It was like mountains collapsing and the earth splitting. After closing her eyes, Wu Yinyu could see nothing, only hearing the roar of thunder and the crashing of great waves.
In an instant, it was as if she arrived in a place where a hundred flowers vied for beauty. A delicate, elegant fragrance wafted into her nostrils, and birds and insects chirped in her ears.
Then came the whistling wind, cold air hitting her face. The muffled sound of footsteps slowly approached, as if treading through thick snow, each step seeming labored.
Yes, a branch, weighed down by snow, snapped with a crack. A heavy, dense Yin Energy spread overwhelmingly, making this snowy day even more bitterly cold and bone-chilling.
Everything unfolded like a painting scroll, the picture fully revealing itself as it reached its end.
“Open your eyes.”
Wu Yinyu slowly opened her eyes. Seeing the vast whiteness everywhere, she momentarily thought she had been blinded.
Yin Energy was everywhere, raging across the barren plain. This was completely different from the Wisdom Water Red Mountain she had imagined.
In her dreams, she had never seen such a cold and barren place. She made out some houses mostly buried by snow in the distance. Some houses only had their eaves left exposed. If not for the Spirit Bells swaying beneath the eaves, the thick, hard snow piled on top would have made the roofs unrecognizable.
A burst of Demonic Evil Qi darted past, playfully pouncing on a passerby draped in a tattered cloak. The person stumbled, hurriedly looking around, but in the end, saw nothing. Letting out a cry, they ran away.
Even that small world called Little Desolate Islet hadn’t possessed such dense Ghostly Qi. And this was Wisdom Water Red Mountain.
Besides these refugee-like passersby, no other figures could be seen.
The Spirit Bells jingled, almost drowned out by the howling wind. Those bells, seen from afar, somewhat resembled the ones in White Jade Capital.
Wu Yinyu stumbled over. Perhaps because she had just arrived from the previous world, her mind was still dull, her gaze unfocused, looking utterly defenseless.
The snow was deep and frozen hard, seemingly as level as flat ground. It crunched underfoot, her shoes only sinking in slightly.
She didn’t need any ladder; she reached out and picked that Precious Bell. There were engraved characters inside the bell. The font looked familiar.
She clearly couldn’t recognize these characters, but just one glance was enough to grasp the general meaning.
Nirvana.
This was the script of Little Enlightenment Ruins, translating to “Nirvana.”
Standing beneath the snow, Wu Yinyu hazily recalled some old matters.
The flower nurtured in the lotus pool had finally bloomed. Compared to the other Buddha Lotuses in the pool, she emerged bright and dignified, with a clear spirit and elegant bearing. A body cultivated by her own effort was, after all, better than a drawn one.
Yinyu was lying beside the pool. She didn’t care that her sash had fallen into the water. Unblinking, she watched as a Lotus Pattern Arc Light appeared, blossoming and transforming into a human form.
The Immortal in the Pool was half-hidden in the water, wading through layers of overlapping lotus leaves. She wore a red robe with wide sleeves, the outer White Gauze Robe floating on the water’s surface. Her expression was cold and solemn, yet a vermillion lotus Forehead Ornament was dotted between her brows.
Propping her chin on her hand, Yinyu gazed at the Lotus Immortal in the pool with keen interest. “My name is Yinyu, courtesy name Ming Dang. I have guarded you for over half a year and have finally waited for you to take form.”
The hair of the Immortal in the Pool cascaded like clouds. Her disheveled attire seemed unconventional—carefree and indifferent. The indifference was real, but the carefreeness was definitely feigned.
Which Immortal or Buddha in Little Enlightenment Ruins didn’t abide by volumes of strict Precepts and regulations? Casual and carefree? Only Yinyu, who unceremoniously treated Little Enlightenment Ruins as her home, would dare.
“Then who am I?” the Immortal in the Pool asked upon hearing this.
A young novice monk ran over from afar. Ecstatic, he brought his palms together, bowed slightly, and said to Yinyu, “High Immortal, Venerable Lingming has heard that the Lotus Immortal has cultivated a human form and wishes to summon her!”
“Go,” Yinyu sat up, pulling her soaking wet sash from the water. “Go see Lingming. It will tell you who you are.”
In the heavy snow, Yu Zezhi asked indifferently, “Have you opened your eyes?”
