Chapter 116

  Chu quickly and skillfully untied the restraints on Lin Mubai's body, pulling out the cotton cloth from his mouth. Lin Shiguan, with a bruised nose and swollen face, disheveled clothes, but for the first time, did not perform the courtesy of bowing, instead staring blankly at Qing Xia. After a while, he slowly nodded and said: "It turns out that the legend of ghosts and gods is really not an empty rumor, I just didn't expect the Nine Underworlds to be so magnificent and grand, completely different from what I thought."

  It was as if a big stick had been slammed into Qing Xia's head, and she was stunned. She stared at Lin Mu Bai with a fierce gaze, her anger rising like flames, almost to the point where she wanted to punch him to death.

  Chu Li's face turned white one moment and red the next, her lips tightly pursed, without saying a word.

  It was he who had told Lin that Murakumo Byakuya was already dead, and now, facing this loyal and devoted vassal, how could he bring himself to tell him that he had been deceiving him all along?

  "Good deeds are rewarded with good fortune, while evil deeds are punished. I wronged you in the past, but never expected to reunite with you again in this desolate and eerie place. The twists and turns of life are unpredictable, truly beyond expectation."

  The Confucian-robed man had disheveled hair and his face was streaked with sweat, looking extremely disheveled. However, he still shook his head and swayed back and forth, seemingly oblivious, appearing both ridiculous and infuriating.

  Qing Xia's eyes were bulging with anger as he stared at Chu Li, his gaze almost spewing fire. Chu Li coughed lightly and asked in a deep voice, "Lin Qing, what happened? How did you end up here?"

  Lin Mubai seemed to have only just discovered that Chuli was standing beside him, and he suddenly became shocked and pale, staring blankly at Chuli. Suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed tightly, his eyes turned red, and he looked like he was about to cry. Qing Xia and Chuli were both startled, and just as they were about to speak, Lin Mubai burst into tears, sobbing loudly: "Why is the great emperor also here? Is it really true that heaven wants to destroy my Great Chu?"

  Chu Li and Qing Xia suddenly felt the whole world darken, never expecting this stubborn scholar to be so unreasonable. Chu Li's eyebrows rose, and he said in a deep voice: "Shut up, answer me immediately!"

  His loud shout suddenly made Lin Mubai find the dignity of a great emperor, and he hastily stopped his crying and stuttered: "I don't know either. That night, I was reading in my tent and happened to see a passage about the virtues of filial piety in Shu Yanzi's 'White Longyou Ji'. I felt that the words were refreshing and inspiring, and they deeply resonated with me. Suddenly, my thoughts flowed like a spring, and I eagerly wrote down my foolish ideas. Who knew that after writing just the beginning, I couldn't continue, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't surpass the insights of my predecessors? From this, I deeply realized that the wisdom of the ancients is profound and unfathomable, and it's difficult...

  Chu Li and Qing Xia furrowed their brows tightly, wishing they could split open the scholar's head to see if it was stuffed with straw. Chu Li's face turned gloomy, unable to tolerate his lengthy and tedious speech any longer, and he suddenly bellowed: "Get to the point! No one wants to listen to your obscure and pedantic words!"

  The Lin Mu Bai's words of filial piety were cut off, and he was left speechless for half a day. Suddenly, his brow furrowed, and with a scholarly air, he said: "Your Majesty, I am foolish and dull-witted, but I have something to say in my heart that I must express, or else I will not be able to die in peace. Please allow me to once again risk my life to offer my counsel."

  Chu Li's face suddenly turned black, and for the past two years, Lin Mu Bai had been in charge of the Imperial Secretariat, being loyal to his duties and handling matters properly. He wasn't a bad minister, but his stubbornness was unimaginable, especially with his daily lectures, which almost drove people crazy. However, as one of the top scholars of Southern Chu, Lin Mu Bai was a model for all scholars, and even the officials behind him couldn't interrupt his long-winded speeches. But now, seeing him still having such leisurely thoughts in this situation made Chu Li's face turn black with rage, almost unable to resist the urge to strangle him.

