Chapter 39 Hehe, I caught you...
She turned away with an expression of displeasure and stopped talking to him.
Li Daoxuan brushed off the dust from his sleeves and went back to the low table to take a rest.
It was not until dawn that the two were able to return to the city.
The lights in the Chen Mansion were still brightly lit, and one could faintly hear the noises coming from inside. When Chen Qing knocked on the door, the first person he saw was A'niang with red eyes, and Cui Ya who was also crying uncontrollably, followed by Liu Jiuyue who looked worried and annoyed.
Shen Qing broke free from Li Daoxuan's support and threw herself into Shen's mother's arms, "Mother!"
Mother Shen looked at her almost disheveled daughter and choked up, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."
She noticed that Chen Qing was burning hot and asked, "What's wrong with your neck? Why is it hot again? Is You'an feeling uncomfortable?" She turned around and said, "Quickly find a doctor! Stop hanging around here, send my wife back to her room!"
Mother Shen embraced her daughter and was about to go back.
Chen Qing was stunned for a moment, then looked back, only to find the gate of the mansion empty and rather dark. The person who had been there was nowhere to be seen.
She heard another person sighing, and when she turned around, it was her senior brother.
There was a dark spot under Liu Jiuyue's eyes, his hair was standing a little crooked, his blue shirt was wrinkled, and the beard on his chin was growing quietly and had already grown out of the head.
The messy stubble and the fatigue that could not be concealed on his face seemed to be the hasty marks left by his busy life, as if telling of the owner's running around and hard work.
"Senior Brother." Chen Qing said in a hoarse voice.
Liu Jiyue's heart, which had been hanging in the air all day, finally settled down. At this moment, he felt extremely tired, but he still forced himself to stroke her head and said, "Go back and rest first. Senior Brother will seek justice for you."
It was a well-known fact that Chen Qing had disappeared out of thin air in the pleasure boat. This could only have been caused by evil spirits. If he wanted justice, he could only ask the evil spirits. That meant he had to follow the clues step by step and spend a lot of energy to get rid of the evil spirits, which was time-consuming and laborious.
It is very likely that Liu Jiuyue heard the news of her disappearance as soon as he returned to Chang'an. Therefore, he, who has always been very clean, had no time to tidy himself up before coming to the Shen Mansion. Now he has to rush to investigate the case. Chen Qing couldn't imagine how tired he must be.
So she said, "Brother, I already know what that evil spirit is. I'll tell you after I've rested a bit."
Liu Jiyue smiled and said, "Okay."
Chen Qing was afraid that he would sneak out while she was asleep, so she grabbed his sleeve and said, "Come with me. Go to the side room and rest. I'll come find you when I wake up."
Liu Jiyue had no choice but to say, "Okay, Senior Brother, I won't leave."
Chen Qing was still worried and kept pulling at his sleeve in A Niang's arms, not letting go.
Mother Shen looked at this scene and remembered that Chen Qing was used to playing outdoors in Xuanji Pavilion when she was young. She was also like this when she returned home, clinging to her senior brother's arms and refusing to leave. Her eyes gradually softened and she said, "Tanyu, you can go and rest with Youan. My good boy, I have troubled you a lot today. I thank you on Youan's behalf."
Liu Jiyue bowed and said, "Mrs. Shen, you are too kind. You'an is also my sister. All this is what I should do."
Several people walked in slowly, and Liu Jiuyue was able to blend into this warm atmosphere very harmoniously. From a distance, they looked like a complete family, and Chen Qing could act coquettishly in her mother's arms without restraint.
Outside the mansion gate, Li Daoxuan stood under the shade of a tree. He was dressed in black and blended into the night skillfully. He just watched them quietly, watched Chen Qing holding Liu Jiuyue's sleeve, watched Chen's mother care for her, until the mansion gate was completely closed, he slowly lowered his eyes, turned around and left.
After taking the medicine and taking a quick bath, she changed into her nightgown and fell into a deep sleep. However, her sleep was not restful. She sometimes muttered in her sleep, sometimes broke into cold sweats, and woke up several times in the middle of the night.
Perhaps because of her illness, she dreamed of her past life.
A young girl in fiery red stood among the remains of corpses and bones. The embroidered shoes on her feet were even more eye-catching and bright red. It was unclear whether the shoes were originally red or were stained red by the blood that flowed all over the ground.
The scene changed, and the woman was holding a hand that had turned into bones. Her delicate face was full of innocence and cruelty. At her feet was Liu Jiuyue, who was covered in scars and looked miserable.
She struggled to rush forward, push her away, and rescue her senior brother, but no matter how she struggled, it was useless. When she turned around, she found that she was being held tightly in someone's arms, and she was getting farther and farther away from her senior brother.
