Chapter 77: Retreat from the Sea of Poison, Beauty in Slumber

The woman, whose appearance was ethereal and dreamlike, smiled gracefully and waved her hand with elegance. Several streaks of purple light shot forth, scattering around the crowd, yet harming none of them. As everyone regained their composure and looked again, the swirling sand and raging winds had vanished without a trace. But this action incited the wrath of the turbulent sea. It is said that no waves rise without wind, yet the sea, by its own force, unleashed towering waves like mountains, rolling toward the dreamlike woman in a mighty surge.

The crowd’s hearts skipped a beat, fearing she would be unable to withstand the assault and succumb beneath the poisonous ocean. Yet the woman remained calm, smiling as though such trivial tempests were of no concern. She raised her hand and traced a seal-like pattern in the air, then thrust it forcefully toward the monstrous wave. The purple-glowing seal, empowered by her strike, sped toward the wave and gradually expanded, forming a vast net that enveloped the surging waters. But the wave was not so easily subdued; it twisted and transformed into a massive dragon formed from poisonous waters.

This dragon was unlike the golden one conjured at sunset. It lacked nobility and dazzling golden brilliance. Its entire form was shrouded in darkness, like a sky heavy with storm clouds, emanating a sinister aura that chilled the soul. If the previous golden dragon was a guardian deity sent from heaven, then this black dragon was a soul collector dispatched from hell. Especially its fierce, venomous eyes—they sent a shudder through the crowd, cold sweat beading on their backs.

The black dragon, trapped beneath the net, was formidable. With a few strikes of its powerful claws, it tore through its bindings and broke free, then lunged ferociously at the woman, jaws gaping as if intent on swallowing her whole. But the woman would not have provoked it so casually if she lacked the means to defend herself. Calm as ever, she regarded the dragon not as a threat, but as a child in need of warmth. Smiling, she conjured a sphere of purple light to shield herself. Could this seemingly insignificant barrier withstand the dragon’s claws? The crowd worried, especially Lan Bingxian, whose brows knit together in concern, while Yu Shang watched serenely from above, as if anticipating a grand performance. He was convinced the woman would not lose, though she might be entangled with the black dragon for a while. The others, however, did not share his confidence.

The black dragon appeared to scorn the woman’s barrier, toying with the purple sphere as a child would with a ball, cradling it in its sharp claws and tossing it about. The woman seemed unperturbed, gazing at the dragon with gentle eyes, making no move to attack. Eventually, the dragon grew bored with its plaything and, in a sudden moment, pressed the sphere tightly between its claws. The crowd gasped, fearing the dreamlike woman might be crushed into fragments. She was inhabiting Meng Youyuan’s body; should anything happen, Meng Youyuan would be implicated as well.

As panic spread among the crowd, several beams of purple light burst from the dragon’s tightly clenched claws. The dragon, caught off guard by the unexpected light, hastily released its grip, allowing the woman within the sphere to escape. Swift as lightning, the woman hurled a luminous pearl into the dragon’s open mouth. The dragon, startled, tried to spit it out, but to no avail—it swallowed the pearl. Instantly, the pearl in its belly sent the dragon into a frenzy; it soared and twisted through the air, then plunged into the sea, thrashing about in agony. Its claws slashed wildly, as if trying to cut open its stomach and extract the tormenting pearl.

Suddenly, with a mighty crash, the sea erupted, and the pearl surfaced amid splashing waves, radiating endless purple light across the waters. The previously murky ocean, under the pearl’s glow, transformed into a vibrant blue. The crowd had narrowly escaped calamity once more. Yet what would become of the woman now? Would Meng Youyuan return to her former self? The question lingered in everyone’s mind, unresolved and persistent.

While the crowd fretted over what to do, the pearl, its task complete, drifted back into the woman’s hand. As it touched her fingertips, a beam of purple light shot from her eyes into the pearl. At that moment, the woman—now undeniably Meng Youyuan—collapsed, her strength spent, and slowly fell from the sky toward the ground. Lan Bingxian, quick and attentive, rushed forward to catch the unconscious Meng Youyuan in his arms. Truthfully, he was not the only one who cared deeply and wished to rescue her, but only he could do so with such intimacy and justification. The others could only stand by in silent concern, watching over her. Alas, heroes have always struggled before the charms of beauty, yet they forget that they are not alone in their devotion.

