35. Hide the fire.
"Why did you set up this formation? You've exhausted yourself like this," Zhu Qianqian said worriedly from the side.
Zhu He drank the morning dew in one gulp. "I can't explain it clearly, but my intuition tells me that the time has come, and I should do it."
Zhu Qianqian understood.
Wang often did this: sometimes when the two were walking, Zhu He would suddenly turn in a certain direction, as if he had a third eye, and somehow he would find many beast-catching nets secretly set up by the immortals; sometimes when the two were practicing their cultivation, Zhu He would suddenly stop and leave, and in a daze, he would come to the home of a little monster in the cemetery, and just then he would find that the little monster had fallen into a honey pot and could not climb out, and was almost drowning.
There are countless examples like this. Zhu Qianqian asked him several times, but Zhu He himself couldn't explain it clearly. He only vaguely said, "It seems like a strong will is urging me to do this."
Zhu Qianqian had been with Zhu He the longest and was the most convinced that Zhu He possessed a wondrous power that transcended spiritual energy.
At any given moment, Zhu He might suddenly do something strange that even he himself finds puzzling about "why he did this all of a sudden," but after a while, he will realize that the groundwork he laid will come in handy at some point in the future.
Zhu Qianqian teased, "Could it be that Heaven instructed you to set up that formation? Your Majesty, do you have some kind of precognitive ability, but you haven't realized it yourself?"
"Premonition?" Zhu He shook his head. "Rather than premonition, this strange premonition of mine is more like sensing a crisis."
As he spoke, Zhu He sat cross-legged on the bed and began to regulate his breathing, while Zhu Qianqian stood aside and waited.
Suddenly, Zhu He frowned.
The spiritual energy that used to flow smoothly was now like quicksand in the palm of one's hand, leaking away from the meridians in strands with the slightest force.
What happened?
Zhu He was surprised. He looked down at his palms and felt a strange sensation in his body. It was definitely not due to overexertion.
"Your Majesty?" Zhu Qianqian noticed Zhu He's unusual expression and asked, "Are you feeling unwell? Why don't you continue resting?"
Zhu He's expression was unfriendly. He stood up and said, "Please have Centipede come here."
Zhu Qianqian realized something was wrong and quickly flew to the edge of the graveyard, catching the centipede that was stirring the medicinal mud and taking it into the forest.
...
"The Lord is not overexerted, he has been poisoned!"
Centipede's expression was solemn. "This poison damages the source of the inner core, like drilling a hole in the bottom of a water tank. No matter how you cultivate, Lord Fu, your spiritual power will only decrease and not increase!"
Zhu Qianqian, who was twisting her hands in frustration, turned pale upon hearing this. "How could this happen! Is there an antidote?"
The centipede shook its head apologetically, "The dosage of this poison is extremely precise. Although the Lord is currently showing signs of being unable to gather spiritual energy, it is actually mixed with several other toxins. Without a sample of the poison, I cannot concoct the corresponding antidote."
Zhu He gently raised his hand, attempting to perform a basic fire-starting incantation. A wisp of smoke rose from his fingertips and then went out completely.
She could clearly sense that her spiritual energy was depleted.
"How could this happen?" Zhu Qianqian twisted her hands, filled with anxiety. "The King didn't eat anything, he just drank the morning dew that was brought to him—"
Morning dew?
Zhu Qianqian suddenly looked up at Zhu He, who looked uneasy, "Is there something wrong with Chenlu? Your Majesty, should we call Huiyu..."
"No," Zhu He waved his hand. "I guess some humans really did sneak into the Graveyard Forest last night. It was my carelessness. I should have been more vigilant after teaching the Demon Management Bureau a lesson some time ago."
"It must be that lecherous scoundrel!" Zhu Qianqian roared. "That bald-headed scoundrel is still up to no good! I should have burned him to death in the Graveyard Forest back then!"
The centipede's eyes darted around, realizing this was something it shouldn't hear, so it slung its medicine basket over its shoulder and said, "May this senior take his leave?"
