As soon as he stepped out of the cave, a blinding light assaulted him, forcing Shen Zhao to close his eyes.
After he adjusted to the intensity of the light and reopened his eyes, the scene before him had undergone a complete transformation from what it was before he entered the cave.
The previously tranquil Gorge had become an Asura field, filled with the clamor of killing.
"Kill! Leave none alive!"
Within the distorted space, a blurred shadow of a figure waved his hand. Immediately, four other equally indistinct Black-robed figures pounced towards a group of Gorge guards wielding a variety of weapons.
In just a moment, a large number of guards fell into pools of blood, like waves of wheat harvested in autumn.
"Mortal ants dare to defy the heavens?"
"You can only blame yourselves for choosing the wrong person to follow. I gave you a chance, but you didn't cherish it. You insisted on walking down a dead end!"
The leading Black-robed figures roared, standing proudly on a cluster of giant rocks, looking down at the suffering lives below.
Shen Zhao frowned, trying hard to see the faces of these murderers.
But just as he got close to the leading figure, the Black-robed figure seemed to have noticed him, and laughed loudly at Shen Zhao:
"You couldn't help yourself in the end. Truly, for the sake of these Mortal ants, you actually came here to seek death.
What a pity. I didn't want to kill you, but you didn't appreciate the offer and exposed the secret on your own. Then I can't spare you!"
With that, the five Black-robed figures abandoned the blood-soaked battlefield, passed through Shen Zhao's body, and headed straight for the distance.
"Let's follow them and see."
Shen Zhao frowned and immediately followed the Black-robed figures, running through the shifting reality.
But the next moment, the scene twisted and changed again.
Five Black-robed figures surrounded a figure holding a spear on a rock in the center.
Although Shen Zhao couldn't see the face clearly, he could tell from the figure that the person surrounded was a woman.
At this moment, the long spear in the woman's hand had already broken. She was kneeling on the ground, and a pool of blood surrounded her, flowing down the rock and gathering into a stream of blood on the ground. Judging from this, she should have been seriously injured.
"Even now, you still refuse to submit?"
"You are truly disgusting. You want me to submit to you? Dream on!"
"You dare to be stubborn even when death is imminent. I'll ask you one last time, are you willing to surrender to me?"
"Do you think you're worthy of my surrender?"
\n\nThe atmosphere turned heavy.
\n\nShen Zhao felt a tightness in his chest, his heart suddenly racing, and a strong sense of unease washed over him.
\n\nSeeing that he couldn't persuade the woman, the leading Black-robed figures simply waved his hand: "What a pity. Such a beautiful body, but it will be gone after today.
\n\nIt's not that I don't know how to cherish a beauty, it's just that you don't know what's good for you, and you're helping my opponent to make things difficult for me.
\n\nSince you care so much about him, I'll send you on your way first. He'll be along to keep you company on the road to the underworld soon."
\n\n"You're truly pitiful, always being stepped on by him, thinking you've obtained everything.
\n\nBut in front of your opponent, you are so incompetent, so incompetent that you are as vulnerable as a baby."
"Shut up! Kill them!"
The leading black-robed figure, enraged, slammed a palm towards the woman.
"Stop! Don't!"
Shen Zhao roared, instinctively rushing forward to block the black-robed figure.
But the instant he made contact with the black-robed figure, the illusion vanished.
Coming back to his senses, Shen Zhao found himself standing before a tree brimming with spiritual energy.
"Big brother, what's wrong? Don't scare me!"
Liang Hao's familiar voice pulled Shen Zhao back from the shifting space between reality and illusion.
Taking a deep breath, Shen Zhao looked at Liang Hao: "What happened to me just now?"
Liang Hao's face immediately showed a trace of panic upon hearing this: "Big brother, don't you know?
I saw you walking along the way, and no matter how I called you, you didn't respond.
Then you just stood under this tree, spacing out. Especially your expression just now was really terrifying.
Did something happen? Don't scare me!"
"Nothing happened."
Shen Zhao shook his head and then asked, "Did you find anything wrong with this Gorge?"