No, at this moment, it should be Lian Sheng. That “Yu Zezhi” was merely a “shell” she used in a Small World.
Yinyu was still holding that Spirit Bell as she finally came back to her senses, belatedly realizing her hands were numb from the cold. Her tongue felt dry as she spoke, “They’re open. It’s so cold here.”
She turned her head and saw a woman in layered, heavy robes walking toward her. It was Lian Sheng.
That robe looked exceedingly wide and cumbersome, just like the tedious rituals and protocols of Little Enlightenment Ruins. Yet it made her appear exceptionally composed and steady.
Just as in the dream, this was how “Yu Zezhi” originally looked. Between her brows was a red Forehead Ornament, and the corners of her eyes were elongated with red lines. However, her cold expression prevented it from looking bewitching, giving her a dignified air without needing to show anger.
Yinyu looked down at herself and only then remembered that she was still holding the wooden puppet in her arms, but the painting scroll was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is the painting scroll?” she asked in surprise.
Lian Sheng walked over and tapped her forehead. “Perhaps it went in here.”
Yinyu’s forehead felt cool. She reached out and grasped Lian Sheng’s finger, but couldn’t detect the painting scroll at all. If the painting scroll was her true body, returning to it should have allowed her to relearn all sorts of divine abilities and powers. Yet she felt nothing!
“Your memory probably hasn’t returned yet. The painting scroll likely hasn’t merged with your Divine Soul. Wait a bit longer.” Lian Sheng withdrew her finger and brushed the snow from Yinyu’s hair. She paused briefly, then suddenly lowered her head.
For a moment, that breath carrying the Lotus Fragrance was incredibly close.
Lian Sheng looked perfectly composed, leaning in intimately, yet did not deliver a kiss. She maintained that delicate distance, only allowing their breaths to entwine intimately.
“It really doesn’t smell like tobacco anymore,” she stepped back.
That warm breath left a hint of moisture at the corner of Yinyu’s lips. She laughed softly, touching her lip, her gaze fixed on the person before her. For a long moment, she couldn’t look away.
It was still those eyes and those lips. Only the makeup and attire had changed. Her expression and demeanor were still the same as “Yu Zezhi.”
It was like the game Lu Sansheng often played—changing a character’s “skin.” She wondered how Lu Sansheng was doing now.
“What are you looking at?” Lian Sheng smiled faintly.
“How novel,” Yinyu admitted openly, unable to resist looking a few more times, doing so openly and boldly.
She lifted the wooden puppet in her hand and scoffed lightly, “It really did bring it here too.”
The Ear Whisperer God had just regained its senses. Its wooden eyeballs whirled around, and it said in its childish voice, “Aiyo, just now it was like traveling around the world, experiencing spring, summer, autumn, and winter all at once! I almost thought I was shoved into some Illusion again. Opening my eyes and seeing you both still here puts my mind at ease.”
Its eyes rolled again. “What place is this? Why is it freezing cold and charged with Ghostly Qi?”
Yinyu was also wondering. She tossed the Spirit Bell in her hand to Lian Sheng, saying, “There are characters inside. Take a look.”
Seeing Lian Sheng catch the Precious Bell, she pinched her sleeve, examining it. After looking at others, she began examining herself.
Having lived in that previous world for twenty-odd years, getting used to her current attire was truly difficult. But fortunately, she was no longer wearing that Qipao; otherwise, she would surely have frozen unconscious here.
She was dressed entirely in white, as plain as the snow piled everywhere. No second color could be found on her. Thinking back, the sash she pulled from the water in her dream was also stark white. Could it be that the painting scroll had truly merged into her forehead, but hadn’t completely integrated yet?
Her forehead felt a little itchy. She reached up and touched it, only then realizing she wore a silver chain headpiece, its pendant resting right on her forehead.
Novel. This Wisdom Water Red Mountain was truly interesting.
“So, did you choose this landing spot?” Yinyu looked around again.
The wind was strong, the snow heavy, the sky a hazy gray. She had no idea if it was morning or night.
“This is Dark Snow Heaven,” Lian Sheng grasped the Spirit Bell, her brow tightly furrowed, a gloomy look deep in her eyes.
Yinyu felt she had probably been here before. After surveying the area, her gaze settled on a distant tall mountain.
