Meng Fuyao was in a nightmarish sleep.
Her body was forced into a deep sleep, but her consciousness was restless. Deep down, she knew that she couldn't fall asleep at this moment, and the consequences would be dire if she did. She could even vaguely feel that there was someone beside her, right in front of her, struggling for her safety. That person's gaze was deep, and even though she couldn't open her eyes, she could feel it. It was as if he was looking into her soul, deep and passionate. Because of this, a fire started burning in her heart. Amidst the fear and dryness, she kept telling herself to wake up, wake up, wake up.
Hence, there were many times when she really thought that she had woken up, that she had opened her eyes and was fighting side by side with the people beside her, resisting the difficult four realms. However, her body was still in a deep sleep. Even with her strong willpower, Meng Fuyao couldn't resist the powerful divine power of the Temple Master Chang Qing.
Zhan Beiye's body was trembling slightly, his lips were cracked, and his clothes were wet and dry from perspiration. The burns were secondary, and he didn't know how long he could hold on due to dehydration. He didn't know how long he had to endure this heart-burning torment. He wasn't afraid of death. When he was young, he struggled to survive in the dark palace. When he was a teenager, he fought in the desert. When he was young, he conquered the four borders with his army. That journey of wind, frost, blood, and fire had led to more deaths than chances of survival. It was because he had always wanted to die that he could live for so long. He wasn't afraid of death.
However, such a way of dying was still beyond his imagination.
In those lonely days when he sat on the throne, he thought about how he would die out of boredom. Collapsing in some palace, being buried in some mausoleum, being posthumously named Emperor … No matter what kind of death it was, it would be so boring. Only when he thought of one way of dying would he smile. He wanted to die by her side. A white-haired old man and woman looking at each other and laughing in their respective rocking chairs. At the end of their lives, they would hold each other's hands tightly, which were full of age spots, and gently lower them together … What perfect happiness.
If he could die like that, he would be willing to exchange his life for it. However, deep in his heart, he knew that most of the most beautiful and fascinating things could only be dreams.
Now … this kind of death, alright … Although it was a little tragic, at least he had died in front of her and by her side. It wasn't much different from that dream, right?
Zhan Beiye smiled as he tried to deceive himself. He didn't think that if he was really roasted to death, Meng Fuyao wouldn't be able to escape the fate of being dragged into the fire pit and turned into ashes. To him, as long as he tried his best, life and death weren't that important. What he wanted to do was to never let her die before him!
Tongues of fire darted in and out, slowly consuming his willpower. Zhan Beiye knew that he couldn't hold on for much longer.
He lowered his head and scrutinized Fuyao's eyes. He could see that she was still struggling even though she was in a deep sleep, to the point that beads of perspiration silently formed on her forehead. That struggle made his heart ache, and he couldn't help but sigh softly.
Poor Fuyao … She didn't have many days of peace in her life. Although she was at the top of the world, she was also in pain and struggle all her life. All the glory, splendor, wealth, and riches were in her hands, but she didn't even enjoy a single day of it. How many good nights had she had in this life?
In her next life, she would be an ordinary woman. She would plough the fields while she weaved the cloth. She would pick firewood while she cooked. She would be a village woman in the mountains. Simple and simple happiness.
Of course, that village man would be me …
Zhan Beiye smiled, thinking that as long as news of his and Fuyao's deaths spread, the Five Continents would be thrown into chaos again.
Ever since he came to Qiong Cang Continent, he had already prepared himself to never return. Although Qiong Cang Continent was an independent country, it was two countries away from the Great Han Dynasty, so he couldn't bring his army to Qiong Cang Continent. Although he had brought many bodyguards with him, he had ordered them to wait at the foot of the Evergreen Divine Mountain so that they wouldn't have to risk their lives on the mountain. However, he had instructed them beforehand that if anything happened to him and Fuyao, they would leave Qiong Cang Continent immediately and borrow troops from Fufeng Ya and Lan Zhu with his handwritten letter. If they couldn't leave Qiong Cang Continent, it would be fine. Before he left, he had left a secret letter for Xiao Qi. Once he received news that he didn't send back any news within half a year, no matter who the enemy was, he would immediately send troops!
A real man should die, so how could he not take revenge?
As for how the impulsive Xiao Qi would take revenge on the other countries after his death, he didn't care. What was the point of worrying so much when he was already dead?
Before he left, he had left a letter for Ya Lanzhu. If anything happened, Ya Lanzhu said that she would take care of the Empress Dowager on his behalf. With someone taking care of his mother, there was nothing else he couldn't worry about.
His heart was burning, his entire body was on fire, and his will and soul were about to turn into burning ashes in a volcano … floating between heaven and earth.
Zhan Beiye's hand slowly loosened …
Suddenly, a small cloud floated in front of him and swept past him at lightning speed.
Zhan Beiye was stunned. In that instant, a vague thought flashed through his mind. The clouds here were slow, so why was this one so fast?
In a flash, the cloud was in front of him, pouncing on Meng Fuyao, who was on his chest, and biting the back of her neck.
When Zhan Beiye saw it clearly, his eyes lit up.
It was a rat!
Lord Yuan Bao pounced on Meng Fuyao, its big white teeth shining as it bit her neck. However, it only broke a little skin and didn't hurt her blood vessels.
Meng Fuyao immediately opened her eyes.
The saliva of the Evergreen Mythical Beast was an extremely precious item in the Evergreen Temple. It was just that it was usually wasted on nuts and desserts.
When Meng Fuyao opened her eyes, she was delighted to see Lord Yuan Bao. However, when she saw Zhan Beiye, her expression changed immediately.
Why did Zhan Beiye suddenly lose weight and become tanned?
When she saw the fire cave behind him, she immediately pounced over and pulled Zhan Beiye away, hooking Yun Hen with her leg. Lord Yuan Bao bit each of them awake. When they opened their eyes in a daze, their expressions changed when they saw the fire cave.
When they looked at Zhan Beiye, who was covered in burns, they knew that if he hadn't endured the pain of being slowly roasted by the fire, they would have all turned into ashes.
Meng Fuyao didn't have time to say anything. She pulled Zhan Beiye and quickly took the water bags from everyone to replenish his water. Zhan Beiye panted and laughed. "How lucky …"
Although he tried to speak, he couldn't make a sound. Meng Fuyao covered his mouth and frowned. "Don't speak!"
When her hand touched his lips, she felt the skin under her palm dry and prickly. When she retracted her hand, it was already stained with blood. Meng Fuyao pursed her lips, gritted her teeth, and went behind him to apply medicine. She always had all kinds of medicine on her. Ever since Zong Yue was injured by the Stupefying Arrow, she had also prepared burn medicine. Fortunately, the fire was still some distance away. Although it was more painful, it slowed down the process. Zhan Beiye wasn't really burnt to a crisp, but if Lord Yuan Bao hadn't returned in time, he would have died from dehydration.
Yun Hen took off his outer robe and handed it to Meng Fuyao. She took it and gently put it on Zhan Beiye. Forcing a smile, she said, "Your Majesty, this robe is a little small. Please make do with it."
Zhan Beiye pulled the robe, still smiling brightly. He made a hand gesture that said, 'This is probably the most gentle you've ever been to me …'
Meng Fuyao looked at him helplessly, thinking that this was how stubborn people were. They were already in such a state, yet he was still thinking about such things. She turned around and saw Lord Yuan Bao floating in the air. Only then did she have the time to be happy. "Yuan Bao, are you alright?"
Although Lord Yuan Bao looked more tidy, he was still a little tired. He nodded, then shook his head.
His life was fine for now, but the rat body was still a problem …
Meng Fuyao didn't understand what he meant and asked, "Where's the black pearl?"
Lord Yuan Bao hugged his head and thought, 'Don't ask me, don't ask me, don't ask me!'
Meng Fuyao looked at him and decided not to agitate him. She was still counting on him to save her life.
She was still sleepy and weak, but at least she was more energetic. She asked Lord Yuan Bao, "How do we get through this?"
Lord Yuan Bao climbed onto her shoulder and looked around before raising his claws to the sky.
Meng Fuyao and Yun Hen looked up at the same time, only to see a stretch of white. Clouds covered their eyes and they couldn't see the top.
Both of them looked back at him in shock. Lord Yuan Bao pointed again, and this time, Meng Fuyao used her eyesight to see the top. There seemed to be a tall mountain peak, as white as the clouds. There seemed to be something at the top, but she couldn't see what it was.
"Do we have to go up?" Meng Fuyao frowned. "Usually, it's fine, but now that we can't fly, what do we do?"
Lord Yuan Bao gave her a look that said, "You have to fly even if you don't want to. This has to be done by you humans, rats can't do it."
"If we can't fly, we'll climb. We can't stay here no matter what." Meng Fuyao held onto Yao Xun and Tie Cheng while Yun Hen carried Zhan Beiye. The entire group struggled to drag themselves along, and after a long while, they finally reached the foot of the mountain. Looking up, Meng Fuyao gasped. "Is this a mountain? Is this a mountain? "
It was straight up and down without any undulations. The rocks were as smooth as jade, and they were covered with even more slippery ice. Meng Fuyao raised her hand to touch them and was stunned. The ice was cold, but it was soft to the touch. The rocks didn't feel like rocks, but they seemed to be breathing and alive. However, they didn't have the vitality and warmth of a living body. They were soft to the touch, but they were stiff, like a dead body.
This feeling was too complicated to describe, but it was very uncomfortable. It was as if one had reached into the blanket in the middle of the night and suddenly touched a cold corpse.
In this beautiful and soft Floating Cloud Realm, the external appearance made people feel relaxed, but inside, there was a murderous aura everywhere. Meng Fuyao did not dare to lower her guard against this' mountain '. She first tried to climb up, but before she could even take a step, she slid down with a swoosh. Meng Fuyao refused to give up and used the Gecko Wall Climbing Technique to try and hold on firmly to it. Unexpectedly, that thing seemed to shrink slightly and then bounced, ejecting her out.
"Why is this thing so strange? I can't exert force at all. " Meng Fuyao muttered. The few people beside her tried, but all of them fell down. Meng Fuyao thought for a while and pulled out Sky Splitter. "Use your weapons to chisel the wall and step on the hole you dug. Let's see how it's going to be slippery."
Once the knife was pulled out, she gasped. She didn't know when the color of Sky Splitter had changed. The black knife had turned into a white knife. Its entire body was translucent, and the tip of the knife was faintly glowing with a red light. The red wasn't the usual color of blood, but tender and moist. The dark red was delicate and beautiful, like the tip of a flower bud blooming slightly.
On the knife's body, near the handle, there was a row of densely packed transparent words. The words were floating and flickering, and their shapes were strange. They looked like words, but also didn't look like words. Instead, they looked like radicals.
"Why did my knife become like this?" Meng Fuyao couldn't recall when Sky Splitter had changed. In her memory, it was still normal when she was in the Nine Underworlds. Then, she couldn't see anything in the dark territory, so she couldn't guess what had changed.
But now wasn't the time to look at the words on the knife. Meng Fuyao was stunned for a moment before she stabbed the knife into the stone wall. Her knife was sharp beyond belief. Even steel could be easily cut, let alone stone walls. She didn't expect the knife to pierce into the wall without a sound. It felt as soft as a ball of cotton. She pulled out the knife. There was only a slight mark on the stone wall. Then, under everyone's gaze, the stone wall slowly closed until it bounced back to its original state, and the mark disappeared without a trace.
Meng Fuyao was stunned for a moment. Then, she said fiercely, "I'll stab it once and step on it!" She stabbed the Sky Splitter again and climbed onto the handle of Sky Splitter. She called out to Yun Hen, "Pass me the sword."
Yun Hen tossed the sword to her side. Meng Fuyao wanted to step on the handle of her knife and climb onto Yun Hen's sword. Although it was a little troublesome to climb up step by step, it wasn't impossible.
But when she raised her hand, she realized that Yun Hen's sword was a little further away from her. She couldn't reach it with her hand. She looked again and realized that Sky Splitter was slowly sliding down.
It was as if she had cut into tofu and couldn't bear any weight. Sky Splitter slid down and dragged Meng Fuyao's body to the bottom.
When she looked again, the sword slid down as well.
Meng Fuyao pulled out Sky Splitter and looked at it. There were still no marks on the stone wall.
How was this a stone wall? It was a demon!
She tried everything, but none of them worked. Even the slightest movement in this place required ten times more energy. Meng Fuyao tried her best to resist the sleepiness and hold on to the few people who could fall asleep at any time. In the blink of an eye, a thin layer of sweat formed on her forehead.
Yao Xun closed his eyes again and floated to Meng Fuyao's side. The knife at his waist hung down and hit Meng Fuyao's back with a clang.
Meng Fuyao was stunned. Only then did she remember that she had a small bag on her back that Zhangsun Wuji had given her. There were some strange things in it, and one of them seemed to be a dagger made of a special material.
She hurriedly rummaged through it and found the dagger that was neither gold nor jade. She raised her hand and poked at the stone wall. The stone wall seemed to sense it and gave way slightly. The dagger went in, making an unusual sound. Meng Fuyao pulled it out again, leaving a deep hole in the wall.
"It's done!" Meng Fuyao was elated.
Lord Yuan Bao looked at the dagger and thought to himself that his master had actually prepared such an item. The Evergreen Wood was hundreds of years old and grew under the most dangerous cloud bridge in the Evergreen Immortal Mountain. It was said that some had been destroyed by the Hallmaster, and he didn't know when he found it.
Meng Fuyao rummaged through the bag again and found a few red pills that looked very ordinary. After taking a whiff, she felt that the smell was incomparably spicy. After thinking for a while, she fed one to Yao Xun and Tie Cheng.
After swallowing the pill, Yao Xun and Tie Cheng's faces flushed red. Tears glistened in their eyes as they choked and coughed violently. The spiciness made it impossible for them to sleep. Meng Fuyao couldn't help but laugh. Although this method didn't solve the root of the problem, it was at least a temporary way to wake them up.
She gently caressed the bag in her hand and thought about how he, whose life and death were uncertain, had started to meticulously prepare for her. She didn't know when he had started to painstakingly plan for her, but he had never said a word and just smiled calmly.
