Volume One: Hidden Abyss Chapter Thirty-Seven

At this moment, Gengyuan’s face was frail and pale, but the murderous intent in his eyes was unmistakable; Qisui seemed as harmless as a lamb, and Gengyuan could have devoured him without leaving a trace. Jinli blocked Gengyuan, shouting, “Don’t, Gengzi! Are you mad?”

Perhaps Gengyuan was still debilitated, his lips bloodless, yet the veins bulging in his neck and the redness in his eyes betrayed his fury. He glared at Qisui, “I want you dead!”

Jinli noticed the faint aura of demonic energy gathering between his brows, growing stronger. She said to Qisui, “Qisui, go back first.”

Qisui, seeing Gengyuan’s madness, feared he might harm Jinli. “I won’t go. Lady, I can protect you.”

“He won’t hurt me, don’t worry. This is between us. Go back.”

In the end, Qisui left. Gengyuan was beside himself with rage. Jinli grasped his arm, “Gengzi, stop! Don’t lose your mind, please!”

“No!” Gengyuan shouted at Jinli, but immediately realized how could he yell at her. His voice caught, aggrieved, “How much do you hate me, how much do you despise me, to stay so far away? Or is it because you truly have him in your heart? All these years, have you been with him? To avoid me, you wouldn’t let yourself be connected to me at all, and you spent the morning with him. Last night, were you with him?”

Was it he who broke your beauty spell?

“You followed me?”

“Yes, I followed you. I saw you both strolling, laughing together. I saw him kiss you, and you smiled. He had his arms around you, holding you! What is he to dare touch what’s mine?”

Jinli couldn’t calm herself. “And you—what are you, then?”

Gengyuan was stunned. Jinli drew a deep breath and continued, “Gengzi, haven’t I told you not to appear before me again, not to let me see you? For what happened in the past, I owe you nothing. Now, I don’t wish to have any connection with you. I don’t like you. I don’t like you anymore!”

Tears surged in Gengyuan’s eyes. “Jinli, look into my eyes... say it again... you don’t like me?”

“Yes, I don’t like you.”

Jinli met his gaze coldly, though her hand trembled uncontrollably.

Her gaze was icy, her voice tinged with disappointment. Jinli didn’t like him anymore—the Jinli who had always professed to love him, didn’t like him anymore.

Gengyuan’s eyes were full of disbelief. “Impossible, you’re lying to me. Even if you tried to deceive me, I wouldn’t believe it. I just want you not to leave me, not to disappear from my life.”

“Gengzi, what was between us ended long ago. It ended forever.”

Gengyuan clung to Jinli desperately, as if he might embed her into himself, holding her tightly, afraid she would leave. His voice was anguished, trembling, “Jinli, Jinli, I beg you, please, don’t go. Don’t leave me, just give me another chance, love me once more, even if just once, please. I’ll do anything for you, truly, anything. I love you, I love you…”

For the first time, Jinli saw Gengyuan in this childlike state: fearful, anxious, reluctant, and full of pain.

Yet she couldn't tell how much truth lay in his words, how much was false...

Jinli didn’t know what to do anymore. At some point, her eyes brimmed with tears, threatening to fall.

She neither reached out to embrace him nor pushed him away, simply calming herself in silence.

“Gengyuan, I gave you a chance, but who will give me a chance?”

Who would give him a chance?

The Heavenly Lord was watching Gengyuan, the Bai Ze clan awaited an opportunity to catch him off guard. Now, the seal was about to break, and the demon god was soon to awaken.

Who would give her a chance to return to the past?

After she finished speaking, Jinli vanished in a swirl of mist.

Gengyuan was too late to grasp her. He collapsed to the ground, helplessly shedding tears.

He had lost Jinli again.

Jinli returned to Lotus River, hoping to immerse herself in the affairs of the Six Realms, keeping herself so busy she wouldn’t have time to think of Gengyuan. But when she saw the scrolls from the Four Seas, her thoughts erupted once more. She couldn’t help but open them; within the Four Seas, there was no trace of monsters or strange happenings. Even when the demon clan extended an olive branch, Gengyuan remained unmoved.

He truly was worthy to be the Sea Lord of the Four Seas.

The dragon clan had flourished in the Eastern Sea; those foes, Gengyuan eventually spared their descendants, giving them a home to live and thrive.

He seemed to look forward, yet it felt as if he still lived in the past.

