Chapter 27 Surrender/Synopsis by Xu Qingning: An indescribable feeling arose within her...
Xu Qingning's face was pale, his complexion was ashen, and his breathing was still unsteady. Xu Lechuan patted his hand:
"Well, well, no one could have predicted this... Qingning, thankfully we discovered it in time, that's a blessing... Don't think about it anymore, get some rest."
Lying on the couch, Xu Qingning gazed at the firelight, then closed her eyes, trying to empty her mind, but to no avail.
He was like someone who was sometimes at the bottom of a cold pool and sometimes in a warm wooden house in the snowy wilderness of the mortal realm.
Zhou Fuling squeezed under him, tucking her hands into her cotton-padded coat: "It's so cold... Luckily we can keep warm together..."
Suddenly awake, Xu Qingning felt as if she had fallen into hell.
Who is it...?
This put him in such a pathetic situation...
Xu Qingning suddenly felt a stirring of spiritual energy in the jade tablet.
He opened the jade tablet, and his expression changed drastically.
That was from the jade tablet of my missing cousin, Zou Qin:
[Zou Qin: I am Zhou Fuling. Come back quickly. The people of Hidden Demon Village and Zou Qin are in my hands. Come to Hidden Demon Village alone to see me. Otherwise, I will kill them all.]
...
Xu Qingning suddenly opened her phoenix eyes wide.
He pursed his lips tightly, and his eyes seemed to be tinged with the fire of cinnabar.
He stared coldly at the jade tablet.
His fingers showed prominent blue veins, and his finger bones were white.
He felt a burning rage engulfing his mind and heart, making it almost impossible for him to regain his senses.
How dare she?!
Zhou Fuling...
Xu Qingning closed her eyes, barely able to react.
After a long pause, he finally replied:
【Where are you? 】
【Hidden Peak Village. You came alone. Otherwise, if I see others following, I'll kill your cousin.】
Xu Qingning's hands bulged with veins as he glared hatefully at the jade tablet, as if he wanted to pierce through it.
...
One hour ago.
In the desolate forest with no paths and overgrown weeds, on the Cold Goose Road outside the capital city of Longtan, Xu Qingning's cousin Zou Qin was sitting on a spirit beast cart pulled by a Bai Ze, his face cold.
"Young Master Zou, don't be angry... It was the Immortal who ordered us to take you away so you can relax."
"To relax? Or to be imprisoned?" Zou Qin asked.
But his expression changed instantly, becoming more gentle, as he was unwilling to make things difficult for the other celestial officials.
He was only in his early twenties, and sitting there, his face betrayed his troubles.
He looked somewhat dejected and angry. His accompanying celestial official leaned over and sighed, knowing that Young Master Zou Qin was still angry because of his cousin, Zou Li.
Zou Li is the son of an immortal and Zou Qin's cousin.
However, due to the power struggle between the two families, their relationship became awkward, and Zou Li was also known for her bad temper and tendency to torment others.
Just now, when Zou Qin was about to leave, Zou Li came over and forced the servants to make Zou Qin throw away the mustard cabinet that was half-empty.
"My cousin seems to be accompanied by snake guards, and he has disguise talismans on him," Zou Qin suddenly said.
"Yes, just now, I also heard Young Master Zou Li leading a group of people, angrily saying something about 'Zhou Fuling,' 'Dongzhou,' and 'doing something big.' Could it be that they're going to Dongzhou to cause trouble for Young Master Xu?"
The celestial official said, "I also heard that after the incident, Young Master Zou Li went to the Immortal's place and made a scene, saying that Young Master Xu killed Zou Tianmo and that he had evidence. He was scolded by the Immortal and kicked out and confined to his quarters... He ran away now. Could it be that he's going to harm Junior Sister Zhou Fuling because of this?"
Zou Qin also suddenly looked up. Xu Qingning was his cousin (in this world, they are cousins even if they don't share the same surname). He had also vaguely heard his adoptive father mention that Xu Qingning had a very trusted and close junior sister from the mortal realm who was his savior and confidante.
Since he was being held captive and was not an elder of Dongzhou, Zou Qin was still unaware of Zhou Fuling's true identity. He said anxiously, "No, we have to find a way to send a message to my cousin!"
However--
"Smack!"
Suddenly, a loud crash was heard, as if some rock had hit Zou Qin's car. After a burst of intense blue light, Zou Qin's car crashed into the cliff with a loud bang, like a bird with broken wings.
Amidst a sea of blood, Zhou Fuling's embroidered shoes stepped onto the shattered carriage floor.
