Chapter 137 Why are you so good to him!
Lu Yuanyuan was stunned, thinking she was seeing things. She rubbed her eyes hard, but the scene in front of her remained unchanged. So she rushed to the bedside and lifted the curtain.
The bed curtains obscured a dark corner, and as she lowered her head, she met a pair of shimmering eyes.
Yuehong has grown up.
It means growing up in the literal sense.
The person on the bed was a young man around twenty years old. He was no longer childish, and his features had become mature, sharp, and aggressive.
Not only that, his whole body also grew taller and stronger, and his frame became a whole size bigger. Although he was still lying in bed, you could tell with the naked eye that he was now close to 1.9 meters tall, and the blanket was not enough to cover him, revealing his calves.
It completely matched the appearance of the third prince of Yong Kingdom who died in the underground palace in her memory.
Lu Yuanyuan's brain suddenly went blank.
What happened? Why did Yue Hong grow up like an inflating balloon?
Could it be that the two consciousnesses were competing and devouring each other within this body, thus stimulating the growth of its flesh and bones? After all, this body was a puppet she had created, and it couldn't be viewed through the lens of the normal growth patterns of flesh and blood.
Seemingly stung by the light, Yue Hong squinted slightly, silently watching her from below without saying a word.
Thinking of a certain possibility, Lu Yuanyuan's heart sank, her throat tightened slightly, and she slowly leaned closer to him, her face showing no sign of surprise: "Yue Hong? How are you feeling now? Can you hear me?"
At the same time, her body silently tensed up, like a fully drawn bow.
Xiao Ruo said that Yue Qi wanted to possess her younger brother. When the person in front of her opened his eyes, it meant that this battle without gunpowder had been decided.
Since the other party did not attack her after waking up, it means that Yue Hong should be the winner.
However, the possibility that Yue Qi might successfully possess the body cannot be ruled out. If Yue Qi does gain control of this body and wakes up to find himself in the enemy's headquarters, given his cunning, he might very well impersonate Yue Hong to gain everyone's trust.
She had to prepare for the worst.
She called out twice, but there was still no response. Lu Yuanyuan frowned and gestured to the cultivators in the room to go and fetch a physician.
The room had barely been emptied when Lu Yuanyuan heard a rustling sound behind her. She turned around and saw the young man on the bed slightly furrow his brow, close his eyes, and suddenly, with a burst of strength, prop himself up on his arms. The movement was somewhat slow, but still steady. His undergarment was thin, revealing the muscles covering his shoulders and back, like a continuous mountain range, undulating with his movements in a beautiful, muscular way. The quilt slipped off his bulging chest.
Lu Yuanyuan wanted to lend him a hand, but she held back because of her doubts.
Fortunately, Yue Hong didn't seem to care whether she helped him or not. After sitting up, he seemed to have a headache, pressing his brow with his fingertips before turning around. His gaze towards her was full of unfamiliarity and suspicion, and his voice was hoarse: "...Who are you people? Where is this place?"
As if struck on the head, Lu Yuanyuan stopped in surprise.
What's going on?
Does this guy have amnesia?
She had planned everything perfectly, but she hadn't anticipated such a ridiculous situation. She sat bolt upright, her eyes wide: "You don't remember me?"
Yue Hong said coldly, "Should I remember you?"
Lu Yuanyuan: "..."
Why does this attitude seem so familiar?
Looking back, the first time she met this guy after her rebirth was by the stream in Langya Mountain. Wasn't he just like that, arrogant and conceited?
Could it be that he not only grew up like a balloon, but also changed his personality and mind, returning to the arrogant prince's initial state before the transformation by Jin'ao Island?
Lu Yuanyuan felt a slight pain in her temples: "How much do you still remember?"
Yue Hong said, "Who taught you to answer questions with rhetorical questions?"
Despite the amnesia, he hasn't become stupid; he's still quite vigilant and doesn't let anyone trick him into revealing information.
Lu Yuanyuan was both amused and exasperated, but decided to offer an explanation: "You had an accident and hit your head, which is why you're temporarily forgetting some things. Don't be afraid, I'm not a bad person. I'm your..."
She considered it for a moment and said, "Friend."
In the past, when Yue Hong was a child, she didn't blush at calling herself his aunt. Now that he's grown taller than her, she finds it a little hard to call him aunt.
