Leave the illusion
That fire was really strange. We can't jump to conclusions about the cold weather. Let's first take the cold-weather maple out of its environment.
“Yaya,” Han Jiangwen said in a low voice, “I am Luoluo.”
Han Qi's previously dazed expression immediately brightened, his eyes shining as he looked at Han Jiang in disbelief.
“It’s me, it’s my older sister,” Han Jiang said again. “I’m sorry, it was your older sister who left you.”
Han Jiang felt his body shrinking, turning back into the appearance of a child, the same size as Han Qi.
"Sister?" Tears welled up in Hanqi's eyes.
Perhaps it's the telepathic connection between twins, but Han Jiang seems to be able to understand Han Qi's sadness.
I'm sorry, I'm not your older sister, I'm an outsider. Thinking of this, Han Jiang felt even more distressed.
"The fire wasn't started by the demons. Let's leave here with Sister, okay?" Han Jiang advised.
Han Qi withdrew his hand: "How could that be! It was the demons who released it!"
"You are not my elder sister!" The spiritual power within Han Qi's body erupted in the illusion, the burning flames vanished instantly, leaving only deathly silence around them. In the darkness, Han Qi drifted further and further away from Han Jiang.
Han Jiang was driven out of the illusion by Han Qi.
She held Hanqi's body, which was burning hot.
Hanqi never escaped the sea of fire. From the moment she lost her older sister, she was constantly engulfed in a sea of hatred.
"Hanqi!" Hanjiang called out Hanqi's name, "Yaya! Wake up!"
The two of them touched forehead to forehead.
“Ya Ya, it’s me, your older sister…” A voice echoed from the depths of Han Jiang’s memory. It was the last lingering thought of the departed soul. Even though the soul had dissipated and the body had changed owners, the lingering thought still resonated in her memory until it could reach another person.
Ya Ya remembers that she was born in a very remote village. Her mother said that she and her sister were born when heaven and earth blessed them. Few people in the village left, and everyone lived happily and lived to be a hundred years old.
Ya Ya remembered that behind the village was a large mountain, but for some reason, the mountain was lifeless. Withered grass and shriveled trees piled up on it; there were no animals, no life. The very, very old village chief told her not to go up the mountain. Luo Luo said the village chief was probably five hundred years old.
Ya Ya remembers that she found a cave in the mountains.
Ya Ya saw a huge fire.
Ya Ya heard her older sister calling out.
The temperature in his arms finally dropped, and Han Jiang breathed a sigh of relief: "Han Qi?"
Once Han Qi's spiritual energy stabilized, his first question was: "If that fire wasn't caused by the demons, then who should I hate?"
"You don't need to hate anyone..." Han Jiang subconsciously replied, but after saying that, she didn't know how to continue comforting him. She just hoped that Han Qi wouldn't continue to harbor hatred, because that would make life very painful. But if he didn't hate, what would Han Qi live for?
Han Qi stared into Han Jiang's eyes: "Are you really Luo Luo?"
“…Hmm.” Han Jiang hesitated for a moment.
"Sister, then I won't hate anymore. I only want to find the truth." Han Qi smiled slightly and hugged Han Jiang.
Han Jiang accepted Han Qi's hug: "It was Han Tian who took me away back then. When we return to the Four Continents Sect, we'll go and ask him for an explanation."
With Hanqi's matter finally resolved, Wenxu and Cang Jingmo should be continuing to advance the main storyline. It's unlikely that Hanjiang will be involved in anything else next.
Cang Jingqi's illusions were also quite bizarre.
So, does that mean Cang Jingqi is here too?
He disappeared suddenly in the alley and hasn't shown his face since. Could he have been captured by the shadowy figure and brought here? Wasn't he incredibly powerful? How could he have fallen for his trick? Han Jiang hesitated, wondering whether to leave directly or find Cang Jingqi.
No matter what, Cang Jingqi was practically her ally.
“Senior Sister,” Han Qi resumed addressing Han Jiang, “I encountered a shadowy figure on my way to find you, and I suspect that the figure has some kind of conspiracy. It will be dangerous for Cang Jingmo and Senior Sister Wen to go and find the remaining children alone.”
Han Jiang hesitated, and Han Qi added, "Senior Sister's magic power is not strong, so she should go back first. I only returned to check on Senior Sister's safety. Now that Senior Sister is alright, I can go and help them."
"I'll go with you!" Han Jiang quickly said, not wanting Han Qi to disturb Wen Xu.
The mansion was only so big; around the corner, Hanjiang saw Cangjingqi.
He sat cross-legged on the ground, with a dark figure standing beside him.
Upon seeing Han Jiang and Han Qi, the dark figure withdrew its hand from Cang Jingqi and pounced on the two.
Han Jiang quickly dodged, while Han Qi caught the shadow's attack.
The shadowy figure had no intention of lingering there and tried to escape after just one round.
Han Qi immediately chased after her: "Senior Sister, wake up the Crown Prince first!"
How could Han Jiang possibly wake up Cang Jingqi? Her ability to awaken Han Qi was purely coincidental, relying on the resonance of the twins and the obsession left behind by the original owner.
"Cang Jingqi?" Han Jiang nudged Cang Jingqi.
“I can help you resonate with him.” Another dark figure jumped out.
The shadowy figure continued, "He doesn't want to wake up. I'll help you resonate with him, and you can awaken him."
Why are you helping me?
"I didn't help you." The shadowy figure didn't waste any more words, drawing a few strands of white spiritual energy from Cang Jingqi and surrounding Han Jiang.
Han Jiang was lifted into the air, then slowly descended and sat opposite Cang Jingqi.
When she opened her eyes again, she was back in front of the Demon Palace.
