“Master!” Xuan Nu, having lost her Taoist heart, was unusually agitated, loudly calling out to Tai Yuan Yi Hou. Eventually, she unwillingly flew back to Zifu Mountain.
“Dear Sister Tai Yuan, I’m a bit tired today. Let’s chat another day. We have plenty of time! Farewell!” The Princess of Myriad Demons, having gained the upper hand, teased the assembly of immortals. Observing the opponent’s weakening stance, she cleverly withdrew, gracefully turning to leave, infuriating the immortals of Di Hai even further!
Inside the quiet chamber where Yuan Shi Tian Wang slept, the space that was once spring-like throughout the year now exuded a bone-chilling cold. Yuan Shi Tian Wang’s body was gradually being encased in ice, the situation perilously dire!
“Master, please wake up! Xuan Nu has grown up. Open your eyes and see the little girl you rescued from the snow!”
The heartfelt call came from the depths of Xuan Nu’s soul. She gazed blankly at Yuan Shi’s face for a long time, not even reacting when Tai Yuan Yu Nu entered the room.
Sigh! Xuan Nu, I never expected the final stage of the Su Nu Qu to arrive so soon!
Tai Yuan Yu Nu noticed the oddity in her disciple’s eyes, but unlike an ordinary mortal woman, she did not react with jealousy or anger. Her ethereal countenance was filled with sorrow as she sighed deeply, “It seems you too will find it difficult to break through the final barrier of Xuan Nu Qu. Could this all be fate?”
“Master, Xuan Nu doesn’t understand!” Having lost her tranquil Taoist heart equated to losing her wisdom, Xuan Nu’s confused mind could not grasp her master’s meaning.
After another soft sigh, Tai Yuan Yu Nu slowly sat at the edge of the bed. Though the chill was dangerous, it could not extinguish the ardent, ocean-deep affection in her heart!
“Xuan Nu, those who cultivate the Su Nu Qu must remain unattached, ethereal, and pure. However, once the Su Nu Qu reaches its highest stage, a heart demon will naturally arise. Only by completely overcoming this heart demon can one attain the supreme realm of Su Nu Qu!”
“Ahh! Master, you mean… Yuan Shi Master is my… heart demon?” Speaking of her master’s husband in front of her, Xuan Nu, harboring different thoughts, could not help but lower her head in shame.
“Mm!” Tai Yuan replied calmly, “Now it’s worse. Once Yuan Shi’s celestial life ends, your heart demon will not only fail to improve but will become an eternal knot in your Taoist heart, making it impossible for you to ever ascend the path of Great Luo Immortality!”
“I understand now!” In an instant, Tai Yuan’s words were like a sudden awakening, causing Xuan Nu, who was on the brink of spiritual deviation, to suddenly regain clarity.
At this moment, the composed Zifu Holy Maiden looked calmly at Yuan Shi Tian Wang and said slowly yet firmly, “No matter what, Xuan Nu will never allow Yuan Shi Master to perish! Please, Master, show me the way.”
Tai Yuan looked at her beloved disciple with satisfaction and then abruptly changed the subject: “How is Xiao You’s retreat going? Has her malevolence been purified?”
“Xiao You’s talent rivals mine, though her foundation is slightly weaker. After another month of retreat, she will fully transcend her ghostly form, transforming from the ethereal to the tangible and ascending the path of Spirit Immortality!”
Xuan Nu’s “stillness” finally broke through her mental shackles. With just a few exchanges, the sinister icy force within the room seemed to be repelled by the space itself.
After a moment of contemplation, Tai Yuan Yu Nu said solemnly, “The Celestial Realm and Di Hai have lost contact. Even if we forcefully breach the blockade, there won’t be enough time. However, although the Xuanhuo Pill is a rare treasure, there happens to be one in the Mortal World!”
As dawn’s first light emerged, Xuan Nu, having regained her composure, did not alter even the curve of her eyebrows, remaining as tranquil as a clear spring, quietly awaiting Tai Yuan’s guidance.
Instinctively, Tai Yuan Yu Nu raised her gaze toward the void, a wave of emotion softly flowing from her jade lips: “In the East, the Shengzhou continent, in Aolai Country, there lies a national treasure—the other Xuanhuo Pill! Xuan Nu, your masters and I cannot leave our posts. Only your departure will go unnoticed. Be careful on your journey to the Mortal World!”
“Master, I shall go!” With the Su Nu Qu, the Zifu Holy Maiden silently vanished into the night. Xuan Nu, like a gentle breeze, quietly drifted toward the distant horizon!
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In the Mortal World, a rascal was troubled.
It had been several days since he settled the matter with Magistrate Wang, but Qiao San still couldn’t decide whether to head to the capital. The capital was no joking matter—aside from the countless armies, there were unknown numbers of cultivator experts serving the imperial court. Not to mention the national preceptor, rumored to be colluding with the prime minister. With Qiao San’s limited abilities, wouldn’t this be like a moth flying into a flame?