Yue Hong looked at her with a skeptical expression: "Friend?"
Lu Yuanyuan nodded.
Yue Hong remained silent, stared at her for a while, and then suddenly said, "Looking closely, I think I do have some recollection of you. Come closer and let me take a look."
Lu Yuanyuan paused, then approached again. Just as she bent down, she caught a glimpse of a shadow approaching out of the corner of her eye. The next second, she felt a tap on her forehead from a knuckle. Then, the hand moved up and gave her head a heavy rub, pulling her into a hug, and a teasing voice sounded above her: "What, isn't it time for me to call you auntie?"
The hand was very strong, and the movements were rough. Lu Yuanyuan was pushed forward and stumbled, her face buried in his chest, her hair being ruffled into a mess.
She struggled for a while, whimpering, before finally pulling her face out of his arms, her eyes wide: "You're faking amnesia to fool me?!"
Yue Hong smiled and said, "Some people have lied to me and called me 'aunt' for years. What's wrong with me lying to them back?"
Lu Yuanyuan's breath hitched. Forgetting about fixing her hair, she tilted her head back and stared at him without blinking: "You remembered everything? You remembered everything about the mortal world too?"
Hearing her ask about serious matters, Yue Hong's joking expression vanished. He pressed his slender fingers against his temple and tapped it: "Just now, in a daze, I dreamt that I was trapped in a pitch-black place, fighting a ferocious beast. In the end, I devoured it. Now, this area is starting to ache terribly, like being pierced by arrows, and many memories are flooding back..."
Lu Yuanyuan understood and explained, "That dream was Yue Qi trying to possess you, but he failed, and in the end you devoured him."
Having not heard this name in a long time, Yue Hong's eyes instinctively flashed with a hint of gloom and disgust: "Yue Qi?"
By the way, after Yue Hong died in the mortal realm, she took him to Jin'ao Island. So many things happened after that, and he has been sleeping in Langya Mountain ever since. His experiences are a blank, so naturally he feels disconnected from the present situation.
Lu Yuanyuan explained the whole story to him in concise words.
After listening to her story, Yue Hong remained silent for a while before scoffing, "He schemed so much, but in the end he didn't get to sit on the throne, nor did he live more than me."
He paused, then looked at Lu Yuanyuan, puzzled, and asked, "By the way, you only told me about my family and Yue Qi's current situation, but what about you? How did you save me?"
Lu Yuanyuan was taken aback, lowered her eyes, and lowered her voice: "I can't say I saved you. Your current body is not your original body, but a puppet I made. That day, only I survived and escaped from the imperial tomb. When the evil spirits attacked, you pushed me out, leaving no complete... body behind. I'm sorry."
She had barely finished speaking when she was flicked on the forehead again.
"What are you thinking? I've never blamed you. The situation was so dangerous back then, I really thought we were both going to die there. I'm so glad you survived."
Lu Yuanyuan looked up and found him gazing at her, his eyes bright and unwavering. A surge of pure emotion welled up within her, and she couldn't help but open her arms and hug him: "I'm so glad... you survived."
Startled by her sudden embrace, Yue Hong looked down and saw her cheek pressed against his chest. A thought crossed his mind, and his throat tightened, his ears turning a faint blush.
But seemingly unwilling to let her discover how pathetic he was, he coughed, giving off a rather conspicuous vibe, and forcefully suppressed his heart pounding in his throat before casually but actually cautiously raising his hand to place it on her back.
The moment his hand touched her back, Yue Hong caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. He looked up and saw several shadows at the doorway, and he froze slightly.
Lu Yuanyuan also heard the noise and turned around in confusion. She saw nearly ten people standing in a row at the door. In addition to a few immortal envoys from Jin'ao Island, there were also attendants and physicians from the demon race. Everyone stared wide-eyed at the group of people huddled together in surprise.
Whether it was an illusion or not, behind those pairs of legs, she seemed to see a short, stocky, white figure. It was as if something was hiding behind the crowd, peeking at her.
In the blink of an eye, the shadow disappeared.
Lu Yuanyuan reacted instantly, sat up straight, and smoothed her hair, which had been tangled up like a bird's nest.
