Chapter 37 A Storm is Brewing, Let's Go Play for a Little While

Consciousness rose from the depths of her mind, all around her silent. Mingying opened her eyes, pressed her hand to her chest, slowly sat up, frowned as she scanned her surroundings. Where was she?

Before her lay carved beams and painted rafters, slanting light and shadow, and gauze curtains draped to the ground, swaying in the breeze. Apart from the bed beneath her, the view was empty and devoid of any other mortal objects.

Mingying turned her head to look outside the curtain, then stepped barefoot onto the ground and walked step by step toward the carved railing.

Amidst the misty morning air, Mingying leans against the railing, a mountain breeze caressing her cheek, lifting her clothes and hair, making her appear as if she's about to take flight. Towering pavilions hang high above the world, the clouds seem almost within reach, a few white cranes glide leisurely across the azure sky, and in the distance, verdant mountains rise one after another, clear streams rush and flow, and the bustling world of mortals lies beneath her feet.

Xiao Qingyi stood behind her: "This is the Star Gazing Tower."

Mingying turned around, realizing that she had been unconscious for longer than she had imagined. She pressed her hand to her chest and asked softly, "Grand Preceptor, has the Immortal Venerable emerged from my sea of ​​mind?"

Xiao Qingyi shook her head slightly: "No rush. The Immortal Venerable is bound by the laws of Heaven. I will resolve this matter for you."

But could the laws truly restrain her? Mingying didn't know where she was hiding, nor what her intentions were. She had a premonition that this matter wouldn't end easily.

She lowered her eyes in thought, then looked up and saw that the Imperial Preceptor's expression was calm. She blinked and asked, "Why does the Immortal Venerable need my Sea of ​​Hearts? Is it possible that even if the spiritual energy of heaven and earth has dissipated, there will still be spiritual energy in the Sea of ​​Hearts?"

Xiao Qingyi said, "That's right."

Mingying's expression was conflicted: "Does that mean the Immortal Venerable will live in my heart forever?"

She was still very worried, fearing that she might be killed by the immortal without her even knowing why.

Xiao Qingyi said, "It's alright, she won't hurt you."

Mingying stopped asking questions and obediently nodded: "Grand Preceptor, may I return to Yunchuan?"

She has been gone for so long, the Ming family must miss her very much.

Xiao Qingyi said calmly, "Not now."

"When will that be? Do we have to wait until the Immortal Venerable emerges from my heart? Grand Preceptor, you are so powerful, can I go back for a little while to let everyone know I'm safe? Is the Star Gazing Tower your residence? I wonder if that's alright..."

Xiao Qingyi looked at the fingers clutching her hem, then stared at her expressionlessly. Mingying tilted her head: "Grand Preceptor, what's wrong?"

Xiao Qingyi withdrew her gaze, thinking of the previous times she had met her, and decided it was best to remain quiet.

Mingying felt dizzy, and it seemed as if the Imperial Advisor had multiplied into two. A gentle breeze lifted her up, and she rolled into the bed, her breathing even and deep.

——

The Star-Gazing Tower is located within the Shengjing Palace City. Legend has it that there are 990 steps inside the tower, and only those with a firm will can see the otherworldly scenery. It is also known as the Xuanji Palace on earth.

Xiao Jingze flipped over and landed over the railing, the golden bell umbrella looping back onto his wrist. He wiped the blood from his palm. Several years ago, he had tried to climb to the highest point, just to see the legendary "secluded view," but when he saw it, he didn't find it particularly special.

He still couldn't be bothered to climb those 990 steps, but he needed to put in some effort to break the formation if he wanted to see Mingying.

He walked to the bedside. Mingying was sleeping soundly, her eyelashes lightly covering her face, her lips slightly pouting, as if she were fast asleep.

Xiao Jingze watched her for a while, then reached out and poked her cheek: "Why aren't you awake yet?"

Mingying smiled and lifted one eyelid to look at him: "...I thought the Imperial Advisor was going to lock me up."

Xiao Jingze leaned back on the couch, raising his eyebrows: "You're practically locked up now, but if Manman wants to get out..."

Mingying, resting her chin on her hand, asked, "How about we go out?"

Xiao Jingze didn't speak, his gaze fixed on her lips, which were still glistening with moisture.

Mingying straightened up, brought her face closer, and asked with suspicion in her eyes, "You really just have amnesia?"

Xiao Jingze wasn't like this before; he must have been switched out.

Xiao Jingze pressed her waist and pulled her into his arms, staring at her as he said, "Since we are a legally engaged couple, isn't kissing normal? Why do you always seem so awkward?"

Mingying said matter-of-factly, "Because you forgot. You'll know why when you remember."

Xiao Jingze naturally remembered something. Mingying's statement that they had a "good relationship" was still debatable. He stroked her chin and asked, "Why did I dislike you before?"

Mingying looked surprised: "You hate me?"

