**Chapter 26: The Wood Spirit's Tears**
The sun hung low, its light dimming as dusk crept over the land.
A small boy crouched beneath a tree, his face buried in his arms, his trembling shoulders betraying both grievance and helplessness.
Not far off, a slender figure peered curiously from behind a trunk. The boy's sobs finally stirred its heart, and it abandoned its caution, stepping forward.
It was an odd being—its head crowned with roots like hair, its skin a pale green, its body draped not in clothes but in a cascade of leaves.
It asked the boy, "What's wrong?"
Startled by the sudden voice, the boy looked up and saw the strange, leaf-clad figure. "Who are you?" he blurted. "Why do you look so weird?"
Ignoring the boy's question, the green figure extended a twig-like finger, wiped a tear from his cheek, and tasted it.
"What are you doing?" The boy scrambled back, landing on the tree's roots.
"So this is a human's tear," the green being mused, as if to itself.
The boy swallowed hard, suspicion creeping into his voice. "You… aren't human?"
This time, the figure answered. Its wooden face cracked into a smile. "Of course not. I'm a wood spirit."
Seeing the smile, the boy's fear ebbed, replaced by curiosity.
"A wood spirit?"
"Yes."
"What's that?" the boy pressed.
The wood spirit tilted its head, pondering. After a moment, it recited from memory, "A wood spirit is the charm of the wood."
The boy frowned, still confused.
Then the wood spirit asked, "What's your name?"
"Li Xun. And you?"
"I don't have one," the wood spirit replied honestly.
"How can you not have a name?" Li Xun asked, incredulous.
"Wood spirits don't," it said, a touch of irritation in its voice.
"Then I'll give you one," Li Xun offered tentatively.
"Yes! Think of one quickly!" The wood spirit's eyes lit up with joy.
"It's not that easy… I need to think carefully."
Both smiled, the boy and the spirit, as the day waned. They played and laughed until it was time to part, promising to meet again the next day.
Li Xun left the woods and returned home.
His mother was in the courtyard, sorting vegetables. Seeing him, she teased, "Little rascal, done causing trouble?"
The boy's face flushed. He pouted and walked silently toward the house. His mother chuckled, her face full of affection, unbothered by his lack of manners.
Just before entering, Li Xun turned back. "Mother, what's a wood spirit?"
The words startled her. Without thinking, she asked, "Where did you hear about wood spirits?"
She stood, wiping her hands on her apron, and hurried to him. The sudden shift in mood left Li Xun bewildered.
"I… I…" Unsure why she was so serious, he stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
Realizing she had frightened him, she knelt down, softening her voice. "Wood spirits are forest phantoms. They feed on human souls to gain intelligence. Xiao Xun, where did you hear that term?"
Thinking of the wood spirit's innocent face, Li Xun lied instinctively. "I read it in Father's books."
Relief washed over her. She pinched his nose playfully. "Already reading your father's tales of mountain spirits?"
Li Xun pushed her hand away, rubbing his nose.
"Mother, I'm going to Father's study."
"Go ahead. If you want stories of spirits and monsters, look for the *Tales of Immortals*," she said with a smile.
The next day, Li Xun returned to the woods.
The wood spirit leaped from a branch, landing nearby, its face beaming with joy.
But the happiness was short-lived. Confusion replaced its smile as it noticed Li Xun's somber expression. "Why are you upset again?" it asked, tilting its head.
Li Xun looked at the wood spirit, his eyes swirling with complex emotions. He didn't want to believe his new friend was one of the soul-devouring *Immortals* from the books. But he knew his mother wouldn't lie.
After a long internal struggle, with the wood spirit watching curiously, he finally asked, "Do you… eat human souls?"
To his surprise, the wood spirit didn't deny it. It nodded. "Yes. Grandpa Willow said if I want to grow up, I need to eat souls. Otherwise, it'll take a very, very long time to become strong."
Li Xun twisted his robe nervously. "C-can you not grow up? Not become strong?"
