Chapter 601: Finale: Boundless Merit

Yellow incense was inserted into the incense burner, and wisp after wisp of incense smoke rose, all of which was absorbed by that person.

He seemed not to insist that everyone must believe in him and make offerings to him; after all, I and Liu Junyan did not take any yellow incense.

The yellow incense burned quickly, and before long it had burned down to the bottom.

That person then said: "The Lovebirds' Unity Lock will protect your love; the City God Lord will also see your sincerity, bear witness to your fidelity in love, and he will not fail any believer—boundless merit."

Upon hearing those words "boundless merit," Liu Junyan and I both jerked awake from the dream.

I switched on the light, and we stared at each other.

Immediately afterward, I smelled a faint scent of incense.

I had it on me, and Liu Junyan had it too.

It was quite obvious that what had just happened was not a mere dream; we were truly standing again in the Three Lives Hall.

We left quickly, and we woke up just as quickly.

Now my mind is still filled with those four words—boundless merit.

I briefly described to Liu Junyan what had just happened, and her experience was indeed the same as mine.

"I keep feeling more and more that this bamboo secluded person is not only harmless, but actually quite open‑minded and broad‑hearted," I said. "First, he surely knows our identities and did not deliberately avoid us; second, we didn't offer incense, and he didn't force us; finally, we returned smoothly and were not targeted."

Liu Junyan, however, said: "I actually think we made a mistake; we should have lit incense and prayed for blessings like everyone else."

I exclaimed in surprise: "You mean we were probably eliminated for not lighting incense, which is why we came back so quickly?"

Liu Junyan gave a noncommittal reply: "Just my guess, not necessarily certain, Xiao Jiu. Can you remember a few faces of the several couples who were with us at that time?"

I thought back: "I only roughly remember the couple on my left."

"I remember the two couples on the right," Liu Junyan said. "Perhaps we can start with them."

Saying that, he sat up, got out of bed, stood by the desk and began to sketch; before long, several portrait drawings leapt onto the paper, including the couple I had described.

I doubted: "Looking for people this way is like finding a needle in a haystack—the difficulty is too great."

"Who knows if we don't try?" Liu Junyan said. "I still have confidence in Mo Qiong's abilities."

Liu Junyan handed those sketches to Hui Moqiong, who overnight sent people to investigate.

Fortunately, as dawn was just breaking, Hui Moqiong returned with two people.

Those two were brought back trussed up five‑fold, with hoods over their heads, and they kept struggling.

They were taken to the main courtyard, the pawnshop's gate was locked, I reached out and removed their hoods—and discovered that these two were exactly the couple on my left.

At that moment, their mouths were gagged, and they glared at us with angry faces.

However, when our eyes met, the woman visibly startled, as if asking, "Ah, how is it you?"

As I reached to pull the cloth gagging their mouths, Hui Moqiong said: "Originally I didn't know which direction to look for people, but I never expected that, just as I was dozing off, someone would hand me a pillow; in the early hours, these two were sneaking around outside the City God Temple, burning incense and kneeling in prayer, muttering under their breath. I approached them to strike up a conversation, but they fled, so I had no choice but to resort to this measure to bind them and bring them back."

After saying that, he clasped his fists toward the two of them and apologized: "Sorry, folks, I meant no harm."

The woman, fuming, demanded: "Why did you seize us? What do you want from us?"

I quickly said: "We truly mean no harm; we just want to ask you a few questions about the Three Lives Hall and the Lovebirds' Unity Lock."

"You were there too, weren't you?" the woman said. "We went through what you went through—what's there to ask?"

If they hadn't been seized while offering incense around the City God Temple, I might have believed that rebuttal.

But it's quite clear that Liu Junyan's guess was correct; after we were sent away, those newcomers who were offering incense still had something happen to them.

Furthermore, this matter is directly tied to their own interests; otherwise they wouldn't keep silent and would not go alone to the City God Temple outskirts to burn incense and pray.

So I didn't back down: "I'm asking what happened after you offered incense—not that I'm scaremongering; the matter of the Lovebirds' Unity Lock is not that simple. It's not a beautiful vision but some kind of sorcery or magic. If not stopped, it will only drag you deeper, and in the end it will cost lives."

I don't know if it's my imagination, but when I uttered the words "will cost lives," both of their gazes became slightly unnatural.

It was only then that I noticed their complexions were somewhat ashen and their vitality poor.

At first I thought it was because Hui Moqiong had frightened them, but after saying all that, their faces showed no sign of recovery.

I then realized in my heart that the six words "share hardship, live and die together" were certainly not just empty talk.

I gave Li Qingying a look; she immediately understood and lifted her foot, ready to go out.

As she moved, the woman, as if startled, flung her arms open, stepped sideways to block Li Qingying, and exclaimed excitedly: "What are you going to do? Do you still want to use some means on us?"

"You're all cultivators; the White Immortal Doctor among the fox, yellow, white, willow, and gray—you should know that, right?" I said. "I see your complexions are off; please let the White Immortal Doctor come over to examine you, perhaps…"

Before I could finish speaking, the woman shouted in refusal: "We're not sick! Let us go!"

Li Qingying, losing patience, drew her long whip and lashed out fiercely.

The loud crack of the whip echoed in the room, startling the woman; she instinctively raised her right hand to guard her belly.

My heart gave a sudden jolt.

Having been pregnant before, I knew exactly what that gesture meant; I quickly grabbed Li Qingying's hand, signaled her to sheath the whip, and pushed her out.

Logically speaking, the fact that these two could ascend to the Nineteen Heavens shows that their cultivation is still quite good.

But judging from their behavior today, their cultivation seems to have declined considerably.

Not long after, Li Qingying led Bai Shulan in.

As soon as Bai Shulan saw their complexions, she stopped short, her fine brows knitting together.

I asked: "Shulan Sister, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

She set down her medicine box, reached out to grab the woman's arm, intending to feel her pulse.

The woman violently resisted: "Don't touch me!"

The man hurried to shield her, but Hui Moqiong stepped forward, seized the man's collar from behind, and shoved him onto a nearby stool.

Li Qingying held the woman down, and Bai Shulan finally managed to feel her pulse.

She felt the pulse back and forth for a while, then said: "You're pregnant—over five months—but judging from your condition, you won't make it to the day of delivery."