Chapter 83 Back Then [Two Combined] She never expected that the truth was...
The two of them were too close. Unaware of what was happening, Zhe Qing quietly took a half step back, her fair ears turning a blush.
Mu Meng was not about to be so easygoing as to allow him to retreat, and immediately made up for that half step.
She was domineering and arrogant, clearly unwilling for him to back down. Zhe Qing's Adam's apple bobbed, and he dared not retreat any further. He could only maintain this distance and finish speaking: "Mengmeng, I know what you're thinking. If His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor is truly the murderer, you want to take the blame for him, right? But... things can't be calculated like that."
Mu Meng asked, "Why?"
“He is him, and you are you. How can you bear the consequences of what he did? Everyone should be responsible for their own words and actions, and no one should suffer for them,” Zhe Qing said in a low voice.
Mu Meng didn't comment on his words, but smiled and pinched his cheek: "That's a reasonable thing to say. This is the Zhe Qing I know."
Her sudden intimate gesture startled Zhe Qing, a blush spreading from her cheeks to the base of her neck. She dazedly raised her hand to touch the spot Mu Meng had just touched, like a young girl who had been teased, "Mengmeng, what...what are you doing..."
Mu Meng waved his hand with a chuckle: "Alright, let's not talk about the real culprit. We don't know who it is right now. Let's talk about it when we find out. Don't let your imagination run wild. The important thing now is to talk about what happened between us. You already let it slip, so don't try to avoid the topic."
"I……"
"Zheqing, I'm sorry. I scolded you without asking clearly earlier. Please don't hold it against me."
Zhe Qing's eyes were very gentle, and she smiled helplessly, "How could I blame you? It's all my fault."
Look, this person is eager to take the blame again. Mu Meng felt a pang of sadness and tenderness in her heart. Suddenly, she stretched out her two slender arms, hooked them around his neck, stood on tiptoe, and brought her face close to his.
Zhe Qing was startled and instinctively tried to back away, but Mu Meng's arms hooked around his neck, making him unable to move for a moment. In his panic, he raised his hands to try to push Mu Meng away, but he touched her soft and slender waist.
Zhe Qing was immediately terrified and at a loss for what to do. She hurriedly raised her hands, not knowing where to put them, and could only stammer and beg for mercy: "Mengmeng, Mengmeng... shouldn't you first..."
Mu Meng didn't want to listen to his rambling, so she gave him a serious and tender kiss on the lips.
It wasn't the first time she had taken the initiative to kiss someone, but the last time was too rushed, and she was nervous and shy, so she wasn't entirely satisfied with the result.
This time was different. Her heart was filled with tenderness and affection. When her lips touched his skin, the real softness and warmth made her eyes sting. She couldn't help but kiss him repeatedly.
She would no longer ask him repeatedly if he liked her; there was no need to ask—she already knew that his love was far deeper than she had imagined.
Zhe Qing's mind went blank for a moment, almost completely blank. For a split second, he couldn't think, and he didn't even know where he was. But soon, he came to his senses and, with almost all his willpower and composure, gently pushed Mu Meng away.
“Mengmeng, I told you last time, we…”
"Alright, stop repeating those same things. You know I don't like hearing them, and you're not telling the truth, so why say them and make us both unhappy?"
Mu Meng didn't argue with him. Although he pushed her away, his eyes didn't lie. His long, curled eyelashes were like two frightened butterflies, revealing all his thoughts on his face.
She smiled and gently took his hand: "Zheqing, stop hiding. You can hide your body to the ends of the earth, but where can your heart hide? I've already found out. Are you still going to deny it?"
She's already found out...
Yes, no matter how much you deny or try to escape, this heart is like a winter plum blossom exposed in the freezing snow, its crimson color like blood, with nowhere to hide.
Zhe Qing's thin lips parted slightly, his soft lips trembling slightly. He looked at Mu Meng, momentarily unsure whether to feel joy or despair.
He had no joy in his life, and the only thing that brought him contentment was secretly calling her name in quiet, secluded moments. He never asked for anything more.
But at this moment, he was flattered to receive a gift from the gods. The bright moon in the sky, which he could only ever hope to see in his life, had unexpectedly shown him favor.