He had never looked down on her life from above and had only chosen to immerse himself in her world. Bit by bit, he had revealed his thoughts to her, reflecting the prosperity of the other side.
Meng Fuyao slowly put one of the pills into her mouth. In an instant, a line of fire shot down her throat like an arrow. Her chest and lungs burned fiercely in that instant. Amidst the earth-shattering, explosive heat, tears welled up in Meng Fuyao's eyes.
However, only she knew that those tears weren't because of the spiciness, but because of the long, silent, and soul-stirring love that had struck her in an instant.
That person's love was also like an ordinary pill. It was round and full and didn't make a sound. However, the moment she personally experienced it, it suddenly collided and scattered starry flowers in all directions, tugging at her heartstrings.
The sparkling clouds floated and her eyes were as white as snow. Where was he?
She raised her head and forced the tears in her eyes to dry up in the rising fire in her arms. Raising her head, she said, "Let's go!"
With this unique dagger, the path up the mountain was finally completed. However, the path was still difficult. The stone wall was like a living creature, seemingly sensing pain and danger. It couldn't help but tremble slightly, and the path beneath their feet was crooked. From time to time, they would fly out and pull each other back. It was both exhausting and time-consuming. Yao Xun rummaged in his bag and found a long rope. He smiled and said, "Why don't we tie them all together? It'll be safer."
Meng Fuyao praised, "It's hard for you to be so meticulous."
"I was born in Rakshasa Island and have been used to the sea since young. No matter what, I'll always bring a rope." Yao Xun patted his waist. "I still have one here."
"You've suffered a lot following me." Meng Fuyao turned around and smiled at him. "Do you regret it?"
"No." Yao Xun smiled. Yao Xun smiled. "I did something that a thief would never be able to do in his entire life. I earned money that a thief would never be able to steal in his entire life. Then, I learned that the joy of earning money can never be compared to stealing money. This is all thanks to you, Master. Without you, I would forever be a lowly person on the streets squeezing into the crowd to take money. Unlike now, where everyone respects me and calls me Master Yao when they see me."
"Don't be so sentimental." Meng Fuyao looked at the mountain and said leisurely, "You've had such an encounter in life. I didn't give you anything. On the contrary, you followed me all the way. Yao Xun, Tie Cheng, when we get out, I'll have to thank you properly."
"I've betrayed you twice." Yao Xun smiled shyly. "Once at the inn, when I saw Princess Ya, I slipped away. The second time in Yao City, when you were at your most difficult time, I wanted to escape. Mistress, I only hope you don't blame me. As for the thanks, I really don't have the face to accept it."
"Enough, why are you saying so much?" Tie Cheng's eyes were as red as a rabbit's. Impatiently, he turned around and pointed to the depths of the clouds. "It's done, not said! Follow Mistress properly for the rest of your life and never betray her again. "
"Never again." Yao Xun touched the private seal that Meng Fuyao had given him before she left. It was as if he was swearing an oath, but also as if he was saying it to himself. "Never again."
= =
Although it was difficult to climb all the way up, they were gradually nearing the peak. Meng Fuyao had a strange feeling that she was climbing someone's thigh, but she didn't know what she would touch at the top.
When she looked up, there was suddenly no road ahead.
The clouds were especially dense here, and the scene above was almost impossible to see. These things couldn't be swayed away or chased away, drifting leisurely beside her. Meng Fuyao poked her head out of the cotton flakes and saw that the peak was flat as if it had been cut by a knife. Above the peak, there was a cauldron-like object suspended, with a few long chains hanging from it. It floated like a heavy cloud on the peak.
Green smoke was burning in the cauldron, and the clouds kept drifting out. Only then did Meng Fuyao realize that the things that made people sleepy and floated straight to the fire cave were created by this cauldron.
Lord Yuan Bao pointed at the cauldron, indicating that it was where the mechanism was. Meng Fuyao looked at the huge cauldron, which was faintly emitting green smoke, and couldn't help but ask, "Are we going in? Are we going to refine it into a human pill? "
Lord Yuan Bao's eyes were filled with worry. Even if they knew that the cauldron was the key to breaking the formation, it didn't mean that they could go up and shut it down. Although it was difficult to get up, it was even more difficult to destroy the cauldron.
Most importantly, there was one thing that was needed. Like the Evergreen Wood, it hadn't appeared for many years.
The Hallmaster had really put in a lot of effort this time, sparing no effort to summon the Floating Cloud Cauldron. In the past, the Floating Cloud Realm might not have needed this thing …
"Then let's go over. I'll go." Meng Fuyao first tried to pull the chain, wanting to pull the cauldron over. Her arms had more than 500 kilograms of strength, and even if her control was poor in this strange environment, she could pull nine bulls with her full strength. Unexpectedly, the cauldron didn't move at all when the chain was slightly pulled taut.
"Let's climb over." Yun Hen handed Zhan Beiye over to Tie Cheng and climbed up the chain. The chain shook, and Yun Hen climbed over with light steps.
The first few steps were fine, but suddenly, a blue light flashed!
Yun Hen's body suddenly plummeted!
Yao Xun, who was closest to him, quickly grabbed hold of him. When he turned his head, his expression changed.
Unknowingly, a dagger had shot out from the chain, and with a blue light, it flew into the clouds and disappeared. The chain that Yun Hen had grabbed earlier had been cut, and it hung limply, causing half of the cauldron to tilt.
"Are you hurt?" Meng Fuyao didn't look at the broken chain, but looked at Yun Hen first. Yun Hen shook his head and stretched out his hand, revealing a steel wrist guard that had been cut, and it had almost cut into his wrist. He said with some relief, "The bracelet on your wrist saved your life in Ur-Hai, so I thought that my swordsmanship hand was very important, so I made a wrist guard. I didn't expect it to come in handy." He turned to look at the chain and said, "This knife is so fast!"
Zhan Beiye, who was listening from the side, glanced at the bracelet on Meng Fuyao's wrist, and a gentle smile appeared in his dark eyes.
"I can't go over this chain." Meng Fuyao frowned as she looked at the cauldron that had tilted to one side. "Even if it's fine, if I grab hold of it and break it, the cauldron will fly away. What should I do?"
Yao Xun took out a rope and tried to throw it at the cauldron, but halfway through, another blue light flashed and cut the rope.
This path was impassable again, so Meng Fuyao tried to use her True Qi to leap up again. Even though her True Qi was still there, she couldn't use it effectively. She used all her strength to leap into the air and floated a few meters away from the cauldron, unable to advance any further.
At this moment, the four people below were standing in order. They raised their heads to look at her futilely drifting just a short distance away. Yun Hen looked at her position and then looked at the cauldron. His eyes flashed and he suddenly punched Yao Xun and sent him flying.
Caught off guard, Yao Xun took a few steps back and knocked into Tie Cheng, sending him flying off the short platform. Tie Cheng was still holding onto Zhan Beiye when his shoulder tilted and he knocked into Zhan Beiye. Zhan Beiye was instantly pushed out of the platform by the three of them. His body was suspended in the air, and he saw the corner of Meng Fuyao's robe. Understanding Yun Hen's intention, he extended his arm and clenched his fist to block Meng Fuyao's boot. In an instant, the combined power of the four of them surged out from his fist and pushed Meng Fuyao forward!
Meng Fuyao borrowed the momentum of the four people's collisions and leaped forward, barely reaching one of the cauldron's legs.
Everyone was ecstatic, but the cauldron seemed to have sensed something and suddenly moved a little further away.
Meng Fuyao cursed angrily, "B * stard!"
Yun Hen, who was at the back, saw this and sent another palm through the air, layer by layer, pushing Meng Fuyao forward.
Seeing that they were about to reach the cauldron, everyone was delighted. With the rope tied to their waists, they weren't afraid of falling in the Floating Cloud Realm. Just as they calmed down, they heard Yuan Bao's shrill cry.
Following which, they turned around and saw countless arrows flying out from under the cauldron.
The rain of arrows was like a net, attacking the people in mid-air. The four of them formed a human ladder in mid-air and didn't have time to retreat.
At this moment, the rope could be broken, but Meng Fuyao was suspended in mid-air and couldn't move forward.
When Meng Fuyao turned around and saw this, she was scared out of her wits and shouted, "Break the rope!"
Tie Cheng shouted, "No!"
Ignoring the rain of arrows, he turned around and pushed Zhan Beiye forward with all his might. Yun Hen, who was still standing on the peak, desperately pulled back. At the same time, Meng Fuyao broke the rope without hesitation.
The three of them did three things at the same time. In the face of danger, their first reaction was to care about the lives of others.
Tie Cheng's push allowed Meng Fuyao to finally touch the cauldron.
Yun Hen's pull pulled Yao Xun down in a flash.
Meng Fuyao broke the rope, and at the last moment, Zhan Beiye reached out and hugged her leg.
The five of them were split into three groups. Yun Hen and Yao Xun fell to the peak, Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye hugged the cauldron, and Tie Cheng fell in the middle.
The rain of arrows was headed straight for him.
Meng Fuyao shouted, "Tie Cheng!" She raised her hand and threw the Sky Splitter.
Yun Hen, Zhan Beiye's sword, and Yao Xun's rope reached in an instant and threw the short arrows out.
In the Floating Cloud Realm, the use of True Power was not smooth, and everyone's aim was not good enough. They could not deflect the short arrows and could only change the trajectory. Many of the arrows that flew in all directions still brushed past Tie Cheng's body, causing blood to splatter everywhere.
However, there was one arrow that flew straight for Tie Cheng's back.
Tie Cheng only had time to pull out his knife in mid-air and protect his chest. Now that his body was covered in injuries, his reaction time was slow, and he could not protect his back in time.
Everyone had already used their weapons, and there was no way to save him. Meng Fuyao closed her eyes in despair.
Just as she was about to close her eyes, she seemed to see a flash of golden light, followed by a clang.
She turned around abruptly and saw a small golden beast clutching tightly onto Tie Cheng's clothes from behind. It floated up and down along with Tie Cheng, and the deadly short arrow had already been deflected away by the nine-tailed beast's steel-like tail.
Countless golden hairs fell from the sky, and Nine Tails whimpered in pain.
Meng Fuyao was overjoyed and shouted, "Nine Tails, you saved us three times! I'll reward you when we get back! "
Nine Tails wagged her tail proudly.
Although Tie Cheng's vitals were protected and he had escaped death, his body was still grazed by the short arrow. The most serious wound had pierced through his arm, and fresh blood flowed down. He endured it and did not make a sound. Meng Fuyao shouted, "Don't move, wait for me to save you!" She reached out and pulled Zhan Beiye up onto the cauldron.
The cauldron was huge and dark green in color. It was engraved with complicated patterns and could accommodate three to four people walking on it. Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye followed Lord Yuan Bao's instructions and climbed up. They saw a copper ring at the top of the cauldron, which seemed to be the entrance to the cauldron. Below the copper ring, there was a deep purple trench that was about an arm's length. A dark purple liquid flowed through it, and a dense purple mist was emitted. It looked very strange. Meng Fuyao tried tearing off a piece of her clothes and handed it over. The moment it touched the purple trench, it silently curled into a dark black powder and disappeared.
"What a powerful poison!" Meng Fuyao gasped. In order to enter the cauldron, one had to pull the copper ring. However, the poison in the copper ring was lethal. Even if one stretched their hands out faster than lightning, it was inevitable that they would be poisoned. Even wrapping their hands with cloth would not work.
"If only there was a fake hand …" Zhan Beiye said from behind.
A fake hand!
Meng Fuyao dragged the bag behind her and found the fake hand that Zhangsun Wuji had prepared. She said softly, "So this is what it's used for …"
She stretched the fake hand across the purple trench and hooked onto the copper ring. The fake hand was extremely sturdy, and before it was completely corroded by the poison, Meng Fuyao quickly hooked onto the copper ring.
With a splash, the venom poured out. The two of them dodged to the side. The venom flowed down along the engraved inscriptions on the half cauldron that was tilted. The half cauldron immediately emitted a strange purple light.
The two of them leaned against the cauldron and looked inside. It was pitch-black inside, but there was a faint red glow. Meng Fuyao said, "I'll go."
Zhan Beiye wanted to push her away, but before he could recover his strength, he was pushed back by Meng Fuyao and jumped into the cauldron.
The cauldron was slightly hot, and the center was emitting a faint red glow. The red glow reflected the strange patterns and symbols on the four sides, which looked like talismans. Meng Fuyao glanced at them and suddenly felt that the 'talismans' looked familiar. A thought flashed through her mind, and she wanted to capture it, but she could not recall what she had just thought of, so she could only throw it away.
Lord Yuan Bao squatted on Meng Fuyao's shoulder and pointed at the red glow, indicating for her to go over.
Meng Fuyao walked over and saw that in the center of the cauldron, there was something that looked like burning charcoal. The red light was extinguished, and there was a square gap in the middle. The charcoal was connected to a small smoke outlet in the cauldron, and it was obvious that the pale white smoke was coming out of this thing.
Lord Yuan Bao made a hand gesture, meaning to 'plug this gap'.
This was simple. Meng Fuyao immediately took off her outer robe, but Lord Yuan Bao shook his head.
Zhan Beiye took off the jade ornament on his waist, and Lord Yuan Bao shook his head.
Meng Fuyao then took out the silver, but Lord Yuan Bao shook his head again.
Meng Fuyao thought of the all-purpose bag and quickly flipped through the contents of the bag for Lord Yuan Bao to see. Lord Yuan Bao's eyes lit up, and he suddenly pointed at a polished rhinoceros horn.
Meng Fuyao took out the horn, but Lord Yuan Bao grabbed her finger and bit it fiercely.
Meng Fuyao let out an 'ah' as fresh blood dripped onto the horn and seeped into it silently. Lord Yuan Bao gestured for her to place the horn on the gap, and it fit perfectly.
The red glow was blocked by the horn, and after a few flashes, it dimmed.
Meng Fuyao's lips curled into a smile, and she said, "It's done …"
Before she could finish her sentence, her body was suddenly pulled back, and the dimmed red glow suddenly brightened. With a loud boom, countless crimson sparks burst out in all directions, dazzling as they flew. Wherever they landed, sizzling sounds could be heard, and a pungent white smoke rose.