The wood spirit looked puzzled. "Why?"
Flustered, Li Xun blurted, "If you grow up and get stronger, you'll have to eat human souls. Then we can't be friends. And… I'm human too!"
Understanding dawned on the wood spirit. It smiled. "Okay, I promise."
Relieved, Li Xun patted his chest, a gesture the wood spirit mimicked in confusion.
Li Xun explained, "It's a pact. I saw it in a book. Now you pat my chest too."
Amused, the wood spirit's eyes crinkled into crescents as it tapped Li Xun's chest.
"By the way, are you a boy or a girl? How should I name you?" Li Xun asked, his playful nature resurfacing.
"I'm a wood spirit. We don't have genders," it replied.
Li Xun's eyes widened. "No gender? Then… I've got it! I'll call you Mu Hua!"
"Mu… Hua?"
"Yes! Mu Hua!"
Time flew, and years passed. Li Xun grew into a graceful young man, while Mu Hua remained childlike.
They spent their days together in the woods. Whenever the youth immersed himself in Confucian classics, the childlike figure would perch on a branch, listening quietly to his recitations.
One day, after finishing a treatise on governance by a renowned scholar, Li Xun said, "Mu Hua, I'm leaving soon to seek my fortune. It might be a long time before I return."
Over the years, Mu Hua had heard enough of the classics to understand.
"Can I come with you?"
"No. Even though you haven't consumed souls, you've become an *Immortal*. Anbi is not like here…" Li Xun trailed off, his meaning clear.
Mu Hua understood and lowered its head. Their parting loomed, and both felt the weight of sorrow. When it was time to say goodbye, Mu Hua forced a smile, while Li Xun's face betrayed his reluctance.
"You must, must succeed and marry a beautiful princess!" Mu Hua's blessing was heartfelt, though it left a hollow ache inside.
Li Xun laughed, the sadness easing. "You've got big dreams for me."
After Li Xun left, Mu Hua clutched its chest and wept in the forest. A passing willow *Immortal* paused, its ancient voice filled with concern. "Little Huai, why are you crying?"
"I don't want to part from Li Xun. He's going to marry a princess!"
"Ah, I see. Grandpa Willow warned you—love between humans and *Immortals* is often false. If he were a simple village boy, perhaps. But he's from a scholarly family. What Confucian would look kindly on us *Immortals*?" The willow sighed.
"It's not like that. He's going to the capital for the exams. I just thought, if he becomes the top scholar, then…" Mu Hua sobbed.
"Oh, now I understand! Our little Huai is in love," the willow chuckled.
"No, I'm not!" Mu Hua buried its face in its hands, denying vehemently.
"Little Huai, tell me, is Li Xun really that good?" the willow asked gently.
"He…" Mu Hua couldn't finish, too shy.
"I know you promised not to eat souls, so you can't stay with him. But I have another way for you to grow…"
Mu Hua looked up earnestly. "Grandpa Willow, I'll never eat souls. Don't try to persuade me."
"No, that's not what I mean. I've sensed that old rogue Chixiao is coming for me. I can't escape him. If I'm to be slain and turned into cultivation materials, I'd rather…" The willow's voice trailed off suggestively.
"Grandpa Willow, what do you mean?" Mu Hua asked, confused.
A year later, Li Xun, now a scholar in the imperial academy, stumbled drunkenly through the streets. His days were filled with work and social obligations, and he had gradually forgotten the wood spirit.
Fresh from Anbi's most famous brothel, he searched for the way home, bleary-eyed.
A slender figure in green appeared before him. Rubbing his eyes, he squinted at the girl.
"Li Xun!" she called affectionately, but he didn't recognize her.
"You… hic, do we know each other?" He shook his head, unwilling to sober up and waste the rare drunkenness.
"I'm Mu Hua. Don't you remember me?" The girl smiled playfully, twirling in place.
At the name, Li Xun surged his scholarly energy to clear his mind. He stared at the lovely girl before him—no trace of the wood spirit remained.