Zhu He waved to the centipede, signaling it to leave, and said, "To avoid causing panic, please keep this a secret."
"is required."
The centipede carried its medicine basket away, quickly swinging its hundreds of legs as it left, eager to tell the surrounding villages the earth-shattering gossip it had just heard.
Zhu Qianqian was filled with worry, "I know humans are cunning and jealous, but I never imagined that bald man could be so vicious!"
"Without evidence, we cannot prove that he poisoned the body."
Although Zhu He was also uneasy, he quickly suppressed his emotions and said to Zhu Qianqian, "There is something I need the protector's help with."
"What?"
Zhu He closed his eyes and carefully sensed the remaining spiritual energy within the body. When he opened his eyes again, his mind was made up. "Come with me."
The two returned to the center of the chaotic rock formation that had just been set up the day before.
After a day of settling, the spiritual energy on the boulder seemed to be hidden even deeper. Even without the demon core, Zhu Qianqian could sense the powerful spiritual energy concealed within this stone altar.
"Come."
Zhu He was wearing the same robes he had worn when he first arrived at the Graveyard—a black, form-fitting outfit with a long cape draped over his shoulders, the ends of which transitioned to a gradient of gold and orange. While Zhu He had appeared sharp and agile at first glance, his back now showed signs of weariness.
She went to the center of the formation, sat cross-legged, and said to Zhu Qianqian, "If anything seems amiss, send me your spiritual energy."
"yes."
Zhu Qianqian watched intently, wondering what Zhu He was going to do.
Zhu He formed hand seals, and his spiritual energy began to circulate. A dazzling light surrounded him, but it dissipated even more noticeably. The feathered robe and cloak that once shimmered with dark fire were now trembling slightly in the breeze from the dissipating spiritual energy, their brilliance growing increasingly dim.
Zhu Qianqian unconsciously tightened her grip on the hem of her clothes, slowed her breathing, and parted her lips slightly. She wanted to call Zhu He to stop, but was afraid that disturbing her practice would harm her internal organs.
Zhu He frowned deeply. When she circulated her energy, she could feel more clearly that thousands of poisonous insects were gnawing at her spiritual veins, stealing her spiritual power, and devouring her inner core. Just as the centipede had said, she was now like a water vat with holes drilled into it.
The spiritual energy was constantly dissipating from Zhu He's body, flowing through the stone altar, and was quickly absorbed by the patterns carved on the boulder. Zhu Qianqian bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled, watching helplessly as Zhu He's face grew increasingly pale.
Soon, Zhu He's body swayed slightly. Zhu Qianqian, who was extremely nervous, rushed forward, grabbed Zhu He's wrist, and tried to transfer her spiritual power to him. However, she found that Zhu He's body was like a bottomless pit, and no matter how much spiritual power she put in, it was all in vain.
Even transferring spiritual energy can't fill the gap?
"Your Majesty!" Zhu Qianqian suddenly raised her head, her voice trembling with fear. She had never encountered such a bizarre situation before. "Zhu He!"
Zhu He raised his hand and gently nudged Zhu Qianqian, signaling her to stop channeling spiritual energy. His clear, amber eyes were now burning with an almost cruel resolve.
"Since this method doesn't work, let's not waste our energy. This poison is too potent."
Zhu He's voice was hoarse, but he said with unwavering conviction, "If we don't hurry, the inner core will dissipate, but I... absolutely cannot let it end like this."
Zhu Qianqian simply went around behind Zhu He, supporting her back with both palms. With Zhu Qianqian's support, Zhu He made hand seals, using all the last bit of his strength to laboriously form the hand seals.
In an instant, the spiritual energy around him, which had been dim, burst forth once again with a dazzling and heartbreaking light, like fireworks, flashing and disappearing in an instant.
Zhu Qianqian was heartbroken.
