In the mortal realm, above the city of Zhonghai, dark clouds were dispersing.
Shui Miao, sensing with his divine awareness, could not detect the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor, nor any chaotic immortals. Instead, he sensed the female immortal officer, Xiao Xiao, hiding within a patch of white clouds.
“Jueqing, why are you here?”
Xiao Xiao also sensed Shui Miao and appeared quite surprised. Logically, Shui Miao should be studying formation crafting or forging magical artifacts at this moment.
Before Shui Miao could respond, Lotus quickly appeared and, upon seeing Xiao Xiao, hurriedly asked, “Xiao Xiao, how come you’re here? Didn’t you just return to report to the Matriarch about the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor causing trouble in the mortal realm and severely injuring you?”
“No, I didn’t! Are you mistaken?” Xiao Xiao looked at Lotus in confusion. “Lotus, what’s going on? I haven’t seen the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor at all. I’ve been here the entire time, taking care of Jueqing’s family and friends.”
Pausing briefly, the female immortal officer, Xiao Xiao, quickly turned to Shui Miao and said, “Jueqing, the Master sent me to take care of your family and friends, which is why I’m here.”
“How strange…”
Lotus felt something was amiss and grew increasingly puzzled.
Shui Miao, however, had no time to care about the Matriarch Shui Tianyi’s well-being. Looking at Xiao Xiao, he suddenly narrowed his eyes, focused his mind, and activated the Dream Demon Cultivation Technique to directly probe her memories and thoughts.
At this moment, Shui Miao trusted no one’s words but only what he could sense for himself.
After a moment, Shui Miao obtained the information he needed and inwardly noted that Xiao Xiao was clearly a fraud. She had come to investigate his family and friends, yet had the audacity to claim she was here to take care of them. It was infuriating. Such a person was utterly untrustworthy, and he had no patience to deal with her. He should hurry and visit his mother…
Shui Miao flew off to find his mother.
Shui Miao had changed his mind temporarily and decided to take his entire family and friends to the Immortal Realm, as leaving them in the mortal world would be even more dangerous.
“Xiao Xiao, you should hurry back and check on the Matriarch. It seems something has happened on her end. I have my duties and must protect Jueqing, so I won’t accompany you back,” Lotus said to Xiao Xiao before immediately chasing after Shui Miao.
The air after the rain was fresh and pleasant. Outside the Chen Group Corporation building, Chen Meiling was walking with her mother and Auntie Yang.
They had all aged, and Chen Meiling herself now appeared to be in her forties.
Suddenly, Shui Miao appeared before them, and everyone was momentarily stunned.
A day in the heavens equals a year on earth.
Shui Miao had been in the Immortal Realm for a long time, and decades had passed in the mortal world.
At this moment, a female immortal soul appeared beside Shui Miao. It was He’er.
“Big Brother, you’re here!”
“He’er, thank you for your hard work!”
Shui Miao nodded to He’er and walked toward his mother.
Lotus also flew over…
“Child, is it really you?”
“Madam, he’s the young master, the young master…”
“Little brother…”
Shui Miao’s mother, Auntie Yang, and Chen Meiling were all overwhelmed with emotion.
“I’m back. I’m glad you’re all safe. This isn’t the place to talk. I’ll take you somewhere safe,” Shui Miao nodded. Considering the potential danger they might face, he activated his spiritual power and drew everyone into his spiritual world. Using his multitasking ability, he created a projection of himself within the spiritual world to speak with his mother and the others, explaining everything that had happened recently.
In the real world, Shui Miao turned to He’er and asked, “Where are the others? Where is my father?”
“He ran into a bit of trouble and was captured by the Yin-Yang Marshals of the Underworld. The sisters from the Jiutian Xu Men have already gone to the Underworld to help him. There shouldn’t be any major issues,” He’er quickly responded.
Shui Miao frowned deeply, “Yin-Yang Marshals…”
In the next ten or so minutes, Shui Miao exerted his full power, flying everywhere to gather all his family and friends into his spiritual world.
Then, accompanied by He’er and Lotus, Shui Miao headed to the Yellow Spring Road.
Three female immortals from the Jiutian Xu Men were blocking the Yin-Yang Marshals and arguing with them.
Beside the Yin-Yang Marshals were the souls of Chen Yiren and Xiong Ying, bound in chains.
“Big Brother, your father fought the ghost catchers to protect your grandfather’s soul from being captured. Now he has drawn the powerful Yin-Yang Marshals. Even the three sisters from Jiutian Xu Men are struggling to handle them,” He’er quickly sent this information to Shui Miao through telepathy.
Shui Miao floated down onto the Yellow Spring Road and immediately bowed deeply to the three female immortals from Jiutian Xu Men, saying, “Dear sisters, thank you for protecting my family. I will never forget this kindness, and I will repay you one day.”
Seeing Shui Miao arrive, the three female immortals felt relieved.
Zi Xuan returned the bow and said, “Shui Miao, we haven’t done much. We were merely following orders to protect your family. Now that you’re here, our mission is complete. We’ll take our leave now. Farewell.”
“Shui Miao, you should discuss your father’s matter directly with these two ghost officers,” Qing Xuan also bowed, saying, “Farewell.”
“Shui Miao, take care.”
With a nod, Huo Xuan, along with her two senior sisters, flew back to the Immortal Realm.
