Chapter 73 Regret Before the Wanxiang Forest Stele: "Mi Qing—!" ...
"Mi Qing—!"
Ignoring the poisonous insects swarming behind him, Yao Xu pounced on Mi Qing like a madman.
Yan Chao's heart tightened. She opened her umbrella again, swatting away the poisonous insects that were swarming towards Yao Xu's back. With a few muffled "plop" sounds, the insect corpses exploded, splattering yellowish-green liquid onto the ground with a sizzling sound. She was momentarily distracted and forced back a step by the poisonous insects swarming from the side, the umbrella surface sizzling as it was corroded.
On Feng Xi's side, the silver halo suddenly swelled, instantly shredding the entangled swarm of insects in front of him and clearing a bloody path. He stepped over the pile of corpses, looking quite disheveled, but his gaze instantly locked onto the fragment in Mi Qing's hand.
Feng Xi said, "Bring that thing here!"
His voice was low and urgent. Others might not know, but for Feng Xi and Yao Xu, the pattern was all too familiar.
Yao Xu didn't hear a thing. He knelt beside Mi Qing, his hand trembling as he reached to check her breath, then abruptly pulled back, as if burned. Mi Qing's face was bluish-purple, her lips black, and her body was still twitching slightly. The knuckles of the hand that was tightly gripping the insect armor were white.
Yao Xu patted her cheek, his voice trembling with tears: "Aqing! Wake up!" He frantically took out the medicine Yan Chao had given him, but spilled it all over the floor.
Yan Chao shouted, "Yao Xu! Calm down!" The umbrella blocked the attack, and she also caught her breath, her wrist was terribly numb. "I'll detoxify you!"
At this moment, a white light, seemingly appearing from nowhere, hovered above Mi Qing, and a voice rang out: "The trials of love have passed, but the sea of insects remains unsettled. Obsession guides the way, the Forest of Steles lies ahead. Guard your heart, or perish."
Yao Xu suddenly looked up and shouted, "Screw you! Save her! Save her now!"
The halo remained motionless: "The Forest of Myriad Forms only refines the mind, not saves lives. Life and death are also part of refining the mind."
Upon hearing this, Yao Xu was furious and reached out to grab the white light, but it was easily dodged.
"you--!"
Feng Xi said, "Yao Xu! Calm down!"
Feng Xi flashed to Yao Xu's side and grabbed his wrist. Yao Xu was startled by his roar, his bloodshot eyes turning to him, filled with pain and helplessness.
Feng Xi's gaze passed over him and landed on Mi Qing's hand. He said, "The engravings on that hand might be the key to breaking the deadlock. Do you really want to see her die?"
Yao Xu suddenly looked down at Mi Qing's bruised face, then at her hands. He suppressed his anger. He took a deep breath, tore off the hem of her still relatively clean inner garment, and carefully, one by one, pried open Mi Qing's tightly clenched fingers.
The instant the fragment completely detached from Mi Qing's palm, the remaining slime on her fingertips and the engravings on the fragment seemed to be ignited. A barely perceptible sliver of dark light seeped into the wound on her fingertip.
"Well!"
Mi Qing's convulsing body suddenly stiffened.
Buzz—!
The entire Wanxiang Forest came alive! The thick fog churned violently, turning an eerie dark red, and the earth trembled slightly. In the distance, the black stele forest suddenly burst forth with a beam of dark light. From the depths of the stele forest, a deep and resonant hum echoed.
Feng Xi said, "Not good!" He grabbed Yao Xu and pulled him back.
Yan Chao felt a tremendous force pulling her from the direction of the Stele Forest. The umbrella almost slipped from her grasp. She clung tightly to the handle, but her feet were uncontrollably dragged toward the abyss.
"Hold on tight!" Feng Xi's voice boomed in their ears. He grabbed Yan Chao's wrist with one hand and quickly pulled Mi Qing, who was sliding forward, with the other. Yao Xu reacted quickly as well. The moment Feng Xi pulled him away, he held onto Mi Qing's body tightly with his other hand.
As if seized by an invisible giant hand, the four of them were lifted off the ground and flew rapidly towards the depths of the stele forest.
My vision was filled with distorted crimson and darkness, and all I could hear was a deafening buzzing and countless shrill screams. My body felt like it was being torn apart, and my consciousness blurred in the immense pulling.
The suction power suddenly decreased!
The four of them crashed heavily onto the cold, hard black rock. The air was heavy, devoid of any fishy stench, but instead filled with the smell of blood and the bitterness of herbs.
