Volume 2, Chapter 154 – When Did You Think I Loved You?

Qu Qingtang furrowed her brow tightly.

She seemed to have vaguely heard someone calling out to her just now, as if trying to stop her from something?

Had someone really called out to her?

Who was trying to stop her from what?

Did they not want her to proceed with the final stage of the plan?

‘What’s wrong, Host?’

‘What are you hesitating about?’

‘Didn’t you already make up your mind to bid farewell to that “wife” of yours?’

Qu Qingtang felt that when the System said the word “wife,” its tone seemed to have grown much heavier.

Something was wrong. Something felt off. But what exactly was wrong?

Why did the System want her to repeat their purpose? And specifically have her state her real name?

Was this really part of the procedure?

She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was strange.

[Bzzt…]

[Bzzt… Wake up quickly!!]

The strange static appeared again, elusive and unclear.

…Who exactly was it? What were they trying to tell her?

Qu Qingtang heard it, but couldn’t make it out clearly at all.

Wait! There was only one person who could communicate with her in this way!

It was Ming Zhaoxi.

Ming Zhaoxi seemed to be trying to tell her something?

“System… what’s going on?”

‘Hmm?’

‘Host, it’s time to execute the final plan.’

‘Or are you saying you want to abandon the plan? Abandon bidding farewell to that divine being?’

‘Do you want to live with her forever?’

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The System didn’t directly answer Qu Qingtang’s question, but continued inquiring about her intentions.

Qu Qingtang vaguely felt uneasy.

Her instinct told her she didn’t want to follow this System’s rhythm.

“No…” Qu Qingtang raised her hand to her forehead.

She began thinking about what exactly had gone wrong.

‘Host, are you wavering?’

‘Are you going to abandon our plan?’

‘We’re just one step away. At this moment when we’re about to realize your vision, are you going to abandon this plan?’

“No…” Qu Qingtang pressed her lips together. “I won’t give up… I won’t indulge in this kind of illusory tenderness.”

‘Heh…’

“Mother… what were you just saying?” A soft, childish voice came from behind Qu Qingtang.

“Are you going to abandon me and Bamboo Mama?”

Qu Qingtang turned around to see her eldest daughter, Qu Zhenzhen.

The eldest daughter was already eight or nine years old.

The fox demon bloodline was beginning to manifest. Though she hadn’t fully grown yet, she was already a complete beauty in the making.

She was also Qu Qingtang’s most beloved daughter.

At this moment, Qu Zhenzhen stood not far away, looking at Qu Qingtang with a bewildered expression.

Those bright, dark eyes were filled with incomprehension.

Being looked at with such eyes by the daughter she had loved for nearly ten years, a flash of reluctance crossed Qu Qingtang’s eyes. She instinctively said, “Zhenzhen… Mother has no intention of leaving you all.”

“Mother was just joking…”

Qu Zhenzhen blinked her innocent big eyes. She took small steps and threw herself into Qu Qingtang’s embrace.

“Mother! I knew you would never leave me and Mama.”

“Zhenzhen loves Mother the most.”

Qu Qingtang held her daughter, a trace of confusion flashing through her eyes.

‘So… Host, are you certain you want to give up?’

‘After giving up, you can live happily with your “wife” and your “daughters.”‘

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‘Or, cruelly push away the illusory shadow before you, and you can achieve your wish.’

‘Host, I want to hear your answer.’

At the same time, Qu Zhenzhen in Qu Qingtang’s arms also lifted her small head.

She looked at Qu Qingtang and said with an innocent expression, “Mother, let’s go home. Mama is still waiting for us.”

“Mm… Zhenzhen… I…”

Qu Qingtang’s lips moved. She was about to answer her eldest daughter.

‘Host, think about our plan. It’s time to make a decision.’

Qu Qingtang’s words halted once more.

‘Repeating our purpose once more is a very simple thing.’

