Chapter 240: Land at the End of the Horizon is This Way
Zhu Yao flew northwards with her quickest speed, the sceneries in her surroundings whistled behind her, forming streaks of flowing light. They had been flying for several hours, but they had yet to see the land of at end of the horizon which Zi Mo spoke of.
“Big sis Zhu Yao.”
“Mn?”
Wang Xuzhi suggested. “Let’s take a short break, we have already flown for an entire day.”
“No matter.” Zhu Yao waved her hand. “This big sister can hold on.”
Wang Xuzhi’s expression sank, as he pulled onto her. “Big sis Zhu Yao, we’re already not that far from our destination. The land at the end of the horizon is filled with dangers, it’s best that we take a short break before heading there.”
Zhu Yao suppressed the anxiety in the depths of her heart, and nodded. “Fine then!”
Below them was a lush forest, and Zhu Yao immediately descended into it. Sitting under a huge tree, she sat in a lotus position and adjusted her breathing, recovering her HP and MP or something.
Wang Xuzhi sat next to her, and considerately passed her a flask of spiritual water.
“Thank you.” Zhu Yao gulped it down in an instant, and at that moment, her entire body felt comfortable.
Wang Xuzhi glanced at her with his mouth open, looking as though there were words stuck in his throat.
“What is it?” Zhu Yao reached out to stroke his head. “If you have something to say, then say it quickly. Don’t hold in the fart.”
He clenched his fists, and after a while, he squeezed out a smile. “Big sis Zhu Yao, you treat Sovereign Yu Yan so well.”
“But of course!” After all, she’s her man, you know?
Wang Xuzhi looked down. After a moment of silence, he carefully said. “Big sis Zhu Yao, I want to ask… you and ancestral martial grand uncle, you two…”
Zhu Yao turned her head around, and said with a smile. “You want to ask, if there’s an affair between the two of us?”
He was stunned for a moment, raising his head in an instant, as though he never expected that she would be so direct.
Zhu Yao held onto her chin, and pondered for a short while before replying. “To be exact, we already had a lot of affairs.” Even the attempts were considered!
“…” His face instantly paled, as though he had suffered a blow of some sort. The redness on his face drained. After a while, he said in a fluster. “But… But you two are master and disciple.”
“Did the Heavenly Dao make a rule that a master and his disciple can’t be practitioner-pair companions?” There were many master-disciple OTPs in the cultivation world, right?
“…” He sank into silence, as though he had fallen into a swirl of emotions he could not escape from. His clenched fists tightened even further, as though he was about to pinch out traces of blood. “But… Big sis Zhu Yao, you clearly… Why… Why?”
Zhu Yao sighed, as she pulled onto his hands. Not accepting any refusals, she carefully broke apart his clenched fists finger by finger. “You want to ask why I did not promise you, but have chosen my master instead?”
He blanked for a moment. He looked at her eyes, and mist slowly began to form on his own, making a look that seemed like he was about to cry. “You… knew?”
“You already said it so clearly yourself, and I’m not stupid either!” Zhu Yao shook her head, as she looked straight into his eyes. With emphasis on every word, she said. “But… Little wimp, are you certain that the love you have for me, is truly the love between a man and a woman?”
“Of course.” He nodded heavily, as he grabbed onto her hands. “Ever since young… Ever since I was ten years old, I wanted to marry you.”
Zhu Yao laughed. “Ten years old? Take me as your concubine?”
He gulped, and then hurriedly explained. “That was just a joke I made when I was young. If it’s possible… I will naturally be satisfied taking you as my only wife.”
“When you were young?” Zhu Yao said with a sunken voice. “Then why did you want to marry me when you were young?”
“That’s naturally because…”
“Because I took down your pants, and smacked your buttocks?” Zhu Yao interrupted. “You believed that you should take responsibility for that, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to marry?”
After a moment of silence, he nodded.
“See, the reason why you wanted to marry me since you were young, was not because you loved me. You already said it yourself that it was a joke, so naturally, it cannot be taken as real.”
