Mini World Game Console-Chapter 737 - 738: Only the Yearning is Unforgettable
Lin'an City.
At midnight, within West Lake, one of the lake's central islands—Little Yingzhou of Three Pools Mirroring the Moon—was wrapped in the quiet of the deep night. Occasionally, a lake breeze stirred the spring leaves into a whispering sound. The water, both within the island's inner lakes and in the surrounding West Lake, shimmered, and the three stone towers elongated the moonlight into lengthy shadows, forming the area's foremost scenic attraction—the Moon Reflection.
A gentle breeze swept across, rippling the surface of West Lake. But the wind grew stronger, and the lake's reflection flickered with more ripples. Suddenly, a dark shadow swept across; someone was actually walking on the water, employing the lightness skill Lingbo Weibu.
Little Yingzhou wasn't entirely devoid of people; someone was on duty in the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon's main pavilion, where bright lights shone like a lighthouse.
The newcomer made a light leap, soared into the air, and landed at the little ferry dock. The security guard at the dock glanced at the visitor and pointed north. "They are over there in the little pavilion, waiting for you."
"Thanks."
The visitor, a petite black-haired girl dressed in jeans and a white shirt, nodded. However, she did not leave but instead turned to look behind her.
The new guest, unlike her lively arrival, came silently. A mist rolled over the lake surface and soon reached the shore, revealing a slender and charmingly beautiful woman dressed in Hanfu.
The security guard was not surprised by this and quietly kept his head down, playing on his phone.
"Long time no see, Taibai Plains Spirit."
The black-haired girl blinked and asked, "Who are you?"
"I am the Qingqiu Ground Spirit," the woman in Hanfu said, looking puzzled. "We have met before, have you forgotten?"
"When did we meet?"
"After the fall of Sun Wu and the unification of the three kingdoms under Jin, all Earth Spirits closely related to the Ren Family participated in the ancestral rites. Naturally, I was one of them, along with you."
"But that was almost two thousand years ago!" the black-haired girl, the Taibai Plains Spirit, exclaimed in horror. "How can you remember it so clearly?"
"I have been in deep slumber most of the time; events of a thousand years remain vivid in my mind."
"Wow, you're amazing," Taibai Plains Spirit said, scratching her head and giggling foolishly. "I've almost forgotten everything. You tend to forget when you sleep a lot, and there are so many fun and beautiful things to see in this era. The things from before—"
Qingqiu, lost for words, asked, "Were you also invited to come here?"
"Yeah, Brother Wang Shu gave me the Reincarnation Technique," Taibai Plains Spirit said excitedly. "I've condensed thousands of years of cultivation into a mortal body and finally freed myself from the Earth Spirit's Bondage! But my cultivation is too weak, and the body I've formed has only average talents. I can't even compare to Little Ren Woxing, let alone Brother Wang Shu. Still, I'm very satisfied. Now I can wander around and go check out Hulao Pass."
Qingqiu glanced at Taibai Plains Spirit, nodded thoughtfully, and proposed, "Since Wang Shu is ready, let's go find him."
Together, they headed towards the center of the island. Little Yingzhou had unique terrain, shaped like the character for 'field,' with four small lakes within it. Their destination was 'Autumn Lotus of the Fish Pond,' an area surrounded by these four lakes.
Yingcui Pavilion and Flower and Bird Hall had already closed. Only the Autumn Lotus of the Fish Pond, an open-air viewing platform surrounded by ponds planted with hibiscus, was suitable for their gathering.
Soon, they saw four figures sitting beside the stone table at the viewing platform: Yun Wangshu in plain white clothing, a white-haired man named Ba whose stature rivaled a giant's, Changsheng, an indifferent youth with a chuunibyou air, and a Little Bald Guy dressed in a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon Robe.
They weren't simply sitting there waiting; they were... barbecuing fish.
No charcoal was used; fire was conjured directly from thin air. No grill was necessary; fish were speared on branches and held over the fire. As for the fish...
This was, after all, West Lake.
Only Ba and the Little Bald Guy were grilling. They each held six slender, descaled grass carp on branches, rotating them evenly above the flames. The crackling of the flames and sizzling of the fat was enough to make one's mouth water.
"Have you arrived?" Yun Wangshu asked, pointing to two stone stools beside the stone table. "Please, have a seat."
Taibai Plains Spirit walked over and sat down, frowning slightly as she watched them grill the fish. "Did you get them from West Lake?"
"Yeah," the Little Bald Guy who was grilling the fish on the stone table replied. "The fish were all asleep when I dived in and caught them. They haven't woken up yet!"
