Chapter 33 033 The protagonist falls off a cliff, the end (just kidding)...
The warm breath was so close, that the delicate skin behind my ear instantly bristled with goosebumps.
Lu Yuanyuan pursed her lips, turned her face, and met a pair of familiar and beautiful eyes.
Unsure whether the other person was just saying it casually or testing her, Lu Yuanyuan tightened her grip on the bundle in her arms. A faint unease crept up her back beneath her clothes, as if ants were crawling all over it. But she didn't show it on her face. Instead, she widened her eyes and exclaimed in surprise, "So that was Master Xugu? I've heard about her various deeds in class, but I've never had the chance to meet her in person. So she's traveling with us!"
Yin Xiaozhu stared intently at her, while Lu Yuanyuan forced herself to keep her gaze straight ahead.
Their eyes met for a moment, and just as a strange feeling welled up in her heart and she was about to give up, Yin Xiaozhu straightened up and walked forward: "Come with me."
Yin Xiaozhu didn't press Xu Gu Zhenren repeatedly, probably because her answer just now didn't have any obvious flaws.
Lu Yuanyuan felt as if she had been lifted high and then gently put down, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't forget that her identity as the other party's servant when traveling, so she composed herself and quickly followed.
The White Crane Boat is similar in construction to a large ship, with private rooms for ordinary disciples to rest. Personal disciples, however, have their own private rooms. Master Xugu is essentially the homeroom teacher leading a group of students on an outing. With such a highly respected elder accompanying us, this trip should be foolproof.
The white crane boat can travel a thousand miles a day, and since Mount Shu is located in the central region of the cultivation world, it only takes three days to reach the Spirit Treasure Secret Realm, which is faster than the high-speed rail.
Lu Yuanyuan: "..." This time, it seems like metaphysics has triumphed over technology.
Since they were on a ship, it was inconvenient to bring a cook to start a fire and prepare meals, so everyone ate elixirs to fill their stomachs. These were similar to compressed biscuits, which could replenish their energy, but the taste was definitely not as good as food made with oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. This is also why the profession of cook has never been eliminated in the cultivation world.
The three-day voyage, though cut off from the outside world, was far from boring. The breathtaking scenery of the cultivation world was ever-changing, with snowfields, forests, and cities... Spending the entire day on deck admiring the views was never dull.
A fierce, cold wind was blowing high above. Fortunately, the ship was encased in a temperature-controlled, windproof barrier. Without it, anyone stepping onto the deck would have been blown about, possibly even falling into a bottomless abyss.
Lu Yuanyuan slept in the dormitory of ordinary female cultivators at night, and waited by Yin Xiaozhu's side during the day. However, she didn't actually have much to do. Yin Xiaozhu spent most of her time reading in her room. Other direct disciples were very unceremonious when ordering around their servants, but Yin Xiaozhu at most asked her to do some trivial things, such as grinding ink, folding clothes, and making the bed.
Furthermore, the other party would also make Lu Yuanyuan read to her. Lu Yuanyuan felt like she was being used as a language reader for e-books, which was frustrating, but she had no choice but to do so.
As for Master Xugu, he only appeared on the deck on the first day, and rarely appeared in front of ordinary disciples at other times.
He truly deserves to be called a master; he has an air of mystery about him.
This continued for several days. Because she couldn't sense any killing intent, Lu Yuanyuan's tense nerves gradually relaxed a little, and she seized the opportunity to secretly cultivate.
Before they knew it, the journey had reached its third day. There were over a hundred sects and families participating in the conference, and they had all agreed to meet at a place called the Demon-Slaying Platform, much like a rally before military training.
At this rate, they will arrive at their destination by the next morning.
Lu Yuanyuan was eagerly awaiting landing. It was all because she had been consuming elixirs for several days in a row; they were so tasteless that her tongue was practically numb to the flavor of birds. For Golden Core cultivators, those elixirs could nourish their bodies and replenish trace amounts of spiritual energy. For her, they only served to fill her stomach.
Therefore, when Lu Yuanyuan learned that the White Crane Boat had crossed the boundary of the Spirit Treasure Secret Realm, she became restless and wanted to go outside to take a look.
