Eternal Love Within A Smile - Chapter 31

Chapter 31

As they walked along, they could still see the remnants of the grand wedding celebration from that day.

Perhaps due to the protective barrier, the signs of decay here were not severe.

The red silk hanging around, though showing signs of being eaten by insects and gnawed by rats, still retained a sense of festivity.

However, this festive atmosphere felt even more eerie and terrifying within the ruins.

Upon entering the inner hall, the surroundings grew darker, and the chill in the air intensified.

Before Xu Manman could speak, Li Que had already snapped his fingers, summoning four flames that encircled him, illuminating the path ahead.

Xu Manman hadn’t expected Li Que to be afraid of ghosts.

She stifled a laugh, worried that he might lose his temper and ruin their mission, so she only chuckled softly behind his back.

The three of them arrived outside the bridal chamber.

Li Que unconsciously slowed his pace, hesitating as he stared at the pitch-black doorway, reluctant to enter.

“Why do I always end up in situations like this…” Li Que muttered, “A joyous occasion turns into a tragedy, just like with the Tongshan Tribe… Who would dare to get married after this?”

Xu Manman gave Li Que a push from behind, causing him to stumble forward reluctantly into the dark room.

The flames lit up the space, and as they looked around, they saw clear signs of a struggle—shattered furniture, broken chairs, and cracks on the walls.

Li Que frowned in confusion.

“From what we’ve seen along the way, there must have been a fierce battle that day. Why is there no bloodstains anywhere?”

Xu Manman countered, “Do you know why the bodies of Dharma Aspect cultivator remain incorruptible for thousands of years?”

Li Que nodded.

“It’s because the more profound one’s cultivation, the more immense the spiritual energy within their body. This spiritual energy can resist the erosion of all external forces. Cultivators draw their power from heaven and earth, and ultimately, it must return to heaven and earth. Some sects bury their deceased cultivators together to nourish the land, and over centuries, these places become blessed lands. Especially for Dharma Aspect cultivator, whose soul power is incredibly strong—if their bodies were consumed by plants or beasts, those creatures would quickly gain sentience and transform into demons. The Mo mansion had many fallen cultivators, including Golden Core and Nascent Soul experts. They must have carefully collected the bodies, ensuring not even a drop of blood was left behind.”

As Xu Manman spoke, she continued to inspect the room.

Suddenly, she heard Li Que let out a startled cry.

She turned sharply to see him sitting on the ground, pale and wide-eyed, staring at a bronze mirror in front of him.

Xu Manman hurried over and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Li Que stammered, “There’s a ghost in the mirror.”

Xu Manman glanced at the bronze mirror, but under the light of the flames, she only saw her own slightly distorted reflection.

Just as she was about to step closer to investigate, Immortal Lang Yin placed a hand on her shoulder.

“There’s a trace of sinister energy in the mirror,” Immortal Lang Yin said, his brow furrowed.

“Step aside.”

As the most powerful among them, Immortal Lang Yin ‘s senses were the sharpest.

The faint aura in the mirror was almost imperceptible, and only he could detect it.

Knowing her own limitations, Xu Manman didn’t dare to act recklessly.

She quickly pulled Li Que aside.

“What does the person in the mirror look like?”

Xu Manman asked.

Li Que, still shaken, replied in a trembling voice, “It’s disheveled, I can’t see clearly… but there’s a blood-red eye.”

Xu Manman looked him up and down and chuckled, “You have the Nine Sun Li Fire. What are you afraid of ghosts for?”

Li Que’s expression stiffened, and he retorted dryly, “Who said I’m afraid of ghosts? I was just startled!”

Xu Manman clicked her tongue.

“The only thing tough about you is your mouth.”

Immortal Lang Yin placed his hand on the bronze mirror and channeled his spiritual energy.

In the next moment, he found himself in complete darkness.

“The mirror contains a small world,” Xu Manman’s voice came from the room.

As a top-tier Dharma Aspect cultivator, even though he had just recovered from severe injuries, Immortal Lang Yin was far beyond the reach of ordinary spirits.