"Oh no, how tragic," Taibai Plains Spirit said, her adorable face filled with pity. "Remember to add plenty of cumin and chili powder."
"So picky," the Little Bald Guy muttered, pulling out a bottle of seasoning from behind him.
Ignoring Taibai Plains Spirit, Qingqiu, dressed in her gorgeous Hanfu, and Yun Wangshu, in his plain white clothing, seemed like people from the same circle. So, she directly asked, "Young Master Wang Shu, why have you invited me?"
"How are you adapting? Is everything still good for you?" Yun Wangshu inquired.
"Thanks to Young Master Wang Shu's Reincarnation Technique, I've completely broken free from the Earth Spirit's Bondage and have consolidated a millennium of cultivation within me," Qingqiu replied politely. "Although I am still in the adaptation phase, there are no major issues at present."
"Yeah, I feel great!" Taibai Plains Spirit exclaimed, raising her arms like a bodybuilder to flex her biceps, but her small stature made it impossible to see any muscles.
"I can wear so many pretty clothes now, hehe, and I can even buy children's clothing! Children's clothing has lots of cute stuff, and it's cheap and suits me too!"
Hearing Taibai Plains Spirit, over two thousand years old, say this, the white-haired giant Ba suddenly glanced at the Little Bald Guy. The keenly perceptive Little Bald Guy immediately turned his head and glared at Ba, asking like a bristling kitten, "What are you looking at? I don't wear children's clothes!"
Ba hadn't even spoken when Taibai Plains Spirit sighed. "Why not? There's plenty of children's clothing that's very suitable for little boys, and you could wear shoes that sparkle and glow 'BLING BLING.' You'd look so cute in them!"
"I'm not cute!" If he wasn't holding a grilled fish, the Little Bald Guy would have jumped up to hit her. "I am the Supreme Earth Spirit! I am the lord who rules over mountains and rivers! I am the Earth Emperor who shares longevity with the heavens—"
Yun Wangshu interjected, "It's going to burn."
"Oh, right." The Little Bald Guy hurriedly flipped the grilled fish.
Seeing the Qingqiu Ground Spirit still intently watching him, Yun Wangshu smiled faintly and said, "The reason I've invited you this time is primarily to discuss matters with you on behalf of the current dynasty."
"As compensation for being under the Official Residence's jurisdiction, you can acquire the Human Cultivation Method provided by the officials, a legitimate public identity, and a certain amount of social welfare each month..."
"How much money?" Taibai Plains Spirit immediately asked.
"At least 2,000 every month."
"I'm willing, I'm willing!" Taibai Plains Spirit promptly declared.
Qingqiu was speechless. Yun Wangshu arched his brows slightly and continued, "Besides these, if you are willing to work for the Official Residence, you can also acquire other Spells. The Official Residence doesn't offer preferential treatment, but it won't discriminate either. You will have to rely on promotions and achievements to gain access to stronger and better Spells, just like other humans."
Qingqiu made no commitment. Taibai Plains Spirit added, "Ah... so I have to work... Is there a job that's easy, where I can work two days and rest five, and still get a lot of money?"
"Yes."
Yun Wangshu said, "That is the main reason I've sought you out. You can join the Official Residence, but you can also join us—we are currently one of the subordinate organizations of the Official Residence. By joining us, you will receive the same salary benefits from the Official Residence. Plus, we are all of the same kind; you don't have to worry about exclusion or contention issues."
Qingqiu asked, "What are the goals of your organization?"
"To find Earth Spirits, to search for the Fairy Palace," Yun Wangshu replied earnestly. "After all, we are not humans. To protect ourselves in this era, coming together is our best option.
Moreover, we possess unique advantages. As transformed Earth Spirits, we have superior Talent and a high affinity for Spiritual Energy. With the backing of human resources, we can grow rapidly. Like Changsheng and myself, we are now firmly established at the Four-Transit Realm of human cultivation and have also mastered various protective Spells, significantly enhancing our power.
Furthermore, humans are strong now, and it is not advisable for us to oppose the Official Residence. Also, the Official Residence's control over us is not strong. As long as we are willing to abide by the laws in human society and do some minor favors for them, they will not interfere with us.
We can also use this opportunity to awaken more Earth Spirits, to strengthen our forces, and then..."
"And then contend with the Official Residence on equal footing?" Qingqiu questioned with a frown.
"No, humans of this era profess a love for immortals much like Lord Ye loved dragons—they like the idea, but not the reality. If we, as divine Earth Spirits, were to meddle with political power, it would provoke a human backlash... And what we seek is longevity and even greater heights; worldly power has no appeal to us."
