Chapter 30: Old memories shattered, love arises unexpectedly, lingering affection and tenderness...
The young man he remembered from the beginning, though a quiet and reserved fellow, was at least healthy. Back then, he could still laugh and had a fondness for some inexplicable flowers, plants, and trees. Although Xianhua Xinzun always had a cold face, as if his wife had died, he would secretly bring some spiritual plants from the Three Realms and place them on Qinwenxue's windowsill, which he would see the first thing when he woke up.
Actually, Shi Wenzhe picked up this flower himself.
Unexpected events always arrive before anticipated ones. Xianhua Xinzun had only just died, and his soul might not have even entered the next cycle of reincarnation yet, when Qin Wenxue was afflicted with the cold poison. The villains of the demon realm were stirring, and the righteous cultivators also took the opportunity to attack Shifang City. Beset by internal and external troubles, it was only with Yun Jin wielding the Three Thousand Guests and the sword spirit of Chongming Sword protecting its master that the barrier outside the city was able to be defended.
From the very beginning, Ming Shu shared the pain with Qin Wenxue. He was Qin Wenxue's little dog; when his master was in trouble, how could he escape unscathed?
"It's all thanks to a twist of fate that his soul is connected to Qin Wenxue's, allowing him to share some of her burdens." At times like this, he can only feel grateful that he still has a hundred years of cultivation, enough to suffer for Qin Wenxue.
The little white dog struggled to lift its eyelids and glanced at Shi Wenzhe, who was running away in a panic. Although her movements were frantic, she never let go of Qin Wenxue's hand, even when the frost cut her hand and blood flowed down.
Ming Shu felt comforted, but couldn't help feeling a little worried for Shi Wenzhe. This time, she might secretly cry. It was a pity that she had old injuries, otherwise she wouldn't be unable to maintain her human form. It was a pity that she could only guard her alone.
The malevolent energy began to emerge uncontrollably from Qin Wenxue's body. Ming Shu struggled to regain his senses, but his body was weak, and the spiritual energy and malevolent energy within him attacked each other, like fire and water, causing him to almost go into a state of demonic possession.
"It hurts so much." He thought, "I wonder if His Majesty can survive this." He cried out, thrashed about, and tried everything he could, but it was all in vain. His demonic power was automatically channeled into Qin Wenxue to resist the spreading malevolent energy. He gradually stopped moving, as if he were dead.
"Hmph—!" Shi Wenzhe groaned in pain, her exposed skin throbbing with a dense, needle-like pain. She heard the sound of her skin being corroded, frost creeping onto her cheeks, her fingertips a bloody mess, blood trickling down the back of her hands and finally congealing in her embrace.
The temperature suddenly dropped, and Shi Wenzhe felt as if she were in a frozen wasteland, but her heart was pounding and her eardrums were filled with a buzzing noise. She couldn't help but laugh as she smelled the rusty, bloody odor.
“Violent energy…” she murmured, her eyes gleaming. This scene was all too familiar to her. On the day she transmigrated, Jing Shilian also released violent energy in this way, and the wounds on her palms were still scabbing over.
Everything was so coincidental, and so perfectly timed.
"That's great," she thought. "She is a Spirit-Crossing Flower, and the only thing she's not afraid of is malevolent energy."
Her heart pounded like a drum, rhythmically beating. She groped her way closer to Qin Wenxue's body. Qin Wenxue was icy cold, his breathing barely audible. The night was too dark to see anything. She groped him inch by inch with her hands, touching his chin, lips, nose, eyelashes, and finally his forehead. Suddenly, she felt much better and even began to slowly comb his long hair.
Shi Wen frowned, her eyes filled with confusion. She couldn't understand why such a cold person had such soft and smooth hair.
Her fingertips accidentally touched the hard bell, and Shi Wenzhe was overjoyed, thinking, "She's finally able to touch this tassel." She was very happy, like a child who had received candy, and willingly closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against Qin Wenxue's forehead.
