Jade of Another World

The Nanzhao Kingdom's expertise in witchcraft and sorcery aroused Lin Ning's suspicions, even though she was a strong believer in science. Currently, she hadn't heard of any witchcraft or sorcery in the Dayu Kingdom. Lin Ning consulted many books, trying to investigate this matter; she felt this kind of evil magic needed to be guarded against. Especially now that her brother and Nangong Jin were there, these people she cared about made her very worried.

The witchcraft and sorcery of the Nanzhao Kingdom: (These are all fabrications; we should believe in science.)

Nanzhao Gu Insects: Legend has it that Gu masters can cultivate various strange Gu insects to harm people or achieve certain goals. These Gu insects either hide in food or lurk in the air, and can kill people silently.

Curse and blessing: Cursing or blessing a person or thing through spells and talismans. For example, sticking pins into effigies is a relatively common form of witchcraft, which is believed to allow a small person to possess a person, thereby cursing or blessing that person.

Modern science relies on empirical research, logical reasoning, and repeatability verification to determine the authenticity of things. However, the effects and phenomena claimed by witchcraft, such as controlling others' fate, causing illness or death through worms or curses, cannot be verified scientifically, and no scientific principle can support their effectiveness. The belief that one is influenced by witchcraft is largely a psychological effect. When people believe they have been bewitched or cursed, they experience fear and anxiety. These negative emotions may lead to physical discomfort, but this is not the effect of witchcraft itself, but rather the influence of psychological factors on physiology.

Filled with doubt and worry, Lin Ning went to the back of Fahua Mountain alone again. She wanted to investigate Nangong Jin's situation, even if she could find some clues. After all, her brother was now working for the Eighth Prince, and she was very worried that what Nangong Jin was investigating was related to her brother.

The familiar mountain path now seemed somewhat unfamiliar, and the surrounding silence was unsettling. She groped her way along until she finally arrived at the outside of the cave where Nangong Jin lived. Looking at the entrance hidden by weeds and the places where mechanisms were concealed, Lin Ning frowned and began to carefully consider how to get in.

Just as she was concentrating on thinking of a solution, suddenly, a rustling sound came from the bushes beside her. Lin Ning was startled and instinctively turned her head to look. She saw a brightly colored snake slowly crawling out of the bushes, its tongue flicking out. It looked terrifying. Lin Ning turned pale with fright and screamed. In her panic, she hurriedly dodged to the side, but she stumbled and fell towards the place where the trap was set.

However, to her surprise, her stumbling entrance did not trigger any of the traps or projectiles she had anticipated. Everything was calm, and she entered the cave without any hindrance. After regaining her footing, Lin Ning was filled with astonishment. She widened her eyes and carefully examined her surroundings, only to realize that all the so-called traps were actually illusions.

Recalling the last time she came here with Nangong Jin, Nangong Jin had a serious expression the whole way, and he was very careful to guide her around the traps, sometimes turning sideways, sometimes squatting down to fidget with them, as if these traps were real dangers. But now it seems that's not the case at all.

A complex mix of emotions welled up in Lin Ning's heart. She couldn't help but think to herself, "Could it be that Nangong Jin has been wary of me from the very beginning? Is he really as cunning as everyone says? Even though we have a relationship, he has never treated me differently, and he won't even let me know the secrets of the mechanisms in this cave."

Lin Ning felt increasingly uneasy. She had always thought her relationship with Nangong Jin was different; after everything they had been through, she had complete trust and reliance on him. But now it seemed the saying "emperors are often ruthless" was truly accurate. Thankfully, as a modern person with plenty of experience with heartbreak, she now realized that their relationship wasn't really love, but merely mutual exploitation. It didn't matter.

With a mix of trepidation and doubt, Lin Ning began to search the cave meticulously. First, she examined the desk, flipping through the scrolls in hopes of finding clues, but to no avail. Next, she went to the bedside, carefully checking the area around the bed for any forgotten items or markings, but still found nothing.

Unwilling to leave empty-handed, she turned her gaze to the corner of the cave where a fire could be started, near the stove. As she approached, she keenly noticed something amiss. Beside the stove lay a pile of burnt-out letter ashes, which looked quite fresh, as if they had just been burned to ashes.

Lin Ning subconsciously reached out and approached the ashes. Before even touching them, he could feel a warm breath coming from them. This clearly meant that there was someone here not long ago, which meant that the person had just left.

