Please, Don’t Die - Chapter 42

He Qingsheng did not respond but instead tilted her chin toward Yan Xingyi, saying, “Bid your master farewell.”

Her tone was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

The baleful aura immediately grew docile after He Qingsheng spoke, yet it could not slow the fading of that azure figure.

Yan Xingyi understood He Qingsheng’s meaning.

He fell silent at once, his expression solemn yet filled with longing. He dropped to his knees before Wei Chunfeng and kowtowed three times with utmost reverence.

Each bow was accompanied by welling tears.

By the time he straightened up again, his forehead was stained crimson, and tear tracks lingered at the corners of his eyes.

Time waits for no one.

The illusionary realm dissipated along with Wei Chunfeng, and all things between heaven and earth dissolved into a gentle breeze.

He Qingsheng faintly sensed a warmth.

In a corner unnoticed by her, a golden light slipped into the mass of baleful aura, like two children playing hide-and-seek, quietly concealing itself.

Gurgle, gurgle.

The frozen lake melted completely, stirring waves once more.

With swift reflexes, He Qingsheng pulled Ying Qujie and the other two back to the shore from the water.

The entire underground palace returned to its original state of serene desolation.

Yan Xingyi’s weakened body, upon touching the ground, seemed to recall something. He scrambled up in a flurry, pressing frantically on Prince Liang’s chest.

Only when the prince opened his eyes did Yan Xingyi finally exhale in relief, collapsing beside him.

But fate granted them no respite.

Another abrupt upheaval descended without warning.

A strange noise first erupted from one of the black stone pillars, followed by violent tremors shaking the nine colossal carved pillars.

Countless chunks of stone rained down mercilessly, smashing craters of varying sizes into the ground.

This was no illusion, it was a real collapse!

He Qingsheng dragged Ying Qujie along, while Yan Xingyi once again pulled Prince Liang with him. They dodged frantically, scrambling toward the exit in a desperate sprint.

Two figures flashed past, only to find the intricate tunnel exit completely blocked.

“Watch out!” Yan Xingyi yanked Ying Qujie aside mid-escape.

A boulder the size of a water vat smashed through the spot where Ying Qujie had just stood.

Ying Qujie, who had also been concentrating on dodging the falling debris, was puzzled, in his line of sight, the boulder’s trajectory shouldn’t have been like that.

Perhaps it had been struck by another rock in his blind spot, altering its path.

But now was not the time to dwell on it.

Survival came first.

“Thank you,” He Qingsheng murmured, focusing her energy as she leaped above Ying Qujie’s head.

It was a protective stance.

Yan Xingyi, while dodging falling rocks himself, also had to ensure Prince Liang didn’t collapse from exhaustion and get crushed. He barely registered who had thanked him, his mind screaming with three bold words: “I must live.”

They retreated back into the underground palace.

Seven of the nine massive iron pillars had collapsed, leaving only two struggling to uphold a narrow sliver of space.

Even that space was being relentlessly compressed.

The baleful aura surged violently, and He Qingsheng could barely suppress the fury rising in her heart.

“Ying Qujie, your hand.”

Without hesitation, Ying Qujie extended his hand. A moment later, a faint sting pricked his fingertip.

Beads of blood welled up in a string.

Drawing power from the Mountain God’s tomb now was akin to snatching food from a tiger’s jaws.

But risk and reward were inseparable.

This was merely a small gamble, He Qingsheng did not believe she would lose.

The ground above the Celestial Revelation Tower was built to be impenetrable, leaving only the labyrinthine underground tunnels as the weak point.

When she had followed Cong Shuang inside, He Qingsheng had estimated that the intersections of these densely packed tunnels would be the most fragile.

What she needed was to breach the weakest section of the earthen wall.

The malevolent energy had bitten Wei Chunfeng, as if addicted, causing He Qingsheng’s fingers to sting sharply.

Unable to suppress her fury, she slapped the energy away with a single motion.

Seeing this, the other tendrils of energy obediently began searching for an escape route.

Perhaps she had exerted too much force when commanding the energy, as the man beneath her let out a muffled groan.

He Qingsheng quickly loosened her grip, noticing that Ying Qujie’s face had already turned somewhat pale.

He looked weak.

Alarmed, He Qingsheng pressed her hand against Ying Qujie’s wound, blue light swirling to immediately stop the bleeding.

Ying Qujie focused on dodging falling debris, seemingly indifferent to his blood loss. Only when He Qingsheng paused did he spare a moment to ask, “Is it enough?”

He Qingsheng gave a low hum in response, inwardly frustrated by her own lack of control.

The returning malevolent energy rubbed against the back of her hand in a placating manner. Sensing her foul mood, it seemed eager to prove its worth, swiftly smashing through an earthen wall in a rapid burst.

Dust filled the air.

A wisp of the energy shielded Ying Qujie’s mouth and nose.

He Qingsheng shouted at Yan Xingyi, who was darting around like a headless fly, “Over here!”

Yan Xingyi’s eyes lit up as he dragged Prince Liang  into the newly opened tunnel.

