Chapter 211
Upon hearing this news, Lan Chui Han immediately sent a message to his uncle, asking him to take a few elders from Xianyue Pavilion to Mount Shu, while he himself would return immediately. There's no need for more information. Just the death of Wu Si Hai is enough to frame Song Chun Gui and put him in danger. Now the accounts of Wu Si Hai's death by the hands of the Cangyu Sect's demonic cultivators and getting murdered by Song Chun Gui are almost 50/50.
"Wu Si Hai died just before we left. It seemed that Li Bu Yu was waiting for us to leave before he made his move." Xie Bi An's face sank, "I'm afraid Meng Ke Fei's death is also related to him. Was Li Bu Yu unscrupulous because he knows his time is running out?"
"Eating the human core of a cultivator from the same sect will enhance cultivation even more and will prolong life. Although Wu Si Hai is not as good as Song Chun Gui, in the end he is also Li Bu Yu's first disciple. His core is a great tonic." Lan Chui Han's face showed a look of disgust, "Taking advantage of this opportunity to frame Song Chun Gui can get rid of the two people at once to pave the way for his son to ascend the sect leader position."
"Such a cold and sinister move is indeed what Li Bu Yu would likely do."
"Li Bu Yu is really insidious and cunning." Lan Chui Han thought of something, and had a look of distress, "Back then he actually thought of deceiving you by faking his death. I felt a chill go down my back just hearing about it."
Xie Bi An's eyes darkened: "Sometimes I also question the Way of Heaven. Li Bu Yu, such an evil-doing person can actually be successful, famous and live a long life." Yet he struggled and fought before. It was like falling into a quagmire. The more he resisted, the faster and deeper he fell. It's not that he didn't want to live, but in the end he had to die.
"If heaven can be seen from some aspects, why would there be so much suffering on earth?" Lan Chui Han sighed, "I have to rush back to Wuliang Sect. I don't know what brother Song will face. With me around, Li Bu Yu will always have scruples and would not dare to casually frame him."
"You go quickly then."
"I'll send you back to Fengdu first."
"This place is only a hundred miles away from Fengdu. I'll reach there quickly with a sword. No need to worry about me. This is already the realm of the Underworld."
"Okay, you take care of yourself."
After parting from Lan Chui Han, Xie Bi An wanted to go back to Fengdu directly, but halfway through the flight, he unexpectedly turned towards Fumenghui --- strictly speaking, it's the former site of Fumenghui.
The place has become an ordinary hill. It no longer has the grotesque and bizarre appearance of the past, but there were thousands of skeletons buried under the hill, which makes this place extremely concentrated with Yin energy, and no one lives around here within 20 miles. The ordinary people who originally relied on Fumenghui to make a living have also moved out of the area to find another way out.
Xie Bi An stood on the sword and looked down from the sky. Only the sound of wind and fluttering of clothes can be heard, yet he seemed to faintly hear a shocking battle staged in this place a hundred years ago. He never seemed to think before about what kind of determination Zong Zi Xiao had harbored to fight against the entire Underworld with the strength of one person back then.
Just to bring him back to earth?
Xie Bi An's heart trembled and he shook his head violently, not wanting to think about it any further. He had spent countless days and nights reciting the Pure Mind Technique thousands of times to keep himself from being disturbed by that person. He could not think about it any further.
After returning to Fengdu City, Xie Bi An took out the other soul weapon Zhong Kui had left him from his qiankun bag and opened the Yin Yang Monument.
His Wuqiongbi and Pei Xue Sword were still in Qi Meng Sheng's hands, and Bieyanghong had been snatched away by Fan Wu She. He rummaged through his qiankun bag, but could not find a handy soul weapon, and he missed Wuqiongbi even more.
It might not be difficult to get Wuqiongbi back, just that the "trump card" they want to use against Qi Meng Sheng could not be used so easily yet.
Cui Jue had already received a letter from the City God, and the inside and outside of the Yin Yang Monument was guarded by a lot of Yin servants. It’s impossible for Fan Wu She to sneak into Jiuyou by relying on the soul-hooking chain.
After passing through the Ghost Willow Forest, Xie Bi An returned to the Underworld. He immediately found Official Lord Cui and discussed with him all the events that had happened in the past few days, and asked if Wu Si Hai's soul had been brought back to the Underworld.
Cui Jue flipped through the Book of Life and Death and sighed, "This man's soul has been scattered."
Xie Bi An's eyes flashed with killing intent. In order to not let them have the opportunity to interrogate Wu Si Hai's human soul, Li Bu Yu had been so vicious as to beat his own disciple, whom he had brought up with one hand, to the point of scattering his soul! He could not help but think of Shen Shi Yao, who was also robbed of the opportunity to reincarnate by Li Bu Yu. His mother was certainly guilty, but not guilty until this point.
Wu Si Hai's death let Xie Bi An see Li Bu Yu's madness when the fire of life was about to burn out. While beasts do not feed on their own kind, Li Bu Yu and Qi Meng Sheng would do anything unscrupulous to sustain their lives. Why do these extremely evil people not have any karmic retribution within their lifetimes?
"If Meng Ke Fei was also killed by him, then he will certainly not make the same mistake again."
Back then, they went to Mount Shu just to investigate the cause of Meng Ke Fei's death, and thus became completely involved in earthly strife. Li Bu Yu did so to cut weeds and eliminate the roots*.
"If the Immortal Alliance did not still need him to be united, I would really like to ..."
"His days are indeed numbered." Cui Jue closed the Book of Life and Death, "Heaven Master is gone, and he is the only one on earth who still has the power to call people together."
Xie Bi An let out a soft breath, as if to exhale all the disgust in his chest, "Let's not mention him. Official Lord Cui, now that we have their whereabouts, it's time for us to make a move."
Cui Jue nodded, "Li Bu Yu is right about one thing; let them have an internecine strife and we'll find an opportunity to break them down one by one."
"I want to use myself to lure out Jiang Qu Lian. If Fan Wu She is following me as I've guessed, he will definitely show himself."
"Jiang Qu Lian is extremely cunning, and he knows that it will be difficult to turn against you, so he won't take action without complete certainty." Cui Jue said, "When we all think he might find the time to strike when you're alone collecting souls, he most likely won't go and throw himself into the net."
"Then how do you think I should lure him out?"
Cui Jue was silent for a moment: "Over the past three years, I suspect that Jiang Qu Lian has definitely returned to the Underworld before, just that we didn't find out. He can freely enter and leave any place in Jiuyou, and in Jiuyou, he can also order countless ghost citizens, which means that doing it here would be much more advantageous to him than on earth."
Xie Bi An was immediately shocked out of a cold sweat. It was hard to avoid the trap of preconceptions. As Cui Jue had said, because some of their disputes with Jiang Qu Lian had occurred on earth, it was only logical to assume that Jiang Qu Lian would strike at him on earth as well. As a ghost king, Jiang Qu Lian will of course appear in his true form in the Underworld to be able to fully exert all of his cultivation. He said, "We can't let him take action in Jiuyou. That would cause chaos in the Underworld. Besides, Fan Wu She can't enter."
"Of course, I have a plan that can kill two birds with one stone while ensuring your safety."
Chapter 212
When Xie Bi An wanted to ask Cui Jue what his plan was, Cui Jue just dropped the words "I'm taking you to a place", got up and left.
Cui Jue took Xie Bi An away from the Underworld, away from Mount Luofeng, and towards the most deserted wilderness in Jiuyou. Xie Bi An looked back at Mount Luofeng, which was becoming smaller and smaller, and felt some subtle feelings.
Jiuyou has a vast and boundless territory. How big Jiuzhou is will be how big Jiuyou is. How many towering mountains, rivers and lakes Jiuzhou has, Jiuyou will also have. The Human and ghost realms are actually in the same place but in two different dimensions, just like the two sides of a copper coin, yet inseparable forever. A person's life and death, live or die, are just different forms of life. The reason seems to be the same.
But what is different between Jiuyou and Jiuzhou is that the Underworld, which occupies only one Mount Luofeng, is in control of the entire world of the Underworld. Merit and demerit are rewarded and punished respectively. Regardless of the original ghost citizens or the collected souls, they have to follow the rule of the Underworld, and no one can escape karma and reincarnation.
Such a vast land in Jiuyou with its countless ghost citizens are shackled by the gods sent down from the high and distant Heaven. It is no wonder that Jiang Qu Lian would disobey the rule of the Underworld and the rules of reincarnation, and said "Jiuyou is the ghost citizens' Jiuyou".
As they flew farther and farther away, Mount Luofeng had already disappeared behind them. There were occasional blood-red fires on the dull ground, but there was even more endless darkness.
Xie Bi An looked at Cui Jue's back with his clothes fluttering, and couldn't help but feel uneasy. Last time, Zhong Kui also brought him to tour around Jiuyou a few times, but they didn't go very far. They were Underworld generals whose main duty was to lead the souls from the earth to the ghost world. The ones who really managed Jiuyou and countless ghost citizens are the five ghost emperors. They would never enter the interior of Jiuyou for no reason.
"Official Lord Cui, where are we going?" Xie Bi An finally couldn't help but ask.
Not long after, Cui Jue hovered above a ghost village. This ghost village was not large. It was wrapped in a dense forest filled with miasma, and there was not a single ghost fire here. Xie Bi An enhanced his vision and looked down to find that the village was empty and appeared to have been abandoned for a long time.
"This is ..."
"This is the village where Jiang Qu Lian was born."
Xie Bi An gasped.
The natives of Jiuyou have ordinary ghosts and extremely vicious ghosts, just like there is good and evil on earth. Ordinary ghost citizens are no different from ordinary people; they live a relatively peaceful life, while ghosts reborn from Hell and Hungry Ghost paths are the evil ones here. The ghosts reborn in the Hell Path, although incredibly dangerous, they carried out most of the activities in the deep mountains and swamps and other desolate and barren places. They already had no consciousness, and were more like the beasts of the earth. Ordinary ghost citizens will not go to those dangerous areas. The real threat to them are the hungry ghosts.
A hungry ghost can even destroy a village or a town if it is born. Whenever a ghost baby is born, all ghost citizens will stand in combat readiness. Once they find out it is a hungry ghost, they will scatter its soul on the spot. But among the hungry ghosts, there are many evil and formidable people who called the shots in their previous lives, and are not to be messed with once they are reborn. As long as he is not killed initially, it will be difficult to eradicate him afterwards, because the more ghosts he eats, the more powerful he becomes.
It was Jiang Qu Lian who ate his own ghost mother at birth and then fed on the entire village. After leaving the village where he was born, he roamed the land of Jiuyou, stepped on corpses and climbed to the position of ghost king. Jiang Qu Lian is the king of ghost kings and the ultimate evil. The biggest crisis faced by the Underworld today, no one knew who should be number one; Jiang Qu Lian or Fan Wu She.
"Why did Official Lord Cui bring me here?"
