Chapter 17: "Senior Brother".
Touch...the tail?
Sang Ying stared blankly at the boy in the mirror. His dark eyes met hers in the mirror, calm and indifferent, but she quickly looked away as if she had been burned.
"I don't want to," she replied coldly.
It's not that she doesn't want to, it's that she can't get over that mental hurdle.
She was already ashamed of having been caught up in that kiss, and she didn't want to have any more entanglements with Xie Lingyu in that regard, even if it was just in a fantasy.
Although she didn't quite understand, letting someone touch her demon form was clearly not an ordinary act; it required a very intimate relationship.
The boy behind her remained silent, and Sang Ying didn't pay attention to his thoughts or look at him.
After all, in her view, this was just an illusion, and what she had just said was merely a manifestation of the illusion's yearning for her heart.
Judging by the time, it should be about time.
Sang Ying lowered her eyes. "Xie Lingyu, I want to go back to Minghua Mountain."
The person behind him was silent for a few moments, then said, "Okay."
Having not returned for three years, Sang Ying did not know what Minghua Mountain looked like in reality, but the Minghua Mountain in front of her was exactly the same as she remembered. Looking up into the distance, cranes circled the clouds on Qingdeng Peak, ethereal and otherworldly.
Sang Ying rushed down from the sword light, suddenly felt her chest churning, and coughed a few times.
Her body was too weak and her cultivation level was too low. Although Wei Li had no intention of harming her, the demonic energy that was emanating from her at that time still injured her.
She put a talisman on herself and forced herself to enter the illusion, but it started to lose its effect, and her surging blood pressure couldn't be contained.
She looked at Xie Lingyu.
The boy had already retracted his tail and dragon horns, returning to his original form—refined and aloof, with a sullen and silent nature.
That's how I remember him; he always silently followed her around, acting as her little follower at her behest.
She pursed her pale lips, and as before, indulged her temper, saying, "Xie Lingyu, carry me on your back."
The boy didn't say anything, but naturally walked up to her and squatted down.
Sang Ying leaned over, wrapped her arms around his neck, and nestled against his back.
The boy's back was as warm and broad as she remembered. Sang Ying gently breathed out warm air and carefully rested her small face on his shoulder.
She thought to herself, "I'm so mean. I've been bullying someone for so long, and now I can't even be with the person he likes."
The boy slowly carried her up the mountain, one step at a time.
A gentle evening breeze blew, and Sang Ying, perched on his shoulder, drifted into drowsiness. Her breathing was light and shallow, and her murmurs dissipated in the wind.
"Xie Lingyu...you're so heavy."
The moonlight was serene, and all was quiet.
After a long while, the young man lowered his eyelashes and said, "Junior sister is very light."
It's as if, if you don't hold on tight, it will disappear with the wind in the blink of an eye.
Upon reaching the mountain gate at the summit, Xie Lingyu stopped. Before he could rouse the girl, the person on his back seemed to sense it, patted his shoulder, and gestured for him to put her down.
The girl covered her mouth and coughed lightly a few times. She walked up two stone steps and stood behind the bright red mountain gate. She straightened her clothes and then turned to look at him.
Her eyes were clear and bright, like the moon in the sky, and her eyebrows were slightly curved like a little fox's, containing a lively smile.
The same scene, the same place, and Xie Lingyu was immediately reminded of that day several years ago.
He had just become her disciple, and when she found out that he had gone from being her expected little follower to a senior brother, she was furious and wanted to tease him, so she deliberately hid his sword.
He knew what she was thinking and where the sword was hidden, yet he still searched the entire mountain as she wished, missing lunch and dinner at the restaurants, and didn't return until late at night.
The girl was leaning against the mountain gate, half asleep, but she perked up when she saw him return. She took out a fragrant roast goose from her bosom, looking smug and cunning.
"You idiot Xie Lingyu, are you hungry? Call me 'boss' and I might consider letting you eat~"
The night at Qingdeng Peak was quiet and still.
Xie Lingyu looked up at the girl in front of her.
The imposing red mountain gate separated the two. The girl's eyebrows curved, her eyes reflecting the moonlight, and she quietly looked at him.
After a long while, he finally spoke softly.
"Senior brother."
Xie Lingyu was slightly taken aback. Since they met, she had always called him by his name and had never called him "senior brother" before.
A vague unease, even a sense of panic, suddenly rose in his heart, making it impossible for him to remain calm.
He instinctively raised his hand to grab her.
Just as his fingertips were about to touch her, a slight cracking sound rang out, and in an instant, the girl shattered like a mirror before his eyes, and the surrounding mountains and clouds also collapsed in all directions.
...
As Sang Ying left the illusory world of "Water Moon Mirror Flower," she immediately spotted Wei Li frantically pacing back and forth beside her.
"Why is my dad here? He should be fishing right now, oh no..."
Sang Ying calmly shook her glass mirror: "I called for it."
Wei Li: "?"
The best way to deal with a rebellious child is, of course, to call their parents.
In the book's plot, the Demon Lord also arrives, but not so early. When he arrives, Wei Li has been severely injured by Xie Lingyu and almost dies.
His father, the Lord of the Demon Realm, was very protective of his own, so he held a grudge against Xie Lingyu and caused him a lot of trouble later on.
The boy's eyes widened, his face showing a betrayal. "I helped you so much, and you actually betrayed me—ouch!"
Wei Li was punched hard on the head, and he squatted down, clutching his head in pain.
"You little brat, you've really grown up. I wasn't watching you for a second and you ran off to cause trouble."
Behind him, the man who had appeared in the Water Moon Mirror Flower at some point reprimanded Wei Li for a while, then turned to look at Sang Ying and showed a gentle smile, revealing eight teeth in a standard pose.
"Young lady, my foolish son has caused you trouble."