Naturally, he had no fear of the dangers within the mirror and entered alone without hesitation.

Xu Manman and Li Que huddled together, cautiously scanning their surroundings.

The four Sun Li Fire flames encircled them, but Li Que still felt uneasy.

He told himself he wasn’t afraid of ghosts—just the unknown dangers.

“Hey,” Li Que’s voice trembled slightly, “Why hasn’t Immortal Lord Lang Yin come out yet? Could something have happened?”

Xu Manman glanced at him.

“With Immortal Lord’s strength, as long as we’re not holding him back, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Li Que let out a weak laugh.

“Hmph, it’s only you holding him back. As the young master of the Di Luan Clan, I fear nothing…”

Xu Manman suddenly said, “There’s a ghost behind you!”

Li Que let out a yelp and instantly moved to Xu Manman’s side, closing his eyes in terror.

Xu Manman smiled and said, “Just kidding.”

Li Que, furious, slapped Xu Manman’s shoulder.

“You did that on purpose!”

Xu Manman laughed.

“You said you fear nothing, but it seems you’re not only afraid of ghosts but also of Lingzhi. The young master of the Di Luan Clan, tsk tsk…”

Li Que gritted his teeth.

“What do you know? That Lingzhi girl is domineering and unreasonable. Her mother is the Grand Elder, and even Li Ying has to be polite to her. I can’t hit her, so I can only run away. If it weren’t for you dragging me down…”

“Don’t blame me,” Xu Manman said with a light laugh.

“Lingzhi is pretty and adorable, deeply in love with you, of pure bloodline, and has powerful backing. What’s not to like? Stop using the Daozun as an excuse—you don’t even remember what the Daozun looks like.”

Li Que turned his face away angrily and snorted.

“She’s perfect in every way, but I just don’t like her. Just because I’m a man and lost my primodial true father, does that mean I have to let them control me?”

Xu Manman raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t expect you to have such strong opinions. I thought you were the epitome of virtue and loyalty, unwavering till death.”

Li Que’s face flushed, and he stammered, “That’s how it should be… but only for someone I truly love.”

“And that someone isn’t the Daozun, is it?” Xu Manman teased.

“Your feelings for the Daozun are at most a case of imprinting. You feather clans imprint on the first person you see after hatching, treating them as your mother. So, your hundred-year search is just a little crow looking for its mom.”

Li Que glared at her.

“Who are you calling a little crow?”

“Baby Di Luan birds are all black and scruffy, just like crows.”

Li Que’s phoenix eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger in them.

Suddenly, his expression changed, and he asked suspiciously, “How do you know what a baby Di Luan bird looks like? Di Luan chicks have never been seen outside, except for that one time I was attacked and had to undergo rebirth…”

Xu Manman exclaimed, “There’s a ghost behind you!”

Li Que laughed angrily.

“Not this again!”

Xu Manman yanked Li Que aside and with all her strength, she struck out at the space behind him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Li Que saw a head with disheveled hair, its mouth wide open, lunging toward him, only to be pushed away by Xu Manman’s palm.

Xu Manman felt a bone-chilling coldness spread from where their hands met, causing her spiritual energy to stagnate.

She let out a muffled groan.

Li Que reacted quickly, sending four fireballs toward the ghostly figure.

The ghostly figure, realizing it had been exposed, retreated rapidly and vanished back into the darkness.

Li Que supported Xu Manman, his face filled with shock and confusion.

“What was that?” Xu Manman’s expression was serious as she slowly clenched her stiff, icy hand.

Seeing that no resentment had spread, she let out a sigh of relief and glanced at the bronze mirror.

“It’s probably something similar to a cursed spirit, but this one is stronger and has gained some intelligence. It deliberately lured Immortal Lord Lang Yin away to target you. Your divine bloodline is attractive to it.”

“Why couldn’t I sense its presence?” Li Que asked.

