The Carefree Little Immortal (Complete) - 18

In the second round, "Alone in the Sky,

" Xiao Xuan exclaimed, "Great! Let's compete in this!" He was overjoyed; for him, this kind of competition was incredibly wonderful and exhilarating.

"Don't be silly! With a formidable enemy at hand, how dare you drink!" Cui Caiting scolded from the side.

Fang Shaolin smiled and said, "Reporting to my senior uncle, I have abstained from alcohol for many days. Only now, seeing that the preparations in the city are basically complete, do I dare to relax a little..."

"You can drink, but Xiao Xuan is not allowed!" Cui Caiting said sternly. Fang Shaolin bowed deeply

to her and said, "My senior uncles and master have been in the city for many days, and I have not yet properly entertained them. I am truly uneasy about this. Today, I would like to offer a feast to express my respect!" Cui Caiting's expression softened slightly, and she said gently, "No need." Fei Luo smiled and said, "Shaolin, your senior uncle and I do not like crowds, so you don't need to bother. Besides, the demons are powerful this time, and as the lord of the city, you cannot afford to be negligent in the slightest." Fang Shaolin bowed deeply again and said, "Senior uncle is absolutely right. In that case , I will have to make up for it another time." Xiao Xuan was greatly disappointed when his plan fell through, but he dared not show it on his face. He noticed that Shui Ruo was making a face at him from across the street, and his mood improved a little. Just then, an officer rushed over from a distance, his face covered in sweat and looking disheveled. He kowtowed to Fang Shaolin and said, "Reporting to you, sir, I was ordered to temporarily close the North Gate to welcome the Holy Envoy, but an armless monster insisted on breaking in. The soldiers guarding the city stepped forward to stop him, but he subdued them all with his strange magic, and many of them were unable to move." "An armless monster?" Fang Shaolin was slightly taken aback, and Cui Caiting and Fei Luo beside him were also moved. Fang Shaolin asked, "Did you ask his name?" The officer replied, "He wouldn't say, only referring to himself as...something like the Hermit of Lone Smoke Island, and...and he was even more rude, daring to address you by your name, and demanding that you go see him!" "The Hermit of Lone Smoke Island!" Fang Shaolin's face lit up with surprise and delight. He glanced at Cui Caiting and Fei Luo, and said, "So it's Sixth Uncle?" Fei Luo pondered, "Such a self-proclaimed title...and such a temper, it must be your Sixth Uncle." "So it's Sixth Uncle Yi Xunyan!" Xiao Xuan exclaimed excitedly. Although he had never met this Sixth Uncle, known as "Lone Smoke Beyond the Heavens," he had long heard that he was a protector of the Xuan Sect, with unparalleled cultivation and a profound and mysterious true energy that had reached a state of perfection. It was said that he had once subdued the demon kings of the forty-nine caves of the mortal realm, and his name resounded throughout the Great Wilderness. Fang Shaolin waved to the officer and said, "Go and invite him quickly, don't offend him... No, no, I'll go and greet him myself!" He then bowed to the two division commanders and hurried away, with Commander Meng and several officers following closely behind, descending the mountain. Fei Luo looked at Cui Caiting and hesitated, "Senior Sister, will you... see him?" "No!" Cui Caiting said coldly. Fei Luo seemed about to say something more, but then saw Cui Caiting glance at Xiao Xuan and say, "Not only will I not see him, but none of my disciples are allowed to see him. Anyone who violates this rule will be expelled from the sect without mercy!" Xue Han, Li Mengtang, Cheng Shuiruo, Xia Xiaowan, and Xiao Xuan were all stunned. Fei Luo sighed softly and smiled, "Alright, Senior Sister, please do as you please. I'm going to see him no matter what." With that, she turned and headed down the mountain. ********** ... "You're dizzy? Oh, why didn't Zhaixia tell me! Let me see..." Xiao Xuan said nervously, quickly touching the girl's forehead. "Ah, it must be because of those Jade Red Fruits, you know? The Jade Red Fruits you ate that day were the kind that make you drunk for three hundred years! How many did you eat in total?" "Don't change the subject, answer me first!" Shui Ruo shrank her forehead and stepped back. Xiao Xuan touched his head and said, "Yesterday? Yesterday I was helping my master uncle on the back mountain, making arrows for the Mountain-Opening Crossbow with Treasure Bottle Bamboo. I got so busy that I forgot to go see you, damn it!" " You spent the whole day with her? There are so many craftsmen on the mountain, do you really need to be there for her!" Shui Ruo seemed even angrier. Xiao Xuan said, "I want to learn a few tricks from her. You know, my master's mechanical arts and artifact-making skills are incredibly exquisite. This is a rare opportunity." "A rare opportunity? Hmph, what a rare opportunity!" Shui Ruo thought of Fei Luo's appearance and couldn't help but snort again, blurting out, "She looks like a vixen!" "What...what vixen?" Xiao Xuan was stunned, only then realizing the girl's jealousy. He was shocked and suddenly remembered the romantic scene with Fei Luo in the pavilion that night, and his face immediately turned red. "Did I guess right?" Shui Ruo stared at him. "You...what nonsense are you talking about?" Xiao Xuan felt even more guilty, but he knew he couldn't panic at this moment, so he forced a wronged and angry expression. Shui Ruo turned her gaze elsewhere and said leisurely, "I say someone has something to hide. Otherwise, why would they think the opportunity is too good to pass up? Otherwise, why would they try to get close to her whenever they get the chance?" "What are you thinking? She's our martial aunt! Besides, I just want to learn some mechanical arts from her! Don't you know that mechanical arts are something I've always dreamed of!" Xiao Xuan shouted, trying to appear righteous. Shui Ruo stared at him, her expression softening slightly, and snorted, "Since you're so fascinated by mechanical arts, why don't you just become her disciple?" "Shh!" Xiao Xuan quickly put a finger to his lips and whispered furtively, "Don't make jokes like that. If it gets back to Master, we're doomed." "At worst, I'll kick you out of the sect!" Shui Ruo said, glancing at him sideways with her beautiful eyes. "Kicked out of the gate?" Xiao Xuan shuddered, gazing into the distance and muttering, "If Master really abandons me one day, how will I live..." Shui Ru chuckled, "Hey! You're a grown man, why are you acting like a little girl..." Xiao Xuan looked at her, then suddenly exclaimed exaggeratedly, "That's right! Ever since that night, I've been a real man!" "That night..." Shui Ru paused slightly, asking in confusion, "Which night?" Xiao Xuan stared at her with a wicked look, a suggestive smile playing on his lips. Shui Ru suddenly realized, her face flushing red with embarrassment, and she playfully punched him. Xiao Xuan puffed out his chest and accepted the offer, then hugged the beautiful woman even tighter, grinning mischievously, "Good Shui'er, there's no one around now, and the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the sun is shining brightly. Why don't you let me become more like a man?" Hearing the words "brightly shining," the girl blushed even more, and scolded, "You pig-headed idiot!" Her sharp fingers suddenly spread, and several tiny, chilling blue rays struck his arm. Caught off guard, Xiao Xuan felt a sudden, bone-chilling cold, cried out in pain, and released his grip. Shui Ruo seized the opportunity to escape, flying away like a butterfly several feet away.

Xiao Xuan looked pained, clutching his arm and groaning, "Ice... Ice Spike Technique! You... You're so cruel, how could you be so cruel!"

"Who told you that? You deserve it!" Shui Ruo said with a grin. Seeing him staggering as if he was about to pounce, she was so frightened that she quickly jumped back and fled from the dangerous place as if flying.

Xiao Xuan slumped down, circulating his inner energy for a while before finally dispelling the biting chill. Gazing down the mountain, he thought wistfully, "Is she shy or angry with me again? She was so nice the other day, why is she like this now..."

Thinking of this, he felt a surge of ecstasy and suddenly sighed loudly, "Alas, women... women... how can you be so hard to understand?"

He sat on the mountaintop, lost in thought, when he suddenly remembered Cui Caiting's warning. He was quite puzzled: "Sixth Martial Uncle is a fellow disciple, why doesn't Master not only refuse to see him himself, but also forbids us from seeing him? This makes no sense..."

The more Xiao Xuan thought about it, the more confused and strange it became. Then, remembering the legend of Sixth Martial Uncle's subjugation of the forty-nine demon kings of the land, he felt a strong urge and thought, "I'll sneak away, take a peek at Sixth Martial Uncle from afar, and then leave. What harm would that do?"

With this thought, he suddenly felt a surge of energy, stood up, and quickly ran down the mountain.