“In the beginning, that was certainly true. But later on, I truly wished to be together with big sis Zhu Yao.”
“Later on? What later on?” Zhu Yao asked.
Wang Xuzhi was startled for a moment. After pondering for a moment when exactly his feelings towards her had undergone a change, he spoke. “Later on, when I grew up and you came out of Jade Forest Peak. I don’t really know the specifics either…”
“You don’t know, but I know.” Zhu Yao stroked onto his head which was already a head taller than hers. “It’s that time, when I was killed by that demon fox. It began ever since I died in front of your eyes, right?”
He blanked. After pondering for a moment, he realized it had truly begun from then.
“Haah… Little wimp, do you actually understand what are true feelings between a man and woman like? When you entered the sect at ten years old, the person closest to you was me, but those weren’t feelings between a man and a woman, but just a form of reliance. We couldn’t meet, and when we finally able to meet each other, I died in order to save you.” Zhu Yao analysed it little by little. “Just how old were you back then? Fifteen? You have never witnessed death, let alone one that you were involved in. Guilt of being powerless, along with the self-rebuke of not being able to save me, was the knot in your heart that you couldn’t dispel at that time. Until I was reincarnated, your knot was finally dispelled. But, your inner heart had firmly remembered the will to protect the things that you managed to get back. You believed that will is the feelings you have for me, but in actual fact, it’s just your guilt towards me.” She deeply sighed. “Little wimp, you never had any feelings of love for me.”
“Big sis Zhu Yao…” Wang Xuzhi was a little flustered, as he shook his head and said. “No… That’s not true! I…”
“Xuzhi!” Zhu Yao held onto his shoulders, and seriously looked into his eyes. With emphasis on every word, she said. “If you really do have feelings for me, then ever since we have reunited, you clearly had many opportunities, but you had never brought up the talk of wanting to be together with me. Yet, only after knowing that I’m together with my master, did you finally speak up. Why is that?”
“…” He was suddenly stunned still, a hint of fluster flashed past his face. “I… Because…”
“Because this thought did not cross your mind at all, right?”
“…”
“Little wimp, till the very end, you have only treated me as your big sister, and liking someone has never required a reason to do so. It’s not a responsibility, nor is it guilt.”
He appeared to be in a trance, looking as though he understood it, yet did not understand it at the same time. He looked straight into her eyes, and after a while, he said with a sullen voice. “Then big sis Zhu Yao, are you certain that the feelings ancestral martial grand uncle and you are feelings between a man and a woman?”
“Of course!” Zhu Yao nodded and said. She was after all a certain someone’s first love.
“Why?” He anxiously said. “How are you so certain that he’s treating you as just his disciple?”
“There’s no need to ascertain it.” Zhu Yao pointed to her heart. “As long I know for certain over here, he’s the man I wish to be bound with for my entire lifetime. From his body to his heart, all of the authority must belong to this lady surnamed Zhu. And that’s enough.”
“…”
After this heart-to-heart talk, Wang Xuzhi was much quieter than before, and throughout the entire journey, he looked as though he was in deep thoughts. His face would occasionally frown, and then look distracted a moment later. Zhu Yao understood that he wouldn’t be able to think things through in such a short amount of time, so she did not bring up the topic again either.
Actually, she had long seen through little wimp’s intentions. In the past, she did not mind it, as she had thought that he would be able think things through on his own. However, she never expected that he would continue to fall even deeper. He looked soft on the outside, but he had always been a stubborn child ever since he was young.
He entered a deity sect when he was ten years old, and children relying on adults was a regular occurrence. Furthermore, his only relative back then was just her. Adding the joke of taking her as his concubine, he had naturally treated her as his only person to rely on. Yet, right from the start, she was isolated in Jade Forest Peak, and they could only contact each other through letters. Not being able to meet, naturally he could only rely on his imagination. He drew a perfect image of her in the depths of his heart.
