Chapter 33, Chapter 33, Meeting.
Tu Zhi was somewhat surprised to see Jiang Huaisu come in as well. In his plan, this young girl was a dead end. He never expected her to manage to find a way out; she was really lucky.
Rather, they were just very lucky.
The fact that everyone escaped alive was almost impossible in Tu Zhi's initial expectations. He was well aware of the formidable reputation of those two immortals, and very few monsters could escape unscathed from their clutches.
Jiang Huaisu, her face cold, straightened her disheveled skirt. She didn't want to experience the sensation of the octopus's suckers again; animals with fur were much cuter.
Looking up, I saw a palace-style building in front of me, but it wasn't very large. Its lavish decoration was probably just a reflection of the monster leader's self-satisfaction.
"I need to go and report what happened to the leader. Don't follow me, find somewhere to stay." Tu Zhi walked into the gate on his own, truly ignoring them.
The little demons huddled together, jostling each other. Two or three of them, being land-dwelling creatures, had to use water-avoidance spells to avoid accidentally drowning. They weren't familiar with the area, but they knew the power of the barrier, so they dared not wander off.
Nezha wanted to enter, but it was his first time there, and he was stopped by the guards as soon as he reached the entrance. He had no choice but to change his route and sneak in by climbing over the wall. The palace's barrier suffered as a result, as he broke a hole in it.
He consciously kept the damage to the barrier to a minimum, and even repaired the damaged parts after entering.
In this way, even if the palace guards noticed something, they wouldn't think the situation was too serious. Besides, the leader was currently discussing important matters with Tu Zhi and couldn't attend to this matter for the time being.
These magic arrays are all inactive; they probably require some unique method to activate.
After spending some time exploring the area, Nezha began to think.
He now has reason to suspect that the palace is merely a transit point, and the true lair of the demons is hidden beneath this magnificent exterior.
Fortunately, they didn't act impulsively and burn the palace down, otherwise the clues would have ended there.
After thinking for a moment, Nezha decided that he still had to start with Tu Zhi and get him to take him to see the leader.
Back outside the palace's main gate, the group of lesser demons were still obediently staying there. Upon seeing Nezha return, the octopus demon quickly said, "Where did you run off to? Don't wander around; it's dangerous here."
Since Tu Zhi wouldn't be back for a while, and since he had nothing else to do, Nezha didn't mind chatting with these little demons a bit more. He picked up where the octopus demon left off and naturally started talking to it.
"I was just strolling around nearby. Don't worry, I won't go anywhere I shouldn't have." Nezha smiled sweetly. "By the way, thank you for saving me before. What's your name? I rarely see you at the docks."
"I'm a deliveryman, but I usually work at night, so most of the time I avoid you."
The octopus demon seemed to have no suspicion of Nezha, speaking without any wariness and answering almost every question. In its eyes, Nezha was just a little girl who was even dumber than itself, and whose cultivation was inferior to its own.
Like Jiang Huaisu, the octopus demon was also lured onto a pirate ship by the cunning boss, Tu, who kept promising that if it worked hard, it could take over the foreman's position and enjoy great benefits. In reality, all it did all day was deliver goods, without getting a single extra penny. Lately, it's been thinking of quitting and going home to take care of its mother.
After chatting for a while, it remembered that Jiang Huaisu was injured, so it kindly suggested, "When Boss Tu comes out after he finishes his business, say a few good words to him and ask him to give you some medicine. You covered our retreat this time, and you made such a great contribution. He shouldn't refuse this request."
Nezha hissed and clutched his shoulder: "It would have been better if I hadn't said anything, because now that I'm talking about it, my injury seems to be hurting again."
"Huh? Then... then I won't say anything."
"It's nothing, it's probably just a dislocated shoulder."
As he spoke, Nezha swung his arms.
With that flick, his entire right arm flew off.
The octopus demon's eyes nearly popped out of its head, and it stammered, "Y-y ...
"...I knew I shouldn't have moved around so recklessly. I didn't expect to get hurt so badly." Nezha wiped away non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes. "Those two evil gods really ruined my life."
He touched his face again and said dejectedly, "Alas. It's a pity I'm still so young, with such high talent and a bright future. If I only have one wing left, I can hardly fly. How can I continue my cultivation in the future?"
