When Mu Zhe found Shen Gurong, he looked completely disoriented, clutching a glass-like bead in his hand.
Mu Zhe asked, "Master? What's wrong?"
Shen Gurong frowned and said, "Your tenth senior uncle is acting strangely."
"Hmm?" Mu Zhe asked, "What's strange about him?"
As he spoke, he looked up and saw that the Wind and Rain Pool, which had been filled with poisonous mist, had returned to its original state, pure and clear, without even a trace of poisonous mist.
Shen Gurong shook his head and said, "I can't quite put my finger on it. What he said was very strange."
Eldest senior brother, plague, and inner demons.
For some reason, Shen Gurong dared not think further. The more he thought about it, the more his heart felt as if it were about to leap out of his chest, as if he instinctively didn't want to accept… something he couldn't bear yet.
He cast aside these distracting thoughts and was about to leave the Wind and Rain Pool with Mu Zhe when suddenly a blue dragon flew through the air, let out a long roar, and plunged into the pool, splashing up a torrential downpour.
Mu Zhe, without changing his expression, unleashed a surge of his spiritual power, blocking the water droplets from the sky.
The boundless water surged for a moment, then returned to calm, not utterly disturbed by a single drop.
Chao Jiuxiao stirred up a storm in the Wind and Rain Pool before finally emerging with his massive dragon head. He spewed a breath of dragon's breath at Shen Gurong, coldly snorting, "Why aren't you leaving yet?"
Shen Gurong glanced at him and said, "Waiting to say goodbye to my senior brother."
Chao Jiuxiao said, "Farewell forever."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong said quietly, "If you say such unlucky things again, I'll have my disciple beat you up."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Chao Jiuxiao had never been provoked like this before, and immediately flew into a rage: "Come on! Let's see who beats whom!?"
Shen Gurong said, "My disciple has already reached the Great Ascension stage."
Chao Jiuxiao roared, "I am a dragon! A dragon!"
Shen Gurong raised a hand to stroke his smooth, white forehead, slowly saying, "A dragon that hasn't grown horns yet."
Chao Jiuxiao: "..."
The dragon was about to explode with anger!
Finally, Mu Zhe, fearing the two would actually fight, dragged his master away, thus stopping this childish bickering brawl.
Even after leaving Liren Peak, Shen Gurong was still muttering to himself, "Chao Jiuxiao just doesn't speak human language. If I were his master, I would have punished him by making him copy books long ago."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe smiled.
Shen Gurong was still angry, and seeing him smile, he immediately said, "What are you laughing at?! You're the one who should be punished the most!"
Mu Zhe: "?"
Disaster struck unexpectedly, and Mu Zhe dared not laugh anymore.
Shen Gurong huffed, "If I punished you to the point where your wrist trembles at the mere mention of 'teacher,' let's see if you still dare to be so rebellious! You just didn't get enough punishment for copying books when you were a kid."
Mu Zhe: "..."
There's no reasoning with someone who's angry, so Mu Zhe could only silently lower his head and endure the beating and scolding.
After Shen Gurong and Mu Zhe left Liren Peak, Jing Zhuchen went to Yuxu Mountain to find Nan Yangjun with a grim face.
“Master.” Nan Yangjun, eyes closed in his cave, responded coldly, “What is it?”
Jing Zhuchen said, “Is it really alright to send Eleven and a mere child to Xianzhou?”
Nan Yangjun didn’t answer.
Jing Zhuchen frowned deeply: “Xianzhou… is very close to Fengdu, the city is full of ghosts…”
“He’s already at the Mahayana stage, what’s there to be afraid of?” Nan Yangjun said, “Besides, sending that Mu…”
Jing Zhuchen reminded him, “Mu Zhe.”
Nan Yangjun: “…That’s enough.”
Nan Yangjun had already ascended to sainthood and could no longer interfere in the affairs of the Three Realms and create karma. He closed his eyes slightly: “If you’re worried, you can send Sanshui to Xianzhou.”
Jing Zhuchen hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement.
In Fuxian City, Shen Gurong and Mu Zhe had already boarded the spirit boat.
Shen Gurong had taken a copy of the Kunyu Map from the Liren Peak Library and was now sitting cross-legged on the couch, studying Xianzhou.
Mu Zhe brewed the tea and handed it to Shen Gurong, but Shen Gurong waved it away, pointing a slender finger at Xianzhou: "Is this whole area around Xianzhou covered in mist?"
Mu Zhe had no choice but to drink the tea himself, nodding, "Yes, that mist is all highly poisonous. It can devour a cultivator's spiritual energy; once you're contaminated, there's no cure."
Shen Gurong said "Oh," then added, "Then we can't easily get close."
Shen Gurong was more rational than Shen Feng Xue, perhaps because their hatred for Li Genglan differed.
Shen Gurong caught a glimpse of Mu Zhe drinking tea and suddenly became interested.