"Wrong?" Liang Hao was puzzled, then said with a blank expression, "Nothing wrong,
"The mountains are green and the water is clear here, a beautiful place to retire. Did you sense something, Big Brother?"
Shen Zhao shook his head, looking at the Mystic Spirit Fruit tree. "No, is this the Mystic Spirit Fruit?"
"That's right, Big Brother, look. The Mystic Spirit Fruit looks like it will ripen in three to five days. If you take one, your cultivation will definitely increase by at least one grade. There are exactly three here. How about we split them between the three of us?"
"Suit yourself!"
Shen Zhao didn't pay much attention to the Mystic Spirit Fruit. What he was thinking about was the illusion he had just seen, as well as the diary in his arms.
"Right, where's the little girl?"
"Little sister found a spirit spring inside the Gorge and is looking for a container to draw water. She didn't come with us. If you want to find her, Big Brother, I'll go tell her."
"No need. We'll rest here in the Gorge for a few days. I discovered quite a few Seven Luminaries Dustless Stones in the Gorge.
They're the perfect material for crafting Emperor-grade weapons. I'll make each of you an Emperor's weapon first."
Liang Hao's face lit up immediately. "Excellent! Then I'll thank you in advance, Big Brother!"
"Alright, go find the little girl. I need to think about something carefully. Just let me have some peace for now."
"Okay."
Liang Hao was very obedient, nodding and getting up to leave.
But in his heart, he thought, Strange, Big Brother's expression just now was so terrifying. I've known him for so long, and this is the first time I've seen it. What's going on?
After Liang Hao left, Shen Zhao leaned against a tree, lowering his head to ponder the illusion he had just seen.
If seeing it for the first time, it might be a hallucination, explained by the superposition of nine lifetimes of memories.
But seeing the illusion twice in a row was another matter entirely.
So, what exactly was this foretelling?
Was there a connection between the scene just now and the owner of the diary?
With no clues for the moment, Shen Zhao took out the diary again, sat under a tree, and continued to read…
8. I cautiously approached and told that Young Master that I was willing to sleep with him, as long as he would treat me to a bowl of noodles.
He looked at me with a serious expression, seemingly very surprised that I would say such a thing.
I thought I would be chased away again, but unexpectedly, he agreed!
It smells so good, the noodles are delicious. And those steamed buns are amazing, so happy!
The Young Master saw that I didn't seem full yet, so he asked the shopkeeper to bring another bowl of noodles and a steamer of buns, telling me to eat slowly.
It was so fragrant, I was so happy. For all these years since Master left, this was the first time I'd eaten my fill.
After finishing the noodles, I asked the Young Master with a smile, "When are we going to sleep?"
I didn't expect the Young Master to just touch my hair and ask me in return, "Do you know what it means to sleep with a man?"
"What does it mean? Isn't it just two people sleeping in one bed? What else could it be?"
Seeing that I didn't understand, the Young Master just smiled and told me never to say such things again. He said a girl needs to know how to love herself.
Then he gave me a money pouch and stuffed the almond fruit snacks on the table into my hand, finally smiling at me. He then got up and left the noodle shop.
His smile, I could remember for a lifetime.
I opened the money pouch, and there were many gold and silver scraps inside, as well as those three shiny things that looked very valuable.
Later, I learned that those shiny things were called Spirit Crystals, which were even more valuable than gold.
That day, I fell in love with these little snacks.
That day, I felt for the first time that this world wasn't entirely filled with malice.
Unfortunately, I forgot to ask Young Master's name, but I will always remember him.
Because I met him, my life wasn't so desolate.
Seeing this, Shen Zhao frowned slightly, always feeling like the scene described in the diary seemed very familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had encountered it.
So, he could only continue reading.
9. Chang'an City is so big, and the streets are so lively. Why are there so many people? What day is it today?
Huh? I heard from the neighbors that today is the Emperor's wedding day. The Emperor will personally parade through the streets and meet the people?
Great! I've never seen such a big shot as the Emperor in my whole life. What should I do? I'm so nervous.
I heard that Her Majesty the Emperor is also a woman. That's really amazing.
