Unsterblichkeit, Unsterblichkeit

Kapitel 40

"You!!" Liu Xian trembled with rage, reaching out to remove her hairpin and stabbing it at her: "You dare say I'm ugly?! Don't you even look at yourself... Ah!!!" Suddenly, a flash of white light appeared, and she immediately let out a shrill scream: "Ah——————!"

Upon closer inspection, everyone saw a right hand, still clutching the silver hairpin, roll onto the grass.

Liu Xian clutched his arm, which was missing its wrist and was gushing blood, and screamed repeatedly, "Ah—ah—! My hand!! My hand!!"

Before anyone could react, something descended from the sky, like a soaring eagle or swan, its overwhelming killing intent suddenly annihilating them.

He was a man as graceful as a crane.

The cool moonlight shone on him, and his sleeves, billowing in the wind, resembled large, drifting clouds, carrying a chilling and desolate aura, rushing towards them like a sudden downpour. Silver needles and slender knives, gleaming with a sharp light, descended from the sky. The wind howled past their ears, and some of the eight didn't even have time to react before being slashed.

Suddenly, a figure leaped into the air. The third of the Eight Immortals was the most beautiful man in the entire martial world, known as "Liu Mei." He drew his cleaver from his back, shouted, and slashed at Che Shui in mid-air. The leader of Chongchonglou, expressionless, glanced coldly at him with his usually flirtatious eyes. He dodged the initial attack, then bounced off a nearby tree trunk with his toes. Before the other could turn around, the sound of tearing fabric rang out. Liu Mei cried out in pain and fell from mid-air, a huge bloody gash spreading diagonally behind him.

"Third Brother!" someone cried out in anguish. A woman who had lost both arms rushed to his side to check his injuries. Turning back, she angrily shouted at Che Shui, "I'll fight you to the death!"

But at this moment, two figures crossed paths and attacked the Lord of Chongchonglou. On the left was Xianyi, a beautiful young woman holding a spear. She was dressed in red, with a beautiful face and sharp eyes. She was known as "Hot Girl". On the right was Xiansi, who had just asked questions while standing on plum blossoms. He held two large axes, one gold and one silver, and was nicknamed "Double-Sided Wrathful Axe".

Che Shui raised an eyebrow indifferently. He dodged several attacks from the two and landed on the grass not far away. He glanced at the two men, then raised his left hand high and spun his right hand downwards. Xian Yi and Xian Si were unable to get close because of the blade energy he emitted. They unconsciously took several steps back, exchanged glances, and prepared to attack again, but it was too late. A rolling and roaring tornado suddenly surged upwards, and the rapid air currents turned into sharp blades. Before the two could even shout, they were cut and mangled by thousands of blade-like air currents, spitting blood and collapsing to the ground.

The Eight Immortals of Flying Eagle Fortress have been half-defeated.

The clear water, like an elegant and noble swan, gently landed on the ground.

The silver-white fans shimmered and shone brilliantly in the moonlight. They were cool and clean, without a single drop of blood.

The other four stood rooted to the spot, too stunned to move.

"Xi Yun of Flying Eagle Fortress is safe so far," Che Shui said calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion. "If you want him to continue like this, then you'd better not provoke me."

At that moment, a soft groan was heard not far from him.

Che Shui turned his head and looked over, his expression immediately changing.

Beside a rock, Mei Hua was struggling to sit up. There were still traces of her blood on the rock. Her robes were torn, and her hands were covered in wounds. The heroic spirit she had shown when they parted was completely gone, and most of her face was covered in blood.

"Damn it..." she muttered, feeling dizzy and nauseous, her whole body aching, especially her stomach and back. Her face felt like it was on fire; her hands and face were warm and damp, and her lips tasted salty. It took her a while to regain her vision after opening her eyes, but her legs were too sore to stand, and she was too weak to continue cursing. She hadn't seen what was happening before her, and could only gasp and mutter, "When I recover... I'll see you..."

Before she could finish speaking, she was lifted up by a pair of strong arms.

A familiar scent wafted over me.

"You bastard..."

I tried calling him for ages but couldn't wake him, and now I've been beaten up like this.

Mei Hua only had time to say that one sentence before she felt relieved and fainted.

"..." Che Shui silently looked at her face, which was originally sweet and delicate but was now covered in bruises and blood, and couldn't help but sigh softly. Unconsciously, he frowned, turned slightly, and said coldly to the four immortals behind him who dared not move, "I've settled this score with you over Plum Blossom. I'll let you go this time... If you go looking for trouble with Tianxia Inn again, I think these eight immortals will become eight cripples."

"If you have the guts, then kill us all!!" the blind Xian Er suddenly shouted shrilly, gritting his teeth, "Otherwise, we will definitely avenge our grudges in the future!"

