Chapter 25 Spring's Melody Fades Away, Returning to the Dust. The distant sun gazes in disbelief…
Yao Xu looked at the white porcelain statue in disbelief, then at the calm Lian Xi beside him, and said, "You found out again, didn't you?"
Lianxi said, "I was just suspicious at first, after all, the Crown Prince disappeared too mysteriously back then, but I didn't investigate it further. Until I saw the seven human faces locked outside the palace and the array, only gods could withstand such an array. I never thought that he, who was once so famous, was actually sealed in this dark underground, groaning every day."
Yao Xu looked at Yan Chao and asked, "Then how did you know?"
Yan Chao said, "In the illusion, he sang a hymn to the God of Spring, which is a song that only the crown prince can sing during the spring festival. Among all the crown princes throughout history, the most famous is this crown prince Zhu Jing, whose voice is like that of a god."
Yao Xu looked at the two of them and said, "You two knew, so I was the only one kept in the dark!"
Lianxi said calmly, "You could have known, but you've been so engrossed in growing vegetables and raising cattle all these years, it's normal that you didn't."
"..." Yao Xu looked at Yan Chao and said, "So you knew he was the Crown Prince all along, and you even looked like you wanted to fight him just now. Are you not planning to fight him?"
Yan Chao looked bewildered and said, "When did I say I wanted to fight him? He almost suffocated me in the illusion and even tried to scare me. Can't I complain a little? Besides, didn't you see that there are twenty-eight constellations guarding this place? We've already fallen into their trap. If we were to fight them head-on, wouldn't that be stupid?"
"......"
The twenty-eight constellations that had surrounded the white porcelain statue suddenly retreated to the sides, revealing the white porcelain statue to the three people.
It was none other than the Crown Prince Zhu Jing.
The white porcelain figure was as smooth and lustrous as jade, its thin body conveying a sense of life, appearing as light as paper. The person sculpted from the white porcelain had a face like jade, eyebrows like distant mountains, and eyes like autumn water—truly a beautiful man with feminine features. He was dressed in magnificent robes, with a flower in his hair and another in his hand, the flower being Ji Chun Chao. He was devout yet sharp, gentle yet resolute, truly possessing some of the aura of the former God of Spring.
Yao Xu couldn't help but exclaim, "This Crown Prince is really handsome!"
Yan Chao said, "Actually, Zhu Jing has a nickname, 'Little Spring God'."
Legend has it that he was the fifth son of the king, and was not initially given important positions. However, he was born with eyes as clear and green as a emerald lake, and he always had a smile on his face. In addition, he was kind-hearted and exceptionally intelligent, and was deeply loved by the people. Later, at a festival singing party, he displayed his singing talent. His voice was like heavenly music, and coupled with his deep eyes, he possessed an extraordinary and otherworldly aura, like a god descending to earth, and was worshipped by all.
Zhu Jing thus rose to fame.
But he didn't care about these empty titles at all, and focused on doing his own thing, ignoring the storms of the outside world.
Seeing his growing momentum, the king felt that this young man had a limitless future, so he appointed him to represent the royal family in the sacrificial ceremony to the god of spring. Standing on the high platform, he sang the "Ode to the God of Spring," and the people exclaimed: "Truly, the god of spring has appeared in the world!" Thus, he got the name "Little God of Spring."
It was after that sacrificial ceremony that Zhu Jing was officially appointed as the crown prince.
The king also commissioned craftsmen to sculpt a white porcelain statue of him.
One day, a strange phenomenon occurred in the sky above the imperial city: thunder rumbled.
Just when everyone thought this was a sign that Zhu Jing was about to ascend to immortality, Zhu Jing mysteriously disappeared, and it was someone else who ascended to immortality.
That was a woman of unknown origin that Zhu Jing picked up on the street when he was eight years old.
When the crown prince disappeared, some people had doubts, some felt sorry for him, but most people mocked him.
They laughed at his delusional ambition to rise to the top, but unfortunately, the person favored by Heaven was an unknown little girl by his side.
The king felt deeply ashamed and abdicated in favor of his eldest son, then went into seclusion, withdrawing from worldly affairs.