  However, he was still only in the thinking stage, but Qing Xia had already taken action. The petite woman glared fiercely and grabbed Lin Mu Bai's collar with one hand, her fist swinging up instantly, stopping in front of his eyes with a loud whooshing sound. She said sternly: "If you keep chattering on and on, I'll really let you go see what the underworld is like!"

  Lin Mubai was a straightforward person, and his lifelong creed was that with reason, he could travel the world. Even when facing the Great Emperor of Southern Chu, he dared to openly defy him. However, when faced with the vengeful spirit of Xiangju, the only person he had wronged in his life, he felt an unspeakable fear and guilt. Seeing Qing Xia's fierce gaze, he stuttered and muttered: "I saw the Great Emperor lead his troops out of camp to welcome the King of Qin, so I opened my book to record the historical event. Who knew that not long after, a loud noise suddenly shook the heavens and earth? In a flash of insight, I realized that the earthquake and opening of the earth described in the book were real. I quickly followed the instructions in the book and found a wooden chest to hide in. Just as I closed the lid, the entire land suddenly collapsed, and my head heavily hit the chest, causing me to lose consciousness."

  Qing Xia and Chu Li's brows were tightly furrowed as they exchanged a glance, silently thinking that the earthquake on the battlefield was just an aftershock, but the main seismic area was actually within the Nan Chu army camp? If so, without Qin Zhiyan leading the troops to rush in, wouldn't the elite soldiers of Nan Chu be completely annihilated?

  That patch of yellow earth suddenly appeared in front of his eyes, wasn't it that the ground had cracked open and the entire military camp had collapsed? Thinking of this, the two almost simultaneously saw huge fear in each other's eyes. Under such a violent natural force, there was no place to escape, except for this bookworm who relied on books all his life, who else could survive under such a great disaster?

  Just then, Da Huang suddenly perked up his ears, a pair of round eyes staring blankly at the outside of the door.

  Qing Xia's eyebrows furrowed, and a loud alarm sounded in her heart. She stuck close to the ground, listening intently as the chaotic footsteps drew near, with at least fifty or sixty people approaching.

  The enemy and I are unclear, the disparity between the few and the many is uncertain, the identity of the other party is difficult to measure, our own environment is unfamiliar, completely in a passive disadvantage, this battle does not need to be fought to know that it will inevitably lose.

  He suddenly jumped up from the ground, holding the rope, and in a few strokes, he re-bound Lin Mubai, who was stunned, covered his face with a cloth, pulled Chu Li and ran out, shouting: "Da Huang, follow up!"

  The snow-white little beast jumped against a table for half a day and didn't eat a single piece of meat, but now it quickly followed Qing Xia. However, as soon as the two walked to the door, the footsteps outside were already approaching. Qing Xia knew that it was too late, so she looked around the room and saw a long, narrow red wooden cabinet in the corner. She ran over and opened it, revealing a pile of women's beautiful clothes inside. Without hesitation, she pushed Chu Li inside and jumped in herself. Seeing Da Huang calling out loudly by the cabinet, she quickly put her finger to her lips and made a silencing gesture, saying in a low voice, "Go find a place to hide yourself." Then she closed the lid with a bang.

  Almost at the same time, the door of the main hall was pushed open by someone, and a gentle footstep sounded inside the hall. Qing Xia and Tuo Ba looked out in unison, but they could only see each other's waist down.

  All that could be seen was a woman coming in, the woman wearing white silk shoes with embroidered patterns, a blue and white skirt, and long black hair hanging down to her shoulders. Although her face couldn't be seen, it could be determined that she was an extraordinary and peerless beauty.

  Only she came in, walked straight to Lin Mubai's side, squatted down, but from Qing Xia's angle, only her slender and weak back could be seen.

  The woman stretched out her slender hand, took off the veil on Lin Mubai's face, and suddenly sighed softly and said in a low voice: "Sir, I'm sorry to trouble you."

  Lin Mu Bai's mouth was covered, and he couldn't say a word even if he wanted to.

  The woman's voice was soft and gentle, like the sound of a deep stream, as she said in a low tone: "I know you're very uncomfortable, but I can't let you go. If I do, he'll be unhappy. However, if you promise me not to shout carelessly, I can give you some water to drink and something to eat. It's not that I'm afraid you'll call for help; there are only our people here, and no one will come to rescue you. I'm just afraid that your cries will be heard by others, and if they tell him, he'll think I'm being too kind again."