"Then I'll wait and see." The leader of Chongchonglou chuckled softly, looking at them with disdain and mockery. "Will it be eight against one again? Or will they come one by one?" He then sneered, "Using numbers to bully the few, no wonder the people of Flying Eagle Fortress are disliked. To have fallen so low, they deserve it!"

"You!!" The men were enraged and drew their weapons, but dared not take a step forward. This man had just easily defeated the four strongest among them, the Four Immortals. The remaining men, though skilled in their own ways, were probably no match for Plum Blossom, whom they had just beaten to the ground. The others were now seriously injured, some even crippled. Although they couldn't swallow their anger, they could only watch helplessly as Che Shui gracefully departed with Plum Blossom in his arms.

A gentleman takes his revenge even after ten years; for now, we can only endure it.

Although her body was covered in wounds, she still knew in her mind that she was on a battlefield. Mei Hua drifted off to sleep, and when she tried to open her eyes again, only a moment had passed. She felt the wind whistling past her ears, and struggling to look up, she saw the valley and forest rushing past Che Shui's shoulder. She and he were soaring through the air, whistling past in the night.

The outline of the clear water looked somewhat unfamiliar under the moonlight.

Accustomed to his carefree, playful, or languid manner, this sudden cold indifference, comparable to Xuan Sheng's, left her somewhat bewildered. Staring blankly at him, she saw a profile as stern and taut as if carved by a knife, cold and unyielding like a stone statue. His lips were tightly pressed together, his eyes devoid of any emotion, just as Shuang Jing had been after Xuan Sheng left her—a blank, empty void, as if possessed.

Therefore, it was known that the person must have seen the sunken sand.

A wave of pity washed over Meihua, and she sighed unconsciously.

"Awake?" Che Shui suddenly asked in a deep voice, "Are you feeling alright? Is there anything wrong?"

"My bones feel like they're about to fall apart. Do you think I'm feeling unwell?" Plum Blossom rolled her eyes at him, but still managed to say, "It's nothing. Just a little skin pain, no internal injuries."

"Stop talking nonsense." Che Shui frowned, his face darkening. "I felt your internal energy was in complete disarray when I took your pulse just now, and there was a bulging, serious injury on your waist. You're saying it's just skin pain..." He couldn't help but raise his voice. "I was under the spell of a magic array. Didn't you try to hide when they attacked? Xi Yun was in my hands, and they couldn't do anything to me. If I had been a step slower, wouldn't you have..." He suddenly stopped, his lips pressed tightly together, his breathing rapid. After a long while, he said stiffly, "In short, don't be so reckless next time."

The plum blossoms remained silent. Slowly lowering her eyes, she felt a slight pain in her chest, and without hesitation leaned against Che Shui's shoulder, closing her eyes wearily.

Don't be so reckless next time.

Xuan Sheng often heard this phrase said to Shuang Jing, half with pity and half with anger. No matter how cold and aloof the Second Young Master of Half Moon City was, there was always a hint of panic and worry. Suddenly, she understood Che Shui's worry and heartache. If she had to see someone die before her eyes again, she would definitely break down. So, for some reason, she naturally blurted out, "I saw my Third Sister."

Meihua gently rested her head on his shoulder, and then the weakness she had never shown to others suddenly became unmasked and powerless. Her eyes became misty, as if shrouded in a perpetual fog, unfocused and desolate with despair.

"She was both my sister and my mentor, a confidante and an enemy. I didn't have time to tell her my gratitude and my apologies, and then... I woke up." She raised her eyes, her clear gaze fixed on Che Shui through half her blood-stained face: "Even if I don't know what the pain of losing a loved one is like, I know what it feels like to lose someone important. So..."

So, I think I can understand how you feel.

Che Shui remained silent; he suddenly dared not look at Mei Hua's face.

Aside from Mei Hua Shuang Jing and Xuan Sheng, he has never been good at handling other people's feelings. In recent years, he has locked his heart away in a very deep place and has long forgotten what to do when others are crying or sad.

Because several years ago, all he had left was an empty body and the will to persevere for Chongchonglou and Qishimen; he had long forgotten all other feelings.

"If only things had been this way... If only things had been that way... I've always thought that way... But it's precisely because of these thoughts that I've come to my senses and realized that my sister... is truly gone." Plum Blossom murmured softly, then turned her head after a long while, asking absentmindedly, "And you? Why... did Che Shui wake up?"

Because he remembered that you still exist in this world. He almost said that.

Because I remembered that when I broke into this ruin to save Shuangjing, you were right behind me.

But he still didn't say anything, just shook his head and remained silent.

Suddenly, a strong wind blew, and thousands of petals fell like rain from nowhere. White pear blossoms fell around them like snow. The two looked up and saw Longye standing on a treetop not far from them, quietly watching them.

