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Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

Snowcup
 Kokuto:
Well, I missed out entirely on the moon viewing and the eclipse.  We were completely covered over with clouds. :(  But hopefully everyone had a lovely Mid-Autumn Festival.
 solarlunareclipse:
I went outside to see the lunar eclipse at its peak last night. It was very cool, like someone took a bite out of the top of a cookie.

I’m glad someone enjoyed it. I could barely see anything through the clouds too. Well, Kokuto, we can catch it again in 2033.  :-)


 solarlunareclipse:
For example, only through CX's description do we know that XY felt a shivering feeling of bliss when XL was drinking her blood in the medicine pool. Xiao Yao's narration of this event was focused being relieved that at least she was of some use to XL so that he didn't kill her.


 Kokuto:
We also understood the blood drinking was pleasurable, when XY described FFB drinking from her wrist.

In the novel, when CX reminds Xiao Liu to restrain his urges, Xiao Liu is seemingly confused but later “smiled quietly” or in Koala’s version, “started to smile.” This implies she does know what CX means. The phrase, “Can I really go to you for a drink?” follows immediately afterwards, and the reader may miss the meaning.

(google)
Xuan raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Take care of your body. If you are injured, restrain your desires!"

“..." Xiao Liu was confused. When had he ever felt sexual desire?

Xuan touched his neck and left with a smile. Xiao Liu still blinked in confusion. After a while, he pursed his lips and smiled quietly. Can I really go to you for a drink? There was a voice in his heart that objected, but another voice said that he would leave soon, and if he didn't drink now, he would have no chance in the future.

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blabla100

"In the novel, when CX reminds Xiao Liu to restrain his urges, Xiao Liu is seemingly confused but later “smiled quietly” or in Koala’s version, “started to smile.” This implies she does know what CX means."

I agree. She was aware of what it means, that's reinforced by the fact that later on she refused to let him drink blood from her neck. Same goes for their kisses underwater. On the other hand, TH's descriptions of her kisses with jing never screamed sexual desire / sexual urge to me. Sweetness yes, but nothing that one can lose control over it or couldn't stop from going forward. 

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Snowcup

Exactly. The first time FFB teaches XY archery in S1 Ep 22, guiding her in position, and she finally hits the target, she’s actually thinking about XL biting her neck.

ch.16 (google)
Fangfeng Bei stood behind Xiao Yao, holding Xiao Yao's hand, guiding Xiao Yao's hand, and directing Xiao Yao to follow his movements, "Keep your body straight, use force gently, hold the bow properly, hold the arrow calmly, push forward and move back, the bow is fully trained!" With the word "trained", the arrow flew out and nailed steadily into the tree trunk.

"What does it feel like?"

"I didn't think about anything in my mind, my eyes were not fixed on the target, I was only focused on the action of drawing the bow and shooting the arrow."

"Good understanding."

Xiao Yao smiled bitterly. It was not that she wanted to understand, but at that moment, her body's reaction was just like when Xiang Liu approached her. She felt that he would bite her neck, and her mind went blank.

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Snowcup
 solarlunareclipse:
I just read an interpretation of the drama's version of the crystal ball that I quite liked. According to this interpretation, there is no continuity error with XL placing a third merman in the ball and having it disappear before he inscribed it and sealed it in the big-bellied doll. The third merman was XL's imagination. The ball showed the two merpeople running towards and reaching out to each other. However, XL imagined replacing himself with Jing as a substitute (original merman) and retreating from the relationship with XY (imagined merman lurking beside the shell). This is why the next scene is of him saving Jing.
 
 Kokuto:
Yeah, I'm going to disagree with that.  Jing is not a merfolk nor does he have any affiliation with the sea.  And I don't think XL thought of Jing as a substitute for himself.  Jing has nothing to do with XL.  Jing was the person XY had convinced herself would be a lifelong companion.
 solarlunareclipse:
Agree that Jing is not a merman, but XL replacing himself with Jing and retreating from the relationship with XY was his intention. This is consistent with XL's other displayed behavior of pushing XY towards Jing and distancing himself from her.

Xiang Liu truly treasures the ice crystal globe that Xao Yao prepared for him. He recognizes the great lengths XY had taken in creating it for him. With the mermaid’s one hand on her heart and the other reaching out to him as the merman, this is the single confession XL has ever received from XY of her true feelings for him. Which is why I can’t see XL ever relinquishing the merman to Jing, not even in his imagination. Nope.


 solarlunareclipse:
Later, when Xiang Liu looks into the crystal ball and sees the third imagined/disappearing merman, there are no glowing lights or other special effects.

The novel and the script indicated the change in the crystal ball as a fait accompli, which would explain the lack of special effects. "This was the crystal globe Xiao Yao gave him, except now it had been altered by him, and was different from before ..." 

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solarlunareclipse
 Snowcup:
I’m glad someone enjoyed it. I could barely see anything through the clouds too. Well, Kokuto, we can catch it again in 2033.  :-)

I guess I lucked out! Make sure to post on this forum in 2033 to remind us of the next celestial trifecta: super harvest moon lunar eclipse. ;)

 solarlunareclipse:
Despite having XY serve as the (unreliable) narrator, TH doesn't write about XY's thoughts and emotions in a straightforward manner. A lot of what XY believes and knows is left in the hidden lines. For example, only through CX's description do we know that XY felt a shivering feeling of bliss when XL was drinking her blood in the medicine pool. Xiao Yao's narration of this event was focused being relieved that at least she was of some use to XL so that he didn't kill her.
 Kokuto:
We also understood the blood drinking was pleasurable, when XY described FFB drinking from her wrist.
 Snowcup:
In the novel, when CX reminds Xiao Liu to restrain his urges, Xiao Liu is seemingly confused but later “smiled quietly” or in Koala’s version, “started to smile.” This implies she does know what CX means. The phrase, “Can I really go to you for a drink?” follows immediately afterwards, and the reader may miss the meaning.
 blabla100:
I agree. She was aware of what it means, that's reinforced by the fact that later on she refused to let him drink blood from her neck. Same goes for their kisses underwater.
 Snowcup:
The first time FFB teaches XY archery in S1 Ep 22, guiding her in position, and she finally hits the target, she’s actually thinking about XL biting her neck.

I agree that TH gives ample hints that XY is deeply attracted to XL and that she is self-aware enough to understand and acknowledge this attraction. My original point was that TH doesn't write about XY's thoughts and emotions in a straightforward manner. 

If we talk about the neck biting scene itself (not how it was recalled later), TH omits XY describing how pleasurable it is in the moment even though XY undoubtedly feels it. I don’t believe this omission means XY is denying her feelings, but simply that TH chooses to omit describing this aspect of XY’s feelings through XY’s perspective and switches to CX’s perspective to subtly hint at XY’s feelings while casting some doubt on and downplaying what XY actually feels. This is a classic example of TH misdirection.

TH strategically omitting information is why I see XY as a mystery. In contrast, TH basically lays bare XL’s true intentions in the epilogue. His devotion to XY and the things he does to set her up to live well are not questioned because we understand his true intent. However, readers never get a complete picture of XY’s intent, causing many to make potentially inaccurate assumptions. For example, many people believe XY to be selfish in taking unnecessary risks that put herself in danger without thinking through the consequences that her actions have on XL, whose life is linked to hers. I’m not convinced that this assumption about XY is accurate and believe that TH has intentionally omitted describing XY’s true intent behind her seemingly careless and selfish actions.

 Snowcup:
Xiang Liu truly treasures the ice crystal globe that Xao Yao prepared for him. He recognizes the great lengths XY had taken in creating it for him. With the mermaid’s one hand on her heart and the other reaching out to him as the merman, this is the single confession XL has ever received from XY of her true feelings for him. Which is why I can’t see XL ever relinquishing the merman to Jing, not even in his imagination.

I'm interested in hearing more about your interpretation of the crystal ball from XL's perspective. Does XL see the 1st merman as representing himself and the 2nd merman to also represent himself ? What do you think was XL's purpose in adding the second merman? Why do you think the scene in the crystal ball was changed from the novel and the leaked script?

 Snowcup:
The novel and the script indicated the change in the crystal ball as a fait accompli, which would explain the lack of special effects. "This was the crystal globe Xiao Yao gave him, except now it had been altered by him, and was different from before ..."

There's a possibility that the crystal ball was actually altered by XL in the drama, just like it was in the novel and leaked script, and the later disappearance of the second merman was a continuity error. In my opinion, there's an equally likely possibility that there is no continuity error in the drama and the second merman was originally imagined by XL. Everything else about the crystal ball in the drama was changed from the novel and the leaked script, so it's plausible to me the fact that XL actually altered the crystal ball was also changed.

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Snowcup
 solarlunareclipse:
I agree that TH gives ample hints that XY is deeply attracted to XL and that she is self-aware enough to understand and acknowledge this attraction. My original point was that TH doesn't write about XY's thoughts and emotions in a straightforward manner. 

It’s just a fun topic. It’s almost like we’re teasing Xiao Yao. It’s funny how she takes on this prim persona when she becomes a girl again. As Wen Xiao Liu, she had such a bawdy sense of humor, constantly teasing poor Ma Zi and Chuan Zi. She can dish it, but can she take it?


 solarlunareclipse:
I'm interested in hearing more about your interpretation of the crystal ball from XL's perspective. Does XL see the 1st merman as representing himself and the 2nd merman to also represent himself ? What do you think was XL's purpose in adding the second merman? Why do you think the scene in the crystal ball was changed from the novel and the leaked script?

I think I’ve already shared my thoughts here, here, here and here. I’m too lazy to rehash it again.


 solarlunareclipse:
There's a possibility that the crystal ball was actually altered by XL in the drama, just like it was in the novel and leaked script, and the later disappearance of the second merman was a continuity error. In my opinion, there's an equally likely possibility that there is no continuity error in the drama and the second merman was originally imagined by XL. Everything else about the crystal ball in the drama was changed from the novel and the leaked script, so it's plausible to me the fact that XL actually altered the crystal ball was also changed.

