Eternal Love Within A Smile - Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Xu Manman’s pupils shrank,her heart stung as if pierced by a bee’s sting, causing a sudden, sharp pain that quickly spread into a numbing, aching sensation radiating from her chest, leaving her too weak to even breathe.
Immortal Lang Yin had already turned and left, his desolate white figure disappearing into the crowd.
He was originally an immortal floating above the clouds, but because of her, he had fallen into the mortal world, entangled in a web of karma. And now, she had turned her back on him, leaving him with endless loneliness.
Xu Manman’s slender shoulders trembled uncontrollably, a myriad of emotions flooding her heart.
Her master’s warning still echoed in her ears—”Manman, Immortal Lord is a flower without a heart. If he treats you well, don’t take it to heart. Don’t let yourself develop feelings you shouldn’t have.”
Back then, she was young and naive, with only a bit of cleverness. How could she possibly understand the complexities of love? She had nodded obediently, memorizing her master’s advice, but deep down, she had wondered—how could she possibly follow it?
Immortal Lord was a flower without a heart, but she was not a person without feelings.
How could she remain indifferent when someone treated her so well?
But she had carefully hidden her youthful emotions, fearing that Immortal Lord would despise her if he knew. She had respected him as her master, keeping her distance to avoid falling too deeply into the trap of affection.
And it wasn’t just “a little bit of reluctance”…
Xu Manman suddenly snapped back to reality, only to find that Immortal Lang Yin had already disappeared. She hurriedly chased after him, but the crowded streets blocked her view. She weaved through the throngs of people, her eyes scanning countless backs, searching for Immortal Lang Yin’s figure.
She felt an impulse—she wanted to tell Immortal Lang Yin that Manman wasn’t dead. She didn’t even want to think about the awkward and embarrassing situation that would arise if Immortal Lang Yin discovered her true identity. Compared to Immortal Lang Yin’s sorrow, what did those things matter?
Finally, Xu Manman caught sight of Immortal Lang Yin. His figure stood out from the crowd, so extraordinary that people instinctively gave him space, as if afraid to taint the celestial being. Xu Manman’s eyes lit up, and she called out, “Immortal Lord!”
The man paused at the sound of her voice, turning around in the dim light of the lanterns, his gaze calmly settling on Xu Manman.
Perhaps during those two hundred years, over seven thousand days and nights, he had stood alone in the serene yet lonely bamboo forest, waiting for that gentle breeze to blow across the four seas and eight directions, occasionally lingering in his heart.
Xu Manman rushed toward Immortal Lang Yin, throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. She inhaled his unique scent, her chest heaving, shoulders trembling, eyes brimming with tears as she choked out, “Immortal lord…”
Before she could finish, a cold, emotionless voice came from above her.
“Call me ‘brother.'”
Xu Manman froze, slowly lifting her head to see the arrogant, fierce face of Demon Lord Lang Yin.
She stared in shock, her hands loosening their grip.
Demon Lord Lang Yin grabbed the back of her collar, lifting her up until their eyes met. He narrowed his eyes and sneered, “So you really do have improper thoughts about me.”
Xu Manman couldn’t hold back any longer and burst into tears.
Demon Lord Lang Yin was also stunned. He set her down, watching as she cried uncontrollably, her face streaked with tears. He felt awkward and uncomfortable, clumsily patting her shoulder before glaring fiercely at the onlookers.
The bystanders immediately felt a chill run down their spines, lowering their heads and not daring to look.
“Why are you crying!” Demon Lord Lang Yin shouted.
Xu Manman cried even harder—Immortal Lord had never shouted at her like this!
“You… why are you crying…” Immortal Lang Yin lowered his voice.
“Wah… that play was so touching!” Xu Manman wailed, her voice hoarse.
Immortal Lang Yin: “…”
His handsome face darkened, and he suddenly reached out, scooping Xu Manman into his arms and flying away from the bustling streets.
Xu Manman instinctively wrapped her arms around Demon lord Lang Yin’s waist to keep from falling. She buried her face in his chest, sobbing and sniffling. The feeling, the scent—it was almost identical to Immortal Lord’s, except the fragrance seemed a bit stronger.
