Regardless of who dies in the end, one of them will be gone forever.
Even if they could be resurrected using the Book of Reincarnation, they were destined... only one of them could survive.
Because Xie An's path of slaughter is like a maggot clinging to his bones, something that grows on his soul, and he can never get rid of it.
Before this, I had never thought of getting rid of it.
Unless he forgets Xie Shuci, unless he no longer likes Xie Shuci, but for him, what difference is there between that and disappearing?
In fact, Xie An understood better than Xie Shuci that destiny could not be defied.
Rather than living a life of mutual disparity, why not leave an indelible mark on Xie Shuci's heart?
Even if I die, I want him to remember me, and I want to torment him.
Ultimately, the two parted on bad terms because of this.
When Xie Shuci returned to the inn, half an hour had passed, and he was unusually depressed the whole way.
The king, unaware of what had happened between his father and mother, nestled obediently in Xie Shuci's arms. Seeing that the tip of his nose was red, he gently touched it with his paw.
"Aww..." Daddy, don't be sad. Let's ignore Mommy, okay?
Xie Shuci was suddenly covered in dog hair, sneezed, lost control of his hands, and threw the king away. The king suddenly flew into the air and landed at the entrance of the inn with a "whoosh," thumping and thumping at someone's feet.
Xie Shuci: "..."
As luck would have it, this person was none other than Fang Xunxue, the leader of Songjiu Camp, whom he had met not long ago.
"Ouch!" The king let out a howl, oblivious to everything, and rubbed against the other person's leg twice, seeking comfort.
Oh, you stinky daddy! You scared me to death!
Xie Shuci stepped forward in three quick steps, smiling apologetically: "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to offend the general."
Fang Xunxue turned around slightly, her almond-shaped eyes looking at Xie Shuci with a blank expression. When her gaze fell on Xie Shuci, there was a strange sense of oppression.
Xie Shuci's intuition told him that this was an extremely dangerous person, and he dared not rush forward to bring the king back, for fear of accidentally angering him.
The little king is used to being pampered, and all the men and women he meets are particularly fond of his affectionate ways. So when he was wronged by Xie Shuci, he rubbed against the stranger's leg for comfort.
Although it vaguely sensed that there was a dangerous person around it, after being raised by its mother for so long, it knew that no one was as dangerous as its mother. Apart from its mother, it was no longer afraid of anything.
Fang Xunxue was more slender than the average man, and from behind, she looked like a woman who was completely defenseless.
Xie Shuci dared not underestimate him. This man was the leader of a bandit den, and it was only after the emperor himself intervened that he was subdued. He was definitely not a simple character.
He came to his senses and saw several leaders of Songjiu Camp standing beside him; the others must have set up camp at the Southwest Pass.
The burly men behind him stood slouching and looking at Xie Shuci with inquisitive eyes.
Xie Shuci felt a chill run down his spine from their stares, especially Fang Xunxue's eyes, which were deep and filled with a faint sorrow, giving off an indescribable strange feeling.
Sometimes he seems arrogant, sometimes he is completely harmless, and sometimes he even seems sickly. He is really hard to figure out.
"General..." Xie Shuci said with a dry laugh.
However, before he could utter even two words, Fang Xunxue had already bent down, grabbed the king by the back of his neck, and lifted him up in front of her.
Xie Shuci's heart leaped into his throat, fearing that he would harm the king.
But the little king was completely oblivious to the danger. When he was face to face with Fang Xunxue, he stuck out his tongue at him in a very ingratiating way, showing off his cuteness to the fullest.
Fang Xunxue stared at it expressionlessly for a moment before finally asking, "Did you hurt yourself?"
His voice was like a clear, cool spring, with little emotional fluctuation.
Upon hearing this, the king felt that someone was backing him up, and immediately started whimpering as he gestured with his paws, "Ouch!"
The baby fell and hurt himself!
Xie Shuci: "..."
I clearly saw both of your paws land at the same time.
However, although Fang Xunxue seemed unpredictable, she did not appear to have any intention of harming the king.
The king, being the type to fawn over anyone who offers him milk, rubbed his belly with his paws and looked at Fang Xunxue with expectant eyes.
Fang Xunxue actually understood its meaning and said to the innkeeper, "Prepare some food for it."
"Yes, young master."
Xie Shuci hurriedly replied, "No, no need to trouble the general."
Fang Xunxue glanced at him, "There's no need to call me General."