That's a valid point, but the continuity issue isn’t a factor for me. It doesn’t affect my interpretation of the original merman, and the visual imagery of the added merman is still meaningful. :-)

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blabla100

About the merman thing, I personally am not sure what to believe, but what I am almost certain of is that the merman from the corner is supposed to be XL. @AH came with a theory that, as much as I dislike it, makes most sense to me. Sadly I don't have time to look for her post atm. The way I view it is that XY did strech her hand for XL to take it, but in return he chose to help Jing  and make it possible for him to take this spot. In a way similar to the novel, XL slowly retreated from her life and became the man behind the shadows. 

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solarlunareclipse
 Snowcup:
I think I’ve already shared my thoughts here, here, here and here. I’m too lazy to rehash it again.

Thanks for linking your original posts. I read through them again, but I still don't understand why XL would add a second merman to the globe that represents himself when there was already a merman in the globe that he also saw as representing himself. If you have any ideas on why he would have done this, it'd be interesting to hear.

 Snowcup:
That's a valid point, but the continuity issue isn’t a factor for me. It doesn’t affect my interpretation of the original merman, and the visual imagery of the added merman is still meaningful. :-)

From a subjective perspective, of course, works are meant to be interpreted however we want. If an unintentional continuity error is the explanation that best aligns with your preferred interpretation of the crystal ball, agree that there is no reason to revise your interpretation.

 blabla100:
About the merman thing, I personally am not sure what to believe, but what I am almost certain of is that the merman from the corner is supposed to be XL. @AH came with a theory that, as much as I dislike it, makes most sense to me. Sadly I don't have time to look for her post atm. The way I view it is that XY did strech her hand for XL to take it, but in return he chose to help Jing  and make it possible for him to take this spot. In a way similar to the novel, XL slowly retreated from her life and became the man behind the shadows. 

Do you mean this post by AH? The interpretation that XY wanted the first merman to be XL, but he decided to substitute himself with Jing and retreat (represented by the second merman) is the interpretation that makes the most sense to me based on XL's character and displayed actions.

However, TH (and we, the audience) know that XL's logic is flawed because Jing isn't a merman. So, when we see the crystal ball, we know Xiang Liu is still the first merman. Through this lens, the second merman (which I don't think exists outside of XL's imagination) would also have to be Xiang Liu.

TH uses contrasting/mistaken perspectives quite a bit throughout the novel:

  • CX vs XL's perspective on the Koi Fish Frolicking in Lotus Pond poison dish
  • XY vs XL vs the audience's perspective on the crystal ball
  • Xin Yue thought Jing was XY's fire and FL was XY's water, but from XY's perspective, XL was her fire and Jing was her water
  • XY thought of herself as Tian'er and XL as Chuan Zi, the man who gave her a few drops of honey and made her fear he would leave her one day, but the way things played out, Chuan Zi was actually Jing.
    • Chuan Zi gave Tian'er a few drops of honey, while XY taught her how to provide for herself.
    • Jing gave XY a few drops of honey, while XL taught her how to protect herself.
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Snowcup

Random thought of the day:

The LYF novel is a love story written like a mystery / investigative detective story.

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AH
 Kokuto:
Other than the epilogue, we never get XL's pov in the drama, and that changes the perception of XL's characterization, and reconciles alot of points that others have brought up, for me.
 Kokuto:
I meant that we never get XL's pov in the NOVEL, except in the epilogue.  But we often get XL's pov in the drama and I think it is mostly those scenes where folks complain about XL being OOC.  Upon hearing Tong Hua remind folks that novel readers' perception of XL is actually Xiao Yao's perception of XL -- and that obviously isn't a correct or honest view of XL.  So, the drama may actually present the 'real' Xiang Liu.

IDK.  I think alot of novel readers loved Xiang Liu, even before the epilogue.  But the epilogue really clinched it and explained alot.... that we didn't get, because the novel was from XY's pov.

I would disagree that we only see XY's POV, and never see XL's POV, until XL's epilogue in the novel. 

There are several little moments, scenes, and even large sections of chapters throughout the novel before the epilogue where the reader sees XL in moments where XY is not present or XY is fully unconscious and not aware of what is happening. We also see things that XY is made to forget and sometimes get insights into XL's thoughts and feelings that XY is not privy to, and we are made aware of actions that XL takes (e.g., intentionally letting TSJ eavesdrop) without XY knowing. 

Your comment got me thinking about it and I went back to collect some of these scenes so I could re-read them and have them in one place for future reference. 

-----

After the bug transfer and time spent together in the ocean in chapter 7:

Kanunu8Chat GPTKoala
小六知道他们在被高辛神兵们追击，却感受不到危险，因为相柳从容镇静，让他觉得这不是逃跑，而是相柳带他在海底游览。

他们在海底游了很久，小六怀疑至少有十个时辰，但小六玩的开心，也不觉得时间漫长。直到完全逃出五神山的警戒范围，相柳才带着小六浮出了水面。

白羽金冠雕毛球飞来，相柳抓着小六跃上雕背，驾驭白雕返回清水镇。

小六觉得又困又饿，紧紧地抱住毛球的脖子，对相柳说：“我先睡一会儿。”

小六呼呼大睡。

相柳坐在白雕背上，凝望着云海翻滚，面沉如水，无忧无喜。

很久后，他看向好梦正酣的小六，手慢慢地贴在了自己心口，唇角微微地浮起一丝笑意，转瞬即逝。

Xiao Liu knew they were being pursued by the soldiers of Gao Xin, but he didn’t feel any danger. Xiang Liu’s calm composure made him feel like they weren’t escaping but rather leisurely touring the underwater world with him.

They swam through the sea for a long time—Xiao Liu suspected it had been at least ten hours. But Xiao Liu was having fun, so the time didn’t feel long. It wasn't until they were completely beyond the security perimeter of the Five Gods Mountain that Xiang Liu finally surfaced with Xiao Liu.

The white-feathered, gold-crested eagle, Maoqiu, flew over. Xiang Liu grabbed Xiao Liu and leapt onto its back, guiding the white eagle as they headed back to Qingshui Town.

Xiao Liu, feeling both tired and hungry, hugged Maoqiu's neck tightly and said to Xiang Liu, "I'm going to sleep for a bit."

Xiao Liu fell into a deep sleep.

Sitting on the back of the white eagle, Xiang Liu gazed at the rolling sea of clouds, his expression as still as water, without joy or worry.

After a long while, he looked at Xiao Liu, who was deep in a peaceful dream. His hand slowly pressed against his own heart, and for a brief moment, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips before vanishing again.

Xiao Liu knew they were being chased by Gao Xing soldiers but never felt in danger. Because Xiang Liu was so calm that it didn’t feel like they were on the run, it felt rather like Xiang Liu was taking him on a stroll through the ocean. They swam for so long underwater but Xiao Liu was really happy and the time didn’t feel long. It wasn’t until they were completely free of the chasing Gao Xing soldiers that Xiang Liu took Xiao Liu up to the surface.

The gold crowned white condor Furball flew over and Xiang Liu carried Xiao Liu and vaulted on its back. They rode the condor back to Qing Shui Town and Xiao Liu felt hungry and tired. He tightly grabbed onto Furball’s neck and said to Xiang Liu, “I’m going to take a nap.”

Xiao Liu promptly fell fast asleep.

Xiang Liu sat on the back of the condor and looked out over the vast cloud sea, his face as calm as a placid water surface without any joy or sorrow. After a long time, he looked down at Xiao Liu in blissful slumber and his hand slowly pressed on his own heart. A smile appeared on the corner of his lips before it swiftly passed.


-----

XL meets with Ah Nian in the middle of the ocean in chapter 13 and XY is not present.

XY figures out that XL and Ah Nian conspired together, but never knew how XL behaved or that Ah Nian agreed to help XL in the future (which she does, in chapter 48). 

Kanunu8Chat GPTKoala
阿念策着玄鸟坐骑，离开了承恩宫，她不知道自己想做什么，她只是想暂时地逃离，不想听到所以的欢声笑语都只是为了小夭。

玄鸟漫无目的地飞着，阿念累了，玄鸟停在了大海中不知名的小礁石岛上。礁石岛小得比一艘船大不了多少，阿念抱膝坐着，看着浪潮从四面八方涌来，碎裂在她身旁，像怪兽一般发出轰鸣声，往常她早就害怕了，可今夜她不觉得害怕，甚至觉得最好真有一只怪兽出来，反正父王和哥哥有了小夭，他们都不再关心她。她觉得最好她被怪兽咬成重伤，奄奄一息时，父王和哥哥才找到她。他们痛苦自责内疚，可是已经晚了！阿念从幻想父王和哥哥在发现要失去她的痛苦中得到了些许报复的快感。

又一波浪潮涌来，一个白衣白发、戴着银色面具的男子坐在浪潮上，微笑地看着阿念，柔声说：“很痛苦吗？你的父亲和哥哥都抛弃了你。”

阿念认出了他，是那个和小六一起绑架过她的九命相柳。也许因为上次所以的坏事都是小六做的，相柳给阿念的印象并不坏，阿念很紧张，却并不害怕。

阿念问：“你怎么在这里？”

相柳笑，“你说呢？整个大荒都在谈论高辛大王姬，我自然也有点好奇，所以来凑个热闹。”

又是小夭，又是小夭！阿念重重哼了一声。

相柳微笑着说：“如果没有她，你仍是高辛独一无二的王姬，是父王唯一的女儿，是哥哥唯一的妹妹，可是她莫名其妙地跑饿了出来，夺走了你的一切，难道你不想报复她吗？”

阿念紧咬着唇，不吭声。她知道她不该和相柳做交易，哥哥曾恼怒地骂过他是魔头，可是……这天下没有做不成的交易，只有还不够分量的诱惑。

阿念挣扎着说：“我是恨她，可我没想让她死，我只是想一切都恢复到以前。”

相柳柔声说：“我承认我有可能想杀轩辕的王子，但绝不会杀高辛的王姬，我们神农义军绝不想得罪俊帝。”

阿念知道，所以她并不怕他。

相柳凝视着阿念的眼睛，温柔地提议：“你觉得好好折磨她一番，却不取她的性命，怎么样？”

阿念慢慢地点了下头。

相柳笑，“你真是个善良的女孩子，你的父王和哥哥应该更偏爱你才对。”

阿念觉得这么长时间以来，终于听到了一句顺心的话，她问：“怎么才能给她一个狠狠的教训？”

相柳说：“只要你能把她引出来，不要被人察觉，剩下的事情交给我。”

阿念问：“你为什么要帮我？你想要我帮你做什么？”

相柳微笑着说：“你是高辛王姬，什么都不缺，难得有一件我能为你效劳的事，我当然很乐意。你也知道我们神农义军的处境，如果日后有可能，希望王姬能帮我一次。”

阿念笑问：“你都不要我发誓，你不怕我反悔吗？”

相柳笑看着她，温柔又郑重地说：“我相信你。”

阿念甜甜地笑起来，“好！你帮我狠狠教训她一番，我日后帮你一次。”

相柳把一枚贝壳递给阿念，“把她引到海上，捏碎这个，我就会赶到。”

阿念收好了贝壳，策玄鸟返回。

A'Nian rode her Xuanniao mount, leaving the Palace of Favor. She didn’t know what she wanted to do, only that she wanted to escape, if just for a while. She couldn't stand hearing all the joy and laughter that was solely because of Xiao Yao.