“Ordinary medicines can’t heal a severed limb, you… this…” The octopus demon suggested, “Why don’t you ask Boss Tu to make an exception and ask to see the leader? He must have a lot of treasures that can help you recover from your injuries.”
Nezha weakly replied, "Okay."
Actually, he broke his own hand, but he just wanted to see if he could use it as an excuse to see the leader.
He felt that this price was insignificant. After all, it wasn't real flesh and blood; even if the lotus root was severed, it could regenerate, so it wasn't a big deal.
When Tu Zhi returned, the first thing he saw was Nezha's severed limb. The reason was simple: the wound on his arm, from which blood was gushing out, was too conspicuous. If the bleeding wasn't stopped, he would probably bleed to death and become a dried-up corpse in no time.
Tu Zhi was unconcerned by Nezha's feigned plea for help: "A broken hand won't kill you. As for the depleted essence, you can replenish it by eating two boys."
Nezha was silent for a moment, then said, "But it's not easy to catch. What if it attracts some gods or Taoist priests who will kill me?"
"Promising." Tu Zhi sneered sarcastically, but considering how she got injured, he decided to help her out. This girl was stupid enough; keeping her around meant she could work for him again in the future.
"Come with me." Tu Zhi turned around, beckoned, and gestured for Nezha to follow.
Nezha followed closely behind him: "Boss, are we going back to the dock?"
"Go back my ass, that outpost has already been exposed. We can only keep a low profile for a while and then find another place to develop our business."
Upon entering the palace, Tu Zhi led Nezha through several turns until they arrived at a small room on the west side. A teleportation array was set up in the corner; the two entered, and Tu Zhi activated the array.
When I opened my eyes again, the surrounding environment had changed.
Nezha looked around. This was a much larger room than before, and it wasn't empty. Tall wooden shelves were arranged in rows, stretching into the distance as if they had no end.
"Never seen so much delicious food before, have you?" Tu Zhi glanced at Nezha with a smug yet contemptuous look, walked to the shelf, opened the small door of the cage, and took out a fair-skinned baby.
Tu Zhi poked the baby's cheek, seemingly teasing the child, but actually assessing the quality of the meat.
"This won't do." He put the baby back. This one was too high quality; it would be a waste to feed it to that stupid girl—like feeding ginseng to a pig.
Tu Zhi picked and chose among the shelves, muttering words like "what a pity" and "waste" over and over again.
Nezha had previously guessed that the corrupt official in the high-rise building had reached some kind of deal with the demon race, but he didn't know what the specific terms of the deal were.
Now he knows.
At this moment, Tu Zhi finally found a suitable baby, born without any of the five senses and with intellectual disabilities. This kind of food was unsuitable for the leader, but it was perfect for the stupid girl.
Tu Zhi reluctantly handed the baby to Nezha, saying, "This is yours, but you have to save the heart for me. Don't be upset, giving you one is already a favor..."
His words caught in his throat.
"You want the heart?" Nezha's severed right hand had somehow been reattached, and he was holding a bloody, mangled lump of flesh, which he had just pulled out of Tu Zhi's chest cavity.
Tu Zhi was spitting out blood and foam, unable to speak. He slowly slid down the wall, finally collapsing to the ground, struggling to reach out and try to pull on Nezha's skirt.
Nezha, holding the baby in his left hand, took a step back to avoid being touched.
"What's the rush? I'm not going to take it from you."
He chuckled softly, tossed the still-beating heart into Tu Zhi's arms, wiped the blood off his hands, and turned to leave without looking back.
Behind him, Tu Zhi's breathing weakened. He clutched his heart, a myriad of thoughts flashing through his mind: regret, resentment, fear... But soon, his thoughts and life force dissipated together, and the fading light in his eyes reflected Nezha's receding figure.
Nezha carried the baby and wandered between the shelves, looking for an exit. Realizing that it was inconvenient to move around with the child, he circled around and put the baby back on the shelf.
The baby's delicate fingers gripped his sleeve, instinctively trying to hold him back, as if reluctant to let him go.
Nezha conjured a huge lotus flower in his hand and placed it in the baby's arms: "Hold this and play. You can eat it too... Oh, I forgot you don't have teeth."
