Chapter 24 The Beginning and End of Fate Was Unintentional 3 Goodnight
After a moment of silence, Jin Zhufeng put down his feather fan and slowly said, "The cultivator who wrote the letter broke through to the Golden Core stage a month ago. For a Golden Core cultivator to disappear without a trace, this matter must be extraordinary."
“I told my grandfather that a similar thing was recorded more than forty years ago. My grandfather’s good friend Elder Meng saw his wife, who had been dead for many years, in the lake. A Nascent Soul cultivator had gone mad and drowned a few days later. Elder Meng told my grandfather that this thing was neither real nor illusory, and its appearance was the thought and desire of people. He saw through this thing, but he was willing to become a dead soul under its control.”
Her expression turned solemn: "If it weren't for the Thousand-Seeking Pearl, I really couldn't think of anything suitable. This trip is extremely dangerous, but the Thousand-Seeking Pearl's whereabouts are unpredictable. When will it be active again? I have never told anyone about this matter. Another elder, Lü Qianhe, is already waiting in Yishui Village to investigate this matter. She is already a peak Nascent Soul stage sound cultivator, and the Soul-Soothing Melody she plays can dispel illusions and calm the mind. Everything is ready. We are just waiting for the Ming family to see if they are willing to go to Pingzhou to find out the truth."
Shen Ci lowered her eyes in thought and did not reply for a moment. Ming Yan stood up and walked to the center, saying only, "Don't worry about others, I'll go."
Mingying also walked over and said to Chen Ci next to Mingyan, "Since it's related to me, then I'll definitely be involved too."
Mingyan pushed her back with disdain: "What are you doing getting involved, you sickly girl? Just stay at home."
Shen Ci raised her eyes and sighed helplessly: "Your life is uncertain once you go out, how can I dare to agree to your request again?"
Seeing that Mingying was about to retort, Shen Ci waved his hand: "Even Golden Core cultivators have disappeared without a trace, let alone you, a mortal with no spiritual power. I have already made a decision on this matter. You two should go back first."
Mingying hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed her sleeve, her face serious: "From mortals to Nascent Soul cultivators, the Thousand-Seeking Pearl doesn't care about cultivation level. If I'm lucky enough to catch it, I might just swallow it whole. But when it's transported from Pingzhou to Yunchuan, there might be many unexpected changes along the way."
Shen Ci, however, wouldn't budge no matter what she said: "You even swallowed it whole. You're really bold and decisive. Mingyan, take her back with you. There's no room for discussion on this."
Mingying quickly hugged her, almost hanging on her: "Mother, this matter is only for my own sake. It was originally my own business. Why should the rest of the Ming family be put in danger? Since I am a goddess, I should set an example."
"You, a goddess, set an example for others. Among the nearly one hundred cultivators of the Ming Clan, you are only ranked last. No matter how much you beg, I cannot agree to your request."
Mingying turned to look at the others on the field. Mingyan watched the two women's movements, waiting for a suitable opportunity to move her away. Xiao Jingze propped his forehead up and looked out the door, while Feng Yi stared at the tea in his hand, both appearing detached. Jin Zhufeng stood to the side, eyes downcast, no longer mentioning that she was his aunt.
Feng Yi, holding his teacup, turned slightly to the side, using his sleeve to shield his eyes, and whispered to Xiao Jingze, "Brother Xiao, why don't you try to dissuade him? This is no joke."
Xiao Jingze lifted his eyelids: "Why try to persuade her? Even if you don't let her go, she'll definitely go secretly. Instead of going through all this trouble, it's better to just take her with you."
He didn't lower his voice, and everyone in the room could hear him clearly. Shen Ci naturally heard him too. Ming Ying's eyes sparkled, and she nodded vigorously: "Mother, I'm like a wild horse on the grassland now. I can't be kept in the cage anymore. Please let me go."
Shen Ci turned her gaze to Xiao Jingze. These two most unruly people together made her head buzz: "Young Master Xiao is used to being free, but Manman is different from you. She is physically weak and has never been able to do whatever she wants since she was a child. Doing something outrageous once is enough."
Mingying buried her face in her arms: "Not enough, not enough, Mother. I have less time left than all of you, so how can I be timid and hesitant?"
Seeing that Shen Ci still ignored her, Mingying raised her head and said in a very soft voice, "Mother, maybe I am a selfish person. Let me be a little rebellious and do something selfish."
Shen Ci closed her eyes. She was always helpless with her daughter. Ming Ying was like a small fish in a water tank, floating on the surface, barely alive. The Ming family surrounded the small water tank, channeling spiritual energy to keep her breathing weakly. But the little fish looked at the blue sky and said, "I'll just take a look."
She touched Mingying's tiny face, which was barely visible, and gave in again: "Okay."
After saying that, she wearily brushed her aside. Mingying looked at her expression and suddenly grabbed her hand: "Mother, I..."
Shen Ci interrupted her with a smile: "Mother only hopes that your wish will come true."
Mingyan remembered the wishing plaque she had written, rubbed her face, relieved that no one knew about it, and looked up to ask, "Madam Shen, then I will too..."
