Xiaohe took a step back in surprise. "Ms. Xiaorou, I have a very good impression of you. A perfect girl like you is very rare. Even when arranging your memories, I arranged a position that suits your status and preferences. Your status is very important. I can't think of any way I have offended you." He said politely, his demeanor like that of a humble gentleman.
Xiao Rou sighed softly, "You'll never understand, so prepare to die." Before she could finish speaking, the telekinetic spear was already thrust out without any warning. The two were several meters apart, but with Xiao Rou's current power, she completely disregarded the spatial distance at close range. With a whoosh, a dazzling flash of lightning appeared, and the spear, which had somehow transformed into ten diamond-shaped petals, pierced into Xiao He's chest.
“Xiao Rou…” Ling Yun couldn’t understand why Xiao Rou would suddenly try to kill this man who possessed such rare dream-like abilities. He was about to call out, but then swallowed the words back. Memories of the town flashed through his mind. Could it be that Xiao Rou was angry because he had insulted her in the town and was seeking revenge? Probably not. Xiao Rou wasn’t an impulsive person. Besides, even in reality, there were many people like Xiao Rou in the town. When the evil side of human nature is exposed, everyone is evil. Human nature is inherently complex.
Not only Ling Yun was confused, but Xiao He was too. His impression of Xiao Rou was that of a timid, beautiful girl, introverted and shy, finding it difficult to express her feelings. Therefore, Xiao He's arrangement of memories was based on his own feelings. However, he had never truly known Xiao Rou's personality, and judging from her current behavior, it seemed that his initial impression was wrong…
It was too late to dodge. Xiaohe only had time to utter a few syllables before the telekinetic spear pierced his chest without any suspense. High-voltage current was released from the telekinetic spear in an instant, rampaging and violently drilling into the wound and destroying Xiaohe's body structure. This was a new auxiliary function of the telekinetic spear; as long as it pierced him, the current would instantly amplify the damage by more than ten times.
Xiaohe's body suddenly twisted and slowly dissipated like a wisp of smoke. Xiaorou's stab was actually just an illusion. In the final moment, Xiaohe finally used the Dream Magic to transfer his body.
Without hesitation, Xiao Rou abruptly pulled her telekinetic spear back from the phantom's body, then leaped into the air. Her slender body was already several meters high in the sky, and the telekinetic spear transformed into a shadow of lightning that sent chills down one's spine, thrusting fiercely towards a certain point in space.
Ah! With a painful scream, several drops of blood spurted out from the void. Xiaohe appeared in a sorry state from the space, falling heavily to the ground like a free fall. Fortunately, he was quite skilled and managed to flip over before hitting the ground. He then squatted down in a disheveled state, clutching his chest tightly with his hands. A deep bloodstain had appeared on his bright yellow clothes, and blood was flowing out between his fingers.
His dream manipulation skills are top-notch, capable of killing without anyone noticing. However, this top-tier ability comes at the cost of weaknesses in other areas. In combat, he is clearly no match for Xiao Rou, whose strength has greatly improved. In reality, Xiao He's combat abilities are not weak either, but compared to Xiao Rou, he seems somewhat lacking.
Xiao Rou gently held up her telekinetic spear, a trace of Xiao He's blood still lingering on the gleaming tip, and aimed it once more at Xiao He, who was slowly raising his head, his face involuntarily showing fear.
"Xiao Rou, killing him won't change anything. Let's go to the next hall." Ling Yun didn't understand why Xiao Rou hated Xiao He so much and was determined to kill him. Killing Xiao He wouldn't be a big deal, since they weren't mortal enemies, but they were still adversaries. They were inexplicably caught up in this barrier, and even Ling Yun was furious. But time was of the essence. Now that they had passed the test of the Hall of Wisdom and Xiao He had let go, there was no need to waste any more time on him.
“I’m just teaching him a lesson,” the girl said casually. “He deceived us for so long, causing us a lot of trouble, especially when he slandered your innocence in town. I’m just standing up for you.”
"..." Ling Yun blinked, confused. To avenge him? That reason seemed a bit far-fetched. Ling Yun wasn't stupid; the girl was definitely hiding her true feelings. But no matter what Xiao Rou did, Ling Yun wouldn't say anything. Their lives were already inextricably intertwined, inseparable. Ling Yun couldn't even imagine what he would become without Xiao Rou; perhaps he would go insane. In his heart, for the first time, this girl's importance surpassed that of his parents and everyone else.