"Go ahead," Yin Xiaozhu said casually, then suddenly seemed to remember something and said, "Wait a minute."
Lu Yuanyuan turned around in confusion and saw Yin Xiaozhu take out a thick robe from the house, drape it over her shoulders, and personally put the sleeves on for her, tying a knot. He smiled and said, "Futu Valley is just ahead. It's very cold, so wear more clothes."
Lu Yuanyuan hadn't thought of this, and pursed her lips, saying, "Thank you, Yuanjun."
Yin Xiaozhu released her, sat back in her chair, propped her head up, and said lazily, "Go ahead. I'm a little tired today, so I'll rest now. You can come back tomorrow."
Lu Yuanyuan nodded, stepped onto the wooden ladder, and shivered slightly from the cold wind. The white crane boat was flying over a deep valley. At dusk, the magnificent sunset glow enveloped the entire land, the river shimmering and sparkling with golden light.
Having been there once before, Lu Yuanyuan had a general idea of the shape of the Spirit Treasure Secret Realm. It was vast, and the map was crooked and uneven. Starting from the direction of Mount Shu, there were only two options to reach the Demon-Slaying Platform: either take a long detour along the outer edge of the map, or go directly through the Floating Pagoda Valley of the Spirit Treasure Secret Realm. Mount Shu naturally chose the second route. They outnumbered the demons, who were mostly bullies who preyed on the weak and preferred to attack lone prey. Even if some foolish creatures did manage to rush in, they wouldn't be a match for the Mount Shu disciples.
This was already within the territory of the Spirit Treasure Secret Realm. The climate of Floating Pagoda Valley was notoriously cold and damp. If it weren't for the barrier, it wouldn't be impossible for someone to freeze to death high in the air. Lu Yuanyuan leaned against the wooden railing, gazing at the magnificent scenery in the distance.
She wanted to take advantage of her time alone to think carefully about her next step.
Previously, she thought Yin Xiaozhu was a good backer, generous and easy to get along with. If she were an employee, she would definitely want a boss like that. However, after that night, even a fool would know that Yin Xiaozhu wasn't as simple as he seemed. Perhaps, it would be safer for her to give up the idea of being his servant and find another way out...
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the vast valley fell into darkness.
Lost in her own thoughts, Lu Yuanyuan's gaze drifted somewhat to the barrier in front of her.
The barrier of Mount Shu shimmered under the sun and gleamed like water under the moonlight. Up close, one could see their own face reflected in it. Lu Yuanyuan rested her chin on her hand, staring blankly at her reflection. After a long while, she suddenly realized that the reflection in front of her was a deathly pale face, and it didn't look like her at all.
Lu Yuanyuan's gaze settled.
As she gazed upon him, the pale face facing her slowly broke into a smile.
Lu Yuanyuan's pupils contracted, and a chilling aura rose from the depths of her heart. She abruptly took a few steps back and left the railing.
The creature outside, realizing it had been discovered, let out a hoarse screech, flapped its wings, and took flight. The commotion quickly attracted the attention of two outer sect disciples nearby: "What was that sound?"
Lu Yuanyuan shook her head, clutching her clothes tightly, and looked up at the two of them.
As the thing flew further away, illuminated by the light from the white crane boat, its entire form finally came into view. Lu Yuanyuan stared intently, and a small patch of goosebumps appeared on her arm.
This thing looks a lot like a giant bat the size of an adult, completely black and covered in hard skin. Its outstretched arms are enormous black bat wings, capable of creating a hurricane with a single flap. A pale, bluish-white human face grows from its head, which is covered in black skin, with features that look like they've been pieced together. When it grins, it reveals a mouthful of sharp teeth, giving off an unsettling feeling akin to the uncanny valley.
It flies so fast, no wonder it can float outside the barrier with the ship even at such a high altitude!
This world is full of bizarre and terrifying monsters... As a demon, the nine-tailed fox truly deserves its position as the most beautiful.
Beside Lu Yuanyuan, a rather tall and thin disciple said its name: "It's a bat demon."
Lu Yuanyuan had naturally heard of these monsters; they were monsters that mutated after humans were eaten by swarms of bats. Because the death process was extremely painful—they were sucked and devoured alive—they harbored immense resentment after becoming monsters and liked to live in groups of three to five. If you were to encounter one in the wild, it would be quite troublesome.
