Chapter 123 A face in Luofan City that looks exactly like Dongjun! ...
So many celestial beads.
Did Dongjun dig up all the banished immortals in the entire mountain...?
Even if he, a True Lord of the Upper Clarity Realm, didn't kill those banished immortals, but only dug out the immortal pearls, wouldn't that still be considered interfering with karma?
Did the Supreme God of the Source really just watch like that?
For a moment, Bitao didn't know how to react.
Dongjun was very pleased with the little carp's dumbfounded look.
He slowly straightened up, raised an eyebrow and looked at her, saying, "Why bother taking those idiots to get those pitiful magic beads?"
"When it comes to the final allocation, you have to use your wits to prevent those short-sighted people from fighting amongst themselves over such a small amount of resources."
"Little carp, ignore those people and come with me."
Dongjun said, "Come with me, and I'll give you all of these things. Whether you want to eat them like candy or play with them like glass beads, I promise you'll have plenty."
Seeing that the little carp did not nod immediately, Dongjun thought that she must have fallen into her foolish kindness again.
He then increased his bets again.
Dongjun said, "No matter what crime you have committed, as long as you nod and promise to follow me, I can guarantee that you will pass away peacefully."
Dongjun wasn't exaggerating.
There were already problems in this realm. The Taiqing Realm has created such a huge mess that even its own father, Qingming, should be held accountable.
If this little carp had committed a serious crime, it would have already been sacrificed in heaven.
The fact that she was sentenced to this point means that the crime she committed was not serious.
He asked his master to speak up and send the person to the star realm of Shangqing Realm to atone for his sins. He could make amends by dealing with those wicked demons. With his master watching over him, wouldn't it be easy for him to return to heaven?
When Bitao saw Dongjun's unrestrained expression, she raised her eyebrows.
Did the Heavenly Rules undergo some kind of distortion without her knowledge?
Why has everything she knew suddenly changed so drastically today?
Does everyone have "privileges" she's unaware of?
A condemned star god can send someone to ascend to heaven every year or even every six months.
How could a True Lord of the Upper Clarity Realm casually go to the Star Realm of the Supreme Clarity Realm and snatch away a sinful immortal?
Is Taiqingjing some kind of leaky bamboo basket?
Bitao almost laughed.
But she looked intently at Dongjun, and through his unruly eyes, she looked at her little darling Mingguang.
The reason Dongjun could make such a confident promise to her must be because Shangyuan Shenzhen doted on and spoiled him very much.
Because of his special talent, the Supreme God of Origin holds a prominent position in both the Taiqing Realm and the Shangqing Realm.
If we just open our mouths, rescuing a sinful immortal wouldn't be a problem at all.
Dongjun was born into a high position, being an immortal in the clouds, and he also had such a loving master, so it's not surprising that he could do whatever he wanted.
Dongjun never actually held any official position in the Nine Heavens, yet all the conveniences and preferential treatments surrounded him, which he used with ease and confidence.
Mingguang has held public office in all realms for so many years and is the true "regent prince," yet he has never used his power to seek even the slightest personal gain.
Diligent and conscientious, she led the ancient immortal clan in the competition, much like a wet nurse in a wealthy family, nourishing the "young masters" with her milk, but none of the "young masters" truly regarded her as their mother.
Those ancient immortals thought his adherence was weakness and that they wanted to shackle his hands and feet and turn him into a puppet.
How utterly despicable!
This world is not just for ordinary people; even those born into "imperial families" are clearly not immune to fairness and justice.
Dongjun waited for a while but still didn't get a reply from the little carp, and he really felt that she didn't know what was good for her.
But Dongjun wasn't angry; he looked at her with a smile and remained very patient.
They just assumed she was young and not thinking clearly.
Thinking that I could keep him by my side and raise him in the future, I figured his foolish and kind nature would eventually change.
He took the bag of fairy beads from behind him and handed it to Bitao again.
He compromised, saying, "Fine, fine... If you insist on taking those crippled soldiers, that's fine too. Anyway, these immortal pearls are enough for them to recover."
Bitao felt indignant on behalf of her Mingguang.
Thinking to myself, "Why not take advantage of a free lunch? Only a fool wouldn't pass up such a good deal."
After receiving them, I sent them all to Mingguang.
No one else doted on him, but his little peach branch did.
However, when Bitao reached out her hand, Dongjun mischievously withdrew it.
"I've gone to so much trouble, even risking karma, to get these things for you. You can't just take them for nothing, can you?"
Bitao looked at him, her expression unreadable.
Dongjun said, "It doesn't matter if you don't want to tell me your name and age, I'll find out sooner or later anyway."