After sending off the three female immortals, Shui Miao turned to look at his father and grandfather behind the Yin-Yang Marshals. Their necks were bound in chains, and they couldn’t speak…
However, before Shui Miao could even open his mouth, the Black Marshal raised his hand and said, “Friend, the Immortal Realm has its rules, and the Underworld has its rules. Your father attacked our men and protected wandering souls, preventing their reincarnation. This seriously violates our Underworld rules. We are merely carrying out our duties. There’s nothing more to be said.”
The White Marshal, glaring angrily at Shui Miao, added, “As an immortal, you should understand the rules. If you have anything to say, come with us to the Underworld Court. Otherwise, step aside immediately.”
“Two seniors, I have a small token of appreciation here. Please accept it with a smile.”
Lotus immediately took out many crystals and offered them to the Yin-Yang Marshals.
“Get lost! What do you take us for?”
“Brazen bribery—that’s what immortals are like!”
The Yin-Yang Marshals refused to accept, pushing Lotus aside.
Shui Miao frowned slightly and coldly said, “You two are so upright and incorruptible, yet why are there still so many wandering souls in the mortal world?”
“Kid, what do you mean by that?” the Black Marshal immediately grew angry.
“Hmph!”
The Black Marshal sneered coldly, “Looks like he wants to fight. Like father, like son. The old man likes to hit people, and the young one isn’t any better!”
“You two seem to be ghost deities, yet why do your words sound so off?” Shui Miao frowned slightly, feeling displeased. “Seniors, this matter isn’t big, but it’s not small either. My father attacked a ghost officer—that was his mistake. I’m willing to apologize on his behalf and offer ten times compensation to the injured officer. Hundred times is also negotiable. However, you insist on capturing my father while ignoring other wandering souls. How do you explain that?”
“Explain? Do we need to explain ourselves to a nobody like you?”
The Black Marshal waved his black mourning stick impatiently and roared, “Brat, you talk way too much. Step aside now, or I’ll get rough.”
The White Marshal sneered continuously, “An immortal who just ascended a few days ago dares to block our path. I’d like to see how powerful you really are.”
These Yin-Yang Marshals were no ordinary ghost officers; they were ghost deities, equivalent to the Immortal Realm’s Celestial Sovereigns.
Shui Miao narrowed his eyes and rubbed his nose, saying, “Seniors, how about this? Both of you can fight me together. If you win, my father and grandfather are yours to take, and I’ll go with you. But if you lose, please release my father and grandfather.”
“What a big mouth you have! Just you?”
“Old Black, let me deal with him!”
The Yin-Yang Marshals, both hot-tempered, were eager to fight Shui Miao.
“What’s the delay? Come at me together! I’ll take you both down in three moves.”
Shui Miao roared, rolled up his sleeves, and stepped back more than ten paces.
“Ah! Arrogant and presumptuous! Taste my Mourning Stick first!”
“Old White, don’t hold back. Teach him a lesson!”
The White Marshal was furious. As a ghost deity, he was high and mighty, and no one dared to challenge his authority. Today, he was being disrespected by an immortal, which enraged him.
Shui Miao sneered coldly, activated the Time Protection Bead, and his figure flickered, moving toward the Black Marshal. The Black Marshal was startled and quickly swung his stick at Shui Miao. However, Shui Miao dodged and retreated sideways, with the Black Marshal chasing after him relentlessly.
Seeing this, He’er and Lotus quickly rushed to rescue Chen Yiren and Xiong Ying.
Shui Miao didn’t go all out. He merely used the Time Bead’s speed to dodge and weave around the Yin-Yang Marshals.
When he saw that his father and grandfather had been rescued, Shui Miao immediately activated his spiritual power and transported them all into his spiritual world.
“Seniors, aren’t you ready to admit defeat yet?”
With the people saved, Shui Miao stopped, feeling confident, and smiled slightly, “Hehe, I’ve been dodging the entire time. If I had attacked, you two would probably already be seriously injured, right?”
“Brat, don’t boast! If you dare stand still, I’ll show you!”
“Damn it, how can this kid run faster than a rabbit…”
The Yin-Yang Marshals chased him breathlessly, not even touching a hair on Shui Miao.
The Black Marshal furrowed his brow and whispered to the White Marshal, “Old White, if we can’t catch him, maybe we should set up a formation?”
“Great idea!” Shui Miao immediately jumped in, “Seniors, how about this: I’ll stand still, and you two ghost deities can set up a formation around me. Once you finish setting it up, I’ll try to break through. If I manage to escape, we’ll call it even. How about that?”
…
Hearing this, the Yin-Yang Marshals were momentarily stunned, both thinking, where did this kid get so much confidence?
After a moment, the White Marshal quickly sent a mental message to the Black Marshal, “Old Black, this kid is way too fast. We won’t catch him in eight lifetimes. How about we agree and let him walk into our trap?”
“Good idea!”
The Black Marshal’s mind stirred, and he immediately nodded, “Kid, you’re so arrogant and conceited, but I like your style. This time, it’s your choice. Our Yin-Yang Twin Scourge Formation hasn’t met an opponent yet. You can still back out now.”
“Hehe, whoever backs out first is a girl.”
Shui Miao raised his eyebrows confidently, sat down cross-legged, and waited for the Yin-Yang Marshals to start setting up the formation.
The Yin-Yang Marshals looked at each other, suddenly somewhat admiring Shui Miao’s courage.
“Alright, we’re starting!”
After a brief pause, the Yin-Yang Marshals summoned their supreme-grade underworld artifacts and began setting up a powerful and mysterious formation of the Underworld around Shui Miao.
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