Everyone was trapped in the illusion, only A Li, the Twin Snow Blades, remained unaffected.
I released A Li's hand, closed my eyes tightly, cold sweat pouring down my head, my face filled with terror.
A pair of hands clenched into fists.
A Li looked over in confusion, seeing my terrified expression.
Just as he was about to ask what was wrong, he suddenly heard Liu Shinian cry out in pain.
"Master! Master!"
A Li looked over in panic and saw Liu Shinian kneeling on the ground in agony, clutching his head.
He cried out mournfully.
Before he could understand what was happening, he suddenly heard cries and wails from behind him.
A Li turned around in confusion and saw that everyone, except for the Twin Snow Blades, had fallen to the ground.
Even Master Zhang, such a powerful figure, was shouting in pain.
"It's all my fault! It's all my fault!"
A Li, not understanding, looked at the Twin Snow Blades in a daze and asked them.
"What's wrong with them?"
Xue Gucheng, who had likely guessed something, slowly said.
"I suspect they've been afflicted by inner demons."
"Inner demons?"
A Li didn't quite understand, perhaps he himself had no unresolved inner demons.
"Yes, each of them has an inescapable inner demon.
Be it fear, pain, or regret.
Little brother A Li, you probably don't have any worries, just like us.
That's why you weren't affected by the bewitchment of the Ten Thousand Ghost Forest."
After Xue Gucheng's explanation, A Li finally understood a little.
He looked at the people writhing in pain on the ground and asked again.
"How can we save them?"
Yan Wushuang said.
"To save them, we must find the source of this bewitchment.
Only by eliminating the source can we rescue everyone."
A Li looked around; the surroundings were filled with a vast, dense fog.
It was not easy to find the source of this bewitchment.
He himself didn't know what he would encounter if he left the group, let alone find the source.
"The source? Where can I find the source?"
A Li was disheartened, not knowing where to start.
Yan Wushuang said.
"This bewitching power must be nearby.
It's very likely related to the crying sound that brother Yun heard.
If we can find that crying sound, we can save everyone."
A Li fell into thought and suddenly said.
"I heard that sound too. I should be able to find it."
Xue Gucheng also placed his hope in him.
"Then, little brother A Li, this matter is entrusted to you."
A Li smiled foolishly.
"Hehehe, this is what I should do. I'll listen carefully to see if I can hear it."
"Good."
After speaking, he slowly closed his eyes and listened carefully to the sound.
However, all he heard was the noisy wind and the rustling of branches.
He frowned and consciously ignored the wind and the sounds of the trees.
He listened carefully for the subtle sounds that had gone unnoticed.
As his attention deepened, A Li suddenly heard the faint, desolate crying sound.
Then, he heard the sound of drumming hidden within the crying.
A Li suddenly opened his eyes and shouted.
"I heard it!"
Xue Gucheng and Yan Wushuang looked at him with surprise and joy.
No one expected this kid to actually find the sound.
"Where?"
Xue Gucheng asked urgently.
"Over there!"
A Li pointed straight ahead.
Xue Gucheng and Yan Wushuang drew their weapons and slowly moved forward.
Suddenly, from within the gray mist, came the sound of drumming.
The drumbeat seemed to form an invisible shackle with some kind of magic.
It trapped the Twin Snow Blades, making them unable to move.
A Li, however, was unaffected. Xue Gucheng could only place his hope in A Li again.
"Little brother A Li, we can't move. Can you still move?"
A Li nodded.
"Yes."
"Good, now it's all up to you. Follow the sound and go.
Destroy the vessel making the sound and save everyone."
Yan Wushuang also said.
"Brother A Li, we entrust this to you."
"Okay, wait for me."
This was the first time A Li had taken on the task of saving everyone. He felt both nervous and happy.
He quickly followed the sound and walked into the dense fog.
After running for a long time, following the sound, he arrived at a lush thicket.
Pushing aside the bushes, he suddenly saw a small, dull-looking black imp, only about the size of a fist.
The little black imp was holding a small, cute deerskin drum and beating it with powerful strokes.
In front of him were two skull heads, also about the size of a fist.
A Li walked forward and stomped on the two skull heads one by one.
The little black imp stopped when he heard the noise.
He slowly raised his head and met A Li's fierce face. He shivered in fear.
With a "squeak," he dropped the deerskin drum and fled in a hurry.
A Li picked up the deerskin drum, looked at it carefully, and then slammed it to the ground, stomping on it.
With a "bang!"
