“What needs to be done is simple.” Qin Wanwan entered with Jian Xingzhi. Just as they entered the hall, Qin Wanwan realized Jian Xingzhi was standing side by side with her. She glanced at Jian Xingzhi, who immediately realized the position was wrong and took a step back.
Standing one in front and one behind, Qin Wanwan felt her dignity was established. She cleared her throat lightly, smiled faintly at Jun Shu, and extended her hand: “What you promised me—do it first.”
“I do things for you first—how do I know you’re not deceiving me?”
Jun Shu turned to look at her, his eyes questioning. Qin Wanwan looked around: “With so many people here, are you afraid that I, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, could run away?”
“Junior Sister is right,” Song Xinian was very anxious and urged Jun Shu, “Right now waking Junior Sister Su is most urgent. Whatever you promised Junior Sister, hurry up and do it.”
Hearing this, Jun Shu took a deep breath and stood up: “Follow me.”
Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi followed him one after the other into the inner chamber of Linglong Pavilion. Jun Shu turned to glance at Jian Xingzhi: “You don’t need to follow.”
“You tell me not to follow, so I won’t follow?” Jian Xingzhi sneered, “Who are you?”
“Wan’er,” Jun Shu turned to look at Qin Wanwan, “Your servant is too ignorant of the rules.”
“He understands my heart.” Qin Wanwan extended her hand, “Stop talking nonsense, hurry up.”
Jun Shu stared at Qin Wanwan. The woman before him had features both familiar and strange.
He suddenly discovered that it had been many years since he’d looked at her properly like this.
In the past, she had always revolved around him. He was accustomed to her attention. Even when she bought Jian Zhiyan, he knew she was just trying to make him angry.
After all, he was the Young Master of Le City—she couldn’t let go of the wealth and glory.
Having grown too accustomed to seeing only him in her eyes, when he suddenly discovered her gaze was frank and open, he actually felt somewhat uncomfortable.
But he quickly suppressed this discomfort and took out a jade pendant from his sleeve.
With his ability, wanting to dispel Shen Zhiming’s curse truly wasn’t easy, but fortunately the Jun family had many precious treasures. This jade pendant was specifically designed for tracking curses planted by such powerful cultivators.
Jun Shu raised his hand to grasp Qin Wanwan’s wrist, placed the jade pendant on her wrist, quickly drew several runes, then pressed two fingers together like a sword against the jade pendant and asked in a low voice: “After removing the tracking curse, what tricks are you planning to play?”
“None of your business.”
Qin Wanwan watched nervously as the runes climbed up from her arm, constantly vigilant of Jun Shu’s movements.
This wariness made Jun Shu look at her again, mocking as he spoke: “Don’t tell me you really plan to leave Wenxin Sect?”
“Why not?”
Qin Wanwan raised her eyes to look at Jun Shu: “Why can’t I leave?”
The discomfort in Jun Shu’s heart intensified. He reminded her: “Our engagement…”
“Forget it,” hearing this, Qin Wanwan felt disgusted and immediately spoke, “That was arranged by our parents—I never agreed. Now that both my parents have passed away, just pretend it doesn’t exist and tell your father I don’t want to marry you.”
Hearing this, Jun Shu’s anger instantly flared up. He abruptly withdrew his hand and put away the jade pendant: “It’s done.”
As he spoke, his curse formula caught up with Shen Zhiming’s tracking curse in Qin Wanwan’s body and bit down. The two runes simultaneously dissipated in Qin Wanwan’s body.
The three walked out of the back hall together. Just as they reached the front hall, everyone looked over. Song Xinian was extremely anxious: “Junior Sister…”
“Senior Brother,” Qin Wanwan interrupted Song Xinian’s words, moved closer to him, and asked quietly, “The barrier I asked you to set up before—did you finish it?”
“Yes.” Song Xinian nodded, “Two days ago when you told me, I already set up a barrier around Junior Sister Su to block divine sense.”
Qin Wanwan nodded. This way, Su Yueli shouldn’t know what was happening outside and would be completely unprepared.
