Trembling a little as tears began streaming down her eyes, Lin Meng couldn't understand how things went so downhill.
Yang Shen was supposed to propose to her and then they were going to spend their life together in a small and cosy house on a mountain peak with no one else around them.
So why… why…
Cutting her thoughts short, Lin Meng barely managed to wipe the tears away from her eyes as she turned around and looked towards someone she never met before.
Eyes filled with vigilance because she knew that the black haired woman was someone many times stronger than her, Lin Meng's only relief was that the other person didn't seem to be here with any malicious intentions.
After all, it was the deliberately made sound of her feet striking the floor which allowed Lin Meng to know that someone was approaching her.
"My Master didn't mean any harm. He's still very young and a little emotional. I hope you can understand his outburst."
"Here. Sooner or later, I and my Master are going to leave this world. If you feel like seeing him again, you'll also have to leave this world. When you feel like doing that, use this token. It'll take you to a land far away which is perfect for talented alchemists like you."
"If you'll be able to meet him or not though will be completely up to fate."
Onc finished with saying what she came here to, Lijuan after confirming that Lin Meng understood the worth of the token she gave her turned around to leave since she couldn't leave her Master alone for too long right now.
"You are…?"
"I'm the beautiful woman who travels along with my Master in the form of a snake so that I don't attract attention."
Continuing to walk while she said those words, Lijuan disappeared without even leaving behind a poof of smoke.
'So he wasn't lying?'
Remembering that Yang Shen had said those exact words when he asked him what was the deal with the snake, Lin Meng's eyes darted towards the hand she used to slap him.
The reason she slapped him wasn't because she had any interest in the bastard whom he wanted to kill… It was just that she was angry at how he doubted her… Did she maybe go a little overboard?
Caressing the token in her hand as she began thinking about what she did, and how she still felt about Yang Shen whom she was now sure was not an ordinary boy who had an exceptional talent in alchemy.
...
Leaving Lin Meng, Lijuan appeared in her snake form around Yang Shen's neck right away almost as if she never left his side.
"Snakey… Take me somewhere I can find alcohol…."
Though wanting to say something, Lijuan in the end stayed silent and followed Yang Shen's wishes because for the first time ever he was using the power of their Master Servant link to force her to do something.
Bending the space and opening a path through it, Lijuan took Yang Shen with her somewhere far away from the Mystic Pill Sect.
Bringing Yang Shen inside a tavern, who didn't show the slightest care or interest in how Lijuan controlled the power of space, the black snake hissed loudly and made everyone inside the tavern faint right away.
Throwing them all outside with her Qi, Lijuan no longer stayed in her snake form and was instead in her human form.
Gently nudging the lifeless Yang Shen into a chair, Lijuan asked him, "What would you like to drink, Master?"
Not giving a reply since he truly didn't hear what the woman said, Yang Shen was completely lost in his own thoughts due to which she didn't bother pouring him any alcohol.
After all, though he never explicitly said it, Lijuan knew that he had never actually drunk any alcohol. Therefore, she was quite sure that he asked her to bring him to a solace like this to try and drown his sorrows without even knowing if such a thing would work.
Raising his head with a weary look on his face, Yang Shen looked towards Lijuan who for the first time didn't look sexy and alluring but rather warm and comforting.
Due to this, Yang Shen who was filled with regret over almost everything he did wanted nothing more than to hug her and cry his eyes out.
"I screwed up Lijuan…"
"I know, Master."
"I was manipulated so easily…"
"I know."
"I didn't think things through…"
"I know."
"I was too…."
"I know."
Interrupting Yang Shen whose list might otherwise have gone on forever, Lijuan no longer sat in front of him and instead moved closer to him and sat at his side.
Smiling warmly as she ruffled his hair, Lijuan asked, "Does Master want me to turn everything right?"
Hearing those words, it would be a lie to say that Yang Shen wasn't tempted to accept the offer and leave everything to Lijuan.
However if he did that, nothing would change. Therefore, he strongly shook his head and said, "No."
"Since I'm the one who screwed up, I shouldn't have you clean up after me."
Saying those words, Yang Shen felt the stuffy and weighed down feeling surrounding his chest disappear.
After all, unlike in the past he wasn't acting like someone who could solve everything by himself and was instead sharing his trouble and burden with Lijuan.
Doing this not only made him feel his troubles lessen, but at the same time that last ounce of insecurity inside him disappeared as well.