Chapter 29

Jiang Ming Yue’s thin lips slowly pressed tight, his eyes glancing towards the candlelight tree to the “girl’s” right, while his peripheral vision uncontrollably noticed “her” every move.

Those white, delicate fingers like spring onions reached into the thin undergarment. The “girl” still tilted her head, smiling at him, fingertips lightly teasing, the collar of the undergarment opening wide, revealing that bright red dudou.

The young man’s fingers trembled slightly, his feet unconsciously taking half a step back.

The “girl” opened her eyes full of smiles, ignoring the open undergarment, slowly moving closer to him.

As the distance between them grew closer, the “girl’s” collarbones were distinct, skin like congealed cream. Whether it was too much imagination or something else, the faint sweet fragrance belonging to the “girl” slowly wafted over as she approached.

Just as he had smelled on that person, completely unlike the body odor of other women. Occasionally when close, he would lightly sniff that sweet fragrance that pleased his heart.

In his moment of distraction, the “girl” had already come to a place no more than one step away from him. The undergarment slid down her slender arms, and with a raise of her hand, she was about to remove the last piece of clothing on her body.

Jiang Ming Yue retreated two big steps, the hand holding the scabbard so tense it almost crushed it. His face was as cold as frost.

The moment the “girl’s” fingers pulled open the thin straps, a frigid air flow broke through the white mist, heading straight for “her”. The “girl’s” slashed neck turned into thick smoke, and her entire body vanished in an instant.

The young man stood in the white misty fog, staring at the place where the “girl” had disappeared, the bottom of his eyes terrifyingly gloomy. As if venting, he swung his sword to cut the candlelight tree beside him in half at the waist, then turned and walked into the thick fog.

……

On the other side, Shen Yao Xing and her companion also encountered the same problem. The two had been driving the carriage into the forest for not long when it started to rain. After the rain stopped, they could no longer see the road ahead clearly.

“It’s like this again……” Shen Yao Xing frowned, couldn’t help but recall encountering the same situation when returning to the capital last time.

Meng Xin Yi pulled on the reins, slowing the horses to the slowest speed. She raised her head to look at the green foliage above the mist, then squinted to examine the white surroundings, pondering: “Not good, we seem to have entered the Candlelight Forest.”

“Candlelight Forest?” The girl who poked half her body out of the carriage looked puzzled.

“The Scorching Sun Rain has always been called an ominous sign by people. Wherever there are candlelight trees, there will be Scorching Sun Rain, followed by thick fog. People will lose themselves in the vast fog and have hallucinations, thus being lured deep into the forest to be devoured by the candlelight trees.”

Meng Xin Yi explained in a deep voice to the person beside her, not knowing that the girl’s thoughts had already wandered, not really hearing her words at all.

At this moment, Shen Yao Xing was turning her head to gaze into the distance, faintly hearing soft calls in the mist, vaguely pulling her entire spirit to the highest point. She tilted her head, frowning as she listened carefully.

“Zhao Zhao……” The voice was extremely soft, yet strangely familiar.

The girl’s eyes widened. There was no mistake, this was Mother Shen’s voice!

The horse’s pace was slow. Shen Yao Xing jumped off the carriage without hesitation, taking a step to run into the thick fog. Meng Xin Yi on the carriage caught a glimpse and quickly pulled the reins to stop, calling out to her: “Yao Xing, don’t go!”

The girl halted her steps, turning back with some urgency in her brow and eyes: “I heard my mother’s voice!”

“It’s an illusion. Don’t fall for the candlelight tree’s tricks. Quickly get back on the carriage!” Meng Xin Yi’s expression was rarely stern, brooking no refusal.

Shen Yao Xing hesitantly looked towards the direction that had called her earlier. A figure was faintly visible in the mist. Even so, Shen Yao Xing could still make out the deep blue robe, exactly the clothes Mother Shen usually wore.

“Wait for me in the carriage, I’ll be back soon!”

As soon as the girl finished speaking, her figure quickly disappeared into the thick fog. Meng Xin Yi frowned deeply, trying to pull the reins to turn around. The increasingly thick white mist made the chestnut horse restless. She had to tightly pull the reins to control the horse that wanted to go wild.

It seemed she could only wait for the fog to disperse before figuring out what to do.

————

Shen Yao Xing chased after that blue-robed figure all the way. Strangely, even though her speed was already extremely fast, she couldn’t catch up no matter what, watching helplessly as “Mother Shen’s” figure got further and further away.

She stopped in her tracks, looking at the figure that had also stopped in front, feeling increasingly that something was not right. She saw “Mother Shen” facing her, smiling kindly, reaching out her hand towards her as if calling her over.

Shen Yao Xing didn’t move. It was only now that she realized Mother Shen should be in the capital now, so how could she appear here? Moreover, Mother Shen would never show such a kind and gentle appearance to her.

“Who are you?” Shen Yao Xing narrowed her eyes and questioned.

The “Mother Shen” over there didn’t respond to her, just kept waving at her. The familiar calling voice sounded in her ears again.

Now that she listened, it sounded a bit like calling for souls.

Shen Yao Xing’s feet moved half a step backward. She looked up to survey her surroundings, no longer knowing where she was. She pulled at the corner of her mouth with a toothache, and as the soft calling in her ears disappeared, the white mist around suddenly faded.

Just as she was confused, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a figure. The snow-white clothes seemed about to melt into the mist. The white mist seemed to come alive with his movement, dissipating while swirling around him, as if he had walked out of a fairyland.

