Chapter 72: The Sky Wasn’t Falling, Was It?
A brief silence fell upon the wedding chamber.
“I believe you!” Mu Tao grabbed Li Yu’s wrist,
Then, as if afraid of hurting her, loosened her grip slightly. “Master, I believe you!”
Her voice was soft, her eyes filled with an anxious plea.
The nuptial wine, her master had personally intertwined their arms and drunk it with her.
This was proof of her master’s willingness to marry her; how could she dismiss it so easily?
Li Yu: “Now you believe me.”
Mu Tao, her eyes filled with tears, didn’t dare speak.
Her mind raced with unanswered questions.
Why had her master been awake all this time without telling her…?
When did her master wake up?
Before the wedding? During the ceremony? Or just now?
But why did it even matter?
Her master, even after regaining consciousness, hadn’t resented her…
She had committed such a transgression, one she herself couldn’t forgive, yet her master, awake and aware, had still played along, fulfilling her despicable wish.
Even with unspoken burdens, her master still treated her with sincerity.
How could she not trust her master’s feelings?
The world was truly unfair.
And the greatest unfairness had befallen her.
—She was the most unworthy disciple, yet she had the best master in the world.
Mu Tao bit her lip, her gaze fixed on Li Yu, her emotions swirling, then, tears falling silently, she carefully moved closer and gently hugged Li Yu, burying her face against her neck.
“Master, I was wrong, I was truly wrong…”
She repeated these words, her joy intertwined with a fear that this was just a beautiful dream.
Guilt gnawed at her, her apologies, though countless, unable to break free from the cocoon she had spun around herself.
Li Yu looked at the flickering candlelight, listening silently.
Gradually, the trembling in Mu Tao’s voice subsided.
She seemed exhausted, her eyes dry, her throat parched, her apologies weakening, yet persistent, like whispers in a dream, heartbreaking in their softness.
She wasn’t just seeking forgiveness; she was seeking punishment.
She believed in her master’s sincerity but didn’t believe she deserved it.
Only by paying the price could she find peace.
Li Yu finally raised her hand and gently stroked Mu Tao’s back,
Her fingers threading through Mu Tao’s hair, her touch gentler than before.
“I will punish you,” she said softly.
Mu Tao’s body trembled at the response.
After a moment of hesitation, she looked up, her eyes filled with a desperate hope for redemption.
“You said the immortal sects disrespected you, but have you shown me any respect?” Li Yu pulled Mu Tao away, her voice laced with displeasure. “In your heart, you’ve already claimed ownership of me. When you decided to bring me here, you stopped respecting my wishes.”
She looked into Mu Tao’s increasingly anxious eyes and continued, “You should be grateful that I’m still here, that I went through with this wedding, only because being with you in the Demon Realm was my initial wish, a wish I’ve regretted not fulfilling these past six months.”
“Master…”
“If it weren’t for that, you should know better than I do…the consequences of your actions.” Li Yu took a deep breath. “Mu Tao, I never taught you these things.”
Mu Tao’s eyes, red-rimmed, stared into the blue depths of Li Yu’s.
She didn’t defend herself, just waited for the final judgment.
“Honestly, I’m angry,” Li Yu continued. “Before making this decision, you not only disregarded my feelings, but you also abandoned your own.”
“You think you’re in control, but you’ve trapped yourself in this mess. You know you can’t control me forever, you’re just waiting for the inevitable, ready to accept my anger, my punishment…” Li Yu sighed softly. “But Mu Tao, you’re crying, you’re afraid, you haven’t had a moment’s peace these past few days.”
Li Yu asked softly, “Your forceful demands, your desperate pleas, like a reckless gamble—if you lose, have you considered the consequences?”
Mu Tao hesitated. “Master…will never forgive me…”
Li Yu poked her sharply in the temple, making her wince and close her eyes.
Li Yu: “Is that all you can think about?!”
Mu Tao: “…”
“If I’m unwilling to…be with you like this, if I resent you for this, can you keep me imprisoned forever?” Li Yu said, exasperated. “Even without cultivating, my injuries will eventually heal. One day, I’ll break free from your spell and find a way to make you pay.”
