Chapter 63 Chapter 63 (Revised) It’s over, they’ve come knocking on my door…
Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue couldn't help but laugh. She turned around and glanced at Shen Yuqing who had caught up with her, mocking him, "You're already acting like a master the moment we meet! If I were Pei Zichen, I wouldn't call you Master even a single word."
"But you're not him."
Shen Yuqing walked to stand behind Jiang Zhaoxue. She looked over Jiang Zhaoxue's head and glanced at Pei Zichen, who had been observing her. She said calmly, "He has been trained by the Spirit Sword Immortal Pavilion since childhood. He is well versed in human relationships and the laws of nature. He knows how important a woman's reputation is. You don't understand, but he does."
Pei Zichen was shocked by Shen Yuqing's words. He felt that Shen Yuqing's words were like a heavy hammer, which instantly shattered his eight-year dream.
Jiang Zhaoxue is his master's wife.
Whether he admits it or not, it cannot be changed.
If it weren't for the accident where he fell off the cliff, in the Spirit Sword Fairy Pavilion, in the True Fairyland, it would be a sin for him to look at her even once more, let alone anything else?
Shen Yuqing's words were meant to warn him. Even though he was unwilling, he didn't dare to use Jiang Zhaoxue's reputation to vent his anger.
He didn't dare say much. He felt a sour and painful feeling piercing his heart, which then spread throughout his body through his blood. His fingertips and heart trembled in pain, but he couldn't show any more on his face.
He couldn't let Shen Yuqing know his feelings, and couldn't let any speculation that would tarnish Jiang Zhaoxue's reputation arise.
He could only try his best to control his emotions and explained in a low voice: "Master is away, and the disciple and his wife are traveling alone. It is too conspicuous, so I changed the name."
In the human world, it is more understandable for a guard to accompany a female monarch on a trip than for a young apprentice to travel with a mistress whose master is away.
After all, guards represent status and look difficult to provoke.
And when the master is not around, the beautiful master's wife will be surrounded by much more gossip.
Shen Yuqing had already guessed the reason. After hearing Pei Zichen's explanation, she responded without saying anything more. "From now on, Master Lu will take Jinyue with you on the journey. There's no need to hide it in the future. Just call her Master's Wife."
Upon hearing this, Pei Zichen couldn't help but look at Jiang Zhaoxue. He clenched his fists tightly under his sleeves and asked tentatively, "Master will go with us?"
"Um."
Jiang Zhaoxue nodded.
When Pei Zichen heard the word "hmm", something instantly exploded in his heart.
For a moment, he wanted to question her, to ask if she had lost her mind, to ask if she hadn't had enough of the days in Lingjian Xian Pavilion, what was so good about Shen Yuqing that she couldn't even compare to these eight years?
However, when he thought about it, he understood where she got the eight years from.
It was he who had searched for four years, persisted for four years, and begged before her image in her temple;
I have been immersed in the illusion for four perfect years, and it was her who confirmed and begged me to say "I like her" over and over again.
His eight years were just a few days that passed in the cracks of her time, a moment that she could not remember whether she opened her eyes or closed them.
Where did she come from for eight years?
She never thought of leaving Shen Yuqing.
So if she doesn't want to leave, does she know he lied to her?
If she knew, would she hate him?
Are you still willing to keep him by your side?
Fear and suppressed anger filled his heart, causing Pei Zichen's fingertips to tremble with pain, but he couldn't make a sound.
Jiang Zhaoxue glanced at him, unable to tell whether he was happy or angry, but guessed that he must be unhappy. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Let's talk on the way. I have promised a child that I will go see him."
As she spoke, Jiang Zhaoxue walked out, and Shen Yuqing walked forward with her.
Pei Zichen and Mu Jinyue followed behind them. Jiang Zhaoxue was the first to ask, "What's going on with Sisi?"
"Before I came here, I gave the sound transmission talisman to Miss Qian and asked her to wait for us." Pei Zichen suppressed his emotions and whispered, "Although Miss Qian has forgotten everything now, she is smart and nothing will happen to her."
"That's good."
Jiang Zhaoxue nodded and wanted to praise him, but when he saw Shen Yuqing standing next to him, he didn't want to cause trouble, so he didn't say much. He just briefly and businesslikely described the current situation in the True Fairyland, and then told him the news of his alliance with Shen Yuqing.
"Your master and I had some misunderstandings in the past, but they've now been cleared up and we've reconciled. Your master originally wanted to kill you primarily because of the instructions in the Book of Destiny. Now that your fate has changed, your master has no need to kill you. He hopes you can return to the Immortal Pavilion, so he plans to work with me to help you obtain the artifact. In the future, you will become the master of the artifact, unite the five artifacts into one, and reverse the fate of the True Immortal Realm. This will be a testament to the cultivation you and your master have given us."
