The Arrival (Part Two)

The air inside the cave was so still you could hear a pin drop.

It is the Tianyan.

Her face still had a sickly flush, likely because the poison from the Charm God Flower still lingered in her body, and the injuries from Yuchu's final attack before entering the illusion did not seem to have fully healed.

The pale red palace dress had a tear at the side waist, revealing the girl's fair and slender waist.

After a few breaths of silence,

Tianyan smiled and said, "I hope I haven't disturbed you?"

Her voice sounded cold and calm, so calm that Xu Yuan felt a chill run down his spine the moment he heard it, like the calm before a storm.

Of course, this is just a metaphor.

After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan looked at Tianyan and replied:

If I say I'm bothering you, will you leave?

"."

The girl's hands, hidden beneath the sleeves of her palace dress, clenched slightly, and she smiled, her eyes crinkling.

"Won't."

"Then why ask that question? It's unnecessary."

Xu Yuan smiled slightly, "I haven't disturbed you, please have a seat."

As he spoke, Xu Yuan simultaneously took a skewer of wild boar meat, its fat oozing out of the fire:

"Here, this is for you. Didn't you want some too?"

"."

Tianyan sneered and didn't answer, staring at him without saying a word.

Xu Yuan held the skewers up for a few seconds, but seeing that Tianyan still didn't take them, and not wanting to cater to the other's temper, he simply withdrew his hand and started eating by himself.

The porcupine skewers are a perfect balance of lean and fatty meat. One bite reveals a crispy exterior and tender interior, complemented by the unique spiciness and numbing sensation of the spices that spread across your taste buds.

Xu Yuan ate while saying softly:

"Yes, if you want some, just help yourself."

As he spoke,

Xu Yuan glanced at Ran Qingmo:

"Ran Qingmo, put your sword away."

Tianyan, with a sullen face, gathered her palace dress and sat down on a large rock to the side.

A silent atmosphere once again filled the cave.

Ran Qingmo placed the sword flat on her lap and stared at Tianyan.

Xu Yuan silently ate his meat skewers.

Tianyan sat to the side, scanning the two with unfriendly eyes.

The time it takes to make one meat skewer,

As Xu Yuan wiped the grease from the corner of his lips with a handkerchief, he glanced at Tianyan and smiled:

"Tianyan, how did you find your way here?"

Tianyan stared at him, not answering but asking a question, emphasizing each word:

"Xu Changtian, you don't seem nervous at all?"

Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then smiled and asked in return:

Why should I be nervous? If I'm nervous, will you leave?

Tianyan hearing this, Tianyan's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly:

"Won't."

This is the second time.

Xu Yuan shrugged nonchalantly:

"If that's the case, why should I be nervous? Life goes on. If I take it easy, at least I can make life less painful."

Tianyan gently bit her lip, listening to him speak in that familiar tone and with those familiar words, she felt an urge to twist the bastard's head off.

Seeing that the other party didn't speak, Xu Yuan paused for a second, glanced outside the cave, and asked in a low voice:

"There's no way you could have found us. I suspect you ended up relying on outside help."

"External force?"

The girl's hands, clenched tightly beneath her sleeves, were making a cracking sound, "What external force?"

"Demon Beast."

"Demon Beast?" Tianyan frowned.

"."

Xu Yuan stared at Tianyan for several breaths, then said softly:

"Stop pretending. The one who killed me when Ran Qingmo Ji Qingyue tying me up was probably from your Heavenly Oversight Pavilion, wasn't it?"

Tianyan silent.

Xu Yuan gently shook his head:

"I initially thought you were using a strategy of leveraging the situation to lure them in, but now it seems you're in a cooperative relationship; otherwise, no Demon Beast would have come to us to help you."

Tianyan's chest began to rise and fall slightly. After a long while, she said softly:

"No."

"What?"

"I said we don't have a cooperative relationship with Ancient Abyss." Tianyan stared at Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan remained silent for a moment, neither confirming nor denying:

"Alright, even if it's not, it doesn't matter anymore."

While speaking,

Xu Yuan picked up another porcupine skewer, handed it to Ran Qingmo beside him, and casually said:

"It's good that you know what you're doing."

He paused, then smiled softly at Ran Qingmo:

"Come"

"Xu Changtian!"

Tianyan seemed to have finally lost her temper, letting out a sharp cry as she stood up, "What do you mean?!"

Xu Yuan turned around, staring at the girl in front of him with a somewhat surprised look in his eyes.

It was quiet and dark outside the cave, but the flickering firelight inside illuminated her angry face.

Xu Yuan asked with a strange expression:

What do you mean by that?

Tianyan's breathing trembled slightly.

"What do you mean? Xu Changtian, do you really not understand what I mean?"

"Understand? How can I understand if you don't tell me?"

Why can't you understand?

"."

Xu Yuan took a deep breath and raised his hand to rub his temples.

Thoughts wandered

After a long pause, he raised his eyes and said:

"Is it because of Yuchu's dream?"