After dealing with the child, he was about to continue searching for the way when Yang Jian's voice suddenly came through the communication talisman: "Did you kill the foreman?"
After entering the water, Nezha's communication talisman remained connected, allowing Yang Jian and Jiang Huaisu to hear all his voices.
"I've been patient enough to kill him now that he's only done it now." Nezha couldn't find the door, so he started chiseling at the wall.
"What's that noise over there? Is someone there?"
"No, I'm clearing the way. This should be the monster's lair; we can wrap up our plan now."
After lying in wait for so long, the time had finally come for the battle to begin, and Nezha felt extremely gratified.
"Give me your location, and I'll lead the heavenly soldiers in."
Nezha crawled out of the hole in the wall, glanced around, and said, "I don't know which nook or cranny this is yet. I'll explore it some more."
The first thing you see is a winding covered walkway, surrounded by a water-proof barrier, making the environment dim. Fortunately, lanterns hang from the eaves and oil lamps are suspended on the walls, so although the light and shadows are mixed, it is still barely possible to see.
Nezha didn't explore further in, but instead swam around the outer perimeter. He then explained his observations and analysis to Yang Jian: "The soil is mostly golden sand, so it should be the Western Sea. There's a peculiar whirlpool above, which might be near the junction of two seas. Finally, the temperature is very low, so I'm inclined to think this is the area north of the Western Sea."
"Understood, I'll be right there."
Nezha paused for a moment, then asked, "Is Jiang Huaisu with you?"
"exist."
"Then why doesn't she say anything?"
"She's coaxing you with your magic ribbon."
"Huh? Tell her that if the Hun Tian Ling doesn't behave, tie it into a knot. It's okay to be a little harsh on it."
With Xiaotian around, Nezha wasn't too worried that Yang Jian would get lost. After a brief exchange, Nezha put away the communication talisman, crossed the covered walkway, and walked along the wall towards the inner courtyard.
Based on experience, such places usually have a few guards stationed there, and he didn't want to run into them. Getting entangled with those people before finding the leader was just a waste of time and might even give the monster a chance to escape.
That leader was incredibly cowardly. If he heard even the slightest sound, he would run away immediately. He was as slippery as an eel and impossible to catch.
The environment here was remarkably tranquil, and the decor was understated. However, Nezha didn't let his guard down. Logically, the closer one got to the leader, the tighter the security should be. Who knew if a hundred or so hidden guards were lurking in the bushes somewhere?
As it turns out, Nezha's guess was absolutely correct.
After searching the house for an hour, he returned to the corner and was about to explore in a different direction when a chameleon suddenly appeared on the wall and blocked his way.
"Stop right there!"
Nezha stopped at the sound of the command, turned to look at it, and felt a little annoyed. The layout of this house was too complicated; he was getting a bit disoriented. Should he let this chameleon lead the way?
But he also knew in his heart that, given the leader's nature, he would never keep people who were easily betrayed by his side. These guards were definitely loyal men who had been carefully selected.
With little hope, Nezha asked, "Where is the leader?"
The chameleon sized him up. "Are you one of the mortal women who came yesterday? Didn't anyone tell you that the leader is in a bad mood today and wants to stay by himself? He doesn't need you."
Nezha was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized that he was still in Jiang Huaisu's form.
The chameleon demanded sharply, "How did you escape? Who untied you?"
"I didn't mean to run away, I just couldn't find my way back."
“Mortals are truly as stupid as pigs.” The chameleon pointed in a direction, “Your room is over there, go straight and turn right… You still haven’t answered my question, who untied you?”
Nezha thought to himself, "So this monster not only kidnaps children, but also adults." Judging from the chameleon's words, there was more than one mortal woman locked up in that room.
"You didn't answer my question either, where is the leader?"
"You can't just see the leader whenever you want!"
Nezha suddenly reached out and cupped its face in a gentle gesture, but his words were a blatant threat: "If you don't talk, I'll break your neck."
"You...how dare you!"
Even the slow-witted chameleon realized at this moment that the woman in front of him was no ordinary mortal; the force in her hand was so great that she almost crushed his jaw!
The chameleon's expression turned terrified. It instinctively tried to send a signal, but Nezha froze it in place, preventing it from moving.
"Not going to talk?"
The chameleon glared at him silently.