"But this is a total of over 1,980 immortal pearls. I forced all the immortals in the entire mountain to reveal their stock."
"It's not too much for you to call me 'brother,' is it?"
Bitao thought he was going to propose some harsh conditions.
If it's too outrageous, kick him out.
Is that all?
Children who are overindulged never grow up; Dongjun certainly has the temperament of a spoiled child.
As Bitao reached for the cloth bag, she called out crisply, "Brother."
Anyway, he's Mingguang's brother, so it's only natural that she'd have to call him that sooner or later after the marriage. It's a good thing she got such a generous gift so early on.
Bitao snatched the immortal pearls, weighed them in her hand, and thought to herself that Dongjun could now easily make her call him "father," let alone "brother."
Anyway, she grew up wild and untamed. Both of her fathers were recruited by her own abilities in her first competition. She finally had a mother, but they only had a short-lived relationship.
Human relationships and moral principles were nothing more than fleeting clouds to her.
She certainly has the ability to obtain the Immortal Pearl, but if there is a shortcut, why would anyone take the long way around?
With these small beads, she no longer needed to waste time and painstakingly expand her team, and could reunite with Mingguang as soon as possible.
Besides, if you think about it carefully, this Dongjun is also "one of our own," so why be so polite with one of our own?
Bitao seemed to have forgotten that she had previously thought that Mingguang and Mingguang's family were two different things. In the blink of an eye, she was faced with so many tempting fairy pearls.
She too could not help but reveal her flaws, with the aggregate of feeling, which governs greed, being the first to become intensely agitated and difficult to suppress.
They feel perfectly justified in accepting anyone who provides the benefits.
Dongjun's hands were suddenly empty, but he didn't hear the address he wanted to hear, so he immediately grabbed the bag again: "Hey, not elder brother, but older brother."
"Call me 'good brother' and I'll give you all of these; you can do whatever you want with them."
Bitao had already opened the bag, reaching inside to search for usable wood spirits.
The fox-eyed creature's spiritual attribute is earth, which is incompatible with the peach blossom's spiritual attribute, causing the immortal pearl to be consumed very quickly.
Seeing that Dongjun was relentless, she didn't even look up and casually replied, "Okay, okay...brother."
"Brother, brother, brother, brother..."
Bitao pried his hand off, unceremoniously took the bag, and asked him with a smile, "Is that enough?"
Dongjun: "..." He's a good older brother.
"Good brother" and "brother" are two different things.
But his hands were behind his back, still bearing the lingering sensation of being pried open by the little carp—slippery, yet just as powerful as he had imagined.
Like catching a fish struggling to swim, slippery and slippery, and then splashing water all over his face.
Dongjun rubbed his fingers together, thinking... well, that's fine.
After all, he heard "brother" called several times.
He gazed quietly at Bitao, the redness in his eyes fading, leaving only a golden glow. He stood there smiling, his lips curving slightly.
Dongjun is not like Mingguang, who is completely clueless about love and affection.
The demons and monsters that transformed into humans in Shangqing Realm were incredibly diverse and their relationships were astoundingly complicated.
He had witnessed too much evil desire, and he had seen countless instances of the most intense love and hate in the world.
The reason why I have not experienced it personally is not because Dongjun is as conservative and rigid as Mingguang.
Rather, he felt that no one in heaven or on earth was worthy of him.
He even has special robes for slaying demons and monsters, the kind that cover his entire body from head to toe without revealing a single hair, just to prevent him from touching those "dirty things".
After all, demons have strong desires, and most of their conflicts are related to desires.
But Dongjun never controlled his desires, and he was well aware that his interest in the female immortal in front of him was growing stronger.
Dongjun didn't know how long his interest would last, so he wouldn't easily do anything to the little carp.
He was extremely cautious when it came to choosing the people around him.
He planned to keep the little carp with him for the time being and slowly discover where his interest in her came from.
Dongjun is arrogant, mean, and has many flaws, but he has only one redeeming quality: he is as self-important as Mingguang.
He believed that for a man and a woman to truly reach the point of sexual union, they must first express their mutual affection, then obtain the approval of their elders and relatives, and finally go through all the rituals and celebrations of a wedding in the heavens in a grand and glorious manner before they could cross that line in their relationship.
He also possessed the refined elegance of a noble prince, and was not in a hurry when it came to love. He would only lower himself to personally stir up the tide of love and take control of the waves of affection when their hearts were truly in love and their feelings were overflowing.
He does not need to succeed to the position of Immortal Emperor, so he does not need to consider the inheritance of the Golden Crow bloodline. Even if his children have impure bloodlines, there are many rare and precious materials that can make up for it.
