44. Xuanwu
The three of them quickly gathered their strength and jumped onto the skeleton fish.
As soon as Tangxi and Ganggang stood still, the nine-headed octopus, which was facing the fish's head, turned around and shouted loudly towards the fish's tail: "Don't stand like that, move forward a little. My dog swims very fast, you'll fall over."
Gui Fang turned around and saw Bei Chen cowering, seemingly afraid to put down his feet. He carefully tiptoed on the tail of the skeleton fish. Upon hearing this, he moved forward a dozen steps to the back of the skeleton fish, and because he was afraid of losing his balance, he half-squatted and swayed.
Gui Fang couldn't understand. "What are you playing at?"
"Fun with you, my foot!" Bei Chen was furious, not having time to pay attention to him, his tense nerves daring not to relax, "Hey, Nine-Headed Zhang, could you please ask your dog to slow down a bit... Ughhhhh!"
A scream pierced the sky.
Bei Chen flailed his arms and legs wildly in the air, like a frog thrown into boiling water, his feet moving erratically as he rushed forward. He lost his balance and grabbed Tang Xihe's head.
!!
Tang Xi had never seen the male lead so disheveled. Before she could even laugh, Bei Chen slapped her so hard she was stunned. Her head sank, her feet sank, and she was almost pressed into the body of the skeleton fish. Her tired and sleepy mind suddenly became clearer.
Tang Xi grinned and yelled, "My hair! My hair! Let go!"
Bei Chen screamed in anguish, "Help me! Ahhh!"
Gui Fang laughed so hard he rolled around on the fish's back.
Tangxi muttered a few words to herself and glanced at the carefree Guifang.
The sensation underfoot was completely unfamiliar, like stepping into a pile of hard, heavy material. Looking down, the closely packed skulls grinned at Tang Xi, revealing bottomless abyssal mouths and chipped, yellowed, rotten teeth.
Tangxi and Yunshou pushed Beichen's attendant to the position of Guifang, pulled out his ankle, and pressed the teeth hanging on his trouser leg back in one by one. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Bei Chen immediately rushed towards Gui Fang's position, screaming like an octopus thrown into a red-hot iron. Gui Fang dodged in a flash, suspending the screaming Bei Chen, whose voice was breaking from screaming, in mid-air with golden threads.
·
A few seconds later, Bei Chen, his eyes glazed over and his steps unsteady, hugged himself and squatted on the ground.
"Gui Fang Wu Di, you're such a jerk! We were classmates, after all."
"I was fine, I didn't leave you behind the whole time." Gui Fang patted his sleeves and said, "The problem is you. You're someone with perfect flying skills, yet you were so scared that you couldn't scream while riding on a fish's back. That's really strange."
"..."
Bei Chen thought to himself, "Luckily, this scoundrel doesn't know my weakness," and shouted, "You'd better not leave me here and I'll fall to my death!"
"Shh! Quiet down! No loud noises!"
Nine-Headed Octopus suddenly turned his head, gestured for the three to be quiet, and warned, "We have a VIP guest at our hotel. You are not allowed to disturb him! Otherwise, the price will go up!"
The last sentence struck a nerve with the three of them, and they immediately fell silent.
As the nine-headed octopus spoke, its other tentacles soothingly stroked the skullfish's head before swatting it away. The skullfish reluctantly rubbed against the octopus's tentacles before floating upwards.
The skeleton fish swam away, and with no obstruction in the air, the moonlight shone even brighter. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe the Wandering Mountain as bright as day. Through a ring of lush foliage, the moonlight spilled onto the circular hillside flat area, making the group seem as if they were enveloped by something invisible.
But……
The three of them looked around.
This place is no different from the mountain path we just passed. The same flat ground, the same moon, and even the surrounding bushes and random stones on the ground are the same.
The short sixty-step mountain path leading uphill had vanished, the entrance to the uphill slope now hidden by bushes; in the very center of the clearing stood a toy temple, smaller than a fist, like a decorative piece placed in a glass fish tank by a fish farmer, brazenly placed in the very center of the flat area. The Nine-Headed Octopus stood a few meters behind the toy, quietly watching the three, then with a flick of its tentacle, gestured for them to proceed.
The ghost's expression was hostile. "Are you playing us? Where's a hotel?"
Isn't this it?
As it spoke, the Nine-Headed Octopus moved directly toward the miniature toy on the ground. As soon as it got close to the "toy," its body suddenly shrank rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye. In the blink of an eye, it was no different in size from the toy temple ornament on the ground. Looking closer, the Nine-Headed Octopus's body had shrunk to the size of a thumbnail, and it really did match the toy temple.