Li Yu’s gaze hardened. “Have you considered…that I might kill you, or take you back to Mount Chao Yao, offering you as proof of my loyalty—Even if that day is far off, it’s still a possibility.”
“Besides, Xiang Hanyu and Yan Buqiu are from the human realm. They came here, stayed by your side, because they were worried about you straying from the right path.” She continued, “You can imprison me for a while, but eventually they’ll become suspicious.”
“If that happens, what will you do?” Li Yu asked softly. “Will you, to keep me here, drive away the two people who sacrificed everything to be with you?”
“I don’t care…” Mu Tao’s body trembled slightly as she lowered her head, her hands clenching the red fabric of her robe. “If Master truly resents me, even if I die by your hand, I’m willing…”
Her voice trembled, an unwavering obsession in her pale, bloodshot eyes.
Li Yu’s heart ached, and she fought back tears.
This was different from the original story.
If this were the original Mu Tao, she wouldn’t even need the mind-control spell to keep her by her side.
Just cripple her cultivation, and she would be trapped forever, without dignity.
No need to consider her wishes or the consequences.
The protagonist in the original story, her self-destructive tendencies directed both at the world that wronged her and at the person she craved but couldn’t have.
But the Mu Tao before her now,
Even when briefly losing control under the Demon Bone’s influence and hurting her, was filled with guilt.
Even with her resentment and pain, her obsession and despair, she never truly intended to harm Li Yu like in the original story.
Even death by Li Yu’s hand…she would willingly accept…
“Did I teach you to be so foolish?” Li Yu wiped away her tears, her heart aching. “As punishment, from now on, you must obey me in all important matters. Otherwise…”
“Otherwise…” Mu Tao looked up at her, her eyes filled with tears, her voice anxious.
“Otherwise, you’re sleeping on the floor.” Li Yu frowned slightly. “The number of days depends on the severity of your disobedience.”
Mu Tao blinked, surprised and disbelieving, clearly not expecting such a “severe” punishment.
She didn’t dare speak, just stared at Li Yu.
Li Yu seemed to remember something, her voice slightly hesitant. “And also…you’re always so…reckless! Instead of apologizing afterwards, why not be more gentle next time?”
Mu Tao’s eyes widened, the usual apology caught in her throat.
Li Yu sighed, sat down, and started eating the fruits and pastries on the table.
Mu Tao stood beside her for a long time, like a child being punished, then pulled over a stool and sat down, cautiously touching Li Yu’s arm.
She asked softly, “When…when did you wake up…?”
Li Yu said, as if still sulking, “Not telling.”
Actually, she wasn’t sure when she woke up.
While under the spell, her consciousness had been muddled, able to see and hear, but not think or act clearly.
Like being aware of being in a dream, yet only able to watch another version of herself, doing things that seemed like her, yet not her.
Occasionally, her own consciousness would briefly influence her actions.
But Mu Tao wouldn’t believe anything she said or did.
Sometimes she felt incredibly frustrated, wanting to shake Mu Tao and ask, What do I have to do to make you believe me?
But she couldn’t control her body, only watch helplessly as Mu Tao’s guilt and self-blame escalated.
It wasn’t until that day, trying on the wedding attire, when Mu Tao lost control and injured her, that the guilt-ridden Mu Tao released the spell on her meridians.
After that, her consciousness gradually returned.
It had been a slow process.
Although exhausting, as long as she focused, she could briefly control her body.
With practice, her mind became clearer.
And she fully regained consciousness just now, when Mu Tao pressed her against the bed, wanting her, yet hesitating.
She had just looked at her, seen the pain and despair in her eyes.
And a single thought appeared in her mind:
Mu Tao was about to break.
That foolish girl must be hating herself now.
If she avoided her now, regardless of the reason, if she couldn’t explain, she would be pushing Mu Tao towards a sea of despair.
So, she reached out.
No matter the cost, she couldn’t let Mu Tao drown.
This was the only way she could think of to save her.
Li Yu turned slightly and gently placed her hand on the back of Mu Tao’s neck. “Whenever I woke up, those moments when you felt me trying to stop you…those were real, I wanted to.”
