Qin Ye Xuan gently patted Zhu Xiao Qing's back. Before them stood the same stone monument.
Zhu Xiao Qing began to vomit, a messy, awful ordeal.
Her heart had been severely wounded, and she could not fully escape the nightmare for a time.
Qin Ye Xuan continued to pat her back. Within his palm, a warmth traveled along her back and spread throughout her body.
Zhu Xiao Qing looked up and saw his eyes, so bright, so gentle.
Under Qin Ye Xuan's Heart Control Technique, all her negative emotions vanished. She felt completely relaxed, calmer than ever before.
"You..." Zhu Xiao Qing couldn't help but want to say something.
Qin Ye Xuan's gaze shifted abruptly. He made a sudden move, his hand passing through her jacket and undershirt, and extracted something from beneath her armpit.
From beginning to end, he gave Zhu Xiao Qing no time to react.
Zhu Xiao Qing had already forgotten any sense of shame, her eyes fixed on the object in the man's hand!
It was, incredibly, an insect.
A red beetle, the size of a thumb, its mouthparts filled with barbs, was still dripping blood!
With a gasp, Zhu Xiao Qing vomited again, this time only stomach acid.
"What, what is this, this damn thing?"
Qin Ye Xuan held the insect, his expression grave. "The Buddha says that those who commit evil deeds shall fall into the Blood Pool Hell, where there are evil insects called Zhu Zhu!"
"This is an evil insect from the Blood Pool Hell. It burrowed into you just now, and while it was sucking your blood, it released a special toxin, immersing you in the karmic retribution of sin."
Qin Ye Xuan crushed the blood beetle.
Zhu Xiao Qing was shocked to find that as the blood beetle was crushed, not a speck of blood stained Qin Ye Xuan's fingers or palm. It was as if a thin membrane had blocked all the filth, leaving his hands as clean as before.
She also noticed that Qin Ye Xuan's little finger was bent, and his thumb was raised, forming a peculiar hand seal.
It was then that Zhu Xiao Qing had to admit that Qin Ye Xuan possessed cultivation. He was a true enlightened master.
She almost knelt on the spot.
In her eyes, Qin Ye Xuan's image became immensely tall and mysterious.
"Master Qin, thank you. It's thanks to you that I... I truly would have been trapped in that nightmare forever."
Qin Ye Xuan smiled faintly. "You have committed sins, and naturally, you will be punished by hell. This has nothing to do with me. In truth, no one can chest-thumpingly claim to have never done anything against their conscience."
Zhu Xiao Qing lowered her head and thought for a long time. Suddenly, her own ambition and desires seemed utterly ridiculous.
"I've truly lived in vain all these years. After enduring the torment of that Blood Pool Hell, I now suddenly feel that as long as I have a peaceful place, can sleep at night, and eat well each day, that is the most wonderful thing in life."
Qin Ye Xuan paid no heed to her musings. He gently circled the stone monument and headed towards the valley.
Zhu Xiao Qing followed step by step, her hands subconsciously clutching the hem of Qin Ye Xuan's clothes, wishing she could cling to him entirely.
Qin Ye Xuan frowned. "Dean Zhu, why are you staying so close?"
Zhu Xiao Qing pleaded pitifully, "Don't leave me behind. I have to follow you, not a step apart."
As she spoke, they passed the small path beyond the stone monument, then traversed two peculiar hot springs. Suddenly, their eyes widened, and an unseen paradise unfolded before them.
Beneath the high-hanging moon, amidst the brilliant stars, lay a boundless world.
It was a vast basin, stretching beyond sight, enclosed by mountains. In the center were countless fields, along with lakes, rivers, peaks, and forests.
Zhu Xiao Qing rubbed her eyes in astonishment. "Is there such a large basin within Spirit Dream Mountain? This looks like it exceeds the entire area of Spirit Dream Mountain."
A valley larger than Spirit Dream Mountain?
