Chapter 51: Lovers holding hands, bound by life and death vs. those who will never part until death...
"Can you hurry up!" a sweet, coquettish female voice urged.
"This rope is impossible to untie! If you're so capable, why don't you untie it for me!" Wei Sheng Xian Yue struggled to bite the knot with her teeth, her mouth filled with that disgusting, greasy, fishy smell that made her want to die.
But she had no choice; between using Sikong Zhaixing's body to vomit and Sikong Zhaixing using her body to vomit, she reluctantly chose the former.
The infuriating thing is that she's already vomited twice, but this damn rope just won't come off.
She let out a breath and collapsed, saying, "There must be a spell on this rope. We're doomed. Go to hell, Sikong Zhaixing."
Sikong Zhaixing was still struggling to sway her body, trying to break the rope around her ankles. But her little arms and legs were not only short but also weak and powerless.
He dangled upside down in mid-air and leaped twice, then felt so dizzy he almost lost half his life.
Hearing Wei Sheng Xian Yue's reckless words, his vision went black again, and he gasped, "If I die, you won't survive either."
That's right, their current predicament is that they are tied up tightly and hanging upside down from the wooden beam, while outside there is a monster who intends to boil them and feast on them.
"You damned thief, if I really die, I'll haunt you even as a ghost!"
Sikong Zhaixing was speechless.
This tragedy was truly caused by him.
The root of the problem is that he's set his sights on the Golden Thread Robe and the Qiankun Bag again. With such a good opportunity as soul swapping, why not steal it now?
As soon as night fell, Sikong Zhaixing secretly changed out of her golden robe and Qiankun bag, hiding them away.
On his way back, he pondered Wei Sheng Xian Yue's words, estimating that once the time limit was up, the soul should automatically return to its original form.
So, he made a snap decision and decided to steal Wei Sheng Xian Yue as well. After all, now he could just slip away without a trace.
This should have been the King of Thieves' forte, but unfortunately, he couldn't run or jump anymore. Instead, Wei Sheng Xian Yue inherited his master thieving talent and chased after him.
The two chased each other for most of the night, and by sheer coincidence, they ended up in a wasteland and both fell into a carefully prepared bottomless pit.
The owner of this cave is a weasel spirit who only eats human flesh!
When it saw two tender-skinned, fragrant-smelling people fall down at once, its eyes gleamed with greed. After tying them up, it drooled and muttered as it went to find some side dishes.
The stench of weasels wafts from this hole; it's awful!
Wei Sheng Xian Yue stared in despair at the dark cave walls, having lost all strength and ability.
Sikong Zhaixing's broken body had no spiritual energy whatsoever; all he had was useless brute force.
And her! Her whole body was covered in magical artifacts, but they were densely covered with restrictions that she had set up out of boredom!
Thanks to her own efforts, this magical artifact not only recognizes people but also souls, and its other restrictions are even more intricate and complex, more so than those of Sikong Zhaixing.
Now, all Xianyue feels is regret; she regrets her past actions so much.
Her soulless almond-shaped eyes were a blank gray. She contemplated her current predicament: death was imminent, she was doomed, and she would die with her eyes wide open in disbelief…
They will die without a burial place!
She jolted awake, glaring at Sikong Zhaixing, the embers of anger rekindling in her eyes. "You jinx!! Are you deliberately trying to bring me bad luck?!"
Wei Sheng Xian Yue has had a smooth life for so many years, and has only ever caused trouble for others. It's all because of this damned jinx that dared to harm her like this!
Sikong Zhaixing was unconvinced and was about to argue with her to see who was more unlucky.
Just then, a heavy dragging and scraping sound came from outside the cave entrance. The old weasel spirit was humming a little tune as it leisurely walked in.
Both Xianyue and Sikong Zhaixing wisely kept quiet and pretended to be dead, one looking at the sky and the other at the ground.
The weasel spirit had not yet transformed into human form; it was only wearing a blood-stained robe.
It was only four feet tall, but the yellow robe was so wide that it dragged on the ground, as if he had stripped it off a dead man.
With its eyes half-closed, the weasel's head swayed gently with each step, dragging a huge stew pot along its back. Upon seeing the two of them, the weasel spirit opened its eyes, chuckled twice, and dripped white saliva onto the ground, saying, "Today I'm truly in for a treat."
Its whiskers twitched twice, and it said greedily, "Make a pot of thick soup, and roast a whole one."