The mansion of the Third Marquis of Zhongjing was built against the mountain. Descending from the Cuihua Lodge halfway up the mountain, past several pavilions and terraces partially hidden in the woods, the houses gradually increased in number, until at the foot of the mountain, gardens and buildings appeared one after another.

Xiao Xuan looked around, bewildered, wondering, "This Fang fellow's house is so big, how do I know where he took my Sixth Uncle?"

He wandered around for a long time without a clue, when suddenly he saw an old woman with white hair and a child wearing a Monkey King mask inside the fence ahead. He quickly went forward, smiling and respectfully saying, "Grandma, are you playing with your grandson?"

The old woman turned her head shakily and said, "Young man, who are you? I've never seen you before."

Xiao Xuan saw that she was covering her ears and leaning forward, as if she had hearing problems, so he said loudly, "I'm a guest who arrived a few days ago, staying on the mountain."

The old woman nodded and said, "Then you must be the young marquis..." "My lord's honored guest! Only honored guests can stay on the mountain."

Xiao Xuan seized the opportunity to ask, "Do you know where the young marquis lives? I have urgent business with him."

The old woman shook her head and said, "I don't know. Although we all live in this mansion, we commoners can't just go where the young marquis lives."

Xiao Xuan was anxious, so he asked again, "Then... do you know roughly where it is?"

The old woman pointed north and said, "It's over there, surrounded by a green-tiled wall. My son knows it; he often goes in."

Xiao Xuan hurriedly asked, "Who is your son?"

The old woman said somewhat proudly, "My son is the one who takes care of the flowers and trees in the young marquis's backyard; his name is Ah Zhu."

"Where is he?" Xiao Xuan was delighted.

"He went in to serve early this morning; I heard some important person is coming," the old woman replied.

Xiao Xuan was greatly disappointed. Suddenly, he heard footsteps, as if several people were approaching quickly. He turned his head and saw a group of guards coming around the corner of the path. Each of them was carrying a long halberd and wearing bright armor. The officer in the lead shouted loudly, "The Holy Envoy has arrived! All bystanders

, please make way!" The old woman was startled and stood there frozen.

The officer looked in their direction, clearly recognizing the old woman, and whispered, "Grandma Li, please take your grandson inside quickly. Don't disturb the Holy Envoy."

The old woman hurriedly pulled her grandson towards the house.

The officer pointed at Xiao Xuan and shouted sternly, "Where are you from? Get out of here too!"

Xiao Xuan didn't want to cause trouble, so he caught up with the old woman and helped her up, whispering, "Grandma, can I go inside and hide for a while?"

The old woman nodded and said, "Go in quickly, go in quickly! Good heavens, it's the Holy Envoy coming..."

The officer was about to lead his men over when suddenly his expression changed drastically. He strode over to the boy, ripped off the Monkey King mask from his face, and tore it to shreds in a few quick movements.

The child was stunned for a moment, then burst into tears.

The old woman was both shocked and furious, pointing at the officer's nose and cursing, "You ungrateful little bastard! Have you forgotten how I doted on you when you were a child? How I helped your family when your father was buried? And now you're scaring my grandson!"

The officer was covered in sweat and said, "Thank goodness! Luckily I saw it, otherwise I would have been in big trouble!"

The old woman was stunned for a moment, and Xiao Xuan was also confused.

The officer said, "Grandma Li, have you forgotten that His Majesty hates people wearing masks? How could you give a mask to a child to play with! If the imperial envoy comes today and sees your grandson wearing a mask, wouldn't that cause a disaster that could lead to the execution of your entire family!"

The old woman was speechless, then slapped her forehead and cried out, "Oh dear! I'm really getting senile, I deserve to die, thank you, Erhuzi!" As she spoke, she was about to kneel down and kowtow to the officer.

The officer quickly helped her up, saying, "Hurry and go inside." He then led his men away hastily, shouting for people to keep their distance.

Xiao Xuan followed the grandmother and granddaughter into the house, closed the door, and asked in surprise, "What's going on? Doesn't His Majesty forbid anyone from wearing masks?"

"Don't you know?" the old woman asked curiously.

"Grandma, I've always lived deep in the mountains; I don't know many things about the outside world," Xiao Xuan said.

The old woman said, "I see. Then I'll tell you. My son said that His Majesty has loved wearing masks since childhood, and after ascending the throne, he became obsessed with a strange mask, never removing it day or night. Therefore, he resents others wearing masks, and several years ago issued an edict forbidding anyone from making or wearing masks, with the entire family to be executed if they violated it!" "

So domineering? He likes to wear masks but forbids others from doing so? How despicable!" Xiao Xuan exclaimed angrily.

The old woman wiped the sweat from her brow with her sleeve, thankfully saying, "Luckily we ran into Erhuzi today, otherwise, if the Imperial Envoy had seen us, we would have been finished!"

Xiao Xuan angrily cursed again, "Absurd! Absurd!"

The old woman lowered her voice and said, "The Emperor has done many absurd things. It is said that he often carries sharp hooks, scissors, awls, small saws, and other weapons on his person..."

Xiao Xuan was stunned for a moment and asked, "As the Emperor, why does he carry these things on his person?"

The old woman said, "For amusement. When he gets into a mood, he will use these vicious things to hurt people for his amusement, and those who refuse will be put to death."

"Is that so?" Xiao Xuan found it hard to believe.

"And there are even more bizarre things..." The old woman's face showed fear.

"More?" Xiao Xuan's face turned ashen.

The old woman trembled slightly as she said, "I've also heard that this...this scoundrel went mad at a banquet, and in front of several ministers, he tore apart a concubine who was serving him and ate her with his wine!"

Xiao Xuan stared in disbelief, muttering for a long while, "This...this isn't a demon?"

The old woman's face contorted with hatred, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "Yes, this scoundrel is a demon! A devil! That's been the rumor for ages. It's just that Heaven was so foolish to send down a demon to be emperor!"

Xiao Xuan suddenly remembered what the Old Mother of Lishan had said, and he trembled with rage, thinking to himself, "This time when I go to the capital, I must see whether this absurd tyrant is a human or a demon!"

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Xiao Xuan waited for a while, and seeing no movement outside, he finally bid farewell to the old woman and came out of the house. His mind was preoccupied with what he had heard earlier, and he was absent-minded the whole way. Suddenly, he saw several flashes of lightning ahead, as bright as lightning. Looking up, he realized that he had arrived at a grove of trees. He was very puzzled: "Where did the lightning come from on such a sunny day?"

He hurried forward, disappearing into the woods, when suddenly he heard someone shout, "Take this again!" The voice was sweet and delicate; it was Fei Luo's. Then, a rumbling, continuous thunderclap sounded.

Xiao Xuan was startled, thinking, "Could it be that my martial aunt has encountered an enemy? I must go help her!" He immediately channeled his energy into the magic whip on his arm, running even faster. Suddenly, he saw a figure leap through the air, her flowing robes

and graceful movements like a celestial being—it was none other than Fei Luo. "Watch out!" Fei Luo shouted again, her fingers forming a hand seal as she swung her arms, creating layers upon layers of shadows. Several orbs of light, crackling with electricity, flew from her hands, some fast, some slow, some straight, some arcing, striking a person on the ground.

"Why are you telling the enemy to be careful?" Xiao Xuan was taken aback, turning to look. He was horrified to see that the person opposite him had long sleeves hanging down on both sides; she was armless, standing motionless in place.

In the blink of an eye, the orbs of light flew over one after another. But as soon as they approached the man, they burst like bubbles, flashing with light and electricity. Powerful magical energy exploded in all directions, producing a series of muffled bangs.

Xiao Xuan suddenly felt a strong wind coming towards him, and he was violently pushed away by a huge force, only stopping when he crashed into a tree. He was both shocked and delighted: "This person's skill is amazing, and he has no arms. It must be my sixth senior uncle, 'Lone Smoke from Beyond the Heavens'! My senior uncle is sparring with him..."

Fei Luo floated in the air, her hand gestures changing in an instant. Then, a thunderous explosion was heard, and bolts of vertical lightning as thick as bowls appeared out of thin air, striking the man's head as if they had eyes. But as soon as they got close to him, the light burst and shattered, unable to touch Yi Xunyan at all.

Seeing this, Xiao Xuan was even more impressed: "It is said that Sixth Master Uncle is a master of Qi Refining. In terms of true Qi, he can be ranked among the top three in our sect. Seeing him today, it is indeed true... He completely neutralized Fei Luo's attack without even moving his hands and feet!"

