Chapter 71 Great Fissure In The Ground (6) & (7) Merged Double Chapter Part 2

Finally, he fully regained consciousness.

The sky was gradually darkening and he was laying in the ice-cold creek, still injured. If he didn’t hurry and get up, there’d be another unanticipated disaster by the time the yin-yang fissure turned to the yin side.

The youth struggled to crawl towards the shore and leaned against the tree trunks with the remaining strength he had. His thoroughly soaked clothes seemed to at least weigh a thousand kilograms, the wetness clinging to his body, feeling damp and cold.

The wind blew on the trees, making the grass emit a moist fragrance. It looked as if a fairy had passed through the woods, sending a gust of fragrant wind to him.

That strange yet familiar figure bent down, humming a pure and innocent song. She gently approached him, her hair smelling strongly of jasmine, making the people who smelled it feel as if they were intoxicated amidst a field of flowers.

Astonishingly, it was the girl who had captured his heart.

In the past, he disliked the fragrance she combed her hair with, but now, it was as if it was the only proof of his existence.

In his daze, the girl who came from the forest, hooked her arms around his neck and left a cold soft kiss on his cheek. Her plush lips felt like the clouds in the sky and the mist in the mountains.

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Gp zsdt yp bl eked’v zlv bla qzsyv yoyu, pbl’e qsalhla cl bkp.

Mbl uswvb pbwv bkp lulp vktbvzu, bkp zsdt pzldela zypblp pvydekdt pvayktbv. Tl zkdtlale yaswde bla zkrp, yp vbswtb bl oyp alrspkdt yzz bkp vwacwzldv lxsvksdp kd vbl xkepv sq vbl xswdvykdp vs tykd rlynl.

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Tla qkdtlap polrv zktbvzu ynaspp bkp nblljp, bla nzlya yraknsv lulp qkzzle okvb cswdezlpp rkvu, “R eke. Mbyv’p obu, R’x sdzu y qktxldv sq uswa kxytkdyvksd.”

Gp pssd yp bla osaep qlzz, vbl rlapsd kd bkp yaxp kxxlekyvlzu qyele yoyu.

Mbl xssdzktbv oyp zkjl y pkzhla nzsvb, pbaswekdt vbl uswdt xyd’p qynl.

Tl hynydvzu tzydnle yv bkp lxrvu jdllp, yde oyp rasxrvzu pvkaale yoyjl, pllxkdtzu dsv clzklhkdt vbyv vbl ealyx oyp qycaknyvle.

The crackling of leaves sounded as the strong wind shook them fiercely, bringing along with it the smell of rain, pattering down his face.

In the beginning, the water drops were the size of a bean. Soon after, it turned into a torrential downpour.

The underground river was engulfed with splashes, the large banana leaves swinging up and down incessantly from being hit by raindrops, and in the fine mist, the wings of flying birds were thoroughly soaked, hindering their ability to fly.

Mu Sheng wiped away the wetness on his face and raised his head, accepting the rainwater. His misty black eyes seemed to look even wetter under the curtain of rain.

He slowly lowered his pupils and fumbled inside his clothes, taking out a wrinkled ball of papers. Due to the onslaught of water, the papers had gotten stuck together.

The water trickled down his face, forming tiny streams. It gathered under his pale chin, and shortly fell down, flowing along his neckline.

He silently lifted the edges of two papers and under the continuous downpour, patiently separated them. Five plump jujubes could be seen, piled up on top of each other, however, their coating had melted slightly, its viscous juice trickling down.

“This is gold silk candied jujubes, they’re good for enriching the blood.”

“My father said that if you eat jujubes every day, you would look healthy and not age at all.”

“Leave it to eat for later.”

Her cold fingers fed him a jujube before domineeringly sealing his lips, not allowing him to reject this sweetness.

Rays of sun fell from amidst the towering bamboo grove, like wisps of candy, and the birds twittered out noisily. Her fingers remained on his lips, under his soft kiss.