It was fortunate that thick clouds covered the sky; otherwise, looking up like this, she would surely be blinded by the sun, her eyes brimming with tears.
That mountain seemed to stand propping up the sky, its peak already piercing through the dense, gray clouds.
In an instant, the scene before her eyes changed, and she saw some past events again.
Back then, the sky was clear and the air was fresh. She leaned by the window of a tall building, the window facing the distant mountain. She had to lean her head out and look up to see that section of the mountain peak.
She took a sip of mellow, fragrant wine and said leisurely, “In Dark Snow Heaven, everyone wants to climb to the peak of Immortal Gazing Mountain. The local legends say Immortal Gazing Mountain is the closest place to the White Jade Capital. From the mountain, one can see the Pavilion Terraces and towers in the sky, and occasionally even catch a glimpse of Immortals.”
Below the tall building, people came and went, bustling with activity. Many merchants passing by the area would indeed glance toward Immortal Gazing Mountain, expressing much longing for the land at its peak.
The person in white gauze and red robes sat opposite her, sitting upright and looking out the window. Indifferently, she asked, “Then when you were in the heavens, did you ever see the people on the mountain?”
“I did,” she glanced at Lian Sheng meaningfully, licking the wine stain from the corner of her mouth. “Not everyone has the ability to climb the mountain. I only saw it once.”
Yinyu jolted back to reality. Where were the merchants coming and going? Where were the bustling voices in her ears? Compared to her memory, this place was far too desolate.
This place was indeed called Dark Snow Heaven, and the lively marketplace she glimpsed in her trance was also Dark Snow Heaven. She just didn’t know what had happened here during the time she had been away.
The Ear Whisperer God said noisily, “Why is this place full of Demonic Evil, without even a trace of human presence? Could it be a nest of Ghostly Evils?”
“No,” Lian Sheng denied flatly, her tightly furrowed brow still not relaxing. “This place wasn’t like this before.”
Yinyu glanced sideways, seeing Lian Sheng still staring at the Spirit Bell in her hand. “So, what did you find?”
“There are characters, meaning Nirvana,” Lian Sheng shook the Spirit Bell. The bell rang crisply, making the wind and snow seem even colder. She added, “The script of Little Enlightenment Ruins.”
“Did Wuxian come here?” Yinyu associated it with that person.
“Not necessarily her,” Lian Sheng shook the Spirit Bell again.
Upon hearing the sound, Yinyu felt dizzy and almost couldn’t stand steady.
Seeing this, Lian Sheng clenched her five fingers, and the Spirit Bell shattered into fine powder in her hand.
“That sound…” Yinyu pressed her forehead.
Lian Sheng brushed the debris from her palm. “It has a soul-hooking effect. For those in poor health, it can hook their soul right out of their body.”
“How malicious.” Yinyu narrowed her eyes, steadying her mind. Her mind was steady, but her body shivered violently from the cold.
In the distance, a child seemed to be crying. A flurry of chaotic footsteps could be heard. A group of refugees was walking together, leaning on each other for support. A small child among them, protected in the center, was crying loudly from hunger.
This scene was far too different from the one in Yinyu’s dream. It was like heaven and earth. She quickly furrowed her brow. “This place wasn’t originally like this, was it?”
“It wasn’t originally like this,” Lian Sheng also looked over.
Hugging the wooden puppet, Yinyu hunched her shoulders. But the puppet in her arms was also freezing; how could she draw any warmth from it? She clicked her tongue. “Why is my head so cold?”
Lian Sheng looked left and right. “Let’s find a place to shelter from the snow first.”
“I’ll follow your lead,” Yinyu said, looking utterly obedient and completely unfamiliar with this place.
There were quite a few temples here, and many people were indeed sheltering from the snow inside them.
Only after entering did they realize this temple was also abandoned. The Incense Burner had long gone without fresh incense, the altar table was covered in dust, and there weren’t even any fresh offerings.
The deity statues were even incomplete, appearing to have been deliberately damaged. The marks on them were clearly left by blades and clubs.
This was a great act of disrespect. Even if one didn’t believe in gods and Buddhas, one shouldn’t do such a thing.
A group of refugees was even gathered beside the severed head of a deity statue. Seeing someone approach, they all turned to look at Yinyu and Lian Sheng, their expressions trembling, some even wearing guarded looks, clearly unwelcoming to strangers.
