Chapter 70 Corpse Village, Glass Flower House (Part 5): The Demon Clan's Lackeys...
With the power of the three divine artifacts, even if they can't last for a thousand years, a few hundred years should be more than enough. So why are there still clusters of demonic clouds appearing...?
Could it be that something happened to Sister Qing Shu and the others?
Thinking of this, her expression became serious, and she quickened her pace.
However, before they had taken more than a few steps, a sudden gust of wind arose, and the mountain wind swept in with black mist from all sides, distorting the lines of the trees. The creatures in the forest suddenly fell into an unprecedented frenzy, and one after another, Zouyu beasts surged and wildly brushed past them as the black mist surged.
Shi Xianxue was narrowly escaped by the fleeing Zouyu beast. Just as she was about to warn the others to be careful, a small deer, enveloped in a cloud of black mist, rushed towards them like lightning. Shi Xianxue reacted swiftly and pushed Wu Xiutang aside, but the deer ran between the two of them without slowing down at all.
These fawns are usually afraid of humans. Shi Xianxue had seen them several times while picking fruit. Seeing how docile and cute they were, she kindly offered them food. But before she could even reach out her hand, they all scattered as if startled, observing her from at least several dozen meters away.
This was the first time she had ever seen a deer that actively attacked.
As if their minds were controlled by the black mist, they lost their way and rushed into the black fog without regard for the consequences.
Shi Xianxue became alert. The demonic cloud would soon be over the forest. Ordinary demons would be fine, but if those from Mount No Return were truly released, with her current abilities, she would probably only be able to give them a small meal.
Recalling the situation with the fawn earlier, Shi Xianxue said in a deep voice, "Everyone, hold hands and be careful not to get separated. There is something in the black mist."
Xiao Mei had been a withered ghost for over a thousand years, but after being reborn as a human, she became as timid as a mouse.
She rushed over and hugged Shi Xianxue's arm tightly. "Xue'er, why don't we stay here today and go back to Corpse Village to discuss this further?"
"There's no going back. The black mist is gathering towards us from all directions." She looked up at the demonic clouds in the sky.
The demonic cloud, which had been moving steadily, suddenly stopped above the forest for some reason. Dark purple lightning turned into thick fog and struck down, spreading out and gradually enveloping the forest.
Xiao Mei had obviously noticed it too, and her heart was pounding wildly: "These are demons, right? Could they have come specifically for us?"
Her words seemed to remind Shi Xianxue of something. As if she had thought of something, she suddenly felt something was wrong and looked to the side. Sure enough, Wu Xiutang, who had been obediently following her side, had been swallowed up by the black mist and disappeared without a trace.
Shi Xianxue's heart sank to the bottom; her guess had been confirmed.
These demons are after Wu Xiutang!
--
Sleepiness swept over me irresistibly.
The boy had fine, wispy hair on his forehead. He leaned against the tree trunk with his eyes closed, his former sharpness and fierceness gone. His facial features were smooth, his eyebrows thick, and when he slept, he resembled a jade-carved reclining Guanyin, sacred and inviolable.
Several wisps of black mist lingered in the distance, never daring to approach him easily.
As time passed, the restless wisps of mist transformed into demonic forms upon landing.
This is a group of demons who can control wind and lightning, and their cultivation level is at least at the Integration Stage.
However, apart from the ancient demons created by the creator god, the magical abilities naturally generated in later generations are not yet very stable.
The female demons dressed in black veils had long coveted him; they had black lightning symbols between their brows.
"We're so lucky! We ran into the person the adults asked us to find as soon as we stepped out!"
“He’s so handsome, like a weak and helpless pretty boy. Brother, are you sure this is the person the adults asked us to find? He doesn’t look like the vicious criminal the adults described.”
Even Feng Mo, who was known as the eldest brother, couldn't see anything unique about Wu Xiutang.
He had no cultivation and looked sickly. A single punch from the Wind Demon could shatter his internal organs. This frail mortal was someone the adults repeatedly warned to be extremely careful when capturing.
Fengmo was cautious by nature, and since the master had given the order, he could not let his guard down.
After all, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
So, he first took out the Demon Token and compared it with the boy's characteristics. After finding that they were largely similar, he became even more cautious and went forward to test the depth of the boy's skill.
Just as he had expected, the boy in front of him had no cultivation at all, and his body was even weaker than that of an ordinary mortal. He would soon run out of life and die.
How could someone like this kill the Three Demons of the Red Crow, and why did the adults repeatedly order that they be on high alert when capturing him?
They must have admitted their mistake.
He was just an ordinary mortal.
He waved his hand, intending to reward the girl by making a furnace cauldron.
"Alright, it shouldn't be him. If you like it, keep it."
The female demons were overjoyed. They had been imprisoned in the dark and hopeless mountains for tens of thousands of years. The demons in their clan were just average-looking, with very few being this beautiful. Even the most beautiful would become tiresome after tens of thousands of years.
