Monster Hunt (II)
Sang Li's eyes fell on the peach essence that was filled with pure spiritual energy. His dark green pupils shrank slightly and he warned,
"This thing contains immortal spirit energy, which the mortal body cannot bear. I am afraid it will backfire."
"It's just the lowest grade... It has a relatively mild effect, so it should be... not a big deal."
He Shu's hands did not stop moving, his voice was low but firm.
"I have no other choice but to use this to temporarily keep Qingshan alive until we can find a way to permanently cure him."
"Don't worry. Master will be back soon. He has already captured the shadow demon and is personally escorting him to the Nine Netherworld Hell."
Sang Li's words gave He Shu some comfort. He carefully tucked the corners of the quilt for Qingshan, stood up, and his eyes involuntarily turned to the peach tree in full bloom in the courtyard outside the window, his mind full of thoughts.
I never thought... Tao Hua would have such a tortuous and bizarre life story...
He thought about it and couldn't help but lower his head.
He opened his palm and stared at the remaining peach kernels that were still glowing with a faint light. An idea gradually became clear.
Since Qingshan's residual soul is parasitic and sealed in the Pure Spirit Jade Bottle, and Taohua has a deep connection with it...
Maybe she will know more inside information... maybe even the key to saving Qingshan!
Not wanting to delay any longer, He Shu immediately stood up and walked out of the house. He came to the small courtyard, concentrating his mind and transmitting a message to He Qi:
"Heqi, is Taohua free now? I have something important to ask her."
His voice was transmitted through his divine thoughts.
"What's up?"
He Qi's voice soon echoed in his mind, and there was also a faint female voice on the other end, which seemed to be asking curiously:
"Hey... He... Wuming... looking for you?"
"Taohua is right next to you? That's great!"
He Shu was delighted and quickly explained his intention.
"I want to ask Tao Hua about her original peach tree in the mortal world."
"Why are you asking this—"
Heqi's tone was full of doubt, but her words were quickly interrupted by another voice:
"Looking for me? You finally remembered to look for me..."
This was obviously Tao Hua's voice.
Heqi seemed to sigh and compromised:
"Forget it. She and I happened to be busy in the mortal world. Where are you now? Let's talk in person."
"Luzhu Mountain, that place—"
He Shu immediately reported the location, but before he could finish his words, he was unilaterally cut off from the connection.
Heqi is still as decisive and efficient as ever.
The sea of consciousness returned to silence, and he was stunned for two seconds.
It's summer now, and I wonder why the two of them have come down to earth now?
But it’s better this way, saving him from going through so much trouble.
Last time, he was able to return to heaven under the pretext of the Peach Banquet. If he went there rashly now, without Xuantongzi by his side and without his token in his hand, he would probably not even be able to enter the South Gate of Heaven and would be stopped by the heavenly soldiers on duty.
"Taohua... is it Haruhi?"
Sang Li's questioning voice came from behind. She had arrived in the yard without me noticing.
He Shu turned around and saw her looking at the peach tree, so he nodded:
"Yes, after she became an immortal, she was taken in by Madam Xi, and thus she was given the name 'Tao Hua'."
He paused and continued to explain:
"As you know, when one arrives in Heaven, one often abandons their old name and takes on a new one. When I first served as a messenger crane under Immortal Lord Yunhan, he simply called me 'Little Crane'. Later, when I came to Madam Xi, I was called 'Heshu'."
"And now?"
Sang Li turned her head and looked at him with her dark green eyes.
"I've known you for so long, yet I don't think I've ever heard you mention your original name. When Master enlightened me, he gave me the name 'Sang Li'. Didn't he... also give you a name?"
He Shu heard this and lowered his eyes in silence for a moment. Perhaps he had thought of something, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his lips:
"Maybe... I did, but I just don't remember. My time in Heaven was too long, and that name stayed with me for too short a time... I should have forgotten it long ago."
He raised his eyes to look at Sang Li, his tone becoming calm:
"My name is He Wuming now. From now on, just call me 'Wuming'."
As he spoke, he walked to the peach tree and buried the peach pit he had been holding in his hand in the soil next to the tree roots.
"nameless……"
Sang Li repeated the name in a low voice, as if to remember it. She looked up and saw He Shu's movements, and could not help but say:
"You can't grow immortal peaches in mortal soil. The spiritual energy is too different, so it will definitely be difficult for them to take root."
She stopped suddenly, as if she was not used to it, but she added softly,
"……nameless."
Then she bent down, picked up the white cat that had been sitting by the tree licking its paws leisurely, held it in her arms, and walked to a stone bench nearby and sat down.
“Why can’t I plant it?”
He Shu disagreed and pointed to the blossoming peach tree beside him.
"Isn't the original form of the peach painting planted here safely? Luzhu Mountain is rich in spiritual energy, unlike other mundane places. Perhaps it will take root and sprout soon, and by this time next year, we'll be able to taste fresh peaches."
"Then think about it."
