Given enough time, Hongdou would inevitably fall for the foolish Yun Ming. One year, two years, year after year… a full six years passed.
Until now, by a twist of fate, she was finally held in his arms, the warm sunlight streaming into the cable car, and time seemed to stretch endlessly.
Hongdou felt the young man's body burning hot.
Her face flushed, she didn't know what to do next. He had told her not to move and to just let him hold her for a while.
But she always felt something was missing.
Oh, it was a confession.
"Foolish Yun Ming, foolish…"
"Big pig trotter, fickle scoundrel, sister-complex, pervert, lecher…"
Her small mouth rapidly spat out these words she had kept bottled up inside.
"But, I still want to…"
"Want to do what? You big silly girl…"
You want to be with me, even knowing I'm a big pig trotter, knowing I like Sister, you're still willing to let me take advantage?
Don't say it… If you say it, it would be too pathetic, like admitting defeat. Even if you lose, you still want to be together?
Yun Ming couldn't help but want to bite that apple-red cheek.
In this situation,
even reciting a thousand purity incantations would be useless.
Incantations can only dispel the turmoil of the body, but not the yearning of the soul.
He could only cover Hongdou's mouth, preventing her from wielding this powerful magic any further.
If she kept being so coquettish with him… he would inevitably make a mistake. Hongdou was still young, still so young! Even knowing she liked him, he needed to set an even better example.
He couldn't bully her at such a young age.
"Fool, I'm not afraid…"
"I am!"
"Pfft~ Then be a good girl, okay?"
And so, the two leaned against each other, neither speaking again, but Hongdou playfully lifted her leg onto Yun Ming's lap.
She had to start now.
To make Yun Ming look at her more, so he wouldn't always be thinking about other girls. She could not only let him look… he could even touch if he wanted.
But, no moving your hand up, you fool!
Yun Ming, you big lecher… The two rode all the way down the mountain. Qiong Long Encirclement was an affiliated urban area, built on the coast further below Chenghui Flat.
Huijing ore and Huiling stones were transported here for processing, to remove the Aetheric substance attached to them… and because of this, it was the place where the Ethereal Breath outbreaks were most severe. The Ethereal Breath was not only generated by Qing Ming's distracting thoughts (miscellaneous thoughts).
It inherently existed within the Lemnian Hollow.
Yun Ming was also unclear about its specific cause.
He only knew that the Ethereal Breath affected people's consciousness, making them experience beautiful illusions and filling their shortcomings, but it silently eroded the human body.
Slight Ethereal Breath was harmless.
However, the Void had become increasingly active recently, and the situation was somewhat dire, leading to many more patients here.
Bang bang!
As the cable car door opened, the outside noise became clearer, but this clanging sound was made by a Wolf-Xi man.
When he met Yun Ming's gaze, his face was first full of disdain.
Then it turned to helplessness. Didn't I tell you to go slower? If you cause a bloody mess, you'll anger Uncle Chen again.
Yes, Yun Kui Mountain is powerful!
But this matter is ultimately unethical… My foolish Apprentice.
But what could be done? The two were so affectionate, Chen Nan would probably just have to grit his teeth and accept it in the end.
"Hey, I want your daughter, and I want my Sister too."
"Any objections?"
Thinking about the scene at that time, Xu Zhimo wanted to quickly buy two melons and move two stools, one for Uncle-Master and one for him.
Thus, his expression finally transformed into a mischievous smile, as he teasingly looked at his Apprentice, "Oh, oh, oh, you little rascal, so fast, are we?"
He leaned against the cable car door, yawning as he reminded them.
"Hongdou, if you keep being so lovey-dovey, everyone will see~"
"…None of your business? I'm just tired, leaning on him to rest for a bit…"
"Oh, oh, oh, rest for a bit~"
What's wrong with resting for a bit?
Did I eat your rice, did I hug your Apprentice? Why are you so nosy!?
Hongdou was furious. This person was truly annoying. So what if I hug your Apprentice… You're not Sister Qing Xuan, why would I be afraid of you?
You should know when to see through something but not say it!
Cough, cough~
Another middle-aged man slowly emerged from behind Xu Zhimo. He had no intention of disturbing the young couple's romantic comedy.
However, at present, serious matters were pressing.