Suddenly, a deep voice came from above her: “This is utterly humiliating!”
Xu Manman frowned, her voice hoarse from crying, and whimpered, “Don’t talk!”
When you talk, you don’t sound like him.
Demon Lord Lang Yin wanted to scold her but held back, feeling thoroughly frustrated. When they finally returned to the palace, he set her down and shoved her into a room, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.
Xu Manman stumbled forward a few steps before turning around to face the dark, brooding Demon Lord Lang Yin.
“You have quite the nerve, daring to order me around!” Demon Lord Lang Yin narrowed his eyes, his gaze cold and menacing as he stepped closer to Xu Manman.
Xu Manman, having cried herself out, had regained her composure and was now feeling a bit scared. She backed away step by step as Demon Lord Lang Yin advanced, until she tripped and fell onto the bed.
She looked up at him, her eyes flickering nervously, and swallowed before forcing a smile.
“Brother, what are you talking about? I wouldn’t dare…”
Demon Lord Lang Yin sneered, reaching out to pinch her pointed chin.
“You dare quite a lot. Should I remind you? You’ve slapped me twice, bitten my neck, forcibly absorbed my spiritual energy, caused me to revert to my true form, and even deceived me into taking you to Tianlu Palace. And just now, you had the audacity to tell me to shut up! How many lives do you think you have? Do you really think I won’t kill you?”
Xu Manman was forced to tilt her head back, her slender neck exposed as she blinked up at him. Hearing him list off her offenses, she couldn’t help but think—she had been a bit too harsh on him…
“Wah… I was wrong…” Xu Manman’s eyes reddened. She shouldn’t have treated Immortal Lord’s body so poorly.
“Brother, hit me to vent your anger. Just leave me with a breath of life.”
She reached up, holding his hand with both of hers, her expression sincere.
“Hmph, if I really wanted to hit you, do you think you’d survive? You can’t even withstand a single move from the Soul Reaping Envoy.”
Demon Lord Lang Yin released her chin, looking down at her with disdain.
“Hurry up and take out that bronze mirror. See if you can find any clues.”
Xu Manman’s heart skipped a beat. She slowly took out the bronze mirror, sneaking glances at Demon Lord Lang Yin’s expression as she tentatively asked, “Brother… if Xu Manman were to come back to life, what would you do…”
Demon Lord Lang Yin sneered. “First, I’d settle all the romantic entanglements she’s caused.”
Xu Manman shivered, her voice trembling.
“H-how would you settle them…”
Demon Lord Lang Yin gave her a cold look.
“Rotten peaches should be plucked.”
Xu Manman swallowed hard, forcing a smile.
“We’re like siblings…”
“Who’s your sibling?” Demon Lord Lang Yin retorted disdainfully.
Xu Manman whimpered, her voice filled with grievance.
“You told me to call you ‘brother’ on the street earlier.”
Demon Lord Lang Yin fell silent, recalling that he had indeed said that, though it was only to remind her that he wasn’t Immortal Lord Lang Yin.
But… when had he started accepting the title of “brother”…?
Immortal Lord was not good with words, and Demon Lord was not good with thinking. Faced with a clever and cunning Xu Manman, they were bound to be at a disadvantage.
Xu Manman now felt a bit relieved that she hadn’t had the chance to reveal the truth before Demon Lord Lang Yin interrupted her. She couldn’t tell Immortal Lord Lang Yin her true identity, because if she told Immortal Lord, it would mean Demon Lord would also know. If Immortal lord knew, it might be manageable, but if Demon Lord found out, who knew what he would do…
She had been too emotional earlier, not thinking clearly about the consequences. Now that she had calmed down, she realized it wasn’t a good idea.
At the very least, she needed to find a way to deal with the heart demon that had split from Immortal Lord…
For three thousand years, Immortal Lang Yin had not found a suitable method. He could only force himself into a deep sleep and use protective arrays to defend himself. But if he encountered a powerful enemy, this method would be dangerous.
Perhaps she could ask Ya sheng Xingzun for advice…
Xu Manman emerged from the bronze mirror, and Demon Lord Lang Yin asked, “You’ve been in there for a while. Did you find anything?”