None of these matters.
The important thing is that Dongjun felt he still needed to slowly sculpt the little carp into the shape he wanted.
Therefore, he was not in a hurry at all.
He wasn't in a hurry, but Bitao was.
Bitao was in a hurry to lead her people out of the mountain to the "Ascension Ceremony" that the Dharma Protector had mentioned today, to find out more.
Bitao has relied on herself to get ahead all these years, but this is the first time in her life that she has taken the shortcut of "family members".
Little did Bitao know that while she had only taken a bag of immortal pearls, Dongjun had already planned how to supplement the bloodline of their future children if they were born with insufficient blood.
She happily activated the restriction and went outside.
All he could think about was how he could reunite with Mingguang at the ascension ceremony.
Although she and Mingguang couldn't teleport to the same place, finding each other wasn't difficult.
When you part ways with someone, the best way is to wait for each other in the most conspicuous, bustling, and attention-grabbing place.
On this point, the two have an unspoken understanding that allows them to communicate without saying a word.
Therefore, the Dharma Protector said that Mingguang would definitely attend the annual ascension ceremony that was about to take place.
Therefore, as soon as Bitao was released from the restriction, she happily began distributing immortal pearls to everyone.
Everyone was shocked.
After the initial shock came overwhelming joy.
Bitao didn't hide anything and directly told everyone that Dongjun had found these immortal pearls.
This will be a good opportunity to mend the less-than-harmonious relationship between Dongjun and these people.
The crowd was initially wary of Dongjun because of the oppressive aura he had revealed, but now that they saw him single-handedly "slaughter" the entire Immortal's encampment, their gazes towards him were filled with even more awe.
Whether in heaven or on earth, the strong are respected.
When you are strong enough, you don't need to be highly respected.
Bitao distributed the beads to others and also found a few good wood spirits for herself. She spat out the fairy pearl with the fox eye and replaced it with a wood spirit.
The Immortal Pearl is precious. According to the Dharma Protector and others, there isn't even a single native cultivator here... Bitao speculates that this world is not the Xuanxing World at all, and is not suitable for cultivation.
Only by "eating people" can one maintain their cultivation level; if they don't eat, their cultivation level will gradually regress until they become a mortal.
The third competition has a time limit of one hundred years, and these immortal beads will have many uses later on.
There were relatively few Earth Spirit Pearls here, and with the intention of not wasting them, Bitao used a magic spell to cleanse the Earth Spirit Pearls she spat out before throwing them into the bag.
The next moment, Dongjun reached into the bag and precisely found the bead that the peach had held in its mouth, pinching it between his fingertips.
Her expression was gloomy.
She really needs to work on correcting her "unconventional" habit.
Do you expect others to eat the food that has already been eaten?
Bitao didn't notice his actions at all. When she saw him taking the fairy pearls and even opening the pocket of his bag, she generously said to take whatever he wanted.
After everyone regained their divine powers, they all sat in meditation.
Bitao also meditated and used the wood spirit to open up her meridians.
Spirit beads with the same attributes are indeed a better medium for absorbing spiritual energy.
As dawn approached, Bitao summoned the Dharma Protector Master: "Master, ask them one by one if any of them want to leave."
"If so, just let them leave on their own."
The guardian celestial master also regained his spiritual energy, and he looked even more gentle and refined. As he walked, his gauze robes fluttered, as if surrounded by clouds and mist, exuding an otherworldly and ethereal aura.
Bitao looked at him and thought of how, not long ago, his eyes were two bloody holes, yet he sat upright in his cell, unwilling to succumb to the pain. She was quite satisfied.
This feeling is like washing a wrinkled, dirty towel.
However, Bitao's view was soon blocked by another human figure as tall as a small mountain.
With his radiant face, Dongjun looked down from above, completely blocking the guardian angels from view.
He had also changed into brand new robes, which must have been found in the mountains. They were a deep black color, which, combined with his stern face and bright red lips, made him look like a richly colored portrait of a deity.
Dongjun looked at Bitao and said, "You distributed immortal pearls to them, and then let them leave?"
Bitao looked up at him and finally found the difference between him and Mingguang.
Mingguang's lips have always been pale, and it takes a long time for them to turn red.
Dongjun's blood and energy appear excessively abundant, as if he had just eaten a "child".
"Why not let them?" Bitao said. "What if they have their own teams and friends? Why should I force them to stay?"
"Aren't you being a little too kind?"
"They can leave, but let them dig out the Immortal Pearl again." Dongjun's expression was cold.
Bitao stood up and, smiling, moved Dongjun aside, but didn't tell him about the Immortal Pearl.
