I Need To Find A Way To Make Her Love Me Again - Chapter 59

The illusion that had momentarily surfaced left Yan Xiaoling with an indescribable feeling. She looked up again to see the slender pine needles gradually fragmenting the woman’s face, yet those hawk like eyes remained fixed on her.

A shiver ran through her heart. No, this isn’t right. Yan Xiaoling bit her tongue and slashed her own arm. The sharp sting caused her to recoil a step, and as she watched the bright red blood drip onto the muddy ground, the sense of emptiness in her body dissipated.

“Tsk.”

A nearly silent click of the tongue sounded like a thunderclap in the ears of Yan Xiaoling, who had just regained control of her body. She calmed herself down, her gaze shifting to the human ghouls (RenGu) struggling to flip down from the muddy roots. Her flowing blood transformed into a swimming long serpent, heading toward them and easily seizing control of their bodies. Their haphazard attacks began to take on a unified form.

Seeing this, Wei Yao quickly grabbed the pine needles hanging before her and scattered them. Knowing these human ghouls did not fear pain, her target remained the woman kneeling on the ground.

Having learned her lesson, Yan Xiaoling was on guard. She kept one human ghoul by her side for protection while watching the woman who was trying to flee again. Secretly gathering her strength, she commanded the other human ghouls to swarm forward, every move intended to kill.

Wei Yao saw that the woman had “learned her part” and was no longer acting impulsively. It seemed she wouldn’t fall for the same trick again. While a bit disappointed, Wei Yao knew one couldn’t always have their way. She laughed softly, dodged the surging human ghouls, and leapt down from the tall tree. The twisting mud roots on the ground acted as a shield, rising behind her to block the layers of attacks.

“What are you standing around for?”

“Are you waiting for someone to deliver her to your door?”

“Go and capture her, now!”

Yan Xiaoling glanced sideways at the group of cultivators standing idly by, her anger intensifying. These cowards only acted when screamed at. They should all die, they’d be more useful turned into human-ghouls. At that thought, her eyes flashed with a murderous light as she looked at the hesitant cultivators.

Just as she was about to strike, a sudden gale whistled past from behind. Yan Xiaoling looked back to see a woman arriving with a dark, somber brow. In the blink of an eye, the newcomer flew up and scolded, “Are you mad? What do you think you’re doing?!”

Bellowed at by Liu Ruoni, Yan Xiaoling’s expression soured further. “If you aren’t here to help catch that damned woman, then get lost.”

“If you want to die, now isn’t the time,” Liu Ruoni said coldly, a flash of killing intent hidden in her voice. She looked up to see the Blood Swallows distracting the rampaging human ghouls, giving the woman an opening to escape.

Seeing the gap and realizing the target had vanished in an instant, Yan Xiaoling stood up abruptly to confront the woman before her. “Did you do that on purpose?”

“You let her go on purpose!”

The questioning tone turned into an accusation. Liu Ruoni met her scrutiny without backing down, asking sharply, “Do you want to ruin all of Sect Leader Xu’s hard work at this critical juncture?”

Yan Xiaoling sneered, “Heh, I didn’t realize you were so loyal to Xu Pingxi.”

Liu Ruoni didn’t confirm or deny it. She glanced at the other cultivators who were unsure of what to do and commanded, “Bury the fallen disciples properly.”

Then, remembering the nature of the woman beside her, she advised in a low voice, “Don’t overdo it, if you still want people to follow your orders.”

As she spoke, a Blood Swallow flew from her hand like a bandage, wrapping around Yan Xiaoling’s blood-stained arm. Yan Xiaoling glanced down and replied dismissively, “Hypocrite.”

Liu Ruoni ignored the comment. Watching the others clear the scene, she turned her mind to another matter. “Everything is ready. The formation will open tomorrow as planned. How much longer are you going to hide her?”

Sensing the hidden meaning in the question, Yan Xiaoling’s expression shifted through several emotions before she tilted her chin up with a hint of arrogance. “What, are you still thinking about my sister?”

Her tone suddenly shifted, and she smiled. “But it doesn’t matter. We’ll be seeing her again very soon.”

Liu Ruoni’s brow twitched. Seeing the other woman turn toward the Yulan Palace, she followed without hesitation.

The broken, collapsed walls no longer had the thick mist for cover. The whistling wind left only a scene of desolation.

Liu Ruoni watched as Yan Xiaoling walked into the ruins. With a wave of her hand, Yan Xiaoling cleared away the broken walls and debris. Amidst the swirling dust, the ground began to vibrate. Like a rising stone platform, a structure hidden underground gradually revealed its true form. Four “Plain Moths” (Su’e) crouched upon an ice coffin, looking as if they were both lifting and protecting the object beneath them. Their dark eyes rotated, staring at the two women without any intention of leaving.