"Go if you want to. Please take good care of Manman on the way."
Feng Yi, who had come with a mission, stood up and said, "How could I be left out of this task?"
He turned his head again: "Right, Brother Xiao?"
Xiao Jingze twitched the corner of his mouth, which Feng Yi took as tacit agreement. Jin Zhufeng stopped pretending to be oblivious at this moment. She raised her eyebrows, cupped her hands, and bid farewell to everyone: "Since all four of you are so determined, I will wait for your good news in Shengjing."
She looked at Feng Yi and nodded with a smile: "Have a safe journey."
Feng Yi returned the greeting, and Aunt Bai opened the door and curtsied, saying, "I'll see Miss Jin off first."
Shen Ci looked at the young people in front of her, roughly their age, and realized that she herself was also naive and clueless. However, when she thought that among these four, only Ming Yan could be considered "steady" to some extent, she still spoke up to remind them: "Life is of utmost importance, do not force yourself."
Mingying patted her shoulder with a smile: "Mother, don't worry, I will take good care of them."
Time was tight, so everything had to be kept simple. After finalizing the itinerary for tomorrow, and as evening approached, the three of them said their goodbyes and left one after another. Mingying waved goodbye to Mingyan one last time. Thinking that she hadn't spoken more than a few words to her mother all day, she jumped over and pestered her to say something. Shenci shook her head and asked Aunt Bai to help her back to her room to rest.
Mingying pursed her lips, stood there for a while, then silently returned to her room, plopped down on the bed, sat up again with her head in her hands, shook her dizzy head, and decided to bother Mingyan.
Just as she was about to get out of bed and open the door, there was a few knocks on the window. Mingying pushed open the window, and outside, the moon was bright and the stars were few, and all was quiet. A bluebird flapped its wings and landed in her arms. She sat down on the edge of the bed with the bluebird in her arms, and the corners of her lips curved slightly.
Xiao Jingze delivered a letter and a...stone.
Or rather, it was a cluster of ice crystals stuck together. The ice crystals were the size of her two palms. Mingying picked them up and looked at them from left to right. They were slightly transparent silvery-white with a red core in the middle. They were clustered together, somewhat like exploding flowers. Hmm... ugly.
She opened the letter, and Xiao Jingze explained: Break off a piece and light it.
Mingying carefully picked through the clusters, breaking off the one she thought was the ugliest. She examined it from all angles, realizing she hadn't lit any candles yet today.
She walked around the room for a while, then suddenly stopped. Couldn't she conjure fire?
She placed the ice crystal in a plate, summoned heavenly fire, and tentatively burned it. The ice crystal melted quickly. Could this be a candle? Mingying blinked in the darkness. It was still a candle that didn't emit light.
The red liquid moved towards the edge, and the melting ice crystals turned into a bowl of clear, shallow water. Mingying leaned over to take a look, but the reflection in the water was not her face.
Xiao Jingze squinted at it for a while: "Using heavenly fire to set it on fire, aren't you worried about setting your own house on fire?"
Mingying's eyes crinkled into a smile, her tone light and cheerful: "What is this?"
"The water mirror made from your blood doesn't require spiritual power, but it's time-limited; the less you use, the less there is."
"Does that mean I can meet with whomever I want?"
"Of course not."
Xiao Jingze leaned lazily against the table, the water mirror only revealing his chin: "The blood in your hand is mine, and you can only contact me."
Mingying suddenly asked, "Does Prince Xiao really want to meet me?"
If it's just about communication, she already has a bluebird; if he wants to find her location, he still has the Thousand-Machine Guide.
Xiao Jingze chuckled: "Miss Ming is overthinking it. It's just that you possess the Heavenly Fire, and the Water Mirror is more convenient for you than the Azure Bird. Besides, you're the only mortal on this trip, so it's perfect to leave it to you."
Mingying smiled and said, "Young Master Xiao cares so much about me that he has even thought of an explanation."
Xiao Jingze gave her a meaningful look: "Miss Ming's skin is probably as thick as a city wall."
"Young Master Xiao is thin-skinned; he blushes after only a few words."
Xiao Jingze vehemently denied it: "How could that be? When have I ever blushed?"
Mingying didn't argue with him and readily changed her tune: "Young Master Xiao has a thick skin, probably much thicker than mine. I also want to see this spectacle."
Xiao Jingze didn't reply to her. Mingying stared at the water mirror. This time, even his chin was gone, and all that could be seen was Xiao Jingze's collar.
She tapped her finger, causing ripples to spread across the water. Mingying rested her chin on her hand and asked, "Xiao Jingze, are you angry?"
Xiao Jingze immediately replied to her, "I'm not angry."
He just didn't know what to say. It was the first time he had given away a water mirror, and the other party was a fool.
The idiot thought the person opposite him was also an idiot, and the two of them would always start arguing for no reason. Mingying thought for a while and decided to talk about something lighthearted.
She said, "I have something to ask you."
Xiao Jingze feigned nonchalance and said in a normal tone, "Go ahead and ask."
"What is the relationship between Miss Jin and Mr. Feng?"
