Chapter 52 (052) - Two-in-One [VIP]
Scorpio branch in the west
"Elder Qiu, our branch has been destroyed, how did Yue Ling find this place?!" It's impossible!
Qiu Jiu clutched his chest, flying away rapidly while glancing back at the burning buildings, his eyes fierce. "Those people sent out to besiege him may not all be dead. He learned our location from that person."
"Don't worry about that. Go investigate why Yue Ling's strength has suddenly increased so much. We must find out if he has begun to regain his memories."
The strength Yue Ling displayed during his fight was completely different from what he had seen before. It was as if Yue Ling had regained all his power; that formidable strength made him tremble uncontrollably.
"yes!"
The person who received the order immediately changed direction and left in another place.
Besides this branch, they have other branches.
Scorpio branch in the East
Two groups of people flew quickly through the air. The group in front was dressed in black, while the group behind was dressed in casual clothes. The group in black seemed to be fleeing for their lives, while the group behind was in pursuit.
"Hurry up, catch up with them, don't let them get away."
"Yes, Chief!"
Not only in these two directions, but also in several other directions, people were fleeing in panic. They were all people from the Scorpion Palace. Those Scorpion Palace members who were fleeing were cursing in their hearts, wondering why Yue Ling had become so powerful. Not only was he powerful, but he also didn't know where he had gotten so many people.
Hasn't he always been working alone?
He regained consciousness when a sound, audible yet still audible, came from outside the door. Yin Chu Jiu blinked his sore eyes and turned his head to look in the direction of the sound. He focused his attention and vaguely heard a sound coming from there.
Thank you very much this time.
"...If it weren't for your help, we might have..."
"Thanks to the teleportation array you provided..."
He sat up in bed; he had changed his clothes and his wounds had been treated. The minor wounds were mostly healed, and the more serious ones were beginning to recover. The room's decor wasn't that of an inn; it resembled a room in a private residence.
His body was still weak, but much better than before. A bowl filled with steaming medicine sat on the table in the middle. Yin Chu Jiu took a soft breath; the voices outside the door continued. He leaned against the bed, resting and recovering his strength while analyzing the current situation.
It seems that after he and Qiu Jiu disappeared, Yue Ling and the others met or found someone to help them in order to find him. That person provided a teleportation array, which teleported the three of them to the location of the Scorpion Palace, and that's how they rescued him.
The teleportation array he saw before he lost consciousness was probably provided by the person who helped Yue Ling and the others, and this house is very likely that it belongs to that person, or it may be that Yue Ling and the others have been renting it during this period.
That person had provided them with a lot of help, so Yue Ling and Zi Zhuo should be outside thanking him right now. However, he mostly heard Zi Zhuo's voice, not Yue Ling's, suggesting that Yue Ling is still not used to being around other people.
Yin Chu Jiu pursed his lips. Unlike before, he didn't look troubled; instead, a slight smile curved his lips.
It's okay. If Yue Ling isn't used to it, he can help. He can stay by Yue Ling's side and keep him company; he can handle these things.
After resting enough, Yin Chu Jiu got out of bed and went to get his medicine. He didn't want to disturb them and planned to drink the medicine himself.
However, Yin Chu Jiu overestimated his current physical condition. When he went to get the medicine, because he had not yet recovered, he managed to pick up the bowl, but because he lost his balance, he almost fell. So he had to brace himself against the table next to him, which creaked because of the sudden force.
The end result was that everyone outside heard the commotion inside and rushed in.
Facing everyone's gaze, Yin Chu Jiu smiled somewhat awkwardly, "Haha, I originally wanted to take the medicine myself..."
Before he could finish speaking, Yue Ling came over, picked him up, and placed him on the bed. The handsome young man's face was very pale. He silently accepted the medicine bowl that Zi Zhuo handed him, and half-held him while personally feeding him the medicine.
"Yue Ling, I can drink it myself." Yin Chu Jiu was a little uncomfortable. Although he and Yue Ling were sometimes closer in private than this, he was still not used to doing this in front of other people. He reached for the bowl in Yue Ling's hand, but before he could get the bowl, Yue Ling pressed his hand into the blanket and held it down. "I'll do it."
Yin Chu Jiu had no choice but to endure being fed medicine by Yue Ling.