"You…" Instead of joy, anger and regret welled up inside him, his expression darkening.
Mu Hua saw his face and her smile froze.
She knew he had misunderstood. "It's not what you think…"
But Li Xun cut her off, his voice thunderous. "Not what I think?"
Without waiting for an answer, he roared, "Tell me! How many humans have you harmed?"
"I…" Mu Hua paled, stunned by his fury. He had never treated her this way.
She stepped forward to calm him, but he shoved her away. Pounding his chest, he declared, "I, Li Xun, am the son of a great scholar. How could I associate with a demon like you? For old times' sake, I'll pretend I never saw you today. Now go! Get out of my sight!"
Terrified, Mu Hua stumbled away, covering her face, bewildered by his refusal to hear her out.
This meeting was nothing like the reunion she had dreamed of. Instead, it left a gaping wound in both their hearts, one that would bleed anew with every midnight memory.
Believing he had enabled Mu Hua to harm countless innocents, Li Xun threw himself into hunting *Immortals*. He hoped to atone for his mistake and, should they meet again, to kill her.
But the confrontation he awaited never came. Mu Hua always avoided him, trailing behind in secret, weeping as she watched him slay *Immortals*.
Finally, Li Xun faced a foe his equal. The battle was hard-won, leaving him broken and bleeding beneath a tree, his life slipping away.
A slender figure appeared nearby. Li Xun seemed to have expected it.
He forced a bitter smile. "So you've come at last?"
The green figure said nothing, only approached, gazing at his shattered body.
"Kill me," Li Xun said, closing his eyes. "Take my soul. It will make you stronger."
"I know. You once refused to eat souls, perhaps to follow me. But that became my sin, haunting me all my life. Now, as I lie here, take my soul. Though you broke our promise, I beg you one last time: never again cultivate with human souls, or you will meet a terrible end!"
His eyes snapped open, trying to intimidate her. But all he saw were her eyes, brimming with endless sorrow, and tears falling onto his body.
"I have never… eaten a human soul."
Li Xun awoke, his wounds healed, the fatal injuries gone. He felt stronger, more vital than before the battle.
He sat stunned, unsure why he still lived. Then his hand brushed something solid.
Looking down, he saw a branch in his lap, its tip blooming with white flowers, like the smile he once knew, stirring his heart.
A faint echo lingered in his mind.
"Wood spirits are the charm of the wood."
His strength drained, he fell back, staring at the sky, the cold wetness on his cheeks his only companion.
"Mu Hua…"
原始中文文本
日頭昏暗,暮色逐漸掩蓋.
小男孩蹲在樹下,將臉埋入臂彎,顫抖的雙肩看上去又委屈,又無助.
不遠處,一道瘦小身影探頭探腦地偷看.男孩的啜泣聲終於還是打動了他,放下了心裏的戒備,瘦小身影來到男孩身邊.
那是一個奇怪的人,他頭上的樹根彷彿就是頭髮,皮膚偏向淺綠,身上與其說是穿著樹葉製成的衣服,倒不如說是鋪滿了綠葉.
他向男孩問:「你怎麼了?」
男孩被突如其來的聲音嚇了一跳,抬頭看向聲音的來源處,竟是一名包裹在樹葉裡的奇怪身影,忍不住脫口而出道:「你是誰!怎麼長得這麼怪!」
見男孩沒有回答問題,綠色身影伸出樹枝般的手指,拭去男孩臉頰上的眼淚,並放進口中舔舐.
「你,你幹嘛!」突如其來的舉動,讓男孩嚇得一屁股坐在樹根上.
「原來這就是人類的眼淚.」小綠人卻是答非所問.
艱難嚥下口水,男孩聽出了弦外之音,驚疑不定地問:「你⋯⋯不是人類嗎?」
這一次,對方終於回答了他的問題.綠色身影木質的臉龐綻開一絲微笑,說道:「當然不是,我是木魅.」
看見木魅的笑容,男孩似乎不再覺得害怕,可是這個答案卻讓他感到好奇.