Ying Qujie followed closely behind.

Only after escaping the underground palace did they realize that Dai Xianyun and Cong Shuang’s goal had been to destroy all the tunnels.

However, the collapse spread outward from the palace at a decreasing speed. At the pace of an ordinary person, they would have been buried alive no matter what.

But Ying Qujie and Yan Xingyi were far from ordinary.

Even Prince Liang, hauled by the collar by Yan Xingyi, was dragged to safety.

Breaking through the soil, Moonlight poured down like water.

The three emerged covered in dust, like figures molded from mud, returning to the world of the living.

The starry sky stretched brilliantly above them, and the autumn forest held no trace of desolation, only a familiar, comforting presence.

The forest breeze was cool and crisp.

Prince Liang collapsed to his knees, while Yan Xingyi sprawled unceremoniously on the ground, gasping for breath.

Only Ying Qujie remained standing, his gaze fixed on He Qingsheng with concern. Her earlier injury still hadn’t been treated.

Yet amid the chaos, He Qingsheng seemed oblivious, paying no attention to her wound.

The little wooden puppet was now only half intact, and she curled up inside it, unwilling to show herself.

Unable to see her complete soul, Ying Qujie raised his hand to drip blood onto the puppet again, only for He Qingsheng to grab his wrist and stop him.

He couldn’t make out her expression.

“Shengsheng, your injury, ”

“Physician Ying, what are you all doing here?” A sudden voice interrupted his question.

Ying Qujie pressed his lips together tightly.

Noticing his expression, He Qingsheng replied calmly, “It’s nothing,” avoiding his gaze.

“Master? Your Highness? What happened to you?”

At the mouth of the tunnel they had just escaped from, two heads popped up.

Qi Wan nimbly climbed onto the ground, knelt, and reached down in one smooth motion, hauling Shangguan Ding’an out of the hole with effort.

Once Shangguan Ding’an steadied himself, he handed a section of the rope in his hand to Qi Wan. The two exchanged a glance before working together to pull up two more people.

After searching far and wide, they had stumbled upon their targets effortlessly.

Bound by the rope were none other than Cong Shuang and Dai Xianyun.

Qi Wan dusted off her hands, then casually wiped them on Shangguan Ding’an’s lower back.

As if suddenly remembering her master’s presence, Qi Wan stiffened, shrinking her neck slightly before offering Yan Xingyi an ingratiating smile.

The group looked disheveled and covered in dust. Qi Wan and Shangguan Ding’an stood energetically among them, their clothes slightly soiled.

They were practically begging for attention.

He Qingsheng quietly tucked away her broken side, trying to appear less pathetic.

Just then, Yan Xingyi roared furiously, “Qi Wan, didn’t you say you were heading to the southeastern coast?”

“Huh? Explain to me how you ran into this kid”, he jabbed a finger at Shangguan Ding’an, his temper flaring like a firecracker, “who was supposed to be delivering relief supplies inland?”

Qi Wan instantly sensed trouble. The initial joy of unexpectedly encountering her master in the wilderness vanished, and she instinctively took a step back behind Shangguan Ding’an, bracing for Yan Xingyi to lunge at her ears any second.

Tsk.

He Qingsheng whispered to Ying Qujie, “Isn’t that move just provoking him?”

But everyone present had sharp ears and eyes. Yan Xingyi’s rage visibly skyrocketed.

Ying Qujie sighed. “Don’t stir the pot.”

Yan Xingyi took two furious steps forward before stumbling, his momentum instantly deflated. His legs were still weak from running, and another step might have sent him sprawling.

Seeing this, Qi Wan and Shangguan Ding’an quickly moved to support him on either side.

Yan Xingyi hastily shook off Shangguan Ding’an’s hand, looking like he might faint on the spot.

He pointed at Qi Wan, sputtering, “You, you, you…” nearly choking on his own fury.

He Qingsheng tightened the ropes around Cong Shuang and Dai Xianyun, thoroughly entertained by the father-in-law drama unfolding before her.

Even her grudge against Yan Xingyi suddenly didn’t seem so pressing.

Ying Qujie, meanwhile, kept a watchful eye on He Qingsheng for any signs of distress, merely smiling at the trio’s antics.

“Shifuuu…” Qi Wan dragged out the word, tugging at Yan Xingyi’s dust-covered blue sash in a wheedling tone.

He Qingsheng studied that familiar shade of blue and suddenly realized it matched the fabric of Wei Chunfeng’s blue Daoist robe, identical in color and pattern.

Recalling Wei Chunfeng’s whispered words, He Qingsheng temporarily set aside her suspicions of Yan Xingyi.

There was another mysterious force at work in the illusion.

One that lured Yan Xingyi, or perhaps all the cultivators trapped within, into nurturing inner demons.

“Don’t call me shifu! Whoever can control you, go call them shifu,” Yan Xingyi grumbled, shooting a sour glance at Shangguan Ding’an. “Hmph, Lord Shangguan seems like a fine candidate.”

“A husband can’t be a shifu,” Qi Wan muttered under her breath.

