Mahayana 103
BGM: Wuthering Waves 3.0 Ost(Opening)
Chapter 103: The Fear Hidden in Su Miaoqing’s Heart
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :
Part 1
After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Yifeng’s body trembled violently. He opened his eyes with a start, as though he had been abruptly shaken awake from a dream.
The second Xiao Yifeng opened his eyes, he felt danger right away. He spun around, stabbed backwards, and took a quick step forward, his body flickering a few times before he popped up a good distance away.
Only then did he look back, tense and ready. Mo Shuiyao was standing exactly where he'd been, cold as ice, holding a small dagger, she’d clearly been about to attack him.
She was clearly surprised by Xiao Yifeng’s swift reaction, but he only eyed her cautiously, saying nothing.
He took a moment to check his surroundings. Behind him was a huge stone gate, looked like everyone got dumped here the moment they stepped into the Gate of the Dead
They were on a stone platform right past the entrance. In front of them stretched a long dirt road disappearing into heavy mist, and who knew where it led.
“Who would have thought Fellow Daoist Wu Chen possessed such skill? To cut through that illusion so swiftly… Even I needed some effort,” Mo Shuiyao said with a gentle smile.
Not the least bit flustered by her failed strike, she glided away gracefully, launching her next attack at the others.
She was clearly surprised by Xiao Yifeng’s swift reaction, but he only eyed her cautiously, saying nothing.
Her new target was a quiet, unremarkable Golden Core realm rogue cultivator. With one slash, his defensive artefact flickered pitifully.
Fear twisted his expression. Mo Shuiyao did not hesitate, her dagger sharpened into a piercing cone, then shot out like a streak of light, shattering the artefact and punching straight through the cultivator’s body, killing him instantly.
The rogue cultivator died without ever opening his eyes, collapsing into a widening pool of blood.
Xiao Yifeng soon spotted Su Miaoqing in the distance. Without a word, he flew over to her, staying tense and alert, ready for any surprise attack.
Su Miaoqing was still trapped in her illusion. He had no idea what she was facing. His own illusion had been different from what he remembered in his previous life. This time, he saw the final moment before his past death, so vivid it felt almost real.
Others began awakening one after another. The third was the red-haired Liu Yue, who let out a long sigh as he opened his eyes. When he noticed both Xiao Yifeng and Mo Shuiyao already awake, he froze briefly before quickly flying aside.
Lin Xiao woke next. Two tear tracks slid down his cheeks, but when he opened his eyes again, they were cold and sharp like ice.
After noticing Mo Shuiyao’s movements, Xiao Yifeng briefly met her gaze. With Mo Yu having been killed by Xiao Yifeng’s thunderous strike, the situation for the two had become rather awkward.
The two began searching for their next target, and Mo Shuiyao seemed ready to head toward Luo Yunfei of the Luoshu Manor.
Liu Yue snorted, gripped the golden blade on his back, and said coldly, “You might’ve had your fun while I was unconscious. Now that I’m awake, behave yourself, unless you want me to send you off personally.”
“Hah! Didn’t expect a big brute like you to actually pity a pretty face. Don’t tell me you fancy Fairy Luo?” Mo Shuiyao teased.
She exchanged a glance with Lin Xiao. Now that the righteous side — Xiao Yifeng and Liu Yue — were awake, it wasn’t the right time for her to make a move.
Just when the two were about to take down the rogue cultivator Old Demon King, he suddenly woke up. With a faintly mocking smile, he swept his eyes over the pair and said:
“So this is the so-called Gate of the Dead? Seems it only throws everyone into some hollow illusion. Funny thing is, the real danger comes from the people standing right next to you.”
“Senior, you’re being playful. Entering an Immortal Palace is all about one’s own skill. Nothing wrong with that,” Lin Xiao said with an easy smile.
“Hahaha! Well said, young friend!” Old Demon King laughed loudly.
A little later, Lingyun regained consciousness, and before long even Luo Yun woke up, which genuinely surprised Xiao Yifeng.
He’d under the assumption that Luo Yun’s mind was too fragile to break free so quickly. Evidently, she wasn’t nearly as simple as she appeared.
Xiao Yifeng watched Su Miaoqing with unease. He couldn’t guess what illusion held her, only that its grip had lasted far too long.
Unbeknownst to him, the illusion was tied to him. Su Miaoqing found herself before an enormous white serpent.
The very serpent they had confronted years ago. She lay weakly on the ground, forced to watch as it swallowed Xiao Bai whole.
Then the serpent smashed Xiao Yifeng aside. It cast her a glance, and from the ground he cried hoarsely, “Senior Sister… Save me…”
The big white snake shot her a mocking look and swallowed Xiao Yifeng down like nothing.
Su Miaoqing’s eyes went wide, tears running nonstop, but she couldn’t even get up.
She could only watch as the snake rushed her, mouth wide open like it was about to eat her next.
Helpless and weak, she watched its gaping maw draw closer and closer, until it swallowed her whole.
When she woke up again, she found herself lying on the ground once more, her earlier memories wiped away, forced to relive the same scene. She was trapped in the illusion, dying in different ways over and over.
The longer she stayed, the more her mind began to fracture, and the illusion twisted with it.
This time, the Xiao Yifeng in the illusion stumbled towards her, soaked in blood. He glared at her with raw resentment and shouted, “This is all your fault! You wouldn’t listen and dragged us to this damned place. Even in death, I won’t forgive you!”
Su Miaoqing burst into tears, shaking her head furiously. “No! Xiaofeng would never say that to me!”
And then it hit her, none of this was real.
In that moment of confusion, she recalled that Xiao Yifeng had been the one to say those words, though she couldn’t remember exactly when it happened.
She kept muttering in her heart, None of this is real. Right, she wasn’t at the Qi Refining realm anymore! She’d already advanced to Foundation Establishment realm; she wasn’t weak or powerless, needing Xiaofeng to shield her.
---Xiaofeng was the steady type; he wouldn’t be taken out so easily by a mere snake.
They’d been together since they were young, and he’d always indulged her. There was no way he’d ever resent her.
As those thoughts gathered, the illusion began to shake violently. The more she thought, the clearer her mind became.
The illusion must not have expected its plan to backfire so badly. It had meant to use Xiao Yifeng’s voice to shatter Su Miaoqing completely, but instead it struck her reverse scale and woke her up instantly.
Everything pieced itself together in her mind. When her expression finally calmed and she closed her eyes, the entire illusionary world began to crumble.
When Su Miaoqing opened her eyes again, she was staring into Xiao Yifeng’s caring eyes. She almost called him “Xiaofeng” outright but regained her clarity in the nick of time.
“Miaoqing, are you alright? Don’t be scared, it’s over now. It was all just an illusion,” Xiao Yifeng said gently.
Su Miaoqing’s eyes turned slightly red. She wanted to throw her arms around Xiao Yifeng but held herself back, only giving a light nod.
She glanced around and finally noticed that, including herself, only eight people were still on their feet. The Golden Core realm rogue cultivator had already sprawled on the ground, dead beyond doubt. The rest were quietly watching each other with full vigilance.
Only now did Su Miaoqing realise that the struggle over this immortal mansion was nothing like what she had experienced before, this place would chew people up without leaving even their bones.
As Xiao Yifeng had warned, this place was utterly unlike anywhere else they had been.