lord Voldemort's diary found on Lockhart on the table.
Then Harry began to tell everything. For about a quarter of an hour, he spoke in a concentrated silence, starting from Lockhart, to how to open the Chamber of Secrets, to Riddle in the Chamber, to Fawkes bringing the Sorting Hat, to the end where Su Yu used the Slytherin spear to kill Lord Voldemort. Ron added a few sentences from the side from time to time, and Hermione occasionally corrected Harry's phrasing.
"Very good," Professor McGonagall urged him when Harrystopped, "That is to say, you found the passage—I must say, you broke a hundred school rules along the way—Potter?"
Harry instinctively looked at the smiling Headmaster Dumbledore. A glimmer of light swept across his half-moon spectacles.
"What I am most interested in," Headmaster Dumbledoresaid gently, "is that I have sources saying he was hiding in the Chamber of Secrets, so what kind of magic did he use to bewitch Lockhart? Lockhart is not a Dark Wizard, nor a Death Eater."
"It's this diary," Harry said quickly, picking up the diary and handing it to Headmaster Dumbledore to see, "Riddlewrote it when he was sixteen."
Headmaster Dumbledore took the diary and lowered his long, curved nose to carefully examine the damp diary pages.
"Clever!" he said softly, "Of course, he was probably the smartest student Hogwarts has ever had."
He turned and walked towards the bewildered Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
"Few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Marvolo Riddle. Fifty years ago, at Hogwarts, I was his teacher. After leaving school, he disappeared... went to a very distant place... immersed in the black arts, and made friends with a group of the worst wizards. Then when he transformed into Lord Voldemort, only his appearance could be recognized. Almost no one would associate Lord Voldemort with that clever boy from the past."
"Miss Weasley should go to the Hospital Wing to get checked immediately," Headmaster Dumbledore added seriously, "This has been an ordeal for her. A good sleep, perhaps with a large cup of hot chocolate, that always cheers me up."
He continued, his eyes twinkling kindly at Harry, "You will find Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She is distributing Mandrake juice—I dare say the Basilisk's victims will wake up at any moment."
"So everyone is fine!" Ron said happily.
"Danger is not permanent." Headmaster Dumbledorereplied.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley took Ginny and walked out. When Ginny reached the door, she looked back at Su Yu. Su Yunodded at her, and only then did she follow her parents out.
"You know, Minerva," Headmaster Dumbledore said thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, "I think we should have a big meal to calm our nerves and celebrate. Can you go to the kitchen and ask them to cook?"
"Fine," Professor McGonagall said readily, walking to the door at the same time, "Then you deal with them, how about that?"
"Of course," Dumbledore said.
She left. Hermione, Harry, and Ron looked at Headmaster Dumbledore suspiciously.
Su Yu also bid farewell at this time; he didn't want to stay here and listen to an old codger prattling on about stories.
Su Yu walked out of the office and came to the corridor outside, looking at his right forearm—the Slytherin spear had attached itself to his arm after he stopped using it, forming a tattoo.
"Now my dad will probably beat me to death the next time he sees me with a tattoo," Su Yu muttered.
"Won't your parents think it was me who led you astray?" Kurama also came out of the soul space at this time, squatting at his feet, looking up at his arm. "I think you should use this weapon less in the future," Kurama said, her amber eyes full of seriousness, "I always feel it is full of that kind of unknown erosion. I guess you can only truly master it when you obtain the complete Six Paths power and ascend to immortality."
"I'll listen to you," Su Yu smiled slightly at Kurama, bent down and picked her up, "Anyway, I don't really have much use for it normally."
Kurama found a comfortable position in his arms, rested her chin on his shoulder, her tail hanging down, swaying back and forth.
When he walked towards the Great Hall, he also saw Lucius Malfoy walking angrily towards Professor McGonagall's office, his silver cane tapping on the floor, making a crisp sound, his gray eyes full of anger, followed by a House-elf—Dobby, who was bowing his head, ears drooping, following with small steps behind.
Su Yu glanced at him, didn't stop, and continued walking towards the Great Hall.
Chapter 52: Pajama Party
Su Yu had attended several Hogwarts banquets, but this one was different.
Everyone was wearing pajamas, and the celebration would last all night!
When Headmaster Dumbledore announced that a school-wide pajama party would be held in the Great Hall tonight, every common room in the school erupted. Only Slytherin—the people of Slytherin wore an expression of "What's the big deal?" on the surface, but Malfoy spent the whole afternoon asking Crabbe, "What do you think of my dark green silk pajamas?"
At seven in the evening, the doors of the Great Hall slowly opened.
The enchanted ceiling had transformed into a deep blue night sky, densely studded with stars. Occasionally, a shooting meteor would streak across, leaving a silver trail on the canopy. The torches on the walls had been replaced by thousands of floating candles, their light swaying gently in the night breeze, bathing the entire Great Hall in a warm and soft glow.
The four long tables had been removed, replaced by a huge circular rug spread in the center of the hall. The rug was deep red, with golden and silver star patterns embroidered along the edges.
Dozens of cushions and pillows of various colors were scattered across the rug. Students sat on them in twos and threes; some sat cross-legged, some lay on their sides, and others were buried in piles of pillows.