But how could he accept this love? Peel back the outer shell, and inside lies a rotten, filthy devil. He is not even worthy to stand beside her; he fears that even a glance at her would defile her. Moreover, he is long past his prime, and he himself is unsure how much time he has left.
Aside from the ever-approaching red line of death, his body had long been beyond its limits, and he might very well be gone tomorrow, his soul vanishing forever from the world.
what to do?
Zhe Qing thought desperately: What should he do? Is there anyone who can teach him?
How can I say this without hurting Mengmeng's newly fluttering heart?
How can we ensure that Mengmeng doesn't feel any sadness or pain because of her death and disappearance?
"Zheqing, is there something troubling you?" Perhaps the vulnerability and pain on his face were too obvious, even Mu Meng could see it, and asked him hesitantly.
Zhe Qing looked at her, unconsciously raising his hand to touch the corner of his lips, revealing a faint, comforting, and joyful smile: "Mengmeng, I know you're smart and perceptive, you can see through everything. Yes, I dare not hide anything from you anymore, you're so wonderful, how could anyone not like you? But... please give me some more time, let me think it over, okay?"
Although he did not answer directly, Mu Meng understood the hidden meaning in his words. Zhe Qing did indeed have some unspeakable difficulties, and this matter was very thorny for him, and it was not something that could be decided in a short time.
But no matter what, he finally agreed, which made her very happy: "Of course, think it over carefully. I'll wait for you no matter how long it takes, after all, we have a long future ahead of us."
"There's plenty of time in the future"—that's truly the sweetest phrase in the world.
But he was ultimately not destined to experience such sweetness.
Zhe Qing carefully suppressed all the sadness and bitterness in his heart and showed his beloved girl the most gentle and sincere smile.
...
There are some things to take care of in the Yue Liutian demon clan, so he will be delayed and arrive a little later. After all, he came to help Sheng Sheng restore her demon clan identity, so it doesn't matter if he is a little late.
When Mu Meng received Yue Liutian's message, she was having breakfast with Yu Sheng. Yu Sheng was particularly close to her, after all, she was the only girl in the entire courtyard, and she had once saved her. Her eyes were like a mercury mirror, clearly showing her affection and admiration.
Mu Meng put Yue Liutian's spiritual message aside and casually ladled a bowl of porridge for Yu Sheng: "Sheng Sheng, eat more."
She was in a great mood today, surrounded by close friends. Yesterday, she had kissed Zhe Qing again and heard him admit that he liked her too. Now, seeing that Sheng Sheng's complexion was much better than yesterday, she felt even more comforted. She was less worried about what kind of conspiracy that mysterious monster was plotting in the shadows.
Yu Sheng obediently took the bowl, drank a couple of sips, put down the spoon, looked up at Mu Meng carefully, and asked softly, "Sister Mengmeng, are you worried about me? Is there anything I can do to help you right now?"
Mu Meng smiled and ruffled her hair: "No, you just need to take good care of yourself, and that will be enough to help me."
Yu Sheng smiled, revealing a row of neat white teeth. She was very gentle and cute, and obediently lowered her head to drink her porridge, just as Mu Meng had hoped, she was trying her best to take good care of her health.
Mu Meng smiled with relief, when suddenly he heard someone knocking on the door: "Your Highness, it's me."
Mu Meng gave Yu Sheng a few words of advice, then walked over and looked at the person at the door: "Brother Sheng, are you here to say goodbye?"
Sheng Yuanting nodded: "Yes, the Celestial Clan still has some matters to attend to, so I must return quickly. Does Your Highness have any other instructions?"
Mu Meng thought for a moment and said in a low voice, "Brother Sheng, after you go back, raise the alert level of the Celestial Clan to the highest standard, arrange twice as many troops as usual for protection, and inform all the territories of the Celestial Clan to be careful during this period. If possible, try to bring them all to the Nine Heavens Gate."
Such a deployment is no small matter. Sheng Yuanting was secretly alarmed and frowned: "Your Highness, what has happened? Could it be that some powerful enemy is about to invade our Heavenly Clan?"