Almost forgot, Yue Hong hadn't uttered a sound when he woke up, and she was worried something might be wrong with him, so she sent someone to fetch a physician. Looks like she made them come for nothing; she'll have to escort them back the way they came…
Just as Lu Yuanyuan was thinking this, an unexpected event occurred—a gust of wind rushed towards the back of her head. Even though she had let her guard down, relying on her instincts honed over the years, she quickly bent over and dodged, rolling to the side. Almost simultaneously, a heavy "thud" came from the bed, and a hole was punched through the bed frame.
Just moments ago, Yue Hong was perfectly normal, but now he was kneeling on the bed, drenched in cold sweat, the whites of his eyes seeming to be stained with ink, rapidly turning black. The skin of the hand that had attacked her was also stained with a dark mist, as if something beneath the skin was rapidly festering, resisting his consciousness. But even in his fading consciousness, he used all his strength to suppress his right hand.
Lu Yuanyuan's expression changed drastically.
The scene before her eyes was incredibly familiar—years ago, when Yin Xiaozhu took her away, she had acted out a similar play to clear her name in front of the people of Shu Mountain, making others believe she was controlled by puppetry and that two opposing consciousnesses were fighting within her. The difference between her and Yue Hong was that she was acting the whole time, completely unresponsive, without any change in her demeanor, while Yue Hong's eyes and hands genuinely showed changes.
The crowd by the door realized what was happening and rushed forward.
"Quick, hold him down!"
Be careful! Don't hurt him!
Although many of those present were skilled demon slayers and possessed numerous magical artifacts, they hesitated to act for fear of influencing the true owner of this body. It took considerable effort to subdue Yue Hong with the Immortal Binding Rope. After the commotion, the room was a mess, and Yue Hong, seemingly drained of energy, hung his head and sat on the floor beside the bed.
Lu Yuanyuan squatted down, grabbed Yue Hong's right hand, and her heart suddenly sank.
The skin on this hand was clearly dry, yet she felt as if she were touching a cold, damp corpse, unusually cold. Meanwhile, the rest of Yue Hong's body was warm; only her right hand felt frozen in the snow.
Could it be that Yue Qi wasn't completely devoured and is still causing trouble in this body?
Just then, she noticed that the black mist had started to move, darting towards Yue Hong's shoulder. Soon, it vanished completely, like a fish emerging from the water and disappearing back into the abyss.
Lu Yuanyuan clenched her fists.
She was too optimistic, thinking Yue Hong could solve the problem on his own. Possession is a treacherous profession, and everyone has their own expertise. Yue Hong has only been cultivating for a few years; when it comes to underhanded tactics, how could he possibly outmaneuver a fierce and malevolent ghost, and how could he possibly digest the latter so easily?
This is not as simple as suppressing demons and monsters; it involves digesting something that has the opposite attribute to oneself.
If Yue Qi's remaining consciousness is locked in Yue Hong's hands, surgery can solve the problem if there's really no other way. The problem is, that thing can move; she can't exactly cut Yue Hong's entire body open, can she?
Lu Yuanyuan closed her eyes, and she could vaguely hear Xiao Ruo's reminder.
It seems she has to go see that person.
.
On the return journey, Lu Yuanyuan didn't wait to confirm Duan Lansheng's condition and returned with the main group first. In fact, she wasn't so busy that she couldn't inquire about news during this half-day, but out of an inexplicable sense of avoidance, she unilaterally cut off all news about Duan Lansheng.
There's no way I can go now.
She inquired with the demon servants and learned that Duan Lansheng had also returned long ago, only a little later than them. He was currently resting in the palace to the south.
The place wasn't hard to find, and Lu Yuanyuan went there on her own.
The south side of the palace was very quiet. The branches were adorned with petals as red as the morning glow. Dense trees enveloped the palace, and the entrance was wide open, with no guards standing by.
Lu Yuanyuan stopped in her tracks, unsure whether to go in. Just then, a monster hurried out of the garden. It was none other than Duan Lansheng's subordinate, whom she had met before. She remembered that the monster's name was Bai Ye.
Upon seeing her standing there, Bai Ye looked surprised and quickly walked over, asking with concern, "What are you doing here, Immortal Lord?"
Finally, she caught someone who could relay the message. Lu Yuanyuan composed herself: "Excuse me, is the High Priest inside? I have something I'd like to discuss with him."
For some reason, a hint of hesitation flashed in Bai Ye's eyes: "Ah, he is now..."
