Qing Luan stepped back, while Xuan Nu, with her jade-like wrist as crystalline and serene as ice, slowly lifted her arm. The verdant jade bracelet on her wrist expanded swiftly against the wind, swallowing all the greedy flames of the Turtle King within its circular embrace.
“Gua, gua…” The Turtle King, unable to prevail in the magical duel, cackled in smug satisfaction. His minions had already carried the infant far away. With him holding Xuan Nu at bay, this mission could be considered a success.
Though Xuan Nu’s celestial powers had advanced remarkably, she could not subdue the Turtle King. After a brief struggle between her jade bracelet and his greed, a flicker of anxiety flashed across her icy countenance.
“Little girl, I’m done playing with you, gua, gua…” The Turtle King began, but his laughter abruptly turned into a shriek of alarm.
“Fiend, dare not act recklessly! Return at once!”
A colorful cloud descended from the sky, and a fierce gust of wind blew the escaping demons back to where they had come from.
Xuan Nu focused her gaze and couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy—descending from the heavens were celestial generals who had arrived at just the right moment to assist her. The Turtle King also spotted the Four Divine Generals swiftly approaching. These were no obscure figures, but the renowned Four Guardians of Heaven.
Although the ancient turtle was greedy, he still valued his life. With a quick turn of his eyes, he seized the infant from his subordinate and hurled the child forcefully toward Xuan Nu.
“Here’s your little girl back!”
Before his words had even faded, the Turtle King had already flung himself backward into the subterranean sea. Wherever there was water, there lay his escape route. His minions, equally clever, followed their leader into the depths. Splashing waves erupted as the demons vanished in an instant.
Though Xuan Nu saw through her opponent’s intentions, she had no other choice. With a sweep of her sleeve, she securely caught the infant.
“Gua, gua…” The little one wrapped in swaddling clothes truly lived up to being Qiao San’s descendant. Despite the peril and turbulence, the baby laughed joyfully, his dark eyes darting around with a cheeky glint, already showing signs of a future rascal!
“Xuan Nu, hand the infant to us. The Queen Mother has decreed that this child is of utmost importance and must be raised by the celestial court.”
The Four Divine Guardians made no move to pursue the demons. As auspicious clouds drifted near, before the Purple Mansion Holy Maiden could react, the Eastern Guardian, the leader among them, had already taken the infant and turned to fly back toward the heavenly palace.
“Please convey our greetings to the Primordial Dao Sage. We shall visit again in the future!”
As a celestial being, Xuan Nu was naturally bound to obey the Queen Mother’s command. Yet in that fleeting moment, an unwelcome suspicion arose in her heart: Could it be that her two masters’ departure on orders was actually a ploy by the Queen Mother to lure them away? Were the heavenly generals not here to help, but to seize the child?
The Purple Mansion Holy Maiden floated silently in midair, clad in black robes with bare feet, motionless for a long time…
At that moment when Heaven and Earth stood on the brink of conflict, the culprit who had caused such chaos now sat at a dining table like a well-behaved baby.
Inside the clean and bright dining hall, Qiao San sat surrounded by several women, the dishes already served. Yet all eyes were fixed on the empty seat at the head of the table, filled with anticipation.
Soft footsteps approached from afar, and two graceful figures slowly appeared. Qing Niang walked demurely half a step behind Madam Qiao, her head slightly lowered.
“Mother…Mother dear!”
Qiao San leapt up excitedly. This was the first time Madam Qiao had left her small pavilion in three days—how could Qiao San contain his joy?
Madam Qiao sat composedly at the head of the table, then smiled gently at the women, her calmness exceeding everyone’s expectations. This greatly disappointed the fox queen, who had been eagerly anticipating a dramatic scene.
“Living Child, you sit down too. Our reunion as mother and son was hard-won. Alas… how quickly time has passed—already over a decade!”
Tears welled in Qiao San’s eyes. Overwhelming familial affection overpowered his instinctive desires, and he happily sat beside his mother, savoring the sudden warmth of family.
“Living Child, you loved this dish most when you were little. Eat more!”
Madam Qiao gently served her son, her eyes brimming with maternal love. The beautiful woman no longer showed any panic or complexity; her former ethereal grace returned to her delicate features.
“Thank you, Mother dear! Let me serve you too, hehe…”
The laughter melted away all awkwardness. The heavy stone in Qiao San’s heart vanished completely. No matter what, having his mother safe and sound was a tremendous blessing.
Within the Qiao household, joy and harmony reigned. Qiao San felt that his life had never been so blissful. At times, he even indulged in the wishful thought that it would be wonderful to remain like this forever.
The thought was pleasant, but reality proved harsh. Qiao San’s good mood had not lasted even three days before being abruptly shattered by reality.
“My lord Qiao, the Three Realms are in chaos!”
A graceful, alluring figure swept into the room. The female spirit who now governed the Six Blind Towns in place of the twelve previously in charge bore an expression of grave concern, revealing the truth with one sentence: “Jade Fan has gone mad. She has dispatched numerous demons to the human world, where they burn, kill, and plunder everywhere, trying to fully provoke the impure energies of humanity, preparing to perish together with Heaven itself.”
Though Qiao San deeply trusted the female spirit, he found it hard to believe the news. Instinctively, he echoed, “Jade Fan did this? Impossible! She doesn’t seem like such an impulsive demoness. What benefit could she gain from mutual destruction with Heaven?”
The female spirit also looked puzzled, then added, “Didn’t the Kingdom of Aolai recently appoint you as Honorary Emperor? Now they’re asking you, the Honorary Emperor, to come out of retirement. It seems a powerful demon has been wreaking havoc in Zunlong City, devouring people alive. Empress Jade has already sent over a dozen urgent appeals for help. Will you go or not?”
“No, no! I’m fed up with it! Who cares about this fake Honorary Emperor title? I won’t fall for it!”
Qiao San had no fondness whatsoever for the cold-hearted women of the imperial palace. Thinking of Empress Jade inevitably reminded him of Jade Fan, and the mere thought of Jade Fan soured his mood.
“Bold San, you must go!”
Before Qiao San could withdraw his raised hand, a furious female voice pierced his ears.
Space constricted, and violent pressure instantly shattered the tranquility of the Qiao household, as a storm of wind howled across the sky.
“Jade Fan? Is that you?”
The azure hair, the graceful figure dancing in her palm—Qiao San recognized the figure instantly. Yet the furious woman before him left him uncertain.
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