The streets were deserted, with only a few children setting off firecrackers at the door.
New Year's couplets are posted on the doors and red lanterns are hung in every household. Although there is no one on the streets, it is quite festive.
Jiang Zhaoxue kept muttering as he walked towards the east city gate.
Pei Zichen remained silent throughout the whole process. When Jiang Zhaoxue had almost finished speaking, Pei Zichen still looked a little dazed, as if he didn't understand what she was saying at all.
When Shen Yuqing saw Jiang Zhaoxue finish speaking, he glanced at the two of them and finally said, "Where is the child you are looking for?"
"East Gate."
Jiang Zhaoxue listened to Shen Yuqing's serious talk and responded, "I just released a group of people in Shengsi Manor, and this child was one of them. He couldn't speak and wouldn't let me go. To get away, I gave him a peace amulet and a sound transmission talisman and told him to wait for me outside the East City Gate."
"But..." Hearing Jiang Zhaoxue's words, Mu Jinyue was a little confused, "He can't speak. How can he use the musical notes you sent to him, Master's wife?"
Jiang Zhaoxue was stunned by this question. She hesitated for a moment and said hesitantly, "He...should be able to write, right?"
"How old is the child?" Shen Yuqing asked.
Jiang Zhaoxue recalled the child's thin figure and was unsure: "Ten years old?"
He looked so thin that it was difficult to tell his exact age.
When Shen Yuqing heard the age of ten, he nodded and said, "Then he should be able to write."
"Not necessarily." Pei Zichen finally spoke up from the side. Everyone looked over and saw Pei Zichen whispering, "Children from ordinary families may never have read a book in their entire lives."
Just like when he was young, if he had not come to the Spirit Sword Immortal Pavilion, he might have been proficient in the five grains, but he would never have been able to read.
But whether it was Jiang Zhaoxue, Shen Yuqing, or even Mu Jinyue, they were all born in immortal sects. Although they were not rich and prosperous, at least literacy was the basics. So at first, they did not think about the child's origin.
But thinking that if he were a rich kid, he wouldn't have ended up here, Jiang Zhaoxue couldn't help but feel a little worried. Then she heard Pei Zichen say calmly, "But Master's Wife gave him a safety amulet. If it's disturbed, Master's Wife will sense it. If it's not disturbed, Master's Wife doesn't have to worry."
"indeed……"
Jiang Zhaoxue was about to respond when she suddenly felt the spiritual energy outside the East City Gate vibrate. Jiang Zhaoxue's face changed drastically, and she didn't care about startling ordinary people. She subconsciously called out, "Zi Chen!"
Shen Yuqing subconsciously stepped forward to touch Jiang Zhaoxue, but Pei Zichen was already prepared. He pulled Jiang Zhaoxue's outstretched hand and rushed out with Jiang Zhaoxue.
Shen Yuqing's movements froze slightly. Mu Jinyue had already risen on her sword and looked at him in surprise: "Master?"
Shen Yuqing paused for a moment, pursed his lips unwillingly, then put his fingers together and flew on his sword to catch up with Jiang Zhaoxue and the others.
In less than a moment, the group arrived outside the east city gate. Before they landed, Jiang Zhaoxue immediately felt the resentful and evil energy lingering in the moat beside them.
Jiang Zhaoxue said anxiously: "Chase!"
Pei Zichen immediately flew on his sword and took Jiang Zhaoxue along the river after hearing what was said. A black shadow was running wildly in the river.
Pei Zichen raised his hand and made a gesture, and the river surface froze all the way forward. When the black air was about to touch the ice, it instantly rose up like a dragon, swooped down to the grass on the side, and turned into a human form and ran all the way.
This is a woman, wearing a bright red dress and carrying a red umbrella on her back. When she saw the human figure, Jiang Zhaoxue exclaimed in surprise: "Silla clothes?!"
The moment the sound fell, a sword light burst out from the side of Jiang Zhaoxue, with a momentum that swallowed the sky and split the earth, rushing towards Xinluoyi!
The sword intent was too strong, and Pei Zichen couldn't help but open his eyes wide. Just as the sword light was about to catch up with Xin Luoyi and kill him on the spot, a ray of magic light fell from the sky and instantly turned into a wall of light, colliding with Shen Yuqing's sword light with a "bang"!
Silla Yi took the opportunity to jump and disappeared into the woods.
