A world without glitz
Most of the town's residents moved outside the West Palace Gate, where the tightly closed stone gate made the night even colder. That stone gate had been dormant for a thousand years, with no outsiders entering.
Xia Xiwen pressed herself against the stone gate. She couldn't believe that with such a commotion outside, the West Mansion could still survive peacefully. Besides, the West Mansion had to deal with the murder case a few days ago, so they couldn't just turn a blind eye to this raging fire.
Until she saw more and more Yu people gradually surrounding the stone gate in three layers, each crowded to protect their own piece of land. The bags on their backs were the result of decades of labor, and the whole family, young and old, were close together. Their lives were disrupted by the trial-takers, and now they were rejected by the gods they believed in.
Xia Xiwen didn't know the situation within the West Mansion, but the raging fire of desire was indeed a troublesome existence. Those of them who practiced spiritual cultivation could still protect themselves, but what about these ordinary Yu people? To them, everything was a natural disaster or a man-made calamity.
"With the Young Master away, we can't make arbitrary decisions. Once they enter the palace, how will we accommodate thousands of people? Moreover, the palace houses the largest mountain deity in the dense southwestern forests, making it hardly the best refuge for the common people." Xi Wan, one of the four elders of the West Palace, stood alone before the stone gate. They had already dispatched disciples to the Yue Lao Temple to put out the fire, and the demonic fire had caught them completely off guard. If they entered the palace, the entire place would undoubtedly be in chaos.
"My sister's away, so follow my lead. No matter what, we must do everything we can to save the people of the Yu tribe. After all, they've worshipped us for thousands of years, and we must not betray their loyalty. Furthermore, if the demonic fire isn't extinguished, the dense forests of the southwest will undoubtedly suffer a devastating blow." Xixian was slowly pushed through the side door. Despite his frail body, his ears were incredibly sensitive, allowing him to clearly hear the cries and prayers of the people outside. These sounds had echoed in his ears for thousands of years, uninterrupted.
To Xixian, every slight sway of the stone gate was like a faint cry for help. He knew full well that the world behind the stone gate was facing a grave crisis. Due to poor health since childhood, Xixian could only command the crowd from a wheelchair. Yet, perhaps this was an innate quality of the Xi family—a persuasive power that could convince others. When he spoke, the panicked crowd immediately quieted, as if his words could calm their minds.
"Hurry and send a message to the Young Master and the wandering Master. Xian'er, where is the mountain god Chang Cheng?" Xi Wan remained standing before the stone gate, unmoved. When her sect suffered such calamity, she could only consider the lives of her clansmen. Could those outside truly be saved? Abandoning the mountain now and fleeing would give Xifu a glimmer of hope. She would never forget that it was Chang Cheng, seeking revenge against the Heavenly Dao, who unleashed this blazing fire of desire upon the dense forests of the southwest, destroying all living things. That fire burned for three days and three nights, devouring all life, its flames growing ever more intense. That was why he was suppressed here, and Xifu had become the second mountain god of the dense forests of the southwest.
"Even if I die, I will never let him do evil again. Second Elder, the mansion has the protection of spiritual beasts and can still survive for a while. And I believe that my sister can put out this evil fire." Xi Xian turned his wheelchair and headed towards the deepest cave in the West Mansion. Sparks lit up his way along the way.
Xia Xiwen watched the stone gate close, but he dared not knock. As the crowd grew, if one person started a riot, the situation would worsen. Jingbai also followed the others to the west gate. Initially, he had planned to take some people and escape the dense southwest forest by water, but he found the area trapped by a barrier, with no way out. The fire seemed impossible to break. If it was truly the work of those two crazy women, he would definitely expose their identities as a witness. Outside the closed stone gate, he could only pin his hopes on Qi Yiwen, who had already made her way to the Yue Lao Temple.
As the stone gate loosened, the people poured into the West Mansion like a tide, seeking shelter in the deep caves. After Xia Xiwen and several trial-takers evacuated all the people in the town, they turned around and returned to the Yue Lao Temple.
Xixi had been waiting for a long time at the Dushui River in the west. She had received the challenge long before, and she had heard of the name of the person who issued it. However, she seemed to have just imprisoned her brother, and she began to worry whether this competition would be mixed with personal feelings.
Xiao Xinyin had sensed the dense forest's barrier as she hurried over. She'd observed it, presumably set by Shui Jing, indicating the Immortal Cultivation Conference had chosen this location for the trial. According to the rules, she couldn't trespass without permission, but the problem was that she'd chosen the competition venue to the west, at the Dushui River. With a teleportation talisman, Xiao Xinyin, concealed by the moonlight, instantly appeared beneath a withered tree a few steps away from Xixi.
"Miss Xiao is somewhat mysteriously confident, just like your brother. She even chose the riverside as the venue for her competition with me." Xi Xi was wearing a dark blue brocade robe. The fine blue lines at the end of her eyes extended along her blue pupils, and the silver ornaments on her hair flickered in color with the bright moon.
"How can I demonstrate my wisdom and bravery if I don't let you go all out?" The people on the opposite side mistakenly thought that she had seized the opportunity to cross the river, but they did not notice the ingenuity of the dead tree behind her. Thousands of sails pass by the side of the sunken boat, and thousands of trees bloom in front of the dead tree.
The Dushui River was once a stagnant pool, its surface as calm as a mirror. However, with the appearance of the spirit beast Rain God Concubine, ripples began to form, spreading outward in circles. The Rain God Concubine slowly rose from the water, her body as translucent as a drop of water, seemingly merging with the river. She gently touched the yellow flowers on the bank, each movement imbued with agility and grace. Thousands of years ago, by chance, she cultivated to become the ruler of the Rain God Kingdom. This time, she became a guardian spirit, accompanying the water for a millennium.