A circle of long, low tables was placed against the walls, piled high with food. Roast beef was sliced thin and stacked on silver platters, juices still seeping out. Fried chicken legs were piled into a small mountain, their skin golden and crispy, steaming hot. A large pot of cream of mushroom soup sat in the very center, flecks of cilantro floating on the surface, its aroma filling the entire hall. Beside it were several large platters of macaroni and cheese, the tops baked to a golden brown, pulling into long strands when scooped with a spoon. Salads, roasted vegetables, buttered bread, marinated salmon, roast lamb chops, mashed potatoes—the low tables were packed so full there wasn't even room to set down a plate.
The dessert section was even more extravagant. There were seven or eight kinds of cheesecake—original, blueberry, chocolate, caramel, raspberry, matcha, and a golden honey cheesecake, its surface brushed with a layer of glistening honey that shimmered in the candlelight. Puddings, egg tarts, chocolate mousse, fruit tarts, cream puffs, tiramisu—stacked like small mountains. Butterbeer and honey pomelo tea were in large barrels, with ladles hanging on the sides for people to help themselves. Everyone knew Su Yu didn't like pumpkin juice, so a pitcher of iced pineapple juice had been specially placed for him next to the dessert section, with a small note attached that read "For Mr. Sean Foley," written in the crooked handwriting of a House-elf.
Su Yu was wearing dark grey cotton pajamas, the collar unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up to his forearms. He was leaning on Daphne's shoulder, half-lying down, holding a glass of pineapple juice. Kurama was crouching by his legs, tail wagging, nibbling on a small piece of cheesecake.
Daphne was wearing pale pink silk pajamas today, her hair loose, sitting sideways next to him, one hand resting on his chest, the other holding a cup of hot tea.
Farley was lying on the other side of Su Yu, wearing a black camisole pajama dress, her hair tied in a loose low ponytail. She was eating a piece of tiramisu with a small fork, eating slowly and methodically. Cassandra was sitting at Su Yu's feet, wearing dark green robe-style pajamas—she called them pajamas, but they looked more formal than Su Yu's formal wear—her green eyes particularly bright in the candlelight.
"Can you sit up?" Cassandra glanced at Su Yu. "Your feet are stepping on my book."
"Why did you bring a book?" Su Yu didn't even look up.
"In case I get bored."
"It's a pajama party, and you still brought a book."
Cassandra ignored him, pulled the book from under his feet, and patted the cover. The title was "A History of Medieval magic, thick enough to be used as a brick.
Hermione ran over from the Gryffindor side, wearing light blue cotton pajamas with a Golden Snitch pattern, her curly hair tied into two buns that bobbed as she ran. She was carrying two plates, one piled with food, the other also piled with food.
"Why aren't you guys getting food?" Hermione squatted down and shoved one of the plates to Su Yu. "This is for you, I got an extra portion."
Su Yu looked down—the plate had roast beef, fried chicken legs, macaroni and cheese, and a small piece of cheesecake, all things he loved to eat.
He looked up at Hermione, but she had already turned to snatch the last piece of tiramisu from Farley.
"Hermione, that's mine," Farley said.
"You've already eaten three pieces."
"How do you know I've eaten three?"
"I've been watching you."
Farley raised an eyebrow and let Hermione have the last piece of tiramisu. Hermione took a bite, her eyes curving into crescents.
Ron and Harry squeezed through the crowd, both wearing Gryffindor-colored striped pajamas. Ron was holding a large plate of chicken legs, and Harry was holding a glass of pumpkin juice; the two of them looked like they had just returned from a tropical resort.
"Why aren't you Slytherins moving?" Ron said indistinctly while gnawing on a chicken leg. "Is it tiring to be so elegant while eating?"
Malfoy walked over from the side, wearing dark green silk pajamas with silver snake emblems embroidered on the collar, his hair combed meticulously. He glanced at Ron, showed off his silk pajamas, and then, without saying a word, sat down between Crabbe and Goyle.
Fred and George ran over from the Ravenclaw side, holding a large handful of Filibuster fireworks, discussing where to set them off.
"Let's set them off right here!" Fred said.
"Professor McGonagall will kick us out," George said.
"That would be even more fun."
"Makes sense."
Before Hermione could stop them, Fred had already lit a firework. Golden sparks spewed from the tip of his wand, exploding in the air into a huge Phoenix that circled the hall once before dispersing into countless tiny specks of light that landed on the students' hair and shoulders. No one was scared; instead, everyone applauded. Fred and George bowed and lit another one.
Hagrid patted Harry and Ron's shoulders hard, perhaps too hard, causing them to face-plant into their cakes. Professor McGonagall stood up and announced to them that all exams had been cancelled, and Headmaster Dumbledore also announced that since Professor Lockharthad to be investigated by the Ministry of Magic, he regrettably would not be returning next year, which brought the banquet to another climax, with all the teachers and students cheering at the news.
Ginny squeezed through the crowd, wearing pale yellow cotton pajamas with small flower patterns, her hair loose, her face flushed red. She walked up to Su Yu, holding a small plate with a few pieces of homemade fudge wrapped in plastic wrap.
"Su Yu, this is for you." Ginny handed over the plate, her voice a little quiet. "I... I just made them."
Su Yu sat up, took the plate, unwrapped the plastic, and popped one into his mouth. He chewed twice. "Delicious."
Ginny's face turned even redder. She turned and ran, then looked back after a few steps before disappearing into the crowd. Daphne and Farley glanced at Su Yu, while Cassandra didn't look up, continuing to flip through her book.
"You're quite popular," Farley said.
"It's alright," Su Yu said, lying back down on Daphne's shoulder.
