Chapter 11 The Art of Spirit Communication
The Beast God, severely weakened by the Eight Desolate Fire Dragons, laughed wildly, mockingly saying, "Zhang Xiaofan, one day you will regret what you've done today! I want to see your regretful face when you learn the truth! Hahahaha... I want to see if you who claim to protect all living beings will ultimately regret it! Zhang Xiaofan, you will definitely regret it! You will definitely regret it! Hahahaha!..."
As he spoke, the Beast God left the Ghost King's body. The Ghost King was burned by the fire dragon with raging flames, and his whole body was riddled with holes. His eyes were wide open as he fell into the flames, muttering as if in a dream, "Little fool... Biyao..."
Zhang Xiaofan was distracted by the Beast God's words. When he came to his senses, he saw a mass of malevolent energy drifting towards the Hundred Thousand Mountains. He vaguely heard someone calling Biyao. Ignoring everything else, he chased after the black energy. Lu Xueqi, Lin Jingyu, and the others quickly followed.
The seal has been broken, and the essence of the Beast God's ferocity has returned to the Demon-Suppressing Cave. However, both halves are severely damaged. Qiao Nan said with a wry smile, "I didn't expect you to come back after all!"
Another voice replied, "That's not fair! This body was created for us by Linglong, why do you have the right to monopolize it!"
"Linglong has lived her whole life to protect all living beings. You carry the desire to kill and the obsession. If you remain in my body, you will eventually destroy this world."
"So what? What I want is to destroy everything she wants to protect! To destroy the whole world!"
The sounds from inside the cave were filled with rage and were deafening.
Qin Wuyan saw Qiao Nan slowly regain her senses. Xiao Bai frowned as she looked at Qiao Nan. At this moment, the two halves of the Beast God had merged, and she didn't know what would happen next!
Qin Wuyan suddenly remembered something, took out the Heartbreak Flower, and said to Qiao Nan, "I have brought back what you wanted."
Upon seeing the blood-red petals of the Heartbreak Flower, Qiao Nan was overjoyed. He quickly cast a spell, determined to awaken Linglong before evil thoughts could take over his mind. The Heartbreak Flower flew above Linglong's stone statue, growing larger and larger, with gushing blood pouring from its petals onto the statue. Instantly, the statue emitted a dazzling light, rubble tumbled down, and the entire Demon-Suppressing Cave shook violently. Then, the statue vanished, replaced by a beautiful woman in a simple, long dress with star and moon patterns. Her long, black hair was styled in a bun, adorned only with a single white jade hairpin with plum blossoms—simple yet elegant and composed. On the other side, a jade hairpin with delicate silver tassels dangled. She appeared utterly holy.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her eyes slowly opened.
Qin Wuyan retrieved the Heartbreak Flower, and Qiao Nan rushed over excitedly, hugging her tightly like a child seeing their mother, crying out in a trembling voice, "Linglong!..."
Xiao Bai finally felt relieved. She and Qin Wuyan exchanged a glance and both breathed a sigh of relief.
Linglong was a little breathless from his embrace. She pulled away slightly, gently stroked his hair, and said with a smile and a touch of heartache, "Anan! Why do you go to such lengths for me? You know perfectly well that even if I come back to life, we still can't be together!"
"I don't care! I just want you to live! Even if you still want to kill me, this time, I will absolutely not resist! I only ask for your forgiveness. I don't want to kill anyone, I just want to be with you!"
Qiao Nan stared at Linglong like a child, mesmerized. After thousands of years, she had finally woken up, and he had finally seen her again!
Linglong sighed softly, tears rolling down her cheeks, and said, "Silly child! I've always been reluctant to kill you! But to save me, you not only set up a magic array to force people into the underworld, but you also split your body in two. Now you have a human body, but you won't live much longer!"
Qiao Nan kept shaking her head, her voice and expression filled with joy: "No matter what, being able to see you alive and well before I die, and hearing you say that you couldn't bear to kill me, I have no regrets!"
Suddenly, the entire Demon-Suppressing Cave began to shake more violently, with large chunks of rock rolling down the cave walls.
The squeaking sound came from outside the cave. Suddenly, Xiaobai heard Xiaohui scream and knew that someone must be trying to break into the Demon-Suppressing Cave. He quickly said, "The magic array has been destroyed. It must be the Qingyun Sect who has found this place!"
Qin Wuyan immediately felt a surge of anger, but then he remembered Biyao's words, so he suppressed his anger and said to Qiao Nan, "The ancient cave is about to collapse. We shouldn't stay here any longer. Let's leave quickly!"
Qiao Nan looked at Linglong, who nodded, and then cast a spell to lead the group of people in the cave away from the other side of the ancient cave.
Zhang Xiaofan, Lu Xueqi, and the others finally broke through the Three Bewitching Talismans and Six Gu Heaven-Shattering Array set up by Xiaobai. They rushed into the Demon-Suppressing Ancient Cave. Xiao Hui squeaked and climbed onto Zhang Xiaofan's shoulder, but Zhang Xiaofan ignored it and went straight into the cave. However, it was empty; there was no one there. The ground was covered with bloodstains and shards of glass. What puzzled him most was that the exquisite stone statue was nowhere to be found.
He frowned, the words of the Beast God echoing in his mind: "You will regret it! You will regret it!" He suddenly felt an unbearable headache.
Lin Jingyu rushed forward: "Xiao Fan, are you alright?"
Zhang Xiaofan waved his hand but didn't speak. He carefully observed his surroundings but still had no clue. Lu Xueqi looked at the bloodstains on the ground and was also puzzled. She said, "I feel like something happened here. Otherwise, why would there be so much blood?"
