Chapter 20: Just Lie Down
...
The train still roared forward, but the world behind it was already in ruins.
Wu Hen had witnessed the true power of the Black Divine Death Sword.
Back then, it spanned countless realms; this time, it merely crushed a small piece of Evil Soil, far more restrained than its initial descent.
For some reason, as Wu Hen looked at the extravagant black material in his right hand, Su Li's previous conversation with Wu Zai echoed in his mind.
"The truly powerful beings in Desert Dust hide behind the scenes!"
Which meant that the reason he couldn't call out Little Yi earlier was because it was waiting, waiting for the true ruler of this Evil Soil to reveal themselves!
Wu Zai, who thought he could show holiness before mortals, never imagined that behind the insect-like beings he despised was a divine miracle, and this miracle was the true Huang Que!
"Little Hen..." Su Li seemed to no longer recognize Wu Hen.
She even suspected that some supreme figure had taken over her little nephew's body.
But the Wu Hen before her still made Su Li feel that familiar and genuine connection.
Soon, the joy of surviving the catastrophe overwhelmed Su Li, leaving only sincerity and purity in her heart. She hugged Wu Hen tightly, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks!
Feeling this firm embrace and the warmth of a delicate body, Wu Hen finally emerged from that ethereal state and instinctively hugged this woman who had shared life and death with him...
Suddenly, the train entered a tunnel within the mountains.
It became pitch black all around, impossible to see one's hand in front of their face.
But the two felt no fear, embracing each other tightly, feeling each other's breath, warmth, sincerity, and joy.
What did it matter how vast Desert Dust was or how long the road ahead, as long as they had this belief to support them?
...
The mountain tunnel was exceedingly long, and the train took far longer to travel through it than anticipated.
The Holy Father had already fallen asleep.
Yang Qin, young as she was, might sleep a long time and perhaps never awaken.
Wu Hen and Su Li leaned against each other, fatigued yet content.
"Aren't you going to rest? That power of yours must have exhausted everything, your soul, your host; you're already overburdened. You should really rest." Su Li worried about Wu Hen's condition.
She could tell that the mysterious power within Wu Hen was far too strong for him to control.
They still needed a long time to harmonize.
"I just don't want to sleep yet..." Wu Hen was torn between exhaustion and exhilaration.
"Shall I reward you?" Su Li, being a mature woman, understood the young man's subtle hint.
"I don't have any strength left." Wu Hen replied.
"You just lie there."
"Hiss~" Wu Hen couldn't help but gasp.
Previously, Wu Hen had often heard experienced men say that women became more attractive with age. During his school days, he disagreed, thinking that the innocent schoolgirls were the most captivating...
Now, Wu Hen wholeheartedly agreed!
...
It was a dark night.
Yang Qin opened her eyes and realized she was no longer in the terrifying Evil Soil.
Instead, she felt inexplicably excited inside, wondering if she had merely experienced an extremely absurd dream.
She was still in a comfortable room, where she typically slept in darkness after turning off the lights.
"Mmm~ oh~"
Gradually, the sound of breathing arose from beside her, along with a sweet and melodious hum. Especially the woman's voice made Yang Qin, a girl herself, flush all over...
Yang Qin had no idea what the people next to her were doing...
In her hazy state, she dared not make a sound.
As she drifted back and forth, she fell asleep again.
...
...
The train passed through the mountains.
A lush forest lay ahead, with layers of mountain shadows beyond.
Su Li stood at the front of the train, her amber eyes gazing upon the land.
After a long while, Su Li exhaled a deep breath.
This should be an unclaimed wilderness, where one wouldn't get lost too quickly while traveling.
"Clang~~~~"
The train's energy was finally depleted. Despite the railway continuing forward, Su Li knew the next part of the journey had to be done on foot.
"Sister Su, isn't Big Brother awake yet? Could he have returned home?" Yang Qin couldn't resist asking.
Wu Hen had been asleep for a very long time.
And he seemed impossible to wake up.
"He's still here; he's just too tired." Su Li replied nonchalantly.
"Oh, that makes sense..." Yang Qin nodded, but her thoughts drifted to the long nights and the strange sounds that often arose.
The train slowly came to a halt on the tracks, but Su Li did not plan to disembark, merely sitting there quietly waiting.
Yang Qin had no say in the matter and continued to incessantly ask about Desert Dust.
She also hoped to develop some self-defense skills.
"Go collect our companions' belongings; they might be useful to you." Su Li said.
Thinking of the remains that might be left in the safe house, Yang Qin turned pale!
"I... I'm scared." Yang Qin said.
"You'll get used to it." Su Li didn't elaborate; survival depended entirely on Yang Qin herself.
Yang Qin wrestled with her thoughts for a long time.
