Chapter 81 He seems to really be dying. Xie Hanwei, you should pick me up and take me back...
The inns in the small town were almost all full, and many of the people coming and going were dressed in the clothes of other sects, clearly pursuers who had come for the high bounty.
After searching all afternoon, the two finally found an empty room in a guesthouse on the outskirts of the city that looked a bit remote.
Seeing that although the two men looked travel-worn, their clothes were made of high-quality materials, the waiter immediately abandoned his laziness, narrowed his eyes to slits, and put on a respectful smile. "You two are very lucky. Our shop has one top-class room and two bottom-class rooms left. Which one would you like?"
Today is the fifteenth again.
The two of them certainly couldn't travel tonight, so Mingjian said, "We'll take the top-class room."
"Alright!" Upon hearing this, the waiter's face lit up with a smile. He readily accepted the spirit stones handed over by Xiao Bumian and eagerly led the two upstairs.
"Please have a seat and rest, gentlemen. I'll go and brew you a pot of good tea right away." The waiter took the old teapot from the table, bowed, and left the room, carefully closing the door behind him.
Once the waiter's footsteps faded into the distance, only the two of them remained in the room.
Xiao Bumian immediately lost her composure and leaned over listlessly, her voice heavy with weariness, "Sleepy."
Using the candlelight on the table as a guide, Mingjian reached out and touched Xiao Bumian's forehead. It was a little warm to the touch. He asked with concern, "Is anything bothering you?"
"fine."
Relieved, Mingjian waited for the waiter to bring up the freshly brewed tea. Then, he asked the waiter to bring up several buckets of hot water, intending to take a nice hot bath to wash away the fatigue from the past few days of travel.
"We should be able to reach the Demon Realm tomorrow," Mingjian said, his eyes crinkling as he finished his bath.
Xiao Bumian was already very sleepy. He put his arm around Mingjian's waist, rested his head on Mingjian's neck, unconsciously rubbed against him, and mumbled a response, listlessly saying, "Mmm."
The candle was blown out, plunging the room into darkness.
In the dead of night, all was quiet.
Mingjian vaguely heard a very faint sound coming from outside.
His days on the run had made him exceptionally sensitive to any disturbance; he opened his eyes almost immediately, all sleepiness gone.
Xiao Bumian was still asleep. Mingjian reached out and touched his forehead. His temperature seemed to be even higher than before he fell asleep.
"Xie Hanwei," Mingjian gently nudged him.
Xiao Bumian slowly opened her eyes, her gaze still heavy with sleepiness, her beautiful eyes hazy as if veiled in mist.
“We should go,” Mingjian said.
Xiao Bumian stood up, his plain white clothes swaying slightly with his movements.
He wasn't in a hurry. Instead, he first stretched out his slender fingers, went behind Mingjian, and patiently tied up his long hair, which had become a little loose from sleeping, with a hairband. His movements were meticulous and focused.
Mingjian quietly let him do as he pleased. Once his hair was tied up, the two of them got up silently and prepared to go downstairs.
"It seems there's a barrier outside, so we can't fly on our swords." Xiao Bumian frowned, his mood not very good.
Mingjian sensed it too, and he turned his head to ask, "How many cultivators are there above the Nascent Soul stage?"
Xiao Bumian closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, then said calmly, "There are at least several hundred people, and among them are several Nascent Soul stage cultivators."
Mingjian: "..."
He took a deep breath, still wanting to ask, "Just how many people have you offended before?"
Xiao Bumian paused for a moment upon hearing this, then chuckled softly as if he had heard something amusing. "I haven't counted, but there are probably a lot."
This is more than just a lot! This is practically stirring up a hornet's nest in the entire cultivation world! Ming Jian suppressed the urge to curse and carefully walked downstairs with Xiao Bumian.
Sure enough, inside and outside the inn, there were cultivators everywhere, both openly and secretly.
They had already changed out of their previous clothes and were now wearing the sect robes they had taken from two unlucky Lingxiao Sect disciples a few days ago.
These people probably didn't expect them to appear so openly. When their eyes swept over them, they saw that they were disciples of an unfamiliar small sect and moved away without paying much attention, assuming that they were just ordinary cultivators who were staying at the inn.
Xiao Bumian's face was partially covered by a mask, while the other half was made up with rouge and powder, slightly altering its contours, but it didn't look out of place.
Xiao Bumian also applied the makeup to Mingjian, so the compasses that the disciples had in their hands, which could clearly see whether someone was disguised, were useless to them.