Yi Xunyan suddenly said: "Come down, stop fooling around."

Fei Luo's pink face flushed slightly, and she cried out in the air: "Senior Brother, don't underestimate me, take another move from me!" As soon as she finished speaking, her hand gestures changed again, and suddenly a strong wind arose, causing the trees below to sway and tilt. As her hand gestures became faster, heat suddenly spread in the wind. The originally invisible and colorless wind turned orange-red, like a fire dragon dancing wildly, roaring and howling in the forest, with a terrifying momentum.

Xiao Xuan's mouth dropped open, a chill running through him: "I thought Aunt Fei Luo was only skilled in mechanisms and formations, but I never imagined her martial arts were so astonishing!"

Yi Xunyan, who had been expressionless, now smiled slightly and said, "Hmm, Wind and Fire Dragon Whirlwind Shield, this move is starting to look decent."

Fei Luo looked smug, biting her lip, and swung her hands, sometimes overlapping and sometimes folding them. The fire dragon that had been running and swirling wildly through the forest suddenly converged, whistling as it descended upon Yi Xunyan. The trees and leaves affected by the blast instantly burned and withered, turning to ash in an instant.

Yi Xunyan finally moved. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and her empty sleeves suddenly danced. Smoke-like white vapor emerged from it, meeting the suffocating fire shield that was swirling down from the air. Instantly, a burst of flames erupted, and the scattered magical energy spread out like waves of heat, igniting the branches and leaves as far as five or six zhang away.

Xiao Xuan was burning hot and drenched in sweat. He stared intently and saw the fire shield seemingly stuck, spinning rapidly in mid-air but unable to fall, its flames appearing strangely scattered.

Fei Luo, her face flushed, gradually slowed her flailing arms, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead; she seemed to be struggling greatly.

Meanwhile, Yi Xunyan, appearing and disappearing beneath the fire shield, appeared relaxed, her empty sleeves waving freely as if they were nothing.

Xiao Xuan grew increasingly astonished: "Uncle-Master's move is so powerful, yet it can't do anything to Sixth Uncle-Master…"

Fei Luo's arms moved slower and slower, until finally she seemed stuck in a quagmire, unable to move an inch. The flames of the fire shield flickered wildly, gradually losing their original shape, their power greatly diminished. Yi

Xunyan smiled slightly and said, "Little Fei Luo, don't force yourself." With that, she flicked her sleeve, pointing straight into the air.

Fei Luo seemed to be struck by something; her delicate body swayed, and she plummeted from mid-air. The fire shield, already at its last gasp, instantly crumbled.

The wind stopped, the fire died down, and scorched earth scattered everywhere. Xiao Xuan remembered Cui Caiting's warning and quickly dodged behind a large tree.

Fei Luo landed lightly, her hair disheveled and cheeks flushed, looking quite disheveled. She bit her lip and grumbled, "Alas, after years of hard training, I still can't do anything to my senior brother!"

Yi Xunyan smiled and said, "Little Fei Luo, you're still so mischievous. You clearly study armor and mechanical arts, yet you insist on sparring with me using martial arts. However, your Little Four Symbols Technique has indeed made great progress; you're not simple."

Xiao Xuan looked at him and saw that his beard was as thick as ink and his eyes shone with a sharp light. Although he looked to be in his forties, he possessed an extraordinary bearing, and every gesture exuded the aura of a grandmaster, inspiring awe in those who beheld him. Now, Xiao Xuan found him even more strange: "Why won't Master see him?"

Fei Luo gently brushed her slightly disheveled hair and sighed, "Even if I used all my armor-controlling and mechanical skills, I still couldn't do anything to Senior Brother... By the way, why did Senior Brother suddenly come to Zeyang? Could it be that he heard about the evil spirits wreaking havoc in the Great Swamp and came here specifically to help?"

Yi Xunyan shook his head and said, "Fei Luo, you know, I haven't paid attention to worldly affairs these past few years."

Xiao Xuan was slightly taken aback, thinking, "The evil spirits wreaked havoc in the Great Swamp, massacred Wangze City, and have been frequently raiding villages and towns for days, harming countless lives. This is a matter of utmost importance, how can it be called a 'trivial matter'?"

"Then you?" Fei Luo looked puzzled.

"Half a month ago, someone sneaked onto Guyan Island while I was away, broke the island's restrictions, poached a pair of Rhinoceros Beasts, and stole their brains..." Yi Xunyan said casually.

"Ah!" Fei Luo exclaimed in surprise, "Who has such audacity? Daring to steal from Senior Brother's island!"

Yi Xunyan said, "The poachers tried to erase their tracks, but they still left clues. I followed them all the way to Giant Bamboo Valley, which is over a hundred miles from here, only to find that they had just left. One of their routes seemed to be heading towards Zeyang, so I followed them here."

Xiao Xuan was shocked to hear this, immediately recalling the scene when he met Qi Ji in Giant Bamboo Valley a few days ago: "Fifth Sister and those mysterious people worked together to hunt the Seven-Flame Spirit Phoenix, and they also took its brain marrow. How could it be such a coincidence?

Could it be..." Thinking of this, he almost dared not think any further.

"Senior Brother, what kind of people are the poachers?" Fei Luo asked.

Yi Xunyan said, "Judging from the aura they left behind, these poachers seem to be some kind of spirit or monster, and each of them is quite powerful."

Xiao Xuan suddenly remembered that Qi Ji was a scorpion spirit, and he became more and more shocked as he listened.

"The brain marrow of the Rhinoceros Beast has very little use. I wonder what they stole it for?" Fei Luo frowned and pondered, about to speak again, when she heard Yi Xunyan say, "Shao Lin said your Ninth Senior Sister is here too?"

"Yes." Fei Luo replied, her dark, beautiful eyes glancing over, as if trying to discern something from his face.

"She still... refuses to see me?" Yi Xunyan asked, his voice slightly hoarse.

Fei Luo nodded, letting out a soft, almost imperceptible sigh. Yi Xunyan

tilted his head slightly, gazing into the distance, silent for a long while.

Fei Luo cautiously asked, "Senior brother, so many years have passed, don't you still have feelings for him...?"

Xiao Xuan was confused, a strange feeling rising in his heart: "Why does Aunt Fei Luo say that? He and Master..."

Just then, Yi Xunyan suddenly raised a sleeve and flung it towards Xiao Xuan's hiding place, shouting, "Come out!"

Xiao Xuan suddenly felt his body tighten, and he was involuntarily lifted up. Before he could understand, he was pulled out from behind the tree by a huge force.

The third time,

Xiao Xuan was suddenly attacked. The Li Huo Jue was activated on its own, and his true energy rapidly rose, flowing through his body in an instant, struggling desperately against the huge force. Yi Xunyan

was slightly taken aback when he saw that he could roll and struggle in the air, seemingly a little surprised. He swirled his sleeve and his true energy surged, strengthening his control over the force.

At this moment, Fei Luo, who was standing nearby, had already seen Xiao Xuan clearly and hurriedly called out, "Wait!"

Xiao Xuan felt a sudden increase in the strength controlling him, and immediately felt a tightness in his chest and a general discomfort. In a flash, he formed a hand seal, and suddenly a hundred or so flames appeared out of thin air, flying towards Yi Xunyan like birds pulled by the immense force. Their power was terrifying; it was the Thousand Mountain Firebird Spell.

"The Fire Separation Spell?" Yi Xunyan murmured, but did not dodge or evade. She continued to pull Xiao Xuan with her long sleeve. When the flames reached him, she swung her other sleeve, sweeping the flames away completely.

Seeing that he could not frighten her, Xiao Xuan's mind raced. He was about to cast another spell, but he was already pulled in front of Yi Xunyan. Seeing her swing her sleeve towards his chest, his face turned completely pale.

Fei Luo knew her senior brother's cultivation level well, and thought that if Xiao Xuan were hit, he would be either dead or crippled. She cried out urgently, "Senior brother, no! He is..." Before she could finish speaking, she had already pointed her fingers, aiming directly at Yi Xunyan's long sleeve that was being flung towards Xiao Xuan. Yi Xunyan

smiled slightly, flicking his sleeves to meet the attack with ease.

Fei Luo suddenly felt a tightness in her wrist, and her body instantly went limp. Xiao Xuan, though touched by the long sleeve, retreated immediately, all his strength suddenly gone, and he knelt weakly before Yi Xunyan.

"Not bad, not bad. Although this child's skill is still shallow, his reaction is quite quick," Yi Xunyan said with a smile, looking at Xiao Xuan.