The Lord of the Demon Realm is a reasonable person.
Demonic cultivators have a notoriously bad reputation, whether in the cultivation world or the demon world. They are infamous for their ruthless and vicious nature, and are universally hated and attacked wherever they go.
However, according to rumors, this Demon Lord rarely provokes others; it's always the demon cultivators who come knocking, ready to fight and seize power. Judging from Wei Li's words just now, it seems his hobby is fishing? Quite an elegant pursuit.
In order to prevent the situation from deteriorating further, Sang Ying used her connections to find a demon cultivator on duty at the Demon Palace and asked him to inform the Demon Lord about the situation.
In short, they're called parents.
“Young lady, if my avatar stays too long, it will attract the attention of those old monsters. It is not convenient to stay any longer, so I will take my good-for-nothing son and leave first.”
The man handed her a black jade token, saying, "I will remember your kindness today. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to come to the Demon Realm to find me!"
Sang Ying understood that if the Lord of the Demon Realm appeared in the Monster Realm, it would definitely cause chaos.
The Lord of the Demon Realm acted swiftly, taking control of the Water Moon Mirror Flower and releasing everyone inside. He then quickly left with Wei Li, leaving without even a trace behind.
The Immortal Alliance members stationed outside didn't even realize when he entered the encirclement before he had already taken the person away.
The surroundings were bustling with people, as the members of the Immortal Alliance saw that the Water Moon Mirror Flower had been dispelled and everyone had been released.
"Junior Sister!"
Sang Ying opened her eyes, and after a moment, she followed the sound and saw Xiao Lingzhou running towards her in the distance, his forehead covered in sweat and his expression tense.
"Junior Sister, how are you?"
Sang Ying swallowed the blood in her throat, tried to relax, and gently shook her head: "It's nothing."
Xiao Lingzhou's gaze swept over her face, and seeing that she was completely unharmed, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally relaxed a little.
He opened his arms to pull her into his embrace, but Sang Ying hesitated for a moment and did not pull away.
The second senior brother must have suffered a lot in the illusion. He was still pale when he came out. I wonder what he went through in the illusion. It wouldn't hurt to give him a hug and comfort him.
As she was thinking this, her wrist suddenly felt cold as a hand grabbed it and pulled her backward, causing her to fall into a slightly cool embrace.
The scent of sandalwood—she was very familiar with that smell.
She looked up and saw the young man's face reflected in Xiao Lingzhou's eyes, his gaze filled with intense hostility.
Sang Ying was taken aback and turned to look at him. The young man's expression was as calm as ever.
...Her illusion?
Xie Lingyu said calmly, "When did Second Senior Brother return? Why didn't he say hello?"
These words were an attempt to hold someone accountable, implying that Xiao Lingzhou had brought her here without a word, putting her in such a dangerous situation.
Xiao Lingzhou pursed his lips, remaining silent despite his usual eloquence.
"This matter cannot be entirely blamed on Second Senior Brother; I came here with him on my own. I apologize for causing trouble for Junior Senior Brother."
Sang Ying spoke gently, moving her wrist which was still being held, "Junior Brother, let me go first."
Xiao Lingzhou was taken aback when he heard this address, and suddenly looked up at the girl.
They had known each other since childhood, and he understood her personality thoroughly. Of the three senior brothers, she was the only one who refused to call Xie Lingyu "senior brother," which seemed like she was bullying him, but in reality, the more she liked him, the more awkward she became.
So this is...?
After Sang Ying finished speaking, she not only didn't let go of the hand on her wrist, but actually tightened her grip.
Sang Ying looked up at him curiously: "Junior Brother?"
The young man's dark eyes met hers, and he stared at her for a few seconds, his expression unreadable.
"Junior Sister, you were just attacked by demonic energy and may have suffered some damage. You need to be checked out. I'll take you back to the inn..."
"Honey, let me check you out!"
A tall figure suddenly stopped in front of them. It was Fu Ye, the Demon King of the Northern Desert. His rugged face drew closer to Sang Ying, his ears slightly red: "Don't worry about me, my dear wife. It's just a little bit of demonic energy. I'll make sure it's completely wiped out for you..."
Despite the surging blood and qi in her body, Sang Ying raised her hand and slapped him across the face, pushing him away.
"I appreciate your kindness. Also, the child in your belly isn't mine, or rather, it's not even certain that the child exists."
“Junior Sister Sang is right.”
Xu Baishen walked over and said in a gentle tone, "If I remember correctly, Fellow Daoist Fu once said that he was a rabbit demon, and male rabbit demons would have false pregnancy symptoms. Fellow Daoist Fu should check again carefully to avoid making a mistake."
He looked at Sang Ying and said, "Junior Sister Sang, the Immortal Alliance has sent a healer with us. Let them treat your injuries."
Fu Ye retorted, "So only your Immortal Alliance has doctors, but our Demon Realm has no demon healers?"
Xu Baishen remained gentle: "The way the spiritual veins of demons and humans operate is different, so naturally, the medical cultivators of the cultivation world are better at..."
My chest was churning with blood and qi, and I had a buzzing sound in my ears.
Before the argument had even ended, in full view of everyone, the girl suddenly clutched her chest and coughed up blood, then collapsed limply to the ground.
...
In a daze, feeling uncomfortably cold, Sang Ying felt as if she had been fed some warm liquid, which tasted a little sweet.
Something warm embraced her, and her body slowly began to warm up.
Something was wiping her hand; the damp cloth repeatedly brushed between her fingers. She grew impatient and tried to pull her hand away, but it was firmly held.
Faintly, she heard a very low voice, indistinct, cold and gloomy, sending chills down her spine.
"Wouldn't it be better to... just lock it up?"
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Thanks to the sofa user for the landmine! [cat paw emoji]
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