CH 30

For the next part of the journey, Feng Ci quickened his pace slightly. Along the way, he continued to chat idly with Pei QianYue.

“This is around the forest I arrived in when I first got back to this world, right? At that time, I was almost killed by that magic array of yours.” 

“From what I remember, this forest wasn’t so vast in the past. We’ve already walked for so long and still haven’t walked out of it.”

“Wasn’t there a river over here previously? How come it dried up completely?”

Feng Ci seemed to have become extremely interested in the surrounding environment, practically capable of monologuing for most of the day.

On the other side of the voice transmission, Pei QianYue relaxed and quietly listened to him speak, only responding occasionally with a few words. 

However, as he walked onwards, Feng Ci suddenly felt a light tug.

Feng Ci turned his head and looked at the man behind him.

He only needed one glance to understand.

Although the Pei QianYue beside him was a counterfeit created by the secret realm, and his personality was not quite the same as the real Pei QianYue, in certain aspects, there was no change.

For example…… the feeling of dependency and closeness toward Feng Ci.

“Why is Master ignoring me?” ‘Pei QianYue‘ said: “I was talking to Master just now.”

His voice was gentle, low-pitched, and soft, yet it carried a thick sense of grievance.

Feng Ci was busy chatting with the real deal just now, as if no one else was present. It was inevitable that he ignored the person next to him. 

This person became unhappy.

Feng Ci felt exasperated.

But he still needed this ‘Pei QianYue‘ to lead the way. Temporarily, he didn’t want to clash with the other man yet.

Feng Ci thought briefly and said soothingly: “Sorry, I was a bit distracted just now. What did you say to me?” 

But ‘Pei QianYue‘ turned his head away: “…… It’s nothing.”

After saying this, he walked straight past Feng Ci and rushed ahead quickly.

Feng Ci: “…….”

He actually knew how to throw a temper just like the real deal! 

After pacifying this one, he needed to pacify the other one. Did he come into this secret realm to babysit?

Feng Ci didn’t know if he should laugh or cry. However, he had no choice but to yield and give chase. With a soft and gentle voice, Feng Ci coaxed him for quite a while before finally managing to convince the other person to stop being angry.

But no matter how capable Feng Ci was, it was impossible for him to coax two people at the same time. While he’s paying attention to this side, the real deal saw that Feng Ci hasn’t spoken for a long time and transmitted his voice over: “Master, what’s going on over there?”

Feng Ci instantly felt like he was an Emperor of the ancient era, sandwiched between two imperial concubines, facing dilemmas left and right. 

Feng Ci sighed: “I’m pacifying you.”

Pei QianYue fell silent.

Of course he guessed who Feng Ci was talking about.

Feng Ci suddenly felt curious: “Is the me on your side… like me?” 

Pei QianYue: “……not alike.”

Feng Ci asked: “How is he?”

Pei QianYue paused for a long while again before finally answering: “Completely different from Master.”

“I guessed the same.” Feng Ci said: “The you next to me is really too different from you. He has a much better temper than you.” 

Feng Ci paused and said: “It’s actually pretty cute.”

Pei QianYue stopped replying again.

Feng Ci pretty much guessed that the other was most likely chugging vinegar right now. With a secret laugh, he said seriously and solemnly: “I was just thinking, having such a cute and obedient little black snake is not bad. If I can take him out of here, I’ll raise him by my side.”

Pei QianYue’s voice instantly turned cold: “……Out of the question.” 

Feng Ci almost couldn’t hold back from laughing and asked deliberately: “Why not? Yesterday night, you didn’t want me touching that fox we met. Now you’re not allowing me to raise another little snake. Does being the leader of the Immortal Alliance mean you can be this tyrannical?”

Pei QianYue: “No means no.”

If he didn’t have someone next to him, Feng Ci would have definitely laughed out loud.

How could his family’s Xiao Hei be so fun? 

—Falling for it immediately with a little bit of teasing.

As Feng Ci struggled to suppress his laughter, he and the fake Pei QianYue walked out of the forest. The terrain for LingWu Mountain was rugged. After exiting the forest, there’s a relatively precarious slope. ‘Pei QianYue‘ walked up the slope first and then turned back to offer his hand to Feng Ci.