She didn’t know why, but tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke.
Mu Tao caught the falling tear, the cold drop forming a pearl in her palm.
Her breath hitched, her expression shifting, a smile appearing, more painful than tears.
“Master, I…” A thousand words filled her heart, yet she couldn’t utter a single one, just clutching the red fabric of her robe.
“You wanted to know…my reason, right?” Li Yu gently took Mu Tao’s clenched hands, her voice filled with tenderness. “Try…using your spiritual energy, then perhaps…you’ll understand my concerns.”
There was no warning from the system.
Although confused, Mu Tao followed her instructions and conjured a black flame at her fingertip.
Nothing happened.
Li Yu: “Not enough.”
Mu Tao, hearing this, released a wisp of dark red resentment from the flame.
She frowned slightly.
A strange discomfort spread through her body, not intense, but noticeable.
Li Yu took her hand, interrupting the flow of spiritual energy. “That’s enough!”
Mu Tao looked at her, surprised. “Master…”
“Those harsh words before…I had no choice. If you…become too intimate with me, it will be transferred to you.” Li Yu looked into Mu Tao’s eyes, her voice filled with helplessness. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to tell you, I just…couldn’t, I truly couldn’t…it was restricting me…”
Mu Tao’s eyes narrowed. “Was it Weisheng Xuanzhu?”
Li Yu: “…”
Not exactly, but since she couldn’t explain, she might as well let him take the blame.
—They were both…problematic individuals.
Li Yu sighed and nodded.
The faint candlelight illuminated the shifting emotions in Mu Tao’s light brown eyes.
Both Xiang Hanyu and Yan Buqiu had examined her master. Although weak and depleted of spiritual energy, her injuries weren’t life-threatening, certainly not enough to make her unconscious for half a month.
Her master fainted on their way back from Mount Chao Yao, so, despite her weakened state, she had endured the backlash of the curse, rushing towards her?
And when she woke up, the look in her eyes had indeed been one of…joy.
Only when she, Mu Tao, crossed the line, did that joy turn into panic.
That fear, that anxiety, even the resistance, it was all…to protect her…
The unspoken words, the unexplained reason, it was this curse.
Her master had pushed her away, not wanting her to be harmed.
“Master…” Mu Tao asked softly, “If it enters my body, is it…contagious, or is it transferred?”
“Transferred.”
“Can it…return to you?”
Li Yu lowered her gaze and shook her head slightly.
She had also considered this, if the curse could be transferred, perhaps it could also be transferred back.
But that thought was too naive, so naive she questioned her own intelligence.
Weisheng Xuanzhu, who wanted to revive the Heavenly Demon, who had been plotting in secret for over three thousand years, wouldn’t leave such an obvious loophole.
In fact, the moment this thought crossed her mind, while still under the spell, she had received an answer from the system.
—The transfer was one-way, and only once, specifically designed for the protagonist.
And the only way to remove the curse was for the caster to dispel it, or for the caster’s soul to be destroyed… There was no other way.
As Li Yu’s expression turned serious, Mu Tao spoke.
“Then it’s fine.” Mu Tao’s voice was soft. “Master has endured so much for me; it’s my turn to bear some of the burden.”
“…”
“I’m not afraid of pain, as long as Master isn’t hurt.” There was a hint of joy in Mu Tao’s voice.
This uncontainable joy, just like the joy she always showed whenever she could be of help, was incredibly endearing.
Li Yu was speechless, staring at Mu Tao’s smiling eyes.
This foolish girl didn’t seem to care about the consequences.
“It will put you in danger, and I knew that, yet I still let it happen…” Li Yu couldn’t help but ask. “Don’t you…blame me, aren’t you…afraid?”
“You warned me, Master; it was me who disobeyed…” Mu Tao said earnestly. “Actually, even if you had told me, if you were willing, I would still bear it for you, without hesitation.”
Her voice was firm, unwavering.
Like her gaze, fixed on Li Yu, a devotion that transcended time.
They looked at each other in silence, time seemingly frozen.
