Chapter 145 145 Double Happiness
Having left Mangshan, this idyllic paradise isolated from the flames of war, the smoke of battle was no longer just concise lines of ink on battle reports. It roared across the land, carrying the stench of blood and flesh.
Back when Lu Yuanyuan saved the dying Yue Hong in the mortal realm, she had personally experienced the brutality of warfare in the era of cold weapons. Now, in this meat grinder-like war that has engulfed all living beings in the three realms, the battlefield is far "cleaner"—the Ghost Emperor himself doesn't fight, but instead hides in the rear, summoning Yin soldiers to fight the cultivators. These ghost soldiers and generals, having already died once, are instantly reduced to ashes after being slain by the cultivators. This results in the battlefield appearing to be half-empty. But this only adds to the somber mood, because what remains are all the remains of the human side.
Summoning Yin Soldiers is the Ghost Emperor's most overpowered trump card. Throughout history, countless people have died unjustly, meaning the Ghost Emperor's reserve army is equally numerous. Even the most powerful cultivators tire, but Yin Soldiers are impervious to pain and require no rest—it's practically a bug in the system.
Fortunately, this thing is powered solely by electricity generated by the Ghost Emperor. So far, every major battle has consumed countless amounts of the Ghost Emperor's power. The strength of the Yin soldiers is waning; the border of the old Ghost Realm site collapsed the day before yesterday, and the fortresses were captured one by one by the cultivators.
Unfortunately, the cultivation world still lacked some luck—the meticulously planned attack in the previous battle still failed to kill the Ghost Emperor. This guy fought to the death, killing thousands of cultivators before fleeing towards Ghost Prison Mountain.
A cornered beast is the most dangerous. To prevent the Ghost Emperor from catching his breath, they must press their advantage. Golden Turtle Island dispatched its most skilled martial god. Demon King Ji Shuo, however, entrusted this task to Duan Lansheng.
On their way to Ghost Prison Mountain, Lu Yuanyuan and Duan Lansheng encountered several ambushes by ghostly soldiers. Along the way, they also saw many villages reduced to ruins, like crushed red flowers on the earth.
In the blink of an eye, seven days and nights had passed since they left Mangshan.
Dusk falls, and desolation fills the air. The setting sun is blood red on the horizon, and the fading shadows of reeds sway on the water's edge.
Lu Yuanyuan stood under a tree, clasped her hands together, and the sound transmission stone in her palm flashed slightly before dimming and turning into an ordinary spirit stone.
This is a new gadget invented by Jin'ao Island, somewhat like a simplified version of a pager. Both parties agree on the meaning of the signal beforehand; when they need to communicate, they use spiritual power to activate a miniature magic array within a spirit stone to transmit specific information.
Footsteps sounded behind me: "Where are they?"
Lu Yuanyuan lowered her eyes, tucked the spirit stone into her bosom, and replied, "The Jin'ao Island encountered two or three more waves of attacks than we did, so they will probably arrive two days later than agreed."
On the day they left Mangshan, the elite warriors of Jin'ao Island set off from another place at the same time.
About a thousand miles further on from where they were standing in the mountain hollow, they would enter the territory of Ghost Prison Mountain. The two sides agreed to meet at a natural barrier rock at the foot of the mountain.
Lu Yuanyuan turned around and extended a hand to her, her fingertips still slightly damp with water droplets.
An hour earlier, they had repelled an ambush. Duan Lansheng was a clean freak, and even though the Yin soldiers had all evaporated, he still found the dust they had stirred up too dirty. Fortunately, there were several clear streams in this mountain valley, so he went and washed himself without a word.
As soon as he put his hand in, Duan Lansheng tightened his fingers and naturally pulled her to his side: "In that case, let's rest here for the night."
Lu Yuanyuan immediately understood his meaning and nodded: "Anyway, we'll be waiting whether we arrive there early or wait here, so it's better to stay as far away from Ghost Prison Mountain as possible."
Ghost Mountain, despite its name, is not actually a solitary peak, but rather a primeval forest stretching for tens of thousands of miles. This area used to be inhabited. But now, before even reaching the very entrance to Ghost Mountain, there is no trace of villagers or hunters left.