“Master, give me your hand.” ‘Pei QianYue‘ said to him.

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In fact, he still felt a bit unused to Pei QianYue’s current docile attitude towards him.

The other’s coldness a second ago now was already very cute.

Feng Ci didn’t respond for quite a while. In front of him, ‘Pei QianYue‘’s expression visibly fell. Feng Ci hastily reached out a hand and accepted the other’s offer to pacify him. 

“He touched you?” Pei QianYue’s voice suddenly spoke up in Feng Ci’s head.

Feng Ci was startled briefly before he slowly realized.

The duplicate and real person shared senses. Feng Ci’s hand was still placed in the fake Pei QianYue’s hand. The real deal on the other side can actually feel it as well.

However…… wasn’t the strength of this vinegar too strong here? 

“This is only a duplicate……” Before he finished speaking, Feng Ci remembered that his little black snake was still waiting pitifully alone inside that cave. His heart softened again and he changed his reply: “It was only an accident.”

After saying this, he hastily let go.

However, Pei QianYue didn’t reply, as if he was fuming quietly again.

Feng Ci still wanted to soothe him with a few more words but he suddenly saw something out of the corner of his eyes. 

He focused his attention.

At the exit of the cedar forest, there was surprisingly a lake.

Feng Ci said: “Xiao Hei.”

Pei QianYue’s voice spoke gloomily: “What?” 

Feng Ci: “If I remember correctly, outside of this cedar forest, there’s no lake right?”

Pei QianYue probably didn’t understand so quickly why the subject of his conversation changed so quickly. It took him a moment of contemplation before he replied: “In these thousands of years, LingWu Mountain experienced several earthquakes. Cracks appeared within the mountain. That lake gradually formed a few hundreds of years ago.”

Feng Ci frowned, not answering.

Pei QianYue: “What’s the matter?” 

Feng Ci: “It’s nothing……”

As they conversed, Feng Ci walked to the side of the lake. He looked over there. The surface of the lake was smooth and calm. The crystal clear surface of the lake reflected the grayish-blue skies, looking like a piece of rough jade.

Feng Ci stood by the lake and looked down.

On the surface of the water, a youth with pretty countenance and an expressionless face gazed back at him. 

He came to this place before.

In his dream.

After Feng Ci returned to this world, he only had two dreams. In his most recent dream, he saw Hanshan Temple being exterminated. The one before that… was this lake.

He dreamt that he had traveled through the forest and arrived at this lake. 

This lake only formed in recent years, therefore Feng Ci didn’t realize previously that it was LingWu Mountain. But right now……

With a darkened gaze, Feng Ci felt as if this lake had transformed, mysteriously and inexplicably, into an invisible string that connected everything that he had learned and seen after returning to this world.

After leaving the forest and walking about an incense stick of time, Feng Ci finally saw the familiar cavern.

Most likely because in reality, this place was under the protection of his magic, the cavern has not changed much from 3000 years ago. Even the grass and trees at the entrance of the cavern had the same familiar appearance. 

As a result, Feng Ci recognized it immediately.

“Master, we’re here.” The person beside him said.

Feng Ci nodded. He didn’t reply, but instead transmitted a message in his head to Pei QianYue: “I’m here. Where are you?”

Pei QianYue: “At the entrance of the cave.” 

Feng Ci was also at the entrance of the cave right now.

But other than himself and the duplicate next to him, there was no one else here.

His assumption was correct. Sure enough, he and Pei QianYue were separated into different spaces.

“It’s fine.” Feng Ci consoled: “I’ll think of something else. Don’t worry.” 

Pei QianYue, however, chuckled quietly on the other side.

Pei QianYue asked: “Is Master comforting me like a child?”

Feng Ci: “……”

No way. He was clearly comforting him like a beloved pet. 

Pei QianYue, the grand and majestic Leader of the Immortal Alliance— In other people’s eyes, he was probably an extremely fiendish existence. Only Feng Ci would worry about him feeling uncomfortable due to his blindness, and dote on Pei QianYue like his own child.

However, Pei QianYue didn’t actually feel any bit of discomfort. On the contrary, he was quite enjoying it.

He said: “Actually, I am a bit worried.”