“Master San, a letter has arrived from the post station. Could it be from your eldest brother in the capital?” A voice with a strange tone came from outside the door. Since their previous intimate moment, the little fox spirit had become uneasy, alternating between hot and cold toward Qiao San, making her feelings hard to decipher.
“Letter from my elder brother?!” Qiao San was startled, suddenly remembering that it had been two or three months since his elder brother left home. The bond of brotherhood made the usually irritable rogue forget his worries as he eagerly urged, “Twelve, bring it in quickly!”
“Master San, here it is!” The shy girl entered with her head lowered, her usual liveliness completely gone.
The enchanting little fox spirit was gone, and the ever-changing Xuan Fu woman had retreated into the shadows. At this moment, the girl before Qiao San was a more genuine, flesh-and-blood beauty, less seductive but more real.
“Huh? This isn’t my brother’s handwriting! Who would send me a letter from Zunlong City?!” Doubt and a sense of foreboding simultaneously surged into Qiao San’s mind, prompting him to hasten his actions.
“Ahh! My brother is in trouble! Damn it—”
A furious aura, like a mountain collapsing or the sea surging, instantly reduced the fine rice paper to shreds. Qiao San, like a waking beast, charged out the door, brimming with killing intent.
“Twelve, immediately head to the capital!”
“Master San, what’s going on?” It wasn’t until the two soared into the clouds, speeding toward the capital of Aolai Country, that Twelve still had no idea what was happening.
The cold wind finally slightly cooled Qiao San’s anger, giving him the mood to explain, “My brother has been framed, accused of bribing the examiners and cheating in the imperial examination. He’s now imprisoned in the imperial jail. I’m going to settle accounts with that damned emperor!”
“Master San, who sent the letter? Do you have any friends in the capital?” Her complicated feelings temporarily “resting,” Twelve’s previous shyness vanished into thin air. The clever little fox spirit suspiciously asked in return, “Master San, could this be a trap?”
“A trap—or not—I must jump!” Qiao San’s ghostly cloud beneath his feet sped faster instead of slowing. His usually playful face now looked masculine and resolute, his tightly clenched jaw as firm as rock. “Whoever dares harm those close to me, Qiao San will make sure they—regret ever being born!”
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“Ha, ha… My beloved consort, Brother Gui, come, let’s drink! Within three days, Tai Yuan Yu Nu will surely hand over the true scriptures!”
Positioned between the essential celestial ladder connecting Di Hai and the Celestial Realm, tens of thousands of demon soldiers stood ready. Even if the Celestial Realm received news and arrived early, Peng Mo Wang would give Zifu Mountain no chance.
“Monarch, you truly are the greatest expert in Di Hai. Without you, I, Old Turtle, couldn’t withstand Tai Yuan’s power of the true scriptures!”
Though the aquatic monster Gui Wang was famously greedy, he wasn’t particularly scheming, earnestly saying, “Ever since the Celestial Realm’s Sanzang True Scriptures scattered, their powers have indeed diminished. Now, if we destroy the ‘Celestial Law True Scripture,’ we can rest easy in the underworld! Gua, gua…”
“Report—” At that moment, a magically transformed bird flew in. Upon entering the demonic tent, it transformed into a secret letter, floating into Princess Yu Shan’s hands.
“My beloved, what does the letter say?” Seeing Princess Yu Shan’s expression growing serious, Peng Mo Wang curiously leaned over, his long bird-like nose nearly touching Yu Shan’s delicate little nose, creating a comically contrasting scene.
“Hee, hee…” Yu Shan lightly waved her hand, destroying the letter before explaining to the two strong but simple-minded demons, “The letter comes from Di Hai, but it’s not Tai Yuan’s surrender letter! It’s a secret message from our allies!”
Pausing slightly, the Princess of Myriad Demons proudly added, “Even immortals can be bribed, especially those in Di Hai, which is merely a scattered immortal realm. Hee, hee…”
“My beloved consort is truly clever, no wonder she can come and go freely in Zifu Mountain!” Peng Mo Wang had already fallen deeply for his concubine. The entire demon race had been conquered by a single woman—truly, the power of women is immeasurable!
Without waiting for the demons to ask further, Yu Shan wiped the smile from her face and said solemnly, “The Zifu Holy Maiden has left Di Hai, heading toward Aolai Country in the Mortal World. Her exact purpose remains unknown.”
“So what? What trouble can a little fairy stir up? Maybe she’s just running away out of fear!” Peng Mo Wang disdainfully waved his hand, arrogantly declaring, “We’ll keep pressuring them. If necessary, we’ll flatten the Three Mountains and Ten Islands, and see if Tai Yuan dares not hand over the true scriptures? Gua, gua…”
“My lord speaks truly! With you around, we are invincible…” The Princess of Myriad Demons had captivated the魔王 not only with her beauty but also with her skill in flattery. First lavishing praise, she then shifted the topic: “However, we mustn’t be careless! I’ll personally go to the Mortal World. Everything here will be entrusted to you, my lord, and Brother Gui Wang!”
A dark cloud rose into the sky as the witch pursued the fairy toward the Mortal World!
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