He didn't care that the king was dirty, and simply picked it up and hugged it, gently stroking the fur on the back of its neck. "Let's go inside."
After saying that, he took the lead and carried the king inside.
The king waved his paw at Xie Shuci from his arms, signaling his father to come along, as if to say, "Father, come here, there's a sucker who wants to buy food for the baby."
Xie Shuci: "..."
This little guy is very clever; he's probably deliberately trying to scam people out of food and drinks.
Xie Shuci had no choice but to follow.
The group entered the inn, and Fang Xunxue, carrying the king, sat down at the table first. The other leaders, in perfect unison, each gathered together, but no one sat with Fang Xunxue.
Seeing that the king was behaving so well in someone's arms, Xie Shuci had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward. Just as he was about to speak, Fang Xunxue spoke first: "Sit."
Helpless, Xie Shuci sat down in the seat opposite him.
It was definitely not Xie Shuci's imagination. After he sat down, the other leaders around him were secretly observing Xie Shuci.
Recalling what she had heard from passersby, coupled with the strange atmosphere around her, Xie Shuci felt a little uneasy, wondering if he had really taken a liking to her.
"Where are you from, young master?" Fang Xunxue asked softly.
When he softened his voice, it was indistinguishable from a woman's, and it was very pleasant to listen to.
Xie Shuci replied, "I am from Qizhou."
Upon hearing this, Fang Xunxue's pupils widened slightly, revealing a hint of girlish innocence, "Qizhou is very far from here, how could you..."
Xie Shuci chuckled and said, "I'm taking my eldest nephew to Bianzhou to stay with relatives."
"Oh." Fang Xunxue nodded slightly.
Xie Shuci felt the atmosphere was a bit awkward and, unusually, couldn't say anything.
He assumed Fang Xunxue was also a man of few words, so he planned to remain silent until the king finished eating and thanked him, then quickly leave with the little guy.
But Fang Xunxue seemed to be deliberately trying to find a topic to talk about. She looked down at the innocent-looking king in her arms and asked, "Does it have a name?"
"Yes, call him Your Majesty."
"Is it a Crimson Snow Wolf?"
"right."
"I also have a Crimson Snow Wolf named Xing Tie."
"I just saw it."
"Awooo!" The king, ignored by the two, let out a sound. Its name wasn't as imposing as the baby's!
Fang Xunxue gently stroked the back of its neck with her slender fingers, her eyes looking at Xie Shuci opposite her.
Upon hearing him mention the Crimson Snow Wolf, Xie Shuci couldn't resist his curiosity and asked, "How old is Xing Tie?"
Fang Xunxue said, "They are about the same age as my father."
Xie Shuci nodded, thinking that he must be in his forties or fifties.
Fang Xunxue asked again, "How big is it?"
Xie Shuci found that he didn't seem like a bandit and wasn't pretentious, so she relaxed a lot and said, "It's been about six months."
Fang Xunxue was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, "How could it look like a puppy after six months of transformation?"
Red Snow Wolves are friendly towards humans and can transform into the appearance of ordinary dogs regardless of whether they have cultivated intelligence. However, they generally transform into dogs that correspond to their age. But the Great King is a spirit beast by nature and can freely change the size of his form.
Xie Shuci was stumped by his question, and forced himself to say, "It's a picky eater and malnourished."
Just then, the shop assistant came forward with food for the king. Since the shopkeeper didn't know what the king liked to eat beforehand, he made a whole bunch of miscellaneous dishes.
Upon seeing this, the king's eyes lit up and he immediately jumped out of Fang Xunxue's arms, devouring the food on the table. He ate whatever he could grab, showing no signs of being picky at all.
Watching it go through several large chicken legs in no time like a little whirlwind, Xie Shuci's forehead was covered with black lines. He thought to himself, "Have I been starving you?"
Fang Xunxue looked at Xie Shuci with a puzzled expression, "Is it a picky eater?"
Xie Shuci chuckled dryly: "I guess I haven't eaten anything while traveling these past few days, so I'm hungry."
"oh."
"ah!"
Just then, a scream suddenly rang out from the counter.
Xie Shuci glanced to the side and saw the shop assistant frantically rummaging out from behind the counter, shouting, "Snake! There's a snake!"
Snakes? What season is it? How can there still be snakes?
Xie Shuci used to be afraid of snakes, but after being humiliated by the two Sikong brothers, he can now remain calm and collected when he hears the word "snake".