Yun Wangshu continued, "But as long as we grow strong, there's a chance to knock on the doors of the Fairy Palace, to seek the laws from the Palace, to attain the ultimate path! Our goal isn't the secular world but the transcendent Fairy Palace!"
After more than half a year of searching, Yun Wangshu had finally realized. Blindly seeking the Fairy Palace was like finding a needle in a haystack or climbing a tree to catch fish; only if his own strength and his own force were powerful enough would there be a better chance of finding the Fairy Palace! At the very least, the next time Ren Han descended to the mortal realm, they could rush to surround and detain him. Then, the gates of the Fairy Palace would either open for them, or they would have to watch Ren Han be relegated to a mortal. To achieve all of this, strength was the most important capital! Otherwise, faced with the spiritual pressure of the Supreme Supreme, they would all fall directly. Yun Wangshu could only watch helplessly as Ren Han, whom they had struggled to kidnap, was snatched back by the Fairy Palace! Earth Spirits were, in fact, their best choice! Every Earth Spirit had excellent Talent and possessed Innate Divine Abilities. With just a bit of cultivation, their cultivation would surely advance A Thousand Miles in a Day. At that time, they would gather together as a powerful force, one strong enough to rival the Fairy Palace. They would become a Supernatural Force capable of speaking to the Fairy Palace as equals, not humbly begging them to open their gates!
"That sounds nice, but isn't it just to find a man... Ah!"
Although Ba appeared tall and robust, his movements were surprisingly agile. His hand swiftly caught all the roasted fish that Little Bald Guy had dropped during the beating.
"Find a man?" Taibai Plains Spirit asked curiously. "Find who?"
Yun Wangshu felt no shame and calmly replied, "Ren Han from the Fairy Palace."
"Ren Han... Wow, shares a surname with Little Ren Woxing!" Taibai Plains Spirit mused for a moment, then understanding dawned on her.
Qingqiu explained, "Ren Han was the sixth-generation Family Head of the Eastern Han Ren Family. It was he who held the ancestral worship ceremony..."
"Eh? Was there such a person?" Taibai Plains Spirit tilted her head. "I don't really remember."
Qingqiu hadn't expected Taibai Plains Spirit to have forgotten not only her but even Ren Han, the most powerful of the Ren Family's sixth-generation Family Heads. It seemed that Taibai Plains Spirit had completely forgotten all the unimportant things of the past two thousand years.
"Would you two like to join us?" Yun Wangshu asked leisurely.
"Sure!" Taibai Plains Spirit immediately voiced her stance, agreeing cheerfully.
Qingqiu reluctantly glanced at Taibai Plains Spirit, whom she had just assumed was on her side. After all, compared to Yun Wangshu's small circle of four, they were two solitary figures who logically should have united to pursue greater interests.
However, it seemed Taibai Plains Spirit really had lived two thousand years in vain, no different from a teenage girl, agreeing to everything Yun Wangshu said. Now, even if Qingqiu wanted to strive for more benefits, it was difficult to speak up.
Nevertheless, the conditions offered by Yun Wangshu were indeed not bad, quite lenient for an Earth Spirit, and since Qingqiu had no pressing worldly desires herself, she set aside her reservations and nodded. "I am also willing to work with Young Master Wang Shu."
"That's great," Yun Wangshu said, breathing a sigh of relief and producing a bottle of wine. "To celebrate the joining of our two new colleagues, let's drink to—"
BOOM!
A heavy thud, the sound of something massive hitting the ground, instantly drew the attention of the five people. Little Bald Guy, who had been feigning death on the ground, immediately climbed onto Ba's shoulder, exclaiming in surprise, "That's a huge door!"
Outside the Yuzhao Qiurong Viewing Platform, on the pathway, a vast, heavy black door had suddenly appeared.
The black door was made of a material that looked neither iron nor wood. Its facade was arranged with ten ring patterns: three rings on the left, four in the middle, and three on the right. The bottom-most ring in the center was ignited with flames.
A golden-haired, blue-eyed individual dressed in Victorian-style hunter's clothing stood before the door. This blond person possessed an androgynous beauty, making it difficult to determine if they were male or female. He turned his head towards the six of them, smiled, and asked, "Yun Wangshu, are you there?"
Yun Wangshu stood up and, frowning, asked the blond person, "Who are you?"
However, he was quickly distracted by the large door behind the blond person.
It was a very strange sensation. Deep inside, as if a voice were telling him, this was the Gate of the Fairy Palace he had been searching for. Without any reason, just a strong, desire-like premonition—that if he pushed it open, he would reach the Fairy Palace directly!
