After steadying their emotions, the group resumed their climb toward the final destination. Since the route they had chosen wasn't a man-made path but rather narrow goat trails or densely wooded areas, the chances of encountering others were very slim.
Even if they did happen to meet people, before anyone could figure out who they were, the girls could easily slip away without being followed. So even though someone had uploaded posts online about mysterious girls climbing Mount Li, no one paid much attention—until…
"Big Sis, are we really climbing like this? Chu Chu is so tired. It's getting steeper and steeper, I don't even know if I can keep going." Chu Chu held onto Li Xiu'er with one hand, while supporting her on the other side was Chu Lian, whom she addressed.
She truly was exhausted. No matter how much stronger her body was compared to an ordinary person, her age and height were still limiting factors. Her two steps equaled only one step for others, and the paths were all extremely steep mountain slopes. The fact that Chu Chu had lasted until now before complaining already showed her determination.
But Chu Lian knew that if it weren't for Li Xiu'er, who had long since reached her limit and was now drifting in and out of consciousness, Chu Chu could have kept going much longer. This was also her fault. In her rush to save time and avoid others discovering her true purpose, she had chosen this route without considering whether Li Xiu'er or Chu Chu could endure it.
Sighing softly, she gently supported Li Xiu'er to a shaded spot and murmured in a low voice: "This is my fault. If I hadn't rushed without regard for your condition, this wouldn't have happened. I've always been this selfish, haven't I? I've really troubled you all…"
Driven restless by the increasingly urgent call tugging at her heart, Chu Lian's reaction to realizing her mistake was unexpectedly fragile. In the past, with Ayase by her side, she could solve every problem. But ever since the system had confined her, forcing her to act independently again, she increasingly felt her own helplessness. She wondered if this reliance on Ayase had become a crutch.
What she did know was that if things continued like this, one day she would collapse under the weight of all the mysterious, incomprehensible troubles she faced. She wasn't nearly as strong as she thought she was. A bitter smile curved her lips.
Lying in her arms, Li Xiu'er stretched out her small hand and gently caressed Chu Lian's cheek, her soft voice tinged with laughter: "Who said my Chu Lian is a burden? Sharing your worries makes us happy—it's not trouble at all. And I think Chu Lian is the best, because she's brave and strong, much more so than us. So don't be discouraged. Believe in yourself—you're the greatest."
Chu Chu came to her side as well, tugging lightly on her long sleeve with her small hand and whispering: "That's right. I don't know why Big Sis has been so restless lately, or why you've been making choices unlike yourself, but I'm sure there's a reason. You've never been someone who only thinks of yourself and ignores others. This was just an accident—you don't need to dwell on it. To Chu Chu, being able to be your trouble is the greatest honor, because it means Big Sis needs me."
Lifting her head to look at Chu Chu's bright, sun-like smile, then lowering her gaze to see Li Xiu'er's serene sleeping face still carrying a faint smile, Chu Lian was momentarily at a loss for words.
Just then, a warm embrace wrapped around her from behind. Held in that gentle chest, Chu Lian heard a soft whisper by her ear: "Inori trusts Lian the most, and wants to help Lian the most. If there's something troubling you, will you tell us?"
Raising her hand, Chu Lian gently stroked the back of Inori's hand, which was wrapped around her neck. Her voice sounded softly: "Ever since arriving in this city, I've been hearing a faint call in my heart. At first, I thought it was an illusion, but last night, after I had a dream, that voice became clearer."
"In the dream, I was a princess of a dynasty. This dynasty ended the centuries-long division of Huaxia, unifying currency, script, and administration, making it the only empire to stand supreme on this land."
"But the prosperity didn't last long. With no external enemies and no internal rebellions, the rulers quickly grew corrupt. Heavy taxation, oppression, and corruption spread rapidly. In just a few short years, the dynasty's foundation was corroded beyond repair."
"When the founder of this dynasty died during his final eastern tour, the empire collapsed… The dynasty I speak of, you must know well—it was the Qin dynasty." Chu Lian let out a faint laugh. "Heh."
"The ironic part is, the princess I embodied was frail and sickly, bedridden year after year. If not for my mother being one of the First Emperor's favorite consorts, I likely would have been abandoned long ago."
"So even though I knew everything, knew what would happen, I couldn't change it, nor could I speak a word—lest I bring death upon myself. All I could do was live timidly, surviving with a few maids in the most remote corner of the harem."
"After the First Emperor's death, not only did the generals war among themselves, but officials schemed for power, and peasant uprisings rose across the land. The empire fell into chaos. All I could do, lying in bed, was ponder why I had ended up there. Was it just a dream, or something that had truly happened in history? Who exactly was I? These pointless yet infinitely meaningful questions filled my days."
