Chapter 36 You're a madman. Stepping out of the cave, everyone shrank...
Stepping out of the cave, everyone proceeded cautiously, their expressions tense as they observed their surroundings, fearing that the magical beasts might attack them without warning.
But what everyone feared did not happen.
The moment they stepped out of the cave, the surrounding magical beasts seemed to sense something and turned to look in their direction. However, as if they had noticed something, they not only did not attack, but even dispersed to the sides, making way for the group!
"This..." A cultivator looked at the scene with surprise and uncertainty, but before he could ask a question, Jiang Zhihe, who was holding Gu Xiaozhu's hand, turned around and smiled, putting his index finger to his lips:
"Shh, don't say anything, don't alert them."
Upon seeing this, the cultivator immediately covered his mouth and nodded.
The group followed quietly behind Gu Xiaozhu and Jiang Zhihe. Surprisingly, even after they reached their destination, the wandering magical beasts around them did not show any intention of attacking them.
The group rested for another night at their destination, and the next day, the teleportation exit to the secret realm opened as scheduled.
Upon exiting the secret realm, the first thing that catches the eye is a vast plaza and a bustling crowd. These people are from various sects, all there to welcome their disciples who have just left the secret realm.
"Xiaozhu." Wu Jiangxue's voice came from beside her. Gu Xiaozhu turned her head and saw the woman in white stuffing a bunch of bottles and jars into her storage bracelet.
"These are the most commonly used wound medicines, take some with you." She looked up, ruffled the girl's hair again, and smiled, "Don't refuse my kindness, and... take good care of yourself."
Gu Xiaozhu looked at the bracelet on her wrist and smiled, "I will, thank you, Sister Wu."
"Okay, then I'll head back to the sect first." Wu Jiangxue nodded, then turned and left.
Meanwhile, Ling Qiu casually propped his arm on Jiang Zhihe and said to him, "I really don't understand why you keep that Teng Shao around. You know he's a demonic cultivator."
Jiang Zhihe looked at him, raising an eyebrow slightly: "Oh? How did you figure that out?"
Ling Qiu smugly touched his nose: "The bloody smell and murderous aura on this kid are completely undisguised. Of course, the most important thing is that when he encountered the crisis earlier, he exposed himself."
"...But since you want to keep it, I have no objection. Just make sure it doesn't endanger innocent lives." Then, his tone shifted: "This time we didn't settle the score, but next time, I'll prove I'm the most popular one!"
Jiang Zhihe shrugged helplessly: "Okay, okay."
Ling Qiu frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with his perfunctory attitude. Just as he was about to lash out, his junior brothers and sisters pulled him towards the direction of the sect.
"Senior brother, let's hurry! Otherwise, the spirit boat will leave soon!"
"Senior brother, if it's a duel, we won't be short of time, will we?"
The disciples offered their advice all at once, and practically dragged Ling Qiu onto the First Sword Sect's spirit boat.
Even after being pulled onto the spirit boat, Ling Qiu stubbornly clung to the edge, shouting at Jiang Zhihe, "Let me tell you! Fortune changes every thirty years, and I will definitely reclaim my glory!"
The other disciples of the First Sword Sect: "..."
I'm too ashamed to face anyone.
Jiang Zhihe's lips twitched.
"Oh my, is this the Xiaozhu girl that Hehe was talking about? She's so beautiful!"
A familiar voice appeared behind him, and Jiang Zhihe froze, turning around abruptly.
A woman in a purple dress with long hair reaching her waist was seen smiling, her fair hands holding Gu Xiaozhu's hands, her stunningly beautiful face radiating a beautiful smile.
So beautiful.
This was Gu Xiaozhu's first thought upon seeing the woman.
He was momentarily dazed, but quickly regained his senses.
[Host, this is Jiang Zhihe's mother, and also the sect leader of the Hehuan Sect, Jiang Hanyan.]
[However, due to the cultivation technique she practices, she possesses a natural allure. But with the Spirit Pearl and A Cui around, you, host, will have a certain resistance to this type of mental magic in the future!]
Gu Xiaozhu understood.
So, was that momentary daze just now due to this passive charm effect?
Suddenly, she felt her face being pinched. This abruptly interrupted her thoughts, and she looked at the beautiful woman opposite her with a somewhat blank expression.
The woman giggled even more at this sight, and the intricate ornaments on her skirt jingled with each breath of her chest.
"Oh my god, you look so cute when you're spacing out!"
"Um...that..." Gu Xiaozhu was a little at a loss. After all, she really didn't know how to deal with such an enthusiastic and beautiful person.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Jiang Zhihe stepped forward and opened his arms to separate the two women. "Mother, why are you here? You're scaring her like this!"
Jiang Hanyan smiled, covering her mouth slightly: "I know, I know. And don't be so possessive, Xiao Hehe. I just wanted to take a look at that girl."
