Chapter 110: A Paradise on Earth
Jun Mo led Lou Yunxiao and Ning Ke to the center of the snow-capped mountains. He ran his palm along the mountain’s surface.
Where he touched it, ripples spread out, and then a passage slowly appeared. A warm wind blew out from within, warming Ning Ke and Lou Yunxiao’s cold bodies.
Stepping inside, compared to the icy world outside, this was practically a paradise on earth. Over a dozen wooden houses were built side-by-side. A river wound between green trees and the houses, eventually gathering into a huge lake at the foot of a distant mountain. Fish would occasionally leap out of the water.
Every now and then, a bird would fly past. Yet, no one was seen coming out of the wooden houses.
Jun Mo pointed to the second house to the south and said:
“You two can stay in this house.”
“I’ll prepare some spiritual fruits and food for you.”
Before leaving, he said to Qing Ru, “Qing Ru, brew a pot of warming tea for them to dispel the cold.”
Qing Ru was still a bit wary of Ning Ke and the others, but since both Jun Mo and Niao Niao held no hostility, he didn’t say much. He brewed the tea, and as he brought it to the table, he took out a small yellow flower from his spatial bag and tapped the rim of the cups. “It’s a miracle you lasted so long in our snowfield. If it were ordinary people, they would have frozen to death outside long ago.”
“This is a Warm Sun Flower. Its pollen in the tea can dispel the cold that has seeped into your bodies.”
“Big Brother, this cup is for you!” Niao Niao held one of the cups and handed it to Ning Ke with a sweet smile. “Drink slowly, be careful it’s hot.”
Ning Ke took the teacup. Looking at the little girl’s smiling face, warmth spread through his heart. He reached out and rubbed Niao Niao’s hair, saying, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome!” Niao Niao sat on the long bench, leaning against Ning Ke’s body.
Once they touched, Ning Ke’s emotions could flow into her consciousness. As a Nüwa descendant, Niao Niao was born with the ability to predict the future and sense emotions. She had initially approached Ning Ke because she thought he was pretty and wanted to marry him.
But once she had physical contact with Ning Ke, her mind was filled with negative, sorrowful voices.
It’s all my fault. It’s because of me that the Mo were born. If it weren’t for me, there would be no Mo. I’ve killed so many people and brought so much suffering to Lou Yunxiao.
I deserve to die. I’m the one who deserves to die the most.
The voices were all self-condemnation, pushing himself toward a dead end. This was very similar to the feeling Big Daddy gave her when he first woke up. Niao Niao was infected by this negative emotion and felt a pain in her heart. That was why she wanted to take Ning Ke home and give this Big Brother some warmth.
Ning Ke and Lou Yunxiao drank the tea, and a wave of warmth immediately rose in their stomachs. They could feel every pore opening as the cold air rushed out, leaving them completely warm in no time.
Seeing their complexions return to a healthy pink, Qing Ru continued: “Although you are our guests, I hope you will follow some of our rules here.”
Lou Yunxiao said, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Please, go ahead.”
Qing Ru spoke with a serious expression, telling them: “First, remember not to let fire appear in front of Jun Mo.”
“Second, remember not to go into the other houses.”
Lou Yunxiao and Ning Ke were stunned, both finding these rules a bit strange. Ning Ke couldn’t help but ask, “May I ask the reason behind these rules? But if it involves any secrets and it’s not convenient to tell, Senior Qing Ru doesn’t have to say.”
“Because my Big Daddy is afraid of fire,” Niao Niao answered first. “That’s why the world outside is snowy all year round, turning into a snowfield, and all fire elements are suppressed. That’s Big Daddy’s domain power.”
“And the reason this place is as warm as spring is because Big Daddy was afraid Small Daddy and I would be cold, so he specially created this small world for us.”
“Niao Niao,” Qing Ru reminded Niao Niao. Niao Niao wanted to say more but had to stop.
“It seems you’re getting along well.” Jun Mo walked in with a smile, carrying sliced spiritual fruits and some sashimi and cold dishes.
“I don’t know how to cook, so I just made some cold food. This sashimi with the sauce here should taste pretty good.”
Jun Mo put the plates on the table and then produced a small bunny carved from a spiritual fruit from behind his back for Niao Niao: “Niao Niao, this is for you.”
“Thank you, Big Daddy!” Niao Niao happily took the bunny and took a big bite, her mouth full of fruit juice.
Jun Mo sat down and picked up his chopsticks, dipping a piece of sashimi into the sauce and holding it to Qing Ru’s mouth. Qing Ru took a bite naturally, chewed it, and said, “You used sea bass today?”
“Mm, I know you love sea bass most, so I made more.”
“It’s good.”
“As long as you like it.”
The interaction between the two was natural and seamless, without a hint of awkwardness. They looked exceptionally harmonious. Ning Ke thought of how Niao Niao addressed the two of them just now and suddenly realized something. Could it be that they were a pair of same-sex Dao companions?
Just as this thought occurred to him, he looked down and saw a pair of chopsticks holding a piece of sashimi handed in front of his eyes.
Turning his head, he met Lou Yunxiao’s expectant face: “A-Ke, for you.”
“…”
He wanted to refuse, but he saw that the other two adults and one child were all looking at him.
Jun Mo said, “Little Friend A-Ke, try it and see if it’s good.”
Qing Ru said, “Give it a try; the sauce Qing Ru made is quite good.”
Niao Niao looked at Lou Yunxiao and then at Ning Ke. She remembered that the voices in Ning Ke’s heart all mentioned Lou Yunxiao. Big Brother probably felt a contradictory psychology toward this Lou Yunxiao—clearly loving him, but suppressing it desperately.
Thus, the little girl with difficulty gave up her wish to be Ning Ke’s bride, tugged at Ning Ke’s sleeve, and said, “Big Brother, if you don’t eat the sashimi, Big Daddy will be sad.”
“If Big Daddy is sad, Small Daddy will be sad, and Niao Niao will be sad too.”
“…”
When Ning Ke heard this, he felt a lump in his throat. The atmosphere had been built up to this point; he had to eat it. Thus, he opened his mouth and bit into the sashimi.
Lou Yunxiao immediately beamed with joy.
Ning Ke politely replied to Jun Mo: “The sashimi Senior Jun made is very delicious.”
Just as he finished speaking, Lou Yunxiao’s chopsticks were in front of him again.
“If it’s good, eat more.”
“…”
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Ning Ke had no choice but to be forced by Lou Yunxiao to eat half a plate of sashimi.
Qing Ru and Jun Mo looked at each other, both seeing in the other’s eyes that the relationship between these two “martial brothers” was not simple.
After the meal, Lou Yunxiao explained to Jun Mo that he and Ning Ke had been teleported here by a Mo, and he asked Jun Mo for a way to leave this world.
“You say a Mo?” Jun Mo frowned and asked, “Could it be that you also come from the Qianyuan Continent?”
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