Instead, he asked with concern, "You said you are from the Shangqing Realm. If someone from the Shangqing Realm comes to the Taiqing Realm and harms the banished immortals here, they may be tainted by karma."
"Alright, come with me and check them one by one, make sure they're not really dead."
"You care about me?" Dongjun's attention was quickly diverted, and Bitao turned her head and winked at the Dharma Protector.
The Dharma Protector Master quickly understood Bitao's meaning and nodded gently.
It was indeed a clean and useful towel comb.
Bitao nodded to Dongjun and said, "It's not good to get involved in karma, especially if someone dies. I am a wood spirit, so if they are about to die, I can heal them."
Bitao was also afraid that if she used these celestial beads, the karmic consequences would be twisted and transferred to her.
Given Dongjun's extreme temperament, and fearing he might go too far, she felt it would be better to go and see for herself to be on the safe side.
"Don't worry, I have the right plan," Dongjun said. "Don't try to trick me and then let those ungrateful people leave."
Bitao: "..." She's quite clever.
Bitao said, "If you're not going, I'll go and take a look myself."
Bitao left as she spoke, and Dongjun snorted, a smile playing on his lips, clearly pleased that "the little carp cared about him."
He decided not to bother with this group of people.
It's just a few beads; consider it feeding the dogs.
With a flash, it caught up with the little carp.
As soon as the two left, the Dharma Protector began to inquire about the wishes of each of the banished immortals.
There were indeed a few people who had originally formed teams that had been together for a long time, but they accidentally got separated from their groups and were captured, which is why they ended up here.
Now that we've obtained the Immortal Pearl, things are indeed not going to be easy.
But the guardian celestial master said, "Don't worry, the fairy said you can leave as you please, so she will absolutely not hold it against you."
"All the immortals in these mountains have become mortals, and no one can stop them from leaving if they want to."
"As for Ting Ni, you don't need to be afraid."
"He listens to the fairy."
These people thought about it and realized that Ting Ni was indeed powerful, but after being kicked in the butt earlier, she still obediently went to search for immortal pearls.
It seems those two were indeed old friends from the celestial realm.
One of them stood up and said to the guardian celestial master, "I have no way to repay your kindness in saving me. When I return to my group, I will lead everyone to seek refuge with the fairy!"
"I just don't know what the fairy's name is..."
The Dharma Protector was taken aback, finally realizing that they had gone through a desperate situation together but hadn't even had a chance to exchange names.
The Celestial Master guessed that since the fairy wasn't going to say anything, she naturally didn't want to, and he wouldn't press her for details.
He then said to the banished immortal who had said he would bring people to seek refuge with him in the future, "I do not even know what the immortal's name is."
He said, "But if I don't die, I will stay by her side forever."
"My name is Han Shang. I am not famous in this Immortal Realm, but I am not hard to find either. If you wish to join us in the future, just look for me."
"good!"
The man was fully prepared to depart.
Seeing that no one was stopping him and no one was asking for his immortal pearls, the others quickly stepped forward one after another and said to the guardian celestial master, "Fellow Daoist Han Shang, I will do my best to persuade the team to join the fairy in the future!"
The Dharma Protector simply smiled gently.
It's normal for them to want to join her. The fairy has quite a few fairy pearls, and she deliberately showed them to them and let them leave, which means she has the idea of incorporating their team.
Seeing the number of fairy pearls in the fairy's hand, they realized that it was better to lead their team to join her than to "hunt for food" outside.
Moreover, no one knows who Ting Ni is, but her powerful skills are probably unmatched in this world.
Several people left one after another, all saying they would bring people to join them.
When Bitao and Dongjun returned after inspecting those whose immortal pearls had been dug out, those who had left had already come down from the mountain.
Seeing that there were indeed fewer people, Dongjun crossed his arms and chuckled, "Don't flaunt your wealth. You flaunted it and let them leave. Just wait and see. When they go back, they might gather a group and come to steal your immortal pearl."
Bitao completely ignored his sarcastic remarks.
He said to everyone, "We'll rest for the night and set off out of the mountains tomorrow."
Then he went to meditate by himself.
Her way of dealing with Dongjun... was the first competition, the same method she used against the mean kids who bullied her before she left the mountain village at the age of eighteen.
Feign submission, then beat them when necessary, treat them like dogs farting.
These sixteen words of wisdom are invincible.
Nothing was said that night.
Early the next morning, Bitao led her team of fifty-six "injured" people, bound the immortals they had "subdued," and ransacked the mountain's storehouse, seizing many magical artifacts, gold and silver treasures, daily necessities, and more.