Qin Ye Xuan watched in silence, then shook his head after a long while. "This is the first time I've seen such a mysterious paradise. I can be sure that this place does not belong to our world; it is an outer dimension."
Zhu Xiao Qing did not understand.
Ahead, beyond a grove of trees, on a slope, by a small lake, a busy figure was at work.
It was an old man, energetically processing freshly cut timber. Beside him stood a half-built wooden house.
The old man seemed inexhaustible. With an axe in one hand and a wine jar in the other, he would chop down a tree and then drink from a jar.
Even with small wine jars, his capacity was terrifying.
Beside the felled trees lay piles of wine jars, forming a small mountain.
Zhu Xiao Qing's eyes widened, daring not make a sound.
Then, she heard the sound of light footsteps. Turning, she saw an old woman emerge, holding two cats, with a pack of small dogs following behind. Sudan Novels.
The old woman entered a fenced area, fed the cats and dogs, then cut grass to feed sheep and mixed feed to raise pigs.
It was a lively pastoral life, yet something felt distinctly off.
Zhu Xiao Qing rubbed her eyes again and was horrified by what she saw.
The old man and the old woman were both... not touching the ground! Their feet were suspended in the air!
She shivered all over.
Meanwhile, Qin Ye Xuan had already walked forward.
The old man and the old woman turned together, their faces filled with pleasant surprise. "Welcome, welcome! Ah, after so long, we finally see living people."
The old woman wiped her hands. "I'll go tell the young master. He's fishing with student Wang."
What was all this about?
Qin Ye Xuan's gaze flickered as he looked at the old man drinking. "How did you elderly sir get here?"
The old man chuckled. "My surname is Jiang. Just call me Old Jiang. I was a drunkard. I used to be a watchman at the school. Back then, there were rats, so I bought rat poison. But I drank too much and ate the rat poison as a snack."
Zhu Xiao Qing gasped.
The old man patted his wine jar and laughed heartily again. "I died in the storage room. I don't know how long passed. Then, one day, student Wang Yu Lan came into the storage room with her newborn son. Somehow, they brought me here."
The old man was very pleased with this place. "Here, I have endless wine to drink and inexhaustible strength. It's truly good, truly good."
Qin Ye Xuan nodded. "And the old woman?"
"Ah, her surname is Yang. She used to scavenge for a living outside. Then, she couldn't bear it anymore and hanged herself in the storage room. She also came here. Now, she's free and lives so comfortably."
The old man began drinking again.
Zhu Xiao Qing tugged at Qin Ye Xuan. "He, he drank too much and is talking nonsense?"
Qin Ye Xuan shook his head. "No, these two are ghosts who died in the school's storage room. They were brought here to be servants..."
At this moment, by the lake, Old Mrs. Yang led a young man over.
The young man was tall and slender, about sixteen or seventeen years old, handsome and dashing.
He wore a large coat, like a woman's trench coat, and walked with light steps, possessing an uncommon demeanor.
"His feet are on the ground..." Zhu Xiao Qing whispered. "That means he's alive, not a ghost!"
The young man approached, glanced at Zhu Xiao Qing, then looked at Qin Ye Xuan. "You... aren't you the older brother from school who participated in the talent show? Qin Sheng, right?"
Qin Ye Xuan looked at him for a long time and nodded. "Since you know me, you must be from the school too?"
The young man smiled. "No, I'm not a student. My mother is..."
As he spoke, he turned. "Mom, your classmate has arrived, and it looks like a teacher too!"
What?
What was he talking about?
From the direction of the lake, a thin girl walked over quickly, still wearing the uniform of Chaoge Academy, holding a fish she had just caught. "A Yu, what are you saying? Mom's classmate? How is that possible..."
Ah?!
Zhu Xiao Qing and Qin Ye Xuan were both stunned.
Walking towards them was none other than student Wang Yu Lan, who had an illegitimate child, was kicked out of the dormitory, and had disappeared in the storage room!