Chapter 14 Enemies and Pain "Senior brother, you look terrible..."
A female cultivator dressed in a fox-fur robe:
"Today, the immortal ascended the Heavenly Terrace to observe the heavens and saw that a calamity star was about to arrive and would disrupt the immortal sect... Unexpectedly, he turned around and heard about such a disaster and farce that had occurred by the Immortal Fish Pond."
"Yes, Mother, the jinx is Xu Qingning!"
Zou Li pointed at Xu Qingning and shouted, "He bullied my child and obstructed the Snake Guards from handling the case—"
With two sharp "smacks," Zou Li was knocked to the ground.
Bang--
Xu Qingning's sword was struck hard.
His hand went numb, and he almost lost his grip on the sword.
Immortal Master Zou Lanci is currently the head of both the immortal and mortal realms.
He has reached the peak of the first rank, and his strategies and techniques are all of the highest caliber.
He pursed his lips, sensing the threat, and lowered his eyes.
“The young master is ignorant and attacked Wentianzhe. Take him back,” the immortal said. “Also, take the Hua siblings away; they are the ones who harbored a grudge against you and allowed the demon to run rampant.”
The Hua family? Why would someone as esteemed as the immortal Zou Lanci seek out the Hua family upon arriving?
Xu Qingning's thoughts raced, but then she heard Zhou Fuling cry out in anguish: "Yu Liu!"
He immediately turned around.
It was the female cultivator dressed in tiger and snake robes who moved like lightning, quickly rushing into the crowd and capturing Hua Yuliu and Hua Yuexi with a snap.
Hua Yuliu and Hua Yuexi had somehow slipped into the crowd and escaped to a street corner, where they were then thrown to the ground.
The two men were pale, but they remained defiant.
Zhou Fuling stepped forward, but then stepped back.
Xu Qingning suddenly spoke up and stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I beg you to show mercy. Taking them away directly now is not in accordance with the rules."
Xu Qingning, dressed in snow-white robes, stepped forward, bowing with her sword in both hands, her cold and beautiful face still stained with blood.
But his upright posture and humble yet confident demeanor stunned everyone.
...Xu Qingning's demeanor has always been so remarkable.
But now, people are not stunned by his appearance, but by his actions.
Those watching were surprised to find that Xu Qingning had the audacity to stop Zou Li, and even when Zou Lanci arrived in person, he still dared to stop her.
Zou Lanci sneered: "Xu Qingning, the young prime minister of Dongzhou—just now, you said that my son, as a third-rank sect supervisor, could not take away the Hua siblings. Now, I, as an immortal, have come to take them away. Who are you to dare to stop me?"
She was furious.
A clear, melodious female voice drifted from afar: "What Young Master Xu means is not that Your Excellency is unqualified, but that a demonic calamity has befallen this Dragon Pool. According to the 'Immortal Sect Decree,' it requires the intervention of the Guardian Platform. Back then, it was the various Immortal Ministers who discussed this decree at the Immortal Inquiry Platform. Has Your Excellency forgotten?"
With a dragon's roar, another dragon descended from the sky, followed by a golden sedan chair slowly landing on the ground.
A beautiful woman dressed in pink gauze gracefully stepped down from a golden stool, exuding an air of nobility.
She and Zou Lanci looked somewhat alike and were about the same age. She held a golden whip and was surrounded by a group of officials, clearly indicating that she held a high position.
This person is named Zou Lancheng, a Guardian of the Nine Immortal Ministers of Sendai, a first-rank official responsible for the capital's defense and in charge of the Guardian's Platform. She is Zou Lanci's younger sister, and this unexpected incident should indeed be handled by her.
Xu Qingning slightly raised her eyes.
However, to his knowledge, the sisters Zou Lanci and Zou Lancheng have been locked in a constant struggle in recent years.
When Zou Lancheng passed by him, he glanced at him, and Xu Qingning nodded with his sword in hand and stepped aside.
Zou Lanci and Zou Lancheng stood facing each other, one dressed in gold and the other in pink, both like blooming peonies, yet both exuding an imposing aura.
Immortal Zou Lanci spoke coldly: "Dragon Pool was disturbed by a great demon during the Ten Thousand Mountains Banquet. Zou Weishi and Weishi Tai were already derelict in their duties. What, are you going to protect the Hua family now?"
Later, his younger sister Zou Lancheng laughed and said, "Your Majesty, I have not neglected my duty. On the contrary, my guards caught someone acting suspiciously outside the Immortal Fish Pond. Bring him here."
