Chapter 61 Disguise "Ah Chu, you're so easy to fool."...
(61)
Shang Xinglan led Chu Li back to the small house, and soon brought out a steaming, fragrant meal, all of which were indeed Chu Li's favorites. The glow of the setting sun shone through the small window onto the table, and the roast chicken was plump and juicy, with an enticing color.
Chu Li couldn't help but look around their home. Everything looked exactly like the real Xiaofushan, with no trace of any E'long.
He walked to the table and sat down, handing Chu Li a pair of chopsticks. He said gently, "Try it. There are a few dishes I learned from the chef. I don't know if they'll suit your taste."
Chu Li frowned and looked at him, saying, "Listen to me, the situation is very critical. The lightning marks on your body are actually parasitized by the Evil Dragon..."
Before she could finish speaking, Shang Xinglan suddenly interrupted her, smiling and saying, "Where did you read those stories? You shouldn't talk while eating or sleeping. Just eat properly when you're eating."
His tone was calm and gentle, yet it inexplicably sounded like an order that brooked no argument.
Chu Li stared at him intently for a long while before sitting down at the table, picking up her chopsticks, and casually putting a piece of green vegetable into her mouth. The taste was crisp and delicious, indeed, it was Shang Xinglan's cooking.
After the two finished their meal in silence, Shang Xinglan got up and cleared away the dishes. She chuckled softly, "Are you full? Let's go. I'll continue teaching you how to plant flowers. This time, you're not allowed to kick the water bucket again."
He took Chu Li's hand, their fingers intertwined.
Chu Li did not struggle. She let the other person lead her on a stroll in the back mountain. The cold moon hung over the hillside, and a gentle breeze blew through the petals, like a soft, white snowfall.
She sat in the flower field, watching Shang Xinglan bring over a new wooden bucket, and said gently, "This is collected rainwater. Rainwater is gentle and more suitable for growing flowers than well water or stream water."
Chu Li watched as he scooped up a ladle of water with a bamboo tube and carefully sprinkled it on the flower field. "In summer, water it once in the morning and once in the evening. Just enough to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged."
Chu Li stared straight at him, her movements and expressions almost identical to Shang Xinglan's.
But she knew for sure that this person wasn't Shang Xinglan.
Shang Xinglan possesses the Heavenly Yang Body, so even when her hands are cold, they won't feel like a block of ice.
Moreover, he was very patient with her and would never see her looking anxious without asking her what had happened.
The Eel Dragon is treacherous and cunning; never trust its disguise.
The unfinished words Shang Liuyu spoke in his dream were probably about this matter.
"Look how beautiful the flowers are this year." Shang Xinglan picked out the neatest and prettiest gardenia and tucked it into Chu Li's hair, smiling as she said, "It's as pretty as you."
Chu Li lowered her eyes and said in a low voice, "How long are you going to keep up this act?"
His fingertips paused slightly, and he slowly withdrew his hand, gazing quietly at the person in front of him. He said softly, "I didn't want to frighten you after finally seeing you, so I borrowed his face for a moment."
He actually admitted it so readily. Chu Li frowned slightly and looked up at the face that was exactly the same as Shang Xinglan's.
"You are the Eerlong?"
The man nodded slightly, looking directly at her without any hesitation. "You can call me that if you want."
Chu Li removed the gardenia from her hair and tossed it on the ground like trash, coldly saying, "This is Shang Xinglan's spiritual domain, why are you the only one here?"
Upon hearing this, the man smiled and said, "Of course I killed him."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Li's pupils contracted sharply for a moment. She suddenly reached out and grabbed his neck, slamming him down into the flower field.
“I was just kidding, Chu…” He even patted her back with a leisurely air, signaling her to relax. “Don’t be afraid. If he dies, you won’t see me again.”
Chu Li recalled Shang Jinyue's words, in which he said that all those who had ascended to immortality before had committed suicide.
It seems he guessed correctly: only when the ascended one dies will the E'long be sealed away along with him.