However, Ling Yun didn't particularly hate Xiao He. Even though this top-tier dream-manipulation ability user had almost trapped him and Xiao Rou to death in the eerie town, the dream was beautiful for Ling Yun. The peaceful and happy married life he shared with Xiao Rou in the town was exactly the life Ling Yun had always dreamed of. It was just a pity that a dream was still a dream, and he would eventually have to wake up. But even with a virtual memory remaining, Ling Yun felt exceptionally warm when he thought about it. Therefore, he not only didn't hate Xiao He, but also felt a touch of gratitude.
Xiaohe looked at Xiaorou, puzzled, a hint of fear in his eyes. He couldn't understand why the girl had suddenly gone berserk. Because Lingyun and Xiaorou had entered the town's barrier the moment they entered the hall, Xiaorou's image in his mind was simply that of a gentle, beautiful wife, shy and seemingly powerless. This first impression was so profound that even after Lingyun broke the illusion spell, Xiaohe's impression of Xiaorou remained unchanged. But now, he was paying a heavy price for his mistaken feelings.
This stunningly beautiful girl possessed power absolutely commensurate with her beauty. Although Xiaohe was primarily a dream-based ability user, his own strength was not to be underestimated. However, faced with Xiaorou's fierce attacks, he couldn't withstand two of her sudden attacks—it was practically an instant kill, a shocking and unbelievable experience for Xiaohe. Xiaorou's power far exceeded his imagination; it was a power completely surpassing that of ordinary strong individuals, utterly shattering the impression Xiaohe had of a weak and fragile girl.
"Let's go, Xiaorou." Ling Yun looked up and saw that the faint blue flame on the clock hanging above the exit of the hall had finally been extinguished, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
Besides using his wisdom to guess the logical flaws in the town, Ling Yun's only reliance in breaking the dream spell of the small river was actually his Heavenly Eye. For some reason, during the night he spent in the town, the Heavenly Eye suddenly presented a macroscopic world in his consciousness, giving him a hint in an almost philosophical abstract sense. After having that dream, Ling Yun has been living in a state of dual memory. He cannot understand what caused the Heavenly Eye to make such a suggestion, nor can he understand why the Heavenly Eye would show such an anomaly. Fortunately, however, this state is advantageous to him.
Xiao Rou followed behind Ling Yun with a smile. As she passed Xiao He, who had slowly stood up, she suddenly transmitted a mental wave that Ling Yun couldn't hear to Xiao He's ears: "Do you know why I'm teaching you a lesson? Because you woke me up from my beautiful dream in the town."
Xiaohe was stunned for a moment, then watched as the girl walked out of the hall with a smug smile. He couldn't help but lower his head and sigh heavily.
Chapter 322 Mutual Affection
The two walked hand in hand out of the hall's exit, then stopped simultaneously. Looking up at the long, soaring white marble staircase and the temple faintly visible through the misty fog, they both felt a sense of disorientation. After exchanging a glance, Lingyun and Xiaorou suddenly blushed, averting their eyes, but their hands clasped even tighter.
Almost simultaneously, the two thought of their brief but beautiful time as a couple in the small town. All the tragic events and riots were automatically forgotten in their warm memories. What remained in the hearts of the boy and girl was that romantic and sad night, and the happy and peaceful scene of the two having breakfast together in the morning. This made Lingyun and Xiaorou's hearts pound.
Ling Yun turned his head. "Little...old..." He suddenly stared wide-eyed, his mouth agape, revealing a long-unseen, somewhat wooden expression. He had originally intended to call her Xiao Rou, but suddenly felt that in this situation, he should call her more affectionately. However, as soon as he uttered the first word "wife," Ling Yun's heart suddenly started racing. Although he had used all his strength, his mouth just wouldn't utter the second word. The power of habit was immense. He was used to calling her Xiao Rou, and suddenly changing his address to wife, even though it was something Ling Yun had always dreamed of, suddenly, when the moment arrived, the overwhelming happiness left Ling Yun speechless.