A deathly silence fell over the surroundings.
Yan Chao propped herself up, her wrists still numb, her whole body feeling like it was falling apart. But the scene before her eyes horrified her even more.
They were in the center of a vast circular space. No longer were trees and mist around them, but countless towering black stone monuments. These monuments encircled them, stretching into the darkness at the edge of their vision. Each one was smooth as a mirror, pitch black, its surface shimmering with a ghostly light that reflected their disheveled, distorted figures.
"Mi Qing!"
Yao Xu rushed to Mi Qing beside him. She was still unconscious, but the purplish discoloration on her face had faded somewhat, and her breathing was weak but steady. The fragment had turned to dust and disappeared.
Feng Xi slowly stood up, his sharp gaze sweeping over his surroundings. Yan Chao also stood up, gripping his oil-paper umbrella tightly.
Yao Xu asked in a hoarse voice, "Where is this place?"
No one answered.
The stone tablet closest to them suddenly emitted a faint glow!
Immediately afterwards, a blurry image appeared on the surface of the monument.
The image was shaking, but quickly stabilized.
The atmosphere inside the Guangyi Hall of Tianjia Mountain was oppressive. On the high seat, Yan Xiao, dressed in a long black and gold robe, had unfathomable eyes.
Two people at the next stop.
It is Mingqi and Yaoqi.
A mirror stood next to the two people, and a figure was reflected in the mirror.
Yan Xiao spoke, pointing a finger at Mi Zhen, his expression serious. Ming Qi frowned, his lips moving slightly as if arguing. Yao Qi's eyelids were lowered, his expression unreadable, his hand unconsciously clenching at his side.
Suddenly, the figure in the mirror turned around abruptly.
The three people in front of the monument suddenly stopped breathing.
It's Mi Zhen!
Mi Qing and Mi Zhen look remarkably alike, bearing about five or six points of resemblance.
Yan Xiao said, "Yun Huai Mi Zhen has spread plague and brought calamity to the people. He should be executed!"
Ming Qi said, "Your Majesty! I swear on my life that Mi Zhen is definitely not that kind of person! There must be something fishy about this!"
Yaoqi remained silent, seemingly somewhat troubled.
The image was slightly distorted.
The three of them were startled. Yao Xu stared at Yao Qi, a chill running down his spine.
The scene changes again.
Yunhuai Palace.
Mi Zhen and Gongshu Ming were discussing matters related to the mechanical personnel. After finishing their discussion, Mi Zhen chatted with Gongshu Ming about everyday matters, saying, "Your wife will be giving birth soon, right? How is everything at home?"
Gongshu Ming was taken aback, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes. He bowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Seeing his taciturn demeanor, Mi Zhen shook her head helplessly and teased, "You're so clueless about romance, how could you have been attracted to me in the first place?"
Upon hearing this, Gongshu Ming merely gave a shy smile and remained silent.
Mi Zhen said, "I was planning to give you a break once the mechanical system was running smoothly, so you could go home and spend time with your wife and children. You've worked hard these past few days." After saying that, Mi Zhen took out a brocade box containing a gold-inlaid jade peace lock and added, "Consider this my newborn gift for the child."
Upon seeing this, Gongshu Ming knelt down with a thud and said in a panic, "Thank you, Your Majesty. But this is too precious, please take it back."
Mi Zhen said, "Alright, alright. Just consider this a thank you gift for the tea you gave me."
Gongshu Ming asked, "What does Your Majesty think of this year's tea?"
Mi Zhen said, "It's still as good as ever. I drink it every day."
Gongshu Ming said, "I have no way to repay Your Majesty's kindness. This is all I can do besides forging with all my heart."
The scene changes again!
Within Yunhuai territory, cries of despair filled the air, plague raged, and corpses piled high. The people, numb with despair, cried out, "Mizhen has brought ruin to the world! May he be punished by heaven and earth!"
......
The border with the neighboring country was heavily guarded, and the general pointed and whispered: "Mi Zhen is heartless and insane! He keeps talking about maintaining harmony with the neighbors, but he does all sorts of despicable things!"
......
Inside the secret chamber, Gongshu Ming spoke with envoys from various countries. Gongshu Ming said with a fawning smile, "The king has been poisoned and will not live much longer."
......
On Mount Tianjia, Yaoqi stood alone, overlooking the chaos of the mortal realm. Yanxiao suddenly appeared behind him, saying, "See that? Mizhen has gone mad! Kill him! Destroy the Cloud Tree! Saving the common people—isn't this what you, as a god, should do? Kill him, and the throne of the Emperor will be yours!"