Seeing this, Shen Yuqing was furious and wanted to chase after him. Mu Jinyue suddenly gasped and said anxiously, "Master!"
Hearing this call, everyone turned around immediately and saw Mu Jinyue holding her chest and retreating with a pale face.
Shen Yuqing's expression changed immediately. He stepped forward without hesitation, held Mu Jinyue and immediately injected spiritual power into her.
He did this action too naturally and familiarly. Jiang Zhaoxue raised her eyebrows and stood beside him with her arms folded. Pei Zichen noticed something was wrong and frowned.
Mu Jinyue was put on the ground by Shen Yuqing. She was gasping for breath, and her face was a grayish-white color that was almost deathly.
Shen Yuqing was supplying her with spiritual power, and his spiritual power seemed to have some special effect on her. Mu Jinyue's complexion quickly recovered.
Jiang Zhaoxue observed Mu Jinyue's appearance, and only when he saw her slowly recover did Shen Yuqing relax a little.
Jiang Zhaoxue asked kindly, "Are you feeling better?"
Hearing this, Shen Yuqing froze. Mu Jinyue raised her eyes tremblingly and said in a hoarse voice, "Master's Wife..."
"Why did it suddenly become like this?" Jiang Zhaoxue was curious.
Mu Jinyue looked embarrassed: "I'm sorry, Master, I'm too weak..."
"Is it a problem of the soul disappearing?"
Jiang Zhaoxue spoke frankly, and Mu Jinyue looked embarrassed. She glanced at Shen Yuqing and didn't know how to respond for a moment.
Shen Yuqing lowered his head and responded, "Yeah."
Jiang Zhaoxue couldn't help but laugh: "This Lingwansan is really powerful, it will cause endless harm."
Mu Jinyue was a little afraid to speak. Shen Yuqing obviously didn't want to talk about this topic. She looked up at Jiang Zhaoxue and said, "Go find the child you're looking for."
Jiang Zhaoxue's words reminded him of the child. Without saying much, the group looked around and then walked back along the river, following the scent of the new silk robe. As they walked, Jiang Zhaoxue pondered, "This new silk robe was originally on Concubine Zhao. Concubine Zhao killed many palace maids. This must be the evil spirit summoned by Concubine Zhao and Song Wulan by piling up human lives. When I was offering sacrifices to my ancestors at the altar, I killed Song Wulan..."
Having said this, Pei Zichen from the left side looked over sharply.
She didn't show it on her face, pretending to think, skipping over the content in the Lingxu Illusionary Realm and continuing, "And the obstacle that blocked Shen Yuqing just now..."
Before he finished speaking, Shen Yuqing on the right looked over again.
Jiang Zhaoxue paused and became a little irritable for a moment.
Being a man, I am in a dilemma.
She took a deep breath, changed her address, and continued: "The magic light that blocked your master was obviously the work of Song Wulan. The master and servant were probably seriously injured and wanted to hunt for food so that Silla Yi could recover as soon as possible. That child..."
As Jiang Zhaoxue was speaking, she saw a landslide and hurried forward to investigate.
The landslide occurred at the edge of the moat outside the East City Gate. A piece of the top collapsed, and there was an area where the soil was flattened and the thorns were broken. It was probably because someone slipped down.
The grass and trees on both sides had been pulled almost every other section, and the traces of landslides were all along the way. It didn't look like it had rolled down, but more like it had been dragged down by someone.
There was a piece of broken talisman paper hanging in the mud, which was Jiang Zhaoxue's sound transmission talisman.
The sound transmission note was broken into pieces by the grass and trees, and you could vaguely see the word "木" (wood) written crookedly on it.
"He can read."
Jiang Zhaoxue murmured.
He could read and he could have sent her a message earlier, but perhaps he was too sensible and was afraid of disturbing her, so she just waited outside the city gate, and waited.
Wait until this evil spirit appears and drags him from the human world to hell.
The resentful demon was already seriously injured, and came after him to draw strength. A child like this could be eaten to pieces in just a few moments.
Looking at the fragments of the musical note on the ground, Jiang Zhaoxue's heart tightened and he couldn't help but say, "If only it had been a moment earlier."
But who could have imagined it, who could have explained it clearly?
Less than half an hour...
In half an hour, the child was gone.
Jiang Zhaoxue was speechless for a moment and stood there in a daze.
Pei Zichen saw this and took Jiang Zhaoxue's sound transmission note from the side. After looking at it, he said softly, "You could have not saved him."
Jiang Zhaoxue was stunned, turned around in surprise and looked at Pei Zichen.
Pei Zichen said calmly, "Saving him is your moral duty, and not saving him is also your right. You have done your best. His life or death is determined by fate. You don't have to feel guilty."