In the end, she still walked toward the safe house.
She still wanted to live, still wanted to go home.
Su Li had also told her that even if this place seemed untainted, it didn't mean there were no dangerous creatures here.
"They kept records. Read the notes; when you encounter the creatures they've documented, at least you'll know how to deal with them." Su Li said.
"Okay." Yang Qin nodded.
After Yang Qin left, Wu Hen, who was in deep sleep, suddenly turned over and laid his head on Su Li's lap.
Su Li almost thought that this guy had regained energy, but she saw he was just instinctively seeking familiarity in his sleep, so she reached out and gently caressed Wu Hen's face...
For some reason, a trace of reluctance appeared in Su Li's tender eyes, as if bidding farewell to Wu Hen. She slowly bent down and kissed Wu Hen's forehead.
Carefully laying his head on a soft bundle, Su Li stood up and walked towards the clearing outside the train.
The trees in the clearing were ancient and tall, with pure sunlight filtering through the slender leaves, casting dappled shadows on Su Li's graceful and slender figure...
Despite her tattered clothes, Su Li's physique remained impeccable, exuding an aura of a fallen sprite in the wild, now possessing a noble elegance in place of the earlier heroism.
"You are lost." A voice suddenly came from above the woods.
Su Li did not look up, simply standing still as if awaiting some kind of judgment.
"I am not lost." Su Li replied calmly.
"You have already fallen into mortal desires, entangled in emotions with the Lower Seed People, nearly breaking your soul truth for them. Your journey is a complete failure; your spirit has utterly fallen. As a citizen of the Divine Realm, you have thoroughly lost your way. We will bring you back for purification." The voice from above the woods spoke with a judgmental tone.
"I can accept re-purification, but I have a request." Su Li said.
"Speak."
"Please grant some divine dew to the Nuwa Divine Tree, so it doesn't wither too quickly."
"Their fate is not our concern." The voice immediately descended rapidly from above the woods.
It was a man, covered in golden-scaled armor that fit his skin perfectly, possessing the nobility and beauty of a mythic Golden Dragon in human form, while emanating an extraordinary, otherworldly aura.
He also had Mysterious Martial Wings on his back, shaped like serrated feathers.
When gracefully folded behind him, they accentuated his divine and majestic presence!
"Am I... truly lost?" Su Li murmured upon seeing the man's radiant splendor.
"Yes, you are lost. You should be grateful you are a citizen of the Divine Realm. Had you been one of the Nuwa Divine Tree's pitiful Lower Seed People, you would be dead." The golden-scaled man said.
Su Li glanced back in the direction outside the woods.
Regardless, she had brought him close to the Nuwa Divine Tree.
And having witnessed the Black Divine Miracle, Su Li no longer had to worry about him being obliterated by overwhelmingly powerful beings in Desert Dust...
It was time to leave.
Her power was growing increasingly weak.
Even if she willingly fell and lost herself, staying by his side would only be a burden.
"We'll meet again." Su Li took a deep breath and finally chose to relax.
Sunlight bathed Su Li's graceful figure.
Her body slowly dissolved into the light, transforming into countless mottled butterfly petals.
The butterflies danced gracefully, melting into the air like wisps of floral smoke.
With the scattering butterflies, her beautiful silhouette also vanished...
...
After an unknown amount of time.
In the train carriage, someone finally woke up slowly.
Wu Hen instinctively touched his own body, feeling a sense of complete relief, then rose with relish.
"Huh, why is it you?" Wu Hen saw Yang Qin and his expression turned slightly strange.
What bad luck, opening his eyes to see this instead of his beautiful aunt.
"I... I saw a god-like man take your aunt away!" Yang Qin stood dumbfounded between the tracks and the forest, her face full of shock.
"What???" Wu Hen was shocked.
"Really!" Yang Qin said.
Wu Hen immediately ran towards the forest.
But the forest was empty, with no sign of Su Li.
Aunt...
Could she be an immortal??
Ahhh!!
Immortal aunt, don't return to the Heavenly Court!!
The road ahead is still so long; how can Hen Bao manage without you???
"Zzzt zzzt~~"
At this moment, Wu Hen's right arm tingled with a numbing sensation, as if something were trying to remind him.
Sigh, Little Yi, don't mess around when I'm this upset.
You and Aunt serve different emotional needs!
"Did you get a good look at that thing's face?" Wu Hen asked Yang Qin.
"No, I only saw the wings, they were like..." Yang Qin described what she saw.
Upon hearing this, Wu Hen's eyes changed.
The shape of those wings...
They were similar to the thing that had blocked the sun!
Another expert??
But even if there was another expert, it didn't stop Wu Hen from cursing, "Damn it!"