His wet hair clung on his cheeks, the rainwater trickling down his face. His mien looked a little pasty, and his lips started to tremble quietly and unconsciously, under the extremely low temperature of the dark night.

He silently placed a candied jujube in his mouth and savored the slow spread of sweetness in his mouth.

It was sweet.

His black eyes flashed and he looked at the starless night sky.

In his view, countless drops of rain fell from the azure dome of heaven. Flickering silver lights looked just like ten thousand falling needles, about to turn the earth into a massive hole-filled sieve.

He endured the darkness and cold. Then, he licked the corner of his lips, finding some of the remaining sweetness.

The fissure would definitely open once again.

***

“It’s probably raining outside.”

The small pot hummed as the medicine within bubbled. The chinese medicine was complex in smell but contained a clear strand of the smell of blood. Ling Miaomiao held a fan as she bent over fanning the fire in a rather clumsy manner. She had ash all over her nose.

“How would you know?” Mu Yao’s eyes were lowered as she wrapped up the wound on her hand. Her face was still somewhat pale, but there was still a gentle smile on her face.

“I felt like the ground shook quite a bit today.” Miaomiao stared at the fire of the stove with great resentment. She waved the fan in her hands in quite a jittery manner, causing the fire to shake back and forth within the stove.

Humans did not like living underground for a reason. After not being able to feel sunlight on your skin and the bright azure sky, one’s heart would easily become affected. Ling Miaomiao had only stayed in the underground palace for 4 days yet she realized that she had become increasingly irascible.

The structure of the underground palace was completely identical to the Li residence. It could also be that the illusion demon had only ever lived within the Li residence so it thought that all human houses ought to look like this. Thus, she just blankly copied it and created a residence in its exact image. She also stayed in the same room she lived in the past.

However, this underground world was just an exquisite fake. Even if it was made with more immaculate care and detail, it could not compare to the one in the real world.

In comparison, Mu Yao exhibited extraordinary endurance.

The conditions the illusion demon laid out were extremely unfair. Not only were they continuously summoned all day and night, she even forced them to watch Liu Fuyi at her beck and call, even if he was a puppet at the moment. It was very ambiguous and she even made Mu Yao give a little of her blood everyday, to be turned into medicine for Liu Fuyi to drink.

Ling Miaomiao could sense the female lead’s outwardly soft but inwardly unwavering disposition: She not only agreed, she even managed to endure the last few days. She restrained the pain that seemed to twist her heart in all directions as she expressionlessly waited for an opportunity.

However…

With a large shadow falling behind him as he strolled over to the kitchen, was Liu Fuyi.

With three people squeezed into the kitchen, it seemed to be very cramped.

Miaomiao had complicated feelings about the puppet, but she raised her chin and stood in front of Mu Yao. “Why are you here?”

Jointed, slender fingers reached out of the indigo-blue sleeve and he raised the chopping board carrying the empty bowl to present to them. As though he was trying not to feel embarrassed talking to strangers, he put on a cold and indifferent face, saying, “Chuchu asked me to come take a look whether you’ve finished boiling the medicine or not.”

“It’s done.” Mu Yao lowered her eyes and spoke calmly. She took the proffered bowl in his hands and opened the lid of the pot. Using a ladle, she filled the bowl and placed it on a tray.

There was a handkerchief wrapped around her fair wrist which moved along with her movements. The handkerchief was stained with splotches of blood here and there.

The puppet looked at her wound aloofly. It wasn’t clear what he was thinking about.

“Take it away then.” Mu Yao calmly passed over the tray. However, she didn’t look into his eyes.

Liu Fuyi turned around but suddenly, an arm shot out to block his waist. Lowering his head, he saw a girl raise her apricot eyes to stare at him, speaking just like a bluffing little tiger, “Sister Mu bled to give you medicine. Can’t you even give a single word of thanks?”