Jiang Zhihe pouted in dissatisfaction: "Just look, why are you getting handsy... Ouch!"
Jiang Zhihe's expression twisted for a moment. Seeing this, Jiang Hanyan withdrew her foot that was stepping on her son with satisfaction.
"Can't you speak properly?"
As she spoke, she smiled and took Gu Xiaozhu's hand, then put a bracelet inlaid with red crystals on her wrist.
"I was in a rush today and didn't know what you liked, so I just grabbed some random things."
Gu Xiaozhu still looked somewhat bewildered when the system spoke up to remind her: "Host, this bracelet is a storage artifact."
Jiang Hanyan continued, "Defensive magic artifacts, healing pills, offensive talismans, oh right, and some clothes and accessories, all of that is inside."
Gu Xiaozhu instantly felt that the bracelet on her wrist was burning hot.
"This...this is too precious, I..."
Gu Xiaozhu quickly spoke, but before she could finish, Jiang Hanyan blinked and put on a pitiful look:
"Xiaozhu, this is just a small gift for you. Please accept it since I am Jiang Zhihe's mother."
For a fleeting moment, Gu Xiaozhu hallucinated Jiang Zhihe.
...They truly are mother and son.
Gu Xiaozhu cast a pleading look at the boy beside her, but when she looked over, the boy was looking at the sky and the ground, refusing to look at her.
Gu Xiaozhu: "..."
"Well... thank you," Gu Xiaozhu said somewhat haltingly.
Upon seeing this, Jiang Hanyan immediately beamed with joy, and her bright and beautiful face became even more captivating, drawing the attention of the surrounding cultivators.
But as soon as Jiang Hanyan released her Nascent Soul stage aura, the bewitched cultivators immediately turned pale, sobered up, and immediately moved away from the area.
Even a Nascent Soul cultivator could be bewitched if he wasn't careful, but the girl in front of him was only momentarily dazed before breaking free immediately, and there were no subsequent effects.
Jiang Hanyan looked at the somewhat troubled and uneasy girl in front of her with a smile, her interest growing stronger.
Jiang Hanyan: "Alright, alright, Hehe, take good care of Xiaozhu. I have something to do, so I'll be going now!"
Jiang Zhihe: "Of course I will take good care of her, Mother, take care!"
Jiang Hanyan smiled and waved to the two of them before disappearing from the spot.
Gu Xiaozhu breathed a sigh of relief for no apparent reason. When she looked around again, she realized that most of the cultivators in the square had dispersed.
"Hey? Brother Teng! Where did you go? I haven't seen you anywhere!" Jiang Zhihe called out with a grin to Teng Shao, who was walking slowly towards them from a distance.
Teng Shao rolled his eyes: "Me, a demonic cultivator, approaching a Nascent Soul stage cultivator? Am I courting death?"
Jiang Zhihe shrugged, looking somewhat nonchalant: "To be honest, my mother doesn't really care about these things. Maybe she won't kill you."
Teng Shao didn't even bother to talk to Jiang Zhihe.
Seeing this, Jiang Zhihe fell silent and decided to change the subject: "Hey, when are we going to the Demon Realm?"
Teng Shao looked at him with some surprise: "You're in such a hurry?" He thought for a moment, then quickly replied: "Of course, the sooner the better."
Jiang Zhihe stroked his chin, his gaze unconsciously drifting to the girl beside him. As if struck by a thought, he nodded: "That's true."
"Let's set off now!"
After saying that, he turned to Gu Xiaozhu and asked, "Xiaozhu, what do you think?"
This time, Gu Xiaozhu, who was standing to the side, was shocked.
For the first time, she felt that Teng Shao's words made sense.
No, are you in such a hurry?
Just then, the system spoke up:
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, host, on completing Main Quest 1: Retrieve the "Fragment" Lost in the Lingyao Secret Realm]
Reward received - System Energy
The second phase of tasks is now being released:
Main Quest 2: Retrieve the "Fragment" from the Demon Realm Holy Land
Side Quest 2: Help the Holy Son of the Demon Realm reclaim the Demon Realm
[Host, the faster you complete the mission, the better.]
Gu Xiaozhu's initial refusal smoothly transformed into: "Okay, I have no objection."
This time, Teng Shao's gaze shifted from Jiang Zhihe to Gu Xiaozhu, his eyes revealing an undisguised emotion.
You, a mere mortal, are so eager to go to the Demon Realm?
Gu Xiaozhu silently avoided his gaze, trying to ignore the look in his eyes that seemed to regard her as an idiot.
"You've already obtained the treasures of the secret realm, and I've been almost completely unhelpful," Teng Shao said. "And once you left the secret realm, you couldn't wait to go to the Demon Realm... What exactly are your plans?"