Jinli leafed through the scrolls, her mind racing, pondering the Weak Water Barrier. She summoned Yunxiang and handed her the scroll, “Yunxiang, I’ll be away for a while. When my brother returns, give this to him; he’ll understand once he sees it.”

“Lady, you’re leaving again? Have you calculated how many days this trip will take?”

Bitterness filled Jinli’s heart. Perhaps she would never return.

“I don’t know.”

Yunxiang did not ask further.

As Jinli left Lotus River, Qisui was already waiting for her in the Pear Blossom Valley.

Seeing Qisui, the young man asked, “How was it? Did he hurt you?”

Jinli shook her head. Qisui let out a breath of relief, then said slowly, “From now on, Lady, please don’t push me away anymore. Let me protect you; will you give me a chance to protect you?”

Jinli smiled, “Alright.”

Qisui’s eyes shone.

They left Pear Blossom Valley, and Jinli followed the trail of demonic energy, arriving at the Southern Sea.

Piercing through clouds and mist, the surface of the Southern Sea was turbulent, dark currents swirling beneath. Distant ships tossed in the waves; Jinli waved her hand, rescuing them, then calmed the sea with her magic. She opened the entrance to the Southern Sea, and the two entered together.

The Southern Sea Palace was in chaos; coral and glazed tiles scattered everywhere, servants cowered in fear, silent.

“Where is the Sea Lord?”

Jiang Ji hurried forward. “The Sea Lord is in the bedchamber.”

Jinli went alone to Gengyuan’s bedchamber. Seeing the tightly closed door and the darkness within, her worry deepened. Pushing the door open, an acrid scent of blood mingled with wine assaulted her, and she frowned in displeasure.

Step by step she drew closer, shards and debris littered the ground; she could barely make out a figure slumped before the grand bed curtains.

The stench of blood and alcohol was even stronger.

“Gengyuan?”

Jinli called tentatively. Sure enough, the figure raised his head, drunken, “Heh, I must really be drunk—I see A-Jin.”

She crouched in front of Gengyuan. He lifted his face; the wounds on his hand were unbandaged, bleeding still. His eyes were glazed with intoxication. “A-Jin... A-Jin...”

Jinli reached out to touch his face, only to find it burning hot.

Jinli ordered him to be helped onto the bed, tended his wounds, fed him medicine. By dawn, she checked again: thankfully, his fever had subsided.

Qisui stood behind her, sorrow in his eyes, watching her silhouette in silence.

“How did the Lord fall ill? Was the medicine immortal summoned?”

As soon as Jinli heard this, the door swung open. She turned, standing atop the dais, and saw Susu enter. Susu was startled at the sight of her.

Whether it was Jinli’s imagination or not, Susu seemed terrified of her.

“Divine Lady... how are you here?”

Jinli waved her hand, concealing the World-Mirror. She looked at Susu. “What’s wrong? You seem surprised I am here?”

“...No.”

Susu forced a stiff smile.

Jinli descended slowly. “I am not concerned.”

She came beside Susu. “When he wakes, tell him you cared for him, understood?”

Susu nodded, then knelt and took her leave.

When Jinli and Qisui left the Southern Sea, they saw Ruantu waiting on the shore.

Ruantu’s eyes were full of worry. Upon seeing Jinli, he ran to her.

“A-Li, are you alright? Did he do anything to you?”

“I’m fine. Just a sleepless night, I’m a bit tired. Let’s go.”

Just as they were about to leave, Susu appeared and called out to her again.

Jinli turned. “What is it?”

Susu knelt, saluted. “I have a few matters I wish to discuss with Lady. I thought it best Lady should know.”

Jinli considered for a moment, glanced at Ruantu and Qisui, signaling them to withdraw.

The two entered a pavilion. Susu knelt before Jinli. “I wish to know how Lady and the Lord first met.”

Jinli gazed at her, her eyes deep and inscrutable; for a moment, Susu couldn’t read her. Jinli faintly smiled, careless, “You wanted to ask me this back in the Heavenly Palace, didn’t you?”

Susu was embarrassed at being exposed, but was straightforward, without a moment’s denial. “Yes. I know I am not your equal, Lady, but in seven days I will be part of the Lord’s palace. There are things I wish to understand, to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings in the future.”

Jinli propped her head with one hand, legs crossed beneath her skirt. “Misunderstandings?”

Jinli drew a long breath. “Are you teaching me how to conduct myself now?”