He sniffed as if he were thinking of some delicious delicacy, "This human skin is smeared with honey and roasted until it's crispy and crunchy. One bite and you'll never forget the taste."
He slurped his saliva and chuckled, "Who wants to grill this? I'll peel off the skin first and marinate it properly, otherwise it won't be flavorful."
"Strip him!"
"Strip her!"
Wei Sheng, holding the moon, and Sikong, picking stars, spoke in unison, their voices resolute and firm.
The two turned their heads to look at each other with difficulty. When Xianyue saw the incredibly cute and beautiful face opposite her, she swallowed her pride and said with a bitter face, "Just peel me off! I'm not only thick-skinned, but also have plenty of flesh."
Sikong Zhaixing was not to be outdone, "Take mine instead! Although I'm short and small, like a dwarf peach, my skin is tender!"
"Sikong Zhaixing!"
This was the first time the weasel spirit had ever encountered someone eager to let him skin a rat. Greedy, he pulled out all his possessions, putting dried rats that he had stored for several years into the pot while advising, "It'll smell delicious stewed too. This stuff would even make shoe soles smell good."
Looking at the pot of dried rats, Xianyue felt a wave of nausea. She closed her eyes and exclaimed, "Do we have to be so wasteful? If we finish this meal, we won't have another one!"
Sikong Zhaixing quickly retorted, "Great Immortal Huang, eat me first! Save that kid for later, or he'll get stale!"
This was the first time the weasel spirit had encountered such a sensible prey. It stroked its whiskers and said in a rather good mood, "That makes sense. I'll eat you first then!"
Xianyue glared at Sikong Zhaixing, then suddenly lowered her head, tears welling up in her eyes. She sobbed, "No, Huang Daxian! Eat me first, let me go before my wife! Otherwise, I'll be heartbroken, and if I die, I'll stink!"
The weasel spirit nodded, but before she could speak, a wailing female voice interrupted, "My husband is the only son in ten generations! If he dies before me, I will die with my eyes wide open in disbelief. I'm still pregnant..."
"Alright. Stop arguing. At worst, we'll just boil them all and dry the rest into jerky," the weasel spirit said, puffing out its beard and glaring.
If you keep making a fuss, it'll be past lunchtime!
The stew pot began to bubble and boil, and a strange, rotten, stinking smell of meat wafted out.
The weasel spirit, already ravenously hungry, gripped its sharpened wood-chopping knife and charged impatiently towards the two. The knife was held ramrod straight, its greasy blade gleaming with a chilling light.
Just as Xianyue couldn't help but scream, the weasel spirit suddenly collapsed limply as if it had been hit on the back with a club.
Sikong Zhaixing paused in his fluttering motion, and the two of them looked behind the weasel.
There's nothing there!
Just then, a soft sob came from behind: "So touching...so touching..."
"A ghost!!!"
"Not a ghost, not a ghost! I am Dragon and Phoenix Candle." The voice drifted to the two of them and explained softly.
In mid-air, two intertwined red candles spoke human language; one section was carved with a golden dragon, and the other with a colorful phoenix.
These are the dragon and phoenix candles that only appear on the wedding night.
"The world is full of unfaithful women and fickle men, it's rare to find lovers like you who are willing to die for each other! It's truly touching that such unwavering love exists in the world," said the sentimental Dragon and Phoenix Wedding Candle.
Sikong Zhaixing and Weisheng Xianyue exchanged a glance.
A pair of lovers who would share life and death?
A love that lasts until death?
Both of them looked as if they had swallowed flies.
The dragon and phoenix candle flew forward and used the flames burning on it to melt the rope.
The two landed on the ground, collapsing into a heap, and for a moment, all that could be heard were cries of pain.
The dragon and phoenix candles suddenly transformed into the phantom of a beautiful young woman. She leaned forward and asked with concern, "Miss, is your stomach alright?"
Holding her waist, Xianyue casually replied, "I'm fine."
"Huh?" Longfeng Huazhu looked at her in confusion.
Meeting the puzzled gaze, Xianyue snapped out of her daze and stammered, "Ah! Are you alright?"
She quickly gave Sikong Zhaixing a sneaky punch.
"Hiss!" Sikong Zhaixing's head was throbbing with blood from being suspended, so he could only nod in agreement, "Yes."
Longfeng Huazhu nodded and smiled with relief, saying, "It's good that the child is alright. You're still so young, you need to take care of yourself."
