Chapter 133: When an Old Woman Falls in Love, It's Like an Old House Catching Fire - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

Chapter 133: When an Old Woman Falls in Love, It's Like an Old House Catching Fire On this particular day, you continue with your routine of fetching water and chopping wood for Meng Hongshang. However, a sudden explosion echoes through the air, as thick smoke billows out from her alchemy room. Alarmed by the sight, you rush to the room's entrance. Despite Meng Hongshang's sharp tongue, if anything were to happen to her, you'd be trapped in Taoshan forever. Without hesitating, you dash inside to rescue Meng Hongshang. Eventually, amidst the wreckage, you find her, her clothing mostly torn apart by the blast. Meng Hongshang is unconscious, her mind assaulted by the alchemical flames. You quickly carry her to the pavilion by the Peach Blossom Pond on Taoshan, splashing water on her to awaken her. Once awake, Meng Hongshang instinctively checks her garments. Seeing no signs of tampering, she breathes a sigh of relief, but her gaze remains frosty. She once made your face bleed with a kick from her embroidered shoe, yet your resolve didn't waver, much to her irritation. "Though you saved me, don't expect my gratitude," she declares. "All men are scoundrels!" After saying her piece, Meng Hongshang leaves the pavilion. Prior to this, you couldn't fathom why Meng Hongshang harbored such animosity towards you for your feelings toward Nangong Liuli. But now, her words have offered you some insight. Her disdain for men suggests a deep-seated heartbreak from her past, explaining her behavior towards you. Comprehending this, you begin strategizing how to win over Meng Hongshang. To leave Taoshan, you need her permission, as your current strength is insufficient to bypass the mountain's formations. In the following days, you rely on your past life's skills in romance, crafting surprises and romantic gestures. Though Meng Hongshang is over 350 years old, her solitary life has shielded her from such experiences. Her reactions range from bewilderment to indifference, but you remain undaunted, determined to leave Taoshan. Even while carrying firewood, you boldly display your bare chest, flaunting your muscular frame. Initially, Meng Hongshang is nonchalant, absorbed in her alchemy. Yet, human nature prevails, and over time, she can't help but steal glances. When you notice this, you intensify your efforts. Meng Hongshang discerns your intent, but believes herself insulated by her emotional defenses, convinced you stand no chance. Undeterred, you persist, although her cool indifference remains unshaken. You're undaunted, driven by the desire to reunite with Nangong Liuli. A turning point occurs after six months. As you attempt to charm Meng Hongshang as you usually do, the grand formation outside Taoshan suddenly quakes. A female voice pierces the air. "Sister, you've hidden Taoshan well. It wasn't easy for little sister to find you!" Meng Hongshang's expression turns cold as she swiftly flies toward the formation's perimeter. "You wretch, dare you show yourself here!" Before your eyes, a flamboyant woman emerges from the boundary. Though not classically beautiful, she's irresistibly captivating, as if practiced in some art of attention. Spotting you hauling water shirtless, the woman begins to taunt. "So, elder sister, you've secretly kept a young lover here. I wonder what senior brother would think?" Meng Hongshang retaliates without missing a beat. "You pair of adulterers have no right to judge others!" "And whether I keep a lover or not is none of your business!" With those words, Meng Hongshang summons a cloud of peach blossom miasma, unleashing it upon the woman. The woman regards it with disdain as she unsheathes a jade hairpin from her coiffure. "Wilted Silk, go!" The hairpin transforms into a green beam, slicing through the miasma to strike Meng Hongshang. Her complexion pales as her powers are rendered inert, causing her to plummet to the ground, dizzy with shock. "Wilted Silk?" she gasps. "I never thought you'd refine such a weapon." The woman laughs triumphantly. "It's not merely a weapon—it's a treasure!" Advancing upon Meng Hongshang, who lays immobilized by the Wilted Silk, the woman gloats, unaware of what’s to come. A cloud of dark mist sneaks up behind the woman, causing her vision to blur. Her considerable cultivation prevents immediate unconsciousness but disrupts her control over the artifact. Seizing the chance, Meng Hongshang extricates herself from the Wilted Silk's grip and swiftly binds the woman. Sensing the impending danger to Meng Hongshang, you had quietly used your Yin Soul Lantern, maneuvering it beneath the ground to the woman's rear. Boasting prematurely after subduing Meng Hongshang, the woman fell victim to your scheme through carelessness. Meng Hongshang employs her magic to seize the woman entirely. Seething with frustration, the woman curses. "You!" Before she can continue, Meng Hongshang delivers a decisive blow to her forehead, shattering it. Still, due to her status as a Loose Immortal, the woman's indomitable soul escapes, set on reincarnation. Meng Hongshang, unable to halt an immortal soul, lets it pass. Unaware of this, you attempt to collect the spirit, puzzled by your inability to do so. Meng Hongshang chuckles mildly. "It's clear you don't understand." "As a Loose Immortal, she can reform her soul and traverse the heavens. Her true spirit has already embarked on a new life." Surprised, you respond. "Dying only to reincarnate means we can never truly vanquish her!" Meng Hongshang shakes her head, explaining further. "For