The Choice of Art and Beauty
The only sound in Yanshi Ridge was the wind. The cave was pitch black. The Gu Queen, covered in blood, had been slashed on the front and back by Xiao Litian, the wounds so deep that the bone was visible.
If it were anyone else, they would probably have collapsed long ago, but she was just the Gu King's puppet, so she didn't feel any pain.
However, in the past, her injuries would have healed in an instant, but now the Gu King's condition is not very optimistic.
Although he doesn't die because of the demonic gu in his body, the gu is gradually becoming stronger. If it takes over the dominant position, he will become a puppet of the demonic gu.
How could he accept this?
Having finally woken up, he didn't want to become a monster that only knew how to devour demons. Even if he killed all the demons of the Seven Great Demon Mountains, he wouldn't be able to experience the joy of victory. What difference would that make from being dead?
No!
He just wanted to carefully return to his side. In so many dark and desperate nights, only the two of them stayed together, waiting for the dawn to break.
Finally, dawn broke, and Xiaoxin'er was standing right in front of him?
On what grounds? Why?
So what if it takes too long?
Could everything that happened be erased? Xiaoxin'er was deceived and bewitched by those demons, but he wouldn't. He would definitely prove to Xiaoxin'er that those demons weren't worth it.
The demonic gu within his body resisted fiercely, and Wang Rongku coughed up a mouthful of blood. The dark blood stung his eyes.
He suddenly felt a lot of pain.
It felt like we were back on the night we swallowed the demonic gu.
It felt as if every bone in his body was being torn apart by a thousand cuts, slowly slicing him to pieces.
The moon rises above the treetops.
Silence pervades every corner of Qiling Mountain.
Inside the misty forest, the mute mantis huddled fearfully in his small hole. None of the people who had come recently had been a match for him.
Although he wasn't very bright, he wasn't stupid. Shu Huixin told him to watch over the woods, but she also said that if he couldn't win, he should hide.
He is very obedient.
Before he knew it, it was already late at night. The mute mantis fell into a deep sleep, and in his hazy state, he seemed to hear someone passing through the forest again.
yes……
Ren Xiangxiang looked haggard and had lost a lot of weight. She and Mo You walked silently toward Shu Huixin's courtyard.
One last thing is missing.
Seven-tenths of the original text.
Right after Caowa died, during the time she was in a coma, she had a dream.
She dreamt of a scene from her childhood, when her master only had her as a disciple, and her junior sister fell from a tree.
She remembered the towering Fruit Maiden Tree in the courtyard. Fruit Maiden Trees were rare; there were probably no more than ten in the entire Seven Great Demon Mountains, because the seeds of the Fruit Maiden Tree could enhance cultivation and greatly increase a demon's strength.
More importantly, the fruit-bearing trees have a very special way of survival. They are neither demons nor humans. A fruit-bearing tree will only bloom one flower when it matures. Moreover, their trees have thousands of forms, but only the flowers are the same.
When they bloom, a child will be born.
They resembled newborn human infants, and without exception, they were all female.
They share a common name: Fruit Girls.
"Oh no! Master, Master, a doll has fallen!"
Ren Xiangxiang looked at the baby falling from the sky with a face full of horror, but the baby was still giggling in her arms.
Still laughing? I can barely hold you anymore!
Even though she was half-human and half-demon with amazing strength, otherwise, if that fruit-shaped doll had suddenly fallen and hadn't hit her, it would have seriously injured the doll.
Shu Huixin slowly wheeled herself in her wheelchair, a smile playing on her lips. "Time flies... Xiangxiang, from today onwards, she will be your junior sister."
"Huh?" She opened her mouth wide.
Shui Buyun poked her head out from the kitchen where food was cooking, her eyes widening in surprise. "What? What?"
The moment the fruit tree fell to the ground, the once lush and green fruit tree withered and died instantly, and a thick layer of fallen leaves covered the ground.
At that time, she did not understand what made the girl with the fruit different from them.
It wasn't until the master agreed to let the junior sister leave that she excitedly went out the door, but the master was not happy at all.
"Master, if you don't want your junior sister to go out, then don't let her go. She listens to you so much." Ren Xiangxiang said, puzzled.
Shu Huixin smiled bitterly and shook her head. "I couldn't stop her, because she was naked!"
"Fruit Girl? But she's clearly just like me. She doesn't have any demonic aura at all; she's just like an ordinary human girl." Ren Xiangxiang found it even more incomprehensible.
"I always tell you to read more books, but now you're asking all sorts of questions. You're not even as good as a tree," Shui Buyun casually remarked as he passed by.
Ren Xiangxiang's face immediately darkened. "I didn't ask you. Are you my master? You're acting like you know everything. You were eavesdropping on our conversation, and you probably want to know too, don't you!"
Shui didn't stop, scoffing at her provocation. "Do you know why they're called Fruit Maidens? Because their way of procreation is to find a human or demon man, and the child they carry is the seed of the Fruit Maiden Tree!"
I can't bear to think about it anymore!
She knows nothing!
she--
"Senior sister, you're back!" A cheerful shout pulled Ren Xiangxiang back from her reverie.
"What are you doing here?" Ren Xiangxiang asked in a panic, rushing forward and blurting out, "Why are you back so soon? Why did you come back now, Guo Lanqiu!"
Ren Xiangxiang's grip was very strong, making Guo Lanqiu's arm ache. Her expression was even more frightening, and Guo Lanqiu didn't know whether to feel the pain or be shocked first.
"Senior Sister...you...you let go of me first, I..."
"Xiangxiang!"
Mo You was about to separate the two when Ren Xiangxiang suddenly changed, fiercely shoving him away. "Go, go! Get out of here! Go!"