Were the Netherbloom Flowers losing their light?
They couldn’t see.
But the candles in the room were almost burned down.
Mu Tao suddenly took Li Yu’s hands in hers and asked softly, “Master, can…can I touch you today?”
Li Yu opened her mouth, unsure how to respond.
Silence was consent.
Mu Tao stood up, lifted Li Yu into her arms, carried her to the bed, and gently laid her down.
Li Yu: “I think we should discuss the curse, Weisheng Xuanzhu, he…”
Mu Tao looked slightly hurt. “Today is our wedding day, this is our wedding chamber, and Master…wants to talk about someone else?”
Li Yu was speechless.
“Can we discuss it tomorrow?” Mu Tao said, kicking off her embroidered shoes and climbing onto the bed.
Her tear-filled eyes looked at Li Yu expectantly, waiting for permission.
But Li Yu knew that with the change in Mu Tao’s eyes, whether she agreed or not, there was no escape.
And as expected, Mu Tao took her silence as consent.
The candlelight flickered, and the gauzy bed curtains fell.
Once again, Mu Tao removed her clothes.
“Mu Tao…” Li Yu grabbed her robe.
“I’m here, Master.”
“I’m a little tired…”
“Then I’ll be gentle.”
Li Yu’s clothes were already disheveled.
“Mu Tao…”
“…”
—She didn’t listen.
Was winter approaching?
Si Qinglan stared at the falling leaves outside the window.
The tree, stripped bare, looked desolate.
She could make flowers bloom at will; the seasons held no meaning for her.
But there was still no reply from the Demon Realm.
Anxiety made time slow down, the autumn days stretching endlessly.
How were Li Yu and Mu Tao?
Si Qinglan sighed deeply.
Why was she feeling melancholic?
“Why worry about things you can’t control?” she muttered, trying to push the worries aside, but then she heard anxious shouts from afar.
It was Qin Yuan.
“Master! Master! Something terrible has happened!”
The girl rushed to her window, her speed so fast she almost couldn’t stop.
“What is it? Why are you shouting—” Si Qinglan rested her chin on her hand and sighed, lacking energy. “What’s so terrible? Is the sky falling?”
“I, I just went to Qingke Hua, Qin Ruoheng and the little black bird are both injured, and I, I saw…” Qin Yuan’s voice was frantic. “They…there’s a…stellar energy around them…”
—The sky was falling!
Before Qin Yuan could finish, Si Qinglan transformed into a green light and flew towards Qingke Hua.
“Master, I…”
Too slow, she couldn’t keep up.
Si Qinglan arrived at Qingke Hua, her heart pounding.
A strange, unfamiliar spiritual aura lingered in the air. She followed it and saw the destroyed houses and trees.
Although it was daytime, the ruins were shrouded in a lingering darkness, dotted with stars.
And…fragments of ice, evidence of a one-sided battle.
Si Qinglan stared at the scene, stunned.
After a moment, she flew to Suiqiong Cave, but it was empty.
Suiqiong Cave had been repaired; the Upper Spirit Lamp should have been sealed here.
If the black-robed figure had attacked, he would have come here, but there were no signs of a struggle.
Yet, traces of a battle remained at Qingke Hua…
The black-robed figure’s target was the Upper Spirit Lamp; why would he fight Weisheng Xuanzhu there?
…
No, she was wrong.
The seal here wasn’t easily broken.
There hadn’t been any commotion, yet the Lamp was gone.
It was an inside job, she should have known!
The black-robed figure Li Yu spoke of…was Weisheng Xuanzhu.
Stealing the Lamp, destroying the Heavenly Gate, using Li Yu to manipulate Mu Tao, and now, leaving Mount Chao Yao with the Upper Spirit Lamp.
Taking the demonic soul, finding the Demon Bone…
His goal, all along, had been to revive the Heavenly Demon.
The person he fought at Qingke Hua must have been his disciple.
And for gathering evil energy, a Heavenly Soul Yang Spirit would be the perfect catalyst.
He had been on Mount Chao Yao for over three thousand years, perhaps waiting for this very moment.
What should she do…?
Could she still stop him?
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