"What do you want to say..." Xiaorou looked at her beloved with deep affection. Her rosy cheeks were like deep red roses in full bloom. In the misty fog and soft light, she looked beautiful beyond compare. It was the feeling of a young girl at her happiest and most beautiful moment. Her heart had blossomed deeply for love. Her already stunning face was even more gorgeous. She looked like a person in a painting. She was incomparably pleasing to the eye. Even with Lingyun's current mental strength, he couldn't help but be moved. He couldn't help but reach out his other hand and gently hold Xiaorou's other fair and delicate hand.
"Rou, I want to say, I...I...I love you...I really want to live with you like we did in this small town. Marry me, be my wife, okay?" Ling Yun stammered, this being the first time in his eighteen years of life that he had confessed to a beautiful girl. Although their feelings for each other were already deeply rooted and didn't need any further cultivation or confession, neither of them had actually said those words. In Ling Yun's heart, he had always dreamed of a scene where he could be in a dreamlike garden, holding a bunch of bright red roses, and then confessing his love in a deep and romantic way to the girl of his dreams, dressed in a pure white dress.
Of course, for Ling Yun before he gained his superpowers, such a dream was just a dream. The girl in his dream would not be interested in an ordinary and honest boy like him. So Ling Yun was also very self-aware and never had high expectations for such a thing, nor did he yearn for it every day. But it was okay to dream about it.
Unexpectedly, his first confession of love took place at such an opportune moment. Inside an ancient barrier filled with endless mysteries, between two classical palaces built at an unknown time, tens of thousands of meters above the vacuum, he was confessing to the girl he loved. Although it was not quite the scene he had dreamed of, seeing the surprised and delighted expression on Xiao Rou's face, Ling Yun suddenly felt that this scene was not much different from the garden of his dreams.
He had originally intended to put on a good show, wanting to be like the male protagonists in the romantic movies he'd seen before, delivering his confession with great emotion and tenderness. However, the gap between his imagination and reality was so vast that the words that came out of his mouth tasted completely different and uncontrollable.
Fortunately, the girl didn't care at all. Xiao Rou, who had never experienced any romantic relationship, was simply immersed in immense joy and excitement. Although she had long known that Ling Yun had feelings for her, for some reason, these sweet and poetic words of affection felt different coming from her boyfriend's mouth. It was as if an ordinary person had suddenly gained the power of a god descending to earth, bringing Xiao Rou endless surprise and happiness. Even the ethereal clouds and steps in front of her became infinitely beautiful.
"Yun, I really enjoy hearing you say these things. Why have you never said them before?" Xiaorou said with a charming smile. Her crescent-shaped eyebrows were beautifully raised, and little stars of joy kept jumping out of her phoenix eyes. The corners of her mouth turned up, forming a beautiful arc. Her fair face seemed to be coated with a layer of clear light, making her look full of captivating charm.
"I really want to say it, but I can't. You know I'm introverted and honest," Ling Yun said helplessly, spreading his hands. After suddenly speaking his mind, a feeling of exhilaration welled up inside him, making him feel incredibly refreshed and excited. Looking at his stunning girlfriend, Ling Yun suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. Even if the road ahead was fraught with danger, Ling Yun would not be afraid.
"You call yourself honest? Bah! You heartbreaker! You've hurt countless girls, do you know that?" Xiaorou gave him a playful glare, her tone reproachful but tinged with a hint of joy. In her eyes, Ling Yun was the most outstanding. The fact that so many beautiful girls liked him proved that. And he only had eyes for her. Xiaorou was clearly superior to all the other girls. Even without much vanity, Xiaorou was overjoyed.
Ling Yun chuckled wryly and touched his nose. It seemed that ever since he entered university, he had been called a womanizer, but he was definitely not. Why did everyone like to call him that? He didn't know that "womanizer" was also a term of endearment used by girls to tease the men they liked. It didn't mean that he was really a womanizer. A girl's inner world was often separate from her outward appearance. She was sensitive and fragile, so complex that it was impossible for others to understand what she was thinking.
Looking at Xiao Rou's cheerful and adorable face, Ling Yun reached out and hugged her tightly in his arms: "Wife, I'm shamelessly calling you that. I'm determined to marry you in this lifetime. I just don't know if you're willing to marry me?"
Xiao Rou nestled in his arms like a kitten. Hearing the voice and address she had longed to hear in her dreams, her heart was bursting with joy. She closed her sleepy phoenix eyes slightly, and two strings of glistening tears suddenly slid down her cheeks: "I do, Yun, I do want to be your wife, to stay with you for life, and to be of one heart forever."
