Función clerical

Capítulo 31

Neither Ji Mingyue nor Su Chenche... had anything to do with her anymore!

******************************************************************************

Boom!

A loud bang, like muffled thunder, echoed in the Bright Moon Palace, followed by the sound of collapse.

Her face turned pale, and without thinking, she climbed down again.

Su Chenche is still down there!

Smoke and dust filled the Bright Moon Palace, obscuring everything, but the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard approaching.

"The palace is collapsing! Everyone, get out of here!"

"Run! The Bright Moon Palace is going to be destroyed!"

Shen Zhili removed the paralysis powder from the two guards, supported her body, and walked in against the direction. A large crowd of people ran around and screamed like headless flies. She turned sideways and walked further and further in.

"Su Chenche, Su Chenche...where are you...cough cough cough..."

Her voice was too soft and was quickly drowned out.

The sound of the collapse grew closer, and she finally heard human voices.

"What are you still doing here? Get out of here!"

Shen Zhili: "Young Master Xiaoye...you..."

Before the words were finished, Ji Mingyue's wild, unrestrained, and even somewhat manic laughter echoed in the empty Mingyue Palace, followed by an extremely calm voice.

"Then let's die together."

The entire Bright Moon Palace began to shake even more violently.

Shen Zhili looked up and saw Ji Mingyue standing at the top of the main hall in the center of Mingyue Palace, with a male stone statue beside her.

She was still wearing that blood-stained pale yellow dress.

His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was disheveled, and there was a reversed flow of energy around him, clearly indicating that he had gone mad from practicing cultivation.

Legend has it that Ji Mingyue is obsessed with collecting martial arts manuals, learning a wide variety of techniques, and has received numerous trainings due to his eagerness for quick success... If such a person were to suffer a qi deviation, the backlash would be far more severe than that of others...

Young Master Xiaoye anxiously pushed her out, while stuffing something into her arms: "You go quickly, this... consider it a reward for your trust. You can get out via any green route."

That was a map, a map of the tunnels of Mingyue Palace.

"But……"

Before she could finish speaking, her waist suddenly tightened.

Someone put their arm around her waist, their lips brushing against her earlobe as they said, "Zhi Li, I'll take you away."

After glancing at the map in Shen Zhili's hand, Su Chenche picked her up without hesitation and prepared to leap up.

Shen Zhili suddenly turned her head.

Standing on high ground, Ji Mingyue was oblivious to the ever-collapsed Mingyue Palace, focusing instead on stroking the stone statue.

His eyes were still bloodshot, and his fingernails scratched bloody marks on the stone statue.

Suddenly, the stone statue lurched and broke in half at the waist, its upper body falling straight down.

Ji Mingyue let out a scream and plunged straight down.

She desperately tried to tug at Young Master Xiaoye's sleeve: "Ji Mingyue has gone mad! Don't go and die! Come out with us!"

Young Master Xiaoye pulled her hand away and said, "She saved my life, so it's good that I die with her." He smiled slightly at Shen Zhili, his shimmering eyes reflecting a beautiful brilliance. "It's just a pity that I won't have the chance to find the medicine you promised to give me."

Shen Zhili lowered her hand, watching the retreating figure of Young Master Xiaoye disappear quickly into the distance.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

Su Chenche grabbed her waist, used his light-footed skill to dash away.

The two figures in sight grew further and further away, and all that could be vaguely seen was Young Master Xiaoye embracing the crazed Ji Mingyue, letting Ji Mingyue's white ribbon lash against him. The stone statue rolled down and shattered into several pieces, just like a broken love that could never be pieced back together to its original form.

The rubble kept obstructing her view, gradually engulfing everything inside.

Including all her experiences at the Bright Moon Palace, that beautiful and proud woman, that alluring and stubborn man...

And their desperate obsession.

Shen Zhili suddenly felt a sense of dejection.

She lowered her eyes and let Su Chenche lead her out.

After an unknown amount of time, a breeze brushed her cheeks, and the fresh, slightly cool air heralded the arrival of safety.

Su Chenche placed Shen Zhili down as if she were a precious porcelain piece, carefully examining her wounds. Shen Zhili silently pushed him away.

Su Chenche blinked his still clear and bright eyes.

Shen Zhili's voice was calm and even: "What you just said was all true?"

Su Chenche pondered for a moment and honestly replied, "Not entirely. It's seven parts truth and three parts falsehood for people to believe it."

Shen Zhili: "...Does your father really like Ji Mingyue?"

Su Chenche said decisively, "I'm not him, how would I know what he was thinking?" He paused, then, seeing Shen Zhili's unfriendly expression, added aggrievedly, "Besides, even before he died, I rarely saw him, and I knew absolutely nothing about him..."

