Ye Chuan never changed that courtesy name of his. He had continued using this name until now.

So, on Xuejing Cliff, he had asked her – his surname was Ye, given name Chuan, what was his courtesy name…

She couldn’t remember, so he went mad…

“Sigh…”

Meng Ruji let out a long sigh. She looked at Ye Chuan still embracing “Shengsheng,” and time in the illusion seemed frozen at this moment.

Meng Ruji and Mu Sui just stood there on the slope until Meng Ruji couldn’t bear this suffocating silence anymore. She spoke: “We… can’t just keep standing here forever. Just watching isn’t a solution… who knows how long they’ll keep embracing.”

“Yes, who knows?”

“I don’t know…”

“Of course, from beginning to end, you know nothing.”

“Qianshan Jun…”

“Don’t call me Qianshan Jun. You have your great rivers and streams, eternal and unceasing – why would you need to observe a thousand mountains?”

“…”

Meng Ruji rolled her dead fish eyes, staring lifelessly at this overwhelming “ten thousand mountains” pressing down on her. She decided to stop reminding him to stay calm and restrained, because…

It was useless!

The air was so sour it was practically bubbling! He just couldn’t control himself!

This life-sustaining object’s rules were even more powerful than she’d thought, not diminishing even a bit within this illusion.

Meng Ruji sighed and turned her head, only to see an even more heart-blocking scene—

That Ye Chuan, holding “Shengsheng,” because of the long time, his gaze became increasingly tender, his expression increasingly devoted, and he even boldly began stroking her hair…

Thinking that this was something that had happened in the past, Meng Ruji irritably grabbed at her hair.

These men – Ye Dahe, Yan Tianjun, and Mu Sui – every single one of them was troublesome!

Mu Sui watched her grab her hair, his gaze cold.

Meng Ruji pretended not to notice his cold stare, only clearing her throat lightly and saying: “We still need to find a way to leave this illusion.”

“Mm.”

Meng Ruji continued analyzing: “Illusions are also formation techniques. If it’s a formation, there must be a formation core and a way to break it.”

“Mm.”

“He’s the master of the illusion. He should know where we are, but he’s not coming to trouble us, which shows he wants us to finish watching this memory of his…”

Before she finished speaking, Mu Sui’s hand suddenly wrapped around the back of Meng Ruji’s head, pulling her toward him so she couldn’t help but come closer.

Meng Ruji was stunned, eyes wide, looking at Mu Sui who was so close: “What are you doing?”

His warm palm rested on her neck, his palm rough from constantly gripping swords and knives. His calluses caught in her hair, his fingertips also tangled in those scattered strands.

Like an intimate caress.

Mu Sui’s voice was hoarse: “This is his memory with you.”

Still jealous…

Meng Ruji sighed tiredly again:

“Yes, this is our memory! Mine and his past, exactly what you’re seeing at this very moment. So what?” She gave up completely: “What do you plan to do about it?”

“What do I plan to do?” Mu Sui pressed her neck, making her come even closer. “What can I do? I won’t lose my mind; I won’t throw myself into someone’s arms and promise marriage; and I won’t forget old friends, fake true feelings, and trick new people into writing marriage certificates.”

Mu Sui spoke these words with genuine emotion, as if truly betrayed by a lover, heartbroken and desperate.

But listening to this, Meng Ruji’s expression was completely numb.

Meng Ruji let him cup the back of her head, feeling the warmth of his palm, but wore a completely sour expression:

“First, I didn’t throw myself into anyone’s arms. Second, I didn’t promise anyone marriage. Third…” Meng Ruji frowned, looking at Mu Sui. “I did fake true feelings toward you.”

Rather than not saying this, once she admitted it, Mu Sui looked as if he’d been slapped, his lips pressed tightly together.

