Chapter 63: Grudges and Affections, Two People’s Support

It’s always a very pleasant thing when someone falls in love with you. (Gu Long)
……
Liu Yi looked up in surprise and exclaimed, “Oh my!” He stepped back abruptly. The person before him was July, who wanted to kill him for revenge.
July sized up the completely soaked scholar and asked, “Did you fall from above too?”
Liu Yi nodded quickly. “Yes, we accidentally triggered a mechanism, and I was sucked here.”
July glanced at Liu Yi, then at the snake on the ground, and said, “I still owe you an apology for saving me earlier.”
Only then did Liu Yi realize that the snake had posed a life-threatening danger to her…
Liu Yi hurriedly said, “No need to thank me. Just cut me a few less blows when we get out.”
July looked at Liu Yi coldly and said, “You still want to get out? I’ve tried with a flying sword. Once it reaches a certain height, the strong suction force below will pull you back!”
Liu Yi asked anxiously, “Is there really no way to leave here?”
July looked around and said, “This is an isolated island, floating somewhere at sea. I think we can’t get out for now.”
Liu Yi suddenly asked, “What about the others? Will they also be sucked here like us?”
July shook her head. “From what I can tell, this formation operates on the principle of yin and yang—gains and losses, entry and exit. We were sucked down, while others were sent out!”
Liu Yi thought to himself, “Then maybeJili’er is still alive, or she’s already left the cave. Haha.”
July sneered at Liu Yi’s expression and said, “So what if she’s still alive? What about you? Do you have any way to get out? You two will never be able to see each other in this life, which is worse than death.”
Hearing July’s words, Liu Yi suddenly sat down on the sand, overwhelmed by sorrow. July was right. Even ifJili’er was alive, what good was that if Liu Yi couldn’t get out? The two would never see each other again in this life.
Seeing Liu Yi lost in thought, July continued, “Scholar, it’s better if you start a fire to dry your clothes. As long as you’re alive, there’s hope of getting out, though it may be slim. As long as there’s a glimmer of hope, don’t give up.”
Liu Yi stood up. The island wasn’t very large, even smaller than a Buddhist temple hall, but there was a very tall mountain on it. After looking around, he finally found a cave at the foot of a nearby high peak.
Liu Yi gathered some dry grass and leaves to tidy up the cave and said, “This will be Liu Yi’s home from now on.” Then he went outside to find more firewood and started a fire.

Since the food and dry rags on his body were all wet, he had to use the most primitive method to start a fire. After much effort, Liu Yi finally managed to light it. Leaning against the soft dry grass, warmed by the fire, Liu Yi felt extremely comfortable. He didn’t know how much time passed, but his clothes had already dried. Touching the food, he thought to himself, “Oh no, all the food is wet. What should I do if I can’t eat it?”
Liu Yi looked up and saw the red snake on the ground, then glanced at the sword at July’s waist. He quickly ran over and said, “Miss July, may I borrow your sword?”
July looked at Liu Yi, nodded, removed the long sword from her waist, and handed it to him.
Liu Yi took the sword and swung at the snake’s body, cutting off half of its length. Turning back, he asked, “Miss July, your food must be wet too. Your clothes are wet as well. Would you like some snake meat?”
July turned her face away and said coldly, “No need.”
Although Liu Yi heard her words, he still held the purple sword and swung again, cutting the snake into two pieces. While arranging the pieces on a branch, he said, “It’s just the two of us here. If you keep being so stubborn, you’ll starve to death.”
Holding the two pieces of meat, Liu Yi used the sword to peel off the snake skin and then returned the sword to July. At that moment, the gloomy sky suddenly thundered, and after the thunder, rain began to fall.
Running while holding the two pieces of snake meat, Liu Yi said, “What’s going on? It’s raining inside this cave too!”
When Liu Yi rushed into the cave, he suddenly remembered that July was still outside and turned around quickly. He saw July hiding under a tree, her arms wrapped around her chest, seemingly very cold. Since her clothes were already wet, it was no wonder she was cold now with the rain.
Liu Yi placed the two pieces of snake meat over the flames and turned them to roast. Then he shouted, “Miss July, come into the cave. It’s very cold outside.”
July glanced at Liu Yi but didn’t move, still standing there with her arms wrapped around her chest.
Liu Yi shook his head angrily and said, “This stubborn girl—no one knows how many days she can survive. And now she’s still being willful.” Suddenly, he rushed out, grabbed July’s hand, and pulled her toward the cave!
As soon as they entered the cave, July pulled her hand back sharply and asked angrily, “What are you doing?”
Liu Yi looked at her and said, “I’m asking you to come in to warm up by the fire and eat something. If you stay outside, you’ll definitely get sick.”
July gently sat down on the dry grass. The cave protected them from the wind, and the flames warmed their bodies. Looking at Liu Yi carefully roasting the meat, she asked, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?”
Liu Yi glanced at July and continued roasting the meat. “I am afraid. How could I not? But this place is so desolate that even if we survive, it’s like hell. If you’re not afraid of dying of loneliness here, then kill me.”
Loneliness might be the truly terrifying thing. It’s better to kill someone quickly than to let them die in loneliness, because during that slow process of suffering, people really go mad.
July stretched out her hand, warming herself by the fire, without saying a word…
Liu Yi continued turning the snake meat while asking, “Miss July, isn’t there any other solution to that problem?”