So everything you just said to Ji Mingyue was a lie?

A cold wind ruffled Shen Zhili's hair, and she smiled, revealing one corner of her mouth, "Have you remembered everything completely?"

...Now that it has been discovered, there is no point in hiding it anymore.

Su Chenche obediently replied, "Not all of them, but I've remembered most of them."

Shen Zhili: "When?"

Su Chenche said in a low voice, "Probably when I had just regained consciousness after falling..."

When I first woke up...

Just woke up...

Shen Zhili paused for a moment, then raised her dark eyes and beckoned to Su Chenche with her finger. Su Chenche fawned over her and listened to Shen Zhili's instructions.

Grabbing Su Chenche's ear, Shen Zhili roared:

"Su Chenche, you bastard, get as far away from me as possible! I never want to see you again in my life!"

Chapter 27

"Could you please stop following me?"

Shen Zhili rubbed her forehead and turned around, "You think I can't see you just because you put a banana leaf on your head? By the way, where did you get that banana leaf in this weather...?"

Su Chenche peeked out from behind the huge fan blades, his curved eye revealing a smile as warm as the winter sun.

He pursed his lips slightly and said, "Zhi Li, please forgive me."

"Okay, I forgive you." Shen Zhili smiled gently. "Can you get lost now?"

Su Chenche: "...Zhi Li, it's not good for girls to swear."

Shen Zhili rubbed his forehead: "Then let me explain properly. We each have our own paths, Young Master Twelve Nights. We were never meant to be together. Your family is probably searching for you everywhere right now. You still need to uphold justice in the martial arts world, create a new era of glory for the martial arts, and incidentally deal with your troublesome confidante. Now you can go do your important things and stop following a nobody like me, okay?"

Su Chenche opened his mouth.

Shen Zhili quickly pointed at him: "You remember now, you should know we're not close at all! Being overly familiar won't help!"

She turned around and hadn't taken a step when she heard Su Chenche's pitiful voice: "Zhi Li, we can start getting to know each other now, even if we're not familiar. I can tell you anything you want to know..."

Shen Zhili continued walking.

"Young Master Twelve Nights, twenty-four years old (by Chinese reckoning), resides in Mingdu, handsome, gentle, healthy, without any hidden ailments, of good birth, immensely wealthy, owns vast tracts of fertile land, has countless servants and subordinates, is orphaned and has no wife, concubines, or children, can be a braggart to beat people up, or a companion to chat with and warm the bed..." After thinking for a moment, he added, "He's willing to pay extra..."

Who's interested in this?

Shen Zhili turned his head sharply, staring at him with a cold gaze.

Su Chenche obediently shut his mouth, his clear and innocent eyes blinking innocently.

Shen Zhili: "Don't force me..."

Su Chenche: "I didn't..."

Shen Zhili narrowed her eyes: "If I see you following me again, I'll sell you."

Su Chenche paused for a moment, then patted Shen Zhili's ruffled head, showing no sign of being threatened, and smiled, "...Zhili, you're so cute."

Cute my foot!

You're adorable! Your whole family is adorable!

Shen Zhili slapped Su Chenche's hand away, turned her head away, ignored him, and went straight into the city.

She went to the bank to exchange her money for banknotes, then strolled around the streets with the money in her hand. When she got tired, she chose a small stall and bought a bowl of wontons. But no matter where she went... she could always see those bright, sparkling eyes.

The young girl at the wonton stall blushed and asked, "Young master, what...what do you want?"

Placing the banana leaf aside, Su Chenche flicked his flowing robes, his black hair cascading down his arm, and a shy smile appeared on his face: "Anything is fine, Miss, please feel free to do as you please."

Is it really necessary to use such an ambiguous tone?

The little girl lowered her head even further, her voice barely audible: "What...what is it..."

Unable to bear it any longer, Shen Zhili finished the last sip of soup, threw down the copper coin, and plunged headfirst into the clothing shop next door.

Finding a girl with a similar build, Shen Zhili pulled her into the dressing room and said seriously, "Miss, may I change my clothes with you?"

When we came out, the weather was fine and sunny.

Shen Zhili's mood improved, and she tied up her loose hair into a woman's bun before going to the post station to inquire about the price of the carriage to Huichun Valley.

After reaching an agreement, he had just stepped out the door when he found his arm being grabbed by a woman.

The man breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Miss, I've finally found you!"

Shen Zhili asked, puzzled, "May I ask who you are?"

The man put his hands on his hips and raised an eyebrow: "How could you forget the clothes you just exchanged with me?"

Shen Zhili said "Oh," and then said, "I've given you the money. Is there anything else?"

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Zhili saw a handsome young man in fine clothes, who looked very familiar, emerge from behind the woman, his face full of sorrow.