As Mingjian reached the corner of the stairs, he caught a glimpse of the waiter bowing and scraping as he whispered something to an elder of the Thousand Machines Sect.
From their lip movements, Mingjian understood most of the situation.
As expected, so many inns were full, but this one did have rooms, which was exactly what these sect disciples had planned to do.
“Immortal, there are indeed two cultivators with exceptionally outstanding appearances staying here tonight, matching the characteristics you described.”
The elder of the Thousand Machines Sect frowned and asked, "Are they still alive?"
The waiter replied, "Of course. I added a special bewitching powder to their teacups as instructed by the immortal. Even if they are at the Nascent Soul stage, they will definitely not wake up in a short time."
Mingjian twitched the corner of his mouth.
That's a real pity. The system is still within his consciousness. Even Xiao Bumian at the beginning couldn't put him to sleep, let alone a mere mind-altering powder.
The elder of the Thousand Machines Sect nodded and casually tossed a bag of spirit stones to the waiter, saying, "You did a good job."
After he finished speaking, he waved his hand, and several disciples behind him immediately and silently made their way to the top-tier room where Mingjian and Xiao Bumian had stayed.
Meanwhile, Mingjian and Xiao Bumian took advantage of the moment when the crowd's attention was diverted downstairs and tried to blend into the crowd and walk out.
But they knew perfectly well that once the people upstairs discovered that the top-tier room was empty and that a new door had been knocked down to connect it to the adjacent room, their whereabouts would be immediately exposed.
Before the two could even step outside, the elder's sharp gaze suddenly fixed on them, filled with scrutiny and suspicion, and he said in a deep voice, "Wait!"
Almost simultaneously, several disciples who had broken down the door rushed out with grim expressions, urgently reporting, "Elder, the room is empty. The wall of the adjacent top-tier room has been breached, and there are two unconscious cultivators lying inside!"
Before he could finish speaking, a sudden change occurred.
A gust of wind swept by, and dozens of disciples who were nearby downstairs didn't even see what happened. They only felt a chill on their necks, and before they could even see the confusion in their eyes, they all fell down, with a thin line of blood on their throats.
Xiao Bumian's cultivation was unfathomable. In order to deal with him, the elders at the Nascent Soul stage did not hesitate to spend half of their cultivation to set up this powerful array that suppressed spiritual power, intending to limit his strength.
While this formation can suppress Xiao Bumian, it will also significantly weaken their own cultivation, as it was originally intended to cause mutual destruction.
But to their utter surprise, Xiao Bumian's strength was so terrifying that even under such suppression, he could still forcefully mobilize his power and instantly kill dozens of people.
One of the deceased cultivators was the beloved disciple of the Thousand Machines Sect elder. The disciple's eyes were wide open, his face filled with disbelief, and he made two strange "hoarse" sounds before collapsing heavily into a pool of blood.
Seeing his beloved disciple die tragically, the elder of the Thousand Machines Sect was filled with rage and no longer cared about the trembling waiter beside him. He looked at the man at the front holding a thin sword.
He was still wearing a mask, and the half of his face that was exposed could not reveal his originally handsome appearance, but the elders of the Thousand Machines Sect knew that this person was Xiao Bumian.
"What are you all standing there for?" he roared at the disciples around him, who were stunned by the sudden killing. "Quickly kill this demon who has harmed his fellow disciples on the spot!"
The elder's voice was deep and resonant. Upon hearing this, the disciples and powerful figures guarding outside immediately surged in like a tide, instantly surrounding the small inn.
Mingjian also held a sword in his hand, the blade gleaming faintly.
Without hesitation, he stood beside Xiao Bumian, his eyes scanning the surrounding enemies with wary intent.
"As a cultivator, you have willingly fallen into the demonic path and betrayed the entire cultivation world. This is your first crime."
"As a Celestial Venerable, you are deeply obsessed with your own desires. You forcibly abducted the Holy Son-in-Law of the Joyful Union Sect and destroyed other people's marriages. This is your second crime."
"He betrayed the cultivation world, was ruthless, and killed his former fellow disciples. These are his three crimes."
"Xiao Bumian! Do you admit to these three major crimes or not!"
The speaker was Ji Sui. He stood outside the inn, dressed in dark blue robes. The wind howled, blowing his robes up, and the cold moonlight cast long shadows of him.
Ji Sui's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, but he still pretended to be righteous and awe-inspiring.
He felt incredibly pleased. So what if Xiao Bumian was powerful? He was going to die in front of him today!
Upon hearing this, Xiao Bumian remained silent, but a dark glint flashed in his eyes.