Upon hearing this, Qi Yue’s almond-shaped eyes widened sharply as she glared at Liu Yi and asked, “Another way? What other way could there be? My reputation is ruined because of you. The only solution is to kill you.”
Liu Yi stuck out his tongue slightly and continued roasting the meat, saying, “You have to understand… I didn’t want this either. It was an accident.”
Qi Yue stared at Liu Yi. If looks could kill, Liu Yi would have died a thousand times already. She snapped, “An accident? What would you do if you were me?”
Liu Yi suddenly looked confused. That accident came back to mind. Qi Yue was right—what should he do if he were her? Kill that person? Or marry them? It was impossible to pretend nothing had happened and stay calm.
Liu Yi sighed.
Qi Yue’s expression softened somewhat. “Forget it. Anyway, we’re trapped in this damned underground world. Who knows how many days we have left? Why worry about such things?”
Liu Yi nodded, then shook his head. “No, we can’t just give up. Though we might die, Liu Yi will always remember owing Miss Qi Yue a debt that can never be repaid!”
Qi Yue looked at Liu Yi and shook her head. “If it’s a debt that can’t be repaid, then until when will this debt last? One world, or two? Maybe it will forever remain unpaid.”
Liu Yi had nothing to say. He merely replied, “Liu Yi will remember it for life.”
Qi Yue stared at him angrily. “So you’d rather owe me for life, live in guilt forever, rather than marry me, right?”
Liu Yi paused for a moment, then sighed. “Miss Qi Yue, do you know? When you fall in love with someone, your heart can no longer hold another person. If I were to marry you, it would only be out of obligation. I don’t love you, and you wouldn’t be happy. Just because of a rumor about reputation, do we have to bear a lifetime of unhappiness?”
After hearing this, Qi Yue paused for a while before saying, “I don’t know what love is. For over a decade, my world has only been filled with the dead. I didn’t expect you to fall in love with me. I don’t even know if I could fall in love with you. All I want is someone’s dignity.”
While roasting the meat, Liu Yi continued, “But, Miss Qi Yue, is it worth trading a lifetime of happiness for dignity?”
Qi Yue shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never been in love. I don’t know what love or happiness is. I know I’m the supreme ruler of the demon clan. I absolutely cannot allow myself to be humiliated by an ordinary scholar.”
Liu Yi truly had no words. She considered that misunderstanding an insult, but in his eyes, it was just an accident!
Liu Yi sniffed the roasted snake meat—it smelled delicious. Back home, when his father wasn’t around, he would sneak out to eat snake meat. Who would have thought he’d have to rely on it to survive now?
He shook off the fat from the snake and handed it to Qi Yue. “Snake meat is fragrant and delicious. You have to try it.”
Qi Yue looked at Liu Yi’s serious expression and took the meat.
Liu Yi tore off a large piece of meat and started eating. “Miss Qi Yue, your clothes are very beautiful…”

In July, as soon as she took a bite, she was stunned. A scene from some place and time suddenly appeared before her eyes: a foolish scholar desperately climbed into her bathtub and then stared at her without blinking…