Chapter 86 Southern Yue - Star River Tracker (Part 5) Time Rewind...
"Stop!"
The jade fox, now the size of a wild elephant, was stuck in mid-air, unable to move properly and feeling quite uncomfortable. Its long, alluring fox eyes blinked, unsure whether to follow its former master's orders to kill it directly or to obey its new master's opinion.
After assessing the combat capabilities of its two previous owners, it decided to kill it directly.
As the upper and lower jaws exerted force in one direction, the new owner promptly grabbed its tail and caught the black mist in his hand.
The black mist surged and roared in her palm, howling as if it wanted to rush up and tear her apart. Shi Xianxue had always kept her distance from such blatant and undisguised danger, but at this moment, the blood flowing in her body began to stir, indicating that this black mist was unusual.
She sensed something and covered it with both hands.
Although the goddess's power is primarily focused on repair, it is undeniably divine power—benevolent, generous, and pure. At the moment she grasped the black mist, she sensed a fleeting struggle of goodwill.
Therefore, she wanted to try to see if she could purify the black mist with the power of the gods.
A few breaths later, the black mist calmed down, but there was no sign of it being purified. Shi Xianxue probed deeper and caught a glimpse of eyes as frightened as a fawn's.
The jade fox bared its teeth and snarled beside him.
The black mist trembled in the palm of his hand, forming the shape of a croissant. Shi Xianxue patted the jade fox on the head.
Yu Hu covered her head and turned her face to one side.
Just as Shi Xianxue was about to go forward to check, she saw the black mist, which had been behaving itself, suddenly leap up and bite her finger before fleeing. The jade fox was about to give chase, but before it could, a white stream of water swiftly wrapped it up like dough and pulled it back.
It is the water flow of Tianyi Pavilion.
Just as Shi Xianxue was about to take it back, the stream of water slipped through her fingers and headed straight north.
Shi Xianxue turned around but did not immediately chase after him.
The crane flew towards the southernmost Mount No Return. From this height and distance, it seemed that the city south of Jiuyi City resembled a second Beiyong City, with a white line of fire devouring all life on this land.
She hesitated.
Wu Xiutang is really... It seems that yesterday's conversation was deliberately designed to lull her into a false sense of security and make her lower her guard. That way, she could leave the Southern Yue Palace unguarded today.
Good, good, good. All my schemes are being used on her.
She said, "When did Wu Xiutang become so generous, magnanimous, and forgiving?"
He was clearly still the same obsessive, ruthless man who wouldn't give up until he achieved his goal. Only by luring her away and keeping her out of his sight could he act freely and without any restraint.
Li Fuchao's figure had disappeared into the clouds, while in the direction of Jinxiu City, dark clouds had appeared, and narrow bolts of lightning seemed to be about to strike through the thick clouds, as if a heavenly tribulation was about to descend.
Shi Xianxue's heart sank. Without further hesitation, she ordered the crane to turn back in a deep voice.
Jade Fox was thrown out before she could figure out what was going on.
The new owner's voice drifted from behind him like a wisp of smoke.
"Go after Brother Li and tell him that the four demons are all in the Mountain of No Return. Do not reveal your whereabouts or make any rash moves before we arrive."
The demons led by Fengyun have not left Mount No Return. It is unknown whether they are no longer afraid of the Mountain-Protecting Fire, or whether they have become stronger because they have a divine artifact in hand.
That barely perceptible gap seemed like a trap, luring unsuspecting humans to their deaths.
--
The bright moon hanging high in the sky was suddenly occupied by layers of dark clouds like black mountains, making the view even deeper. Dark purple lightning rolled in the clouds like waves surging in the deep sea.
Pei Huaguang took a knife for Qi Lingyu, and the wound on his shoulder was so deep that the bone was visible, and blood splattered everywhere and could not be stopped.
The young prince, who had never been so badly injured before, turned pale instantly. He was delicate and fragile, and would usually make a big fuss about even the slightest scratch, wanting the whole palace to know. Now, having been truly struck by his father's sword, the excruciating pain almost made him faint. He gasped for breath in pain, tears streaming down his face like broken beads.
He looked at his father, who had suddenly gone mad, in disbelief, feeling both unfamiliar and terrified.
"Father..."
The jade crown was snapped and the gold belt shattered on the smooth ground. Long hair brushed against Pei Zheng's blood-stained face, and his cloudy eyes cleared slightly when the warm liquid splashed into his eye sockets.