Luna drifted over from the Ravenclaw side—not literally floating, but she walked so lightly it was like gliding. She wore pale blue pajamas with moon and star patterns, her pale blonde hair loose, wearing those radish earrings. She held a glass of pumpkin juice, but clearly hadn't drunk much.
"Su Yu," Luna's voice was that airy, sleepwalking tone, "Su Yu, do you feel like tonight's pumpkin juice is a bit unhappy?"
"...Huh? It definitely wasn't me!" Su Yu replied firmly.
"Oh, is that so? Then it's probably just shy because it saw so many people wanting to drink it. I told it just now that it's okay, that Su Yu would remember to compliment how good it tastes after drinking it, and it seemed to brighten up just a little bit." Luna finished speaking and, without waiting for Su Yu to respond, put down the pumpkin juice and drifted away.
Su Yu looked at the pumpkin juice in front of him with a bitter expression.
Blaise walked over from the crowd, wearing black silk pajamas, the collar open, revealing a bit of his collarbone. His hair was slicked back, a "I know I'm handsome" smile on his lips. He held a glass of pumpkin juice, his other hand in his pocket, walking slowly over to a girl and leaning against the wall.
"Beautiful, you look lovely today."
The girl didn't even look up. "Thanks, but I don't need your compliments."
"It's not a compliment, it's a fact."
The girl still didn't look up. "Your shirt collar is crooked."
Blaise looked down, reached out to straighten his collar, and then smiled. "You were looking at me after all."
Olivia looked up at him. Blaise almost spit out his pumpkin juice. Theodore was glaring at Blaise with ill intent not far away. Blaise immediately apologized, saying he forgot to bring his eyes out tonight, disturbing Olivia, and gave an apologetic look to Theodore nearby. It was quite something to try to hit on a girl and not realize it was one of his own.
Olivia ignored him and continued reading her book.
Neville squeezed over from the Gryffindor side, wearing blue pajamas with a Totoro pattern—probably bought by his grandmother. He was carrying a plate of pudding, the pudding topped with a thick layer of caramel sauce, looking cloyingly sweet. He walked over to Harry and Ron, sat down, and the three began to talk about Quidditch.
"Do you think if that match against Hufflepuff had gone ahead as planned, we could have won?" Neville asked.
"Of course we could," Ron said, his mouth full of chicken leg, speaking indistinctly.
"Not necessarily," Harry said. "Their Seeker, Cedric, is very fast."
"You're fast too," Ron said.
"But I have to find the Golden Snitch first."
The three fell silent, each eating their own food.
Pansy walked over from the Slytherin side, wearing pink silk pajamas with small flower patterns, her hair braided. She walked over to Malfoy, sat down, and the two began to whisper. Crabbe and Goyle sat beside them, one gnawing on a chicken leg, the other on beef.
Astoria appeared from nowhere, wearing pale green pajamas with small frog patterns, her hair tied into two little buns. She plopped down next to Malfoy, nudging Crabbe to move aside.
"Draco!" Astoria's voice was crisp and bright. "You look great today!"
Malfoy's ears turned red. "...Thanks."
"Don't you want to say something to me?"
"Say what?"
"Like, that I look great today too, for example."
Malfoy's face turned red too. He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "You... you look great today too."
Astoria smiled, her eyes curving, then pulled a piece of chocolate from her pocket and stuffed it into Malfoy's hand. "For you. I saved it especially."
Malfoy looked down at the chocolate in his hand, then at Astoria. Astoria had already turned to find Daphne.
Daphne was discussing key points of History of Magic with Hermione, the two huddled together, quills scribbling on notebooks. Astoria ran over and hugged Daphne from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder.
"Sister!"
"Hmm."
"Draco said I look great today."
"He said that?"
"Yeah! He said it himself!"
"Then are you happy?" Daphne asked.
"Happy!" Astoria let go of Daphne, turned, and ran off. After a few steps, she stopped, looked back, and shouted, "Goodnight, Brother Su Yu!"
"Goodnight," Su Yu said, closing his eyes.
Kurama lifted her head from Su Yu's legs, glanced at Astoria, then lowered her head to continue nibbling her cheesecake.
Su Yu opened his eyes, walked to the dessert section, grabbed a piece of honey cheesecake, and walked back, placing it on Daphne's lap. The honey on the cake shimmered in the candlelight; the cake body was dense and delicate, and one could see the golden honey layer when cut.
Su Yu used a small fork to cut a piece and put it in his mouth. Sweet, but not cloying; the aroma of honey and the tartness of the cheese mixed together, slowly melting on the tip of his tongue. He cut another piece and handed it to Daphne. Daphne opened her mouth to eat it, chewed twice, and nodded.
"Delicious," Daphne said.
Farley also leaned over, opening her mouth. Su Yu cut a piece to feed her. Cassandra didn't open her mouth, so Su Yu offered her a bite, but Cassandra didn't eat it; she reached out and cut a large piece from Su Yu's plate herself.
Laughter and conversation in the hall mingled together like a pot of boiling soup. Fred and George's fireworks were still going off, golden-red sparks exploding in the air into various shapes—phoenixes, dragons, Unicorns, and even a flying pig. Ravenclaw students were playing Wizard's Chess in the corner, Hufflepuffs were playing Exploding Snap, and Gryffindors were fighting over the last piece of pudding. Slytherins sat in twos and threes, some chatting, some reading, others resting with their eyes closed.