Fei Luo breathed a sigh of relief, patted her chest, and laughed, "Senior brother, you're so naughty, you scared me half to death."

Yi Xunyan withdrew his sleeves and asked Xiao Xuan, "Are you a disciple of Cai Ting?"

Xiao Xuan felt all the pressure disappear and his strength immediately returned. He hurriedly kowtowed to Yi Xunyan and said, "Disciple Cui Xiao Xuan greets Sixth Martial Uncle!"

"Cui...Xiao Xuan?" Yi Xunyan seemed slightly taken aback and said, "Get up."

Xiao Xuan stood up and laughed, "Sixth Martial Uncle is truly amazing. I have admired you for a long time, and today I finally get to meet you."

Fei Luo laughed, "You naughty little devil, you dared to hide and peek from the side. Luckily, your Martial Uncle Yi recognized your technique."

At this moment, Yi Xunyan had clearly seen Xiao Xuan's face and was slightly surprised. He asked, "You are also surnamed Cui?"

Xiao Xuan replied, "Yes, I am an orphan. My master took pity on me and gave me the surname Cui."

"An orphan..." Yi Xunyan stared at him, her brows furrowing slightly. She then asked, "Your name is Xiao Xuan?"

Her expression had grown considerably cold in those few words.

"Yes, this disciple's name is Xiao Xuan," Xiao Xuan replied, a sense of bewilderment

washing over him. Yi Xunyan scrutinized him, his previous amiable smile vanishing, replaced by a puzzled and stern expression.

Xiao Xuan felt utterly uncomfortable under her gaze, completely bewildered as to what was amiss.

Fei Luo glanced at Xiao Xuan, then at Yi Xunyan, and asked, "Senior brother, what's wrong?"

Yi Xunyan waved his hand at Xiao Xuan, coldly saying, "You can go now. I have something to discuss with your uncle."

Xiao Xuan felt a wave of relief and quickly bowed before leaving.

Yi Xunyan watched him depart, then suddenly said, "I heard that Caiting's sect only accepts female disciples, so why is there a boy among them?"

Fei Luo said, "I'm not quite sure either. I only saw this child this time on Xiaoyao Peak, but his potential seems quite good."

"Not just good, but extremely extraordinary," Yi Xunyan mused.

Fei Luo smiled and said, "Third Senior Sister saw this child the other day and said he would have a bright future."

"Do you think..." Yi Xunyan asked, "Does he resemble someone?"

"Resemble...who?" Fei Luo's heart skipped a beat.

Yi Xunyan turned to look at her, his eyes gleaming.

Fei Luo suddenly remembered her astonishment when she first saw Xiao Xuan, and her heart pounded inexplicably.

"Those eyebrows, those eyes..." Yi Xunyan said coldly.

Fei Luo's breathing quickened, and after a long while, she finally said, "No...it's impossible!"

"Impossible?" Yi Xunyan sneered, "The whereabouts of Xiantian Taixuan are still unknown, and I always feel that the fox demon hasn't vanished into thin air. At least, I can't be sure if he really left no bloodline behind, and yet Caiting suddenly has such a disciple..."

Fei Luo froze, then suddenly shook her head, as if trying to convince herself, and cried out, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! I know he...he...wouldn't!"

Yi Xunyan stared at her intently, remaining silent for a long time.

Fei Luo's face flushed red, and she took a step back in fear.

Yi Xunyan sighed softly, turned to look in the direction Xiao Xuan had left, and after a long while, spoke, her voice carrying a chilling coldness: "I hope that this child has nothing to do with that fox demon..."

****************

Xiao Xuan fled out of the forest, feeling extremely depressed. The excitement of seeing his master had completely vanished.

"Hmph, this Sixth Martial Uncle's cultivation is high, but his temperament is quite strange. No wonder Master refuses to see him!" Xiao Xuan thought as he walked, puzzled.

"Pighead, so you're here!" someone suddenly called out.

Who else could call him a pighead? Xiao Xuan's mood immediately improved. He looked up and saw Shui Ruo running excitedly towards him.

Xiao Xuan rushed to meet her, feeling very happy and proud. He grinned and said, "You missed me as soon as we parted, didn't you? You

missed me after all, didn't you?" He opened his arms to hug her, but the girl dodged him.

"Don't be so smug! Who missed you? I wanted to show you something." Shui Ruo said.

"What is it?" Xiao Xuan asked.

"This!" Shui Ruo raised an arm and waved the thing she was holding in her hand.

Xiao Xuan looked over and saw that she was holding a short weapon with a scale-like sheath. He asked excitedly, "Master gave you a new weapon again? What kind of treasure is it?"

"No, Master," Shui Ruo replied, holding the hilt in one hand and the sheath in the other. She gently pulled it to both sides, and suddenly a bright light flashed, and a chilling aura swept over people.

"Wow, what a dazzling sword!" Xiao Xuan exclaimed in surprise, his eyes squinting from the light.

Shui Ruo said proudly, "It's called the Evil-Repelling Ice Flame Blade. Legend has it that it was forged from the ice essence of the North Sea and the flame-purifying stone of Yan Continent, and countless demons have been slain by it."

Xiao Xuan's eyes gradually adjusted to the light and saw two strange stones, one blue and one red, inlaid near the hilt of the blade. The stones had a hidden shimmering light that flowed and changed. He knew it was an extraordinary item and asked in a cheeky tone, "What are these two stones?"

"These two gems are, one is the essence of ice essence and the other is the essence of flame-purifying stone. Both have been refined by a master craftsman. Each can hold an instantaneous water or fire escape spell. I've already added an ice explosion spell to it. Quickly help me add a useful fire spell to it." Shui Ruo chattered on, her pretty face unusually charming with excitement.

Xiao Xuan clicked his tongue in amazement and asked, "Wasn't this precious blade a gift from Master?"

Shui Ruo nodded and said, "We parted ways on the mountain just now. I hadn't gone far when I ran into Young Master He. He said he felt really bad for not being able to get me a weapon on this trip to Giant Valley Bamboo, so he insisted on giving me this family heirloom blade."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xuan's face immediately darkened, and he said coldly, "Ha, he's really generous enough to give away his family heirloom!"

"Yes, he's actually a very nice person, it's just that you always find fault with him," Shui Ruo said, looking at the precious blade in her hand with satisfaction.

Xiao Xuan's jealousy flared up, and he sneered, "Now that you've got this divine weapon, are you happy?"

Shui Ruo said, "I'm too embarrassed to accept it, but I couldn't refuse his kindness, so I accepted it for now. I've already told Young Master He that I'll only admire it for a few days before returning it to him."

Xiao Xuan felt a little better when he heard her refuse, and hummed, "What do you mean 'return'? If you want it, just take it! Since that guy is willing to give it up, let's not be polite!"

Shui Ruo said, "What are you talking about? This is someone's family heirloom. How can we just accept it?"

Xiao Xuan was pleased to hear her use "we" as well, and said smugly, "That guy surnamed He is very attentive, but he can't possibly win over my precious Shui'er."

Shui Ruo suddenly seemed to remember something, looked up at Xiao Xuan and said, "By the way, when are you going to return the car you extorted from that person last time?"

"No!" Xiao Xuan immediately replied, "Why should I return it? That Lu Shu car was given to me willingly to repay my life-saving benefactor!"

"Willingly my foot! You clearly took advantage of someone's vulnerability to extort money!" Shui Ruo stared at him and said, "You answer me honestly, when are you going to return that car to him?"

"No!" Xiao Xuan said decisively, turning his head away.

"Are you really not going to return it?" Shui Ruo asked softly again.

Though her voice was soft, it made Xiao Xuan feel guilty. He turned his face back and saw that the beautiful woman's face was frosty, staring intently at him. He panicked, but thinking of how wondrous the Deer-Shu Carriage was, he really didn't want to give up the fat meat that was already in his mouth. So he put on a smiling face and said softly, "Good Shui'er, how about this, I'll find something rare to give to that guy surnamed He in the future, as compensation to him..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Shui Ruo turn and leave.

Xiao Xuan hurriedly chased after her, grabbing her wrist and calling out, "No, no, no, let's talk this out! Let's discuss it again!"

Shui Ruo shook off his hand forcefully, her pretty face tense, and said, "This matter is not negotiable!"

Xiao Xuan just held on tightly, his mind racing, "Then... then we have to ask that guy surnamed He to bring some treasure in exchange!"

"Let go!" Shui Ruo's face turned red, and she pulled her hand away forcefully.