Everyone trapped in the illusion heard this loud sound.
As the drum broke, they finally woke up from the illusion and collapsed on the ground.
The Twin Snow Blades also broke free from the paralyzing effect.
A Li picked up the broken deerskin drum and ran back, extremely excited.
The Twin Snow Blades were very happy to see A Li return.
Then they saw him holding a broken deerskin drum, about the size of a fist.
They immediately understood something.
First, they praised A Li, saying.
"Little brother A Li, we owe you a lot this time.
Without you, we might have been trapped here forever."
A Li said shyly when praised.
"Not at all, I just did what I should have done."
Yan Wushuang also praised him, saying.
"Brother A Li, you've made a great contribution this time."
A Li was embarrassed again and said.
"Hehehe, I didn't know this thing wouldn't affect me.
Fortunately, it came in handy when we got here."
Xue Gucheng looked at the deerskin drum in his hand and said.
"It's the sound from this deerskin drum, isn't it?"
A Li nodded and told them what he had seen.
"When I went to find it, I saw it in the arms of a little imp, and the imp was beating it loudly.
When it saw me coming, it got scared and ran away.
I thought about it and stomped on this thing. Then I thought it might still be useful, so I brought it back for you to see."
"Let me see."
Xue Gucheng suddenly became interested.
A Li handed the deerskin drum to Xue Gucheng.
Xue Gucheng took the deerskin drum, examined it carefully, and then shook his head, saying.
"This thing has been broken now, it's useless."
Saying that, he handed it back to A Li.
A Li sighed helplessly and flung the deerskin drum away.
"Since it's useless, it's a hassle to carry it. Better to throw it away."
Xue Gucheng slowly turned his head and looked at the people sitting blankly on the ground, lifeless.
He guessed:
Each of them had seen the deepest fears and regrets in their hearts that they could not face.
As a result, they had become this stunned, listless state, devoid of the will to live.
Although they had woken up, some were still crying out in pain.
"Why am I the one left to suffer?"
"I thought I had forgotten, but it turns out I was just deceiving myself."
Some were gloomy and silent.
The tragic melancholy and the aura of pain.
It was like unapproachable wounds from the past, reappearing again and again in retrospection.
Tormenting them, accusing them, causing them to lose themselves in self-reproach.
I was lucky that I was only afraid of ghosts. After resting for a while, I slowly regained consciousness.
All I saw were people with their heads hanging low, with no will to live.
I also saw Xue Gucheng, Yan Wushuang, and A Li standing well among the crowd.
I held my forehead and asked in confusion.
"What's wrong with them?"
Hearing my voice, the three of them turned around in unison. Xue Gucheng said.
"Miss Muye, you're awake."
A Li also said.
"Muye, you're awake."
Then he walked to my side and helped me up.
I rubbed my slightly aching head, looking at the sorrowful people on the ground, and asked in confusion.
"What's wrong with them?"
Yan Wushuang explained.
"They, like you, were caught in an illusion.
They saw the pain in their hearts that they couldn't let go of."
"Then why are you all right?"
I was a little curious.
They looked at each other and smiled. Xue Gucheng said.
"We probably don't have any sad things in our lives."
Indeed, with loved ones by their side, how could they have regrets?
I looked at A Li with suspicion again.
A Li explained.
"I don't have any worries either. Being full and satisfied is my biggest wish."
Indeed, when I met A Li, he had no worries.
Even when he was expelled, he was still carefree and at ease.
I looked back and suddenly saw Liu Shinian sitting against a large tree, looking dejected.
I slowly got up and walked to him, waving my hand in front of his eyes, and called out to him.
"Liu Shinian, Liu Shinian."
He didn't respond at all.
Then I went to Master Tian Shi. Master Tian Shi also looked dispirited.
His eyes were vacant, gazing at the yellow earth beneath him. I squatted in front of him and called out to him.
"Master Tian Shi, Master Tian Shi."
He also did not respond.
Looking at Dao Lang and Fei Xiong, they each sat to the side, burying their faces deeply in their hands.
It was evident that they also had painful pasts they could not recall.
Xue Gucheng said.
"They are still immersed in the pain of the past.
If we want them to regain their senses, they need a confidence that can inspire them."
"Confidence?"
My Li and I said in unison, not knowing how to give them confidence.
He then said.
"Both Shuang'er and I are not good at speaking.
We can't say anything touching or inspiring.
It can only be done through you."
A Li said helplessly.