10. I saw Her Majesty the Empress! The bright red phoenix crown and bridal robes are so eye-catching. She sits high on the Phoenix carriage, accepting the blessings of thousands of people kneeling in worship.
She's really beautiful, so noble, and so full of grace. Compared to her, I feel like a dirty little beggar. I'm so envious! Hmm, I'm so jealous!
When can I stand in that position too? Of course, I can only dream about it. After all, she is the ruler of a country, Her Majesty the Empress.
Just who is the lucky groom, blessed enough to marry such a beautiful Empress? Let me take a look.
Eleven. It's him, that Young Master who saved my life! He's the Empress's husband?
Compared to five years ago, he's even more upright, even more valiant. The two of them are a perfect match, a match made in heaven indeed.
But why is there a hollowness in my heart? Strange, why am I crying?
What am I thinking? Perhaps I'm just too excited to see Young Master again?
Only someone as good as Young Master deserves the Empress's favor. I sincerely wish them a long and happy life, never to be separated.
Twelve. The Empress's husband is truly amazing. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I couldn't have imagined there was such a perfect man in this world.
It seems nothing can stump him. Whenever he steps in, all the seemingly tricky and unsolvable problems are resolved.
More importantly, she was absolutely devoted to the Empress. Their lives must be wonderful, inseparable and harmonious, right?
Thirteen. How could this be? What did I just see? The man beside the Empress wasn't her husband? It was another man?
Had the Empress changed her heart? But why? Her husband had given her so much, wasn't it enough to satisfy her?
Good heavens, the Empress was leaning on that man's shoulder? That man didn't look like a good person at all. How could the Empress like someone like that?
No, I must tell her husband. But, he probably forgot about me long ago, right? Would he believe what I said?
He was such a good person. If he knew this fact, he would definitely be very sad. Sigh, this is so annoying, what should I do?
Shen Zhao frowned, feeling that this diary seemed increasingly strange. The more he read, the more he felt an inexplicable familiarity, but he still couldn't grasp what the key point was.
Thus, he steeled himself and continued reading.
...How could she do this? It's too much! Why did she abandon her own husband to save an unimportant person?
No! He'll freeze to death. I don't want him to die! I have to save him.
My blood is hot; it can withstand the cold. Even if I die, I want him to live!
…That was close. Finally, I dragged him out of the ice cave. He should be alright. He'll be fine once he wakes up.
Hehe, this is the first time in so many years I've seen him this close. That man I used to call Young Master is now even more valiant and handsome.
I want to tell him that I haven't forgotten him all these years. I really want to talk to him, to ask if he still remembers that little beggar girl who wanted to sleep with him back then?
Thinking about it is so embarrassing. He's a married man; how can I have such thoughts? No…
But I really want to spend more time with him, even if he doesn't know I exist.
However, it was unfortunate that the Imperial Guard seemed to have arrived.
I didn't want to disrupt his and the Empress's life, so I had to leave.
Seeing this, Shen Zhao suddenly felt a sharp headache.
The scene from his previous life, when he was buried in the icy plains and snowy regions, resurfaced in his mind.
But this time, he clearly heard someone crying beside him.
"Big brother Shen, you can't die, pull yourself together!"
"Hold on, I will save you!"
"Please, do you remember me? At the noodle shop, if I hadn't met you, I would have starved to death long ago. Please, no matter what, don't have an accident, hold on."
"Wake up, don't die, don't die, please say something!"
In an instant, this sealed memory flooded his mind.
"I remember now, the one who saved me from the ice cave of the ice and snow region wasn't the system, but…"
"Su Yunying!"
He remembered. Everything fit.
The "Young Master" in the diary was actually him.
It turned out that before his first life's rebirth, Shen Zhao's fate had begun at the age of four.
At fifteen, he was dispatched by the Jingan Division to handle affairs in a neighboring city. On the way, he stopped at a noodle shop to rest. He happened to meet a girl, about ten years old, in ragged clothes and with disheveled hair, begging him for food. She offered a bizarre trade: "Willing to sleep with you."
Shen Zhao didn't overthink it. He only felt the girl was pitiful, so he ordered her two bowls of noodles. Then, he left after giving her all the money he had and the dried fruit he had just bought.
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)