Oh-ho.

“Shifu! Shifu! Shifu! don’t faint!” Qi Wan cried.

Shangguan Ding’an: “Imperial Preceptor! Imperial Preceptor! what’s wrong?”

Prince Liang pulled Ying Qujie over. “Physician Ying, check on the Imperial Preceptor!”

Ying Qujie replied leisurely, “Likely a case of rage-induced qi disruption.”

Chaos erupted.

“Quick, pinch his philtrum! I’ll help.” He Qingsheng eagerly pushed through the crowd, seizing the chance for payback as she dug her wooden fingers into Yan Xingyi’s philtrum, leaving a rectangular indentation that made him look utterly ridiculous.

Never one to miss an opportunity, she leaned in and whispered, “Imperial Preceptor, wake up, it’s time for the wedding banquet. Your disciple and Lord Shangguan’s.”

Yan Xingyi bolted upright. “I forbid it!”

Realizing they were still in the middle of nowhere, he exhaled slowly, relief washing over him.

“Since when did you start arranging marriages, Imperial Preceptor? You’re an educated man,” He Qingsheng teased, fanning the flames.

Yan Xingyi shot her a glare. “What do you know?”

Shangguan Ding’an hesitated before speaking. “Imperial Preceptor, may I ask where I have fallen short? Please enlighten me, and I will reflect on myself daily, correcting any shortcomings.”

Yan Xingyi gave him another cold glance, his tone icy. “There aren’t any.”

“Just stay away from Qi Wan, and you won’t have any shortcomings,” he added, fully embodying the role of a spiteful father-in-law.

Shangguan Ding’an’s eyes dimmed for a moment, and Qi Wan noticed it immediately. “Master! How can you say such things?”

Just as another argument seemed imminent, the youngest among them, Prince Liang, stepped forward to mediate.

After much effort, tensions were finally soothed.

The moon had already risen to its zenith.

He Qingsheng sat atop Ying Qujie’s hands, while Yan Xingyi, Prince Liang, Qi Wan, Shangguan Ding’an, and the others sat on either side of Ying Qujie, forming a semi-circle around Cong Shuang and Dai Xianyun.

The atmosphere was eerily solemn, as if they were gathered for some clandestine midnight scheme.

After handling the matters in Jimo, Qi Wan and Shangguan Ding’an hadn’t returned to the capital with the imperial convoy.

Instead, they rode ahead alone, traveling light.

“So, all these days, you two were alone together in the same room?” Yan Xingyi voiced his sharp suspicion, his expression visibly cracking.

Under Yan Xingyi’s repeated outbursts, Qi Wan grew defiant. Stubbornly, she retorted, “We martial artists don’t care about such trivialities.”

Shangguan Ding’an hurried to explain honestly, “My lord, I had enough money, we booked two separate rooms at the inn.”

“That’s still unacceptable!” Yan Xingyi sounded the battle cry once more.

“Enough, enough,” He Qingsheng, rarely showing mercy, cut in. “Can you just calm down? Don’t make me settle accounts with you!”

Yan Xingyi shot He Qingsheng a resentful look, swallowing his anger before finally backing down.

“Qi Wan, since everything’s fine in the capital, why did you rush back so urgently? And why are you in this desolate wilderness?”

“Well, Physician Ying has returned to the capital,” Qi Wan said, glancing guiltily at Ying Qujie. “I’ve also heard about the situation at General Ying’s residence and wanted to join in the celebrations for Physician Ying’s coming-of-age ceremony.”

“As for why we’re here, we got delayed on the road. By the time we reached the city gates, they were already locked. So, I thought I’d take Shangguan Ding’an out to catch fireflies.”

Fireflies, in late autumn?

He Qingsheng looked questioningly at Shangguan Ding’an, who nodded earnestly under everyone’s skeptical gazes.

No fireflies in late autumn, no attempt to find an inn for the night, yet willing to indulge Qi Wan’s whims.

He Qingsheng sighed inwardly, she quite approved of this match.

Yan Xingyi snorted disdainfully through his nose.

Shangguan Ding’an tensed.

“Then why did you go down into the tunnel?” He Qingsheng quickly changed the subject.

“Oh, we saw those two acting suspiciously on the mountain,” Qi Wan said, pointing at Cong Shuang and Dai Xianyun.

“When we called out to them, they ran too fast, darted right back underground like they had guilty consciences.”

Qi Wan and Shangguan Ding’an followed them into the tunnel, nearly falling into an ambush set by Cong Shuang and Dai Xianyun. After some effort, they managed to capture the two.

Then, the ground began to shake. They had to dodge falling debris in the tunnel, which delayed them further.

In their haste, they dragged their captives out, only to run straight into He Qingsheng and the others.

What a coincidence indeed.

He Qingsheng marveled at the turn of events.

Cong Shuang and Dai Xianyun probably never anticipated such a situation beyond their calculations.

He Qingsheng turned his gaze to the younger of the two.

“Cong Shuang, or perhaps I should call you, Dai Xianyun.”

“How much do you know about the matter of ‘exchanging fates’?”