"You have lived in the Underworld for more than twenty years and rarely go deep into Jiuyou. Plus, Heaven Master likes to visit the earth, and does not know much about Jiuyou." Cui Jue stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His voice was lightly raised in the wind, "Jiang Qu Lian believes that it is the Underworld that manipulated Jiuyou, took away the power and freedom of the ghost citizens. In fact, the Underworld is one of the links between the three realms and balances the power of the three realms. Without the Underworld, the ghost citizens would have fled to earth in large numbers, and then there would be no peace in either realm."
"Yeah, but Jiang Qu Lian has a deep resentment against the Underworld, or rather the Heaven realm, which assigned the Yin officers. He said all he wants is to be reborn as a human being, but he was born from the Hungry Ghost Path and has no great merit, so to be reborn in the Human Path, he has to break the rules of the six paths of reincarnation." Xie Bi An said in a deep voice, "Perhaps what he wants is truly to have the power of the king of ghost kings and be able to do as he pleases in Jiuyou."
Cui Jue said expressionlessly, "The line of Heaven's Path never seeks justice for one person, but balance. And this balance may harm some people, but it has maintained the peace of the three realms for millions of years. Anyone who tries to break the balance may lead to incalculable consequences."
"What Official Lord Cui said is true." After recovering his memories from his previous life, Xie Bi An was once the Human Emperor, and inevitably began to look down on the people and things around him, but only to Cui Jue, he was still respectful to him as before. Cui Jue is not just a scholar who adds or subtracts a few strokes from the Book of Life and Death, but he is like a prime minister of a dynasty who works hard for the operation of the underworld and the balance of the two realms, and is an indispensable person in the underworld. The things that such a person does and says must have a reason, so Xie Bi An also asked the question in his mind, "Why did Cui Jue bring me here and say these words to me?"
"Because of what Jiang Qu Lian said, because of your past life and present life, and because of what you have seen and heard on earth that made you question the Way of Heaven too." Cui Jue slowly turned around, "When your face was showing hatred and injustice, and spoke to me about Li Bu Yu, I could even hear your heart raging. You couldn't understand that thing that everyone couldn't understand; why good people don't get good rewards and evil people get good endings."
Xie Bi An's shoulders slumped somewhat uncomfortably: "You once said that reincarnation is cultivation for everyone, and must cultivate both good and evil. I thought I understood, but now I ... I don't know what to believe." When he was still only Xie Bi An and was a naïve underworld general, he had his first experience of losing faith because of a child who was abused to death, because it was her own father who killed her, but that beast was not punished in any way. He was only 14 or 15 years old at that time and was so young and vigorous that he even wanted to take the beast with him if the local city god had not stopped him.
When he returned to the Underworld, he ran to the judge's mansion and asked Cui Jue how many years the beast had left in his life and that he should die now, but Cui Jue refused to tell him. He had taken Cui Jue as his second master since he was a child. Although he had never formally paid respect to him, how he served Zhong Kui was hardly different from how he served Cui Jue. That was the first time he had ever talked back to Cui Jue in his whole life. He didn't understand; if there’s karma, and good and evil have retribution, then why did an innocent child who had never harmed anyone had to be tortured from birth? As if she had come to this earth to suffer until she died, while other children reincarnated with her might have lived a luxurious life, enjoyed the love and affection of their parents, and lived the rest of their lives in peace and prosperity until they died.
Why are people and people’s lives so different from each other?
So Cui Jue told him that reincarnation is a necessary lesson for everyone. That child is here to cultivate suffering in this life, and perhaps has to cultivate wealth and prosperity in the next life, and that father of that child is here to cultivate evil in this life. Only in the endless cycle of reincarnation, in all kinds of good or evil, sweet or bitter trials, regardless of origin and experience, are not to be disturbed by the world of the living. By sticking to your original heart in every cultivation and doing more good deeds, you can achieve perfection and transcend the cycle of reincarnation.
Xie Bi An had been persuaded on the spot. He thought he was here to cultivate goodness in this life to accumulate merit and virtue, but when he had the memories of two lives at the same time, he saw that the goodness of his previous life eventually bore evil fruit, and that this evil fruit had taken root and sprouted into a big tree that was hard to uproot, and cast a huge shadow on his present life as well. He knew no matter what he had cultivated in his previous life, he had failed. So what about this life?
Cui Jue's gaze softened as he looked at Xie Bi An: "You should believe in yourself. Believe that the good thoughts in your heart will influence all the karma and eventually lead you to a good end. You can't question yourself in this life just because you failed in your previous life, and don't be swayed by Jiang Qu Lian's prejudice and madness."
Xie Bi An pursed his lips. He wanted to say something, but there was only silence when he opened his mouth.
"The purpose of me bringing you here is to tell you that Jiang Qu Lian is a ghost, and you are a human being. He is a ghost who had cultivated a total mess in his lesson, so he was sent to the Hungry Ghost Path. He has deep evil thoughts in his heart, while you, no matter how much suffering you have experienced, still have a single thought for good. Just that, when people are in pain and despair, they want to find new faith in the collapse of faith. This is the best time for evil thoughts to take advantage of the situation, so I must remind you."
Xie Bi An was greatly shocked. He stared at Cui Jue in a daze, unable to speak for a long time.
It was said that those who knew all and understand half will live a long life, and those who knew everything will die, but for someone like Cui Jue who seemed to know everything, what else could shake his heart of Dao?
"Alright. Now I'll tell you the second purpose for bringing you here; my plan to kill two birds with one stone." Cui Jue looked down at the village where Jiang Qu Lian was born, "Jiang Qu Lian is able to enter and leave Jiuyou freely. He thinks he has an advantage. We can beat him at his own game, trap him in Jiuyou and make him unable to go to earth again. In this way, we can break them apart."
Chapter 213
"The Hungry Ghost Festival is coming soon. On this day, many ghosts will go back to visit their loved ones. They can only leave the Fengdu boundary when the sun sets, and enter it before the sun rises. This is the time of the year when the Fengdu boundary's magical power is the weakest, and it is also the easiest for something to happen." Cui Jue looked at Day Patrol, "If Jiang Qu Lian wants to do something, it would be most appropriate to pick this day. What do you think?"
Day Patrol nodded, "Every year, the Hungry Ghost Festival is the busiest time in the Underworld. To prevent any ghosts from taking advantage of the opportunity to cause trouble, the Red King will most likely strike at this time."
"Likewise, in order to ensure order, many of the Yin servants will be deployed, and the guards at the Yin Yang Monument will be greatly reduced. If Fan Wu She wants to infiltrate into the Underworld, he will most likely choose this day as well." Cui Jue's face was somewhat grave, "Something is bound to happen on that day, but if we make good use of it, we will be able to wipe out the two of them."
Xie Bi An said worriedly, "They were both former Underworld generals and they knew this well, so I don't know what unexpected things they will do."
"They wouldn't dare to do it the hard way." Cui Jue said, "As long as you are in the Underworld, we can make sure you are safe. Bi An, no matter what happens, you can't leave the Underworld on the Hungry Ghost Festival, do you understand?"
"Okay, the Eastern Emperor Bell there ..."
"I will ask King Qin Guang to keep watch." Cui Jue said coldly, "On that day of the Hungry Ghost Festival, we must gather the strength of the Underworld Generals and Yin servants to trap both of them in the Underworld and make them unable to leave."
Day Patrol arched his hand and said, "At your service, Official Lord."
After Day Patrol left, Xie Bi An couldn't help but look at his back for a while: "Official Lord Cui, Day Patrol and Night Patrol made great achievements in Chidi City. You said you would earnestly request the emperor to set them free, but when will the emperor come out of seclusion?"
"No one knows that. The last time the emperor came out of seclusion, it was because he was alarmed by the Supreme Demon. The two of them were personally punished by the emperor, and should also be pardoned by the emperor, but three years ago in Chidi City, I promised them that I would plead for them. After solving this crisis, I will take initiative, act first and report later, and let them reincarnate. Even if the emperor blames me, I will accept it.”
Nowadays, it is difficult for Xie Bi An to smile sincerely. When he heard this, he could not help but display it on his face: "Official Lord Cui is highly principled. Even if Day Patrol and Night Patrol have a million faults, they have done their duty loyally for the Underworld for 500 years. There is no lack of merit and hard work, and they have atoned for their sins. Let them have a chance to be together."
Cui Jue sighed, "Yes, it's time to let them go."
Day and Night Patrols’ love for each other was so deep that Xie Bi An was envious. Even though they could only look at each other briefly throughout the day, and could only talk to each other through letters despite them being so close, they were always there for each other and would never leave each other. In order to regain freedom and continue the unfinished fate of the previous life, they have diligently worked for the Underworld for 500 years. What kind of deep love is this? Yet some people, even if they live together, are detached from each other, sharing the same bed with different dreams. Some even have to cheat, suspect and hurt each other.
The pair of charming and cold hanging fox eyes appeared in front of Xie Bi An's eyes, and bitterness flooded his heart.
After Cui Jue finished his deployment, Xie Bi An reported to him and returned to Fengdu City. He wants to wait in the Orchid Garden for news from Lan Chui Han. He was very concerned about whether Song Chun Gui could turn peril into safety, and what Li Bu Yu would be able to do before his fate arrived.
Cui Jue now forbade him from leaving Fengdu, but it was still very safe inside the city. With the Yin servants patrolling everywhere, Fengdu City was the only place in Jiuzhou where humans and ghosts could coexist.
The nearer the Hungry Ghost Festival came, the more restless Xie Bi An felt. Apart from cultivation, he shut himself in the orchid garden, tending to the flowers and plants.
On this day, he finally received a letter from Lan Chui Han from Mount Shu. As they expected, Song Chun Gui became the biggest suspect for killing Wu Si Hai. With Wu Si Hai's cultivation, not many people in Wuliang Sect can put him to death, and the two always had a grudge. In the three years of managing Wuliang Sect’s affairs, there were even constant big and small conflicts, and secretly, the sect has already been divided. Now, Li Bu Yu is gradually weakening, yet he delayed the appointment of the successor to the sect leader. If Li Bu Yu suddenly died, then the sect leader position will logically be succeeded by the eldest senior brother. Song Chun Gui was eager to seize power. The motive of murdering Wu Si Hai is very sufficient. The crucial point is that he does have the skills.
However, ever since Song Chun Gui entered the sect, he has an extensive public reputation for his character. Plus, they did not find direct evidence, so he could not be convicted for now. And Wu Si Hai had his core dug out, which also inevitably reminds people of Meng Ke Fei, who also died that year, but never caught the murderer. It’s very likely the work of the same core stealing demonic cultivator. In addition, there is Fan Wu She, who was reincarnated from the Supreme Demon and is still wandering on earth.
Xie Bi An then wrote a letter back to Lan Chui Han, stating that Cui Jue's plan would require the help of the Immortal Alliance during the Hungry Ghost Festival, so at this time, Li Bu Yu had to know what was more important and could not punish Song Chun Gui. He also attached a handwritten letter to Li Bu Yu, asking Li Bu Yu to give Song Chun Gui his Thunder Ancestor Treasure Grant and come to Fengdu during the Hungry Ghost Festival to help them "catch ghosts".