Her long, snow-white hair, like moonlight shining obliquely, cleaved through the dense darkness and dark green forest with a ray of icy light. Her magnificent azure robe shimmered with silvery moonlight, its dark hue fluttering in the wind like a babbling brook flowing through the air.

"You've finally arrived..." she said expressionlessly, pointing into the distance. "If we hadn't been quick, those two would have been dead soon."

The Maze Reincarnates, Awakening to Melancholy and a Soul-Stirring Mistake (Part 3)

The air was thick with the acrid smell of medicine, and the rumbling of a flowing spring echoed around them. In the darkness, only the cold water and floating dust and sand could be felt. Xuan Sheng held Shuang Jing tightly around the waist, one hand gently channeling his inner energy into her back to keep her warm, while the other carefully lifted her out of the water so she could breathe freely. Because the air inside was thin, he began to hold his breath and circulate his inner energy, hoping that both of them could survive longer.

"Xuansheng, let me go." Shuangjing suddenly spoke up, her calm and composed voice without a trace of panic. She calmly grasped his hand and patted it reassuringly: "If this continues, we will drown sooner or later. Push me against the wall, I'll support you. After all, I'm a martial artist, not so delicate. Go find an exit."

Xuan Sheng knew she was right, and besides, continuing like this wasn't a solution.

Judging from the air currents and sounds around them, the space on the first floor of the attic they were in wasn't high; they were almost at the ceiling, and if they continued, the water would reach its limit. So he nodded to Shuangjing, quickly unbuckled his belt, and tied her wrists together with his, saying as he did so, "I'll feel my way along the walls. Just follow behind me slowly, don't stray too far, understand?" For some reason, he suddenly felt a chilling panic and fear, as if if he let go, the woman before him would slowly disappear into the darkness. He couldn't help but hug her tightly, kissing her forehead deeply, and said firmly, "We'll get out!"

“I know…” Shuangjing smiled at him and patted his hand. “Go quickly, hurry up!” She was grateful that the water constantly flowing into the room could successfully conceal her gradually cooling body and body temperature. Feeling Xuansheng squeeze her hand back, she turned around and began searching for gaps or exits in the wall. She couldn’t help but lean against the wall, breathing heavily and carefully. Fortunately, the water was already quite deep, and she floated on the surface, being dragged along by the belt tied to her hands by Xuansheng, which didn’t require much effort.

The tightness in her chest made it increasingly difficult for her to breathe. Even though it was dark all around, she still tried to keep her eyes open, because she knew she would faint if she closed them.

Her already weak body deteriorated even more rapidly after Xuan Sheng left her last time. Because of her grief and despair, she developed a habit of sleeping for days at a time, which made her feel tired after walking only a few steps. Although she was not abused during the days she was captured by the people of Flying Eagle Fortress, she was still exhausted. If it weren't for her desire to know the truth that kept her going, she would have collapsed long ago.

Xuan Sheng's arrival put her at ease, and with that relief came overwhelming fatigue and weakness, making her feel almost unable to hold on.

"Double clean..."

Xuan Sheng's voice seemed to come from a distant, foggy coast. She forced her eyes open and asked, "Hmm?"

"Are you feeling alright? We..."

Before he could finish speaking, a loud crash was heard, and someone was pounding on the wall. Che Shui's anxious voice came through the sound of the water: "Xuan Sheng!! Xiao Jing!! Are you in there?!"

"It's the Lord!" Xuan Sheng was both surprised and delighted, and couldn't help but shout, "Lord, we're here!" Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly realized that the water was almost up to his earlobe. He was startled and reached out to lift it, but immediately touched the ceiling. The cold stone sensation made him feel numb, and he immediately swam towards where Shuang Jing was.

"Shuang Jing!" Holding her, Xuan Sheng lifted her to the surface and forcefully struck the wall with his palm. He had initially tried to shatter the stone wall, but even with all his strength, it was to no avail. The green jade stone truly lived up to its reputation as the most solid stone on the seabed; his fists were almost ruined, yet he couldn't even scratch it. But now that Che Shui was on the surface, he used his fist to indicate their location. If the two of them struck with all their might at the same time, perhaps they could break the wall.

"They're here!" Plum Blossom, standing outside, heard the muffled sound and exclaimed in surprise, "Xuansheng! Xuansheng! Try hitting them again!"

A sound of punching rang out, and the two men exchanged a glance before moving to the left, following the sound.

"Why is the sound getting quieter?!" Plum Blossom listened intently, her brow furrowing. She pressed her ear against the wall for a moment, then exclaimed in alarm, "There's water inside! Clear water! They must be trapped inside! We have to hurry..."