Ling Yun trembled slightly, then hugged Xiao Rou even tighter. He smelled the girl's refreshing fragrance and felt a sense of fulfillment. "You're willing? Why don't you call me husband? We're husband and wife now, shouldn't we do some things that husband and wife should do?" Ling Yun suddenly grabbed her rounded, sculpted shoulders, his eyes filled with a playful smile.
Xiao Rou was taken aback, then looked at Ling Yun with some surprise. She turned to look at the towering cliff shrouded in rain and mist below the steps and the endless staircase leading upwards. She chuckled and said, "Honey, you're really something. Even in a place like this, you can still think about what a couple should do. Aren't you afraid of catching a cold from the strong wind?"
This time it was Ling Yun's turn to be stunned. He stared blankly at Xiao Rou, his mind not quite processing what was going on. It wasn't until Xiao Rou couldn't help but laugh so hard she bent over that he finally came to his senses and realized that his girlfriend wasn't shy at all. Instead, she was teasing him with a veiled insult. He was both annoyed and amused, and he grabbed her around the waist and hugged her tightly: "I'm not afraid of catching a cold. I'm an ability user, you know. I'm just worried about you catching a cold. Honey, since you're not afraid, let's be bold. Anyway, there's no one else here, and we don't have to worry about you accidentally revealing too much."
Xiao Rou chuckled, and like a slippery fish, she deftly escaped from his arms. With a sway of her slender body, she was already dozens of meters away, and her teasing voice drifted from afar: "Husband, come and chase me! If you catch me, I'll let you be bold this time."
"Husband!" Ling Yun was both surprised and delighted. He never expected that Xiao Rou, who was always so composed, would have such a captivating and seductive side. Clearly, this meant that she had accepted his confession. Ling Yun was overjoyed and immediately started chasing after her. His wife was running too fast; if he didn't hurry, she might slip away from him.
Ling Yun suddenly felt a bit emotional. Even a year ago, he never thought that one day he would have such a life. He was truly amazed by the difference in life's opportunities. The unstoppable wheel of fate, no matter where it goes, is as irreversible and unstoppable as time.
Tens of thousands of steps passed in an instant, and finally, at the very top of the horizon, another tall hall appeared. Except for the color, the style of the hall was almost identical to that of the hall by the river. It seemed that these four halls were built at the same time. However, it was unknown what the four trials mentioned by the river were.
"The first test is wisdom, what will be the next test?" Xiao Rou stopped and stood beside him, looking up at the huge hall hundreds of meters above, and asked in a daze.
"I don't know, but it probably won't be easy," Ling Yun said with a wry smile. It seemed that everything he had experienced was a near-death ordeal, ever since he became a superhuman. If he had been just one step off any of those experiences, he wouldn't have been able to get to this point. However, what was comforting was that Ling Yun had also gained tremendous power and made great progress in the process. As the saying goes, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. The wealth gained from overcoming a difficult path is incomparable to that gained from a smooth one.
"Honey, I suddenly have a feeling of unease." Xiao Rou said softly, having already changed Ling Yun's name to a more intimate one. She did so naturally, and her clear, pleasant voice made Ling Yun's heart flutter. He reached out and took her hand again, saying, "What's wrong, wife? What's bothering you? I've never seen you feel this way before."
Xiao Rou shook her head solemnly: "I don't know either. I just suddenly had this feeling. Maybe it's the feeling brought on by this second test. Honey, I'm suddenly a little scared... I've never felt this way before. My heart is a little panicked." As she spoke, she frowned slightly and unconsciously cupped her hands in front of her chest.
Ling Yun gently put his arm around her shoulder and said softly, "Don't panic, your husband is here. No matter what happens, we can get through it. You have to believe in me, and I will believe in you too."
Xiao Rou stared at him blankly for a long time before nodding vigorously: "Husband, I believe you."
Ling Yun smiled. "Let's go, or the Lava Sea will rise again." Although he and Xiao Rou were immersed in their mutual affection, they did not forget the great danger behind them. Xiao He's warning was not an exaggeration. If he said the Lava Sea level would rise, then the sea level would really rise. The two of them did not have much time left, not to mention they did not know what was in the second palace.