This discovery made Lin Ning's eyes widen, and her doubts deepened. She frowned, pondering to herself, "This is too strange. Shouldn't Nangong Jin have gone to Nanzhao? The capital is so far from Nanzhao; even riding the fastest horse and traveling without sleep, it's impossible to return in such a short time. So who was the person who just started a fire here?"

Lin Ning paced back and forth, various speculations flashing through her mind. Could it be that Nangong Jin never went to Nanzhao at all, and that his previous claim of going was just a pretext to mislead everyone? But if he didn't go, why would he release such a message? Or perhaps someone else knew the location of this cave and secretly infiltrated it? But if that were the case, what was this person's purpose?

The more she thought about it, the more complicated things seemed, and the more uneasy she became. Lin Ning bit her lip, thinking that no matter what, this mysterious person was definitely not simple, and might be intricately connected to what Nangong Jin was currently planning.

Lin Ning was deep in thought, trying to sort out some clues from this tangled situation, when suddenly a slight noise came from the cave entrance. The sound was particularly clear in the quiet cave, as if it had broken the peace and made Lin Ning's heart jump into his throat.

Her heart skipped a beat, and her first thought was to find a place to hide as quickly as possible. But looking around, she realized that the situation was far more complicated than she had imagined. Although the cave was quite large, it was an open space with almost no blind spots to hide in. The furniture was also clearly visible, making it impossible to conceal anyone.

Lin Ning was so anxious that fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her heart was pounding violently in her chest, the "thump thump thump" sounding as if it would burst her eardrums. Seeing that the noise at the door was getting louder and louder, as if someone was walking in, in her desperation, her eyes fell on the steaming hot spring in the cave. Without thinking twice, she gritted her teeth, ran quickly towards the hot spring, and then leaped into it.

The warm spring water instantly enveloped her. Lin Ning held her breath, cautiously moving closer to the edge of the hot spring, trying to hide herself underwater as much as possible. She didn't dare to breathe, silently praying that she wouldn't be discovered. At that moment, time seemed to stretch on endlessly, each second of waiting feeling like torture. The unknown person about to appear before her filled her with trepidation.

Lin Ning hid in the hot spring, her heart pounding with anxiety. She knew she absolutely couldn't expose herself at this moment, but staying submerged indefinitely wasn't a solution. Luckily, a thought struck her. She gently touched a small bamboo stick near the edge of the hot spring and used it to breathe. She extended one end of the stick above the water and carefully drew in air through it, barely managing to maintain her current state.

Time ticked by, and she waited quietly in the water, feeling as if time was dragging on endlessly. But the person who had entered the cave seemed to have no intention of leaving. There was a sound of rummaging through things, as if the person was searching for something in the cave. The sound of their footsteps moving back and forth in the empty space kept Lin Ning's heart in her throat.

As time went on, Lin Ning's condition underwater worsened. Although the hot spring water was warm, soaking in it for a long time gradually made her body weak, and her limbs began to feel powerless. Moreover, the longer she held her breath, the more her chest ached, as if her lungs were about to explode, and her head became dizzy due to lack of oxygen.

Lin Ning gritted her teeth, trying to hold on a little longer, but her body had reached its limit and she simply couldn't stay there any longer. She thought to herself, "Never mind, even if I'm discovered, it's better than drowning." So, she steeled herself and slowly surfaced, gasping for breath. Her wet hair clung to her face, water droplets constantly sliding down her cheeks.

After she regained her senses, she looked up in the direction the person was, and the moment their eyes met, Lin Ning froze. She never imagined that the person rummaging through the cave was actually Nangong Jin!

Nangong Jin seemed surprised that Lin Ning would suddenly emerge from the hot spring. A look of astonishment flashed across his face before he smiled and quickly stepped forward, extending his hand and saying, "What... why were you hiding here?"

Lin Ning stared wide-eyed at Nangong Jin, feeling both surprised and annoyed. She said irritably, "You're asking me? I thought it was someone else. I'm about to suffocate in this water. What are you doing here? Didn't you go to Nanzhao?"

Nangong Jin frowned slightly, helping Lin Ning out of the hot spring and draping his cloak over her shoulders as he explained, "This is a long story, don't rush me, I'll tell you slowly later. But... speaking of which, you knew I went to Nanzhao, so why did you come looking for me?"

After helping Lin Ning sit down, Nangong Jin's gaze held a hint of suspicion as he stared intently at her, his eyes seeming to pierce through her. Lin Ning felt a little uneasy under Nangong Jin's scrutinizing gaze. She knew that if she blurted out all her doubts and suspicions, she didn't know what Nangong Jin would think. So, she quickly made up an excuse, forcing a smile, and said in a seemingly casual tone, "I know you're not here. I just wanted to soak in the hot spring in this cave. It wasn't convenient to do so before. So today..."

