Chapter 80 Fragrant City, Peach Blossom Palace (Part 10) Every day is like this…
Looking at the empty room, Fu Zhen's face grew increasingly gloomy. He smashed the door with a palm and coldly ordered, "Search for them. The spirit array is still intact, so they must still be on the immortal ship. Once we find the goddess, if she is still as stubborn as ever, then do as Master said."
"yes."
The Nine Heavens Immortal Mansion is incredibly wealthy. The immortal ship is more than ten times larger than it appears to be. Its interior is intricate and complex, with dozens of cabins interconnected like anthills. Each level is equipped with different spirit arrays, and if one is not careful, one will fall into the eye of an array and be crushed into dust.
However, Wu Xiutang's memory was exceptionally good, almost to the point of photographic memory. It's just that Shi Xianxue hadn't been able to explore the entire immortal ship in such a short time and form an extremely detailed route map in his mind.
It didn't take long for them to get from the maze-like interior cabins to the deck.
Shi Xianxue had never seen so many crows before.
The flock of birds crashed against the ship's hull. The celestial vessel automatically activated its defensive mode upon being attacked, and blue lightning burned the crows, giving them a smoky aroma.
The entire barrier was completely sealed off, and the dark flock of birds completely blocked the view from inside the celestial ship, making it impossible for them to see the scenery outside the ship.
The wind rose and the clouds surged, black mist spread, and a dangerous aura silently approached the immortal ship.
“The Nether Bird of the Demon Clan,” Wu Xiutang said.
Those brainless idiots who love to eat other people's brains are actually masters at breaking boundaries.
Shi Xianxue's trypophobia kicked in.
What ghost bird? It's clearly just a charred little crow.
Seemingly having spotted the two people on the deck, the ghost birds let out sharp cries and swarmed toward their location.
At the same time, Shi Xianxue heard people from the Nine Heavens Immortal Mansion chasing after them.
She was extremely nervous, looking around anxiously, and a little indignant: "No way, I am the dignified Goddess of Wushan, and the demons send these lowly minions to capture me? Isn't that incredibly disrespectful?"
Most importantly, can these little birds defeat the Qiankun Star of the Nine Heavens Immortal Mansion? Aren't they underestimating the Demon Clan?
Wu Xiutang glanced at Shi Xianxue, who was about to jump up and down beside him, and silently covered her mouth.
These demons weren't after her at all.
He wouldn't let Shi Xianxue put herself in danger.
Wu Xiutang had the puppet figures transform into the two of them and stand on the deck to attract flocks of birds, while he led her back to the tail tower.
Breaking the spirit arrays of the Nine Heavens Immortal Mansion along the way was as easy for him as Shi Xianxue playing Super Mario.
To be honest, Shi Xianxue had long been jealous of his photographic memory and ability to understand ten things from one instance.
A bone-chilling wind blew in from somewhere in the back building, creeping in from the back of her neck, and the icy temperature made Shi Xianxue shiver.
Wu Xiutang hid her well, using magic to conceal her aura. At the same time, he bent down and put a fluffy red hat on her head. The hat was made of some unknown material, extremely soft, and covered her ears completely. A warm, sun-like aura instantly enveloped her entire body.
Wu Xiutang helped her adjust her little hat.
He lowered his eyes.
He saw those clear, bright, and watery eyes staring at him with an innocent look.
She is both beautiful and well-behaved.
Wu Xiutang's Adam's apple bobbed up and down.
An unnamed, burning anger suddenly surged from my heart to my lower abdomen.
Be aware of what you are thinking.
He took a deep breath and released her.
Shi Xianxue panicked instantly when she saw him concealing his aura and looking like he was about to leave at any moment.
"Hey! Wu Xiutang, you're not going to hide me here and go out to fight the enemy yourself, are you? What kind of hero are you trying to be? Besides, they're coming for me. Those two puppet figures will reveal themselves when attacked. How can I, the main character, not be there to take charge!"
Shi Xianxue struggled in vain, and Little Red Riding Hood fell off crookedly.
Wu Xiutang glanced at her but didn't say anything.
She was furious and struggled wildly: "Wu Xiutang, don't try to steal my thunder!"
"Speak! I'm talking to you! Why are you silent? Why won't you speak?"
Wu Xiutang straightened up with a cold face, and a barely perceptible cold snort escaped from his nose.