"A dream?" Tianyan's eyes seemed to want to laugh, but more than that, they held an indescribable sadness.

Xu Yuan looked at her expression, hesitated for a moment, and continued in a low voice:

"Are you so angry because at the end of the dream, I had Yuchu temporarily trap you?"

Tianyan was breathing rapidly, but he didn't speak.

For a moment, the cave fell silent again.

Ran Qingmo sat to the side with her sword in her hand, glancing at Xu Yuan and then at Tianyan, somewhat puzzled by what the two were talking about.

After a while,

Xu Yuan exhaled and whispered:

"It seems so."

"That's true."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?"

"It's just a dream, why are you so angry?"

"Boom!!!!"

The change came very suddenly.

A golden beam of light shot past Xu Yuan's head.

As the Source Qi surged, the earth shook and mountains trembled, and a circular hole that ran through the entire cave appeared on the inner wall of the cave.

Through the circular hole, you can see the pitch-black sky outside.

A chill ran through him, Xu Yuan shivered, shrinking his neck. He was probably only a fraction of a centimeter away from death.

Coming to his senses, Xu Yuan realized that Ran Qingmo was already blocking his way.

Upon seeing this scene,

Tianyan stared at the two of them:

"Xu Changtian, you two really have a good relationship."

Ran Qingmo ignored her, glanced back at Xu Yuan, and said softly:

"Tianyan's injuries from the Charm God Flower poison haven't healed yet. Xu Yuan, have Senior Luo come out; we can give it a try."

Xu Yuan was silent for a moment, then patted Ran Qingmo on the shoulder:

"It's alright, please step aside."

"..." Ran Qingmo's eyes held a hint of confusion.

"Don't worry, trust me." Xu Yuan smiled slightly at her.

"."

Upon witnessing this scene, Tianyan bristled like a cat with its fur standing on end.

"Xu Changtian, believe you? Believe in your seventh-grade Pulse Tempering strength?!"

"I wasn't talking to you." Xu Yuan glanced at her.

"."

Tianyan clenched his fists, his body shimmering with golden light, as if he were about to go berserk and lose control if he wasn't careful.

Ran Qingmo remained silent for a moment, then stepped aside.

She chose to believe him.

Standing before Tianyan again, Xu Yuan stared into her beautiful golden eyes, brimming with anger:

"Although I don't know why, judging from your expression, the illusion created by Yuchu seems to be more than just a dream to you."

After a pause, Xu Yuan asked with a hint of doubt:

"Tianyan, can you remember everything from the illusion?"

Tianyan stared at Xu Yuan and sneered:

"What's it to you?"

"Fine, don't tell me then."

"." Tianyan.

Xu Yuan had no intention of catering to her temper.

At the same time, a tremendous surge of Will Soul emanated from Xu Yuan's body.

Tianyan witnessing this scene, Tianyan offered a nonchalant reminder:

"I suggest you calm down. You don't have the same level of cultivation as you did in the illusion."

Xu Yuan nodded and said in a low voice:

"I don't mean to fight you, I just want to tell you something."

As he spoke, Xu Yuan raised his hand.

In the blink of an eye,

A cherry blossom petal, exuding a captivating allure, was formed in Xu Yuan's hands.

"You should know exactly what this is."

Tianyan seeing this, Tianyan's golden pupils narrowed slightly.

The Charm God Dao Rhyme.

Biting his lip, Tianyan stared at Xu Yuan and said, word by word:

"Why do you know this?"

Xu Yuan shook his head:

"I don't know. I learned it after waking up from the illusion. I probably grasped it while in the illusion."

Tianyan's small nostrils twitched, and he sniffed:

"What are you trying to say by telling me this?"

Xu Yuan shook his head:

"I didn't mean to threaten you. I just wanted to tell Tianyan something."

"We can actually have an equal dialogue, at least until the Charm God Flower poison in your body is completely dissipated. I have the right to have an equal dialogue with you."

The Charm God Dao Rhyme detonated the Charm God Flower Poison and Heavenly Desire Lust Poison within Tianyan's body. Coupled with Ran Qingmo and the Saint's Remnant Soul, Xu Yuan's side was fully capable of competing with Tianyan.

Tianyan remained silent for a moment, a glint of tears flashing in her beautiful eyes. She quickly looked away and sniffed.

What do you want to say?

Xu Yuan looked at him, his eyes very serious:

"Can you remember everything from the illusion?"

Tianyan didn't look at him, his eyes lowered, and he replied softly:

"I can remember most of it."

"Why?"

Xu Yuan was very confused. "Didn't Yuchu say at the end that memories in the illusion would disappear like dreams?"

Tianyan raised his eyes and glanced at him. "You know the answer already, because of my Yantian Divine Soul."

"Ah?"

Xu Yuan blinked, his eyes flickering for a moment, and whispered, "What is the Yantian Divine Soul?"

"." Tianyan.