No one knew how many days he had been unconscious. Yue Ling seemed to have gotten used to feeding him medicine. Her posture was standard and her movements were skilled. Yue Ling fed him so naturally that Yin Chu Jiu was no longer so embarrassed as he drank the medicine, and he became more at ease.
After you finished taking the medicine, Yue Ling spoke, "Sleep a little longer. Zi Zhuo is going to make you some nourishing soup. He'll come and examine you after you wake up."
As he spoke, he placed Yin Chu Jiu on the bed, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a fragile piece of porcelain.
Yin Chu Jiu was a little unaccustomed to Yue Ling treating him like this, but he didn't say anything and just lay down following Yue Ling's lead. The bedding was very warm and soft. He had been suspended in the Scorpion Palace for nearly ten days, and lying down again, every cell in his body screamed for comfort.
Yue Ling gazed intently at him, his reflection shimmering in her dark eyes. There was no profundity in those eyes, only tenderness. Yin Chu Jiu nearly drowned in that warm pool of water.
He seemed bewitched by those gentle eyes, or perhaps because he knew he wouldn't go back, the emotions he had suppressed were released. He reached out and grabbed Yue Ling's wrist, holding him tightly. Because of this action, Yue Ling's eyes widened slightly, and he looked extremely surprised.
This was the first time Yin Chu Jiu had seen Yue Ling with this expression. He couldn't help but smile, then took Yue Ling's hand and closed his eyes. The thick bedding, the gentle gaze—it really was a place where he could sleep peacefully.
Yin Chu Jiu was feeling drowsy, but just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard a familiar name, and his sleepiness immediately vanished.
"Mo Ling, I'll have to trouble you again. I need some more medicinal herbs. We don't have enough left, so we need to buy more." It was Zi Zhuo speaking in a low voice.
"No need to be so polite." The reply came from a steady voice, a deep and magnetic voice that was very pleasant to listen to.
"I'm not being polite, I'm being courteous, you understand? Courtesy."
But what Yin Chu Jiu noticed wasn't the pleasantness of the voice, but something else—the person's name—Mo Ling.
He suddenly opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the sound. His eyes widened slightly at what he saw. Standing before Zi Zhuo was a tall man, dressed in a long black robe, with a cold and unapproachable expression.
More importantly, the man was carrying a knife on his back, a very long and very large knife.
—Black Blade Mo Ling.
Why is Mo Ling here? This was Yin Chu Jiu's first thought, but he quickly regained his composure. If this world were his original novel, Mo Ling wouldn't be here at this moment. But this wasn't a novel; it was an illusion, so Mo Ling's presence here was perfectly normal.
Even if they lose their memories, the protagonist's henchmen will still come to his side as a result of the plot, becoming his cheat codes.
Yin Chu Jiu habitually thought about it according to the plot of his novel, and felt a little embarrassed when she came to her senses.
Just as he was feeling awkward, a warm weight suddenly pressed down on him.
Why are you staring at him so intently?
It's Yue Ling...
Yin Chu Jiu quickly shook his head, somewhat nervous. He turned his head and saw Yue Ling, who was lying on top of him, staring directly at him. Knowing Yue Ling's possessiveness, he quickly hugged him and whispered an explanation.
"That's your third subordinate."
"A third subordinate?" Yue Ling was puzzled for a moment, then he immediately realized what was going on and his gaze fell on Mo Ling not far away. "It's him?"
"Yes, that's him."
Yin Chu Jiu nodded affirmatively, while Yue Ling stared at Mo Ling with a thoughtful expression.
When Black Cat first appeared a while ago, Yin Chu Jiu briefly told him about his future capable subordinates: Zi Zhuo, Mo Ling, and Black Cat, mentioning their names once or twice.
He was just too busy with other things at the time, so he didn't pay attention to it and didn't remember the name. Actually, he knew he would meet another subordinate, but he didn't expect to meet him so soon, or in this way. No wonder he appeared in front of them and helped them without expecting anything in return. He also had a strange trust in Mo Ling.
It was as if it were destined.
"So, I didn't mean to look at him seriously," Yin Chu Jiu said somewhat ingratiatingly.
Yue Ling stirred up trouble on one side, but it was unclear whether she had listened or not. Yin Chu Jiu had never been able to handle this kind of atmosphere, especially since it was Yue Ling who had caused it.