Meng Fuyao's face turned pale — if not for Zhan Beiye's warning and pulling her away, she would have most likely become Meng Pockmarked because she was standing so close to the gap in joy.
A black, sticky object was blown up and landed at Meng Fuyao's feet. Upon closer inspection, it was the rhinoceros horn that was used to block the gap.
Meng Fuyao turned around and looked at Lord Yuan Bao in a daze. Lord Yuan Bao stared back at her blankly — it was indeed the horn and the blood that could extinguish the Floating Cloud Cauldron. How did he know that it was useless now?
In fact, even the slow-witted Lord Yuan Bao had realized that the 'Four Realms' were no longer the ones that the Temple used to allow people to pass through. The current Four Realms were much more difficult and terrifying, filled with hidden murderous intents that could kill people everywhere. Even the Floating Cloud Cauldron, which could be used to refine souls, had been used. It was obvious that the rules had been changed.
Since the horn was useless, what else could it be used? Lord Yuan Bao searched desperately in his mind, and something flashed across his mind. He immediately laughed at himself. How could it be? That thing had been missing for a long time …
Meng Fuyao, who was beside him, was fretting. She didn't have anything else on her except for this bag. Since the horn was useless, what else could she use to block the gap?
Unwilling to give up, she rummaged through her belongings and suddenly felt a hard object in her belt. She took it out and saw that it was a black, square-shaped object with no gaps and smooth edges. It was the object that Cloud Spirit had given her during her battle with Tiansha. At that time, Cloud Spirit had said that she had obtained it by chance and hadn't been able to figure out what it was even after decades, so she had given it to Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao had thought that it contained something good, but after studying it for a long time, she realized that it couldn't be opened at all. She had casually kept it in her belt and had also tried to dissolve it with Zong Yue's medicine. In the end, it didn't work and she had returned it to Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao had wanted to throw this cumbersome object away a few times, but after thinking that something given by Cloud Spirit would definitely be extraordinary, she had kept it with her.
Meng Fuyao held the object in her hand and looked at the gap. Her eyebrows immediately raised — the shape of the gap and the box were exactly the same!
She was only focused on studying the box and didn't notice Lord Yuan Bao's expression. Rat's eyes were already wide open and filled with astonishment.
This, this, this … Wasn't this the Floating Cloud Cauldron's missing cloud core?
The Floating Cloud Cauldron's true core, the Illusory Cloud Core, had been missing for decades. Later on, when the cauldron was used, it could be ignited but was difficult to extinguish. Every time it was extinguished, it required the Thousand Year Rhinoceros Horn and Life Blood, so it was rarely used.
Now, Meng Fuyao had actually taken out the Floating Cloud Cauldron's true key!
Lord Yuan Bao was extremely depressed in his shock. Why didn't you tell me earlier that you had this thing? If you had told me earlier, I wouldn't have been worried for nothing. If you hadn't told me, how would I have known that you had this thing …
After being depressed, he was elated. No matter what, he could finally pass this stage! Once the Floating Cloud Cauldron was extinguished, the Floating Cloud Realm would cease to exist and the array would be broken …
Lord Yuan Bao's eyes slowly widened.
Boundless fear instantly appeared in his eyes.
Floating Cloud Breaking Array — Floating Cloud Breaking Array —
The fear in his eyes was transmitted to Meng Fuyao, causing her to be stunned. When she turned around, she realized that Zhan Beiye's expression had changed as well.
Meng Fuyao's heart skipped a beat as she looked at the Floating Cloud Cauldron. Suddenly, there was a flash of light. This flash of light was like a sudden clap of thunder, instantly stunning her!
Once the Floating Cloud Cauldron was extinguished, the Floating Cloud Realm would disappear and everything would return to normal. People would no longer be able to float in mid-air!
Furthermore, they had already climbed so high!
In other words, they, who were in the cauldron, and the injured Tie Cheng, who was floating in mid-air outside, would all die the moment the cauldron was extinguished.
Fall! Fall to their deaths!
= =
In the ice cave on Sky Connecting Peak, the heavy Blue Falcon was sitting calmly on Zhangsun Wuji's chest. From time to time, it would tilt its head and peck at its feathers.
Its sharp claws gripped Zhangsun Wuji's heart tightly. When it felt the beating of the heart, it had the urge to grab it out of Zhangsun Wuji's chest and eat it while it was still beating.
In the past, it had always done so.
However, today, it could only be patient. Its master had said that it could not move its claws and could only sit on Zhangsun Wuji's chest for the night. After it was done, it would be rewarded.
It looked at the person beneath it, and the person beneath it looked at it quietly. It suddenly felt that this human was very strange. He was not like the ones it had met before. It was used to hearing the screams of humans under its claws and seeing the fear in their eyes. But now, this person's eyes were deep, wide, and had a faint coldness. It was like the boundless sea that it would occasionally see when it was flying high in the sky, which made people fascinated by it.
There was no fear, no fear, no anger, no hatred. It was as calm as the sea under a gentle breeze.
However, for some reason, it suddenly felt that if anyone treated the sea's calmness as real, they would be doomed to be drowned by the turbulent waves.
The Blue Falcon moved uneasily.
The person beneath it also moved and turned his head.
The Blue Falcon followed his gaze and its golden eyes suddenly widened.
He was actually reading!
In his palm was a long piece of silk. The person tilted his head slightly and read the words on the silk.
The Blue Falcon was furious.
It was the most ferocious bird of the Evergreen Divine Mountain. It was the Fourth Elder's most cherished falcon. Its sharp claws could split mountains and crush rocks. Its claws had killed countless powerful beings!
How could it allow someone, especially someone who was under its control, to look down on it like this?!
The Blue Falcon flapped its wings uneasily and raised its claws, wanting to claw down!
Suddenly, a low whistle came from not far away.
When the Blue Falcon heard it, it immediately understood that its master was reminding it. It could only helplessly release its claws and resentfully crouch back down.
The person beneath it did not even look at it. It was as if the life and death crisis just now did not exist at all.
The Blue Falcon's anger rose again. This proud bird could not stand being provoked again and again. Its fierce eyes flashed as it thought. Suddenly, it lowered its head very slowly.
It had to be said that this was an intelligent falcon. It knew that any sound it made would be noticed by its master and then stopped. Thus, it slowly lowered its head and silently moved closer to Zhangsun Wuji's face.
I'll peck out your eyeballs … so that you can never look at me like that again.
The falcon's head slowly lowered. The reflection of the black shadow of the ferocious bird's head in the ice cave looked very strange.
The bird's head finally landed in front of Zhangsun Wuji's face and pressed against his eyes.
The Blue Falcon proudly looked at those eyes. Which one should it peck first?
At such a close distance, it was so close that it could see that the pair of eyes were still calm and serene, without any ripples. Under the sunlight, there was a vast and boundless scene like the surface of the sea, which frightened the bird.
Then, it suddenly felt a chill on its neck.
The Blue Falcon lowered its head in shock and saw a sharp light shoot out from the man's teeth like lightning. It brushed past the fur on its neck and silently entered the ice cave. That sharp light was so fast that even its sharp eyes could not follow it. In an instant, the light gray fur on its neck, which was the weakest part of its body, flew away and scattered in the ice cave.
Just a little bit more and its throat would have been slit open.
The Blue Falcon took a step back and was about to fly away in panic.
That man's gaze swept past like a wave on the ocean and crashed into the Blue Falcon. The ferocious bird, which understood human nature, was so shocked that it spread its wings and froze.
It looked at the man's eyes. They were cold and calm. There was no warning or surging aura. There was no pride or arrogance.
That was indifference. It was the complete indifference of an expert to a challenge from an ant.
Then, he turned his head and went back to reading his book.
The Blue Falcon's wings stiffened for a long time before they slowly retracted. At this moment, it finally understood what true strength was. Even if that man was injured, weak, or restrained, he could still kill it in an instant!
He did not kill it because he felt that it was not suitable to be killed!
The Blue Falcon squatted there and retracted its ferocious aura. To ferocious birds, the only way to subdue them was to have a stronger aura. It did not come from the body, but from the heart.
The Blue Falcon even felt that its master, Fourth Elder, was a far cry from the strength and breadth of this pale-faced young man in front of it.
It retracted its ferocious aura. Only then did Zhangsun Wuji turn his eyes and glance at it. He used his eyes to tell it to retreat, retreat.
The Blue Falcon retreated.
It had already been shocked by that sharp light and by Zhangsun Wuji's calm aura. It subconsciously obeyed and retreated until it reached Zhangsun Wuji's abdomen.
Zhangsun Wuji told it to lie down.
The Blue Falcon obediently lay down and curled up its claws.
Zhangsun Wuji smiled. Mm, very good. Very warm. Very obedient.
= =
The man and bird fought silently in the ice cave, and the ferocious bird was completely subdued. King Qingluo and Fourth Elder, who were waiting at the bottom of the ice cave, were completely unaware.
"I wonder how it is now?" King Qingluo laughed softly. "Fourth Elder, your bird won't move around, right?"
"Of course not!" Fourth Elder's expression was proud. "The Blue Falcon is extremely intelligent. It is the king of birds and will only listen to my orders. If I tell it not to move, it will not move a single step."
"That's good." King Qingluo suddenly looked behind him and exclaimed, "Why does it seem like a shadow flashed past there?"
"Where?" Fourth Elder turned back to look. King Qingluo's finger moved. Fourth Elder suddenly turned back and laughed. "It is most likely your own shadow."
"Oh, right." King Jinnaruo smiled in realization. "This ice world is indeed full of shadows …" He slowly stretched and took two steps forward. "Fourth Elder, are you going to stay here? This seat wants to go to sleep. "
"The king is not here to keep watch? King Garuda specially took care of it. "
"Since Fourth Elder's bird is intelligent, it will not be a bad thing. And with you here, Elder, there is no need for me to stay. It is just a dying man. What can he do?" King Qingluo was so sleepy that he was tearing up. His speech was a little slurred. "I'm not afraid of being laughed at, but recently, King Garuda has been urging me to train day and night. It is really tiring …"
"King Garuda also hopes that your divine skills will improve to another level, so that you will have more confidence to take over the position of Temple Lord." Fourth Elder smiled. "But there is indeed no need for you to keep watch here today. Go back and rest first."
"In that case, I will have to trouble you." King Qingluo was overjoyed and bowed slightly. Fourth Elder hurriedly returned the gesture and watched as King Qingluo walked down the mountain with light steps.
King Qingluo's figure flashed down Heaven Reaching Peak like lightning, avoiding the disciples guarding the mountain along the way. When he passed by a courtyard hidden behind an evergreen iron tree, he was especially careful not to make a sound. However, his long robe was in the way. When he flew past the trees, he brushed against the tips of the grass.
It was so light that he did not even disturb the dew on the tips of the grass.
Suddenly, a voice came from the courtyard. "Who is it!"
Immediately after, Luo Wang was shocked. He quickly moved away even faster, but a figure also appeared in the courtyard. Almost at the same time as the sound, the figure who rushed out stood still at the entrance of the courtyard. He only had time to see a figure disappear into the night.
That person stared blankly, his eyes flashing. An old voice came from the courtyard. "Ah Da, what happened?"
"Just someone passing by," the middle-aged man called Ah Da replied respectfully.
The person in the courtyard did not speak, as if he did not intend to ask further. After a while, the door creaked, and the shadow of a man wearing a tall hat was reflected on the ground.
Ah Da looked back in surprise. "You … Aren't you in a hurry to cultivate …"
The man waved his hand, and Ah Da immediately shut up. The man raised his head slightly. The moonlight shone on his face. His appearance was ancient, but his skin was smooth. It was impossible to tell his exact age. It was the Temple Lord of Evergreen.
Under the moonlight, there was a slightly pale green color between his brows, like the tip of a blade of grass. Under the contrast of his bright and clean skin, it looked somewhat strange. With his hands behind his back, he thought for a while and said, "Where is Di Feitian?"
"On the Sixth Peak," Ah Da replied. "Almost the entire Mahoraga Tribe has been mobilized. King Mahoraga has asked for help several times, but I said that you were in seclusion …"
"There's no need to stop him on the Sixth Peak. The Seventh Peak should also move aside and lead him to the Eighth Peak," the Temple Lord of Evergreen said calmly. "Trap him for a while. If we can't trap him, let King Qingluo go and meet him. Haven't they been friends for a long time?"
Ah Da bowed silently, not daring to answer.
The Temple Lord of Evergreen was lost in thought for a while. Suddenly, he said, "Let's go up and take a look."
Ah Da seemed to be startled. Just as he was about to ask, "Which peak?", he suddenly understood where the Temple Lord was referring to. He immediately followed him silently.
The Temple Lord of Evergreen's pace did not seem to be fast. If one looked closely, the corners of his robe did not touch the ground at all. His gait was somewhat strange. His shoulders and neck did not move, but the corners of his robe fluttered slightly. In the blink of an eye, he was already far away.
Along the way to Heaven Reaching Peak, the Temple Lord of Evergreen did not avoid anyone at all. He directly passed by the ice cave guarded by the disciples. His pace did not disturb the dust. The disciples who were whispering in the ice cave to pass the long night did not notice that someone had just passed by. Only the disciple with the highest cultivation level looked at the flickering candlelight and said, "The wind is strong tonight. It actually blew into the cave."
The Temple Lord of Evergreen passed by silently. He frowned slightly and sighed in a low voice after a long while.
Ah Da knew what he was sighing about. The Evergreen Divine Palace looked glorious, but it was in a state of gradual decline. Originally, the Eight Kings and the Eight Elders were all complete. However, over the years, many of them died, got injured, or got into qi deviation. The better the disciples were, the faster they would wither. As a result, they could not gather enough people to be the Eight Kings. Some of them could only be held by the Elders. However, the position of the Temple Lord was noble, and the Elders were not supposed to hold the position of King of Evergreen at the same time. If they held the position of King of Evergreen at the same time, it would lead to the expansion of selfish desires and the illogical system, which would lead to a lot of problems. They would hire people, have good and bad disciples, and fill their own pockets. For example, the Fourth Elder … Now that the Temple Lord was going to ascend in one year, he was eager to hand the Divine Palace over to someone powerful and experienced in politics. This person should have been the Sacred Lord. The brilliant Sacred Lord was not at the same level as the other people in the Divine Palace. He was the undisputed next Temple Lord. The old Temple Lord had pinned the hope of the Evergreen Divine Palace on the Sacred Lord and had suppressed the Elders who had bad intentions for him many times.
