Into The Sea

Lan Wu blinked, still feeling a sharp pain in her throat. She was about to raise her hand to touch it, but Ji Lingyue instinctively recoiled, her body trembling like a frightened animal.

She stopped, keeping her hand suspended in the air, surprised. “Are you afraid of me?”

Ji Lingyue shook her head. “No…”

Lan Wu’s voice was still hoarse. She seemed to find it laughable and chuckled. “How can you be afraid of me? You just tried to kill me!”

“No,” Ji Lingyue kept shaking her head, repeating in a muffled voice, “I wasn’t…”

She hadn’t been trying to kill Lan Wu. She had been trying to kill the monster that had disguised itself as Lan Wu, the cat demon. She had cut off its head and then plunged the sword into her own heart.

That was how she had woken up from the nightmare.

But it hurt so much…

Ji Lingyue closed her eyes, groaning as she punched her own head, then suddenly broke into sobs. “Father, Mother, Yun’er, Yun’er…”

Lan Wu froze, her anger gradually drowning in concern. She frowned and cautiously moved closer. “Ah Yue?”

At that moment, she heard the woman curled up on the ground murmur, “How could I fall in love with a demon…”

Lan Wu suddenly stiffened, staring at her in disbelief.

Her trembling lashes slowly moistened as she pressed her lips together, suddenly standing and striding toward the door.

The sound of footsteps snapped Ji Lingyue out of her daze. She looked up and saw Lan Wu’s retreating figure, finally realizing what she had said.

Color instantly drained from her face as Ji Lingyue scrambled up, stumbling after the mermaid. “Lan Wu!”

Lan Wu stepped onto the windowsill, ready to turn into a breeze and disappear without a trace.

Ji Lingyue’s eyes widened in panic. She shouted, “Don’t go!”

The silver hair swayed once before falling still, obediently cascading down the woman’s back. Lan Wu couldn’t take another step, her fingers gripping the window frame as she turned to Ji Lingyue with reddened eyes, snarling, “Why are you doing this!”

She released her grip, nearly losing control. “If this is what you’ve always thought, if you’ve never accepted that I’m a demon, then how could you keep me bound to you?”

Ji Lingyue ignored her resistance and rushed forward, hugging her tightly. “I didn’t…”

“That’s all you ever say!” Lan Wu pressed her shoulders, trying to push her away. “Let go of me!”

“No!” Ji Lingyue hugged her even tighter, her face covered in tears. But this time Lan Wu couldn’t soften her heart. Her pupils contracted, and shimmering scales began to emerge on her cheeks, her demonic aura swirling around her, making her look fierce and menacing.

“Look at me,” she grabbed Ji Lingyue’s chin, forcing her to look up. “I’m a terrifying demon. No matter what you think, this is who I am, and it will never change. If you can’t accept it, then let me go. We’ll go our separate ways, and you can go wherever you want!”

Ji Lingyue stared at her, tears streaming down her face.

Lan Wu hardened her heart and said, word by word, “Otherwise, don’t blame me for destroying us both.”

The room fell into dead silence except for occasional sobs. After a long while, Ji Lingyue choked out, “But, Lan Wu, it hurts so much…”

Lan Wu’s gaze flickered, her beautiful face tense. She stared at her without saying a word.

Ji Lingyue reached out and grabbed her other hand, pressing it to her chest. Her face was pale, but her eyes were red. “I never rejected you for being a demon. But it hurts too much, Lan Wu. I feel like I’m dying…”

Lan Wu was silent for a long time before finally asking, “What hurts?”

Ji Lingyue shook her head, choking back tears. “They’ll never forgive me… Yun’er, Uncle… They’ll never forgive me…”

She started crying again, her breathing ragged. “I fell in love with a demon. They’ll all hate me. It was my fault that they died. It was me who brought back the demon. It was all my fault…”

Her body trembled as she cried, as if she had returned to that night. She had returned to the village with the rabbit she had caught, full of joy, only to witness the most unforgettable scene of her life.

The white rabbit had fallen to the ground. She had run home, stepping through blood, leaving those innocent people behind. They were her childhood friends, the uncle who had taught her how to set traps, the elderly woman who had treated her wounds.

Her younger sister lay outside their home, her face covered in blood, but she had still had enough breath to call out for the last time, “Sister…”

For all her years of cultivation, for all the respect she commanded as an immortal cultivator, deep down, she was still so haunted by that night.

Ji Lingyue said in despair, “I failed them…”

Lan Wu pressed her lips together, her face still cold. But the scales that had emerged from her demon transformation had unknowingly receded.

“But I won’t let you go. Even if you’re a demon, I want to be with you. At worst. At worst, I’ll fall into the endless hell after death.”

As she spoke, she closed her eyes and placed Lan Wu’s hand on her throat, trembling. “If you’re still angry, take your revenge. I won’t… won’t resist.”

Lan Wu lowered her gaze, silent for a moment before suddenly closing her hand around the delicate neck. Ji Lingyue immediately stiffened, pressing her lips together pitifully, but truly made no move to resist.

She stopped, gazing at Ji Lingyue’s tear-streaked face, and sighed. “You won’t go to hell.”

Ji Lingyue’s long eyelashes trembled anxiously, but she still didn’t dare to open her eyes.

“Only those who have done wrong go to hell. Ji Lingyue, you’ve done nothing wrong. So, you’ll live well.” Lan Wu carefully wiped her eyes, saying softly. “You’ve suffered so much, and only now can you bring yourself to tell me what’s in your heart.”

Ji Lingyue pursed her lips, asking in a choked voice, “Are you still going to leave?”

“No,” Lan Wu wiped away her tears with her sleeve, opening her arms. “Come here.”

Ji Lingyue took a step forward, obediently squeezing into her arms, burying her face on her shoulder.

Lan Wu asked, “Does it still hurt?”

Ji Lingyue shook her head, then nodded. “It hurts.”

Lan Wu patted her back. “It’s amazing that you were able to get out of the nightmare by yourself. How did you do it?”

Ji Lingyue: “I killed myself.”

Lan Wu was silent, not knowing what to say.

Ji Lingyue continued, “Even though it was a dream, the pain felt real. It was easy to confuse the real with the fake. That demon… is very powerful.”

“Don’t say anymore.” Lan Wu held her tighter, feeling a pang of heartache. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect you.”

Ji Lingyue shook her head. “Lan Wu, I don’t need your protection. I can protect myself. I just need you to stay with me. That’s enough.”

Hearing this, Lan Wu sighed softly, her heart melting.

At that moment, Ji Lingyue looked up at the bruises on the woman’s neck, gently placing her fingers on them. Soon, Lan Wu felt much better. She twisted her neck, lowering her gaze to meet Ji Lingyue’s apologetic eyes.

She smiled, pretending to be relaxed, and comforted her. “It’s okay, I’m not angry anymore.”

Ji Lingyue nodded but leaned in, lifting her chin.

Lan Wu blinked.

Ji Lingyue said, “If you’re really not angry, then kiss me.”