“All things in this world can be divided into living beings, inanimate objects, and evil entities. Living beings have spirits, like humans, demons, plants, and animals—they can be sensed by cultivators. Inanimate objects, like rocks and corpses, have no spirit but can be seen and touched. Evil entities, however, have no spirit and may not always be tangible or visible. They are often man-made.”

Xu Manman cautiously scanned their surroundings.

“The evil entity that attacked you might have mutated due to the deaths of so many cultivators here. If we can capture it, we might be able to figure it out.”

Li Que’s expression darkened.

“If we can’t see it or sense it, how are we supposed to capture it?”

“Such evil entities can’t exist without a vessel. It must be attached to that bronze mirror. But if we touch the mirror, we’ll be sucked inside. We need to seal the evil entity first before we can take the mirror.”

As soon as Xu Manman finished speaking, a sharp, agonized scream came from the bronze mirror.

In the next moment, a flash of white light streaked across the mirror’s surface, and Immortal Lang Yin’s figure emerged from the mirror, landing in front of them.

“There are hundreds of residual souls in the mirror. I’ve sealed them,” Immortal Lang Yin said as he handed the mirror to Xu Manman.

“Hundreds?” Xu Manman took the mirror with both hands, then paused.

“But not that many people died here back then.”

“Let’s not worry about that for now. There’s still one in the room,” Li Que hurriedly said.

Before Li Que could finish, a dark shadow lunged toward Xu Manman.

Immortal lang Yin stepped in to block it, but Xu Manman shouted, “Don’t destroy it!”

Immortal lang Yin frowned, holding back some of his power.

However, the evil entity was much stronger than the residual souls in the mirror and had even developed some intelligence.

Sensing that Immortal lang Yin was holding back, it became more aggressive, attacking Xu Manman relentlessly, seemingly trying to reclaim the mirror.

Xu Manman’s eyes flashed, and she tossed the mirror to Li Que.

Li Que caught it, stunned.

He looked at the mirror in his hands, then at the evil entity now charging at him, his handsome face twisting in horror.

Any goodwill he had felt toward Xu Manman for saving him earlier vanished instantly.

Xu Manman observed carefully.

The evil entity’s body bent at impossible angles, as if it had no front or back.

Its messy hair covered its face, making it impossible to tell if it was male or female.

But in the flickering light of the flames, she noticed something—the back of its head had another face.

It was two people fused back-to-back, one face with blood-red eyes, the other with a gaping mouth full of sharp teeth.

“A stitched monster…” she murmured, thinking of the Blood Sect’s vile creations.

Could this really be related to the Blood Sect?

Immortal lang Yin quickly subdued the evil entity and sealed it into the mirror.

Li Que hastily threw the mirror back to Xu Manman, glaring at her before turning and striding toward the door.

After a few steps, he stopped and looked back at the two behind him.

Xu Manman smiled sweetly.

“Young Master Di Luan, why did you stop?”

Li Que snorted, glancing at the dark corridor outside.

“I won’t abandon my companions and leave on my own.”

Xu Manman chuckled.

“But I would.”

With that, she grabbed Immortal Lang Yin’s hand and ran.

By the time they left the Mo mansion, it wasn’t yet dark, but the streets were already lit.

The half-month around the Shennong’s Festival was the liveliest time in Tiandu, especially since the establishment of the Cardinal Tower, which made travel between the fourteen provinces much easier.

During this month, merchants and wealthy families from other provinces would flock to Tiandu to join the festivities, hoping to make a fortune before returning home for the New Year.

Xu Manman was about to urge Immortal Lang Yin to hurry back and interrogate the residual souls when she noticed he had stopped for some reason.

She turned to see him gazing at a distant stage, a hint of melancholy on his handsome face.

Xu Manman followed his gaze and saw two actors on the stage, dressed as scholars, performing a well-known love story.

Their expressions and gestures were filled with passion, and the intense emotions between them captivated the audience.

When the performance ended, the crowd erupted in applause.

Xu Manman smiled.