"Fine!" After much internal struggle, Xiao Xuan finally surrendered, groaning, "Give it back! Give it back!"

Shui Ruo calmed down, staring at him and asking, "You mean it?"

Xiao Xuan nodded, his face pale, feeling a pang of heartache.

Shui Ruo's expression quickly warmed, and she slowly approached, tilting her head to scrutinize him carefully.

Xiao Xuan felt utterly weak, glaring at her irritably.

Shui Ruo giggled, gently placing her soft hand on his chest, and said sweetly, "Does it hurt terribly here?"

"Don't think of me as so petty, okay? It's just a car, why would I care?" Xiao Xuan forced a smile, responding with an unusually nonchalant and dignified air.

The loss of the treasure was already a done deal; he couldn't afford to lose his composure now.

Shui Ruo, seeing right through him, said softly, "Don't worry, if you like treasures, you're not afraid of not having them. My mother has plenty..."

Xiao Xuan remembered that his mother was known as the "Goddess of a Hundred Treasures," a renowned weapon-refining master known throughout the three islands and ten continents, possessing countless rare treasures. He blurted out, "It's precisely because your family has so many treasures that you don't care about that deer-drawn carriage."

"You pig-brain!" Shui Ruo scolded playfully.

Xiao Xuan immediately realized his mistake and regretted it deeply.

Shui Ruo bit her lip, staring at him with hazy eyes, and whispered, "Silly boy, as long as you... treat me well, when I see my mother in the capital this time, I'll help you ask her for lots of treasures." As she said this, her cheeks flushed like a rosy sunset.

Xiao Xuan's heart pounded, and he couldn't help but hug her. His anxiety vanished, and he chuckled, "Didn't you refuse to take me to meet your mother?"

Shui Ruo was startled and asked curiously, "When did I refuse?"

Xiao Xuan said sullenly, "Last time you said your mother wasn't so easy to meet, and you even called me stupid!"

Shui Ruo then remembered and chuckled, "Who told you to say that in front of so many people?"

So that was just a cover-up! Xiao Xuan also laughed, staring at her.

Seeing his strange smile, Shui Ruo asked suspiciously, "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing," Xiao Xuan denied.

"Yes!" The girl felt uneasy under his laughter.

"No, really nothing,"

Shui Ruo persisted, "You must be, why are you laughing so mischievously!"

"I'm happy."

"Happy about what?"

"Happy that someone's going to take me to meet my future mother-in-law," Xiao Xuan said with a grin.

"You...you dare laugh at me! You stinking pig! I won't let you see my mother!" Shui Ruo was extremely embarrassed and swung her small fists at him.

Xiao Xuan let her hit him, instead holding her tighter and tighter, panting slightly, "Shui'er, I missed you so much..."

"If you missed me, so be it, who cares about you!" Shui Ruo replied, her face burning, panting as she glanced at the man. Meeting his fiery gaze, her heart suddenly fluttered, and she felt a surge of emotion. She narrowed her beautiful eyes and slightly raised her cherry lips, as if expecting something.

But then she heard...

"Shall we go to the back mountain?" Xiao Xuan whispered, his breath hot and hot, sizzling against the side of her neck.

Shui Ruo was taken aback and immediately struggled in his arms, blushing and scolding, "You! Why are you always thinking about that...that!" Just as

they were struggling, they heard footsteps. Shui Ruo and Xiao Xuan turned to look and saw several officers dressed as generals walking quickly along the path. The two quickly separated, their faces turning red.

The officers, however, all seemed worried, glancing at them only briefly before hurrying past.

"They've come at just the right time!" Xiao Xuan muttered, about to pull Shui Ruo away, when two more officers approached, also looking hurried and worried.

Shui Ruo asked curiously, "It seems like something's happened. Why are so many officers suddenly coming in?"

Xiao Xuan said, "What could it be? The Holy Envoy has arrived; they must be here to attend to him."

Shui Ruo shook her head, "But why do they all look so preoccupied? Besides, can just anyone see the Holy Envoy?"

"Who cares about them!" Xiao Xuan didn't bother with such matters. Seeing them disappear into the distance, he went back to pestering the beautiful woman.

"Stop fooling around!" Shui Ru glared at him and whispered, "You almost killed me again just now!"

Xiao Xuan missed her terribly, and to win her favor, sweet words and flattery flowed from his mouth.

Shui Ru firmly refused, and finally coaxed, "I've been working on it for days, and all those guardian talismans are copied. If you behave, I'll spend the whole day with you."

Xiao Xuan had no choice but to temporarily compromise, but he was secretly calculating in his heart: "A whole day is a long time. As long as we can be together, there might be a chance."

The two tasted the sweetness of love for the first time, and that day they were inseparable, truly as sweet as honey.

In the evening, Xiao Xuan invited Shui Ru to go for a walk again, talking about how beautiful this place was and how beautiful that place was, but with ulterior motives, he only led the girl to a secluded place.

The surroundings grew increasingly quiet. Xiao Xuan, his mind racing, was about to seduce the beautiful woman again when Shui Ruo suddenly seemed to remember something. She clapped her hands excitedly and exclaimed, "Oh, right! I'll take you to see something!" With that, she grabbed his hand and ran forward.

"What is it?" Xiao Xuan asked, secretly delighted that she was pulling him deeper into the woods.

"Two treasures," Shui Ruo replied.

"Two treasures? What treasures?" Xiao Xuan was completely confused.

"Our treasures," Shui Ruo said excitedly, a faint blush rising to her jade-like face.

Xiao Xuan's heart skipped a beat. Before he could ask further, Shui Ruo pulled him back, whispering, "We're here. It's right here."

"What's here?" Xiao Xuan looked around, but it was pitch black all around. Apart from the dense trees and tall grass, he couldn't see anything unusual.

Shui Ruo let go of his hand, took a few steps forward, and then, surprisingly, lifted her skirt, knelt down, and parted the grass with her hands. Instantly, a dazzling light shone, colorful and vibrant, standing out brilliantly in the dark forest.

"Come quickly!" Shui Ruo beckoned to the dumbfounded Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Xuan ran over and peeked out. He saw two oval-shaped objects, entirely blue-green, lying in the grass in front of her. They were quite large, and strangely, there was a faint, flowing light inside them, resting on several flaming magical runes.

"These two things, aren't they...aren't they the eggs of the Seven-Flame Spirit Phoenix?" Xiao Xuan exclaimed in surprise.

"That's right, they are those two eggs," Shui Ruo said with a smile.

Xiao Xuan, bewildered, asked, "How did they get here?"

"I brought them here," Shui Ruo replied, looking at him. "Have you forgotten? We agreed to help them hatch! That day you left me to go play, and I only put them in my bag after I woke up."

Xiao Xuan slapped his forehead. "Oh, I see. I forgot."

"Hmph! Heartless!" Shui Ruo glared at him.

"Why are there talismans under them? The grid is so strange; I've never seen anything like it before." Xiao Xuan stared at the talismans under the two giant eggs.

"As if you've seen countless talismans!" Shui Ruo teased him, then continued, "These talismans are called 'Spring Blossoms,' which can hatch the eggs of a hundred birds. I made them."

"You made them? You can make talismans like that?" Xiao Xuan's mouth dropped open.

"Of course I made them!" Shui Ruo said smugly, until Xiao Xuan's jaw almost dropped before she said, "Second Senior Sister taught me! After I brought these two eggs back, I didn't know how to hatch them. Then I remembered that Second Senior Sister was the most knowledgeable, so I went to ask her for advice on artificial incubation. So she taught me to make these Spring Blossoms Talismans."

Xiao Xuan had never heard of such a thing before and asked with suspicion, "Can these Spring Blossoms Talismans really hatch eggs?"

"How dare you doubt Second Senior Sister's abilities?" Shui Ruo said angrily.

"No, it's just really unbelievable."

"Take a closer look, what's different about these two eggs compared to the ones we saw in the giant nest?"

Xiao Xuan stared intently, then exclaimed, "There seems to be some light coming out of their shells, and it's several colors changing! They didn't glow in the Giant Bamboo Valley..." "

That's right, it means they are maturing day by day, gradually growing into the likeness of their parents. I believe that when they hatch, they will definitely be seven-colored spirit phoenixes with flames burning all over their bodies!" Shui Ruo said excitedly.

Xiao Xuan felt much more convinced and said happily, "If we really hatch these two eggs, then we'll have two little spirit phoenixes!"

Shui Ruo said tenderly, "Their parents are all gone now, so we'll raise them and cherish them..."

