Chapter 69: Reality: Constraints

Chapter 69: Reality: Constraints

During these days on the mountain, Yan Qiling had yet to give up his quest for grooming. The spray that Pan Hu had brought him proved to be incredibly useful, allowing him to maintain his composure during his recuperation.

In contrast, the genuine female, She Lingshuang, spent her days hammering away in her forge, creating a stark contrast to Yan Qiling's endeavors.

"Speaking of which,"

Two cool fingers gently touched under Ming Iyang's eyes. Yan Qiling leaned in to examine him with a serious expression, "When you overused your eyes last time, I unsealed them not so you could blind yourself. Wouldn't that defeat the purpose?"

Ming Iyang didn't resist his touch, simply blinking in response, "It's fine. After the seal was removed, no one can see my fate anymore, not even the Master of No Pity."

The Master of No Pity had many ways to observe their world, one of which was to perceive and alter destinies.

Wherever destinies could be seen, it indicated the presence of living beings.

The disappearance of Ming Yiyang's fate implied that some of his actions could evade the Wujian Master's surveillance. If used wisely, it could even achieve the effect of "invisibility."

However, Yan Qiling didn't agree with his response:

"That doesn't mean safety; on the contrary, it's even more perilous. Especially for Chi Zihe, he can provide you with even less information. Forget it, you can use it as you wish, but..."

The man then revealed that gentle smile again:

"Let me impose a restriction on you then."

Ming Yiyang: "?"

Before he could reply, his eyes uncontrollably flickered.

It was as if someone had taken a flash photograph of his eyes with a camera from up close!

That empty sensation lingered for a while. When Ming Yiyang regained his senses, he realized that the man was cupping his cheeks.

A rich scent of medicine emanated from this person, like the fluttering wings of an iris butterfly in flight.

In the past, he would have insisted on getting to the bottom of it and might even have fought with this stranger for behaving oddly towards him.

But he was so content with his current state that he didn't feel like moving at all.

Perhaps fearing that he might not be comfortable, Yan Qiling took the initiative to speak:

"Feeling alright?"

Looking up at him, Ming Yiyang asked,

"What did you do?"

"I cursed you."

The man replied nonchalantly.

Ming Yiyang wore a look of disbelief, but he didn't refute. Instead, he gazed at the man, conveying his thoughts through his eyes.

Oddly enough, Yan Qiling found his expression endearing. Amidst his fake smile, a genuine warmth began to surface.

"When the Pure Yin-Yang Eyes reach their peak state of Qingdu and are pushed to their limits on you, they will gradually degrade into the Ziwu state, so as not to harm you."

Qingdu refers to the celestial palace of the Heavenly Emperor, signifying the utmost power of the Yin-Yang Eyes that can penetrate all truths and deceive none, not even the Supreme Ruler of the Heavens.

However, the burden it imposes on the eyes and the body is tremendous. At times, it can even lead to temporary blindness for the user.

Ziwu, on the other hand, is the state before the seal is lifted. As long as Ming Yi Yang is alive, the Ziwu state can be sustained for as long as desired.

Ming Yi Yang inquired, "What would be the cost if I were to forcefully activate it?"

Yan Qiling fell silent for a moment, then let out a sigh with a smile, releasing his grip on the other's hand. "There's no significant cost, just a minor curse."

Seeing that Yan Qiling was about to withdraw, Ming Yi Yang held onto his wrist and stood up.

Their perspectives switched instantly, with Ming Yi Yang now towering over Yan Qiling. Seizing the opportunity, he fed the piece of rock sugar he was holding directly into the other man's mouth.

A hint of sweetness lingered on the cool, crystalline sugar as the young man's thumb, calloused from labor, gently pressed against the softness of the other's lips.

Those lips were thin, unlike his own plump ones, yet exuded an alluring, cool herbal scent.

He mimicked Yan Qiling's earlier gesture, slowly cradling the person's face and whispering softly,

"It's unfair. You also do dangerous things. Why can't I put a curse on you?"

Yan Qiling's smile was enigmatic.

"Who says I can't? A Daoist exorcist has various methods to deal with ghosts and spirits. If you delve deeper into your studies, perhaps you'll find one."

"But those 'dealing methods' usually involve talismans, and most would harm the caster's body."

Ming Yiyang withdrew his hand, masking the inexplicable emotions stirring within him with a casual grin.

"Who would cast such a spell on a friend?"

He seemed to be emphasizing something, but he himself couldn't tell who he was trying to convince.

The sound of wheels rolling echoed in the hallway, followed by irregular knocks on the door. A little girl's voice, still tinged with babyish tones, called out through the wooden barrier:

"Mom made lotus blood duck! Uncle Yan and Uncle Ming, come downstairs for dinner!"

Ming Yiyang turned to open the door. The tiny child, not even reaching his knees, still had her hair tied up in two ramen-like pigtails. She was riding a pedal-powered tricycle, straining to look up at his face. With a local accent, she repeated:

"It's time to eat!"

Ming Yiyang replied in the same dialect,

"We know, we'll all come eat with you."

The little girl visibly lit up with joy. Her eyes, similar to her mother's, curled into two crescent moons. She pedaled her tricycle hastily towards the end of the corridor.

Reaching the staircase, she got off the vehicle, planning to carry it down herself.

But before she could attempt it, Ming Yiyang lifted the tricycle with ease, descended the stairs in a few strides, and casually placed it by the side of the staircase.

