I, the transmigrated villain, please wait, gentle master.

Chapter 208 Crossing the River of Oblivion: A Shocking Kneeling Kiss (7)

The Black and White Impermanence said, "One of us is an illusionist, skilled in illusion magic, and the other is a puppeteer, skilled in puppetry. These two skills are similar to the Nightmare Maiden's dream-making techniques."

Mei Shiyu asked him, "Who is the Nightmare Woman?"

The Black and White Impermanence said, "That's not important; you'll find out sooner or later."

They went on to explain: "Nightmare, to put it bluntly, is also an illusion, only it appears more real. When people are dreaming, it is difficult for them to realize that it is a dream, because everything in the dream is inseparable from real experiences, memories, thoughts and feelings."

"The most difficult thing to break through the nightmare created by the Nightmare Woman is that she can trap a person by taking advantage of their expectation that good things will come true or their fear that bad things will come true."

"The scariest thing about dreaming is that you think you've woken up, but you've actually entered another dream, one after another, and you may never wake up from it."

"Everyone has weaknesses. The hardest thing for people to overcome is not external things, but themselves. Therefore, when people are trapped in a nightmare, it is difficult for them to break free on their own and they must rely on external forces."

"Look, I have a doll here that can really help people get rid of nightmares."

"Grey Impermanence" held a silk puppet with his palm facing up. "If you don't believe me, go ask our boss. We've experimented with him."

"Although there were some minor mishaps and flaws, they are negligible. The Ghost King used it and everyone said it was good."

They could have boasted that the goods were "insured and guaranteed, with no chance of failure," but in the end they admitted that there were some shortcomings. This was to show their sincerity. They even allowed Mei Shiyu to inspect the goods first, without worrying at all that he might take them for himself.

Mei Shiyu saw that the silk doll was crudely made, with a round head, round belly, and limbs like chubby radishes, just like the snowmen that children build in winter. But at least snowmen have eyes and noses, while this doll had nothing, and it was impossible to tell the front from the back.

Is this the puppeteer's skill? It's hard to compliment.

The Black and White Impermanence explained, "Great skill is without artifice. True skill needs no embellishment, just like a master fighter doesn't need fancy tricks."

Mei Shiyu returned it to him, still feeling: "I have no use for this. I rarely sleep and rarely dream."

Black and White Impermanence firmly believe: "People cannot just live in the present; they must also learn to consider the future, things that will be useful to them in the future."

Mei Shiyu considered for a moment, "Could you tell me first why you're asking me for blood marrow?"

"It's to repair your spirit core. We've heard that your true form is a piece of Kunlun jade, which has miraculous healing effects on your soul, body, and primordial spirit, and is especially suitable for mending various 'cracks'."

"He's practically a walking, thousand-year-old ginseng," Black and White Impermanence thought to themselves.

If eating Tang Sanzang's flesh could grant immortality, then swallowing a piece of Mei Shiyu's flesh would probably cure all ailments. If he weren't so powerful, and had such powerful backers—from Dao Xuanzong to Taiji Palace, from Ren Pingsheng to Li Tingyun, he had connections in both the legitimate and illegitimate worlds—he would probably have been finely chopped into minced meat long ago.

“Okay, I promise you,” Mei Shiyu said.

"Really? You can really give me my blood essence?" Black and White Impermanence were overjoyed.

"Although I don't know what use that doll would have, the blood marrow is not something that cannot be regenerated for me. If you urgently need it to save your life, then take some."

The so-called blood marrow is actually the bone marrow in a person's body that produces blood. As far as Mei Shiyu is concerned, losing a small piece can be regrown, so it does not cause any major harm.

"...You're too easygoing. Immortals and demons are irreconcilable enemies, and humans and ghosts are strangers. When you came in all that trouble and stormed into the Underworld alone, we even fought each other. And you're not going to hold a grudge?"

"Everyone has their own principles for dealing with people. My principle is that one should not bully the weak. I generally don't bother with people who are less capable than me. I will do them a favor when it is convenient for me and be lenient when I can."

"Although what you said may sound a bit arrogant, you are really good, really, really good."

"Grey Impermanence's" empty, lifeless eyes became increasingly bright, and even the large, unchanging dark circles around his eyes faded somewhat. He even grinned, genuinely.

Seeing this, Xue Rendong flashed in front of Mei Shiyu again. With a "crack" sound, he turned around and saw that Mei Shiyu had already placed his hand on his chest, broken a section of his sternum, and removed it. He made the whole process as simple as cutting nails.

Because he had suffered a severe spinal injury and had undergone vertebral replacement multiple times, he was very experienced in bone removal, so he moved quickly and skillfully. Of course, it was very painful, but he didn't even frown or groan.

Xue Rendong couldn't hold back any longer and blurted out: "If the Palace Master finds out you're doing this, he'll kill you."

Mei Shiyu chuckled and said, "Why would he care about that? He hates meddling in other people's business the most. Besides, how would he know if you didn't tell him?"

Xue Rendong: "..." You not only misjudged him, but you also underestimated him?!

Mei Shiyu really didn't understand their Palace Master at all, probably because he hadn't witnessed Li Tingyun's true rage. He was ruthless and merciless; anyone who got involved was doomed. The piranha couldn't help but worry about his future.

If Li Tingyun investigates this later and charges him with "dereliction of duty," he'll be chopped up and made into a spicy fish head!

The deal was struck, and Mei Shiyu received the silk doll. "So, how do we use this?"

The Black and White Impermanence said, "Just carry it with you. If you suddenly see it somewhere else, it means you're already in a nightmare. Be careful, it's not only sleeping people who dream. You can give this doll a name, and it will constantly remind you what is a dream and what is reality, until it helps you get out of the dream."