「木魅?」
「嗯.」
「那是什麼?」男孩又問.
木魅似乎有些被問倒了,歪頭思考著.片刻後,他才按照記憶裡的答案,回答男孩的問題.
「木魅就是木的魅喔!」
男孩認真思考片刻,還是搞不懂什麼是木魅.
這時候,木魅又問了:「你叫什麼名字?」
「李珣,你呢?」
「我沒有名字.」木魅老實答道.
「怎麼會沒有名字?」男孩並不相信.
「木魅就沒有.」木魅有些生氣.
「那,我幫你取一個?」李珣試探地詢問.
「好啊!那你快幫我想一個!」小綠人眉開眼笑,很是高興.
「哪能這麼快⋯⋯我得好好想想.」
男孩和木魅臉上都洋溢著笑容.天色漸晚,一人一魅嬉笑玩鬧,終究還是到了告別的時刻,彼此依依不捨,相約明日.
李珣離開樹林,回到家.
母親正在院子裡撿菜,看見李珣進門,笑著調侃道:「小調皮鬼,不鬧了?」
聞言,小男孩臉色脹紅,嘟起小嘴,一言不發朝屋裡走.婦人搖頭失笑,臉上滿是慈愛,並沒有斥責李珣的不懂禮貌.
快進屋前,李珣忽然回頭問:「娘,什麼是木魅?」
木魅二字讓婦人大驚失色,來不及多想,便反問:「你從哪裡聽來的木魅?」
她連忙一邊起身,一邊將手在衣服上抹了抹,快步走到男孩身前,氣氛的轉變讓李珣不知所措.
「我,我⋯⋯」不知道母親為何變得這麼嚴肅,男孩一時反應不過來,期期艾艾說不出一句完整的話.
察覺到自己的態度嚇著李珣,婦人俯身,盡量將語氣放得和緩,柔聲解釋道:「木魅是一種山間鬼魅,祂們會靠吸食生魂來開啟靈智.小珣,你是在哪裡聽到這個詞?」
李珣想起木魅天真的樣子,下意識撒起謊:「我是在爹的書上看過.」
少婦神色一鬆,放下心來.她捏了捏李珣的小鼻子,調笑道:「已經開始會看你爹那些山間鬼魅的書了?」
李珣推開婦人的手,揉著自己被捏過的鼻子.
「娘,我去爹的書房裡看看.」
「去罷,要看山精鬼怪的故事,可以找找『談仙書』.」婦人笑著提醒.
翌日,李珣來到樹林裡.
木魅從樹枝上跳下來,站在不遠處,笑嘻嘻的樣子將開心直接寫在臉上.
不過,這份開心並沒有維持太久,木魅臉上的表情便被困惑所取代.他看著李珣陰沉的面容,歪頭問:「你怎麼心情又不好?」
看向木魅,男孩眼中充滿複雜的情緒.他不願意相信新結識的玩伴是書中那些吃人靈魂的仙.可是,他心中清楚,書上可能會寫錯,母親卻不會騙他.
李珣在心裡糾結許久,木魅始終歪著頭,用好奇的目光注視著他.
終於,他還是忍不住問了.
「你⋯⋯會吃生魂嗎?」
出乎他的意料,木魅並沒有否認,直接頷首道:「會.柳樹爺爺就和我說過,如果我要長大,就得吃生魂.否則要等很久很久,才能慢慢變得厲害.」
李珣雙手絞住衣擺,小臉皺在一起,緊張道:「你,你可不可以不要長大,不要變得厲害?」
木魅不明所以看向他,天真地反問:「為什麼?」
李珣情急,連聲說道:「如果你要長大,要變得厲害,那就得吃人的生魂.那我們就不能當朋友了.而且,而且我也是人!」
木魅恍然大悟,對李珣露出笑容說:「好,我答應你.」
男孩聽見,馬上伸手在自己胸脯上拍了一下,引得木魅又是歪頭疑惑.