As dusk falls and birds return to their nests, the vast forest becomes eerily silent, devoid even of the howls of wild beasts.
Before nightfall, the two found a clean cave nearby. There were no traps at the entrance, and the cave was filled with dusty cooking utensils and some firewood. It was probably a resting place for some hunter.
Duan Lansheng frowned and pushed her out of the cave: "It's dirty, let me clean it up a bit."
Just moments ago, she was complaining about the dust on her clothes and carefully washing herself by the stream, but now she's bending down to tidy herself up without even blinking.
Lu Yuanyuan didn't stop him. She turned her gaze away and stared intently at a blade of grass struggling to grow out of a crack in the stone.
The earliest she can go home is the day after tomorrow... no, the earliest is the day after that.
It's hard to describe the turmoil in her heart at that moment. Anxiety, anticipation, fear, nervousness—a thousand emotions were battling within her.
Perhaps, it was also mixed with her hesitation—a feeling she didn't want to delve into.
She hadn't forgotten that there was something crucial she hadn't yet done—she hadn't found an opportunity to trick Duan Lansheng into eating the Soul-Crossing Thorns inside her body.
Xiao Ruo once said that the Ghost Emperor's right eye was the entrance to the space-time tunnel. But if the Soul-Crossing Thorn hadn't carried her, even if she had climbed into the Ghost Emperor's right eye and sewed his eyelid shut, she still wouldn't have been able to return to Earth.
To be precise, it wasn't that she hadn't found an opportunity at all. Duan Lansheng was no longer on guard against her, and the reason she hadn't made a move was because Tangyuan was still living inside Duan Lansheng's stomach.
besides……
No, there is no other reason.
Suddenly, a pair of hands pulled her over, and a teasing voice came from beside her ear: "I called you twice and you didn't answer. What's gotten into you?"
Lu Yuanyuan felt that her ability to gloss over problems was getting stronger and stronger: "I wasn't spacing out, I just felt a little hungry."
Duan Lansheng, unsuspecting, raised the corners of his mouth slightly: "So you're just craving something."
Although they no longer needed to eat every day, they still kept a lot of snacks in their storage ring. Duan Lansheng started a fire, patiently cleaned the fruit, and then handed it to her: "Here you go."
Lu Yuanyuan took the fruit, lowered her head, and took a few bites without saying a word. Suddenly, amidst the crackling of the firewood, she heard a faint sound of dripping water.
Lu Yuanyuan's eyelids twitched sensitively, and she suddenly looked up, only to be stunned.
Blood started flowing from Duan Lansheng's nose.
More than just one or two drops.
Dark red, warm blood splattered onto his clothes, splashing and seeping in a flamboyant pattern.
Everything happened so fast. Duan Lansheng seemed surprised that he would suddenly lose his composure. He raised his hand, his fingertip touching the blood in his nose. His expression changed slightly, and his first reaction was to turn away from her gaze, stand up, and seem to want to leave the cave.
However, before he could leave, he was pulled back: "Are you injured? Why are you bleeding so much?"
He was blocked by her body, with nowhere to hide. Duan Lansheng lowered his head slightly, becoming submissive, and let her examine him.
To be honest, he had originally intended to keep it a complete secret from her. But when she pressed him for answers, amidst his regret, he felt a strange sense of smugness, as if he didn't really want to resist.
He was such a contradictory and dark person. Every option that allowed him to see Lu Yuanyuan cared about him brought him both pain and pleasure.
Fortunately, the frightening bleeding stopped on its own quickly. Duan Lansheng raised his hand and gently wiped his lips with his index finger, leaving several streaks of crimson marks on his snow-white face: "I'm fine, don't worry."
Knowing immediately that she was making excuses, Lu Yuanyuan raised her voice: "Why would you have a nosebleed for no reason?"
The familiar scene before her inevitably reminded her of someone who had died long ago. It was like a biting wind piercing her heart.
