Volume One: Hidden Abyss Chapter Fifty-One

"Let me go!" She shouted for a long time, but no one answered, and unease slowly crept into her heart.

"Is anyone there? Let me go!" Now, with only a mortal's body, she soon grew exhausted from struggling, her voice hoarse. Just then, the door opened, light flooding in, and she turned to see Geng Yuan approaching in resplendent robes.

"Geng Yuan, Geng Yuan, let me go! Let me go!" But contrary to her hopes, Geng Yuan drew near, grasped her reddened wrists where she had struggled so hard, then waved his hand to heal them, speaking gently, "Stop fighting. You'll hurt yourself."

Jinli felt as though her heart had plummeted into an abyss—a bucket of cold water poured over her, chilling her to the core.

"It was you?"

Geng Yuan’s eyes were gentle. "I told you, I won’t let you leave me again."

Jinli roared, "Let me go!" She struggled wildly. "You bastard! You scoundrel! Let me go! I’m telling you, if Sang Li finds out, he won’t spare you. The Celestial Clan won’t let you get away with this!"

Geng Yuan replied, "Do you really care about him that much? What a pity. From now on, you’ll only ever see me. Always."

Jinli realized that force wouldn’t work, so she softened her tone. "Geng Yuan, Geng Yuan, just let me go. We can talk things through slowly, but first, untie me."

Geng Yuan fingered the rope. "A-Jin, if I release you, can you promise you won’t run away?"

Jinli shook her head. "I won’t, I won’t run."

As Geng Yuan was about to untie her, the moment the ropes loosened, Jinli pushed him aside and dashed for the exit. But just as she was about to reach the threshold, an invisible barrier blocked her path.

Her heart sank instantly.

Geng Yuan’s voice sounded behind her, "A-Jin, didn’t you say you wouldn’t run?"

Jinli turned, "Geng Yuan, no, what do you want?"

"I want you. I want you to treat me the way you used to, to smile at me, to call me Ah Yuan, to promise me with your own lips that you’ll never leave me again."

Jinli slapped him. "Don’t even think about it!" Geng Yuan pressed his jaw, his aura forceful.

He formed a seal, trapping Jinli within the barrier.

Jinli pounded on the invisible wall, shouting, "Geng Yuan, stop! Let me out!"

But no matter how she screamed, there was no response.

That day, it seemed Geng Yuan had just returned from court. He brought fresh flowers to Jinli. "A-Jin, these are from the Flower Goddess. Smell them—aren’t they fragrant?"

He was acting as if nothing had happened.

Jinli, tired, didn’t want to argue. She accepted the flowers—they were indeed fragrant.

He had always brought her flowers when he returned, even if he had only gone as far as the market to buy vegetables. Sometimes peach blossoms, sometimes roses, sometimes lotuses... never repeating the same kind.

Geng Yuan regaled her with amusing tales from court. After a while, Jinli asked, "Did they mention the Weak Water barrier?"

Geng Yuan was delighted that Jinli was speaking to him. He smiled. "No, they didn’t."

Afterwards, he took her to the long pavilion to see the lotuses he had planted. Though not as grand as those in Lotus River, they were lovely when the breeze stirred the blossoms.

"This place may not compare to Lotus River, but it has the lotus fragrance you love."

Jinli closed her eyes. Indeed, the delicate scent and the gentle breeze soothed her restless heart. But the Demon-Sealing Guide was yet to be forged—was this truly the fate of all six realms?

At midday, Geng Yuan personally cooked. Watching him deftly slice and stir-fry in the kitchen, Jinli felt as if they had returned to their days at Lotus River—just the two of them, three meals, four seasons.

Soon, Geng Yuan set three dishes and a soup before her. The colors and aromas stirred her appetite.

He quickly served her food. "Try it—does it taste the same as before?"

Jinli, expressionless and mechanical, picked up her chopsticks and tasted it. It was indeed the same flavor.

She nodded.

Geng Yuan was overjoyed and kept serving her more. Seeing her bowl piled high, she finally spoke, "You should eat, too."

"Alright."

As long as Jinli said even a single word to him, he was satisfied.

After the meal, Geng Yuan wanted to take her to Sunset Gorge. Jinli immediately said, "Geng Yuan, just let me go."

He stopped, falling silent.

"You can’t keep me here forever. Sooner or later, someone will find out."

Geng Yuan turned and smiled. "No one will find out, because Yun Xiang is here. As long as Yun Xiang is with us, they won’t suspect a thing."

Jinli was surprised. At Geng Yuan’s signal, Jiang Ji brought up three people, and the one in the middle was unmistakably Yun Xiang. Spotting Jinli, Yun Xiang was overjoyed and rushed forward to embrace her. "My Lady, you have no idea how worried I was! Thank the heavens you’re safe."

It had been so long since Jinli had seen anyone familiar besides Geng Yuan and Jiang Ji, she was suddenly elated. "See? I’m fine."

Geng Yuan noticed her smile and smiled himself.

When Yun Xiang saw Geng Yuan, she immediately shielded Jinli behind her. "What do you intend for our Lady?"

"I’m alright. Geng Yuan... has been good to me."

"My Lady..."

At that, Geng Yuan signaled to Jiang Ji to escort Yun Xiang away. Naturally, Yun Xiang protested, but Jinli said, "Go on ahead, I’ll come to you tonight. I have something to discuss with Geng Yuan."

When Yun Xiang was out of sight, Jinli seized Geng Yuan’s collar and slammed him against the pillar behind.

"Geng Yuan, what are you trying to do? Why is Yun Xiang here?"

Geng Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Though Yun Xiang is your celestial attendant, she’s also your sister. I only did this to make you happy."

"Hmph, are you threatening me?" Jinli sneered, releasing him.

Geng Yuan straightened his collar. "No, but if you insist on seeing it that way, so be it."

Jinli’s hand curled into a fist. She snatched up a teacup from the table and hurled it at Geng Yuan’s face. He didn’t dodge—the cup struck him with a dull thud, and blood trickled from his forehead to his brow.

Jinli was startled. He hadn’t even tried to avoid it.

Geng Yuan smiled, touching his face. "Luckily there was no hot water in it, or what would I do if you scalded this face you like so much?"

With that, he walked away.

Only when he had disappeared from view did Jinli slowly collapse to the floor, gazing into the endless distance. It seemed only Geng Yuan and a few attendants inhabited this place.

But he was wrong—Jinli could not afford to wait. The safety of the barrier demanded she leave at once.

That night, when someone brought her dinner, Jinli asked, "Where is your master?"

"Replying to the fairy, the master has gone to the Celestial Clan for a council meeting and will return in an hour."

Geng Yuan was away—this was a chance to escape.

"I’d like to bathe. Prepare the water."

The maidservant obliged.

As steam rose, and the maids lowered their heads in attendance, Jinli loosened her sash. "Leave me. I dislike having others watch while I bathe."

The maids hesitated.

Jinli snorted coldly. "What? Are you afraid I’ll run off?"

They exchanged glances and quietly departed.

Jinli quickly shed her outer robe, opened the window lattice, and slipped out.

On the river, lotuses swayed in the water, which looked fathomless.

She thought of Illusory River and shuddered.

Just then, she heard Geng Yuan’s voice. Steeling herself, she leapt into the water.

As a mortal, she could not breathe underwater. The cold bit mercilessly into her lungs, leaving her gasping for breath, limbs flailing. Her body grew heavier, the light overhead dimmed, and the water pressed in on her, a sensation both familiar and strange.

Countless voices echoed in her mind.