Marry First, Love Later With The White Cat Princess - Chapter 104

Chong Youhuai thought she was joking and hurriedly said, “Better forget it. If A-Nie has no desire to seek the Dao, there’s no need for you two to risk your lives for spiritual medicine!”

Liu Fenyun shook her head, choosing not to beat around the bush: “To be honest, we traveled thousands of miles to the Qingmu Immortal Mountains specifically to pluck the ‘Unseen Sorrow’ and its companion grass. Fixing Meng Nie’s spiritual roots is merely a secondary matter. If you are willing, just take us to the entrance.”

She spoke politely, yet her tone carried a blunt directness. Lian Yi swallowed a piece of cake and said to Chong Youhuai with a beaming smile, “Thank you for your concern, Elder Youhuai. Since we are from the Upper Realm, we certainly have ways to protect ourselves. We’ll have to trouble you to be our guide.”

Chong Youhuai pondered for a moment before saying, “You are using a ‘Sumeru Space’ to house A-Nie, right? Can you leave her in my care for now? Since she is to join the sect, she eventually needs to make an appearance before the other elders.”

Realizing that the forbidden grounds might be fraught with danger and they would have no time to look after Meng Nie, Liu Fenyun let her come back out.

Chong Youhuai sighed and said to Meng Nie, “Sit for a while, if you need anything, just command the attending disciples. I will return shortly.” She then turned to Liu Fenyun, “Please, follow me.”

Lian Yi naturally took Liu Fenyun’s hand, and together they followed Chong Youhuai out of the Guest Hall.

“In storybooks, those forbidden areas are always located in neglected corners of the sect,” Lian Yi whispered. “If the forbidden ground were right here on Mirror Snow Peak, it would save us so much effort.”

Liu Fenyun instinctively glanced at the system map. The forbidden ground where the “Unseen Sorrow” grew appeared close to Mirror Snow Peak, yet it wasn’t within its boundaries, they would likely need to take a teleportation array.

Sure enough, Chong Youhuai led them to a teleportation array and emphasized, “I can only send you to the entrance of the forbidden ground.”

She was characteristically cautious and protective of her own life; regardless of who stood beside her, she would never risk exploring a place she wasn’t sure of.

Noticing the look of dread on her face, Liu Fenyun smiled. “It’s fine. We know what we’re doing. Thank you for the trouble, Elder Youhuai.”

Zhong Youhuai said no more and directly tossed a spirit stone into the array’s groove. The teleportation array was activated by the spiritual energy within the stone, emitting a piercing white light.

“Once you leave the array, you will see a massive stone carved with the words ‘Sorrow-Dispelling Valley,'” Chong Youhuai said as the two stepped into the array. “According to ancient records, as long as you apply blood and spiritual energy to the stone, you will be transported into the valley.”

“According to ancient records?” Liu Fenyun frowned slightly.

“Indeed. Ever since the last batch of disciples who entered the valley all died, the Sect Leader ordered the entrance to be sealed. It can only be opened with blood and spiritual energy. There is no punishment for entering without permission, but the decree states ‘consequences at your own risk,'” Chong Youhuai explained. “After all, it is an ancient ruin. If one can bring out treasures or secret manuals, it is a boon for both the individual and the sect.”

With that, she stepped back, pinched her fingers to cast a spell, and started the array. “Since you are from the Upper Realm, if you cannot withstand the heavenly lightning, remember to withdraw early!”

The teleportation array carried the two away, and everything fell silent.

Feeling Liu Fenyun grip her hand tightly, Lian Yi looked up at her. Seeing her stiff expression, she couldn’t help but ask, “Are you nervous?”

“…A little bit, yeah,” Liu Fenyun replied naturally, staring at the white light before them.

Suddenly, she felt the small hand in her palm turn fluffy. Startled, she looked down and found herself holding a white, furry cat paw. She tried hooking her fingers and could actually feel the warm paw pads.