"What are you humming about?" Shi Xianxue twisted her body like a pretzel, determined not to let him have his way. "You're starting to give me the silent treatment now, aren't you? We're not even married yet, and you're already giving me the silent treatment! Wu Xiutang, you're such a jerk! Waaaaah~"
A warmth spread across my lips, followed by an unexpected softness.
The sweetness of the plum candy made Shi Xianxue's mind go blank for a second. She subconsciously licked it and then saw the boy who had been so proactive just moments before turn red in the ears.
She'll feel shy even when she tries to be affectionate with someone.
Shi Xianxue was incredulous. She looked at the boy, whose face was usually as cold as ice but whose ears were as red as pomegranate seeds. After a moment of reflection, she pretended to be annoyed: "Why did you suddenly kiss me? I was talking to you about something important."
"Don't think I'll forgive you just because you sold your body. Now, right now, get off me, Wu Xiutang!"
Upon hearing this, Wu Xiutang pinched her cheek again.
Shi Xianxue felt that he was squeezing a stress-relieving toy.
“I’m really angry, Wu Xiutang.”
Sure enough, the next moment her face lightened, and Wu Xiutang released her face, ready to decisively turn away. Shi Xianxue saw this and was about to chase after him, but she bumped into a soft, transparent wall and was blocked three steps away.
Like a pet locked in a cage, it pitifully watches its departing owner.
But Shi Xianxue is not a pet, she is the master.
"You think my word doesn't count? Wu Xiutang, if you dare leave me here, I'll never talk to you again, and I mean it."
She thought of those demons in the Glass Flower House. It was definitely not a coincidence. She wondered what agreement Wu Xiutang and Feng Yun had reached. Presumably, the demons had come specifically to capture Wu Xiutang. Xiao Mei, that traitor, was asked to deliver a message. Was she delivering it to the goddess or Wu Xiutang?
Ahhh! I'm going crazy!
Upon hearing this, Wu Xiutang stopped in his tracks. He turned slightly to the side, his profile sharp and beautiful, but his tone was inexplicably resentful: "I'll talk to you again once you've figured out how to call me."
Shi Xianxue was stunned, never expecting the crux of the matter to be such a trivial matter. She patted the barrier cover speechlessly, "Wu Xiutang, are you a child? Is this title important? What time is it now? Don't throw a tantrum at me. I won't tolerate you. Open the barrier for me."
She got angry over such a small thing; he'll suffer for it later. She's not a kindergarten teacher; she doesn't have that much patience to burn.
Seeing that he was about to leave, a sharp, piercing sound suddenly rang in Shi Xianxue's mind. With her eyes closed and her face flushed, she shouted, "Baby, baby, is that enough? Good baby, sweet baby, you are my most beloved baby!"
Luckily, there was no one else here, otherwise this would have been too embarrassing.
"Not enough." The boy took a few steps back to her.
He leaned down at her with his eyelashes curling, looking like he was suddenly in a good mood. Shi Xianxue blushed and was about to warn him not to push his luck when she heard him say, "You have to call me that every day from now on, especially in front of other people."
"Okay, okay, I know, I know, just open the barrier for me first," Shi Xianxue said dismissively.
He nodded, his expression docile, seemingly easy to talk to, but that wasn't the case at all: "Wait a little longer."
Wu Xiutang coaxed her through the barrier, a smile playing on his lips, "Be good, I'll be back soon."
—
The barrier had been cracked by the Nether Bird, and dangerous demonic energy seeped in through the gaps, wrapping around a person's neck like vines, tightening until it snapped the fragile neck and entered the brain through the seven orifices. The person's eyes immediately turned a mindless crimson red, and they swung their sword at their fellow disciples.
As Wu Xiutang leisurely went up, he happened to run into Fu Zhen, who had come looking for them.
Seemingly aware that they had not yet left, Fu Zhen did not show much panic. When he saw Wu Xiutang, he subconsciously looked behind him. Seeing that Shi Xianxue was not there, his feigned friendliness instantly crumbled.
"Where is the goddess?" he demanded sternly. "Young Master Wu, I've been very polite to you all this way because of our past friendship. Don't be so stubborn and demand the punishment you deserve—"
Fu Zhen turned around, rubbed the wound on his face with the back of his hand, his expression unreadable.
If he hadn't dodged in time, half of his face would probably have been sliced off.
Indeed, he had no good feelings towards him from the very beginning and should have killed him long ago.
