Chapter 92

Chapter 92: From Now On, I’m Just Sang Nian’s Xie Chenzhou

“You just jump into the sea without a word. Are you trying to die?”

As dawn broke, the horizon was painted with a streak of orange.

On the soft, white beach, Sang Nian brushed the sand off her clothes and glared fiercely at Xie Chenzhou.

Xie Chenzhou sat on a rock, looking up at the sunrise struggling to climb above the horizon, his voice soft:

“Just pretend I’m already dead.”

He turned to look at Sang Nian, the years of accumulated ruthlessness in his brows had vanished, leaving a peaceful expression like spring water:

“The Xie Chenzhou of the Shura Palace died yesterday.”

Sang Nian was startled.

He pressed his fingertip against his heart and said slowly:

“From now on, I’m just Sang Nian’s Xie Chenzhou.”

“Sang Nian stared at him for a while, then suddenly leaned forward, pressed her hand against his shoulder, and kissed him fiercely.

The young man’s lips were bitten, oozing a few drops of crimson blood.

She let go of him, patted his face, and said with a smile:

“Seal of approval.”

Xie Chenzhou wiped away the blood with his fingertip, his eyes slightly red, and he raised the corner of his lips, leaning in again:

“Just one seal?”

Sang Nian held up a finger to his forehead, pushing him away a little, pretending to be serious:

“Young man, don’t be greedy.”

Xie Chenzhou still looked at her with bright eyes:

“Really just one?”

He looked like a puppy.

Sang Nian couldn’t resist, so she sighed and kissed his forehead again.

He said again:

“Just two?”

Sang Nian: “…You better stop while you’re ahead.”

Only then did Xie Chenzhou rise listlessly, walk to her side, and take her hand.

The waves occasionally surged forward, so Sang Nian took off her shoes and walked barefoot on the beach.

Looking back, she saw two neat rows of footprints.

She curved her eyes, shook Xie Chenzhou’s hand:

“Will you really leave the Shura Palace for me?”

Xie Chenzhou’s tone was firm:

“Yes.”

Sang Nian was a little worried: “What price will you have to pay?”

Xie Chenzhou’s expression remained unchanged: “None.”

Sang Nian: “Impossible. Such a large organization, you can’t just leave.”

Xie Chenzhou laughed: “You can’t be fooled, can you?”

Sang Nian insisted on asking:

“What price is it exactly?”

Xie Chenzhou said lightly:

“It doesn’t matter.”

Sang Nian retorted urgently:

“How can it not matter?”

“I won’t die.” Xie Chenzhou said, “You just need to know that I will definitely come back alive to see you. That’s enough.”

Sang Nian: “But…”

Xie Chenzhou suddenly said:

“I killed Luo Pingan, NianNian.”

Sang Nian’s voice stopped abruptly.

“He, Qing Gui, and I, we were once the best of friends.”

“One day, the Lord told us that the survivor would be the young master of the Shura Palace.”

So, the three best friends drew their swords against each other.

Every move was aimed at killing the other, yet every move held back.

Xie Chenzhou’s tone was light, but his eyes were filled with sadness:

“Later, the Lord said that if I killed one of them, the other could live.”

“Otherwise, they would both die.”

Hearing this, Sang Nian unconsciously slowed her breathing.

“I killed Luo Pingan.” He said.

Sang Nian’s heart sank.

So, in that bamboo forest, he saw Luo Pingan…

For Xie Chenzhou, the thing he feared most in the world wasn’t demons or monsters.

It was the friend he had killed with his own hands.

This was a heart demon that he couldn’t forget, day and night, forever and ever.

Xie Chenzhou said:

“I want to cut ties with that past. No matter how heavy the price, I have to bear it.”

Sang Nian: “…I understand.”

Xie Chenzhou rubbed her hair:

“Don’t worry about me.”

Sang Nian: “I wouldn’t worry about you.”

She slapped his hand away, feeling the atmosphere was too heavy. She bent down and picked up a pebble, wanting to change the subject.

“Can you skip stones?” she asked.

Xie Chenzhou didn’t speak, took the pebble, and flicked it with his fingertip.

The pebble skipped across the water’s surface for over ten times, flying a great distance before sinking.

He crossed his arms, raised an eyebrow at her, his gaze speaking volumes.