After waiting and waiting, Yue Ling still didn't say anything. Yin Chu Jiu looked up and saw Yue Ling staring at him intently with a calm expression. Great, he wasn't angry.
He hugged Yue Ling, and once he relaxed, he couldn't help but ask the question he was most concerned about, "Yue Ling, how did you meet Mo Ling?"
Could Mo Ling also appear before them suddenly, like a black cat? Ever since he learned that this wasn't the real world of the novel, he had been somewhat concerned about the way Yue Ling's subordinates made their entrances.
Those are all Yue Ling's golden fingers, his influence.
In the original storyline, Mo Ling appeared like this: he walked out of the darkness with a knife in his hand, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
Mo Ling is an illegitimate child in a family, but it wasn't that his mother intentionally became his mistress. Rather, his father concealed the fact that he was already married and was with Mo Ling's mother.
Later, Mo Ling's mother learned the truth and wanted justice, demanding an explanation from Mo Ling's father. However, Mo Ling's father was a despicable person; otherwise, he wouldn't have deceived the innocent young girl. Therefore, instead of getting an explanation, Mo Ling's mother was murdered by Mo Ling's father.
Mo Ling's mother was just a girl from an ordinary family. As a child, Mo Ling witnessed his father killing his mother, a scene he remembered deeply. After he grew up and gained power, he took revenge on his father.
The day he met the protagonist was the same day he had just killed his father. His father's family rushed out to kill him, but Mo Ling turned the tables and killed them all. He killed one by one, and two by two.
He originally only killed his father, but later, who would have thought that those people would rush out and kill him in the name of so-called revenge? So in the end, Mo Ling killed many people, making him a model of carving a bloody path.
So, did Yue Ling and the others encounter Mo Ling in the same way this time? After all, the black cat appeared because of food, so Mo Ling's appearance shouldn't be too far off.
Faced with Yin Chu Jiu's question, Yue Ling was about to answer; this was a good opportunity for him and Yin Chu Jiu to have a good talk and get along. However, before he could answer, an unsteady voice suddenly came from beside him. Zi Zhuo and Mo Ling had appeared beside them at some point, and it was unclear how much they had overheard.
However, she probably didn't hear much, because Yin Chu Jiu saw that Mo Ling's expression was relatively calm, and he wasn't surprised to know about the prophecy.
"What are you two talking about?" Zi Zhuo's next question confirmed Yin Chu Jiu's guess.
Yin Chu Jiu shook her head and said, "I didn't say anything."
Zi Zhuo raised an eyebrow, looking incredulous. But Yin Chu Jiu also acted as if they hadn't said anything; with Mo Ling present, it wasn't convenient for him to discuss matters concerning Yue Ling.
At the crucial moment, Yin Chu Jiu thought of an excuse to stop Zi Zhuo's curiosity. He gently hugged Yue Ling and said, "Yue Ling told me to take good care of my health and not to worry about the Scorpion Palace."
real?
Zi Zhuo was a little incredulous. He looked at Yue Ling, thinking that Yue Ling wouldn't help Yin Chu Jiu lie. Unexpectedly, Yue Ling nodded and stood on Yin Chu Jiu's side.
Zizhuo: ...
He wanted to ask more, but Yue Ling looked directly at him with a deep gaze that held a different meaning. He immediately stopped pursuing the truth.
Okay, fine, he can go now. Tsk, they just escaped danger and they're already being all lovey-dovey, and they're even hiding a secret from him.
"Mo Ling, they seem to have some private matters to discuss, so let's go." He continued their unfinished conversation, "The medicinal herbs we need to buy this time are..."
"Yue Ling, tell Zi Zhuo about Mo Ling sometime." After Zi Zhuo and Mo Ling left, Yin Chu Jiu said to Yue Ling.
Yue Ling nodded, but he didn't seem to care much about it. He carefully tucked the edge of Yin Chu Jiu's blanket, covering him completely, then lay on top of him, forehead to forehead, and sighed deeply.
Compared to Mo Ling, he seemed to have something more to care about, and that thing was related to him.
For some reason, Yin Chu Jiu's heart started racing.
"Get well soon," Yue Ling said, his dark eyes fixed on him, his brows slightly furrowed. "I'm... a little impatient..."
Sure enough, it was related to him.
