Chapter 67 Leaving the Heart Tomb and Reuniting with "Surprise"
Leaving the Heart Tomb and Reuniting with a "Surprise"
Inside the stone chamber of the Heart Tomb, the warmth wrapped around their fingertips and the awkward aftertaste brought by the message of "being of one heart" have not yet completely dissipated, but the urgency of reality does not allow them to indulge in it for too long.
Jiang Xuelan forced himself to suppress the weakness and tingling in his soul from the effects of inducing the God-Slaying Gu and the subsequent healing. Though his face remained pale, his eyes had regained their usual icy calm. He quietly broke free from Li Jiuyou's hand that was still supporting his arm (though the warmth from it permeated the fabric, inexplicably dispelling a hint of chill), and steadied himself.
"We shouldn't stay here for long." His voice was slightly hoarse, but he left no doubt. He glanced at the unconscious Bai Zhi and the other immortal disciples, "Although the seal is temporarily secure, there's no guarantee that there won't be other unexpected events."
Li Jiuyou stared at his empty palms, feeling strangely upset, as if his hand warmer had slipped away. He snorted, his scarlet eyes glaring at the unconscious men, especially Bai Zhi, and said angrily, "If it weren't for this crazy woman messing around, the seal would be even stronger! I really want to burn it all down!"
"King, you can't do that!" Man Gu tried to dissuade him. "If we kill them, it will be even harder to explain to the Immortal Venerable, and it will cause even more trouble."
Ah Che also whispered: "And... they seem to be seriously injured..." The kindness in his nature had not been completely extinguished even after experiencing the darkness of the dungeon.
Xuanjia lay on Mangu's shoulder, rolling his eyes. "You're too soft-hearted! But... now is not the time to kill. We should find a way out quickly. I feel like something is wrong with this place."
Indeed, as the energy of the Heart Source Crystal was restrained and the seal was completed, the sad and peaceful atmosphere in the Heart Tomb was gradually fading away, replaced by an indescribable **repulsive force**, as if urging these "outsiders" to leave.
Jiang Xuelan's gaze fell on the Heart Origin Crystal that had regained its composure in the center of the stone platform. He pondered for a moment and said, "Since this place is the resting place of the brave martyrs of the Zhe Clan, we cannot disturb them for long. This Heart Origin Crystal is the core of the suppression seal and cannot be taken away." He paused and looked at Li Jiuyou. "Do you have any feelings? How can I leave?"
If he stayed any longer, he was afraid that the damn Heart-Killing Contract would do something weird like "being of one mind" again.
Li Jiuyou listened intently, taking in the moment. Perhaps due to the refining of his heart and the resonance of his bloodline, he did have a vague sense of this place. His scarlet-gold eyes scanned the surroundings, finally settling on a seemingly ordinary wall on the side of the stone chamber.
"This way." He walked over first, pressing his palm against the wall and channeling his demonic energy. The wall slid open silently, revealing a narrow, upward passage behind it, through which faint light and fresh air filtered in.
"Let's go!" Li Jiuyou turned around and called out, then took the lead in entering the passage.
Jiang Xuelan signaled Ache and Mangu to follow, while he himself remained behind. As he passed the unconscious Baizhi, he paused slightly. From his fingertips, a fine wisp of icy energy silently sank into Baizhi's body, temporarily sealing several of her key meridians and ensuring she couldn't cause any trouble for a short period of time.
The passage wasn't long, and soon a bright light appeared ahead. Everyone filed out, only to discover that the exit was hidden behind a dense patch of vines not far from Shengji Cliff.
Seeing the light of day again and breathing the fresh air of the Emerald Forest, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The Jianmu fragment in Ache's hand seemed to brighten up a bit, emitting a joyful green glow.
However, I haven't completely relaxed yet——
"Oh my! Look who is this? Isn't it our dear king and that beautiful immortal? It's true that we meet everywhere in life~"
A charming and gentle female voice, yet with a hint of teasing and strange intonation, came slowly from a huge ancient tree nearby, which was blooming with purple flowers.
Everyone looked over warily.
Xingtong was found lying comfortably on her side on a thick branch, one hand supporting her head while the other idly played with an eyeball that was constantly changing colors. She was still as radiant and sinister as ever, her tentacles swaying gently beneath her skirt.
"Xingtong?!" Man Gu tightened his grip on his bone staff and subconsciously protected Li Jiuyou behind him. He was always wary of this Thousand-Eyed Witch.
Ah Che shrank back with curiosity and fear.
Li Jiuyou frowned: "Why are you here?" This woman's whereabouts are secretive, and her sudden appearance must be something bad.
Xingtong giggled and jumped down from the tree lightly, her skirt blooming like petals: "What you said is so hurtful~ I was worried about your safety, Your Majesty, and I was looking for some... special smell all the way here. I finally found this place after going through so much trouble!" As she spoke, her charming multi-pupil eyes swept meaningfully over Jiang Xuelan and Li Jiuyou, especially looking back and forth between the two of them, as if she had discovered something extremely interesting.
Jiang Xuelan's face remained expressionless, but his fingertips curled slightly. The look in this witch's eyes made him feel uncomfortable, as if he was being seen through.
Li Jiuyou was even more impatient: "Stop talking nonsense! If you have something to say, come on!" He didn't think that this woman was here to help out of kindness.
Xingtong wasn't annoyed, but instead smiled even more brightly. She shook the transforming eyeball in her hand and said, "Don't worry. I have a little surprise for you two. It's guaranteed to be fresh and hot, and I guarantee it's fair to everyone!"
As she spoke, the eyeball in her hand suddenly burst into a blurry halo, and some blurry but dynamic scenes emerged in the halo -
In the scene, a group of people were swiftly moving through the Emerald Forest, heading straight for the Vitality Cliff! The leader was tall, dressed in the attire of a high-ranking deacon from the Immortal Sect. His face was stern, and his eyes were as sharp as a hawk! The disciples following behind him were all powerful and formidable, far more powerful than the weaklings Bai Zhi had brought with her!
More importantly, around the waist of this deacon hung a special token—the token of the **Xianmen Punishment Hall**!
"The deacons of the Punishment Hall are impartial and ruthless, specializing in apprehending traitors and clearing out the sect." Xingtong's voice was sweet with gloating. "It seems that the 'heroic deeds' of a certain Immortal Lord have been reported back to the Immortal Sect. And these aren't just ordinary pursuers, they're from the Punishment Hall! Surprise? Unexpected?"
Jiang Xuelan's face instantly darkened. Xianmen Punishment Hall... they'd actually dispatched so quickly? Was it for Bai Zhi, or... had they already noticed the "unusual" relationship between him and Li Jiuyou?
Li Jiuyou also frowned and cursed, "Damn it! The ghost won't go away!" He looked at Jiang Xuelan, "Hey, Ice Face, are you guys in the Immortal Sect too idle?"
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