The Xuanniao flew aimlessly. Exhausted, A'Nian had the bird land on a small, unnamed rocky island in the middle of the sea. The island was scarcely larger than a ship. A'Nian sat there hugging her knees, watching the waves crash around her, roaring like beasts as they shattered near her. Normally, she would have been terrified, but tonight, she wasn't scared at all. In fact, she almost hoped a real monster would emerge. After all, her father and brother had Xiao Yao now—they no longer cared about her. She thought it would be best if a monster severely injured her, leaving her on the brink of death. Only then would her father and brother find her. They would be wracked with guilt and regret, but by then, it would be too late! A'Nian found a small sense of satisfaction imagining their pain at losing her.

Another wave surged, and a man with white hair, dressed in white and wearing a silver mask, appeared sitting atop the waves. He smiled at A'Nian and gently asked, "Are you in pain? Your father and brother have abandoned you."

A'Nian recognized him—he was the Nine Lives Xiang Liu, the same man who had kidnapped her with Xiao Liu. Perhaps because Xiao Liu had been the one doing all the bad things last time, A'Nian didn’t have a terrible impression of Xiang Liu. She was tense, but not afraid.

A'Nian asked, "What are you doing here?"

Xiang Liu smiled, "What do you think? The whole wilderness is talking about the Princess of Gao Xin. Naturally, I was curious, so I came to see the commotion."

Again, it was about Xiao Yao! Xiao Yao, Xiao Yao! A'Nian let out a frustrated humph.

Xiang Liu smiled, "If it weren’t for her, you would still be the only princess of Gao Xin, the only daughter of your father, the only sister of your brother. But she appeared out of nowhere and stole everything from you. Don’t you want to get revenge?"

A'Nian bit her lip in silence. She knew she shouldn't make a deal with Xiang Liu. Her brother had angrily called him a demon. But... in this world, no deal is impossible, only temptations that aren’t enticing enough.

A'Nian struggled, "I do hate her, but I don't want her dead. I just want things to go back to the way they were."

Xiang Liu's voice softened, "I admit, I might want to kill the prince of Xuan Yuan, but I would never kill a princess of Gao Xin. The Shennong rebel army has no desire to provoke Emperor Jun."

A'Nian knew this, so she wasn't afraid of him.

Xiang Liu gazed into A'Nian’s eyes and gently suggested, "What do you think about giving her a good, harsh punishment, without taking her life?"

A'Nian slowly nodded.

Xiang Liu smiled, "You really are a kind girl. Your father and brother should favor you more."

A'Nian, hearing these words that comforted her for the first time in a long while, asked, "How can I teach her a harsh lesson?"

Xiang Liu said, "As long as you can lure her out without anyone noticing, leave the rest to me."

A'Nian asked, "Why are you helping me? What do you want me to do for you?"

Xiang Liu smiled, "You are a princess of Gao Xin; you lack for nothing. It’s rare that I have the chance to do something for you, so of course, I’m happy to oblige. You know the position we Shennong rebels are in. If the opportunity arises in the future, I hope the princess can help me in return."

A'Nian smiled and asked, "You don't even want me to swear an oath. Aren't you afraid I'll go back on my word?"

Xiang Liu looked at her with a gentle yet solemn expression and said, "I trust you."

A'Nian smiled sweetly, "Alright! You help me give her a good lesson, and I’ll help you in the future."

Xiang Liu handed A'Nian a seashell, "Lure her to the sea and crush this. I’ll come immediately."

A'Nian took the shell, mounted her Xuanniao, and flew back.

Ah Nian rode her swallow winged ride and left the Palace. She didn’t know what she wanted to do, she just wanted to escape for now and not hear the celebration that was for Xiao Yao.

The swallow flew aimlessly and Ah Nian was tired so she had it stop in a little island in the middle of the ocean. It was the size of a ship and Ah Nian sat down on a jutting rock and watched the ocean churning around her. The noise it made was like a beast bellowing, and normally she would be afraid, but tonight she wasn’t afraid. She even felt it would be best if a beast came and hurt her. Her dad and older brother had Xiao Yao now and they no longer cared about her. When she was injured and near dying and they found her, they would come to regret it but would be too late! Ah Nian thought about how sad her dad and older brother would be if they lost her, and she felt some comfort in that.

Another wave crested towards her and riding on the wave was a man in white with white hair, wearing a silver mask. He was smiling at Ah Nian and gently said, “It hurt a lot? Your father and older brother have abandoned you?”

Ah Nian recognized him – he was Nine-lives Xiang Liu who kidnapped her once with Xiao Liu. Perhaps it was because Xiao Liu was the one who did all the mean things to her that time, so Ah Nian’s impression of Xiang Liu wasn’t bad. She was nervous now but not afraid of him.

Ah Nian asked, “What are you doing here?”

Xiang Liu laughed. “What do you think? The entire vast wilderness is discussing the Gao Xing Eldest Princess. Naturally I got curious so came to check out the festivities.”

Xiao Yao again! It was still Xiao Yao! Ah Nian loudly harrumphed.

Xiang Liu smiled. “If she wasn’t around, you are still Gao Xing’s one and only Princess, your dad’s only daughter, your older brother’s only sister. But she randomly showed up and took everything from you. Don’t you want to seek revenge on her?”

Ah Nian bit her lips and said nothing. She knew not to make any deals with Xiang Liu, her Gege called him a demon devil, but……there was no such thing as a deal that couldn’t be made in this world, it was only that there was not enough enticement.

Ah Nian struggled. “I hate her, but I don’t want her dead. I just want things to go back to the way it used to be.”

Xiang Liu gently said, “I confess I might kill Xuan Yuan’s Prince, but I will never kill Gao Xing’s Princess. We Sheng Nong resistance army would never want to get on the Grand Emperor’s bad side.”

Ah Nian knew that which is why she wasn’t scared of him.

Xiang Liu looked at Ah Nian and gently suggested, “You want to torment her a bit but not kill her, is that right?”

Ah Nian slowly nodded her head.

Xiang Liu laughed. “You are a kind girl, your dad and older brother ought to love you more.”

Ah Nian felt like this was the first true words she heard in a long time so asked, “How to give her a good bout of thrashing?”

Xiang Liu said, “All you need to do is lure her out and not be detected. I’ll handle the rest.”

Ah Nian asked, “Why are you helping me? What do you want me to do for you?”

Xiang Liu smiled. “You are the Gao Xing Princess and want for nothing. It’s rare that I can do something for you and I’m happy to. You know the position of the Sheng Nong resistance army. If in the future the situation arises, I would ask that Princess to help me once in return.”

Ah Nian smiled. “You don’t even want me to promise, aren’t you afraid I will renege?”

Xiang Liu solemnly and gently said, “I trust you.”

Ah Nian smiled sweetly. “Fine! If you teach her a lesson, I will do one thing for you in the future.”

Xiang Liu handed a clam shell to Ah Nian. “Lure her to the ocean and then smash this. I will be there.” Ah Nian put the shell away and rode her swallow back.

Quote
AH

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During the 37 years of healing in chapter 22:

Kanunu8Chat GPTKoala

相柳说：“我带你去海上看看月亮吧！”

小夭欢呼雀跃：好啊，好啊！

相柳抱住小夭，像两条鱼儿一般，向上游去。

他们到了海绵，小夭感觉到海潮起伏，还有海风吹拂着她，她能听到潮声、风声，小夭激动得想落泪。

相柳说道：“今夜是上弦月，像一把弓。每次满月时，我都要给你疗伤，不可能带你来海上，我也好多年没有看见过满月了。”

小夭心想，原来我没有估计错，他真的是每月给我疗伤一次。听说满月时，妖族的妖力最强，大概正因为如此，相柳才选择满月时给她疗伤。

相柳不再说话，只是静拥着小夭，随着海浪起伏，天上的月亮，静静地照拂着他们。

小夭舒服地睡着了。

相柳低头看她，微微地笑了。

Xiangliu said, "Let me take you to the sea to watch the moon!"

Xiaoyao cheered excitedly, "Yes, yes!"

Xiangliu embraced Xiaoyao, and like two fish, they swam upwards.

When they reached the surface, Xiaoyao could feel the rise and fall of the waves and the sea breeze brushing against her. She could hear the sound of the tides and the wind, and she felt so moved she almost wanted to cry.

Xiangliu said, "Tonight is a waxing crescent moon, shaped like a bow. Every full moon, I have to heal your injuries, so I can't bring you to the sea. I haven't seen a full moon in many years."

Xiaoyao thought, so I wasn't wrong in my guess; he really has been healing me once every month. It's said that the power of the yao race is strongest during the full moon, and that's probably why Xiangliu chooses that time to heal her.

Xiangliu remained silent, quietly holding Xiaoyao as they drifted with the waves. The moon in the sky gently shone down on them.

Xiaoyao drifted off to sleep, feeling comfortable.

Xiangliu looked down at her and smiled faintly.

Xiang Liu said, “I’ll take you to the surface to look at the moon!”

Xiao Yao’s heart soared: Yes, yes!

Xiang Liu held Xiao Yao in his arms and swam upward like two entwined fish.

They reached the surface and Xiao Yao felt the waves undulating and the sea breeze flowing over her. She could hear the waves and hear the wind. Xiao Yao was so touched she wanted to cry.

