I Need To Find A Way To Make Her Love Me Again - Chapter 51

In an instant, the two felt an invisible, mountain like pressure descending upon them, pinning them to the spot.

A woman’s voice let out a soft “Eh?” of surprise. Feeling the atmospheric pressure on them recede slightly, Yan Xingyu turned her head and saw a figure flying out from the rolling green mountains.

It was a woman with a cold face and a jade crown. Seeing the two before her, her eyes were filled with a mix of shock and confusion. She spoke: “Ruo’er, why are you two here?”

“Who brought you here?”

Yan Xingyu noticed that Palace Master Guan had withdrawn most of the pressure. Her tone held little anger, she was mostly just surprised by their presence. Thinking that Yan Ruo’s identity might grant them some leniency, Xingyu hoped the Palace Master might help them.

She bypassed the questions and stated their purpose directly: “Palace Master Guan, we have a request.”

Guan Suxue asked, “What is it?”

Yan Xingyu began, “We want to borrow…”

Suddenly, the kingfishers in the surrounding area began to shriek piercingly, cutting her off. The birds circling in the sky seemed to go mad, diving collectively into the painting scroll. A sense of foreboding washed over her.

Guan Suxue watched as black mist erupted from the painting like an overflowing sea, surging forth with an unstoppable momentum that blotted out the sky.

Countless vines materialized around her body, weaving into a shield. Between the branches, snow-white plum blossoms bloomed, blocking a portion of the encroaching black mist.

Turning to the dazed Yan Xingyu and her companion, she shouted, “Ruo’er! Get out of here, now! It’s dangerous!”

Within a breath, the world shook. Sensing the dire situation, Yan Xingyu reached out to grab Yi Rong to lead her away.

However, she realized Yi Rong had dodged her. Yi Rong’s brow was tightly knit, her face contorting involuntarily.

“Yi Rong, what’s wrong?”

But Yi Rong acted as if she couldn’t hear. She took another step back and suddenly turned, charging straight into the black mist.

Yan Xingyu’s eyes widened in shock. Instinctively, she bolted after her.

Seeing their actions, Guan Suxue seemed to realize something and roared, “Ruo’er, don’t go!”

But Yan Xingyu was beyond listening. Yi Rong had never lost control like this before. This abnormal behavior terrified her; fear and worry flooded her heart as she plunged into the black mist regardless of the cost.

Immediately, the world began to spin. Her body felt weightless, as if she were stepping off a cliff into a void. She reached out frantically, trying to grab onto anything, but caught only air.

“Master, gather your spiritual energy to protect your body. Do not let this black mist touch you.”

Xiao Yin’s voice echoed in her mind. Yan Xingyu reacted instantly, pushing the black mist away and forming a thin film of spiritual energy around her skin. The act of taking control helped soothe her rising panic.

With a flash of silver light, her falling body was caught and supported. Yan Xingyu climbed onto the silver sword, staring at the vast expanse of black mist. “Weren’t we just in the Lingluan Palace? Why does it feel like we’re somewhere else?”

Xiao Yin replied, “Master, we are still in Lingluan Palace, but we are now inside the Pivot Landscape Map.”

Yan Xingyu was stunned. The situation had taken an unexpected turn, yet it had inadvertently brought her to her goal. She remarked, “This looks nothing like the scenery I saw earlier.”

“Master, there is a demon in here. She is trying to alter the Pivot Landscape Map,” Xiao Yin explained. Being a demon/beast itself, it quickly sensed the source of the anomaly. “The demon in here has the same scent as Yi Rong.”

Yan Xingyu frowned. “Xiao Yin, you mean…?”

“Master, the Pivot Landscape Map is an immortal treasure used to suppress demons. Perhaps there are members of Yi Rong’s kin here.”

Xiao Yin’s words gave Yan Xingyu pause. She stared into the layers of black clouds, searching for the person she loved. She was anxious, but she knew that in times like these, she couldn’t afford to be reckless.

She asked, “Xiao Yin, can you find Yi Rong?”

“I’ll try.”

As the voice faded, the silver sword beneath her abruptly changed direction and dived. A burst of silver light tore a jagged hole through the black clouds.

The figure standing before a mountain cave seemed to feel something and looked back, only to be called back by a voice.

“Yi Rong, come with me.”

The low, feminine voice sounded as if it were right in her ear, yet there was no one beside her. Yi Rong stared into the deep, bottomless abyss of the cave, the voice seemed to be emanating from the darkness within.

For some reason, the voice felt intimate and familiar. It possessed a strange magic that guided her, urging her to follow.

With every step forward, her body felt lighter and lighter until she began to float. A powerful drowsiness washed over her. Through heavy eyelids, she saw waves surging toward her, lifting her up.

She had returned to the sea, cold, yet encompassing everything.