Eager to retrieve her beloved tricycle, the little one was hindered by her short legs, moving at a snail's pace while holding onto the railing.

Hearing a soft laugh, she was scooped up by Uncle Yan, who occasionally visited their home, and placed directly into the car.

She regained her spirit, pedaling around the house with a whoosh.

She Lingshuang, who was busy serving dishes, had witnessed the entire scene. Seeing how mischievous her daughter was, she said,

"Did you thank Uncle Yan and Uncle Ming, dear?"

The little girl shouted her thanks, causing her grandmother, Grandma She, who was seated at the head of the table, to chuckle softly, followed by the rest of the family. The atmosphere in the house instantly filled with joy.

The sunlight outside simultaneously illuminated both their eyes, reflecting the glow in the other's gaze.

This occasional sensation made him realize that there was still a long way to go.

Yan Qiling caught a net full of fireflies and released them in the yard for She Lingshuang's daughter to play with.

-

Children were drawn to light, and this little one was fearless, enjoying interactions with insects. Unbothered by the mosquito bites on her legs, she jumped around, chasing after the glowing bugs, eager to capture them and take them home.

She Lingshuang didn't consent.

"It's fine to play with them in the courtyard, but if you bring them home, they'll die the next day. You're committing a sin."

The little one was disappointed but still lingered outside for most of the night. The next day, he begged Yan Qiling to catch fireflies for him again that evening. However, his birth mother delivered grim news:

"Uncle Yan is leaving tomorrow. Tonight, Mama and Papa will be going down the mountain with Uncle Yan and Uncle Ming for dinner. You'll stay with Great-Grandma, understand?"

The little one immediately threw a tantrum, but his birth mother remained firm-hearted. Despite his tears all the way to the rafting spot, she didn't give in.

Grandma She watched over her sobbing granddaughter with a relaxed demeanor, her toothless mouth pursed in silence.

It wasn't until the three had paddled away on their bamboo raft that she took hold of her granddaughter's lotus-root-like arm and led the weeping child back home.

Yan Qiling started descending the mountain mainly because Ding Tai's relentless calls had reached Chi Zihe's phone, pleading for him to find Yan Qiling and remind him about the blind date show.

To be honest, if not for Ding Tai's call, Chi Zihe would have indeed forgotten about the whole matter.

As they entered the food stall, while She Lingshuang and Ming Yiyang went to order some barbecued skewers, Chi Zihe took the opportunity to wash the dishes with tea water and asked:

"You're planning to join a reality show right after your recovery? Why not rest on the mountain for a few more days? I've never seen anyone as ambitious as you. Usually, when Yang Yang gets injured, he stays in the mountains for a decade or eight years before coming out."

Yan Qiling chuckled at his words, "If he stays for ten years, won't he fail to meet his performance targets?"

"Well, these days, the workers who come to me are like ancestors. I'm the one serving them tea and water with a smile. Calculating their performance? How dare I?"

Chi Zihe finished washing the dishes and finally sat down properly, "I've been swamped with work lately. The new recruit is quite capable; completing the Human Rank tasks effortlessly, unlike our last world. Oh, it was torture for me, almost made me feel like I was about to turn into an ice cream bar in Northeast China."

She Lingshuang joined them and sat down, "I ordered a few skewers of lamb kidneys for you. Eat more, it's good for your kidneys."

Chi Zihe looked pale, noticing Ming Yi Yang still chatting with the vendor. He asked, "Hasn't he finished ordering yet?"

She Lingshuang said,

"Yang Yang is treating us. Didn't he just receive the final payment for an order?"

"I can't believe you're making a child pay. That's quite something."

Chi Zihe hurriedly got up and went over.

She Lingshuang chuckled softly but turned to assume a serious expression.

"Uncle Yan, Grandma asked me to convey a message. She's been holding back for days but didn't want to bring it up if you didn't. But these past few nights, she's been dreaming of Grandpa and... Master Ming, and the matter of you being sliced into six thousand pieces. She feels that some explanation is due."

The man's peach blossom eyes remained calm, his face as serene as a Buddha's.

"Those six thousand slices don't concern her. I'll handle it myself."

In the warm yellow light, She Lingshuang's fox-like eyes shimmered with a brownish hue, like the eyes of a cat.

"I have a feeling they don't come in peace."

"Good people don't come."

A cold smile tugged at the corners of the man's peach blossom eyes, concealing a fierce murderous intent within:

"They were like this when I first knew them."

Chi Zihe grumbled as he approached:

"I thought you were going to play some bill-paying Tai Chi. You... you just agreed when I opened my mouth? Do you even know what humility means?"

Following behind, Ming Yiyang wore an indifferent expression.

"Would you say I look like an idiot?"

Chi Zihe felt as if a boomerang had struck him. Fortunately, his righteous wife came to the rescue.

"Our Old Chi would never act like an idiot. You should treat us to this meal, or else apologize to him."

Ming Yiyang was quite amenable to reason:

"I'm sorry, Brother Chi. Go ahead and hit me."

Upon finishing his words, both Chi Zihe and She Lingshuang erupted into laughter.

Looking at Ming Yiyang, Yan Qiling found it hard to recall the initially rebellious expression on this person's face. Instead, he perceived an aura of joyous vitality encompassing the young man, a demeanor that others could only envy for its effortless grace.