It was as if they had stumbled into the world of the concave-convex mirror right before their eyes.
The three were shocked and at a loss for what to do. The nine-headed octopus waved its tentacles forcefully on the ground: "What are you standing there for! Come on! Once the curfew is over, you won't be able to get in!"
Gui Fang followed closely behind, half believing and half doubting, followed by Tang Xihe. The two approached the toy temple one after the other. In the blink of an eye, within a few steps of getting close to the "temple", the two shrank into miniature people in front of Bei Chen.
"Oh! So that's the secret behind the entrance to the Wandering Inn!"
Bei Chen immediately regained his composure, sprang to his feet, and said, "Such a well-hidden entrance, it must have been difficult for an evil spirit master to find! You two have really shrunk! Are you feeling uncomfortable? Gui Fang, are you dizzy?!"
The nine-headed octopus's tentacles bared their claws with a visible display of its fury: "...Come in quickly!"
That's amazing.
Thinking to himself, Bei Chen cautiously approached the very center of the flat ground. From his perspective, the ornaments on the ground seemed to grow larger in the blink of an eye. In just three or four steps, Bei Chen's viewpoint changed from looking down at a pile of "playing house toys" to looking up at the seemingly ordinary dilapidated temple in front of him.
There was the sound of ocean waves.
Bei Chen's ears twitched slightly, and he sniffed the air hard; there seemed to be a faint, damp, fishy smell in the air.
"Remember? You must be back before midnight, otherwise the spell will fail!"
Nine-Headed Zhang hummed a smug tune as he led the way. He pushed open the wooden door, but the two doors made a sound like stones rubbing together, accompanied by the sound of huge waves crashing on the shore.
The dazzling light shone on the three of them. Tang Xi blinked in bewilderment, her eyes blinded by the luminous pearls, glowing corals, and other ornaments that filled the room.
The two wooden doors have somehow turned into huge stones, carved with whale patterns, and the interior furnishings are also quite stylish.
The tables and chairs are made of huge seashells and corals, and the floor is made of iridescent glazed bricks. With each step, it feels like stepping on water, splashing up a small white wave. The bottom is not visible in the depths, and you are afraid of breaking the glazed bricks under your feet and disturbing the powerful and ever-changing waves. The crisp air carries a distinct sea smell, and various pearls and jades are adorned on the water spirit pillars, making it look like a dream.
Gui Fang rubbed his eyelids and swallowed the flowery words.
Nine-Headed Octopus, beaming with delight, was the first to waddle into the hotel. "Come with me, I'll get you the keys. Don't make the wrong ones, or the room will be angry, understand?"
Whether the three humans listened or not, and with no response, Nine-Headed Octopus crawled into the water tank to look for the key, where he heard Ghost Fang sigh softly behind him.
"luxury."
Gui Fang said sourly, "Extravagance and waste! We strongly protest, condemn, and criticize!"
Bei Chen chimed in, "It looks good, no wonder it's so expensive...wait?"
Is there a child inside the hall?
Bei Chen unconsciously lowered his voice.
The child sat on the largest table and chair in the center, with pale yellow clams floating in the purple scallop shells, their lifeless state unclear, softly blowing bubbles. The child used the clams as a cushion, his two little legs dangling in mid-air, holding something in his hands and munching on it, while his eyes watched the three guests at the door.
Is he watching us?
Bei Chen touched the tip of his nose, feeling a little embarrassed by those deep green eyes staring at him, and asked in a low voice, "Am I speaking very loudly?"
Tang Xi didn't say anything, but gently shook her head.
The child was born with rosy lips and white teeth, tender and adorable. Small, silvery-blue scales grew from the corners of his eyes to his temples, not very noticeable, like a young master of some family with flowers pasted on his face. His blue-green cloud-patterned embroidered robe shimmered with light, and was secretly embroidered with the emblem of the Black Tortoise.
But when his eyes looked over silently, they were dull and slow, as still as an old man in his eighties.
After taking two steps cautiously, Bei Chen looked down and asked Tang Xi, "Am I exhausted? I actually find a child to be unfathomable."
Not only Beichen felt it, but the other two also strongly felt the sense of incongruity emanating from the child.
With a youthful and adorable face, yet mature and composed eyes, and an intense gaze, Tang Xi couldn't help but look at the child a few more times.
With a sudden movement of the gaze, the Xuanwu emblem on the child's robe opened its eyes, meeting Tang Xihe's gaze.
Tangxi and Shuran froze.