"I am the Gatekeeper."
The blond person asked with a smile, "Do you know, aside from you, with whom else Ren Han has had a Spiritual Exchange?"
Yun Wangshu immediately suppressed the impulse in his heart and stared intently at the blond person. "What... What do you mean?"
"Ren Han in his life had Spiritual Exchanges with seven Earth Spirits," the blond person said calmly. "And he truly fell in love with one of them."
"And that Earth Spirit... who do you think it is?"
However, before the blond person could finish speaking, Changsheng had already launched an attack, raising his hand to deliver two Azure Dragon Crescent Blades!
Qingqiu also sent up white mist, transforming into light smoke as it approached the blond person!
Ba and the Little Bald Guy were utterly bewildered. They had no idea what was going on: why had a gate and a strange person suddenly appeared? Why did Changsheng and the others suddenly want to rush over and fight? They hadn't even eaten the roasted fish yet!
Seeing that Taibai Plains Spirit didn't rush up, they also breathed a sigh of relief. So there was still one Earth Spirit acting normally.
At that moment, Taibai Plains Spirit suddenly turned and said to them, "Um, I want to discuss something with you. I'll give you my share of the roasted fish if you go over and keep that Gatekeeper busy. I want to try to sneak past and push the door open."
So you're not normal either!
You didn't charge in just because you were planning to use us as cannon fodder!
Little Bald Guy asked curiously, "Why do you want to push that door open?"
Taibai Plains Spirit scratched her head, a smile of girlish naivety on her face as she looked at the gate and said, "Because beyond that door... it seems to be the Fairyland Little Ren Woxing spoke of."
"Fairyland?"
"It's a world where there are lots and lots of Earth Spirits, and Earth Spirits can also visit each other whenever they like."
Taibai Plains Spirit explained, "I used to get tired of staying in Mount Taibai, but I also couldn't leave. The outside is very dangerous too. Little Ren Woxing told me Hulao Pass is teeming with demons, and Xuzhou has many as well... So I thought it would be nice if Earth Spirits existed everywhere and could visit each other.
I could travel everywhere. Wherever I went, the local Earth Spirit could show me the sights and fun spots, and everywhere an Earth Spirit would treat me to a meal. If someone came to Mount Taibai, I could take them to meet Little Ren Woxing; he's even more familiar with Mount Taibai than I am. Little Ren Woxing said they would work hard to slay demons, and eventually, this country would become a Fairyland filled with Earth Spirits.
However, when I woke up, Little Ren Woxing was gone, and Fairyland hadn't appeared."
Taibai Plains Spirit tiptoed, as if to get a clearer view of the gate. "After Brother Wang Shu taught me the Reincarnation Method, I could finally become human and go anywhere I pleased. The outside world is no longer dangerous to me. And wherever I go, I can have someone else take me around to play.
It's just that they're not Earth Spirits; they're tour guides. And, they don't treat me to meals...
So... I still prefer the Fairyland that Little Ren Woxing talked about."
Ba and the Little Bald Guy exchanged a glance and sighed.
"Same old plan, Baba. You charge head-on, and I'll grab his legs from below."
"Hmm."
"Thank you!" Taibai Plains Spirit exclaimed. As Ba and the Little Bald Guy launched their attack, she also seized the opportunity to dash toward the gate!
Suddenly she was grabbed around the waist, narrowly avoiding an incoming Flame Spiral. Taibai Plains Spirit, startled to find Qingqiu had saved her, quickly expressed her gratitude: "Miss Qingqiu, I'm so glad you're here! That scared me to death!"
"I thought you'd truly forgotten everything," Qingqiu said lightly. "It turns out you still remember the first Family Head of the Ren Family."
"The first Family Head of the Ren Family? Who is that?"
Qingqiu, feeling both amused and exasperated, said, "Ren Woxing, of course."
"Oh!" Taibai Plains Spirit exclaimed, suddenly realizing and laughing foolishly. "It's been two thousand years, so I don't remember things about him that well."
"Oh? When was the first time you met him?"
"It was the second month of the first year of Initial Peace. Several demons had strayed into Mount Taibai, so I had to ask the Ren Family for help."
"You do remember that year." Qingqiu glanced at the small and cute Taibai Plains Spirit and gently shook her head.
A thousand years may bring forgetfulness, but not of unrequited love.
"Since we all have our desires, let's join forces and take down this Gatekeeper!"
Changsheng, having been repelled, turned his palms into blades. The surrounding air congealed as he said with a dark face and cold voice, "He's just one man!"
