Yan Hui still felt a little uneasy about using Huan Xiao Yan's illusion magic to entrance Tian Yao. Thus, she found an opportunity to first test out Huan Xiao Yan's powers.
After Huan Xiao Yan learned the truth, she cried the entire night. Her eyes were slightly swollen the next day. However, she still followed Yan Hui's test because she herself was unsure how much of an illusion she could cast on Tian Yao. Her magic would have to be buried deep, especially when thinking about how much stronger Tian Yao would be after getting his neidan back.
Since they decided on doing this, then they had to do their best. They would seize this opportunity to plant the seed of Huan Xiao Yan's illusion. This seed would utilized Tian Yao's own cultivation to circulate throughout his body and take root deep inside. That way when the critical time arrived, it would simplify the process.
Huan Xiao Yan and Yan Hui settled on a time. The next day, Yan Hui invite Tian Yao over to her room to clarify some parts of "Demon Bestowal" and give some pointers.
Although it wasn't long ago when Yan Hui used that same excuse to take advantage of Tian Yao, he still came. He held "Demon Bestowal" in one hand, looking like he was going to properly teach her.
Yan Hui somewhat distractedly looked at him.
Tian Yao waited for awhile, but he didn't hear Yan Hui make a sound. He turned to look at her and smiled: "Are you going to tease me again?"
Yan Hui was silent, but then she also smiled: "Your strange horns are gone."
"Melding with the Nine-headed Snake's Neidan these past two days had an effect."
Yan Hui nodded. Then she reached out and pointed at a part that she truly didn't understand very well: "Help me with this part." Thus Tian Yao didn't tease her anymore. He looked down and studied that passage. His lips slightly moved as he softly murmured the words as he read. Tian Yao was focused on the book, and his guard was completely down even with Yan Hui right by his side.
Yan Hui listened to his murmurs and immediately understood why Tian Yao was so easily taken down by Su Ying's and Qing Guang's plot 20 years ago. It was because in front of someone he loved, he really had no defenses. His weakest points were revealed to her; his softest parts were right in front of her.
It would be so easy to hurt him.
"Tian Yao." Yan Hui suddenly called Tian Yao's name. In that moment when he turned to look at her, the ring on Yan Hui's hand, which contained Huan Xiao Yan, instantly flashed. Huan Xiao Yan came out of the ring in a puff of smoke and went through Tian Yao's chest, heart, and out.
"You won't see Yan Hui when you come back tonight."
Huan Xiao Yan's voice lingered in the room and disappeared by the end of those words.
Tian Yao's eyes lost focus for a moment but then just as quickly refocused. He looked at Yan Hui as if Huan Xiao Yan had never appeared in his midst. "What is it?" he asked.
Yan Hui raised her chin and suddenly left a light kiss on his cheek: "I just all of a sudden wanted to kiss you." She smiled at him. "Is that okay?"
Tian Yao was surprised, and he blushed. He looked into Yan Hui's eyes were a slightly deep gaze: "Next time you have to tell me first. Like this....." Saying that, his lips slowly got closer to Yan Hui's lips. "I want to kiss you."
Tian Yao said that, but he didn't give Yan Hui a chance to respond before covering her mouth.
Lips and tongues tangled together. They separated after a short while.
Yan Hui remembered that Huan Xiao Yan was probably still somewhere in this room, possibly watching them. She felt a little uneasy and coughed a few times. Then she found an excuse to send Tian Yao away.
In the end, Tian Yao not finding out an illusion spell was cast on him was enough.
A short while after Tian Yao left, Yan Hui was confident he didn't sense anything different about himself. That was when she called out the little demon: "Huan Xiao Yan."
The illusion demon appeared from the side of the bed right by Yan Hui. Her sudden appearance like a shadow scared Yan Hui. However this "shadow" had eyes filled with tears and a face full of grief.
Yan Hui looked at Huan Xiao Yan and sighed: "What is it now?"
"Master, when Tian Yao kissed you, he felt so happy."
Yan Hui felt her heart twist like it had been punched. Then bitterness and pain mingled with that tiny bit of happiness she couldn't hold back. The emotions leaked out.
"Master, you were also very happy."
That's right. She was also very happy.
Yan Hui was silent. Even more tears filled Huan Xiao Yan's eyes: "Is there no other way? The Qing Qiu King is so powerful. Let's ask him to think of another way, okay? A way that'll let you live...."
Yan Hui rubbed her head and didn't say a word.
When night fell, Tian Yao returned from the cold springs. Huan Xiao Yan summoned up her courage and blocked Tian Yao's path. However before she could say a word, her eyes turned red.
Tian Yao immediately frowned at the sight.
Yan Hui was standing right behind Huan Xiao Yan at that moment. She pinched the illusion demon's waist. Huan Xiao Yan gritted her teeth and finally opened her mouth: "Have you seen my master?"
Huan Xiao Yan looked distressed and even asked this kind of question. Tian Yao's frown deepened: "Yan Hui isn't in her room?"