Gently stroking Yin Chu Jiu's slightly widened, puzzled eyes, Yue Ling's voice became even lower and deeper, "I really want to go to the Moon Forest as soon as possible, I really want to know your answer as soon as possible."
"Yin Chu Jiu, get well soon, okay?"
Teng—!
Yin Chu Jiu's heartbeat became completely disordered, and a fiery heat suddenly spread across his entire face, causing too much red to spread across his pale skin.
A dozen days ago, he told Yue Ling that he would give him the answer after they reached the Moon Forest. A dozen days later, before they even arrived at the Moon Forest, his protagonist couldn't wait any longer.
Staring at her with restrained black eyes, and thinking about the news she had received that she wouldn't leave, Yin Chu Jiu's heart was pounding wildly, and her throat became dry from the heat in her body.
"Yue Ling." Swallowing hard, Yin Chu Jiu grabbed his collar. His hand trembled slightly as he made a decision. "Before we go to the Moon Forest, come to my room tonight, and I'll tell you the answer."
Yue Ling's eyes widened suddenly. He seemed surprised by Yin Chu Jiu's words—no, perhaps not just seemingly, but truly. He gently stroked Yin Chu Jiu's face, as if caressing a dreamlike bubble. Upon confirming that it was real, he softly hummed in agreement.
"good."
After Yue Ling left, Yin Chu Jiu, who had made a certain decision, couldn't sleep. He still felt drowsy, but he wasn't really asleep. He closed his eyes, as if he had fallen asleep, but his soul seemed to float up, looking at his own closed eyes on the bed.
—I'm so nervous.
—I'm so nervous.
—I feel so uneasy.
He didn't know how much time had passed when someone pushed open the door and walked in. Yin Chu Jiu immediately opened his eyes, his heart pounding at its peak. He sat up and looked towards the door, but when he saw the person's face, all his emotions vanished, replaced by astonishment.
Mo Ling closed the door and walked in, standing naturally in front of Yin Chu Jiu, looking down at his pale face. "You already know all this, don't you?"
Yin Chu Jiu didn't speak, not because she didn't want to, but because she didn't know what to say.
He understood some of what Mo Ling was saying, yet he didn't quite understand it. That feeling left him unable to react appropriately for a moment, and he could only stare at him blankly.
Mo Ling frowned, seemingly displeased with Yin Chu Jiu's reaction. He drew his broadsword from behind him and placed the iconic weapon in front of Yin Chu Jiu. "This is what you set up for me. Do you remember now? Do you understand what I mean, Yin Chu Jiu?"
Yin Chu Jiu's expression changed several times as he stood there stunned for a while. After a long while, he sat up, pursed his lips, and nodded. Perhaps because the situation before him surprised him, his attitude seemed somewhat cautious.
“I understand.” He paused, then said almost cautiously, “...Do you remember?”
He sensed that Mo Ling was different from Yue Ling, Zi Zhuo, and the black cat. His attitude and the way he spoke all indicated that he was different. But that possibility was too absurd, making him somewhat incredulous for a moment.
He couldn't believe his guess was right—Mo Ling had memories; he had all the memories of what happened outside.
How could he possess those memories?
Didn't Qiu Jiu say that Yue Ling and the others lost their memories because of the destruction of the Scorpion Palace?
Seeing the change in Yin Chu Jiu's gaze, Mo Ling didn't waste any more words and directly stated his purpose.
“You’re right, I do remember.” Mo Ling put the knife back on his back. “In fact, I didn’t remember at first; it was only gradually restored over time. I’m not here to tell you this today; I’m here to remind you not to tell Yue Ling and the others about your amnesia.”
Yin Chu Jiu's voice was somewhat hoarse, "Why?"
Mo Ling frowned slightly, but he didn't seem displeased. Compared to Zi Zhuo, who wore his heart on his sleeve, he was much more composed and deep. "Because if we talk about this, it will upset them, and it might affect their souls. Yin Chu Jiu, as the one who created this world, you should know how important the soul is to cultivators. Once the soul has a problem, no amount of strength will help."
"Only by gradually stimulating myself to remember can I avoid any negative impact."
The soul is the most important thing a person has. The soul in this world is equivalent to the spirit in the modern world. If the spirit has problems, then that person is essentially ruined.
