Chapter Twenty-Six

Sai Xue, nestled in Bao Zhu's arms, whispered, "You're holding me too tightly, it hurts a little."

Her voice brought Baozhu back to her senses, and the fox demon quickly released her grip.

Are you scared?

Sai Xue stared intently into Bao Zhu's eyes, trying to discern her inner thoughts.

"I'm not, I just..."

Baozhu stammered for a long time, but never managed to say the words that she wasn't afraid.

She was genuinely frightened. Could a wild fox spirit really escape unscathed from such an evil and terrifying demon?

Sai Xue tilted her head and whispered, "If you're really scared, maybe we can stay here. Since Li Zhi was able to get in, let him figure out how to get out himself."

“No, he’s just a scholar.” This time, Baozhu answered decisively.

She stamped her foot, wrapped the cloth back around her eyes, and turned to go back.

You might just bump right into a wall coming straight at you.

"Oh dear, are you alright?" Xiaoman, who was as strong as a wall, quickly reached out to help her.

Baozhu crashed headfirst into Xiaoman. Not only did the bull demon not move at all, but Baozhu was thrown several meters away, and Saixue was scattered on the ground.

"What are you doing here?" Xiaoman helped Baozhu, whose eyes were seeing stars, up and picked up Saixue from the ground. "What are you thinking about? You didn't hear my footsteps even though they were so loud."

Baozhu rubbed her head and started making up lies: "I went to visit the new mortals and found that one of them was sick. I just took him to see Madam Ge, but she wasn't there. Now I want to come and see if Madam Ge has returned."

She took Sai Xue from Xiao Man's hands and asked suspiciously, "What are you doing here again?"

In the past, if Xiaoman had heard that a mortal was unwell, he would have been worried and trying to find a solution. But now he looked absent-minded, and when he heard Baozhu's words, he just dragged out an "oh".

Baozhu had no choice but to ask him again.

“I’m also here to see Madam Ge.” Xiaoman’s eyes flickered. “I would like to move the date for receiving the favor to tomorrow.”

"What?" Baozhu's eyes widened in surprise, and she grabbed his arm. "Why do you want to bring it up again?"

"I just... I think since I've made up my mind, wouldn't it be better to make it happen sooner rather than later?"

Baozhu keenly sensed that this was not Xiaoman's true feeling.

"Are you regretting it?" Sai Xue jumped down from Bao Zhu's arms and said coldly.

Xiaoman trembled and shook her head repeatedly: "No, no, no, how could I..."

“You regret it!” Baozhu said decisively.

Seeing that Xiaoman's mind was wavering, Baozhu and Saixue forgot their original plans and ideas, cornered him in the alley, and stared at him from both sides, determined to make him admit it.

Xiaoman, a male demon, was rendered speechless by a small cat and a fox.

Seeing that he remained silent, Sai Xue anxiously blurted out what was on her mind: "It shouldn't have happened in the first place!"

"That's exactly how it should be! I want it to be this way!"

Upon hearing this, Xiaoman immediately retorted loudly to Saixue, then forcefully stepped over Saixue and ran towards Madam Ge's courtyard.

"He walked over my head!" Sai Xue looked at Xiao Man's back in disbelief and angrily complained to Bao Zhu.

"That big idiot ox." Baozhu said dismissively, picking Sai Xue up from the ground and walking back. "I can't be bothered with him, let him get eaten."

Despite saying this, the two little demons' feet still seemed to have a mind of their own and turned towards Li Zhi's residence.

After knocking on the door, Baozhu sneaked inside and carefully closed the door behind her.

"You big silly ox is going to receive a favor ahead of time, so you should give me the things and I'll help you set up the formation," she said quickly.

"Have I received a favor?" Li Zhi asked.

Sai Xue explained the Supreme Being and the Blessing of Ultimate Bliss to Li Zhi.

"Actually, it's about swallowing Ying Ji's eggs and becoming her worker ants," Baozhu concluded.

"What do you think of this demon Xiaoman?" Li Zhi asked again.

"Big head, no brains!"