Chen Qing shouted and struggled: "Li Daoxuan! Let me go! Brother! I want to save you!"
Her struggle was not worth mentioning in Li Daoxuan's eyes. He held Chen Qing in his arms and flew away.
Chen Qing screamed and tore at him, but he gently melted them away with one hand. "This is the 'boundary' she created specifically for you. We can't defeat her. Your senior brother earned this time with great difficulty just to let you escape. Don't you understand?"
"He won't die. Even if she chops him into pulp here, your brother won't be in any trouble in real life. You better wake up."
Chen Qing refused to listen and continued to struggle, "Get out! Let me go!" As if irritated by her attitude, he clamped her restless hands, forcefully picked her up horizontally, and quickened his pace, "I think you are really crazy." He commented, looking quite angry.
The woman in red moved. She stretched out her white, tender fingertips and plucked out Liu Jiuyue's heart. In this "world," pain was shared with the outside world, so veins bulged on Liu Jiuyue's forehead, and he bit her lip without realizing it.
He spat out a mouthful of blood, staring intently at Chen Qing, and said with his last bit of strength: "You'an, go..."
"Ugh——" A painful wail rang out from Chen Qing's throat.
"Go..." He stared with his eyes wide open, like a candle in the wind, and took his last breath.
"Senior Brother!! Brother...don't...don't die! Let me go, I want to save you..." She was so stimulated that she was talking nonsense.
The way Liu Jiuyue died matched the tragic way her mother died in her mind. She was so sad that she didn't know what day it was and her voice was hoarse from crying.
Soon the woman in red left Liu Jiuyue's body behind and was about to catch up. Li Daoxuan kept walking, "Chen Youan, be quiet." He put Shen Qing's head into his arms, so that she would not see her senior brother's death.
After crying, Chen Qing seemed to be a little more sober. She suddenly raised her eyes in confusion, and saw the solemn face of the young man, his thin lips slightly pursed, and his black brows tightly furrowed.
Chen Qing was a little flustered at this time and said: "I didn't mean it."
Realizing that Shen Qing had regained consciousness, he finally released her hands and tossed her up, “Hold yourself tight, I’ll take you out.”
Shen Qingmomo put her arms around his neck and couldn't help but explain: "I don't know why I was like that. I know that my brother won't die, but I can't control my emotions. I don't know why, I..."
"I know." Li Daoxuan said.
Tears welled up in Chen Qing's eyes. Even though she knew her senior brother would not die, she still could not remain indifferent after seeing Liu Jiuyue's miserable condition. That was her senior brother, a brother who treated her like a family member.
Chen Qing murmured, "I don't know why. Every time I get emotional, I can't control myself. I become unlike myself. My fellow disciples hate me and say I'm jealous of Chen Ling. Why?"
"No reason, they are just mentally ill, just ignore them." Li Daoxuan said in her ear.
She raised her eyes slightly and was about to speak when the wind stopped in her ears. She seemed to hear the sound of flesh being stirred. Chen Qing looked down slowly and saw that it was a hand with pieces of flesh and blood that had pierced his chest.
"Hehe, you run so slowly, I've caught up with you." The woman pulled out her hand with a smile.
Li Daoxuan groaned, and instantly knelt on one knee due to exhaustion, but his hands seemed to never loosen, firmly protecting Chen Qing.
The woman had just relaxed her guard and had not yet made any next move when she saw Li Daoxuan, who was originally kneeling on the ground, suddenly burst out with strength. He threw a talisman from his sleeve and it hit her hand accurately. A puff of green smoke rose up and the woman in red covered her hand and let out a shrill scream.
Taking advantage of this gap, Li Daoxuan put down Chen Qing, covered the wound with one hand, and pulled her with the other hand and ran back without looking back.
Chen Qing's face was already covered with tears, but her long-term illness made her unable to do anything and she could only be protected by him behind her.
Finally approaching a sparkling lake, Li Daoxuan froze.
Chen Qing looked back in confusion, only to see a hand on his shoulder.
"Let's go." Li Daoxuan stared at her and said.
Shen Qing cried and shouted: "Li Daoxuan."
"Let's go." He emphasized again, "We're all here for you. Don't let your brother's efforts go to waste. You can't die here, or you won't be able to get out."
Shen Qing reacted very quickly, letting go of his hand and running towards the nearby lake.
He was right. Even if they died in the "realm", they would not die in real life. But this was her "realm". If she died, there would be no future. She had to avenge her mother and the Shen family. She could not die.
As his thoughts raced, Chen Qing glanced back inadvertently, only to see a woman with an angry face tearing one of his arms off from his shoulder. An piercing pain suddenly surged from his chest, so painful that every breath she took felt like she was swallowing a knife.