“My dear sister is inside,” Yan Xiaoling said. “However, I have no desire to open the ice coffin right now, and you’d best not have any ideas either.”

“Otherwise, if the Plain Moths go wild and the hundreds of human-ghouls nearby riot, it won’t end well.”

Yan Xiaoling had brought out the ice coffin partly to test Liu Ruoni. Seeing no change in the other woman’s expression, she felt a bit surprised but mostly skeptical. She knew this woman was an expert at masking her feelings. Regardless, she wasn’t afraid of what Liu Ruoni might do, she had placed a barrier around the coffin that no one but her could open.

Finding it dull since she couldn’t get a “good reaction,” Yan Xiaoling turned and left to attend to other preparations.

Eight round eyes stared straight at the person remaining. Even the slight tightening of Liu Ruoni’s knuckles made them wary.

However, Liu Ruoni made no further move. She simply stood there, staring at the ice coffin in a daze.

As the leaves fell and the sun set, the moon rose as usual. Those traveling by night dared not rest. Returning to Fu City, the bustle of carriages and crowds was gone. A pillar of fire stood atop the horizon, assuming a defensive posture against the wind.

Yan Xingyu’s heart sank, her anxiety deepening. She stepped forward to enter the city, only to find a barrier had been set up. Looking at the fiery net enveloping the city, clearly Jiaoyu’s handiwork, she wondered what had happened to Guan Fei and the others to necessitate such a seal.

While she was lost in thought, a rustling sound came from behind. Yan Xingyu turned her head, her eyes widening in shock.

Blended into the night, the attacker showed no sign of sluggishness, leaping accurately toward her. Fortunately, Yan Xingyu reacted quickly, gripping her blade to block the strike. She used the momentum to push the human ghoul away. But the respite was brief, the creature attacked again almost immediately. Knowing there was no point in entangling with this monster, Yan Xingyu turned and ran.

The appearance of the human ghoul made her realize why Fu City was sealed. These troublesome things were impossible to kill and incredibly persistent. Her best bet was to avoid them and plan her next move.

She hadn’t expected there to be so many human ghouls lurking outside the city. Her presence attracted four or five of them. Yan Xingyu had no choice but to lead them away, heading deep into the mountain forest.

The night was thick, and the darkness swallowed everything. It was easy to lose one’s way while sprinting through the woods. Ignoring the biting wind on her face, Yan Xingyu focused on losing her pursuers. However, one human ghoul with the limbs of a wild leopard was relentless, leaping over rugged cliffs and mountain paths to keep pace.

Exasperated, she swung her blade and slashed the creature as it leapt over a rock. Even after losing half its face, its movements weren’t hindered; instead, it lunged at her even more ferociously.

In the nick of time, a sudden whirlwind swept the human ghoul away right before her eyes. Simultaneously, a figure appeared behind her. Yan Xingyu turned, only to be instantly pinned by the arms, unable to move. Looking at the face inches away from hers, she saw bright eyes staring intensely at her, reflecting her own panicked expression.

“Wei Yao.”

“I didn’t think we’d meet again so soon, kid.”

Seeing that Yan Xingyu recognized her immediately, Wei Yao’s eyes narrowed slightly. She leaned in closer and whispered, “This time, there’s no one here to help you.”

Alarm bells rang in Yan Xingyu’s mind. She shouted, “Xiao Yin!”

A bloody maw suddenly appeared between their entangled arms. Wei Yao instinctively reached out to grab the silver snake biting at her. Taking the chance, Yan Xingyu broke free, struck out at Wei Yao, and turned to flee.

But Wei Yao wouldn’t let her go so easily. Sensing her pursuer close behind and the human ghoul she had just thrown away returning. Yan Xingyu felt a throbbing headache. With trouble on both sides, she gritted her teeth and engaged them both.

The human ghouls had no consciousness; they simply attacked based on instinct. Realizing this during the fight, Yan Xingyu used a clever maneuver to force the human ghoul and Wei Yao to clash, then took the opportunity to strike from behind.

Wei Yao viewed this as a petty trick. Initially, she was in the mood to play a few rounds, but her patience soon wore thin. As the human ghoul lunged at her again, her eyes filled with impatience and malice. In the next second, she reached out, snapped the creature’s neck with her bare hands, and threw it to the ground. From beneath her shadow, countless tentacles surged out, wrapping and isolating the decapitated human-ghoul in a confined space.

With the annoying “bug” out of the way, Wei Yao once again caught the hand trying to stab her. She ruthlessly snapped the girl’s wrists and pinned her against a nearby tree stump. Hearing the pained gasps, she said in a low, threatening voice, “Be good, and give your body to me.”

With both wrists broken, Yan Xingyu was powerless. Looking at the woman looming over her, she lunged forward and bit hard into the woman’s neck.