Looking at the back of the Palace Master, Ada was thinking about the pale green color between the Palace Master's eyebrows. That color … that color …
Before he could finish his thought, the Palace Master in front of him suddenly stopped. Ada almost bumped into him, so he quickly stopped. Then, he saw a man looking up at the ice cave in front of him. The moonlight shone on his side profile, and a cold smile appeared on his face. It was the Fourth Patriarch that Ada had just thought of.
Why did he sneak up to the Sky Reaching Peak in the middle of the night?
Ada looked in the direction where the Fourth Patriarch was looking, and was startled. It was the Sacred Master!
The Fourth Patriarch was so bold!
He raised his head to look at the Palace Master. The Palace Master of the Evergreen Palace was standing indifferently under the moonlight. Looking at the figure in front of him who didn't notice anything, the pale green color between his eyebrows grew thicker. It was even colder than the moonlight shining down from the ice cave.
Then, he drifted over.
The corners of his pale green robe moved quickly like the moonlight, silently moving behind the Fourth Patriarch. The tip of his nose was about to touch the back of the Fourth Patriarch's neck, but the latter didn't notice it.
He was dreaming of being the Yaksha King, of controlling all the military power in the Vast Sky Realm. In that dream, he controlled the military power, and then he would find a way to kill King Garuda, subdue the cowardly King Kinnara, and finally sit on the throne of the Palace Master …
But someone suddenly said coldly behind him, "Fourth Patriarch, are you taking a walk here in the middle of the night?"
The Fourth Patriarch was shocked. He immediately turned around, but there was no one behind him. A thin and long shadow was embedded in the rock wall. That was his own shadow.
It was as if he had seen a ghost.
The Fourth Patriarch felt cold all over, not because he was afraid of ghosts, but because he recognized this voice.
He would rather hear a ghost cry than hear this voice!
"Palace Master!" He didn't even look back. Instead, he knelt down on the ground and kowtowed, "I … I … I … I'm just … practicing … practicing martial arts here …"
"Oh, what kind of martial arts does the Evergreen Palace have that you need to come to the Sky Reaching Peak in the middle of the night to practice? Transforming Jade? Rising Dragon? Jingshen Finger? " The Palace Master's voice was faint, but it still sounded behind his neck. "I remember that Fourth Patriarch's Rising Dragon Technique has yet to be completed. The so-called Sky Reaching Cold Qi might not be useful to you, right?"
"Palace Master … I-I-I …" The Fourth Patriarch couldn't form a sentence. He kowtowed desperately. With his status, there was no need for him to beg for mercy. However, the Palace Master had been temperamental in recent years, and he might be able to kill an Elder. In his panic, he couldn't care less about his face. No matter what, his life was more important.
As he kowtowed, the Fourth Patriarch clasped his fingers. This was an order to his Blue Falcon — fly away!
The Blue Falcon heard this order.
But it didn't fly away.
Because Zhangsun Wuji suddenly opened his eyes. His fingers moved, and he kept the silk in his palm. Then, he glanced over and signaled for it to come over, come over.
The Blue Falcon liked to obey the orders of powerful people, so it obediently went over. Following Zhangsun Wuji's signal, it returned to his chest.
Then, it saw Zhangsun Wuji bite his lip until it turned purple. Then, he closed his eyes.
The Blue Falcon tilted its head and looked at him in surprise. It didn't understand what this person was trying to do. Then, it heard extremely light footsteps.
Its eyes reflected the figure of the person who came. He was dressed in a feathered robe and had a tall crown.
The first thing the Palace Master saw when he entered the cave was the collapsed torture rack, the ferocious bird on Zhangsun Wuji's chest, and the unconscious Zhangsun Wuji with his purplish lips.
He stood still and remained silent. He didn't say anything, but the cold air in the cave became even colder. Behind him, Ah Da and the Fourth Patriarch both shivered.
Then, the Palace Master waved his sleeves.
The Blue Falcon didn't even have time to cry out before it was swung down from the high mountain.
At the same time, the Fourth Elder was pulled by an invisible force and flew into the ice wall. The thick layer of ice that had been frozen for hundreds of years shattered in an instant and fell to the ground with tinkling sounds. The Fourth Elder was buried in a pile of ice and vomited a large mouthful of blood.
The Palace Master didn't look at him again. He raised his finger and the torture rack slowly rose. Then, he pressed down on Zhangsun Wuji's chest. Zhangsun Wuji exhaled and said, "I'm slowly waking up."
He glanced at Palace Master Evergreen without any surprise and said in a low voice, "Master …"
The Palace Master remained silent and looked at him with his hands behind his back. After a while, he said, "Since you've suffered so much … now, have you thought it through?"
Zhangsun Wuji was silent for a long time. He was paler than the moon, but there was a determined look on his face.
The Palace Master's eyes flashed with anger. Zhangsun Wuji suddenly looked at him and said, "… Master … take care of yourself. Your complexion … doesn't seem too good …"
His words made the Palace Master's expression change. His eyes softened slightly, but he immediately regained his icy coldness. "I'm fine."
He looked at Zhangsun Wuji and said coldly, "Think carefully. Once you become the Hall Lord, none of this will happen. Don't you understand that you can kill others or allow others to kill you?"
Zhangsun Wuji smiled weakly and changed the topic. "Master … she only came to the temple to ask for help. She followed the rules. Why … do you have to kill her?"
"Your question is stupid!" The Palace Master waved his sleeves. "That woman is a demon from the heavens. She was born to be incompatible with the Evergreen Temple. The temple has the responsibility of protecting the common people. How can we allow such a demon to wreak havoc in the world?"
"Demon …" Zhangsun Wuji laughed softly. "What if … she just wants to leave? Since she just wants to leave, then why don't we just let her go? "
The Palace Master of the Evergreen Palace suddenly stopped speaking. Half of his face was hidden in the shadows of the ice cave. His expression seemed to have suddenly worn an ice mask. The atmosphere in the cave once again fell silent. This time, it was not as austere as before. Instead, it was dark and difficult to understand. It was as if many secrets hidden under the bright and grand excuses had quietly floated out through this unintentional question.
After a while, he said in a flat tone, "You should know that even though I have divine techniques and am about to ascend, there are still some things that violate the rules of the world that cannot be done. Otherwise, I will be punished by the heavens."
Zhangsun Wuji listened quietly. After a while, he sighed as if he had understood something.
"You can continue to think here, but there is only one result." The Palace Master looked at him for a while and then turned around. "Since you are so stubborn, I can't tolerate you. Otherwise, how can I convince the others? I will announce to the entire palace tomorrow that if she dies in the array, I will let you go and the position of Palace Master will still be yours. If she passes the Four Realms, I will put you to death. You can forget about being with her for the rest of your life. "
Zhangsun Wuji smiled and said, "In this life … I have never dared to dream of being … with her."
The Palace Master looked at his expression and saw that he was as calm as usual. There was no trace of regret in his tone. A look of confusion flashed across his eyes. After a while, he waved his sleeves coldly and walked down the mountain.
"You better pray that she dies in the array!"
= =
There were too many dilemmas in life, both here and there.
Zhangsun Wuji had to choose to live or die. Meng Fuyao had to choose to die by breaking the array or not.
Smoke rose in spirals from the cauldron as clouds floated out. Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao looked at each other. The method to break the array was in their hands. Lifting a finger had suddenly become the most difficult thing in the world.
If they broke the array, even if the cauldron did not fall, even if they were not afraid of falling to their deaths, what about Tie Cheng, who was still floating outside? He was seriously injured and unconscious. Once the clouds retracted, he would fall immediately. There was no way he could save himself.
If they did not break the array, in that damned sleep-inducing Floating Cloud Realm, as long as they closed their eyes, their bones would turn to dust. How long could they last?
Meng Fuyao climbed up the cauldron and looked at Tie Cheng's position. He was closer to her. After thinking for a while, she said, "Pull him over. If he falls with us, his chances of survival will be higher."
She leaned over and reached out to grab Tie Cheng. Then, she connected the two halves of the rope and injected her True Power into it. Behind her, Zhan Beiye stood beside the cauldron and grabbed her ankle. Meng Fuyao tried her best to pull him forward, but she was still a distance away.
Zhan Beiye calculated the distance and pulled her down. "Let me do it. I am taller than you." Meng Fuyao had no choice but to switch positions with him. Indeed, Zhan Beiye's fingers were about to grab Tie Cheng's collar.
Meng Fuyao saw that she was almost there and tried her best to push herself forward. She stood close to the cauldron, her collar rubbing against the sides of the cauldron. As she was too focused on Zhan Beiye's actions, she did not notice that her collar had been torn apart. More than half of the key to the Floating Cloud Cauldron that Cloud Spirit had given her was exposed.
Lord Yuan Bao, who was squatting on the other side of her shoulder, did not see it either.
"Enough!" All of a sudden, Zhan Beiye burst into laughter and grabbed Tie Cheng's collar. His physical strength had yet to recover, and he was panting heavily after just a few movements. However, his laughter was bright and cheerful. Meng Fuyao was delighted as well and subconsciously leaned forward.
"Clang!"
The Button of Floating Cloud Cauldron rolled down!
It fell towards the red glowing hole in the cauldron!
Meng Fuyao looked down and saw that her soul had scattered. She raised her hand to grab it, but it was too late.
"Cha!"
With an extremely soft sound, the Button of Floating Cloud Cauldron landed in the center of the hole.
"Bang!"
In an instant, heaven and earth turned upside down. Lights and shadows were dazzling as the wind howled fiercely. Meng Fuyao and Zhan Beiye lost their balance and fell into the cauldron together. The huge cauldron tumbled and fell. The two people in the cauldron were hit from one side to the other. Their noses were bruised and their faces were swollen. Zhan Beiye struggled to reach for Meng Fuyao and fell a few times before he managed to grab hold of her tightly. Both of them could vaguely see the green talismans on the walls of the cauldron flickering and floating slowly as if they had a life of their own. Immediately, they felt the world go silent and their hearts constricted. A loud sound shook them so much that they almost lost their hearing.
"Boom!"
Dust and smoke rose, and frost and snow flew everywhere.
Both of them fainted.
…
The sound of birds chirping could be heard from all directions, accompanied by the faint fragrance of flowers. This fragrance didn't seem to be noble and instead resembled the fragrance of rape flowers. Rape flowers were yellow in April. When one smelled the fragrance, it was as if they were back in the fields of their hometown. A huge golden carpet of rape flowers was inlaid with green spring grass and willow branches. Occasionally, the fields would be decorated with pink peach blossoms. That was the most beautiful spring scenery in their previous life. It was like a woman in an oil painting with her clothes tucked in and her eyes downcast. The beauty was simple and pure, bright and reserved.
The wind was gentle and carried the unique fragrance of April. It was like the wind that blew in through her window when she was still living in the countryside in her previous life. At that time, her mother wasn't sick and she was still in school. When it came to this season, both mother and daughter would bring simple meals and go for a walk in the spring. The place they visited the most was the rape flower field. She would play around in the rape flower field while her mother would use an old-fashioned camera to take photos of her. She didn't need to pose for anything as she could enter the scene with a raise of her hand. When they got back, her mother would develop the photos herself. At night, they would meet to look at the photos. Her mother would always smile and say, "My Fuyao, even the ghost faces are beautiful."
She would also say, "Fuyao, look at the rape flowers. Although they are unremarkable, they are beautiful and bright. In your life, no matter where you land in the future, you have to live a bright life."
Live a … bright life.
Without you, without you, there will always be a corner of my heart that is dark and heavy. Where can I go to be bright?
Meng Fuyao slowly opened her eyes and used her hand to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eyes. She was dreaming again.
Then, she got a shock.
In front of her was a huge rape flower field. Furry bristles grew on the ridges of the field and a few peach blossoms swayed in the wind.
A peach blossom landed on her face. She reached out and grabbed it. The fragrant and soft petal in her palm was really a peach blossom.
What was going on?
In her memory, she was clearly in the cold Evergreen Godly Mountain in the extreme north. She had passed the four stages of the Evergreen Realm with the cauldron falling at the third stage. Why was it that when she opened her eyes, she saw the spring scenery of her hometown?
Even the small river at the bottom of the hill and the courtyard behind the fence on the other side of the river were exactly the same.
Where was Zhan Beiye? Where was Yun Hen, Yao Xun, and Tie Cheng?
Or … did I die? Did I return to the modern world?
Meng Fuyao was ecstatic. Just as her ecstasy reached its peak, she suddenly thought of Zhangsun Wuji, whose life and death were unknown. Her smile froze on her face.
No … No … How could she abandon him and return to her starting point?
How could she bear to? How could she bear to?
In this life, she fulfilled her wish in peace. In that life, she became a burden again!
How could there be so many difficulties in one's life?
In an instant, her heart felt hot and cold. Her palms turned cold and her body went weak. She took a step back and leaned against a tree behind her.
Suddenly, the tree spoke.
"Why are you touching me?"
It was Zhan Beiye's voice.
Meng Fuyao was shocked. She turned around and saw Zhan Beiye standing behind her, looking ahead with a fascinated expression.
She stared at him in a daze. She did not know if she was disappointed or happy. Oh, she did not go back …
Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind. Her expression changed drastically. Could she have accidentally brought Zhan Beiye back to the modern world?
