Chapter 119: Caught in the Whirlpool, A Tiny Spark of Resistance
“Why… how could this be?!”
Yun Yue stood frozen, her face etched with bewilderment, unable to comprehend what was happening.
The past six months flashed before her eyes, a whirlwind of experiences, both dreamlike and incredibly real.
She had lived for a thousand years. This was just a fleeting half-year, yet why… was her heart so restless and troubled?!
No!
Yun Yue shook her head fiercely, banishing those confusing thoughts.
This was her chance.
Ruoyu was incredibly weak now. If she acted now, enveloped and consumed her soul, took over her body, she could escape the Netherworld!
All she had to do was seize this body…
Yun Yue’s hand trembled as she pressed it against Mao Ruoyu’s forehead, her expression flickering.
Everything was in place. She could achieve her centuries-old desire without any effort.
And afterwards, she would do her best to preserve Mao Ruoyu’s consciousness, allowing her to remain peacefully within this dream, living happily ever after with Lin Tianlu and the others.
All she had to do was harden her heart…
“Miss Yun, you’ve been watching over her for a long time. You should go back to your room and rest.”
A gentle voice came from behind her, like a beacon of warmth calling out to her.
“—Sir!”
Yun Yue clutched the silk gauze at her chest, her expression complex as she turned abruptly, her lips parting. “What should I—”
She froze.
There was no one there. The dimly lit room was empty.
Or rather, there had never been anyone else in this room.
She looked up, a bitter laugh escaping her lips.
“So, it was me who fell into the dream…”
As an observer, she shouldn’t have appeared in this dream, let alone interacted with these illusions.
Yet, she had lived with these illusions for half a year, and even… developed genuine feelings.
How long had it been since she last interacted with another person?
Yun Yue stared blankly, asking herself.
—Nine hundred years.
It had been nine hundred years since she was imprisoned in the Netherworld.
She had told Mao Ruoyu about her experiences, but those few words couldn’t possibly convey the loneliness and despair she had endured for nine centuries.
Even though she still possessed immense power, it couldn’t fill the void in her heart, it couldn’t replace the love she had lost. Her heart had long withered and died in solitude.
She could smile gently and act considerate during their conversations, but that didn’t mean… she had forgotten the loneliness and emptiness of those nine hundred years.
On the contrary, she was terrified of being alone.
“—I don’t want to spend another nine hundred years like this.”
Yun Yue gritted her teeth, her voice almost a moan. “I don’t want to stay… in this place anymore!”
Having experienced it firsthand, she knew the true horror of solitude, the merciless passage of time.
But precisely because of that experience…
She craved this hard-won warmth.
Like a flickering candle, threatening to be extinguished at any moment, it was the only source of light in this vast and dark world.
“Even if it means…”
Yun Yue slowly turned her gaze back to Mao Ruoyu, who was lying unconscious on the bed. Her eyes flickered, and her fox tails extended, almost completely enveloping the bed.
A look of sadness and longing appeared on her face as she murmured, “Even if it means taking your place, becoming the new ‘you.’ I will return to… Lin Tianlu and the others—”
No longer as a bloodthirsty, crazed monster, nor as an arrogant and invincible demon.
No matter how chaotic the world became, no matter who rose to power, she just wanted to leave her past behind, even if it meant abandoning all her power, becoming an ordinary village woman, just to live a peaceful life with those people from the dream.
Like a lone traveler in the desert, desperately seeking any oasis to quench her thirst.
She…
“Sister Yun.”
A soft voice broke the silence.
“Ugh?!”
Yun Yue recoiled in shock, her beautiful face pale with fear, an expression she had never shown before.
Because Mao Ruoyu had woken up.
Her eyes fluttered open, a weak smile on her face. “I just had a dream…”
“…W-what dream?”
“I dreamt that I became you, alone in the dark and desolate Netherworld, unable to do anything, unable to think, just kneeling on the ground, crying, and praying over and over again.”
Mao Ruoyu smiled gently and took Yun Yue’s icy hand. “Sister Yun, I was so caught up in my own sorrow that I neglected your feelings. I didn’t truly take your words to heart. Now I want to say…
You’re really strong, far stronger than I am.”
“…”
Yun Yue slowly tightened her grip on Mao Ruoyu’s soft hand, her head bowed.
“And—” Mao Ruoyu exhaled, a faint smile on her face. “Thank you, Sister Yun.”
Yun Yue’s voice trembled with emotion.
“You know this is just a dream. And you know why I created this dream.”
“Yes.”
Mao Ruoyu stared blankly at the ceiling. “These past six months have felt like a lifetime.
