Chapter 341: Chapter 228: The Mortal World’s Vicissitudes Endured, Victory and Defeat Decided, I am the Mortal World’s Martial Saint, Slaying Demons and Purging Devils

This was also why he had agreed to Lu Yunqing’s request to participate in this trial.

’If I want to break through to a higher realm, this trial might be my only chance.’

"Don’t you regret it?"

Yun Qinghe, clad in a magnificent gown, glided out. Seeing Lu Mingyuan practicing his martial arts in the courtyard of the Qilin Duke’s Mansion, she couldn’t help but ask softly.

"Regret what?" Lu Mingyuan asked.

"Watching all the merits you once earned turn into a pile of meaningless numbers, and now you’re trapped here in the Qilin Duke’s Mansion."

Lu Mingyuan chuckled. "What is there to regret? All of this is fake, isn’t it? My original intention was just to see what the other paths of the Martial Dao are like. I’m not like my father-in-law, the Champion Marquis, who is obsessed with serving his country on the battlefield. I’m more detached. More importantly, I’ve discovered that killing Lu Yunqing isn’t the way to escape the Grand Thousand Canglan Map."

"It seems you really haven’t been affected by the Scroll World."

Seeing him so optimistic, Yun Qinghe showed a rare flash of envy.

Ever since entering the General’s Mansion, she had changed a great deal. She had noticed it long ago, but the transformation was gradual and insidious, something she was powerless to stop.

"In the next life, the entire world will be reshuffled—our births, our identities, everything. We’ll both lose many of our memories. I hope... I hope you can still find me then."

Yun Qinghe’s voice was low and soft, her tone uncharacteristically gentle.

"How will I find you?"

Lu Mingyuan asked.

Yun Qinghe’s voice was a near whisper. "I grew up in an orphanage. I have a Small Sword Jade Pendant that has been my Protective Talisman since childhood. It was used to suppress the Innate Sword Embryo I nurture between my brows, a gift from my first master. Later, as I grew up, the Sword Embryo matured into an Immortal Sword, so I no longer had use for it. But it remains an incredibly precious item to me." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"If I’m strong enough, you just have to mention it, and I should be able to remember."

"’Strong enough’? What do you mean?"

Yun Qinghe explained seriously, "In each life, the number of memories one can recall from the outside world depends on how much one has been influenced by these worlds. In your current state, you should be able to hold on."

At these words, Lu Mingyuan finally understood.

’Yun Qinghe thinks she’s been too deeply influenced by the Scroll World. That’s why she has so little confidence about the next life, believing she’ll likely remember nothing at all.’

’That’s why she wants me to be the one to awaken her.’

’Otherwise, Yun Qinghe will become lost in some unknown future life.’

Lu Mingyuan hadn’t expected that Yun Qinghe, who prided herself on the stability of her Sword Heart, would be suffering like this.

’It’s probably thanks to my Emperor Orange Fate Grid’s Celestial Exiled Immortal and Glazed Heart traits that I’ve been able to stay so clear-headed,’ he guessed, ’and not be too deeply affected by the past ten years.’

"Alright. I promise you."

Lu Mingyuan nodded firmly.

Just then, a tall, snow-haired woman in a simple white palace gown pushed the door open and entered, carrying a teapot and cups.

"You must be tired from your training, Husband."

"Oh, it’s you, Xueru."

Lu Mingyuan responded with a smile upon seeing her.

She was the woman from the Tianshan Snow Clan whom he’d had no choice but to marry for the sake of the Celestial Golden Cicada.

Yun Qinghe watched this unfold, then slowly turned and left.

Lu Mingyuan noticed but could do nothing to stop her.

’He and Yun Qinghe were fated to be close confidantes, but they had yet to break through that final barrier.’

"The First Lady doesn’t seem very happy. Did I do something wrong?"

Xueru asked tactfully, seeing Yun Qinghe leave.

"No, you did nothing wrong." Lu Mingyuan stroked her snowy hair, his thoughts drifting inexplicably to Yun Qinghe’s white hair back in the outside world.

’I still haven’t asked her why her hair is white, too.’

’Her temper was always so fiery before, it was never a good time to ask. And she probably wouldn’t have told me anyway.’

"Why doesn’t the First Lady share a bed with you, Husband?"

Xueru asked with great curiosity.

"Don’t ask."

Lu Mingyuan said coolly.

"I understand, Husband. I shouldn’t have asked."

He looked at the beauty before him, as exquisite as a sculpture of ice and jade. Her breath was warm, her scent fragrant, her thighs soft. Curiosity and doubt stirred in his heart.

’Could someone so vividly real truly be fake?’

Ten years had passed, and Lu Mingyuan had been shaken by such doubts more than once.

But he always held fast to his Daoxin, refusing to dwell on it, and treated them all with the sincerity of his own heart.

’Just because this world might be fake doesn’t mean I can become a Demon and act without restraint.’

"Xueru, what is this world to you?"

Lu Mingyuan rarely revealed his knowledge of the outside world, not wanting to disturb the lives of the people within the scroll.

This time, however, he truly wanted to test the waters.

It was like playing a video game and posing an existential question to an NPC.

"What do you mean by that, Husband?" Xueru didn’t understand at first.

Lu Mingyuan asked seriously, "The Central Plains World, and all the other worlds... do you think they’re real?"

"Of course they’re real."

Xueru replied without hesitation.

Lu Mingyuan feigned a casual, joking tone. "Xueru, what if I told you that this world we live in is just a Scroll World? And outside this Scroll World, there are even more terrifying beings watching our every move? What if every single thing we say and do is laid bare before their eyes? If that were true, could you accept it?"

Xueru’s expression was one of pure astonishment; she had clearly never considered such a question. After thinking for a moment, she gave a calm reply:

"And so what if it were? Even if such terrifying beings do exist, that’s a problem for the Saints to consider. For us to worry about it would be to trouble ourselves for no reason. As for me, being able to live here in the Duke Mansion with you is more than enough to be content."