Chapter 57:Journey in the Mountains and Rivers (XI)

Master Dingyuan held the Buddha beads in his hand, trembling slightly. His face was full of complex emotions: disbelief, worry, and even panic, but also compassion and gentleness.

He murmured to himself, “The Resurrection of the Demon God, the demon, and the Wanmo Cavern are linked together. If the demon god resurrects, then the Wanmo Cavern…”

His expression gradually stiffened, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his wrinkled forehead.

Sui Ning affirmed his guess: “Yes, the seal of the Wanmo Cavern will be lifted, and the evil spirits have come into the world.”

Countless creatures were suffering, and corpses were everywhere.

Master Dingyuan said slowly, “The divine energy of the upper realm is insufficient, and many immortals have fallen. In the past thousand years, only a few people from the lower realm have ascended. If the demon really appears, who can resist it?”

“And the Wanmo Cavern…the gods have long since disappeared. How can we have the ability to deal with those evil spirits?”

“We cannot let the demon god revive; otherwise, this lower realm will be destroyed!”

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But why did he choose her just because she could wield the Demon-Slaying Sword?

His final words made her selfishly choose to be herself.

Sui Ning’s heart sank heavily.

Master Dingyuan paced back and forth anxiously, his face full of worry and his hand holding a Buddhist bead constantly rotating.

The disciples of the Jing Chan Sect in the main hall all lowered their heads in unison, their faces filled with worry and solemnity.

Sui Ning inadvertently met Tang Tang, who was holding Mo Huai’an, and both of their eyes were red, with tears still hanging on their long eyelashes.

Tang Tang tightly pursed her lips, her beautiful face solemn.

She spoke softly, her voice hoarse and almost unrecognizable: “Ningning…”

In just one night, her world had almost become dark and gloomy.

She unexpectedly regained the memories of her past life and met her lover from that life, but her lover’s body was occupied by an ancient demon.

After finally removing the demon, she learned even more terrible news.

If the demon god really appeared, not only she and Mo Huai’an would not be safe, but also her fellow disciples, her parents, and everyone she knew would all face threats to their lives.

“The entire world is on the brink of destruction.” 

“Ning Ning, what should we do?” Tang Tang panicked, holding Mo Huai An’s hand and trembling.

Sui Ning tried to force a smile. “It’s okay; don’t worry.”

The mechanical voice of the system comforted her: “[Host, don’t worry…]”

Sui Ning didn’t respond, and the system fell silent.

After a long silence, Sui Ning suddenly spoke up: “Did the original book mention anything about a demon god?”

“[No, the original book didn’t even mention him or Xie Changzhou searching for the spirit herb. By the time the main plot started, Xie Changzhou’s cold poison had already been cured.]”

Sui Ning’s heart sank deeper and deeper.

Initially, she thought that she had simply arrived at an earlier point in the story due to her transmigration. When the system told her that Xie Changzhou had eventually found the spirit herb to cure his poison, she didn’t think much of it.

But now, she was increasingly feeling that the original plot was gradually deviating. It was as if her involvement had caused many events that never occurred in the book to emerge, as if she had inadvertently pulled them out.

How much was there behind all of this?

Or was this really just a book?

Sui Ning’s heart grew heavier as she gazed out into the void outside the palace. The night was dark, and the moon that had hung high in the sky on previous nights had disappeared, leaving only pitch blackness outside.

In the deep and quiet night sky, she always felt like there were a pair of eyes staring at her like a tiger.

Xie Changzhou’s warm breath sprayed on her neck, and she smelled the refreshing scent of pine on him. Sui Ning tried to calm her anxious heart.

She nuzzled her cheek against him and held his hand tightly.

***

When Xie Changzhou woke up, it was already three days later.

Sui Ning lay beside him, uncovered and curled up in a peaceful sleep. Her black lashes fell like a small fan, and the sweet fragrance from her body drifted into his nose.

His heart softened suddenly. He turned to face her and gently covered her with a thin blanket. His gaze was soft and tender, something he hadn’t even noticed himself.

Although his master had married, he had a distant relationship with his wife, and they respected each other as guests.

He had thought this was what love was like.

Until he met Sui Ning.

He had never thought he could feel so attached to someone. He missed her even more when he couldn’t see her. When she was injured, he wished he could skin the beast that hurt her.

“Ningning.” His voice was hoarse and low as he leaned close to her and whispered, “Stay with me like this forever.”