"Where is Shang Xinglan?" Chu Li didn't let go of him, her back tense, her voice trembling slightly.
The man hesitated for a moment, then said gently, "Alright, I'll take you to see him."
Chu Li released him with some doubt. In fact, she felt that even if she didn't let go, she would have no chance of killing this legendary evil creature.
He got up from the ground and helplessly reached out his hand to Chu Li, "Give me a hand."
Chu Li frowned and glared at him.
After a long while, he could only sigh and get up on his own.
"I won't hurt you, don't worry." The man walked in front of her, his voice soft, seemingly kindly warning her, "This is the realm of divine consciousness, you will not be harmed in any way, unless you get lost here and your soul does not leave within three days, then you will die of a lost soul. So you must leave before the three-day deadline, Ah Chu, remember that."
Chu Li didn't believe he was really that kind-hearted. She sneered inwardly. She wouldn't believe a single word this evil creature, who had tormented Shang Xinglan for twenty-five years, said.
Before long, she discovered that the direction Erlong was leading her was the cliff where Shang Xinglan used to cultivate.
Chu Li quickened his pace and, sure enough, saw Shang Xinglan cultivating with his eyes closed at the edge of the cliff. He was calm and surrounded by spiritual energy, his figure appearing and disappearing in the mountain mist.
She was about to step forward when someone next to her raised their hand to stop her.
Chu Li looked at him warily, only to see him make a shushing gesture. "Don't disturb his cultivation. This is his spiritual domain. The slightest mistake could cause him to suffer a qi deviation."
Hearing his words, Chu Li clenched her fingers and turned to look at him, "What exactly do you want?"
The man lowered his eyelashes innocently and said softly, "What can I do, coexisting and sharing a life with him?"
He suddenly turned around and walked straight towards Shang Xinglan, who was cultivating at the edge of the cliff. Seeing this, Chu Li rushed forward to block Shang Xinglan.
"Stay away from him."
She stood firmly in front of Shang Xinglan, not allowing Erlong to take another step closer to him.
However, the next moment, a pair of hands suddenly wrapped around her waist.
A man's voice suddenly rang in her ears, seemingly carrying a meaningful smile, "Ah Chu, you're so easy to fool."
She felt a chill run down her spine as she looked behind her at "Shang Xinglan," who should have been meditating and cultivating.
He was also an imposter, Erlong!
"Let go of me, get away!" Chu Li tried to push him away in a panic, but his hand made no attempt to grab her.
The other person's smile deepened, and suddenly they pushed her forcefully off the cliff.
Her heart stopped, the wind howled past her ears, and Chu Li fell downwards. She stared at "Shang Xinglan's" face in despair, but what came to mind was that year when Shang Xinglan watched her push him down in the same way.
Chu Li closed her eyes in pain, but the expected excruciating pain did not occur. Her descent suddenly slowed, and her body gently landed on the ground.
After a long while, with her heart still pounding wildly, Chu Li opened her eyes and looked at the towering cliffs on both sides, with the sound of water beside her, like a river.
She struggled to her feet, her legs already too weak to move. When she looked up, she saw a mangled body lying on the riverbank not far away. The person was slowly crawling towards the shore, leaving a trail of blood behind them.
With a hum, Chu Li knelt on the spot in a daze. After a moment, she staggered to her feet and ran towards him.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and Chu Li trembled as she supported him on her shoulders, trying her best to lift him up, but he collapsed again and again in her arms.
“Achu…”
A faint, weak voice sounded in her ear, as if the person had swallowed blood, and mumbled, "Why are you doing this to me?"
Chu Li's throat tightened, and she couldn't say anything. She leaned gently on his shoulder and sobbed, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Shang Xinglan..."
The person in her arms laughed again, her tone even tinged with mockery, "What's the use of saying sorry now? Back then, he was barely clinging to life. It was I who forced him to fall into demonic ways, allowing him to survive."
He slowly approached Chu Li, whose face was covered in tears, and said softly, "Ah Chu, you are far more hypocritical than me. No ancient evil was as powerful as you. You are ruthless, cruel, and terrifyingly selfish. You killed your own husband without hesitation..."