In mid-air, Yan Xingyu suddenly felt her breath hitch. Her body grew heavy. Looking down, she saw her blue robes darkening. Just as she reached out to touch them, a strange sound erupted.

Something was whistling toward her. Yan Xingyu looked up to see clouds tumbling and surging like a hungry tiger pouncing on a lamb.

Unable to dodge in time, she was swallowed whole. But it wasn’t mist that hit her, it was freezing seawater slamming into her face. Startled, she held her breath.

Thrown into the depths, Yan Xingyu scrambled to swim upward. Fortunately, she wasn’t too deep and soon broke the surface. Gasping for air, she pushed her wet hair back from her forehead and looked around. In an instant, the world had changed.

How had she ended up in the ocean?

Xiao Yin, who had been separated during the surge, found her again. It had reverted to its snake form and slithered up her shoulder. Surveying the area, it said, “Master, this is an illusion.”

“How did we stumble into another illusion?” Yan Xingyu frowned. “I have to get out. Yi Rong is waiting for me.”

Before she could finish, a giant tentacle rose from the sea. The blue limb, patterned with red markings, held something.

Looking closer, she saw a transparent water sphere. Inside, a tiny person was curled up, holding their head.

The tentacle began to toss the sphere like a ball, throwing it high into the air, letting it fall, and catching it again. The creature seemed to be enjoying itself. Yan Xingyu’s first instinct was to avoid trouble, since the monster hadn’t noticed her, she wanted to slip away quietly.

However, the tentacle’s “game” was erratic. With a sudden flick, it threw the sphere toward her, landing only a hundred meters away.

She had intended to leave the danger zone, but when she turned her head, she saw the face inside the water sphere. Her heart stopped. She recognized those features. Those timid, pale amber eyes were filled with terror.

She immediately turned and charged forward, wanting to rescue the person in the sphere. With a thought, she swung her twin blades at the giant tentacle. But as the blades struck, there was no resistance, they passed right through.

Yan Xingyu watched helplessly as the young Yi Rong was tossed into the air again. The girl’s expression of agony and fear was seared into her mind.

She screamed in frustration, “Xiao Yin! Make them stop!”

“Master, the entity that created this illusion is not nearby. I cannot stop it.” Xiao Yin sensed her spiraling emotions and tried to comfort her. “This is only an illusion, not reality. Master, do not be anxious.”

Coming closer, Yan Xingyu could see the full form of the creature tormenting the young Yi Rong. It was a massive blue bodied, red patterned octopus, most of its body submerged. Its other tentacles were strangling a giant, black and white winged fish.

“Sister, can you please let my friend go?”

The tiny Yi Rong, exhausted from being toyed with, spoke in a small voice. Her plea didn’t reach the octopus, but Yan Xingyu heard it clearly.

Xingyu watched with narrowed eyes. The little girl summoned her courage to repeat her plea, but the giant octopus remained indifferent. Yan Xingyu realized the disgusting creature was doing this on purpose. She clenched her fists and slashed again, but once more, her attack yielded no result.

She was fuming. Though she knew she was powerless here, she couldn’t stop herself from trying. She watched as little Yi Rong’s cries eventually ceased, and the octopus finally tired of the game, casting them aside.

Once free, the little girl immediately swam to the giant black and white fish, pressing her small head against the creature’s large one to comfort it.

Seeing their bond, Yan Xingyu remembered how Yi Rong had stopped her from attacking sea monsters back at Lingluan Palace. Her heart softened. So Yi Rong has been protecting these sea creatures since she was a child. How lovely.

But the brief moment of peace vanished. Little Yi Rong looked to the side, and Yan Xingyu followed her gaze. Countless bubbles appeared out of thin air, covering the retreating eight-legged silhouette. As the bubbles dissipated, the giant shadow shrank.

A human figure emerged. Gold shells and red coral pins were tucked into her deep blue hair. Her upturned eyes were sharp and beautiful, radiating an unmistakable arrogance. She glanced toward them, and a black vortex appeared before her.

Yan Xingyu watched the woman step into the vortex. Little Yi Rong hurried after her, and Xingyu followed suit.

As she stepped through, Yan Xingyu nearly lost her balance as she hit solid ground. She steadied herself and looked up. The scenery had changed once more.

Decaying bones were scattered across the ground. A wet, crunching sound echoed from above. She looked up to see a triangular head with two massive, honeycomb like eyes glowing with a sickly green light. Its mandibles were grinding down on a black limb of some unknown animal.

Its folded forelimbs, armed with sickle like serrations, were poised to strike. The long, upright body supported a massive abdomen shaped like a withered leaf.

Yan Xingyu stared in horror at the giant Dead Leaf Mantis. She noticed the tiny Yi Rong climbing onto the creature’s back. The mantis stopped eating, unfurled its wings, revealing bright colors hidden beneath and took flight into the sky.