Sang Li gently stroked the soft back of the cat in her arms and chuckled softly, with a rare hint of teasing in her laughter.
She scratched the white cat's chin with her fingertips again.
"Chiyu, come with me and see when this fantastic idea of his will will come true."
"It's not a ruler jade."
He Shu sat down on the stone bench next to Sang Li. He reached out his hand, pinched the tip of the cat's tail, which was raised high and swaying flexibly, and raised his eyebrows.
"You actually recognize that cat demon Chiyu?"
"I recognize most of the creatures that have achieved success in their cultivation in Luzhu Mountain, including Chiyu, of course."
Sang Li's fingers paused for a moment on the cat's back, then continued stroking it, her tone calm and her brows slightly furrowed.
"It's not a ruler jade? But it looks too much like it, like they were carved from the same mold..."
The white cat seemed to dislike having its tail touched by He Shu. The soft touch in his hand was fleeting, and he could only withdraw his hand in dismay:
"Chiyu and the Shadow Demon stole the elixir and are now imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison. How could he appear here?"
"Is that so?"
The faint smile completely disappeared from Sang Li's face.
"That shadow demon actually seduced Chiyu into working for her... It seems a lot of things have happened in Luzhu Mountain during my years away from home."
"Well...it's a long story. If you say things have changed and people have changed, it's quite appropriate."
He Shu sighed deeply, his tone full of vicissitudes of life.
Seeing his pretentious demeanor, Sang Li couldn't help but lower her head, quietly hiding the curve at the corner of her mouth, and continued to stroke the cat:
"Things have changed, and people have changed? How many people and monsters do you know in Luzhu Mountain? Are you lamenting how things and people have changed?"
"All in all, I've been here for over fifty years. Not as much as you, but not too little either."
He Shu snorted and turned away.
"At least I know more about the major and minor incidents that have occurred over the years than you do."
"Yes, yes."
Sang Li nodded obediently, stopped arguing with him, and returned to her cold and aloof look.
The cat in her arms, however, could not bear the silence any longer and suddenly struggled to jump off her knees, lightly leaping onto the stone table. Then, it exerted force with its hind legs and leaped onto the roof in a few leaps. Its figure flashed a few times among the dense green bamboo branches and leaves and soon disappeared.
Almost at the same moment the white cat disappeared, Sang Li stood up suddenly. A cold light suddenly appeared in her hands. The demonic power condensed and turned into a sharp blade of light, which shot towards the gate of the courtyard without hesitation.
"Oh my, what a rage!"
A clear yet playful female voice sounded from outside the courtyard door, easily dispelling the attack.
"Didn't Wuming ask us to come here to reminisce about the past? Why are you not welcome now?"
"Sang Li!"
He Shu quickly stood up and stepped forward, stopping her from attacking again, and said urgently:
"Indeed, I invited them here. I have something to ask Tao Hua!"
"Peach painting?"
Sang Li sneered and lightly tapped her hair with her fingertips. The plain hairpin fell off and turned into a folding fan made of shiny bone that exuded a chilling aura and fell steadily into her palm.
She opened her bone fan with a swish, and her gaze, like an icy blade, shot towards the graceful figure approaching outside the courtyard gate:
"Oh, she is not Tao Hua!"
Before she finished her words, she moved towards the pink-dressed woman who had just entered the courtyard. The bone fan in her hand flashed with a cold light, and countless poisonous needles as thin as cow hair spun out, shooting at the newcomer like a torrential rain.
"He Shu, what on earth is going on?"
A terrified shout was heard, and a huge crane feather suddenly spread out, blocking the pink-clothed woman in time and blocking all the poisonous needles.
Heqi's figure appeared. She stood in front of Tao Hua and glared at Heshu and Sang Li. She was obviously shocked and confused by this sudden attack.
"idiot."
Sang Li didn't want to say more. He turned his wrist and swung the bone fan again, bringing a more fierce attack, aiming directly at Tao Hua's vital point.
He Shu was shocked by this sudden change and subconsciously summoned the longbow he carried with him, but when he saw the three people fighting with each other in an instant, he didn't know who to help for a moment.
"puff--"
Heqi was the first to be injured. He staggered and flew backwards, fell heavily to the ground, and vomited blood.
She looked up in disbelief at Tao Hua, whom she had been protecting behind her. She covered her chest with her hands, and the mark left by the vines on her neck was clearly visible.
"Hahaha--"
A familiar and creepy shrill laugh burst out from Tao Hua's throat!
He Shu's hand that was holding He Qi up suddenly stopped, then he looked up in horror at the two people who were still fighting in the air.
It was still Tao Hua's face, and her appearance had clearly not changed at all, but her aura had suddenly changed drastically!
Those eyes that were once as bright as autumn water now only contained cold resentment and crazy pleasure!
"I was so busy guarding against that old man that I forgot about you..."
Peach painting——
No, it was the shadow demon disguised as her again, speaking sinisterly, with a twisted and sharp voice.
"Sangli, ah Sangli..."
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