Yaoqi froze, his knuckles clenching until they turned white. After a moment, he resolutely said, "Yaoqi obeys."
......
Ming Qi held the dying Yun Xiang in his arms, his face weary and sorrowful. Watching the people die in agony, seeing them curse Yun Huai, he felt utterly hopeless and powerless.
......
Mi Zhen wielded his sword wildly in the palace, his hair disheveled, his eyes unfocused, and his body surrounded by the power of all spirits.
Yao Qi said, "Mi Zhen! You have brought disaster to the people! You cannot be allowed to live today!"
With a "whoosh," three arrows pierced his heart.
Mi Zhen's eyes regained their clarity. She looked down at her chest, then slowly looked up at Yao Qi. There was no resentment or anger, only endless sorrow.
He silently uttered two words: "Yao...Qi..." before collapsing completely.
......
Tianjia Mountain. Guangyi Hall.
Yaoqi stood in front of Yanxiao, his face devoid of joy, only numbness.
Yan Xiao patted him on the shoulder and laughed, "You did a great job. The throne of the Heavenly Emperor is yours."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Yaoqi suddenly drew a blood-stained longsword and pierced Yanxiao's heart with a single strike.
"Since this position is mine, you have no reason to exist."
The three of them stood there stunned, and Yao Xu was struck dumb as if by lightning.
Yao Xu swung his fist and smashed it against the stone tablet, shouting angrily, "Fake...it's all fake! It's all a lie!"
The same voice rang out again: "Wanxiang Forest, reflecting the heart, refracting the past. Truth and falsehood? Falsehood and truth? Belief or disbelief, it all depends on your heart."
Believe? Believe in what?
Did he believe that his father, whom he once revered, murdered his friend and the emperor, ascended the throne, and then abandoned him?
Believing him and failing to discern the truth led to Yun Huai being scorned by the world and Mi Qing becoming an orphan without parents.
At this moment, Mi regained consciousness.
She slowly opened her eyes, her expression blank. But soon, the scenes of her father being framed, poisoned, and shot by his best friend, along with her mother's obsession before her death, overwhelmed her consciousness like a flood.
"No--!!!"
She sat up abruptly, trembling all over, her nails digging into her scalp, and cried out in a pitiful voice, "It's all fake... It's all fake! Father is not! Mother... Yaoqi... Emperor..." She screamed incoherently, tears streaming down her face, her eyes filled with boundless hatred.
Mi Qing suddenly looked up, pointed to the sky, and cried out, "Yao Qi—!!! Why did you kill my father and mother? Why?! Why—!!!"
boom!
The forest of steles trembled, and chaotic, fragmented images flashed rapidly across the surface of the steles.
Yaoqi, Mizhen, Mingqi, and Fengyi enjoyed drinks together...
Yaoqi stood before the Tianjia Palace, gazing at Mizhen's sword, standing there silently day after day, unnoticed by anyone...
Suddenly, another scene appeared on the largest stone tablet in the center of the stele forest: Yao Qi was holding a scroll with three large characters written on it: "Tianji Ranking"! He was also surrounded by the power of all spirits!
The four were shocked.
Seeing this, Yan Chao felt a chill run down his spine. All that he had experienced along the way—had it all been pre-arranged? And the person behind it all was…
Yao Xu exclaimed in disbelief, "The Heavenly Ranking is actually...!"
He couldn't bring himself to say it, finding it utterly absurd. If all of this were true, then everything they had experienced here wasn't a test at all, but rather an attempt to kill the four of them like Yan Xiao had.
Mi Qing suddenly said, "I want to go back to Tiandu!" Her gaze swept over the three of them, and her voice was resolute, "I want you to come with me! I want to ask him myself!"
The three remained silent, but they also had many questions that needed to be answered.
Suddenly, the tremors in the forest of steles intensified, cracks appeared on the stone tablets, and a blinding white light slashed down. The four exchanged glances, and Feng Xi said in a deep voice, "Let's go!"
Without further hesitation, the four rushed towards the direction of the white light, heading into the unknown.
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Author's Note: Sorry, I've been suffering from rhinitis lately and my eyes are all red... There are about four chapters left in the main story, and it will officially end on the 27th. I have to go out on errands on the 28th, which will take about a week. I'll finish the extra chapters when I get back. Currently, I plan to have four or five chapters. Thank you all for your patience (sighs).
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