Chapter 42

The three maids exchanged glances and nodded in unison: "Good idea!"

【The young master who challenged Hearing Xu Zhu to a contest of lightness skills was Murong Fu.】

【I wasn't certain before, but after seeing the Immortal Sister, I'm now completely sure.】

【But why is Murong Fu competing with Hearing Xu Zhu over lightness skills?】

【The book doesn't mention this scene of them comparing lightness skills, but the drama did—Murong Fu, out of jealousy and resentment, wanted to prove he was stronger than Hearing Xu Zhu and forced him into a contest.】

【In the end, Hearing Xu Zhu, having just gained Wu Wu Ya Zi's entire body of skill, crushed Murong Fu and utterly humiliated him.】

【Afterward, Murong Fu still couldn't accept his defeat.】

How did Hearing Xu Zhu and Murong Fu end up comparing lightness skills?

Wang Yuyan and Zhu Abi exchanged glances, silent.

They of course knew the answer.

Originally, the three women had stayed obediently at Taihu, but upon learning Murong Fu was also heading to Leigushan, they conceived a plan to follow and meet the diary's owner.

Yet knowing Murong Fu would likely refuse if they asked outright, the three women conferred and decided to depart after him.

Then Zhu Abi used Disguise Art to conceal their breathtaking beauty, and they slipped away from Taihu, pursuing Murong Fu.

Why did they insist on finding Murong Fu?

Naturally, because the road was unsafe, and Disguise Art couldn't fully guarantee their safety—they wanted a powerful "protector."

By the time Murong Fu encountered the three women, they were already too far from home to return.

Reluctantly, Murong Fu had no choice but to allow them to accompany him.

Yet he was deeply displeased by their "strike-first-ask-later" audacity; in his anger, he took out his frustration on a passing white crane.

Just as he was about to strike, Hearing Xu Zhu appeared and saved the unfortunate crane.

Hearing Xu Zhu immediately urged Murong Fu not to kill indiscriminately, lectured him at length, then asked if anyone had seen his lost senior brother.

Murong Fu, already seething with rage, was now scolded by a bald monk—his mood worsened.

Seeing that Hearing Xu Zhu's Wu Gong was formidable, seemingly equal to his own, Murong Fu's competitive spirit flared.

He falsely claimed to have seen Hearing Xu Zhu's senior brother and offered to reveal his whereabouts—if they first competed in lightness skills, and Hearing Xu Zhu won, he'd tell him.

Hearing Xu Zhu readily agreed.

And thus came the scene described earlier.

【But today, in their contest, both men's lightness skills were nearly equal, even slightly inferior in Hearing Xu Zhu's case.】

【This is understandable—without Wu Wu Ya Zi's full body of skill as an advantage, Hearing Xu Zhu could hardly surpass Murong Fu, after all, Murong Fu was no fool.】

【Though Murong Fu's position in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber is awkward, middling, and his performance disappointing—as if he loses to everyone—】

【But he mostly fights peak opponents: elders or those with cheat-like abilities—who can blame him for that?】

【If he were weak, he never could've subdued the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands at the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly.】

【Come to think of it, Murong Fu truly has a splendid appearance—no wonder Duan Yu felt utterly deflated upon seeing him in the book.】

【Could this be why Wang Yuyan remains so fixated on her cousin?】

Hearing this, Zhu Abi glanced at Wang Yuyan and Zhu Abi—both had once been deeply infatuated with Murong Fu.

Wang Yuyan and Zhu Abi blushed under her gaze, ashamed.

Yet recalling their past selves, Jiang Sishui and Zhu Abi had not wronged them.

Had Murong Fu not, after drinking Truth Water, revealed his true thoughts and shattered their illusions, they'd likely still be clinging to him.

"Zhu Abi, why are you staring at us like that? That… that's all in the past," Wang Yuyan said, half-angry, half-irritated.

"The Young Lady is right," Zhu Abi nodded in agreement beside her.

Zhu Abi, glad they'd resolved their inner turmoil, smiled: "Alright~ It was my mistake. I won't mention it again."

【Later, when I saw Wang Yuyan, I recognized her at once.】

【She's a celestial fairy—her face is etched into memory; how could I forget?】

【So beautiful, radiating divine aura—only the Immortal Sister and Xiao Longnu match her.】

【Wait—could Xiao Longnu and Wang Yuyan look identical?】

"Do I look like Xiao Longnu?"