They never expected to encounter such a stunningly handsome man so soon after escaping from the Mountain of No Return. Heaven has truly been kind to them. If they were to have a child with him, perhaps the offspring would inherit his good looks.
They were truly attracted to the boy's appearance, their attention completely focused on his face, and they didn't notice at all that the boy's slender fingers twitched when she approached.
---
Shi Xianxue was flustered; she had lost Wu Xiutang.
In this perilous forest, there might still be demons lurking. He currently has no cultivation, and if he were captured by the demons... she didn't even dare to think about what would happen to him.
Lost in self-blame, she lost her footing and stepped into a thicket of thorns, which instantly cut several marks on her chin.
Ignoring the stinging pain, she rushed into the thick fog without daring to stop for a moment.
After searching for an unknown amount of time, a figure appeared faintly ahead. Shi Xianxue stopped abruptly. In the thick fog that seemed to devour people, she couldn't tell whether the figure was human or not.
"Wu Xiutang?"
She called out to him tentatively.
The figure seemed to have its back to her, and upon hearing her voice, it stiffly turned its body.
They didn't look like ordinary people; instead, they resembled withered ghosts that had been buried underground for years and never saw the light of day.
But if it's a withered ghost, that's fine. But if it's something else, Shi Xianxue really isn't confident she can defeat it.
As she was lost in thought, the figure stood up straight and walked towards her through the thick fog.
Shi Xianxue subconsciously took a step back, her heart leaping into her throat as the figure approached. But as the thick fog in front of her continued to thin with the movement of the figure, she finally saw the person's face, and her expression instantly turned to surprise and delight.
She first rushed over and hugged him, then stepped back a little to check the boy's body from head to toe. When she confirmed that the boy was safe and sound, her worried anger belatedly surged up.
"Wu Xiutang! How could you run around like that? Do you know how dangerous the forest is right now? You have no cultivation. What am I supposed to do if something happens to you?"
The boy's eyes were clear, with specks of silver frost on his brows, revealing a cold indifference that showed his inability to empathize with her worries and anxieties.
He neither resisted nor accepted it, but simply looked at her calmly.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Seeing his silence, Shi Xianxue angrily shoved him in the chest. "You still think you're right, don't you?"
There was no response; it was like being mute.
Shi Xianxue's anger intensified, and she was about to punch him again when a gentle breeze swept across her chin, bringing a soft touch.
Shi Xianxue's anger came to an abrupt halt.
Just then, the swirling demonic clouds overhead seemed to be suddenly shattered by some force, turning into scattered fragments that dissipated along with the black mist in the deep forest, clearing the view and making Wu Xiutang's expression even clearer.
"Does it hurt, sister?"
His expression should have been gentle, even his touch on her face was careful, as if afraid of touching her wound. But Shi Xianxue felt that Wu Xiutang was a bit strange at this moment, and an indescribable feeling welled up in her heart.
The demonic cloud disappeared, and the forest returned to its former state. Although Shi Xianxue did not know what had happened, the disappearance of the demonic cloud was a good thing, and she no longer had to worry.
"You still know I'm in pain? It's not just my jaw that hurts, my liver hurts too, all because of you."
"Then what should we do?" He leaned forward slightly, the dappled sunlight from the forest dancing and surging on his body. "Since I made you angry, then you can punish me."
"Just like the punishment my sister gave me when we first met."
Shi Xianxue was stunned for a moment, then her eyes widened in bewilderment, her expression gradually becoming uneasy and anxious. She even seemed afraid to look at him, stammering, "You...you've regained your memories?"
See? She's always afraid of regaining her memories; she's almost to the point of being terrified of the mere mention of it.
Wu Xiutang was really curious about what heinous things she had done that caused her expression to change so drastically when he mentioned regaining her memories.
He smiled, his eyes filled with a gentle amusement, and kindly reassured her, "Don't be nervous, sister. I told you that even if I regain my memories, I won't do anything to you."
"Moreover, I only remember a very small part of it now."
"But why did you suddenly regain your memories? And why did your cultivation return?" Shi Xianxue recalled the demonic cloud from earlier. "You've met the demons, haven't you?"
Is it Fengyun?
Shi Xianxue recalled the deal that Fengyun had mentioned back then.
Wu Xiutang seemed reluctant to talk about these things. He raised his head and stretched his eyebrows, looking much better. He smiled and asked, "Sister, are you going down the mountain? I feel much better and can't wait to see our old friends."
--
Shi Xianxue found Wu Xiutang very strange.
She was naturally not afraid of what Wu Xiutang would do to her after regaining his memories.
She didn't believe the rumors about killing her or strangling her.
Even without the parasitic curse, she was certain that Wu Xiutang would never do anything to harm her.
He was indeed a bit extreme in some ways, and he acted according to his own will without considering the feelings of others. Sometimes he was as hard-hearted as a stone and extremely cruel to outsiders.
But Wu Xiutang always found himself softening towards her without realizing it.
She knew this a long time ago.