Chaos had already broken out behind him, and quite a few disciples of the Nine Heavens Immortal Mansion had been affected. Fu Zhen didn't care at all, and just stared at the boy not far away with a gloomy expression.
Wu Xiutang used demonic energy as a weapon, the black demonic energy swirling around her fair fingertips. "I don't know the Goddess, I only know that Shi Xianxue is my Daoist partner. You covet her, you deserve to die."
"What arrogance! I, Fu Zhen, despise arrogant and conceited brats like you the most. You are ignorant of your own limitations and act recklessly. The goddess is so noble; how could someone as lowly as you be worthy of her?"
With the Qiankun Star around, killing these demons is only a matter of time.
Even if it means destroying the immortal ship and causing all those people brought with it to perish here, he still has to have the goddess.
Of course, the first priority is to deal with this troublesome teenager.
--
Shi Xianxue sat cross-legged on the ground, her elbows supporting her knees and her palms supporting her chin. After a while, she raised her finger and poked the barrier that looked like a water bubble.
It's soft and elastic; even after she pokes a shallow dent in it, it bounces back automatically. Perhaps she's afraid that she'll act recklessly and hurt herself by forcing her way through the barrier.
In her opinion, Wu Xiutang was too well-rounded.
She sighed as she noticed that the door to the room had been blown open by the wind at some point.
Fortunately, there was a barrier and a hat made of a special material, so she didn't feel cold, but Shi Xianxue inexplicably felt a chill emanating from the soles of her feet.
Could it be a ghost?
Shi Xianxue stood up, hid in a corner, and gripped the Dragon Sparrow Blade tightly with a wary expression.
This is a small, retractable dagger. Wu Xiutang had given her many beautiful self-defense daggers, but this was her favorite. Not only was it beautifully designed, but it was also very intelligent. Of all the daggers that had been lost or broken during the bumpy journey, only this one could understand her heart. It would help her cut the rope and find it again if she accidentally lost it.
The newcomer was indeed a demon, and his cultivation was at least at the Nascent Soul stage. He was ugly and immediately spotted Shi Xianxue behind the barrier. He then lunged at her menacingly.
After a long while, he stopped, panting heavily. His skin was charred black from the burns, and he grimaced in pain, yelling, "What kind of lousy formation is this?! You just wait!!"
After saying that, he turned and left, seemingly to fetch reinforcements.
Shi Xianxue breathed a sigh of relief, only to see someone squeeze in through the crack in the door. The person was dressed entirely in black, wearing a black cloak to conceal their figure, as if they were someone to be ashamed of, and looked like a villain.
However, Shi Xianxue could not detect the demonic energy.
As the figure drew closer, Shi Xianxue became increasingly nervous.
Actually, the demon had indeed affected the barrier. In a corner he hadn't noticed, tiny cracks, like spider silk, had appeared, but he was too busy to see them.
If someone with higher cultivation were to join, the barrier might really not be able to hold up.
She hid the dragon sparrow in her sleeve, her heart pounding deafeningly.
It wasn't until the person removed their cloak, exposing their slightly pale face to the air, and called her "Xiaoxue" that Shi Xianxue finally reacted.
She stood up, looked the newcomer up and down, more surprised than happy: "Xiaoyue, how could it be you? Have you been following us?"
Zhou Zheyue had lost a lot of weight, her chin was sharp, and compared to her carefree self before, she looked sickly. She smiled and said, "It's me, Xiaoxue. I've come to save you."
Shi Xianxue looked at him suspiciously, not trusting him. "Wait, how can I believe you are really Xiaoyue? It's so chaotic outside. If you were a demon, you could have used a transformation spell to look like Xiaoyue and tricked me into going out. If you really are Xiaoyue, why would you be sneaking around as a member of the Nine Heavens Immortal Mansion? I didn't see you that day either."
"I really am Xiaoyue. My senior brother knew we were close and didn't want to take me with him, so I secretly followed him. But I wasn't as skilled as him and lost him for a while. When I found the immortal ship again, you were already on it. You also have cultivation, so you should be able to tell that I don't have any demonic energy on me." Zhou Zheyue's face turned red with anxiety. "I was unconscious for a long time. When I woke up, I found out that so many things had happened. Have you found Sister Qing Shu?"
Shi Xianxue deliberately said, "Song Qingshu is a demon, why do you care about her? Shouldn't you be staying as far away from her as possible?"