After that, she was let out of the mountain. Initially, such imagination would return to normal, but she just had to die for his sake right after. The pain of losing a loved one, and his own powerlessness, had led to him forming a knot in his heart. After that, though she managed to help him dispel it, the former pain was still there. Like someone who had once been injured, even if he had fully recovered, he would still habitually take note of the spot of his previous injury. The more he looked at her, the more he would remember it. He treated this guilt as his feelings for her, and was unable to discern the difference between the two.
He died because of her, and came to Spiritual Realm. As the two of them were apart, he buried this guilt he had.
If he said that the feelings he had for her was love, she wouldn’t believe it even if she was beaten to death. She and her master had been in Spiritual Realm for so many days. Not only were they together all the time, they had also several times displayed affection for each other while together as well. Things like hugging each other’s waists and holding hands were done several times too, not to mention they lived together at night.
If it was true love, just how blind must he be to not see all this happening? Even if he did not want to be honest with himself, there should have been some changes to his emotions to some degree. Yet, he did not behave even the slightest bit different, and had only asked her for the truth now. In the end, he was just a little brother showing some attitude when his only big sister was stolen away by a man.
Zhu Yao sighed. Little wimp was not a dumb child. He merely needed some time to think things through.
Along the way, out of tacit understanding, they did not bring up this topic again.
The forest they were in was huge, yet strangely, the spiritual energy here was very scarce. In order to save time, they had been walking into the forest depths, recovering their spiritual energy as they walked. For precautions sake, the two of them had erected defensive barriers, as they passed through it cautiously.
However, unexpectedly, the entire journey was smooth without any obstacles. Forget about encountering some sort of danger, there wasn’t even a single rock that was slightly bigger than the rest on the ground.
“Little wimp, are you certain that this place is very dangerous?”
“I have indeed heard from rumours that this place is filled with many ferocious beasts, and they are extremely hard to deal with.” Wang Xuzhi was confused as well. “Most probably, it’s because of our good luck.”
Zhu Yao pouted, and did not mind it too much either. Though, the further they walked, the smoother their journey became. Forget about ferocious beasts, even a single rabbit did not land in their lines of sight. The place which was initially flourishing with thick weed, looked as though they had all been swept away cleanly. What came into sight were just the flowers that bloomed in the presence of the wind, and the new sprouts within the fragrant soil.
A short while later, a small road evidently appeared within the forest.
And then the small road became a huge road.
The huge road then became a broad road.
Then the broad road became a road with dual lanes. The ground was so flat, there wasn’t even a single footprint on it.
If things continued to develop like this, an expressway couldn’t be next, right?
“We can’t have taken a wrong turn, right?” Zhu Yao pointed to the front.
Wang Xuzhi became a little uncertain as well. “The direction is indeed this way…”
Before he could even finish, suddenly, something seemed to have flashed for a moment in front of them. After going closer to take a look, a directional signboard had actually appeared out of nowhere, and written on it was a row of black quaint words. Land at the End of the Horizon – Walk Straight → →
The two people: “…”
Why did she feel as though they were going for a picnic, and there was even someone directing them the way there?
“Big sis Zhu Yao?” What should they do?
“Let’s take a look for now.”
They continued to walk along the road. However, the further they walked, the number of strange occurrences increased. Various directional signboards would often appear next to the road. Distance from the Land at the End of the Horizon – 10 Kilometers… 5 Kilometers… 4 Kilometers.
Slowly, various fresh flowers, spiritual springs, and even resting tree stumps, which evidently did not belong anywhere near there, would appear by the roadside.
This service was a little great, wasn’t it? There couldn’t actually be a ‘5-Star Land at the End of the Horizon Scenic View’ signboard next, right?
“With such great service, I wonder if they include meals too?” Zhu Yao joked.
However at the next moment, not even fifty meters from where they were, a big pile of spiritual fruits appeared at the side of the road. Some were even still rolling about.
The two people: “…”
“Big sis Zhu Yao!” Wang Xuzhi’s expression changed, as though he wanted to say something.
Zhu Yao gave him a glare, and then picked up two fruits. Pushing one to him, she then pulled him over to sit on the tree stump at the side. Rubbing on the fruit, she shouted out. “I wonder if this fruit has been washed? Little wimp, do you still have that spiritual water from earlier?”