“I also tricked you into writing the marriage certificate, but don’t you know in your heart what the result was?” Meng Ruji stared at him. “Weren’t you the one who said breaking my marriage bond would be very easy? My surname is Meng, not the ‘meng’ from daydream – I’m very clear-headed. But I think you’re the one whose emotions have clouded your judgment, and you don’t know what your surname is, Qianshan Jun…”

Meng Ruji tilted her head to look at him:

“Do we have a relationship now?”

Her words seemed to hide needles, stabbing until Mu Sui’s hands ached and his heart stuck.

Yes, did they have a relationship?

Yes.

But was it a marital relationship?

No.

Was it an emotional relationship?

No.

They were just grasshoppers on the same rope – such a simple relationship.

Didn’t he know in his heart whether the marriage certificate was signed or not?

He naturally knew.

But!

But…

When his fingertips were tangled in Meng Ruji’s hair, as if fate itself was entangled with her, he couldn’t let go, couldn’t leave this softness and warmth…

Even in that moment of confusion, a terrifying thought like an evil ghost emerged from the bottom of his heart—

Why block that marriage certificate?

Why deprive him of his standing at this moment?

Why was his jealousy so… unjustified and unreasonable…

Once this thought arose, it burned like wildfire through his body.

For a moment, Mu Sui couldn’t tell if he felt shame and anger or longing…

He commanded himself to let Meng Ruji go, but found himself pressing her face closer instead.

The numb Meng Ruji felt the distance between them shortening: “Mu Sui!?”

Her eyes widened as she immediately raised her hand to block him. The instant she stopped, Mu Sui’s lips, another sharp, piercing voice rang in their ears.

“What are you doing?”

“What are you doing in my memory?”

“Too much!”

The fierce howl broke the quiet. The surrounding forest became even more terrifying, black aura rising, tree branches twisting as if growing terrible tentacles, waving menacingly in the air.

The black aura around them sometimes formed into a human shape, sometimes turned to smoke. His form constantly changed, but unchanging was his anger and screaming: “How dare you! How dare you! Defile this place!”

Meng Ruji pushed Mu Sui away.

Mu Sui watched his fingertips pass through her hair strands, finally separating from the soft hair. His expression turned cold as he looked toward the shifting smoke beside them.

But Meng Ruji wasn’t as cold as he was. After scanning the surrounding situation, she scolded Mu Sui in frustration: “Can’t you control yourself at all! You had to be jealous! Look what you’ve driven him to!”

Before Meng Ruji could finish speaking, Mu Sui reached out directly to grab that smoke!

Meng Ruji was startled: “Be careful he doesn’t control you!”

“With his abilities?” Mu Sui directly yanked a human figure from the smoke. “Still lacking.”

Meng Ruji was shocked: “That works!?”

As if to answer Meng Ruji’s question, with a “thunk,” a man was dragged by Mu Sui and slammed hard to the ground.

It was Ye Chuan.

But not the young Ye Chuan from years past, but rather the crazy, mad Immortal Ye Chuan that Meng Ruji had seen on Xuejing Cliff.

Ye Chuan seemed to have been hurt by Mu Sui’s throw, crumpled on the ground, trembling all over, unable to get up for a long time.

Mu Sui stood coldly beside him, flexing his wrist, interrogating: “How do we get out?” – exactly the question Meng Ruji was most concerned about.

Ye Chuan looked up, glaring at Mu Sui through gritted teeth, his expression full of unwillingness and hatred.

“I won’t tell you!”

Only Meng Ruji stood to the side, somewhat dazed: “Isn’t he the master of the illusion? Can you just pull him out by hand?”

Only then did Ye Chuan turn to look at Meng Ruji. In his eyes were still unwillingness and hatred, but compared to when looking at Mu Sui, there was additional sorrow and resentment.

Meng Ruji couldn’t quite handle this expression. She turned her head, touched her nose, and looked toward Mu Sui.