"Yes, we'll be their parents..." Xiao Xuan took the opportunity to take advantage of the girl, saying emotionally, "We'll shelter them from the wind and rain, feed them sweet dew, and endure countless hardships for many years, until one day we raise them into the Seven-Flame Divine Phoenixes that can rival even the mighty eagles, and then..."

Xiao Xuan paused, gazing deeply at the girl.

Shui Ruo also looked at him tenderly and asked softly, "Then what?"

"Then, we'll each ride one and travel together to see famous mountains and rivers, roaming the world, never to be separated in this life!"

Xiao Xuan recited, his gaze fixed on the distant sky.

The moon was slowly emerging from behind the clouds, its light hazy and dreamlike.

Completely captivated by the beautiful scenery Shui Ruo described, he clasped his hands together at his heart, his watery eyes gazing dreamily, "Mmm...it's so wonderful, I can't wait for this day to come!"

"Now..." Xiao Xuan smiled tenderly, "Let's celebrate in advance, shall we?"

"Sure! How shall we celebrate?" the girl replied joyfully and readily.

"Shui'er..." Xiao Xuan groaned hoarsely, opening his arms and rushing towards her.

Then...

the fourth chapter of Heaven's Injustice

Then, a shrill scream rang out, and a moment later, Xiao Xuan, covered in dust, followed Shui Ruo out of the woods.

The girl said coldly, "I'm warning you again, if you dare to act recklessly again next time, don't blame me for being even harsher than this time!"

Xiao Xuan was like a frostbitten eggplant, his head drooping silently, his handsome face covered in fallen leaves, looking extremely disheveled.

"I'm going back!" Shui Ruo said.

"Going back so early? You promised to spend the whole day with me!" Xiao Xuan quickly grabbed her.

Shui Ruo said angrily, "I was going to stay with you, but you always... always cheat!"

"I won't be naughty anymore," Xiao Xuan promised.

"You ruined such a good feeling!" The girl glared at him, her face flushed.

"It's all my fault, it's all my fault," Xiao Xuan coaxed her, holding her arm and coaxing her, but in his heart he thought, wouldn't that be more intimate?

"Hey, who's over there?" Shui Ruo suddenly stopped and pointed ahead.

"It looks like... it's Xiao Wan!" Xiao Xuan also saw the slender figure ahead.

The two walked over quickly, and Xiao Wan, who was standing on a large rock, heard the sound, turned her head and looked over. When she saw them,

she was stunned and said, "You're here."

Xiao Xuan and Shui Ruo blushed and jumped onto the large rock together. Shui Ruo asked, "What are you doing here all by yourself?"

She then noticed Xiao Wan's worried expression as she pointed down the mountain, saying, "Look down there, I wonder if something has happened?"

Xiao Xuan and Shui Ruo looked down and saw that the center of the Marquis's residence was brightly lit, unlike usual. Xiao Xuan chuckled, "Nothing much, probably just that kid throwing a big banquet to welcome the Holy Envoy."

Xiao Wan shook her head, saying, "You don't know, after Shao Lin met the Holy Envoy at noon, he locked himself in his study and hasn't come out since."

"How do you know?" Xiao Xuan asked in surprise.

Xiao Wan, still gazing down the mountain, seemed somewhat uneasy as she said, "Shao Lin had asked me to go see the set of Eight Desolations and Ten Extraordinary Talismans that Eleventh Uncle left him today, but when I went there this afternoon, I heard he had locked himself in his study and ordered that he wouldn't see anyone..."

Xiao Xuan glared and said, "Well, this kid is putting on airs with us!"

Xiao Wan said, "No, something must have happened. I was only there for a short while when I saw many officers arrive one after another, but they were all turned away, and they all looked grim."

Xiao Xuan and Shui Ruo exchanged a glance, both recalling the officers they had encountered during the day, who all seemed to have worried expressions.

"Could it be... could it be that the news brought by the Holy Envoy is bad? Is it that the reinforcements couldn't arrive in time? Or... did the court not send any reinforcements at all?" Shui Ruo frowned.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xuan and Xiao Wan immediately became tense.

"No way... should we tell Master?" Xiao Wan said.

"No, no, it's so late. Let's not disturb Master. Let's go down and see what's going on first," Xiao Xuan said.

The two girls both agreed, so the three of them quickly descended the mountain. Xiao Wan led the way, taking Xiao Xuan and Shui Ruo to a large garden in the center of the Marquis's residence. From afar, they could see that the lights were high and bright as day. In front of the gate, a few officers were gathered, all with solemn expressions, creating a very strange atmosphere.

As the three approached, suddenly one of the officers rushed towards the gate, shouting, "Let me in! If we wait any longer, things will get really messy!"

Xiao Xuan looked over and saw that the man was burly, with a full beard, and a thick iron whip hanging from his waist. It was the same officer surnamed Gu who had tried to capture him last time.

Several guards at the gate immediately stepped forward to stop him. The leader said, "General Gu, please calm down. The lord has given strict orders that no one will be seen today!"

General Gu tried to push and shove, but he couldn't get through. Suddenly, he turned to an officer beside him and shouted, "Commander Meng, you know the situation right now. Quickly order these

bastards to get out of the way!" Commander Meng smiled bitterly and said, "It's no use you going in. Didn't General Ji force his way in this afternoon? And what happened to him?"

General Gu angrily waved his arm and shouted, "Old Ji couldn't persuade the lord, so let me try to go in!"

"Stop making a scene! With your temper, I'm afraid the lord will order you to be beheaded as soon as you go in!" Commander Meng said sternly.

"Let them chop! If this drags on, we'll all die sooner or later!" General Gu said, suddenly turning around and shouting to the officers in front of the gate, "Listen up, everyone! The demonic army is growing increasingly rampant. This morning, another village was massacred; the scene was horrific. Zeyang City is on the verge of collapse, and our lord has ordered the entire city to be on high alert! Now the people are in turmoil and panic is everywhere, yet our lord is turning a blind eye and drinking behind closed doors. What kind of behavior is this?"

Xiao Xuan and the other two were stunned.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Commander Meng roared angrily, slamming his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Old Ji said it himself. He said he saw it with his own eyes when he went in this afternoon. Our lord was drinking cup after cup, completely drunk!" General Gu replied without fear.

The officers stirred, whispering amongst themselves.

"What's going on? We spent so much effort to set up the defenses, why are we suddenly being told to withdraw?"

"Those broken crossbows were so hard to get up to the city walls, and now they're being taken down one by one. Isn't this just making things difficult for us?"

"The Holy Envoy entered the city this afternoon.

Could it be that reinforcements have arrived?" "This is outrageous! Even if reinforcements have arrived, why are we being told to withdraw before they've even taken over the defenses? What if the demons launch a surprise attack at this moment?"

"I dare not think about it! Heaven help us, please don't let anything happen tonight..."

Seeing the chaotic scene, Commander Meng suddenly flew into a rage, pointed at General Gu, and shouted, "Men, seize this alarmist fellow and let the lord deal with him personally!"

As soon as he said this, several soldiers rushed forward, seized General Gu, and took the thick iron whip from his waist.

General Gu did not resist, but continued to shout, "Everyone, quickly find a way to wake the master! Otherwise, the demon army will take advantage of this opportunity to attack, and Zeyang will surely be a river of blood!" Xiao Xuan became increasingly angry