The once boisterous banquet had descended into chaos, with the bodies of palace servants who had been accidentally injured lying at their feet.
The visual experience was as if it had been magnified countless times, and he could clearly see the expressions on everyone's faces.
Every single one of them was filled with terror.
His gaze drifted away from the crowd, lingering in the distance.
There were also celestial phenomena as strange and ominous as they had been back then.
The sun felt like it was being pricked by needles, and he gasped in pain, suddenly regaining his senses. His clouded vision refocused and slowly settled on the son he had raised and loved with all his heart and soul.
He gave a smile that looked more like a grimace and reached out his hand to Pei Huaguang.
Several bolts of lightning, accompanied by bluish-purple flames, crashed onto the rooftop. The demon's eyes flashed with the blackish-purple sparks of lightning, and it dodged them with a pounding heart. Then, the next bolt of lightning followed, heading straight for its vital point.
The miasma demon was terrified, and the hairs on its body stood on end.
It's all the master's fault for taking a desperate gamble and doing things his own way.
He came to Jinxiu City because he knew his master was looking for something. Taking memories is as easy as taking candy from a baby for a demon. Although the other party is a monarch and it will be quite troublesome, it is still better than having his head pierced by lightning.
The demon was drenched in cold sweat as he looked up at the scene that resembled the end of the world.
It's unclear why the owner of this house suddenly changed his mind. He not only wanted to kill the king, but also his father, and he even wanted to implicate the innocent man. These few bolts of heavenly lightning would ruin his cultivation over the years. Actually, his cultivation was still okay. As long as he was alive, he would always have a chance to start over. However, with so many bolts of heavenly lightning, he was very likely to have his soul turned to ashes.
While he was distracted, the raging lightning bolts in the endless sky suddenly struck down. The demon was unable to dodge in time and was hit on the arm, which immediately became a bloody mess, a gruesome sight. Before he could even scream, another bolt of lightning came crashing down on him without giving him a chance to breathe.
The demon was terrified at that moment. He knew he was doomed and was about to close his eyes and die in grief and indignation.
But then something happened that shattered his worldview.
His master, the seemingly frail young man, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and slowly reached his long, jade-like fingers into the surging wind—grabbing the bolt of lightning as if it were a real object.
It forcefully deflected the trajectory of the lightning attack.
The miasma demon was shocked and moved, because he saw that his master seemed to possess the right hand of a god, drawing all the heavenly tribulations into his body.
Wu Xiutang's identity as the God of Order has not awakened; his soul is dormant. He possesses the most fragile mortal body, his spirit is exhausted, and he is even weaker than a mortal.
The result of drawing lightning into his body was that his physical body was in a precarious state of cracking and breaking.
The hair seemed to be electrified, and the lightning and flesh crackled and popped. Even from a distance, the miasma demon could feel the earth-shattering power of the heavenly lightning and dared not approach. It could only watch from afar and began to wonder why its master had not been pulverized immediately.
Wu Xiutang lowered his head slightly, his facial features were distinct and cold under the play of light and shadow. To him, the several bolts of lightning seemed like only a cold wind gently brushing his face. He didn't even frown, as if they were just minor injuries that didn't hurt.
If the miasma demon hadn't seen its master bleeding from all seven orifices...
Wu Xiutang has always been straightforward and crude in his actions. It is only because Shi Xianxue is by his side that he has become much more lenient in his approach.
Ultimately, he's not here to claim relatives. He's always been incredibly impatient with others. Figuring out what happened back then and then wasting time searching through clues one by one is just too much trouble.
He could endure some hardship, but it wasn't something he couldn't bear.
But he would much rather see that arrogant emperor humbly offering up what he wanted.
"Father! Where are you taking me, Father! Mother, save me, Mother!"
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, release Hua'er! If you have any complaints, come at me! Your Majesty, he is your own son, and he is injured!"
Just as Qi Lingyu was about to step forward, she saw a sharp glint of cold light flash across her eyes. Her personal maidservant took a sword for her, and the spurting blood splattered all over Qi Lingyu's face.
No one dared to stop Pei Zheng anymore, and could only let him drag Pei Huaguang away.
Her vision was quickly filled with blood red, and a moment of confusion flashed across Qi Lingyu's face. She didn't chase after him immediately.
The palace maid fell dead in a pool of blood. Dark clouds stretched for thousands of miles, carrying a bone-chilling cold. It was as if a huge hole had been torn in the heavens. The sound of lightning and thunder gave her a jolt.