That person, who was smiling and talking to her perfectly fine a second ago, suddenly bled from all seven orifices, leaving behind a last message that she could never understand or let go of for the rest of her life, and then quietly died.
Since then, the shadow has been etched into her life, and she has become deeply afraid of seeing similar scenes.
"It's really nothing serious." Under her glare, Duan Lansheng seemed to give in, slowly lowering his hand and softly revealing the truth: "Tangyuan will soon be able to leave my care and become like an ordinary child. These last few days will have some impact on me."
"..."
Completely surprised by this reason, Lu Yuanyuan froze, staring at him blankly like a doll whose spring had been stopped.
"It's just a slight physical reaction, nothing serious." Duan Lansheng raised his unblemished hand and gently pressed her back into place, his tone relaxed: "Now you can rest assured."
"..."
"My clothes are all dirty, I'll go outside and wash them and then come back. You can rest here."
He stood up, but before he could take a step, he was pulled back.
Lu Yuanyuan lowered her head, making it impossible to see her expression: "In the evening, you weren't disgusted by your own dirt, but rather... something similar happened then. You didn't want me to see it, so you used the excuse of washing your face by the stream, right?"
No one answered from above. After a few rustling sounds, she felt Duan Lansheng squat down again. When she looked up, she met a pair of bright eyes.
The guy was actually laughing, staring at her intently, as if he were admiring some precious scene.
Lu Yuanyuan was a little confused: "What are you laughing at? What's so funny?"
Duan Lansheng smiled and said, "I'm so glad you care about me."
...Feeling sorry for you?
Would a hypocrite like her really feel this crocodile tears towards someone she's about to exploit?
Amidst the crackling of the firewood, Lu Yuanyuan couldn't bear to look at his expression. She stared at her knees and heard herself say in a hoarse voice, "...Fool, don't hide things from me next time. I'll go wash your face with you."
"Alright."
Duan Lansheng agreed, stood up first, took a step back to make room, and Lu Yuanyuan supported herself on her knees to get up. The flickering firelight gradually created a double image in her peripheral vision. Suddenly, a wave of dizziness surged from the soles of her feet, and her vision went black.
...
When I regained consciousness, all around was silent, with only a faint ray of sunlight illuminating the dark cave.
Lu Yuanyuan opened her eyes and found herself lying on the ground, her limbs feeling weak, as if some force had drained her strength and hadn't yet replenished it. However, she had no injuries, and her spiritual energy was flowing normally.
What just happened?
How could she suddenly lose consciousness?
How much time has passed? Won't this delay something important?
Lu Yuanyuan had a bad feeling and sat up. She was still in the cave, but Duan Lansheng was gone, and she was all alone. The fire had long since gone out because no one had added firewood, and the ashes had cooled.
What about Duan Lansheng?
Despite feeling unwell, Lu Yuanyuan got up and walked out of the cave, feeling a little unsteady.
...
In the coldest time before dawn, in the desolate wilderness, the grass and trees are damp and cold with morning dew.
It didn't take much effort for Lu Yuanyuan to find Duan Lansheng by the stream yesterday evening.
He sat by the stream, motionless. Before dawn, he appeared almost one with the lifeless vegetation.
Lu Yuanyuan breathed a slight sigh of relief and quickly walked up: "Lan Sheng!"
Strangely, Duan Lansheng seemed not to hear her voice and ignored her.
A sense of unease welled up in Lu Yuanyuan's heart.
During this time, Duan Lansheng was like her conjoined twin. But tonight, she briefly lost consciousness for unknown reasons, and he wasn't by her side. Now, even though he could clearly hear her voice, he wasn't reacting, which was truly strange.
Lu Yuanyuan finally reached him from behind, took his arm, and felt its cold, dampness. His clothes were completely soaked, clinging to his skin as if he had just been pulled from a stream. Lu Yuanyuan frowned and said, "Why are you all wet?"
She walked around to face him and took a closer look.
Duan Lansheng's face was deathly pale, all color drained from his skin, and his wet hair clung to his neck. The bloodstains on his face, however, remained unwashed and were still congealed.