Mu Sui’s expression was indifferent as he tapped the menacing, withered tree beside him:

“I explored this illusion before you woke up – it’s all show with no substance.” Mu Sui glanced at Ye Chuan on the ground. “In the Realm of No Return, casting illusion techniques also requires silver coins. The rabbit didn’t have much money for him to squander.”

“If not for these silver coin rules…” Ye Chuan stared at Meng Ruji through gritted teeth. “I would definitely…”

“You would definitely what?” Mu Sui crouched down, grabbed Ye Chuan’s chin, and twisted his head to force him to look at himself. “Kill her?”

With those words came killing intent.

Mu Sui’s fingers fell on Ye Chuan’s neck. Still, that killing move – hidden and effective. Just a light flick could snap Ye Chuan’s throat.

Ye Chuan could see through the viciousness of Mu Sui’s technique, but he didn’t back down: “Kill me, and you’ll never get out. Even though the power maintaining this illusion is weak, I’m still the master of this illusion.”

Mu Sui laughed coldly: “Let me try.” His words were ice-cold, completely unthreatened by Ye Chuan. His finger was about to move.

Seeing this scene, Meng Ruji sighed tiredly again.

This time, she didn’t say anything to stop him, but Mu Sui had already instinctively stopped.

He looked up at Meng Ruji: “You want to keep him?”

“What else?”

Mu Sui’s lips pressed together, as if he’d been slapped again.

But this was within his expectations. Whether it was that Yan Tianjun, Mo Li, or this “eternal and unceasing” one, she wanted to keep them all.

Keep their lowly lives, and this annoying “past” between them.

Meng Ruji also crouched beside Mu Sui. She looked at him: “Let go. If you can pull him out so easily, I don’t think he can cause any other trouble.”

Mu Sui kept a cold expression but also let go.

Because Meng Ruji was right.

This illusion, in his view, had never been any real crisis from the start. The crisis was…

Mu Sui glanced at the distant crater. At the crater’s edge, that memory continued. Young Ye Chuan still held Shengsheng, stroking her hair, over and over…

So annoying…

“What’s the point of your fake sympathy! You adulterous pair! You betrayed me! You betrayed me for this man! I don’t need your pity! At worst, we’ll all die! Die here together!” Ye Chuan glared at Mu Sui, getting increasingly agitated.

Mu Sui’s just-lowered hand was about to rise again. Meng Ruji pressed his hand down.

Meng Ruji rubbed her forehead amid Ye Chuan’s provocative shouting.

“Let me talk to him alone.” Meng Ruji said to Mu Sui.

Mu Sui was startled. Seeing her serious expression, he realized she had made her decision. He had already thought of ten thousand reasons to refuse. Even if he acted unreasonably, he would just stand here – neither Meng Ruji nor Ye Chuan could do anything about it.

But under Meng Ruji’s sincere, unhidden gaze, Mu Sui’s body, which had defied him for so many days, actually obeyed.

He stood up, turned, and walked away, far away.

Their business originally had nothing to do with him, thinking this, Mu Sui sat below the small slope, yet crushed a tree root on the ground with his bare hands.

He didn’t plan to examine his emotions closely; only simply dusted off his hands then looked expressionlessly into the distance.

Looking at that young Ye Chuan holding Shengsheng…

Indeed…

Still very annoying.

Meng Ruji watched Mu Sui walk away, then adjusted her mood and faced Ye Chuan directly.

“Calm down first.”

Mu Sui’s departure did indeed reduce Ye Chuan’s anger considerably. He looked at Meng Ruji again – resentment, anger, sadness, and humiliation all mixed on his face.

Meng Ruji tried to speak calmly: “I saw what happened…”

“No, you didn’t see.” Ye Chuan interrupted him. With a wave of his hand, the light in the illusion changed rapidly, and the menacing tree branches quickly returned to normal.

At dawn, Ye Chuan, who had been holding Shengsheng, finally fell asleep from exhaustion after the long ordeal.