"Perhaps, I can't be sure right now. But there is indeed a formidable enemy lurking in the shadows. He has extremely high spiritual power, and I'm not confident I can defeat him. But he's holding back his attack, probably because he's wary of the many experts in this courtyard. However, he's cunning and ruthless, and I don't know what other methods he might devise to deal with us. In any case, we should be on our guard for now, and once this matter is over, I'll try to find a way to expose him first."
Sheng Yuanting looked around, then slowly nodded: "Alright, Your Highness's plans are meticulous, I will follow them, but..."
Mu Meng raised an eyebrow slightly: "What's wrong?"
"If that's the case, then I'd better stay here and contribute as much as I can."
"No, please. Go back to the Celestial Clan as usual and carry out the plan I gave you," Mu Meng shook his head without hesitation and said seriously, "Only my sister and brother-in-law can handle things on their own in the Celestial Clan. If you go back, you can take care of and support them. Brother Sheng, you don't need to worry about this place. Zhe Qing and I once joined forces and were able to gain a slight advantage over that monster. The Ghost King and Feng Xixue are still here. If he dares to show up, we will definitely not suffer any losses."
Hearing her say that, Sheng Yuanting felt much more at ease: "Alright, Your Highness, rest assured, I will keep in constant contact with you via telepathy, and I will inform you immediately if there is any movement."
After he finished speaking, he bowed and turned to leave.
Mu Meng watched him walk away, and after a while, she turned back into the house. When she looked up, she found Yu Sheng standing four or five steps away: "Sheng Sheng, why did you come over?" She had been talking to Sheng Yuanting so seriously that she hadn't noticed what was going on inside the house.
Yu Sheng smiled faintly and said softly, "N-nothing."
Her eyes were so pure and clear that one could see right through her. Mu Meng glanced back at Sheng Yuanting, who had already walked away, then turned her gaze back and asked with a smile, "Did you want to see Brother Sheng off? Why didn't you come over earlier?"
Yu Sheng lowered her head, her bright eyes dimming for a moment, but she still smiled and said, "I think I won't go."
Mu Meng sighed silently in her heart, naturally understanding her thoughts. After thinking for a moment, she walked over, took her hand, and asked softly, "Sheng Sheng, can you tell your sister what kind of illusion you saw yesterday when Brother Sheng was investigating the curse?"
Yu Sheng hesitated for a long time with her head down, but finally raised her clear and trusting eyes and murmured, "I saw me with him..."
As soon as she finished speaking, perhaps realizing she hadn't said it well, she quickly explained, "Sister Mengmeng, I wasn't being undignified. It wasn't that I wanted to do anything the moment I saw General Sheng. It's just... it's just... that feeling was unforgettable..."
Deeply moved, Mu Meng felt a pang of pity—she felt great regret for Feng Xixue. If he were here now, hearing Sheng Sheng's words with his own ears would be a comfort to him no matter what.
She never imagined that Feng Xixue's life would be so full of hardship, just when she thought she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
But this can't be blamed on Sheng Sheng. She doesn't have spiritual power, and it's her first time encountering an illusion. In addition, the person who cast the spell on her looks and sounds somewhat similar to Feng Xixue, so it's understandable that she got confused.
Seeing that Yu Sheng couldn't explain herself and her face showed a slight hint of disappointment, Mu Meng's heart softened, and she smiled gently, "I know, Sheng Sheng, I know everything you're saying. It's okay, you don't need to blame yourself or doubt yourself. It's just..."
"Hmm... It's just that you haven't experienced illusions before, so you might not know that this feeling... is indeed real, but the people in the illusions may not look the same as what you see with your eyes. Once you have spiritual power, perhaps the illusions will become clearer and easier to distinguish."
Yu Sheng listened attentively with wide eyes, then nodded thoughtfully.
*
Later that evening, Mu Meng stayed in Yu Sheng's room talking to her. Halfway through their conversation, he suddenly turned his head and glanced outside, sensing a pure and elegant spiritual energy.
This was the scent of the Si'an flower. Mu Meng immediately understood what was going on—Feng Xixue must be standing outside the door right now, wondering how to knock without startling Sheng Sheng.
Although she was worried that Sheng Sheng would be nervous and at a loss, the Si An flower had been prepared in advance and was very beneficial to nourishing her soul. The sooner it was used, the sooner Sheng Sheng's body would recover.