A celestial official brought in a man dressed in black, whose arms and legs were broken and who looked quite disheveled.
Everyone's pupils contracted.
Hao Cheng exclaimed in shock, "Golden snakes embroidered on the robe, isn't that the Snake Guard?"
Zhou Fuling asked, "What is a snake guard?"
"Young Master Zou Li's private guards."
Zou Lancheng smiled and continued, "We found this snake guard right by the Immortal Fish Pond. He lurked in the pond, using a divine talisman to clear a path—a path that led to the Netherworld of the Demon-Locking Tower. Is he clearing a path for demons?" She looked at Zou Li, "I wonder what explanation Li'er intends to give?"
Zou Lanci raised her face, her expression ashen, and glared coldly at her son, Zou Li, who trembled and lowered his head.
Zou Lancheng added, "Besides that, we also found Li'er's message in the celestial official's jade register."
Zou Lanci's gaze was almost murderous towards Zou Li.
Zou Li glared hatefully at Zou Lancheng.
Zou Lancheng took a half step back and lowered his head, saying, "This jade tablet is the young master urging the people of the Snake Pavilion to come quickly to the Immortal Fish Pond to subdue the demon. However, Li'er is still too careless. How could she trust the people around her so easily? She let the evil people take advantage of the situation."
Zou Lanci stared coldly at Zou Lancheng, devoid of any emotion.
After a short while, she said calmly, "The Commander of the Imperial Guard and the Prefect of the Upper Prefecture shall jointly detain all those involved in this case. I urge the Commander of the Imperial Guard to solve this case as soon as possible."
The Zou sisters, who wielded immense power, exchanged only a few words, yet every sentence was laced with deadly intrigue.
As Zou Lanci led his men away, a voice descended from the sky:
"The young master of Dongzhou, Xu Qingning, attacked the young master of Longtan while protecting someone suspected of aiding and abetting demons, nearly killing Zou Li. For the crime of harming a subordinate, young master Xu Qingning is hereby ordered to remain in seclusion for three days. Except for the Wanshan Banquet trial, he is not allowed to leave the Longtan Immortal Mansion."
A powerful and oppressive barrier descended, and everyone expected to see Xu Qingning in a sorry state.
Unexpectedly, his back was as straight as a pine tree, aloof and imposing, though his face was slightly pale, as if he were unmoved.
Before leaving, Zou Li glared at Xu Qingning hatefully.
After the people from Longtan left, Xu Qingning raised his eyes and whispered to Zou Lancheng:
"Thank you, Aunt."
"What are you thanking me for? You really are just like your sect leader uncle, Xu Lechuan. You say 'thank you' for everything and you love to meddle in everything—" She sneered, as if she had thought of something that annoyed her. "I just hope the Tianji Sect can cause me less trouble."
Xu Qingning shook his head and was about to get up when a wave of numbness and tingling washed over his spiritual meridians, and he fainted.
"Young Sect Leader!"
"Senior brother!"
...
dark……
Xu Qingning's mind seemed to have fallen into an abyss, deep and heavy.
His consciousness drifted into a dream.
Xu Qingning returned to that cold, dark lair once more. His fingers were covered in mud.
A young girl pleaded desperately, "Please, please... big brother, can you take me out of here?"
"You... are you also trapped in this Midnight Ravine?" He frowned.
The girl nodded with tears in her eyes.
Xu Qingning pursed her lips, turned her back to her, and began to search for the way.
The cliff face of the lair was steep, so Qingning carved his sword into the cliff and moved it upwards little by little.
However, when he climbed out of the valley—
I encountered a nightmare I'll never forget.
The girl sat cross-legged in front of the cave, casually resting her chin on her hand, and dozens of snake tails crawled out from under her skirt.
A dark shadow loomed over her face: "Look at this, what is it?"
She was holding a human head.
"He came with you, and I heard you call him... 'Junior Brother'?"
"Don't trust people too easily, young master."
Xu Qingning's eyes were wide with fury.
...
Xu Qingning sat up abruptly, the candlelight illuminating her face.
Depravity, pain, sin, and hatred came one after another, seemingly spanning a century of buried time.
He raised his hand.
The boy's hands became the hands of a young man. The mud and bloodstains of the dream were gone.
His chest heaved, his gaze was cold, and his hands were clenched into fists.
The person he hated most, he dreamed of one of the people he hated most.
Why would I dream about that?
Also, the system says that inner demons are related to villains. Why...?