He was stupefied for a while before coldly responding, “Many thanks.”

Liu Fuyi’s celestial-like figure then floated far away.

The figure of the person next to her suddenly turned crooked, causing the ladle on the chopping board to fall down. When the metallic sound rang out from the ground, Miaomiao nimbly supported Mu Yao amidst the confusion that ensued.

Mu Yao’s face and lips had turned white from lack of blood. She held her forehead, her sight blurring.

When her consciousness cleared, she leaned on the cold and hard chair. A bowl was pressed onto her lips, the steam floating upwards, licking her face.

“Sister Mu…” She opened her eyes and saw Ling Miaomiao’s red cheeks. She stood before her chair, tilting the bowl towards her and allowing the hot water to pour into her mouth, “You might be lacking blood. I borrowed a pot from the kitchen. Drink some hot water.”

She quickly lifted her hands and received the bowl, pursing her lips to take a sip. The hot water flowed to the bottom of her heart, enveloping her in warmth.

Ling Miaomiao fumbled for something on herself and said in a fluster. “Ah, I didn’t bring any jujubes-” She then chuckled, her eyes sparkling, “There isn’t even any candy in the kitchen and the cupboards are all empty. There were even long worms in there, with legs plentier than a centipede.” She reached out both hands and gestured exaggeratedly, her nose scrunched up in disgust but her tone sounded joyful, “The kitchen that the illusion demon created was just an empty case. It’s similar to a sandcastle. Don’t you think it’s funny?”

Mu Yao silently pursed her lips, and formed a barely discernible arc with her lips. Her tears dripped into the hot water, forming tiny splashes.

“Miaomiao, sit down and take a rest.”

“…” Ling Miaomiao helplessly looked at Mu Yao who had hidden her face in the bowl. Did her god-level comfort tactics not only fail, but also made the goddess cry?

She crouched down and laid on top of Mu Yao’s knees like a cat. Looking upwards, she stared at her face, saying, “Sister Mu. Yesterday, I had a dream. I dreamt that you and Brother Liu had gotten married. You lived in Wu Fang City for a few years before continuing to travel around the Jianghu. Then, you gave birth to three children. Two boys and one girl. The boys always fought with the elders whereas the girl grew up looking like you.”

“Sister Mu, my dreams have always been very accurate, we will definitely be able to leave this fissure.”

“….” Mu Yao placed her bowl down, having already concealed her tears. She gently looked at her and smiled, “Since Liu Fuyi and I are a pair, what about you?”

“I…” Miaomiao paused for a while. Then, recovered her senses, “I’ll become the child’s adoptive mother….” She racked her head and revealed a cheeky smile, “Otherwise, would sister allow me to become a mistress? Should the two of us sisters share a husband?” If that’s the case, then I don’t have any opinions. Big Brother Liu must also be very willing for it.”

With such an unorthodox string of words, normally she would be dumbstruck or furious. However, the current Mu Yao knew that she didn’t actually have any meaning behind her words, and only laughed out loud.

In this underground palace only filled with eternal night, two people, one crouched and one sitting, laughed while facing each other. They laughed like young girls clapping and playing house.

A wave of warmth swelled in Mu Yao’s heart. At the same time, she became certain that Ling Miaomiao had no intentions toward Liu Fuyi.

But she was a lovely girl, worthy of the best treatment

Only, would it be like she said? Would she be able to pass this trial without a hair out of place and live a long life with him?

“Sister Mu.” Miaomiao deliberated for a moment, then spoke, “Do you know how illusion demons turn humans to puppets?”

A tremor ran through Mu Yao’s hand, which held the bowl. “First dig out the heart, then use a spell.”

“Then you’re saying…..” Miaomiao started to play with her own fingers as she mindlessly asked, “If we can safely place back the heart that was gouged out, what would happen?”

