After The Death Escape and Ascension, The Male Protagonist of Long Aotian Went Crazy - Chapter 19

It had already been three days since Shi Hua and the others entered Hua Jinning’s memory mirror.

The imprisoned King and Queen had been released by Chang Ying.

The moment Yun Yao heard the news, she rushed into the hall.

She had always known of Hua Jinning’s heart knot, yet had been powerless to resolve it. All she could do was try to make up for it in other ways. Who would have thought that this child would develop other feelings toward her?

The entirety of Bixu Palace had already been arranged by her. Once Hua Jinning came out of the mirror, Yun Yao planned to let her temporarily step down from her position as Palace Mistress, so she could rest and recuperate.

Inside the hall, some were meditating, others chatting and laughing.

Because Shi Hua was the one who went in, they all believed she would be able to bring Hua Jinning back safely.

Qingxuan brewed a pot of hot tea and handed it to Yun Yao. “With Huahua there, she won’t let your disciple come to harm.”

She knew Shi Hua had copied Chi Qingxuan’s memory before entering.

It was precisely because she knew what Shi Hua planned to do that she worried Hua Jinning wouldn’t be able to accept the truth.

After all, Hua Jinning had hated Chi Qingxuan for hundreds of years, had even entertained evil thoughts. To tell her now that she had hated the wrong person would be more painful than killing her.

“Sigh.”

Yun Yao sipped her tea, heavy-hearted.

Suddenly, the light of the Two Rites Array began to spin again. Realizing they were coming out, everyone stood up at once, waiting for the result.

The first to open her eyes was Shi Hua.

Yun Yao rushed forward. “Huahua, how is Jinning?”

Shi Hua gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s resolved.”

Yun Yao immediately let out a breath of relief.

The two juniors opened their eyes one after another, leaving only Hua Jinning.

Everyone knew she was already awake, but that she delayed opening her eyes because she couldn’t accept reality.

Inside the mirror, the three of them had worked together to suppress Hua Jinning, who was on the verge of falling into demonic ways.

What the two juniors couldn’t hold down, Shi Hua had handled almost entirely on her own.

Hua Jinning refused to accept the truth and fought Shi Hua inside the mirror. But Shi Hua’s cultivation was far above hers, leaving her completely outmatched.

After only a few exchanges, Shi Hua pinned her down.

She scolded her harshly until she was stunned, then while Hua Jinning was still dazed, Shi Hua had Wei Shizhou follow the plan, working together with Chi Qingxuan to break the formation.

Yun Yao gently stroked her disciple’s head. “Jinning, open your eyes.”

Hua Jinning’s long lashes trembled violently.

She knew this moment would come sooner or later.

She opened her eyes, her bloodshot gaze locking onto Chi Qingxuan, saying nothing.

But Chi Qingxuan understood. He lowered his eyes, filled with guilt. “I’m sorry, Jinning.”

Hua Jinning bit her lip hard. “You tricked me into hating you. Do you think that makes you noble?”

“I never—”

“Enough!” Hua Jinning threw her head back, refusing to let tears fall and become a laughingstock. She was, after all, the Palace Mistress of Bixu Palace. “Things have reached this point; there’s nothing left to say.”

“Chi Qingxuan, Sister loved you. Don’t you want her to live again?”

Live again…

Chi Qingxuan’s fingers curled beneath his sleeve.

He wanted it more than anyone.

He had once imagined marrying the one he loved, working together at Xuan Yin Immortal Sect, raising children of their own. But…

“Jinning, I can give you the Soul-Returning Pill, I can give you anything—but I cannot let you take Shizhou’s immortal bone.”

That was his disciple. How could he harm another person for his own selfish desire?

At the mention of bone extraction, Wei Shizhou’s whole body went cold. Instinctively, he hid behind Shi Hua.

“Haha!” Hua Jinning covered her face, laughing bitterly.

Neither she nor Chi Qingxuan knew of the Heart-Link Curse.

Hua Jingrong had hidden it well, prepared for death long ago.

What could she say? No one could be blamed. The Demon King was already reduced to ashes.

Shi Hua sensed the unease in the youth behind her over the matter of bone extraction.

So she spoke up.

“Though immortal bones are born imbued with spiritual power, Hua Jingrong has been dead for hundreds of years. Her body is nothing but an empty shell. Even if you obtained both the immortal bone and the Soul-Returning Pill, you still could not bring her back.”

“As for the Heart-Link Curse, you know as well as I that Hua Jingrong no longer exists in this world.”

It was a cruel truth.

The smile on Hua Jinning’s face slowly faded.

Expressionless, she looked around at the others. Their eyes were all filled with worry—whether true or false, she no longer cared.

She rose to her feet and bowed to Yun Yao. Her voice was soft, very soft. “Master, I’ll go see Sister.”

At this moment, she only wanted to lean by her sister’s side.

The others watched her leave alone.

Was the matter resolved, or not?

Yun Yao turned, bowing to the others. “Today was my disciple’s fault. As her master, I apologize on her behalf. In the future, I will personally bring her to make amends… Fellow Daoist Wei, I am sorry for the fright.”

Wei Shizhou said nothing.

He did not see himself as a benevolent man.

Others had set their sights on him. This time, he had saved himself. Otherwise, everyone knew well enough what the outcome would have been.

No matter the excuses, committing harm could not be justified.

Wei Shizhou had no intention of forgiving.

Chi Qingxuan glanced at the group and decided to remain. “Senior Sister, Qingxuan, you should take the juniors back first. They’ve been through enough these days.”

