Drunkenly embracing the Milky Way sows the seeds of disaster.
The demonic energy in reality surged like thick ink, coiling around Mo Xiaoyu's fingertips and violently dragging her from her warm memories. Ling Yuan's cold mockery still echoed in her ears, each word like a poisoned blade, repeatedly torturing her already riddled heart.
"He risked his life to save you, are you satisfied now?"
She gripped the jade pendant tightly, her fingertips digging deep into her palm from the force, beads of blood trickling down the pendant's veins, starkly visible in the crimson moonlight. Yes, that eternally silent deity had never uttered a single question to her, vanishing silently into the world without leaving a trace.
A piercing regret, like a poisonous vine, coiled around her heart, tightening ever more until it almost suffocated her. Memories, however, surged uncontrollably at that moment, carrying both intoxicating fragrance and piercing pain, dragging her into an even deeper abyss.
That promise made at the Milky Way became the first sweet yet apprehensive secret in Mo Xiaoyu's life.
As dusk approached, her heart had already soared to the Jade Pool. Taking advantage of Yunxi's break while he was reviewing the Book of Fate in his study, she cast an invisibility spell and, like a cat stealing cream, tiptoed out of the Temple of Fate. Her heart pounded all the way, both afraid of being discovered by Yunxi and unable to suppress her anticipation for the unknown adventure.
Ling Yuan was indeed waiting under the largest banyan tree by the Jade Pool. Seeing her arrive, a triumphant smile played on his lips as he reached out and pulled her onto a cloud. Mo Xiaoyu instinctively tried to break free, but he held her even tighter in his arms. This overly intimate contact made her heart race and her cheeks burn. She felt a vague sense of unease, yet she also craved this unprecedented thrill.
"Hold on tight." Ling Yuan's voice was tinged with laughter, his warm breath brushing against her ear. He rode the clouds at incredible speed, passing through layers upon layers of clouds, soaring straight up to the heavens. The wind howled in her ears, and Mo Xiaoyu had no choice but to cling tightly to his clothes, almost burying herself in his arms.
The Milky Way stretched across the inky black night sky like a ribbon studded with diamonds. Sparkling fragments of stars floated on its surface, gently swaying with the ripples, emitting a dreamlike, shimmering light that illuminated the entire night sky as if it were daytime. Mo Xiaoyu had never seen such a magnificent sight before, and was completely mesmerized.
Ling Yuan casually picked up a fragment of starlight, its light swirling in his palm, making his features appear even more unrealistically handsome. "Try this." He produced a flask of celestial wine from somewhere, the liquid shimmering with an amber luster under the starlight and emitting an enticing aroma.
Mo Xiaoyu hesitated before taking the wine cup, taking a small sip, and immediately coughing from the pungent yet sweet taste. Ling Yuan laughed loudly, downing his own cup to the brim, his Adam's apple bobbing with each swallow: "This is the thousand-year-old nectar from the Queen Mother of the West's Jade Pool Banquet; ordinary immortals could never taste a drop in their entire lives."
After a few drinks, Mo Xiaoyu felt warm all over and her courage grew considerably. Following Ling Yuan's example, she stepped barefoot into the shallows of the Milky Way. The cool water flowed over her ankles, and fragments of starlight flowed between her feet, creating a wondrous tactile sensation. She frolicked in the Milky Way like a child, completely unaware that her skirt was getting wet.
"Look at that star." Ling Yuan pointed to the sky, where a shooting star was streaking across the night, trailing a long, bright tail as it fell into the distance. "It is said that every shooting star falls because it carries too many wishes and can no longer bear the burden."
Mo Xiaoyu looked up at the starry sky, her eyes unusually bright with intoxication: "Then, can my wish also make stars fall?"
Ling Yuan leaned closer, his breath carrying the crisp scent of wine: "Your wishes don't need to be entrusted to the stars." His voice was deep and alluring in the night. "Tell me, and I can grant them all for you."
At that moment, Mo Xiaoyu felt as if the entire galaxy was captivating her. Her eyes, blurry with intoxication, gazed at Ling Yuan's handsome profile, a strange, indescribable flutter rising within her. This direct and passionate pursuit, so different from Yun Xi's subtle protection, gave her an unprecedented sense of novelty and excitement.