He knew that it was impossible for Li Bu Yu to agree to hand over the Thunder Ancestor Treasure Grant, but among the elders and disciples of Wuliang Sect, no one was more capable of controlling this treasure than Song Chun Gui. He threatened Li Bu Yu that if he lost this battle during the Hungry Ghost Festival, he would tell the whole truth to Fan Wu She. With the Shanhe Sheji Map in his hand, the Supreme Demon’s hatred and anger would be enough to wipe out Mount Shu.
After writing this letter, Xie Bi An started another draft and sent a letter to someone far away in Chidi City, Kunlun --- Hua Xiang Rong. This letter will be delivered by Night Patrol for him, but he still does not dare to guarantee absolute safety, so he did not reveal important contents in the letter, but with his understanding of Hua Xiang Rong, after the alliance of Qi Meng Sheng and Jiang Qu Lian, the flame of revenge is burning her every moment. She will definitely come and meet him.
After doing all this, the empty feeling in Xie Bi An's heart grew stronger and stronger. He returned to the Orchid Garden and half squatted by the flowerbed’s side, and his eyes fell on his Dangshanhe.
Lan Chui Han thought that the Dangshanhe was his grandfather's favorite object, but in fact Zhong Ming was like most boys when he was a child; he had no interest in flowers and plants, and only later did he learn that the Dangshanhe was a family heirloom that he had left to Zhong Ming. But even Zhong Ming would not know why this orchid became his only orchid, and the reason why it survived was because on that day his mother destroyed the orchid garden, his Xiao Jiu secretly hid this one. The saddest thing is that Xiao Jiu himself doesn't remember.
Only he remembers, and only he understands, how pure and sincere Xiao Jiu's heart was for him when he secretly hid this Dangshanhe.
Although he threatened Li Bu Yu to tell the whole truth to Fan Wu She, the time has changed. All the tragedies are irreversible. What difference does it make if he said it or not? Even if he said it, will Fan Wu She believe it? Even if he believes it, what can it change?
But both Huang Dao Zi and Zhong Kui told him that he was reborn and reincarnated, precisely to change something ...
----
A few days later, Xie Bi An received a letter back from Lan Chui Han, which stated that Li Bu Yu would never agree to give Song Chun Gui the Thunder Ancestor Treasure Grant, but that he would bring Song Chun Gui to Fengdu on the day of the Hungry Ghost Festival to fight the enemy together with them.
Xie Bi An remembered that the last time he saw Li Bu Yu, he looked so old that he had one foot in his grave. Fighting the enemy together is fake, and getting rid of Song Chun Gui by taking advantage of the chaos is true. But once he reaches Fengdu's territory, he will not let him have his way so easily.
In a few days, the annual Hungry Ghost Festival will arrive, and Fengdu, where people and ghosts have been living together in harmony for a hundred years, is about to experience an immeasurable storm.
Chapter 214
After receiving Hua Xiang Rong’s response, on that day of the agreed meeting, Xie Bi An deliberately disguised himself and left the Orchid Garden between 12-2am, leaving the city silently. There were many people in Fengdu City who knew his identity, and all the major sects would put spies in those important towns and fortresses in Jiuzhou. He did this not because he was worried about his own safety, but about Hua Xiang Rong's. At least before Qi Meng Sheng was defeated, nothing must happen to Hua Xiang Rong.
Having not seen her for 3 years, Hua Xiang Rong has not changed greatly in appearance, but her temperament has become gloomy and introverted. Last time she was bold, vigorous and energetic, who dared to openly question Xu Zhi Nan in front of a crowd of Chunyang Sect cultivators at Luojinwu. After the great change, she seems more and more like her senior sister.
When Xie Bi An saw her, he felt some lamentation. The two of them have fought twice formerly, and now they have no choice but to cooperate just because they have a common enemy.
Hua Xiang Rong lightly glanced at Xie Bi An: "I purposely went to see the original site of Fumenghui. Regardless of now or then, it is a legend."
"Yeah, only a dream can change countlessly overnight."
"In fact, life is just a moment. It’s not just changing countlessly."
Xie Bi An made a ‘please’ gesture: "Please sit down, Flying Plume Ambassador."
Hua Xiang Rong sat down leisurely: "I am no longer the Flying Plume Ambassador, not because I betrayed the sect, but in my heart the Flying Plume Ambassador has always been me and my senior sister."
"You are really affectionate to your senior sister."
Hua Xiang Rong’s expression did not change, but the sorrow in her heart over the years, has been transformed into slightly knitted brows, drooping eyelashes, and dull pupils, which were flowing between the color of the eyes: "Senior sister is the only person I care about. I never dared to declare my feelings for her. I thought the future was long, and there was always a chance ..."
Xie Bi An sighed softly.
Hua Xiang Rong took a deep breath, gathered her emotions, took out two things from her arms and put them on the table: "The things you wanted."
Xie Bi An was more or less surprised: "You really believe me?"
"I have tried. Your hypothesis is not wrong." Hua Xiang Rong's slender hand on the table slowly clenched into a fist. Intense hatred burst out of her eyes, and her beautiful nose wrinkled with anger.
"You've gone through a lot of trouble to get these two things, right?"
"It wasn't that easy originally, but after all, I've been by her side for so many years. I know everything about Chidi City and Cangyu Sect like the back of my hand. Moreover, I didn't plan this after I received your letter. From that moment when Jiang Qu Lian came to Chidi City, I had no more worries." Hua Xiang Rong said in a cold voice, "In order to avenge my sister, I don't care about anything."
Xie Bi An grabbed the plain and simple ruler on the table. This magical treasure has a big connection with him. The first time he took Xiao Jiu on a trip in his previous life, the two of them were attacked and nearly lost their lives when they were fooled by Gong Shu Ju. After that, they had several encounters with Gong Shu Ju. He felt a lot of emotion in his heart. He grabbed another object on the table and threw it out.
With a flash of spiritual light, the palm-sized object suddenly became larger, and finally turned into a huge ice coffin. A naked, handsome young man was sealed in the ice coffin, surrounded by seven candle flames in the arrangement of the seven stars of the Big Dipper.
It was the body of Cheng Yan Zhi.
Xie Bi An stood in front of the ice coffin. His thoughtful gaze was moving back and forth on Cheng Yan Zhi's face and body almost inch by inch. He didn’t speak for a long time.
Hua Xiang Rong said: "This is enough to threaten her. She will enter the Central Plains for this, right?"
"As long as we've guessed correctly, she will definitely come." Xie Bi An said in a deep voice, "They probably did not expect that the entanglement between the three would span both the past lives and present lives and have such a great impact on the human and ghost realms."
Hua Xiang Rong sneered, "I just want Jiang Qu Lian and her to die."
Xie Bi An turned around, "Where are my soul weapon and sword? Since you were able to steal the ice coffin, getting my things is nothing difficult, right?"
"That’s right. They are also in my hands now, but if you want your soul weapon and sword back, you have to promise me one condition."
"Say it."
"I want to know the reincarnation of my senior sister."
Xie Bi An wasn't surprised. Everything Hua Xiang Rong did was bound to be related to Yun Xiang Yi.
"And then what, are you going to find her?"
"Back then, she was the one who saved me, who was lonely, suffering and had no one to depend on, and brought me back to Cangyu Sect. She protected me, brought me along to cultivate, and grew up with me, but at the most critical juncture, I failed to protect her." Sorrow emerged on Hua Xiang Rong’s face, "If you want to get your things back, just tell me where she is. This time I will protect her. I never want to be separated from her again."
Xie Bi An pondered for a moment: "Okay, I'll go find Official Lord Cui. In exchange for your help, I believe he will agree. For these few days, you shall stay here. This place is very safe. If you are discovered, you can escape through the tunnel. The other end of the tunnel goes straight to Fumenghui."
"I won't escape, I want to see what happens to them with my own eyes."
---
Xie Bi An returned to the Orchid Garden with Gong Shu Ju and the ice coffin containing Cheng Yan Zhi. He should bring the latter back to the Underworld. It’s the safest there. However, although this body was a living dead body, he was still alive, and the law of the living not entering the underworld could not be easily broken. Unlike Zhong Kui, he did not do as he pleased, so he planned to have one of the underlings report to Cui Jue first, and then go back after getting approval.
When he returned to the Orchid Garden, it was just dawn, and the Liu couple who were guarding the garden had just woken up. One was making a fire and cooking, and the other was checking the seedlings in the flowerbed.
"White Master, you're back. I thought you had gone back to the underworld." Aunt Liu looked at Xie Bi An with hands clasped together in front of her belly. She actually seemed to have a hint of nervousness.
"I'll go back later. Aunt Liu, boil some clear porridge, cut some marinated goose leg that was bought yesterday, and mix a small green radish in. Go to the street and buy a 500g bun. That should be enough." Xie Bi An hurriedly walked towards the house. Although the Liu couple knew his identity, he would never let ordinary people see when he had to summon the Yin servants.
"... uh, okay."
With one foot over the doorstep, Xie Bi An suddenly felt a strange feeling arise in his heart. He stopped in his tracks, slowly turned his head and observed the Liu couple.
Uncle Liu looked like he was checking the new seedlings, but half of his feet had already stepped into the flowerbed. He had been raising flowers for more than twenty years and knew this orchid garden like the back of his hand, so it was impossible for him to step on the seedlings. It was even stranger for Aunt Liu, who used to be very enthusiastic when she saw him coming and always chased after him asking what he wanted to eat.
Xie Bi An turned around. His eyes were hovering back and forth between the two, and his gaze was deep: "Uncle Liu, Aunt Liu, what's wrong?"
Uncle Liu’s body paused, but did not turn around, and Aunt Liu's face became instantly stiff.
Xie Bi An's hand pressed on the Junlan sword: "Is there someone in the house?"
Uncle Liu suddenly stood up from the ground and retreated by walking backwards with a strangely stiff posture. Aunt Liu also seemed to involuntarily follow and began to walk backwards. Her face had a few signs of struggle, like the soul was awake and trapped in a shell that was not under its control.
This look is very familiar to Xie Bi An --- being possessed.
Since Mount Luofeng is the only place in Jiuzhou where humans and ghosts coexist, the Yin energy here is extremely concentrated. If an evil spirit is placed elsewhere, a cultivator with a little bit of background will be able to sense it, but here it is just water in the sea. As long as it doesn't harm people, no one will deliberately look for it.
And possessing a human body is a big taboo.
Xie Bi An pulled out two yellow talismans and said coldly: "Where did you come from, little ghost? How dare you be rude in front of me."
The Liu couple had walked backwards to the corner of the wall, and then the two collectively turned around and stared straight up at the wall.
Xie Bi An felt puzzled. Every single ghost that possesses a body always has something to do or has something to say, and because they were in spiritual form, they could not touch Yang objects, that’s why they need to occupy the body of the living. The possessing ghost who selected the Liu couple was obviously targeting him, so why did they turn their backs facing him without saying a word?
After waiting for a moment, seeing the two people are still motionless, Xie Bi An clutched the two exorcism talisman with 3 fingers and walked over step by step.
A sudden spiritual pressure came from behind. Although the other party tried to hide, he was quickly detected. He turned around quickly. Two talismans were thrown out. At the same time, the Junlan sword was out of the sheath. With a murderous aura, a silver glow brilliantly cut through the dawn-dusk, which was much more dazzling than the light of the sky at this time.