Sang Nian’s competitive spirit was immediately aroused, and she rolled up her sleeves:

“Just watch, I’m definitely better than you.”

After saying that, she carefully selected a flat pebble, gathered all her strength, and threw it out.

“Thud

The pebble took off but landed in the water nearby, sinking straight to the bottom without even a ripple.

As if it had been sucked in by some force.

Sang Nian: “?”

Was this defying physics?

She cautiously threw another pebble.

This time, a small whirlpool appeared in that area of water, as if something was about to emerge.

Xie Chenzhou stepped forward to protect Sang Nian, his brow furrowed slightly.

Sang Nian felt a strange sense of unease, looked down, and saw her storage bag flashing intermittently.

She untied it and took out the flashing object.

A rusty key.

Wasn’t this the one the little pufferfish gave her?

Her gaze was filled with confusion.

Xie Chenzhou suddenly said:

“Something’s coming out.”

She looked up, and in a matter of seconds, the whirlpool grew larger, encompassing almost the entire sea.

At the center, space slightly distorted, and a large gate entwined with emerald green vines slowly emerged from the water.

The gate hummed continuously, its vibration frequency gradually matching that of the key in her hand.

Sang Nian said: “What is this?”

Xie Chenzhou narrowed his eyes, seeing through the vines to the words written on the gate, and read them out, one by one:

“The Realm of Guixu.”

Sang Nian was startled:

“Is this the Realm of Guixu?”

The little pufferfish had given her a key to open the Realm of Guixu.

So, the cultivator who took the other key back then also went in?

In an instant, her thoughts raced.

Xie Chenzhou asked: “Do you want to go in?”

Sang Nian hesitated:

“Elder Bi Ke said that all her deceased relatives are inside. I want to go find them, and hopefully bring her a message.”

Besides, being able to enter the Realm of Guixu was a great opportunity in itself.

Maybe she could find something unexpected inside.

Xie Chenzhou said: “Then let’s go in.”

Sang Nian: “But… what if it’s dangerous… I don’t want to drag you into it.”

Xie Chenzhou grabbed her sleeve, as stubborn as ever:

“I want to go with you.”

If they waited any longer, the gate to the Realm of Guixu would disappear. Sang Nian couldn’t argue with him, so she compromised:

“Let’s go then. If we encounter danger, we’ll run together.”

Only then was he satisfied and released her hand, his toes tapping as he flew towards the gate side by side with her.

Sang Nian let go of the trembling key, allowing it to rise slowly.

As the vibration intensified, the rust on the key’s surface gradually peeled away, revealing the cold gleam of metal.

It fit perfectly into the small hole on the gate.

The vines slowly retracted towards the sides, revealing the entire gate.

Sang Nian left a message for Chu Yao and the others, then without hesitation, took a deep breath and pushed the gate open.

Soft white light engulfed them, and a sudden sensation of weightlessness came over them.

When they opened their eyes again, their feet were already on soft grass.

The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers.

Warm sunlight bathed the leaves, and a few patches of light spilled through the gaps.

White birds with long tails flew in flocks across the azure sky, their calls melodious and clear.

In the distance, little mushroom-like sprites emerged from the grass, chasing and playing with each other.

Everything was so peaceful and serene.

Sang Nian was a little stunned.

This was the Realm of Guixu?

She pulled on Xie Chenzhou’s hand, sighing:

“The Realm of Guixu is so beautiful. I thought it would be like the underworld described in books, gloomy and dark everywhere.”

Xie Chenzhou said:

“The Realm of Guixu was created by ancient deities. The flora and fauna inside are modeled after the divine realm, so the scenery is naturally beautiful.”

Sang Nian exclaimed, “Wow!” and said with enthusiasm:

“Where did you see this in a book? I’ll go borrow it from the library when I get back.”

Xie Chenzhou was about to tell her, but then he paused for two seconds and said:

“I forgot which one it was.”

Sang Nian was a little disappointed:

“Alright.”

Xie Chenzhou glanced at her with his peripheral vision and said:

“But I remember the content very well. I can tell you.”

Sang Nian: “Wouldn’t that be too much trouble for you?”

Xie Chenzhou shook his head politely:

“Just a little trouble.”

Sang Nian grinned and said happily:

“Then thank you, Teacher Xie. Tell me a story every day from now on.”

Xie Chenzhou suppressed the corner of his lips:

“Okay.”