My enemies became my companions

Chapter 701 Paper Flowers (Part 2)

After being trapped in this place for many days, he finally left this world of ignorance and the depths of this forbidden land.

As for what happened, apart from scattered memories, Yin Tingxue could not remember clearly.

All I remember is that she left a trail of blood and gore, her black robes stained red and dried, and the sword in her hand covered with a thin layer of blood scabs.

The journey was thrilling but ultimately safe. Aside from the initial inexplicable disturbance caused by the presence of an unseen ruler, they eventually emerged unharmed.

everything is over.

There is a door in front of me.

Yin Tingxue pushed open the door and stepped out. The scene of the capital city reappeared before her eyes. She looked around at the familiar scene, then looked up at the plaque whose gold leaf had long since peeled off and was now entwined with withered vines.

Unexpectedly, after emerging from the world of ignorance, I arrived at the Prince Xiang's mansion.

Yin Tingxue lowered her gaze slightly, shook the blood-stained sword. Killing her greatest enemy in this life should have been a great joy, but her travels in the Boundless World had diminished much of that joy. And now, she was back at the Prince Xiang's mansion, which inevitably stirred up memories.

"Why aren't you running away anymore? Aren't you very good at running away?"

She gathered her thoughts and savored the pleasure she had felt at the time, but pleasure is like cheap wine; it is most enjoyable when it goes down the throat, but after a while, it becomes tasteless.

Fortunately, there are still many people she needs to take revenge on.

Chen Yi was just the first.

Yin Tingxue sheathed her sword and turned to leave, but after taking a few steps, she hesitated again and again before finally leaping over the wall of the Prince's mansion.

Contrary to expectations of utter silence, the palace was surprisingly bustling with activity.

What I saw was not the desolate and dilapidated scene I had imagined.

New red lanterns hung under the eaves. As dusk fell, the candlelight inside was lit. Maids carried lacquered trays, which were filled with fresh fruits and delicate tea snacks. They walked briskly, swaying back and forth. When they encountered the old women, they almost simultaneously lowered their heads.

Two rough-looking old women carried a basket of fresh winter bamboo shoots, still covered in mud, past by, chattering about whether to stir-fry cured meat or make soup for dinner.

The old plum trees along the road were in bloom, their sparse shadows casting long, slanting shadows and a subtle fragrance wafting through the air. Several unfamiliar young maids with rosy cheeks were tiptoeing, carefully clearing the remaining snow from the plum branches with long poles, chatting and laughing softly as they worked.

At this time,

The sunlight was just right, shining on the familiar upturned eaves.

After a long pause, Yin Tingxue suddenly smiled. The scene before her was not a replay of yesterday, but rather the Prince's Mansion had been bestowed upon the Empress Dowager as a housewarming gift, a joyous occasion.

Up and down,

How happy I am!

Exhaling, Yin Tingxue wanted to go and see Yintai Temple to see what it had become. She walked through the corridor and saw an old woman with glasses slowly pruning the withered branches of a potted plant, with a pot of steaming coarse tea beside her.

Yin Tingxue froze for a moment, recognizing her. Wasn't that Hongling, her personal maid? When she left, she had left her a small doll, which she had placed in a ceramic jar... How could she have aged so much...?

Hongling was a little older than her, about eight years old, but she looked very old. There were wrinkles everywhere, her hair was gray, and her cheeks were wrinkled. Even if there was flesh inside, it couldn't support it because she had suffered a lot in the past few years.

After taking a look, Yin Tingxue suppressed her many emotions and wanted to leave, but at this moment, Hong Ling saw her as if by telepathy and suddenly pounced on her.

Yin Tingxue couldn't avoid it for some reason. When she turned around, she saw Hong Ling's excited face. Hong Ling's face was full of hesitation, but she held Yin Tingxue's hand tightly. The tighter she held on, the more certain she became.

Yin Tingxue and she looked at each other, not knowing what to say after so many years. Hong Ling's lips trembled, and after a long while, she finally spoke:

"Girl, you...you're still so small."

Yin Tingxue, who had originally intended to leave, suddenly wanted to stay.

Hongling tugged at her, her eyes bright. Her eyes were always bright; she always used those bright eyes to lead her around. They were still bright now, just like when she was a child.

“Red Silk…”

"I...I recognized you right away!" Hongling paused several times, stammering with excitement, "Miss, it's been so long, so long since I've seen you."