Just three years after the new emperor ascended the throne, a dragon suddenly rose up and swallowed the entire capital, leaving behind ruins and few survivors. The kingdom of Shiyue was destroyed.
Later generations said: "Prince Zhu Jing blasphemed the gods, and his life was taken away. He was punished by the gods and is a sinner for all time."
Lianxi chuckled, “Your way of treating sinners is truly unique. You’ve gone so far as to carve out a temple on this snow mountain, drawing a circle around it to imprison your seven souls, and then using a half-bodied Buddha as a boundary to seal you underground. You’ve sealed your three souls into a white porcelain statue, and then used the power of the stars to extract your divine soul into the statue above. You’re trying to completely drain you.”
"However, your resolute will and ability to harness the power of the stars have prevented you from dying so quickly, though it has been somewhat painful."
As soon as he finished speaking, the white porcelain statue trembled, and Zhu Jing cried out in a mournful voice, "I am not a sinner!!! I have never done anything to undermine the agreement!!"
His voice, however, was not as melodious as it was in the illusion; instead, it sounded hoarse and rough, as if it had been exposed to thick smoke, making it extremely unpleasant to listen to.
Influenced by his intense emotions, the Twenty-Eight Constellations' eyes glowed red and they became restless, with rocks constantly falling from the surrounding cliffs.
Yan Chao quickly advised, "Your Highness, please calm down! Let's talk this out!"
Unexpectedly, Zhu Jing became even more agitated upon hearing this, and shouted sharply, "Don't call me Your Highness the Crown Prince! I've never wanted to be a Crown Prince..."
Yao Xu spoke bluntly: "Then why didn't you refuse when you were appointed? Surely they didn't force you to take the position?"
Yan Chao: "..."
Lianxi: "......"
Zhu Jing: "......"
Zhu Jing laughed in anger and said, "When you came down, all the exits were blocked. If you want to get out of here, you must find my whole body and help me kill the people who harmed me."
Yan Chao rubbed his temples and said, "I'm not trying to be mean, but you deliberately let me hear your cries for help, leading us here. You even almost killed me in the illusion!"
Now you want us to block the exit for you. Is this how you ask for help?
When Yan Chao said this last sentence, his tone turned cold, clearly showing his displeasure with Zhu Jing's attitude.
She hates being threatened the most.
Zhu Jing calmly replied, "You have the bloodline of the Righteous One. You wouldn't abandon him for the sake of that lord."
Yan Chao smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She said, "I didn't expect that Your Highness, having been trapped here for hundreds of years, would be so knowledgeable about the outside world. Since Your Highness is so clever, why don't you try to save yourself instead of needing help from others?" She not only emphasized the words "Your Highness" but also repeated them.
Upon hearing this, Lianxi and Yaoxu both looked at Yanchao. Lianxi's eyes showed the appreciation that she had expected, while Yaoxu found it unbelievable. He had been wondering who Zhu Jing was talking about, but after hearing her words, he couldn't help but give her a thumbs up and praise, "Taohua, amazing!"
Zhu Jing remained silent for a long time, then, as if giving in, said, "There are two people here who don't belong here. I don't have much time left. Even if you don't save me, please save them."
Yan Chao asked, "Who are they?"
Zhu Jing said, "An innocent person."
Lianxi looked at Yanchao and asked, "How is it, Peach Blossom? Should we save them?"
Yan Chao said, "Of course I will save them, but," she looked at Zhu Jing and added, "I need you to grant me one condition after it's done."
Without a second thought, Zhu Jing replied, "I agree."
Yan Chao laughed and said, "Very good. So don't die before we finish."
As soon as the words were spoken, the white porcelain statue and the Twenty-Eight Constellations retreated, and a white circle appeared in front of the three of them, seemingly leading to another place.
Zhu Jing said, "If you go in from here, you might find them. This place is complicated, so be careful."
Complex? How so?
The three of them smiled at each other and went inside together.
Not long after they entered, Yao Xu shouted, "Holy crap!!! What the hell is this place? And where are Lianxi and Taohua???"
Yao Xu was standing on a boundless expanse of lava, the scalding lava beneath his feet making him jump up and down. Even more bizarrely, he saw a woman covered in burns dancing gracefully on the lava.