"I want some too."
Mu Zhe hesitated, about to put down his cup to pour him a cup, when Shen Gurong leaned in, biting the rim of his cup, tilting it slightly, and took a sip.
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe stared blankly at him.
After finishing his drink, Shen Gurong didn't seem to notice anything amiss and continued engrossed in studying Xianzhou, leaving Mu Zhe standing there in a daze for a long time.
After a while, Shen Gurong asked, "What's this Xianzhou area? It looks so strange."
Mu Zhe blushed and snapped out of his reverie, coughed lightly, and leaned forward to help Shen Gurong take a look.
"This seems to be Fengdu."
Shen Gurong tilted his head. "Fengdu? Fengdu?"
"Feng."
Shen Gurong was speechless. "Isn't that the Ghost City?"
Mu Zhe said, "That city was a calamity caused by ghost cultivators. It's full of mortals trapped in a corner. At first, some ghost cultivators went into the city to devour souls for cultivation, but later it seems no cultivator dared to go there."
"Why?"
Mu Zhe didn't know either. "That's what it says in the morning lessons about ghost cultivators at Liren Peak."
Shen Gurong seemed thoughtful but didn't pay much attention, saying, "We must bypass this place."
Mu Zhe knew his master was afraid of ghosts, so he nodded with a forced smile.
Xianzhou and Jingzhou, where Liren Peak is located, are far apart. The spirit boat traveled for half a day before finally arriving in Xianzhou.
Xianzhou has been occupied by demonic cultivators for hundreds of years. Like the Great Swamp of Taozhou, it has been tacitly accepted by the people of the Three Realms as a gathering place for demonic cultivators.
Demonic cultivators are known for their eccentricities, and one cultivator, Shen Gurong, found himself drawn to gloomy, cold places. The moment the spirit boat crossed the border of Xianzhou, Shen Gurong involuntarily shivered.
His brow furrowed as he pushed open the spirit boat's door and stepped onto the deck, glancing down at the dark gray mist.
The surrounding gray mist made him extremely uncomfortable.
Mu Zhe followed, draping a crane-feather cloak over his shoulders, and explained, "We're still quite far from Xianzhou City, but the miasma has already spread. Master, just bear with it and you'll get used to it."
Shen Gurong nodded. He looked at the magic array on the spirit boat and frowned, asking, "Can the spirit boat find its way accurately in this mist?"
Mu Zhe replied, "Yes, the magic array is based on a fixed array carved by the Spirit Boat Pavilion in Xianzhou. As long as it's not destroyed, it can find its way accurately even in the dark."
Shen Gurong finally felt relieved.
The next moment, a heavy hammer suddenly emerged from the gray mist before them, slamming into the magic array stone atop the spirit boat with a deafening roar. The array shattered instantly, scattering fragments across the wooden planks.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Mu Zhe: "..."
An attack had occurred.
Shen Gurong expressionlessly raised his hand to block the hammer hurtling towards him, his face blank, and asked Mu Zhe with a hopeless expression, "Without the magic array, can the spirit boat still..."
Mu Zhe truthfully replied, "No."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Mu Zhe abruptly drew his Jiu Xi Sword, sweeping it horizontally. The hammer, suspended in mid-air, was sent flying, crashing into the thick fog not far away.
Xianzhou was a treacherous place; aside from demonic cultivators, almost no one would venture into such a desolate wilderness, especially to strike their spirit plate so accurately from high above.
“It’s a demonic cultivator,” Mu Zhe said. “Li Genglan probably knew we were coming.”
Shen Gurong was already deflated. Demonic cultivators, ghost cultivators, and monster cultivators held no interest for him. He turned and walked dejectedly into the spirit boat, saying listlessly, “It’s up to you.”
Mu Zhe replied helplessly, “Yes.”
Shen Gurong added blankly, “Twist his head off.”
Mu Zhe: “…”
Shen Gurong slammed the door shut, feeling that this was a truly inauspicious start. It seemed that killing Li Genglan easily would require a great deal of effort.
Shen Gurong hated trouble the most.
Demonic cultivators were very adept at concealing themselves in the gray fog; otherwise, given Shen Gurong and Mu Zhe’s cultivation levels, they wouldn’t have failed to detect their presence.
Mu Zhe exchanged several blows with the demonic cultivator’s heavy hammer, finally severely injuring him in the thick fog, and returned to the spirit boat, carrying him on his wings.
Upon entering the room, Mu Zhe casually tossed a brightly colored bird onto the wooden board, saying indifferently, "Master, caught it."
Shen Gurong, who was staring at the Kunyu Map with a face full of despair, looked up at the bird on the ground.
Shen Gurong: "?"
He said in surprise, "It really is a bird."
Mu Zhe removed the black cloth covering the bird, revealing its entire body. The aura emanating from beneath the cloth was that of a demon cultivator.
