Chapter 143: A Turning Point

"Little girl, I want to see what your true intentions are. Once trapped within this illusion, no one can hide the truth!" With this thought, Shui Linglong's pace slowed noticeably, as if waiting for something. Yet, deep in her heart, a trace of confusion lingered. The truth? Suddenly, she had no idea what it was she truly wanted to know. Perhaps it had something to do with the man following closely behind her.

This was indeed a dilemma. She knew the answer in her heart, yet she refused to acknowledge it. Fortunately, the Flower Butterfly still possessed a stubborn, defiant streak, buying her a little time to find a self-persuasion. But this was clearly no easy task. Compared to Shui Linglong, the Flower Butterfly was suffering far more. With nearly every step she took, the surrounding compressive force grew perceptibly heavier. Even the protective shield formed by her fully unleashed spiritual energy felt as though it were being slowly torn apart. Gradually, this overwhelming pressure began to bear down on her physical body. Unsure of how much longer she could endure, the Flower Butterfly could only pray that the anticipated turning point would arrive swiftly.

"What is it? Why have you slowed your pace? Could we have arrived already?" Han Tanyi could hear the footsteps with crystal clarity. Keeping his eyes tightly shut, he had no way of knowing what was happening, leaving him to ask out of sheer uncertainty. He had experienced this illusion before; its terrifying power was not something anyone could easily withstand. Once bitten by a snake, even after all these years, the psychological shadow had never fully dissipated. No matter how many doubts plagued his mind, he simply did not dare to open his eyes.

"N-nothing at all," Shui Linglong stammered, suddenly losing control of her nerves at Han Tanyi's inquiry. She had been frantically searching for an excuse to deceive herself, and with this deliberate reassurance, she had almost managed to believe it. Yet his single question instantly shattered that facade like a blunt force, leaving her exposed and vulnerable. How could she not panic? Her posture stiffened unnaturally, and even the tone of her voice fluctuated unsteadily. "This is the deepest part of the illusion. Even though I know the way, I must proceed with utmost caution to avoid any mistakes. Keep your eyes tightly shut; I'm afraid you won't be able to bear it and will end up like last time!"

These words tumbled out in a moment of agitation. Though Shui Linglong immediately felt they were somewhat imprudent, they proved remarkably effective. Upon hearing them, Han Tanyi froze as if struck by lightning, his entire body going numb. Past scenes flashed before his closed eyes—that face, those actions. Although so many years had passed, it felt no different from yesterday, stirring an unbearable reluctance in his heart and throwing his thoughts into chaos.

In this moment, silence was perhaps not a wonderful coping mechanism, but seeing the man fall silent allowed the turbulent emotions within Shui Linglong to calm slightly. Her attention naturally drifted back to the Flower Butterfly as she calculated her next move. Little did she know that Han Tanyi's confusion was growing deeper by the minute. He had originally wanted to forget everything—otherwise, why would he have lived under an assumed name in Shuozhou for three full years? Even this forced return to the Central Plains was merely intended to rescue the Flower Butterfly and leave immediately. Slipping away without a word, much like he had done in the past, seemed far better than getting entangled in endless complications. Yet intentions were one thing; turning them into reality was entirely another.

If there were still women in this world whom he could not let go of, counting them on one hand would yield roughly three. And now, two of them had appeared, one right after the other. Roughly three months had passed since the battle at Mingyue Manor. If the initial period of recuperation had kept him from leaving due to his injuries, the countless opportunities that followed were entirely within his control. After all, he possessed his own legs; if he truly wished to leave, no one could have stopped him. Excuses about the other party's tight security or Mingyue Manor's relentless pursuit were nothing more than comforting rationalizations. At this thought, Han Tanyi instinctively turned his thoughts to the Flower Butterfly trailing behind him. Her footsteps, which had slowed down slightly upon hearing Shui Linglong's words, remained close behind. Even so, the young man could not quite set his mind at ease. "Butterfly, keep close! Be careful, and whatever you do, do not open your eyes!"