With a flick of his wrist, the thin sword flew from his hand, transforming into a streak of light, carrying a chilling, bone-piercing aura. It drew countless icy blades in the air, like a sudden storm, aiming straight for Ji Sui's throat.
Ji Sui's expression changed slightly, and he retreated rapidly dozens of steps, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Even with his quick reflexes, several ice blades still grazed his neck, leaving streaks of blood and beads of blood seeping out.
Ji Sui touched the bloodstains on his neck, his gaze turning completely sinister. He narrowed his eyes, revealing his murderous intent, and shouted sharply, "What are you all waiting for? Quickly capture this demon!"
Many cultivators were already feeling apprehensive. This person before them was none other than the former Immortal Venerable Hanwei! No one knew just how terrifying his cultivation had become.
If he gets upset and casually waves his hand like he did just now, wouldn't I also be beheaded?
However, Xiao Bumian had no intention of giving them a chance to hesitate.
The thin sword that flew out suddenly disintegrated in mid-air, turning into hundreds of bone chains wrapped in demonic energy, which, like living venomous snakes, strangled the crowd from all directions.
The cultivators present had their spiritual power suppressed by the formation, making them no different from ordinary people. They could only grit their teeth, raise their weapons to block, and were forced to fight back.
"Xie Hanwei, I'm fine. Just keep going. I'll take care of myself." After saying that, Mingjian smiled brightly at Xiao Bumian and showed him the bone chain on his wrist. "Besides, I still have the bone chain you gave me. At worst, it can protect me. I'll wait for you here."
He knew that if Xiao Bumian were alone, he could definitely get out.
But now he still has him by his side, and he doesn't want to be a burden to Xiao Bumian.
Upon hearing Mingjian's words, Xiao Bumian hesitated for only a moment before retracting the bone chain. The bone chain transformed back into a thin sword in his hand, the tip of which drew a white mark on the ground.
"ah--"
He drew his sword and beheaded the man at the front.
He had long disliked these people.
They should have been killed long ago.
Xiao Bumian's hands trembled slightly with excitement. It had been a long time since he had gone on such a killing spree. He was afraid that Mingjian would be afraid of him.
But compared to Mingjian's fear of him, he hated these people who always bothered them even more.
If they kill them all, wipe them out completely, then no one will bother him and Mingjian anymore. They can be together forever.
Huge wings unfurled from behind him, and Xiao Bumian chuckled softly, “Three crimes? If I kill you all, they’ll be gone.”
He lost patience with them and tried to negotiate slowly.
Those cultivators who usually thought highly of themselves had never seen such a hellish scene.
Most of them had only heard the legend of Xiao Bumian, who had single-handedly slaughtered tens of thousands of demons five hundred years ago, and few had witnessed it firsthand. As a result, they naively believed that with their numerical advantage and the suppression of the formation, they had a high chance of defeating a greatly weakened Xiao Bumian.
But now, they finally realize they were completely wrong.
Panic spread like a plague.
Some people started screaming and trying to escape, only to find their legs felt like lead and they couldn't run fast at all. They stared wide-eyed in horror as their companions suddenly stiffened.
The next second, a bone chain coiled around the man's neck like a venomous snake. Accompanied by a tooth-grinding sound of bones cracking and a short scream, the man was violently dragged back and disappeared into the surging demonic energy.
Their legs trembled uncontrollably, and they didn't even dare to turn around. They could only catch a glimpse behind them out of the corner of their eyes: huge wings flapping, a thin sword completely stained with bright red blood, and the owner of the wings looking like a demon returned from hell, his eyes devoid of any warmth as he looked back.
Their fear intensified, and they could no longer hear Ji Sui's furious orders to turn back. They just wanted to run farther and farther away.
But before they could take another step, the bone chains finally wrapped around their necks, and death came.
Ji Sui stared at the half-demon before him, who resembled a demon, and the expression on his face cracked completely.
These are useless trash! Useless trash!
He was usually arrogant and domineering, but he became so afraid because of a tainted bloodline.
He is Ji Sui, the founder of the Ji Sui sect a thousand years ago. What can a mere junior do to him?
But this body is ultimately not his.
After exchanging only a few blows with Xiao Bumian, Ji Sui collapsed to the ground, a thin sword piercing his heart, the taste of blood churning in his throat.
He burst into laughter, "If Yun Guiyuan hadn't deceived me, I would have won today! If it weren't for me, how could the cultivation world have enjoyed thousands of years of peace!"
He coughed up a mouthful of blood and instinctively gripped the thin sword.
