CHAPTER 64

"Is this your way of treating guests?"

Don't you understand the principle of "no entry without permission"?

"Are you still afraid of this wisp of my remnant soul?"

Sheng Qing watched the wisp of black mist before him warily. At its very center, a faint, pulsating crimson light was crashing against the spring, attempting to invade the depths of his consciousness.

Sheng Qing had imagined what a bizarre scene she would encounter when she opened her eyes. Whether she was surrounded by demons and monsters or left alone and miserable, she was mentally prepared. After all, this was her 101st attempt to wake up; in other words, she had failed 100 times.

When the scene suddenly shifted from the dormitory ceiling to a seemingly idyllic seaside setting, Sheng Qing slowly began to recall the cause and effect of the events.

The fragments of memory floating above rushed toward her, making the scene clearer.

The memories Her Majesty the Queen had buried within her should have occupied most of her consciousness, and should have filled the space with another astonishingly intoxicating fragrance. She should have continued to struggle trapped in that strange dream.

But at this moment, she unexpectedly awoke, and Her Majesty's consciousness and memories were relegated to a corner, allowing her to regain control.

Sheng Qing's sea of ​​consciousness grew ever wider and boundless, stretching as far as the eye could see. She wasn't bold enough to dare touch the territory belonging to the queen; instead, she used her spiritual energy to build an impregnable wall to block it away.

Sheng Qing seemed to have become even more adept at using spiritual energy, conjuring inanimate objects like tables and sofas with ease, and even chickens, ducks, fish, and shrimp could be conjured up in the blink of an eye.

In this light, the bizarre and absurd dream may not have been a setup by someone else, but most likely her own doing, lying dormant and waiting to return.

Sheng Qing knew nothing about the outside world, unaware of the final outcome of that strange event, or how those killings and pursuits ended.

Sheng Qing didn't know how much time had passed, but the progress bar above his head was already halfway through. No matter how much he refined, he couldn't make any further progress. He had almost completed the small goal he had set for himself.

At that moment, Sheng Qing sensed something amiss, and then, with practiced ease, ventured out along the spring.

That planet, which once burned brightly like a shooting star, has lost all its color, leaving only a barren, desolate landscape.

Where did that dark cloud go? Has it discovered a new target?

Sheng Qing's perspective suddenly switched to wide-angle mode, and the scene in front of him kept shrinking. The starlight dotted the boundless deep space, and there was nothing eye-catching at first glance. On the contrary, the dry and extinct planet seemed more conspicuous.

They returned empty-handed.

Sheng Qing always felt that the black mist had a close relationship with that planet. She thought that they would remain intertwined forever, but unexpectedly, one disappeared and the other withered away.

Some more peaceful days passed, but I always felt that I had forgotten something important.

For example, why is she unwilling to truly wake up, but instead hides in her sea of ​​consciousness and constructs some illusory things?

Those memories that she recovered seemed to be only the most superficial ones, but she enjoyed them and indulged in them.

Of course, it wasn't a complete waste of time; Sheng Qing actually learned some tricks of the trade.

She was able to create a new little secret realm, complete with people, objects, mountains, and water. Sheng Qing constantly nurtured it with spiritual energy; though small, it had everything it needed.

Sheng Qing created several more places, and when she looked at them again, she discovered that the small secret realm she had created at the beginning had given birth to something that did not belong to her; it had come to life!

Sheng Qing looked at the Queen's consciousness and memories, which were locked away by the impenetrable walls. Perhaps a new secret realm could be created based on these memories.

Sheng Qing recalled that absurd dream. Since she could wake up on her own, why not the Queen? She had to find a way to make the Queen's dream more realistic.

At that moment, the wisp of black energy suddenly attacked Sheng Qing's sea of ​​consciousness.

This is like a pillow delivered just when you're sleepy; why not let the two of you meet?

Seeing that its attempt to force its way in was futile, the black mist paused for a moment, seemingly about to give up.

Seeing this, Sheng Qing hurriedly asked, "Are you planning to leave already?" His hands continued to move without stopping.

"What, you're planning to let me in?"

Let's delay it a little longer.

"Isn't it a pleasure to have friends coming from afar?" Sheng Qing said thoughtfully.

Since it has its eye on us, why not use a trick to lure it into a trap?

Sheng Qing used spiritual power to connect the spring to the secret realm where Her Majesty the Queen was located, and she waited in the passage between the two.

"Aren't you afraid I'll devour you too?" the black mist asked, as the scattered mist slowly gathered together.

"My spiritual energy isn't that weak." Sheng Qing said fearlessly, but inwardly she thought to herself that she had always suffered losses in her previous encounters with it, but this time she was prepared. After glancing at her sea of ​​consciousness, which was brimming with spiritual energy, Sheng Qing felt even more confident.

As the old saying goes, "Strike while the iron is hot," but what is there to fear from a mere remnant of consciousness?

"That would be best," the black mist said slowly, pausing for a moment after squeezing in from the spring, as if scrutinizing Sheng Qing.

Sheng Qing looked back at it openly, and although he didn't know where its eyes were, he was sure to keep his eyes on the scarlet center.