"Do we need to give it a name? Anything will do?"

"Yes, it's easier to raise a child with a humble name. For example, Gou Sheng, Chou Dan, and Pang Ya."

"This...is just too awful to hear."

"It's up to you."

Having obtained what they wanted, the Black and White Impermanence took their leave.

Some time after they left, Mei Shiyu belatedly realized something and touched her brow.

"The disguise pill has failed?"

When he came to the territory, Li Tingyun insisted that he eat one.

He was quite certain that he had not revealed his identity in front of the Black and White Impermanence. Even if they had guessed it on their own, they should have at least asked a question instead of being so certain and certain, and saying, "Immortal Mei, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Xue Rendong said, "It's been ineffective for a long time. Didn't you know that?"

"Early? How early?" Mei Shiyu really didn't know.

"As soon as I left Xiaoxiang Pavilion, I noticed that you had changed."

Why didn't you remind me then?

"Is this important?"

"That's weird."

The effect of the Disguise Elixir couldn't possibly be that short.

The one he ate was given to him by Li Tingyun, so it couldn't possibly be a fake.

So what went wrong?

“Strange, but not important,” Xue Rendong said.

This is just a very, very small detail. Is it really worth worrying about?

He had long observed that the world sometimes experiences minor problems and unexpected events.

For example, when he was a fish, he almost drowned in the East China Sea while searching for the Ruins of Return.

Isn't that strange?

But he didn't care.

He had forgotten how he drowned and how he was rescued, but he remembered that Lin Qiutan had hit him hard on the back of the head, smashing half of his head. He had etched this debt into his very being, and one day he would take his revenge.

Mei Shiyu said, "What you said is true..."

Perhaps the world is so vast and full of wonders that there will always be some counterintuitive and counter-common sense questions. Many of these are deliberately ignored or unintentionally overlooked by him. Real life does not pursue rigor, and few people will repeatedly agonize over where the sense of incongruity in their hearts comes from.

Just like no one would bother to investigate a speck of dust that somehow ended up on a chair.

It's good enough to just wipe it clean and use as a place to sit and rest your feet.

The ability to see the big picture from small details is not something everyone possesses.

But just as Mei Shiyu was about to agree with Xue Rendong, a sudden thought struck her: Have I always been like this? Unconsciously overlooking so many details, simply because I thought they were strange but unimportant? Are they really unimportant?

While I was pondering, a startled exclamation came from somewhere.

Like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

Then came two more "ah" sounds.

It was described as a gasp, but it sounded more like a roar—deep, hoarse, and drawn-out, as if someone had been tormented for a long time, suppressed to the extreme, and finally couldn't bear it anymore, so they shouted and yelled to vent their pent-up anger.

The sound was from a great distance, yet the irritable and agitated emotions were conveyed so vividly.

It's something that can't help but care about.

Xue Rendong didn't want to cause any trouble, but this voice sounded... kind of familiar!

Mei Shiyu felt the same way.

They followed the sound and found an old acquaintance.

In an unnamed mountain hollow, amidst a dense thicket of thorns, a strange, warm light faintly emanates.

If this flame were to appear somewhere in the human world, it wouldn't be anything to be surprised about. But what's strange is that open flames are forbidden in this area. Even if there were flames, they would be cold, pale green or icy blue, without any warmth, unlike the blazing, intense flame in the dense forest.

Unless, that is not ordinary fire.

This is indeed the case.

Going a step further, it's no longer just fire.

It was Xia Changfeng's human soul before it took human form.

Those shouts that echoed through the mountains just now were from him.

Putting aside how the City Lord of Vermilion Bird City ended up here, the fact remains that he's practically going insane. He's yelling at the person standing in front of him, "Shut the hell up! Shut up! Don't talk about your nonsense anymore! I don't want to hear it!!!"

Standing before him was none other than Judge Cui Jue.

Cui Jue rambled on, "It's been a long time since anyone has listened to me so patiently. Ever since Si Wuxie left the Underworld, I haven't even been able to find anyone to drink with or watch plays with. In the Judge Temple and on the Dust and Fate Stage, I've seen so many strange and wonderful stories, so many souls I've sent away. If you don't like this one, I'll change to the next one."

Xia Changfeng roared, "I knew it! Si Wuxie handed me over to you so you could torture me to death! I'll fucking kill him! Let him wait! When he falls into my hands again, I'll beat him to a pulp! I'm not a man if I don't do it!"

Xia Changfeng's soul fire crackled and burned in a pile of dry firewood.

Cui Jue held up a fire poker, poked at the flames, added some firewood, then lifted his robe and sat down on the ground.

Do you know what goes best with a campfire at night?

Xia Changfeng: "What?!"

Cui Jue: "Stories, and wine."

After saying that, he pulled out a jar of wine from somewhere, took a big gulp for himself, and then poured a ladleful into the fire.

The fire immediately shrank considerably.

Adding fuel to the fire should have made it burn even brighter, but the wine in Cui Jue's jar was a bone-changing wine brewed by his mother, Si Wuxie, using water from the River of Oblivion!

Xia Changfeng hated these two people so much that it was almost burning him out.

"Let me tell you another story, the 'Oath of Brotherhood.' Once upon a time, there were two men who were very close and sworn brothers, always wanting to do everything together. One day, as they were passing under a bridge, the weather suddenly changed, and a torrential downpour began. One of them went home to get an umbrella, telling the other to stay under the bridge and wait for him to return. Unexpectedly, the rain intensified, the river swelled, and the man who had been waiting drowned..."