Zhong Shan had little time to savor the intimacy between the two. He clung tightly to the boulder with both hands while pressing himself against Tian Ling'er.
The back of the boulder had been carved by Zhong Shan into a convex shape and polished exceptionally smooth, all to keep it from shattering under the tremendous force. It had worked. Since it had not broken at the start, it would not break later.
Faster, faster—the boulder carried the two of them rapidly upward. However, as they accelerated, they gradually adapted to it.
Tian Ling'er was pinned beneath Zhong Shan, her face flushed scarlet, as though she hardly dared open her eyes.
Slowly, the pressure of the boulder against their backs grew weaker and weaker.
"Zhong Shan, you can let go now," Tian Ling'er called softly.
But Zhong Shan ignored her. He knew that the most dangerous and crucial moment was about to arrive. Once the acceleration slowed to a certain degree, he would be thrown free of the boulder and sent flying.
He had to stay pressed tightly against the boulder.
Clinging to the boulder, Zhong Shan hugged Tian Ling'er even more tightly.
Seeing that Zhong Shan not only refused to listen but held her tighter instead, Tian Ling'er blushed even more and grew annoyed. Although she knew this was not the time for such things, for some reason, she did not feel repulsed at all. Instead, she continued allowing Zhong Shan to hold her tightly.
At last, the final trace of pressure from the boulder vanished. It was immediately replaced by the sensation of their bodies breaking free from it and soaring into the sky.
Tian Ling'er marveled at the feeling. Earlier, the boulder below had squeezed her into Zhong Shan's body. Now, Zhong Shan seemed fixed in place while she was being pressed into his body instead.
At that moment, Tian Ling'er finally understood why Zhong Shan had refused to let go. Gazing at him with admiration, she realized that there seemed to be nothing in this world capable of stopping Zhong Shan. He was simply too wondrous, too powerful.
"Whoosh!"
At the mouth of the three-thousand-meter-high volcano, a boulder burst out through the billowing clouds of vapor.
They were out! They were out! They were saved?
At that moment, Zhong Shan and Tian Ling'er both felt like shouting aloud. The air outside felt so good—no, it was simply wonderful.
They drew in a deep breath.
After flying thirty meters into the air, the boulder suddenly stopped and began falling downward.
"Ah~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
Tian Ling'er screamed.
"Boom~~~~~~~~~~~~"
The boulder crashed onto the edge of the volcanic crater, then rapidly slid down the mountain.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~~~~~~~~~~~~"
The bottom of the boulder was smooth, so it slid swiftly. But the mountain path was rugged and jolted violently. Even held in Zhong Shan's arms, Tian Ling'er felt as though she could hardly endure it.
At last, the long descent down the mountain came to an end.
"Bang."
The boulder finally stopped in a quiet valley.
After being jostled all the way down and pinned beneath Zhong Shan, Tian Ling'er felt as if every bone in her body had been shaken loose.
Zhong Shan rose gently and looked at Tian Ling'er. "How is it? Are you all right?"
"N-no, I'm fine," Tian Ling'er replied, her voice slightly halting.
"Good. Rest for a while. Then I'll take you to find Senior Brother," Zhong Shan said.
Zhong Shan's character was such that once he gave his word, he kept it. Since he had promised to take Tian Ling'er there, he would naturally deliver her. However, he also had his own responsibilities. He would take Tian Ling'er to see Senior Brother, but only for a single glance. If Tian Ling'er refused to leave, then he would certainly remain by her side.
He had promised Tian Xingzi that he would bring Tian Ling'er back whole. Whole did not merely mean physically intact—it also meant preserving her chastity. Naturally, there could be no room for the slightest mishap.
One month later, deep in the mountains, there was a very unusual place.
There was a mountain—not a particularly tall one—but at that moment, it was shrouded in vast quantities of white mist. The mist appeared in complete defiance of nature, abrupt and unnatural. Clearly, an array had been set up around the perimeter.
Many towering mountains surrounded White Mist Mountain, encircling it in a ring. It resembled a huge circular arena with a curtained platform erected at its center.
Quite a few people already stood atop the surrounding peaks. They gathered in twos and threes on different mountaintops, divided into numerous factions, all watching White Mist Mountain at the center. None of them chose to rush over. They merely waited in silence.
On the summit of a peak to the north stood a group from the Kaiyang Sect.
The Kaiyang Sect was led by the second-generation Senior Brother Tian Sha and Third Senior Sister Bei Qing Si. The other eight stood behind them, serving only as advisors and leaving all decisions to the two leaders.
"Junior Sister, what do you think?" Tian Sha asked, glancing at Bei Qing Si with a flicker of adoration in his eyes.
"Qing Si has no opinion. I'll follow Senior Brother's lead," Bei Qing Si said indifferently. Her eyes remained fixed on White Mist Mountain, and she paid no attention to Tian Sha beside her. Clearly, she felt nothing toward his affection.
Seeing her expression, Tian Sha furrowed his brows and said no more. He turned his gaze toward White Mist Mountain at the center.