Nangong Jin frowned slightly, clearly not believing Lin Ning's explanation. He took another step closer, looked into Lin Ning's eyes, and continued to press, "Is that really all there is to it?"

Lin Ning grew increasingly nervous. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to remain calm as she replied, "Nangong Jin, I'm telling the truth. I really just wanted to soak in the hot springs. I don't have any of the ulterior motives you're thinking of." Looking at Lin Ning's earnest attempt to deny it, Nangong Jin pondered to himself. Lin Ning's behavior today was indeed somewhat unusual, yet judging from her expression, she didn't seem to be telling the truth. Could it be that she already liked him to this extent? Thinking this, Nangong Jin's expression softened slightly. He sighed and said, "Whatever your reason for coming, you're welcome. You can come anytime you want to soak in the hot springs; there's no need to hide."

Seeing that Nangong Jin seemed to have stopped questioning why she had come, Lin Ning secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nodded in response, "I understand, Nangong Jin."

Nangong Jin said indulgently, "Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. You're soaking wet, change your clothes first, don't catch a cold. I'll go find you some of my clothes." He turned to rummage through his belongings, though he still harbored some doubts about Lin Ning's behavior earlier that day. Lin Ning took the spare clothes Nangong Jin offered, and Nangong Jin turned away while Lin Ning changed. After she finished changing, she realized the clothes were far too big for her; the sleeves and trousers were way too long, making her look even more petite and adorable. She straightened her clothes, feeling a little embarrassed, and walked out.

Nangong Jin had already started a fire in the cave. The flames licked the firewood, making crackling sounds, and the leaping firelight illuminated the cave walls, making the originally somewhat chilly space warm and bright. He hung Lin Ning's wet clothes on a rack nearby and placed them near the fire to dry, turning them occasionally to help them dry as quickly as possible.

The two sat by the fire, chatting idly. Nangong Jin's gaze kept drifting to Lin Ning, his eyes filled with an indescribable ambiguity, as if carrying threads of affection that enveloped Lin Ning completely. Under his gaze, Lin Ning felt a surge of panic, her eyes darting away unconsciously. She dared not meet Nangong Jin's eyes, and could only turn her gaze to the leaping flames, pretending to be intently watching the fire.

Lin Ning inwardly groaned; this trip had truly been a waste of time and money. She had come to this cave hoping to find clues about what Nangong Jin was hiding, but who would have thought she would not only find nothing but also be caught red-handed? Now, judging from Nangong Jin's expression, he probably thought she had come here to reminisce about him because she missed him.

The more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt. She secretly glanced at Nangong Jin and saw that he was still staring at her. She quickly looked away, wondering how to break the awkward and ambiguous atmosphere.

Seeing Lin Ning's shy and evasive demeanor, Nangong Jin's lips curled into a meaningful smile. He didn't expose the situation, remaining quietly seated, enjoying his time alone with Lin Ning. However, he wondered if Lin Ning's visit today was truly out of longing or out of suspicion. Perhaps she had already noticed something?

Before long, Lin Ning's clothes were dried. Nangong Jin stood up, handed the dried clothes to Lin Ning, then picked up a mask from the side and slowly put it on.

"It's getting late, I'll take you home." Nangong Jin's voice sounded somewhat low through the mask.

Lin Ning nodded, thinking that he probably hadn't finished his business yet, so he couldn't let others see him. After that, the two of them left the cave together. When they reached a small alley near the Lin residence, Nangong Jin stopped. He looked at Lin Ning, his eyes filled with reluctance. Although he was wearing a mask, his lingering affection seemed to be conveyed through it.

"You should go back soon," Nangong Jin said softly, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

Lin Ning responded softly and said, "Be careful out there. I'll be waiting for your safe return."

After saying that, Lin Ning turned and walked towards the Lin residence. After taking a few steps, she couldn't help but look back. She saw that Nangong Jin was still standing there quietly, his gaze following her figure until she entered the gate of the residence. Only then did Nangong Jin turn around and slowly leave.

That night, Lin Ning lay in bed, her mind filled with replays of her time with Nangong Jin, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She finally managed to drift off to sleep. But she hadn't slept long before being awakened by a nightmare. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat, and she was gasping for breath. The scenes in the dream seemed both real and unreal, yet they filled her with dread. She couldn't quite remember what she dreamt about after waking, only the lingering fear and unease remaining in her heart.