Professor McGonagall walked to the center of the hall, raised her wand, and waved it gently. The stars on the ceiling suddenly brightened and began to rotate slowly, like a huge, silent music box. The students looked up, watching those stars draw circles on the ceiling.
Professor Snape leaned against the wall, his red wine finished, his cup empty, but he didn't refill it. His gaze passed through the crowd and landed on Harry, seemingly checking to see if Harry had suffered any injuries today.
Harry was talking to Ron and Neville, laughing happily, not noticing someone was watching him. Snape's gaze lingered on Harry's face for a few seconds, then shifted away.
"Is everyone enjoying themselves?" Dumbledore's voice wasn't loud, but the whole hall could hear it.
"Yes!" the students answered in unison.
"That's good," Dumbledore smiled, walked to the dessert section, picked up a piece of lemon cake, took a bite, and narrowed his eyes. "Professor Flitwick, would you like a piece?"
Professor Flitwick was sitting on a pile of books, wearing dark blue sleeping robes with silver rune patterns. He stood on tiptoe on the books, took the cake Dumbledorehanded him, and ate it in small bites, his pointed hat swaying in the candlelight.
Professor Sprout was sitting among the Hufflepuffstudents, wearing earth-yellow sleeping robes with plant patterns—flowers, grass, mushrooms, and a few Mandrakes. She was discussing how to grow pumpkins with a Hufflepuff girl, her hands gesturing constantly.
Su Yu closed his eyes, listening to the laughter and conversation in the hall, listening to the sound of Fred and George setting off fireworks, listening to the sound of Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick whispering in the corner, listening to the laughter of Headmaster Dumbledore telling a joke to someone.
Outside the hall, the night breeze passed through the Castle towers, blowing the torches in the corridors until they swayed. The Forbidden Forest was silent under the moonlight, the treetops covered in a thin layer of frost, shimmering with tiny specks of light in the silver-white moonlight. The water of the Black Lake flowed slowly in the night, reflecting the silhouette of the Castle and the starry sky. In the distance, several owls perched on the spire of the Owlery; occasionally one would spread its wings, silently gliding into the night sky, disappearing into the darkness of the mountains.
Chapter 53: Airplane
The remaining time passed in a haze of bright sunshine.
Hogwarts had returned to normal, with only a few minor differences: the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class had been cancelled, and the school governor Lucius Malfoy had been dismissed and no longer held a leadership position. However, Malfoy was not like he was in the original work; he still swaggered around the school every day, as if the school belonged to him.
The day to board the Hogwarts Express to go home came too quickly.
Su Yu, as before, sat in the same carriage as Daphne, Farley, Cassandra, and Hermione.
However, this holiday, Farley had to go back because her father had returned, so she had to go back to be with him. Cassandra still had to go home for half a month, which was about when she would return. Daphne and Hermionewere good girls and never left their parents during the holidays.
There was no help for it; only Kurama could stay with Su Yu all the time. However, Su Yu was also planning to take advantage of this time to return to the East and check on the cultivation back at his ancestral home.
The Hogwarts Express began to slow down and slowly came to a stop at King's Cross Station.
Then they walked together towards the gate leading to the Muggle world, beginning their reluctant farewells.
— — — — — — — — — — — —
When Su Yu got off the Hogwarts Express, it was drizzling in London. Kurama was lying on his shoulder, covering her head with her tail. Su Yu liked rainy days like this.
"Young Master, welcome home."
Carson the butler was still his old self: his black tailcoat was ironed without a single wrinkle, his silver-gray hair was combed meticulously, a bowtie was tied at his collar, and his leather shoes were polished to a shine.
He stood there, posture straight, his movements elegant and restrained, waiting for his Young Master to return.
The car was already parked outside the station, still the same black Rolls-Royce. Raindrops hit the car body and slid down the painted surface.
Carson opened the car door and bowed slightly.
The car drove through the streets of London, the windshield wipers moving rhythmically. Kurama was lying on Su Yu's lap, already asleep. Su Yu leaned against the car window, looking at the wet street scene outside. Streetlights receded one by one, their orange light blurring in the rain.
Fawley Manor appeared exceptionally quiet in the rain. Sycamore leaves had been knocked to the ground by the rain, covering both sides of the driveway. The lights in the stables were on, and a horse inside snorted.
Carson had already prepared lunch. The dining table was covered with a white tablecloth, and the silver tableware was arranged neatly.
"Young Master, you have lost weight." Carson stood to the side, holding a teapot, ready to pour water at any time.
"I haven't." Su Yu scooped a spoonful of soup. "The school food is alright."
Carson didn't reply, just watched Su Yu eat.
It wasn't until Su Yu finished eating, put down his spoon, and glanced at Carson.
"I need to return to the East for a trip." Su Yu said, "About a month or so."
Carson's hand paused slightly. The spout of the teapot wobbled, but no tea was poured.
"When are you leaving?"
"The day after tomorrow."
Carson put down the teapot, turned around, walked to the dining room door, and stopped again. "Young Master, what do you need to prepare?"
"Not much, just a few clothes will do." Su Yu said, "They have everything over there."
Carson nodded and walked toward the bedroom. Su Yuheard the sound of him opening the cabinet inside.
After a while, Carson came out carrying a large leather suitcase.
"Young Master, everything you need is inside." Carsonstood up and brushed the non-existent dust off his knees. "I will book the flight ticket. Give me a call after you arrive."
Su Yu looked at the suitcase, then at Carson.
"Carson."
"Young Master."
"I'm only going back for a month."
