At this moment, Zhou Yixian was covered in a layer of dust, seemingly having lain in that coffin for no short time. The air of a celestial being he once possessed was now completely gone.
Little Bai looked him up and down, not dwelling on the mundane question of whether Zhou Yixian had chosen to lie in the coffin. She went straight to the point, “Why were you in the coffin?”
Zhou Yixian let out a bitter laugh, “I was captured and thrown in there.”
Little Bai’s eyes shifted, glancing at the small, dark room. “Who are the two people in the coffins next to you? Do you know?”
Zhou Yixian nodded, “The one on the left is my granddaughter, Xiao Huan, and the one on the right is Wild Dog Daoist.”
Little Bai snorted, casting a glance at Zhou Yixian, who appeared somewhat embarrassed. But he cared little for his dignity now, bowing urgently to Little Bai, “Immortal… uh, I beg of you, have mercy and save them as well.”
Little Bai shrugged, stepping toward the room. Suddenly, she frowned, seeming to think of something. She turned back to Zhou Yixian, her expression a bit strange.
Zhou Yixian felt uneasy under her gaze, forcing a laugh, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Little Bai fixed her gaze on him, “What did you just call me?”
Zhou Yixian blurted out, taking a step back, his face showing regret.
Little Bai scrutinized him again, her voice calm, “I underestimated you. You actually saw through my identity.”
Zhou Yixian, with a pained expression, clasped his hands repeatedly, “Lady, you must forgive me. I didn’t mean anything by it. It was just a slip of the tongue. Please pardon me.”
While Little Bai observed Zhou Yixian, she noticed his steps were unsteady, and his vitality was weak. He was certainly not a deep practitioner of the Way. Yet, for some reason, his perception was exceptionally keen, more so than many famed cultivators.
As Little Bai pondered, Zhou Yixian grew more anxious. With no other choice, he forced a smile, “My lady, please show mercy and save them first.”
Little Bai sniffed, giving Zhou Yixian a cold look. He froze, stepping back. Before he could say more, Little Bai’s figure blurred, and she disappeared into the dark room. Moments later, a loud rumbling and eerie wailing filled the air.
Suddenly, everything went dark, and Zhou Yixian yelped, running away. He barely escaped before the two coffins, which had been on the ground, were hurled out of the room with a tremendous crash, sending dust and debris flying.
Amidst the settling dust, coughing sounds of a man and a woman echoed, and the figures of Xiao Huan and Wild Dog Daoist stumbled out.
Zhou Yixian, overjoyed, rushed to them, pulling them aside, asking about their well-being. Little Bai emerged from the room, standing apart, watching their joyous reunion. Yet, her expression remained serious, glancing occasionally into the dark room.
As the dust settled, Little Bai stood still while the three, freed from danger, were overjoyed. But soon, they began to argue. Zhou Yixian said something, but Xiao Huan vehemently disagreed, while Wild Dog Daoist remained silent.
Curious, Little Bai approached, hearing Zhou Yixian, frowning, say, “Enough, we must leave this place immediately. If that demon returns, we’ll all be dead.”
Xiao Huan sneered, “What about the person inside?”
Zhou Yixian hesitated, feeling ashamed. “You’re just a child. That person is under a Soul-Binding Curse, and the coffin has additional restrictions. We can’t save him. We should leave while we can. If the demon returns, we’ll all die.”
Xiao Huan snapped, “Grandfather, you’re wrong! That person was captured because of us. We can’t abandon him!”
Zhou Yixian shook his head, “No, that demon is far more powerful than we are. Even our helper couldn’t match him.”
Xiao Huan stubbornly retorted, “We can’t just leave him!”
Seeing his granddaughter’s resolve, Zhou Yixian was about to persuade her further when Little Bai interjected, “Who are these people you speak of, and what is this demon?”
Xiao Huan and Wild Dog Daoist looked at each other, shaking their heads. Little Bai glanced at Zhou Yixian, who averted his gaze, “We’re ordinary people. How would we know such things? We were too scared to understand.”
Little Bai raised an eyebrow, suspecting that Zhou Yixian knew more than he let on. Turning to Xiao Huan, she asked, “Do you remember what weapons or treasures your helper and the demon used?”
Xiao Huan, impressed by Little Bai’s beauty, felt a fondness for her. Smiling, Little Bai asked again, and Xiao Huan, slightly flustered, replied, “Our helper used a divine sword, three feet long, crimson and yellow, emitting a powerful aura, like a red flame…”
“Scarlet Flame!” a startled, yet excited voice came from the entrance. They turned to see a beautiful woman in white, holding a blue celestial sword, another human beauty rivaling Little Bai.
It was none other than Lu Xueqi from the Azure Ethereal Conclave.
***
In the ruins of Cao Miao Village, under the night sky, a desolate scene unfolded. Amidst the broken walls and tall grass, occasional insect chirps added to the somber atmosphere.
Ghost Li sat silently against a crumbling wall, with his monkey companion, Xiao Hui, sleeping soundly, his head on Ghost Li’s thigh. Ghost Li, lost in thought, gazed at the surroundings, reflecting on his past.
He wondered, “What is the purpose of living?”
Looking up at the night sky, he wondered if the gods and demons could hear the cries of mortals.
Xiao Hui mumbled and turned, his head rubbing against Ghost Li’s leg. Perhaps he dreamed of his favorite wild fruits.
Ghost Li smiled gently, his mind wandering back to his youthful days in the village.
The night breeze rustled, carrying the scent of grass. Suddenly, Xiao Hui jolted awake, his three eyes wide open, listening intently. Ghost Li, sensing something, frowned, his smile vanishing.
He opened his eyes, seeing the world anew. Patting Xiao Hui, he calmed the monkey, who climbed onto his shoulder, scanning the area.
A strange, eerie presence descended on the ruins. Ghost Li, sensing the power, tensed. A dark figure landed in the center of the village, enveloped in black, swirling energy.
Ghost Li, observing the figure, was shocked. This person radiated an evil force he had rarely seen. The figure, after a moment, moved, walking around the ruins aimlessly.
Suddenly, the dark figure stopped, facing the abandoned temple. It extended a hand, summoning a black arrow, which shot toward a broken pillar. The arrow hit, and as the pillar shattered, several ghostly figures emerged.
The black figure, seemingly unfazed, gathered the spirits, absorbing them into the black energy.
Ghost Li, burning with rage, lunged forward. The dark figure, noticing, turned, momentarily stunned. Then, with a cackling laugh, it flew off.
Ghost Li, undeterred, followed, chasing the figure towards the southern wilderness. He was determined to uncover the truth, no matter what lay ahead.
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