Mu Yao was suddenly stunned. Immediately afterward, she crouched down and spoke next to her ear, “I won’t hide it from you. I had the exact thought.” She lowered her voice, “The last few days I’ve been observing everything and the underground palace is nearly identical in layout to the Li residence. It’s just that there are a few documents behind the screen in the main hall.”

“Behind the hall…is the couple and Chuchu’s bedroom?”

“That’s right. With so many rooms about, that’s the only room with a seal on it. Just like you said, this underground palace the illusion demon created is just an empty shell. Normally there should also be no defensive measures in place but since she did place down a seal there, there must only be one possibility——-There’s something extremely precious placed within.”

Miaomiao raised her head, “Like Brother Liu’s heart?”

The two looked at each other. Mu Yao’s eyes brimmed with half seriousness and half hope.

Ling Miaomiao knew what Mu Yao was worrying about. The two of them were trapped within the illusion demon’s territory. Although they were called guests, they were actually considered captives. The illusion demon’s mood was hard to guess and estimate. If perhaps one day, her mood soured, she could immediately execute them. Trying to steal away Liu Fuyi’s heart under such circumstances was just like the Arabian Nights. ¹ [1] So apparently there’s this character called Shahryār in Arabian Nights. And as the story goes, Shahryār is shocked to learn that his brother’s wife is unfaithful. Discovering that his own wife’s infidelity has been even more flagrant, he has her killed. In his bitterness and grief, he decides that all women are the same. Shahryār begins to marry a succession of virgins only to execute each one the next morning, before she has a chance to dishonor him. Yep. This seems to fit the bill. Lol. That or this reference is just saying that their circumstances were hopeless.

But if they wanted to escape the trap themselves, then save Liu Fuyi, it seemed to be the only possible path.

In actuality, the original plot developed like this. At the end of the JIngyang Slope arc, Mu Yao had already planned and schemed for many days before thinking of a way to break into the sealed secret room. Only then did she have the intention to steal back Liu Fuyi’s heart.

However, the illusion demon’s thoughts and actions were completely profound and complex, her insidiousness unimaginable. In reality, it deliberately created a facade just to lure Mu Yao to take the bait, having already set up a scheme that would take her life, which was merely lying in wait for her.

In the end, however, Mu Yao was still the head of the Mu family. For the sake of completely destroying the illusion demon in a single blow, she had no other choice but to borrow from the strength of the heavens and the earth. She also was unwilling to leave the main battlefield. Therefore, upon the opening of the fissure, she let the bright rays of moonlight shine down into the underground palace.

At this juncture between life and death, Mu Sheng, who had been keeping watch by the fissure, jumped in and fished the protagonist group back to shore.

Just thinking of the black lotus gave Ling Miaomiao a headache.

Her transmigration seemingly had no effect in the male and female lead’s development, but ever since Mu Sheng had met her, his route seemed to have gone off the rails.

During the Taicang County arc, Mu Sheng didn’t harm Ling Yu’s family. In the volume of Chang’an City, Mu Sheng had used the forbidden arts for her sake, speeding up the blackening process.

Now that they had reached the Jingyang Slope, if she successfully managed to call Mu Sheng, it could potentially affect his blackening time. Not to mention, one of his main forms of attack, a piece of the Demon Restraining Circlets, was given to her.

If the butterfly effect were to take place, what she would call forth could potentially not only be a hurricane but the destruction of the whole world. She simply couldn’t guarantee what situation he was in above them, and also didn’t even have any proof that he could hurry and rescue Mu Yao from imminent peril.

So…

“Sister Mu, let’s not observe anymore. Let’s go and get Brother Liu’s heart tomorrow.”

Mu Yao froze. “Tomorrow?”

Since the illusion demon meant to lay a trap, then she’d go ahead and catch it unaware while it hadn’t finished its preparations. By doing this, would she be able to change the plot development and help the protagonist group suffer a little less?

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7000 (bookmarks) is something to celebrate.

A virtual cheek kiss

Results in Shengsheng’s failure to blacken x2