Xiang Liu said, “Tonight is a crescent moon like a bow. Every full moon I have to heal you so I can’t bring you to the surface. Actually, I haven’t seen a full moon in many years now.”

Xiao Yao thought that her assumption was right, he really was healing her once a month. The demon’s powers are the strongest during the full moon which is why Xiang Liu chose that time to heal her.

Xiang Liu stopped talking and silently held Xiao Yao in his arms. As the waves rose and fell, the crescent moon in the sky quietly shone on them.

Xiao Yao restfully fell asleep.

Xiang Liu lowered his eyes to look at her and smiled.


-----

When XY and XL/FFB go on their ocean date after CX's wedding in chapter 26:

Kanunu8Chat GPTKoala
两人在海底漫无目的地逛着，到后来小夭有些累，躺在水中，一动都不动。

相柳问她：“累了？”

小夭觉得又累又困，迷迷糊糊地说：“我打个盹。”说是打个盹，却是沉沉地睡了过去。只不过以水做榻，虽然柔软，可水中暗流不断，睡得毕竟不安稳。

一枚纯白的海贝朝他们漂过来，到了他们身边时，缓缓张开。相柳把小夭抱起，轻轻放在贝壳里，他却未睡，而是倚靠着贝壳，凝视着海中星星点点的微光。

小夭已经一年多没有真正睡踏实过，每夜都会醒来两三次，有时候实在难以入眠还要吃点药。

这一觉却睡得十分酣沉，竟然连一个梦都未做，快醒时，才梦到自己在海里摘星星。海里的星星长得就像山里的蘑菇一般，摘了一个又一个，五颜六色，放到嘴里咬一口，还是甜的。小夭边摘边笑，笑着笑着，笑出了声，自己被自己给笑醒了，知道是个梦，却依旧沉浸在美梦里不愿意睁开眼睛。

小夭睁开了眼睛，看到相柳靠着贝壳，一腿平展着，一腿曲着，手搭在膝上，低头看着她，唇边都是笑意。小夭笑着展了个懒腰，甜蜜地说：“我做了个好梦。”

相柳道：“我听到了。”

The two wandered aimlessly on the seabed. After a while, Xiaoyao grew tired and lay motionless in the water.

Xiangliu asked her, "Tired?"

Xiaoyao, feeling both exhausted and sleepy, mumbled, "I'll take a nap." Although she said it was just a nap, she quickly fell into a deep sleep. But with water as her bed, though soft, the constant undercurrents made it difficult for her to sleep peacefully.

A pure white seashell floated toward them, slowly opening as it reached their side. Xiangliu gently lifted Xiaoyao and placed her inside the shell. He didn’t sleep, but instead leaned against the shell, gazing at the flickering lights scattered in the sea.

Xiaoyao hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in over a year, waking two or three times each night. Sometimes, when sleep evaded her, she even had to take medicine.

But this time, she slept deeply, without even dreaming. As she began to wake, she dreamt that she was picking stars from the sea. The stars looked just like mushrooms in the mountains, colorful and sweet when she took a bite. She laughed as she picked them, her laughter eventually waking her up. Though she realized it was a dream, she stayed immersed in the pleasant feeling, unwilling to open her eyes.

When Xiaoyao finally opened her eyes, she saw Xiangliu leaning against the shell. One leg was stretched out, the other bent, with his hand resting on his knee. He looked down at her, a smile playing on his lips. Xiaoyao stretched lazily, still smiling, and said sweetly, "I had a wonderful dream."

Xiangliu replied, "I heard."

The two of them aimlessly ambled in the ocean until Xiao Yao got tired and laid down in the water and couldn’t move anymore.

Xiang Liu asked her, “Tired?”

Xiao Yao was tired and sleepy and murmured, “I’m just going to close my eyes for a second.” And she promptly fell asleep. With the water as her cushion, it was soft but continuously moving so her sleep was being jostled.

A pure white enormous clam shell floated over to them and slowly opened when it arrived next to them. Xiang Liu picked up Xiao Yao in his arms and gingerly placed her inside the clam shell. He didn’t sleep and instead leaned against the clam shell and stared at the glittering starfish in the distance.

Xiao Yao hadn’t slept through the night for the past year and would even wake up two or three times a night. Sometimes she needed sleeping pills on particularly bad nights to even fall asleep.

This sleep was deep and restful and she didn’t even have a single dream. When she was about to wake up, she finally had a dream and it was one where she was picking stars in the ocean. The ocean stars were growing like mushrooms in the mountains and she plucked one after another and it was in all sorts of colors. She ate one and discovered it was sweet. Xiao Yao laughed happily as she picked more and she actually laughed out loud and woke herself up with her laugh. She realized it was a dream but kept her eyes closed to remain happily ensconced in the happy dream.

Xiao Yao opened her eyes and saw Xiang Liu leaning against the clam shell next to her, one leg straight and the other curved with his arm resting on it as he lowered his head to stare at her, a smile curving on his lips. Xiao Yao smiled and stretched and sweetly said, “I had a happy dream.”

Xiang Liu answered, “I know.”

Quote
AH

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When XY is in Gao Xing and XL is in QS Town and he hears others gossiping about XY's wedding with Feng Long and holds the ice crystal ball in chapter 31:

Kanunu8Chat GPTKoala
七日后，俊帝问小夭：“想好了吗？”

小夭说：“想好了，公布婚期吧！”

俊帝再没说什么，昭告天下，仲秋之月、二十二日，大王姬高辛玖瑶出嫁。

赤水氏向全天下送出婚礼的请帖，赤水族长不仅仅是四世家之首的族长，他还是神农族长小祝融的儿子，轩辕王后的哥哥，轩辕国君的心腹重臣。整个大荒，纵使不为着赤水丰隆，也要为了俊帝、黑帝、黄帝来道贺，更何况还有玉山的王母。

赤水式送聘礼的船队，从赤水出发，开往五神山几十艘一模一样的船，浩浩荡荡，一眼都看不到头，蔚为奇观，惹得沿途民众都专门往河边跑，就为了看一眼赤水氏的聘礼。

几年前，轩辕国君和王后的婚礼，整个轩辕在庆祝，可这次，赤水族长和高辛王姬的婚礼，竟然让登个天下都在庆贺，当高辛大王姬要出嫁的消息传到清水镇时，清水镇的酒楼茶肆都沸腾了，连娼妓馆的妓女也议论个不停。

相柳正在饮酒议事，隔壁的议论声传来。

有人说赤水族长是为利娶高辛王姬；有人说赤水族长是真喜欢王姬，据说都发誓一辈子只王姬一人；有人说王姬姿容绝代；有人说赤水族长风仪不俗……

各种说法都有，几个歌舞伎齐齐感叹：“这位王姬真是好命！”

座上一人也不禁感叹道：“这场婚礼，估什是几百年来，大荒内最大的盛事了。”

众人也纷纷谈论起赤水族长和高辛王姬的婚事来。

相柳微笑着起身，向众人告退。

相柳走出娼妓馆时，漫天烟雨。

他穿过长街，沿着西河，漫步而行。

碧水畔，一支支红蓼，花色繁红，因为沾了雨水，分外娇艳。

相柳站在河边，眺望着水天一色，也不知道究竟在想什么。

半晌后，他收回了目光，摊开手掌，学上是一个冰晶球。

细细雨珠，簌簌落在他的掌上，在冰晶周围凝成了寒雾，使得那一汪蓝色波光潋滟，好像月夜下的大海。

蓝色的海底，幽静安谧，女鲛人坐在美丽的贝壳家中，伸着手，似在召唤，又似在索要，那男鲛人却冷漠地凝望着海外的世界。

相柳凝视着掌上的冰晶球，很久很久。

慢慢地，他伸出了一根子指，向着女鲛人伸出的手探去，他的手指贴在了冰晶上。

看上去，他们好像握在了一起，可是，隔着冰晶，他们在两个截然不同的世界，永不可能真正相握。

Seven days later, the Jun Emperor asked Xiao Yao, "Have you made up your mind?"

Xiao Yao replied, "I've made up my mind. Announce the wedding date!"

The Jun Emperor said no more and proclaimed to the world that on the 22nd day of the Mid-Autumn Moon, the Princess of Gaoxin, Jiu Yao, would marry.

The Chi Shui clan sent out wedding invitations to the entire world. The leader of the Chi Shui clan was not only the head of the Four Great Families, but also the son of the Shennong clan leader Xiao Zhulu, the brother of the Xuanyuan Queen, and a trusted minister of the Xuanyuan Emperor. Throughout the Great Wilderness, even those who did not care about the prosperity of the Chi Shui clan would congratulate the Jun Emperor, the Black Emperor, and the Yellow Emperor, not to mention the Queen Mother of Mount Jade.

The Chi Shui's wedding gift fleet, setting out from Chi Shui, consisted of dozens of identical ships heading toward the Five Gods Mountain. The fleet was so vast that it was impossible to see its end, creating a grand spectacle that drew people along the way to the riverbanks just to catch a glimpse of the Chi Shui’s wedding gifts.

A few years ago, the wedding of the Xuanyuan Emperor and the Queen was celebrated throughout the Xuanyuan realm, but this time, the wedding of the Chi Shui clan leader and the Gaoxin Princess was causing celebrations across the entire world. When the news of the Gaoxin Princess's marriage reached Qing Shui Town, the inns and teahouses were abuzz, and even the courtesans in the brothels were discussing it endlessly.

Xiang Liu was drinking and discussing matters when he overheard the conversations next door.

Some said that the Chi Shui clan leader was marrying the Gaoxin Princess for profit; some claimed that the Chi Shui clan leader truly loved the Princess, having sworn to only love her for life; others commented on the Princess’s unparalleled beauty; while some spoke of the Chi Shui clan leader’s exceptional demeanor...

There were many opinions, and several performers sighed in unison, "This Princess is truly fortunate!"

One of the guests couldn’t help but exclaim, "This wedding is probably the grandest event in the Great Wilderness for centuries."

Everyone began discussing the marriage of the Chi Shui clan leader and the Gaoxin Princess.

Xiang Liu smiled, rose from his seat, and bid farewell to the crowd.

As Xiang Liu exited the brothel, the sky was filled with misty rain.