"Remember what your master said to you." Shen Yuqing's voice also sounded.
Jiang Zhaoxue listened and turned to look.
She looked at Shen Yuqing quietly for a long time, then sneered and said, "You sound nice."
Shen Yuqing was a little surprised. Jiang Zhaoxue ignored them and turned away.
Pei Zichen followed Jiang Zhaoxue and turned around. Before leaving, he saw Shen Yuqing looked a little bewildered. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "If Master's Wife had remembered the Master's instructions, why would she have come to the Spirit Sword Immortal Pavilion?"
How could I save him?
Shen Yuqing was speechless for a moment. Pei Zichen turned around and followed Jiang Zhaoxue.
The three of them walked back to the inn.
Jiang Zhaoxue didn't say a word the whole way.
In fact, over the years, she has become indifferent to life and death, but when she thinks of the child's begging eyes as he grabbed her hand, she feels depressed.
She walked quietly on the road.
Since she kept silent, no one else spoke either.
Pei Zichen kept suppressing the urge to look at her and talk to her, remaining silent all the way.
When they arrived at the inn, Jiang Zhaoxue glanced at the four rooms, waved her hand and said, "I'm tired, let's go to sleep."
Shen Yuqing looked up and wanted to speak, but when he saw Jiang Zhaoxue enter the room without looking back, he hesitated for a moment, but in the end he remained silent. He only reminded Mu Jinyue: "Meditate well tonight and don't cause any more trouble."
Mu Jinyue blushed slightly when she heard this and whispered, "I am a disciple, not a disciple."
Shen Yuqing thought for a moment and said, "I don't blame you."
After saying that, he pushed the door and entered the room on Jiang Zhaoxue's left.
Pei Zichen saw Shen Yuqing go to the left, and without waiting for Mu Jinyue to move, he immediately walked to the room on the right.
Seeing the three people choose a room, Mu Jinyue stood there, thought for a moment, then smiled and said "tsk", then turned around and went to the last room left next to Shen Yuqing.
As soon as Jiang Zhaoxue entered the room, she felt so tired that she wanted to lie down on the spot.
Fortunately, she still had her sanity, went into the bathroom, soaked in the hot water, and took a bath.
She reckoned with what had happened that day: waking from a dream, exchanging her life for Song Wuya's with Qian Sisi's, then rushing all the way to Shuzhong for Qian Sisi's sake, causing a scene at the Life and Death Manor to take the Soul-Nurturing Orb, saving the nameless child, then being captured by Shen Yuqing, and making a bet with Shen Yuqing, then hunting down Xin Luoyi, and finally discovering the child's death...
Thinking of the child, Jiang Zhaoxue fell silent.
She thought about it and recited a passage from the Sutra of the Dead for him.
After she finished reading, she sighed and said casually, "I actually did so many things in one day."
Jiang Zhaoxue couldn't help but admire herself: "Why am I so good?"
"If you don't push yourself, you won't know how powerful you are!"
Anan followed Jiang Zhaoxue's words and began to praise him.
Jiang Zhaoxue smiled. Seeing that she was in a good mood, Anan remembered: "But, tell me, why are Xinluoyi and the others in Shu?"
Jiang Zhaoxue was also a little confused when he heard it.
When she, Pei Zichen, and the others woke up, they were near the capital. Essentially, they had entered an illusion created by the Lingxu Fan, so when they finally emerged, they should be in the exact location of the Lingxu Fan.
Song Wulan, Xin Luoyi and the others had obviously entered the Lingxu Illusionary Realm, so when they came out, they should be in the suburbs of Beijing.
She had set up several formations to rush to Shu in order to cultivate the soul bead. What was Song Wulan trying to do with the new Luoyi?
And what a coincidence, how come that child was chosen?
"And Mu Jinyue..." Jiang Zhaoxue muttered, remembering something strange that happened today. "She ate the trumpet creeper flower. It's impossible for the poison from Ling Min Powder to still be like this today. What's wrong with her? Why did Shen Yuqing keep her with him?"
Jiang Zhaoxue pondered in his heart without saying anything.
Anan could sense that she was preoccupied, so he sighed and said, "We're already in the bath, so stop thinking about all this nonsense and talk about something relaxing."
"What's easy?"
"By the way," Anan asked tentatively, "are you planning to keep this matter of the illusion a secret?"
Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue paused, then said in surprise: "You call this easy?!"
"Hey, let's chat."
Anan was a little embarrassed: "You can't avoid it even if you get away with it. You need to think it through. Do you really want to keep pretending to have amnesia like this?"