"What happened to you?" Lu Yuanyuan bent down in confusion, cupped his face, and wiped the blood off his face with her sleeve: "Did you accidentally slip into the water? You've made yourself look so disheveled. Your face isn't clean, but your clothes are all wet."
Before she could wipe her wrist properly, her wrist was suddenly gripped tightly.
Duan Lansheng's fingers were extremely cold, and they pinched her painfully.
Lu Yuanyuan gasped, looked up in bewilderment, and felt a sudden jolt in her nerves.
She hadn't seen that expression on Duan Lansheng's face for a long time.
Since they reconciled, his eyes have been tender and full of pure joy.
But now, that bright and warm feeling seems to have disappeared in the dim light of day.
Duan Lansheng looked at her with an unprecedentedly unfamiliar gaze, cold and sinister.
The shadows were hidden beneath the beauty; perhaps it was an illusion, but she even saw an almost ferocious and sinister anger and murderous intent.
Lu Yuanyuan froze.
What happened?
Why is Duan Lansheng staring at her like that?
But before she could figure it out, Duan Lansheng finally moved. He grabbed her hands that were cupping his face and pulled them away from him.
With his long eyelashes concealing his searching gaze, Duan Lansheng gently raised the corners of his lips: "I'm fine, go back."
He turned his head slightly, avoiding her gaze. The dim light fell on the contours of half his face, giving rise to an unfathomable gloom and strangeness.
wrong.
Something's not right.
A deep unease ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, yet at that moment, she couldn't utter a single question. She mumbled a response, and Duan Lansheng dragged her back into the cave.
It's not quite dawn yet, we can rest a little longer.
Beside the cooled fire, Duan Lansheng changed out of his soaked clothes, said he was tired, and lay down on his side, facing the mountain wall, as if he were resting with his eyes closed.
Lu Yuanyuan knew he was still awake.
But her throat seemed to be blocked, and she didn't move for a long time.
She didn't know what was wrong with him, nor was she sure if what she did would restore the situation to normal or make it worse. Perhaps doing nothing was better—at this critical juncture, she couldn't allow anything to go wrong with "following Duan Lansheng to see the Ghost Emperor."
As soon as it was light, Duan Lansheng woke up. The two continued their journey to Ghost Prison Mountain.
As planned, there was nothing else to do all day except to go to the destination. Lu Yuanyuan spent the whole day secretly observing Duan Lansheng. Apart from being a little quieter, his behavior was the same as usual.
Could that scene before dawn have been a sleepwalking episode?
Lu Yuanyuan tentatively brought up her sudden loss of consciousness yesterday as a topic of conversation with him. Duan Lansheng, however, showed a slightly apologetic expression and said that he didn't know the reason either, and that the mysteries of the immortals' bodies probably still needed Jin'ao Island to answer.
And so, in this somber and strange atmosphere, the sun slowly sank in the west, and the agreed meeting place could be seen in the distance.
"It's getting dark, we'll see them tomorrow morning. Should we... find a place to rest like yesterday and wait for them?"
Lu Yuanyuan was just making conversation out of nothing, but suddenly, her hand was grabbed.
Today, perhaps she was overthinking it, but Duan Lansheng wasn't making physical contact with her as often as usual. At this moment, his fingers wrapped around her, cold as snakes, and she wasn't much better off; her palms were unconsciously sweating.
“Look over there.”
A very soft voice signaled to him.
Lu Yuanyuan paused and followed his gaze.
In the distance, nestled in the woods, stood a dark building, half-hidden by branches and leaves, its door ajar, its windows propped open, revealing a dusty candlestick beneath which lay some paper, presumably unburned paper money.
Lu Yuanyuan pursed her lips and said, "It looks like a temple that has been abandoned for a long time."
Duan Lansheng blew a breath into his palm. Suddenly, a faint light flashed in the distant window, and the candlesticks in the temple ignited.
Did he use foxfire to light the candle?
Duan Lansheng looked at her, who was still in a daze, and said with a smile, "Let's go take a look."
It sounded like just a casual suggestion, but in reality, he had no intention of letting go of her. A faint, almost feverish anxiety crept up her back, but Lu Yuanyuan didn't refuse: "...Okay."