Sikong Zhaixing's eyes widened as he realized what he had just made up.
He met Wei Sheng Xian Yue's murderous gaze from afar and forced a smile, saying, "Yes, yes."
Xianyue took a deep breath and decided to settle this score properly once they were out of the city.
She gave a sweet smile. "Sister Flower Candle, thank you for saving us."
If that sweet smile appeared on her original delicate and sweet face, it would be extremely deceptive.
Unfortunately, she forgot that her face wasn't pretty at all.
Fortunately, Longfeng Huazhu didn't mind his appearance. Instead, he gently grasped their hands and said sincerely, "I should be thanking you."
Thank you... to us?
"Thank you for letting me witness a loyal and steadfast love. As the bride and groom of the dragon and phoenix wedding, I now truly believe that there are indeed lovers in this world who, when faced with a life-or-death decision, remain inseparable and are even willing to give up their lives for each other. It was this that moved me and led me to lend a helping hand."
Sikong picks stars, Weisheng holds the moon in his mouth: ...
Seeing the displeasure on their faces, Longfeng Huazhu paused, then asked uneasily, "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"
They're currently trapped in this bottomless pit where there's no sunlight, so how could she be wrong?
Sikong Zhaixing forced a smile and echoed, "That's right, not wrong at all."
Xianyue nodded and said with difficulty, "We really, really love each other."
She pronounced the words "we love each other very much" in a distorted way, and as if she couldn't stand it, she quickly asked, "Can you take us out now?"
The dragon and phoenix candle bearer, unsuspecting, merely frowned and said, "I'm afraid it's not a good time to go out."
“You have not merely stumbled into this bottomless pit, but have entered the ‘boundary’.”
"Boundary?" Sikong Zhaixing exclaimed softly.
"This place has become its own world, and this weasel spirit is the gatekeeper who holds the lucrative entrance. If you want to get out, you must go down two levels to the center of the earth and find the 'heart,' which is the real exit."
Wei Sheng's heart sank deeper and deeper. Those who can draw boundaries are all powerful demons. Did she really have to encounter them when she had lost both her spiritual energy and magical artifacts?
They even found hearts! But there weren't enough hearts for everyone else to eat.
Sikong Zhaixing was clearly aware of the seriousness of the problem; the weasel spirit had almost eaten them both, and this was just a gatekeeper.
The two fell silent.
“I know where the entrance to the next level is. Although my magic power is weak, I can still help a little,” she whispered.
Two pairs of lifeless, dull eyes met: ...
Staying here is just waiting to die anyway, so I might as well take a gamble.
Who knows, my body might be switched back sometime later!
The two gambling addicts followed closely behind the dragon and phoenix candles, and the three of them stepped into a blue water gate together.
As you step into the world, the solid, thick soil beneath your feet turns into soft, damp, withered leaves.
The world has been turned upside down, and people are like ants. Everything in front of them is too big. Every blade of grass and every tree seems to reach the sky. Even the withered leaves underfoot seem like a small boat.
Sikong Zhaixing looked up and gazed around, speechless with astonishment.
"Could you please stop using my face to make such indecent expressions?" Xianyue whispered a threat in his ear.
"What's wrong?" Hearing the noise, Longfeng Huazhu turned around and asked.
"No! I feel a little... a little scared, so..." Xianyue was so frightened she almost lost her tongue.
Sikong Zhaixing added with a smile, "She's a bit timid, but not in a bad way. You wouldn't look down on her, would you?"
"How could that be? Don't worry, I've already..."
Before she finished speaking, a black ant, as tall as a person, suddenly crawled out from the depths of the dense foliage. Its body was hard and gleamed with silver light, and its hairs stood up like steel needles. Its head was huge, and its black bean-like eyes were like two deep wells, inside which gleamed a greedy light.
Startled, Sikong Zhaixing scooped Weisheng Xianyue back and ran away with me!
Seeing that things were going badly, Longfeng Huazhu hurriedly explained, "These two aren't rich; I wanted to send them away!"
Two sharp jaws snapped shut. "Why send them out? These are top-quality cuts of meat, and they're two alive."
The dragon and phoenix candles spoke with longing, and said without regard for anything else: "What is love in this world? It makes people willing to die for each other." [1] These two are the true lovers in the world that I have been searching for for many years. You must not have any designs on them, or I will never work for you again.