reincarnation, a soul needs power, diminishing with each cycle." "Without it, the soul cannot awaken, forever lost in rebirth." "Then she'll cease to exist, only a new genius remaining—no trace of the vile woman." Enlightened by her explanation, you realize the complexity of immortality. Meng Hongshang continues, due in part to your having saved her. "With luck, she might possess a freshly deceased body through secret arts, but this pales compared to full reincarnation, stunting future potential." The encounter lowers Meng Hongshang's guard, opening a candid exchange. Curious, you prod, "Senior, what was your relationship with her?" Meng Hongshang responds frankly. "I have no reason to hide this." "That wretch is my junior apprentice sister." She shares her tale, revealing a shared past in a small sect called Qinghua Gate, akin to a humble institute amidst grand universities on Earth. At six, Meng Hongshang joined their ranks. As she matured, her master arranged a marriage agreement with her senior apprentice brother. Initially indifferent, love developed over time. But on the brink of marriage, she discovered the senior brother had secretly been with her junior sister. After their master's death, her senior brother was quick to call off their engagement and eloped with the junior sister. Dream Hongshang once confronted her senior brother, only to be told that her demeanor was too cold, more fitting for a statue than a woman. He had never felt any romantic interest in her whatsoever. Fueled by anger, Dream Hongshang absconded with two of the sect's precious treasures: the Peach Blossom Cloud Miasma and the Revival Pill Formula. Thus, her senior brother and junior sister have been relentlessly pursuing her to reclaim these stolen sect relics. Looking at the now stunning and bewitching Dream Hongshang, you find it hard to reconcile her current image with the icy persona she described. "What changed you so dramatically?" you wonder aloud. Dream Hongshang shakes her head. "I once observed courtesans and beauties from the mortal realm up close, adopting their manner and attire." "Why am I even telling you this?" "Anyway, thank you for today. If not for you, it would've been me who needed reincarnation." "Enough!" She gestures dismissively. "The body of that woman is yours to deal with. The artifact she cultivated will be a reward for me." With that, Dream Hongshang retracts the Peach Blossom Miasma and Wilted Silk and returns to her dwelling. Confronted with the enchantress's remains, you are given choices: 1. Take advantage of the situation. 2. Find a spot to bury the body. 3. Use the remains as fertilizer for the land. Faced with these macabre options, Su Mo can't help but acknowledge the dark humor. Taking advantage of a corpse isn’t an option he’d ever choose. Without hesitation, Su Mo picks the second option. You find a nearby plot and bury the body in the earth, erecting a simple burial mound to provide a semblance of rest. This incident marks a turning point, fostering improvement in your relationship with Dream Hongshang. She now seems less guarded, occasionally offering cultivation tips or capturing wandering spirits to nourish your Yin Soul Lantern. Your Yin Soul Seed, cultivated through Yin Soul Techniques, grows stronger, increasing in size from a grain to that of a peanut. However, your attempts to woo Dream Hongshang continue, hindered by her inability to fully open her heart, which frustrates you deeply. You constantly yearn for a reunion with Nangong Liuli. One day, as Dream Hongshang takes a nap in her bedroom, you're presented with choices: 1. Knowing the formation key is hidden in her alchemy room, steal it to escape Taoshan. 2. While she's asleep, steal her Peach Blossom Cloud Miasma and Wilted Silk. 3. Take advantage of Dream Hongshang during the day. The choices before Su Mo catch him by surprise. Really? Can I not pick any of these? Every option contradicts his expectations for how the story should unfold. Stealing isn’t ideal. Dream Hongshang is a Loose Immortal; even if he were to steal her artifacts, she'd easily catch up. Attacking her in broad daylight? He'd be rushing toward his demise. Given no appealing alternatives, Su Mo reluctantly chooses the third option. Taking advantage of Dream Hongshang while she's asleep, you stealthily enter her room, ready to act. But as soon as you make contact, she wakes up. Her eyes blaze with anger and shock. "What are you doing in here?" Not thrown out immediately, your courage swells as you begin to speak. "Why won't you accept me? Is it because of the senior brother who abandoned you? Do you truly love that man?" "Innocent infatuation when you first awoke to love, mixed with your master's arranged marriage—those feelings weren't genuine love, you know?" "It's not love you felt for your senior brother—just unfulfilled longing. You couldn't accept your prettier junior sister seizing the opportunity." "You're proud, unwilling to admit defeat in love." "So you mimic her style and demeanor." "But what did you learn?" "To prance and prattle, to dress scantily?" "But in the end, did you learn to attract a man's genuine interest?" Dream Hongshang is left speechless by your words. "Stop talking!" You grasp her delicate wrist, fierce and unyielding. "Afraid of my touch?” “A man whom you gave nothing was able to so easily capture your heart. But despite all my efforts and trials…" "Can't you see it?” “What am I?” As you grow more impassioned, Dream Hongshang's gaze dulls with shock, her composure breaking and mental state unraveling. Taking advantage of her dazed state, you advance toward her. "Damn!" "Dream Hongshang." "I'm taking you!" (Chapter End)