“Feeling better?” Seeing Liu Fenyun look at her, Lian Yi blinked, her cat ears twitching slightly.

Liu Fenyun took a deep breath, gave her usual smile, lifted the cat paw, and pressed it against her lips. She whispered, “Much better. ‘Huffing’ a cat really is stress-relieving.”

Lian Yi squinted and laughed along. Taking advantage of the fact that the white light of the array hadn’t dissipated yet, she suddenly stood on her tiptoes and gave Liu Fenyun a fleeting, dragon fly touch kiss on the lips.

Liu Fenyun froze. Before she could react, the teleportation array had delivered them to the entrance of Sorrow Dispelling Valley. Lian Yi quickly pulled away, her cat tail swishing as she watched Liu Fenyun’s stunned expression with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Having not been intimate for a while, it’s as if A-Yun has forgotten the feeling.

“Let’s go.” Lian Yi took the lead and grabbed her hand, leaving the array to find the carved stone Chong Youhuai mentioned.

The stone was actually near the teleportation array. The two stood before it and shared a look.

“If we separate our blood and spiritual energy, will we be sent to different areas?” Lian Yi asked. “I’m afraid of the lightning…”

As she spoke, she leaned closer to Liu Fenyun. “How about we mix our blood and spiritual energy together?”

Liu Fenyun shared this concern. She immediately took out a small container, used spiritual energy to prick her and Lian Yi’s fingers, and let the blood drip inside. She then used merged spiritual energy to wrap the blood and floated it toward the massive stone.

Upon contact, the stone acted like a sponge, quickly absorbing the blood and energy then, nothing happened for a long while.

Liu Fenyun was a bit dazed. She walked around the stone but couldn’t find anything special. She asked in surprise, “Is it because we put the blood in the wrong spot?”

Just as she was about to have the system scan the stone, it suddenly released a thick, dark red spiritual energy that quickly enveloped them.

Liu Fenyun hurriedly pulled Lian Yi into her arms, shielding her with one hand while summoning the Wu Yuan Fan with the other, fearing they would be teleported straight into a lightning zone.

When the Dream Governing Envoy gave her the fan, she had said it could dispel evil and ward off ghosts. As the dark red energy scattered, a piercing shriek filled Liu Fenyun’s ears.

Though Lian Yi was mentally prepared, she had been bracing for lightning, the shriek terrified her, and she clung to Liu Fenyun, asking frantically, “What was that sound?!”

“…Vengeful spirits?” Liu Fenyun wasn’t sure either. She instructed the system to scan the surroundings first.

“Loading scene map for you…” the system’s voice said unhurriedly. A map soon appeared in Liu Fenyun’s consciousness. They were currently outside the lightning strike zone, but they were surrounded by countless dots representing deceased lifeforms.

Lian Yi wasn’t afraid of horror movies, but she was terrified of real ghosts. Trembling, she pulled out a Five Thunder Token and gripped it for courage.

She looked at Liu Fenyun and, seeing her calm expression, couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you afraid of ghosts?”

She remembered the Liu Fenyun in her memories was afraid of ghosts; once during the Qixi Festival, she had taken her to a horror movie, only for Liu Fenyun to scream bloody murder in the theater.

“Would a God be afraid of ghosts?” Liu Fenyun chuckled. She suddenly leaned down and left a kiss on Lian Yi’s forehead. “Don’t be afraid. Follow me.”

Lian Yi’s cat ears folded back, and she nodded obediently. Then, like an octopus, she clamped onto Liu Fenyun’s arm so tightly that it actually hurt a little.

“Is it the kitty’s turn to be nervous now?” Liu Fenyun rubbed the cat’s head with the speed of someone vigorously petting a dog. As she spoke, she was already following the optimal route provided by the system toward the growth site of the “Unseen Sorrow.”

Lian Yi gave a soft huff, let go with one hand, and poked her. “I am scared! It’s so gloomy here, and the aura of death is so heavy. Could all these dead be disciples of the Qingmu Immortal Mountains?”