Xu Manman sighed.
“The residual souls have no intelligence. I couldn’t get any answers from them, but I did find some other clues in the mirror.”
Demon Lord Lang Yin raised an eyebrow.
“What clues?”
“There are dozens of residual souls bound by soul-sealing chains, with golden marks left by the chains. They seem to be guards from the Mo residence,” Xu Manman explained.
“Soul-sealing and interrogation? That’s a technique from the Xuantian Temple,” Demon Lord Lang Yin frowned, seemingly wary of the temple due to his identity as a heart demon. Demons had always despised and feared the Xuantian Temple because their Prajna Heart Sutra was the bane of heart demons. Heart demons were born from human desires and fears, and the Prajna Heart Sutra could dispel these impurities, leaving the mind clear and pure.
Xu Manman nodded.
“The soul interrogation technique is a forbidden art. Even practitioners from the Xuantian Temple would only use it as a last resort, or they would face severe punishment from the disciplinary council.”
Humans have three souls: the life soul, the consciousness soul, and the emotional soul, which govern life, consciousness, and emotions respectively. After death, the seven poisons disperse first, and the three souls scatter within seven days, known as “soul dispersion.” The Xuantian Temple has a technique called “soul interrogation,” which can be used within seven days of death, while the three souls are still intact, to interrogate the soul. The longer the time since death, the more the souls disperse, and the more blurred the consciousness and emotions become, making it harder to get answers.
This technique is a forbidden art, as the residual souls subjected to it remain in a state of perpetual confusion, unable to pass on to the afterlife. Unless under special circumstances, practitioners from the Xuantian Temple are not allowed to use this technique.
“The residual souls seem to be led by a two-faced evil entity, which is formed from the fusion of two residual souls. It also bears the marks of soul-sealing chains and has even developed intelligence. I suspect this entity is related to the Prince Mo,” Xu Manman said.
“Would the Xuantian Temple dare to use soul interrogation on the Prince Mo?” Demon Lord Lang Yin was skeptical.
“Ya heng must know about this. Wait until he returns and ask him. Hmph, it’s been days, and the people from Yongxue City and the Xuantian Temple still haven’t found the location of the Fate Defying Division. They’re all useless!”
Xu Manman chuckled.
“I’m much more efficient, right? I found the Soul-reaping Division’s hideout in just a few days.”
Demon Lord Lang Yin looked down at her and snorted.
“You’re just too weak, always holding us back.”
Xu Manman scratched her head and sighed.
“There’s nothing I can do about it. My cultivation requires someone to protect me.”
Demon Lord Lang Yin sat down beside her.
“Fine, I’ll protect you. Hurry up and cultivate. Find the location of the Blood Sovereign as soon as possible. If it weren’t for the sake of reviving Xu Manman, I wouldn’t bother with these trivial matters.”
Xu Manman was a bit surprised.
This demon lord, though temperamental, wasn’t as devoid of humanity as the rumors suggested.
Demons were said to be born from desire, often indulgent and lacking in reason, but Demon Lord Lang Yin seemed to have some semblance of rationality. For the sake of reviving Xu Manman, he had endured quite a bit of hardship…
Xu Manman sat down on the floor and forced a smile.
“There’s one more thing I need to trouble you with, brother…”
Demon Lord Lang Yin raised an eyebrow, narrowing his eyes.
“Uh… we need to set up a barrier to block out the outside world,” Xu Manman said.
Demon Lord Lang Yin snorted, waving his sleeve to instantly create a barrier that shielded them from external perception.
Only then did Xu Manman close her eyes and enter a meditative state, recalling her previous cultivation experiences. She quickly entered that mysterious state of unity with the universe.
Even with over ninety percent of her senses blocked, she could still clearly perceive the vast amount of information in the room. The scent of pearwood became more intense, the rustling of clothes sounded crisper, and even Demon Lord Lang Yin’s heartbeat seemed deafening.
Her soul once again separated from her body, but this time she didn’t panic. She allowed herself to enter this mystical state, becoming the ruler of a small universe.
Demon Lord Lang Yin stared intently at Xu Manman. He hadn’t paid close attention that night, but now he realized that although her soul hadn’t left her body, it had effectively separated, like two completely overlapping shadows.