A snake covered in strange patterns crawled out from under the counter. It wasn't thick, about the width of two adult fingers, and it flicked its scarlet tongue as it slithered toward the group.
Just as Xie Shuci was about to take advantage of the chaos to carry the king away, he heard a "whoosh" sound beside his ear. He subconsciously turned slightly to the left, and a silver needle flew past his hair. With a "clang," the silver needle had already driven the snake into the ground. In no time, the snake spat out a pool of thick blood and froze on the ground, no longer moving.
The silver needles were poisoned!
Xie Shuci turned around and looked at Fang Xunxue with a puzzled expression.
If Xie Shuci hadn't dodged that needle, he would have been the one to die.
Fang Xunxue's empty eyes suddenly turned sharp, just like the silver needles he used.
Moreover, Xie Shuci noticed out of the corner of his eye that the other leaders had already placed their hands on the weapons at their waists, and if Xie Shuci's answer was not satisfactory, they would probably take action immediately.
Xie Shuci narrowed his eyes. No wonder Fang Xunxue was acting so strangely. He thought she had taken a liking to him, but it turned out she was just testing him.
At this moment, the king also sensed the danger, stopped showing off the food, and glared at the sucker who had offered it food, his greasy fur standing on end.
"What is your purpose in coming to my Qi Kingdom, Daoist Master?" Fang Xunxue asked.
Xie Shuci: "..."
Xie Shuci didn't understand. He was puzzled. He clearly hadn't done anything. How did these people figure it out?
Xie Shuci didn't want to argue with them, much less fight them. He pulled the king into his arms, intending to escape if things went wrong.
"I was just passing through and was planning to leave, but the guards here told me that I could only leave after the Eastern Li troops withdrew, so I stayed in the city temporarily. I really have no other purpose," Xie Shuci sighed.
Meanwhile, for safety reasons, Xie Shuci released his sea of consciousness in advance to prevent others from suddenly making a move.
However, Xie Shuci discovered through his sea of consciousness that when he mentioned the words "Dongli," apart from Fang Xunxue in front of him, the expressions of the others became very strange, and even their wariness towards Xie Shuci dissipated considerably.
Fang Xunxue did not react after hearing this, and it was unclear whether Xie Shuci's answer had dispelled his doubts.
He stared at Xie Shuci for a long time, his gaze so penetrating that Xie Shuci pretended to be calm and looked back at him. If he looked away, he would appear guilty.
After a moment, Fang Xunxue asked, "May I ask your name, Elder?"
"Shh!" Xie Shuci put a hand to his lips. "Keep your voice down, or I'll be cursed by the heavens!"
Fang Xunxue: "..."
Xie Shuci said, "My name is Deng Si, a disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect in Bianzhou."
Xie Shuci remained expressionless.
Fang Xunxue asked, "Do you have a token?"
"Wait a minute, let me look for it." Xie Shuci looked down and rummaged through his small pouch. After a moment, he took out a token engraved with the word "Xiaoyao" and handed it to Fang Xunxue.
This token was given to him by a disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect after he came out of the Dragon Fang Secret Realm, and he hadn't really used it much.
Fang Xunxue examined his plaque for a moment, her vigilance evident, and asked, "The Xiaoyao Sect is currently conducting a full-scale manhunt for a person named Xie Shuci. Why are you here?"
Xie Shuci frowned slightly. There was clearly no portrait of him here, so how did this person know about this?
Xie Shuci paused for only a moment before saying, "I traveled to Bianzhou by trade route precisely to capture this person."
Why?
Xie Shuci looked inscrutable and said, "Young master, this is none of your business, so it's best not to ask any more questions. In short, I will leave after Dongli withdraws its troops, and please don't mention my identity to others. I don't want to cause any commotion here."
Fang Xunxue, unsure whether he had convinced her, stared at Xie Shuci for a moment before finally looking away and nodding. "Since you are just passing by, please forgive my intrusion."
Xie Shuci breathed a sigh of relief without making it obvious, then leaned down and asked curiously, "How did you recognize me?"
Looking into Xie Shuci's clear and bright eyes, he seemed completely unconcerned that Fang Xunxue had almost killed him just now.
Fang Xunxue looked at him, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said, "Although Xing Tie has not yet cultivated an inner core, it already possesses sentience and can communicate with me using words. It told me that the Crimson Snow Wolf beside you is a born spirit beast."