Teng Shao was somewhat puzzled. These two had hardly gotten any benefits from him, yet they were so eager to go to the Demon Realm to... help him?
It's hard to believe there wasn't a scam involved.
Jiang Zhihe smiled and reached out to put his hand on Teng's shoulder: "Brother Teng, you're overthinking it! We're all upright people, it's normal for us to be happy to help others!"
Teng Shao frowned, sidestepped Jiang Zhihe's movements, and even took a few steps back with a wary expression to distance himself from him.
Jiang Zhihe pouted and looked at Gu Xiaozhu with a wronged expression: "Xiaozhu, look! He doesn't believe us at all! I even considered him a partner!"
Gu Xiaozhu: "..."
To be honest, what you said is really not credible.
Gu Xiaozhu glanced at Jiang Zhihe, then at Teng Shao who looked wary, and sighed, "Then I'll tell you the truth."
"I need something from your Demon Realm Holy Land."
Teng Shao's expression shifted slightly.
The Sacred Land of the Demon Realm is a place that only the successive heirs of the Demon Realm can enter. Once inside the Sacred Land, one can receive the inheritance of the demon race and greatly increase their magical power, becoming a true Demon Lord.
The heirs of the demon race are usually blood relatives of the Demon Lord, and only demons with the Demon Lord's bloodline can enter the Demon Realm Holy Land.
If a demon who is not of the Demon Lord's bloodline wants to enter the Demon Realm Holy Land and obtain the Demon Lord's inheritance, there is only one way—to kill the Demon Lord and all his blood relatives.
Only in this way will the Holy Land of the Demon Realm open up the right of entry for other demons in order to select a new Demon Lord, allowing them to compete for the position.
This is why the Fallen Demons were determined to kill Teng Shao.
Teng Shao is the only remaining descendant of the Demon Lord. Only if he dies can they enter the Demon Realm Holy Land and obtain the Demon Clan's inheritance.
Teng Shao knew that the girl in front of him was not simple. She seemed to know a lot of things, but now it seemed that she knew even more than he had imagined.
[Host, isn't this... a bit too direct?]
"Teng Shao is inherently suspicious. If we continue to conceal our true purpose, it will only backfire," Gu Xiaozhu thought to herself.
She looked at Teng Shao, took a deep breath, and continued, "Only you can enter the Demon Realm Holy Land now. I need something from inside, and you..."
"You also need to go in, obtain the inheritance, and become the Demon Lord."
She closed her eyes. In any case, with Teng Shao's keen observation skills, he must have already figured out that she knew a lot of things she "shouldn't know." Since that was the case, it didn't matter if she knew a little more.
"So...we all have the same goal, don't we?"
Teng Shao crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow slightly. He was silent for a moment, then turned his gaze to Jiang Zhihe: "And you? What is your purpose?"
Jiang Zhihe's smile remained unchanged: "My purpose has always been very pure, can't you see that?"
"I'll do whatever Xiaozhu wants. I'll get whatever Xiaozhu wants for her."
Looking at him, Teng Shao felt increasingly stinged by the man's smile, and upon hearing his reply, he let out a sneer:
"Oh? So obedient?"
He walked towards Jiang Zhihe, his eyebrows slightly lowered, his eyes filled with malice and mockery: "If she wanted you to destroy the world right now, would you, a righteous cultivator... do the same?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhihe's eyes widened immediately, and he quickly shook his head: "No, no, no! That won't do!"
Teng Shao looked at him and said, "So it seems you don't like her that much either."
Jiang Zhihe put one hand on his hip and said with a serious expression, "You don't understand. If the world were destroyed now, she would die too. My biggest wish in this life is to let her live, to live well and happily."
Teng Shao stared at the serious-looking young man in front of him for a long while before suddenly speaking: "As long as she can live, you'll do anything?"
Jiang Zhihe raised an eyebrow: "Of course."
Teng Shao: "What if someone threatens her life, or if she has to die for the sake of all living beings?"
Jiang Zhihe tilted his head: "Are you so eager to prove that 'righteous cultivators' are also dark and selfish at heart?"
Teng Shao smiled and said, "That's right. After all, I really can't stand the hypocritical faces of people like you. You always wear a sanctimonious expression on your faces, pretending to be doing what's right for the common people..."
"That's absolutely disgusting."
Jiang Zhihe shrugged: "Okay, I don't deny that some people are indeed like that."
Teng Shao: "And what about you? Are you one of them?"
Jiang Zhihe looked at him and suddenly smiled: "Perhaps."
"Besides, don't you know my wish? I just said it!"
"I hope Xiaozhu can live a good and happy life."
He paused, a smile on his face, but his upturned eyes held a breathtakingly unwavering determination:
"I am willing to pay any price for this."
Teng Shao looked at him for a moment before shaking his head: "No, you are not one of those hypocrites."
"You're crazy."
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