"What else?" Jiang Zhaoxue felt a headache when he thought about this.
Pei Zichen had obviously noticed something. Today, it was obvious that Shen Yuqing had been holding back and not asking her, but sooner or later, she would come knocking on her door.
But--
"How could I possibly let him know? I'd already made up my mind not to do anything about it!"
Thinking about what happened in the illusion, Jiang Zhaoxue covered his face in pain.
I couldn't help but complain bitterly: "If I let him know that I remember, how can we get along? Oh, I've been married and slept with him for four years, then how can I move on? It's impossible for me to really be with him, right?"
"Why not?"
"I can't afford to lose face like this." Jiang Zhaoxue raised her hand to her forehead and finally realized, "He's only 25 years old..."
She is almost ten years older than him.
Why was she so obsessed with him in the illusion and did such a mess with him?
What was her wish when she entered the illusion? How could it become so absurd?
Jiang Zhaoxue thought about it, leaned against the pool and sighed.
Anan sensed her state of mind and said cautiously, "Actually... isn't twenty-five the age when a man is at his most attractive?"
Jiang Zhaoxue paused, she was silent for a moment, and finally said: "It would be fine if it wasn't Pei Zichen, but this is Pei Zichen..."
Jiang Zhaoxue remembered the moment when his neck was strangled in the dream, and also remembered the soul-locking array in his body.
In the past, she would feel scared whenever she thought of this moment in her dream.
However, for some reason, when she thought about it this time, the first thing she remembered was Pei Zichen bending his bow and shooting the Lingxu fan into pieces.
"Four years ago, I didn't intend to keep you here forever."
He had never thought about it.
Jiang Zhaoxue was in the water and suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of security.
She unconsciously hugged herself, realizing that she was somewhat shaken, and whispered, "Besides, in the illusion, what he wanted was not me, but someone who loved him wholeheartedly and a warm home. It is impossible for me to love him wholeheartedly, and now Mu Jinyue happened to be here. Just watch, the gears of fate began to turn——"
Jiang Zhaoxue sighed: "This is the world of the young."
“That’s right…”
Thinking of Mu Jinyue, Anan also felt a little unsure, and then said: "Then what about you and Shen Yuqing..."
"It's even more impossible to tell him," Jiang Zhaoxue said immediately. "The more information he knows, the more he can guess. It's no secret in Penglai that the Heavenly Secret Jade can unlock the Heart Contract. If he's willing to find out, he'll find out sooner or later. Once he knows, with his brain, he'll quickly figure out that I want the Heavenly Secret Jade. If he figures out a way to break the Soul Locking Array by then, won't all my efforts be in vain? I can't afford to gamble."
As Jiang Zhaoxue spoke, she felt a pang of pain in her heart for some reason.
He simply took a brush from the side and began to brush himself fiercely, saying angrily as he brushed, "Hide it, hide it all! Shen Yuqing can't let him know that I trained Pei Zichen for the sake of the heart contract, otherwise if he refuses to let me, this blood bag, go, it will be over. Pei Zichen can't let him know either, otherwise if he wants to escape, I really don't know what will happen to this child of destiny. I will definitely become a ninth-level destiny master!"
Jiang Zhaoxue encouraged herself, saying, "My father's serious illness must be related to the decline of the True Fairyland's fortune. What do you mean by destined marriage, or divine artifacts that can reverse fate? Relying on them is not as good as relying on myself. The True Fairyland is still waiting for me to save it. What's the point of talking about love here? Tell them all to stay away from me!"
"That's right!" Anan's blood boiled with excitement as well as Jiang Zhaoxue's words. "Nothing is better than us becoming Ninth Realm Life Masters! Master, my Crow's ascension to heaven depends on you!"
A man and a crow cheered themselves up in the water.
After a while, Jiang Zhaoxue felt his blood boiling.
She took the clothes from the screen, and after she had calmed down, she happily came out of the bathroom with Anan on her shoulders.
As soon as I came out, I saw a young man sitting in the house.
The lights in the room had not been turned on yet and it was dark. Only the outline of a young man could be seen sitting in the night, as elegant and upright as a pine or bamboo.
A cup of cold tea was placed next to him, as if it had been waiting for a long time. When he heard Jiang Zhaoxue's voice, he turned his eyes to the side.
Jiang Zhaoxue didn't dare to speak and froze in place. Pei Zichen didn't say anything either, but just stared at her quietly in the night with a pair of slightly tired eyes.
Jiang Zhaoxue looked at the person in front of her and was too nervous to speak.
Anan's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but say, "It's over! They're knocking on my door!"
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