Chapter 118 Mission to the Demon Realm
The spear was made of a very peculiar material, resembling black jade. The blade was jet black, yet translucent, with a bright red line of blood near the edge. The shaft was extremely long, encircled by intricate red patterns. It was long and heavy, a weapon capable of lifting an adult, yet it was held in a hand that seemed completely mismatched with its size.
Its owner was a boy of only thirteen or fourteen years old. His black hair was tied in a high ponytail, and he wore a neat black outfit with wrist guards. His face was delicate, but his features were truly beautiful. Not in a refined way, but with a natural arrogance and heroic spirit.
He had sword-like eyebrows and narrow eyes, with bright red lips.
At that moment, he was staring somewhat displeased at the man who was swinging in mid-air on a swing, making a series of exaggerated "ouch, ouch" noises.
Lu Yuanyuan quickly stopped her, saying, "Alright, alright, quickly put Qionghua Immortal Lord down."
Qionghua Immortal Lord's feet were finally able to touch the ground. He looked at the two of them and said with great perceptiveness, "Oh dear, I suddenly remembered that Xuanming needs to see me, so I have to go first."
After he slipped away from the cave as if his feet were greased, Yue Hong still frowned, staring at the direction he had left in a somewhat sinister light, and complained, "Why is this strange man here again? Last time he asked you to help him deliver his immortal pet, the time before that he asked you to help him test medicine, what is he bothering you with this time?"
Lu Yuanyuan said, "Although Immortal Lord Qionghua's behavior is somewhat suspicious, he is not a bad person."
In modern terms, that guy would be called a fangirl; he likes anything that catches his eye or looks good.
Seeing Yue Hong purse his lips, still somewhat unconvinced, Lu Yuanyuan suddenly reached out and pinched his cheek: "Still looking? Do you really think they can't beat you or dodge your gun? They were just letting you win."
Yue Hong grabbed her wrist, pulled it down, and slightly raised his chin: "That's only temporary. I'll definitely show you later that I'm better than him."
Lu Yuanyuan withdrew her hand, changed the subject, and asked curiously while resting her chin on her hand, "Why did you come back so quickly this time?"
A flash of light appeared in Yue Hong's hand, and the jet-black spear turned into smoke and vanished without a trace. He sat down on the couch and snorted, "A monster that ran away from the old site of the Ghost Realm and caused trouble was beaten to a pulp in no time. There's nothing good for it to stay here. It's better to stay with you."
Seven years ago, a sudden heavenly tribulation and a change in identity caught Lu Yuanyuan off guard.
However, she did not forget the promise she had made in secret: to revive Yue Hong and repay his life-saving grace.
After the [Infant Devouring] instance ended, she secretly hid the two dolls she had made in a secluded cave deep in Langya Mountain of Yong Kingdom.
Indeed, a puppet should be raised in a place rich in spiritual energy. But at that time, she was in dire straits—barely able to save herself, and dared not easily trust others, nor risk exposing her escape route in the slightest. The mortal realm, while not the optimal solution, was a last resort.
When she finally managed to return to the cave to find the doll she had buried, she was dumbfounded.
More than half a year has passed, and the weeds outside the cave have grown taller and denser, a desolate wasteland, reaching above her waist. Hanging vines intertwine, blocking out the sunlight, making it impossible to tell at first glance that there is a cave behind it; it is extremely hidden, and there are no footprints around. It is obvious that no one has ever visited this place since she left.
However, as soon as she ventured deeper into the cave, Lu Yuanyuan was shocked to discover that the soil had been disturbed. She had dug two pits; the doll in the left pit belonged to Yue Hong, and the one in the right pit was for herself. Now, her doll was gone. A ring of small mounds of sand and gravel surrounded the pits, resembling an unfilled construction site.
The two dolls were placed very close together. Because the soil was turned over, the other doll was also affected, and one of its arms was exposed from the soil.
At that moment, looking at the hole in the ground, Lu Yuanyuan was filled with shock and anger. Her first thought was that someone had discovered the secret of the puppetry technique and stolen her puppet.
That's right, the reason she couldn't transfer her consciousness into this doll before might be because it was stolen and tampered with!
However, this explanation doesn't hold water—it's impossible that the other person didn't see the doll next to them while digging. Since they were already there, why didn't they take both?
I really can't figure it out.
In this era without surveillance, the criminals would have escaped with the stolen goods ages ago. There was no way to pursue the matter, so Lu Yuanyuan could only stomp her foot in frustration and accept her fate.
Fortunately, the remaining doll was only slightly misaligned and undamaged.
Lu Yuanyuan took it back to Jin'ao Island and buried it by Penglai Pond.
After ascending to immortality, the immortals made their homes anywhere in the world. Jin'ao Island was once the garden where the divine lord kept his divine pets, and the Xuan Turtle lived in Penglai Pond on the island. Because she was a close civil official, she was allowed to stay on the island.
Because she was constantly nourished by the celestial energy in this blessed place, Yue Hong's shattered soul was repaired very quickly, even though she died without a complete body, and she woke up much earlier than she expected.
That was three years after her ascension. Yue Hong awoke with the appearance and mind of a ten-year-old child.
