Chapter 390: Chapter 390 Saving People in the Painting_1
Among the men depicted, there was an armored general, a scholar in wide sleeves and tall crown, a scholar with his hair bundled up in a blue cloth, a man from the Qing dynasty with a long braid, men in robes, men in Sun Yat-sen suits, and even figures sporting modern looks in sportswear and jeans.
These men all shared something in common. They were scattered around the lady in white, their gazes fixed on her with awe and admiration, resembling stars forming a halo around the moon.
"If the beauty in this painting were real..."
Probably every man gazing at this painting would share the same thought. Then, they’d easily fall under her spell, and over time, they became insignificant background figures in the painting, forever accompanying the breathtaking beauty.
A chill crept up on Qin Sisi and Ning Hao. The painting seemed to have existed for a very long time. Its harm was unheard of - it lowered one’s guard seamlessly.
Ning Hao clenched his fists, his heart tumultuous with mixed emotions - anger, fear, and helplessness...
"Sisi, do you have a solution?" Ning Hao looked at Qin Sisi, eyes filled with hope. By now, he was powerless and can only rely on Sisi.
Qin Sisi hesitated before saying, "Let me think carefully first."
She turned slightly, blocking Ning Hao’s view, and glanced for assistance at the silent Ye You.
Ye You squinted at the painting for a while, then looked up at Qin Sisi. "There’s only one way," he said. "We have to go in and rescue them."
Qin Sisi asked in astonishment, "Go in? Into the painting?"
"Yes," Ye You replied, then continued, "Let them leave first. The visual stimulation might be too much for them to bear."
Qin Sisi looked back at Ning Hao and Sister Zeng, said in deep voice, "I’m going in to save people in the painting. You should leave first."
Sister Zeng’s eyes widened in surprise, she stared at Qin Sisi, couldn’t believe her ears.
Ning Hao also said with a furrowed brow, "Sisi, are you joking?"
Qin Sisi shook her head, "Do you think I’d joke at a time like this?"
"But..." Ning Hao indeed believed that Qin Sisi would never joke around in such a crucial situation, and he trusted her ability. However, her words were still hard to believe.
Sister Zeng urgently pleads, "Ms. Sisi, I have no other ideas, it’s all up to you. But I was wondering, can we stay? I don’t feel at ease if we aren’t here to watch."
Ning Hao also added, "Sisi, let us stay here. We may be of help."
"Well..." Qin Sisi turned to look at Ye You, who meowed lightly as if to say, "It’s up to you."
After contemplating, Qin Sisi said quietly to Ning Hao and Sister Zeng, "You can stay, but whatever you see later, I hope you can remain calm, and also keep it a secret for me."
Ning Hao nodded, and Sister Zeng assured that she won’t talk.
Qin Sisi nodded at Ye You, signaling him to begin.
Ye You lifted his paw, a blue light shooting out and hitting the classical painting of the beauty. It looked like a curving bridge, connecting the real world to the secret realm within the painting.
Ye You lifted another paw, scattering tiny silver lights that swirled around him and Qin Sisi.
Surrounded by these silver lights, Qin Sisi and Ye You seemed to shrink, floating into the air, following the blue bridge into the mysterious world within the painting.
As her world spun, Qin Sisi felt nauseous and almost passed out. She closed her eyes instinctively.
After what seemed an eternity, she fell heavily, feeling a mild jolt of pain from beneath.
When Qin Sisi opened her eyes, she realized that she was lying on a dense forest. She had a small tumble, but the ground was a lush grass, so she wasn’t hurt. There was only a mild sensation of pain.
Looking up, she found herself in a vast garden. No matter where she looked, all she could see were thriving plants and the air was filled with intoxicating floral fragrance.
It was night, but the moon was full and radiantly lighting up the garden. Even though it was a bit dim, she could still see the surroundings clearly.
Regaining her focus, Qin Sisi noticed that her hands were empty. She was alarmed and yelled, "Xiao Hei, Xiao Hei, where are you?"
"I’m here." A deep voice replied from not far away. Ye You’s figure appeared under the moonlight and ran towards Qin Sisi.
When they landed, Qin Sisi lost her grip on Xiao Hei due to dizziness, causing them to land separately. Luckily, they weren’t too far from each other, and Xiao Hei heard her and rushed towards her.
As Xiao Hei’s figure got closer, Qin Sisi let out a sigh of relief. She went on her knee and opened her arms, greeting Xiao Hei with a sweet smile.
Ye You glanced at her, promptly jumped, and landed in Qin Sisi’s arms.
Qin Sisi gave Ye You a tight hug, but released him quickly. At this strange and potentially dangerous moment, it wasn’t the time for tenderness.
Qin Sisi looked up at the starless night sky, and asked quizzically, "Why did it turn into night all of a sudden, when it was daytime outside?"
Although they had moonlight, it was still considerably darker compared to daytime, making their rescue mission difficult.
Ye You explained, "It’s because it’s really night time now."
Qin Sisi paused then quickly realized what he meant. It was currently around eight in the evening, and for winter, it was indeed night time.
She was amazed that the environment inside the painting synchronized with the real world.
She started to inquire, "Would it be better if we came during the day?"
Shaking his head, Ye You replied, "No, to absorb their souls, the ghosts in this painting lure people in. If we can save Xiao Fei quickly, that would be best. If we left him here for a night, his soul would be completely absorbed and digested by the ghosts. Then, we wouldn’t be able to save him anymore.
The ghost begins to absorb and refine souls at the darkest hour. Therefore we need to rescue Xiao Fei’s soul and body before midnight."
After hearing Ye You’s explanation, Qin Sisi nodded, her face taking on a serious expression. She said solemnly, "I understand, let’s start looking."
They were pressed for time. According to Ye You, they only have a few hours until midnight. Any later, a rescue would be impossible.
"Wait."
Just as Qin Sisi was about to start, Ye You stopped her.
Qin Sisi turned to Ye You in confusion. "Is there a problem?"