The surroundings also seemed to become heavier and more viscous, making it hard for him to breathe. Demon Lord Lang Yin was both shocked and suspicious, but he didn’t dare to act rashly. Before long, he saw a soft halo of light appear around Xu Manman.
The halo was unlike anything he had seen before—it didn’t resemble spiritual energy.
Strangely, it seemed to originate from within Xu Manman, appearing and disappearing with her breath.
Ordinary cultivators absorbed external spiritual energy for their own use, but Xu Manman’s cultivation method was the opposite. Her power didn’t come from the outside world but from within.
In her consciousness, it was as if a candle had been lit, gradually warming her body and making her soul more solid and powerful.
This wasn’t spiritual energy…
Demon Lord Lang Yin’s expression grew serious. He suddenly remembered something that someone who called himself his “only friend” had once said.
—The cultivation methods of the gods do not rely on spiritual energy.
—The most vast power is called the power of collective will.
At the highest point of Daxing Palace, on the eaves of the Star-Gazing Tower, a woman in red lazily reclined against the flying eaves. The Milky Way flowed backward, intertwining with the lights of the mortal world, making it impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. The woman’s phoenix eyes were half-closed, her cheeks slightly flushed, her slender fingers gently stroking a jade flute. The clear notes lingered in the air, as if not of this world.
When the song ended, she set down the flute and smiled.
“I wanted to find a quiet place to amuse myself, but it seems I’ve disturbed someone after all.”
Light footsteps approached, and Li Ying tilted her head slightly to see Bai Tan’s figure gradually becoming clear in the moonlight.
He held his ever-present qin, his figure slender yet upright, elegant and refined, though a hint of melancholy always lingered between his brows.
“I apologize for interrupting Your Majesty’s enjoyment,” Bai Tan’s voice was low and slightly hoarse, much like the qin he held, each note seeming to carry a sad story.
Li Ying smiled faintly.
“It was no enjoyment, just a way to pass the time. It’s been a while since I last played the flute, so I’m a bit out of practice. I hope you’ll forgive my poor performance.”
Bai Tan looked at the slight drunkenness in Li Ying’s phoenix eyes and sighed softly.
“Your Majesty is drunk. Music is the voice of the heart, with emotion being paramount and skill secondary. Today, Your Majesty used the sound of the phoenix to dispel the gloom in my heart, yet your own melody was filled with loneliness.”
Li Ying’s lips curved into a faint smile.
“So Mr. Bai is a kindred spirit. It seems I can’t hide anything from you.”
Bai Tan hesitated for a moment before asking, “Is it because of what the envoy from Di Luan said today…”
“Ah, you’ve seen through me,” Li Ying waved her hand and sat up straight.
“On such a beautiful night, let’s not talk about such unpleasant matters. Since you have your qin and I have my flute, why don’t we play another duet?”
“Here?” Bai Tan was taken aback.
Li Ying glanced around and smiled.
“You’re right, it might disturb others. Let me take you to a quieter place.”
As she stood up, she swayed slightly and chuckled.
“Seems I’ve had a bit too much to drink…”
She stumbled over to Bai Tan, patted his qin, and stored it in her storage bag before wrapping her arms around him. She was taller than most women, but still half a head shorter than Bai Tan, making it look as if she had thrown herself into his arms.
Bai Tan stiffened as Li Ying embraced him.
“Your Majesty…”
Li Ying looked up and laughed. “Oh, right. You should turn back into a cat. It’ll be easier for me to carry you that way.”
Bai Tan’s handsome face flushed with embarrassment. “Your Majesty, that’s not appropriate…”
“Hmm?” Li Ying’s phoenix eyes narrowed, her aura suddenly imposing. With just that one sound, Bai Tan relented.
He sighed inwardly, lowering his head and obediently transforming back into his original form—a snow-white cat with amber eyes.
Li Ying smiled in satisfaction, cradling the cat in her left arm while gently stroking its soft fur with her right hand. The cat stiffened slightly, resisting at first, but eventually gave in and lowered its head.
With a flutter of her golden-red wings, Li Ying transformed into a streak of light and flew toward the southeast.