Her personality is exactly the same as in her previous life, but she is a blank slate with no memories of her past life.
Unable to make up her mind, Lu Yuanyuan went to the mortal realm. Now, she could easily avoid the soldiers of Yong Kingdom and the patrolling disciples of the Imperial Preceptor, and appear directly in Consort Xie's palace.
No, Consort Xie should now be called Empress Xie.
After the group from Mount Shu left the mortal realm, Empress Xie successfully gave birth to a prince. The arrival of the new life finally eased the pain of losing her child.
The matter was accomplished in secrecy. Previously, due to numerous concerns, Lu Yuanyuan hadn't told Empress Xie about Yue Hong's potential resurrection. Now, finally able to reveal everything, Empress Xie blushed with excitement, gripping Lu Yuanyuan's shoulders tightly and asking several times if it was true. Finally, overjoyed, she wept.
However, unexpectedly, when she asked Empress Xie whether Yue Hong should return to Yong Kingdom, Empress Xie wiped away her tears and shook her head gently but firmly.
"Born into the mortal realm, into an imperial family, one's life is destined to be intertwined with power struggles. I only hope that Hong'er can live a peaceful, carefree, and different life, and no longer get involved in these matters. I feel at ease letting him stay with you."
Empress Xie gazed at her with her beautiful, watery eyes. Lu Yuanyuan met her gaze, moved, and after a moment's thought, said, "But perhaps Yue Hong doesn't want to become an immortal; he just wants to stay with his family?"
Empress Xie thought for a moment and said, "Then let him choose for himself when he grows up."
Therefore, Lu Yuanyuan and Empress Xie made an agreement that Lu Yuanyuan would tell Yue Hong about his death when he turned eighteen. Firstly, by then, Yue Hong's mind would be close to maturity and he would be able to accept the shock. Secondly, it was also Empress Xie's own selfish reason as a mother.
For mortals to cultivate immortality is like a fish leaping over the dragon gate, experiencing a qualitative improvement in physique and lifespan. However, such opportunities are extremely rare. Having Yue Hong follow Lu Yuanyuan is equivalent to clinging to a powerful patron; the biggest benefit is that he can become a cultivator and cultivate a golden core.
Therefore, even if he chooses to return to the mortal realm at the age of eighteen, he will live a very long life.
Yue Hong was buried in the ground before, unnoticed. After waking up, he could run and jump, making it difficult for others to ignore him. Ascended immortals rarely have a non-ascended person by their side. Therefore, faced with Yue Hong's questions and the doubts of others, Lu Yuanyuan swallowed the explanation of "master"—after all, she wasn't sure if Yue Hong wanted to become a pill cultivator at that time, and publicly referred to Yue Hong as a child entrusted to her care by a friend, making Yue Hong call her "aunt."
Anyway, she was used to hearing this title when she did dungeon quests before.
In the blink of an eye, four years have passed.
She didn't deliberately guide him; Yue Hong developed an interest in cultivation on his own. With the innate advantage of growing up on Jin'ao Island, eating immortal herbs and drinking jade dew, Yue Hong successfully achieved the Core Formation early on. Furthermore, he preferred wielding swords and spears to sitting down and reading, and after mastering his skills, he enjoyed traveling and training with martial gods.
With the external situation now unbalanced, the major sects of the cultivation world, led by Mount Shu, are increasingly dispatched to quell rebellions. It's as if a single spark is extinguished here, only to be followed by another. Occasionally, in particularly serious and troublesome situations, even the intervention of ascended immortal lords is required. This was unimaginable in the past.
Aside from the golden core that had appeared in his belly, Yue Hong was otherwise much the same as before, with a personality as fiery as a firecracker. However, here, he was no longer a prince doted on by everyone, nor did he have those noble scions who fawned over him and helped him bully others. Every tree on Jin'ao Island was older than him, so he hadn't developed the bad habit of bullying others for amusement.
However, as he got older, the boy became less and less willing to call her aunt.
Although Yue Hong already knew that she was not his biological aunt.
Just then, a rumbling sound came from the ground, as if an earthquake had occurred. Lu Yuanyuan was startled and quickly stood up: "The Xuan Turtle called me, I have to go out for a while."
On Jin'ao Island is Penglai Pond, which is actually a vast sea in the middle of the land, with no boundaries, wisps of mist, and lotus flowers and leaves growing gracefully.
Most of the time, the Xuanming Turtle slept underwater, rarely appearing in public, and the pond was usually quite quiet. But today, when Lu Yuanyuan arrived, she found the scene bustling like a market. Many immortals who were usually elusive had actually come, and they seemed to be arguing fiercely about something. She could vaguely hear words like "absurd," "unbelievable," and "why should we go?"
The crowd was noisy, but soon people noticed Lu Yuanyuan's arrival, and many eyes turned to her. Lu Yuanyuan looked around and quickly spotted a familiar figure. She rushed over and patted him on the shoulder: "What's going on? Why are so many people here?"