  Lin Mu Bai nodded repeatedly after listening, and the woman smiled slightly before removing the cloth strip from his mouth.

  "Wait here, I'll go get you something to eat."

  The silly bookworm finally realized he wasn't the only dead person, and hastily said: "Miss, can you tell me what this place is? Who are you people? Why am I here?"

  The woman said: "This is Penglai Valley, you should not have heard of it. It's in the Wanli ditch of Bailu Plain, where our ancestors have lived for generations, my surname is Tan, and I am the master here."

  "Oh, it's Miss Tan. Sorry for the disrespect." Even in such a desolate environment, Lin Mubai still politely exchanged pleasantries with his opponent, and asked doubtfully: "I remember that there was an earthquake upstairs, I fainted after that and came here, could it be that during the earthquake I fell from upstairs and ended up in your underground lair?"

  "Adults are really clever." The woman smiled and said: "It was my family slave who dug you out of the ruins, you were very lucky to fall into the deep snow without being smashed. The climate here is hot, the snow melted quickly, so you didn't freeze to death and escaped with your life."

  Lin Mu Bai nodded his head in gratitude and said, "In that case, Miss is indeed a great benefactor to me. If it weren't for the inconvenient timing, I should really kowtow to you with great respect."

  Qing Xia almost vomited blood when he heard the words, being tied up like this and still having to kowtow with great courtesy, what a wooden brain.

  "But since you've saved me, why tie me up? Looking at the young lady's face like a celestial being, it really doesn't seem like she's a bad person. Could it be that in your household there's such a unique custom, to treat guests with such an unusual method?"

  If this were said by someone else, it would certainly be sarcastic, but coming from Lin Mubai's mouth, it sounded so sincere and heartfelt. The young woman, with a calm temperament, slowly explained: "No, we don't have such customs here. Is there really a way to treat guests like that outside?"

  "I don't know either, I was just making a wild guess."

  "Oh." The woman nodded and smiled softly: "Don't laugh at me, I've just never been out before, so I'm very curious about things outside."

  Lin Mubai was taken aback by her words and asked in surprise, "Could it be that Miss has never gone out before? Has she always lived in this valley?"

  "Yes," the woman said cooperatively: "I grew up here with my family since I was a child, and after my parents passed away, I stayed here with our housekeeper. He was the first outsider I met, and you are the second."

  "What a pity! This place is like a paradise on earth, it's also a great place to recite poetry and appreciate paintings."

  Chu Li and Qing Xia, hiding in the box, were almost bursting with rage. The two wooden men outside had started chatting like old friends. If it weren't for the fear of the at least fifty or sixty guards standing watch at the door, Qing Xia would have already rushed out to give this bookworm a good thrashing to vent her anger.

  After dragging on for half a day, Lin Mubai finally had some realization of his situation and furrowed his brow to say: "However, young lady, even if I didn't have your permission to enter your domain, it shouldn't be like this, treating me as a prisoner all the time. I am the Taigong of the Secretariat of Southern Chu, entered the Imperial Academy, 36th generation of Jiazi scholars, with several generations of noble ancestors. I am not a wicked person."

  "I also know you're not a bad person, but this matter, I have no say in it."

  The woman let out a soft sigh and said, "I've made a terrible mistake, now there's no turning back. Fortunately, heaven doesn't cut off all avenues of escape, your family's master isn't here, so you managed to avoid disaster. Unfortunately, I've harmed you, he'll be back soon, why don't you eat something first, and after he returns, I'll plead for mercy on your behalf."

  At this time, there was a sudden knock at the door. The woman was flustered and hastily covered Lin Mubai's face with a handkerchief. She stood up and said, "Who is it?"

  "It's me, miss."

  A low male voice suddenly sounded, and the girl heard the sound and let out a sigh of relief, saying: "It's Tan Sheng, come in."

  The man, with a brown shirt and grey boots, had long legs and was quite tall. The man called Tan Sheng bowed to Miss Tan and said in a deep voice: "Young Master has brought people back from the White Ape Valley, but did not find Nan Chudai Huang, however, they found that a nest of white ape beasts were killed, and there were signs of fire in the cave, it seems they didn't die.