This thought made her tremble. She grabbed Zhan Beiye and asked, "What are you looking at? What did you see? What happened just now? "
"The Ming Quan Palace is really the most beautiful palace …" Zhan Beiye stared blankly in front of him as he pointed it out to her. "Look, this crape myrtle flower is the best. It takes the longest time to bloom every year. Imperial Mother loves that flower. Every time I wash her hair, I'll place a basin under it. When the petals fall into the basin, her hair will be stained with the fragrance of the crape myrtle …"
Meng Fuyao listened in a daze. The more she listened, the more her hair stood on end. She turned to look at Zhan Beiye. His smile was bright and his eyes were sincere, without a hint of a joke. Meng Fuyao suddenly felt a chill in her heart. Although it was a warm April day, it still made her shiver.
"Crepe myrtle flower …" she muttered absentmindedly.
"Yes, it smells good, doesn't it?" Zhan Beiye smiled happily, his eyes shining with joy.
"The Bright Spring Palace …" Meng Fuyao's voice was almost moaning.
"Yes." Zhan Beiye pointed to a place for Meng Fuyao to see. In her eyes, that direction was the river of her hometown. "The Bright Spring Palace is the palace where Mother and I have lived for the longest time. I grew up there since my childhood. Look, at the corner of the palace, there are words I carved with a knife …"
A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Because in that instant, he seemed to have suddenly seen him bring a basin of water in front of the corner of the hall, under the crepe myrtle flowers. Fu Yao rolled up his sleeves and washed his mother's hair. Fu Yao was clumsy and water splashed out. The two looked at each other and smiled …
"You didn't see the rape flowers?" Meng Fuyao did not give up. "And the river … peach blossoms … small house …"
"What rape flowers and peach blossoms? What's with that look? It's the crepe myrtle flower!" Zhan Beiye was a little unhappy that she had interrupted his beautiful dream. He turned to look at her reproachfully.
That look made Meng Fuyao feel dizzy again.
She had seen many strange things along the way in the Five Continents, but this was the strangest thing. Two people in the same place. How could they see two different scenes?
Suddenly, she thought of Lord Yuan Bao and Tie Cheng. She looked around but did not see Tie Cheng. Instead, she saw Lord Yuan Bao standing in a row with them, looking ahead with infatuation.
That stretch of snowy mountains was so beautiful …
Mother's embrace was so warm …
But why was that embrace slowly turning cold?
It tried its best to snuggle into that embrace, trying to find the first warmth of its bloodline and life. However, the pair of claws that were hugging it gradually loosened.
The Evergreen Mythical Beast, which gave birth once every hundred years, did not need to mate. It only needed to find the Nine Aperture Fruit at the peak of the Evergreen Mythical Mountain's Wind Abyss to give birth to the next generation.
With the next generation, the previous generation's mission would end.
It knew that its birth meant its mother's death. It was a fate that the Evergreen Mythical Beast could never escape. It would forever be an orphan.
That long hundred years, ah, from now on, it would spend it alone …
It hugged its mother, who was cooling down, and buried its head in her embrace for a long time.
Suddenly, a fat black shadow dashed over and held it in its arms. It replaced its mother's embrace and made a gesture of wanting to feed it milk …
Ah! That old immortal, the abnormal species that appeared among the Evergreen Mythical Beast's descendants. That abnormal, crazy female rat that broke the rule of the Evergreen Mythical Beast's birth every hundred years!
"Squeak!"
The appearance of the black pearl was akin to the birth of a demon from a beautiful dream. In an instant, it woke Lord Yuan Bao up from his daze.
It raised its head and met Meng Fuyao's shocked black eyes. It then thought embarrassedly, 'Really, the Sky Region is so powerful that it almost trapped a local rat like me.'
Lord Yuan Bao quickly climbed onto Meng Fuyao's shoulder and grabbed her ear, squeaking loudly. How could Meng Fuyao understand what it was saying? But in an instant, she understood.
This was the Sky Region.
The last realm of the four realms.
In one's imagination, the Sky Region should be like Yunfu. Floating clouds, shining brilliantly, high up in the sky, pavilions, palaces, and fragrant flowers, it should be like the Heavenly Court.
However, it was not.
The Sky Region was in one's heart.
The place that everyone yearned for the most and was reluctant to part with was heaven.
The place where one's heart was at peace was their home. The place where one yearned for the most was the Sky Region.
Just like how she saw her hometown when she was young. Her mother was not sick and she was carefree. They went for a walk together in the most beautiful April day. It was the most stable and beautiful childhood in her previous life.
Just like how Zhan Beiye saw the Bright Spring Palace. Mother and son depended on each other for survival and lived in a secluded corner of the palace. Back then, he was still a teenager and his talent had yet to be revealed. He was not a thorn in the side of the palace and had yet to begin his life of danger. He was washing his mother's hair under the wisteria tree.
"Zhan Beiye," Meng Fuyao said slowly after a long silence. "What I see is different from what you see."
Zhan Beiye was someone who had experienced many storms. Although he was immersed in it, he immediately turned his head and narrowed his eyes. "Is there a trap?"
"This is the last realm." Meng Fuyao sighed. "Although I can't tell what's wrong with this realm and where the danger lies, I feel that something is definitely wrong."
Zhan Beiye thought for a while and passed the item in his hand to her. Meng Fuyao looked at it and was stunned. "Ah, our weapons. How did you get them back?"
"When the cauldron fell, my hand was shaken loose. Then, I suddenly saw our weapons flash before my eyes. I grabbed them in a daze." Zhan Beiye's expression darkened. "I'm sorry, I didn't manage to grab Tie Cheng …"
Meng Fuyao was silent. She knew that even she could not grab them under such circumstances, let alone the injured Zhan Beiye. It was already a great fortune to be able to grab them back. However, she did not know what happened to Tie Cheng after the Floating Cloud Cauldron was destroyed. Also, would Yun Hen and Yao Xun be implicated on that strange peak …
The unknown life and death of so many people weighed heavily on her heart, like a heavy object that made her ache faintly. However, she had always been on the move and had no time or opportunity to wallow in sorrow. She had to move forward. Only by moving forward and surviving herself could she have the opportunity to save more people.
So many people had sacrificed everything for her. What reason did she have to not work hard?
"Are you tired? Rest first, we'll think of something. " Meng Fuyao reached out to help Zhan Beiye. She lifted his shirt and took out some medicine. "Let me see if I should apply more medicine …"
Her voice suddenly stopped, and her eyes slowly widened. Gradually, a deeper darkness appeared in her jet-black eyes. That darkness was the despair of realization and the shock of speechlessness.
The wound on Zhan Beiye's back suddenly faded!
Originally, there was a large patch of red blisters. After the medicine was applied, the blisters began to fester and shrink, causing white foam to appear. However, the redness on the skin was still there. Now that she had applied the medicine and looked at the wound again, the blisters had disappeared, leaving only a faint white scar. The redness and swelling on the skin had also subsided.
That wound was actually half-healed!
However, she had personally applied medicine for him and clearly saw it. How could it have recovered in the blink of an eye?
Meng Fuyao was well aware of the time needed for burns and burns to heal. Back when Zong Yue was injured by the Stupefying Arrow, she had personally taken care of him. At that time, Zong Yue's back had an insulated layer of skin, and the blisters would only heal after more than ten days. Even if Zhan Beiye was an unkillable cockroach, it was impossible for him to heal to this extent. This was completely against the natural laws of the human body.
Could it be that they had been unconscious for more than ten days when the cauldron fell?
That was impossible.
Meng Fuyao was well aware of her own body. Although she was exhausted, she was not at the point of exhaustion. Given her and Zhan Beiye's strength, how could they have been unconscious for more than ten days? They would have starved to death.
She looked at Zhan Beiye's back in shock. Zhan Beiye did not know what she was looking at. As long as he was with Meng Fuyao, he would be in a good mood and did not care about where he fell. He could not help but joke, "Hey, are you obsessed with my body? Why don't I lend it to you? "
Meng Fuyao punched him in annoyance and kept the medicine before sitting aside angrily. Zhan Beiye cried out, "I'm injured! You clumsy woman! "
After saying that, he felt that something was amiss. The injury on his back had been hurting, but after being punched by Meng Fuyao, there was only a slight pain. What was going on?
He turned to look at Meng Fuyao with a solemn expression.
"I think …" Meng Fuyao looked at her nails. Her nails had always grown quickly. She had cut them when she had just entered the country to make it easier for her to fight. Now, her nails were much longer. "How much time has passed since I punched you just now?"
Zhan Beiye understood what she meant. His gaze trembled. After a while, he said, "Or you can put it this way. How long do we have left?"
Meng Fuyao hugged her knees and looked at the rapeseed field on the opposite shore. Heaven Domain, Heaven Domain. A day in heaven was a thousand years in the human world.
They were obsessed with the Heaven of the Heart. Every minute and second they spent here could be a day, ten days, a month, or even a year in the outside world. What kind of earth-shattering changes would happen in this period of time?
What was worse was that as time sped up, the body's metabolism and aging seemed to speed up as well. In other words, in this intoxicating Heaven of the Heart, there was no need to kill them. They just had to wait for them to die.
Wait for them to die of old age.
A dream, a dream.
"We can't just sit here and wait for death." Meng Fuyao pulled Zhan Beiye up. "We have to think of a way to break the array."
She looked at Lord Yuan Bao with a questioning gaze, but he looked back at her blankly. In the past, the Heaven Domain only had the Illusory Heart Technique to lure people to their inner demons. The most obsessive thing in the world was the inner demons. They could go through thousands of mountains and rivers, but they couldn't overcome their own hearts. There was no specific way to break through this hurdle, and it all depended on one's willpower.
He thought that Meng Fuyao had the willpower and didn't have to worry about this last hurdle. However, the Heaven Domain had changed again. It seemed to have been summoned by the Hallmaster with a divine spell, superimposed on time, or brought into the Immortal Realm with a space-time shift. In any case, it had no experience this time.
Meng Fuyao patted it and said in relief, "Poor rat. Fortunately, your lifespan is the same as a human's. Otherwise, I might be looking at your corpse now."
Lord Yuan Bao imagined his own corpse, and his hair stood on end …
"Ah, the cauldron is still here." Meng Fuyao walked around and suddenly saw the Floating Cloud Cauldron lying in the mud behind the fence. She said in shock, "You destroyed the fence …"
"Yes, you destroyed the flower rack in the backyard of the Bright Spring Palace …" Zhan Beiye echoed in pity.
Meng Fuyao's mouth twitched. She didn't want to continue this strange conversation. She took a few steps forward, and suddenly, her vision blurred.
In a daze, she saw flashes of light and shadows, and countless floating and shining green words that looked like talismans.
Meng Fuyao was stunned. She looked again and saw that the cauldron was still the same. There was nothing strange about it. She asked Zhan Beiye, "Did you see anything just now?"
"No."
Meng Fuyao's vision swayed again, and the talismans floated past her. She looked at them and memorized them, hoping that they would be useful in the future.
"The cauldron smashed a hole?" Zhan Beiye suddenly moved the cauldron aside. "Look."
There was indeed a hole behind the cauldron. The strange thing was that the hole was actually facing upwards.
"Don't tell me this is the way to the Immortal Realm?" Meng Fuyao forced a joke. "Look, although the scene in our eyes is different, the hole behind the cauldron is the same."
"Let's go in and take a look." Zhan Beiye looked around. They had already explored the entire area. The Bright Spring Palace was boundless, and the rape field was boundless. They couldn't find any place to break the array. Only the cave in front of them seemed to be an opportunity.
Although he knew that the opportunity might be the opportunity to kill him, it was better than waiting anxiously for him to grow old in the same way forever.
"Squeak, squeak!" Lord Yuan Bao suddenly shouted and rushed over to stop them.
"Can't we go?" Meng Fuyao squatted down. Lord Yuan Bao hesitated. It also felt that this was an opportunity, but all opportunities in the Four Realms were filled with fatal dangers. Going there would only lead to death.
Meng Fuyao understood the look in its eyes. After a moment of silence, she said, "I don't want to die of old age here, and I don't want to see you grow old and die in front of me. At most, I'll die a quick death. It's better than being cut by a soft knife."
"Yes! If we're going to die, let's die a quick death! "Zhan Beiye strongly agreed. He pushed Lord Yuan Bao aside and strode in first.
Meng Fuyao followed behind, and Lord Yuan Bao followed helplessly.
The stairs were very narrow, allowing only one person to climb. This place gave off a feeling of the Heavenly Domain. There were clouds in all directions, making it impossible to see the surrounding scenery. The tall and straight stairs went all the way up, as if they extended into the horizon.
Meng Fuyao sighed. "It's so high …"
Zhan Beiye said, "It's a flat path."
The two of them looked at each other and instantly understood. The scenery on both sides of the Floating Cloud Cauldron remained the same. After leaving the Floating Cloud Cauldron, the scenery in their eyes separated again.
The more Zhan Beiye walked, the hotter he felt.
He was walking through the long and serene corridor of the Bright Spring Palace. The long corridor was covered with a thick layer of gauze, and it was as warm as spring. This long corridor led to his mother's bedroom. His mother, who was weak, couldn't stand the wind, but every time he walked, he would feel the heat rising from the floor.
Meng Fuyao felt colder as she walked.
The ground was covered in sparkling snow, and the craggy rocks in all directions were covered in ice. The wind at the peak of the mountain was howling, and it was as if ice blades were cutting her heart. She could vaguely see the peak of the mountain in the depths of the clouds. Meng Fuyao tightened her clothes and circulated her energy to resist the devastating icy wind. How could anyone stay in such a place? This wind, even this wind, could kill someone.
Her steps became slippery as she walked. At this point, she was already close to a thousand feet high. Looking up, she could vaguely see a hole in the mountain peak through the howling wind and snow.
An ice cave.
When Meng Fuyao saw the hole, she felt a pang in her heart. In a daze, the familiar pain of seeing fresh blood on the snowy ground that day surfaced once again. It was even colder than the icy wind that pounded on her heart. She shuddered and was stunned under the ice cave.
The corner of her robe moved slightly. Meng Fuyao looked down and saw Lord Yuan Bao tugging at her robe, hinting for her to leave.
Meng Fuyao, on the other hand, had already thrown away the warning of "listen to Ingot's guidance if you encounter a difficult situation". She could consider and hesitate on other matters, but at this moment, her heart was pounding and the blood in her body was surging. She wanted to tell him a question that had been troubling her for a long time. How could she give up now?