He walked along the long street, following the West River, strolling leisurely.

By the azure waters, clusters of red smartweed, their colors vivid and bright due to the rain, looked exceptionally enchanting.

Xiang Liu stood by the river, gazing at the seamless blend of water and sky, unsure of what he was thinking.

After a while, he withdrew his gaze, spread his palm, and took out a crystal ball.

Fine raindrops fell on his palm, forming a cold mist around the crystal, making the blue light shimmer like the sea under the moonlight.

Beneath the blue sea, peaceful and serene, a female mermaid sat in a beautiful shell, extending her hand as if summoning or seeking. The male mermaid, however, gazed coldly at the world beyond the sea.

Xiang Liu stared at the crystal ball for a long time.

Slowly, he extended a finger towards the hand of the female mermaid, his finger touching the crystal.

It looked as if they were holding hands, but separated by the crystal, they existed in two entirely different worlds, forever unable to truly grasp one another.

Seven days later the Grand Emperor asked Xiao Yao, “Have you decided?”

Xiao Yao said, “I decided, announce the wedding date!”

The Grand Emperor said nothing and announced the wedding date to the world. In the Autumn month on the 22nd day, Eldest Princess Gao Xing Jiu Yao was going to get married.

The Chi Sui clan sent out wedding invitations to the world since the Chi Sui clan leader wasn’t just the leader of the clan that was the head of the Four Great Clans, he was also the son of the Sheng Nong tribe head Little Zhu Rong as well as the older brother of the Xuan Yuan Empress. The entire vast wilderness mobilize to attend for Chi Sui Feng Long, and also for the Grand Emperor, the Black Emperor, and the Yellow Emperor. Not to mention the Royal Mother from Jade Mountain.

The Chi Sui clan wedding presents were sent to Gao Xing on a fleet of ships so vast it was impossible to see the first and last ship in one glance. A few years ago when the Xuan Yuan Black Emperor married his Empress, the entire Xuan Yuan Kingdom celebrated. But this time for the marriage of the Chi Sui clan leader and the Gao Xing Eldest Princess, the entire vast wilderness was celebrating. When the news reached Qing Shui Town, all the restaurants were abuzz and even the brothel ladies couldn’t stop gossiping about it.

Xiang Liu was drinking and discussing matters when conversation reached him.

Some said the Chi Sui clan leader was marrying the Gao Xing Princess for connections, others said he really loved her and promised that she would be his one and only woman in this lifetime, still others said the Princess was so beautiful she was unreal…..

So many rumors and suggestions but it all reached the same conclusion, “This Princess sure has got a lucky life!”

Everyone sighed, “This wedding is the biggest event in the last hundreds of years in the vast wilderness.”

Xiang Liu stood up with a smile and bid farewell to the people he was drinking with.

He walked out of the brothel to find a misty rain falling.

He walked through a long street towards the western riverbanks, strolling slowly.

He stood by the edge of the river and stared out at the water and misty air and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

After a long time he looked down and opened his hand and in his palm was an ice crystal ball.

Misty raindrops fell on his palm and created an icy mist around the ice crystal ball. It made the blue water inside even more vibrant like the ocean under a full moon.

The blue ocean depths, the isolated peacefulness, the mermaid sitting on her beautiful clam shell home reaching out her hand to beckon, to plead, to summon. But the merman just coldly looked out at the world outside the ice crystal ball.

Xiang Liu stared at the ice crystal scene for a long, long time.

Slowly he reached out a finger and pressed it on the ice crystal so it looked like he was taking the mermaid’s outstretched hand.

At a glance, it appeared that they were holding hands but in truth the ice crystal separated them. They were from two completely different worlds, they could never truly be together.


-----

When XL gets XY drunk and uses his power to get truthful answers from her and then makes her forget about it in chapter 32:

Kanunu8Chat GPTKoala
相柳坐下，一边喝酒，一边看着小夭，眼神复杂，不知道又在思谋什么。

小夭终于开日说话：“我什么时候可以离开？你的计划是什么？”

相柳没有回答小夭的问题，把一坛酒抛到小夭手边：“这酒是特殊制过的烈酒，一杯就能醉人。”

屋子里没拢炭炉，小夭的身子恰有些发冷，说道：“再烈的酒也不能让我一醉解千愁！”

她拿起酒坛，大喝了几日。烈酒入喉，如烧刀子一般滚入腹间，身子立即暖了，心也渐渐松弛了。

小夭不停地喝酒，相柳陪着小夭也默默喝酒。

相柳突然问：“你愿意嫁给丰隆吗？”

[小夭的表情呆滞，软绵绵地回答：“不愿意。”

相柳问：“你愿意嫁给璟吗？”] *

小夭的表情出现了变化，她好像挣扎着要醒来，相柳的眼睛光芒更甚，声音越发柔和地问：“你愿意嫁给叶十七吗？”

小夭喃喃说：“愿意。”

一个问题就在嘴边，可相柳竟然犹豫不决，一瞬后，他问道：“你最想和谁相伴一生？”

小夭张口，像是要回答，可她的表情非常抗拒，意志在拒绝回答。

几次挣扎后，她越来越痛告，身子发颤，猛然抱住了头：“痛，痛……”相柳用妖术窥探小夭的内心，可小夭的意志异常坚韧，碰到她自己平时都拒绝思考的问题，她会异常抗拒，头痛就是她反抗的爆发。

相柳怕伤到她的元神，不敢再逼她，忙撤去妖力，对小夭说：“如果头痛，就休息吧！”

小夭疲惫地靠在枕上，痛苦地蹙着眉。

相柳给她盖上被子，小夭突然睁开了眼睛：“为什么？”

相柳看着小夭，不知道她问的是哪个为什么，是为什么逼她悔婚，还是为什么用妖术窥探她的内心。

小夭却己放弃追问，闭上了眼睛，喃喃说：“我好难受……相柳，我难受……”

相柳的手掌贴在小夭的额头，低声说：“你会忘记刚才的事，睡一觉就好了！”

小夭睡着了，唇畔却是一缕讥讽的笑，似乎在说：“睡一觉，不会好！”

小夭醒来的时候，头痛欲裂，她觉得昨夜的事有点古怪，可想了半晌，想不出所以然，便放弃了。

也许因为近日起得早，相柳竟然不在。

Xiang Liu sat down, drinking while watching Xiao Yao. His gaze was complex, revealing that his thoughts were tangled with something he was not willing to share.

Finally, Xiao Yao broke the silence. “When can I leave? What’s your plan?”

Xiang Liu didn’t answer her question. Instead, he tossed a jar of wine to her side. “This is a special kind of strong liquor—just one cup can make someone drunk.”

The room had no brazier, and Xiao Yao’s body was starting to feel cold. She said, “No amount of strong wine can make me drunk enough to forget my troubles!”

She picked up the jar and took a few swigs. The strong liquor burned as it went down her throat, like a blade cutting through, but it warmed her instantly, and her mind began to relax.

Xiao Yao kept drinking, and Xiang Liu silently drank with her.

Suddenly, Xiang Liu asked, “Are you willing to marry Feng Long?”

[Xiao Yao's expression was dazed as she replied softly, "I don't want to."

Xiang Liu asked, "Are you willing to marry Jing?"]

Xiao Yao’s expression shifted, as if she was struggling to wake from a daze. Xiang Liu’s eyes brightened, and he asked, even more softly, “Are you willing to marry Ye Shiqi?”

Xiao Yao murmured, “Yes.”

A question lingered on Xiang Liu’s lips, but he hesitated. After a brief pause, he finally asked, “Who do you most want to spend your life with?”

Xiao Yao opened her mouth as if to answer, but her expression was one of resistance. Her will refused to let her speak.

As she struggled to respond, the pain became more intense, and her body trembled. Suddenly, she clutched her head. “It hurts… it hurts…” Xiang Liu, using his demon powers to peer into Xiao Yao’s heart, found her will incredibly resilient. Whenever she was faced with questions she avoided even in her own mind, she resisted fiercely, and the resulting pain was an outward sign of this resistance.

Afraid of harming her soul, Xiang Liu withdrew his powers and said gently, “If it hurts, just rest.”

Xiao Yao, exhausted, leaned back against the pillow, her face etched with pain.

Xiang Liu pulled a blanket over her. Xiao Yao suddenly opened her eyes. “Why?”

Xiang Liu gazed at her, unsure which "why" she was asking. Was it why he had pushed her to break off the engagement, or why he had used his demon powers to invade her mind?

Xiao Yao didn’t pursue the question further. She closed her eyes and murmured, “I feel so terrible... Xiang Liu, I feel awful…”

Xiang Liu placed his palm on her forehead and whispered, “You’ll forget everything that just happened. Sleep, and you’ll feel better.”

Xiao Yao fell asleep, but a mocking smile lingered on her lips, as if to say, “Sleep won’t make anything better.”

When Xiao Yao woke up, her head throbbed with pain. She felt like something strange had happened the night before, but after pondering for a while, she couldn’t figure it out and gave up.

Perhaps because she had been getting up early recently, Xiang Liu was nowhere to be seen.

Xiang Liu sat down and started drinking wine and stared at Xiao Yao. There was a conflicted look in his eyes, unclear what he was thinking about.

Xiao Yao finally spoke. “When can I leave? What is your plan?”

Xiang Liu didn’t answer her question and just tossed a jug of wine to Xiao Yao. “This wine is specially made strong liquor, one sip and it’ll knock a person out.”

There was no brazier lit in the room so Xiao Yao was chilled. “No matter how strong the wine, it won’t let me drink my woes away!”

She picked up the jug and took a big large gulp. The strong wine hit her throat and burned its way down to her belly, instantly warming her body and relaxing her mood.

Xiao Yao continued to drink and Xiang Liu kept her company and also silently drank.

Xiang Liu suddenly asked, “Do you want to marry Feng Long?”

[...]

Xiao Yao’s expression changed, she appeared to try and snap herself alert. Xiang Liu’s eyes were piercing bright and his voice tender and soft as he asked, “Do you want to marry Ye Shi Qi?”

Xiao Yao murmured, “I do.”

Another question was right at the tip of Xiang Liu’s lips but he was actually torn until a moment later he asked, “Who do you most want to spend your entire life with?”