  The two people in the box were shocked to hear this. Who are these people, how did they know their whereabouts, and why are they looking for them? This Penglai Valley is mysterious and unpredictable, seemingly hiding a huge conspiracy puzzle that is difficult to see clearly.

  The woman let out a sigh and said in a continuous tone: "Heaven bless, I hope they can turn disaster into fortune, otherwise my sin will be great."

  Tan Sheng said in a low voice: "Miss, if young master hears what you just said, he won't be happy."

  The woman was taken aback, and slowly sighed, saying: "I know all this, but I really don't want to harm people anymore. Father had said long ago that the gunpowder left behind by Mr. would have a great use in the future, but he used it for personal revenge, creating disasters, large-scale slaughter, and harming the harmony of heaven, which is really not right."

  Qing Xia was shocked, suddenly turning her head to stare tightly at Chu Li, only to see him also frowning tightly. Could it be that the earthquake on that day was actually caused by this seemingly weak and slender woman? Could it be that in this era of cold weapons, such powerful explosives had already been produced? Qing Xia's unease grew more and more, with no thread to grasp, a jumbled mess, making her unable to seize what she wanted.

  Tan Sheng furrowed his brow slightly, thought for a moment, and said in a low voice: "But miss, even if the young master doesn't succeed this time, he'll think of another way. We've already been drawn into this, can we still extricate ourselves?"

  The woman was slightly stunned, and after a long time, she said softly: "His heart is full of hatred, where can I have my place? I want him to accompany me for a lifetime of carefree life in this valley, I'm afraid it's not possible."

  Tan Sheng slowly took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and said in a low voice: "Miss, actually..."

  "Miss! Meng Hua is back."

  Suddenly, a noisy footsteps came from outside the door, Tan Sheng was startled and retreated to one side. The gate opened, Meng Shu walked into the hall, bowed to the woman and said: "Miss, the young master just sent someone back to report that the stone statue guard in the secluded path has been destroyed, and two of the fierce flame birds have died. Those two people must have already entered the valley."

  "What?" Miss Tan exclaimed in surprise, "They've entered the valley? Where?"

  "Miss, don't be alarmed. They don't know the path. Outside the manor, there are 28 landmines and 17 cloud locks. There are countless traps and mechanisms. Even if they have three heads and six arms, they won't be able to get in. The young master is currently leading the strong men from the valley to search outside and will return late. He asked me to inform you, Miss, to activate the mechanism and seal off the hidden path so that they can't escape again."

  Miss Tan slowly let out a sigh and said: "I understand, you can leave now."

  Meng Shu and Tan Sheng retreated together, Miss Tan sat in the chair, sighed softly, and stopped speaking, staring blankly. Qing Xia and Chu Li lay motionless in the box, not daring to move at all, and for a moment, the great hall was silent.

  The trunk was extremely narrow and long, two people lying flat inside, not feeling crowded at all, only the width was not enough, Qing Xia had to lie on top of Chu Li's body. Just now, concentrating on listening to the movements outside, she didn't feel anything, but now that it was quiet, they looked at each other, and the atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

  The temperature was getting higher and the air in the box was becoming increasingly stifling. Qing Xia's forehead was slightly beaded with sweat, which trickled down her smooth white neck. Her eyes sparkled like stars, her nose was delicate, her lips were cherry red, and her small ears were translucent and shiny, like fine porcelain. The sweat made her skin look dewy, and a few strands of hair stuck to her cheeks and neck, accentuating her slender figure in the black jumpsuit, which highlighted her seductive charm.

  Qing Xia's hands were propped up on Chu Li's chest, her head slightly tilted back, her ears perked up to listen carefully to the sounds outside, her eyes sharp and vigilant like a small leopard.

  Chu Li's breath gradually became hot, as if two balls of fire were constantly being transmitted from Qing Xia's delicate white small hands to his chest, triggering the clear fire in his body, and together with the accumulated pressure, a surge of unstoppable impulse burst out.