A warm white light shone in the darkness, the only flickering flame in the night. Their hair moved without wind, and they entwined themselves. The black mist, unwilling to be purified, fled throughout the cave, but the light finally dispelled the darkness. Shi Wenzhe, in this suffocating environment, gasped for breath. Her body had been in one position for too long and was a little numb. She moved her stiff wrists, wanting to leave Qin Wenxue's body silently.
She couldn't actually see the other person, but somehow, as if bewitched, she couldn't bear to look away. The strange fragrance suddenly wafted out again, and Shi Wenzhe's heart tightened. The pale and fragile face of Qin Wenxue appeared in her mind during the day, and she panicked and wanted to escape.
The frost finally melted, but the temperature inside the cave hadn't risen yet. She felt around on the stone slabs and found the little white dog curled up in a ball, placing it on Qinwenxue's chest.
Even with this simple action, Shi Wenzhe was drenched in sweat. She knew she was in bad shape; the purification had exhausted all her spiritual power, and she was at her limit.
"So tired." She grumbled, "Why are there so many deadly things?" She complained as she curled up next to Qin Wenxue, looking pitiful.
The strange fragrance around her kept penetrating her lungs, making her furious, but she was just anxious and had no strength left.
A weary sigh came from the cave.
Shi Wenzhe finally had time to take a closer sniff. The fragrance was sweet and refreshing, like... the first flower blooming in a forest after a rain, with the scent of grass and trees, fresh and invigorating. Or perhaps it was the plum tree she dreamed of on a snowy day, sharp and even its fragrance had a touch of aggression.
Beautiful and alluring.
She thought the strange fragrance last time was a hallucination caused by eating mushrooms, but now she was certain that it was coming from Qin Wenxue. Shi Wenzhe couldn't help but laugh, finding it somewhat amusing. His reaction last time was so strong, it probably wasn't because of her sudden offense, but more likely because he was embarrassed and angry.
The fragrance was so addictive that it made her eyes glaze over, and she couldn't help but move closer to Qin Wenxue. The movement was so subtle that Shi Wenzhe seemed to be bewitched, gradually closing the distance until she pressed her lips against Qin Wenxue's neck and gently sniffed.
She was like a cat addicted to sucking, her fingers spread wide, floating in ecstasy. Shi Wenzhe's heart was about to explode, and her ears were filled with the pounding sound of blood surging, disturbing her soul's peace.
"It smells so good." She murmured, "Why does it smell so good? Is Qin Wenxue also a flower fairy? If so, it must be one of the most beautiful flowers in the world, the kind that is unique in heaven and earth."
Shi Wenzhe smiled contentedly... In the darkness, in the world where only she was awake, the warmth of the person's neck beside her was so comforting, gradually eroding her senses.
Being near a flame is the moth's destiny.
She rubbed her fingers together, slowly approaching. Beneath her fingertips was a throbbing pulse, the scent of another person. Her hair was cool, her clothes were soft, and the snow on the quilt was vivid.
She felt the urge to bloom again. Shi Wenzhe chuckled to herself, her eyes narrowing slightly. "It's okay," she told herself. "She's just a cat that's successfully stolen some fish. Nothing can compare to the happiness I feel right now."
Anyway, the person hasn't woken up yet, Qin Wenxue won't know. Isn't it normal for a cat to crave catnip?
She was engrossed in her breathing when suddenly the Peach Blossom Valley shook violently. Cracking and snapping sounds rang out one after another, the sound of trees breaking in the valley. Outside the cave, huge rocks slid down and crashed to the ground with a loud thud.
Peach Blossom Valley trembled three times, the scenery became like clouds and smoke, blurry and distorted, everything shifted, and living beings disappeared. The cold stone slab beneath her suddenly vanished, turning into rough soil. Shi Wenzhe seemed to see a sky full of yellow sand, but the next second, the soil disappeared again, and she returned to that small stone cave.
Shi Wenzhe sat up instantly and slapped himself.