"One muscle!"

The two little demons said in unison.

"There's still time, let me give it a try."

As Li Zhi spoke, he pulled out a tattered copy of Madam Ge's Sayings from the trunk.

"Where did you get this? You've never even been to Yingnuo Hall," Baozhu exclaimed in surprise.

"I have great respect for Madam Ge, and Xiaoman lent it to me."

Li Zhi held the book of sayings and gestured for Baozhu and the other woman to follow him out.

Just as the three were about to leave, Sai Xue stopped and looked back at Li Zhi's companion who was lying silently on the bed.

"Is he going to die?" Sai Xue looked up at Bao Zhu.

Baozhu glanced back at him, then looked at Li Zhi: "He won't live past tonight."

Li Zhi tightened his grip on the quotations slightly, but his tone remained calm: "He had bad luck."

Baozhu lowered her gaze and urged Saixue, "Let's go quickly."

When the three of them arrived at their lodgings, they happened to run into Xiaoman, who was returning from Madam Ge's place.

Seeing his relieved expression, Baozhu tentatively asked, "What? Is Madam Ge there? Did she agree?"

Xiaoman flashed a bright smile, revealing her white teeth, and said, "Tomorrow night! You'll all be there together!"

Baozhu sighed inwardly, pursing her lips without answering.

Sai Xue didn't say anything either.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment.

Xiaoman scratched her head, about to say something.

“Brother Xiaoman, I have a question I would like to ask you,” Li Zhi interrupted.

"I wouldn't dare ask for your advice. You can ask me anything you want." Xiaoman breathed a sigh of relief and immediately looked at him with a happy smile.

Li Zhi took the quotes and went forward, then naturally went back to the room with Xiaoman.

Baozhu and Saixue, who were lagging behind, watched their back-and-forth questioning in silence, exchanging a glance with each other.

"Is it really necessary to study the difference between giving and bestowing?" Sai Xue asked, puzzled.

Baozhu shrugged: "Who knows?"

Baozhu and Saixue's thoughts were not important. Most of the monsters Xiaoman met in Gejiabao were as ignorant and incompetent as Baozhu. It was rare to find a companion who was willing to discuss quotations with him, so he was really happy.

The two talked almost all night long.

The next day, Baozhu heard a noise outside and quickly opened the door to peek.

Xiaoman's voice was hoarse and her eyes were bloodshot, but she was still discussing something with Li Zhi beside her.

Despite not having slept all night, Li Zhi did not appear particularly haggard.

He stared intently at Xiaoman, nodding in agreement, occasionally feigning sudden realization and pointing out the key points in her words.

Xiao Man, whose voice was cracking, gesticulated wildly, becoming more and more excited as Li Zhi praised her.

"Young Master Li, you are truly my soulmate! I wish we had met sooner!"

Xiaoman stretched out her large, fan-like hand and kept patting Li Zhi's shoulder.

Li Zhi remained as steady as Mount Tai and laughed heartily, "Who says otherwise?"

The two chatted happily as they went downstairs.

Baozhu upstairs frowned and closed the door.

Sai Xue stood by the window, watching Li Zhi and Xiao Man leave.

She turned around, looked at Baozhu, and said, "Are you mistaken?"

"What's wrong?"

"You're not a fox demon, Li Zhi is, isn't he?"

Baozhu was speechless for a moment.

Xiaoman returned with Li Zhi at noon again.

He knocked on Baozhu's door and shouted in his hoarse voice, "Baozhu Saixue, are you ready? It's tonight!"

Baozhu poked her head out of the house and gestured towards Li Zhi next to Xiaoman, asking, "Is he going too?"

Xiaoman patted Li Zhi on the shoulder happily and said, "Of course! He's my good brother!"

Li Zhi's expression remained unchanged as he cupped his hands towards Xiaoman and said, "Speaking of which, since it is Brother Xiaoman's auspicious day, we should prepare a small gift. I will go back first."

"Why bother preparing gifts?" Xiaoman said she didn't want them, but let Li Zhi leave.