Xiao Yao opened her mouth to answer but her expression showed her internal struggle as her mind refused to let her say what her heart felt.

After multiple struggles she became more and more pained and her body began to shake as she clutched her head. “Hurt…..hurt…..” Xiang Liu had used his power to try and see into Xiao Yao’s heart but Xiao Yao’s mind was too strong willed. If she encountered something that even she refused to think about, then she would unexpectedly oppose answering it and the headache was the result of her refusal to answer the question.

Xiang Liu was afraid that she would injure her soul essence so he didn’t dare push her and quickly pulled back his probe and said, “If your head hurts, rest.”

Xiao Yao wearily rested on the pillow with her forehead furrowed in pain.

Xiang Liu covered her with a blanket and Xiao Yao suddenly opened her eyes. “Why?”

Xiang Liu stared at Xiao Yao and didn’t know exactly what she was asking why about. Was it why he forced her to become a runaway bride? Or was it why he used his powers to probe the true feelings inside her heart?

Xiao Yao gave up asking and closed her eyes to murmur, “I’m so hurting……Xiang Liu, I hurt………”

Xiang Liu’s hand pressed on Xiao Yao’s forehead and he said in a low voice, “You’ll forget what just happened and after a good night’s sleep it’ll all be fine.”

Xiao Yao fell asleep but there was a sardonic smile on her lips as if mocking. “Even after a good sleep it won’t all be fine!”

When Xiao Yao woke up, her head felt like splitting and she sensed something strange happened last night but no matter how much she tried to remember she couldn’t figure it out so she gave up.

Perhaps it was due to waking up early today, Xiang Liu had already left.


* liddi supplied the missing original text, which is not included in the Kanunu8 text or Koala's translation. 

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AH

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After XL kisses XY's forehead (leaving her in a daze) and exits the donkey meat selling, one-armed veteran's home in chapter 35:

Kanunu8Chat GPTKoala
因为刚哭过，小夭的眸子分外清亮，相柳能清楚地看见她眼眸中的自己。他伸手抚过，把她的眼睛合拢：“我走了！”

小天只觉额上一点柔软的清凉，轻轻一触，又立即消失，小天猛地捂住额头，睁眼看去，眼前已空无一人。

错觉！一定是错觉！

相柳从屋子内飞出，跃上墙头，只看街巷上雾气弥漫，无路可走。

相柳笑着回身，看到璟一袭青衣，长身玉立。他笑问：“涂山族长，听壁角可好玩？我刚才没叫破你偷听，你现在又何必设迷障来刁难我？”

璟温和地说：“如果不想和颛顼的暗卫撞见，从北面走同，我在那边留了路。”

“倒是我误会族长了，多谢！”相柳把兜帽戴好，遮去了面容，向北面飞掠而去。

璟说：“谢谢！”

相柳猛地停住了脚步，回身说道：“涂山族长的谢谢，倒是要听仔细了，省得错过了什么好处。”

璟笑着说：“谢谢你劝慰她，好处我当然愿意给，但你愿意要吗？”

相柳似笑非笑地说：“我当然愿意要，不过——不是问你要！”

璟的脸色变了，相柳大笑起来。笑声中，他的身影消失在雾气中。

冰冷黑暗的屋子中，小夭恍恍惚惚地坐着。

Xiao Yao's eyes, having just shed tears, were exceptionally clear, and Xiang Liu could see his own reflection in them. He reached out to gently close her eyes. "I’m leaving," he said.

Xiao Yao felt a soft, cool touch on her forehead, fleeting and brief, as if it had never happened. She instinctively pressed her hand to her forehead, quickly opening her eyes, but the room was already empty.

It must have been a hallucination! It had to be an illusion!

Xiang Liu flew out of the room and leaped onto the wall, but the streets below were shrouded in mist, obscuring the way forward.

Smiling, Xiang Liu turned back, spotting Jing standing tall in his blue robes, poised with a calm grace. Xiang Liu chuckled, “Chief of the Tu Shan clan, eavesdropping must be fun, huh? I didn’t call you out earlier for listening in, so why make it harder for me now with this illusion barrier?”

Jing responded gently, “If you don’t want to run into Zhuan Xu's secret guards, go north. I’ve cleared a path for you there.”

“I misjudged you, Chief. Thanks!” Xiang Liu pulled up his hood, concealing his face, and leapt toward the northern route.

“Thank you,” Jing said.

Xiang Liu abruptly halted and turned back. “Chief Tu Shan’s thanks are something I need to hear carefully, lest I miss out on any rewards.”

Jing smiled. “Thank you for comforting her. Of course, I’m willing to offer you something in return, but would you even accept it?”

Xiang Liu smirked. “I’d definitely accept, but—not from you!”

Jing’s expression darkened, while Xiang Liu’s laughter echoed through the mist as he vanished into the fog.

In the cold, dark room, Xiao Yao sat in a daze, her thoughts scattered and unclear.

Because she just cried, Xiao Yao’s eyes were extraordinarily clear and bright. Xiang Liu could clearly see himself reflected in her eyes, so he covered her eyes with his hand. “I’m off!”

Xiao Yao felt a soft coolness brush over her forehead, a brief touch that immediately vanished. Xiao Yao clasped her forehead in shock and opened her eyes to see the room was already empty before her.

Mistaken illusion! It was a mistaken illusion!

Xiang Liu vaulted out of the room and onto the courtyard wall to see that there was dense fog all outside and nowhere he could go.

Xiang Liu turned around with a smile to see Jing standing there dressed in blue. He asked with a chuckle, “Tu Shan clan leader, was it interesting to eavesdrop? I didn’t tell her you were listening in back there so why are you using a mystical fog to make it difficult for me?”

Jing calmly said, “If you don’t want to run into Zhuan Xu’s personal guards, head North because I left a path open there.”

“Looks like I misunderstood clan leader’s intentions, thank you!” Xiang Liu fixed his hood and changed his face before vaulting North.

Jing said, “Thank you.”

Xiang Liu abruptly stopped in his tracks and turned back. “What is the Tu Shan clan leader’s thanks for? I ought to listen carefully in case I miss something of value in the future.”

Jing smiled. “Thank you for comforting her. I’ll definitely offer something of value but the question is whether you’ll want it?”

Xiang Liu said in a half serious, half joking tone, “Of course I want it, but ——— not from you!”

Jing’s expression changed while Xiang Liu laughed out loud and disappeared into the fog.

In the cold dark room, Xiao Yao sat there in a daze.


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Tong Hua tells the readers that XL knew that TSJ was present and allowed TSJ to eavesdrop on his conversation with XY (without XY knowing) again in chapter 37:

Kanunu8Chat GPTKoala
小夭反应过来，吃惊地说：“你从一开始，就知道这是蛊，对吗？”

“是又如何？”

“巫王说情人蛊是‘天上鹣鹣不独飞，水中鸳鸯会双死’，我若死了，你能活吗？”

“不如反过来问，我若死了，你能活吗？”

小夭好声好气地说：“不管谁死谁活，我都不知道，所以我才要问你，你告诉我吧！”

相柳脸上的笑容十分邪恶，貌似无奈地说：“我如何能知道呢？你好歹还学过蛊术，我可是第一次玩蛊。不过，不用着急，等你和我死了一个时，结果不就知道了吗？”

小夭简直气得要蹦蹦跳：“你能解了颛顼的蛊，一定知道如何解蛊，难道你不想解了蛊吗？”

相柳笑眯眯地说：“不想！”

小夭无奈地问：“你到底想怎么样？”

相柳的身体向海下一寸寸沉去：“除了奇货可居，你说我还能做什么呢？”

“喂！你别走！”

小夭翻过栏杆，想跳进海里去追相柳，一双手却硬生生地把她抓了回去。

“放开我……”小夭挣扎着回头，见是璟，立即乖乖地由着璟把她拽回了甲板上。

小夭小心翼翼地问：“你几时起来的？”

璟说：“起来一会儿了。”其实，他也一直睡不着，小夭从船舱内走出时，他就知道。只不过小夭显然想一个人静静会儿，所以他没有去打扰她。

从一开始，相柳就知道他在一旁，设的禁制不让船上的人听到小夭和他说话，却偏偏让璟能听到。

看到小夭要去追相柳，璟也说不清为什么，想都没想就冲出去，拉住了小夭，似乎生怕她会消失。

小夭说：“相柳刚来过，我问他解蛊的方法，他不肯告诉我。”

璟心内的不安散去。

小夭沮丧地说：“我嘴巴没他恶毒，灵力没他高，做的毒药他当糖豆子吃，每次见他，都被他欺负。”

璟微笑着问：“你要我帮你吗？”

小夭歪着脑袋想了一暧，摇摇头：“你们之间是生意，我和他之间是私仇，一事归一事。”

Xiao Yao suddenly realized something and said in shock, "From the very beginning, you knew this was a love gu, didn’t you?"

“So what if I did?”

“The Sorcerer King said the Love Gu is like ‘two lovebirds who never fly alone in the sky, and two mandarin ducks who die together in the water.’ If I die, can you live?”

“Why not ask the other way around—if I die, can you live?”

Xiao Yao tried to reason with him, her tone gentle, "It doesn’t matter who lives or dies. I don’t know the answer, that’s why I’m asking you. Just tell me!”

Xiang Liu’s smile was wicked, as though helpless, and he said, “How could I possibly know? At least you’ve studied gu magic; I’m playing with gu for the first time. But don’t worry, when one of us dies, we’ll find out.”

Xiao Yao was so angry she practically started hopping around. “You were able to remove Zhuan Xu’s gu, so you must know how to break this one. Don’t you want to?”

Xiang Liu grinned mischievously. “Nope, I don’t.”

Frustrated, Xiao Yao asked, “What do you want, then?”

Xiang Liu’s body slowly began sinking into the sea. “Other than making this a rare commodity, what else do you think I can do?”

“Hey! Don’t leave!”

Xiao Yao climbed over the railing, about to jump into the sea to chase after Xiang Liu, but a pair of hands firmly pulled her back.

“Let go of me…” Xiao Yao struggled and turned to see it was Jing. Immediately, she obediently let him drag her back onto the deck.

Cautiously, Xiao Yao asked, “When did you wake up?”

