Jingu Ruins (Part 3)
"Ahem. Jingjia." Canghe coughed and raised his hand to wipe the blood from his lips. His lips were extremely pale, yet stained with blood, causing You Jingjia to turn her face away, her eyes red.
"Jingjia, listen to Master," he said, panting and speaking with difficulty. "Trees in the Divine Realm are most vulnerable to ice elements. It's best if you don't go with A'tiao."
You Jingjia suppressed her sobs and contradicted him for the first time: "Why shouldn't I go? Master, Senior Brother, besides me, who among you can go with A'tiao right now?"
Zhao Zhao was in a very bad condition, relying on his master to protect his heart meridians. The man said that only by going to the Divine Palace would he give Zhao Zhao a chance to survive.
He even pointed out that only Xie Zhitiao could lead them in. The master and senior brother were seriously injured and could not go with A Tiao, but A Tiao had just reached the full state of spiritual transformation, so how could anyone feel at ease?
"...Second Senior Sister." Xie Zhitiao's voice was a little muffled. "I can go by myself. At worst..."
You Jingjia suddenly raised her hand and slapped him.
He stared blankly at her red eyes and heard her say, "Xie Zhitiao, I really should have beaten you to death back then."
You Jingjia still burst into tears.
Even if she showed no dislike for Xie Zhitiao, he was still her brother who she had raised. How could she let him take risks alone?
————
Seeing You Jingjia still walking ahead with her head down, Lin Zhuo became a little worried and followed her closely.
"Senior sister? Are you... okay?" She felt that her senior sister was a little sad.
You Jingjia pulled herself out of her memories and paused. She stared at Lin Zhuo for a long moment, then suddenly raised her arms and hugged her, "Zhao Zhao."
Lin Zhuo patted her back and comforted her: "Senior Sister, Zhao Zhao is here."
You Jingjia rubbed her shoulder, her eyes reddening again: "Zhao Zhao, we have to be fine."
Lin Zhuo paused in patting his back, then stopped as if nothing had happened: "Okay, we're all fine."
Xie Zhitiao stood dejectedly beside Ling Qingqiu, watching the two sisters hugging each other in front. Why did he always feel that after emerging from that incomprehensible secret realm, his senior sister seemed to be avoiding him?
Senior Sister didn't take the initiative to talk to him. She had just avoided him and was hiding. Now she didn't even look at him...
Ling Qingqiu followed the two sisters in front for a few steps, then looked back at Xie Zhitiao who was still standing there, feeling a little helpless.
"A Tiao, let's go."
"Oh..." Xie Zhitiao was a little depressed, and followed Ling Qingqiu obediently. After a while, he couldn't help it anymore, tugged on his senior brother's sleeve, and whispered, "Senior brother, do you feel that Senior Sister is avoiding me?"
Ling Qingqiu tilted his head to glance at him, his expression expressionless. "Really? Hasn't Zhao Zhao always been so kind to you?"
Xie Zhitiao had no words to express his grievances. After talking for a long time, he still couldn't make any sense, so he simply shut up.
————
Outside the secret realm, Rong Si put away his usual cynicism and became extremely serious.
"Cang He, they...really arrived."
In the picture projected from the secret realm, four people were standing in front of a palace.
The legendary shrine.
Cang He lowered his eyes, and the hands hidden in his sleeves tightened. After a while, he closed his eyes and looked up at the screen.
"Ahe, don't you think that their journey has been too easy?" Wan Wuji narrowed his eyes and knocked on his shoulder with the handle of his fan.
Cang He stared straight ahead, "Brother Mo You, nothing will happen."
Following the actions of that person in his previous life, he was now testing whether Zhao Zhao and A Tiao could really get in. The fact that they were able to get there so easily must have been due to that person's handiwork.
At least now, that person would not act rashly. Moreover, Cang He's eyes darkened. That person's current strength was far inferior to that of his previous life. He would not take the risk of letting the Heavenly Dao know of his existence.
————
"Is this... the legendary shrine?" Ling Qingqiu was a little stunned and lost his composure for the first time.
You Jingjia's face still looked unhappy. She looked at the closed gate of the temple, turned around and looked at Xie Zhitiao's reaction.
Xie Zhitiao's eyes widened slightly, he was shocked. Was the Shrine so easy to find? But why did he feel that this place was so familiar?
Lin Zhuo was somewhat dazed, staring blankly at the closed door, her usually gentle spiritual energy suddenly boiling. It was a kind of enthusiasm for her own kind.
"Zhao Zhao." You Jingjia called her, "Open the door."
Ling Qingqiu glanced at her, then looked at Lin Zhao: "Zhao Zhao, open the door."
Lin Zhuo was a little confused: "Me?"
This is the Temple of God, how can you just walk in? She subconsciously glanced at Xie Zhitiao who was still in a daze, but for the first time, she didn't understand his expression.
As they were in a stalemate, the door slowly opened from the inside. Lin Zhuo subconsciously stepped back, but was blocked by You Jingjia behind him.
The door opened by itself.
Ling Qingqiu pursed his lips, exchanged glances with You Jingjia, and took the lead. As expected, he was blocked outside the door. You Jingjia had known this would happen, but she couldn't help but tentatively step forward, only to be blocked along with him.
You Jingjia: ...
Xie Zhitiao finally came to his senses. He took a step forward and grabbed Lin Zhuo's hand. Lin Zhuo froze and instantly shook his hand off. Xie Zhitiao's hand froze in the air for a moment, then he reached out to pull her sleeve as if nothing had happened.
"Senior sister, please come in with me."
Lin Zhuo looked at him, inexplicably resisting: "...Why do you want to go in?"