They activated several spirit boats that the immortals in the mountains had previously used to capture and transport people, and they broke straight through the formation and the dawn, heading towards the mortal realm.
"To reach the Nine Heavens Palace where the Ascension Ceremony is held, one must pass through a section of the mortal realm."
The Dharma Protector was very familiar with this realm, and he used the paper and pen on the spirit boat to draw a map for Bitao.
"This is the place. This place is called Luofan City."
"It is the only place where the mortal realm and the immortal realm overlap."
“We cannot use spiritual energy in Fallen City, and the city’s formations have the effect of suppressing spiritual energy. However, many of the magical artifacts we have were crafted by immortals with supernatural talents. Their effects do not require the assistance of spiritual energy to activate, which is enough for us to protect ourselves.”
On the map, that town in the mortal realm was circled by the Dharma Protector.
This place is inhabited by some isolated and helpless immortals who have sought refuge here.
It is also home to the legendary Immortal Alliance.
On the map, this city looks like the highest point of a protruding mountain range.
Bitao looked at the map, her mind focused, and her brows furrowed slightly.
A moment later, he supported the paper with his fingers and spun it halfway around the table.
Then he stretched out his finger and pressed the fingertip against the top of Luofan City, blocking the protrusion.
Upon closer inspection.
The map dividing this realm of immortals and the realm of mortals, based on the spirit-gathering and spirit-solidifying arrays, is precisely the trigram of the Eight Trigrams—the Xun trigram.
The Xun hexagram consists of two yang lines on top and one yin line on the bottom.
The Xun trigram, belonging to Yin Wood in the Five Elements theory, corresponds to the Heavenly Stem Yi (乙) and the Earthly Branch Mao (卯), and its direction is Southeast… Its core attribute is Wind, symbolizing compliance, penetration, and adaptability. ①
The hexagram indicates whether mortals obey the banished immortals, or the banished immortals obey mortals.
The Peach Blossom Society has countless martial arts techniques, but their research on the Eight Trigrams is not very deep. If Guanghan were here, that would be great.
“Fairy, fairy?” The guardian celestial master called to Bitao, pointing to the map, “From here, we can take a spirit boat and arrive at Luofan City in two days. We have already been flying for a day and a night, and we will arrive in another day.”
"When the time comes, these immortals we capture... it's too much trouble to carry them around, so should we just sell them directly to the Immortal Alliance in Fallen Mortal City?"
Bitao withdrew her fingers, gathering her scattered thoughts.
Looking at the Dharma Protector, I saw a hint of barely suppressed pleasure beneath the righteousness in his eyes.
Bitao's newly recruited subordinates had been tormented for a long time by this group of banished immortals who occupied the mountains and forests.
They cut off his hands and feet, dug out his immortal pearl, stripped him of his innate skills, and then put him up for sale.
If we don't retaliate in kind, it will be difficult to quell public anger.
This competition is a tribulation of the Five Yin Blazing. Even looking at the Dharma Protector Heavenly Master, a man of such serene and refined character, Bitao could not suppress the hatred in her heart. She knew that the Five Yin Blazing here probably did not originate from any individual.
It comes from the environment, not from the environment.
This is a celestial realm where one must resort to cannibalism to survive.
Bitao, however, said to the Dharma Protector Master, "These people are not for sale."
Those who had been secretly listening to the commotion, waiting to take these people to the city and sell them like animals for a good price so they could use the money to drink and eat meat and avenge their humiliation, all showed strange expressions upon hearing this.
Even Dongjun, who had been sitting silently at the table, spoke up: "Do you still have any pity for these people?"
That wouldn't be foolish kindness, it would be utter stupidity.
Dongjun's eyes sharpened; he now regarded the little carp as his "possession" and felt a surge of anger at her excessive foolishness.
Bitao summoned everyone, gathering all the flying fairy boats together in one place.
Looking around at everyone, he said, "Keeping them is more cost-effective than selling them."
"Do you think selling your possessions will resolve the hatred and resentment in your hearts?"
"Once resentment arises in the immortal realm, how can the five aggregates be controlled?"
"What if one of them becomes successful within the Immortal Alliance, regains the Immortal Pearl, and becomes our enemy again? Wouldn't that be like releasing a tiger back into the mountains?"
Bitao leaned on the table and said softly, "There are many weak and disabled members in our team. When we reach the place where the immortals gather... we will definitely be coveted by other teams and be ambushed."
"These people are already mortals. Each of them carries one with them. They don't eat much, so they're just kept like dogs."
"Push them out when there is danger. Aren't immortals supposed to be forbidden from harming mortals?"