“Good,” Qin Wanwan smiled and turned to look at everyone, “Today I’ve asked all the martial uncles, martial aunts, senior brothers, senior sisters, junior brothers and junior sisters of the sect to come here mainly to clear my name, Qin Wan’s name.”
Everyone looked at Qin Wanwan. She was somewhat nervous and cleared her throat: “Some time ago, Junior Sister Su and I encountered danger together in the secret realm. The two of us happened upon a ninth-grade wild boar. This boar was severely injured and wanted to devour one of us to recuperate. It ambushed Junior Sister Su from behind. In my urgency, I pushed her off the cliff, hoping she could escape the battle and survive certain death. I feared this boar would pursue us relentlessly, so I fought this boar at the cliff’s edge for ten days. Fortunately, the demon beast was severely wounded, and in the end I barely won by chance, ate its demon core, and managed to survive. And the Sushi Pearl happened to record the moment I pushed her, causing everyone to think I plotted against her. Today, to prove my innocence, I’m determined to awaken Junior Sister and have her testify for me, to return me justice.”
As she spoke, Qin Wanwan gave Jian Xingzhi a look. Jian Xingzhi opened Qin Wanwan’s box and showed it to everyone.
Qin Wanwan walked to the box and introduced seriously: “Two days ago I came to Linglong Pavilion and discovered Junior Sister’s spiritual sea seemed extremely active. I speculated that the reason Junior Sister won’t wake is that she’s trapped within her spiritual sea. Forcibly breaking into another’s spiritual sea would harm Junior Sister. As her senior sister, I can’t bear to ruin someone’s future, so I specially made this ‘projector’ to help Junior Sister awaken from the illusory realm in her spiritual sea. However, I need a cultivator at Nascent Soul stage or above to help me enter Junior Sister’s spiritual sea through this device. Who can help?”
“I will.”
“I will.”
Jun Shu and Song Xinian spoke up together. Qin Wanwan nodded and looked at Jun Shu: “Considering Young Master Jun’s wholehearted devotion to Junior Sister Su, Young Master Jun, I’ll trouble you with this matter. Please sit here.”
Jun Shu stood up and sat in the chair before Qin Wanwan. Qin Wanwan took out several palm-sized talisman papers. The papers were connected by threads, with similarly sized square talisman papers at the other end. Qin Wanwan handed the talisman papers to Jun Shu: “Young Master Jun, these can help you enter Junior Sister Su’s spiritual sea. Would you like to inspect them?”
Jun Shu smiled and raised his eyes to look at Qin Wanwan, his eyes carrying some warning: “I don’t believe you would harm me.”
“Haven’t had enough of a beating?”
Jian Xingzhi gave him a sidelong glance. Jun Shu swept him with a cold look and sat up straight: “Let’s begin.”
Qin Wanwan took the talisman papers and placed them on both sides of Jun Shu’s temples and on his crown point.
Then she walked to Su Yueli’s side with the talisman papers and placed them in the same locations.
Jian Xingzhi took the mirror from the wooden box and placed it beside them. Qin Wanwan took the thread connected to the mirror and placed the talisman paper on the thread onto Jun Shu’s back.
“Jun Shu, I’m very curious,” Qin Wanwan lowered her voice, “what do you like about Su Yueli?”
“She’s more innocent than you,” Jun Shu spoke coldly, looking at her with some disdain, “and she loves me more than you do.”
“Oh.”
Qin Wanwan shrugged: “Fine then, let’s hurry.”
As she spoke, Qin Wanwan raised her voice to a volume everyone could hear: “Young Master Jun, I will play the flute in a moment. After the flute sounds, you must not open your eyes. You’ll first see a great gate—find a way to open it. After entering the gate, you’ll transform into a rabbit or a kitten, first approach Junior Sister Su. Once Junior Sister Su lets down her guard around you, slowly lead her out. Remember not to be rash. If Junior Sister Su is startled, inside her spiritual sea, both of you could be in danger.”
“I understand, let’s begin.”