The demon cultivator was only half the size of a human arm, its wings nearly plucked bald by Mu Zhe. It was currently vomiting blood while glaring at Shen Gurong.
Shen Gurong crossed his legs, intrigued. He said calmly, "Why did the demon cultivator come to kill me? Who sent you? Li Genglan?"
The demon cultivator didn't speak, but instead opened its mouth and spat out a cluster of flames at Shen Gurong, which Shen Gurong extinguished with a flick of his wrist.
Shen Gurong raised an eyebrow and said to Mu Zhe, "If you don't want to talk, then let him go."
Mu Zhe hesitated for a moment, but the demon cultivator sneered, seemingly mocking his soft heart.
Shen Gurong added, "Tie his wings and throw him off the spirit boat."
The demon cultivator: "..."
A winged bird, falling to its death from the sky—the way it died seemed utterly ridiculous.
The demon cultivator's eyes flickered, seemingly hesitant.
Seeing that the threat had worked, Shen Gurong said with a half-smile, "I'll give you one last chance. Who sent you to kill me?"
The demon cultivator's sharp beak twitched slightly. After struggling for a moment, it said with difficulty, "Demon Lord."
Shen Gurong said calmly, "I have no grudge against the Demon Lord. Why would he want to kill me?"
The demon cultivator glared at him fiercely: "The Demon Lord only gave the order; he didn't tell me the reason."
Shen Gurong looked at Mu Zhe.
Mu Zhe didn't say anything in front of the demon cultivator. Instead, he lifted the demon cultivator out of the spirit boat, staring coldly into the demon cultivator's eyes with a sinister expression. He said coldly, "Go back and tell that scruffy phoenix not to come near me again."
The demon cultivator angrily retorted, "How dare you say my master is…"
Mu Zhe didn't wait for him to curse, casually tossing him overboard.
He washed his hands before approaching the spirit boat. Shen Gurong was looking at the gray mist below from the window. The spirit boat had lost its navigation array; although it was flying smoothly, it wasn't certain if it was spinning in circles.
In Xianzhou's territory, Shen Gurong couldn't just stop the spirit boat arbitrarily. He decided to discuss it with Mu Zhe first.
Seeing him approach, Shen Gurong asked, "Did you find out anything?"
Mu Zhe hesitated for a moment before saying, "Master, do you know... what exactly is the Holy Lord's divine artifact?"
Shen Gurong was taken aback: "Why are you suddenly asking this? Is it related to the Demon Lord?"
Mu Zhe nodded: "If I'm not mistaken, the fourth divine artifact should exist, and it's currently in the Holy Lord's possession."
"Ah?" Shen Gurong asked in confusion, "You know what it is?"
Mu Zhe said, "I'm not entirely sure, I only have a general idea. That artifact probably possesses the ability to understand the Three Realms."
Shen Gurong was stunned: "Then the Demon Lord..."
“Today, Qingyu told me he knew a secret the Demon Lord had kept hidden for many years,” Mu Zhe said softly. “And this matter might be recorded on that artifact.”
Shen Gurong frowned. “What secret?”
Mu Zhe pursed his lips. “The Demon Lord is not a phoenix.”
Shen Gurong was stunned, unable to understand. “But isn’t Xue Manzhuang a phoenix? Back then, that phoenix’s spiritual power…”
He paused, perhaps remembering his embarrassing moment, and coughed before vaguely saying, “It was indeed the phoenix’s spiritual power.”
Mu Zhe said, “Xue Manzhuang is indeed a phoenix, but the Demon Lord is not.”
Shen Gurong pondered for a moment, then exclaimed, “The Demon Lord has a horse galloping on his head?”
Mu Zhe: "..."
What was wrong with his master's brain?
Mu Zhe said helplessly, "No, maybe he's usurped Xue Manzhuang's father's identity."
Shen Gurong then realized what he meant, coughed again, and said, "I see."
"Qingyu learned the Demon Lord's true identity, but the Demon Lord believed it was leaked by the divine artifact on Shen Feng Xue's body, which is why he sent people to hunt him down.
Shen Gurong was innocent; Lin Xia Chun was so heartbroken he wanted to drown the entire city of Xianzhou in tears.
Just then, the spirit boat seemed to have bumped into something, suddenly making a loud noise. The entire spirit boat trembled violently, and Shen Gurong stumbled and fell into Mu Zhe's arms. Mu Zhe quickly helped him to his feet.
The two quickly stepped out of the spirit boat, only to find that it had apparently gone to the wrong place and had landed shakily on the ground.
Not far away, shrouded in gray mist, a city seemed to have the gates of the underworld slowly opening, pouring out eerie blue light, and the wailing of ghosts swirling into Shen Gurong's ears.
Above the city, there was a plaque with two large characters written on it.
Fengdu.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong's vision went black.
Comments
Post a Comment