"If we accidentally die, the consequences will fall on the other party. Wouldn't that kill two birds with one stone and achieve the best of both worlds?"
Everyone suddenly realized what was happening.
There has always been constant infighting among the immortals, but no matter who they fall into, there is always the possibility of a comeback.
Even if their immortal pearls were removed and their talents were taken away, no matter how much they were tortured, no one dared to kill them directly, lest they be entangled in karma and suffer backlash.
Even if one wanted to kill a celestial being, it would have to go through the hands of mortals, going through many twists and turns before one could escape the karmic consequences.
The Immortal Alliance is all about these dirty tricks.
However, if you were to actually kill a banished immortal, not only would you not get any money, but you would also have to pay the Banished Immortal Alliance an exorbitant fee before they would be willing to hire mortals to do it for you.
Generally speaking, unless there is an irreconcilable feud, few people can afford such an exorbitant price, so naturally, they cannot be completely wiped out.
This has always been a conventional rule.
Over the years, there have naturally been people who were so indignant that they wanted to kill their opponents and break the rules. And Bitao's suggestion is not something that no one has done before.
Soon someone suggested, "Fairy, this might not work. We've captured mortal immortals before and used them as puppets to block attacks from magical artifacts during battles. However, after they died, we suffered severe karmic repercussions."
"The karmic backlash in this world will cause one to quickly lose all spiritual energy and become a mortal. Unlike those whose immortal pearls are removed, immortals who suffer from karmic backlash will never be able to restore their immortal power by consuming immortal pearls again."
"They will also be unable to enter this cycle of reincarnation, becoming 'unregistered people' with no way to ascend to heaven or descend to hell. At that time, they will completely become fish on the chopping block and lambs among tigers."
Bitao propped her cheeks up, feeling happy at the thought of soon arriving in the town of mortals where she could eat pig's trotters.
He hopped his fingers around on his face.
He said, "You also said that it's wrong to capture someone else as a substitute and kill them."
"But did we arrest these people? Didn't they arrest us to harm us? We only restrained them to protect ourselves."
"Those who surrounded us were also trying to harm us. The two groups that wanted to harm us killed each other. What does that have to do with us?"
"Have you immortals been in the mortal realm for so long that you've forgotten the law of cause and effect?"
Everyone was stunned by Bitao's words, and Dongjun was the first to laugh.
He laughed with extreme pleasure, and Bitao turned her head away, unable to bear looking at him, not wanting to see his gleaming teeth.
The others quickly realized: "Ah! They captured us first, trying to 'kill' us. If we use them, we won't be implicated in the consequences!"
"This...this is absolutely brilliant!"
For a moment, everyone was so happy they almost cried.
This method has never been verified, but it is absolutely feasible.
After all, who will fall into the other's hands first, then seize the other, and then keep the other around so as to use the other at any time?
Even after being caught, people are eager to take revenge on that person, pouring all their past experiences into it.
But is this really revenge?
Over the years, some people have come and gone, been arrested and sold, and then obtained the Immortal Pearl to start over.
They can hardly hold onto hatred for long, because everyone in this world is like that, and even the so-called "revenge" is something they find hard to express.
Hatred can sometimes be just as hard to suppress as love.
When people suppress their emotions for too long, they easily become less like human beings.
They were all deeply trapped in it, like livestock tethered to a small area since childhood, eating, drinking, and relieving themselves in that one place, struggling until their wounds festered and their souls stank.
Once they can't break free no matter how hard they struggle, even if the chains are broken one day, they won't dare to leave easily.
It's lamentable that, as immortals, they've lived in this realm for so long that they've already stopped believing in cause and effect, or karma.
Now, Bitao has broken the unspoken rules with just a few words.
Or rather, they exploited loopholes in the rules of cause and effect, and did so with exquisite skill.
It's absolutely amazing!
The thought that they could kill the person they hated so easily and cleanly, without bearing any consequences, without ever seeing him again, or even having to reluctantly become his teammate, is unbearable.
The way he looked at Bitao was as if she were a deity.
Bitao waved to them so they could regroup and continue marching at full speed.
"Can we reach Luofan City before tonight?"
"Yes!" Even the Dharma Protector couldn't contain his excitement and raised his voice.
After the guardian celestial master left, Dongjun finally finished laughing.
He also imitated Bitao, placing his hands on the table of the spirit boat and tilting his head to look at Bitao.
He himself didn't realize that his gaze was no different from the way those people looked at Bitao.
It was as if I had seen a deity.
He laughed and said, "So you're not just foolishly kind after all."