Xie Shucui: "..."
King: "Huh?"
The baby doesn't know anything.
Good heavens, Xie Shuci said he hadn't done anything, so how did his identity get exposed? Turns out it's all this brat's fault!
The king was completely innocent. Feeling that the danger had passed, he reluctantly climbed out of Xie Shuci's arms and kicked himself onto the table.
Xie Shuci reluctantly put it up, and said to Xunxue, "Young Master must also know that the King's identity is not a good thing in the cultivation world. Please do not tell anyone else."
For cultivators, the inner core of a demon is a treasure that can help them rise to the top. The Great King is still young and has no ability to protect himself. Xie Shuci cannot protect it either. If a fight really breaks out, the Great King might be stronger than him.
Fang Xunxue lowered her eyes and said, "Young master, please rest assured. As long as your target is not my Qi Kingdom, I will not oppose you."
Xie Shuci breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't worry, I really am just passing through. I also want to leave as soon as possible, but I don't know when Dongli will withdraw its troops."
Xie Shuci could sense that after he said those words, the breathing of the leaders of Songjiu Camp became much heavier.
Xie Shuci was a little puzzled and asked, "I heard from your guards that there are conditions for Dongli's withdrawal? Is it difficult for you to do so?"
Fang Xunxue looked up at Xie Shuci, her almond-shaped eyes devoid of emotion, and said, "It's not difficult, young master, you don't need to worry. In as little as two days or as long as ten days, Dongli will definitely withdraw its troops."
Seeing that he was unwilling to say more, Xie Shuci didn't ask any further questions, and simply said, "Okay."
Seeing that the king had finished showing off, Xie Shuci decided to take his leave.
At this moment, Fang Xunxue stared at him for a long time, then asked leisurely, "May I ask if you are married, young master?"
Xie Shuci: "..."
Young master, don't you think you changed the subject a little too quickly? We were just on the verge of a fight, and now you're asking such a sensitive question.
However, the other leaders were already used to it and continued drinking and playing drinking games, paying no more attention to them.
Xie Shuci chuckled dryly and said, "Not yet."
Fang Xunxue nodded. "Does the young master like men?"
"..."
This progress is a little too fast.
Xie Shuci had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Young master, to be honest, I already have someone I'm in love with."
Fang Xunxue glanced at him regretfully, "Really? What a pity."
Xie Shuci breathed a sigh of relief.
Would you mind having another like-minded person?
"..."
Seeing Xie Shuci's utterly dejected expression, Fang Xunxue covered her mouth and chuckled, saying, "I was just joking with you, young master, don't take it seriously. But, I do indeed like men like you."
When he said the word "like," his almond-shaped eyes were filled with affection. He stared intently at Xie Shuci.
"laugh."
A man with a large sword at his waist walked up to Xie Shuci and his companion, put one foot on a bench next to them, and said, "Boss, how many families like this have you 'liked' since you came from the capital?"
Fang Xunxue glanced at him but didn't say anything.
The man with the large knife sat down at the table, gesturing with his hands and muttering, "Tsk tsk tsk, I can't count them all."
Xie Shuci: "..."
To be honest, for a fleeting moment, just a split second, Xie Shuci was a little smug. But wow, he turned out to be a player.
The man with the large sword said to Xie Shuci, "Young master, I see you're quite young. Don't be fooled by our boss. He's actually a hypocrite, a beast in human clothing. Don't be fooled by his refined and gentle appearance... tsk tsk tsk, you have no idea how outrageous he can be."
Xie Shuci: "..."
With a "whoosh," a poisoned silver needle pierced the bench where the man with the broadsword was sitting, but he had already dodged it a step in advance.
Fang Xunxue said coldly, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll tear your mouth apart."
He then looked at Xie Shuci and explained, "Don't listen to his nonsense. Half of the rumors about me in Qi come from them."
The man with the broadsword shamelessly sat back down. "Hey, don't wrong people. Those ten male concubines couldn't bear your torture and cried and begged the emperor to rescind his order, didn't they? Look at what you've done to them! Tsk tsk tsk, one or two of them, as thin as emaciated."
Xie Shuci looked at Fang Xunxue in surprise, thinking to himself, Fang Xunxue looks so gentle and weak, how come she is so good in that aspect?
Ignoring Fang Xunxue's icy gaze, the man with the broadsword hooked his arm around Xie Shuci's neck and said, "Young master, can you imagine? Our boss, who is known to be a homosexual, has ten male concubines bestowed upon him by the Emperor. He spends all night testing poison on them. You just didn't see how pitiful they are!"