On the summit of a high mountain to the east, one of the best positions in the area had been occupied by a group of people. There were about twenty of them, led by an extremely noble-looking woman.
The woman was tall and slender. Her pair of long, beautiful legs were supple and graceful, wrapped in black silk. Even without seeing her face, she would have been enough to make hearts pound.
Her face radiated confidence and delicacy. She was stunningly beautiful, with bright, lively eyes that revealed a powerful pride. It was not the vulgar kind of pride that looked down on everything, but the effortless pride born of confidence mingled with nobility.
"Mister Shui Jing, Hao San is right before us. What do you think we should do?" The woman turned her head and smiled at a man behind her.
The man looked about forty by mortal standards. His white robe was completely without wrinkles, and his refined features were exceptionally handsome. With a faint smile, he was unquestionably the kind of mature man who could captivate countless young women.
He held a white feather fan and waved it gently, carrying the air of a calm strategist who plotted from behind the scenes and secured victory from a thousand miles away.
Hearing the woman's question, Mister Shui Jing smiled faintly. "Princess, you already have a plan. Why ask me?"
"Qian You, I'll go down right now and capture Hao San for you," another handsome youth beside her said eagerly.
Seeing his impatient expression, Princess Qian You knitted her brows and said unhappily, "With so many people waiting, if you charge down there and seize him, won't you just make a fool of yourself? Besides, do you think Hao San is an idiot?"
After being rebuked by Princess Qian You, the youth seemed dissatisfied. He stared angrily at White Mist Mountain in the distance.
"Young Master, there's no need to be impatient. A big fish has to be reeled in slowly," Mister Shui Jing said with a smile.
"Don't butt in. I'm talking to Qian You—when did it become your place, a mere servant, to interrupt?" The youth immediately turned on Mister Shui Jing, as though he had dumped all the coldness Princess Qian You had shown him onto Shui Jing.
"Gu Lin, shut up! How dare you speak to Mister Shui Jing like that?" Princess Qian You immediately shouted in displeasure.
Mister Shui Jing was left awkwardly speechless.
"He is my father's subordinate. Was anything I said wrong?" Gu Lin said at once.
Looking at Gu Lin with disgust, Princess Qian You said, "Mister Shui Jing was someone I went to great lengths to invite here. If you dare treat him like that again, go back immediately. Don't follow me anymore."
"All right, all right, I won't say anything," Gu Lin hastily placated Princess Qian You. When he glanced at Mister Shui Jing, a trace of resentment flashed through his eyes.
Seeing Young Master Gu Lin like this, Mister Shui Jing merely smiled faintly. His bright eyes revealed not the slightest hint of emotion.
Seeing Gu Lin act that way, Princess Qian You could only frown and say no more. She turned her attention back to White Mist Mountain in the distance.
White Mist Mountain was shrouded on all sides by boundless white mist, but its center was exceptionally clear. The mountaintop was flat, as though it had been sliced off by a mighty expert, though it was now covered in grasses and trees. Clearly, that had happened a very long time ago.
There was a temple on the mountain. In front of the temple lay a huge plaza. At that moment, two people stood there.
One was dressed in black and looked about fifty by mortal standards. He held a horsetail whisk and knelt prostrate on the ground, his face full of worry and fear.
"Third Prince, please don't! That's already the fiftieth pill. You can't eat any more. If you do, you'll really be finished! I can't just stand by and watch the Hao family line end here!" The man in black pleaded in panic.
Standing before the man in black was a handsome man dressed in luxurious white robes. However, his hair hung loose, most of it already white, with only a small portion remaining black. This was the man everyone from all four directions had been searching for—Hao San.
"Lao Wei, what would a eunuch like you know?" Hao San gave a miserable smile.
"Third Prince, Lao Wei and Lao Zhao have served you for many years. Now, you are the only surviving seedling of the Hao family. If you die, how will the vengeance of those years be repaid? How will the Hao family be restored? Third Prince, you mustn't eat any more." Eunuch Lao Wei immediately spoke up.
Hao San looked at Lao Wei and gave a miserable smile. "The only surviving seedling? Ha-ha-ha, look outside. Do you think those people will let us go? They don't merely want to kill the lone seedling—they want to wipe out the entire line. Either way, death awaits us. But I've dragged you into this."
"Third Prince, Lao Wei was born a servant of the Hao family and will die a servant of the Hao family. Being able to serve you is already my good fortune. Lao Wei does not fear death," Lao Wei immediately said.
Hao San looked at the old eunuch before him, his expression filled with emotion.
"Lao Wei, we won't escape this calamity. But don't worry. The Hao family will not end with my death. I have already left behind a bloodline and sent him into the Dragon Palace. He will certainly survive there. Let my death draw everyone's attention and preserve a thread of life for him." A determined gleam flashed through Hao San's eyes.
"R-really?" Lao Wei asked in delighted surprise, as though that bloodline were his own.
"Yes. Since he is in the Dragon Palace, his safety is absolutely assured. Bring me the Heaven Mending Pill," Hao San said at once.
P.S.: Third update. Please vote, and please bookmark.
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