"I know, Young Master." Carson bowed slightly, "I will go brew a pot of black tea for you to drink in a while."
He turned and walked into the kitchen.
Kurama jumped down from the table, squatted by Su Yu's feet, and rubbed her head against his calf.
"He is reluctant to part with you." Kurama said.
Su Yu didn't speak, just reached out and stroked Kurama's head. The rain was still falling outside the window, hitting the glass and making a faint, fragmented sound, blurring into a mass in the rain.
— — — — — — — — — —
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows of the waiting hall at London Heathrow Airport, everything was gray. The rain had just stopped, and the runway was still glistening with water.
Su Yu carried a small handbag, everything else was packed into his space ring. Kurama was lying on his shoulder, her tail hanging in front of his chest, swaying back and forth. Su Yu had cast a Muggle-Repelling Charm and a Disillusionment Charm on Kurama.
A staff member in uniform was already waiting at the entrance. Seeing Su Yu coming, he bowed slightly, took the handbag from his hand, and led him through an inconspicuous glass door into another corridor.
The corridor was covered with a dark gray carpet, and a few abstract paintings hung on the walls. It was so quiet that he could hear his own footsteps. Kurama poked her head out from Su Yu's shoulder, looked left and right, and then lay back down. The staff member brought them to an independent lounge, which was furnished with leather sofas, a small coffee table, a few magazines, and a plate of snacks.
"Mr. Sean Foley, your flight will begin boarding in forty minutes." The staff member placed the boarding pass on the coffee table. "I will come to take you over then."
Su Yu nodded and sat down on the sofa. Kurama jumped onto the coffee table, sniffed the plate of snacks, and jumped back. "No cheesecake." She said.
Su Yu ignored her.
Forty minutes later, the staff member appeared at the door on time, leading them through a corridor directly to the boarding gate. When Su Yu walked in, the flight attendant was already waiting at the door, greeting him with a smile and leading him to his seat. Su Yu's seat was by the window, with another seat separated by an armrest.
Just as he sat down, he heard light footsteps behind him. A girl walked over, wearing a light gray knitted cardigan over a white crew-neck T-shirt. Her hair was jet-black, tied in a low ponytail, and she was carrying a small handbag. She stopped at the seat next to Su Yu, put her bag in the storage compartment, and sat down.
Su Yu glanced at her. He recognized this face—Cho Chang, from Ravenclaw, one year his senior. He had seen her a few times at school but had never spoken to her.
Cho Chang also saw Su Yu, her eyes widening slightly. "You are... Sean Foley from Slytherin?"
"Hello, just call me Su Yu."
"What a coincidence. I know you," Cho Chang smiled and smoothed the hair behind her ear. "Su Yu, you are quite famous in school. Are you also going to the East?"
"Is that so?"
"Not that kind of impressive fame." Cho Chang quickly added, her face blushing slightly, "It's just... many people know you have several girlfriends."
Su Yu was speechless and didn't respond, a black line appearing on his head. Why was gossip spreading in school too?
Kurama poked her head out from his side, took a look at Cho Chang, and giggled secretly in Su Yu's arms.
Cho Chang didn't say anything else, took a book out of her bag, and opened it. Su Yu leaned back against the chair and closed his eyes. Kurama lay on his lap, looking out the window, her tail swaying.
The plane began to taxi, the sound of the engines growing louder. The ground crew outside waved goodbye. The city outside the window became smaller and smaller, and the houses turned into matchboxes.
After the plane leveled out, the flight attendant pushed the meal cart over and asked what they wanted to drink. Su Yuordered a Coke, and Cho Chang ordered an orange juice. Kurama was still on Su Yu's lap, clutching the porthole and looking out. The clouds spread out like a white ocean beneath the plane, and sunlight shone through the window, gilding Kurama's fur with a layer of gold.
"Is this your pet?" Cho Chang put down her book and looked at Kurama curiously.
"Her name is Kurama." Su Yu said.
"What a unique name." Cho Chang smiled, "Does she always follow you?"
"Yes."
Cho Chang didn't reach out to touch her, just looked at Kurama. Kurama jumped down from the window, lay on Su Yu's lap, curled her tail into a ball, and closed her eyes.
After the plane had been flying for a while, Cho Changspoke again. "Where in the East are you going?"
"Shanghai."
"I'm going to Jiang Province." Cho Chang's tone held a bit more excitement. "My aunt is there, and I go back to stay with her every summer holiday."
Su Yu nodded.
"Is your family in Shanghai?" Cho Chang asked.
"Sort of." Su Yu said, "Relatives on my father's side."
Cho Chang didn't press further, just smiled. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you before."
Su Yu looked at her.
"It was... at school." Cho Chang's finger traced the page of her book. "Once, you were in the library with Daphne. I wanted to borrow the book next to you, but you two were talking, and I didn't have the nerve to go over."
Su Yu didn't remember. "Next time, just say so directly."
Cho Chang smiled and turned a page, but she was clearly not reading. After a while, she spoke again. "Are you... very busy in Slytherin? I heard you train every night."
"It's okay." Su Yu said, "I don't usually train; I just train them."
"Then you must be having quite a good time." Cho Changsmiled.
"It is quite fun." Su Yu looked at the book she was holding. "What book are you reading?"
"A miscellaneous book about strange things and sights from various places. What do you like to read?" Cho Changasked back.
"Uh... I don't read... reading affects my mood."
Cho Chang laughed out loud. "You are so direct."