Xiao Jingze was speechless for a moment, then laughed while rubbing his forehead: "I thought you...you were curious about this?"
Mingying wasn't particularly curious, but she felt that the atmosphere between Miss Jin and Mr. Feng was a bit strange.
She glanced at Xiao Jingze's reaction, which seemed to indicate that he knew something, so she nodded: "If it's inconvenient for you to tell me, then never mind."
What do you think it is?
"They're a bit like they had a big fight and haven't made up yet, but they're still putting on a show. In short, it doesn't seem like the relationship between a head of a family and his retainers... Although when Miss Jin married Young Master Xu, Young Master Feng was probably only a teenager, Young Master Xu passed away unexpectedly two years ago. Many people wanted to marry into the family, but Miss Jin refused them all. So it's not really a bad thing. It's much better than two people who don't even know each other being forced into marriage."
Xiao Jingze paused for a moment: "We don't know each other?"
“We really didn’t know each other a month ago, and I had never seen you in Yunchuan before—so is it what I’m thinking? I’m not bragging, but I’ve seen many similar situations in Yunchuan.”
Xiao Jingze took off the ring from his hand: "You've been reading too many storybooks in the Shen family mansion."
Mingying's expression was strange: "How did you know about the Shen family's affairs? No, I was asking about the relationship between Miss Jin and Young Master Feng."
Xiao Jingze sat down, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, his eyes unfathomable: "There's nothing inconvenient about it, but this is also a secret of the Jin family. Is Miss Ming prepared? Perhaps if you knew this secret now, you would be assassinated by the Jin family that very night, and your life would be in danger."
Mingying was genuinely curious now: "Is the relationship really that secretive? But you, as someone who knows the truth, are still doing just fine."
"I am also half a Kim."
“Miss Jin is my cousin, so I’m also considered a relative of the Jin family.”
Xiao Jingze smiled and looked at her through the water mirror: "You should know that although the Jin family is one of the four great families, almost all of them are ordinary people, which is in stark contrast to your Ming family."
Mingying nodded, and Xiao Jingze said succinctly: "Feng Yi was one of the immortal bones prepared for the eldest daughter of the Jin family back then."
Mingying froze. Such a big secret, Xiao Jingze just blurted it out like that?
Xiao Jingze smiled and said, "Don't worry. Although the Jin family has their own selfish motives in recruiting cultivators, they have tried several times over the years without success. A cultivator's spiritual power flows through the seven meridians and eight channels, and simply changing one's bones is not so easy. Madam Jin's willingness to share the news of the Thousand-Seeking Pearl this time shows that she is very sincere."
Mingying didn't speak. She had only wanted to ask about some gossip from the aristocratic families at first, but she really wasn't in the mood now. She put her face on the table, and Xiao Jingze could only see her long eyelashes.
Seeing that she remained motionless, he slowly said, "This is quite normal. The Ming family does not participate in worldly disputes, but its position among the four great families is very stable because it has a huge number of cultivators. If the Jin family were to simply invest, there would be many unpredictable risks."
Mingying sighed: "I know."
Xiao Jingze reached out and brushed her forehead, the water mirror rippled: "You are just a mortal, what's the use of worrying about so many things? Are you going to stay up all night? You should be sleeping at this time."
Night owls urge people to go to bed early. Mingying raised her head, rubbed her eyes, and said goodbye to him: "Good night."
Xiao Jingze looked at her face, which was half red from being pressed down, and whispered, "Goodnight."
——
As dawn breaks, birds sing in unison, the fields are bustling with activity, and the world is filled with an atmosphere of peace and harmony.
The four stood in the woods, the scene very familiar. Feng Yi exclaimed, "I never thought that we would reunite in Yunchuan less than a month after our trip to Liuzhou."
Ever since Xiao Jingze told her a big secret last night, Mingying has been glancing at Feng Yi every now and then.
Xiao Jingze pushed her away a little with his finger, standing between the two of them with a cold expression: "You're blocking my way."
Mingying tilted her head and walked to Mingyan's side with a puzzled look. Wasn't Xiao Jingze fine yesterday? Why did he start acting strangely again this morning? Did he not sleep well?
Xiao Jingze summoned the Purple Cloud Chariot again. After three improvements, its space had been greatly expanded, and the seats inside were now covered with soft cushions. Mingying sat down and swung her legs, then noticed a box of candied lotus seeds on the table.
She held it up with a smile and asked, "Is it for me?"
Xiao Jingze sat opposite her, his posture very casual, his eyes closed and not responding to her.
Mingying didn't care much. She chewed on a candy while looking out the window. Mingshanfang looked so small in this land. The plum trees were covered with fallen petals. Spring was slowly approaching, and everything was full of vitality.
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Author's Note: The adventure team is setting off again! Give your team a name!
Mingyan: You're so naive.
Xi: Mingyan, if you talk like that, I'll cut your scenes out.
Mingying: Don't fight here, you should love each other, okay?
Xi: Mingying, actually, you're the one who argues the most among everyone here.
Mingying: Mingyan, cover her mouth with your tongue.
Creek: ...
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