"Get out of my way!" the Lord of Chongchonglou roared, his voice filled with anger and coldness. "I'll shatter it!"

“Impossible,” Long Ye said calmly, standing behind them, his eyes devoid of any emotion. “The bottom floor of this building was specifically built for closed-door training. To maintain a perpetually wintery climate, it was specially constructed of green jade ceramic stone. No human effort could possibly destroy it…”

"Don't underestimate me." Che Shui ignored him completely, staring intently at the wall: "What a joke, the two most important people in my life are inside..." He took a step back, drew his peach blossom silver fan, and sneered: "Even if I, Du Che Shui, die here, I will rescue Xiao Jing and Xuan Sheng."

As he spoke, the surrounding air suddenly cooled, and the night wind rustled through the trees behind him like raindrops falling. Mei Hua suddenly felt that the man before her resembled a greyish wolf in the mountains, possessing a sharp, fierce, and aloof aura. Such an animal, though accustomed to roaming alone in the darkness and silence with unrestrained fury, would fiercely protect its companions once it found them. When facing an enemy, it would either fight to the death or perish together.

"Che Shui..." she called out involuntarily, her voice trembling slightly.

But the other person could no longer hear her voice.

Inside, water had flooded every corner. Xuan Sheng supported Shuang Jing, letting her lie flat and float on the water, one hand still steadying her pulse, the other straining to see the stone wall. As time and water flowed, he felt his breathing becoming increasingly difficult, and his hand almost lost all feeling. He tasted saltiness in his mouth. He knew this wasn't ordinary water, but some kind of perhaps already rotten medicine. The longer they soaked here, the more the medicine would take effect, causing numbness and weakness in his limbs, and even his consciousness to slowly fade.

It doesn't matter if he dies here, but we must get Shuangjing out of here no matter what.

Thinking of this, I unconsciously reached out and hugged her tightly, one hand behind her back and the other supporting her head. I leaned down and felt her soft breathing, which made me feel a little more at ease.

Suddenly a tremor came, as if the entire attic had moved.

"Ugh...!" Che Shui's fan got stuck in the stone wall. He was panting heavily, his pale face covered in sweat. He took two steps back and swung the fan again with all his might: "Hahhhhhh!!!"

Suddenly, a fierce wind arose all around, and Mei Hua, standing at the back, was blown backward, almost unable to stand. Looking ahead, all the branches and leaves around her were being blown wildly and chaotically. Then, with a clang, a wave of air was violently blasted out, and she was suddenly flipped backward.

"!!" Che Shui collapsed, one hand resting on the fan handle wedged into the stone wall, panting heavily. Sweat streamed down his forehead, while the wall, covered in vines and withered branches, showed only two cracks, as if it had absorbed all his strength. Che Shui looked at it, his face pale, a wave of panic washing over him, fear and dread engulfing him.

"Damn it!" he roared involuntarily, punching the unmoving wall. His palm was covered in wounds, and his knuckles were all bloody and mangled. "Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!!" He pounded on the wall again and again, his eyes red and his expression contorted.

It's too late!

Meihua looked up and saw that the man's face was ashen, his eyes filled with panic. He was pressed against the wall, listening quietly, and moved his lips slightly before finally saying, "...Meihua, can you hear anything inside?"

Mei Hua shuddered, feeling as if the blood in her body had suddenly frozen. She rushed to the stone wall, pressing her ear against it to listen intently. After a long while, she finally breathed a slight sigh of relief: "They're still alive!"

“Alright…” Che Shui, as if valued, gave a cold, stern smile, his expression focused and full of fighting spirit as if he were facing his most formidable enemy: “Get out of my way…”

Inside, Shuang Jing felt like she was suffocating. Her consciousness was blurred, her limbs were ice-cold, and if it weren't for the feeling of Xuan Sheng holding her tightly from behind, she would have collapsed long ago. It wasn't because she couldn't breathe, but because of the medicine all around and the exhaustion that kept her conscious.

She gasped for breath, the water covering her entire body, leaving her only able to stay above the surface on her back. Soon, she found places to breathe.

She couldn't help but feel a sense of shock; how could Xuan Sheng die in this place?!

Suddenly, a hand tightly embraced her waist, Xuan Sheng's warm hand caressed her face, and then his lips covered hers.

The air mingled with his gentle breaths and friction, and a warm current flowed from behind her with Xuan Sheng's heartbeat. Shuang Jing involuntarily wrapped her arms around his neck, her tense body suddenly relaxing, and she pressed her entire body against his chest.

To die like this is actually quite good.

But Xuan Sheng... I can't bear to let you leave this world like this.

Suddenly, a scene flashed through her mind, and Shuangjing suddenly remembered something. She immediately opened her eyes and unconsciously groped her way towards the wall.

boom--!