Ever since she entered the secret realm, she'd been pushed forward, whether in the illusion of the Tyrant's Concubine or later on the road with her senior brothers and sisters, everyone was pushing her forward. It was as if everyone was eager to hide something from her, but their acting was clumsy, and their flaws were constantly exposed.
Xie Zhitiao didn't know how to explain, nor did he know whether he should explain. Just as he was hesitating, You Jingjia spoke: "Zhao Zhao, you must go in."
You have to get in, and you have to survive.
Lin Zhuo looked at the three of them and, for the first time, felt that the people she spent so much time with were actually somewhat unfamiliar. She lowered her head, remained silent for a few breaths, then looked up again and smiled, "Okay."
As expected, she walked in smoothly. After entering the door, Lin Zhuo stopped and turned around to look at his senior brothers and sisters.
"I'm coming in." So, can you stop hiding it from me?
You Jingjia blinked and nodded gently at her: "Zhao Zhao, go, this is your chance."
Xie Zhitiao stood beside her and carefully pulled her sleeve: "Senior Sister..."
Lin Zhuo lowered his head to look at his hand, let him pull him, turned around and walked into the palace.
The front hall of the shrine had a hollowed-out roof, and in the center grew a giant tree, its branches and leaves lush, trembling as they stretched out over the roof.
Lin Zhuo had been silent since he entered the palace gate. When he saw the giant tree, he just stared at it without saying a word.
Xie Zhitiao felt a little uncomfortable. He loosened his hand that was holding her sleeve and asked her pitifully, "Senior Sister, are you angry?"
Lin Zhuo turned around and looked at him: "No."
Xie Zhitiao grabbed her wrist again: "Senior Sister, please believe me, okay?"
His eyes were so intense, and his palms were so hot, that Lin Zhuo wanted to hide. But Lin Zhuo resisted the urge to hide, looked into his eyes, and said softly, "Okay."
Just pretend that now is not the best time, just pretend that she shouldn't know everything yet.
Xie Zhitiao grabbed her wrist and led her inside.
A giant sycamore tree stood in the center. Lin Zhuo looked at it. As the distance shortened, she finally saw the mottled burns all over the trunk.
Her fingertips trembled as she gently touched the burn on the tree trunk. Xie Zhitiao kept looking at her without saying a word to interrupt her.
Lin Nuo looked up, realizing that the sycamore's lushness was merely an illusion. Its core was rotten. A cyan bird hopped back and forth in the tree, tilting its head to meet Lin Nuo's gaze.
The bird fluttered its wings and landed on Xie Zhitiao's shoulder. It looked at the boy carefully and suddenly rubbed him affectionately.
"elder brother."
Xie Zhitiao was startled, and before she could react, the bird flew onto Lin Zhuo's shoulder and rubbed against her.
"elder sister."
Lin Zhu raised her hand and touched its head, but the bird tilted its head and its beak bit her fingertips.
Lin Zhua withdrew his hand in pain, blood oozing from his fingertips. Xie Zhitiao quickly waved the bird away, wanting to see Lin Zhua's wound. The bird flew up, but quickly landed on Lin Zhua's hand and sucked the drop of blood away.
The door of the shrine was closed.
Lin Zhuo was startled, and his sword pointed faster than his heart, pointing directly at the blue bird in his hand that had just sucked blood.
The bluebird straightened its feathers and flew up to the branch of the paulownia tree again. The paulownia tree rustled and shimmered faintly.
Sunlight streamed in through the hollowed-out palace ceiling, illuminating the bluebird's feathers. It soared into the sky, a flash of blue light passing by, and Lin Zhuo and Xie Zhitiao were so blinded that they closed their eyes.
A phoenix cried out, and Xie Zhitiao suddenly tightened his grip on his sword. He opened his eyes and was caught off guard by a bird, or rather, a mythical beast, flying in the sky.
Qingluan.
Lin Zhuo also clenched his sword, the spiritual energy in his body boiling, clamoring to be released. The spiritual energy was rioting, and Lin Zhuo's face looked very bad. His lips gradually turned pale, and a trace of blood flowed out.
Xie Zhitiao's face was horrified. He quickly put away his sword and hugged her: "Senior Sister! Senior Sister, are you okay?!"
Lin Zhuo coughed, wiped the blood from her lips, and frowned in pain. It hurt, too much. Spiritual energy kept flowing through her meridians, and she felt like she was going to explode and die.
"Hurry up and channel her spiritual power! Why are you still so stupid?" An angry girl's voice came from the air.
Xie Zhitiao didn't care about the second half of her words, and hurriedly held Lin Zhuo's hand tightly, channeling her spiritual power. Lin Zhuo also heard Qingluan's words and tried to relax and accept Xie Zhitiao's spiritual power.
After a while, the raging spiritual power finally calmed down. Lin Zhuo leaned in Xie Zhitiao's arms, his forehead covered with cold sweat.
Xie Zhitiao was heartbroken and quickly took out his handkerchief to wipe her. But she avoided his hand, looked up at the sacred bird on the tree, and her lips trembled.
"The divine bird, the blue phoenix?"
Legend has it that there is a mythical bird called the Phoenix in the temple, but the Phoenix should be fiery red, so she can only be another mythical bird from ancient times, the Qingluan.
Qingluan flapped its wings, somewhat happily: "It's me, it's me, Ah Shu, do you remember me?"
Lin Nuo opened his mouth. Ah... Tree? What a strange name.
Xie Zhitiao tightened his grip on her hand. He raised his eyes and looked at the divine bird: "May I ask, Your Excellency Qingluan, what may I do for you?"
Qingluan paused flapping its wings and fell silent.
After a while, she lowered her head, looking somewhat dejected, and whispered, "...Really, you don't even remember me."
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