68. Demon Coffee
The long-desolate Graveyard Forest suddenly became a bit lively. Pipi was unusually excited and brought back the white tiger, who was still obsessed with repairing the sacrificial altar. The group huddled in a circle in the hut, sat on the carpet, and were at a loss as to what to do about the two "birdmen" in the circle.
"But the Vermilion Bird's characteristics are healing and living towards death, and you happen to have the Heart-Guarding Bracelet given to you by Zhu He..."
Baihu said with certainty, "Perhaps your arm was destroyed for some reason, and now it is being helped by the Vermilion Bird's power in the Heart-Guarding Bracelet, but it accidentally turned into wings."
Is that so?
Thinking of the foolish things she did in the Water Mirror World, Tang Xi lowered her head sheepishly, feeling that Bai Hu's words made sense.
He was pulled back from the brink of death. He thought Xuanwu had forcibly entered the Water Mirror and taken him away, but it turned out there was also the Heart-Guarding Bracelet... Zhu He also helped him in the Water Mirror.
Tang Xi was flattered and looked down at her two wings. The dark gold feathers were shimmering and seemed more pleasing to the eye.
"But when can I change back? It can't stay like this forever, can it?"
Gui Fang sincerely suggested, "Why not just keep it that way? You'll attract attention wherever you go."
Tang Xi refused with a blank expression, "Thank you, but I don't want to attract attention."
Bei Chen, stroking his chin, said, "I know a master in the weapon crafting department..."
Tang Xihe refused again, "Thank you, but I don't want to be thrown into the fire to be tempered."
Tang Xichun: "Then what should we do? It's inconvenient for you to carry things now."
"It's convenient, it's convenient."
Tang Xi used her spiritual power to control the bow and arrows hanging on the wall. The dusty bow and arrows steadily detached from the hooks on the wall and were then put back. "But I still prefer human hands. This is so uncomfortable. I can easily slap someone if I raise my hand."
"How do you feel now? Are you uncomfortable?" Zhu Qianqian asked.
Tangxi sensed it carefully and then flapped its wings.
"I don't feel uncomfortable. I'm full of energy, and I always feel like there's something I haven't finished. To be honest, I'm a bit excited."
Tang Xi gently fanned herself, and Gui Fang and Bei Chen ended up with mouths full of feathers: "..."
You? Always the slow, last-place person in the group, you always say "I'm so tired" with your face, but you're full of stubbornness.
Tangxi easily read the subtext in Beichen and Guifang's eyes and argued, "I am not the same person I was before!"
Pipi had a sudden inspiration: "Wait a minute! Tang Xihe, do you still have the Heart-Guarding Bracelet on you?"
"yes."
However, the Heart-Guarding Bracelet doesn't appear out of thin air; it only comes out when there is danger.
Pipi pondered for a moment, "If the Heart-Guarding Bracelet leaves your body, will you be able to transform back into human form?"
Everyone was enlightened and agreed with the point. Bei Chen raised his hand and ruffled Pi Pi's fluffy head: "As expected of the true Vermilion Bird, you're quite clever!"
Pipi flapped its wings wildly, shouting, "I'm growing taller, don't touch my head!"
Tang Xi suddenly recalled a memory, not his own, but Zhu He's.
Upon entering the Fragrant Graveyard for the first time, Zhu He was invincible after defeating all the monsters in the graveyard and casually healed all the injured monsters.
How did Zhu He do it?
Tangxi and Fuzhi, as if guided by a sudden inspiration, tried to control their somewhat unfamiliar wings. Suddenly, the Guardian Bracelet within their bodies emitted a warm energy, a gentle pull. He paused, as if drawn by some unseen force, and abruptly stood up, looking outside, a flash of understanding in his eyes.
"This is not over yet."
Pipi blinked her beady eyes and asked, "Did you feel it too?"
"You too?" Tang Xi looked down at Pipi. He felt a strong urge to go out and release his spiritual energy.
Is it a heart-protecting bracelet?
"What's that feeling? You two shouldn't be using encrypted communication!" Bei Chen's expression changed slightly. "Could it be that another Yan Youzu has appeared?"
"No!" Tang Xi chuckled. "Pipi and I have things to do. Pipi, shall we go?"
"Let's go!" Pipi excitedly flapped his wings, and the child's body nimbly slipped out of the window, soaring into the sky. He shouted, "I know what to do, follow me!"
"Hey!" A vein throbbed on Baihu's forehead. "How many times have I told you, use the front gate!"
Pipi has long since flown far away.
Tang Xi turned to Bai Hu and said, "Let's go out for a bit."
Under the silent gaze of everyone, Tangxi and Ye transformed into a dazzling stream of light, like the morning glow, and gracefully soared into the sky.
What's going on?
Tang Xichun blinked blankly. "From disliking going out to disliking sitting, is this also an effect of the Heart-Guarding Bracelet? Besides, his flying technique wasn't fast enough to leave afterimages before."
"I think so?"