He knew he wasn't going to survive this time.
But he refused, refused to die by Xiao Bumian's sword! For him, this would be nothing short of a disgrace.
He would rather kill himself, rather grow old day by day because he has not found a suitable body, than die like this.
The cold sword pierced his heart inch by inch, and the light in Ji Sui's eyes also faded.
Mingjian watched from afar, his body also stained with blood. In truth, his sword had not killed many people, but this time, it had killed dozens of cultivators.
At this moment, he felt no discomfort; on the contrary, a strange excitement welled up inside him, and his hand holding the sword was trembling slightly.
He lowered his eyes, thinking that he was probably no better than Xiao Bumian.
Otherwise, why would he crave blood so much?
Mingjian's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He picked up his sword and walked step by step toward Xiao Bumian.
"Xie Hanwei," Mingjian called out.
Xiao Bumian turned his head away, his eyes bloodshot, he had little reason left.
Mingjian walked over and threw away the sword in his hand.
Xiao Bumian was rejecting his approach.
But Mingjian still ignored it, his wings flapping unconsciously, the sharp winds he generated leaving tiny bloody scratches on Mingjian's arms and cheeks.
Ming Jian tilted his head back and kissed Xiao Bumian. As their lips intertwined, he murmured softly, "You should come and get me."
The moonlight fell silently, and the bloodlust in Xiao Bumian's eyes gradually faded. A sweet, metallic taste spread in their mouths, and their enormous wings gently folded in, softly enveloping the two of them and isolating them from the bloodshed and chaos of the outside world.
A gust of cold wind blew by, and heavy snowflakes fell.
—
Mingjian coughed up blood again.
"Don't worry about me. I probably just suffered a minor internal injury last time and haven't fully recovered yet. I'll be fine after a few days of rest and recuperation."
Mingjian looked at Xiao Bumian, who was styling his hair in the mirror, and forced a smile, pretending to be relaxed.
Lately, Xiao Bumian has been feeling inexplicably uneasy, with an indescribable anxiety and unease hanging over him like dark clouds.
Only by seeing Mingjian with my own eyes and feeling his body temperature and breath could this palpitation subside slightly.
"Do you want to eat wontons?" Xiao Bumian asked, resting his head on Mingjian's shoulder, his face full of affection and tenderness.
Ming Jian sighed inwardly. He turned his head and gently touched Xiao Bumian's lips to his own, then pulled away, his words carrying a reassuring tone. "Xie Hanwei, don't avoid this topic. I'm fine, really, don't worry."
He was trying to figure something out; he wouldn't leave Xiao Bumian alone.
The forced smile on Xiao Bumian's lips gradually faded, and he lowered his eyelashes to hide the hint of panic that flashed across his eyes.
For the past two months, every day after Mingjian fell asleep, he would use his divine sense to carefully examine every meridian and acupoint of Mingjian.
But the result was always the same: no problems could be detected in Mingjian's body, from the circulation of spiritual energy to the vitality of blood and qi.
But it was clear to the naked eye that he was getting weaker day by day.
Even after channeling spiritual energy into Mingjian, when he woke up the next day, Mingjian's body was still empty.
Xiao Bumian didn't know exactly what went wrong.
Perhaps it was those people who hurt Mingjian that night, or perhaps it was when he lost control that day.
"Hmm." After a long while, Xiao Bumian responded.
Mingjian didn't know whether he believed her or not, so she could only breathe a sigh of relief and gently wipe the obvious dark circles under Xiao Bumian's eyes with her fingertips. "Have you not been sleeping well these past few days?"
They have now arrived in the Demon Realm, and after the battle at the inn last time, those people from the cultivation world have finally behaved themselves and stopped pursuing them relentlessly.
Occasionally, a few fools would come to provoke us, but dealing with them was relatively easy.
The former demon clan members that Xiao Bumian had previously released were all excited when they heard that he had come to the Demon Realm. They grinned and shouted that they wanted to support him to sit on the throne of the Demon Lord.
In their words, if Xiao Bumian could become an Immortal Venerable in Jianming Immortal Mountain, he should naturally be a Demon Venerable in the Demon Realm.
Xiao Bumian merely glanced at them coldly and then told them to get lost.
Mingjian once asked him why he didn't want to be the Demon Lord.
Xiao Bumian simply hugged Mingjian tighter, buried her face in his neck, and said in a voice full of longing, "But I only want to be with you."
His eyes were misty with emotion, and his long eyelashes curled up.