It was merely a sentence, yet Shui Linglong was no ordinary person. Having been through countless life-or-death battles, she was far beyond anyone easily shaken. Someone who had walked the edge of the abyss had nothing left to fear. Yet, inexplicably, a fierce, uncontrollable surge of jealousy rose within her chest. Glancing at Han Tanyi, a faint trace of anger flickered in her gaze. A voice in her mind echoed repeatedly: "Shui Linglong, Shui Linglong, you exhaust yourself for his sake, yet his heart remains fixed on another woman. Are you truly this foolish? Is a man like this honestly worth all your trouble?"

The moment this thought surfaced, she snapped to her senses with a jolt. She had cast this illusion herself; how could she not know its arcane mysteries? Normally, she was utterly immune to its bewitchment, but just now, amidst her momentary distraction, she had almost allowed the illusion to exploit her state of mind. Had that happened, she would have disgraced herself utterly. She hurriedly reined in her wandering thoughts and focused her mind. Sensing the shift in her spiritual energy, the churning currents of the illusion naturally receded a fraction from around her.

"Is a man like this honestly worth all your trouble?" Almost simultaneously, the very same words swept across the Flower Butterfly's ears, striking her muddled consciousness like a physical blow. Her entire body shuddered as she snapped back to reality. She broke out in a cold sweat, silently thanking her lucky stars. *Good thing that happened, or I would have truly lost myself within it. Mother said this illusion was created by Shui Linglong sacrificing half her cultivation to guide the flow of spiritual energy in the mountains, meaning it should strictly follow her will. Then whose voice was that just now? It certainly wasn't aimed at me. Besides, the pressure I feel has noticeably lessened. Could it be...*

She left the thought unfinished. After all, probing certain truths too deeply only bred endless troubles without any real benefit. At that moment, a brilliant and daring idea sparked in her mind. Given their current predicament, if she succeeded, it would prove to be a masterstroke. Not only would it allow them to pierce the illusion, but it might even pave the way smoothly for all subsequent plans. Desperate times called for desperate measures; this was simply the nature of the game.

"Actually, I never wanted to believe Father was a member of the Shadow Guards. 'Shadow' implies darkness; shadows cease to exist in pitch-black environments. Thus, the name Shadow Guards signifies that they were never truly human to begin with. Their sole existence was to eliminate anyone posing a threat to the former dynasty's royal family. Come to think of it, the Xiao family actually did Father a massive favor in this regard. Had they not usurped the former dynasty's throne, Father might never have broken free from those chains, and you and I would never have been born!" The young man, who had been speaking with great animation, grew heavy with emotion by the end of his sentence. Whether his words were too profound or simply lost on her, the young girl wore a look of vague incomprehension. Fortunately, she showed no inclination to pry further. Though her curiosity remained largely unslaked, she sensed that something else currently unfolding was far more captivating than these ancient tales.

Clang, clang. The crisp, piercing sound echoed from around the corner. Though it originated quite a distance away from the high platform, the sudden awakening it brought was unmistakable. No matter how lively their conversations had been, or how drowsy some had grown from waiting, everyone instinctively whipped their heads toward the source of the noise. Almost simultaneously, a troop slowly emerged from around the corner, instantly drawing every eye.

Their attire was entirely alien to the Central Plains, eccentric and brightly colored. Though the night in Jinjiang carried a sharp chill, ordinary folk could easily ward it off with a couple of extra layers. Furthermore, martial artists possessed robust physiques; even clad lightly, they could usually endure. Yet these people wore at least three layers apiece. More than that, they were swathed in heavy fur mantles that looked sweltering just to look at. Stranger still, both men and women had their faces painted with garish, multicolored stripes, leaving scarcely a patch of bare skin visible. Atop their heads, long, vibrant feathers stood upside down along the brims of flower-woven caps. The bizarre spectacle left onlookers completely dumbfounded.