A black shadow quickly flashed backward. Until he retreated to the front of the flowerbed, he could avoid a sword slash out of the harsh sword Qi.
When Xie Bi An saw the visitor, his heart was beating like a drum, and every pore of his body was seeping out cold air.
"Big brother's swordplay seems to have become more refined." Fan Wu She gave a fake smile, "I mean, compared to the previous life."
"It was you who did it." Xie Bi An said coldly, "How can you manipulate possession? Did you make a soul token again?" At least in his previous life, the Supreme Demon didn't use the Heavenly Secret Talisman to manipulate Yin soldiers to possess others. The Supreme Demon had always been unscrupulous. If he had this function, why would he not use it? But he had never seen it before. Then it was likely that Fan Wu She used a magical treasure like a soul token.
Fan Wu She shook a black jade in his hand with a wickedly handsome smile on his face: "In Chidi City, that shattered piece that was used to summon the snow demons took me nearly ten years to make. This one took me two years, and with deeper research of the ‘Heavenly Secret Scripture’ in this life, I found some new ways to play. For example…" He glanced at the couple standing at the bottom of the wall facing the wall, and they actually began to slowly turn in circles on the spot.
Xie Bi An immediately shuddered.
If the magical treasure Fan Wu She made can exert such a terrifying function, then once he gets the Heavenly Secret Talisman, he can not only manipulate ghosts, but also people?!
"When did you infiltrate Fengdu? What do you want to do?"
"There are countless travelers in Fengdu, how’s it difficult to get in?" Fan Wu She gazed unblinkingly at Xie Bi An. That was a greedy gaze that wanted to eat him alive, which was full of undisguised lust, "When I mastered this technique, the first thing I wanted to do was to find you and try it. If you can listen to me obediently, many things, regardless of the things I want or the person I want, may be so much easier."
Xie Bi An felt a chill all over his body: "I am the Underworld general, Impermanence. No ghost will try to get into my body."
"Big brother, I need you to help me retrieve the Heavenly Secret Talisman." Fan Wu She revealed a chilling smile, "You have to help me with this favor, even if you don’t want to."
Chapter 215
Xie Bi An retreated from the center of the courtyard. Two yellow talismans flew towards the Liu couple. When the demon subduction talismans were close to their bodies, the evil spirits in their bodies immediately fled in disarray, and the couple fainted.
A stream of Yin energy kept flowing into the courtyard. In Fengdu, there is no shortage of ghosts. Although Fan Wu She's homemade soul token is far less powerful than the Heavenly Secret Talisman, when there are a large number of ghosts nearby, it is almost like scattering beans into soldiers. That group of snow demons in Chidi City back then, who died a thousand years ago, were still summoned by Fan Wu She for his own use.
The Junlan Sword in Xie Bi An's hand is flashing with harsh, silver light. The spiritual pressure was released with the sword, sweeping away the incoming Yin energy. His sword whirls like the wind, and his power is majestic. His white clothes were soughing, so white and clean that people dare not speak blaspheme. The lonely and wild ghosts manipulated by Fan Wu She couldn't even come close for a while.
Fan Wu She’s eyes couldn’t stop pursuing that white wisp. The more he looked at it, the more he was steaming with desire. He concealed his strength to bid his time. He concealed and endured silently for all these years only to seize this person back in a fair and square manner.
"Fan Wu She! If you have the guts, fight me with your sword. Don't play these dirty tricks!" Xie Bi An shouted.
"Whether I use my sword or not, you will still lose." Fan Wu She played with the black jade soul token in his hand. He sneered, "I gave you the opportunity to fight me with your sword that year, and you lost. You didn't forget, did you?”
The surrounding Yin energy became even more concentrated. The July heat actually made people feel so cold that their hairs were standing up.
"That year is that year." Xie Bi An drew a talisman in the air with one hand. His jade white fingers skirted in front of his eyes. One talisman became many, and they dispersed into all directions with his body as the center. The spiritual energy and the swarming Yin energy fiercely collided. Xie Bi An "heard" the ghost’s cry.
"Hehe, you naturally will not forget. When you were defeated under my sword, I dragged you to the throne, and fulfilled my long-cherished wish for many years." Fan Wu She "tsk" twice, "That one time, even after a hundred years, is still memorable."
Xie Bi An’s expression changed. He wielded a ruthless sword strike straight at Fan Wu She. Before the sword arrived, the spiritual pressure had turned into an invisible blade licking at Fan Wu She's throat.
This sword's starting style is the Qingfeng sword technique. It’s natural, graceful, and not rushing to the vitals. There is some casualness of not rushing to kill the enemy, but when he got closer, the sword path changed dramatically in a flash, turning into the aggressive Zongxuan sword technique. It’s ruthless like a poisonous snake, biting towards Fan Wu She's vitals. Two very different styles of swordplay originally cannot be interchangeable. Such a transformation within a move is the ultimate test of the swordsman's motion, cultivation, agility, perception, experience, and courage, which is also the path that leads to the state of unity of the human and sword.
Fan Wu She was slightly surprised. Could it be that Xie Bi An had already cultivated to the eighth Chongtian of the Zongxuan Sword? Compared to his previous life, he reached this state at least five or six years earlier, but how did he not reach the same level of cultivation of his previous life at a faster pace? In these three years, they were waiting for dawn with their heads resting on their spears*.
Fan Wu She was forced to raise his sword. Ting Mo was halfway out of the sheath, and the two swords suddenly collided, emitting a crispy ‘ding’ sound. That sound was clear and transparent. They were two good swords just by hearing the sound, yet the webs between the thumbs and forefingers of their hands were cracked from the jolt.
Ting Mo was completely out of its sheath, and he forced Xie Bi An back. Xie Bi An said coldly: "If you rely solely on these evil magical treasures and neglect your sword path, you will lose more than you gain.”
"I have never neglected my sword path, but it doesn't matter what means I use to deal with you." Fan Wu She’s soul token on hand emitted a burst of black death aura.
Xie Bi An was like facing a great enemy. He only felt the Yin energy that he had scattered lunged from all directions with a more turbulent force. He opened his mouth, bit the belly of his thumb, and used his own blood to draw the most powerful demon subjugation talisman. That talisman was floating in the void, enveloping his head, and glowing with a blood-red aura. Drawing a talisman with blood will deplete the cultivator's own blood, but it will also give the talisman an extremely powerful effect!
Xie Bi An rarely draws blood talismans, because blood talismans will scatter the souls of these evil spirits. Cultivators mainly help people, while Underworld Generals mainly guide souls. No matter how vicious an evil spirit is, it should be given the opportunity to go to hell to atone for its sins. Beating them to scatter their souls is against the heart of Dao and also damages one’s merits. But right now, in order to save his life, Xie Bi An has no choice.
The demon subjugation blood talisman began to kill, brutally suppressing the ghosts that were driven to attack. Xie Bi An listened to the miserable howls and frowned: "Fan Wu She, stop sinning!"
Fan Wu She smiled coldly.
Xie Bi An suddenly felt a strange movement behind him. He turned around and saw that the Liu couple, who had been unconscious on the ground, had risen from the ground like puppets on strings and were walking step by step towards the killing range of the demon subjugation blood talisman.
Not good!
The demon subjugation talisman is harmless to the living, but once it becomes a blood talisman, it will not recognize allies from enemies, and it will show no mercy to the living who have been possessed. The Liu couple are ordinary people, and they may die because of this.
Xie Bi An gritted his teeth and had no choice but to disperse the blood talisman. The moment the blood talisman was dispersed, he felt his body was pierced by an invisible force, a force that pulled him to stagger a few steps. He wanted to stabilize his body, but found that his body was beginning to be out of his control, yet letting him stand firmly.
He had never had such a strange experience in his life, and he knew he was being possessed.
His fingers became so weak that he couldn't even grip it, and the Junlan sword fell to the ground with a ‘pa’. He stared blankly at Fan Wu She in the distance, watching a malicious smile gradually rising on that stunningly handsome face.
Xie Bi An desperately tried to force the thing inside his body out, but Fan Wu She came to his side in a blink of an eye and drew a spiritual talisman on his heart. The tips of his long and slender fingers stroked a few times on his clothes. Finally, he gently dotted his heart, and suddenly murmured softly, "It's been a long time since I've been this close to you."
Xie Bi An's heart trembled.
Fan Wu She lowered his head, and his eyes carefully traced the skin and hair of the person in front of him, as if he was admiring and examining some rare treasure, yet Xie Bi An only stared at him with bloodshot eyes.
Fan Wu She stretched out his hand and gently traced Xie Bi An's outline with his fingertips, finally stopping at the light pink lips. He hesitated for a moment, just a moment, and then kissed it hard.
Xie Bi An’s eyes were rounded from glaring. He could not move, but all of his six senses were feeling Fan Wu She’s warm lips grinding and sucking on his lips. A few small pieces of soft flesh kept squeezing each other to transmit heat, breath, body fluids, and the feeling of thirst. The slippery tongue could not wait to pry open his jaw and stir inside his mouth, wantonly ramming and sweeping, as if wanting to break through the flesh and declare his possession to the world. He even wants to leave his own mark in every inch of his mouth.
Fan Wu She’s long arm traversed Xie Bi An’s back waist and drew him near into his arms.
This is the first time the two of them have been close to each other after 3 years. For a moment, it seems like there are countless Thunderfire Stones exploding in their heads.
Xie Bi An’s face gradually became hotter. This is not the familiar body of Fan Wu She’s. Although the Fan Wu She in his memory had the frame of a man initially, he still had a little bit of the thinness of a teenager. And this body that embraced him tightly in his arms has firm, strong arms and a broad, hard and hot chest. This is from a much older memory; the body of the Supreme Demon Zong Zi Xiao, who had forcefully done whatever he wanted to him and did all of the shameful things in the world.
Fan Wu She held him tightly. His lips sought his ear and whispered, "I really miss you a lot. If you could be well-behaved in my arms like this, why would I suffer ..."
Xie Bi An closed his eyes. Obviously knowing what invaded him was the pervasive scent, smell, sound, and touch of this person, yet he tried in vain to isolate everything simply by not seeing things.
But the next moment, he had to open his eyes, because his hands uncontrollably wrapped around Fan Wu She's neck and took the initiative to snuggle.
Fan Wu She suddenly princess carried him and walked towards the house.
Xie Bi An's Qi and blood rushed up. His face turned blue and red for a while: "You ... can you be more shameless!?"
"We've known each other for two lifetimes, and you still ask such questions? I'm afraid you've never learned your lesson." Fan Wu She sat on the side of the bed, hugged and sat Xie Bi An on his lap. His two hands were around his waist, and he kissed his soft lips again. It was not like that three years of separation impatience kiss just now. This time, he's savoring it and taking his time.
"Fan ... Wu She ... enough. What exactly are you..." Xie Bi An's words mumbled vaguely between the lips and tongue.