“I remember that even if a koi carp becomes a spirit, it’s usually not good here.” Dongjun pointed to his head. “Fish are not good at remembering things, and even the quiet mermaids are quite stupid.”
"How come you're so smart?"
Bitao smiled insincerely and said, "Because I have already leaped over the Dragon Gate and transformed into a dragon."
"Oh..." Dongjun clapped his hands, "Amazing, amazing."
No wonder she always stared at that guardian deity with such cloying eyes, and looked at him with the same fervent eagerness.
It turns out it's because dragons are inherently lustful.
Bitao yawned, stood up and said, "You sit down, I'm going to take a nap."
"You just woke up..."
Bitao slipped into the cabin of the spirit boat without turning her head and said, "Because I'm still a young dragon and need good sleep..."
Bitao slept very soundly and had a very sweet dream.
I dreamt that I was holding Mingguang and gnawing on a pig's trotter.
By the time Dongjun and the Dharma Protector told her to get up and disembark from the spirit boat, it was already completely dark.
"We've arrived. Spirits are forbidden in the city, so we need to enter." The guardian celestial master raised his hand to help Bitao off the spirit boat.
Dongjun raised his hand from the other side, looking at the Dharma Protector with an unfriendly gaze.
As a result, Bitao was completely unaware of the undercurrents between the two. With her hands behind her back, she gracefully leaped off the spirit boat like a light and agile butterfly.
Walk directly towards the city gate and look up to observe the city gate of Luofan City.
The town, situated in the mortal realm, had a magnificent and ancient-looking city gate, but apart from that, there was nothing particularly remarkable about it.
Bitao and her companions did not need to present any travel permits or prove their identities. The city guards, upon seeing their attire and the spirit boat they had put away, knew they were a group of immortals and immediately opened the city gates politely.
After entering the city gate, a soldier volunteered to lead the way for them.
The young soldier looked to be only sixteen or seventeen years old. He happily walked ahead after receiving the silver coins they had given him.
He led them through the main street of Luofan City to an inn.
He was hunched over, so excited by the generous reward that he didn't even straighten his armor and hat, which made him look somewhat comical.
He was humble to everyone, but didn't forget to take credit, gesturing excitedly as he said, "The annual Ascension Ceremony is coming soon, and the city is bustling with immortals. At this time, with so many immortals, it's not easy to find a good inn without someone to guide you!"
"That's really thanks to you. I'll give you some extra money later, so you won't have come for nothing."
Seeing that he had a youthful face, and that his eyebrows were blinking animatedly with one eye larger than the other, and that his features were somewhat like a Tai Chi symbol from his childhood, Bitao was generous with her kind words.
"Ouch..." The soldier staggered. He had been welcoming and seeing off people at the city gate for two or three years, and he had never seen such a beautiful and gentle fairy.
I tripped and almost fell to the ground.
The fairy was even smiling at him!
The soldier stumbled a couple of times before finally regaining his balance. His face flushed red as he straightened his helmet, too embarrassed to say anything more.
However, they had now reached the main street.
It was nearing the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), but the city was still bustling with activity. There was no curfew, and the main street was lined with shops, while street vendors were also densely packed and orderly.
The ever-burning lamps and colorful lanterns illuminated the streets like a starry river.
Pedestrians walked shoulder to shoulder, dressed in various styles.
The laborer's short jacket brushed past the immortal's long robe, and the long sword collided with a vegetable basket on the street.
The stalls selling maltose and those selling magical artifacts and elixirs were set up side by side. The owners of the two stalls were a kind-hearted man with a big beard and a handsome young man. Each of them carried a gourd filled with wine, and they touched it with each other from a distance before drinking.
At first glance, it doesn't seem to distinguish between immortals and mortals; it's a scene of bustling prosperity and harmony.
Bitao walked through the long street, dazzled by the array of earthly foods, her mouth watering.
And she saw braised pig's trotters!
They were planning to go out and eat until their bellies were full once everyone had settled down!
After finally crossing the long street, they arrived at the inn led by the soldier. Bitao, as instructed, asked the guardian angel to give her some loose silver.
He happily accepted it, bowed to Bitao to express his gratitude, and ran away with his back bent, not daring to look at her.
Bitao watched his retreating figure, wondering how that kid Taiji was doing.
There's an unspoken rule in this world that "mortals are not killed," so even if Tai Chi is captured due to insufficient skill, he won't necessarily lose his life.
Moreover, Tai Chi is ruthless to oneself. A person who is ruthless to others can only be called cruel and cunning. A person who can be ruthless to himself is a true hero.
Although Bitao didn't say it aloud, she was very satisfied with her "baby".