Xiao Jingze quickly denied it: "No."

But Mingying had already lowered her head, and said in a very soft voice, "I don't know, you didn't tell me."

Xiao Jingze said, "I don't dislike you. You must have misremembered because of amnesia."

Mingying sniffed, her voice muffled: "Then do you like me?"

Xiao Jingze turned his head and whispered, "...Mm."

Mingying sniffed and said in a muffled voice, "I didn't hear you."

Xiao Jingze chuckled in exasperation, looking down at her. Mingying's eyes were sparkling, showing no sign of tears. He paused, then said, "Her acting skills are truly admirable."

Mingying suddenly tilted her head up and kissed him: "Don't be angry, take me out to play, okay?"

Xiao Jingze stopped speaking and deepened the kiss by pressing the back of her neck. Their breaths mingled, and Mingying's fingertips touched the soft fabric of his clothes. She happily bit down on it, her tongue licking the drop of blood, which was then gently taken away.

Xiao Jingze stroked her earlobe with his thumb, sucked on her lips and chuckled, "Manman, why are you so enthusiastic?"

Mingying's cheeks were flushed, and she bit him again: "...Then let go of me and stop kissing me."

Xiao Jingze lingered on her lips without speaking. Mingying stepped back slightly, pursed her lips, and asked, "When are we leaving?"

Xiao Jingze buried his head in her neck and pecked her, one hand tightening around her waist, the other stroking the back of her collar. Mingying was only wearing a thin garment, and she felt soft and fragrant when he held her. His gaze was deep, and he lifted his eyelids as if to say something, but suddenly stopped, looking behind Mingying with an unpredictable expression: "...Imperial Advisor."

Xiao Qingyi stood outside the curtain, arriving seemingly out of nowhere. Mingying stiffened, then tapped him with her head, wishing she could immediately lie down and pretend to be asleep. Had Xiao Jingze completely clouded her mind?

She turned around, sat up straight with a demure expression, and greeted, "Imperial Advisor."

Seeing the stiff expressions on their faces, Xiao Qingyi didn't say much, but simply said, "It's not my intention, but this matter involves the Immortal Venerable, and Mingying cannot leave without permission."

Xiao Jingze scoffed: "If it can be solved, it can be solved; if it can't be solved, it can't be solved. What's the point of locking people up?"

Xiao Qingyi said, "If you wish to see someone else, you can summon them."

Seeing that Xiao Jingze was about to continue speaking, Mingying covered his mouth and smiled at Xiao Qingyi: "Okay, Grand Preceptor, may I write to invite my friends to come and visit?"

Xiao Qingyi nodded slightly, and Mingying released Xiao Jingze, saying with a smile, "I will stay here properly."

After Xiao Qingyi disappeared, Xiao Jingze lifted Mingying's hair, leaned close to her ear, and said, "Shall we leave now?"

Mingying was tempted, but she firmly refused: "Since the Imperial Advisor said so, there must be a reason for it."

Xiao Jingze raised an eyebrow. Mingying looked left and right and said, "I need to write a letter. Why isn't there a table here? Doesn't the Imperial Advisor handle official business here?"

Xiao Jingze propped his forehead up and looked at her: "Of course not here. The bed you're sleeping on was something I made for you."

Mingying turned around, smiled and leaned over, shaking his hand: "Then can you be a little more versatile? I still want to stay here, I want to be more comfortable."

Xiao Jingze was easy to talk to. He pointed to the Sumeru Ring, and Mingying got up to write a letter, but he carried her back. Xiao Jingze stared at her feet: "Why aren't you wearing shoes?"

Mingying swung her feet: "The floor here is cool and refreshing, it feels nice to walk on, why don't you try it?"

"The Star Gazing Tower has been unattended for hundreds of years; if you step on it a few times, you'll see your footprints."

"...I've already stepped on it, there's clearly no dust here at all."

Xiao Jingze held her ankle, and Mingying kicked his calf: "Lend me your pen and ink."

Xiao Jingze let go of her and let her walk around barefoot, lazily taking over her spot. Mingying wrote for a while and then ran over to tug at his sleeve: "Do you still have any Bluebirds?"

How many people are you planning to invite?

Mingying blinked: "There are only two, and you know them both. I gave this one to Mingyan, so you can lend me the other one."

"Feng Yi?"

Mingying nodded: "Yes, yes, I promised him we'd play together."

Xiao Jingze held out his hand, and Mingying tilted her head in confusion. Xiao Jingze said succinctly, "Letter."

Mingying handed him the letter on the table. It was only a short walk, but Xiao Jingze was lazy and didn't know why his stomach was hard.

Xiao Jingze pressed her head down: "What are you looking at?"

Mingying covered him with a blanket, looking completely innocent: "It's very windy here, don't catch a cold."

Xiao Jingze gave her a cool look and casually wrote two sentences: "I'll contact him."