Never leave him; never abandon him.

If one day she stopped liking him…

A hint of darkness flashed in his glassy eyes, and the demonic energy within him began to stir. He quickly suppressed it.

He couldn’t let Sui Ning sense his demonic energy. He couldn’t destroy the image he had in her heart.

She might stop liking him.

When Sui Ning opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a pair of familiar shallow pupils filled with softness and…

She was a little dazed, wondering if she had seen it wrong. Why did she see fierceness in Xie Changzhou’s eyes?

She looked closely again, and now his eyes were full of softness and a gentle smile, without any other emotions.

Sui Ning relaxed in her heart, realizing that she had indeed mistaken it earlier. There was no way Xie Changzhou would look at her like that.

He spoke softly: “Ningning, you’ve worked hard.”

His gentle gaze fell on Sui Ning’s face, and he noticed the darkness around her eyes. She must have been busy taking care of him during his coma.

Sui Ning shook her head and buried it in his arms, smelling the cold pine scent on Xie Changzhou’s body and finally feeling relieved after days of anxiety.

She hugged his lean waist, her furry head tightly embedded in his arms, her soft body fitting snugly against his chest.

Xie Changzhou hugged her back and lightly rubbed his chin against her hair.

The two of them hugged quietly for a long time, until Sui Ning suddenly murmured, “Xie Changzhou, I’m sorry.”

Xie Changzhou held her waist and pulled her closer to him. “It’s okay, Ningning. It has nothing to do with you.”

Sui Ning remained silent, her warm breath spraying onto Xie Changzhou’s chest and tickling his heart.

The person in his arms spoke softly: “Xie Changzhou, I didn’t mean to. I don’t even know what happened to me.”

Xie Changzhou suddenly laughed out loud and lightly kissed her hair, saying, “Ningning, this matter has nothing to do with you. No matter what you do, I won’t blame you.”

“Yanheng’s matter has nothing to do with you, so don’t think too much about it.”

Sui Ning nodded silently and hugged his arm tighter, lightly sniffing the cold fragrance on his body, feeling extremely relieved.

Xie Changzhou lowered his gaze and looked at Sui Ning in his arms, his azure eyes full of complicated thoughts.

Did Ji Hu realize something when he asked Ning Ning to replace Yanheng in sealing the Wanmo cavern?

Ningning and Yanheng…

Xie Changzhou’s thoughts had not yet dissipated, and Sui Ning suddenly came out of his arms, her black eyes meeting his gaze, seeing the worry in his eyes.

Sui Ning frowned slightly. “Jianzun?”

Xie Changzhou calmly concealed his emotions: “It’s nothing, Ningning. What do you want to say?”

Sui Ning looked at him suspiciously, but he still had a calm expression and showed no signs of worry.

He gently rubbed her hair. “Ningning, what do you want to say?”

They stared at each other for a moment, and when Sui Ning was sure that Xie Changzhou wouldn’t speak first, she sighed and slowly said, “Jianzun, where does Gui Luan go?

Gui Luan invaded the Jing Chan Sect to rescue the beast, but was stopped by Master Dingyuan. After Sui Ning killed the beast soul inside Mo Huai’an’s body, Gui Luan left. Where did he go?

He was still a hidden danger, and until they caught him, they wouldn’t be able to rest easy.

Sui Ning’s black eyes shimmered with worry, and a troubled expression appeared on her delicate face. Xie Changzhou smiled lightly.

“Ningning, Master Dingyuan, and I will discuss this matter. You don’t have to worry too much.”

He rubbed her hair and hugged her back into his arms, whispering in her ear, “You don’t need to bear so much pressure. That’s my responsibility, not yours.”

Sui Ning frowned unhappily and said, “Xie Changzhou, don’t say such things.” She struggled to stick her head out, and her beautiful face was full of disapproval. “You are also an ordinary person, and I am also a member of the world. We both need to work hard.”

She looked sincere and focused, like a child stubbornly reasoning with him.

Xie Changzhou’s smile became more apparent in his eyes. “Okay, I said the wrong thing; I’m sorry.” He leaned over and gently kissed her forehead, tightly holding her in his arms.

Sui Ning closed her eyes and pressed her ear against his chest, hearing his strong heartbeat.

After a while, she heard Xie Changzhou’s clear voice from above her head. “Ningning, don’t think too much about what Ji Hu did. It has nothing to do with you. Saving the world has nothing to do with you. You are just Sui Ning.”