Yin Tingxue's face was also covered in tears.

"The little doll... is gone... it was taken."

"It's gone... Girl, you still remember me, and I remember you too. Don't be afraid, girl, I can still weave, I'll still weave!"

"Me too...I want some too! Hongling, what are you doing here?"

“A new official has come to the family, and the Prince’s Mansion has been given away. The steward went to the slave trader to recruit maids. Seeing that I was familiar with the Prince’s Mansion, he immediately brought me back. Don’t be afraid, I don’t recognize them as my masters, young lady. We’ll leave another day.”

"Okay, let's go! Get out of here, we're not staying here anymore..."

Tears welled in the eyes of the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect, streaming down her face. She and Hong Ling embraced tightly, just like when they were children.

Gradually, Hongling's body became soft and limp, as if she had little life left. She opened her eyes groggily at that moment.

...She was only holding onto the blankets tightly.

The candlelight froze, and the glow of the campfire remained still, illuminating the undried tear stains on her face. Yin Tingxue was momentarily stunned and lost in thought.

In the dim light, a hand slowly placed something on the bedside table.
"...There are no little dolls, but there is a...little paper flower."

Yin Tingxue turned her head sharply.

The man gave a gentle, somewhat awkward smile.

The Holy Maiden of the Demonic Cult came to her senses and looked around at the scenery. It seemed somewhat familiar, but she didn't know where she was in her bedroom. It turned out that she had just fainted and was just dreaming.

She glanced at the paper flowers, casually flicked them away, and tried to sit up from the couch, but she couldn't muster the strength. The person pressed down on her shoulders and pushed her back down.
"Little fox, take a rest for a while."

Feeling weak and limp all over, Yin Tingxue didn't know why she was so powerless. Looking at the man again, could it be that he... did something while she was asleep? Maybe so, after all, he was the worst, and he had a huge appetite in this area... Yin Tingxue frowned, still not understanding where these nonsensical thoughts came from.

After Chen Yi pressed her back down, he bent down to pick up the paper flower, held it in front of her, and asked softly:

"You don't want it? You like it the most."

Yin Tingxue frowned. When had she ever liked anyone? The people conjured up by this ignorant world were spouting nonsensical ramblings.

No one had ever given her paper flowers, so why would she like them?

As Yin Tingxue thought of this, perhaps because she had been unconscious, her mind was suddenly pierced, and wisps of memories peeked out from the cracks in the seal.

He half-squatted down, fiddling with the paper flower, and stared straight at her.
"Didn't you say that flowers bloom and fade in an instant?" She nodded.

"All flowers will eventually fall, but paper flowers like these will never fall."

Yin Tingxue trembled, a warm current of indescribable emotion suddenly flowing through her heart, and her eyes suddenly became a little more crystalline, perhaps from the tears that had not yet been shed in her dream.

What's wrong with her?
"Even if you are reincarnated, I will find you if you carry this paper flower with you."

As soon as the words were spoken, Yin Tingxue paused slightly, turned around, and saw that the person picked up the paper flower, handed it to her, and smiled at her again.

She was slightly dazed.

But in this desolate, ignorant world, a state of dazed awareness is often fatal. Realizing this, Yin Tingxue snapped back to her senses, slapped his hand away again, and said coldly:
"What's the matter with you?"

The person lowered their head, a rare hint of melancholy appearing in their eyes, as if sighing softly, before silently picking up the paper flower.

Yin Tingxue scoffed at this. She saw right through him; he was just playing the victim again. Even without listening, she could tell. Sometimes he liked to act pitiful in front of her, expecting her to take the initiative to be considerate of him. She didn't know what kind of person he was... Wait... what's with the "again"...

Yin Tingxue raised her hand to her forehead, her expression subtly changing. She lowered her eyes, seemingly lost in thought, and after a long while, glanced at the person again.
"You...you're not Chen Yi, right?"

Chen Yi blinked.

Yin Tingxue said, word by word, "He is already dead."

She could not be mistaken; she had personally killed him with her sword. Everything felt so real, not a figment of her imagination.

After waiting for a long time without receiving a reply, Yin Tingxue's sharp gaze swept over that person, who just stared straight at her without saying a word.

“If it is, it is; if it isn’t, it isn’t. Why hide it?” Yin Tingxue raised an eyebrow.

Finally, the man couldn't help but smile, and slowly said, "Little fox, don't you know whether I am or not?"