The woman tore off Li Daoxuan's other arm, and finally stretched out her hand towards his face and pinched it with her five fingers.
Chen Qing didn't dare to watch any longer. She endured the heart-wrenching pain and jumped towards the lake. Behind her, the woman followed closely and wanted to catch her, but she could only see a strand of black hair passing through her palm, like a fish in the water, which she couldn't catch no matter how hard she tried.
Finally escaped.
"Hehe, I caught you." The woman's laughing voice suddenly rang in my ears.
"Ah!!! Go away!!" Chen Qing screamed.
"Madam! What's wrong with you?" Cui Ya's worried voice came.
Shen Qing felt a soft hand caressing her forehead while she was in a daze, and then an ice-silk handkerchief covered her and gently wiped away the sweat from the tip of her nose and forehead.
"The fever has subsided a little. Did my lady have a nightmare? Don't be afraid, Cui Ya is here."
"Cui Ya..." Chen Qing looked up and saw a young face full of worry.
"Ma'am, I'm here."
Chen Qing closed his eyes, calmed down his heart palpitations, and then said: "Please change my clothes for me. I need to go find my senior brother."
"Yes, ma'am."
When Cui Ya left to look for clothes, Chen Qing carefully searched her mind for memories and finally came to the conclusion that she had no memory of this dream.
In her previous life, she only knew that she was brought back from the "realm" by her senior brother. However, her only memory of the "realm" was of her senior brother being pierced through the heart by the Joyful Funeral Demon. No one else was there. When did Li Daoxuan appear? Why did she have no memory of him in her previous life?
Now she has nightmares all the time and accidentally dreams about that past event. There is a person in her memory who should not have appeared, which makes her feel confused.
If it was a dream, the scene was extremely real, and the heart-wrenching pain she experienced personally could not be faked; if it was not a dream, she did not have any memories related to it.
Chen Qing couldn't help but think back, if someone was injured or died in the realm, people outside would not die, but there would be residual effects.
In his previous life, my senior brother was killed by a happy-sad demon in the world, so he suffered from heart palpitations since then.
It was precisely because of this that when the senior brother was trying to eliminate a big demon, he suffered from heart palpitations and the big demon took advantage of the situation and seriously injured him.
This also gave Shen Ling an opportunity to "save people".
Thinking back to Li Daoxuan, he did seem to have a headache problem, but he didn't know where it started.
If they really match, it means that this memory is real and not a dream.
So, why did she forget anything about Li Daoxuan? If so, did she also forget some of her memories about him?
The more she thought about it, the more her headache became. In the end, she simply gave up thinking about it and thought: After all, he had taken my life in my previous life. Even if I think about it so much, it can't cover up the blood feud between the two of them, so what's the point of thinking about it?
She gave up calmly and stopped thinking about it.
While changing clothes, Cui Ya worriedly advised, "Don't worry, my lady. Deputy Envoy Liu has listened to your advice and is taking a nap in the wing room. It's just past noon, so it's still early. Why don't you sleep a little longer?"
"No, I won't be at peace until this matter is resolved." Chen Qing said with his eyes closed.
Cui Ya shut up when she heard that and silently changed her clothes.
After finishing his dressing, Chen Qing rushed to the wing room without stopping.
After taking the medicine prescribed by the doctor and having a good sleep, Chen Qing felt that her body was much lighter. Although she was still feverish, she was not as uncomfortable as before. So she thought of Liu Niangzi, the daughter of Liu Qing of the Dali Temple, whose soul had been sucked away.
On the way, Chen Qing asked, "How many days have I been missing?"
Cui Ya replied, "You disappeared at noon yesterday. I saw you return alone at 1:15 AM today. Deputy Envoy Liu also arrived at the mansion at 1:15 AM, but half an incense stick's time before you. He rushed here without stopping after hearing the news of your disappearance."
"How is Madam Liu, the daughter of the Dali Temple Minister?"
Cui Ya: "She was unconscious. Yesterday, Prince Gu went to check on Madam Liu, but for some reason, he was unable to successfully call back Madam Liu's soul. The prince said frankly: 'Forgive my limited ability. I don't know the reason, but I cannot call back your daughter's soul. I'm afraid I may need to ask Prince Cang or Deputy Envoy Liu for help.'" When she said this, Cui Ya's face was full of confusion.
Chen Qing was also very suspicious. Why could he not summon the soul back for no reason? She asked: "Then what?"
"Then Lord Liu went to Prince Cang's mansion for his daughter's sake, but was told that Prince Cang would not see guests. He had no choice but to go to Xuanji Pavilion in person to look for Deputy Envoy Liu, but Deputy Envoy Liu was out exorcising a demon and was not there. Today Lord Liu sent someone to Dongshan Temple to seek help, but I wonder what the situation is."
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