Chu Li wiped away her tears and pushed him away forcefully.
She realized that there was no Shang Xinglan here at all; it was all Erlong in disguise!
Shang Xinglan would never say such a thing to her; he had already forgiven her when she apologized.
Chu Li scrambled to her feet as if fleeing, ignoring what the people behind her said. She ran aimlessly at the bottom of the cliff, the road in front of her seemingly endless.
In the blink of an eye, she had circled back to the same spot, where Erlong sat by the river, calmly watching her.
"Are you tired? Take a break."
Chu Li was already exhausted from running. She couldn't leave this place, and besides, she shouldn't leave this place.
We must find a way to get rid of the Eerlong here, otherwise it will be useless even if we get out.
She calmed herself down and slowly walked up to Erlong.
"Bring on whatever tricks you have up your sleeve."
Erlong stared at her in surprise, as if he had heard a hilarious joke. "Weren't you the one who came to find me? How did it turn into me dealing with you?"
Chu Li choked, pointing to the road that seemed to go in circles forever, "Didn't you do this? Why do we always end up back here no matter how far we go?"
Erlong chuckled and shrugged. "How would I know? I just live here. This is Shang Xinglan's spiritual domain, not mine."
He's really like a dead pig that doesn't fear boiling water; no matter how you ask him, he always comes up with the same flawless excuse.
Chu Li looked around and tentatively started to climb up the cliff. After climbing for a short while, he slipped down and ended up with several bloody scratches on his hands.
There was no way she could climb up; how did she manage to get down?
By the way, she almost died back then.
Chu Li's gaze fell on the surging river, a resolute look flashing in her eyes, and she resolutely plunged into the water.
Sure enough, her body didn't fall into the river; instead, it landed on a soft little bed.
Chu Li understood that she could not die within the realm of divine consciousness.
Everything here is the most beautiful place in Shang Xinglan's heart, so she won't die if she falls off a cliff or into a river.
She climbed out of her small bed and saw Erlong sitting at the table, resting his chin on his hand and looking at her. "Haven't you had enough? When are you finally going to make your move?"
What's the meaning?
He even urged her to have sex with him.
If she doesn't die, does that mean Erlong will?
Chu Li sat down in front of him without changing her expression and poured herself a cup of tea.
Perhaps Erlong is testing her as well.
Perhaps he guessed that Chu Li would enter the realm of divine consciousness because Shang Liuyu appeared to her in a dream and told her how to get rid of the evil dragon.
Unfortunately, Shang Liuyu, that unreliable ancestor, only told half the story.
Chu Li racked her brains trying to figure out why Shang Liuyu was so certain that as long as she entered the realm of divine consciousness, she could stop the dragon.
Firstly, she was just an ordinary person; secondly, she was not a descendant of the Shang family. If she wanted to send a dream message, she would rather send it to Shang Jinyue, who at least was a descendant of the Shang family.
Chu Li took a deep breath and said calmly, "Of course I'm going to take action, but I'm worried that I might hurt Shang Xinglan. Since you two are interdependent, if you die, he might also be harmed, right?"
Erlong looked at her with little interest and said in a low voice, "Really impressive, that every generation says the same thing."
Each generation?
"Is that how it's said in every generation?" Chu Li was stunned, as if some answer was about to emerge from the depths of her heart. "You mean the... Heavenly Yin Daughter of each generation?"
"Otherwise what?"
Erlong sized her up for a moment, noticing the dazed look on Chu Li's face. Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes, stood up, and approached her step by step, a hint of excited, bloodthirsty ferocity creeping into his eyes.
"You wouldn't... not know that you have a Yin destiny, would you?"
Chu Li stepped back in astonishment, leaning back in her chair, her mind suddenly exploding.
No wonder, that explains why she dreamt of Shang Liuyu for no reason!
That wasn't a dream at all; she glimpsed her destiny. Throughout history, women of the Yin Heaven have learned their destinies from the mouths of the deceased in this way!
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