Yin Tingxue frowned, her face wary, and her fingertips instinctively pointed towards the sword's edge.

Why don't you ask about the memories you've sealed away?

As soon as she finished speaking, Yin Tingxue's expression froze slightly, and after a moment she said fiercely, "Those memories? They clearly came from falsehood, fabricated by this ignorant world."

As he spoke, Chen Yi slowly approached, his figure casting an ambiguous shadow in the frozen candlelight.

Yin Tingxue was not in good spirits and wanted to back away, but she felt that she could not muster any strength in her body, as if her acupoints had been blocked by a clever force. His hand had unknowingly pressed on Yin Tingxue's calf under the quilt. Through the thin fabric, the warmth of his palm carried an undeniable sense of familiarity, soothing her slightly cool skin.

"Memory can lie, but the body can't."

He moved closer and closer, his hands moving with exceptional skill. His fingertips inexplicably slipped into the bedding, gently sliding upwards along the lines of her calves, and instantly probing deeper.

Yin Tingxue's expression changed drastically, and her body trembled violently. The touch did not bring her complete disgust, but rather a familiarity buried deep in her bones, which startled her. After the tremor, she unconsciously relaxed her body.

It was as if this body had long been accustomed to such intimacy...
Feeling his increasingly bold touch, Yin Tingxue's eyes filled with both fear and coldness.
"Go away! Get away!" she shouted sharply, trying to shake off his hand, but her body was still weak and she had less than 30% of her usual strength.

Chen Yi did not back down because of her scolding. Instead, taking advantage of her weak struggle, he brought his face even closer, his nose almost touching her temple, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe.

"Little fox, you can seal your memories, but you can't seal the marital bond within your body, can you?"

"...Wh-what..." The Holy Maiden of the Demonic Cult caught something, suddenly looked up, and stared at him in disbelief.

Chen Yi asked with amusement, "Otherwise what? Given my temperament, wouldn't I draw my sword against you?"

It was just an ordinary sentence,

Yin Tingxue shivered.

Could it be that she... really became this enemy's... wife?

She felt a chill run down her spine.

With the smooth, soft skin of the little fox still lingering on his fingertips, Chen Yi was pondering how to take advantage of the situation and verify the little fox's identity.

If the three corpses were still alive, Chen Yi might still have some sense of propriety and shame. But after all, he had already severed two of his three corpses, leaving only the lower corpse. No matter what, it wasn't his fault, but the fault of the Zhou Zhenren she liked.

"Little fox, don't worry, I'm here, don't be afraid." After Chen Yi finished speaking, he prepared to completely uncover the blankets. However, at this moment, Yin Tingxue's expression suddenly twitched, and beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.

"...What's wrong..." Chen Yi stopped moving.

"Chen, Chen Yi... Where... Where are we? How did I get here?" Yin Tingxue's face was filled with confusion, and there was a hint of fear in her eyes.

Is the little fox back?

Chen Yi's eyes brightened slightly as he pondered how to begin.

Yin Tingxue looked at him timidly, and seeing that he remained silent for a while, she asked softly, "Sir... Husband?"

As soon as he heard the words, Chen Yi stopped abruptly and looked at Yin Tingxue again.

"Little fox, even after becoming the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect, you still have so many ulterior motives. It's a pity you don't dare to unseal your memories, so your act is not convincing."

Yin Tingxue paused slightly, the timidity in her eyes quickly vanished, replaced by her previous coldness and apprehension.

Chen Yi casually pinched her cheek and stopped her hand from slapping him. "You always call me husband. Our relationship isn't that equal."

After saying that, Chen Yi released her. The rest of his words squeezed into her ears, and Yin Tingxue was stunned again, a chill spreading up her spine.

Chen Yi stood up, sword in hand, and left the room, seemingly giving her some time to think.

Although his figure had disappeared, it remained deeply imprinted in Yin Tingxue's vision.

Yin Tingxue's fingertips trembled for a long time before she slowly raised them and pressed the cheek where he had pinched her.

He didn't use any hand seals... so she could hear him...

What he just said... was all true...

After an unknown amount of time, the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect slowly lowered her hand, and murmured hoarsely:

"This, this can't be real... just like them... all fake, all... illusion."

After a long while, she clasped her hands together and silently recited...

"Supreme Bright One, Light of the Ten Directions, may my body and mind be pure..."

(End of this chapter)