Seeing the astonished expression on Tianyan's face, Xu Yuan instantly understood:

"I remember asking you about this at the end of the illusion, but didn't you say you didn't know?"

Tianyan gritted his teeth:

"At that time, I really didn't know."

"."

The wind blew through the blooming peach blossoms, caressing Yuchu's long hair.

After hearing her words, Xu Yuan and Tianyan both fell into a brief silence.

After a while,

Is there a way to not forget?

The girl clenched her fists slightly.

Yuchu looked at Tianyan, smiled, and shook her head:

"No."

"."

The girl bit her lip with her small canine teeth and reached out to hook the hand of the man beside her.

Feeling the touch of her fingertips, Xu Yuan glanced at her and smiled:

"What's wrong? You're already reluctant? You said you'd never hurt me, even if it meant death!"

Before Xu Yuan could finish speaking, a delicate, smooth jade foot forcefully kicked his calf.

The girl's face flushed slightly, her golden eyes fixed on him:

"Xu Changtian, do you want to die?!"

"."

Xu Yuan winced in pain, but said nothing. He raised his hand and patted the girl's head, then smiled gently at her.

After doing all this,

Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan turned to look at Yuchu in front of him:

"Yuchu, will you really forget?"

"You really will forget."

Yuchu's tone was helpless yet earnest. "This is Life and Death Illusion Realm; you would have all died here anyway."

"All of them?" Xu Yuan asked.

"Not all of it. You can think of it as a dream. You'll forget most of it when you wake up, only remembering a few things that left a very deep impression on you."

Two seconds of silence,

Xu Yuan glanced at Tianyan and asked softly:

"Hey, can your Yantian Divine Soul not forget what happened in this illusion?"

Tianyan remained silent for a moment, then gently shook his head:

"I have no idea."

Is that so?

With a soft murmur, Xu Yuan lowered his eyes.

And this time,

He remained silent for a long time.

It felt like a fleeting moment, yet also like eternity.

When Xu Yuan raised his eyes again, a cryptic smile appeared on his face.

It sounded like self-deprecation, but it carried a firm resolve.

"Hey!" The girl in palace attire seemed to realize something and gripped his hand tightly.

Xu Yuan ignored her, looked at Yuchu, and said calmly:

"Yuchu, can you promise me something? It's about Tianyan."

Yuchu a moment of silence, she smiled slightly.

"I'm going to dissipate. If I can, I will."

"Good."

Xu Yuan nodded.

Under the gaze of the two women, he spoke softly and calmly:

"Yuchu, let me go out first."

"What?"

"Let me get out first, and keep Tianyan trapped in this illusion."

A hint of surprise flashed in Yuchu's eyes.

"..." Tianyan's beautiful eyes widened instantly, filled with utter confusion.

A moment of silence,

"The Xu Changtian?"

Tianyan was incredulous for a moment, but then she understood. She abruptly shook off Xu Yuan's hand, glaring at him through gritted teeth:

"What do you mean?"

"."

Xu Yuan didn't look at her; his fists clenched slightly, but he still calmly gazed into Yuchu's eyes.

Is that alright?

"Tianyan helped me too."

"I don't need to be trapped; I need time to escape."

The girl clenched her fists tightly, gritted her teeth, and breathed rapidly.

"Xu Changtian, do you want to trap me here to die? What... what do you mean? Don't you trust me?"

Xu Yuan glanced at her sideways:

"I believe you, but I only believe in the illusion of you. And once we're out of this world, our relationship will return to what it was at the beginning."

Tianyan clenched her fists, her beautiful eyes gradually becoming misty;

"Xu Changtian, you're a bastard!"

Xu Yuan wasn't looking at her; his gaze was fixed on Yuchu.

After a long silence,

Yuchu nodded gently:

"Sure, but if you attack Tianyan, I will wake Tianyan up immediately; she helped me too."

"Thank you." Xu Yuan smiled slightly.

Yuchu paused for a moment, glanced at the angry Tianyan beside her, and hesitated before saying:

"Do you need to leave some time for you guys, um... some time to catch up?"

"Yes, I need to." She gritted her teeth.

"No need." He said calmly.

"."

"."

"."

Thinking to this point,

Xu Yuan already roughly understood everything.

He looked at the girl in front of him, his tone somewhat complicated:

"Tianyan, I don't regret my previous choice. Even if I retain my memories like you, I still won't regret it."

A cold wind blew in from the cave, creating a convection current with the huge opening in the inner wall, and brushed against the girl's smooth, long, straight black hair.

She stared at him, her lips twitching, biting her lip.

"You're such a bastard!"

"Son of a bitch?"

Xu Yuan murmured something, looked at her, and shook his head:

"Tianyan, I have a question for you."

"What?"

"Even if I trust you, what can we possibly do?"

"." Tianyan.

Xu Yuan stared at her, speaking slowly and deliberately.

"You are capable of betraying the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion?"

Or is it that...

"You want me to betray my father?"

2-in-1

Today was alright, the temperature stayed around 38 degrees Celsius all day.