Lianxi said, "The person who created this formation is very powerful. This should be another dimension where Zhu Jing is located."
Lianxi was teleported to a ruin, or more accurately, a battlefield. The war here had ended, but black smoke still lingered in the air, and a pungent stench of blood filled the air. As far as the eye could see, the corpses of soldiers and blood-stained weapons filled the land, as if there was no longer any sign of life.
No, there's one more.
Lianxi saw a staggering figure approaching from afar. As the figure drew closer, she realized it was a general wielding a long sword. He was covered in wounds, his armor cleaved in two and barely clinging to his body. Blood stained his face, but his features were still discernible. His eyes were resolute, yet held an indescribable sorrow.
Yao Xu was shocked: "Lianxi, you can actually hear me?! Wait! Could Peach Blossom have been sent to another place too?"
Lianxi remembered that Yan Chao was still wearing his bracelet, so she called out a few times from afar, "Peach Blossom, can you hear me? Peach Blossom, where are you? Are you alright?"
Yao Xu finally climbed to the top of the cliff. He looked at his feet, which had almost been scalded, and breathed a sigh of relief. He then called out to Lian Xi a few times.
The two called out for a long time before they finally heard Yan Chao's voice: "I'm fine, are you all alright?"
Lianxi seemed relieved and said, "It's good that you're alright. The three of us were teleported to different places. Where are you now?"
Looking at the huge mural in front of him, Yan Chao murmured, "I think I've probably found Zhu Jing's body."
Lianxi paused for a moment, then said, "I have someone here who should be one of the people Zhu Jing mentioned. The other one should be with him."
Upon hearing this, Yao Xu sat up in surprise and said, "I do have someone here, but she seems a bit abnormal."
The woman seemed tireless, dancing incessantly on the lava, seemingly oblivious to the heat, appearing quite erratic. She was muttering something, but he couldn't hear her clearly from the distance.
This place is indeed complicated, as it teleported the three of them to different locations.
Yan Chao said, "It seems we're destined to act alone this time. Fortunately, we can still keep in touch."
Lianxi said, "Peach Blossom, that bracelet contains my magic power. You can use it if necessary. Be careful in everything you do. I will finish things here as soon as possible and meet up with you."
Yao Xu retorted angrily, "Hey! I'm still here! Why are you only concerned about Tao Hua and not me?"
Lianxi said bluntly, "You're thick-skinned and tough, I can't be bothered with you."
"......"
Yan Chao laughed and said, "You two really can't stand not bickering for a day, can you? But I'm quite happy to listen. Don't worry, I'll be careful. Something's not right here, so you two should be careful too."
Lianxi and Yaoxu said, "Okay."
Yan Chao then looked at the murals in front of him. There were three murals in total, each with a different content.
The painting before us depicts Zhu Jing. He hangs above the imperial city, his head radiating light, surrounded by countless flowers and animals. Below, the people and the king devoutly bow to him, receiving his blessings as a god. This is the scene after Zhu Jing ascended to godhood.
But in an instant, the portrait changed. Flowers withered, animals died tragically, and those who looked up at him raised swords, staring at him as if he were an enemy. As for Zhu Jing, his head and limbs were severed, and a sharp sword was plunged straight into his heart. The once radiant man was now covered in blood, a gruesome sight.
Yan Chao then approached the second mural, which depicted the three realms of Heaven, Man, and Ghost, connected by wordless tombstones. Beyond these three realms, a pair of eyes hidden in the shadows were watching them—eyes filled with hatred, seemingly plotting something extremely dangerous and terrifying.
For some reason, Yan Chao felt a sense of unease.
Then came the last one. When Yan Chao saw that mural, her breath caught in her throat. She saw many dead people, including herself.
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Author's Note: I changed to a nice cover today! So happy!!! Thank you to everyone who added this to their collection, thank you for liking this story, and I hope you enjoy reading it!!!
If I don't finish the next chapter by tomorrow, I'll post it the day after tomorrow at the latest. I'm a bit overwhelmed lately, so I'll stick to my usual three updates a week next month (bitter smile). Thanks again!!!
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