Yes, she wasn't in her room. She was right behind Huan Xiao Yan, but it seemed like Tian Yao couldn't see her. He only asked: "Have you asked others? Did no one see where she went?"
It looked like Huan Xiao Yan had reached the limit of her acting skills. She only looked down and shook her head.
That expression made Tian Yao's forehead knit. He took a step foward and walked past Huan Xiao Yan. He even brushed past Yan Hui but didn't even glance back. Yan Hui turned and watched his backside. She left out a breath, looked up at the moon, and praised Huan Xiao Yan: "You did well."
But Huan Xiao Yan wasn't a bit happy with the compliment.
That night, Tian Yao questioned Zhu Li and looked everywhere for Yan Hui. He was burning with anxiety when the residence's owner passed Tian Yao a piece of paper Yan Hui had left in her room. On the paper was written that she went to Qing Qiu's king to consult him on "Demon Bestowal". She would return tomorrow.
Then Tian Yao went straight to the palace without resting.
Yan Hui had already greeted the king earlier. The king pointed out a room in the enormous tree to Tian Yao. Thus, Tian Yao quietly stood guard outside the room. He didn't leave nor make a sound.
He thought Yan Hui was inside cultivating.
Yan Hui was actually in the palace's twisted and complicated pathways, watching Tian Yao from afar. Then she followed one of the little foxes and used another door to enter the room.
She waited until daybreak before pushing open the main door.
Tian Yao's expression didnt' change much upon seeing Yan Hui. He just stepped forward and asked her: "Did your cultivation go smoothly?" He didn't bring up how anxious he was last night when he couldn't find Yan Hui.
Yan Hui gave an open-mouth smiled, revealing white teeth. It seemed like she was in a good mood. when Tian Yao saw her happily smiling, he felt like the sun was shining a little brighter. He slightly smiled, "You made good progress?"
"Yep." Yan Hui pulled at Tian Yao's hand and led him down the palace. "The 'Demon Bestowal' is indeed written by the king's wife, and the king indeed was married to her. With just a few words, he clarified it." Yan Hui's tone was buoyant like she truly was very happy. There wasn't the slightest trace of worry.
Yan Hui acted so well that she almost tricked herself.
She acted so well like she could always be with Tian Yao, like she accomplished what Tian Yao waited the entire night for her to do.
She acted so well like she wouldn't knock Tian Yao unconscious tomorrow and cast even greater lies on him...
Late that night past 1 a.m., Tian Yao was fast asleep in his room. Yan Hui sat by his bed, and the person who was standing by his bed was none other than the Qing Qiu King, who had never left his palace before.
"Your Majesty can do it now," said Yan Hui.
The king took the dagger she offered. His eyes slighted dropped and he said, "Apologies." The tip of the dagger pierced Yan Hui's chest. The king's gaze became graze. He didn't blink as he carefully stabbed into her chest.
Yan Hui shuddered, and her face paled like it was bloodless. She wanted to clench her hands in pain but realized she didn't have to strength to do so. If it wasn't for Huan Xiao Yan supporting her from behind, Yan Hui may not even have the strength to sit upright.
In the next moment, a blazing red pearl was carefully plucked out of Yan Hui's chest. In contrast, Yan Hui was like a colorless doll. Her face immediately turned white.
The room instantly felt quite a bit warmer.
After the dragon demon neidan left Yan Hui's body, it was attracted to Tian Yao's aura. It moved about in the Qing Qiu King's hand in jerky motions. It was like a restless little kid eager to return back home.
Thus when the king opened his hand, the neidan shoot forward like an arrow released from the bow. In a split second, it slammed into Tian Yao's chest but didn't enter the heart.
No trace was left behind. After some time, even the room cooled back down to the usual temperature. However, Tian Yao's expression kept changing. It was like his original neidan was battling it out with the snake monster's neidan in his body. It's needless to say the end result. Tian Yao's complexion returned to the usual, which signaled his original neidan had prevailed.
The Millennium Dragon Demon, Tian Yao, was finally whole.
He finally returned to who he originally was.
Now a light flashed in Yan Hui's blood-stained chest. It was the Spirit Pearl, given by the king, taking action.
From now on, her life would start the one month countdown.
The fate between her and Tian Yao was slowly coming to an end.....
Before Tian Yao woke up, Huan Xiao Yan lightly touched his head and said: "After you wake up, you won't notice any differences compared to yesterday."
Yan Hui's eyes never left Tian Yao's face. Perhaps it was her imagination, but it seemed like the sleeping Tian Yao momentarily frowned a little.
Yan Hui used almost all her strength to reach her hand out and touch the space between his eyebrows: "It would be good if we would trick him for his entire life."
Behind Yan Hui, Huan Xiao Yan's face was very unhappy: "Master, my magic can't last that long. His neidan is so strong.....I don't even know if I can hold on for one month."
"Don't you like creating happy dreams for people, so you can eat their emotions?" said Yan Hui. "For the next month, I'll let you eat your fill."
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Wahhhh such a sad chapter 😭😭😭 I just want them to be happy together, forever!!