Yue Ling and the others have lost their memories in the illusion, and their minds are essentially affected by the formation. So if he reveals the truth and gets agitated, things might get even worse for them.
"Alright, I'm leaving. Remember, I never came here." With that, Mo Ling turned and left.
"Wait." Yin Chu Jiu subconsciously called out to him. He let out a long breath and said solemnly, "Mo Ling, I'm sorry."
Mo Ling tilted his head slightly, his resolute face still showing little expression. He said, "There's no need to apologize. I don't hate you. I've always believed in the existence of gods, that our destinies are predetermined, and that no matter what decisions we make along the way, we will eventually reach the same conclusion."
“And you, you simply personified that ‘god,’ so you don’t need to apologize to me.”
Mo Ling left after speaking, leaving Yin Chu Jiu sitting on the bed, somewhat bewildered. He blinked, not expecting that Mo Ling was actually a theist. However, his temperament was exactly as he had imagined.
Well, Mo Ling came and went, bringing Yin Chu Jiu not only the shocking fact that he had memories, but also the fact that he couldn't tell Yue Ling about his memories—the truth.
He had originally planned to tell Yue Ling the truth tonight, but now he realized he couldn't.
Another quarter of an hour passed, and Yin Chu Jiu finally saw the person who was supposed to come. He looked at the young man who walked in slowly, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his hand on the quilt involuntarily clenched slowly.
He was too nervous. What should he say if Yue Ling came over and asked him directly? What should he say if Yue Ling didn't speak and waited for him to speak first?
Yin Chu Jiu stared intently at the boy who walked in, his mind racing with all sorts of thoughts. Just as his tension reached its peak, the boy suddenly picked up the teacup on the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it down.
Well, Yue Ling's behavior made him less nervous.
Taking a few deep breaths, Yin Chu Jiu decided to speak directly. However, before he could open his mouth, a warm and soft pair of lips suddenly touched his.
Yue Ling licked his lips with the tip of her tongue, then seemingly gently but firmly pried open his lips and teeth, her warm, slippery tongue slipping inside, slowly feeding him the water from her mouth. Yin Chu Jiu froze for a second, hesitantly opening her mouth to accept the tea the boy offered, water droplets overflowing from the corners of their lips, which were pressed together.
"Why are you so nervous tonight?" Their lips parted, and Yue Ling reluctantly licked his lips with her moist tongue, whispering, "Your lips are so dry."
Because he was genuinely nervous.
"Are you going to confess your feelings to me?" It has to be said that Yue Ling is much more sophisticated than Yin Chu Jiu. In the afternoon, he was clearly taken aback by her decision, but after half an afternoon of adjustment, he is now able to tease Yin Chu Jiu in return. "Right? I think so."
I'm a little frustrated... my thoughts were guessed so easily.
Secretly releasing her grip on the blankets, Yin Chu Jiu placed her hands on Yue Ling's shoulders, curling up slightly. It was a gesture that conveyed both unease and a desire to lean on him.
"Because I don't know if I will leave, I selfishly dare not accept your feelings."
"Because I'm afraid you'll retaliate against me, I selfishly said I wanted to make it up to you."
"Yue Ling, if I told you that your purpose in life was to take revenge on me and kill me, but because of my actions you have come to like me and care about me, would you still care about me?"
"If I told you that you've become like this because of me, and that your unhappiness is also because of me, would you still like me?"
"Do you like someone as despicable and selfish as me?"
Almost unable to look the boy in the eye, Yin Chu Jiu lowered his gaze, his hand on the boy's shoulder clenched into a fist. He waited quietly for the boy's answer. Every word the boy spoke next would be a judgment on him.
“Since that’s the case, then stay by my side and make it up to me.” Yue Ling’s lips curved into a smile, his eyes overflowing with a deep sense of satisfaction. “This is what you owe me.”
—I'm glad you owe me so much, so much that you could never repay it in your lifetime.
Yue Ling: "I killed those people, but I don't want them to go. My boy is too soft-hearted; he actually let those who hurt him go."
Mo Ling: "Okay."
Author's Note:
There's only a little bit of angst, but it has a happy ending.
Thank you to the little angel who watered my plants with nutrient solution!
10 bottles of Night Rain Song; 1 bottle each from Xiaofei and 0 Yuan My Family;
Thank you so much for your support, I will continue to work hard!
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