Another, shorter disciple murmured, "This is the first time I've ever seen the true form of such a monster. The book clearly says they're at most the size of a small child, how can they be this big... and fly so fast..."
The tall, thin disciple said dismissively, "It's better to have no books than to believe everything in them. The point of our trip to the Lingbao Secret Realm is to see things for ourselves. It's normal for strange monsters to appear in this place. There's nothing to worry about. There's a barrier protecting us, and there's only one of them. It won't dare to attack us."
As soon as the words were spoken, the three of them saw two more pale faces appear outside the barrier in the boundless night.
Lu Yuanyuan: "..."
The tall, thin disciple choked, but forced himself to remain calm and said, "So what if three come? As long as the number isn't too large, there's nothing to worry about."
At that moment, the three heard a strange buzzing sound, the first one they'd heard in days, coming from the barrier at the bottom of the ship, as if billions of things were fanning the wind. Immediately afterward, the entire ship shook violently.
The tall, thin disciple: "..."
Lu Yuanyuan: "..." Brother, maybe you should just shut up.
The tremors from the hull drew countless footsteps, and exclamations of surprise rose and fell from the distant decks.
"What is that?!"
"They're bat demons! The entire sky is filled with them! How can there be so many! When did they surround us?!"
Lu Yuanyuan ran towards the noisiest spot, and looking up, she saw a scene that shocked her—a black tornado seemed to be rising in the pitch-black night. It spun and surged into the air before plunging down towards the barrier. The entire barrier of the white crane boat was instantly enveloped by the inky waves, cutting off all contact with the outside world.
The most critical issue is that their ship is entirely composed of alchemists, and not everyone is skilled in hand-to-hand combat with demons.
The White Crane Boat's barrier was protected by spirit stones, making it sturdy enough to handle most situations. However, the sheer number of these bat demons was astonishing. A single ant is not frightening, but a swarm of ants can devour an elephant down to its skeleton.
In the chaos, Qi Chang rushed over upon hearing the commotion. As he drew his sword and formed a protective array, he coldly shouted, "Everyone, retreat! Go and fetch Master Xugu!"
The disciples around him responded with a "Yes," and rushed anxiously towards the cabin. However, it was too late. With a "crack," the barrier was smashed open, and rampaging monsters swarmed in like locusts. The deck was instantly filled with screams and the glint of swords.
Lu Yuanyuan's face turned ugly as she thought of her prop called the Immortal Silkworm Robe.
Could it be that the system anticipated the danger of this mission and that's why it gave her this item?
Otherwise, in such a chaotic battle, she would surely have only one way out: death.
Lu Yuanyuan immediately instructed the system to release the items.
Wearing the silken robe felt as light and invisible as a cicada's wing, yet it put her at ease.
In the nick of time, a blinding sword light flashed across the sky, scattering blood everywhere. A large group of bat demons were instantly cut in half at the waist. Master Xugu arrived!
"The real person has arrived!"
"It's Master Xugu!"
Everyone looked up, their faces lighting up with joy, as if relieved. The Shu Mountain disciples with fighting ability drew their swords to meet the enemy. However, there were simply too many of them, and they seemed to possess intelligence, relentlessly attacking the magic array at the bottom of the White Crane Boat that aided its flight.
Meanwhile, the outer disciples, who were skilled only in alchemy and lacked proficiency in swordsmanship, were escorted away by their seniors.
The sky was pitch black. Lu Yuanyuan mingled in the crowd, being pushed and shoved away, her cloak trailing on the ground and trampled several times. Everyone she saw was more or less disheveled. But she, thanks to the protection of the Immortal Silkworm Robe, was protected from the bat demons' wild clawing and scrambling, which couldn't even scratch off a drop of blood, as if an iron-like shield had deflected her attacks.
As she rushed down the stairs, a thought suddenly flashed through Lu Yuanyuan's mind. She grabbed the wall and hurriedly looked around, but sure enough, she couldn't see Yin Xiaozhu anywhere.
Oh right, that guy is still sleeping in the cabin!