Patting Lord Yuan Bao, she turned around and climbed up without hesitation.
The wind and snow covered her face, and the glacier was upside down. There was no platform at the peak, only an ice cave. It looked like a huge eye of a needle, passing through 90,000 miles of unbridled wind.
Meng Fuyao reached the ice cave and wiped away the snow that hung on her eyelashes. She thought to herself that whoever stayed in this damned place wouldn't survive more than a few days.
After wiping away the snow, she looked up.
Then, she suddenly froze.
She froze there like an ice sculpture.
Opposite her, in the middle of the ice cave, there was a man in a light purple robe nailed to a tall rack. Four dazzling golden nails pierced through his wrists and shoulders, nailing him firmly to the rack. His front and back were facing the incessant blows of the icy wind that were as sharp as knives. The fresh blood on the rack and the chains had condensed into layers of blood-red ice, forming a ghastly sight. The man's black hair draped over his shoulders, and his head was slightly lowered. His face couldn't be seen clearly, and only a snow-white forehead could be seen.
That was … that was …
Meng Fuyao's entire body began to tremble. At first, it trembled lightly, but then it became more intense and frantic. The ice and snow that fell from her body clashed with each other due to her trembling, producing a soft clanking sound. The sound made Meng Fuyao feel as if all her bones and blood were freezing, stiffening, colliding, vibrating … shattering into a thousand pieces, her blood filling the sky!
"Wuji!"
She suddenly let out a blood-curdling scream and sprinted madly.
She sprinted so quickly and fiercely that even with her supreme martial arts, she couldn't control her body. The moment she leaped up, her knees hit the ice cliff, causing blood to spurt out. The dripping blood was frozen by the icy wind and instantly turned into blood ice, which was then shattered by Meng Fuyao's intense movements.
Stepping on her own blood, she pounced forward, using the fastest Qinggong she had ever used in her life.
A white shadow flashed, and Lord Yuan Bao pounced out to block her path. With a turn of her head, she had already passed him like a ghost.
A black shadow flashed, and Zhan Beiye pounced over as well.
Just now, when he was walking towards his mother's bedroom in his hallucination, he could vaguely hear sounds of struggle and the sound of tearing and shattering.
His heart pounded, and just as he was about to lift the curtain to take a look, he was suddenly awakened by Meng Fuyao's abnormal behavior behind him.
His fingers that were lifting the curtain immediately fell, and he turned around to block Meng Fuyao.
Meng Fuyao's early outburst had prevented him from lifting the curtain. Otherwise, he would have seen his own mother being raped by his father.
Because he didn't see it, Zhan Beiye was still conscious. He moved quickly, blocking Meng Fuyao's path with his long sword. Without hesitation, he struck her knees with the sword hilt.
Meng Fuyao leaped up to avoid it, but she still dashed in that direction, shouting, "Wuji! Wuji! "
In the ice cave at the top of the mountain, Zhangsun Wuji, who was on the verge of death, seemed to have heard her call and suddenly raised his head.
The corners of his mouth were stained with blood, but he still smiled at her.
Meng Fuyao's heart ached so much that her vision turned black, and she almost fell. She pounced towards the icy wind and shouted, "Wait for me, I'll save you, I'll save you …"
Zhangsun Wuji smiled faintly, his lips moving as he said something.
Meng Fuyao couldn't hear what he said, but she was still fighting with the icy wind and Lord Yuan Bao, who was trying to stop her. She desperately ran in that direction. "I'll save you! I'll save you … "
On the opposite side, Zhangsun Wuji seemed to have finished his sentence, and he let out a sigh of relief.
Then, he gently lowered his head.
A faint breath of hot air silently dissipated between heaven and earth.
"Cha —"
Meng Fuyao seemed to have heard the sound of life breaking.
Or was it the sound of her heart breaking in an instant?
With a bang, she fell from mid-air and landed heavily on the ground. Her body was covered in injuries, but she didn't feel pain. She only stared blankly at the center of the ice cave, at the person who was no longer breathing.
Wuji … Wuji …
"Ah!"
She suddenly raised her head and screamed.
That cry was heart-wrenching, blood-sobbing and sorrowful, like black lightning and ashen hazy clouds, surging in the gloomy blue dome of heaven in an instant as the whirlwind swept through the snow. Wherever it passed, the skin and flesh of the high heavens were lacerated, plowing out the bloody earth of heaven!
Amidst the screams, she suddenly heard the last sentence.
"I'm willing to die for you."
Die for you, die for you, die for you …
Die for me, die for me, die for me …
Who died for whom, who died for whom, who died for whom, who died for whom …
Who deserved to die, who deserved to die, who deserved to die …
Countless voices surged from the distant sky like a great bell, rumbling into her ears. Over and over again, they struck her consciousness, which was on the verge of collapse and madness, reminding her over and over again: Die, die, die, die, die …
Sinner, sinner, sinner, sinner …
Meng Fuyao suddenly leaped up.
With a flick of her hand, the Sky Splitter left a trail of red light in the air, heading straight for her throat!
She wanted to kill!
Kill the sinner!
"Clang!"
The sword and saber clashed, creating a trail of sparks in mid-air. Meng Fuyao slapped the saber back, aggressively forcing Zhan Beiye to retreat, and then stabbed her own heart!
"Clang!"
Once again, the crimson sword blocked the saber. Meng Fuyao was enraged. At this moment, her entire body and mind were immersed in the soul-destroying sound of the great bell, and her consciousness was on the verge of collapse from the tragic death of Zhangsun Wuji. She swung her saber wildly, each move aiming for mutual destruction — whoever stood in her way would die together with her!
She was in so much pain that she had lost control, but Zhan Beiye was still conscious and could not kill like Meng Fuyao. Both of them were originally evenly matched, but now, Zhan Beiye was retreating step by step. If he was not paying attention, Meng Fuyao's saber would sweep over and cut a bloody wound on his knee.
Blood splattered everywhere, and the blood seemed to have stimulated Meng Fuyao even more. She immediately swung her saber back to kill him, but Zhan Beiye did not care about his injuries and blocked her again. The two of them tangled together in a fierce battle. Amidst the bright crimson saber and sword, Zhan Beiye's body suddenly tilted, and another wound appeared on his waist.
Frowning slightly, Zhan Beiye's ambition suddenly turned cold.
At this moment, Fu Yao could no longer be stopped. He could not be ruthless to her, nor could he really fight to the death with her. However, Fu Yao was too strong. If this continued, he would die first, and then she would die.
He was not afraid of death and did not think that dying together with Fu Yao was a bad thing. However, he did not want Fu Yao to die so crazily. Her eyes were bloodshot, and it was obvious that she was immersed in the most painful nightmare in the world. It was too cruel for her to die with such a nightmare.
Hearing her call out Zhangsun Wuji, her heart must be filled with him, right?
Her heart was infinitely broad, and she could only accept the love between the two of them.
Zhan Beiye smiled bleakly. There were some things that he was unwilling to give up, but there were some things that he already knew. At first, he wanted to fight for it, but later on, he suddenly understood that for someone like her who could not bear the burden, fighting fiercely would only cause her to distance herself further.
Later on, persistence was no longer called persistence. It became a habit, a responsibility, and the most common continuation of eating and sleeping. This continuation was deeply ingrained in his blood and bones, and he could no longer give it up.
Wasn't it just death?
If someone died in front of her, it should be able to wake her up, right?
If … if there was still a place for him in her heart, then his death should be able to wake her up, right?
Zhan Beiye suddenly stopped, turned around, and stuffed his sword into Meng Fuyao's hand.
Meng Fuyao was swinging her knife ferociously when a sword suddenly appeared in her hand. She paused in shock and heard the man opposite her say,
"From life to death, my sword will be with me."
Meng Fuyao swung her sword over.
"Therefore, the moment I hand my sword over to you, my life is also in your hands." Zhan Beiye did not move and did not give way.
Meng Fuyao trembled, and the sword in her hand stopped abruptly. Her fingers trembled slightly as she vaguely recognized this sentence amidst the chaos and noise.
"You can't refuse it." Zhan Beiye did not look at the tip of the sword, only at her. His tone was calm and domineering as usual. For someone with a heart devil, soft words were useless. He could only use a stronger aura to suppress her.
"Otherwise, this sword of mine will pierce through your chest and into the land of the Five Continents, never to return." Meng Fuyao trembled again.
Land of the Five Continents … Land of the Five Continents …
With one person's death, the blood of the masses …
The tip of the sword in her hand shone brightly under the reflection of the snow, swaying with a faint blood-red glow. That was Zhan Beiye's blood. The tip of the sword had already pierced into his flesh, but he did not give in and continued to press forward. He even took a small step forward, causing the blood to flow faster and more blinding.
"Kill me."
Meng Fuyao subconsciously took a step back.
The ferocious yelling was still ringing out, causing her head, which was already suffering from headaches, to feel like it was about to explode. However, the familiar sonorous tone and familiar domineering words in her ears vaguely told her that this person was also not to be harmed.
A hint of joy flashed across Zhan Beiye's eyes. He took another step forward, and Meng Fuyao retreated again.
"Aren't you going to kill me?" Zhan Beiye looked at the blood flowing from the tip of the sword. His gaze deepened. "Then … let my sword pierce through your heart."
He suddenly made his move!
Pinching the tip of the sword in his chest with his fingertips, Zhan Beiye followed the direction of the sword and aimed the hilt at Meng Fuyao's major acupuncture point on her chest.
First, he would seize her momentum, then restrain her body.
The perfectly round hilt made a harsh sound as it struck out. Zhan Beiye did not hold back at all.
Fuyao was originally strong, and it was not easy to seize her will. If he missed this chance, there would not be another one.
When the hilt of the sword collided, Meng Fuyao, who was still in a daze, subconsciously tilted her body and flipped over. Her reflexes were exceptionally sharp, far exceeding her usual self.
With a flip in mid-air, the ice cave suddenly swooped down from the sky and crashed into her eyes. The blood-stained gallows and pale faces entered her mind in an instant. With a loud cry, she crashed out of the cave with a loud bang.
She did not know what she crashed into, but the bag behind her was scattered all over the place. Meng Fuyao vaguely saw a small blood jade lotus floating in the air. In that instant, she vaguely thought, 'When … did this lotus come back?' 'Could Zong Yue have stuffed it into my sleeve?'
As the lotus rose, the sound of the wind intensified and the chill receded. A large number of white flowers, black, yellow, and red lights flashed past, forming a gorgeous line. Amidst the whistling of the wind, there was a faint chanting that sounded like Sanskrit. The morning bell and evening drum sounded, and the four seas churned. Gradually, a pale green light of talismans appeared in front of her eyes. These talismans floated in the red light of the blood jade lotus. Following which, her 'Sky Splitter' also slowly floated up. As the light turned, transparent words appeared and corresponded with the talismans.
She could vaguely hear a low voice muttering in her ear. The low voice reverberated back and forth, floating in the light.
"My love, return today."
= =
Return …
Meng Fuyao closed her eyes and sank into darkness.
When she opened her eyes, it was still dark.
He did not know where he was, did not know where he was, did not even know if he was alive or dead.
Her surroundings were so thick that she couldn't even see her own fingers. She could vaguely feel that her body was floating, like the feeling in the Floating Cloud Realm, but it wasn't like the feeling in the Floating Cloud Realm where her limbs were disconnected. She only felt that she was very light and agile, like a feather floating between heaven and earth.
However, it was precisely this lightness, this feeling of not being able to touch anything and not being able to get close to anything that made her feel despair. She was dead. She was definitely dead. Not only was she dead, her soul seemed to have been banished to the eighteenth level of hell, never to be reincarnated.
At the thought of floating alone in this boundless darkness, Meng Fuyao felt that she might as well die again to see if she could die more thoroughly.
She went to look for her knife.
However, it was gone.
'Ah … That's right. Once I become a spirit, how can mortal weapons kill me?'
Meng Fuyao's eyes were wide open, and her mind was in turmoil. The heart-wrenching scene from before surged into her mind once more. She closed her eyes instantly and pressed her hand on her chest, trying to stop the sudden, intense pain.
The scene in the ice cave was so vivid that it seemed real. Her intuition told her that it was not an illusion. It was real, it was real …
She found it difficult to breathe at this thought. Her hands and feet turned cold. She reached out and hugged herself tightly from the cold.
Her surroundings were extremely dark and silent. It was so quiet that it was like a vacuum. There was not even a hint of life or sound. Meng Fuyao knew that this terrifying silence and absolute darkness was extremely dangerous. It could trigger the darkness and madness in the depths of one's heart. If she stayed in this state for too long, even if she did not go crazy, she would die.
She did not want to go crazy and die after being tortured by this silent and unresponsive darkness.
This eternal darkness, this lightless night, this life of blood and tears … She was tired, really tired …
There was a constant ringing in her ears. There were people constantly murmuring in her ears, "Why don't I go back? Why don't I go back?
Why don't I go back?
Just let it go. "
She could not get out and did not want to get out. Life was too bitter. Escaping with one's life required so many lives to pave the way. Why, why?
Meng Fuyao sighed softly and directed her Qi to her heart meridian.
If it broke, it would be over. She would not have to suffer anymore and would not be a burden to others.
Her True Power surged towards her heart meridian without hesitation.
Suddenly, a wisp of green smoke floated in front of her.
Meng Fuyao was shocked and stopped her True Power. She looked ahead carefully and saw a wisp of smoke rising in spirals. It was obviously a firework.
The smoke was faint and could not illuminate anything, but it instantly brightened her gloomy heart.
So … there was still someone here.
So … she could still see the smoke of the mortal world.
So … this darkness was not unbreakable. She did not have to be driven crazy by this absolute darkness anymore.
The smoke of the mortal world looked so lively. It floated and lingered in the air, changing into various shapes. Meng Fuyao stared at it in a daze. She had never realized that smoke could be so beautiful.
She did not know where the smoke came from, but she immediately pulled herself together and retracted the True Power that was pressing towards her heart meridian.