Zhou Fuling flipped open the car door and pulled out Zou Qin, covered in blood, from among the corpses of Zou family henchmen. She picked him up and left.
...
Dongzhou, Yintian Village. The border village where Zhou Fuling had previously hidden. The border post.
The Great Mountain Guardian has array eyes set up around the entire Tianji Gate's mountains, guarded by celestial officials.
The guardian of Yinyao Village's mountain boundary is surnamed Weng.
He frowned as he looked at the snow-covered countryside ahead, isolated by the protective mountain range.
The adjutant was stopping a disobedient disciple who wanted to leave: "The young master said that the mountain protection barrier has been erected, and no one is allowed to enter or leave."
The disciple stamped his foot, flicked his sleeves, and went back.
The adjutant suddenly heard the guard, the monk Weng, make a "hmm" sound.
"Is someone there?" Monk Weng suddenly stood up.
Outside the protective barrier, amidst a blizzard, a slender woman ran towards them, covered in blood. Her legs were covered in bite marks inflicted by the monster, and she frantically pounded on the barrier, her emotions running high and her fear palpable.
But after she took pictures for a long time, no one responded.
She was first confused, then trembled, clutching her injured leg, her lips growing paler as if she were losing her life and pleading.
Without a doubt, this was Zhou Fuling.
However, her appearance had changed, becoming unrecognizable to the cultivators.
The monk stared at her, but the adjutant's heart skipped a beat.
This cultivator once had a daughter who was seriously injured after accompanying the young sect leader's mother to Tianjuejian to deal with the disaster. She escaped and ran to the barrier of Longtan and Yun Ning for help, but was refused entry by those people on the grounds that they were worried about demons following her. She was dragged to her death.
Brother Weng was also searching for his daughter at the time. When he found her, her body was still warm, and it was initially stiff...
He saw that the monk had straightened up, gripped his sword, and stared at the woman outside.
The adjutant was startled and grabbed him: "The young master said that no one can be let in!"
The monk coldly brushed aside his adjutant's hand and said in a low voice, "I'll go out and accompany her to see for myself what's going on. Is that alright?"
His voice was deep and aged, and as the guardian of this strategic location, he held immense prestige. The adjutant couldn't dissuade him, so he watched helplessly as he left.
The monk was not entirely unguarded; he approached the woman with his sword, fearing she might be a demon or a monster.
However, after only a few steps, he realized that she was just an ordinary mortal with no cultivation. The woman had a delicate but pale face and wore brown clothes, looking like a farm girl from the nearby area who had been attacked by a demon.
He breathed a sigh of relief and felt a surge of compassion. He quickly draped the cloak over her shoulders, saying, "It's alright, it's alright now. Uncle is here, Tianji Sect is here, Uncle will protect you."
"Thank you, thank you!" Zhou Fuling leaned against the old man's chest, her eyes dark and her voice hoarse, as if she were crying.
For a moment, the monk felt as if he were seeing his deceased daughter, and he was stunned and unable to utter a sound.
The adjutant, still worried, followed her out and, seeing that the woman was indeed a mortal, breathed a sigh of relief.
Brother Weng: "I need to take her inside..."
"But what about the young sect leader..."
"If you won't let me bring her in, I'll stay here with her!" the monk shouted. He coughed because he had rendered meritorious service in disaster relief, but he had also contracted an old ailment that made him weak when exposed to cold.
The adjutant didn't dare to stop her. Seeing that the woman was just a mortal, he figured it was alright and nodded to clear a path for the old cultivator.
As soon as the cultivator carried Zhou Fuling into the main gate of Yintian Village, the cold wind was shut out, leaving only warmth.
Seeing her condition, the monk felt a surge of tenderness and whispered, "Child, it's alright—"
However, his words were suddenly cut off.
Because Zhou Fuling, who was in his arms, suddenly smiled at him.
Several streaks of blood-red light slashed towards the person guarding the position.
Within moments, everyone had collapsed to the ground.
Where is the injured woman in brown now?
Only Zhou Fuling, with her beautiful face, remained, coldly glancing at the person on the ground.
She stood gracefully, looking down at the fallen cultivators around her, and pulled off the token from the waist of the old cultivator.
She raised an eyebrow, but smiled.
They're in.
Xu Qingning's protective barrier is indeed very difficult to break. However, she has said that she understands Tianji Sect very well, far more than Xu Qingning and the others imagined.
After coming to the mortal realm and then to the immortal sect, she always observed and saw through everyone.
She remembers their past and contemplates the mechanisms of humankind.
Before leaving, Zhou Fuling inquired about the guards here. She learned that the cultivator was soft-hearted and loyal but arrogant, and his adjutant was clear-headed but cowardly and lacked the ability to be assertive.