as he listened, his face turning ashen. "At such a critical moment, he actually ordered the entire city to be on high alert. Has that kid gone mad?" "There must be some reason." Xiao Wan's face grew increasingly worried. Shui Ruo nodded and said, "I don't think Shao Lin is such a confused person. It would be best to ask him in person." "Alright! Let's go find him now and see if this kid is possessed!" Xiao Xuan said. Xiao Wan whispered, "We definitely can't get in through the main gate. Let's find another way in." The three of them quietly left the main gate and walked a long way along the wall. Finally, they found a secluded place and used their flying skills to enter the garden. There were many houses in the garden. Xiao Xuan and Shui Ruo were worrying when they heard Xiao Wan say, "Come with me. I know where the study is." "How do you know?" Xiao Xuan was slightly taken aback. Xiao Wan glanced at him and said indifferently, "I was here a few days ago. Shao Lin invited me to see his collection of magic talismans." Xiao Xuan's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly felt a pang of jealousy, thinking with annoyance, "That kid is so despicable! He knows Xiao Wan likes magic talismans, so he's using this to coax her!" The study was a pavilion overlooking the water, with a small lotus pond in front and green banana trees on both sides, appearing unusually serene and tranquil under the moonlight. "There are guards over there," Shui Ruo whispered, staring at a certain spot. "Don't disturb them, let's go in through the window," Xiao Wan said. The south window of the study was open, letting in a few dim lights. The three of them used a little magic to slip into the study unnoticed. Upon entering the room, a strong smell of wine assaulted their nostrils. The three frowned and looked around. In the west wing, two purple elm bookshelves lined the wall, and in the north, a display case of ten scenic views of antiques stood. In the center of the room was a fragrant nanmu desk and a carved rosewood chair. Several paintings and calligraphy works by famous calligraphers and painters, along with inscriptions by renowned figures, hung on the walls. The most striking feature was an eight-panel screen in the adjacent hall, painted with layers of green and blue, depicting a magnificent landscape painting, exuding an extraordinary grandeur amidst its elegance. However, the room was now littered with wine jars, overturned and spilled. In the east wing's waterside pavilion, someone was slumped over a table, a wine jug still loosely dangling from his hand. The three immediately recognized the man. Xiao Xuan angrily exclaimed, "This kid is really dead drunk!" He rushed over, grabbed him, and shouted, "You brat! With a great enemy at hand, you're indulging in a debauched state!" Fang Shaolin struggled for a moment, then glared at him with drunken eyes and yelled, "Get out! Who dares to stop me!" "You little bastard! How dare you yell at me!" Xiao Xuan roared, throwing a punch. "No!" Xiao Wan cried out, rushing over to grab his fist. Shui Ruo also quickly stepped forward to stop him, scolding Xiao Xuan, "Ask him first!" "What's the point of asking him when he's like this?" Xiao Xuan said irritably. "I'll take over!" Shui Ruo turned around, hands on her hips, striking a pose like a senior sister, and glared at the swaying Fang Shaolin, shouting, "Hey! The demonic army could arrive at any moment! Instead of supervising military affairs and maintaining strict defenses, you've come here to drink, and even ordered the entire city to be evacuated! I ask you! What exactly is going on?" "It's...it's you!" Fang Shaolin's face lit up with joy, and he suddenly shoved Shui Ruo aside, grabbing Xiao Xuan and saying, "Good! Just in time! Let's have another drinking contest, this time let's see who can hold their liquor better!" "Contest my foot! I think you're hopeless!" Xiao Xuan raised his eyebrows and cursed angrily. "You dare not? I misjudged you..." Fang Shaolin chuckled, his eyes full of provocation and contempt. "I dare not?" Xiao Xuan was furious, his eyes sweeping around, and suddenly picked up a jar of wine from the table. "Good, good, good! You've got guts!" Fang Shaolin gave a thumbs up, then suddenly bent down and picked up another jar of wine from the ground, shouting, "Whoever falls down first loses." Shui Ruo was furious and yelled at Xiao Xuan, "Are you an idiot?! Can't you see he's provoking you?" "What kind of time is this to be messing around with him like this!" Xiao Wan also scolded Xiao Xuan, rushing between the two men and saying with a stern face, "No drinking! Nobody's allowed to drink!" Xiao Xuan's heart skipped a beat, suddenly realizing that his usually kind and gentle junior sister could be so fierce when she got angry. But there was something even stronger. "Get out of the way!" Fang Shaolin roared, shouting viciously, "When men are drinking, women, get out of the way!" "It's me!" Xiao Wan's eyes widened, feeling incredibly wronged. "You? You too!" Fang Shaolin shouted, reeking of alcohol. "You, get out of my way!" Xiao Wan stared at Fang Shaolin in astonishment, frozen in front of him. Xiao Xuan grew even angrier, picked up the wine jar, and took a large gulp, shouting at Fang Shaolin, "Come on! The first to fall is the bear!" Xiao Wan's eyes suddenly reddened, and she turned to leave. Fang Shaolin seemed to wake up suddenly, quickly reaching out and grabbing the girl's wrist.

"Why are you pulling me!" Xiao Wan said coldly.

Fang Shaolin's lips twitched, as if he wanted to say something but stopped.

"Let go," Xiao Wan said softly.

Fang Shaolin stared at her, as if in a daze.

Xiao Wan suddenly shook off her wrist.

"I'm sorry," Fang Shaolin said abruptly.

The room fell silent for a moment, and Xiao Wan stopped struggling.

Xiao Xuan's eyes blazed with fury as he stared intently at Fang Shaolin's hand, which was still tightly gripping the girl's slender wrist.

After a while, Xiao Wan bit her lip and asked softly, "What exactly happened?"

Fang Shaolin's Adam's apple bobbed, and he uttered four words with great difficulty: "Zeyang is finished."

The three people beside him looked at each other, and Shui Ruo'e frowned and said, "The imperial court didn't send any reinforcements?"

Fang Shaolin released Xiao Wan's wrist, looked up at the roof, and sighed deeply as if he were exhausted.

"That doesn't necessarily mean Zeyang can't be defended. Don't you still have over ten thousand Tiger Head Army soldiers here? Their combat power is extraordinary. Now, with the Guardian Talisman and the Mountain-Breaking Crossbow that my Uncle has rushed to make, they might be able to hold their own against the demon army," Xiao Wan said, her expression calm and resolute.

"There are also many capable individuals from all walks of life who have come to help, as well as three hundred Demon Subduers from the Demon-Slaying Fortress," Shui Ruo added.

Fang Shaolin shook his head with a bitter smile, and said weakly, "No, not only do we have no reinforcements, but we've also lost the Tiger Head Army. The Holy Envoy has conveyed the Emperor's decree, ordering me to hand over all the Tiger Head Army soldiers in Zeyang City and to transfer them away from Daze within two days."

The three people beside him were dumbfounded.

Xiao Xuan said in shock and anger, "What! The Emperor not only won't send a single soldier to reinforce us, but he's also going to transfer all the Tiger Head Army soldiers away?" Fang

Shaolin looked haggard and didn't even bother to nod.

"Are you kidding me? Zeyang City is on the verge of collapse, and this idiot emperor is trying to undermine it? Has he lost his mind?" Xiao Xuan was both anxious and angry, and spoke without thinking.

"Could it be that His Majesty is unaware of the situation here, and that's why he issued an order to mobilize troops at this critical moment?" Xiao Wan pondered. Fang Shaolin shook

his head and said, "I'm sure. I've written everything that happened in Daze clearly in my report."

Shui Ru frowned and said, "That's strange. Isn't this Tiger Head Army stationed in Daze? Why wasn't it mobilized earlier or later, but at this critical moment?" "

The imperial edict says that the court will soon besiege the rebel army of Nangong Yang in Yunzhou. The Central Plains are short of troops, so the Tiger Head Army of Zeyang is being mobilized to reinforce them," Fang Shaolin said.

"Foolish! Foolish! Just to suppress the rebels, we can abandon Zeyang? Those rebels, like Nangong's, are just people, while the threat to Zeyang is a man-eating demon! Can't you tell which is more important, which is more urgent, which is less urgent?!" Xiao Xuan said angrily. "I've long heard that this Shao Xuanyuan is incompetent and absurd, and it's absolutely true!"

Fang Shaolin suddenly grabbed a wine jar and started chugging it down.

Xiao Xuan, filled with resentment, also picked up a wine jar and drank heavily.

"Don't drink! We need to think of a solution quickly," Shui Ruo said.

"Even with the Tiger Head Army here, they might not be able to withstand the demon army. Now that they've all been transferred away, what am I supposed to use to defend Zeyang?!" Fang Shaolin said as he chugdled, becoming more and more agitated, spilling wine that soaked a large portion of his clothes.

Xiao Xuan suddenly said, "You are the magistrate of Daze, the highest-ranking official here. As long as you don't give your approval, the Tiger Head Army might not be able to be mobilized!"

Fang Shaolin laughed and stared at him with a strange look, saying, "You... want me to defy the imperial decree?"

Xiao Xuan shouted, "Defy the imperial decree then! For the sake of Zeyang City, for the sake of the common people, what's the big deal about defying the imperial decree once!" Shui

Ruo immediately scolded, "What nonsense are you talking about? You're just giving bad advice!"

Xiao Xuan only stared at Fang Shaolin, looking at him with a "let's see if you have any guts" expression.

Fang Shaolin chuckled again, but his laugh was weak and feeble. He casually remarked, "It's really nothing serious, haha, probably just the execution of the entire family."

Xiao Xuan stammered, "This...that serious?"

