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Chapter 122: The Other Shore of the River of Three Ways

After Ling Feng had finished destroying the letters, Miss Vilyric collected herself and turned her attention back to the two girls in the room.

“So, did you come here tonight just to deliver this letter? Or is there something else you’d like to discuss with me in depth~?”

Although she asked with a feigned lightheartedness, Miss Vilyric already knew the answer.

Sure enough, unlike Hen, who remained silent, seemingly waiting or contemplating something, Miss Xiao Kong spoke up briskly.

“Vilyric, how long do you plan to stay on Peach Blossom Peak?”

“About that… It doesn’t really matter. I can leave anytime I want. It’s just that since everything has come to a standstill, and the tour guide I had hired has run off, I don’t have a clear goal right now, which is why I haven’t set off yet.”

Saying this, the black-haired girl chuckled again, seemingly dissatisfied with the calm demeanor of the two present.

“Are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?”

“Not at all! It’s perfectly fine for you to stay as long as you want. It’s just that if you intend to leave, we should prepare in advance. It would be best to take Miao Miao along too, after all, she’s been my only companion here for nearly a thousand years.”

“Miao Miao? Oh, that cat… Wait, that cat has been alive for a thousand years? Hold on…”

Wait, wait, wait! There are too many punchlines to digest!

Miss Vilyric displayed a strange expression.

“Xiao Kong, you… Aren’t you planning to leave Peach Blossom Peak with us, are you?”

Though her true form was not a cat, the Cat Daughter perked up her fluffy ears proudly.

“What? Is that a problem? This time, you won’t be able to shake me off, hmph.”

“Uh…”

Realizing that the other party seemed serious, the Priestess could only be left speechless.

Miss Vilyric was actually indifferent to Xiao Kong joining them.

Though she did not know what had transpired with her previously and hadn’t considered becoming a stand-in for her in that context, she wouldn’t oppose getting to know her anew and building a fresh friendship, even delving into those possibly intertwined pasts with the Priestess when the time was right…

Having a companion proficient in spatial abilities could indeed prove to be quite convenient.

But the issue was…

“I remember you saying that you were being targeted by certain things and that it would be best not to roam around carelessly or engage in fights, right?”

Bringing up the serious matter, the Cat Daughter’s expression became slightly serious.

“Yeah, I know it’s a bit risky, but hiding away won’t solve anything. You, I… she, we all need to be prepared to face that so-called destiny that will eventually arrive. Vilyric, if I have you by my side… I can gain the courage to confront it.”

She smiled.

“Even if the final outcome is failure, I won’t have any regrets.”

“Xiao Kong…”

The black-haired girl fell into a moment of silence.

To be honest, Miss Vilyric really disliked the concept of “responsibility.”

Trust, bonds, friendships, even faith and respect—all these seemingly beautiful positive sentiments are also invisible shackles, an intoxicating sweet wine.

The best way to deal with them is to sample them moderately; any excess will lead one to lose their reason, forcing them to do things they otherwise wouldn’t, ultimately causing harm to themselves.

Because of this, the Priestess has always cautiously controlled the extent of her interactions, rarely forming deep connections with others, maintaining only a few truly profound relationships.

Then there’s Xiao Kong… She’s the complete opposite.

Miss Vilyric had a premonition that once this causal connection represented by the other was unraveled, it might bind her more tightly and confoundingly than anyone she had previously encountered.

Along with that would surely come more responsibilities; perhaps that was the “fate” the other spoke of.

Of course, Miss Vilyric had no intention of escaping; in fact, she had been actively searching for this truth and mystery, only… wasn’t fully prepared yet.

At the very least, she wanted to wait until she found the real Hen, to understand this matter more thoroughly and clearly from more angles.

Because Miss Vilyric’s friend is Hen, and only Hen; she came here for Hen and could only sincerely trust that one person without reservation.

Seemingly sensing the hesitation of the black-haired girl, Xiao Kong smiled, cleverly hiding a fleeting hint of bitterness.

“Come on, don’t wear such a heavy expression, Vilyric. I promise I will never become a burden to you; that promise is still valid, and it will be in the future too.”

“…Sorry.”

Though she didn’t think she did anything wrong, Miss Vilyric could only respond this way to diffuse the momentary silence in the air.

“Ahem.”

Just then, a cold, indifferent cough snapped the two from their delicate atmosphere, and the seemingly calm Hen, who had not shied away from eavesdropping, subtly steered the conversation elsewhere.

“Vilyric, Ling Feng told me your goal is to reach Lingyin Fairy Island to find someone, right?”

“Oh… Um, that’s one way to put it.”

The silver-haired girl nodded slightly, keeping it brief.

“I see. In that case, before the Four Saints Selection Tournament begins, there’s a place you must visit. There are certain critical things there.”

Xiao Kong shot Hen a glance of slight displeasure for stealing the topic, her tone as blunt as ever.

“Tch, how do you know? It’s just a selection competition hosted by mortals… With my help and Vilyric’s strength, getting first place must be a piece of cake, right?”

“Uh… Haha.”

To be frank, Miss Vilyric didn’t think Xiao Kong was exaggerating or being arrogant. However, the present Hen, who perhaps had another identity and memories, was certainly not insignificant; her suggestions needed to be taken seriously.

“What place is it?”

“~”

Calmly meeting Xiao Kong’s gaze, Hen directly ignored her twitching expression of frustration, her cherry lips parting slightly.

“The Open Heaven Gate.”

…

“The ruins of the Open Heaven Gate?”

Murong Yun, who was meditating quietly by the spiritual spring in the mountains, stood up, surprise and contemplation fleeting across his face before it turned to pure confusion.

“Miss Vilyric’s sudden visit; could it be to inquire about this? To be honest, that place has long been abandoned. Even I only knew of it because my parents took me there to pay respects when I was a child; as far as I know, it holds no value.”

“Moreover, that location is situated in a more dangerous area. Unless absolutely necessary, I think it’s best to avoid contact.”

“Surely there’s an important reason… But Murong Yun, you don’t seem to intend to hide anything. I thought you would try harder to conceal your origins and identity…”

Didn’t someone once claim to be an aimless wanderer without affiliations when we first met?

The white-clad middle-aged man, now visibly heavier in presence, showed a wry smile and shook his head.

“That was merely a way to avoid trouble. The successor of the Open Heaven Gate has been hunted by those with ill intentions for over a hundred years; naturally, one cannot casually reveal their identity.”

“But Miss Vilyric surely has nothing to worry about. If you wanted to kill me, I’d have already returned to the River of Three Ways back in Yangyuan City. Given the insights shown by Miss Ling Feng, it wouldn’t be surprising for her to deduce the source of my lineage from my usual techniques.”

Saying this, Murong Yun’s face took on a serious expression.

“Please don’t take this the wrong way; I must emphasize again, the ruins of the Open Heaven Gate are not a suitable place for leisure. In fact, it’s extremely dangerous—if you wish to go there, you must first pass through the Endless Ruins Sea.”

“Endless Ruins Sea? I’ve never heard of it; what kind of place is that?”

Seemingly recalling some painful memories, the white-clad man’s expression grew even graver.

“That place… is the border between the Underworld and the Mortal Realm, by the River of Three Ways, where the Flower of the Other Shore blooms.”

 

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