“Can Master comfort me some more?” 

This was pure and unadulterated sajiao.

As Feng Ci walked inside the cave, he asked: “Alright, how do you want me to comfort you?”

The next second, he felt someone holding the hand he had hanging by his side.

The fake Pei QianYue has been following him while maintaining a distance that’s not too close and not too far. Right now, there was nothing next to his hand, but Feng Ci could feel a slightly cool touch unmistakably on his palm. 

Pei QianYue couldn’t cross over the boundary of the spaces. Using the duplicate as medium, he gently held Feng Ci’s hand.

“Is this okay?” Pei QianYue asked quietly.

Feng Ci subconsciously rubbed his fingers together. For some unknown reason, he suddenly felt a bit unnatural and tense. This sensation was way too real, as if there truly is a hand holding his, pulling on him and leading him through this dark cavern.

He cleared his throat and asked: “What did you do to the other me?” 

Pei QianYue: “Tied him up.”

No wonder he has been feeling vaguely uncomfortable around the wrist.

Feng Ci laughed briefly and said purposefully: “You tied him up and now you’re taking advantage of him?”

There was a tightness around his fingers. Pei QianYue had squeezed his hand: “I’m clearly taking advantage of Master here.” 

“Stop messing around.” This intimate act made Feng Ci feel even more unnatural. He scolded: “You were just getting jealous over the other you. Now you don’t mind anymore?”

“I do mind.” That pair of invisible hands played with Feng Ci’s fingers. A low and soft voice whispered in his head: “That’s why after the restrictions within this secret realm are lifted, I’m going to chop his hand off.”

Feng Ci laughed quietly: “Lunatic.”

The cavern that Feng Ci selected back then was a naturally forming karst cave. Inside there were countless tunnels and caves of various sizes. It’s very easy to get lost when advancing rashly. 

Right now this cavern has been replicated inside the secret realm. Wanting to find the exit of the secret realm inside this was twice as difficult.

However, a secret realm was only a secret realm after all. No matter how similar, it’s impossible to create the environment exactly like how it exists in reality.

Especially in this kind of secret realm, which contained multiple spaces, there was definitely an intersection at the heart of the secret realm.

Pei QianYue couldn’t see anything right now, so it’s not convenient for him to search. The task could only fall on Feng Ci. 

However, Feng Ci made several laps inside the cavern, but still didn’t find the intersection point.

“Perhaps the intersection point is not inside this cavern?” Pei QianYue asked.

“Not very likely.” Feng Ci said: “This cavern is indeed the center of the secret realm. Reasonably speaking, it should be nearby. Also did you not notice? After approaching this cavern, those monsters outside also disappeared.”

Proving that this cavern must be a special area inside the secret realm. 

Feng Ci looked up contemplatively. The man in black robes walked in front of him, only leaving Feng Ci a high and lofty view of his back. Ever since entering this cavern, this fake Pei QianYue rarely conversed with him.

Feng Ci thought briefly and had an approximate guess in his heart.

Feng Ci asked Pei QianYue through the voice transmission: “After you entered, did the other me actively bring you to this cavern?”

Pei QianYue answered: “Yes.” 

Feng Ci: “And then?”

“After entering the cavern, he……” Pei QianYue paused strangely and then said: “He revealed a flaw and I started fighting with him.”

Feng Ci could vaguely guess what Pei QianYue had omitted.

If this secret realm had duplicated mirror images of them and he had encountered an innocent and gentle Pei QianYue, then on the other side, Pei QianYue probably encountered…… 

It couldn’t be a promiscuous version of him, right?

Feng Ci shuddered and decisively abandoned the thought of asking Pei QianYue about what he didn’t say.

However, this information was already enough.

Because this fake Pei QianYue had actively brought him to the cavern as well. 

“Hey, Pei QianYue.” Feng Ci suddenly called out to the man in front of him: “This path, we’re already walked it several times, right?”

That person in front of him paused slightly and turned around: “Is that so?”

“Yea, and plus……” Feng Ci pondered, saying: “I seem to remember, the tunnel here originally didn’t head left.”

As he spoke, he walked forward and raised his hand, wanting to touch the wall on the right side. 