Sui Ning’s fingertips trembled, and her heart suddenly ached. She buried her head in his arms and did not speak for a long time.

When Xie Changzhou began to worry about her, she spoke in a muffled voice, “Jianzun, Ji Hu didn’t plan to survive from the beginning.”

Xie Changzhou was taken aback and didn’t understand her words.

Sui Ning continued, “He had a plan from the beginning. If I could really replace Yanheng and seal the Wanmo Cavern, he would disperse his own cultivation and leave me with one soul. If I couldn’t, Yanheng would still die in the end…”

She paused, and her voice suddenly became low. “He would still make the same choice. No matter what, he would be the one to die.”

“Ningning…” Xie Changzhou hugged her tightly.

Sui Ning did not mention the fact that Ji Hu had transmitted his voice to her before he died. If she did, Xie Changzhou would inevitably worry about her.

She just remembered Ji Hu and felt a little sad for no reason.

But she clearly didn’t know Ji Hu well. During her three months in the palace, she had only seen him a few times.

Sui Ning looked up at Xie Changzhou, his glass-like eyes filled with tenderness.

His eyes…really were similar to Ji Hu’s.

The difference is that Xie Changzhou’s eyes were warm and gentle when he looked at her, while Ji Hu’s were cold and indifferent.

Ji Hu only had such a soft expression when he looked at Yanheng.

Sui Ning’s eyes were dark and bright, making Xie Changzhou’s heart soften. He leaned over and lightly kissed her brows and eyes.

His voice was particularly low and gentle: “Ningning, no matter what happens in the future, I will be by your side.”

“En.” Sui Ning hugged him, closed her eyes, and lightly sniffed the cold pine scent in his arms.

Is it an illusion? Except for their eyes, where else do he and Ji Hu have any similarities?

This is her Xie Changzhou, the one and only Xie Changzhou.

***

At the gate of the Jing Chan Sect, Master Dingyuan stood calmly holding Buddhist prayer beads, with Tang Tang and several Jing Chan Sect disciples standing behind him.

Tang Tang’s face was still haggard, and her expression was still bleak: “Ningning, Jianzun, I will stay in the Jing Chan Sect for now. There is still demonic energy on Huai’an, and I need Master Dingyuan’s help.”

Sui Ning nodded and looked at Master Dingyuan, bowing to him and saying, “Thank you for your help, Master Dingyuan. I’ve troubled you these past few days.”

Master Dingyuan smiled gently, wrinkles gathering on his aged face. “Miss Sui Ning is too polite.”

When he turned his gaze to Xie Changzhou, his smile gradually froze, and he sighed softly: “Jianzun, I’m counting on you.”

Xie Changzhou nodded and said, “Master Dingyuan, don’t worry. I will inform the elders about the strange incidents. You don’t have to worry.”

Master Dingyuan’s white eyebrows trembled slightly, and he paused his hand that was turning the Buddhist prayer beads, handing the prayer beads to Xie Changzhou.

His eyes were gentle, and his tone was calm: “I have had this Buddhist prayer bead for over five hundred years. It has been blessed by the Buddha’s light in the Jing Chan Sect and has some effect on warding off evil spirits. Take it with you, Jianzun. It will be useful in the future.”

Xie Changzhou’s shallow eyes were clear and indifferent, and he said nothing as he looked at Master Dingyuan, his gaze deep and distant.

Master Dingyuan lifted his hand that held the Buddha beads and gave a faint smile.

Sui Ning frowned slightly and wondered why Master Dingyuan would give the Buddha beads to Xie Changzhou. It seemed like he had something in mind, possibly related to removing evil spirits.

Sui Ning looked at Xie Changzhou beside her with a hint of inquiry in her eyes. Xie Changzhou seemed to be hiding something from her.

Sensing Sui Ning’s gaze, Xie Changzhou lowered his eyes and took the Buddha beads from Master Dingyuan. He nodded slightly to Master Dingyuan and said, “Thank you, Master Dingyuan. Ningning and I will leave first.”

He took Sui Ning’s hand and summoned Du Wang. Suddenly, he paused, and a benevolent and elderly voice echoed in his mind: “Jianzun, do not take the wrong path.”

Xie Changzhou’s azure eyes sank, and a cold light flashed. The pressure around him became low and icy.

Master Dingyuan smiled and performed a Buddhist ritual with folded hands towards him, saying, “Amitabha Buddha.”