Lu Zhaoxin had been waking up Si'an Flower since yesterday, and now that Xixue has arrived, Si'an Flower must be in its best condition and ready to be used.
Thinking this, Mu Meng smiled slightly and asked gently, "Sheng Sheng, do you remember my friend from yesterday, the one named Feng Xixue? He prepared a spiritual medicine for you that is very beneficial to your health. Shall I have him come in later and guide the medicine to your body?"
Yu Sheng sat up slightly, pursed her lips, and unconsciously clasped her hands together, but still smiled obediently and said, "Okay...okay, thank you for your trouble, Master Feng. Please invite him in."
Seeing that she agreed, Mu Meng went over and opened the door for Feng Xixue.
The moment Mu Meng saw him, she sensed something was wrong and subconsciously frowned slightly. Seeing her expression, Feng Xixue's brows furrowed slightly, and she asked in a low voice, "Do I smell of blood?"
"It's alright. I know you've already dealt with it, but I can sense it. Don't worry, Sheng Sheng doesn't have spiritual power, so she won't be able to detect it."
Others may not know, but she does. From yesterday to today, this little courtyard has not been as peaceful as it appears on the surface—government officials, people from the brothel, and even some spoiled brats from aristocratic families who had previously bullied Sheng Sheng have all come knocking on the door. Lu Zhaoxin couldn't handle these matters and avoided them all, leaving them entirely to Feng Xixue to deal with.
Although he acted in a subtle and ingenious manner, he must have made those people wish they were dead, otherwise he wouldn't have such an inescapable aura of bloodshed.
Mu Meng didn't think Feng Xixue had done anything wrong. They were taking care of Sheng Sheng, and they hadn't even had a chance to teach those people a lesson yet, but they came to cause trouble. They didn't even know how they had bullied and trampled on Sheng Sheng in the past. They deserved to be torn to pieces. "Alright, don't worry, there's nothing wrong with it. I already talked to Sheng Sheng. Come in."
Feng Xixue nodded. As soon as he entered the room, Mu Meng could clearly feel his stiffness. If Yu Sheng was a little nervous, he was still very sensible in hiding it. But Feng Xixue's nervousness was impossible to hide.
Seeing him approach, Yu Sheng immediately bowed respectfully to him: "Greetings, Feng..."
“No need,” Feng Xixue said with a look of shock and pain. She hurriedly reached out to help her up, but dared not touch her at all, or even get too close. She only said softly, “No need for formalities, please sit down.”
Mu Meng was about to sit down next to Yu Sheng to keep her company when suddenly a flash of inspiration appeared before her eyes. She grabbed it and looked, "Hmm? Brother Yue has arrived, I..."
She had only said half a sentence when Mu Meng was in a dilemma. Logically speaking, Brother Yue was here to help her, so she should naturally go out to greet him when he arrived. But if she left like this, leaving Sheng Sheng and Feng Xixue alone in the room... should she ask Feng Xixue to leave with her?
She hesitated for only a moment, but Yu Sheng noticed and immediately understood what she was hesitating about. She quickly said softly, "Sister Mengmeng, you have guests, so go and greet them. Don't worry about me."
Mu Meng was about to speak when Feng Xixue said gently, "It's alright, I'll go out first..."
“No, no need,” Yu Sheng said, feeling somewhat embarrassed and apologetic. “Lord Feng has already been working hard for my sake, and now he’s even brought me medicine. I don’t know how to repay him. There’s no need for you to worry about me like this. It would be unfair to you.”
Feng Xixue's face was somewhat pale. He lowered his eyes, his eyes almost overflowing with tenderness.
Mu Meng knew Yu Sheng's personality. If Feng Xixue really left, she would feel guilty and uneasy. Besides, no one in this world can be trusted, and she believed that Feng Xixue could take good care of Yu Sheng. So she whispered and advised, "Feng Xixue, then you should stay. The Si'an Flower is in full bloom, and you should guide it to Sheng Sheng as soon as possible."
After saying that, she turned to look at Yu Sheng and squeezed her hand: "Sheng Sheng, I'm going out for a bit, I'll be back soon."
Yu Sheng nodded to her with a slight smile.
After Mu Meng left, only Yu Sheng and Feng Xixue remained in the room. She was still a little nervous and looked at the man opposite her with unease.