Shui Ruo glared at him and said, "What do you think! Resisting an imperial edict is no joke! Besides, it's defying this order to mobilize troops, which is practically tantamount to rebellion. Executing the entire family is the least of your worries; ninety-nine percent of the time, it'll be the extermination of nine generations of relatives!"

Xiao Xuan stood there dumbfounded for a long while before he stammered, "So that's it? We're just going to watch Zeyang City be bloodied and plundered by the demon army?"

No one could answer. The terrifying scene they had witnessed from the Dream Sword when they flew over Wangze City that day flashed through their minds, sending chills down their spines.

Xiao Xuan's face turned as white as paper, and he suddenly tilted his head back and gulped down the wine

. Fang Shaolin also gulped down the wine, but even faster, and suddenly choked on it, his face turning red.

Xiao Wan quickly patted his back, comforting him, "Don't worry, let's think of other ways." Though she said this, she herself had no ideas.

With a loud crash, Fang Shaolin slammed the wine jar heavily on the table, bowing deeply and saying, "What other way? What other way is there! I... I am the magistrate of Daze, yet... I couldn't protect it..." His voice choked with emotion.

The others remained silent.

"My family has been marquises for three generations, inheriting the title of Daze, but I never imagined... Zeyang would perish at my hands today, Zeyang's..." Fang Shaolin suddenly raised his head, his handsome face now streaked with tears: "Tens of thousands of lives lost at my hands!"

The three beside him were shocked, staring at him in disbelief.

What kind of pain and suffering could bring such a man to tears?

Xiao Xuan's perception changed drastically. He thought to himself, "Although this boy has always coveted Xiao Wan and harbored ill intentions, he has a compassionate heart, so he's not entirely despicable..."

"Shao Lin, this isn't your fault! It's all that foolish and incompetent ruler's fault!" Xiao Wan tried to comfort him.

Fang Shao Lin gave her a deep look and said calmly, "You should leave tomorrow, with the Tiger Head Army in the city. If you delay any longer, you won't be able to leave."

Xiao Wan understood the implication and looked at him, asking, "What about you?"

"I'll stay here," Fang Shao Lin said calmly.

Xiao Wan's voice trembled slightly. "You...you'll stay?"

"I am the commander of Da Ze, the lord of Ze Yang. As long as the city stands, I will stand; if the city falls, I will stand..." Fang Shao Lin said slowly.

Xiao Xuan suddenly felt a surge of anger and shouted, "I'm not leaving either!"

"You're not leaving?" Fang Shao Lin turned to look at him.

"The battle last time was undecided; how can I leave willingly!" Xiao Xuan said.

Fang Shaolin stared intently at him, and something seemed to grow in his eyes. He smiled and said, "Once you stay, you might never be able to leave again. Aren't you afraid?"

"If I can't leave, then I won't leave! If you, Fang Shaolin, aren't afraid to stay, then why should I, Cui Xiaoxuan, be afraid! Even without the Tiger Head Army, we'll still slaughter those demons and evil spirits until they're utterly defeated and flee in terror!" Xiaoxuan rarely spoke so boldly, his blood boiling.

"Good! Slaughter them until they're utterly defeated!" Fang Shaolin pushed out and struck Xiaoxuan's palm, shouting, "The wine in this house is all top-quality brew, over ten years old. Tonight, we won't leave until we're drunk!"

"Excellent, just what I wanted!" Xiaoxuan responded.

The two of them picked up the wine jars and drank heartily, unusually unrestrained and exhilarated.

Shui Ruo and Xiao Wan seemed stunned, no longer stopping them from drinking, but simply standing silently to the side, their eyes already moist.

A short while later, both men had emptied their wine jars. Fang Shaolin wiped his lips with his sleeve and grumbled to Xiao Xuan, "You stay seated and don't move. I'll go get some more wine." He propped up the table, but stumbled after only one step. The two women beside him quickly steadied him.

Fang Shaolin grinned, then suddenly looked up at Xiao Wan and whispered, "Can't walk anymore? Can you go find some more wine for me?"

Xiao Wan bit her lip and looked at him, finally nodding. She quickly found two jars of wine in the room, returned to the two men, and said softly, "After you finish these, will you stop drinking?"

Fang Shaolin looked at her, his eyes filled with tenderness.

Xiao Wan gazed intently at him.

Fang Shaolin finally smiled and said, "Yes, sir."

Xiao Wan turned to Xiao Xuan and asked, "And you?"

Xiao Xuan was already drunk. Seeing his junior sister staring intently at him, her dark eyes filled with longing and anticipation—an expression he had never seen before—his heart fluttered. He blurted out, "Whatever you say."

Xiao Wan's lips curled slightly as she handed the two jars of wine from her arms to the two of them.

Fang Shaolin and Xiao Xuan each took a jar and drank heartily together. This time, they drank and shouted incoherently, even cursing the current emperor.

"I think this bastard is just like King Zhou of Shang! He still has the nerve to call himself Shao Xuanyuan!" Xiao Xuan cursed.

"He must be the reincarnation of that tyrant, licentious, immoral, and utterly stupid!" Fang Shaolin chimed in.

"Alas, how could Heaven be so confused? This time, it has sent down such a fool to be the emperor!" Xiao Xuan sighed.

Fang Shaolin slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "Indeed foolish! Utterly foolish! And this old fool has only been foolish this time! First there was Xia Jie and Shang Zhou, then Chu Ling and Sui Yang, and now this foolish and incompetent ruler!"

"In vain! In vain!" Xiao Xuan cried out indignantly, his stomach churning and feeling nauseous from drinking too quickly earlier.

Shui Ruo, who was beside him, saw that he seemed about to vomit but was desperately trying to hold it back. Her heart ached, and she quietly reached out and took his hand, whispering, "Are you feeling very uncomfortable? Why don't you... stop drinking?"

Xiao Xuan smiled slightly and blinked, saying, "Don't worry, I'm fine." Turning his head, he saw that Xiao Wan was also looking at him, her eyes full of worry and concern. He felt extremely relieved and declared boldly, "You can all rest assured, I... I, Cui Xiaosheng, can drink ten more jars and I'll be fine!"

Xiao Wan turned her face away.

"Alas, God, why are you so heartless?" Fang Shaolin was filled with depression. Thinking of the imminent destruction of Zeyang and the tens of thousands of innocent lives lost in the city, he was overwhelmed with grief and despair, his eyes blurring with tears.

The three people beside him glanced at him, all feeling saddened and powerless.

"What God! This guy seems to be deliberately trying to make the world suffer! I curse his ancestors for countless generations!" Xiao Xuan cursed more and more angrily, the alcohol rising in his head, and he blurted out, "Rebel! Rebel! Let's rebel! This kind of inhumanity, let alone the emperor, even God himself, we'll rebel against him!" Fang

Shaolin suddenly froze.

No one knew that Xiao Xuan's angry words were like a thunderclap in his heart, the echo lingering for a long time.

"Why aren't you drinking anymore? Drink up, drink up!" Xiao Xuan was in high spirits, and the eldest brother was dissatisfied with his behavior.

At this moment, Shui Ruo and Xiao Wan also noticed Fang Shaolin's unusual behavior and looked at him in surprise.

Fang Shaolin remained motionless, as if he were a wooden chicken.

Xiao Xuan looked at his two senior sisters and asked in confusion, "Could this kid be possessed by a nightmare? Why are his eyes so blank?"

Shui Ruo waved her hand in front of him and called out, "Hey, are you alright?"

Xiao Wan also looked at him worriedly and said, "Shaolin, are you feeling nauseous?"

But Fang Shaolin seemed not to hear her, only holding the wine jar and staring blankly at the window that had turned white, as if he had turned into a stone statue.

Xiao Xuan frowned deeply, leaned close to him, and suddenly shouted, "What the hell are you doing! Can't drink anymore? Then admit defeat!"

Fang Shaolin seemed to wake from a dream, his expression incredibly calm and resolute. He put down the wine jar, slowly stood up, straightened his clothes, and suddenly bowed deeply to Xiao Xuan, saying loudly, "I've learned my lesson!"

Xiao Xuan was completely bewildered, wondering to himself if this kid was truly possessed.

"Tonight's drinking ends here. I, Shaolin, will thank you for your enlightenment another day!" Fang Shaolin's words were clear, his clothes soaked with wine, but his face no longer showed any signs of drunkenness.

The three people in front of him stared in disbelief.

Fang Shaolin's gaze passed through the three of them, fixed on the landscape painting on the screen, and slowly said, "If Heaven is unjust, then we will rebel against it!"

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