The silver snake, Xiao Yin, lunged from behind, its body expanding as its tail hooked around the woman’s neck, baring its fangs to swallow her whole.

In that critical moment, an affectionate cry came from the woman’s throat: “Xingyu.”

Hearing it, Yan Xingyu reacted instantly, letting go and shouting, “Xiao Yin, stop!”

She looked up to see the eyes that had been filled with arrogance now overflowing with tenderness. Her nose tingled, and her eyes grew misty. She whispered, “Yi Rong.”

“I’m back.”

The hands holding her wrists were no longer cruel. Yan Xingyu watched the tears stream from the woman’s eyes. Her heart ached, and her own physical pain became secondary. She comforted her, saying, “I’m okay, Yi Rong. Just help me pop my hands back in.”

With two “cracks,” the intense pain in Yan Xingyu’s wrists subsided. She watched as the woman lowered her head into her hands. The moisture from the tears seeped into the skin where they touched, binding them closer. Yan Xingyu leaned down, resting her head against the woman’s, trying to soothe her inconsolable grief.

“I’m sorry.”

“Because of me, you…”

“Yi Rong.”

Yan Xingyu interrupted the sobbing apology. She cupped the woman’s face, forcing her to look into her eyes. “Don’t take the blame upon yourself. That wasn’t you, and you didn’t hurt me.”

Eyes locked, Yan Xingyu saw the other woman’s long lashes trembling with sorrow. In the moonlight, the pale tear tracks on her face wound their way into Yan Xingyu’s heart. She leaned down to kiss the end of a tear track, following the path of the moisture down to those cold lips.

She gently sucked and traced the curves of her lips, wanting her to feel that she was there, that she was by her side and understood everything. So, don’t be sad.

“It’s enough that you’re back. I was so worried about you.”

“And I missed you so much.”

The soft words whispered in her ear were filled with such tenderness that they felt like a spring breeze, blowing away the gloom. Yi Rong reached out and hugged her tightly, wishing she could press her into her own body.

A thumping sound awkwardly broke the silence. Yan Xingyu saw the tentacles wrapping the human ghoul disappear. The severed head and body were clumsily trying to rejoin. She frowned and cursed, “Those annoying things.”

Yi Rong looked back and used the same trick, utilizing the “Shadow Fish” to separate and control the human ghoul again.

Seeing the similar technique, Yan Xingyu asked, “Were you conscious when Wei Yao was controlling your body?”

“Yes, we share the same senses.”

“Then she can feel everything you’re doing right now?”

Yi Rong shook her head. “I found a way to separate us. Right now, she is in the Eastern Tai Sea, inside my original body.”

That’s one way to lock up that demon, Yan Xingyu thought with a smirk. she leaned in and gave Yi Rong a praiseful kiss. “So smart, my baby.”

The loud “mwah” caused Yi Rong’s ears to redden. She pursed her lips, feeling shy but loving the endearment. After a moment, she whispered back, “You are my baby, too.”

Sweet words lingered in the air, and even the night couldn’t hide the deep love in their eyes. Yan Xingyu wanted to stay intimate for a while longer, but Xiao Yin, who had been acting as a “cushion,” couldn’t stand the mushiness. The snake shrunk back to its original size and hid inside her body. Yan Xingyu coughed awkwardly, then looked back at the woman before her. Yi Rong’s beautiful, mist-covered eyes were staring at her intently, never looking away.

The last time she had looked at her with such infatuation was during their first intimate encounter. It was as if Yi Rong knew exactly how to entice her and was doing so shamelessly. Yan Xingyu swallowed hard. She reached out and felt the spine of the woman before her, the slender yet powerful waist was firm in her hand. As she caressed her, heat began to rise through the thin fabric of the clothes.

Under the shifting moonlight, their shadows swayed. Yan Xingyu was suddenly pressed against the tree trunk. The woman who had been cold just moments ago was now breathing hot air against her ear, making her cheeks flush.

“Yi Rong, do you know how strong you are?”

“Did I hurt you?”

Yan Xingyu looked at the damp lips hovering near her. The woman’s eyes were half-closed, waiting for a command, making Yan Xingyu’s heart flutter. She replied, “No, I like it.”

As soon as she spoke, the woman reacted like a child who had just been encouraged, eliciting a powerful response that made Yan Xingyu’s body shrink back, nearly losing her footing.

Hearing a soft chuckle from the person buried against her, Yan Xingyu realized Yi Rong had noticed. In the next moment, the rough bark behind her became soft and elastic. Countless Shadow Fish emerged from beneath Yi Rong, surrounding them and blocking out the moonlight.

She heard a teasing voice whisper in her ear, “Xingyu, I want to do more of the things you like with you.”

The only response left was the sound of two people’s ragged breathing and beating hearts.