Moths are attracted to firelight in the dark, and people in the wilderness are no different from moths.
This is indeed a very dilapidated ancient building. The threshold is rotten, and on the central altar is an unidentified statue of some deity. The carving is very rough, and the splinters in the wood have not been cleaned off. A cold wind blows, and the light of the lamp flickers and is quite dim.
Lu Yuanyuan looked around and, caught off guard, saw a pair of lifelike, glaring ghostly eyes.
The walls were peeling away, revealing a faded portrait of humanity. Flames raged, the sky and earth cracked, and countless human arms stretched out desperately in the raging floodwaters, a scene both oppressive and bizarre, like a corner of a hellish painting torn open, leaving the viewer uneasy.
In recent years, wars have been frequent and the Three Realms have been in turmoil. I've heard that many previously unheard-of wild gods have appeared in the villages of the mortal realm. I wonder who is worshipping such niche things.
Lu Yuanyuan awkwardly withdrew her scrutinizing gaze, only to hear Duan Lansheng casually speak beside her: "Yuanyuan, I suddenly remembered something, there's something we haven't done yet."
Lu Yuanyuan subconsciously replied, "What is it?"
Duan Lansheng turned to the side, looking at her with a smile, and slowly uttered two words: "Get married."
Hearing this answer, which seemed completely unrelated to the eerie environment, Lu Yuanyuan's eyes widened in astonishment: "What?"
"Why are you so surprised?" Duan Lansheng chuckled, taking a step closer to her. His tone was warm and patient: "Didn't Yuanyuan say she liked me? We're family, husband and wife. Isn't it only natural for us to get married?"
"..."
“We should have gotten married a long time ago. It’s just that too many blind people and too many unfortunate things have been holding us back, which is why this thing that should have been done long ago has been delayed until now.”
For reasons she couldn't explain, Lu Yuanyuan felt a rare sense of fear and wanted to step back and keep her distance from him. In her vague panic, her gaze quickly fell and she noticed something in Duan Lansheng's hand.
It's a thin piece of paper.
From the moment they entered the temple, Duan Lansheng released her hand. As she looked up to examine the murals, Duan Lansheng also walked to the offering table, silently looking through something, seemingly at the unburned paper money pressed under the candlesticks.
At that moment, Duan Lansheng held the object in his palm, and Lu Yuanyuan realized that it was not white paper money for sacrifice at all, but a faded red paper-cut.
囍 (double happiness)
Noticing where she was looking, Duan Lansheng smiled and said, "Look, people have gotten married here before."
He looked at her, his red lips curving upwards in a smile. However, that smile seemed to have vanished from his eyes; his gaze was cold, with two dark, ghostly flames flickering within them, carrying an air of unpredictability.
No matter how gentle his tone was, she could still sense an unprecedented firmness in him.
Lu Yuanyuan's body stiffened, and in a flash, several thoughts flashed through her mind.
Her intuition was always accurate when it came to survival choices, saving her many times over. She knew that at this moment, the best course of action was to go along with Duan Lansheng to avoid jeopardizing the current situation.
Moreover, Duan Lansheng's proposal of marriage is understandable. Before a life-or-death battle, wanting to obtain what one has longed for and move forward without worries is only human nature. She's not a true ancient person; naturally, she wouldn't have the idea that a simple wedding ceremony would trap her.
But why—why—wasn't that indescribable, eerie uncertainty in her heart suppressed, but instead grew wildly amidst her heart-pounding fear?
Her expression changed several times, clearly reflected in Duan Lansheng's eyes.
Duan Lansheng slowly approached her, finally reaching the offering table. Lu Yuanyuan's lower back pressed against the edge of the table, trapped between his arms. Duan Lansheng lowered his head, the double happiness symbol crumpled under his palm. A gentle kiss landed on her hair, and he tenderly leaned down, asking, "Yuanyuan, is there something you're worried about? Would you like to tell me?"
He waited patiently.
Finally, he heard the person in his arms reply, "Without any worries, of course I'm willing."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