The two of them chatted like this, from the terrible airplane food to the strange weather they had each seen, and then to their impressions of London. The originally boring flight became relaxed without them realizing it.
When the plane began to descend, the clouds outside thickened and turned gray. Occasionally, they could see green hills and winding rivers below. Cho Chang put away her book, retied her hair, took out a small mirror from her bag to check her reflection, and then put the mirror back.
"We're almost there." She said.
"Yeah, I haven't been here for over a decade." Su Yumuttered.
The plane passed through the clouds, and the city below became clearer. High-rise buildings, streets, bridges, and rivers—dense architecture spread out under the gray-blue skyline.
The plane stopped next to the jet bridge. Su Yu stood up, took his handbag from the overhead compartment, and Kurama jumped onto his shoulder. Cho Chang also stood up, carrying her bag, and walked beside Su Yu.
"Is anyone picking you up?" Cho Chang asked.
"I suppose... so..." Su Yu said uncertainly.
The two walked across the jet bridge together and into the arrival hall.
The arrival hall was crowded with people picking up passengers, holding all kinds of signs. Su Yu scanned it and quickly spotted a middle-aged man in a dark gray suit. The man was about fifty years old, his hair gray and combed meticulously, his posture straight. He wasn't holding a sign, just standing there quietly, searching the crowd with his eyes.
Seeing Su Yu, he nodded slightly and walked over unhurriedly.
"Young Master." The man bowed slightly, his voice low and steady, "The car is outside."
"Mm." Su Yu said, "Thank you for your trouble, Uncle Li."
This was Li Boan, the butler of the Fawley family in the East. Before Su Yu's father left the East, it was he who was responsible for managing the properties here. Later, when Su Yu's father went to Britain, Li Boan stayed behind to look after the properties and the vast business empire here.
Li Boan took Su Yu's handbag and turned to lead the way. Su Yu followed, walked a few steps, and looked back at Cho Chang.
Cho Chang was standing on the other side of the arrival hall. A young, beautiful woman was smiling and walking toward her, and the two hugged.
Cho Chang raised her head from the beautiful woman's arms, looked in Su Yu's direction, and waved. Su Yu also waved, then followed Li Boan out of the arrival hall. However, neither of them saw that the young, beautiful woman was also staring blankly at Su Yu as he left.
Li Boan walked in front without looking back, his pace unhurried. Outside the terminal, a black Audi 100 was parked on the side of the road, and the driver had already opened the door.
"Young Master, should we return to the old mansion first or go straight to eat?" Li Boan asked.
"Return to the old mansion first." Su Yu said, bending down to get into the car. Kurama jumped onto his lap and looked at the scenery outside the window. Shanghai outside the car window was brightly lit in the night, the lights of the high-rises like flowing rivers, winding forward in the darkness.
The car drove across the Huangpu River. The river surface reflected the lights from both banks, glistening with waves. Su Yu opened his eyes, glanced out the window, and closed them again.
Chapter 54 Longhu Mountain
The old house was located in the western suburbs of Shanghai, deep within Hongqiao Road, surrounded by a grove of camphor trees.
As the car turned into the lane, the high-rises on both sides disappeared, replaced by old-fashioned walls and iron fences covered in vines.
The iron gate opened automatically, and the car slid inside, stopping in front of a three-story Western-style house. The house was built during the Republic of China era, with exterior walls of exposed red brick and arched windows. Two Roman columns stood before the porch, the patterns on their capitals already somewhat faded.
Li Boan opened the car door, and Su Yu leaned out.
Kurama jumped down from his shoulder, crouched on the ground, and looked left and right. She felt this place was wonderful, as if it were filled with spiritual energy.
"Young Master, the room has been cleaned up," Li Boansaid, leading Su Yu to the entrance of the living room. "I will take you there now. Oh, that's right, Young Master, one more thing: dinner is at seven. Is that alright with you?"
Su Yu nodded and followed Li Boan upstairs. The staircase was made of wood and creaked slightly when stepped on.
On the wall hung several yellowing old photographs: an elderly man in a long gown, a woman holding a child, and one of Su Yu's father—from when he was young, wearing a military overcoat, standing beside a jeep, laughing exuberantly.
Su Yu's room was at the very end of the second floor. On the windowsill was a pot of asparagus fern, well-tended, its leaves emerald green and swaying gently in the breeze.
Pushing open the window, one could see the osmanthus tree in the courtyard and the distant skyline, jaggedly cut by high-rises, shimmering with a pale golden light in the afternoon sun.
The next day, trying to overcome jet lag, Su Yu slept until noon and still hadn't woken up.
Kurama had long since woken up and was crouching on the windowsill, watching the koi in the courtyard, her tail swaying back and forth.
Sunlight leaked through the gap in the curtains, casting a long golden beam across the floor. Su Yu turned over, pulled the quilt over his head, and went back to sleep. Kurama jumped down from the windowsill, walked across his pillow, and sat squarely on his face, which was covered by the quilt.
"Get up, you big lazybones! I'm hungry."
Su Yu groaned from under the quilt but didn't move. Kurama sat for a while longer, and seeing that he still wouldn't budge, she jumped off the bed, used her tail to wrap around the desk lamp on the nightstand, patted Su Yu on the head with it, and even made the lamp flicker on and off.
Helpless, Su Yu finally threw off the quilt and sat up, his hair messy as a bird's nest, his eyes still closed.
"When did you learn to use the desk lamp?" he asked.
"Just now," Kurama replied, crouching on the nightstand, her tail flicking back and forth.
