Chapter 1193: Chapter 648: Light Candle Land (Triple Merge Bonus)
Trapped in such a bizarre and eerie place, who knows if the person before us is real or not? Is it a dream or an illusion?
The two of them stood silently facing each other across a distance of several zhang in the deathly silent alley.
The Princess was still wearing her dark python robe, now dusted with a bit of dirt. Her Purple Electric Gun was not held in her hand but floated about a foot beside her, its tip slightly drooping. Her phoenix eyes were slightly narrowed, sharp gaze like substantial blades, scanning Chen Yi with scrutiny and unabashed vigilance.
Chen Yi’s mind was also racing. He tightened his grip on the Hou Kang Sword. The sword was cold, its touch real. He carefully took in Qin Qingluo’s figure, her aura, and her indefinable arrogance, even the minute wrinkles on the python robe matched his memory.
"Prince?" Chen Yi spoke first. His voice wasn’t loud, yet in this absolute silence, it was exceptionally clear.
Qin Qingluo did not respond. Her gaze moved from Chen Yi’s face, cautiously surveying the surroundings. The empty alley, familiar building outlines, yet deathly stillness. A breeze blew by, soundless. From afar, there seemed to be lights, yet they were frozen in place. Time appeared to stand still here.
After a long while, she questioned, "Chen Yi?"
Chen Yi nodded slightly, then asked in return, "Are you real?"
Qin Qingluo sneered at the question: "Could it be that this one is fake?"
That tone implied it truly was Qin Qingluo. Chen Yi immediately said, "I know, just wanted to ask."
"And you?"
"I’m real too."
Chen Yi sheathed his sword. To convince Qin Qingluo, he deliberately glanced at her full outlines, she stood eight feet tall, truly towering, and accidentally glanced a bit too much.
Qin Qingluo frowned and said, "I believe you are real as well."
Chen Yi reluctantly withdrew his gaze, momentarily nostalgic for the time when he wasn’t quite a gentleman. Back then, he and Qin Qingluo had unresolved old grudges and new enmities had arisen, treating her like a wild horse, unreservedly taming it, even chastising or spurring the towering height frequently...
The thoughts stopped briefly, Chen Yi also believed he was real.
He always had confidence in his attraction to beauty.
"This place is strange." After a moment, Qin Qingluo coldly spoke, "Have you seen anyone else? Yang Chongwei? Soldiers? Or... that iron lump?"
"No." Chen Yi shook his head and replied, "I only remember a pitch-black darkness engulfing me, losing all senses, and when I came to, I was already here. Was it the same for the Prince?"
"Yes, it seems we’re both turtles in a jar." Qin Qingluo nodded slightly, her voice carrying a barely detectable weight. She pointed to a frozen light source in the distance, "This place seems normal, yet everything is like dead matter. Even light is frozen, with no trace of life."
Following her gaze, Chen Yi saw the light, truly frozen in the air, without the slightest flicker.
He tried to circulate his True Qi within, flowing smoothly. But when he tried to extend a sliver of Sword Intent towards the nearby wall, it felt like throwing a mud ox into the sea. The wall seemed merely a phantom shadow, or perhaps an unfathomable abyss, entirely swallowing his perception.
Chen Yi’s expression grew solemn. Despite prior expectations, the eeriness here still far exceeded his imagination.
The two fell into a brief silence once more.
"The urgent task is to discern the reality of this place and find an exit," Qin Qingluo spoke first, breaking the silence. She wasn’t discussing but stating a decision, "Shall we investigate separately or act together?"
Chen Yi’s eyes flickered and he immediately said, "Of course you and I should proceed together. I suspect this is some sort of Illusion Realm."
"Very well. Keep close and do not drag me down." With that, she spoke no more, holding her Purple Electric Gun, striding towards the direction she had previously pointed, the depths of the long street where the light was frozen. Her steps were steady, imposing as if walking in her own Prince Mansion, rather than this bizarre place of absolute death.
Chen Yi gripped his long sword, closely following.
Their footsteps were exceptionally abrupt in this deathly silent world. Every step they took seemed to strike a chord on tense heartstrings, as they navigated through empty alleys, their keen eyes scanning every corner.
Frozen lights, motionless signs, half-opened doors—all maintained the appearance of Dragon Tail City, yet they had lost all vitality and spirit, like a giant, vivid painting frozen still.
Chen Yi attempted to push open a partially ajar shop door. It opened silently. Inside, all the tables, chairs, and benches were in place, with even a cup of tea on the counter, its surface smooth as a mirror, without the slightest ripple.
He extended a finger to lightly touch the cup wall. It was ice-cold and hard, as if he was touching not tea, but a solidified piece of amber.
"It seems like time... has stopped? As if it really has stopped," Chen Yi murmured.
Qin Qingluo didn’t respond. Her gaze was drawn to something at the corner of the alley ahead. There, a few pieces of broken armor leaves were scattered, distinctly the kind worn by the Forbidden Army.
The armor leaves were stained with dark red blood, glaring under the stagnant light.
The two quickly approached. They saw the scattered armor leaves on the ground, next to a broken standard long knife, besides which there was nothing else.
Chen Yi squatted down, picked up a blood-stained armor leaf. It was ice-cold and heavy in his hand, its touch extraordinarily real. He looked up at Qin Qingluo: "These are the Forbidden Army’s things, Yang Chongwei and the others..."
Qin Qingluo’s face darkened, staring at the remains on the ground, saying, "Where did they go, and where are the official puppets?"