Baihu wasn't entirely sure either, and said ambiguously, "In short, there's no problem for now."
"temporary?"
Zhu Qianqian caught the meaning in his words, "What other problems could there be? We're safe now. The entire Immortal Realm has been mobilized; those five immortals can't escape."
"What are you saying? It's not a problem with the immortals, it's a problem with Tangxi." Baihu sighed sadly.
Everyone's expression froze, and Bei Chen pressed, "What do you mean by that?"
"It was Xuanwu who said it. He's very skilled at divination and would never be wrong!"
The white tiger beckoned, and all four heads came closer.
Under the focused and tense gazes of everyone, Baihu whispered mysteriously, "That lotus flower on Junxing Mountain was caused by Tangxi!"
"..."
With puzzled expressions, Zhu Qianqian, who had never stepped out of the fragrant graveyard, let out a confused "Ah."
"A mental breakdown can unleash a devastating lotus flower that destroys the world. If we don't keep an eye on it, it will cause a lot of trouble later. We need to find a way to keep Tangxi and Xin on our minds."
Baihu slammed his hand on the table, the loud sound startling everyone into sitting up straight. "These are Xuanwu's exact words! Not a single word is different!"
Bei Chen translated word for word, "So, Tang Xi encountered some situation at Junxing Mountain and was in a bad mood because of that black lotus flower he created?"
At that time, smoke filled the air, and black mist drifted from the direction of Junxing Mountain to Langji Mountain. The three of them and Jiutou Zhang left the barrier together, trying to find Tang Xihe's whereabouts. As a result, they saw the strange lotus flowers that filled the entire Junxing Mountain from a distance, burning with black flames, constantly devouring and expanding.
The three of them and the Nine-Headed Octopus tried to attack the lotus repeatedly, but unfortunately, all their attacks were swallowed up by the black karmic fire, leaving them completely helpless. It was precisely because of the strange phenomenon at Junxing Mountain that Beichen and the other two were forcibly taken back to Langji Mountain by the Nine-Headed Octopus.
At the time, everyone thought that Tangxi and the ashes had vanished.
Tang Xichun frowned slightly, her focus not on the lotus flower in the turbid world, but on Tang Xihe.
"What should we do? My brother seems carefree, but it's actually very difficult to get into his world... What if he loses all his attachments one day? Will he break down again?"
"Longing? Of course you do!"
Gui Fang, seemingly having come up with some terrible idea, slowly curled the corners of his mouth and suddenly asked a nonsensical question, "Tang Xichun, does your brother like money?"
"……money?"
Tang Xi looked blankly at him. "Of course I like it. Who would turn down money?"
·
Achoo!
Tang Xi sniffed. "I always feel like they're talking badly about me behind my back."
"Of course!"
Pipi flew more skillfully than Tangxi, showing off as it circled Tangxi in mid-air, its voices coming from all directions, "Look, it's all because of the noise you made!"
The scorched earth beneath their feet was once the dwelling place of countless monsters, now a desolate wasteland. Broken walls and charred beams, broken stones and tattered trees, like ribs, grotesquely pierced the sky. A stench of blood filled the air, and dark bloodstains stained every inch of the land. One after another, the land was deathly still, with only occasional monsters hunting for food glancing warily at the sky.
Many monsters were slowly recovering from their injuries, their figures as small as ants. Tang Xi felt a pang of sadness watching them. Perhaps they were chatting happily with their friends the night before, but today they had to dig up their friends' graves and bury their bones.
Tangxi recalled Zhu He's memories. After defeating all the monsters in the entire tomb, Zhu He even provided healing.
How did she do it?
Tang Xihe thought back carefully, and seemed to have a premonition. His perception transcended time and space, resonating with Zhu He at that time. He closed his eyes slightly, and golden light gradually condensed around his body. His wings rose, and his jet-black, glossy feathers gradually faded to golden-red.
With a whoosh, its wings suddenly spread open, stirring up a gentle breeze, and warm spiritual energy shone across the land.
Where the golden light touched, the monsters struggling to rebuild their dwellings on the ground were astonished to find their wounds gradually healing, and they all looked up at the sky.
Two human figures, one large and one small, flew slowly through the air, their wings outstretched, scattering golden light wherever they passed, like a soothing poem after a great battle.
What is that?
"Is it a demon?"
"It's human, isn't it?"
"A monster that failed to transform?"
"..."
Pipi flapped its wings and flew about excitedly, "They praised me! They said I look more like a human!"
Tang Xihe glanced at Pipi with a complicated expression. Pipi then darted to Tang Xihe's side, "How did you grasp it so quickly? Could it be that you became human faster than me?"
Tang Xi thought for a moment, "But I am human, aren't I?"
Pipi: "..."
"Transformation is too difficult."
Tangxi and Pipi made a silent tour in the air, flying over various places.
The wounded little demon huddled under the rock, wailing. With a gentle flutter of its wings, tiny golden feathers drifted down like willow catkins, and as the light touched the wounds, the gruesome marks quietly healed.