"Qingning, Qingning."
Xu Qingning suddenly looked up.
The young sect leader, who was always seen as serious and stern by outsiders, was pale and his lips had lost all color.
"Qingning, how could you do this?"
The head of the Tianji Sect, Xu Lechuan, is here.
He was Zou Lancheng's Daoist partner. He came after learning of the farce at the Immortal Fish Pond.
Seeing Xu Qingning's appearance, the sect leader was greatly puzzled.
Uncle: "Qingning, what's wrong with you?"
Xu Qingning shook his head.
"Senior Brother!" Zhou Fuling burst into the Immortal Pavilion. She had arrived.
Xu Qingning met her gaze.
...
A pair of small hands grasped Xu Qingning's hand.
The sect leader's uncle offered some words of concern and then left, leaving Zhou Fuling alone sitting beside Xu Qingning's bed.
Zhou Fuling looked at Xu Qingning anxiously, as if she cared deeply.
It was at this moment that the chill on Xu Qingning's body subsided considerably.
Only Zhou Fuling has cared for and loved him so much for the past ten years...
Xu Qingning suddenly remembered when they were wandering together, Zhou Fuling saw him injured and looked just as flustered and helpless.
He remained silent, took the hand warmer from Zhou Fuling, and let her drape his outer robe over his shoulders.
Suddenly noticing that she was dressed in only thin clothes, Xu Qingning asked, "Are you cold?"
"Senior brother..."
Xu Qingning pursed her lips and wrapped a cloak around Zhou Fuling as well.
Zhou Fuling's face was illuminated by the firelight: "Aren't you going to avoid suspicion anymore?"
"..." Xu Qingning remained silent.
Seeing his expression, Zhou Fuling took his hand and said, "Alright, what happened? Senior brother, you look terrible and your hands are so cold."
"It's nothing." Xu Qingning turned her face slightly away and pursed her lips.
"Really? Impossible." Zhou Fuling leaned closer to examine him. "Senior brother, the look on your face means something big must have happened."
Zhou Fuling was indeed very curious as to why Xu Qingning acted so strangely when she emerged from the Immortal Fish Pond today.
In the past, even someone like Zou Lanci wouldn't have made him look so pale.
Her expression was serious, and when Xu Qingning saw her face so close to his, his eyelashes trembled.
He could feel her presence.
They seemed to be born with an inseparable bond.
Their breath and warmth enveloped each other.
Zhou Fuling here is like a reassuring presence.
He lowered his head: "...It's nothing, but another enemy has appeared."
"It was something I made when I was young."
"But don't worry, I can handle it."
"Who?" Zhou Fuling leaned closer and asked, "Will it affect me?"
“…What are you thinking?” Xu Qingning glared at her speechlessly. “There’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Zhou Fuling said so.
But both of them seemed to know she was joking.
Xu Qingning sighed and patted her head.
“It’s alright,” Xu Qingning said. “I’ll handle this. Once I’ve dealt with it, I’ll come back to find you.”
"return?"
"yes."
...
Zhou Fuling sat alone in front of the firelight.
She returned to her room and brought back many more talismans for warmth and protection.
Before leaving, Xu Qingning personally got up and packed her mustard seed bag.
"You want me to go on a long trip?"
"Yes, you must leave." Xu Qingning brought up the old matter again. "Go to the mountain gate. Wait for me to come and get you."
He insisted that she go to the mountain gate of the mortal realm.
Something's wrong. Something's really wrong. Has something happened to Xu Qingning?
They insisted she leave, and their faces were so unpleasant.
Who exactly did he meet?
Zhou Fuling gazed at the firelight.
However--
What happened?
She held her head.
My head hurts a lot.
Suddenly, a light and shadow appeared before her eyes.
--"What's this?"
"Child, these are lights shining from every home."
She sat on the railing on the bright red street.
Gazing at the lights in the distance, my father appeared.
Father. Zhou Fuling hadn't seen her father in a long time.
Father: "The higher you sit, the farther you can see."
"So, you absolutely must not fall down."
"Yes, Father."
She turned around, and behind her stood a noble-looking young woman.
The handsome father stood there, smiling:
"Chao Xue, take your younger sister out. Father wants to discuss something with Mother."
"Yes... it's my father."
Morning snow.
Morning snow?
—Ning Chaoxue?!
A sudden loud bang reached Zhou Fuling's ears.
She sat up abruptly.
I was drenched in cold sweat.
A note from the author:
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