Jun Shu responded. Jian Xingzhi took out the miniaturized curtain from the box, shook it open opposite the mirror, and the curtain expanded. Jian Xingzhi set it up with supports on the ground—a simple movie theater was formed.
“In a moment, no matter what happens, everyone please remain silent to avoid disturbing Young Master Jun.”
Qin Wanwan pretended to be serious, and everyone nervously nodded.
Seeing everything was ready, Qin Wanwan played the flute. Jun Shu frowned. At this moment, the screen actually lit up, and everyone saw a great gate appear on the white curtain. Jun Shu, with his back to them, walked quickly toward the gate.
Everyone looked at the mirror connected to Jun Shu, then at the screen. Those present immediately realized this must be Su Yueli’s spiritual sea. But why would Qin Wanwan go to such trouble to display Su Yueli’s spiritual sea for everyone to see?
Everyone was puzzled but didn’t dare speak much.
On the curtain, the gate was heavy. Jun Shu placed his hands on it and pushed—it didn’t budge.
Jun Shu frowned, infused spiritual power into his hands, and pushed with force. The gate burst open with a boom, cold wind rushing at him. Jun Shu, remembering Qin Wanwan’s words, transformed into a white rabbit and hopped into this world of ice and snow.
After running in the snow for a while, Jun Shu realized this place seemed to be the terrain of the northern Desolate City. Everywhere was ice and snow, the houses also built with snow bricks. Su Yueli had never been to Desolate City—why would her spiritual sea be like this?
Jun Shu was full of confusion. After puzzling for a moment, he heard Su Yueli’s voice: “Oh, Buxiu, look quickly, there’s a rabbit here.”
It’s Yueli!
Jun Shu joyfully turned back, but in that instant of turning, he froze abruptly.
He saw Su Yueli holding onto a man in white robes. The two were like an immortal couple, smiling radiantly as they looked at him.
“I’ll catch it for you.”
The man beside her laughed, then appeared before Jun Shu, grabbed Jun Shu’s ear in one motion, and smiled at Su Yueli: “Yueli, this is a silly rabbit. How about we roast it?”
“Better not.” Su Yueli walked up to the man, smiling as she reached to hold Jun Shu. The man moved Jun Shu away and blocked Su Yueli, “If you want this rabbit, you need to give your husband some reward.”
Your husband!
Everyone present was shocked.
Who was this man? Was he Su Yueli’s imagination? Why did he call himself Su Yueli’s husband?
Everyone exchanged glances. Jun Shu struggled frantically with his rabbit body in the scene. He desperately wanted to immediately return to human form and kill this man.
Those outside didn’t understand, but he in the spiritual sea could sense it clearly.
This wasn’t Su Yueli’s illusion—this was a real person!!
And he recognized this person—Ning Buxiu, Young Master of Desolate City. The Ning family’s secret technique was to merge spiritual seas with a partner and share cultivation.
Spiritual sea fusion—no wonder Su Yueli could construct the terrain of Desolate City. But this also meant Su Yueli had married Ning Buxiu. She clearly said she only loved him—how could she…
Jun Shu clenched his rabbit fists but still cared about Su Yueli, so he could only let this man hold his ear while watching Su Yueli ask with a red face: “What reward do you want?”
“Come, give me a kiss.”
The man chuckled. Su Yueli lowered her head: “No, give me the rabbit.”
The man wouldn’t comply and lowered his head to kiss her. Su Yueli dodged everywhere, calling out “no, no,” while the man chased to kiss her, his other hand holding Jun Shu’s ear, swinging him around in the air.
Jun Shu was so angry he punched and kicked in midair. He watched Su Yueli call out to that man: “You’re so bad!”
Watched her pound the man’s chest with her little fists, then turn and run away.
These were all things Su Yueli had done with him!
And that man, just like him, threw away the bothersome rabbit Jun Shu with one motion and laughed heartily as he chased after Su Yueli. Jun Shu rolled on the ground, angrily shook the snow off his head, and frantically rushed after the two people.