By the time Su Yu went downstairs, Li Boan was already waiting in the dining room.
On the table were white porridge, pickles, a plate of fried eggs, and a steamer of xiaolongbao. Su Yu sat down, and Kurama jumped onto the table, crouching beside him. Li Boan brought her a small saucer and poured in a little soy milk. Kurama lowered her head, took a lick, then another, and then buried her whole face in it; she loved sweet things!
Life in the old house moved slowly. Su Yu slept in for two days, occasionally sunbathing in the courtyard or flipping through old photo albums in the study. Inside were a few yellowing photos; he didn't recognize the people in them, but he could see the shadow of the Su family in their features.
Li Boan told him those were his grandfathers, and that one was his grandmother. When Su Yu asked when they had passed away, Li Boan didn't say much.
The shadows of the osmanthus tree were cast onto the stone slabs, and koi swam slowly in the pond, with a few water lily leaves floating on the surface.
Kurama lay on the edge of the pond, stretching out her paw to scoop up the fish, clamoring for Li Boan to cook them for her. It wasn't until Li Boan told her they were ornamental fish and couldn't be eaten that she gave up. However, Li Boan still went to the wet market and bought plenty of fresh fish, making her a feast that night. She ate happily, especially the dish called squirrel-shaped mandarin fish.
On the third morning, before dawn, Su Yu got up. The sky outside was gray-blue, and the osmanthus tree in the courtyard swayed gently in the morning breeze. Kuramawas still asleep, curled up on top of the quilt, her tail covering her nose. Su Yu scooped her up; she mumbled, kicked her four legs in the air, and then snuggled into his arms to continue sleeping.
After washing up and going downstairs, Li Boan was already waiting at the door, wearing a dark gray Zhongshan suit and carrying a small leather suitcase. The car was parked under the camphor tree at the entrance, dew still clinging to its body.
"Young Master, the food for the road is in the back seat," Li Boan said, opening the car door.
The morning in Shanghai was very quiet. There weren't many pedestrians on the street, and occasionally a bicycle would pass by with a crisp ringing of its bell. The mist over the Suzhou River had not yet dissipated, and the river surface shimmered with a grayish-white light. The car got on the highway, with farmland and villages on both sides. Occasionally, they could see a few farmers stooping to work in the fields. Kurama watched for a while, found it boring, and curled back up on Su Yu's lap.
After passing Hangzhou, the road began to become uneven. The asphalt turned into a gravel road, and the car bumped violently. Kurama was tossed back and forth on the seat, so the driver slowed down, carefully navigating around the potholes.
By the next day, the mountains on both sides were getting closer. The mountains were covered in vast forests of bamboo and cedar. When the wind blew, the bamboo leaves rustled.
At noon, the car stopped in a small town. Su Yu got out, and Kurama jumped onto his shoulder. The town was not big, with only one main street, where bamboo products, herbs, and homegrown vegetables were sold.
Su Yu walked into a small restaurant and ordered two bowls of Qianshan hot noodles. The landlady was a woman in her forties, speaking with a heavy Jiangxi accent. Kurama didn't like it; she still wanted something sweet, so a helpless Su Yu ordered her some glutinous rice balls.
After the meal, the car continued on its way. The road became narrower and steeper, and the bamboo forests on both sides were so dense they blocked the sky, with only sporadic sunlight leaking through the gaps in the bamboo leaves.
When they reached the middle of the mountain, the road came to an end. Ahead was a small path paved with stone slabs, winding deep into the bamboo forest. Su Yu got out, took his handbag from the trunk, put it into his ring, and Kurama jumped down from his shoulder, crouching on the ground and poking at the moss growing in the cracks of the stone slabs with her paw.
"Is this the place?" Kurama asked.
"Yeah, just here to wander around and see the Old Celestial Master," Su Yu said.
Su Yu walked up along the stone path, while Kuramasprinted through the trail, occasionally stopping to sniff the wildflowers by the roadside before quickly chasing after Su Yu.
When the wind blew, the bamboo stalks collided with each other, making a crisp sound. After walking for about two hours, the bamboo forest suddenly opened up.
Before them was a valley, with a few houses with white walls and black tiles scattered about. In the distance was a Taoist temple with gray walls and black tiles, hidden behind several old camphor trees. The air held a faint scent of incense, mixed with the fresh fragrance of bamboo leaves.
Walking forward along the path, there was a small stream by the roadside. The water was very shallow and crystal clear; the pebbles at the bottom of the stream were round and smooth. Kurama jumped into the stream, stepped around a few times, then jumped out and shook the water off her paws.
They hadn't gone far when a burst of laughter came from ahead. Su Yu looked up and saw a girl crouching by the stream, holding a branch and poking at something in the water.
She was wearing a white dress, and her jet-black hair was draped over her shoulders. Beside her stood a beautiful woman wearing a plain-colored qipao, her hair pinned up, revealing a slender, fair neck. Her profile was soft, and it was hard to tell her age; she could be twenty, and no one would believe she was thirty. Her features were faint, like a character in an ink wash painting, standing there quietly, holding a light blue oil-paper umbrella.
The girl saw Su Yu first, and her eyes lit up instantly. "Su Yu!" Cho Chang stood up, still holding the branch, water droplets dripping down it. "Why are you here?" Her voice was crisp and bright, echoing in the valley.
Su Yu walked over. "What a coincidence, I'm just wandering around."