But halfway through his sentence, he seemed to hesitate and didn't continue. Instead, he took a step back and said, "Please wait a moment, I'll go ask right away."
"Thank you for your trouble."
Lu Yuanyuan watched the other person's figure disappear into the garden. It was quiet around her; the steps were clean, with only a few withered leaves scattered on them. She stretched out her foot and slowly crumpled the leaves under her foot.
A moment later, she saw Bai Ye come out and gesture to her: "The High Priest invites you in. He is in the room at the end of this stone path. You can go straight in and find him."
After giving his instructions, Bai Ye ran off as if he had something else to do.
Lu Yuanyuan walked into the garden. It was no longer simply quiet; everything here exuded a deathly atmosphere. Following the stone path to the end, she saw a building with upturned eaves and a glazed tile roof.
The room was open, but it was dark inside, with no lights on, and there was no sound of anyone moving around.
Is there really someone here?
Lu Yuanyuan walked to the door, the dim sunlight casting a long shadow of her into the room. Looking inside, she realized that this was not a study or living room suitable for receiving guests at all, but a dimly lit and luxurious bedroom.
...Well, when I need someone's help, it's not good to be picky about the location.
She stood at the door for a while, then let out a long breath and knocked on the door frame: "Duan Lansheng, are you there? Your subordinates sent me here to find you."
Deep inside the bedroom, behind a screen, came the faint sound of clothes rustling: "Come in."
Lu Yuanyuan entered the room. There were tables and chairs, and tea and snacks on the table, seemingly prepared for guests. However, after taking a few steps into the room, she stopped in the middle, her gaze lowered, and said, "I've come today to ask you some questions. I wonder if it's convenient for you?"
Out of the corner of her eye, Lu Yuanyuan saw a figure emerge from behind the screen. She looked up and was stunned when she saw his face.
Duan Lansheng had changed his clothes, tied his hair back with a ribbon, and bandages were visible under his collar. Having already revealed his identity to her, he no longer wore a mask. His pretty face was pale, with the sickly look of someone with a high fever. His eyelids and cheekbones were flushed, like he was drunk, as if he had applied a thin layer of rouge.
He stopped, his eyes flashing with murderous intent, staring at her with an unusually cold gaze. His attitude was completely different from yesterday.
Why does he look so pale? Is he sick?
Why does he see her that way?
Lu Yuanyuan stopped talking and stepped forward: "...What happened? Are you not feeling well? Were you injured last night when you subdued Lord Swamp Orchid?"
Duan Lansheng's gaze fell on her face, his brows furrowed, but he did not answer or no. Instead, he asked, "Are you genuinely concerned about my health?"
Lu Yuanyuan's knuckles curled slightly, and she lowered her eyes, saying, "Even if it's a stranger in front of me, if I see that he's not in a good state, I will sincerely ask him a few words of concern."
Duan Lansheng gave a self-deprecating laugh, and the air rushed into his throat, causing him to cough: "So I am a stranger in your heart. No wonder you came to see me and didn't even want to sit down. It's as if you wish to spend as little time as possible in the same room with me."
Lu Yuanyuan: "..."
Every word he said today seemed to contain thorns; it must not be an illusion.
Thinking about the purpose of her visit, Lu Yuanyuan did not refute it. She went to the table, pulled out a chair and sat down: "You're overthinking it. This isn't some place that eats people. I'm not unwilling to sit down."
After she finished speaking, she poured tea into the two cups.
Duan Lansheng didn't speak, but she could feel the other person's gaze fixed on her head. After a moment, he also came over and sat down across the table. As he leaned over, his collar opened slightly, making the gauze wrapped inside even more noticeable, and a faint medicinal scent wafted out.
Was he genuinely feeling unwell? Is that why he was receiving guests in the bedroom?
Why is someone with such great strength as fragile as a human? It's as if something inside their body is eroding their health.
Lu Yuanyuan forced herself not to look at that place, took a sip of tea, and finally spoke: "Since you're not feeling well, I'll keep it short and sweet so as not to disturb your rest. It's like this..."
She recounted the whole story, but she didn't notice that the other person's lips were pressed into a straight line, and the hand on their knee tightened even more, their knuckles turning white.
“I understand that my request is a bit abrupt, so I will definitely not let you help me for nothing. If you can help me with this, I will owe you a favor. In the future, for anything you need, as long as I can do it, I will do it without hesitation.”