"I want you, now." Fan Wu She reached out and took off Xie Bi An's hairpin, allowing a head of dark hair to fall loose on the back of his shoulders. His hand caresses very gently, but his gaze stared forcefully into the bottom of Xie Bi An's eyes, "I never had the chance to ask you. Zong Zi Xiao and Fan Wu She, who do you prefer to be fucked by?”
Xie Bi An's scalp went numb. His pupils kept flickering from panic.
"Do you want me to be your Xiao Jiu, or your junior brother?" Fan Wu She stroked Xie Bi An's satin-like hair one time after another, his tone of voice was described as gentle.
"Scram!" Xie Bi An gritted his teeth and said, "I want you to let go of me."
Fan Wu She hooked his lips and smiled: "I think you like both, right? Don't you ever look back after you recovered your memory? Every night inside Wuji Palace was our lustful night. Your body has long been unable to leave me. Your mouth has a sense of propriety, yet your legs wrapped around my waist had never loosened even for a moment.”
Xie Bi An was so angry that his face turned red.
"And when we were senior and junior brothers, you also said you liked me." Fan Wu She lightly caressed Xie Bi An’s cheek with a gaze unable to hide deep feelings, "You said you like me. How can you back out? I won’t allow you to back out."
"You are a fake. Everything is a fake." Frost condensed on Xie Bi An's face, "The words we said, the difficulties we went through, the love we had, all of them do not count."
"How dare you!" Fan Wu She's face suddenly changed, "You like me. You promised me a lifetime. When I say it counts, it counts."
Xie Bi An looked at him coldly.
Fan Wu She pressed Xie Bi An down on the bed with his body. His hands propped up on each side of Xie Bi An's head. The moment their eyes met, they both saw the endless painful struggles in each other's eyes.
Is it love? Is it hate?
It’s love, and it’s hate.
There was so much love and hate between them, like a deep valley cutting in between them. They fought desperately, trying to reverse everything by risking their lives, yet they walked towards the hopeless karma again and again.
Why was it like this? It shouldn’t be like this, but it is like this.
I love the gods and goddesses, but I can't love them.
Even if they prayed to all gods and buddhas, this love cannot be fulfilled.
Chapter 216
The moment they looked at each other was enough to tear their hearts apart. Xie Bi An was overwhelmed and turned his face away.
Fan Wu She immediately turned his face back. Looking at the cold expression that was intentionally shutting him out, he felt a twinge of pain in his heart.
The two of them were at a standstill for a long time, and Fan Wu She called out in a whisper, "Senior brother."
Xie Bi An's expression was stagnant and he gently bit his lower lip.
"Senior brother, have I grown up?" Fan Wu She took Xie Bi An's hand and pressed it against his hard, hot chest, "I said I would grow taller and stronger than you. What I said has been counted for.”
Xie Bi An's expression was getting more unsightly.
"The words you said before also cannot be uncountable. Don't take them back." Fan Wu She lowered his head and kissed the tip of his nose, "I can be your junior brother, as long as you ..."
"That's enough." Xie Bi An gritted his teeth and said, "You changed your name to deceive me and master, gained our trust to plan your plot, and stole master's magical treasure. You have to bear the blame for his death! You have committed numerous crimes, and now you still want to act obediently in front of me. What do you treat me as?!”
The fire in Fan Wu She's eyes went out, and he gave a mocking smile: "I treat you as ..." He seemed unable to find the most appropriate answer for a while, and was deeply distressed, so after a moment of silence, he poured out his emotions with a kiss.
They had a variety of kisses today. First, it was an impatient and rough one, then it was a passionate and long one, and now this one was extraordinarily focused, as if nothing in the world could be more urgent and important than kissing him.
Fan Wu She ripped open his belt. His big hands probed into the lapels and lit fire all over that bare skin. In between the plundering of his lips and tongue, Fan Wu She let out a low and hoarse vow: "I treat you as my wife."
"Wuu ... bastard, let go of me ..." Xie Bi An kept trying to reclaim his body, but he’s only doing more redundant squirming under Fan Wu She’s body in vain.
"Should I say you only eat soft but not hard, or eat hard but not soft*? I want to treat you well, yet you just want to provoke and anger me." Fan Wu She stripped the clothes that were in the way one by one off from Xie Bi An’s body. His breathing became heavy, and all the blood in his body rushed down uncontrollably, "I want you."
That overbearing "I want you" is like a witch spell. With the addition of Fan Wu She’s wanton and rash lips and hands, Xie Bi An’s awareness was fiercely washed away.
All the memories regarding the body have been awakened. Those crazy, intense, and wanton nights were all proven by the exchange of temperature and body fluids between each other, from the physical body all the way to the soul. Reincarnation, past life and present life still cannot be erased. Once it’s triggered, it’ll be a gigantic attack, breaking through all the shackles, screaming to fill every crack of consciousness.
An extremely chaotic, almost out-of-control sex has a fierce resistance that was close to inflicting serious damage to the chakra, and also has an uncontrolable fall, unable to restrain oneself after letting go of everything. Not only did they show each other their uncovered bodies, but also the hearts that were full of holes, yet have to be cut open again and again for people to analyze.
They embraced each other and fell off the cliff.
---
When Xie Bi An woke up, there was no one by his side. Only a bunch of orchids, which were picked from his orchid garden, and were somewhat clumsily arranged with four to five varieties, intending to divide the layers of colors, and were not very pretty. In the eyes of people who know a little about floristry, they were considered a waste of flowers, but then they showed a sincerity that cannot be ignored.
Despite the body aches and fatigue, Xie Bi An grabbed the bunch of orchids and furiously wanted to throw them to the ground, but then he remembered that they were the delicate beauties he had worked so hard to raise, so he shouldn't take it out on them. So the hand that was raised high, instead brought them up to the tip of his nose and gave them a gentle sniff.
They are refreshing, simple and elegant, making him feel fresh and clean. He loved orchids all his life, only to feel that this flower, from the shape to nature and to the smell, all of them are gentlemanly. When he was not versed in the things of the world during his teenage years, he loved to compare himself to orchids, using their noble, clean and refined characters to restrain himself. Only after he grew up did he realize that he was not worthy of this flower at all. He was just a dot of mud sprinkled on earth by the god of creation, struggling in the surge of worldly affairs.
Xie Bi An took a deep breath and sat up with support. The embarrassing pain coming from an unspeakable place made him turn blue, yet his ears turned red. He tried his best to dismiss the distracting thoughts and adjusted his breath by mobilizing his Qi, but he found a strange spirit in his body.
The thing that had possessed him was still inside him!
Although he didn't know what it feels like to be possessed, he had received many evil spirits that possessed humans. All those victims were at the mercy of others, but not only did he have his own consciousness, his body could also move. Could it be that the soul token had more power than he could imagine?
He sank his Qi into his dantian and his spiritual pressure surged. As long as there was no Fan Wu She to obstruct him, he could definitely force the evil spirit out of his body.
"Don't mess around." A cool voice sounded at the same time as the footsteps stepped into the house.
Xie Bi An looked at Fan Wu She as if facing a great enemy.
Fan Wu She strolled over and sat on the side of the bed. Xie Bi An restrained his instinct to retreat and looked at him in silence.
Fan Wu She picked up the bunch of orchids: "Do you still remember, I used to secretly pick the flowers in your garden. You wanted to scold me. Which flowers can be picked at this time of year, which flowers smell good and look good together, and which flowers should be picked at what time to dry or keep the seed stock, all of them have rules." He couldn't help but laugh, "But no matter how many times you taught me, I'm too lazy to remember. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be looking at these flowers and plants."
Xie Bi An’s mind trembled slightly. How could he not remember? When his Xiao Jiu was still staggering and learning to walk, he was brought to the Orchid Garden to play. From then on, in the continuous passage of time, they were always busy in the garden. He tended to the flowers, and Xiao Jiu was by his side, either playing around or meditating and practicing with his sword. That was the best time belonging to the brothers.
He never forgot those good times, but sadly even the bad ones are clearly engraved in his memory. If one can only sieve out the good memories, sieve out the pain and unpleasantness, there will be no more tragedies in the world.
Fan Wu She stretched out his hand, stroked the corner of Xie Bi An’s lips that he had bitten during his passion, and smiled faintly: "You really did miss me, didn't you?"
Xie Bi An came back to his senses. Xiao Jiu's childish face overlapped with the person in front of him. His face burned for no reason, and he said word for word: "Shameless."
"How can the big brother who abandoned all restraint under my body last night have the nerve to call me shameless?" Fan Wu She's hand moved to the back of his neck. After holding it in place, he gave him a quick kiss.
Xie Bi An’s body trembled. He reached out his hand and was about to reject him by pushing.
Fan Wu She grabbed his hand, "Don't move. What I'm about to say is very important, listen carefully."
"..."
"Tomorrow is the Hungry Ghost Festival. I believe you guys can guess, whether it's me, or Jiang Qu Lian, this is the best time to enter and leave the Underworld. I'm guessing that wanting to dig up your core is probably just a pretense Jiang Qu Lian put up to hide his real purpose. At least you won't be his only target. No matter what deal he has with Qi Meng Sheng, he can't risk so much to harm you."
"What do you think his purpose is?" Xie Bi An said in a deep voice.
"I don't know, but it must be something extraordinary."
"Then what does that have to do with you?”
"I will always keep you by my side. Jiang Qu Lian shall not come near you."
Xie Bi An sneered, "Are you really protecting me? Or are you waiting for the Underworld to pour out its troops to deal with Jiang Qu Lian so that you can easily get to the Eastern Emperor Bell?"
"Both." Fan Wu She's face was like no ripples in an ancient well*, only his eyes were slightly deeper, "You're going to take me through the Yin Yang Monument and take me to the Eastern Emperor Bell."
"On the basis of the evil spirit you buried inside me?"
"On the basis of my ability to help you defeat Jiang Qu Lian." Fan Wu She's eyes were arrogant and stern.
Chapter 217
Xie Bi An's face is sullen like a pool of water that cannot be looked into: "I will not help you, because you are full of lies. If I don't go back to the underworld tonight, Official Lord Cui will be suspicious and will send the Yin servants to find me. Tomorrow, Brother Lan will also come to Fengdu. If you don't let me go, you will definitely be exposed."
"... You still call him Brother Lan? He is your great-grandson." Fan Wu She said in a vicious voice.
"It's true that he is a descendant of Zhong Ming, but it's not like I watched him grow up. He watched me grow up."
"Then the family status cannot be different too. He should kneel down and call you great grandpa since he knows the truth. You still call him 'big brother', you ..."
"This is our family matter, what does it matter to you?" Xie Bi An interrupted him.
This statement made Fan Wu She more annoyed: "'Family matter’? How is your matter with him a family matter? If it is a family matter, then it naturally concerns me. I am Zong Zhong Ming's ninth uncle, and Lan Chui Han should call me ninth grandpa."
"That's enough. Whether it's the Zong Clan or the Lan family, it has nothing to do with you." Xie Bi An said coldly, "If you don't leave, don’t ever think of leaving Fengdu alive."
Fan Wu She grabbed his chin and threatened, "If you dare to say it has nothing to do with me again, I will make you unable to get out of bed until tomorrow night."
"You!"