Baozhu looked at Xiaoman, who was beaming with joy, and wanted to say something, but then swallowed her words back.

See you tonight.

After saying that, Baozhu closed the door in front of Xiaoman.

If we succeed tonight, we can all live.

If we fail, let this big, silly cow enjoy itself for a while longer.

As night fell, Li Zhi arrived as promised.

"It's not a good thing, but I wrote a calligraphy for Brother Xiaoman."

Xiao Man, who barely knows any characters, held the book in her hand with a big smile, looking at it from left to right, thinking it was beautiful no matter how she looked at it.

Baozhu put on a cloak and handed another one to Li Zhi.

Xiaoman carefully placed the calligraphy Li Zhi had given him in his room. After closing the door, the excitement on his face finally subsided.

Xiaoman stared blankly at the door for a while.

“It’s time,” Sai Xue said in Bao Zhu’s arms.

"Yes, yes, it's time."

Xiaoman turned around and forced a smile at the three of them: "Let's go."

When they went down to the second floor, Baozhu suddenly paused.

Behind the door on the second floor, it seemed someone was sobbing in suppressed sobs.

They all heard it.

Large beads of sweat streamed down Xiaoman's face. For a moment, he seemed to have forgotten how to walk and almost fell down the narrow stairs.

The dilapidated staircase made a loud noise because of his movements.

The crying in the second-floor room stopped abruptly.

The group of people, each with a different expression, walked out of their homes and onto the street.

At this moment, people wearing large cloaks were already hurrying towards Yingnuo Hall on the street, and they were not conspicuous among them.

When they arrived at the open space in the middle of Gejiabao, as Xiaoman led the three of them to another small house, passersby secretly cast mixed glances at them.

The closer Xiaoman got to the cottage, the slower her pace became.

Finally, he stood at the door of the small house and almost stopped.

His face was pale, and as he wiped his sweat, he chuckled and said, "I'm a little nervous."

Xiaoman already regretted it, but he couldn't say it out loud.

The others present had their own plans. Xiaoman had become part of their scheme, and with the arrow already on the bowstring, they had no choice but to act.

Li Zhi reached out and gently pushed Xiaoman, saying softly, "It's right in front of us."

With barely any effort, Xiaoman, who was like a mountain of flesh, was pushed forward. He took a difficult step and opened the small door in front of him.

Behind the small door is a narrow passageway leading to the sanctuary where the supreme being is welcomed.

Xiaoman trembled as he walked toward his fate.

Believers were already waiting in the church, watching Xiaoman walk in with envy, and reaching out to touch him as he passed by.

"How lucky!"

"He made a request and was granted permission."

Ignoring the need to remain quiet, everyone whispered and discussed the matter in front of Xiaoman.

A frenzied atmosphere gradually rose. Standing in the center of the crowd, listening to their murmured whispers, Xiaoman slowly straightened her chest.

“Yes, how lucky I am,” he murmured to himself.

The believers came forward one by one to bow to him.

"You are about to become a part of the Supreme Being, and attain eternal bliss and peace."

"Bless you, my child, you will have the greatest happiness."

When it was Baozhu's turn, she lowered her head and did not look Xiaoman in the eye.

"May you have a peaceful life," she whispered.

After the fervor subsided, the believers finally remembered that they were in a church, and they quieted down and sat on the benches.

Baozhu had Li Zhi sit in the corner of the sanctuary, near the stairs, and waited anxiously.

Not long after, the door upstairs creaked open.

The believers all turned their heads and looked at the stairs.

With her face covered by a black veil, Ying Ji was helped by her attendants as she slowly walked down the stairs into the narrow sanctuary.

The believers rose and knelt down facing Ying Ji.

Baozhu knelt among the believers, using Xiaoman's body as a shield, and tried her best to move her body to completely cover Li Zhi.

She heard the sound of Li Zhi taking something out of his cloak behind her, and she knew she couldn't let Ying Ji discover Li Zhi's actions.

No one can say for sure whether Ying Ji's followers or Li Zhi's followers are more fanatical.