Wang Xuzhi instantly understood her intentions, and shook his head. “We finished it earlier.”
“Then what do we do? How can we possibly eat fruits that haven’t been washed yet?”
Wang Xuzhi revealed a complicated expression.
Then, a ‘dong’ sound was heard. A bamboo basket used to store water came rolling out of the forest. As though it was being blown by the wind, guruguru, it rolled straight towards where they were.
“Over there!” Zhu Yao stood up, and sent a heavenly lightning bolt in the direction of the bamboo basket.
Wang Xuzhi materialized a set of chains between his fingers, instantly forming a net as it landed on the location where the heavenly lightning bolt struck.
Under the lightning glow, a huge tree tore from its trunk, and a white figure made an appearance.
“Bind!” Wang Xuzhi’s net instantly moved to trap that figure.
Unfortunately, that white figure was even faster, as it flew out as a flowing light. Landing on the ground, it materialized into a snow-white demonic beast, and it roared out furiously.
The corner of Zhu Yao’s lips twitched. Wasn’t this that stupid beast which came to harass her on the mountain peak every single day? Just how much hatred did it have to chase her all the way here?
“Highlord Bai Yuan!” Wang Xuzhi strangely called out all of a sudden. “Why are you here?”
“Rooar—” That demonic beast bared its teeth in dissatisfaction.
This attitude was a little off!? Why was little wimp so courteous to this beastie? “Little wimp, is it raised by your sect?”
“N… No. He is…” Wang Xuzhi shook his head, however, he did not know where to begin explaining from either.
“So is it or not?” What was going on?
“Highlord, he… He’s not a normal demonic beast.”
Not normal? Exceptionally stupid then?
Wang Xuzhi gave her a ‘I will explain later’ expression, and then flew into the forest on his flying sword. He respectfully bowed towards that white demonic beast. “This disciple did not know Highlord has made his grand arrival, and hence made such an offence. Highlord, please forgive me.”
“Roooar…” That demonic beast was evidently not having it, as even the fur on his tail looked like they had exploded from its fury.
“Highlord, we entered the sacred land out of helplessness as well, and we hold no intentions to offend you.” Wang Xuzhi had an anxious look. “This matter is solely my mistake. If Highlord wishes to seek responsibility, then please punish me alone. This disciple will definitely not express a single word of resentment.”
“Rooooar…” That demonic beast really raised his paw, and it then slammed it towards Wang Xuzhi.
The hell. Zhu Yao’s fury instantly erupted, as she roared out loud. “You dare!?”
That beast stiffened, and its paw instantly stopped right above Wang Xuzhi’s head.
Zhu Yao roared as she ran over. “If you dare slam it down, this old lady shall rip your skin off!” You dare bully my family’s little wimp?
That beast seemed to have only just seen her, as its eyes widened even larger than before. Before even waiting for her to walk over, that white figure flashed, anxiously fleeing away. It crawled up the nearest huge tree and hugged onto the tree bark, shaking like a lighted candle being blown by the wind. It even tried to hide itself by desperately pulling the branches to conceal its extraordinarily snow-white beast body.
The entire beast looked as though it was saying: You can’t see me, you can’t see me, you can’t see me!
The corners of Zhu Yao’s lips twitched. Recalling that paw which was about to slam onto little wimp earlier, her fury instantly erupted once again.
“Get down!”
The tree bark shook…
“Are you going to come down?”
The tree bark desperately shook…
“I will count to three.”
It shook as though it was being blown by heavy winds…
“One!”
Shook like a torrential rain had struck…
“Two!”
Shook as though it was about to be torn apart…
“Three…”
Before her voice could completely fall, swoosh, a snow-white beastie had appeared right in front of her. Like a large dog which had undergone training, it obediently crouched, and it did not even dare blink its eyes. Imagine how obedient you want it to be, and it would display that level of obedience to you.
If not for its body which was trembling like it had been electrocuted.