Fan Wu She admired the handsome face in his hand. Big brother's jaw was slender. His skin was like jade, which is gentle and delicate. He has a pair of black and bright eyes like a deer, which has an aura of reverence when serious, but when he smiled, he was like a blooming Haitang*. Everything around him became a verdant and lush spring day, making people feel like bathing in a breeze.
Being his junior brother for those three years, enjoying his gentleness and consideration and the mutual love for each other, was really like a compiled dream.
Now, he refuses to smile at him again. Just like in his previous life, giving the best without reservation, and then taking it all back without mercy.
Fan Wu She couldn’t hide his disappointment. He said gloomily: "Do you believe I will kill him?"
"On what basis?" Xie Bi An said indignantly.
"On the basis that you call him brother. I am your younger brother."
"I don't want to talk to you about these useless things. Let me go, or do you want to attract the Yin servants?!"
"Yeah, I am thinking of meeting Official Lord Cui. What can he do? Cross my life out with a few strokes?"
"Official Lord Cui won't abuse the Book of Life and Death, but he is a judge appointed by the Great Emperor Beiyin himself, and he temporarily manages all the affairs of the Underworld while the Emperor is in seclusion. He can deploy all the forces of the Underworld. Whether it’s you or Jiang Qu Lian, don’t ever think of escaping again."
Fan Wu She let out a meaningful "Oh": "Dare I ask the Impermanence Immortal if Jiang Qu Lian was caught, how will he be dealt with?"
"The Red King has a special status and should be judged jointly by the Ten Yanluo Halls, be set a sentence and put into Hell." Xie Bi An said with hatred, "He has sinned so much. He must enter the infernal hell, and perhaps he needs to reincarnate into the Hell Path.”
"What about me?" Fan Wu She looked deep into Xie Bi An's eyes, "If you catch me, what will you do to me?"
Xie Bi An was stunned and speechless for a moment.
"I escaped from the Hell Path and was reborn as a human, but I haven't harmed anyone in this life. How will you judge me?" Fan Wu She came closer to Xie Bi An, and used the tip of his nose to gently rub his cheek. His voice carried a bit of bewitching, "Beat me back to hell, and let me suffer torture and cruel treatment again?"
"... You will have Yanluo to judge you."
"I want to know how you want to punish me." Fan Wu She sought his lips and kissed it shallowly, "Let me hear how much you hate me, how much you resent me. How do you want to torture me? Do you want me to be thrown into the Hell Path and be a lonely and wild ghost who loses his mind forever? Or give me a quick death and simply let my soul..."
"That's enough!" Xie Bi An couldn't listen to this anymore and violently pushed Fan Wu She away, "What kind of punishment you receive, it is you, you are the one to blame!" He had no way to think about this, because once he thought about it deeply, he would soon realize that no matter how much hate he felt when he thought about this person, he had never thought about revenge.
This was true in his previous life, and it was also true in this life.
How would he dare to admit it? When he knew that this person had escaped from the Hell Path, he even felt relieved. If he had not lost the most important master in this world because of this, he could have faced the reunion in this life openly, even if the two had to retrace their destiny from their previous lives.
After all, the final choice he made in his previous life, how much was for the world and how much was for Xiao Jiu, can no longer be distinguished.
He was torn between morality and affection. Not only can he not ignore all the people, but he also cannot give up his beloved younger brother. He’s indecisive with no room to advance or to retreat* and has spun a cocoon around himself*.
Such a ridiculous, sad and lamentable life, yet he’s asked to start over again.
Starting over again, he still has a love-hate dilemma.
"What?" Fan Wu She sneered, "Is it that you don't dare to say it in front of me? With the amount of vicious words you've said to me, what’s the difference with these few words?"
Xie Bi An gasped and said in a hoarse voice, "If you don't want to die or receive the harshest judgment after death, you should cherish this stolen life, conceal your identity and don’t do evil again.”
"Then will you come with me, and go into seclusion with me?"
"No way." Xie Bi An said stiffly.
"Then it's impossible for me too." Fan Wu She's gaze was gloomy, "I don't have to hide or sneak around. As long as I get the Heavenly Secret Talisman, the Heavenly Secret Talisman will get everything else for me."
"You can't get it." Xie Bi An's intonation was calm with obstinacy.
"It’s not up to you to decide." Fan Wu She stood up and princess carried Xie Bi An.
"What are you going to do this time!?"
"Enjoy the flowers." Fan Wu She carried Xie Bi An to the orchid garden, sat down at the pavilion, and sat his big brother on his lap just like in his previous life, it seemed that he really wanted to enjoy the flowers.
There were prepared refreshments on the stone table. The tea was still steaming, and there were four or five kinds of snacks that were all his favorites, and there were two among the rest that could only be obtained by traveling across the north and south of Fengdu City. He was encircled by Fan Wu She around his waist embarrassingly, pressed onto his lap and was unable to move. He said, "Where are Uncle Liu and the others?"
"The back kitchen." Fan Wu She picked up a piece of a snack and brought it to Xie Bi An's lips, "They’re alive and well. Here, have a taste."
"What are you doing?" Xie Bi An stared at him with cold eyes.
"Enjoying flowers with you, doing what lovers would do." Fan Wu She said frankly.
"Did you not listen to a single word I said? If I don't return to the underworld today ..."
Fan Wu She took the opportunity to stuff the snack into Xie Bi An's open mouth.
Xie Bi An stared at Fan Wu She and swallowed in embarrassment.
Fan Wu She laughed: "I have my own ideas, you don't have to worry."
Xie Bi An's mind was filled with doubts. Why is Fan Wu She so calm? With his current ability, he can never be the opponent of the entire underworld. This must be another plot.
But Fan Wu She seems to be really confident, feeling happy and pleased to enjoy the flowers. With both arms around Xie Bi An slender waist and his chin resting on his shoulder, and rubbing his lips against his cheek and neck from time to time "Introduce the flowers to me. I still remembered a few things when I was a child. Now everything has been forgotten."
"... what exactly are you plotting?"
"I recognize Dangshanhe. Hmph. What about that strain, the blue one?"
"Before the sun sets, I must return to the Underworld."
"When I was a child you always made me all kinds of scented pouches. Lavender, mosquito repellent, and for sleeping. Make one for me now."
"Fan Wu She."
"Mm." Fan Wu She answered, and then turned his head to kiss his lips. A meticulous kiss.
Xie Bi An's hands were against Fan Wu She's chest. His hands were held again and pressed onto his thighs. The closer he got to this body, the more he realized how tall and strong it was. That undulating muscles and the beating heartbeat were like trapping him in a warm and solid cage. He wanted to escape and didn't want to escape.
Chapter 218
The Demon Supreme’s kiss is always very long-lasting. He will hold his big brother and kiss for a long time, and it still didn't feel like enough. Maybe it was difficult to restrain himself from another thing he hadn’t had enough of, so he showed his restrained tenderness in kissing.
But this is more like kindness that only appears after the beast is satiated.
Fan Wu She took the osmanthus rice cake in his mouth and fed him, using the tip of his tongue to squeeze out a mouthful of the sweet and soft glutinous cake, which was diffused between his lips and teeth. This is Xie Bi An’s favorite osmanthus cake. He would always think of it when he didn’t eat it for a period of time, but when he remembers this sweetness from now on, the "flavor" will inevitably completely change. The taste buds mixed with the taste that belongs to this person were like taking some psychedelic drugs which makes people giddy.
Xie Bi An was fed several mouthfuls like this, and was even subjected to Fan Wu She’s tease: "Sure enough, you will eat more if you are fed like this."
Xie Bi An wiped off the honey from the corner of his mouth and lowered his head without saying anything.
"The taste of these pastries are not bad, but big brother is sweeter." Fan Wu She gently licked his lips and slightly squinted his eyes, with a look of eating and drinking to his heart's content. "Do you want to keep wasting time here?" Xie Bi An didn't even look at him, "No matter what your plans are, what preparations you have made, don't underestimate Official Lord Cui."
"I did not underestimate Official Lord Cui, that's why I need big brother’s help."
"How do you want me to help you, do you have a plan? If you just want me to take you through the Yin Yang Monument, that is simple, but you will definitely be discovered."
Fan Wu She supported his cheek with one hand and said lazily, "Why is big brother more anxious than me?"
Xie Bi An frowned, hesitated, and said, "I made a deal with Hua Xiang Rong, as long as I obtain Official Lord Cui's promise to tell her the reincarnated identity of her senior sister, she will return Pei Xue and Wuqiongbi to me. I need Wuqiongbi to deal with Jiang Qu Lian."
"Oh, no wonder big brother has been anxious to return to the Underworld." Fan Wu She raised his eyebrows, "That demonic girl just betrayed the sect like that? Because of Jiang Qu Lian?"
"Jiang Qu Lian killed her senior sister. She definitely cannot tolerate Qi Meng Sheng cooperating with Jiang Qu Lian again, so she betrayed them in a fit of anger."
"She’s a person with temperament*." Fan Wu She didn’t know what came to his mind, there’s a taste with some disdain and indifference, "but she is too weak. No matter how much hate she has, what can she do? She didn’t even have the ability to kill the enemy with her own hand."
"So she cooperates with me." Xie Bi An naturally wouldn't let Fan Wu She know that the most important thing that Hua Xiang Rong gave him was actually Cheng Yan Zhi's physical body. This is the more important reason why he is anxious to return to the Underworld. This living dead body will most likely change the whole situation of the Immortal Alliance and completely defeat Qi Meng Sheng. "Where is she now? Take me to see her." "What do you want to do?"
"She wants the reincarnation of Yun Xiang Yi, I can give it to her. No need to find Cui Jue. Let her return Wuqiongbi to you immediately."
Xie Bi An was skeptical.
"You don't believe it?" Fan Wu She remained calm and composed when looking at him, "Do you want to get Wuqiongbi back or not."
"How are you going to find the reincarnation of Yun Xiang Yi?"
"There is a formation for tracing the soul recorded in the 'Heavenly Secret Scripture'. Only an object commonly used by Yun Xiang Yi in her life and a part of her body, such as hair, is needed, and then use a ghost to guide the way, then we can find her reincarnation. I have not tried this formation before, but I am sure of it."
"... Okay." Xie Bi An looked at the sky. Wanting Fan Wu She to let him go back to the Underworld before dark is impossible, but if he could get back Wuqiongbi first, he could leave and dispel the ghost that was hibernating in his body. If that fails, representatives of immortal families, such as Li Bu Yu and Lan Chui Han, will come to Fengdu tomorrow to attend the grand ceremony of the Hungry Ghost Festival, by then there will be a good opportunity to get away.
After nightfall, Xie Bi An brought Fan Wu She to Hua Xiang Rong's hideout in the outskirts of the city.
When Hua Xiang Rong saw Fan Wu She, she was instantly on guard with eyes full of killing intentions, and her palms were emitting wisps of a cold aura.
Fan Wu She didn't even look at her, only waiting for Xie Bi An to explain his intentions before saying coldly: "Cui Jue is extremely old- fashioned and inflexible. Even if he promised you, he wouldn't tell you right away, and would definitely make a deal with you, such as not to disturb the reincarnated person, but I can let you find her immediately."