I’m also amazed that you could create such a vivid dream, Sister Yun, with every person exactly as I remember them.”
Yun Yue remained silent, her eyes filled with guilt.
Ruoyu had treated her with sincerity, as a true sister.
But she had deceived her with lies and illusions.
“Sister Yun, you’ve spent half a year with me. You must have noticed, right?”
Mao Ruoyu smiled sadly. “Although I’m the eldest, my heart is as naive and timid as a child. I’ve never thought about perseverance or resistance. I just passively accept everything and endure silently… Even when living with Sir and the others, I’m more willing to indulge and spoil them.”
“But this time—”
Mao Ruoyu sat up straight, her face pale, wiping away her tears. A gentle yet determined smile appeared on her lips. “I won’t back down.”
Yun Yue looked up, staring at the woman who had struggled to sit up on the bed.
“Ruoyu, you—”
“Sister Yun wants to take my memories, to replace everything about me.”
Mao Ruoyu clenched her fists, her eyes burning with a newfound fighting spirit. “I… will never surrender!”
“These memories are my only treasure. No one can take them from me, not even you, Sister Yun!”
That was a look she had never seen in Mao Ruoyu before.
Determination, passion… Her fiery spirit even made Yun Yue flinch for a moment.
And this unwavering determination…
Was an insurmountable obstacle for Yun Yue.
“—I’m sorry.”
Yun Yue’s voice trembled as she thrust her hand towards Mao Ruoyu’s chest, her five fingers extended.
Slap!
Mao Ruoyu grabbed her wrist with both hands, her weak body slamming against the wall behind her, the impact almost making her faint.
But ignoring the blood trickling from her nose and mouth, she gritted her teeth, her arms and entire body trembling as she desperately tried to stop the fingers that were inching closer to her chest.
She wouldn’t beg for mercy, she wouldn’t back down…
These precious memories belonged to her!
She had retreated countless times in her life, but this time… she would fight to the end!
“Silly girl.”
A hoarse, sad voice echoed softly.
Her seemingly delicate fingers pierced through Mao Ruoyu’s chest without any resistance.
“Ah…”
Mao Ruoyu gasped, her eyes glazed over.
Yun Yue quickly wrapped her arms around Mao Ruoyu’s limp body, gently pulling her into an embrace.
“It’s alright, it’s alright, you won’t die!”
This wasn’t meant to kill her.
By piercing her heart and then assimilating her soul, they could be together forever.
But as soon as she started the technique, her heart skipped a beat, and she almost withdrew her hand. A conflicted expression appeared on her beautiful face.
“Such deep love…”
Only by connecting with Mao Ruoyu’s soul could she truly feel the depth of her love and attachment, a love that even stirred something within her own heart.
But she had no reason to stop now.
Yun Yue took a few deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down, trying to stabilize her mind and ensure that Mao Ruoyu could endure the soul fusion process without too much pain.
But at that moment, a jade pendant silently floated in front of her.
“What… is this?”
The pendant had appeared so suddenly that Yun Yue was stunned.
She hadn’t even noticed where it had come from!
Before she could react, a freezing wind erupted from the jade pendant, forcefully pushing her hand away.
Crack, crack, crack!
The surrounding illusion shattered, the scenery changing instantly. They were back in the dark and gloomy cave.
“Ugh?!”
The water sphere burst, and Yun Yue stumbled back onto the ground.
Mao Ruoyu’s body flew backward and landed in the lake with a splash.
“It’s the Essence of Yin?!”
Yun Yue looked at the traces of frost on her palm, her eyes filled with surprise. “Where did that jade pendant come from?”
“Wait… Ruoyu!”
A sense of foreboding washed over her, and she quickly flicked her sleeve, trying to pull Mao Ruoyu out of the lake.
But a gentle force blocked her. The Yin energy within the cave surged towards them like a storm, its power immense!
“What’s happening?!”
Yun Yue raised her hand to shield herself from the wind, her face etched with shock.
A moment later, the rippling lake water calmed down.
A pure white figure slowly rose from the lake, the swirling Yin energy around her coming to a standstill.
Her previously naked body was now clad in a beautiful white silk robe, making her even more stunning. White ribbons were wrapped around her arms, and she looked like an ethereal fairy.
The hem of her robe was split to her waist, revealing her long, slender legs, shimmering in the lake water. Ribbons crisscrossed, accentuating her alluring figure.
But the most striking change was…
Mao Ruoyu’s expression was cold and indifferent, as if she had become a completely different person!
Yun Yue gasped in disbelief.
“You’re not Ruoyu!”
“I am…”
The white-haired woman spoke softly, turning to look at her with a calm gaze. “Naturally, I am Mao Ruoyu.”
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