Cooperation

A chilling wind swept across the devastated land, and the eerie ghost mist silently filled the space once more amidst the silence. They looked at each other without a word. Tianye's golden eyes remained so dazzling that it was difficult to look directly at them, but this time, Xu Yuan caught a flicker of wavering in them. Yes, wavering. Yet upon noticing this, Xu Yuan did not feel any relief; instead, he immediately grew vigilant. Getting Tianye to believe that the world she inhabited was an illusion was not actually that difficult. In order to repair the chaos caused by him and Tianyan, the illusory space had already generated far too many contradictory established facts. Due to the alteration of cognition, these contradictions might seem perfectly natural to an "ordinary NPC" in this environment, but for an "awakened NPC" like Tianye, they simply could not be explained away. As long as he laid these inexplicable contradictions out before Tianye, she would naturally understand everything. The truly difficult part would only begin after she understood the reality of this world—which was also the real reason why that tongue-tied, washboard Saintess had dumped this mess on him to clean up. How were they to get Tianye to smoothly accept this truth and be willing to cooperate with them? As the thought flashed across his mind, Xu Yuan could not help sighing inwardly. Truth be told, he had little confidence in pulling this off either. Partly because the intelligence in his grasp was far too scarce, and partly because of the fragility of human nature. Heaven only knew what Tianye would do once she learned that she was an NPC who had already been dead for twenty thousand years. Would her Dao heart collapse on the spot? Would she throw caution to the wind and pretend not to know? Or would she darken into a troll in it just for kicks? None of it could be predicted. After all, to him and Tianyan, this place was merely an illusion. Yet to Tianye, this world was the proof that she was alive. Keeping his eyes locked on every subtle shift in Tianye's expression, Xu Yuan soon noticed that earlier trace of wavering vanish, replaced instead by a hint of amusement. Tianye looked Xu Yuan and Xia Qing beside him up and down, her voice laced with laughter: "She seems to have Charm God cherry poison in her body, and her life rests upon a single thought of yours." "Are you trying to say that she might be lying under pressure from me?" Xu Yuan's voice was exceedingly gentle. "In that case, I can draw the charm poison out of her body and dispel those restrictions." "..." After a moment of silence, Tianye shook her head again, her voice devoid of emotion. "Xia Qing has already committed treason. How much trust do you think I can place in the words of a traitor?" *Just as expected—she's started denying it with all her might.* Seeing her reaction, Xu Yuan was not surprised, but his heart sank slightly nonetheless. He had noticed Tianye staring intently at the Charm God tree seed earlier. As for why she had been staring at the Charm God tree seed? The answer went without saying. The Qionghua Sect's Meishen cherry tree was not appearing in the long river of history for the first time. Its miraculous effects had long been thoroughly explored by ancient predecessors. And with Tianye's status, she clearly knew all this information. Denying it even when she already had the answer in her heart... was not a good omen. Yet at this point, he could only bite the bullet and press on. Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan stepped forward through the void. As he walked, he said in a low voice: "I thought your mind would be more resolute—or at least not so childish." Tianye let out a cold laugh, narrowing her beautiful eyes slightly. "Childish? I believe this qualifies as reasonable suspicion." "From your standpoint, it is indeed reasonable suspicion. But as for the truth, you should already have the answer in your heart, shouldn't you?" "What answ—" "Tianye, there is no need to rush to refute me. If you truly don't believe it, we can test it another way." Xu Yuan pressed on step by step, his tone remaining measured and steady: "Summon a confidant you trust. Before this trusted confidant of yours, you and Tianyan can cast the exact same incantation. Then ask him whether the arts the two of you performed appear identical in his eyes." "..." Tianye pressed her red lips together in silence, watching the man walking toward her. Every step he took seemed to tread upon her heartstrings. The man was right; she indeed already had the answer in her heart. Her clearance within the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion was very high—so high that she could access virtually all the ancient scrolls and secret texts in the Heaven Pavilion. Naturally, that included divine items like the Meishen cherry tree. A mature Meishen cherry tree not only allowed one to comprehend the Meishen Dao Charm, but as long as it absorbed enough divine souls, it could also use