Shi Xianxue was simply terrified of seeing that look in his eyes again, as if she were nothing to him. She couldn't describe the feeling; she only felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, and a huge panic welled up in her heart, a fear of losing him forever.
She didn't want to be separated from Wu Xiutang, didn't want him to get hurt, and even more so, didn't want him to be sad or upset.
In her heart, Wu Xiutang had become a very good person.
At least in this world, he is her closest companion.
But memories will eventually return, and no matter how unwilling you are, that day will come sooner or later.
Shi Xianxue touched the scratch on her chin and sighed dejectedly.
Wu Xiutang's attention was always more on her than on himself. Seeing that she was always sullen, he took her hand in the morning mist.
"Okay, sister, I'll tell you everything."
Shi Xianxue snapped out of her chaotic thoughts and exclaimed in bewilderment.
"I did see the demons, and I also regained some of my memories."
"They demons will help you regain your memories?" Shi Xianxue asked immediately after realizing what was happening. "It's already kind of them not to devour you."
"Naturally, it's because I have a deal with them."
Shi Xianxue raised her eyebrows.
"They said I was beautiful and wanted to cultivate with me."
Shi Xianxue froze for three seconds, then looked at him incredulously, "You agreed?"
Otherwise, how did he regain his memories?
The boy did not deny it.
"Everyone says that demons are ugly, but I find them quite charming. Some of the ladies in black gauze dresses are especially beautiful."
The boy looked on with a wistful expression.
"So you agreed?" Shi Xianxue repeated the words, emphasizing each one.
The boy smiled and said, "Guess."
Guess? Guess what?!
Shi Xianxue angrily pulled her hand away and stormed off.
The boy quickly caught up, forcefully grabbing her hand despite her resistance, and interlocking their fingers. He revealed a triumphant smile, like he was dealing with a cunning and scheming vixen.
"I love my sister. If we're going to cultivate together, it should be with her. I belong to my sister, and I would never agree to it with anyone else."
Shi Xianxue looked at the sky and the ground but not at him, refusing to communicate with him in any way.
"If you don't believe me, I can examine you."
He made a move to take off his clothes.
Shi Xianxue grabbed his hand in alarm. She knew that Wu Xiutang always meant what he said. If he wanted to take off his clothes, he wasn't just bluffing; he really meant it. They were going down the mountain right away, and she couldn't bear the embarrassment.
"Alright, I believe you." After she finished speaking, she paused for a moment before asking, "But how exactly did you escape from those demons? Don't lie to me, or I won't talk to you anymore."
"I didn't run away. They got lost, and I was just kindly taking them home." As he said this, the ruthlessness in the boy's eyes vanished in an instant, and when he looked at Shi Xianxue, he returned to his harmless and innocent state.
He arched his eyebrows and smiled slightly.
She even resembles a radiant and healing sweet girl.
"Really? Don't you believe me, sister?"
Shi Xianxue swallowed hard, once again captivated by beauty.
--
After descending the mountain, Shi Xianxue originally planned to go to Jiuyi City to replenish her supplies, since Jiuyi City was the closest and most prosperous town to her.
But she never expected that in just two short months, the protective fire of Mount No Return had spread completely, from the Misty Forest to Jiuyi City, and even showed signs of moving northward.
Just as she had guessed, the seal on Mount No Return had indeed failed, and the escaped demons swarmed across the sky, roaring as they swept overhead, clashing with the cultivators' swords, the sounds of weapons clashing echoing through the heavens.
The once bustling Jiuyi City was now deathly still, with countless hideous and vengeful spirits howling in agony from within the platinum-gold flames.
Shi Xianxue was powerless to do anything. After having nightmares for several days, she finally mustered up her spirits and set off for Qingyun Sect.
She wanted to ask Sister Qing Shu what had happened, why the seal was broken even though the artifact was in hand, and why it had affected the people of Jiuyi City, causing these innocent people to perish in the fire.
During her journey, Shi Xianxue discovered something strange.
With the seal destroyed, the demons escaped, plunging the world into chaos. Various sects sent their disciples down the mountain to suppress the demons. She saw the leading immortal cultivation sects, including the Nine Heavens Immortal Mansion, as well as some obscure small sects coming down to help. She searched among the crowds for many days but couldn't find anyone from the Azure Cloud Sect.
Feeling something was amiss, she stopped a seemingly approachable person to ask him for information.
Upon hearing her ask about the Qingyun Sect, the man immediately wore an incredulous expression. "Did you just come down from some mountain? You don't even know that?"
Shi Xianxue became a little nervous because of him, so she quickly added two more gold ingots: "Brother, stop being mysterious and tell me quickly."
The man carefully put away the gold before lowering his voice and saying, "The Qingyun Sect used to be the number one immortal sect, but things are different now. They are now like rats crossing the street, hated by everyone."
Shi Xianxue's expression changed drastically.
"A lackey of the demon race has appeared in the Qingyun Sect."
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