The bluebird flapped its wings and flew away. Xiao Jingze looked out the curtain and asked, "The palace is just below. Shall we go?"

Mingying hesitated, but Xiao Jingze smiled slightly and took out a comb from his storage ring: "It's very close, I'll bring it back to you in a bit."

Mingying leaned closer honestly and whispered, "I'll just play for a little while."

——

A short while later, Mingying excitedly ran into the woods, shot a rabbit with her slingshot, and carried it to the riverbank. While Xiao Jingze processed the rabbit, she washed her hands and took a skewer of fruit from the grill. Xiao Jingze's knife skills were excellent; he quickly placed the rabbit leg beside him, saying, "Let me show you the smell of meat."

The fruit was crunchy, and she actually tasted crispy rabbit meat in it. Mingying leaned closer: "Xiao Jingze, you're such a good person."

Seeing her touched expression, Xiao Jingze asked helplessly, "Can't you eat any at all?"

Mingying sighed softly, then glanced at the rabbit leg on the grill: "How about I take a bite and try it?"

Xiao Jingze didn't give it to him, somewhat worried: "How was your bite last time?"

Mingying didn't speak, resting her chin on her knee: "Let's just forget about it."

She ate the three bunches of fruit and took out a piece of candy from her sleeve: "Look."

"What is that?"

"The candy Mingyu gave me nine hundred years ago."

Xiao Jingze put the grill away and pulled Mingying up: "Don't be tempted, you can't eat this. I'll take you to the imperial kitchen."

Distracted by him, Mingying forgot what she was originally going to say. She put away the dark candy and said as she walked, "Have we been out for too long? Will the Imperial Advisor come to arrest me?"

Xiao Jingze glanced at her, and Mingying looked around nervously, her eyes revealing two words: anticipation.

He chuckled lightly: "You're overthinking it. Do you think the Imperial Advisor would play along with you? The Imperial Guards, on the other hand, would certainly play along."

Mingying asked curiously, "What did you play with when you were little?"

Xiao Jingze recalled for a moment: "Practicing swordsmanship."

"Do all cultivators have to learn swordsmanship from a young age?"

"No, it's just that this is the only path the Xiao family can take."

Mingying patted him on the shoulder: "Then aren't you the most capable person in the Xiao family, pioneering a new path?"

Xiao Jingze smiled and led her into the imperial kitchen. Mingying sat at the table, and Xiao Jingze picked out some food and served her a plate: "You can eat this, try it."

While chewing, Mingying asked, "Didn't you say there were Imperial Guards? Why hasn't anyone come to arrest us?"

Xiao Jingze sat opposite her and took a sip of water, looking completely at ease: "The palace's formation was set up by the Imperial Advisor. He probably thought that coming to capture me would be a waste of resources and there was nothing else to do, so he simply kept me away."

Mingying touched her nose, thinking that Xiao Jingze probably used to play this tag game with the Imperial Guards a lot.

Xiao Jingze took her around the palace for a whole day, and she felt as familiar with it as if she were in her own home. He even remembered which tree had a bird's nest.

As the moon was about to rise, Mingying knew she couldn't play anymore. She jumped from the tree into Xiao Jingze's arms, grabbed his collar, and said seriously, "I should go back."

Xiao Jingze smiled and kissed her against the tree, then took the weak-legged Mingying back to the Star Gazing Tower.

Mingying sat on the couch and waved happily at him. Xiao Jingze never used the main entrance, but—why did it seem like a secret rendezvous between two people in a storybook?

She looked around nervously. The Imperial Advisor wasn't there; he was probably busy and wouldn't be watching her closely.

——

Under the bright moon, Xiao Qingyi sat quietly on the star-gazing platform, watching the figure below.

Mingying walked out of the main gate of the Star Gazing Tower with her hair down, a strange smile on her lips. Her eyes were cold. She slowly walked through the woods and stopped in front of the boundary marker.

She reached out and brushed her hand across the runes. The patterns on the boundary marker emitted a faint light, converging towards her palm. The spiritual power of the Mountain and River Bell within her mind surged, and the runes grew darker and darker. A gust of wind interrupted her movements. Mingying took a few steps back to steady herself and turned her head to look at the person who had come.

Xiao Qingyi slowly stepped out from behind her: "Immortal Venerable, some things cannot be forced."

Mingying sneered: "But I insist on doing it! Nine hundred years have passed, and a body has been tailor-made for me. You replaced her heart with the Mountain and River Bell, never thought of this day?"

Xiao Qingyi didn't speak. Mingying swayed slightly and closed her eyes, about to fall backward. Xiao Qingyi reached out and supported her, looking at the dim boundary markers, her expression unreadable.

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Author's Note: Mingying is so craving meat that she's practically munching on Xiao Jingze's food, probably because she ate it a long time ago and thought it was delicious. (What am I rambling on about?)

*Thanks to Xu Hun for providing the chapter title.