"Yuanyuan, wake up! You were amazing—you defeated the poisonous sea that none of us could overcome. Little girl, don’t you love gazing at the blue ocean and sky, lost in thought? If you wake now, everything you desire will be before you. I beg you, please wake up!" Lan Bingxian, holding the unconscious Meng Youyuan, spoke incoherently, his heart aching at her pale face, but even more fearful that she might never wake again.

Meng Youyuan, unresponsive, seemed an empty shell without a soul, lying quietly in her beloved's arms, lost in slumber. She no longer wore her familiar smile, nor the untouchable aura of moments before. She was like a lifeless statue, unmoved by any call. Had she truly departed forever? No, she was still so young, so kind. She had an adored one to accompany through the rest of her days, she would not be so cruel as to leave him. So why did she not awaken? Was she angry at the crowd for their earlier, relentless urging, forcing her to bear burdens she did not wish to carry? If so, as long as she woke, they would do whatever it took to make amends. If she would awaken, they would cherish her more than ever. But why was there still no response—not even a glance to reassure everyone?

"Yuanyuan, be good, don’t play anymore, alright? I know you’re fine, just trying to scare us. Wake up, or we’ll be angry if you keep up this prank!" Lan Wu, holding Meng Youyuan's hand, spoke with a trembling voice. Her hand was cold, utterly devoid of warmth. Feeling this chilling touch, Lan Wu was truly frightened, sensing an ill omen. The piercing cold seemed to foretell that her dear companion would never wake again. Overcome by grief, tears streamed down her face, like a beaded curtain. Just moments ago, everything had been fine—how had it changed so suddenly? She could not accept it.

"Silly girl, why are you crying? Believe me, Yuanyuan will be alright, she will wake up," Xiao Yin pulled the sobbing Lan Wu to his side, gently comforting her. In truth, seeing Meng Youyuan like this, he dared not promise she would wake, and now he regretted urging her to face the poisonous sea. If that heavy burden had never fallen on her, if they had not repeatedly pushed her, perhaps she would still be standing before them, smiling. Unknowingly, he had come to regard her as a younger sister, explaining the emptiness in his heart now.

"But Yuanyuan’s hand is so cold, and she’s stopped breathing. I’m afraid she will never wake from this sleep! What should we do? How can we bring her back?" Lan Wu sobbed, trying to calm herself, but each glance at Yuanyuan lying quietly in Lan Bingxian’s arms brought fresh tears.

"Lan Wu, don’t say such things. Yuanyuan is just tired, she’ll wake soon!" Yan Xue Su forced herself to say the opposite of what she believed, unable to accept the cruel reality before her. She longed to shake Yuanyuan awake, but feared that touching the cold body would shatter her, forcing acceptance of Yuanyuan’s departure.

"Yaner, you know deep down that Yuanyuan may already..." Yu Xiaoran, holding the heartbroken Yan Xue Su, began to speak, but was interrupted.

"Don’t say it, I don’t want to hear!" Yan Xue Su knew what Yu Xiaoran meant to tell her, but she could not bear to hear it aloud. She clutched her ears, shaking her head desperately. She would rather believe Yuanyuan would wake soon, than accept the truth of her loss. Just moments before, they had been chatting and confiding as close friends—why was Yuanyuan now lying silent, so easily gone?

"Everyone, calm down—cold body and no breath don’t necessarily mean anything. To be frank, I know her fate won’t end like this," Xun Mishuang spoke gently, hoping to comfort the distraught crowd, even at the risk of revealing secrets he should not speak. But if Yuanyuan’s life would not end so quickly, why had she not awakened yet? If she was only pretending, her skill must far surpass anyone present. Yet, by his understanding, she would never make such a cruel joke.

"You say Yuanyuan’s fate won’t end here—is that true?" Yin Boxuan, silent for a long time, suddenly grabbed Xun Mishuang’s sleeve in frenzy, ignoring propriety. His heart was filled solely with concern for Yuanyuan, nothing else mattered.

"Let go of me! You heard what I said clearly—why ask again? Is my disclosure not enough? Must I suffer heaven’s retribution here for you to believe?" Xun Mishuang snapped, irritated by Yin Boxuan’s impulsiveness. The true lover had not spoken, yet Yin Boxuan was already beside himself, as if eager for all to know his feelings.

"Shuang, Brother Yin is simply too worried for Yuanyuan, don’t blame him," Leng Huaiyi whispered gently, relieved by Xun Mishuang’s words that Yuanyuan would be safe, though concerned that Shuang had divulged forbidden knowledge. The consequences of a careless mistake years ago were still fresh in his memory.