At this moment, “Shengsheng” woke up. The light on her body gradually dimmed. Seeing herself being held by a strange man, “Shengsheng” looked terrified and immediately pushed young Ye Chuan away and ran…

She stumbled as she ran, looking back repeatedly, afraid the young man would wake up and chase her…

Seeing this scene, Meng Ruji understood.

No wonder she had no memory of it.

When her Inner Core had just entered her body, her mind was already chaotic, like sleepwalking. Wandering through the mountains and forests, she couldn’t remember how many places she’d been or how many people she’d met. Dreams and reality constantly alternated in her mind.

Later, she began cultivating, founding her sect. Her life became incredibly busy. Over time, the events that happened when her Inner Core entered her body became even more blurred.

To her, this was just an episode from waking up one morning. Whether it was a dream or reality, true or false, she couldn’t distinguish clearly. Why spend effort remembering it…

Meng Ruji sighed deeply.

“Alright… now I know what happened…”

“No! You don’t know!” Ye Chuan interrupted her again.

“How do I still not know?” Meng Ruji was speechless. “Could we have met a second time?”

Ye Chuan fell silent, his expression turning ugly.

Meng Ruji understood – they had never met a second time.

“Oh wait… There was one.” Meng Ruji remembered. “The second time we met, you struck me with heavenly lightning and sent me to the Realm of No Return.” Meng Ruji looked at him. “Even if I didn’t handle our first meeting well, striking with lethal force at our second meeting was somewhat excessive.”

Mentioning this, Ye Chuan seemed to become even more agitated, trembling all over, his words becoming confused: “You have no idea…”

The surrounding atmosphere became chaotic again.

The sky darkened. Below the small slope, young Ye Chuan woke up to find “Shengsheng” gone from his arms. He panicked, looking everywhere, calling out constantly, but his long search was fruitless.

Day turned to night, night to day. Countless days passed, and young Ye Chuan finally left that dried-up swamp.

Sunrise and sunset changed rapidly. Light and shadow constantly shifted across Ye Chuan’s face, making the obsession in his eyes appear even more terrifyingly disturbing.

“You have no idea how long I searched for you…”

With Ye Chuan’s words, the surrounding scenery changed – from the withered forest to sect gates, then to bustling markets, desolate snowfields, and remote islands. No matter how the scenery changed, unchanging was that in every scene stood a Ye Chuan, always holding a portrait he’d drawn from memory, constantly searching.

The person in the portrait was Meng Ruji.

“From childhood, my parents taught me propriety and restraint. A gentleman’s promise – once spoken, must be kept. You and I already had intimate contact…”

“No.”

Meng Ruji interrupted him.

Even as the surrounding scenes kept changing, with an increasingly aged Ye Chuan in each scene sadly murmuring: “Shengsheng, where did you go?”

Meng Ruji still coldly, almost numbly reminded him: “Intimate contact – absolutely none. You’re overthinking.”

“How could there be none!” Ye Chuan was very agitated. The surrounding scenery fixed again on this withered forest, as if he had a special fondness for this place.

He grabbed his collar, his cheeks flushing red: “My clothes, you… you… opened… opened them. You leaned against…”

Meng Ruji explained with a headache: “That was skin contact during mental confusion – it’s not called intimate contact!”

“That IS intimate contact!”

This stubbornness left Meng Ruji speechless.

She pressed her lips together, frozen in place with Ye Chuan.

Ye Chuan ignored her and continued: “I made a marriage promise with you, and you agreed.”

“I! Did! Not!”

“You did agree!” Ye Chuan shouted, both aggrieved and angry. “You even told me your name. No, your childhood name. I learned later – what you told me was your childhood name! So intimate! How could you not have agreed!”

“I only had one name then! Meng Shengsheng! My family was poor! No education! Only one name! So what! Meng Ruji was something I chose for myself later!”

Ye Chuan stared at Meng Ruji as if struck by lightning, as if finally seeing her clearly: “You are that kind of woman.”

