Chapter 20
Merit
Many fell to their knees in grief.
This was their home, and it contained the blood, sweat, and tears of generations. However, before a natural disaster, the power of humans was so weak that it was no different from an ant trying to shake a tree.
There was no way to put out such a serious fire unless a storm came down now and doused it with lightning speed.
Some people began to kowtow, some pounded their chests, some couldn’t bear to look, and some prayed for Buddha’s blessing and for a miracle to happen…
The night sky, however, was calm. No thunder, no lightning, no rain.
The howling wind and blazing flames seemed to have long mocked them for overestimating themselves.
Despair and depression weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts. They felt as if they were in an icehouse. Their bodies and hearts were bone-chilling, and they were powerless to resist this fire.
The ferocious fire expanded its territory without restraint, and heat waves filled the sky. Under the crisis, the tension and panic were infinitely magnified.
Suddenly, the raging sea of fire stopped…
It was as if an invisible wall had cleaved vertically from the sky, bisecting the street. On one side was a sea of fire, on the other the surviving mortal world.
“The fire, did the fire stop burning?” A plump middle-aged woman said in a trembling voice. She pointed in the direction of the sea of fire with one hand and tugged at her husband with the other.
The east wind was still blowing strongly. The huge flames had already engulfed the entire Danyang Manor. The fire was fierce, but it did not continue to spread…
“That’s right, that’s right.” The man nodded repeatedly. He clasped his hands together in a choked voice and said excitedly, “This is Buddha’s manifestation!”
“Our house was saved?” The middle-aged woman was so excited that even her voice was trembling.
Some of the commoners hugged each other in twos and threes, thanking the heavens that they had survived the calamity.
In an alley nearby, a slim purple figure slowly emerged from the darkness. A fluffy kitten crouched on her shoulder.
The girl’s crystal black eyes were surprisingly bright against the firelight.
“Sigh—”
Gu Yanfei let out a long breath and whispered in a voice that only she could hear, “That was close.”
Her right hand was on her chest, her slim index and middle fingers interlaced together. Cottony ash floated down between them.
The kitten on her shoulder had a talisman in its mouth. It swung its fluffy tail and curled it around her slender neck. Then, with a push of its hind legs, it jumped onto the nearest parasol tree as light as a swallow.
The canopy rustled, shedding a few remnants of leaves.
The little kitten had a small body and was very agile. It jumped from one section of the canopy to the other and gradually went up…
It shuttled nimbly through the fire and finally leaped onto the high wall outside the Danyang Manor. It stuck the talisman in its mouth.
In an instant, the ground around the government office and the sparks and dust on the wall trembled violently.
The invisible wall seemed to shrink, pinning the raging inferno within its circle.
The talisman on the wall burned to ashes in the blink of an eye, mixing with the coke and dust around it.
After completing the mission, the kitten returned the way it came. With a few light leaps, it landed steadily on Gu Yanfei’s left shoulder.
“Meow, meow!”
The kitten raised its chin and barked several times in a show-off manner. Its tail was practically in the air.
Gu Yanfei stroked the kitten’s back perfunctorily, still looking at the sea of fire in front of her, her gaze slowly condensing.
There was too little spiritual energy in this small world, so she could only make up for it with quantity. She used all the talismans she had recently drawn and set up a talisman formation to control the fire.
She was so close to getting herself killed…
Gu Yanfei’s lips twitched, and her face turned pale. A suffocating feeling came from her chest, and she suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood that dripped to the ground.
Her cherry lips were stained red with blood, as if she had applied lipstick. She was so beautiful that it was almost strange.
She took a square of handkerchief from her belt and slowly dabbed at the corner of her mouth.
After vomiting blood, she clearly felt that her body had become much more relaxed. Her meridians were smooth, as if they had been cleansed.
Gu Yanfei blinked, her heart as clear as a mirror. This was the merit that this small world had given her.
Even if there was no spiritual energy here, merit was fair to every creature in every small world.
It was an immutable law.
The kitten meowed happily, and its cat eyes narrowed in ecstasy. Its fur visibly became softer and smoother, as if it had been reborn.
It rubbed against Gu Yanfei’s neck in satisfaction and was in a good mood. Yes, following Boss was indeed beneficial!
Gu Yanfei looked up at the Danyang Manor in the sea of flames and smiled.
As early as the day she returned to Danyang City, when she entered the city, she discovered that black clouds were lingering above the city. It was an ominous sign. She immediately divined that there was going to be a great calamity in Danyang City.
And she would be the only turning point in this disaster. So she chose to stay.
Gu Yanfei raised her right hand and started calculating with her fingers again. Her slender fingers danced nimbly. This time, she was not obstructed.
After a while, she happily stopped.
Originally, more than half of Danyang City would have been destroyed by this fire, and countless people would have died. Now, the disaster has been resolved!
Her master had said that their Tianwen Sect cultivated merit.
She had lost some blood essence in exchange for great merit. It was worth it!
Gu Yanfei flicked her sleeve coolly and turned to leave.
As she turned around, her gaze swept across the alley beside the Danyang Manor. At the entrance of the alley stood a young master in a white cloak. It was Chu Yi.
Not far behind Chu Yi, Xiao Shi carried the little girl and strode in another direction. He coaxed, “Where’s your house? I’ll take you to find your parents, okay…”
Xiao Shi did not see Gu Yanfei, but Chu Yi did. He smiled and looked at her from afar.
...
Their eyes met. In that instant, time seemed to stop.
At the side, the Danyang Manor was completely engulfed by the sea of fire. It was like a huge bonfire. The burning flames enveloped Chu Yi in a red halo, making him look like a painting.
His eyes, brilliant as stars, were quiet and deep as he gazed at her.
He held her gaze for a moment, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as if he felt the heat. He smoothed the tether of his cloak, and bits of firelight fell softly on his neck. Gu Yanfei could just make out the beautiful curve of his collarbone, gleaming faintly.
He smiled slightly, and Gu Yanfei also smiled sweetly.
Then, without a word, she turned and left without saying good-bye, without a trace of reluctance.
Chu Yi watched quietly as Gu Yanfei left. Her back gradually disappeared into the thick night.
Chu Yi didn’t look away until he couldn’t see her anymore. He took the red brocade bag out of his sleeve again.
There were only a few fingernail-sized pieces of ash left in the brocade pouch.