"A lover? You haven't been scammed again, have you?"
"How could that be! On the weasel's chopping block, the two of them would rather be eaten first than let the other go uneaten. I witnessed such a touching love firsthand. If it wasn't love, what else could it be?"
The black ant's mouthparts opened and closed like scissors. "How come I can't see it at all?"
Sikong Zhaixing and Weisheng Xianyue huddled together, trembling, and replied in shaky voices, "We're just a bit reserved."
With expectant eyes, Longfeng Huazhu said, "Quickly tell Hei Qi how you fell in love!"
Sikong Zhaixing smiled bitterly, "How did we fall in love? We..."
His gaze shifted to Wei Sheng Xian Yue, and he desperately tried to signal with his eyes, "You stubborn brat, think quickly!"
"The marriage was arranged by the parents and the matchmaker."
"Childhood sweethearts, innocent and carefree."
The two said in unison.
Hua Zhu frowned and asked in confusion, "How exactly did you two fall in love?"
"We were childhood sweethearts, inseparable since we were little, and then it was arranged by our parents, a formal marriage. We're quite traditional," Sikong Zhaixing quickly interjected.
Wei Sheng nodded vigorously, "Yes, that's exactly it, which is why our relationship is so deep."
"After so many years of relationship, you must know each other very well?" The black ant's mouthparts vibrated, gleaming with silver light.
"Of course," Wei Sheng Xian Yue boasted.
Sikong Zhaixing felt a sense of unease creeping into his heart.
Sure enough, the next second, the black ant said, "Then I'll ask you a few questions. If you answer them all the same way, I'll believe what you're saying is true. If you can't answer them, it means you lied to the Dragon and Phoenix Wedding Ceremony, and then I'll have no choice but to make you into a rich decoction."
Although I didn't know what "fatty and rich" meant, just hearing the name told me my life was in grave danger...
Wei Sheng Xian Yue and Si Kong Zhai Xing felt their hearts tremble, their legs shook, and they stumbled over their words, unable to utter a sound.
What are you asking? What are you asking? Neither of them is telling the truth!
Before the two could speak, Longfeng Huazhu chimed in, saying boldly, "Bring it on!"
Xianyue and Sikong Zhaixing, of course, had no choice but to nod and smile obsequiously.
The black ant stretched out its antennae and reached towards the little girl, asking, "What's her favorite food?"
Chicken biscuits.
"Beef noodles."
The two: ......
Before it could even begin, it died. The black ant snarled its hairy mouthparts toward the direction of the crescent moon, saying, "You're wrong."
The person who answered incorrectly was speechless. Sikong Zhaixing quickly tried to make amends, saying, "Actually, I really like chicken biscuits too. I still have half a bag in my stomach. Don't believe me... I'll try to throw it up and show you?"
"Oh my god!" Wei Sheng pinched him secretly, unable to bear it any longer, and said, "People always have a lot of things they like to eat! This is not allowed, not allowed."
When did you two get married?
"yesterday."
The day before yesterday.
"Uh, the betrothal was arranged the day before yesterday, and the wedding ceremony was held yesterday." Sikong Zhaixing maintained a respectable smile with difficulty, secretly adding in her heart that she was about to die today.
Dragon and Phoenix Wedding Candles objected, "That's not right, don't you already have a child?"
“The child is…” Sikong Zhaixing gasped.
Before he could come up with an excuse, he heard Xianyue Yin Yang say, "Because I, Sikong Zhaixing, am not human, I am a beast. I am heartless, utterly devoid of conscience, and unworthy of human ethics."
Sikong Zhaixing listened with a forced smile, his teeth practically grinding together.
Unexpectedly, the next moment, Longfeng Huazhu launched an offensive against him, "Actually, I've always had a question. Don't mortals all value marriage between equals? Your husband is dressed in rags, and he's also quite plain-looking, and... what exactly do you like about him?"
"Of course it's because he's good to me. Besides, I think he's handsome and dashing. He also has many skills. He's both good-looking and capable. Who wouldn't like him? I, Wei Sheng Xian Yue, am absolutely smitten." Si Kong Zhai Xing sighed and laughed.
Xianyue's face turned red with anger, wishing she could punch him.
Upon hearing this, Longfeng Huazhu said with tears in her eyes, "It's so touching... Perhaps love is about seeing the best in each other."