On one side are the worker ants who sacrifice their lives for the queen, and on the other side is the scholar who tries to destroy the entire nest right under the queen's nose.

Hurry up, Li Zhi.

Baozhu heard the rapid pounding of her own heart.

The arrogant queen ant never doubted the loyalty of the worker ants; they were always so loyal, and always so mad.

Thus, Ying Ji enjoyed the tangible reverence of her followers as she stepped on her attendants to reach her high chair and uttered the sentences she had said countless times before.

"Who will receive the Supreme One's blessing tonight?"

Xiaoman, who was kneeling beside Baozhu, stood up and said in a trembling voice, "It's me."

Ying Ji looked at Xiao Man.

The believers in the sanctuary looked at Xiaoman.

All eyes were focused on this corner. They only needed to shift their gaze slightly to discover that Li Zhi was keeping his head down and doing something, not participating in the revelry.

Baozhu was covered in sweat, feeling as if she were being fried in oil.

Her heart pounded as she secretly plotted how she could protect Li Zhi if his unusual behavior was discovered.

Faster, faster!

Baozhu moved with the surrounding believers like a puppet on strings. Her eyes were on Xiaoman, but all her attention was on Li Zhi.

Xiaoman was pushed by the combined efforts of the believers to Yingji's feet.

Xiaoman knelt at Yingji's feet and kissed her high chair.

The believers shouted, "Please, Your Majesty, bless us!"

Ying Ji's abdomen rolled continuously, and an egg appeared in the air. The pure white egg trembled gently and slowly flew towards Xiao Man.

Baozhu watched in disbelief, and unconsciously began to tremble.

Xiaoman was about to swallow the egg.

It's almost too late.

At this moment—

"alright."

She finally heard Li Zhi whisper behind her.

Then, a dazzling light appeared in the dimly lit sanctuary.

The believers, bewildered, instinctively reached out to cover their eyes.

Xiao Man, who was standing on the high platform, also failed to complete the ceremony. He shut his mouth in surprise and stood up to look at Li Zhi with doubt and uncertainty.

"Brother Li, what are you doing?" Xiaoman asked softly, looking helpless.

No one heard him. Chaos erupted in the sanctuary. The blessing was interrupted, which was blasphemy against the Supreme Being!

The believers rushed towards Li Zhi as if they were insane.

Baozhu stood in front of Li Zhi, bent down, and roared fiercely at the believers.

Her eyes turned red, and she bared her fangs and claws.

Don't touch him!

Fortunately, there were not many monsters among the believers gathered today. For a moment, the mortals dared not go forward to confront the precious pearl head-on, and blocked its way, while the monsters behind them could not get through.

The narrow sanctuary was crowded with people, and several monsters, in their rage, stepped on the heads of mortals and pounced on the precious pearl.

Sai Xue jumped onto Bao Zhu's shoulder and lowered her body.

Baozhu shouted and was about to rush forward to fight them to the death.

Li Zhi, who had been shielded in the corner by Baozhu's body, finally prepared something and reached out to hug her from behind.

"Be careful, cat demon," he said calmly.

After saying that, Li Zhi threw a talisman at Ying Ji, who was sitting silently on the high chair.

The talisman flew out with incredible speed, almost grazing everyone's scalps.

The attendant beside Ying Ji quickly stepped in front of her and reached out to take her.

The instant the attendant's fingertips touched the talisman.

—Boom!

The talisman exploded, and the huge impact centered on Ying Ji, throwing everyone in the sanctuary into disarray.

Amidst the chaos, Baozhu, riding the current, grabbed Li Zhi's hand, channeled her demonic power, and instantly left the sanctuary.

It was midnight when they entered the sanctuary. Apart from the believers, the Gejiabao was quiet. But at this moment, in the darkness of the Gejiabao, four huge pillars of light rose from the four corners.

Above the sanctuary, a most dazzling pillar of light slowly rose.

The beam of light pierced the sky above Gejiabao.

With Sai Xue perched on Baozhu's shoulder and Li Zhi in her hand, they hid in a corner, looking up at the illusory sky being pierced through.