Gui Fang sensed a momentary unease in Tang Xihe, glanced at him with a puzzled look, and then followed Tang Xihe's gaze to examine the child.
The child, who was staring intently at the new customer just a moment ago, turned his head away now, adopting the leisurely demeanor of a wise man savoring tea. He closed his eyes, took a sip of tea, and moved slowly, causing the Xuanwu pattern on his robe to sway slightly.
Although the Xuanwu pattern had its eyes closed, it was so lifelike that it seemed as if it might open its eyes at any moment. Gui Fang couldn't help but take a second look and guessed eight or nine parts of the story in his mind.
"Here are your keys. The three guest rooms are right next to each other."
Three tentacles emerged from the water tank. Nine-Headed Octopus seemed unwilling to leave the tank, its voice tinged with drowsiness. It directly handed three keys shaped like dried seahorses to the nearest Ghost Fang.
"Go up to the second floor, enter your assigned room, and don't make a mess or damage anything! Otherwise, you'll have to pay me back with immortal coins!"
Gui Fang thanked him and gestured for his two companions to go upstairs.
Bei Chen walked over and knocked on the water vat. "You have a lost child in your shop, boss, aren't you going to take care of him?"
Just as the "child" was about to lower his head to sip his tea, he heard this, lifted his eyelids, and quickly glanced at Bei Chen's companions with an expression as if they were looking at an idiot.
"What kid? You're such an idiot!"
The nine-headed octopus suddenly emerged half of its large head from the water vat, its eyes filled with anger. Just as it was about to give a grand introduction, it caught a glimpse of Lord Xuanwu's small hand, which was holding the cup, gently waving.
"He...cough cough!"
He abruptly changed his mind before he could finish speaking, and Nine-Headed Octopus pretended to be impatient as he crawled back into the water tank. "Why bother with so much? It's yours to live in, not your child."
Bei Chen shut up sullenly and turned around to try and strike up a conversation with the child.
Tangxi, quick-witted and agile, grabbed Beichen, saying, "Stop here."
Aren't you going to help...?
Bei Chen's voice trailed off, his suspicious gaze fixed on the smirk on Gui Fang's face. Then he suddenly turned around and glanced at the "child" leisurely sipping tea.
The child who was drinking tea and eating snacks clapped his hands and glanced sideways at the North Star.
"Young friend, I am Xuanwu, not a child."
"..."
Xuanwu waved to Beichen, who looked embarrassed, and said kindly, "Rest now and get better so you can deal with them."
There's a hidden meaning in those words.
The three looked at each other, and Tangxi and Weiwei nodded, then pushed the two of them upstairs.
"Why didn't you remind me?" Bei Chen's resentful voice faded into the distance.
"Neither Tangxi nor I expected you to be so slow-witted."
"...Why are you looking at me like that? I really thought you discovered the Black Tortoise. Don't you have the sword energy bestowed by the White Tiger? Didn't you feel it?"
"No……"
The three of them went straight up the wave staircase to the second-floor guest room. Xuanwu was still nestled in the Purple Dew Scallop, staring thoughtfully at Tangxi and her departing figure.
"Nine-Headed Seal".
"I am here!"
Nine-Headed Octopus immediately climbed out of the water vat. "Don't worry, sir, these three are fine."
"What do you think of that person in the gray outfit?"
"Gray outfit? Oh... him!"
Nine-Headed Chapter paused for a few seconds before remembering. "That immortal master doesn't like to talk and has no emotions. Compared to his two friends, he has no presence."
"I wonder what he's doing in this blessed land? He's probably just like the other students, finishing his task and leaving."
"Is that so?"
Xuanwu put down the snacks in his hand, clapped his hands and jumped off the seashell seat. "Qinglong transmitted his voice to me, saying that there may be trouble in the blessed land recently. I would like to trouble you to protect them, and especially take care of that person in the gray outfit."
"Yes, sir."
Nine-Headed Chapter responded, then hesitated before lowering his voice to say, "My lord, that person's soul..."
"I saw it too."
Xuanwu pondered for a few seconds, then said, "Record any unusual activity in the next few days using coded language. I will accompany Qinglong to the Senluo Platform."
"You're returning to the Immortal Realm?" Nine-Headed Octopus's expression changed. "Was there anything I did wrong in our hospitality?"
"No, thank you so much for your thoughtful hospitality. I'm so happy I almost don't want to leave."
Xuanwu touched the tentacles of the nine-headed octopus. "I'm going to take care of something. I'll be back."
“If that wicked immortal shows any signs of demonic possession, you shall destroy the inn.”
Kutoichi Rin: "Okay."
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