So how did the Queen, as the master of that planet-like sea of ​​consciousness, become entangled, have her spiritual energy drained, and thus have her targeted?

Seeing that Sheng Qing did not move, the black mist spoke again, its tone somewhat irritated: "You really didn't recognize me?"

What does this mean?

"Should I recognize you?" Sheng Qing asked, taken aback.

The black mist suddenly rushed up and surrounded Sheng Qing, but due to its unstable energy, it dissipated after a while and only regrouped after a long time.

Sheng Qing endured the pain without moving, quietly waiting for it to recover.

It doesn't look fake. Was it seriously injured? Or was the battle with Her Majesty the Queen a lose-lose situation?

That would be perfect. Wouldn't it be wonderful to let the two of you fight to the death in the secret realm?

"Aren't you curious why I'm here?" the black mist asked.

"Why?" Sheng Qingcai wasn't curious. Were you and I even that close? Why would I be curious?

Wait a minute, maybe you can also be curious, such as who or what could have hurt you like this, and whether she could have gone to learn the technique.

"You and that guy are really cut from the same cloth, heartless and ruthless." Black Mist's tone was actually tinged with self-mockery, and he continued, "Even that guy couldn't have guessed that I would come here. Once you're here, you won't be so easy to leave."

“That guy?” Sheng Qing repeated.

"Hahaha, that guy never expected you to actually forget." The black mist seemed to be in a much better mood, but this laugh had taken a lot of its energy, and it couldn't even gather itself together.

Sheng Qing couldn't help but wonder if he had overestimated the enemy. It didn't seem to have much strength. How could it have absorbed all of Her Majesty the Queen's spiritual energy? Sheng Qing's expression unconsciously became solemn.

"What, are you scared now? Do you regret letting me in?" The black mist gathered again. "Too late."

Sheng Qing took a half step back. The black mist, which seemed to be coming on strong, stopped just before it was about to touch Sheng Qing's face.

The crimson hue was already dazzling from afar, but it became even more so up close, causing Sheng Qing to involuntarily close his eyes.

After a while, Sheng Qing felt the oppressive feeling dissipate, her eyelids twitched slightly, and she gently lifted them.

No, how come it's still here?

What is it looking at, if it has eyes?

This is her territory, what is she afraid of?

It is probably this uninvited guest who has come alone that should be afraid.

Sheng Qing mustered his courage and took a small step forward, barely touching the black mist. See? Nothing unusual happened.

But the black mist seemed to have encountered the most terrifying thing in the world, and it vanished instantly. It took a long time for it to regroup, and after it regrouped, it remained silent.

Sheng Qing sighed again, wondering where it got the courage to come to her territory and challenge her.

Or is it deliberately feigning weakness to lower her guard?

Sheng Qing recalled his previous encounters with it, all of which ended in defeat. He then composed himself and treated it with caution.

Speaking of which, how did she always end things? Something would quickly surface and then be deeply suppressed into the deepest recesses of her heart.

"How about we go inside and rest for a while?" Sheng Qing pointed to the location of the Queen's consciousness, and at the same time, with a thought, the entire passage was filled with a rich and mellow fragrance of spiritual energy.

"Heh." The black mist chuckled. "Do you think I don't know what you're up to?" Despite saying that, the black mist bypassed Sheng Qing and drifted inside first.

Sheng Qing swiftly sealed off the only exit, a feat that would be difficult even for her to break through, let alone the wisp of black mist that remained before her.

"Serves you right, you knew that, why did you still come?" Sheng Qing muttered under his breath.

"Of course, there is a reason why I must come." The black mist gradually revealed its true form under the assimilation of the unique substances of the secret realm.

It looked somewhat familiar, and Sheng Qing took a second look.

Judging from his back, he was a tall, slender young man dressed in red, striding confidently into the depths of the secret realm. Just before disappearing, the young man turned back and glanced at Sheng Qing expressionlessly.

Wait, isn't that the face of Her Majesty's lost and passionate expression from her memory fragments?

A door was opened in Sheng Qing's mind, and she remembered many things and people she didn't want to remember.

In the end of that heartbreaking chase, Her Majesty the Queen's consciousness forcefully suppressed and replaced Sheng Qing's consciousness, using her hand to rip out Meng Yunxi's heart—steady, ruthless, and accurate, hitting the mark in one strike.

Is he still alive? She dared not think about it.

Thinking of this, the magnified face, which had changed from disbelief to relief, appeared in Sheng Qing's mind, as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping her lungs, making it impossible for her to breathe.

She wanted to see if his heart was still beating somewhere, like another one kept under the throne.

But she didn't even know who he was.

Escaping is shameful and futile.

Consciousness passed through the barrier of the sea of ​​consciousness and arrived in the brain.

The moment Sheng Qing opened her eyes, her consciousness retreated back into her sea of ​​consciousness.

Escaping isn't entirely useless.

She thought that she might still be bound to that old, frail body, or perhaps abandoned in the wilderness.

But she had never encountered such a situation before; a stunningly beautiful face was about to press against hers. She tried to push him away, but her arms were weak and sore. In the end, she managed to pull her neck away, and the man's lips brushed past her ear.

Is this going to be a scene where a kiss wakes up the sleeping princess?