李珣解釋:「這是立約.我在書上看過,你也來拍我胸口一下,快點.」
覺得有趣的木魅,眼眸笑成了彎月,也伸手在男孩胸膛拍了拍.
「對了,我還不知道你是男是女,怎麼替你取名?」放下心中大石後,頑童心性的李珣又關心起對方的名字.
「我是木魅,哪有性別?」綠色身影卻給了這樣一個答案.
李珣驚訝道:「沒有性別?那⋯⋯有了!就叫木華!」
「木⋯⋯華?」
「對!就是木華!」
光陰飛逝,歲月如梭.數年過去,李珣隨著歲月成長,木華卻始終是孩童模樣.
兩人在林中相伴,每當少年沉浸在儒家典籍裡,孩童身影便會坐在樹梢,安靜聽他誦讀經義.
這日,已經長成翩翩少年的李珣,在樹下唸完當朝大儒所著『治國論』後,便向木華說:「木華,過幾日我便要求取功名,也許要很久之後才會回來.」
多年來,木華常聽少年朗誦儒生經典,自然明白這段話的意思.
「我能去嗎?」
「不能.雖然你未食生魂,但仙體已成.安弼不比此地,那個地方⋯⋯」李珣話未盡,卻委婉表明了意思.
木魅也聽懂了,只是默默低下頭.不日便要分離,彼此的心情都有些低落.當要道別時,木華還是用盈滿的笑臉,面對李珣那張毫不掩飾的失落面容.
「你一定,一定要考取功名,然後娶一個漂亮的公主!」祝福的話語從他口中說出,心裡卻彷彿空了一塊.
李珣被這句話逗笑了,離別的傷感也被沖淡不少.他笑著搖頭:「你啊!倒是替我想得很美.」
告別了李珣的木華,摀著胸口,蹲在森林裡哭泣.路過的柳仙看見,忍不住駐足關切,滄桑的嗓音在他耳邊響起:「槐兒啊,怎地在此哭泣?」
「我不想與李珣分別,他要去娶公主!」
「這,這⋯⋯唉!柳爺爺早告訴過你,人仙之間的愛情都是虛假,若他是個什麼都不懂的凡人小子,你倆還有可能.但他可是大儒之後,哪有儒生會正眼看待我們仙呢?」柳仙無奈嘆息.
「不是這樣,是他要上京趕考,我一想到他肯定能考上狀元,到時候,到時候⋯⋯」木華低泣道.
「哦,原來是這樣啊!哈哈哈哈,柳爺爺這是終於聽明白了,原來是我們家槐兒春天到了.」柳樹聽清始末,哈哈大笑.
「才不是!」木華羞得將臉埋進手掌,矢口否認.
「槐兒,柳爺爺問你,那李珣真有這麼好?」柳仙面容和藹問道.
「他⋯⋯」很好.木華卻羞得說不出口.
「柳爺爺知道你承諾過不食生魂,也因此無法常伴在他身邊.不過,老夫還知道一個辦法,可以讓你成長⋯⋯」
木華抬起頭,認真說道:「柳爺爺,槐兒絕不食生魂,您就別勸了.」
「不,柳爺爺不是這個意思.而是老夫近日心有所感,知道那赤霄老賊要找上門了,爺爺自知無法避過此難,若是被那雜毛打殺了,成為雜毛用於修道的材料,倒不如⋯⋯」柳仙意有所指地道.
「柳爺爺,這是什麼意思?」木華不解其意,歪著頭看向柳仙.
一年後,已經進入翰林院的李珣,搖搖晃晃地走在大街上.埋頭工作,交際應酬,在這樣忙碌的生活下,他已經逐漸忘記那名木魅.
醉醺醺的他剛從安弼最有名的青樓出來,正在尋路返家.
眼前出現一道穿著綠衣的纖細身影,讓醉眼迷忙的李珣忍不住揉了揉眼.