"For this kind of thing, Muye might have more experience. Muye, you do it."
They passed the problem to me like a hot potato.
I reluctantly accepted the difficult task and pondered words that could inspire them.
I remembered that when I was studying, I had heard many inspiring speeches.
But how should I say it?
Perhaps it would be like giving a speech on stage.
The theme would be love and separation. After thinking for a moment, I decided to try boldly.
So, I slowly got up, walked to the center of the crowd, and treated this place as my stage.
A Li asked me.
"Muye, have you decided?"
I nodded.
"I've decided."
"Good, it's up to you."
"Don't worry, I've listened to three hundred famous speeches after all."
"Famous speeches?"
The three of them looked confused.
I chuckled and explained.
"It's about inspiring people. I've heard a lot, so it's fine."
Seeing my confidence, Xue Gucheng was relieved and said.
"Miss Muye, it's up to you."
"Don't worry."
I cleared my throat, thinking of myself as a renowned teacher and director.
The audience below were students in their adolescence, lost about their future.
I had to tell them well.
"I once knew someone who told me a story.
It was about a man named Wang Wei, who had an unforgettable memory.
That year, he had just been admitted to university.
His parents went to send him to school together. However, halfway there, they received the bad news.
It said his maternal grandmother had been ill for a long time and couldn't hold on, passing away today.
His mother received the call, concealing the tears at the corner of her eyes, and parted ways with them.
She got on the bus alone to go to her parents' home. Later, his father took him to the station.
Then he also rushed to the funeral.
It was the first time in his life he had traveled far. He asked for directions alone, took the bus alone.
From south to north, he transferred again and again before arriving at school.
Later, on his way back to school, he vaguely recalled his maternal grandmother, whom he had only met twice.
He remembered the first time he saw her, she was standing in front of a small adobe house, hunched over, with a kind smile.
In the yard in front of this small adobe house, on the left side.
There was a dark, small adobe house with drafts on all sides.
Inside the adobe house was a horse with slightly reddish fur.
The horse often whinnied, probably also displeased with this drafty little adobe house.
And in front of this yard, there were patches of lush green bamboo.
Below the bamboo forest, there was a well with clear water.
He was still young then and didn't understand anything.
When he stayed at his grandmother's house, because he saw his mother buy some sweets and put them in that small adobe house.
He became greedy and, when no one was around, secretly ran into the adobe house.
Inside the adobe house, there was a bed made of wooden planks, and on the bed lay a frail old man.
When the old man saw him, he told him that he was his maternal grandfather.
Grandfather pointed to the candy on the ground and told him to take it and eat it himself.
He didn't hesitate to open the bag, grab a handful, and run out.
Later, after returning home, he never went to his grandmother's house again.
The last time he heard the names of his grandmother and grandfather was when they passed away.
He thought to himself, I should go and say goodbye.
Perhaps, I should go and see them one last time, but I didn't.
He didn't understand what separation was then, nor did he understand it when he went to college.
Only later did he gradually understand what separation was."
Everyone listened to my story, finding it novel and special, and slightly raised their eyes.
Wanting to hear more.
I continued.
"In fact, we all know very well.
One day, the people we love will also leave us forever.
And we will bid them farewell with dignified and gentle words.
And watch them leave, just not in such an unexpected way.
I know no one wants to accept death, and I can't accept it either.
But I understand that nothing is eternal, except time.
Flowers will also fade with time, and the wind will also change its direction with time.
Therefore, no one can be truly perfect, and no one can live a life without regrets.
It is precisely because of regrets that we learn to cherish, to cherish everything we have now.
Cherish the people who still love us, just like you are not suffering alone.
Look around you, there are countless people like you, trapped in the mire of pain.
And should we be like this, trapped by inner guilt, unable to extricate ourselves?
Should we be like this our entire lives? No, we shouldn't.
There will always be people who wish us to live well, there will always be people who love us.
Whether they are strangers or not, so we are not alone.
We are not alone.
We must live well, for those who love us.
And for those we love, live well.
So get up, everyone get up, climb out of the pain, and stand up!
Get up with the wishes of the departed, we will not be trapped in pain forever.
And none of us will die here.
We still have to get out of this damned place.
No one can trap us, not even if they are not human, get up, everyone get up!"
A passionate and stirring speech finally awakened them from their predicament.
A mysterious confidence ignited in their hearts.
Telling them that they could not die here, nor would they die here.
There were still people waiting for them, and they had to get out.
They had to get out of this broken forest, and get out alive.