How could she forget something so important?
When Shi Xianxue arrived at Chongyang Palace following the trail of the black mist, it was already too late to turn the tide.
The first thing blocking her way was a plaque that had been split in two and was charred black.
"The Terrace of Longing for One's Son," Shi Xianxue murmured aloud.
The predecessor of Chongyang Palace was Sizitai (Platform for Remembering One's Son).
Everywhere there were traces of lightning strikes. Shi Xianxue's heart pounded like a drum. When she stepped over the threshold, the strong smell of blood that filled her nostrils made her nerves tense.
Inside Chongyang Palace, you could hear a pin drop. Corpses lay scattered on the ground. Shi Xianxue's legs felt like lead, her fingernails digging into her palms. She mustered her courage and continued deeper into the palace.
When Pei Huaguang's cold body appeared before her, Shi Xianxue could no longer remain calm. Her eyelashes trembled uncontrollably, and a sharp buzzing sound filled her ears. After a dizzying moment of darkness, she managed to stand up and see the situation before her.
Pei Huaguang had deep, bone-exposing wounds on his wrists and throat. His skin was no longer smooth and elastic; instead, it quickly sank in, turning him into a shriveled corpse.
Beside him was Qi Lingyu, who had fainted.
Just hours ago, the young prince, who was still lively and excitedly expressing his reluctance to part, was drained of his blood and died.
Who killed him?
Shi Xianxue didn't want to think about it.
Tears blurred her vision. Shi Xianxue sniffed and stood up. Now was not the time to be sad; she needed to find Wu Xiutang quickly.
Amidst the continuous thunder, the Star Tracker excitedly spun its axle, with a five-clawed golden dragon supporting a three-layered metal ring structure. The inner layer, similar to the Four-Way Instrument, was marked with graduations corresponding to the trajectories of the stars in the sky.
Shi Xianxue took a step forward, and Pei Zheng's crazed face emerged from behind the Star River Tracker.
His face and eyes were bloodshot, his expression was crazed, and he stared at her, as if looking through her at someone else.
The black mist seemed afraid of him, and drifted unsteadily behind Shi Xianxue, the water flowing back into her body.
Pei Zheng narrowed his eyes, as if recognizing the true form of the black mist. He looked enlightened and raised the corners of his lips: "So it's Nian Jiao."
Nianjiao?
Is the black mist named Nianjiao?
Pei Zheng's gaze returned to her. He wiped the blood from his face, his eyes deep and serious: "Are you here to see Hua Guang?"
Before she could speak, Pei Zheng pointed to the Star River Tracker and said, "What a coincidence, he's already inside. Seeing how deeply in love you two are, why don't you jump down and find him?"
Pei Zheng seems to have gone mad.
He's rambling on and on.
Not getting a response from her, Pei Zheng smiled and reiterated, "It's your Daoist partner, but are you really not going to jump? The Star River Tracker is about to shut down, and it will be too late to regret it then."
Shi Xianxue naturally didn't believe it. Perhaps Pei Huaguang's death had hit him too hard, because she felt that Pei Zheng seemed to have gone mad.
His speech was illogical, and his demeanor was strange.
She didn't want to go in; what if it was a trap? That would be like catching a turtle in a jar.
But the more she didn't want something, the more things seemed to spiral out of control.
The water, seemingly drawn by an unknown force, disregarded her wishes and, amidst Pei Zheng's rampant laughter, sent her into the Star River Tracker.
--
The inn was quiet, with the windows half-open. What came into view was a once-in-a-century celestial phenomenon. Xiao Mei exclaimed, "What is that? A heavenly tribulation? That direction is towards the palace, isn't it? Has something happened to Xue'er and the others?"
Zhou Zheyue's eyes flickered, but he wasn't surprised. "Is that so?" He stood up, and the boy's body cast a black shadow on the snow-white wall.
"The Star Tracker is acting up."
"The Galaxy Tracker, is that the kind of magical device that can track and locate? What does 'restlessness' mean? Is it broken?"
Zhou Zheyue opened the window completely, revealing the horrifying scene before her eyes.
"Tracking and locating? That's just the least noteworthy function of the Star River Tracker. I read in a book that it can track, suppress seals, and..."
Zhou Zheyue's unreserved popular science explanation only paused for a moment.
Then he spoke again: "Time rewind."
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