"Hot... it’s so hot."
The woman immediately rolled on the ground. Her voice was tinged with a sob, as if she were on the verge of tears. However, her eyes were completely dry.
Ye Xuan took this opportunity to scramble out of the deep pit. Glancing down at the woman inside, he didn’t dare to linger. He didn’t know if she would burn to death. If she survived, he would surely be the one to die.
After consuming a Spirit-tier Healing Spirit Medicine to recover from his injuries, Ye Xuan ran wildly without daring to slack off in the slightest. He ran for a full two hours. Although there was no sign of the woman’s shadow behind him, he still didn’t stop. This Secret Realm was simply too vast. He had to make sure he was far away from her, and he needed to find a place to begin his Alchemy.
While he was no match for the woman right now, it didn’t mean he had no chance. As long as he raised his cultivation base by a few more levels, she might no longer be his opponent.
Ye Xuan ran through the entire night before finally stopping at the foot of a Big Mountain. There was a cave here, perfect for his secluded cultivation.
Meanwhile, at the entrance to the Forbidden Area.
Gongsun Yanran stood guard here, her face rather pale.
"Xuan’Er, it’s been half a month. Why haven’t you come out yet? Please, you can’t let anything happen to you."
The past half month had been agonizing for Gongsun Yanran. The first few days were fine, as she managed to keep herself as calm as possible. But after ten days, she couldn’t bear it any longer and chose to wait right at the entrance for Ye Xuan’s return.
"Mother... is the Forbidden Area really that dangerous?" Ye Ling’Er asked, biting her lip. Previously, she had always believed her brother would make it out. It had been half a month now. Even though she still believed in him, it was impossible not to worry.
Gongsun Yanran nodded. Before she could speak, Gongsun Qingyue’s voice drifted over from the side.
"There is almost zero chance of surviving once you enter the Forbidden Area. Yanran, you don’t need to keep waiting here."
"Gongsun Qingyue, what are you doing here? Did you come to laugh at me and mock me? Xuan’Er is in this situation precisely because of you!"
"I know. That’s why I brought joss paper. I don’t ask for his forgiveness, but I also don’t think I was wrong. From my perspective, I made no mistake. I couldn’t send my own children to their deaths, so I had to wrong him. Who asked him to be just an illegitimate child?"
As Gongsun Qingyue spoke, he indeed pulled out some joss paper. It seemed he really came here to burn paper offerings for Ye Xuan.
Gongsun Yanran gritted her teeth. "Get out! Get out! Xuan’Er isn’t dead. He is perfectly alive and well!"
Ye Ling’Er also chimed in, "That’s right, go away! My brother will definitely come out. I believe in him."
Before Gongsun Qingyue could reply, a middle-aged woman approached.
"Yanran, don’t be stubborn. In the past, even if someone managed to come out alive, the longest they stayed inside was never more than half a month. Anyone who stayed longer than that never returned."
"Feiyan, are you here to burn joss paper too?"
This woman was Gongsun Wenjin’s eldest daughter, Gongsun Feiyan.
Gongsun Feiyan nodded. "Although I had no affection for your son, he ultimately had the Gongsun Family’s blood flowing in his veins. Moreover, you are my sister; since your son died, I should come pay my respects."
Gongsun Yanran seethed, "Who needs your respects? All of you, leave! Leave!"
"Oh my, is someone refusing to accept reality? It’s been half a month; the boy is probably long dead. The fact that we came to burn joss paper for him already shows how much we value our family bonds. Besides, it’s not like your bloodline is cut off. One died, but don’t you still have another? It’s not like both of them are dead."
A sharp and acrimonious voice rang out as another woman walked over.
This was the exact same woman who had insisted on killing Ye Xuan and Ye Ling’Er in the main hall that day. Her name was Gongsun Fangru, and apart from Gongsun Yanran, she was the youngest of this generation.