“The half-month around the Shennong’s Festival is the busiest time in Tiandu. The theaters are packed every day. Today’s performance is called ‘The Butterfly Immortal’s Transformation,’ a popular love story among humans. I suppose Immortal Lord hasn’t heard of it.”

Immortal Lang Yin blinked but didn’t respond. Xu Manman stood beside him, quietly observing his expression.

She smiled inwardly—she knew that Immortal Lang Yin had once spent several days watching plays, including “The Butterfly Immortal’s Transformation.”

Seeing this play seemed to stir something in him, perhaps reminding him of the past… Thinking of all that Immortal lang Yin had done for her, Xu Manman’s heart softened, and her voice became gentle.

“The Butterfly Immortal’s Transformation is a story from thousands of years ago. A scholar on his way to the capital for the imperial exams saved a small butterfly. To repay him, the butterfly transformed into a man and accompanied the scholar on his journey, protecting him. Over time, the butterfly spirit fell in love with the scholar and wanted to reveal that she was actually a woman. But she was afraid the scholar would be frightened if he knew she was a spirit. So, the butterfly spirit tested the scholar, trying to see if he would accept a woman who looked like her. But the scholar seemed oblivious and never responded.”

Immortal Lang Yin listened quietly, then suddenly said, “The scholar was clever. Could it be that he actually understood?”

Xu Manman was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.

“I can’t say for sure if the scholar understood, but Immortal Lord certainly does. The scholar was heartless, but he couldn’t bear to reject her outright, afraid of hurting the little butterfly.”

“But if he couldn’t bear to, doesn’t that mean he had feelings for her?”

Immortal Lang Yin looked down at Xu Manman.

The bustling street, the flickering lights—it seemed as if all the light in the world had gathered in his obsidian-like eyes, shimmering faintly, deep yet clear.

Xu Manman’s heart skipped a beat, as if a thread had gently tugged at it, sending a wave of tenderness from her heart to her fingertips.

She took a moment to compose herself before softly saying, “Even if he had feelings, it doesn’t mean he had to act on them. The human heart is complex. Sometimes it’s small, only able to hold one person. Other times it’s vast, capable of encompassing the entire world.” Immortal Lang Yin tilted his head slightly, pondering her words.

Then he asked, “Is there a contradiction in that?”

In this moment, Immortal Lang Yin seemed like the person he had been three hundred years ago—the “flower without a heart” that Nian Yi had spoken of.

His eyes were innocent yet pure, making Xu Manman reluctant to deceive him.

She smiled and asked, “If Immortal Lord were to love someone, would you want to occupy their entire heart, or would you be content to be a small part of it?”

Immortal Lang Yin answered without hesitation, “What I want doesn’t matter. As long as she’s happy, that’s enough.”

Xu Manman was momentarily stunned.

Immortal lang Yin looked into the distance, his voice soft yet deep, distant yet close.

“If you love a flower, you shouldn’t pluck it. If you love the wind, you shouldn’t force it to stop. If it stops, it’s no longer the wind. That day, she told me she didn’t seek eternal life, but the path to eternity. I knew what she desired, and no matter how difficult the journey, I would accompany her. There was no need for more words. But I am not as capable as Ming Xiao Fazun. What I can do for her is limited. Nian Yi said that the Siyi sect is the anchor in Manman’s heart. So, I will guard the Siyi sect for her, so she won’t drift aimlessly and lose her way home.”

Xu Manman felt a lump in her throat, her heart burning with a mix of warmth and sorrow.

She forced a bittersweet smile and said in a trembling voice, “You… never said these words to Manman, did you?”

Immortal lang Yin smiled faintly.

“I’m not good with words, but Manman has always been clever. How could she not know? Moreover, she accepted the token of love. Though we’ve spent little time together over these two hundred years, I’ve been content, believing that she thought of me as much as I thought of her. It wasn’t until her death that I realized it was all my wishful thinking, my self-deception. As for Manman’s feelings toward me…”

Immortal Lang Yin paused, his gaze returning to the lively stage.

His eyes gradually lost their light, and after a long while, he sighed softly.

“It was only a slight reluctance to hurt me.”