"Is it a hallucination?" she asked herself.
"Chirp—!" A high-pitched bird cry pierced the silence of the valley, as if the valley had been cleaved by a divine weapon, with boulders rolling down, trees collapsing, and rivers cascading, creating a tremendous tremor.
A blood moon rose in the sky, and a thick fog enveloped the valley, making it appear distorted and ominous. Birds and beasts scattered in all directions, letting out terrified howls, and a nauseating stench filled the air.
"An earthquake?" Shi Wenzhe lost his balance and fell into Qin Wenxue's chest. She hurriedly got up and, by the blood moonlight outside the cave, saw the pervasive dust and mud, as well as some shadowy, unknown, and terrifying things.
The things outside the cave looked like demons crawling out of hell. Before she could react, rocks started falling from the cave, hitting Shi Wenzhuo all over. She barely managed to protect Qin Wenxue's head with her hands and pulled the little white dog under herself.
"Chirp—!" Another clear bird song rang out, and the entire valley seemed to be uprooted, with mountains collapsing and the earth cracking, shaking violently.
A slender figure stood atop the mountain peak, dressed in white, with silver hair and red eyes, holding a silver spear in his hand. A blood moon hung high behind him, and the wind blew wildly, causing the feather ornaments on his clothes to jingle. He seemed like a visitor from another world, coldly watching the creatures fleeing and running in the valley, his eyes devoid of any emotion.
The howling wind swept across the valley, whistling and rustling. The man shifted his feet slightly and leaned against a withered tree beside him, his body so light that he seemed about to drift away with the wind.
“Found it…” the man murmured, stroking the withered tree. “After waiting so long, it’s finally here.” His eyes were cold, his red pupils like those of a bloodthirsty demon, as if he had finally spotted his prey and was eagerly awaiting the start of the show.
"Ouch!" Shi Wenzhe was hit squarely by a falling rock. She rubbed the stinging back of her head, seeing stars.
"Qinwenxue! Qinwenxue! Earthquake—oh my god!" Shi Wenzhe frantically groped her way to her feet, but the shaking made her lose her balance. She staggered as she tried to drag the person and the dog out of the cave, but she was too weak to lift them.
The earth cracked open, like gaping maws revealing ferocious claws. Wisps of black mist surged out, covering the sky and the earth. They rushed out and rushed towards the creatures in the valley. Wherever they passed, creatures died tragically, and vegetation withered. In an instant, Peach Blossom Valley became a living hell.
Shi Wenzhe heard the familiar, horrifying howls of rotting corpses. Her body instinctively stopped, and she wanted to move closer to Qin Wenxue. Her steps were unsteady, and she was trembling slightly. Her brain seemed to still remember the pain of having her flesh ripped out, urging her to escape quickly.
Stones rained down, hitting her heavily. Shi Wenzhe coughed up blood and fell to the ground. She coughed, trying to cough up the blood in her throat, and crawled with difficulty toward Qin Wenxue.
It seems that God dislikes her, so He keeps playing jokes on her. Shi Wenzhe's lips curl into a miserable smile, a forced and pitiful one.
Everything that happened in Peach Blossom Valley was unbearable. It was as if an invisible hand was pushing her forward, towards despair. Just when things seemed to be getting better, she was placed in life-or-death danger again.
"I'm a little tired." Shi Wenzhe sighed inwardly. "She's just a human being. All she does every day is sleep and eat. What kind of pressure can she withstand? When pressure comes, she just wants to collapse and never get up."
"I don't want to care anymore." She thought, "It seems like she doesn't have any choice in her life, but she can always choose to give up. This time she might really die, but having a beauty by her side isn't a bad thing. It's better than dying alone last time." She curled up in Qin Wenxue's arms, forming a ball. She looked small and was covered by Qin Wenxue's wide sleeves, as if she had become one with him.
Shi Wenzhe closed her eyes, awaiting death, but her slightly trembling body betrayed her fear and her search for protection.
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