With such a commotion outside, the other party should have noticed, right?
"Better to die than for myself," she thought. She was just a mortal; she couldn't care less. Anyway, Yin Xiaozhu didn't die here in the original story, so she was sure she'd escape unscathed.
System: "Ding! Hidden storyline [Bitter Night] updated. Please enter the cabin and find Yin Xiaozhu to ensure her safety."
Lu Yuanyuan: "..."
No way, Yin Xiaozhu is actually still in the cabin?
Moreover, does the system mean that she needs to find Yin Xiaozhu for him to be safe?
She didn't think she had the ability to rescue the dignified senior disciple of Mount Shu. The only explanation was that he was really still sleeping in the cabin, and only she knew his whereabouts, so she needed to wake him up.
Lu Yuanyuan glanced at the thick, warm cloak that the other person had personally draped over her shoulders before she went up to the deck, and gritted her teeth. Forget it, she now had the invincible Immortal Silkworm Robe buff, which would last for 24 hours. What was she afraid of?
Lu Yuanyuan wiped her face, pushed through the crowd, and ran against the flow into the cabin.
The cabin was almost empty, and the corridor was deserted. Breathless, she ran to Yin Xiaozhu's room and pounded on the door: "Yuanjun! Come out quickly!"
There was no sound from inside, and the door was locked.
How could you be sleeping so soundly at such a dangerous moment?!
Lu Yuanyuan's fists ached from pounding the door, and she was so angry that she wanted to smash it, which she did: "Come out quickly! It's dangerous outside, something's happened! Don't sleep! Yuanjun... Senior Sister! Yin Xiaozhu!"
Just then, a gust of wind came from behind, and a strange shadow obscured the candlelight. Lu Yuanyuan's heart skipped a beat, and she turned around abruptly to see a bizarre, pale face—this bat demon had followed her in at some point, and as soon as it stood up, its entire body and wings filled the corridor.
Lu Yuanyuan's breath hitched. Even knowing it couldn't hurt her, the sight of such a thing with such sanity plummeting standing before her was still quite impactful. When she saw it open its massive mouth and lunge at her, Lu Yuanyuan instinctively closed her eyes and raised her hands to shield herself.
In the blink of an eye, a sharp "ripping" sound rang out in the air. The bat demon was severed in two right in front of her, blood gushing out, revealing the person standing behind it.
Blood smeared on Yin Xiaozhu's cheek and eyelids, making her look eerily beautiful, like a splash of vibrant paint on the snow.
Sheathed her sword, and saw Lu Yuanyuan huddled in a corner, her face pale, her small hands pounding on the door until they were red. Even facing death, she was still foolishly clutching the doorknob. A subtle, unfathomable ripple stirred deep within her amber eyes.
Lu Yuanyuan had no idea how convincing her current appearance was; she was simply taken aback.
Why did Yin Xiaozhu come from that direction? Was she not in her room?
The system isn't asking me to wake the other person up?
Before she could think, Lu Yuanyuan's wrist was grabbed, and she was dragged up from the ground. Then, a hand touched her neck, making her shiver from the cold.
Last time, this cool, jade-skinned hand gripped her neck in the dead of night, testing whether she was asleep. This time, however, it went straight for her, roughly tearing off the cloak that he had recently put on her and throwing it at her feet.
Perhaps, they found the clothes too cumbersome.
Lu Yuanyuan staggered, panting as she looked up, only to see Yin Xiaozhu's unusually cold profile: "Let's go."
Upon reaching the deck, chaos reigned outside. Lu Yuanyuan discovered that in the short time she had entered the cabin, the operational array of the White Crane Boat had been completely destroyed, bringing it to the brink of capsizing. Yin Xiaozhu, pulling her along, slayed several bat demons in the process, dragging her to the railing before the White Crane Boat capsized.
"What are you doing? Wait, you're going to jump... Ah—"
A gust of wind swept past her ears, and the fear of freefall gripped her heart. Lu Yuanyuan's hair stood on end, her heart raced, and she closed her eyes in terror, clinging desperately to the person in front of her.
With a splash, cold water washed over her head. She had fallen into a completely dark body of water and, stimulated by the icy cold, instantly lost consciousness.
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