He would kill this man! This man must have deceived Su Yueli! He must have!
He chased them to a small courtyard. Just as he entered the yard, he saw the two had already closed themselves in a room. Laughter came from inside the room. Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi immediately exchanged glances. Qin Wanwan hadn’t expected such a scene and her flute playing paused slightly. Then she heard Song Xinian excitedly cry out: “Don’t stop!”
Song Xinian stopped her, eyes red, staring at the curtain: “Let me keep watching!”
Qin Wanwan turned to glance at the curtain. Fortunately, the scene was actually following Jun Shu’s aerial view. At this moment with the two entering the house, nothing could be seen—only some sounds could be faintly heard, so it wasn’t that awkward.
The two fought intensely inside while Jun Shu trembled outside with red eyes.
After about a quarter hour, the battle slowed. All around, only the sound of wind and snow could be heard. Qin Wanwan saw Jun Shu in the snow was about to freeze into an ice sculpture and thought it was about enough. She was about to awaken Jun Shu when she heard the people in the room seemed to be having a post-coital smoke and slowly started chatting.
“Buxiu,” Su Yueli’s voice carried worry, “I’m so worried about Senior Sister.”
“Worried about what?”
“Although she pushed me off the cliff, it was to save me. Now she’s suffering terribly outside, I… I’m so worried she won’t understand my difficulties and won’t forgive me.”
“You’re just too kind.” Ning Buxiu chuckled, “The cultivation path is fighting against heaven for life. Cultivation is such an important matter—how can you ruin your future for your senior sister? If you stay here, when you go out, you’ll be at perfect Nascent Soul stage. By then your senior sister will worship you before it’s too late—how would she dare not forgive you?”
“What if… what if Senior Sister doesn’t make it through…”
“Then that’s just her fate.” Ning Buxiu sighed, “When the time comes, I’ll accompany you to comfort and care for her family properly. That would be living up to her. Don’t worry too much, don’t be too sad.”
Hearing this exchange, everyone froze and looked at Qin Wanwan, who was playing the flute.
Su Yueli knew that Qin Wan was being held accountable by the sect for her sake!
And Qin Wan truly had been trying to save her, yet she was willing to let Qin Wan die rather than wake early in order to consolidate her cultivation. She was even being lovey-dovey with a man in her spiritual sea, talking of love and making love.
Qin Wanwan felt somewhat embarrassed being looked at with such sympathetic and guilty gazes. She looked away and continued playing the flute.
But Jun Shu in the illusion received an even greater shock.
The goddess in his heart—gentle, kind, and loving only him—suddenly seemed to have become a different person.
“But…” Su Yueli was still somewhat worried, “What if Jun Shu finds out I’m pretending to be unconscious and gets angry?”
“If he’s angry, what does that have to do with you?” Ning Buxiu’s tone was somewhat displeased, “Don’t tell me you like him?”
“How is that possible?” Su Yueli quickly explained, “In my heart, he’s just a brother figure, don’t talk nonsense.”
“What about your senior brother Song Xinian?”
“Just a senior brother.”
“Your master?”
“Just a master.” Su Yueli answered with complete certainty, “Buxiu, you know that you’re the only one in my heart.”
Su Yueli spoke with deep affection. Jun Shu, who had already frozen silly in the snow, completely felt his heart turn cold.
He reviewed in his mind scene after scene of knowing Su Yueli and suddenly discovered that he and this ridiculous man before him seemed no different.
He had heard all these words before, and like Ning Buxiu, he had believed them.
“What do you like about Su Yueli?”
“She’s more innocent than you, and she loves me more than you do.”
The words spoken before closing his eyes echoed in his ears. Jun Shu was startled by his own absurdity.
He stood up with his rabbit body—a snow rabbit with tears streaming, looking up at the sky and laughing bitterly.
He no longer restrained himself. He resumed human form in the snow, then without caring whether Su Yueli’s spiritual sea would be damaged, sent spiritual power surging magnificently toward the house and shouted loudly: “Su Yueli, come out!”