“What kind am I now…”

“Faithless and heartless…”

Meng Ruji held her head, feeling like communicating with him was like being trapped in a ghost wall.

This was getting nowhere.

“I searched for you for so many years…” Ye Chuan said mournfully. “I thought I’d never find you… I never expected that during all those years I was searching, you had founded Hengxu Mountain and were about to be crowned Demon Lord…”

Meng Ruji suddenly had an ominous premonition: “You didn’t…”

“I finally found you just before you ascended to the Demon Lord! The whole city had portraits of you, but they looked somewhat different from mine.” Ye Chuan’s eyes had deep shadows beneath them. These words seemed to have been churning in his heart for many years, now all pouring out at once.

“Mine was still of you as a young girl. Who could recognize that? Over the years, thinking I’d drawn it wrong, I kept adding and changing, making it even less recognizable. No wonder I couldn’t find you… But when I saw the portrait of the ascending Demon Lord, I recognized you immediately. It was you – how could I mistake you?”

Ye Chuan’s every word was sincere. But hearing it, Meng Ruji only felt pity.

“Meeting by chance in the martial world, a few moments of genuine feeling – Ye Chuan, you’ve become obsessed. It’s not necessarily the romantic love you think it is.”

“No, no.” Ye Chuan shook his head repeatedly, continuing: “I went to Hengxu Mountain. I wanted to wait until after your Demon Lord ceremony to see you, but… I arrived too late…”

Thinking of the past, Meng Ruji also felt somewhat emotional.

“You sealed yourself at Xuejing Cliff, so I waited at the foot of the mountain for eight hundred years. My clan called me mad, my sect expelled me, but I kept waiting below the mountain, eight hundred years…”

“Brother Ye…” Meng Ruji felt some sympathy and was about to offer comfort when Ye Chuan’s emotions suddenly changed.

“You forgot me completely…”

Meng Ruji: “…”

Ye Chuan slowly stood up from the ground. His emotions seemed to affect the aura around him, and black smoke began rising again: “You just forgot, didn’t remember me, didn’t remember my courtesy name… and you embraced another man! Clothes in tatters! Getting married!”

“I didn’t!”

Meng Ruji also stood up, trying to calm him:

“I know from your perspective this is truly tragic, but I must say – you’re narrow-minded!”

The black mist around Ye Chuan gathered more and more. Meng Ruji explained more urgently:

“I’m not insulting you – I admire you! Such sincere devotion is rare in this world! At least I don’t have it! Have you considered that I might have only learned about what happened in the past today, so asking me to remember you and your courtesy name might be somewhat unreasonably demanding!”

The black mist reformed, completely obscuring Ye Chuan’s figure.

Suddenly, an arrow shot from the black mist. Meng Ruji was startled and immediately dodged sideways, but saw another arrow shooting toward her face.

At this moment, her arm was pulled by a great force. Meng Ruji’s body shifted, barely avoiding the black arrow.

Meng Ruji turned and saw Mu Sui with a cold, dark expression.

“You can talk to him alone, but I never said he could attack you again.” Mu Sui pulled her behind him. “Your private conversation ends here.”

Meng Ruji was stunned. She hadn’t expected him to explain “why he came to interrupt their private conversation.”

This Zhuliu City Lord…

Was he quite polite?

The next instant, Mu Sui stepped forward, reaching into the black smoke again. From within came heart-rending screams: “Let me go! Why can you grab me? I’m the master of the illusion! I!…”

With a “clang,” once again, Ye Chuan was grabbed by the neck and slammed to the ground.

“Last chance…” Mu Sui’s eyes flashed with cold light, his killing intent overwhelming. “How do we get out?”

Meng Ruji stood to the side, also frightened by the killing intent he displayed.

At this moment, the murderous Mu Sui had stripped away all his usual disguises, becoming like something that could tear apart gods and Buddhas…

An Asura.

A long, Long chapter! From yesterday! Writing until now!

I! Ah Jiu! Am exhausted!