In the withered forest, spirits flickered like candles in the wind, their light uncertain. The once vibrant green had been replaced by a deathly gray-brown. Rivers dried up, and the land cracked. A golden halo rippled gently across the landscape, and tender green shoots sprouted from the scorched earth. Dead trees unfurled supple branches, and the dried-up riverbeds began to murmur again. The spirits, on the verge of annihilation, slowly coalesced.
Flying through the secluded valley, the gentle yet resolute spiritual energy flowed like a warm tide, quietly dissolving the lingering, cold resentment and transforming it into nourishing spiritual energy. The bewildered spirit huddled in the corner looked up in confusion, feeling a long-lost sense of peace.
Golden wings swept across land after land, using light as ink to meticulously depict the landscape, bringing new life to everything they touched.
"...I was chosen from the human world," Tang Xihe suddenly said.
"Um?"
Pipi was puzzled; this seemed to be the first time Tangxi had taken the initiative to talk about his own affairs.
"I was very lucky. Before being selected for the Ark, I lived in the human world for seventeen years. The world was peaceful and there was no war."
"After entering the secret world, my life has been monotonous and peaceful. I'm either in the human living area or with my teammates searching for quest herbs and crystals in the secret world. This is the first time I've seen the post-war world with my own eyes."
Looking at the world beneath her feet, gradually regaining its vitality, Tang Xi said, "I hope for world peace in the future."
“But you humans are very greedy,” Pipi said bluntly. “As far as I know, the human world goes to war every few hundred years.”
"..."
"You always seem to want so much. Money, power, treasures, magical artifacts, spiritual plants and crystals. The secret world has opened up so many areas for you to do tasks, but even so, there are still many human cultivators who want to gain without effort. They take the treasures of heaven and earth and cause destruction."
"Yes, why is that?" Tang Xi looked into the distance. The unexplored secret realm was dark and gloomy. The area was obscured by dilapidated and abandoned high-rise buildings, making it look mysterious and unfathomable.
·
Tang Xi and her exhausted Pipi returned to the Fragrant Cemetery. As soon as she pushed open the small wooden house, Tang Xi and her movements paused slightly, meeting pairs of burning gazes.
Even Pipi, who was trapped under Tangxi's armpit, felt strange. She struggled to get down and hid behind Tangxi and her friend, asking, "What's wrong with you two?"
Everyone except Baihu gathered around, speaking in unison.
"Tangxi and the various blessed lands haven't recovered yet, so there won't be any missions available. What are your plans for the future?"
"Tangxi, what are your plans for the future?"
"Master Tang, do you need any more subordinates?"
"Hey bro, wanna make some money?"
"etc!"
Tang Xi took a half step back and withdrew from the cabin, completely bewildered by their enthusiastic attitude. "What do you want to say?"
"Why don't you open a 'Demon Cafe' in the bustling alley of the academy?"
Gui Fang gave a thumbs-up to Bai Hu, who was hiding in the corner and looking up at the sky guiltily. "Breaking news! Monsters with official permits can work in human residential areas! Now that the school has been destroyed, there are plenty of monsters who can come and help! What a business opportunity, Tang Xi!"
So that's what they were trying to do—make money.
Tangxi and Liaoran followed up on Guifang's question, asking, "What business opportunity?"
"A monster cafe! Hey, teahouses, cafes, study rooms, any kind of place is fine!"
Bei Chen said excitedly, "We've thought it through. No one has opened a demon cafe in the academy's bustling alleys before. If you open one, you'll be the first to seize the business opportunity!"
Tang Xi's face went blank for a moment, then she exchanged a glance with Pipi behind her.
"...A freak?"
Tang Xichun clenched her fist, "That's right, brother! There's only one year left until graduation. Don't just sit around doing nothing; make some plans before you graduate!"
Tang Xi was even more confused. "I haven't graduated yet, what plans do I have?"
Pipi became more and more excited as she listened, and tugged at Tang Xihe's clothes.
"Tangxi, can I go? Are there many monsters at the Demon Cafe? Can I make a lot of friends? What is a permit? Can I go? What can a kid my age do..."
Zhu Qianqian scooped up the noisy Pipi and handed it blankly to the White Tiger. "Lord Vermilion Bird, you must first learn to transform into human form."
Pipi: "..."
Faced with the three people's enthusiastic recommendations, Tangxi raised her hand.
"You guys need to calm down first."
"Sorry, we got a little too excited." Bei Chen quickly calmed down. "The important thing is your wish. So, what do you think?"
"I think there's nothing I can do," Tang Xi said calmly. "My college points are 0."
"..."
Tang Xihe added cautiously, "In other words, I might not be able to get my graduation certificate."
"..."
Tang Xi took two steps back. "In other words, once I graduate, without a diploma, I might not be able to enter or leave the academy."
"..."
The three were furious. "Why did you clear your own mission points?!"
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