The Dharma Protector was negotiating with the innkeeper; with so many of them, including many prisoners, they needed to rent an entire courtyard.
Bitao stood on the side of the street, which was not the main street and was dimly lit.
"Heh." Dongjun suddenly let out a cold laugh.
Upon hearing this, Bitao withdrew her gaze from the soldier and looked at Dongjun's ambiguous expression, completely bewildered.
Dongjun wanted to make a sarcastic remark to her, but even a dragon, by its very nature, cannot fall in love with every woman it sees, can it?
At least the guardian deity is presentable, but what was that lowly soldier compared to him?
Is a little kid who hasn't even grown all his feathers worth her looking at?
However, after spending these past few days together, Dongjun has gotten a feel for Bitao's personality.
A stubborn donkey that won't move when led, and will only back down when whipped.
He didn't say anything unpleasant.
Seizing the opportunity to continue the topic from earlier in the day, he asked Bitao, "What kind of dragon did you transform into?"
As Bitao gazed towards the bustling street, her mind was completely blank except for thoughts of braised pig's trotters, wontons, meat buns, maltose, and strong liquor.
She casually replied, "Zhu Jiuyin."
“Zhu Jiuyin…” Dongjun’s expression twitched slightly for a moment before he said, “Isn’t that the mount of the Southern Dipper Star Lord?”
Bitao said expressionlessly, "That's not necessarily true. What if it's the mount, the Southern Dipper Star Lord?"
Zhan Kui is the one who rides the Moon Palace.
Guanghan will never be able to ride to Zhankui in this lifetime.
"ah?"
"Hahahahahahaha—"
Dongjun first uttered a questioning sound, then burst into laughter.
It seemed like they had never heard such a joke before, and they laughed so hard they were doubled over, attracting a lot of attention.
There are many things in this world that make people angry, sad, and hateful, but not many things that make people so happy.
Some people even opened their windows to look down and see what was going on.
Bitao was utterly helpless.
Dongjun laughs so much, is it really that funny?
"Hahahaha...you're too much..."
Dongjun finally straightened up, his golden eyes fixed on Bitao. He subconsciously raised his hand and, just like when they first met, gently stroked Bitao's cheek with his knuckles, saying, "You're so cute."
The first time he saw Little Carp, he thought her face was plump and tender, as red as peach petals, and looked exceptionally soft.
He took the opportunity to scratch it.
That time, it was a playful teasing.
This time, however... I couldn't control myself.
Bitao really didn't expect that he would suddenly start touching her while he was laughing.
Dongjun has been very well-behaved these past few days. Although he stares at people intently, he's like a giggling bird, constantly giggling all day long.
However, Bitao thought that he had been exposed to too many demons and had been subtly influenced to become unrestrained and dissolute.
But this time, his meaning was quite different.
Bitao thought of how he had done the same thing before, but back then she was a prisoner and he was one of the people who captured her.
Compared to Dongjun, who was still willing to carry her, Fox Eyes and his gang went even further. Some of Dongjun's actions even prevented Fox Eyes and his gang from inflicting violence on her.
But what's going on now?!
Bitao suddenly took a step back, leaned backward, and covered her face.
Dongjun's heart was in turmoil. He had originally planned to proceed step by step and slowly, fearing that he might frighten the young dragon, but he kicked it over.
He wouldn't even become an Emperor of the Taiqing Realm, so why should he restrain himself?!
Dongjun followed his heart and took a step forward in a flash. As if teasing a small fish, he reached out and embraced Bitao, making her bend backward like a crescent moon.
Is it really necessary to be this scared?
"Don't fall." Dongjun's voice was extremely gentle.
Bitao felt her scalp tingle and her skull felt like it was about to be lifted off.
Isn't Luofan City supposed to be a place where spirits are forbidden?! How come Dongjun is so fast?!
Dongjun smiled and looked down at her, reaching out to touch Bitao's eyes again: "Your eyes tell me that you..." like me.
Of course, Bitao wouldn't let him succeed again, so she shoved Dongjun hard!
In his panic, he used both hands at the same time, and one of his hands slapped Dongjun across the face with a "smack".
He used all his strength.
Dongjun staggered backward.
Half of his face was burning, and his expression was contorted.
Bitao was also knocked back two steps by the force. Before she could regain her footing, she passed Dongjun and looked toward the entrance of the inn.
A tall, elegant figure stood beneath the red lanterns at the entrance of the inn.
Their faces and robes were tinged with blood, as if they had been drawn in by Dongjun's earlier laughter and were looking this way.
Bitao's face instantly turned as if she had seen a ghost.
That towering, majestic figure, silently gazing at the person—had a face exactly like Dongjun's!
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