Feng Xixue had long since lost how to care for her, and at a loss for words, she coaxed her softly, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, I... I'll give you the medicine first, okay?"
Yu Sheng responded softly.
The Si'an Flower was originally prepared for her; she was its only master. The medicinal process didn't take long, as the Si'an Flower was perfectly compatible with Yu Sheng's soul, and it merged into her soul in less than half an incense stick's time.
After the fusion, Yu Sheng immediately felt the magic of the medicine. Her mind became exceptionally clear, her limbs relaxed and comfortable, and the bruises that had been throbbing in various parts of her body were no longer so painful.
Feng Xixue stood obediently to the side, rubbing her hands nervously, her voice low: "How are you? Are you feeling better? Do your injuries still hurt?"
He suppressed his emotions, not daring to let the tenderness in his eyes show too obviously, for fear of frightening her.
Seeing that he seemed quite uncomfortable, Yu Sheng guessed that he probably didn't have much to say to her, but out of courtesy she had to exchange a few pleasantries. With a smile in her eyes, she politely bowed again, saying, "Thank you, Lord Feng..."
“No need to thank me or bow,” Feng Xixue said gently, reaching out to help him up. Her deep eyes were incredibly gentle, and her tone was full of affection and tenderness. “Don’t call me ‘sir’ either. I have no official position; I’m just a wandering scholar.”
Hearing this, Yu Sheng was somewhat at a loss. According to Sister Mengmeng, this white-haired official did not hold any official position. However, she was grateful to Sister Mengmeng and naturally respected all her friends. She addressed this white-haired official as she would any other person.
But now he won't let her call him that. She can't go against her benefactor's wishes, but what should she call him then?
After thinking for a moment, Yu Sheng could only politely whisper again, "Thank you, Brother Feng."
Feng Xixue's eyes instantly reddened.
Yu Sheng noticed this and first cautiously glanced at the doorway—Sister Mengmeng hadn't returned yet.
The man opposite her suddenly became so sad and grief-stricken, as if he was about to cry. She didn't know what was wrong with him, but he was Mengmeng's friend after all, and she couldn't just pretend not to see it and not care.
Thinking this, Yu Sheng asked softly with concern, "Brother Feng, are you feeling unwell?"
Unbeknownst to her, Feng Xixue's heart was aching as if it were being cut by a knife. He tried to endure it, but finally couldn't resist his instincts and turned his head to spit out a mouthful of blood.
This terrified Yu Sheng. She stared blankly at the large pool of dark red blood on the ground, remembering that Feng Xixue was perfectly fine when she came in, but after she clung to the flower, she was like this in no time.
She was both frightened and guilty, and her voice trembled with a sob: "Brother Feng, did you get hurt while trying to get the medicine for me?"
"No, no, I'm sorry..." Feng Xixue hurriedly denied it, hastily using a little spiritual power to remove the blood from the ground, and apologized repeatedly, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"What's wrong? What happened?" As soon as Mu Meng returned, he heard Feng Xixue apologizing to Yu Sheng repeatedly. Thinking something had happened, he rushed over. When he saw the pool of blood on the ground, he vaguely understood what had happened.
Yu Sheng felt guilty, as if she had done something wrong: "Sister Mengmeng, Lord Feng injured himself while trying to get the medicine for me."
“Um…no, it’s not because of that,” Mu Meng paused for a moment, then chuckled and shook her head in denial. “It has nothing to do with you. Feng Xixue…um…he has some old ailments. Don’t blame yourself. He’ll be fine after a while. There won’t be any major problems.”
Mu Meng knew that Feng Xixue was in excruciating pain. Yu Sheng was the apple of his eye, and he couldn't bear even the slightest injury or suffering. So it was no surprise that she couldn't hold on in her current state.
But Yu Sheng was unaware of all this. She looked at the blood on the ground, then at Feng Xixue's deathly pale face, and still felt somewhat worried. "Why don't you... Brother Feng, go back and rest for a while..."
She didn't know how people with spiritual power should recuperate, and she felt that doctors in the human world were probably useless and didn't know how to take care of them, so she could only tell them to rest early.
Feng Xixue's gaze seemed to melt into a pool of water. He gently shook his head, his voice tender: "It's alright."