The violent storm unfolded like a magnificent symphony at Xixi's fingertips. With a simple wave of her hand, she could bring the storm down in an instant. This was the power of the Rain God, powerful and awe-inspiring.
The raging wind roared like a ferocious beast, sweeping in, transforming the torrential rain into countless tiny blades that spun rapidly in the air. These blades were incredibly sharp, seemingly capable of slicing through everything. They surrounded Xiao Xinyin, leaving her with nowhere to hide.
However, Xiao Xinyin appeared unusually calm, seemingly unafraid of the violent storm. She stood still, groping for something in the brocade bag, as if the danger around her had nothing to do with her.
After a while, Xiao Xinyin finally found what she was looking for. She smiled with satisfaction and pulled out an umbrella from the brocade bag. The handle of the umbrella was a light crimson, as if blood threads were spreading on it, extending all the way to the ribs.
Xiao Xinyin slowly opened the umbrella, her movements graceful and calm. When the umbrella was fully extended, a strange force emanated from it, forming a natural barrier that isolated her from the violent storm outside.
Water vapor pounded frantically outside the barrier, unable to penetrate it. Under the umbrella, Xiao Xinyin was like a blooming flower, appearing particularly beautiful in the fierce wind and rain.
An umbrella, a beautiful woman, spring comes again under the withered tree. This scene is like a beautiful painting, which makes people intoxicated.
"It seems the Xiao family elders are incredibly protective of their children! They even carry artifacts like the Umbrella Beauty with them. Without your parents' protective artifact, are you truly incapable of fighting?" Xixi was deeply dissatisfied with Xiao Xinyin's arrogance. She felt that a cultivator who relied on their parents' glory to achieve anything was nothing more than a piece of trash. It seemed that the Qingshui Palace was no match for this, cultivating such a waste.
"In that case, today I'd like to witness the spirit of the Qingshui Palace—the talisman." Xi Xi's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile. She tightly grasped two swords, one long and one short. These two swords were no ordinary objects, but were formed from condensed water vapor. The blades were tangible yet invisible, as if they could dissipate into the air at any moment.
Xixi was surrounded by a thin layer of water vapor, which, like mist, obscured her form. Her steps were light and agile, as if she were dancing in the mist, making her difficult to grasp.
And under the dead tree not far away, Xiao Xinyin was still standing quietly, holding the mysterious umbrella in her hand, alone, like a beautiful painting.
Xi Xi's longsword darted past like lightning, whistling past Xiao Xinyin's left ear with a sharp sound that seemed to rip her eardrum apart. At the same time, the sound of rushing water roared in her ears, creating a cacophony of noise.
At this thrilling moment, Xiao Xinyin muttered to herself, "Withered trees cast pale autumn shadows, wet clouds cast cold evening gloom." As she chanted, the talisman tightly held in her hand suddenly caught fire and turned to ashes in an instant.
The moment the talisman crumbled to ash, Xiao Xinyin swiftly spun, nimbly dodging Xixi's attack. However, the moment she turned, the once dead tree suddenly sprang to life, revitalized. Its branches, like nimble arms, stretched out and intertwined, forming a pair of massive hands, their maws gaping, attempting to devour Xixi.
The Rain God's concubine stood on the other side of the Dushui River, anxiously awaiting Xixi's arrival. Seeing Xixi about to be devoured by the terrifying, withered tree's hand, she was consumed with anxiety. However, at this critical moment, a demonic fire streaked towards her like a meteor, striking the withered tree with pinpoint accuracy.
Instantly, the demonic fire blazed fiercely, rapidly spreading throughout the dead tree. In the blink of an eye, the once fiercely burning tree was reduced to ashes, leaving only debris on the ground.
Xiao Xinyin's carefully laid trap was easily destroyed by the sudden onslaught of demonic fire. She stared at the scene in astonishment, her heart filled with confusion and bewilderment. Xixi's guardian spirit was clearly the Rain God's concubine, so how could she unleash demonic fire?
At this moment, Xixi was gazing at the bright moon, which seemed to be receding further and further away. Suddenly, she felt a blazing flame envelop her, burning her whole body. With a start, she realized she was trapped by a demonic fire.
If it weren't for the protection of the Rain God's concubine's moisture, she would have perished in the flames long ago. "That's the Yue Lao Temple!" Xiao Xinyin was the first to discover the source of the flames. Meanwhile, Xixi had just received a message from the elders: a demonic fire had broken out at Yue Lao Temple, and she was ordered to extinguish it immediately.
"The fire of desire! Not good." Xi Xi's face changed drastically. He thought to himself that something was wrong and turned around to leave.
However, the moment she turned around, Xiao Xinyin appeared in front of her like a ghost, blocking her way.
Xiao Xinyin looked at Xixi with confusion, not understanding what this so-called "fire of desire" was and why she, the young master of the house, needed to put out the fire herself.
"What is the fire of desire? You are not allowed to leave until our competition is over." Xiao Xinyin asked directly with a hint of displeasure in her voice.
Seeing this, Xi Xi knew he couldn't hide it any longer, so he said in a deep voice, "The fire that can't be extinguished is the fire of lust, which is the evil of the demonic cult. If you don't want to die, take your brother in the prison and escape from the barrier as quickly as possible, as far as you can."
After saying that, Xi Xi said no more. His figure flashed and disappeared from Xiao Xinyin's sight like a ghost.
Xiao Xinyin looked in the direction where Xixi disappeared, cursing inwardly, "What kind of thing is this? He ran away when he couldn't win, and he even talked about the raging fire of desire. I think he's just a coward!"
However, her thoughts were quickly occupied by another question - wasn't that boy here to participate in the Immortal Cultivation Conference? How could he have been imprisoned by the Young Master?
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