Xie Shuci: "..."
Xie Shuci slapped his paw down.
The man with the broadsword pressed on, whispering, "Young master, we've never seen a cultivator before. Could you show us some spiritual power?"
Xie Shuci glared at him. "Do you think I'm a monkey? Someone to put on a monkey show for? You wish!"
"Just have some fun, let me broaden my horizons, and when I get back to Beijing I can brag to those bumpkins."
Xie Shuci rolled his eyes, about to say something, when he suddenly felt the hall become unusually quiet.
Xie Shuci's voice suddenly stopped in his throat. He looked at the others in confusion, and everyone, including Fang Xunxue, looked much more serious.
At the same time, Xie Shuci heard footsteps behind him and felt a familiar presence approaching. Xie Shuci shuddered and suddenly remembered something, so he stood up abruptly from the bench.
The king also noticed, and raised his head from the food, his face covered in grease, and looked behind Xie Shuci.
"Aww!"
It hopped off the table with a thud, trotted over to the person's feet, and tried to fawn over them by rubbing against their legs.
But when he noticed the newcomer's gaze fixed on his oil-stained face, the king wisely turned his head away and made way for him.
Xie Shuci turned around stiffly and saw Xiao Xun walking slowly towards him with a gloomy face and obvious anger in his eyes.
"Well... I have something to do, so I'll be going now!" Xie Shuci nodded to Fang Xunxue, and before Xiao Xun could speak, she rushed to his side, grabbed Da Wang with one hand and Xiao Xun with the other, and quickly returned to her room.
Xie Shuci walked briskly along the way, while Xiao Xun behind him remained silent, being pulled forward by him. The king was very perceptive and pretended to be dead, holding Xie Shuci in his hand, without moving.
He pushed open the door, led them inside, then let go of their hands, turned around, and closed the door.
To avoid being caught in the crossfire, the king immediately retreated to a corner to lick his filthy fur as soon as he landed, while secretly glancing at Xie Shuci and the other man.
It wondered, if its father and mother were to fight, whose side should it take?
“You’ve been gone for an hour and a half.” Xiao Xun stood at the door, his eyes fixed on Xie Shuci.
Xie Shuci was helpless; it was truly one problem after another. "I was delayed for a bit, and then I ran into those people, and..."
Xiao Xun curled the corners of his mouth, "You've already forgotten about me?"
"No, I just chatted with them briefly. Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
Xie Shuci immediately steered the conversation to the king, "People thought it was cute and insisted on feeding it. I couldn't just dump it back to you, could I? So I was delayed for a little while. I absolutely remember you, I just couldn't get away for the moment."
As soon as Xie Shuci finished speaking, he was pondering in his mind who to help later when he suddenly saw his little mother looking at him, and he was immediately stunned.
Brilliant, brilliant move to shift the blame eastward!
"Ouch..." The king lay on the ground pretending to be innocent, but the oil stains around his face were proof.
Xiao Xun glanced at it sideways, then looked back at Xie Shuci, stretched out a hand, and opened it in front of Xie Shuci, "Bell."
Xie Shuci was stunned, "Ding ding... ding ding..."
Xie Shuci lowered her head guiltily, avoiding Xiao Xun's gaze, "...The bell."
He pretended to rummage around on his body, but he just couldn't get it out.
Xiao Xun narrowed his eyes slightly. "Where's the bell? Lost it?"
Xie Shuci could already sense his displeasure from the last two words, so she quickly shook her head and said, "I didn't lose it, I didn't lose it, right? You know what kind of person you are. If I asked you for the bell, would you give it to me?"
Xiao Xun frowned. "He doesn't want to?"
"Ah, of course I don't want to! I really don't want to!"
Xiao Xun's face darkened upon hearing this. "Just because he doesn't want to, you won't take it? In your eyes, I'm not as good as him? If I get lost, fine, you can just go back and find him?"
Xie Shuci: "???"
"Are you being reasonable? You're the one who lets me take it, and you're the one who doesn't let me take it. You're unhappy if I take it, and you're unhappy if I don't. You can't just take the bell apart, can you?"
As soon as Xie Shuci finished speaking, Xiao Xun narrowed his eyes.
Xie Shuci: "..."
Well, if he takes the bell off, these two will turn the place upside down.
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