Lin Tiancheng, as the Mayor of Ailidu, was the liaison for the entire Wei Fei Territory. Wei Fei Territory was considered one of Ailidu's seven administrative districts, but its status was special.
It was directly under the Suo En District, meaning it reported to the Mayor.
As the link between the Municipal Government and Yun Kui Mountain, he had to actively coordinate both sides and also be responsible for the local residents.
Recently, the Lemnian Hollow had been abnormally active, and he felt deeply uneasy. Yet, the old Sect Leader said that from now on, all matters.
Should be directed to his Apprentice, the young man before him.
Was he reliable?
Lin Tiancheng was worried, but he showed no trace of it on his face, truly displaying the respect due to the Yun Kui Mountain Sect Leader.
"Little Master Yun, Manager Chen should have already explained the situation to you. Although I know something has happened at Sui Bian Temple recently, the situation here has suddenly changed."
"The commission fee, I will definitely represent the Municipal Government and Wei Fei Territory officials to raise it to a level you are satisfied with afterwards. I will have to trouble you next…"
"No trouble, Mr. Lin, just call me Yun Ming."
After all, they were paying, and Bai Xian also had a hand in this. Yun Ming waved his hand and stepped out of the cable car.
The Qing Ming Sword shot up into the sky.
His divine sense also spread throughout the Qiong Long Encirclement, finding that many miners here were indeed not like those in Chenghui Flat, where emotions were only slightly affected.
Here, many people affected by the Ethereal Breath lay on the streets, lost in illusions. They looked very pained.
Yet, their faces showed incongruous smiles.
He frowned.
"Is it very serious?"
Hongdou was somewhat worried. As soon as she came out, she saw that Qiong Long Encirclement was completely different from usual. Normally, it was bustling with enthusiastic worker uncles and young men.
And some aunties selling food.
It was very lively.
But at this moment, people lay scattered across the streets like walking corpses, just like after a Void disaster.
"The incident happened last night. The Hollow Investigation Association has already dispatched a team, along with armed personnel under Hui Jing Meike, to investigate the Void…"
Xu Zhimo explained while squatting down to comfort a little girl crying by the roadside. Her father was also a miner, affected by the erosion.
He had just been brought out of the Void.
Yun Kui Mountain Apprentices were using talismans to provide relief and treatment one by one, but compared to this group of only a few dozen people.
The victims numbered in the hundreds and thousands.
After all, on Lemnian Island, even during the most difficult times, tens of thousands of people worked in the aerospace city. Now, these people… just happened to encounter an area where an anomaly occurred.
And were collectively victimized.
Such a number would require at least a Second Realm cultivator to preside over the formation. Ye Qingxuan had wanted to come but was stopped by Xu Zhimo.
Uncle-Master had a problem, and Sui Bian Temple needed someone to preside over the overall situation, mobilize support supplies, and handle logistics.
Moreover, if you came to treat so many people… what would be the cost?
Not everyone was Yun Ming.
"I didn't expect you, Senior Apprentice, to be quite reliable."
"Of course, as a Senior Apprentice, I must look after my Junior Apprentice, mustn't I?"
Even if it wasn't for a certain foolish Apprentice, she was still the Junior Apprentice he had watched grow up, even though she was always impolite to him.
Alas!
The world is cold, and people's hearts are not what they used to be~
Yun Ming ignored his complaining Senior Apprentice, only continuously using spiritual energy to help the other party clear the turbid Ethereal Breath from his body.
Stupid Senior Apprentice.
"You should have called me over last night. Don't you know your cultivation is not as good as Sister's?"
"It's fine, Senior Apprentice, I'm very capable."
Actually, last night Xu Zhimo had asked Ye Qingxuan to check, but at that time, Yun Ming was pale and weakly unconscious.
Clearly, he had exhausted his essence, energy, and spirit clearing Uncle-Master's miscellaneous thoughts.
And the patients in Qiong Long Encirclement weren't going to die yet. Besides, they couldn't always rely on Junior Apprentice, could they? They weren't just decorations.
The Junior Apprentice couldn't save those who were going to die, and those who weren't, could last a night. His Junior Apprentice didn't owe anyone anything.
Of course, Yun Ming was asleep.
So he was unaware of being ambushed by Sister last night, and the events that followed.
He said unhappily,
"Get lost, I'll take over now…"
"Eh, shouldn't you say you can't handle it, and then I say I can, and we go back and forth a few times?"