She had barely finished speaking when she heard Duan Lansheng chuckle softly.
"Save him? But I wish he were dead."
Lu Yuanyuan was startled and suddenly raised her head.
This was the first time she had heard this person speak so rudely without any attempt to conceal it. For a moment, she even wondered if she had misheard.
That smile wasn't genuine; it vanished in an instant. But she saw the malice in his eyes, like a poisonous flower blooming under a dark, gloomy sky.
Lu Yuanyuan calmed herself down, suppressing her anger, and said, "I know you hate me and want revenge. Whatever your grudge, come at me alone. We can settle it behind closed doors. Why take it out on an innocent person? I don't understand what grudge you have against Yue Hong. Why do you seem to harbor such deep hostility towards him?"
Duan Lansheng listened at first with a blank expression, but gradually, perhaps due to a headache that felt like being pricked by needles, his complexion worsened. He reached up and pressed his forehead, his emotions seemingly bursting forth suddenly: "Then why are you so good to him!"
Lu Yuanyuan didn't react for a moment, and stared at him with wide eyes.
Duan Lansheng stood up, leaning forward with his arms on the table. His beautiful, jade-like face was slightly distorted, flashing with intense resentment and indignation.
"That guy surnamed Yue, back in the mortal realm he colluded with others to bully you, tied you to a target and made fun of you, locked you in the cold palace, why didn't you hold it against him? Why were you always so good to him?! You've only known him for a few years, yet you've always kept him by your side! What makes him so special!"
"This time too! You've been back for half a day, and all you do is worry about him and hug him. Have you ever thought of coming to see me and..." Duan Lansheng gritted his teeth and clenched his fists: "Have you ever come to see me even once? If it weren't for that guy surnamed Yue, you wouldn't have come to see me at all!"
Lu Yuanyuan was completely stunned, and it took her a while to process what he had said.
How did he know she had just hugged Yue Hong? Did he plant a spy next to her?
Suddenly, Lu Yuanyuan recalled the white figure that flashed past behind the crowd.
Could it be that Tangyuan came over to peek and then told his father?
No, now is not the time to investigate how he knew she had hugged Yue Hong. She couldn't help but slam her hand on the table: "What are you talking about? Yue Hong did bully me, but he also did do me a favor. He is the third prince of Yong Kingdom. When Yan Kingdom broke the alliance, if it weren't for him holding back the pressure and secretly sparing my life, I would have been executed long ago. Do you know that if his father had found out, he and his maternal clan would have been in danger? Later, in the imperial mausoleum, he didn't even leave me with a complete corpse because of me. Shouldn't I do everything I can to repay him?"
"Yes, Yue Hong saved you twice, and you're so grateful to him that you can erase all the bad things he did to you before. What about me? Who is he? I can do what he did, and I can do it even better. Why are you always so good to him!" Duan Lansheng's face was gloomy, and the malice and murderous intent he had once hidden were churning in his blood, turning into a cold gaze: "You two were already in love when you were in the mortal realm, weren't you? If it weren't for me, you would have become his princess consort long ago, wouldn't you? Have I been in your way all along?"
What is all this nonsense? It's getting more and more absurd.
Lu Yuanyuan said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Yue Hong and I have always been friends..."
"I saw it with my own eyes!" Duan Lansheng suddenly raised his voice, his eyes red, glaring at her: "You said you were afraid of mice! And you let him hold you!"
Is she afraid of mice?
When did this happen?
Lu Yuanyuan searched her mind for a long time before finally finding a dusty corner in her long-faded memories—the events that happened during the hunt at Langya Mountain after her rebirth.
Because of the deaths, the hunting party moved to a separate palace for the night. It was on that very night that Duan Lansheng barged into her room.
She developed murderous intent towards Duan Lan, triggering the system's protection function. She was thrown back, and the noise of her knocking over the cabinet attracted Yue Hong's attention.
In order to prevent Yue Hong from discovering the existence of Duan Lansheng, this monster, she seemed to have used some lame excuse to stop Yue Hong from turning around to look...
So, that night, she thought Duan Lansheng, who was in a coma, was actually awake?
Did he see this scene too?
No, the key point right now is that this matter happened so long ago, and she, the person involved, has almost completely forgotten about it. Why is Duan Lansheng still holding a grudge? He's even bringing up old grievances!
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