  The breathing beside her ear grew heavier, and Qing Xia couldn't help but know, yet she could only pretend to be nonchalant and listen to the commotion outside, taking shallow breaths and forcing herself to endure this unspoken awkwardness. Chu Li's body gradually heated up, even his own clothes were drenched in sweat, clinging to his skin, making his physique more pronounced and seductive. The soft chest pressed against Chu Li's robust chest, their heartbeats almost synchronized, amidst the silence, one could hear the rapid heartbeat like a drumbeat. Qing Xia's hair fell on Chu Li's face, gently tracing his skin, like a mischievous child.

  Qing Xia's hands were tightly propping up her body, but time was slowly passing by, and her arms were getting numb and sore. Sweat was gradually trickling down, sliding over her cheeks, flowing over the tip of her nose, and dripping onto Chu Li's face, clearly unable to hold on any longer.

  Chu Li furrowed her brow, and her tough palm suddenly moved up, tightly grasping Qing Xia's slender waist. Her long fingers tightly massaged Qing Xia's elastic waist that didn't have an ounce of excess fat. Qing Xia's eyebrows were tightly locked, wanting to struggle but also afraid of being discovered by outsiders, so she could only awkwardly turn her head away, unwilling to face this embarrassing situation.

  The sand in the hourglass slowly dripped down, but Miss Tan showed no intention of leaving. The grand hall was dead silent, even Lin Mubai, the accused, seemed to have fallen asleep. However, inside the black box, amidst the sweltering heat, two fiery bodies were entwined together, an awkward and ambiguous atmosphere slowly rising.

  Chu Li gazed at the woman right in front of him, and could no longer hold back. He slowly lifted his head, and a warm kiss landed on Qing Xia's delicate and translucent earlobe.

  It was as if a surge of electricity had suddenly swept through her entire body, and Qing Xia's whole body trembled violently. She abruptly turned her head around, her eyes pitch black, and looked at Chu Li. However, just as she had turned her head around, her cherry lips were fiercely covered by Chu Li's mouth. The wild and fierce breath instantly surged into Qing Xia's body, the overbearing tongue probing into Qing Xia's cherry lips, blocked outside by her tightly closed teeth. Fiercely sucking out the fragrance from her mouth, it was like a stormy rain, rampaging through the world, carrying with it an aura of destruction and darkness. Qing Xia's brain instantly went blank, her entire body stiff as a stone statue.

  His large hand moved up, sliding over her slender and beautiful back, pressing her tightly against himself, feeling her stiffness. The image of that handsome man suddenly flashed through Chu Li's mind, the king's anger surged from the bottom of his heart, and he became more fiercely demanding of her, exploring all her beauty. His palm swept across, covering her soft and warm chest.

  The firmness on her chest was suddenly grasped by someone, and Qing Xia was like a kitten, almost letting out a soft hum. However, at this moment, Qin Zhiyan's figure suddenly appeared in front of her eyes. Under the lotus quilt, Qin Zhiyan's gentle warmth, like a tidal wave, almost tore her chest apart for an instant. How could she be like this? When she was here, confused and infatuated, where was that pale man who had nearly taken her life several times, enduring the pain of missing and worrying about her? Her divine consciousness, which had flown out of her body, suddenly returned, and Qing Xia pressed down Chu Li's large hand, struggling to leave his grasp.

  However, Qing Xia's struggles only fueled Chu Li's anger. The overwhelming pain suddenly surged into his heart, and the small space in the box made it impossible for Qing Xia to exert her strength, let alone break free from Chu Li's grasp. The friction between their bodies further ignited the man's desire, and the intense heat pressed against Qing Xia's lower abdomen, like a sudden explosion of thunder that shook her mind.

  Her small mouth opened in shock, Chu Li's tongue took advantage of the opportunity to slip in, and with a sly movement, it savored Qing Xia's sweetness, greedily like a traveler walking in the desert.

  Qing Xia, do you know how long I've been waiting for this kiss? In the two years that have passed, in every dream where I thought of you, I tried to imagine the feeling of having you in my arms. But why are you so cruel, not even giving me warmth in my dreams? Has your heart finally belonged to someone else? Or did I ultimately lose you due to my own blind arrogance? Or was it that from start to finish, you never truly belonged to me, and I never had a place in your heart?