Jing replied, “I’ve been up for a while.” In fact, he hadn’t been able to sleep either. When Xiao Yao left the cabin, he had noticed but didn’t disturb her since it was clear she wanted to be alone.

From the beginning, Xiang Liu knew Jing was there. He had set a restriction so that no one else on the ship could hear their conversation, yet he deliberately allowed Jing to listen.

When Jing saw Xiao Yao chasing after Xiang Liu, he couldn’t explain why, but he instinctively rushed forward to stop her, as if afraid she might disappear.

Xiao Yao said, “Xiang Liu was just here. I asked him how to break the gu, but he refused to tell me.”

Jing’s unease slowly faded away.

Xiao Yao, feeling defeated, said, “My words aren’t as sharp as his, my powers aren’t as strong, and the poisons I make are like candy to him. Every time I see him, he bullies me.”

Jing smiled and asked, “Do you want me to help you?”

Xiao Yao tilted her head, thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Business is business between you two. But between him and me, it’s personal—one thing has nothing to do with the other.”

Xiao Yao was shocked and asked, “You’ve known all along since the beginning what kind of bug this was, right?”

“What if I did?”

“The Voodoo King said ‘the doves don’t fly alone in the sky, the pair of mandarin ducks in the water die together’. If I die then how can you live?”

“Why don’t you ask the question in reverse – if I die, then how can you live?”

Xiao Yao tried to stay calm and plead with him. “I don’t know who dies and who lives so that’s why I’m asking you. Tell me!”

Xiang Liu’s expression was sly and acted really nonchalant. “How would I know? You’re the one who learned some voodoo. This is the first time I played with a bug. But no need to fret, when either you or I die then we’ll know what happens, right?”

Xiao Yao was so frustrated by him she was nearly hopping up and down in fury. “You broke the spell on Zhuan Xu so how could you not want to break the spell between us?”

Xiang Liu smiled until his eyes were slits, “I don’t want to know!”

Xiao Yao wearily asked, “What do you want then?”

Xiang Liu’s body was slowly sinking into the water. “Other than checking on how my wares are doing in your body, what else do you think I want?”

“Hey! Don’t go!”

Xiao Yao flipped over the railing ready to dive into the water to chase after Xiang Liu but a pair of hands grabbed her hard and pulled her back on deck.

“Let me go…….” Xiao Yao struggled and then turned around to see Jing. She meekly allowed him to keep her on deck.

Xiao Yao tentatively asked, “When did you get up?”

Jing said “I’ve been up for awhile.” Actually, he couldn’t sleep either so he knew from the moment Xiao Yao went on deck. But it was clear she wanted to be alone so he didn’t go disturb her.

From the very beginning Xiang Liu knew Jing was there on deck so Xiang Liu cast a spell that blocked anyone from hearing what he was discussing with Xiao Yao, except he allowed Jing to listen in.

Seeing Xiao Yao going to chase after Xiang Liu, Jing couldn’t explain the feeling but he rushed forward instinctively and grabbed Xiao Yao as if afraid she would vanish from his life.

Xiao Yao said, “Xiang Liu was just by and I asked him how to break the bug spell but he wouldn’t tell me.”

Jing’s worry dissipated.

Xiao Yao said sadly, “I’m not as glib as him, powers are not as high as him, all my poisons he eats like candy, every time I see him he is totally mean to me.”

Jing smiled. “Do you want me to help you?”

Xiao Yao cocked her head. “No, you two are business transactions, what’s between him and me is purely personal. No need to mix it.”
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After XY falls asleep in chapter 43:

Kanunu8Chat GPTKoala
也不知过了多节，相柳停止了吸血，小夭晕沉沉地睁开眼睛：“你可以再吸一点，我没事。”

相柳望着头顶的星空，目光迷蒙：“你一点都不怕吗?你应该知道妖怪毕竟是妖怪，重伤时，会失去神智，被本能驱使，我很有可能把你吸成人干！”

小夭轻轻碰了一下他染血的唇角，温和地说：“是你在怕!”

相柳不屑地冷笑：“我怕?”

“我看到了你的妖身，并不丑陋！你也并没有把我吸成人干！相柳看向小夭，脸色阴沉，小夭却依旧不怕死地说：“你的身躯是比我大了一点……嗯，好吧！不止大了一点，大了很多……脑袋也比我多了一点点，只多了八个而已……但天生万物，谁规定我这样一个脑袋的小身板才算正常？只不过恰好一个脑袋的我们占了绝大多数，如果九个脑袋的你们多一些，大概我们会自卑自己只有一个脑袋。”

“你精神那么好，我看我的确应该再吸点血！”相柳脸色很臭，可当他咬住小夭的脖子，吸吮鲜血时，小夭值感到一阵酥麻，并没有觉得痛。

小夭说：“喂！喂！我刚才只是随便客气一下，你还真吸啊？妖怪就是妖怪……”小夭昏厥了过去，终于闭嘴了！

相柳停止了吸血，静静的凝视着怀里脸色苍白的小夭。

小夭是被食物的香味勾醒的，她睁开眼睛，看到相柳坐在篝火旁，在烤鱼。

Xiao Yao wasn’t sure how long had passed before Xiang Liu stopped drinking her blood. She groggily opened her eyes and said, "You can drink more if you need. I’m fine."

Xiang Liu stared blankly at the starry sky above, his expression dazed. "Aren’t you afraid at all? You should know that a monster is still a monster. When seriously injured, I could lose control and be driven by instinct. There's a good chance I could drain you dry."

Xiao Yao gently touched the corner of his bloodstained lips and said softly, "It’s you who’s afraid."

Xiang Liu sneered disdainfully, "Me? Afraid?"

"I saw your true form. It’s not ugly! And you didn’t drain me dry!" Xiao Yao looked at Xiang Liu, his face darkened, but she continued to speak recklessly. "Your body is just a bit bigger than mine… well, okay, more than a bit. A lot bigger. And you have a few extra heads—just eight more, that’s all. But in the grand scheme of things, who says that someone with one head and a small body like mine is the definition of 'normal'? We just happen to be the majority. If more beings had nine heads like you, maybe we’d feel insecure about only having one."

"You’re in such good spirits. I really should drain more of your blood!" Xiang Liu scowled, but when he bit into Xiao Yao’s neck again and drank her blood, she only felt a tingling sensation—it didn’t hurt at all.

"Hey! Hey! I was just being polite. You’re really going to drink more? Monsters are monsters after all..." Xiao Yao muttered before finally passing out, silencing her ramblings.

Xiang Liu stopped drinking, quietly watching her pale face as she lay unconscious in his arms.

Xiao Yao was eventually woken up by the smell of food. When she opened her eyes, she saw Xiang Liu sitting by a campfire, grilling fish.

It wasn’t clear how much time passed when Xiang Liu stopped drinking her blood. Xiao Yao drowsily opened her eyes. “You can drink more, I’m fine.”

Xiang Liu raised his head to look up at the star-filled sky and the hazy moonlight. “Aren’t you scared one whit? You should know a demon is a demon. When gravely injured, a demon will lose control and revert to basic instinct. I could have sucked you dry!”

Xiao Yao softly touched the corner of his lips with a trace of blood on it and tenderly said, “You’re the one who is scared!”

Xiang Liu scoffed, “I’m scared?”

“I saw your demon form, and it wasn’t hideous at all! And you didn’t suck me dry either!” Xiang Liu stared darkly at Xiao Yao and she got up her courage to continue. “Your form is larger than me……uhm, okay! So it’s not just larger, it’s much much bigger……and you have more heads than I do, just eight more only…..but the laws of nature didn’t say that a one-headed type like me is the norm, right? It just so happens that us one-headed types are the majority, if nine-headed types like you were the majority, I would feel self-conscious that I only have one head.”

“You have so much energy, clearly I should suck some more of your blood!” Xiang Liu’s expression was still dark, but when he leaned down to bite Xiao Yao’s neck and began sucking, Xiao Yao felt only a frisson of excitement and tingling, with no feeling of pain.

Xiao Yao said, “Hey! Hey! I was just being polite just now. And you’re really sucking again? A demon really is a demon…” And with that Xiao Yao fell asleep and finally stopped talking.

Xiang Liu stopped drinking and lifted his head to stare quietly at the sleeping Xiao Yao in his arms.

Xiao Yao woke up lured by the delicious smell of food. She opened her eyes and saw Xiang Liu by the fire roasting fish.


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When the readers are given some insight into XL's thoughts / feelings in chapter 43 that XY is not privy to:

Kanunu8Chat GPTKoala
小夭苦笑：“不管怎么说，你总是救了我。”

相柳同：“你为什么会被关在那片海域里？”

“有人要杀我。”

相柳鄙夷她看着小夭：“有人要杀你，你就被关住了？”

小夭凝视着篝火，不说话。

相柳问：“为什么没有反抗?”

小夭低声说：”璟……不见了。”她忽而想起什么，急切的问：“东海就像你家一样，你……你……你见没见过璟?”

相柳讥嘲地问：“你以为我闲得整天守在海上，只等着救人吗?”

“不是……我只是觉得……清水镇算是你的地盘，也许你察觉了涂山篌的异动，东海虽大，可你是海妖……也许……”

相柳冷冷地说：“没有那么多也许!”

小夭埋下头，眼泪无声地落着。

相柳转过了身子，望向海天尽头，明明背对着她，可就是清楚地听到了泪珠坠落的声音，一滴又一滴，又细又密，传入耳朵，就好似芒刺一样，一下下戳着心尖。

相柳说：“有哭得时间，想想究竟是谁要杀你。”

Xiao Yao gave a bitter smile and said, "No matter what, you still saved me."

Xiang Liu responded indifferently, "Why were you trapped in that part of the sea?"

"Someone wants to kill me," Xiao Yao replied.

Xiang Liu looked at her with disdain. "Someone wants to kill you, and you just let yourself get trapped?"

Xiao Yao stared into the fire, remaining silent.

Xiang Liu asked, "Why didn’t you fight back?"

Xiao Yao spoke softly, "Jing… disappeared." Suddenly, she remembered something and asked urgently, "The East Sea is like your home... have you... have you seen Jing?"

Xiang Liu mockingly asked, "Do you think I spend all day wandering the seas, just waiting to save people?"