"Didn't you say your home was in Shanghai? How did you end up at Longhu Mountain?" Cho Chang threw the branch into the stream and clapped her hands.
"I wanted to come see Longhu Mountain and meet the Old Celestial Master. So you came to Jiangxi for Longhu Mountain."
Cho Chang nodded with a smile and turned to the woman beside her. "Auntie, this is Su Yu from our school."
The woman's gaze swept over Su Yu like mountain mist—impenetrable and intangible. Her gaze paused on Su Yu's face for a moment, then shifted to Kurama, then back again.
"Su?" the woman said, her voice soft and pleasant. "Which Su family are you from?"
Su Yu glanced at her. There was something indescribable in the woman's eyes, more like a form of confirmation.
"Which Su family? I don't know. But I suppose I must be from the Shanghai Su family?" Su Yu truly didn't know where his ancestral home was, nor could he explain which Su family he belonged to.
The woman nodded without pressing further, but her gaze did not shift away.
That gaze made Su Yu a little uncomfortable, but he didn't show it. Kurama crouched at Su Yu's feet, looking up at the woman, her ears pricked straight up; she sensed the scent of gossip.
Cho Chang didn't notice any of this and was still happily saying, "What a coincidence! I come back to the mountain to wander around every year, but I've never run into a classmate. Are you here alone? How many days are you staying? Do you want to join us? My aunt is very familiar with this place—"
"Xiao Qiu." The woman interrupted her. Her voice wasn't loud, but Cho Chang immediately shut her mouth. The woman looked at Cho Chang, then at Su Yu, the corners of her mouth moving slightly—it was unclear if it was a smile or something else.
"Let's go, the Celestial Master is still waiting." After saying this, she turned and walked along the path, her pace unhurried.
Cho Chang stuck her tongue out at Su Yu and whispered, "My aunt is just like that, don't mind her." Then she followed. After a few steps, she turned back and waved at Su Yu. "Come with us! You're here to wander around anyway, and you need to see the Old Celestial Master too."
Su Yu followed, though Kurama looked up at the woman's back from time to time.
Arriving at the entrance of the Taoist temple, an old Taoist priest was already standing there, wearing a gray Taoist robe, his hair completely white and pinned up with a wooden hairpin. His face had deep wrinkles, but his eyes were very bright, his gaze like two needles scanning the group.
The woman stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Celestial Master." The Old Celestial Master nodded, his gaze shifting from the woman to Cho Chang, and then to Su Yu, pausing for a moment.
"And who is this?" the Old Celestial Master asked.
"My classmate, Su Yu," Cho Chang said. "We just happened to run into each other on the mountain."
The Old Celestial Master looked at Su Yu, his gaze lingering on his face for a while, as if recalling something. "The surname is Su?"
"Junior Su Yu pays respects to the Old Celestial Master."
The Old Celestial Master was silent for a moment, then asked, "Which Su?"
"The Su of Shanghai," Su Yu said.
The Old Celestial Master glanced at him without pressing further, but that gaze was exactly the same as the woman's just now—not curiosity, not surprise, but more like a form of confirmation. He nodded and stepped aside to let them in. "Come in."
Su Yu followed them into the Taoist temple. In the courtyard stood an old ginkgo tree, its trunk so thick that it would take two people to wrap their arms around it. Under the tree was a well; the stone rim was carved with patterns that had already been worn smooth.
Kurama dashed around the courtyard, sniffed the trunk of the ginkgo tree, then sniffed the well rim, before running back to Su Yu's feet.
The woman stood under the ginkgo tree, holding that light blue umbrella, her gaze crossing the courtyard and landing on Su Yu. She didn't speak, just watched, her eyes filled with an indescribable complexity.
Cho Chang was saying something to her on the side; she replied a few times, but her gaze never left Su Yu.
A young Taoist priest came out of the room carrying a few cups of tea. Kurama crouched at Su Yu's feet, looking up at the Old Celestial Master. The Old Celestial Master looked down at Kurama, the corners of his mouth twitching, but he said nothing.
"The Su family... it's been a long time since they've been here..." the Old Celestial Master sighed.
Su Yu held his teacup and blew away the foam. "Does the Old Celestial Master know my father?"
The Old Celestial Master nodded. He stood under the ginkgo tree, sunlight falling on him through the gaps in the leaves, the shadows on his Taoist robe dappled. The woman stood beside him, her umbrella closed and leaning against the tree trunk. Cho Chang sat on the stone steps, holding her teacup, sipping it in small mouthfuls.
"Is your father doing well?" the Old Celestial Master asked.
Su Yu glanced at him. "My father is doing quite well, traveling outside with my mother every day."
The woman's gaze dimmed a little. The Old Celestial Master turned around, looking at the ginkgo tree in the courtyard, and was silent for a long while before saying, "You look like your grandmother."
Su Yu's hand holding the teacup paused. The Old Celestial Master didn't say anything more and turned to walk into the room. The woman glanced at Su Yu, the corners of her mouth moving, as if smiling, or perhaps sighing.
Cho Chang sat on the stone steps, tilting her head to look at Su Yu, then at her aunt, then in the direction where the old Taoist priest had disappeared, her eyes full of questions, but she didn't ask anything.
Kurama crouched at Su Yu's feet, her tail swaying back and forth, her amber eyes pretending to stare at the ginkgo tree. The wind blew, and the leaves rustled. A few leaves drifted down, landing on the stone slabs, on the well rim, and on the surface of the woman's light blue umbrella.