the art of the Charm God to fabricate an illusion indistinguishable from reality. Every figure within it would be as lifelike as a living mortal. This was also one of the reasons why the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion was currently desperate to obtain the Charm God tree seed: to use it as a central processing core to create a true illusion for the sect's disciples to temper themselves in the mortal world— a true illusion where a year inside was but a day in the world outside... "Phew..." Exhaling softly, Tianye tilted her chin up and looked alone toward the mist-shrouded sky above. Xu Yuan came to a halt in front of her, watching her every minute movement intently, but Tianye's composure caught him somewhat off guard. Her figure looked somewhat frail amidst the endless mist, yet those azure-gold eyes seemed to pierce through the heavy fog, pierce through the clouds, and pierce through the pitch-black sky. "Heh... So that's how it is... I see." After who knew how long, a soft chuckle broke the silence. Tianye slowly lowered her gaze onto the man before her, her voice very quiet. "What is your purpose in telling me all this?" Met with her gaze, which was as calm as a clear spring, Xu Yuan was momentarily taken aback. Frowning slightly, he asked in return, "You've accepted it just like that?" "Otherwise?" Tianye gave the man before her an odd look, tilting her head with a faint smile on her lips. "Did I have to break down for it to count?" Saying so, she suddenly reached out and patted Xu Yuan on the shoulder, winking at him with a radiant smile: "Don't worry, though. I, Tianye, am not that fragile. "So what if the real me is dead? At this moment, as far as my cognition goes, I still exist. That's enough~" "..." Xu Yuan glanced at the hand resting on his shoulder, his heart easing slightly. The next moment, however, that slender, soft hand tightened slightly on his shoulder. Xu Yuan looked up, only to see that Tianye, cloaked in her Shu brocade fur coat, no longer held that carefree look. Her eyes had turned exceedingly complex as she gazed at the surrounding scenery that felt so real: "Well... saying I feel nothing would be a lie too. It's just a bit disappointing, that's all." "Disappointing?" Xu Yuan's eyes flickered for a moment, and he suddenly chuckled. "You should indeed be disappointed. Being the only one awake in such a vast world must be terribly lonely." "Hm?" Tianye was startled for a moment. A spark of keen interest flashed across her beautiful golden eyes, which then curved up. Standing on tiptoe, she leaned in close, her breath fragrant as orchids: "Brother Xu Yuan, how is it that you understand Tianye so well the very first time we meet?" Xu Yuan did not shrink back. Looking at the alluring face right before him, he gave a beaming shrug: "Perhaps some people are destined soulmates by nature, lacking only a first encounter..." *Xu Changtian, can you get down to business already?* A chilly female voice echoed in his mind, cutting Xu Yuan off. Seemingly sensing something, Tianye also looked toward Tianyan, curling the corners of her lips. She reached out and looped her arm right through Xu Yuan's, saying with a beam: "Sister Tianyan..." "Don't call me sister. You are twenty thousand years older than me." "..." The corner of Tianye's pretty eye twitched for an instant before she burst into a bold, charming laugh. Releasing Xu Yuan, she waved her hand and asked: "Alright, alright, joking aside. You told me all this with the intention of having me help you, right?" Hearing this, Xu Yuan immediately chimed in with a smile: "You truly are clever, Tianye..." "How clever?" Tianye interrupted with a grin, stepping closer again and puffing out her chest as she pointed at Tianyan. "Cleverer than this little Tianyan here?" When saying the word 'little,' Tianye enunciated it with heavy emphasis. Hearing that, Xu Yuan could not hold back a laugh. In every sense of the word. He quickly stifled it, however, because he caught sight of Tianyan's expression. Though her small face was expressionless, the glare she directed at Tianye showed she was teetering right on the verge of exploding and striking. Yet even seeing this, Tianye remained utterly fearless, watching Tianyan with playful mockery. Even if she might not be a match for this Tianyan in a fight, she could just call for backup. After all, in this illusory world, she was the Saintess of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion. As the two golden-eyed Saintesses glared at each other, Xu Yuan gave a light cough and stepped between them: "So, Tianye, can you help us?" Tianye drew back her gaze, nodded quite candidly, and smiled: "Of course I can." "..." A glimmer of pleasant surprise showed in Xu Yuan's eyes upon hearing that, but in the next instant, his heart sank. Tianye's beautiful eyes curved like crescent moons, her smile bright and sweet: "However, I will only help you, Brother Xu Yuan. As for this little Tianyan... I don't really like her that much~"