Nezha waited patiently for almost a quarter of an hour, but when he didn't hear the answer he wanted, he could only sigh and say, "You chose it."
He then swiftly snapped its neck and used Samadhi Fire to destroy the body and eliminate all traces.
Fortunately, the guard was alone, making him easy to deal with without causing a commotion. After dealing with that situation, Nezha continued forward, going straight and turning right, and sure enough, found a large, locked room.
He first sent the two guards at the door to meet their maker, then opened the door. Inside, a dozen or so young girls, their hands and feet bound and their movements restricted, all turned their heads toward the door, their eyes shining with hope.
"You...you killed the guard!"
"They've come to rescue us... right?"
“Yes.” Nezha untied them and said, “Stay here for now; someone will come to take you out later.”
After briefly explaining the situation, Nezha stated that he was ordered to capture the demon, and that reinforcements were still on their way. The girls became excited upon hearing this, chattering and cheering as they sat in a circle, the atmosphere resembling a girls' tea party.
He asked, "How long have you been here?"
A girl with braided pigtails said, "I've been here the longest, for half a month. Most of the other girls only arrived recently."
"Do the guards at the gate rotate shifts?"
"No, it's always the same two. But every day at noon, someone comes here to deliver food. If the guards are dead, it can't be hidden from them."
"It's alright, we can kill the food delivery guy too. Dead people won't leak information."
"That...that's a good idea. We still have some stored grain; even if we run out of food, it should last us a few days."
After discussing how to kill the demon and silence him, Nezha asked, "You all know this place better than I do. Do you know where the leader is?"
The girl with the braided hair shook her head: "I danced for the chief once, but I don't remember the route very well. I only remember that there was a big coral tree outside the dance place."
"What does the leader look like?"
"It's a giant squid, and it's ugly."
A girl with her hair in two buns chimed in, "I also danced for him. I remember the first part of the way; you turn left first, then turn left again at the rockery, and then go through a long corridor..."
They say to catch the thief, you must first catch the king; the leader's position is indeed very important. The girls racked their brains to recall the route, piecing together information in a flurry of voices, trying to cobble together a map for him. Nezha listened quietly, nodding in response from time to time.
While it may not be entirely accurate, at least we have a general direction.
Some intersections appear to be designed using optical illusions, resulting in different views and interpretations from different people. These areas are highlighted and given special attention.
Yang Jian's voice came through the communication talisman: "We will arrive at the Western Sea in about two more days."
“Alright, I’ll wait until you arrive before we take action. These two days are perfect for figuring out the route.”
"Can."
A girl who was nearby heard Yang Jian's voice and asked Nezha curiously, "Fairy Sister, is that your companion speaking?"
"Yes, they will meet me in a few days."
Yang Jian, on the other end, seized on a single word: "Fairy Sister? Who?"
Nezha: "Me."
"......"
Yang Jian could guess that Nezha hadn't immediately revealed his male identity because everyone present was a girl, and having Jiang Huaisu's face made him more approachable and easier for them to lower their guard. But the thought of Nezha being surrounded and adored as their leader by these children made Yang Jian want to laugh.
"Why isn't Jiang Huaisu saying anything again? Is she still trying to coax Hun Tian Ling?"
"Oh, no, this time it's the Wind and Fire Wheels."
"Even the Wind and Fire Wheels are throwing a tantrum?"
"She was in a hurry to see you, and to provoke the Wind and Fire Wheels, she said they weren't as fast as the Somersault Cloud. The Wind and Fire Wheels got angry and wouldn't let her use them, so now she's riding the cloud to chase after the wheels."
"...Next time I'll teach her the incantation for controlling the weapon."
"But after being provoked by her, the Wind-Fire Wheels did indeed speed up, so we can say we've achieved our goal." Yang Jian chuckled. "At this speed, we might not even need two days to reach the Western Sea."
Over there, one could faintly hear Xiaotian's dog barking, Jiang Huaisu's exclamation, and the howling wind; it was unclear how chaotic the scene had become.
"We'll talk later. I'm going to help her chase the Windfire Wheels." Yang Jian ended the call.
Nezha reached into his robes and touched the communication talisman. Now they were back to a one-way communication state; they could hear his voice, but he couldn't hear theirs, which felt a little unfair.