On the ground, Ji Ren and his men took turns holding their ground at Gejiabao.

During the two days Li Zhi was away, people were still going in and out of Gejiabao.

More than one person.

To avoid alerting the enemy, the members of Yiren Temple dared not spy on them, lest they expose their whereabouts.

Ji Ren gestured to the crowd to let them come and go as they pleased.

"Catching one or two is useless; we must take them all down."

For this purpose, they lay in wait silently in the forest, without lighting fires or making a sound, eating cold food, and rarely moving except to relieve themselves.

The horses were released and relied on their own two legs to scout and traverse the forest.

To conceal their presence, they held their breath and concentrated at all times.

In such an environment, Pei Xuanji, whose cultivation was the weakest, could barely hold on.

She had only been a Celestial Master for a few months, and could only be said to have just entered the field. In the past, Pei Xuanji would not have been qualified to go on missions at all.

Seeing Pei Xuanji's predicament, Ji Ren came to see her with a smile.

“Young lady of the Pei family, if you can’t bear it, I’ll send someone to take you back first. Miss Jiaojiao, why suffer this pain?”

Ji Ren's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, and Pei Xuanji felt that all the eyes of the people from the Strange People's Temple were instantly focused on her.

Those gazes held mockery and disdain.

There was no goodwill whatsoever.

Pei Xuanji had never suffered like this before. Her nose tingled, but she didn't show it on her face. She imitated Ji Ren and smiled, saying, "It's not hard. I can learn a lot."

Ji Ren nodded and said, "Like father, like daughter, that's right."

After saying that, he turned and left.

However, the attention surrounding Pei Xuanji did not diminish in the slightest.

Zhang He slowly moved to a different spot, standing in front of Pei Xuanji and using his body to block all the spying.

Pei Xuanji then lowered her head and quickly wiped her eyes.

Zhang He didn't speak or look at her; he simply handed her a talisman.

After Pei Xuanji took it, the talisman turned to ashes in her hand.

Her mind instantly cleared up, and her tired and drowsy consciousness became clear again.

Pei Xuanji's voice was barely audible: "Thank you."

Zhang He didn't turn around, but just waved to her.

At the end of the second day, Ji Ren's subordinates advised him, "He is ultimately just an ordinary scholar; what if he fails?"

"Wait one more day."

Pei Xuanji's heart tightened, and she turned to look at Zhang He.

Zhang He frowned.

If Li Zhi fails to accomplish his goal, wouldn't he perish here?

However, their voices carried little weight, and they had no say among Ji Ren's subordinates.

Pei Xuanji was extremely anxious, but she couldn't discuss it with Zhang He, and felt that each day was like a year.

Night fell, and the day was coming to an end.

Ji Ren glanced at the sky and said, "It seems we still have to launch a strong attack."

Upon receiving the order, the men began preparations with renewed vigor.

Did they ever trust Li Zhi?

Pei Xuanji disregarded everything else and hurriedly tugged at Zhang He's sleeve.

She knew there was nothing they could do right now, but in her confusion, Pei Xuanji subconsciously placed some hope in Zhang He.

Zhang He paced back and forth for a long time before finally sighing, "That's enough."

Having said that, he was about to step forward and plead with Ji Ren for mercy.

It was past midnight, and the skilled warriors of the Strange People's Temple were poised to attack.

In the blink of an eye, five dazzling beams of light suddenly appeared in everyone's sight.

Zhang He was taken aback, then exclaimed with delight, "Li Zhi has succeeded!"

Ji Ren raised his eyebrows and sneered, "This scholar is quite capable."

Now that Gejiabao had been breached from within, the members of Yiren Temple quickly prepared their equipment and rushed towards the five pillars of light.

As they approached the pillar of light, a dark figure forcefully broke through it from inside the fortress and appeared before them like a whirlwind.

"Not good! The Suspended Light Formation has been broken from the inside."

Everyone immediately picked up their magical artifacts and formed a battle formation to await the arrival of the enemy.