Mingjian originally wanted Xiao Bumian to find something he liked, because he was afraid that if he couldn't find a solution in the end and really died, leaving Xiao Bumian all alone, he would definitely be very sad.
But when he looked at Xiao Bumian, his ears inexplicably turned red.
She could only obediently let him leave delicate kiss marks on her neck and collarbone.
Seeing that Xiao Bumian's kiss was about to land again, and looking at her hair which she had just managed to tie up again, Mingjian quickly changed the subject, "Let's go eat wontons, I'm a little hungry."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Bumian had no choice but to suppress the restlessness in his heart, get up, hold Mingjian's hand tightly, interlock their fingers, and then go out together.
It's snowing heavily in the Demon Realm right now. Mingjian is a cultivator, and he can resist the cold by circulating his spiritual power, but Xiao Bumian doesn't have a soul fire, so he needs to wear a cloak.
Xiao Bumian didn't want to dress alone, so every time she went out, she insisted on wrapping Mingjian up tightly as well.
Although Mingjian said he didn't need it, he eventually put it on obediently.
He didn't quite understand Xiao Bumian's obsession, but it was for the best, as he wouldn't have to expend his remaining spiritual energy to maintain his body temperature.
Mingjian let Xiao Bumian drape the warm fox fur cloak over his body, carefully wrap the fluffy scarf around his neck, and finally stuff a warm hand warmer into his arms.
Mingjian: "..."
Xiao Bumian came here specifically to make him die of heatstroke.
As soon as he stepped outside, a gust of cold wind swept by, carrying snowflakes. A tickling sensation ran through his throat, and Ming couldn't help but turn his head and cough lightly.
It was just a slight cough that made Xiao Bumian freeze instantly.
The calm on his face shattered instantly, the usual smile on his lips vanished without a trace, and his voice tightened, "Let's go back."
He handled him with such care that it was as if he were some kind of fragile jade or porcelain.
“I’ve been in the room for a long time,” Mingjian said, her voice softening slightly, with a hint of coquetry. “How about we go out and get a bowl of wontons? Just one bowl.”
Mingjian's eyes sparkled as he looked up at Xiao Bumian.
Xiao Bumian took Mingjian's hand, his fingertips brushing against the inside of Mingjian's wrist, feeling the still strong pulse beating under the skin.
The anxiety that had almost consumed him finally subsided considerably, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Ming noticed the change in Xiao Bumian's expression, and immediately smiled, holding up a few fingers and swearing to Xiao Bumian, "Really, we'll go out for a bowl of wontons and come back. If I can't do that, I'll let you kiss me two more times tonight."
"Alright," Xiao Bumian finally conceded.
Sitting in the bustling wonton shop, Mingjian ate one, then scooped up another, blew on it to cool it down, and held it to Xiao Bumian's lips.
Seeing that he had eaten it, Mingjian tilted his head and asked, "Was it good?"
Xiao Bumian had never liked this kind of food, but seeing that Ming liked it, he gradually came to like it too.
He nodded, his lips and eyebrows curving slightly into a beautiful smile. "It's delicious."
Although they were in the Demon Realm, there was plenty of normal food available in the streets, and the demons seemed to particularly enjoy festivals, which were always very lively. Mingjian really liked this atmosphere full of life.
Today happens to be the Demon Clan's Wanchao Festival, a day said to be for praying to the Demon God for blessings. The streets are full of women, children, and the elderly, as well as many demons dressed in brightly colored and uniquely styled costumes, holding drums, beating and dancing, creating a lively atmosphere.
The flames on the torches rose and fell in time with the drumbeats.
Demons wearing terrifying masks will suddenly approach children, frightening the young toddlers to tears and causing the surrounding adults to burst into laughter.
The snow fell even harder, and many glistening hexagonal frost flowers drifted into the front of the wonton shop.
Mingjian looked at the lively scene outside the window, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curved up. He was about to turn around and say something to Xiao Bumian when he met Xiao Bumian's eyes, which suddenly turned into one of extreme panic.
That look in his eyes was as if he had seen something extremely terrifying.
Immediately, Mingjian felt a warm liquid well up in his nasal cavity.
Mingjian froze, and in Xiao Bumian's eyes filled with horror, he clearly saw his own current appearance—
A glaring crimson line meandered beneath his nose and around his mouth.
He seems... to be really going to die.
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Author's Note: A little angst is good for the soul, the next chapter will be fine. I originally wanted to wait until after Akihime's fake death to do some serious angst, but it seems the little ones can't handle it [doge emoji] so I'll just leave it at that, hehehe.
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