She remembered all these characteristics perfectly.
...
Before the Hidden Heaven Abode, the wind is like a knife and the frost like a beast.
Xu Qingning stepped onto the stone steps, fully on guard. Snowflakes drifted onto the tip of his sword, but he had no intention of brushing them away.
A golden protective barrier descended upon the green peaks, with mist flowing freely.
Xu Qingning looked around.
Yinyaozhai is located in a mountain forest.
In the east, a thick white fog blankets the area, a fog so dense it can be disorienting and unsettling.
In the west lies an ancient formation. Symbols of the Qimen Dunjia (a form of divination and magic) are scattered across the scorched earth, and a golden beast head lies beneath the ruined walls. This is indeed a demon-slaying formation, using the twelve earthly branches to draw a constellation array, drawing upon stellar power to slay demons. But it has been abandoned for a long time.
Xu Qingning pasted talismans on the earthen path.
[Host, this is...]
[Illusory Sound Talisman.] Xu Qingning said in a cold voice.
The Illusionary Sound Talisman, a divine talisman of the immortal sect, can create illusory sounds to bewitch people's minds and souls.
[What does the host want?]
[…] Xu Qingning remained silent.
[Host, staying alive is important, but you also need to pay attention to the villain's favorability towards you.]
Xu Qingning did not reply.
The system knows that Xu Qingning only wants to rescue Zou Qin right now, and the host also needs time to process Zhou Fuling's matter.
But this favorability rating... well, if it's too low or fluctuates too much, Heaven will issue a mandatory task on its own, which Qingning must complete.
The protective barrier of Yin Yao Zhai was cracked open, allowing wind and snow to pour in.
Xu Qingning's gaze was also icy cold.
The ever-burning sword in his hand, reflecting the cold, austere light, shimmered more resolutely the closer he got to Yinyao Village, as if proclaiming his master's state of mind.
The system had never seen Changming so disoriented before, and whispered: [Host... you've already fallen for her?]
Xu Qingning said coldly, "...I have never liked her."
However, Xu Qingning gazed at the wind and snow ahead—
In a daze, a clear voice suddenly came from beneath the green wall, as if calling to him joyfully:
"Senior brother."
Xu Qingning suddenly looked up and saw that there was no one behind her, realizing that she was hallucinating.
No, I can't think about her like that anymore.
A cold wind whistled through the air.
Suddenly, a beam of blue light ripped through the mist where Xu Qingning was hiding.
The dragon roared as metal and stone clashed, and a sharp sound rang out—
It was Zhou Fuling who took out "Qingxi" and clashed with Xu Qingning's "Changming Sword".
Both were of high rank. After exchanging blows, Zhou Fuling landed steadily on the roof, while Xu Qingning stood on the ground with his sword, his internal organs churning.
He stared coldly at Zhou Fuling… “Qingxi,” the flute and sword he had given to her mother.
A dull, aching pain tore open from the depths of my heart, an endless, lingering ache.
When she looked up again, Xu Qingning's gaze was clear and cold.
Zhou Fuling stood on the roof, draped in a dark green cloak, her eyes black as pearls, unfathomable. She scooped up Zou Qin.
Zou Qin was bound and fell into a coma; his condition was very bad.
Xu Qingning's sword suddenly stopped.
The cold wind blows against the sword, and the sword's long-lasting light emits a chilling sword cry.
Xu Qingning pursed her lips tightly, her gaze sharp and cold, as if she could pierce through Zhou Fuling.
"What do you want?" he said coldly.
"you guess."
Xu Qingning: "..."
He said coldly, "Release Zou Qin. I'll trade with him."
“Alright,” Zhou Fuling said calmly, “but you look more dangerous. How can you assure me you won’t hurt me?”
Xu Qingning stared coldly at Zhou Fuling, as if trying to see every detail of her expression.
After a moment, he lowered his eyes as if resigned to his fate, summoned the Immortal Binding Rope, and tied his wrists behind his back.
The Immortal Binding Rope in Xu Qingning's hand is of superior quality, but once it is locked, every inch of his spiritual veins is as if a vicious insect has crawled onto them and bitten them, making them obstructed and unable to perform immortal techniques.
When faced with Zhou Fuling's disapproving gaze, Xu Qingning stood upright below, feeling an indescribable sense of humiliation and pain rising in her heart.
...It felt like suddenly going back to the past.
She returned to that disgusting cave. Her eyes revealed a look that commanded respect.
Xu Qingning's eyes were full of stubbornness as she said in a calm voice:
"Will this work?"
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