Before Gongsun Yanran was born, she had been the youngest sister, doted on by all her older siblings. But ever since Gongsun Yanran came along, that affection had dwindled. Therefore, she had been at odds with Gongsun Yanran since childhood, always feeling that Yanran had stolen the love that rightfully belonged to her. Coupled with the fact that Gongsun Yanran was far more beautiful, her hatred grew even stronger. Jealousy truly twisted a person beyond recognition.
"Gongsun Fangru, you...!" Gongsun Yanran was so furious that she felt dizzy. Some relatives might have genuinely come to burn paper offerings, but Gongsun Fangru had definitely come just to spite her.
Just as Gongsun Yanran was about to say something, Gongsun Xin’s voice rang out.
"Enough. If you all want to burn joss paper, do it quickly and then leave. Especially you, Gongsun Fangru."
"Xin, you’re just biased!" Gongsun Fangru let out a cold snort, symbolically burned some joss paper, and got up to leave.
"Yanran, my condolences. The dead cannot be brought back to life!" Even before leaving, she had to viciously twist the knife in Gongsun Yanran’s heart.
After everyone finished burning their paper offerings, only Gongsun Yanran, Ye Ling’Er, and Gongsun Xin remained. Gongsun Xin picked up the unburned pieces of paper from the ground, tossed them into the still-burning fire, and spoke softly.
"Yanran, go back. I know you don’t want to accept it, but facts are facts. We both know very well that stepping into the Forbidden Area is a near-certain death sentence. Guarding this place won’t change anything."
"Xin... I let Xuan’Er down. I acknowledged him, yet I doomed him!" Gongsun Yanran finally broke down in tears.
Gongsun Xin sighed and said, "Yanran, you should think about what you have to face next."
"Xin, what do you mean by that?"
"I mean Jin Buhuan, and also Chasing Moon City. Jin Buhuan is easy to deal with; he might even distance himself from you on his own. But Chasing Moon City will be difficult. Don’t forget, Father once made a promise to the City Lord of Chasing Moon City. He said that your firstborn child, if a boy, would marry the young lady of Chasing Moon City, and if a girl, would marry their young master. Now that Ye Xuan is dead, Ye Ling’Er is your only child. A City Lord’s word must be honored. She will definitely have to marry into their family."
Reminded by Gongsun Xin, Gongsun Yanran finally remembered this matter.
"I have to get married? Mother, what’s going on? What engagement?" Ye Ling’Er was completely dumbfounded.
"Ling’Er, I..." Gongsun Yanran didn’t know how to explain.
Gongsun Xin was the one who explained it instead.
"Twenty-six years ago, we went to celebrate City Lord Zhiyue’s birthday. While intoxicated, City Lord Zhiyue commented that your grandfather wasn’t playing fair. He asked why Yanran was betrothed to Jin Buhuan of Celestial Horse City, and if it was because your grandfather looked down on his own son..."
Hearing Gongsun Xin’s explanation, Ye Ling’Er finally understood what was going on. Her mother, Gongsun Yanran, possessed innate beauty, and many City Lords had wanted her as their daughter-in-law. The City Lord of Chasing Moon City was no exception.
Taking advantage of his tipsiness, the City Lord of Chasing Moon City brought up the subject. Her grandfather, Gongsun Wenjin, replied at the time that he still had many unmarried children, and they could arrange a marriage alliance anytime he wished. However, City Lord Zhiyue had his eyes set solely on Gongsun Yanran, stating that her beauty was unmatched among her peers. He insisted that Gongsun Yanran marry his youngest son.
But at that time, Gongsun Yanran was already discussing marriage with Jin Buhuan. How could she swap fiancés at the drop of a hat?
Yet, the word of a City Lord was absolutely no laughing matter! Left with no other choice, Gongsun Wenjin suggested that if he truly liked Yanran, then Yanran’s firstborn child could marry the son or daughter of Chasing Moon City’s youngest master instead. It was supposed to be a mere pleasantry, but they never expected the City Lord of Chasing Moon City to take it seriously.
Ye Ling’Er gritted her teeth and said, "Mother, does Uncle Xin mean that once the news of me being your daughter spreads, I’ll have to get married? But I’m still so young!"