"Senior sister..." Guo Lanqiu was so frightened she was almost crying, her pregnant belly making her look extremely disheveled. "You, you calm down, senior sister... I..."
"Xiangxiang".
Shu Huixin wheeled herself wearily out of the house, her face showing traces of blood and tears. "You're back, Xiangxiang."
"Master, Master..."
Ren Xiangxiang's hand involuntarily loosened, and she lowered her head, like a child who had made a mistake, cautiously and with a hint of panic, walked toward the white-haired woman in the wheelchair.
She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt that her master was a little different than before, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
This feeling made her even more apprehensive.
Shu Huixin held Ren Xiangxiang's hand tightly. Her hand was very cold, as if it had been immersed in cold water for a long time. Ren Xiangxiang's heart instantly turned cold.
"Master, your hand..."
Shu Huixin simply smiled and shook her head. "Xiangxiang, I'm sorry. If it weren't for my momentary lapse of judgment back then, things wouldn't be like this today. But if time could turn back, I might still do the same thing, so..."
"It wasn't Master's fault." Ren Xiangxiang lowered her head, her eyes seemingly veiled in a thin mist. "I just... I just..."
The words she wanted to say were stuck in her chest, making it hard for her to breathe, and only large tears rolled down her cheeks.
How could she not resent and hate? But she couldn't resent her master. She just felt it was unfair. Why should those people who had no connection with Qiling Mountain have to lose their lives? Why?
"Xiangxiang..." Guo Lanqiu quietly watched Ren Xiangxiang, who was desperately suppressing her sobs. She wiped away her tears again and again, only to have them wet her face again and again.
After a long silence, as night fell, Ren Xiangxiang, exhausted from her return, finally fell into a deep sleep after being persuaded by Guo Lanqiu.
As night falls, casting a hazy veil over the lonely courtyard, the lamps on the eaves sway wildly in the wind, and the fallen leaves in the yard remain unswept, all mixed together with the herbs that Shui Buyun hadn't had time to harvest.
These herbs, which had been exposed to wind and rain, had become moldy and rotten and were no longer usable. Guo Lanqiu didn't know whether it was a pity or something else, and stood blankly in the corner of the yard for a long time with a broom in hand.
According to Mo You, they obtained the Snow Fire and the Shadow True One, leaving only the last 70% of the seeds.
Guo Lanqiu touched her stomach, then her gaze fell on the withered fruit tree. Its bare trunk stretched out menacingly toward the sky, as if protesting the injustice of fate.
She was momentarily lost in thought and didn't notice that Shu Huixin had changed her clothes and came out of the house.
She always preferred plain-colored clothes, so when Guo Lanqiu turned around and saw a glimpse of rosy clouds reflected in her pupils, she subconsciously dropped the broom and ran over.
"Master, what's wrong...?"
Shu Huixin turned around, smiled at her, her red lips and white teeth, her lightly made-up face made her feel dazed.
Such a beautiful master, but why would she be so sad?
"Master."
Guo Lanqiu's gaze inadvertently swept across the inner room, where the stench of blood had not yet dissipated, and on the bed lay Shui Buyun.
"Come with me."
Shu Huixin glided ahead in her wheelchair, while Guo Lanqiu followed closely behind, cautious and focused. The questions that were about to surface inexplicably turned into overwhelming sadness after meeting Shu Huixin's unusual smile.
Guo Lanqiu finally couldn't hold back any longer until Shu Huixin stopped in the alchemy room.
"Master, what are you trying to do? Why, why are you dressed like this? Master, I, I..."
Guo Lanqiu was incoherent and didn't know where to begin. Looking at Shu Huixin's calm face, she felt her whole body trembling.
"Lanqiu, only you can help me with this final step."
"I don't want to." Guo Lanqiu refused without hesitation. "I don't want to... Master can do whatever he wants. I don't want to, I don't want to..."
"Before the Poison-Slaying Needle is made, the only antidote for the poison in Bu Yunzhong can be made using the Demon Gu. I can't watch him die."
"So we're just going to watch you die?" Guo Lanqiu shouted angrily, and even she was stunned when she heard the shout.
"Master, Xiangxiang is almost there. Tomorrow—no, I'll wake her up right now and take out 70% of the essence from my body. She can immediately refine the Gu-Exterminating Needle. There's still time, she definitely can—"
Guo Lanqiu turned and ran, but was immediately entangled by Shu Huixin's green vines. "Master!"
"It's too late," Shu Huixin said calmly. "They won't allow it until they can wait."
"Master—" Guo Lanqiu struggled desperately, trying to find Ren Xiangxiang, but the green vines wrapped around her and wouldn't budge an inch.
She watched helplessly as Shu Huixin entered the alchemy room, and then the door slammed shut behind her.
"No--"
The demon-refining furnace, which had been covered in dust in the alchemy room, was rekindled. It was the first demon-refining furnace she had obtained when she was in the Yang Palace, but unfortunately she hadn't used it much.
"No, Master! Master, Master—"
Guo Lanqiu was screaming her heart out outside, and a soft sigh seemed to come from inside.
"Lanqiu, sometimes even I am confused. What am I clinging to in this life? In the first half of my life, I hated demons to the bone, and in the second half, I hated Bu Yun... Heh... He'll resent me, won't he..."
But I just couldn't bring myself to watch him die in front of me.
I can't let him die.
Even if it means refining myself into an antidote.
"Master—"
The flames roared and instantly engulfed the crimson sky.
Just like her last glance before she went blind, the red flames spread across the sky, seemingly foreshadowing something.
“Father, Mother, and… Brother Rong…”
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