“Alright.”

Hua Jinning went to the underground palace.

The woman inside the crystal jade remained unchanged, lips curved in a gentle smile, as if she had always lived in some beautiful past.

Holding her sister’s hand, Hua Jinning knelt by the jade. Tears soaked her face, but she smiled. “Sister, if you were awake, would you pull my ear and scold me? I actually went and practiced demonic arts… You surely wouldn’t want to see me now.”

She had become what her sister least wanted her to be.

Blinded by hatred, consumed with revenge for her sister.

“I was wrong. Sister, wake up and scold me, won’t you? Just like before—scold me for every foolish thing I did five hundred years ago…”

Laughing, her voice broke into sobs.

Clutching her sister’s icy hand, she begged again and again for her to wake.

At the doorway, Yun Yao and Chi Qingxuan watched silently.

After a long time, Yun Yao rubbed her sore eyes. “Ah, these two disciples of mine… both far too stubborn.”

One had stubbornly believed her sister would storm the demon race. The other, that her sister had been killed by her beloved.

Perhaps after this ordeal, Hua Jinning would finally awaken.

Yun Yao turned to him. “Sect Master Chi, won’t you go in and see her?”

“No.” Chi Qingxuan’s gaze never wavered from the woman inside the crystal jade. She was just as young and beautiful as in his memory, while he was no longer in his prime, lifeless and weary. “Let Arong rest in peace.”

When Hua Jingrong had died, neither he nor Hua Jinning could accept it. They had begged Shi Hua and Yun Yao to preserve her body. That crystal jade had been obtained after his long search across the cultivation world.

He and Hua Jinning had kept her far too long.

The dead should rest.

Yun Yao frowned. “I fear Jinning will not agree.”

“She will.” His tone was quiet but firm. “When she walks out, she’ll know what must be done.”

Yun Yao sighed. “Very well. I had planned to let her rest anyway. Bixu Palace can be managed by me just as well.”

Upon returning from Bixu Palace, Qingxuan sent the juniors to recuperate. As for the Two Rites Floating Life Array set up by Wei Shizhou, she decided to wait until Chi Qingxuan returned from Bixu Palace before discussing it further.

Shi Hua, once back at her own immortal residence, went into seclusion.

She summoned the system.

“Explain. Wasn’t the Two Rites Floating Life Array something the male lead only learns in the later stages? Why did it appear in Jingan City? And as for you forcibly controlling me—you’d better give me a reasonable explanation.”

Shi Hua’s patience with the system was wearing thin.

The system shrank within its space, trembling, too afraid to appear, hugging itself pitifully as it whimpered.

【Immortal Lord, wuwuwu, I don’t know about the formation either!】

【When I first bound to you, I didn’t explain clearly. You and I are bound together. If you fail the mission, you will be erased, completely removed from this world, and I will be reclaimed and destroyed by the main system.】

Not just rebuilt—completely obliterated.

In short, Shi Hua’s life was tied to the system’s.

It could never harm her.

It didn’t want to be destroyed by the main system, nor drag her down.

Still, Shi Hua was angry. Even if they were bound, it shouldn’t have controlled her against her will. She hated being restrained most of all.

But since it had spoken honestly, she would let it go this once.

“I will complete the missions seriously, sparing you destruction. But…”

Shi Hua thought of the uncertain male lead. Her initial certainty now faltered.

“Must I complete every single mission?”

The system’s crying softened, a bit relieved at her leniency. It praised her exaggeratedly before explaining that no, she didn’t need to.

【You were never the vicious supporting role in the story. Some plotlines are impossible for you to fulfill as Immortal Lord. You only need to complete fifty percent.】

The fifty percent standard was calculated on the system’s side.

That seemed doable.

Shi Hua relaxed slightly, recalling its earlier words. “Which missions cannot be done with my identity?”

The system didn’t answer. Still hiding in its space, it wasn’t out of distrust—just habit.

It bit on a handkerchief while pulling up its interface.

【Immortal Lord, I’ll tell you later. The system’s three bolts of lightning punishment are about to fall. Please be prepared.】

This punishment was beyond its control.

It had mentioned this from the start.

No one in this world could see the system’s lightning punishment.

Shi Hua had endured countless heavenly tribulations before. Three bolts of system lightning—she didn’t even blink as she took them on.

【Immortal Lord, are you alright?】

Shi Hua rubbed at her chest, feeling some heaviness but nothing else.

“No matter. Continue with the plot.”

The system projected a light screen.

【The vicious supporting role in the story enters the sect alongside the male lead. Early- and late-stage missions are reasonable to complete as Immortal Lord. Only the mid-stage ones won’t work.】

A furry little arm stretched out, pointing at a part of the screen.

Shi Hua’s gaze lingered on that arm, wondering what the system would look like if it appeared fully.

【Most mid-stage plots involve the vicious supporting role scheming against the male lead, sowing discord between the male and female leads, and frequently interacting with the protagonist group. Immortal Lord’s identity makes it impossible to tag along with them…】

The Immortal Lord’s identity was far too restrictive.

The Heavenly Dao had debated long before deciding on her.

After all, there was still sixty percent of the plot left. Enough to ensure this world operated normally.

Shi Hua said nothing. She pinched a hand seal, letting a spell fall onto her body.

In an instant, the aloof and untouchable Immortal Lord of Jade transformed into a lively, unrestrained young girl.

The system was dumbstruck.