Hua Xiang Rong replied with almost no hesitation, "Okay."
Xie Bi An stared at Hua Xiang Rong: "You trust him so easily?"
Fan Wu She cannot help laughing, "Big brother, I'm helping you get your soul weapon back, yet you’re tearing my platform down*. What, you don't want it anymore?" He had a smile on the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were always gloomy and cold.
"It is because I want to get my weapon back that I can't trust you gullibly."
"No matter what, I want to try." Hua Xiang Rong takes out a scented pouch from her arms. That scented pouch was made of fine stitches and had a beautiful design. Both the material and the embroidery were of the highest quality, but the color was slightly dull. It looked like it had been used for some years. She threw the scented pouch to Fan Wu She, "This scented pouch and the hair in it is what you need. If you give me the answer now, I will give you Wuqiongbi."
Fan Wu She grabbed the scented pouch, but he looked at Xie Bi An with a cynical smile, "I helped big brother get your weapon back, how will big brother thank me?"
Xie Bi An turned his head and went into the house.
After quite some time, he felt a burst of spiritual pressure coming from outside the house, so it must be Fan Wu She who had started to set up the formation. Fortunately, this place is still some distance away from Fengdu City, and the population is sparse, otherwise such a release of spiritual pressure could quickly attract people and ghosts.
He didn't want to look, so he meditated inside the house. But his mind could not calm down. He could not help thinking about how many more incredible spells and formations were in the "Heavenly Secret Scripture". For millions of years, there has been an endless stream of people studying the "Heavenly Secret Scripture". Some of these formations have indeed been implemented before by people, but most of them are classified as forbidden arts because they are too unethical or too evil. Of course, cultivating the right path is too hard. There is no shortage of people who want to take this evil shortcut forever. The reason why no one had achieved great success and instead ate their own evil fruit was because no one found the most critical thing in the book on the art of war --- the military talisman. Only Fan Wu She found it, so not only can Fan Wu She summon Yin soldiers, but also surpasses far more than the others in his research and testing of the contents of the "Heavenly Secret Scripture".
Fan Wu She, who has not yet regained the Heavenly Secret Talisman, still has how many abilities he couldn’t imagine? The thought of this only sent chills down one's spine.
About two hours later, Xie Bi An felt the spiritual pressure outside the house gradually weakened. It should be Fan Wu She closing the formation. He got up and walked out.
He saw the two of them standing in the courtyard with an aura on a weird remnant array fading away. Hua Xiang Rong had a face with tears that had not been dried as she stared unblinkingly at the scented pouch and a strand of hair in the eye of the formation.
Xie Bi An said in a low voice: "Have you found her?" Fan Wu She nodded his head.
Hua Xiang Rong quickly wiped away the traces of tears: "Jiao County is not very far from Fengdu. When Jiang Qu Lian and Qi Meng Sheng die, I will go and find her."
"You should go now." Xie Bi An sighed. "If I can't avenge her, how can I face her?" "If you insist on staying, it's very likely you won't see her anymore." Apart from Jiang Qu Lian, Qi Meng Sheng would also certainly not let go of a traitor.
Hua Xiang Rong said calmly: "That is also my fate. Besides, if they don't die, I won't be able to escape from the Cangyu Sect's pursuit anywhere."
Fan Wu She said, "Where is Wuqiongbi?"
Hua Xiang Rong spread her hand. An icy snowflake floated in her jade- like white and soft palm, "In the mountain. I left my spiritual sense on it, it will lead you to it."
Xie Bi An took that small snowflake and could still feel a hint of coolness. He looked at Hua Xiang Rong, his lips twitched twice and said, "Thank you."
Hua Xiang Rong turned around and entered the house.
The two of them went into the mountain with the snowflake.
Xie Bi An asked, "Did you really find the reincarnation of Yun Xiang Yi?"
Fan Wu She mocked, "You don't believe me?"
"You do evil deeds. It would be strange if I believed you." Xie Bi An said coldly.
"Then do you still want Wuqiongbi?"
Xie Bi An stopped in his tracks and his eyes were stern: "You really lied to her?"
Fan Wu She looked at Xie Bi An, his gaze slightly provocative: "What do you think?"
Xie Bi An stared at Fan Wu She, his chest heaving up and down. "If you feel guilty, then go down the mountain." Fan Wu She mocked, "Don't tarnish your integrity and morality."
Xie Bi An clenched his fist, "I need Wuqiongbi now. Afterwards, I will ask Official Lord Cui to point out where Yun Xiang Yi really is to her."
"Hahahaha----" Fan Wu She let out a series of long laughter, "That’s typical of you. You are still as hypocritical as before. With a mouth full of moral integrity and the heart of Dao, but all you do is heartless, unjust, and shameless things."
Xie Bi An glared at Fan Wu She angrily, so angry that his face turned blue, yet he did not disdain to retort.
"Rest assured, I did not lie to her." Fan Wu She lightly hummed, "I did find out the place where Yun Xiang Yi was reincarnated, but it is not necessarily up to her to find her senior sister.”
Xie Bi An already has difficulty distinguishing the truth from lies in Fan Wu She’s words.
"If you don't believe me, feel free to go and find Official Lord Cui." Fan Wu She sneered, "But aren't you eager to get your things back?"
Xie Bi An no longer paid attention to Fan Wu She and followed the guidance of the snowflake. Soon, he found his Pei Xue Sword and the green jade soul suppressing stick that had been with him since he was a child in the mountain.
Xie Bi An was so excited that he was about to go forward and pick up Wuqiongbi. It had been three years since he escaped from Chidi City, and his soul weapon was finally lost and found. For a swordsman, the sword is his right-hand man, but since he is an underworld general in this life, he also has this additional magical weapon, which is also his indispensable companion. With Wuqiongbi, there’s also a great chance of victory in dealing with Jiang Qu Lian. Unfortunately, before he could touch Wuqiongbi, it was snatched away by Fan Wu She's soul hooking rope.
"You ..."
Fan Wu She grabbed Wuqiongbi that was flying over and examined it from head to tail: "It's still so spiritual."
"This is your purpose? To take my soul weapon? You already have a soul hooking rope, what do you need it for?"
Fan Wu She snorted, "Big brother, don't pretend to be confused. I'm not interested in it. I just can't give it to you now. Once you get it, my soul token won't be able to control you."
All ghosts are afraid of soul weapons. It's just that the higher one’s cultivation is, the more one can resist them. If Wuqiongbi is back in Xie Bi An’s hands, not to mention the ghost possessing his body, even getting near him will be difficult.
Xie Bi An was not surprised. This person took the initiative to help him, how could he have any good intentions? He said coldly: ", what do you want to do?"
Fan Wu She hooked his lips into a smile: "To welcome the Immortal Alliance's arrival to Fengdu and celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival together."
a person with temperament*[性情中⼈]--- It refers to a person who has rich
feelings and is spontaneous. It is often used to describe a person who follows
his nature, shows his emotion and acts freely. It also has the meaning of being
frank and generous. tearing my platform down*[拆台]---sabotaging people’s strategy, or keep things from running smoothly
Chapter 219
In the new autumn of July, the moon comes out between the Big Dipper and Altair in the Milky Way. There is Zhongqi in heaven and earth. The first is Zhongyuan*.
For the Fengdu people, the Hungry Ghost Festival is as grand and solemn as the Chinese New Year.
On a piece of land and two dimensions, they live a harmonious life of coexistence between human and ghost for a long time. Under the control of the Underworld, ghosts do not disturb the lives of the living, and the living are in awe of their invisible "friendly neighbors". On this day of the Hungry Ghost Festival, the earth is temporarily opened to ghosts so that the reincarnated can come back to visit those they miss. After the sun sets, every family will hang a lantern in front of their doors to guide their loved ones on the way home.
This is also the busiest and most stressful day in the Underworld. Although the Fengdu boundary will be opened with restrictions at this time to let those ghosts who have yet to reincarnate to go back and visit their loved ones, and the Fengdu boundary can only be exited and not entered at this time, and those who are allowed to be released back to earth are all the ghosts who have done no great evil in their lives, the Fengdu boundary is in a weaker state, and there are always fierce and resentful ghosts who try to be fishes in troubled water* and sneak into the earth. Millions of Yin servants will patrol around to prevent ghosts from doing evil. Of course, living beings should try their best to stay at home.
The reason why they are sure that the Supreme Demon and the Red Ghost King will rise in revolt during the Hungry Ghost Festival is precisely because this day is the best time of the year.
And the arrival of Li Bu Yu and Lan Chui Han made Fengdu City's dark currents surge. It is a sign of an upcoming mountain rain*. Even the common people felt an invisible sense of oppression. After all, the Hungry Ghost Festival is a ghost festival, why would the Immortal Alliance come to celebrate this kind of festival?
Since the battle of Chidi City three years ago, many rumors surrounding the resurrection of the Supreme Demon, the reincarnation of the Human Emperor, the red ghost king, and the immortal cultivation world have made all the people in Jiuzhou uneasy. The arrival of the Immortal Alliance at Fengdu during the Hungry Ghost Festival is clearly related to these disputes. In previous years, there were many bold people who even dared to go out after sunset just to see the legendary night walk of a hundred ghosts. This year it was still bright, yet every house was shut and there was no one on the street.
The City Lord of Fengdu City is a manager of Cui Jue in the human realm. His name is Xu Huan. He was born with Yin-Yang eyes* and can talk to ghosts. The Underworld should not interfere with earthly affairs. Zhong Kui was an alternative, but it does not mean that the Underworld knows nothing about the earth and does nothing. The City Gods of various places are used by the underworld to supervise the earth.
Xu Huan received Li Bu Yu and Lan Chui Han outside the city and settled them in the post house.
Lan Chui Han did not see Xie Bi An and was a bit surprised: "Where is Impermanence?"
"Oh, White Master will be here soon." Xu Huan said, "I will not disturb you all, I will leave first."
After Xu Huan left, Li Bu Yu sat steadily on the host’s seat with his eyes closed and coughed a few times stuffily.
"Master ..."
Song Chun Gui was about to go forward and ask, when Li Zhi Qing had already bent down and asked respectfully, "Father, is your throat feeling uncomfortable again?"
Li Bu Yu did not open his eyes and said softly, "How many times have I told you?" His voice was not angry, but mighty.
"Mm, Master. I’ll warm some pear soup for you."
"Mm."
Song Chun Gui stood in silence at one side.
Lan Chui Han’s gaze swept over the master and disciple, and finally looked deeply at Song Chun Gui, but Song Chun Gui avoided his gaze.
Just as Li Zhi Qing left, unusual footsteps and breathing came walking in.
Li Bu Yu opened his eyes. His cataract was already so severe that his pupils were nearly completely white, but he still struggled to look at the person in front of him under that white mist. Just that, no matter how much he enhanced his vision, he could not see the faces of the two people clearly.
"Bi An!" Lan Chui Han stood up from his chair and sheathed his sword at the same time. What made him nervous was not the sudden appearance of Xie Bi An, but Fan Wu She who was accompanying him by his side.