She had not reached her most desperate moment yet. Even if she had, she should not kill herself. She wanted to get out, she wanted revenge. She had not fulfilled her responsibilities and the road ahead was not complete. What reason did she have to kill herself in the middle?
As she retracted her True Power, she suddenly felt something strange in her body. Many words appeared in her mind. These words seemed to be cultivation techniques, and they were somewhat familiar. She thought for a while and suddenly remembered the strange scene before she fainted.
She remembered that moment when green talismans appeared around her. Then, her 'Sky Splitter' floated as well. The symbol on the 'Sky Splitter' lit up and connected with the talismans … No, it was not a talisman. It was obviously a word!
It was the other half of the word!
And the word on the 'Sky Splitter' was a side division!
When these two things were put together to form a word, it was a cultivation technique!
In that instant, she recalled that when she entered the Floating Cloud Cauldron and saw the 'talismans', her heart was moved. But she could not recall why. Now she understood. When she first saw half of the word on the 'Sky Splitter' and then the 'talismans', she had actually linked the two things together. It was just that she had not been able to grasp it at that moment.
The moment before she fainted, those words were combined under the refraction of the light. It was extremely clear as it swept past her mind. It was fleeting, but it was deeply engraved in her mind. She could not forget it even if she wanted to.
What was even more amazing was that when she recited the cultivation technique in her heart, she felt that it was similar to Da Feng's book that she had fished out from the sea. Many parts of it could be compared with each other. Some of the questions that had been in her heart in the past were now easily solved.
Meng Fuyao's spirit was lifted. She sat cross-legged and started cultivating. Before she started, she looked up at the smoke gratefully.
This wisp of smoke was too important to her.
When she was at her coldest, most tired, and most desperate moment, when she was invaded by her inner demons, this smoke was like a pair of light, soft, and warm hands that saved her.
She cleared away all distracting thoughts and focused on cultivating. She did not know the time, nor did she want to know. Every once in a while, she would look up and take a look in front of her.
The smoke was intermittent, but it never stopped.
This smoke was like a signal, a signal that said 'I'm here, I'll wait for you, I'll accompany you'. It supported Meng Fuyao to persevere in that empty and terrifying darkness and focus on her own things.
This smoke made her feel that she had not been abandoned by the world and that she would never be alone. Even if fate tortured her, the smoke was invisible, but it was where her hope lay and her spiritual support lay.
In the darkness, Meng Fuyao felt that her body was getting brighter and brighter. The flow of True Qi, which originally needed to pass through her meridians, was now everywhere in her body. In the depths of her energy center, where the True Qi was constantly circulating, a small lotus flower vaguely bloomed. It was warm and clear, blooming gracefully in her energy center.
That lotus flower … was like the flower in Wuji's palm.
Meng Fuyao's heart ached at the thought of this, and she hurriedly reined in her thoughts. Before her cultivation technique was completed, she did not dare to indulge herself in Qi Deviation.
After an unknown number of days, Meng Fuyao opened her eyes one day and instantly felt that the world was bright.
She was elated, thinking that she was free. When she looked again, it was not her surroundings that were bright, but her hands.
Her palms were originally jade-white, but when she activated her True Qi, they became slightly transparent. The tips of her fingers were still red, and her ten slender fingers were tender red at the tip, looking like ten beautiful petals.
She activated her True Qi, and her body suddenly sank slowly. Her body, which had been floating for a long time, finally landed.
Meng Fuyao was elated. She straightened her body and took two steps forward. The light in her hands shone faintly, illuminating her uncombed hair.
A strand of hair floated in front of her eyes.
At first glance, Meng Fuyao did not pay much attention to it. She only thought that the hair color was a little strange. She thought that it was the color of the light in her hands, so she casually gathered the strand of hair.
The moment the strand of hair touched her hand, she was suddenly stunned.
It was … white hair.
White hair!
Meng Fuyao stared at the white hair in a daze. She thought of the time that had passed in the Sky Domain Realm. How much time had passed in the outside world while she was trapped in cultivation? White hair … She was shocked to see white hair. Could it be that she had aged during this period?
A beautiful woman aged in the blink of an eye, and in the blink of an eye, there were stars in her hair.
Meng Fuyao gently pulled her hair, thinking that she would see a head of white hair. Fortunately, it was really just stars in her hair.
She raised her hand to touch her face, afraid that she would feel goosebumps. Fortunately, the skin under her palm was smooth, and it felt better to the touch than before.
She sat down and was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, she quietly digested the shock that she had just experienced.
When she turned her head, she saw the smoke again.
= =
Smoke rose in spirals from the bonfire.
However, what was burning on the bonfire was not a tree branch or a tree, but half of a boot.
Zhan Beiye sat beside the bonfire, looking haggard. His clothes did not cover his body as he carefully stoked the fire.
Beside him was the other half of the boot. He carefully placed it aside and prepared to burn it the next time. Who knew when Meng Fuyao would come out? In order to maintain the continuous smoke and prevent her from being driven crazy by the darkness, he burned everything nearby that could be burned. In the end, he began to burn his robes, hair, and everything that could be burned. Layer by layer, he peeled off his clothes and added them to the fire. Although the Sky Domain Realm was an illusion, they were in the Bright Spring Palace during winter. Moreover, everything was realistic. The winter weather in the Dahan Empire was not easy to endure. He had taken off almost all his clothes and could only constantly circulate his energy to resist the cold. At night, he would fall asleep due to exhaustion. If he was not immediately woken up by the cold, he would be startled awake by the extinguished bonfire. These few days, he almost did not get a good night's sleep, and in the blink of an eye, he had lost a lot of weight.
He turned around and saw Lord Yuan Bao dragging something over. It was a small leaf. Zhan Beiye had no idea how far it had run to find it. Zhan Beiye took it and patted its head approvingly.
He carefully pressed the leaf under half of his broken boots. Even a leaf would be good now. Who knew when the bonfire would be extinguished? It would be good if it could illuminate Fuyao for a moment, even if it was just for a moment.
He kept the leaf as if it was a jade seal and tucked his bare feet under his thighs in the cold wind so that he could retain some warmth. He was the Emperor of the Dahan Dynasty, and even though he had been hunted down and killed many times, he had always been surrounded by attendants and had never been in such a sorry state. However, he didn't feel bitter because Meng Fuyao didn't feel bitter.
He was only afraid that she would not give him a chance and make him suffer for her.
Lord Yuan Bao sat quietly beside him and looked at the square cauldron. Meng Fuyao was in the cauldron, but the lid was sealed. They could not enter no matter what. They were all worried that Meng Fuyao would be refining pills inside, but there was nothing they could do. In the end, Zhan Beiye had no choice but to look at the small holes at the top and bottom of the cauldron. Every day, he would light a fire at the small holes, hoping that the smoke would tell her that he was there. He was always there.
Zhan Beiye's gaze landed behind the cauldron. Behind the cauldron was the pure white snow of the Evergreen Godly Mountain. In fact, the Sky Domain had already been broken. Just as Meng Fuyao had mysteriously fallen into a dazzling light, there was a loud boom and the continuous peaks of the Evergreen Godly Mountain had appeared behind the cauldron. Zhan Beiye knew that as long as he walked out and crossed the cauldron, he would be able to leave this damned Sky Domain. He would then be able to avoid the passing of time in this Sky Domain. However, he did not do so.
He chose to sit in front of the cauldron and burn everything that could be burned, giving Meng Fuyao an eternal ray of hope in the darkness.
Zhan Beiye raised his head and looked at the ancient cauldron. His dark, ebony eyes seemed to penetrate the impenetrable cauldron and land on Meng Fuyao's body.
Fuyao.
I am willing to spend the rest of my life with you until we grow old.
= =
The sky gradually darkened. Even the small bonfire flickered dimly, as if it was struggling to survive. The boots had also been burned to ashes.
Zhan Beiye sighed and looked around anxiously. He really could not find anything to burn. He looked at himself hesitantly. 'Well, I can't possibly take off my underwear and burn it, right?'
Zhan Beiye picked up the last leaf and rubbed it in his hands for a long time. He sighed helplessly and carefully added the leaf into the fire.
Once the leaf entered the bonfire, the flames lit up slightly. Suddenly, the surroundings lit up, followed by a loud boom!
For a moment, Zhan Beiye thought that the leaf was a gunpowder bomb that had exploded in the fire.
In the blink of an eye, he came to his senses and raised his head in ecstasy.
In front of him, the giant cauldron that had been sealed for the past few days suddenly changed color. It turned white as if it had been barbecued, and it suddenly cracked open!
The broken cauldron splashed in all directions. Thick, heavy, and unknown fragments of the cauldron danced in the air like shooting stars, smashing the Ming Quan Palace in Zhan Beiye's illusion into ruins. Zhan Beiye did not care about his heartache. He raised his head slightly and looked at the woman in the middle of the fragments, her clothes fluttering in the wind.
The woman's long hair and robes fluttered in the wind. Her figure was as light as a flower petal, but within that lightness, there was an extreme dignity and nobility. The faint moonlight outlined her silhouette. Her exquisite side profile shone brightly, as if a new crescent moon had appeared in the clouds.
When she turned around, her face was still ordinary. However, Zhan Beiye suddenly felt his eyes light up, as if a peerless lotus had bloomed between heaven and earth.
When she turned around and saw Zhan Beiye, she immediately revealed a look of surprise and warmth.
Such a gaze made Zhan Beiye, who was still a little unaccustomed to it, feel relieved. Such a gaze was unique to Fuyao, and it was proven that no matter how much she changed, she was still the bright, warm, lively, and proud Meng Fuyao.
Meng Fuyao descended from the sky, stepping on the shattered cauldron as she walked towards him. As she walked closer, he realized that the space between her eyebrows seemed to have widened, and her skin was more lustrous. Although her appearance did not change, her expression and aura were more noble and cheerful. Zhan Beiye looked at her deeply. At that moment, he only felt that she was her and not her. However, he suddenly knew that from now on, she would no longer be his.
He raised his face, and his dark eyes were broken at the end of the world. At that moment, he crossed the mountains, and did not hear the sound of the lonely flute. From then on, she bloomed on the water, and he was forever lost in the beautiful lightning that flashed over his head in life, forever a lonely traveler in the wilderness of time.
However, it did not matter. He was the first to witness her beauty. He had accompanied her through the most difficult path, and he had left a deep impression in her life. In every day that belonged to her, he was like a shadow that could not be brushed away by a sleeve. She would never be able to brush away his existence.
Zhan Beiye looked at her. Slowly but clearly, he smiled in response to her warmth.
Then, his gaze landed on her temples. Because of the glaring white hair, he frowned slightly. Had so much time passed? Her hair had turned white. What about him?
He did not want to look. From now on, whether he was young or old, whether he had black hair or old face, it no longer meant anything to him.
"Let's go." He stood up and walked towards her. He did not mention the difficulties of the past few days of waiting, the difficulty of keeping the fire burning, the hunger, the cold, and the fatigue. He did not even think about his lack of clothes. He walked up to her openly and held her hand as they walked out.
Meng Fuyao's gaze landed on him and then on the small fire. Instantly, she understood what he had done. Her gaze softened slightly. "Are you cold?"
Only then did Zhan Beiye remember his sorry state. He let go of his hand and blushed slightly. Seeing him blush, Meng Fuyao could not help but laugh and look away.
Hmm … She did not see anything. She did not see his broad chest and strong physique. She did not see his beautiful broad shoulders, slender waist, and smooth skin …
"I wonder how it is outside." Amidst the awkward silence, she took the initiative to change the topic. Gently plucking a strand of her white hair, she said, "I'm so afraid that the world will change …"
She was afraid that the world would change and that she would not be able to find the person she was looking for.
"We have been here for about * days. That's not very long," Zhan Beiye said slowly. "But I don't know how long it will be after we leave this place."
He revealed a worried expression as he looked beyond the clouds. "But I hope it won't be too long. I hope it won't lead to anything that shouldn't happen …"
= =
However, just as Zhan Beiye was worried, nine months had passed in the Outer Realm of the Heavenly Domain. During these nine months, the Five Region Continent was in turmoil because Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao's whereabouts were unknown.
The Commander-in-Chief of Great Wan's Five Armies, Grand Marshal Ji Yu, suddenly proposed to attack the Sky Domain. However, he was opposed by the wise and prudent Prime Minister Feng the Fifth. The civil and military officials debated endlessly in the imperial court. The "Queen" sat on the throne with a blank expression and did not say a word. The civil and military officials in the imperial court were caught in a war of words and sighed secretly. Ever since the Queen ascended the throne, her original domineering aura and spiritual energy seemed to have disappeared. Great Wan's gradually stabilized imperial court seemed to be unstable again.
Ji Yu, who came from outside the Sky Domain and was not a citizen of Great Wan, was opposed by most of the officials. In a fit of anger, Grand Marshal Ji gathered his troops and fired three cannons to rebel.
He did not rebel against Great Wan. Instead, he brought his own troops and borrowed the path of Queen Fufeng. Together with Queen Ya Lanzhu, they trained the navy at Fufeng's Sea of Orcs. They prepared the warships and formed a formation, looking down at the Sky Domain across the sea.
Feng the Fifth naturally could not let his country's general rebel like this. He hurriedly entered the palace to ask for the right to mobilize troops. In the past, Ji Yu was the Queen's most trusted aide and firmly controlled the palace. Only when Ji Yu was not present did he have the opportunity to meet the Queen alone. However, after this meeting, he came out pale and drenched in cold sweat.
That night, Prime Minister Feng did not sleep at all. In a secret room in his study, he pondered for a long time in front of the Feng ancestor memorial tablet that he had secretly hidden. The green candlelight flickered and reflected on his constantly changing face. His eyes were sometimes excited and sometimes hesitant. His hands were tightly twisted together, as if he was constantly hesitating over a decision.
When the sky brightened, Feng the Fifth raised his head and saw the map of the Five Continents above the study. His eyes suddenly darkened. He then let out a long sigh and slowly stood up.
In the end, Great Wan did not mobilize troops again. As for Ji Yu's rebellion, Prime Minister Feng's decision was that since General Ji had taken away most of the country's troops, the remaining troops still had to protect the capital. It was not appropriate to mobilize troops to fight in other countries. Moreover, the people had been homeless for many years and should be allowed to rest and build up strength.