‘Then, you and the illusory shadow before you will have no more connection, nor will you be bound by it anymore.’

‘Isn’t this what you’ve always wanted?’

‘What exactly… are you hesitating about?’

“Mother? What’s wrong? Why aren’t you speaking?” Qu Zhenzhen extended her small hand and tugged at Qu Qingtang’s hand.

Qu Qingtang couldn’t bear to look.

She knew she shouldn’t be hesitating at a time like this.

She had clearly already made her decision. Why was she suddenly backing down at this critical moment?

How… truly laughable.

Qu Qingtang mocked herself inwardly.

She bitterly closed her eyes, no longer looking at her daughter.

Even though she had long since made up her mind, she still felt a sharp pain at this moment.

Why, at such a critical juncture, would her daughter suddenly appear…

Sure enough, she should have made the decision earlier.

Indecision brings chaos.

“System…” Qu Qingtang closed her eyes and responded to the System in her heart.

“I’m certain… Our ultimate purpose is…”

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[Bzzt…]

There it was again, that static noise.

What was going on?!

[Bzzt… Surnamed Qu… let her go… leave her!]

[Bzzt… Let go of Lu Zhuxin!]

[Bzzt… You’ve been poisoned!]

[Bzzt… We’ve been tricked. This was Lu Zhuxin’s scheme from beginning to end!]

[Bzzt… Wake up from the dream quickly!]

Dream?

Wake up?

What did this mean?

She was dreaming?

Just as Qu Qingtang’s heart filled with confusion, Qu Zhenzhen in front of her suddenly let out a long sigh.

Her face showed an expression completely incompatible with her age.

“Sigh!”

“Really now… Mother, what exactly are you hesitating about?”

“We’ve come this far. Is it so difficult to say that purpose?”

“Qu Zhenzhen” suddenly extended her small hands to cup Qu Qingtang’s face.

“Or is it that someone is whispering to you?”

“Let me guess… that person, is her name ‘Ming Zhaoxi’?”

Qu Qingtang’s pupils shrank suddenly. “You… who exactly are you?”

“Hehe~~!”

The “Qu Zhenzhen” before her suddenly curved her lips into a smile and laughed softly.

“Mother…”

“Qintang…”

“Awakener who transmigrated here…”

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“Your love is even more hypocritical than mine.”

That last sentence was in Lu Zhuxin’s voice.

Qu Qingtang’s expression changed drastically in an instant. She instinctively reached for “Qu Zhenzhen” in her arms.

But the eldest daughter in her embrace dispersed like a phantom.

Qu Qingtang raised her head, only to discover that the scenery around her was rapidly dissolving and collapsing.

“This is a dream realm!”

“It’s the fox demon’s dream-weaving technique!”

Qu Qingtang’s expression at this moment was extremely ugly.

After the dream realm completely dissipated, she found that the surrounding scenery had completely changed.

This wasn’t Lingxiao Sword Sect, nor was it Fox Palace.

It was an unfamiliar prison.

Dark and lightless.

Qu Qingtang discovered that her body was densely wrapped in runic chains, her lower half submerged in a pool filled with the scent of alcohol.

Moreover, what was more important was that she felt an itching, tingling sensation coming from various parts of her body.

In a certain unspeakable place, there was even a slight stinging pain.

A nameless evil fire still burned in her lower abdomen.

Her breathing was rapid, the true essence within her body completely disordered.

She was poisoned, and it was an aphrodisiac poison.

For a Venerable Saint’s body to feel such obvious abnormalities meant the poisoning had lasted quite some time, and the toxin had penetrated deep into her bones.

How was this done?

Qu Qingtang raised her eyes and looked toward Lu Zhuxin across from her.

“Dream realm… Lu Zhuxin, when exactly did you pull me into this dream?”

Lu Zhuxin sat in a chair, crossing her legs, cupping her cheek, laughing softly.

“Qintang.”

“Then… when exactly did you think I loved you devotedly until death?”