Jiang Huaisu, in particular, despite having a communication talisman on her, never took the initiative to contact him even once.
The girls were still studying the route map intently, while Nezha sat beside them, unable to get a word in edgewise, his mind wandering elsewhere.
The girl with braided pigtails named Ling'er seemed to like him a lot, and would occasionally come over to chat with him.
A few hours later, a rough version of the map was handed to Nezha. The lines were drawn crookedly, but you could see the effort the artist had put into it.
Nezha carefully examined the map, then rolled it up and put it away. "I'm going to scout it out."
Ling'er chased after her out of the room and asked with concern, "Don't you need to rest? It's already evening, according to the water clock."
"I'm not sleepy."
"We'll save you a bed in the dormitory. If you get sleepy, you can come back to sleep anytime."
"......"
Nezha hesitated for a moment, but still told the truth, "It's not convenient, I'm a man."
Ling'er's expression froze for a moment.
"I disguised myself as a girl to make it easier to infiltrate, it wasn't to lie to you on purpose."
Now that trust had been established enough, he felt there was no need to pretend anymore. He couldn't really pretend to be a woman and sleep in the dormitory with them.
Ling'er returned to her room, somewhat dumbfounded. She wasn't angry at being deceived, just surprised.
She was an orphan who was kidnapped by a fish demon while at sea. She thought she wouldn't live much longer, but a goddess descended from the sky and immediately displayed amazing martial arts skills, easily taking off the guard's head as if picking a peach.
She naturally felt fond of the goddess, and seeing that the goddess's appearance and age were similar to her own, she felt even closer to her.
The other girls were also shocked to learn they had mistaken their benefactor's gender, but no one suspected he was hiding his identity for ulterior motives. Based on their previous interactions, this fairy... this immortal lord wasn't a bad person.
Whether their benefactor was male or female was no longer important; what mattered was that his plan sounded plausible. This was their only lifeline; if what their benefactor said was true, they would regain their freedom in two days!
For the next two days, the girls in the room were filled with excitement and anticipation, and some even hoped that the monster leader would summon them again so that they could memorize more routes.
But they didn't know that their leader had been extremely busy these past few days, dealing with the mess at the docks while also preparing for the establishment of a new stronghold. He simply didn't have time to drink and have fun.
During this time, neither guards appeared to fill the gap at the door, nor did anyone bring food. Presumably, their benefactor had killed all the monsters that tried to approach the room. The girls' anxieties gradually subsided; the absence of demons around them was reassuring.
On the third day, Ling'er woke up groggily and vaguely heard the crisp sound of swords clashing outside, accompanied by powerful shouts of battle.
Ling'er's drowsiness was immediately dispelled, and she excitedly ran to the window: "Has the immortal's reinforcement arrived?!"
The map they made was a great help.
Although the process was somewhat bumpy, Nezha successfully reached the leader's location, and Yang Jian led the heavenly soldiers into the area in a whirlwind. Having communicated beforehand using a sound transmission talisman, Yang Jian had a general understanding of the route and immediately ordered the heavenly soldiers to guard the exit, trapping them like turtles in a jar.
Outside, flames soared into the sky, and swords flew everywhere. They dared not go out and could only watch longingly from the window, waiting for the heavenly soldiers to sweep away the demon's lair before sending them out.
Suddenly, there was a noise at the door, and a pretty young woman kicked it open and stormed in. But her aura vanished in an instant.
"So you're all alright... I'm sorry, I knocked on the door for ages and no one answered, so I thought something had happened to you and I broke down the door myself." Jiang Huaisu said somewhat awkwardly.
"It was too noisy outside, we didn't hear the knocking. Fairy Sister... Fairy Lord, how are things going on your end?" Ling'er didn't mind that she had kicked the door, since the house wasn't hers anyway, so it didn't matter if she tore it down.
"Smoothly, don't worry, the leader has been caught. Now we're just dealing with a few who escaped."
"That's good. Thank you for your hard work, Immortal Lord!"
Jiang Huaisu chuckled and said, "Don't be so polite, just call me by my name. My surname is Jiang, Jiang Huaisu. Didn't a male deity meet you before using my appearance? Don't confuse the two of us."
Ling'er then realized she had mistaken someone for someone else, and her face flushed red: "Ah."
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