Once this decision was made, although the officials felt it was strange, they all let out sighs of relief. They greatly praised the Prime Minister for his benevolence and magnanimity. Facing Ji Yu, a valiant general from the Han Dynasty's Black Wind Cavalry, the generals of Great Wan who had not fought in war for many years did not want to throw their lives away.
With the strange movements in Great Wan, Little Seven, who had received news of Zhan Beiye's disappearance in the Vast Heavens, had already opened the letter that Zhan Beiye had left behind. Little Seven, who was a man of action, would naturally follow His Majesty's imperial edict to the letter. However, the only way to successfully enter the Vast Heavens was through the Fufeng Desolate Region's sea valley. Every year, the sea valley would only be calm in the middle of the sixth month. Even if Little Seven wanted to lead troops north, he would not be able to make it in time.
At this time, the Palace Master of the Evergreen Palace made an exception and announced to the world that he and Zhangsun Wuji were master and disciple. He appointed him as the next Palace Master. In the Five Continents Imperial Edict, he praised Zhangsun Wuji's unparalleled intelligence and military prowess, his ability to plan for the bigger picture at every step, and his ability to be the ruler of the Vast Heavens.
The imperial edict did not clearly state Zhangsun Wuji's unparalleled intelligence and military prowess, nor how he planned for the bigger picture at every step. However, anyone in the Great Han Dynasty who knew the inside story and had the slightest bit of intelligence could conclude that Zhangsun Wuji had caused Zhan Beiye's death.
If it was someone else, they might have considered the consequences before making a decision. However, Little Seven was only loyal to His Majesty's edict. He was also very clear that Zhangsun Wuji and Zhan Beiye were love rivals. The two of them had once opposed each other in front of the boundary stone between the two countries, intending to encroach on each other's territory. Zhangsun Wuji had even quietly swallowed up the Great Han Dynasty's Changhan Mountain Range. If it was said that Zhangsun Wuji had caused Zhan Beiye's death, Little Seven would definitely believe it.
After he finished reading Zhan Beiye's letter, he took the other half of the Tiger Tally and immediately gathered the troops to swear an oath. The army would set out within a month.
Although Little Seven was straightforward, he was not stupid. He was a general who had been on the battlefield for a long time and knew how to use troops. He did not announce Zhan Beiye's disappearance to anyone, but he was not worried about Wuji's reason to send troops. He went to the prison and captured a group of prisoners on death row, dressed them up, and killed them at the border between the two countries. Then, he claimed that these people were Wuji's spies who were spying on the Great Han Dynasty's territory with ill intentions. The Emperor of the Great Han Dynasty was furious and was determined to teach Wuji a lesson.
In the second year and second month of the Great Han Dynasty, the Great Han Dynasty led its troops down south and broke the boundary stone to send troops to Wuji.
At the same time, Shangyuan, which had been miserably suppressed by Wuji, joined forces with the two tribes in the southern border of Wuji and set out to seize Yaocheng within three days. Wuji was suddenly faced with the predicament of facing three enemies at the same time and being attacked from both inside and outside.
Shangyuan and the two tribes originally thought that they would be considered allies if they were to send troops at the same time as the Great Han Dynasty and could take advantage of the situation to carve up Wuji's southern border. Unexpectedly, Little Seven did not agree. In his opinion, Yaocheng was not Wuji's, but Meng Fuyao's. How could he let the southern barbarians touch Meng Fuyao's territory? In the end, he was not in a hurry to attack the states at the borders of Wuji. Instead, he went to seize Yaocheng, wanting to help Meng Fuyao get it back. The Wuji general did not understand his intentions and intercepted him along the way. Thus, the one fighting became the one saving the city, while the one defending the city did not allow anyone to save it. The Great Han, Wuji, Shangyuan, and the two tribes fought a chaotic battle.
At the most chaotic moment, something happened to the two tribes again. A teenage girl appeared out of nowhere and assassinated the leaders of the two tribes, vying for the throne. Her style of killing was similar to Meng Fuyao's in the past, and she quickly subdued the two tribes. At this moment, the girl revealed her identity. She was the daughter of the former King of the Northern Tribes, Dao Naier. The King of the Northern Tribes was exiled back then and his people were stranded in the grasslands. They were gradually declining, but in recent years, under the secret support of some people, they gradually prospered. Now that the two tribes were in chaos again, Dao Naier took the opportunity to rise. However, after taking over as the King of the Two Tribes, she announced that she would retreat and give up the chance to seize Wuji's southern border. She said that she would not take advantage of others' difficulties and that the two tribes would only fight the Wuji Emperor personally on the battlefield.
At this time, the Wuji Nation had been announcing to the public that the Emperor was recuperating due to illness and was not involved in external affairs. The Wuji Grand Tutor was personally presiding over the war. The retreat of the two tribes disrupted Shang Yuan's plan, and the chaotic situation of the battle was also beyond Shang Yuan's expectations. The battle entered a stalemate.
For the two tribes to give up such a great opportunity at this time was naturally puzzling. Various countries speculated, but the new Queen of the two tribes did not say why she made this choice. At this time, Queen Dao Naier was standing in front of the King of the Rong's tent, looking at the grassland that spanned a thousand miles. She gently stroked a smooth jade token in her palm and thought of that year on Mount Haoyang, a man in robes that fluttered in the wind. His smile was like the clouds in the sky, and the wind blew, blowing endlessly into her ears.
"The Northern and Southern Tribes will eventually be united. Perhaps having a Queen is not a bad thing. When that time comes, you, Dao Naier, if you still want to kill me, bring your Northern and Southern Tribes."
"I will come!"
Now … I'm here. Why don't you show yourself?
= =
The Great Wan Fufeng Tiger Overlooking the Heavens and the Great Han Wuji Nation officially went to war, and the five continents were in a mess. The two fuses were still unknown to Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao.
When they came out of the Sky Region, they were surprised to find that everyone was there. Yun Hen, Yao Xun, Tie Cheng, and the two bird beasts were all there.
When the Cloudfloating Realm was broken and Tie Cheng fell, he was supposed to die. However, the mountain peak that Yun Hen and the rest were climbing suddenly collapsed. That 'mountain' was very strange. It fell to the ground, and the material was soft. It caught the falling Tie Cheng and spared his life. However, Zhan Beiye and Meng Fuyao were nowhere to be seen. Yun Hen and the rest guessed that the two had fallen into the Sky Region, so they stayed in the ice and snow of the valley and did not leave for more than half a year. Enduring the cold and searching for food was a small matter. The Eight Division Army of the Evergreen Shrine was constantly searching, and the patrolmen of the Mahoroja Tribe were roaming everywhere. Yun Hen led them to hide here and there, and they were almost discovered a few times. Fortunately, the Evergreen Mountains were too big, and it was covered in snow all year round. There were many places where people could hide. During this period of time, Yun Hen cultivated 'Cleaver of the Nine Heavens' day and night. His martial arts were originally of the same origin as Meng Fuyao's, so he had a solid foundation. Naturally, his cultivation speed was twice as fast with half the effort. In a short period of time, he had cultivated 'Cleaver of the Nine Heavens' to the sixth level. Although he had been cultivating 'Cleaver of the Nine Heavens' late and could not compare to Meng Fuyao's cultivation, combined with the Golden Page martial arts that Meng Fuyao had given him and his superb swordsmanship, his martial arts were enough to rank him among the top experts in the world.
With Yun Hen around, it wasn't impossible to ensure the safety of these people from the Evergreen Divine Palace. Actually, leaving the Evergreen Divine Mountain at this time was the most convenient and labor-saving thing to do, but no one thought of leaving.
Even if those days slowly passed by at a frightening pace, to the point where their hopes were being shaved away day by day, everyone still persisted and persevered.
Thus, on a cold, snowy morning, Yun Hen carefully opened his eyes in the snow cave. As he habitually investigated his surroundings, he suddenly saw a man and a woman walking towards him.
He widened his eyes, unable to recognize the two people for a moment. They looked too strange, and the contrast was too stark. Although their clothes were also disheveled, Zhan Beiye looked haggard, while Meng Fuyao was radiant, elegant, and radiant.
In that instant, two words flowed in Yun Hen's heart: Allure.
Then, his eyes reddened with joy, but he also felt a slight sense of loss.
The distant Meng Fuyao, each transformation was a distance away.
It was as if he was looking at a flying phoenix in the dark sky. Her figure was like the flowing clouds chasing the moon, but it was a beauty that separated time and space.
Regardless, Yun Hen was still overjoyed. He had thought that Meng Fuyao wouldn't be able to advance any further after the success of Cleaving the Nine Heavens, but it was obvious that the Evergreen Divine Palace's strength was higher than the Ten Strongest. He had woken up countless times in the snow and thought worriedly. Even if Fuyao broke through the Four Realms, given the enmity that the Evergreen Divine Palace Master had towards her, how would she proceed from there?
But now, looking at her, he felt that perhaps it would be very difficult. Perhaps there were even greater difficulties waiting for her, but in his heart, this woman would never be defeated.
Meng Fuyao met his gaze, then looked at Tie Cheng and Yao Xun, who had lost a lot of weight, and her eyes reddened.
She pursed her lips, unable to say anything. She also didn't feel the need to say anything. She only slowly raised her head and said, "We're out."
We're out.
What was trapped could be the body and the heart, but the spirit would never be destroyed.
Once the Four Realms were broken, only the valley was left in front of them. However, the valley now looked a little strange. There were many traces of an intense battle on the walls, but no one knew who had left them. Meng Fuyao asked Yun Hen how much time had passed and exchanged glances with Zhan Beiye. Both of them frowned.
Silently touching the few strands of white hair by her temples, Meng Fuyao thought to herself, Luckily, it wasn't that time was hastening one's aging. It was probably because of the heartache that caused the hair to turn white.
She suddenly recalled that in the secret underground chamber in Huazhou, when Zhangsun Wuji witnessed the tragic death of his biological father, his hair had turned white as well. She couldn't help but laugh absentmindedly.
Wuji … Wuji … Whether you're here or not, I'll walk the same path you walked.
She flew down silently and quickly circled the walls of the valley before returning to their hiding place. "There's a secret passage here," she said.
The few of them were fighting to go down when Meng Fuyao suddenly turned around and looked at Yun Hen. "I have a favor to ask of you."
Yun Hen looked at her silently.
Meng Fuyao took out a small square seal and inscribed it: Dawan's Fuyao. Passing it to Yun Hen, she said, "During the time we were missing, I'm afraid the Five Region Continent has already been in conflict. I want to ask you to bring Tie Cheng and Yao Xun back and inform everyone that we're well. Also …" Her gaze turned cold as she said, "It's almost six months now, right? We should be able to pass through the Despair Valley by now. I wonder if the Dawan's military boots will be able to walk more energetically on this vast land? "
Yun Hen trembled, the battle intent in his eyes burning.
"All my hard work in this life has gone against my heart." Meng Fuyao raised her head, her gaze shooting towards the sky of the Extreme North. "Is the Heavens playing with us?" she said faintly. Then I can only … play with the heavens! " “
Play with the heavens!
Even if you're high up in the Nine Heavens, even if you can flip the wind and clouds.
As long as you play with me, I'll dare to hold a spear and stab you!
The icy wind blew fiercely, and the woman's black hair danced in the wind. Her clothes fluttered, and her light and thin figure stood firm and cold like a rock.
She closed her eyes and raised her head in the cold wind. She remembered the wind that was ten times colder than this in the illusion of the Heaven Domain. She thought of that person, the person who paved the way for her in this life. On that peak, he was tormented by the bone-piercing pain and coldness endlessly, forever immersed in the pain of darkness.
At the corner of her eyes, tears like ice beads fell silently, breaking into pieces in the wind and snow.
Zhan Beiye looked at her deeply, then took out his own seal and bit his finger to write a letter. He handed it to Yun Hen together. "Please, Brother Yun." “
In his heart, he naturally wanted to accompany Meng Fuyao to the end. However, Zhan Beiye said apologetically, "My master will definitely rush to Qiong Cang when he hears about me. My master and I have worked together to create a set of martial arts. If there's a fight, it might come in handy …"
Yun Hen took the letter silently, but Tie Cheng said, "I'm not leaving!" “
"If you don't leave, who will support Young Master Yun?" Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows. "What you're going to do is no less important than ours. How important is the mobilization of the army? Only when both of you are present can it be carried out smoothly. Go! " “
She raised her eyebrows and her face turned even paler. However, there was a faint redness at the corners of her eyes. Amidst the flowing light, there was a hint of bewitching beauty. It was slightly different from her usual bright and open temperament. Tie Cheng looked at her and was intimidated by her sudden increase in prestige. He suddenly felt that the Meng Fuyao who had come out of the Sky Domain after nine months seemed to be different from before.
He couldn't pinpoint what was different, but he felt that she was more noble and beautiful, but also more ferocious and distant.
Tie Cheng bowed silently. Perhaps in the past, he would have continued to resist, but now he felt that the only right thing to do was to obey.
Yao Xun said, "Master, don't chase me away first. I think there's a secret passage in this valley, and we've been observing for a long time. I have a way to steal their key, so it's better to save some energy. Why bother alerting the Temple and wasting our energy to fight our way up?" “
Meng Fuyao thought about it and felt that his words made sense, but she hesitated. "It must be more dangerous inside. If I bring you in …"
"I won't be a burden to Master." Yao Xun smiled. "I'll leave after I get the key. My Qinggong is not bad, and there are Emperor Han's guards at the foot of the mountain. It'll be fine." “
Meng Fuyao thought about it and nodded. She glanced at Yun Hen. "Be careful." “
The young man in green's eyes flickered, and he turned around silently.
Meng Fuyao waited until their figures disappeared before turning back. She clasped her hands behind her back and looked at the vast land with dancing silver dragons.
"There's no moat that can't be crossed, no land that can't be stepped on, no mortal that can't be killed, no grudge that can't be resolved!" “
She didn't say the last sentence out loud, but it flowed silently in her heart.
There was only love that couldn't be erased.
----- Digression —
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