"Do I look like Wang Yuyan?"

Wang Yuyan in the inn and Xiao Longnu in the ancient tomb both froze.

Instantly, a fierce curiosity arose within them toward each other.

【The beauty of a celestial fairy is truly the pinnacle of the world—universally captivating, stunning everyone the moment they appear.】

【I simply can't understand—how could Murong Fu remain unmoved by the Immortal Sister's devoted pursuit?】

【That's a bit ungrateful.】

【Running around all day, obsessed with restoring his kingdom—it's ridiculous. The Great Yan dynasty fell centuries ago; what's left to restore?】

【To abandon the Immortal Sister's deep love for a hollow dream—this man is truly ruthless.】

【I even wonder if he's asexual or prefers men.】

【Which normal single man could resist the Immortal Sister's heartfelt pursuit?】

【In The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, Duan Yu won the beauty's heart only because Murong Fu, blinded by ambition to become the Western Xia prince, ruthlessly pushed Wang Yuyan into Duan Yu's arms.】

【Otherwise, how could Duan Yu have had even the slightest chance?】

【Then, in his madness to restore his kingdom, Murong Fu killed his loyal retainers—and even murdered Wang Yuyan's mother, Li Qingluo!】

【Hmm, confirmed—he's truly ruthless.】

"What? My cousin… he… he killed my mother? He… he…"

Just moments before, Wang Yuyan had been delighted by Jiang Sishui's praise—but now, the turn of his words struck like a thunderclap, leaving her stunned.

She had wanted to say it was impossible — how could Murong Fu have killed her mother?

But the words reached her lips, and she suddenly recalled what Murong Fu had said after drinking the "Truth Water," and was struck dumb on the spot.

According to Murong Fu's own words, let alone Li Qingluo — even if Wang Yuyan herself stood in his way, he would still kill her without hesitation!

Zhu Abi and Zhu Abi also exchanged glances, communicating with their eyes, both wondering which of the household retainers had died at Murong Fu's hands — and how many?

Deng Baichuan, Gongye Qian, Bao Butong, Feng Bohai…

Four names flashed through their minds, and the two women unanimously agreed that Bao Butong had the highest mortality rate!

No other reason — that fellow had the foulest mouth!

And those with foul mouths usually invite fatal disaster upon themselves.

At the same time, the many women who had heard the name "Southern Murong" saw their impression of Murong Fu plummet.

Because in the book, Murong Fu was the very model of grand ambition but shallow talent, heartless and ungrateful.

Although they did not know whether the real Murong Fu was the same as the one in the book, that did not stop them from feeling aversion — even disgust.

【At the end of the story, Murong Fu truly did go mad, and only Abi remained by his side to care for him, never abandoning him】

(Note: This book uses the Joint Publishing edition of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils")

"Me?" Abi was startled, not expecting the topic to circle back to her.

Wang Yuyan and Zhu Abi also glanced at her in surprise.

However, none of them spoke further, waiting quietly for what came next.

【There are many beauties in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils — the most beautiful is Wang Yuyan, of course Mu Wanqing and Li Qinglu are not far behind, but the most pitiable is, without question, Abi】

【Abi is not an important character in the book, nor does she have many scenes, yet her image is extraordinarily vivid】

【She has no earth-shattering deeds like the others, but everything she does touches the soul】

【Especially at the end — the Young Master has gone mad, the Young Lady has married another, Zhu Abi who grew up with her is dead, and the four great retainers have left, died, or scattered】

【The once lively and far-famed Swallow Dock thus fell apart, bleak and desolate, with only her remaining — how lonely must she be?】

【She could have simply walked away and married into a good family, but she still chose to stay with Murong Fu until the end】

【When Murong Fu was lost in his Emperor dream, she would take a pile of candies and coax a group of children over, making them shout "Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years" at Murong Fu, to make him happy】

【While she herself secretly grieved, lowering her head and silently weeping…】

【It must be said, Jin Lao was far too cruel to Abi!】

"This is my ending in the book? I… I actually…"

Abi was dumbfounded, staring blankly for a long while, then suddenly her voice caught with a sob, and glistening tears rolled down her gentle, pretty Bai Yu-like cheeks.

She had just asked herself — if there had been no "Truth Water" incident, if the diary had never appeared, and Murong Fu had gone mad, she really would have stayed with him faithfully, just like in the book.

And precisely because of this, she felt a pang of heartache for that version of herself.