As the white mist dispersed around the young man’s brow and eyes, his handsome and delicate features gradually became clear. His thin lips were tightly pressed, holding a cold sword in his hand, his eyes gloomy as he stared at the girl not far away.

“Why are you here?” Shen Yao Xing’s expression was strange, feeling that this scene was very familiar.

Before she could ask more, the young man suddenly swung his sword at her. A cold icy air flow broke through the air, carrying overwhelming anger straight for her brow, just like when they first met and fought, that kind of momentum wanting to put her to death.

Shen Yao Xing, not understanding the situation, was shocked and retreated repeatedly. Her knees bent slightly as her body suddenly bent backward at an alarming angle, dodging a dangerous strike. Her hand naturally supported the ground behind her, both feet leaving the ground as she did a light and graceful backflip, then stood steadily.

Jiang Ming Yue didn’t give the girl time to catch her breath. He flashed to her front, his sword qi like frost, slashing past her neck in the moment after she dodged.

The bone-chilling cold made Shen Yao Xing shudder. She leaped back two steps.

Only after pulling away did she shakily raise her hand to touch her neck. The coldness had not yet faded, as if it would slash through the artery under her neck at any moment.

The young man’s hand holding the sword had obvious blue veins, his face covered in ice, his gaze cold as he stared at the girl. Looking closely, one could still see the faint blush not yet completely gone from the roots of his ears.

“This is really too much!”

Shen Yao Xing, inexplicably targeted, gritted her teeth. She quickly drew her dagger and held it across her face to block the long sword coming down on her head. The “clang” of blades colliding was particularly harsh. Bits of cold air burst out from the snow sword, and the dagger was quickly covered with a layer of frost.

The frost spread up along her hand. Shen Yao Xing sucked in a cold breath, hurriedly withdrawing her dagger and leaning back to dodge the horizontal long sword. She leaped backward, and after steadying herself, tore off a piece of cloth from the hem of her clothes and wrapped it around the hand holding the dagger.

Jiang Ming Yue didn’t rush over immediately, but coldly watched the girl’s actions.

With the protective cloth wrap, the frost could only cover that cloth piece. Although it still froze her hand, it was at least better than bare-handed.

As the two fought, the thick fog around them became increasingly thin. The sound of blades clashing was clearly audible in the silent forest. A man and a woman fought evenly in the thin mist, neither gaining the upper hand.

In the end, it was Shen Yao Xing who called for a stop first. She leaped backward, raising her hand to stop with unsteady breath: “Wait, wait!”

Jiang Ming Yue, who was about to advance with his sword, paused slightly, staring at her with a gloomy expression.

Shen Yao Xing gritted her teeth: “How have I offended you? Meeting without a word and just hacking away, you……” are crazy!

Shen Yao Xing stopped the last part of the sentence in time, only cursing silently in her heart.

Jiang Ming Yue’s thin lips pursed slightly, his eyes sparkling with broken ice. Just when Shen Yao Xing thought he was going to continue, she saw him suddenly turn around, his back indifferent as he left.

Only then did Shen Yao Xing relax. This psychopathic temperament was indeed strange, the kind that was completely unfathomable. Fortunately, her movements were agile, otherwise she would have been chopped into several pieces by now.

Shen Yao Xing, breathing a sigh of relief, turned back wanting to return the way she came, but found there was no way to go at all. Although the mist was thinner now, she couldn’t remember at all which direction she had come from.

Looking at the forest that seemed like a maze, confusion appeared on the girl’s face again.

She rubbed her forehead with a headache, stayed still for a moment, and finally bit her lip, resignedly walking in the direction the young man had left. Fortunately, this person hadn’t walked too fast, and she could easily catch up just by quickening her pace.

“Hey, you know how to get out of here, right?” Shen Yao Xing followed five steps behind him, asking without any scruples, completely throwing aside their previous confrontation.

Jiang Ming Yue walking in front completely ignored her, treating the person behind him as if she were air.

Shen Yao Xing following behind was a bit anxious. She had promised Meng Xin Yi she would return soon, but now she couldn’t even find the way, how could she go back?

“Hey!” Shen Yao Xing quickened her pace to his side, remembering what happened last time in this situation: “Last time, couldn’t you call the carriage over? Now call it again, and by the way, give me a ride too. It doesn’t have to be far, just drop me off by the roadside!”

Shen Yao Xing’s calculations were going smoothly, without considering whether he was willing or not.

Jiang Ming Yue felt as if a sparrow had appeared by his ear, clear and crisp but more noisy. His beautiful eyes turned slightly to glance at the girl’s fair profile, and he said softly: “Since Miss Shen is so powerful, why would she need Ming Yue to lead the way.”

The man’s words were full of barbs. Shen Yao Xing just pretended not to understand, waving her hand in modesty: “No, no, how could I have such powers as Young Master Ming Yue.”

Even though her words were full of pleasantries, the unwillingness on her face was almost overflowing. It was hard to tell if she was being sarcastic or just didn’t know how to hide the emotions on her face.

Jiang Ming Yue withdrew his gaze and quickened his pace to walk in front.

Shen Yao Xing followed closely behind him. Those who could get here must also be on the same road. Since he knew how to go, she might as well follow him. When they reached the roadside, she would go back to find Meng Xin Yi.

“Aren’t you going to call your horse over?” Shen Yao Xing casually asked out of boredom. After speaking, she paused, realizing she had misspoken and quickly corrected herself: “Weren’t you able to call your carriage over? Why don’t you call it now?”

How long would it take to walk like this?

“Ming Yue fears Miss Shen will find another way to freeload,” the young man said coldly.

“……”

This person is not only psychopathic, but also very stingy!