Suddenly he heard a gust of wind next to his ear. Feng Ci turned his head and evaded the first strike by a hair. However, he didn’t manage to dodge the second strike of the palm that followed closely afterwards. He was shoved forcefully, back slamming into a wall to the side.

An ice-cold body covered over him.

“Why is Master so eager to leave?” The voice of the man restraining him was still gentle, and even sounded slightly aggrieved: “Can’t you stay here with me?”

Feng Ci stared at the face inches away from him and started chuckling quietly. 

‘Pei QianYue’ asked: “Why are you laughing?”

“I’m laughing at you.” Feng Ci stopped his laughter and shook his head: “As expected of a mirrored duplicate. Not as clever as the real deal. Why did you expose yourself immediately after the first try?”

‘Pei QianYue’’s expression changed slightly.

Feng Ci said: “I haven’t been back here in 3000 years. How can I remember if this tunnel turned left or right?” 

He was only postulating, since the duplicates that appeared were mirrored versions, then perhaps the cavern constructed inside this secret realm was also mirror images?

Unfortunately, Feng Ci had already left this place thousands of years ago. He no longer remembered very well the paths within this cavern. Meanwhile, Pei QianYue couldn’t see anything inside this cavern. Feng Ci had no choice but to tell him to wait at the entrance instead of entering deeply.

Otherwise, they would have discovered this even earlier.

Feng Ci gave the man in front him a light smile, grabbed the other’s arms, and abruptly turned the two around. 

The two people’s bodies instantly passed through the wall that’s next to Feng Ci.

The view before his eyes opened up.

Inside this stone wall hid an extremely steep cliff.

At the bottom of the cliff was a lake that glowed silvery-white, looking just like the crystalline surface of a mirror that’s shining with spiritual energy. 

Feng Ci said: “Isn’t this what I’m looking for?”

“So what if you find it?” ‘Pei QianYue’ stood behind him and said calmly: “You can’t leave. There’s no need to waste energy.”

“Is that right?” Feng Ci continued to look down at the crystalline surface of the lake below the cliff. His eyeballs spun, as if he were considering something.

Pei QianYue’s voice spoke up inside his head: “Found it?” 

“En.” Feng Ci answered, saying: “It’s a mirror lake.”

Pei QianYue: “How do we dispel the magic?”

Feng Ci: “I don’t know.”

The silvery-white glow of the mirror lake reflected in Feng Ci’s eyes. He said quietly: “Let’s take a gamble.” 

“What are you planning to do?!”

The two Pei QianYue actually spoke these words simultaneously.

Feng Ci chuckled softly. Without a hint of hesitation, he leaped off the precipice and jumped into that mirror lake.

This cliff was a hundred meters in height. Feng Ci had no spiritual powers at the moment and was no different than an ordinary person. 

But he didn’t show even the slightest hint of fear on his face.

The whistling sound of wind reverberated in his ears. Feng Ci closed his eyes in midair and raised his right hand to his lips: “Pei QianYue, catch me.”

Putong—

Water splashed upwards from the silver mirror-like surface, but Feng Ci didn’t feel any of the sensations of entering water. 

His body fell endlessly in the void, as if there’s no bottom limit. After an unknown amount of time passed, he finally fell right into an embrace.

The huge momentum of the impact forced even Pei QianYue to back up a few steps. Feng Ci opened his eyes and saw the other’s slightly panicked expression.

After reuniting with Pei QianYue for so long, the other always had a calm and collected appearance, as if everything was under his control. Even in the frenzy, he seemed extremely clear-headed, like it’d be impossible to figure out his thoughts.

This was actually the first time Feng Ci saw this person display such an expression. 

It was also the first time, someone caught him.

Feng Ci raised his head and was just about to push Pei QianYue away to tease him a bit. However, the person holding him suddenly folded both arms inward and pulled Feng Ci even more forcefully into his embrace.

This strength was so strong, Feng Ci had a bit of trouble breathing. He couldn’t even get out the words that were right on the tip of his tongue.

Teeth clenched together tightly, Pei QianYue held onto Feng Ci, even his encircling arms trembled somewhat: “……you’re the lunatic here.” 

The author has something to say:

Don’t worry Xiao Hei. Your master is just a little too naughty. He’ll get better after a few ****(No)