"Later, I only remember that the dynasty was destroyed. Behind the pearl curtains of the imperial court, a figure in blazing red watched me. And then I was given a cup of poisoned wine to drink…"
"That was something never recorded in history, yet it felt so real, so enchanting, as if I had lived in another lifetime."
Chu Lian stopped speaking, lifting her head to gaze at the distant sky, murmuring: "Perhaps all of this is nothing but a dream."
"An empty heart, a dream like a drifting kite—wherever you go, isn't that home?" A soft whisper suddenly rang out. Chu Lian startled, because it was the exact same voice that had been echoing in her heart. But this time, it sounded by her ear. Was this person right beside me, watching me? Who are you? What is your purpose?
"If you wish to know your past, your future, or your present, then come to the Temple of Nuwa. I'll be waiting for you there." The voice was ethereal, as if coming from beyond the thirty-three heavens, yet at the same time so tender, so gentle that even the words "like water" could not describe a fraction of it.
"Can you tell me who you are?" Chu Lian suddenly stood, raising her voice toward the sky. "Me? Heh, once you find me, you'll know who I am."
Chu Lian seemed to glimpse a white shadow dancing in the air. Unconsciously, she chased after it, running faster and faster, until even Inori, who was pursuing from behind, could not keep up.
Finally, the white shadow vanished without a trace, and Chu Lian came to a halt. By now, her light gauze veil had slipped askew, though she didn't notice. She simply stood there silently.
Then, a strong wind blew past, and the thin veil, losing its hold, was carried far behind her, revealing Chu Lian's tear-stained yet beautiful face.
She now stood upon a massive boulder beside the main mountain path of Mount Li. Her sudden appearance naturally drew attention. Many tourists with cameras and phones turned their lenses toward her, wondering what this white-hanfu-clad girl would do. Instead, what they captured was a breathtaking scene—one that seemed to steal their very souls.
What happened next seemed even more dreamlike, as though it were unfolding in a dream.
A girl in a pink-and-white Western-style gown slowly approached, holding an oil-paper umbrella. She walked up to the dazed Chu Lian and silently shielded her from the scorching sunlight.
Their cameras faithfully captured every movement and every detail. Every moment was as beautiful and intoxicating as the finest painting. Those who could record simply couldn't stop pressing the shutter—eyes fixed on Chu Lian and Inori, lenses following them as if by instinct.
After a long while, Chu Lian finally seemed to awaken from her trance. Turning, she took the hand of the girl in the long dress, and together they departed. A white, blue-flowered oil-paper umbrella sheltered the two girls of utterly different styles, fading from sight under countless stunned gazes.
Before long, the internet exploded. After all, many people already knew Chu Lian had come to Chang'an, and the places she was most likely to visit were Mount Li and the Terracotta Army. Numerous local fans had been stationed at these spots, hoping to encounter her.
But because Chu Lian had chosen to climb through rarely visited areas, she avoided them entirely. Many fans who had waited in vain began to feel disappointed. Since no other groups reported her arrival either, they decided to hold out a little longer—only to actually come upon Chu Lian, in a scene so dreamlike it seemed unreal.
"A girl chasing the clouds, her hanfu sleeves billowing, her gauze veil fluttering. Suddenly she appeared before us, imprinting an unforgettable image that will forever remain in my heart. I don't know what sorrow lay behind her expression, nor if she was truly chasing the clouds—but what I could see was her peerless grace."
"Even Inori, equally beautiful, seemed dim beside her in that moment. Perhaps this was her true self—her eternal self. I wish to always witness her growth, until her brilliance bewilders the world." The clearest video was once again uploaded to M Station.
Ever since that bullet-screen video platform had become the sole place for Chu Lian's official uploads, countless fans had flocked to it, and most videos related to her were now posted there.
The uploader was clearly a fan fortunate enough to have recorded Chu Lian from her first appearance until the end, and his admiration turned into unwavering devotion. His filming equipment seemed high-end, preserving Chu Lian's image without the slightest flaw.
Especially the moment when the gauze veil lifted, revealing Chu Lian's exquisite little face—viewers hailed it as an eternal classic. Like Marilyn Monroe's billowing skirt in America, it was regarded as the pinnacle of beauty.
Soon after, others began uploading their own videos and photos, and the already lively fan circle grew even more fervent.
But by this time, Chu Lian had no mind to spare for such matters. Standing quietly before the three girls, she said softly: "I'm going to the Temple of Nuwa—alone…"
She had already decided… hadn't she?