She didn't quite understand, but she felt that the faint spiritual light was very ominous, like a final burst of energy before death. Fearing that Zhu He was about to burn out, she secretly channeled spiritual energy into Zhu He's back with both palms.
Why?
At the beginning of the selection, why would a gentle king, who could warm the graveyard and was full of monsters, do this?
Just because you don't want to be the 'director's' plaything, you want to destroy my king?
Countless streams of spiritual energy, imbued with golden runes, flowed back from Zhu He's limbs and bones like rivers flowing into the sea, forcefully breaking through the obstruction of the poison and converging towards his heart.
This process clearly brought intense pain. Zhuhe clenched his teeth, his jaw tightened, the veins on his face and neck bulged, and his body convulsed slightly from the pain as he struggled to maintain the hand seals.
"king……"
Zhu Qianqian was at a loss and dared not let go of her palm. So she channeled her spiritual energy while craning her neck to see Zhu He's face.
Finally, all the spiritual energy gathered in front of Zhu He, transforming into an egg about the size of a fist, entirely black, yet faintly flowing with golden light from within.
Unlike ordinary eggs, it wasn't smooth; its texture was like obsidian, containing intense energy, ancient and mysterious. The moment it took shape, this fist-sized black egg suddenly burst forth with a blinding light.
Zhu Qianqian quickly straightened up to look, and the black egg suddenly dimmed and became shaky.
Zhu Qianqian seemed to sense something and quickly wrapped her arms around Zhu He, reaching out to catch the strange egg. At the same time, Zhu He seemed to have lost all his strength, falling limply into Zhu Qianqian's arms.
"King! An egg has been laid!"
Zhu Qianqian held the preserved egg in horror, "Whose is this! It's so ugly!"
Zhu He seemed to have his spine removed, his breath instantly weakening. He already had difficulty sitting up straight, and upon hearing this, he let out a weak laugh.
With trembling hands, she pushed the egg toward Zhu Qianqian, "Come on, take it with you, leave the graveyard, the farther the better."
"Find a place that only...you know, and hide it well."
Zhu He was clearly nearing his limit, catching his breath after every few words, his face ashen, his eyelids drooping, as he struggled to say, “It is me, my… ‘spark’.”
Zhu Qianqian's hands trembled. The baby was still warm, very light, and very small. She looked at Zhu He in her arms. Zhu He twitched the corner of his mouth, as if he wanted to laugh. He struggled to sit up, but when he raised his hand, he gently pushed Zhu Qianqian away. "Let's go."
Exhausted, Zhu He managed to utter only one word, and his long-time protector immediately understood his meaning: there is no time for grief.
Zhu Qianqian clutched the egg tightly to her chest, helped Zhu He lean against the tree trunk to rest, then knelt down on one knee facing Zhu He, wiped away her tears, and said firmly, "I swear by my soul! As long as the flame remains, hope will endure!"
Before she finished speaking, a whirlwind suddenly rose around Zhu Qianqian, transforming her into a fiery red streak of light, and she sped out of the Graveyard Forest.
Where is it hidden?
Is this Zhu He's 'egg'? What does 'fire seed' mean?
Did Zhu He already know that he was destined for this calamity?
Zhu Qianqian was in a state of turmoil. She looked back several times at Zhu He, who was all alone. His dejected and dispirited figure became smaller and smaller until he was completely covered by the lush forest.
Faster, faster!
Where is it hidden?
This is Zhu He's 'seed of fire,' to be hidden in a place no one would expect...
Confused, Zhu Qianqian glanced down at her crotch out of the corner of her eye.
She was now flying directly above the Wandering Inn, where a group of people dressed in black robes of evil spirits were swaggering around and wreaking havoc.
Zhu Qianqian felt a wave of nausea.
Although she was dull-witted, she was very clear that what the bald-headed immortal had let slip that day meant that these guys were nothing but imposters, taking advantage of the fact that the monsters of the blessed land couldn't reach the Immortal Alliance to file a complaint, and thus became the local landowners.