"No… I just thought… Qing Shui Town is basically your territory, so maybe you noticed the movement from Tu Shan Hou. The East Sea is vast, but you’re a sea demon, so maybe…"

Xiang Liu interrupted coldly, "There are no 'maybes'."

Xiao Yao lowered her head as silent tears began to fall.

Xiang Liu turned his back to her, looking out toward the horizon. Although his back was to her, he could clearly hear the sound of her tears hitting the ground, drop by drop, each one piercing his heart like a fine needle.

Xiang Liu said, "If you have time to cry, use it to think about who’s trying to kill you."

Xiao Yao smiled sadly. “No matter what, thank you for saving me.”

Xiang Liu asked, “Why were you imprisoned in the ocean?”

“Someone wanted to kill me.”

Xiang Liu stared in disgust at Xiao Yao. “Someone wanted to kill you, so you let yourself get imprisoned?”

Xiao Yao stared at the fire and said nothing.

Xiang Liu pressed on. “Why didn’t you fight back?”

Xiao Yao said in a low voice, “Jing……disappeared.” She suddenly remembered and anxiously asked “The East Sea is like your home. You….you….have you seen Jing?”

Xiang Liu mockingly said, “Do you think I spend my time hanging in the ocean just waiting to rescue people?”

“No….I just thought….Qing Shui Town is also your territory of sorts, perhaps you noticed Tu Shan Hou’s activities. The East Sea may be big but you’re a sea demon….so maybe…..”

Xiang Liu coldly replied, “There aren’t that many maybes!”

Xiao Yao lowered her head and her tears came down silently.

Xiang Liu turned around to stare at the ocean expanse, with his back to Xiao Yao, but even then he clearly heard her tears falling. One drop after another, so soft and bunched together, the sound entered his ears like a sharp thorn prick, each drop a stab to his heart.

Xiang Liu said, “If you have time to cry, use it to think about who tried to kill you.”


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After XY fainted and Left Ear took her away in chapter 46:

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小夭无力地趴在鼎上，鲜血仍在滴滴答答地落着。左耳说：“不管她曾经欠了你什么，以血偿还，都足够了！”

相柳却冷冷地说：“还死不了！”

小夭惨笑起来，竟然咬着牙，又拿起弯弓，把另一只手腕也狠狠划开，让血流得更多更快。两只手都鲜血淋漓，小天连睁开眼睛的力气都没了，四周寂静无声，只听到鲜血不停滴落的声音。

半晌后，相柳终于开了口：“你可以带她离开了。”

小夭抬起头，脸色惨白地说：“你最好一次要够了！今夜之后，你我陌路，此生此世我永不想再见你！”

因为失血过多，小夭凭着一口气硬撑着才没有昏厥，她头晕目眩，看不清相柳的表情，只听到他说：“带她走！”

小夭心中的一口气泄了，头无力地垂下，昏死了过去。她眼中一直倔强地不肯落下的泪，也终于缓缓坠落，滴入了一鼎殷红的鲜血中，溅起几个小小的涟漪。

相柳静静地看着，那一圈圈血红的涟漪映入他漆黑的双眸，就好似平静无波的眼眸中也皴起了碎纹。

左耳屈膝跪下，默默对相柳磕了一个头，带着小夭离开了。

相柳不言不动，一直含笑看着眼前的水鼎。鼎身透明，能清楚地看到里面的鲜血，灵气流溢，煞是好看。他双掌缓缓伸出，催动灵力，蓝绿色的光影急剧地闪烁变幻，犹如有无数流星在飞舞，水鼎渐渐收缩，最后凝聚成了一个鸽子蛋般大小的血红珠子，落在相柳的掌心。

凝血为珠的举动好似耗费了相柳很多灵力，他脸色发白，手轻颤，闭目休息了好一会儿后，撮唇为哨，发出只有水族能听到的低啸。一会儿后，远处的湖面起了波澜，水花中，一个鲛人乘风破浪，疾驰而来，行到相柳面前，恭敬地停住。

相柳把血红的珠子递给鲛人，鲛人小心翼翼地接过，用一个金天氏特殊锻造过的蓝色贝壳藏好。相柳用鲛人的语言吩咐了他几句，鲛人仔细地听完，甩着鱼尾对相柳行了一礼，转身向着大海的方向疾驰而去。

相柳目送着他的身影消失在湖面上后，低下头，看着胸口的小箭，伸手轻轻抚过，手在箭上停驻了一瞬。他无声地叹了口气，猛然一用力将箭拔出，随着鲜血的喷出，他好似累了，直挺挺地躺倒在水面上，仰望着天空，笑容慢慢淡去。

黑云遮蔽住了圆月，相柳的双眸内映出的是——没有一颗星辰的苍穹，无边的黑暗、无边的寂寥。

Xiao Yao weakly leaned against the cauldron, her blood still dripping steadily. Zuo Er spoke up, "No matter what debt she owed you in the past, her blood has more than repaid it!"

But Xiang Liu coldly replied, "She's not dead yet!"

Xiao Yao let out a bitter laugh, biting her lip. Despite her weakness, she picked up the curved blade again and viciously cut open her other wrist, making the blood flow even faster. Both her hands were drenched in blood, and she no longer had the strength to keep her eyes open. The surroundings fell into a deep silence, only the sound of blood dripping echoed.

After a long pause, Xiang Liu finally spoke, "You can take her away now."

Xiao Yao lifted her head, her face pale, and said, "You'd better take enough this time! After tonight, we are strangers. In this lifetime, I never want to see you again!"

Xiao Yao barely held onto consciousness, fighting off fainting from blood loss. Her vision blurred, unable to make out Xiang Liu’s expression, but she heard his voice again, "Take her away."

The last of Xiao Yao's strength faded, and her head slumped down as she passed out. The tears she had stubbornly refused to let fall finally slipped out, mixing into the blood-filled cauldron below, creating small ripples in the crimson liquid.

Xiang Liu silently watched the blood-red ripples. The undulations mirrored faint cracks in the calm depths of his pitch-black eyes.

Zuo Er knelt down, bowed silently to Xiang Liu, and then left with Xiao Yao.

Xiang Liu remained still, wordlessly gazing at the water cauldron before him. The cauldron was transparent, allowing him to see the swirling blood inside, its spiritual energy radiating beautifully. Slowly, he extended his hands and summoned his spiritual power. Blue-green light flickered and danced around him like a cascade of shooting stars. The water cauldron gradually shrank until it condensed into a blood-red bead, no larger than a pigeon’s egg, resting in the palm of his hand.

Condensing the blood into a bead seemed to drain much of Xiang Liu's energy. His face turned pale, and his hands trembled slightly. He closed his eyes to rest for a while before whistling, a sound only the water demons could hear. Soon after, the lake’s surface rippled as a merman surged through the waves and arrived before Xiang Liu, stopping respectfully.

Xiang Liu handed the blood-red bead to the merman, who carefully took it and placed it inside a specially forged blue shell from the Jin Tian clan. Xiang Liu gave the merman a few quiet instructions in their language. The merman listened attentively, then swished his tail, bowed to Xiang Liu, and sped off toward the open sea.

Xiang Liu watched the merman disappear into the distance, then lowered his gaze to the small arrow lodged in his chest. He gently ran his fingers over it, pausing for a moment. With a silent sigh, he suddenly pulled the arrow out. Blood sprayed from the wound, and he seemed to lose his strength. Collapsing onto the water’s surface, he lay flat, staring up at the sky as the smile slowly faded from his face.

Dark clouds obscured the full moon, and in Xiang Liu’s eyes was reflected the sky—empty, starless, an endless expanse of darkness and solitude.

 Xiao Yao collapsed on the edge of the urn as her blood continued to flow into it. Left Ear said, “No matter what she owes you, this blood is more than enough payment!”

Xiang Liu coldly smiled back. “She’s not dead yet!”

Xiao Yao forced a devastated smile and gritted her teeth before taking her bow to slice open her other wrist so the blood could flow faster. Both her hands were spilling blood into the urn and Xiao Yao had no strength to open her eyes anymore so all she could hear was the sound of blood flowing.

After a moment Xiang Liu said quietly, “You can take her back now.”

Xiao Yao lifted her head to stare at Xiang Liu. “You should take as much as you can tonight. After tonight, you and I are strangers – for this life and this lifetime, I never ever want to see you again!”

Because of the blood loss, Xiao Yao couldn’t even see anymore, so she didn’t get to see Xiang Liu’s expression, all she heard was him say again, “Take her home now!”

Xiao Yao fainted dead away, and the tears she was struggling to hold in finally fell from her eyes and splashed down her cheeks into the urn, causing a ripple.

Xiang Liu silently stared at the blood in the urn as the ripples spread out.

Left Ear kneeled down and bowed silently to Xiang Liu before taking Xiao Yao away.

Xiang Liu didn’t move or say a word, only staring at the urn with the same plastered smile on his face. He could see clearly the glistening blood inside, beautiful in its power. He stretched his palms forward and conjured up power, a blue green light glowed around him like stars and the urn gradually got smaller and smaller until it became a blood red jewel the size of a pigeon’s egg. Xiang Liu held it in his hand, and turning the blood into a jewel appeared to have sapped Xiang Liu of his power and his face was pale and his hands shook. He closed his eyes and pursed his lips, and after some time he was able to make a call that only the water tribes could hear.

After some time, a ripple appeared on the water’s surface and a merman rode the waves up to Xiang Liu. He stopped before Xiang Liu and bowed respectfully.

Xiang Liu handed the red blood jewel to the merman who carefully received it and placed it into a blue shell that was custom made by the Jin Tian family for this jewel. Xiang Liu spoke to the merman in the mer language, and the merman listened to Xiang Liu’s instructions before nodding and bowing to Xiang Liu. He turned and rode the waves towards the direction of the ocean.

Xiang Liu watched the merman until he disappeared from view. He then lowered his eyes and looked at the arrow protruding from his chest. He touched it lightly with his hands before taking a deep breath and pulling it out of his chest with one move. As the blood gushed out of the wound, Xiang Liu seemed exhausted and finally just collapsed on the lake surface. He looked up at the sky as the smile was slowly wiped away.

The black clouds covered the bright moon so all that shone in Xiang Liu’s eyes were – a darkness without light, a darkness without end, a darkness of eternal loneliness.

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