"The strangest thing is that the statue of the shrine maiden Linglong has disappeared!"
"Could it have been taken away by the Beast God! That wisp of black mist did indeed drift here!" Lin Jingyu asked.
Lu Xueqi glanced at him and said, "But why would he take the stone statue away? Besides, he is already severely injured and probably doesn't have that much power."
“No, what Jingyu said is very likely. The witch Linglong once had a tragic love affair with the Beast God. The reason why the Beast God is still obsessed with Linglong is because of his long-standing obsession with her.” Zhang Xiaofan said thoughtfully.
They searched around but still found no clues. Fearing that the Beast God would return to Incense Valley, they had no choice but to leave the Demon-Suppressing Cave.
Linglong led them back to the small courtyard where they used to live.
Qiao Nan leaned against the headboard, his voice weak, but his eyes remained clear. He had almost exhausted all his cultivation to support the magic array. If his other half of the Beast God hadn't also been severely injured, he would probably have been controlled by evil thoughts by now. He was only able to hold on until now because of his obsession with Linglong.
He looked at Qin Wuyan: "Actually, I also made a deal with the Underworld Emperor. Perhaps Miss Biyao still has a glimmer of hope."
Qin Wuyan was both surprised and delighted, "Really?"
Qiao Nan nodded: "After Linglong turned into a stone statue, I searched through all sorts of witchcraft manuals to save her. One day, I accidentally discovered the art of spirit communication in an ancient book. It is said that this method was created by the gods and was originally a secret method used by the gods to communicate. However, later, some humans also used this method to pray for the gods' help. But in order to prevent humans from abusing this method, the gods set a rule that the art of spirit communication can only be used once in the hands of humans. After I had a human body, I also tried to use it, but I didn't expect that I would contact the Nine Netherworld Emperor."
He coughed and continued, "I asked him for a way to save Linglong, but because I am not human, even with a human body, I cannot have a soul like ordinary people, so I cannot enter the underworld or reincarnate. But he told me that as long as I find someone willing to go to the underworld in my place, I can save Linglong. So, for the past few hundred years, I have been searching constantly, but unfortunately, the underworld is a mysterious and ethereal thing, no one is willing to believe it, and even less willing to take such a risk. Three hundred years ago, the Nine-Tailed Fox Fairy tried it for me once, but she also failed."
Xiao Bai smiled slightly: "It's rare that you remember it so clearly."
Upon learning that there was still a way to save Biyao, Qin Wuyan became anxious: "Then quickly tell me the method of communicating with spirits."
Qiao Nan said, "Give me your hand."
Qin Wuyan walked over and handed Qiao Nan his hand, where Qiao Nan had written something on Qin Wuyan's palm. Qin Wuyan withdrew his hand and saw a faintly burning flame flickering in his palm, the pattern of which was exactly the same as the one he had seen in the Underworld Palace.
Qiao Nan continued, "To contact him, you can use this fire technique. However, this method consumes a great deal of cultivation, and making a deal with the Underworld Emperor will come at a huge price. You must be careful."
Qin Wuyan gave him a grateful look, then couldn't help but ask, "Since you made a deal with the Underworld Emperor, and Linglong is now saved, then you..."
Qiao Nan said, "I am formed from the combined malevolent energy of heaven and earth. What he wants is my malevolent energy. Although I don't know what he wants to use it for, I promised him that as long as Linglong is saved, I will voluntarily transform into malevolent energy again for his use."
Hearing this, Linglong, with tears in her eyes, said, "Why are you doing this to yourself... You finally have a chance to be a human being, why do you have to save her?"
Qiao Nan raised her hand, gently wiping away her tears with tender eyes: "Linglong, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience life. The years I spent with you in the beginning were the happiest days of my life. However, I can no longer control my own violent temper, and you are helpless as well. What the Underworld Emperor needs is precisely my violent temper. So this deal is actually a win-win situation for both of us."
Linglong didn't speak, she just kept crying.
Seeing this, Qin Wuyan bowed respectfully to Qiao Nan, and then said to Xiaobai, "Let's go out first and give them a little more time."
As the two stepped out of the room, Xiaobai couldn't help but ask Qin Wuyan, "Are you really going to contact the Underworld Emperor to rescue Biyao?"
Qin Wuyan said, "That's for sure."
Xiao Bai sighed softly, "Could it be that I'm really getting old, that I can't stand you young people's obsession with love and romance anymore? I didn't understand when Xiao Chi gave up all her cultivation for Wan Renwang. Aren't people supposed to cherish their lives? Why would she give up everything for another person?"
Qin Wuyan smiled: "I didn't quite understand before why someone would be willing to give everything for another person. I never thought I would do such a thing, but after meeting Biyao, I realized how dull and boring my life was, while someone as carefree as her was betrayed by someone who had shown her such deep affection. During the years she was asleep, just thinking that if someone told me there was a way to bring her back to the human world, to make her laugh at me, get angry at me, and threaten to kill me like before, I would indeed be willing to give everything in exchange."
Xiao Bai was somewhat surprised: "People like you are really rare. However, Bi Yao is still my niece, and Xiao Chi only has this one daughter. Since you insist on saving her, I am willing to lend you a hand."
The sky over the Ten Thousand Mountains gradually cleared up, the sun shone brightly, and birds sang in the forest, a melodious and enchanting sound! The camphor tree in the courtyard became even more lush under the rain, and the water droplets on the camphor leaves dripped onto the bluestone slab, making a crisp sound.
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