A bunch of imposters!
As Zhu Qianqian's flight speed gradually slowed down, an evil thought flashed through her mind. She wanted to burn this group of evil spirit masters to ashes. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck her.
yes!
It's hidden there!
This is the "blind spot under the lamp" that Zhu He taught us!
Zhu Qianqian dared not delay, and immediately gathered her energy, flying with all her might towards the boundary of the blessed land.
Hurry up, hide quickly, and get back quickly.
Zhu Qianqian was extremely anxious, clutching the tiny, dark-skinned egg in her arms.
Can such a small egg safely hatch in a place where spiritual energy is unstable?
Zhu Qianqian carefully navigated the area around the abandoned building. She had learned from Zhu He how to conceal her presence, and although she hadn't encountered any humans along the way, she remained cautious. The area was overgrown with weeds, and beneath the weeds, she could vaguely discern pale gray barriers and formations. The air was thick with a murky aura, which Zhu Qianqian found extremely unpleasant.
She could only hear the sound of her own footsteps, rustling, rustling.
Suddenly, her legs gave way and she let out a short, weak scream.
Zhu Qianqian's hair stood on end. The sensation under her feet was so unfamiliar. It wasn't jumbled rocks or barren grass; it felt like... meat.
In a panic, Zhu Qianqian suddenly lifted her foot, but lost her balance and fell to the ground. Upon closer inspection, she realized that she had just stepped on a rabbit.
"A hawksbill rabbit?"
Zhu Qianqian was shocked, "No way! Did I step on you and kill you?!"
Zhu Qianqian is so stupid! She's more trouble than she's worth!
Zhu Qianqian almost burst into tears as the tortoiseshell rabbit coughed up blood. "Kill..."
"You can talk! You've become knowledgeable!"
Zhu Qianqian was delighted, "It doesn't hurt, I'll transfer my spiritual energy to you."
"No……"
The hawksbill rabbit slapped Zhu Qianqian's hand with its paw. Zhu Qianqian was startled and looked into its eyes, startled by the hatred in the little rabbit's eyes.
"kill……"
"Kill...kill what?"
Zhu Qianqian felt a chill run down her spine as she carefully approached the hawksbill rabbit's mouth.
"Kill! Humans!"
The hawksbill rabbit seemed to have a sudden burst of energy before death, and it suddenly regained the strength to speak. After catching its breath a few times, it said in a hoarse voice, "Damn humans, they slaughtered me, the hawksbill rabbit! I ran fast, but I was still ambushed... cough cough... cough um, humans, they can't be trusted!"
The hawksbill rabbit tried hard to think
She stood frozen in place, clutching the 'tinder' in her arms and holding the rapidly cooling corpse in her hands.
Get moving.
Get moving, Zhu Qianqian!
A faint sobbing sound came from the border of the blessed land. In the dead silence, Zhu Qianqian buried her face in the tortoiseshell rabbit and began to cry, amidst the eerie atmosphere.
Don't cry, it's a mission, a mission!
Zhu Qianqian struggled to catch her breath, blinked, and tears streamed down her face. She suddenly froze.
She remembered the characteristics of the hawksbill rabbit, which was praised by humans as having "the best body in the world" and had faced being hunted by the entire tribe several times.
What a coincidence!
Did Zhu He foresee this day would come?
Zhu Qianqian blinked again, tears streaming down her face, the tortoiseshell rabbit's corpse in her hand becoming even clearer. She shuddered in the deathly silence, glanced around for a moment, and then a plan formed in her mind.
Zhu Qianqian cast a cleansing spell, washing the tortoiseshell rabbit clean. She placed it on the ground, clasped her hands together, and kowtowed three times, saying, "I'm sorry, tortoiseshell rabbit!"
Kill the humans! Annihilate the humans!
I will find a chance to avenge you!
Zhu Qianqian, who hid the 'fire seed' inside the corpse, unconsciously incorporated her intense resentment into the magic.
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