“Maybe. But ancient cultivation sects usually held group activities, like inviting elite disciples from several sects to help develop their forbidden grounds.” While walking, Liu Fenyun used the Wuyuan Fan to trigger lightning spells, blasting away any vengeful spirits that tried to approach. “So this is purely a burial ground, it’s impossible to tell whose bones belong to which sect.”

As a healer, Liu Fenyun actually respected the dead. After clearing the surrounding spirits, she lit a stick of Soul Soothing Incense, bowed respectfully twice, made Lian Yi bow twice, and then stuck it into a clean patch of earth before continuing their journey.

However, the incense hadn’t burned for long before it was scattered by a gust of cold wind.

Almost simultaneously, both felt the temperature drop sharply. Liu Fenyun fully opened the Wuyuan Fan. As she began chanting a lightning spell, a cacophony of resentful voices reached their ears,

“A God… the newcomer is actually a God…” “Why won’t you ferry us across…” “So much pain… so much pain…” “If there is ever a day I see the light again, I will surely kill…” “…”

Lian Yi, already terrified, pressed herself closer to Liu Fenyun. Liu Fenyun calmly finished her incantation and raised the fan. A bolt of deep purple lightning struck down instantly, transforming into a lightning dragon.

The dragon roared, its claws tearing through the thickening resentment and its tail scattering the obstructing mist.

Lian Yi didn’t dare open her eyes throughout the process. Liu Fenyun lowered her fan and looked down. Seeing Lian Yi’s expression which perfectly embodied the phrase “pitiful, weak, and helpless” she thought for a moment and asked, “How about you try ‘huffing’ me to relieve your stress?”

She figured if she could huff a cat for stress relief, there was no reason the cat couldn’t huff her back.

Lian Yi opened her eyes in surprise. “I can huff you?”

Seeing Liu Fenyun nod, she unceremoniously wrapped her arms around her neck, pressed close, and began a “predatory” huff.

Liu Fenyun was caught off guard. She tried to reciprocate for a while but unfortunately choked. She hurriedly pulled away, coughing as she said, “Cough, cough… that’s enough stress relief. Let’s go pick the herbs. I’m sure you don’t want to stay here a moment longer.”

Although the system had mapped the best route, the lightning strike zone was unavoidable, its coverage was simply too vast. It was much as Chong Youhuai had described: the Sorrow Dispelling Valley was filled with ancient lightning arrays.

Lian Yi listened to her explain the positions of the nearby lightning arrays and pouted. “Is this valley intended to let people use lightning to ‘dispel their sorrows’?”

“Perhaps it’s to protect some heavenly treasure, like the ‘Unseen Sorrow,'” Liu Fenyun answered seriously. “But this place has now become a death trap where nine out of ten die. I wonder if this fits the original intent of the secret realm’s master.”

“According to the usual tropes in storybooks, there must be a peerless treasure deep within such a dangerous place,” Lian Yi said, half-joking and half-serious. “Since we’re already here, just picking herbs isn’t enough, right?”

Liu Fenyun gave a bitter smile. “Actually, I’m a bit afraid of treasure hunting…” She mainly feared encountering guardian spirit beasts that would start a fight without a word. She was a Goddess of Healing, not a Goddess of War, she wanted to avoid combat as much as possible.

“Then we’ll pick the herbs first and keep an eye out for treasures on the way.” Lian Yi felt that since she’d already been scared half to death and would likely get struck by lightning soon, it would be a huge loss if she didn’t grab something to compensate her traumatized self.

Liu Fenyun asked curiously, “What kind of treasure do you want? If you want a signature artifact, Siming is already making one.”

She remembered placing an order with the Goddess of Fate recently, commissioning her to make a weapon for the kitty. But Siming had said making a weapon would be a waste of materials and took them to ponder over a better design, the finished product wasn’t ready yet.

Lian Yi thought seriously for a moment, then hugged her and said playfully, “I want a treasure that I can give to you.”