Jiang Shengxiang looked at him with open envy. If only he were fifty years younger, he might have had a chance to leap into that embrace as well.
Yao Ranyan gently rubbed Xiao Rong's head and said warmly, "It's fine. There should be a path ahead."
…
Central Continent.
Wuxiang Sect.
Main Hall.
"Qing Su's little disciple did indeed head to the Eastern Wilderness. Why are you suddenly asking about her?"
Sect Master Han Huijun of Wuxiang Sect fixed his gaze on the man before him, as if trying to detect some trace of human emotion in those calm eyes. But he was destined to be disappointed.
A cold aura lingered around Shen Yuefu, his icy eyes utterly unmoved. He simply looked at the Sect Master with that same distant detachment. "I understand. You need not overthink it. I have no connection with her whatsoever."
"This…"
Han Huijun thought to himself, "What a 'silver's not buried here' moment. He's actually explaining himself!"
"Sect Master—
Sect Master, terrible news!"
A disciple stumbled in, nearly falling over.
Han Huijun's expression darkened with displeasure. "What could possibly make you panic like this?"
Shen Yuefu swept his gaze over the disciple's robes and said coolly, "A disciple of the Soul Shrine Hall. It must be something wrong with the soul lamps."
Han Huijun's face changed, his heartbeat quickening.
The Soul Shrine Hall was where the soul lamps were enshrined—those belonging to the elders and peak masters of Wuxiang Sect.
"Speak quickly. What happened at the Soul Shrine Hall? Don't tell me… an elder's soul lamp has gone out?" Han Huijun's mind jumped straight to the worst possibility.
"N-no…" The disciple shook his head so fast it was like a rattle-drum.
Han Huijun's tension rose. He took a deep breath. "Then… is it a peak master's lamp that went out?"
"N-no…" The disciple's head still shook, his hands even swaying along with it.
"Then what happened?" Han Huijun roared.
Shen Yuefu's face was unchanged, his voice like winter frost. "Sect Master, there's no need to panic. If no one's lamp has gone out, that's good news."
"It… it's Elder Nie's soul lamp…"
Han Huijun's expression shifted. "Don't tell me… Nie Rong has perished?"
"N-no…"
Han Huijun slammed a fist down, shattering the purple sandalwood table beside him. "Then what exactly happened to Elder Nie's soul lamp?"
"Calm yourself and tell us slowly. There's no need for fear." Shen Yuefu spoke without hurry, his tone devoid of any warmth.
The disciple finally exhaled, steadying himself. "Sect Master, Elder Shen… Elder Nie's soul lamp… it turned into this." He made a V-sign with his fingers.
"…"
"At a time like this, you're acting cute?!" Han Huijun kicked him over.
Shen Yuefu said, "Perhaps we should go and see for ourselves."
…
Soul Shrine Hall.
Han Huijun stood frozen for a long moment.
"Sect Master, see? I wasn't lying! Elder Nie's soul lamp suddenly turned into this!" The disciple once again flashed the victory sign.
Shen Yuefu murmured, "Perhaps Senior Brother Nie refined a clone somewhere outside."
Han Huijun shut his mouth and muttered, "I've lived for centuries, and yet I keep seeing new things."
Shen Yuefu: "…"
-
"There are so many pagoda trees here. They haven't developed their own consciousness yet." Xiao Rong peered around curiously.
Yao Ranyan took his hand and led him forward. The dense lingering mist slowly retreated to either side. Jiang Shengxiang clutched the sword in his arms, eyes sharp as he scanned their surroundings.
"There seems to be a residence ahead."
Through the hazy mist, Yao Ranyan glimpsed the faint outline of a building.
The three moved together toward it.
"Tang Residence."
Xiao Rong read the characters on the plaque in his soft, childish voice.
Jiang Shengxiang stepped forward. "I'll knock."
Yao Ranyan and Xiao Rong stood quietly to the side, listening to the knock echo. Before long, faint footsteps approached from within.
Creak—
The door opened, revealing a maid with twin buns in her hair. She looked at them curiously.
"Are you people from outside?"
Jiang Shengxiang froze and subtly shifted to stand behind Yao Ranyan.
"Outside? Do you know of Gu Ling Mountain?" Yao Ranyan asked.
The maid shook her head. "I don't. Are you here to seek lodging?"
"Lodging?"
Yao Ranyan glanced at the sky.
Night hung thick as ink.
It wasn't yet dawn.
"No, we're here to ask for directions. Do you know how to leave this place?" Yao Ranyan cut straight to the point.
"Fairy… Fairy, places like this usually hide treasures. We can't just leave," Jiang Shengxiang whispered from behind her.
"Treasure? Our residence does have a treasure!" The maid tilted her head, somehow hearing him clearly.
Jiang Shengxiang instantly stiffened.
"But some days ago, that treasure vanished. My young lady has searched everywhere and can't find it. Could you help us?" the maid said.
Yao Ranyan met her eyes.
Her pupils were vacant, her tone mechanical, not like that of a living person.
"But we still have other treasures to find elsewhere. What kind of treasure did you lose?"
The maid lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes. "My lady said this must not be told to outsiders. This treasure is too important. If others found out…
We would all die."
Suddenly, the maid's head snapped up. Fangs jutted from her mouth, nails turned black and razor-sharp, tearing through her clothes as she lunged for Yao Ranyan's throat.
Yao Ranyan's expression didn't change. Her right hand moved in a blur, and a black-gold Demon Staff came crashing down. The maid instantly turned to ash.
Xiao Rong's face went pale, deeply thankful he was short enough for the zombie not to notice him.
Jiang Shengxiang risked a glance and asked nervously, "Fairy Ranyan, should we go inside?"
At his words, Xiao Rong clung tightly to her leg.
Yao Ranyan looked toward the buildings within Tang Residence. "Is there anyone inside?" she called.
"…"
"Help… help me…"
Xiao Rong's eyes widened. "Boss, I hear someone alive inside… maybe alive…"
"If there's someone alive, we can ask for directions." Yao Ranyan stepped forward. "Miss Tang, pardon our intrusion. We only wish to ask the way out. Is there someone who can tell us how to leave?"
"… Help… help me…"
"It's that big pagoda tree… the voice is coming from the well beneath it!" Xiao Rong was curious, yet too afraid to get close.
Yao Ranyan walked toward the tree.
"Grandfather Pagoda Tree, do you know how to leave this mist?"
"… shasha…"
"You said 'kill kill kill'? So if we kill everyone here, we can leave?" Yao Ranyan asked earnestly.
"… huahua…"
"'Spend spend spend'? We have to spend all our spirit stones to leave?"
"…"
Shua!
The well's cover suddenly burst apart, and a strange piece of seaweed shot out.
"Looks like killing is my only option."
Startled, Yao Ranyan swung her Demon Staff. The seaweed creature was smashed into pulp and fell back into the well.
A wisp of evil energy silently drifted into her Demon Staff.
===
杀 (Shā) = Kill
花 (Huā) = Spend (as in 花钱 (Huā Qián), "spend money")
You got the joke, right?