Immortal Lord Qionghua turned his head and said gossipy, "I heard that the demons of the Southern Territory sent a letter saying that the situation is dire and they want to join forces with us to completely eliminate the Ghost Emperor. They also invited us to the Demon Realm to discuss it, saying that they need to see it for themselves to dispel their prejudices. Everyone is discussing this matter, saying that there must be some bad idea behind it."
Lu Yuanyuan's eyes widened.
Cultivators have always looked down on demons, and it's a historical practice to improve their cultivation and reputation by slaying evil demons. In recent years, with the rise of the demon race, demons seem to have found their backbone and have flocked to the Southern Territory. They are now much more assertive when encountering cultivators than before, leading to a more serious conflict between the two sides.
Under such circumstances, it is indeed extremely difficult for both sides to sit down, trust each other, and discuss cooperation. The fact that the other side made such a request is already astonishing.
However, perhaps this is also a chain reaction caused by her being a misaligned cog in the machine.
In the original story, Duan Lansheng was a key figure in the fight against the Ghost Emperor. Now that he is dead, another force will naturally join the fight, strengthening the cultivation world's power against the Ghost Emperor.
Lu Yuanyuan was deep in thought.
Meanwhile, Immortal Lord Qionghua stood to the side, raising an eyebrow as he watched her.
Time really flies. In his memory, Lu Yuanyuan, who first came to Jin'ao Island seven years ago, was just a naive teenage girl. As for her appearance, she was at most considered pretty, slightly above average.
But after ascending to the ranks of immortals, through the daily cleansing, her appearance changed imperceptibly, shedding her youthful naiveté and undergoing a complete transformation. Her features still resembled her former self, but they were all significantly more beautiful, sometimes leaving him speechless with admiration.
Lu Yuanyuan was lost in thought for a while before she noticed that the other person had moved closer to her again without her noticing. She skillfully raised her hand and pushed his face away: "Did you come to a conclusion before I came?"
Immortal Lord Qionghua rubbed his cheek with his finger and grumbled, "Judging from Xuanming's words, he seems to want to agree. However, the southern region of the cultivation world is now occupied by demons. The demonic energy is so strong that I can't stand living in such a dark and gloomy place. Also, I've heard that those demons all look strange and grotesque. Looking at them too much will hurt my eyes. Even if we're going to negotiate, I don't want to be sent there."
At this moment, in the center of Penglai Pond, a shadow was slowly expanding, like an island rising. With a splash, a huge and ancient turtle head emerged from below, its two eyes gleaming and deep, as large as car headlights. Countless streams of water cascaded down its shell like waterfalls, drenching those who were close by and unable to dodge in time.
Someone in the crowd shouted, "Xuanming—what about the invitation from the Demon Realm? Are we really going to accept it?"
Like a stone thrown into still water, a ripple effect was created, and many voices emerged.
"Monsters are not to be trusted."
"Why aren't they coming over? Why are we being told to go over there?"
"Although I don't like that side of the story, it's not quite like that... It's because they proposed the collaboration that they invited us there to show their sincerity... Who would rush to someone else's house to discuss cooperation?"
The Black Tortoise said, "It's settled. If the Ghost Emperor successfully awakens, the world will be plunged into chaos. This is not the time to act rashly. Immortals have their supernatural powers, and demons have their advantages. If we can set aside our past conflicts and join forces to fight the enemy, it will benefit both sides—"
Its voice was deep and resonant, and the crowd gradually quieted down.
"I called you all here to select a representative for the mission." Turtle Head turned around and suddenly said, "Ling Heng, I think you should be the representative."
Lu Yuanyuan, standing at the back of the crowd, was surprised to be called out: "Me?"
All eyes turned to her.
The Xuan Turtle nodded: "Once the war begins, immortals will only be icing on the cake. The real main force will be the disciples of the cultivation world, and Mount Shu will be the main force among the main forces. Ling Heng, you used to be a disciple of Mount Shu, so you are the most suitable person to go."
When those around her saw that she was the one assigned, they all chimed in with agreement.
“Indeed, I think Immortal Lord Lingheng is quick-witted, bold, and capable, making him the most suitable candidate.”
"I agree!"
Immortal Lord Qionghua moved slowly behind Lu Yuanyuan, raised his little finger, and whispered in her ear, "I understand. Look at the uproar. Everyone is either like me, unwilling to take on the task, or they'll be arrogant and domineering if they go. How can we discuss cooperation then? If a martial god were sent as an envoy, a fight would probably break out on the spot. Sending someone as refined and amiable as you as a representative is perfect; you can easily break up the fight. However, if you really don't want to go, you can try refusing."
Lu Yuanyuan: "..."
Lu Yuanyuan hesitated for a moment.
She had long suspected that the rise of the demon realm might be related to the plot twists caused by her changing her own destiny.
The resurgence of the Ghost Emperor has had a profound impact on this world.
She doesn't spout lines about the paramount importance of humanity, nor is she a particularly noble person. But she truly doesn't want to see scenes of bloodshed.
If they join forces with the demon realm, they can find a way to completely eliminate the Ghost Emperor. She is willing to act as a bridge to facilitate cooperation between the two sides.
Lu Yuanyuan made up her mind and nodded: "Thank you all for believing in me. In that case, let me serve as the envoy."
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