She had never been to the Demon Realm and didn't know what the Demon Palace looked like, but it certainly shouldn't be like it is now.
The Demon Palace was split in the middle like a mirror image, becoming two identical Demon Palaces.
A place teeming with people, both inside and out, adorned with lanterns and decorations. Demons paid homage, and immortals came to visit.
The other one was extremely deserted, with not even a guard at the entrance.
Han Jiang guessed in zero seconds which half of Cang Jing Qi was in.
Sure enough, he hid in the crowd and worshipped the Demon Lord with the other demons.
In the grand and lively ceremony, a woman stood in the Demon Lord's seat.
"Cang Jingqi!" Han Jiang called his name, grabbed his sleeve, and dragged him out of the crowd.
Cang Jingqi did not resist and let Han Jiang pull him away.
But this time, even leaving the Demon Realm didn't allow him to leave the illusion.
Beyond the Demon Realm lies the Human Realm.
People come and go, in a constant stream.
As soon as they stepped into the human world, their bodies became transparent, as if they did not belong here.
Han Jiang released his grip, turned around, and asked, "Cang Jingqi, do you know you're in an illusion?"
"I know," Cang Jingqi replied calmly.
"Then how can we leave?"
Cang Jingqi said, "If you take me with you, you can't leave."
"Cang Jingqi, who am I?" Han Jiang asked this question once again.
Cang Jingqi shook his head and said he didn't know.
"Where are your younger siblings?" Han Jiang thought of the two identical little girls and the boy.
Cang Jingqi actually started counting on his fingers seriously, one by one: "Amo is training soldiers, Aye is definitely reading a book, and Axing should be playing with Ajue nearby."
The previous Demon Lord had only three children: the eldest prince Cang Jingqi, the second prince Cang Jingmo, and the third prince Cang Jingye.
"No!" Han Jiang brushed Cang Jingqi's hand away. "Think carefully about where your younger brother and sister are. You have a younger brother and a younger sister."
These words clearly provoked Cang Jingqi.
Cang Jingqi did not answer. He looked at Han Jiang and smiled, a gentle, kind, and as always smile.
Finally, he turned and walked back to the Demon Realm: "It's too late, my younger brother and sister are still waiting for me at home."
"Cang Jingqi, this is an illusion." Han Jiang realized that Ah Xing and Ah Jue, whom he mentioned, were probably dead. But no news ever came from the Demon Realm; all that was known outside was that the previous Demon Lord had only three children.
No one knows where Ah Xing and Ah Jue went.
Han Jiang returned to the Demon Palace.
The other half of the desolate demon palace was empty, devoid of any people; there was nothing there. It was estimated that all that remained of Han Jiang's remains were the load-bearing walls.
Standing at the palace gate, Hanjiang could see the bustling scene across the way.
Cang Jingqi wasn't here, but Han Jiang knew he would be here soon.
Because this spot is perfect for watching the excitement.
He knew he was in an illusion, and that there was something he wanted to see in the illusion, so he was willing to stay there.
This is why so many people are trapped in illusions and find it difficult to wake up, even though they know that everything is an illusion.
"What did you see this time?" Han Jiang spoke to the air.
"I saw Mother waving to the crowd, and they responded. But a couple was scolding their child for playing; at the end of the Vermilion Bird Pavilion, a man and a woman were holding hands and whispering; Han Tian was holding unfinished pastries; A Mo was late and stuck on the steps, neither up nor down..." Cang Jingqi's voice drifted over. He had indeed arrived.
In his memory, that day was so lively.
But that day was so disjointed.
He stood among the crowd, but in his heart he was in another demonic palace, witnessing everything before him like an observer.
"That sounds really interesting. Would you like to join in?" Han Jiang asked, glancing sideways.
"No. Isn't it more interesting to look at it this way?"
“But this is an illusion, and everything is happening as you expected. Suddenly, it doesn’t seem so interesting anymore.” Han Jiang pretended to yawn, as if she really was bored.
"Who are you?" Cang Jing asked.
Han Jiang said, "Cang Jingqi, I've said it before, I come from another world, a world that's more interesting than this one."
Her few words could not move Cang Jingqi; only he himself could escape the illusion.
But she still wanted to say something: "Life is actually quite interesting. Young couples disciplining their children, lovers being inseparable, friends making fools of themselves—all of these things happen in our lives. It's so boring to just watch from the sidelines!"
“But life is often unsatisfactory,” Cang Jing said.
"Is being a spectator really that satisfying? Does being a spectator mean you have complete control? Nothing will always go your way. Just cherish what you have. It's like pouring water into a cup. If it spills, will you stop drinking it? If it's not full, will you stop drinking it? But if there's too much water, it will overflow—"
“Xiaoman is enough,” Cang Jingqi interrupted.
"What?"
"One cup of water is enough for Xiaoman (the 14th solar term)."
Han Jiang felt that the "Xiaoman" in his words had a hidden meaning.
Cang Jingqi let out a long sigh of relief.
He lost his loved ones, so he chose to detach himself from everything, believing that as long as he didn't participate in anything, he wouldn't lose anything.
"Cang Jingqi, real life is more interesting. If you really want to see a show, go see it in real life. This place is all your own design."
He didn't really want to wake up from the illusion; it was just that the little girl in front of him said that everything in the illusion was predictable and boring, so he suddenly wanted to go and see something that wasn't boring.
After he finished reading, he came back and told his younger siblings that besides the Demon Realm, there was also a Human Realm, and that he had a friend in the Human Realm named Han Tian.
Of course, if what this little girl said is true, perhaps there is another world.
Is the world she lives in better than this one?
The distant hustle and bustle began to blur, and the Demon Palace began to crumble.
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