Zhou Zheyue froze for a second, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Xiaoxue, how could you say that? How could Sister Qing Shu be a demon? She's such a good person, she must have been framed. It's one thing if others don't believe her, but how could you say such a thing too?"
As he spoke, his eyes reddened.
This simple-minded, silly child believed a single lie. Didn't he realize he was being tested?
Since learning her true identity, she has developed a sense of affection and closeness towards Zhou Zheyue, as if they were blood relatives. According to seniority, shouldn't he call her his great-great-great-great-aunt?
"Never mind, I'll rescue you first. The barrier on the immortal ship has been broken, and it might fall soon."
Seeing that he was about to touch the barrier, Shi Xianxue shouted, "Hey, don't touch it! This barrier was set up by Wu Xiutang. If you try to force it, you will be attacked by the barrier."
Zhou Zheyue's hand froze in mid-air. "Then what do we do? How long can this barrier hold? Shall we wait for Young Master Wu to return together?"
“No, a demon just came.” Shi Xianxue pointed to the cracks caused by the impact. “He went to get reinforcements. If he finds you here, you’ll be in danger. Think of something. Aren’t your Nine Heavens Immortal Mansion the best at setting up arrays and barriers?”
He exclaimed "Ah!" and hurriedly opened his storage ring. He used his spiritual senses to search for a while, and Shi Xianxue saw that the little light bulb above his head had lit up.
"Found it. The key to opening the barrier is with you."
"On me?"
“That’s right, Young Master Wu loves you and can’t bear to see you hurt in the slightest. Even the inside of this formation is made of jade rubber as gentle as spring water. As long as you, Xiaoxue—” Zhou Zheyue’s voice trailed off.
Shi Xianxue looked down at the dragon sparrow in her hand, as if she understood something.
---
The celestial ship swayed violently as it was struck by some enormous object. The lighting equipment in the cabin was knocked over, and the two walked in the dimly lit cabin, their steps trembling as they listened to the sounds of fighting outside.
They were lucky; they didn't encounter anyone from the Nine Heavens Immortal Palace or any demons along the way. In a violent jolt, Shi Xianxue sprinted and crashed into the ship. She clutched her forehead and cried out in pain. The person behind her rushed up apologetically, "Xiaoxue, are you alright? I'm so sorry I didn't manage to stop you."
Just as she was about to answer, a black mist rose from the ground and, before the two could react, transformed into chains that tightly bound Shi Xianxue. Zhou Zheyue suddenly frowned and swung her sword in one direction.
The demon was clearly surprised that Zhou Zheyue, with such low cultivation, could discover him so quickly. He was careless and almost got stabbed. He cursed inwardly that this brat was hiding his true strength. The next second, he pushed Zhou Zheyue aside and waved to retract the chains.
Shi Xianxue felt a tightening in her waist and abdomen, and her whole body was lifted into the air and flew towards the demon.
The chains retracted quickly, but even faster was Wu Xiutang's sword.
Shi Xianxue didn't know where he had stolen the sword from. The sword was extremely sharp, capable of cutting through iron like mud, and it was also beautifully shaped. When it collided with the chains, it would emit a golden light.
The chain snapped instantly.
Shi Xianxue fell into a blood-stained embrace. Before she could even speak, Wu Xiutang coldly released her.
The bloodstains on his chin hadn't been wiped clean yet. Wu Xiutang had a slight obsession with cleanliness, and now, with blood on his body, clothes disheveled, and rapid breathing, he was clearly aware that he had been forced to escape the barrier and had no time to tidy himself up.
He exuded a chilling aura, his violent black eyes surging. He didn't even spare a glance for Shi Xianxue, and charged at the demon again.
Although he didn't say a word, Shi Xianxue knew that he was angry, very angry, and angry at himself.
She stood there helplessly, then gradually realized something was wrong. The demons were all outside, ordered by Feng Yun to capture Wu Xiutang, but this demon was different. He couldn't break the barrier and wouldn't leave. He stubbornly stayed here. Even after capturing her, he didn't rush to kill her. Instead, he chained her up with a very long chain, as if he wanted to take her and the chain with him.
Especially when she saw the demon being brutally beaten by Wu Xiutang, yet a smile flashed in his eyes, her ominous feeling reached its peak.
Sure enough, as soon as she turned around, she met a pair of exceptionally alluring green eyes.
Damn it!
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