Brother Feng?
Mu Meng was stunned for a moment, her gaze shifting between the two of them. Although she didn't know why Sheng Sheng would suddenly address Feng Xixue in that way, well... it was a good thing.
Mu Meng smiled and said, "It's alright, Sheng Sheng. Feng Xixue has profound spiritual power and a strong physique. He has been carrying this injury for quite some time now, so there won't be any danger. I have something else to tell you."
"The Demon Prince has arrived now. Since you two are of the same race, he can help you restore your true identity. Then we will know who caused you to be reincarnated in the human realm, and we can also remove the curse imprinted on your soul."
Yu Sheng didn't quite understand the specifics of the spiritual power and curses they were talking about, but that didn't stop her from knowing that Mu Meng was doing it for her own good. She smiled and nodded obediently, "Okay, thank you, Sister Mengmeng."
Mu Meng gently stroked her long hair, looked at Feng Xixue, and then at Yu Sheng: "Then let's start early tomorrow morning."
...
Yu Sheng's demon core was not damaged, but it needed the help of the demon race to restart. Yue Liutian was the crown prince of the demon race, and could be considered one of the top figures in the demon race. With his help, everything would be foolproof.
“Miss Yu Sheng, in a moment I will activate the demon core within your body and inject another stream of spiritual power, which will recreate the last person you saw when you were a flower fairy—the murderer who harmed you. You must pay close attention to his appearance, because once the demon core is activated again, there will be no more such a good opportunity to see him.”
Yu Sheng nodded solemnly and forcefully.
Although Yue Liutian could handle the matter of activating the demon core on his own, since everyone else was fine, they all stayed behind to protect him. With Mu Mengzheqing, Feng Xixue, and Lu Zhaoxin, what should have been an hour's work was compressed into just three incense sticks' worth of time.
After the demon core in Yu Sheng's body was reactivated, the sweet floral fragrance emanating from her body became even stronger. Although her appearance remained unchanged, her eyes, eyebrows, nose, and lips became more refined. Although her spiritual power was weak, she was much stronger than before when she was weak and pale.
However, he looked a little dazed, as if he was still lost in a certain scene and hadn't come to his senses yet.
Feng Xixue was the first to step forward, his brows furrowed with worry. "Sheng..." he paused, then called out somewhat awkwardly, "Is there something wrong with Miss Yu Sheng?"
Yu Sheng blinked and shook her head: "No, I'm fine."
She smiled politely at Feng Xixue, then walked over to Mu Meng, gently tugged at her sleeve, and whispered in her ear, "Sister Mengmeng, I saw the person who hit me, and... I also saw some other things. I guess that maybe it was because he saw those things that he wanted to silence me."
Mu Meng felt a vague unease. Although she had considered this possibility beforehand—that Sheng Sheng was silenced because she knew some secrets she shouldn't have known—hearing her say it herself still made her anxious.
After all, this secret is very likely related to her father.
Mu Meng composed herself and gently took Yu Sheng's hand. "Okay, Sheng Sheng, how much do you remember? Describe the scene and what that person looked like to us, okay?"
Yu Sheng thought for a moment and said, "Sister Mengmeng, I see three people. I'll draw them on paper first, so it will be easier to talk about them."
That would be even better; a portrait is more intuitive than a description, and Mu Meng readily agreed.
In this life, Yu Sheng is the daughter of an official. Her calligraphy and painting skills are unparalleled. With just a few strokes, she can already capture the essence of the characters. After the painting is completed, the images and demeanor of the three people are all vivid and lifelike, as if they could step out of the paper.
Upon seeing these three people, everyone fell silent, to varying degrees.
Mu Meng stared blankly at the painting Yu Sheng had just finished, her eyes lowered.
She never expected that this story would have another unknown plot added from Sheng Sheng's perspective.
There were two people in the painting that she recognized very well. She had seen these two people in another painting before—the one in the landscape painting in the home of the Lou family father and daughter in Tiancangjing. One of them was her father, and the other was Mu Qingheng's father.
Although she didn't recognize the third person in the painting, Mu Meng thought that perhaps this was the painter of that mountain excursion painting, her third uncle whom she had never met, Mu Guicheng.
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