When she returned to the Temple of Fate, tipsy, it was already late at night. From afar, she saw a white figure standing silently before the temple gate, like a frozen statue. Night dew dampened his shoulders, and his robes fluttered gently in the cold wind; she wondered how long he had been waiting.
Seeing her staggering figure, Yun Xi quickly stepped forward to support her. His hands were icy cold, the chill seeping through the thin fabric of his clothes, causing Mo Xiaoyu to shiver involuntarily. "Have you been drinking?" His voice remained calm, but his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Mo Xiaoyu giggled and grabbed his sleeve, practically hanging on him: "My Lord, the Milky Way is so beautiful, the stars are shining, Ling Yuan, he..." She chattered on about what she had seen and heard that night, as excited as a child who had received a new toy, completely unaware of Yun Xi's increasingly somber gaze.
Yun Xi listened silently, helping her into the hall. He lit a fire in front of the alchemy furnace and carefully brewed a hangover soup, feeding her spoonful by spoonful, his movements as gentle as if handling a fragile treasure. After the warm soup was consumed, Mo Xiaoyu's drunkenness eased slightly, but she still couldn't help but continue to boast about what she had seen and heard that evening.
"Ling Yuan said he'd take me to see the aurora next time..." She looked at Yun Xi with hazy, drunken eyes, hoping to see a ripple of emotion on his perpetually calm face.
"Hmm." He finally spoke, his voice hoarse and heavy in the silent hall. "As long as you're happy."
At the time, she only thought the God was too boring, never even offering a word of praise. Now, looking back, she realizes how much heartache and indulgence were hidden in those four simple words, things she never understood. He could have stopped her, reprimanded her, or confined her, but in the end, he chose to let go, allowing her to run into that carefully woven trap.
Memories and reality intertwined before her eyes. Mo Xiaoyu closed her eyes in anguish, tears mingling with blood as they slid down, leaving dark marks on the scorched earth.
Ling Yuan's cold laughter echoed in his mind, forming a cruel contrast with the gentle whispers in his memory: "Look, he doesn't even know how to question people. Is such a boring person worth your tears right now?"
Yes, he never said he loved her, never made any grand promises. He would only silently tie her clothes, cook her hangover soup when she was drunk, and quietly set up a protective barrier to prevent her from falling when she chased butterflies. His love was too silent, so silent that she only realized it when she lost him.
"He has never even said 'I love you'..." Mo Xiaoyu murmured to herself, her nails digging deeper into her palms, new beads of blood seeping out, staining the jade pendant even more crimson.
Just then, another memory surfaced, carrying a deeper sense of irony and pain.
It was on a night when the stars shone exceptionally bright, after she and Ling Yuan had met several times in secret. Ling Yuan led her on a stroll among the clouds, when suddenly he sighed deeply, a faint sorrow settling between his brows, making him appear completely different from his usual flamboyant self.
"Little Fish," he said softly, his voice unusually vulnerable, "do you know why I'm always in such a hurry?"
Mo Xiaoyu shook her head, looking at him curiously. In her memory, Ling Yuan was always so spirited and high-spirited; he had never shown such an expression before.
"I bear an ancient covenant," his voice was low and heavy, "It binds my power, robbing me of my freedom." He held her hand, his eyes earnest and sorrowful, "I've only told you this."
She was touched by the vulnerability in his eyes and pleased by his words, "I'll only tell you this," and immediately asked, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"
Ling Yuan hesitated, then shook his head and gently stroked her hair: "This matter is too dangerous. I can't involve you in it." His fingertips trembled slightly, acting so convincingly.
Looking back now, every step was a meticulously designed trap. That seemingly vulnerable look in his eyes, that phrase "I'll only tell you," those hesitant pauses—all were bait to lure her in. And she, this foolish fish, took the bait without hesitation.
Looking at the overwhelming demonic energy in the real world, Mo Xiaoyu suddenly laughed. That laugh was shrill and desperate, a bittersweet realization that stood out starkly against the backdrop of ruins.
"So..." her voice echoed across the deathly silent battlefield, carrying a chilling coldness, "you've been lying to me from the very beginning."
The moment the words left her lips, the jade pendant in her palm, soaked in blood, suddenly became intensely hot. A faint yet resolute white light burst forth from the center of the pendant, forcing the surrounding demonic energy back three feet. At the edge of that overwhelming demonic energy, a very faint white shadow seemed to flash by, so fast that it seemed like an illusion, yet it ignited a faint hope in her heart.
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