  Fierce and long kisses with a temperature that could destroy the sky and earth, hot like molten lava from a volcanic eruption. Qing Xia was completely lost in a dark nightmare, but Qin Zhiyan's face looked at her gently, without any blame or anger, just warm and soft, smiling faintly at her. Yet, it was as if thousands of sharp arrows pierced her heart in an instant.

  Admit it, you're just a flirtatious woman!

  Why else would you still be indulging in Qin Zhiyan's warmth, shamelessly enjoying his tenderness, his doting, his thousand ways of caring for you, after not having forgotten Chu Li in your heart? Why else would you again and again stay by Chu Li's side, letting him repeatedly rescue you, taking care of him uncontrollably, vowing to follow him to the death, when Qin Zhiyan had risked his life for you, nearly losing it, and suffered untold hardships?

  Since the choice has already been made, why can't we resolutely shatter all his illusions and instead get entangled in a mess of pulling and tugging, unwilling to cut off this emotional relationship with a swift knife?

  Admit it, you are such a selfish woman, calmly enjoying the care of two men, the tenderness of two men, and the infatuation of two men. Thinking that hiding like an ostrich and not facing everything outside can make it seem like nothing has happened, foolishly playing with other people's true feelings, emotions, and devotion. Your foolishness and selfishness will eventually bury three people, including yourself, together falling into the abyss, never to be reborn!

  A teardrop suddenly fell from Qing Xia's eyes and landed on Chu Li's face, instantly bringing back his senses. He slowly opened his eyes to find Qing Xia, gently propping her up with his hands, looking at her disheveled clothes and tear-stained face, as if a sharp icicle had pierced his heart.

  She tidied up her clothes, and the rough palm that had been practicing martial arts for many years wiped away her tear-stained cheeks, finally letting out a silent sigh.

  Just then, a sudden footstep sounded outside the door, and a slightly low but somewhat familiar voice suddenly rang out: "Su Jing, I'm back."

  "Ah!" Miss Tan, who was sitting in the chair, suddenly jumped up, turned around in a circle, nervously pulling at her clothes, and hastily called out: "Wait a minute, I'll change my clothes." She then ran towards Qing Xia and Chu Li's direction!

  The two were shocked at the same time, and the previous awkwardness disappeared instantly in the face of life and death. What? This young lady heard her beloved's voice, excitedly wanting to reapply her makeup, and now she was going to come into this box to get her beautiful clothes?

  In an instant, almost no time to react, the lid of the box was opened with a "whoosh", and the dazzling light poured onto the two people who were huddled together in disarray. The beautiful and elegant Miss Tan from Penglai Fairy Valley had her mouth slightly open, staring in shock and disbelief at the two flushed faces in her closet, as if she was about to let out a loud shriek.

  "Shh!"

  The footsteps outside the door had already sounded, and the enemy was at a disadvantage. In the brief moment, taking hostages was no longer the best option. Qing Xia, in a state of urgency, could only raise his hand to beg the woman with a hushed tone.

  "What's going on?"

  The large gate creaked open, and a woman in plain clothes stood in front of the two men, nervously turning her head back and stuttering: "I... I... I want to change my clothes."

  "No need to change," the man said with a warm smile, speaking softly and gently: "Whatever you wear, I like it."

  From his angle, he couldn't see the two people in the box. However, through Miss Tan's flowing white clothes, Qing Xia and Chu Li suddenly widened their eyes, and the man opposite them had a clear and elegant face, with sword-like eyebrows and a hint of unruly elegance, and his features were surprisingly similar to Chu Li's, sharing about 70-80% resemblance.

  In an instant, the box was slammed shut with a loud bang. Miss Tan's smile seemed unnatural as she said, "Then I won't change."

  The man in white clothes took two steps forward with a smile, pulled up the hand of the woman in white clothes and walked forward.

  Qing Xia and Chu Li exchanged a glance, and suddenly a huge doubt rose from the bottom of their hearts.

  That man in white, turned out to be the green-shirted man that Qing Xia met at the Mei Lin of Chu Palace, Chu Li's twin brother, the Prince of Nan Chu who was kidnapped by the Qi people from Tian Lao - Chu Zheng!