Chapter 405: Your Highness (First Update)

The platform was constructed from black jade; when Chu Liuyue looked down, she could see her own clear reflection.

In the very center, a small, pyramid-shaped silver crystal hovered.

Chu Liuyue stared intently.

She could feel it—that inexplicable sense of summoning from before had been emanating from this silver pyramid!

And now, she was only a few dozen steps away from it!

Chu Liuyue took a deep breath and stepped forward.

The sound of her footsteps echoed throughout the entire space.

She could even hear the sound of water slowly flowing into the lake behind her.

No, not just behind her.

It was coming from other directions as well!

Chu Liuyue suddenly realized something and turned her head to look around.

Sure enough, besides that golden dragon head, there were similar existences in the other three directions.

To the left was a crimson dragon head, and to the right was a cyan one.

Beyond the hovering silver pyramid in front was a brownish-yellow dragon head.

A realization suddenly dawned on Chu Liuyue.

Everything here was indeed arranged according to the Five Elements!

Metal, Wood, Fire, Earth—they had all converged here!

And the remaining "Water" was undoubtedly that continuous stream of flowing water!

The Five Elements were complete, interacting through mutual generation and overcoming, forming a perfect, enclosed space!

Chu Liuyue’s brow furrowed slightly.

If she had just fallen into the "Metal" position, then... where was Mu Qinghe!?

She carefully scanned the surroundings once more, but she did not find any sign of Mu Qinghe.

Strange...

Given Mu Qinghe's strength, he should have had no problem dealing with these circumstances.

He should have arrived here before her.

After thinking for a moment, Chu Liuyue set the thought aside for now and continued walking forward.

When she was only three steps away from the silver pyramid, she finally felt a powerful sense of pressure!

She stopped immediately, her eyes still fixed tightly on the hovering pyramid before her.

It was only the size of a palm, yet as Chu Liuyue looked at it, an inexplicable feeling rose in her heart—it seemed as though this thing could contain all of creation.

She didn't know where this feeling came from, but it grew increasingly intense.

Suddenly, Chu Liuyue's gaze froze.

On the mirrored surface on one side of the silver pyramid, she actually saw a familiar figure!

It was Mu Qinghe!

At this moment, he was standing in a strange space, surrounded on all sides by entwined green vines.

Chu Liuyue suddenly realized something—Mu Qinghe had actually entered the "Wood" position!

He stood in the center, a long sword gripped in his right hand, with countless broken branches and withered leaves scattered at his feet. He looked as though he had just endured a grueling battle; his body was splattered with blood, and he appeared quite disheveled.

His head was bowed, so Chu Liuyue could not see his face, let alone his current expression.

However, his body was trembling slightly.

Though the movement was minimal, to Chu Liuyue, who knew him best, it was easily detectable.

Chu Liuyue knit her brows.

What... was wrong with him?

Mu Qinghe had always been decisive and ruthless; even when facing life and death, he would never show a shred of fear.

When he appeared like this, it usually meant he was on the verge of a breakdown.

But... this was merely a somewhat peculiar space, and it might not even threaten his life at all. Why was he like this?!

"...Your... Highness..."

Mu Qinghe murmured, uttering two blurred syllables.

It took a great effort for Chu Liuyue to make out what he was saying, but her confusion only deepened.

Highness!?

Who was Mu Qinghe calling?

Given his status, there seemed to be very few people he would address that way.

Jiang Yucheng, or perhaps Shangguan Wan?

Chu Liuyue held her breath, wanting to listen more closely.

However, Mu Qinghe did not speak again; he simply suddenly raised his sword-wielding hand.

Chu Liuyue suddenly gasped, her eyes widening in horror!

She saw that Mu Qinghe's wrist had actually been pierced through by a green vine as thick as a thumb!

The vine was tightly coiled around his wrist, extending all the way up to his shoulder!

Chu Liuyue could even see his palm, which had become red and swollen due to the lack of blood circulation!

Blood gushed from the wound on his wrist, but it was quickly absorbed by the green vine.

A fresh, bright green leaf rapidly turned yellow and withered, finally fluttering to the ground.

Immediately following it were a second leaf, a third...

Chu Liuyue was inwardly startled.

Could there be something wrong with Mu Qinghe's blood? Why were these vines withering so quickly?

Before she could figure it out, something even more astonishing happened.

In the exact spot where the withered leaves had fallen, a small patch of green-yellow leaves grew back!

Furthermore, the green vine seemed to be coiling even tighter!

Only then did Chu Liuyue realize that the broken branches and withered leaves on the ground had come from this!

A sharp pain surged from his right arm, nearly turning Mu Qinghe's mind blank.

But in reality, what caused him the most pain at this moment was not these relentless vines.

It was—

Using the last of his strength, he swung the long sword in his hand, slashing violently forward!

*Slash!*

The fierce sword qi sent all the withered branches and leaves on the ground flying!

It even completely split the vines on the wall in front of him down the middle!

But the vines spread rapidly; after being severed, they immediately entwined again, even sprouting new branches and leaves.

The foliage was lush, swaying with the wind as if nothing had happened.

However, because Mu Qinghe had forced the sword swing, the wound on his wrist was violently torn open again!

Suddenly, Mu Qinghe let out a roar filled with despair and grief.

"Ah—!"

Chu Liuyue's heart skipped a beat.

What exactly was Mu Qinghe doing?

Was he trying to break through the vines to escape?

But if that were all, why had his emotions become like this?

It was as if something had been buried and suppressed deep within his heart for far too long!

*Thud!*

Mu Qinghe's voice gradually faded, and finally, he collapsed to his knees in exhaustion!

The sword in his hand fell weakly to the ground.

A terrifying silence fell within the space.

The surrounding vines were lush and full of life, yet Mu Qinghe, positioned at the center, was shrouded in a heavy aura of solitary madness.

Chu Liuyue had never seen him like this.

After a long while, Mu Qinghe finally lifted his face.

Chu Liuyue covered her mouth.

—Mu Qinghe's face was actually streaming with tears.

Despair, loneliness, anger, sadness, regret...

Chu Liuyue did not know how to describe the Mu Qinghe of this moment; he was like a trapped beast in a desperate situation.

He had followed her for many years, yet she had never once seen him cry.

It felt as if a massive hammer had struck heavily against Chu Liuyue's heart.

Perhaps due to the silver pyramid, Chu Liuyue could see his features with absolute clarity, even his eyes.

For a fleeting moment, Chu Liuyue almost thought Mu Qinghe was looking at her.

"...Highness..."

Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth as he murmured in a low voice, carrying an undisguisable sense of longing and dependence.

Chu Liuyue's soul shuddered.

He was actually calling her!