"Black Seven, for my sake, please help them! If you dawdle any longer, they'll be here!" Dragon and Phoenix Candle urged anxiously.
“It’s not that I’m unwilling to help them, but I only have one piece of my ant mound left, while they have two people.”
Longfeng Huazhu took the thin layer of ant droppings and offered a suggestion: "Why don't we have them interlock their fingers and hold the ant droppings in their palms? That way, the worker ants will think it's a relatively large ant."
She clapped her hands. "That's right! Just like that?"
Wei Sheng pointed to himself, his lips barely moving, "Us? Holding hands?"
absurd!
Seeing the strange look on her face, Longfeng Huazhu asked hesitantly, "You don't want to?"
Their hands clasped together hastily, and they nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes."
Longfeng Huazhu placed a small piece of ant droppings into their clasped hands and instructed, "You must remember not to let go. There are worker ants everywhere here. If you are discovered, you will be taken away and used as fodder."
Xianyue cautiously peeked out, "Then how do we get to the next level?"
The dragon and phoenix candle reminded them, "The entrance is inside the queen ant's nest."
Just as the two were in a daze, the black ant suddenly spoke up, "I do have a way."
The moon-shaped creature looked at it with shining eyes, making its dark, hard head appear majestic.
“I have some saplings here. After watering them carefully ten times, they will bear fruit. With this fruit, they can enter the anthill.”
Planting trees?
The two stared at each other incredulously... Is this true?
Sikong Zhaixing asked suspiciously, "Water it ten times? How do you mean water it?"
If the outcome were that good, not everyone would be able to enter the anthill.
Is this thing trying to trick them?
"Of course, we need to use the rare sap to irrigate it. The worker ants work diligently so that they can produce fruit to offer to the queen."
Wei Sheng Xian Yue asked impatiently, "Then where are we going to find the fermented water?"
Dragon and Phoenix Flower Candle shook his head. "No need to look for anyone. You just need to do your work."
The queen ant stays in the nest to lay eggs and reproduce, ensuring the continuation of the ant colony.
Worker ants are responsible for building nests, hunting, and finding food. Soldier ants distribute the sap according to the contribution of each worker ant.
Sikong Zhaixing never expected that being a monster wouldn't be easy, and that the work would be quite heavy.
Wei Sheng Xian Yue felt increasingly uneasy as she listened. After all that, she had become someone else's servant?
She neither stole nor robbed, so why should she?
Sikong Zhaixing's hand was squeezed painfully by her, and she said irritably, "Do you want to crush your own hands into a pulp?"
When Xianyue came to her senses, she subconsciously let go of his hand. However, in the next instant, Sikong Zhaixing held her hand tightly again, their fingers intertwined, as tight as could be.
The warmth of their skin touching spread over her, and she was taken aback, then realized, a beat later, how soft her hands were.
Unlike Sikong Zhaixing, whose hands are covered in calluses, definitely evidence of theft!
Although both of them knew perfectly well that they had only held hands because of the circumstances, they still felt awkward.
Who could hate someone to death one second and then be holding hands with their mortal enemy the next?
Sikong Zhaixing felt as if countless ants were crawling all over her body, making her feel numb and itchy, and she felt very strange.
......
"Can't you use a little more force?!" Xianyue said indignantly.
Sikong Zhaixing's legs were trembling from the soreness, and her arms were as limp as noodles. She said in a groggy voice, "Young Miss, don't you know your own limitations?"
The two held hands tightly, their free hands awkwardly lifting a huge flower seed.
The huge flower seed was covered with a layer of moist, soft mud, with a rough and hard outer shell, and at the bottom, it was tightly wrapped with roots covered in soil.
This thing is big and heavy, just like a giant rock.
Xianyue let go, letting the flower seeds fall heavily to the ground. She gasped, "I can't do it anymore. How can you move them with your frail body?"
She shouldn't have brought it up, because once she did, Sikong Zhaixing couldn't stand it anymore. "Use your lightness skill to move it, use your internal strength to lift it. Is that so difficult? With your thin arms and legs, if you don't use your internal strength and lightness skill, how long will it take us to move it?"
"Why aren't you using magic? If you had even a tenth of my talent, would we still be trapped here?"
"Then teach me!" Sikong Zhaixing blurted out.
Why didn't you teach me?
Their eyes met fiercely, sparks flying.
You like learning, right?
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The author's note: [1] This is from "Touching Fish - Ode to the Wild Goose Mound".
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