「李珣!」綠衣少女親暱地叫著他的名字,李珣卻認不出這是何人.
「你⋯⋯嗝,我們,認識嗎?」李珣晃著腦袋,雖然他可以立刻讓自己清醒,卻不願這難得的醉意被浪費.
「我是木華,你不認識我了嗎?」少女俏皮地笑著,原地轉了個圈.
一聽見這個名字,李珣趕忙運起文氣,讓自己清醒過來.他瞪大雙眼,看著面前的嬌俏少女,哪還有木魅那副樣子?
「妳⋯⋯」他卻沒有感受到多少驚喜,一股憤怒和後悔從心底油然升起,情緒從愕然逐漸轉向憤怒.
木華看見他臉上的表情,本來歡喜的笑容也在剎那間凝滯.
她知道李珣想岔了,急忙想要解釋:「不是你想的那樣⋯⋯」
這句話卻被怒氣衝天的李珣打斷.他大罵道:「不是?」
不等木華回答,李珣繼續大聲斥責:「說!妳害了多少人族?」
「我⋯⋯」木華被李珣這一嚇,臉色頓時慘白.他從未如此對待過她.
她想要上前安撫李珣的情緒,卻被李珣一把甩開.他拍著胸脯,擲地有聲說:「我李珣乃大儒之後,豈會和妳這等妖女⋯⋯念在舊情份上,吾今日便當作未見過妳這槐仙.快滾!給我滾!」
嚇慌了的木華,跌跌撞撞地離開.她掩著臉,不知道自己究竟做錯了什麼,為何李珣竟然不願聽她解釋一句.
這次相遇,並不像她心中所憧憬的那樣美好,反倒在兩人心中留下一道巨大的傷痕.每當深夜想起,就會被再次扯開,汩汩向外冒著鮮血.
以為是自己縱容了槐仙,害死無數平民的李珣,開始不斷除仙.他希望這個舉動可以彌補自己的過錯,也能在下次遇見時,動手殺了槐仙.
可惜,他等的那場大戰並沒有發生.槐仙木華總是避著他,偷偷跟在他身後,看著李珣殺戮群仙的身影獨自垂淚.
修為尚淺的李珣,終於迎來了強敵.
這場棋逢敵手的大戰,雖然勝了,他卻贏得無比慘烈.李珣躺在樹下,殘破的身軀不停向外淌血,止不住的創口將生機緩緩帶離.
一道纖細的身影出現在不遠處,李珣卻彷彿早知道對方的存在.
他奮力扯出一抹冷笑,問道:「終於肯出現了?」
綠色身影沒有說話,只是默默走到他身前,看著他肢體殘破的樣子.
「殺了我罷.食吾生魂,妳便能夠成就更高的境界.」李珣閉上眼.
「我知道.妳曾經不願意食生魂修練,或許是為了追隨我的腳步,但那卻成為了我的罪業,使我一生不得心安.如今我躺在這裡,魂妳拿去,雖然妳曾未遵守約定,但我最後仍然祈求妳一次.今後,莫以生魂修練.否則,終將遭逢大難!」
說到最後,他瞪大雙眼,想要以此威嚇木華.卻只看見,那雙盛著無盡悲傷的眼眸,以及滴落在自己身上的眼淚.
「我從來⋯⋯便沒有食過生魂.」
李珣醒來,身上的創口已然恢復.那些將他帶向冥府的道傷也消逝無蹤,渾身比大戰之前更有精神,也更有力量.
他楞在原地,不知道自己為什麼沒有死.神色一動,只因他察覺手上碰到了硬物.
低下頭,一截樹枝靜靜躺在他懷裡.枝頭還盛開著白色的花朵,彷彿那張曾經的笑臉,在他心頭蕩漾.
腦海裡依稀還迴盪著那句話.
「木魅就是木的魅喔.」
全身失去了力氣向後躺倒,李珣仰頭望天,只有臉頰上的濕冷提醒著他.
「木華⋯⋯」