The people who stayed in the same post house with Li Bu Yu were at least elders of various immortal families. Their pupils were greatly shaken, as if they were facing a great enemy. They never expected that the Supreme Demon, who had disappeared for three years, would appear in front of them without warning.
Fan Wu She playful gaze swept through the whole house: "Your grandparents have seen the world more or less. This immortal cultivation world is really one year worse than another.”
"Bi An, what's going on?" Lan Chui Han suddenly sweats all over.
Xie Bi An found a chair and sat down slowly: "He said he would assist us in defeating Jiang Qu Lian and Qi Meng Sheng."
"What good intentions can he have?" Song Chun Gui held a sword to protect Li Bu Yu's side with no fear on his face, "He just wants to infiltrate the Underworld and steal the Xuanyuan Heavenly Secret Talisman."
Upon hearing that, Fan Wu She rewarded Song Chun Gui with a straight look: "Taking other people's things is called stealing. The Heavenly Secret Talisman is my thing."
Song Chun Gui said in a cold voice: "I really regret that I didn't kill you back then in Fumenghui." When he saw Fan Wu She exert the Zongxuan sword technique, he should have realized that this teenager was extraordinary.
"It's good to have guts, but it's ridiculous to be overconfident." Fan Wu She suddenly spread his palm. With a faint flash of spiritual light, a scroll appeared in his hand.
The crowd unconsciously took a step back, and each expression changed.
"Back then, although I was not yet able to fully control this magical treasure, it was still more than enough to get one of you killed. The reason why you could survive until now is only because I did not want to reveal my identity at that time." Fan Wu She played with the Shanhe Sheji Map. He swept the crowd with a pair of dangling fox eyes which were overflowing with an evil aura, "Now that you guys are in my cage, I can bury the whole of Fengdu City alive."
Xie Bi An said in a cold voice, "With Fengdu City gone, you also won't get the Heavenly Secret Talisman. What exactly do you want?"
"It is still early in the day." Fan Wu She looked out the window and said sarcastically, "Who knows if there are any traitors among you who colluded with Qi Meng Sheng. When the time comes, you will naturally know."
"Fan Wu She, don’t you make things unnecessarily complicated." Lan Chui Han and said sternly.
Fan Wu She's gaze slowly drifted towards Lan Chui Han. His eyes condensed with a trace of a murderous aura: "Presumptuous. In terms of seniority, what do you think you are before me?"
Lan Chui Han glared in anger.
Xie Bi An’s heart jumped, fearing that Fan Wu She would harm Lan Chui Han: "Brother Lan, let’s have a word in private."
"You dare?" Fan Wu She glared at him gloomily.
Xie Bi An gave him a look, "You come along then."
Li Bu Yu, who had always been silent, hesitantly called out, "Emperor."
Xie Bi An swept him a glance and walked upstairs.
When the three of them arrived at Lan Chui Han's guest room, Fan Wu She and Lan Chui Han were almost standing in two corners of the room. In front of Fan Wu She, the two of them had a hard time talking, so Xie Bi An could only ask about Song Chun Gui.
Lan Chui Han helplessly shook his head: "Now Li Bu Yu has been taking his son everywhere and treats Song Chun Gui coldly. Song Chun Gui also has not been able to clear the suspicions of him killing Wu Si Hai, but is still extremely blindly devoted to Li Bu Yu ... Anyway, Wuliang Sect is in a mess. The Immortal Alliance is the same. There are already many sects that have jumped on the bandwagon and are about to defect to Qi Meng Sheng."
"They will not." Xie Bi An said in a deep voice, "I will not let Qi Meng Sheng get her way." He did not want Fan Wu She to know that he already had Qi Meng Sheng’s leverage in his hands, but unfortunately, he was afraid that he would not be able to find the opportunity to exchange mutual assistance with Lan Chui Han.
"The situation now..." Lan Chui Han glanced at Fan Wu She and said in a deep voice, "You said you want to help us, but you are also the one who was initially in cahoots with the Red King."
Fan Wu She revealed a smile that could be called cruel: "You suspect me? I also suspect that you are colluding with him. After all, you guys are really a pair of star-crossed lovers."
When this statement was out, Xie Bi An was shocked, and Lan Chui Han's face was even more white: "You ... what did you say?!"
"Lan Chui Han, even if you drank Meng Po soup, the former memory will not disappear, but merely be temporarily forgotten. Once in contact with people and things related to the previous life, the memory will be triggered." Fan Wu She looked at Xie Bi An with an evil smile, "Am I right, big brother?"
Xie Bi An looked at Lan Chui Han in a daze.
Fan Wu She stabbed again: "I don't believe that you haven't remembered about it at all during these years."
Lan Chui Han said with a trembling voice: "What do you know? What do you think you know?!”
"What I know, do you know?" Fan Wu She’s gaze was fierce, "Or do you dare not know?"
----
PS: So damn curious about Xiaolan and the red king…
PS from Emzie: Saaaame
In the new autumn of July, the moon comes out between the Big Dipper and Altair in the Milky Way. There is Zhongqi in heaven and earth. The first is Zhongyuan*[新秋七七，月出河汉斗牛间。天地有中气，第一是中元。]--- extracted from 《水调歌头》刘辰翁 I will come back with an explanation later…
fishes in troubled water*[浑水摸鱼]--- to take advantage of a crisis for personal gain
upcoming mountain rain*[山雨欲来]--- It means that something is about to happen.
Yin-Yang eyes*[阴阳眼]---people with Yin-Yang eyes can see ghosts and humans
Chapter 220
Lan Chui Han clenched his scabbard with one hand, ready to draw his sword at any time. His defensive posture gave away the perturbation in his heart.
"What exactly do you know? Did Jiang Qu Lian tell you? When?" Xie Bi An asked a series of questions.
Fan Wu She admired Lan Chui Han's distorted expression and slowly asked, "Do you want to know the truth about your past life?"
Lan Chui Han's thin lips were pursed, and slowly closed his eyes. When they have opened again, the pupils have restored clarity. He loosened his hand that hurt due to clutching and said indifferently: "No need. The previous life has passed. In this life, I am just Xianyue Pavilion’s Lan Chui Han, and he is just a red-clad ghost king of the two worlds. He and I… are irreconcilable."
Fan Wu She sneered: "What’s ‘irreconcilable’." He glanced at Xie Bi An, "See, although you two are not related by blood, in the end, you guys are of the same lineage and have the same heartlessness."
Xie Bi An looked at Lan Chui Han with a complicated expression. His gaze was full of inquiry and questioning, but Lan Chui Han avoided it. At this time, avoidance is more like revealing what he intends to hide, which is continuously magnifying Xie Bi An's uneasiness. Could it be, Jiang Qu Lian giving up on his hard-earned position, not hesitating to become an enemy with the human and ghost realms, has something to do with Lan Chui Han? With vague clues and signs*, how many seemingly unrelated things are actually inextricably linked? Even across time and space, and are obsessions that cannot be let go even after reincarnation?
Xie Bi An said softly: "Brother Lan, what exactly are you and Jiang Qu Lian... did you remember any memories that do not belong to you?"
"No." Lan Chui Han flatly denied. He turned his face, looked at Xie Bi An's eyes and said, "Bi An, do you believe me?"
"..."
"I would never conspire with Jiang Qu Lian to put all the people of the world, both the human and ghost realms, at a disadvantage."
"I believe you on this point." Xie Bi An said sternly, "But I know what it is like to be disturbed by memories of the past life. If you really did remember something, ignoring it is never a long-term solution. I may be able to help you."
"You don't need to worry about me. The only thing that matters now is stopping him." Lan Chui Han looked askance at Fan Wu She, "No matter how you wish to provoke, no matter what you say or do, in this world, the person whom Bi An is most unlikely to trust will always be you."
A fierce killing intent suddenly coagulated in Fan Wu She's eyes: "Very well. Anyway, Jiang Qu Lian will not let you off. I really want to see what will happen the moment you know the truth."
Xie Bi An thought: This is also what he wanted to say to Fan Wu She. It's just that whether there will be a day when Fan Wu She knows the truth or not, and "what he will do", he did not care in the slightest.
At this time, there was a sound from the front hall of the post house. The three went downstairs, and saw that Xu Huan had returned. He looked fearful and said anxiously: "Cangyu Sect! Qi Meng Sheng suddenly appeared in Fengdu with the Cangyu Sect!" "They came earlier than I thought." Xie Bi An asked, "Where is the Red King?"
"There is still no sign of the Red King, and the two Patrols have not found the Red King."
"You inform Official Lord Cui, and at the same time order the people in the city never to leave their homes." Xie Bi An's gaze fell on Li Bu Yu, "Immortal Alliance Li, come and meet Qi Meng Sheng with me."
Li Bu Yu said calmly, "Emperor, please."
When Fan Wu She passed by Li Bu Yu, he swept his eyes over the completely changed old man with the look of a dead man. Li Bu Yu had no ripples on his face, but his fingers were quietly tightened under his robe sleeve.
Qi Meng Sheng had already brought the Cangyu Sect's congregation and entered Fengdu City with great fanfare. She is sitting on top of a frost and snow gilt carriage. Her body is still fused with the ice crystal, and she was wearing the Golden Carved Jade Suit. Although her face is more withered than three years ago, her spirit is not dejected. The world knows that her life is ending and was just barely using the ice crystal to maintain it. Who would have thought she had experienced a few great battles and is still as healthy and living as before? Not knowing what immortal pills and miraculous medicine she took, or the Golden Carved Jade Suit has taken effect, in short, the plan to boil her to death is probably going to fail.
In the battle of Chidi City, although the game had been stirred up by a fire dragon egg from Jiang Qu Lian in the end, the Immortal Alliance has not forgotten the terror of Qi Meng Sheng. They have not forgotten that they nearly died in the snowy plains of Kunlun, and of those companions who will never return forever. Facing this powerful opponent who had given them such a crushing defeat and victory once again, some of the weak-minded cultivators even began to tremble.
Xie Bi An stood still in the center of the street. When looking at Qi Meng Sheng from afar, he had mixed feelings in his heart, and his eyes became deep, dark, and inscrutable.
Qi Meng Sheng came straight to the point and said, "Hand it over."
"It's a long way from Kunlun to Shuzhong. It seems that this 'thing' is indeed of vital importance to you."
Qi Meng Sheng crossed her eyebrows, and a few blue veins burst out on her forehead: "Hand, it, over."
"Since I dared to take it, how can I give it to you so easily?"
The crowd looked at Xie Bi An in confusion, not knowing what the two were talking about.
Fan Wu She, who was beside him, was a little confused at first, but when he saw Qi Meng Sheng's expression, he suddenly understood. He lowered his head and whispered, "Could it be that Hua Xiang Rong took Cheng Yan Zhi's body?"
Xie Bi An did not answer, which is considered tacit approval.
Qi Meng Sheng said viciously, "I have always wanted to keep you alive, but you and that cheap maid, both of you seek death."
"Really? You want to keep me alive?" Xie Bi An snorted, "You may still have a trace of guilt in your heart, or you may think you still care about the friendship of the past, but when you really get my core, you will definitely get rid of me, because you have never believed in feelings, let alone the feelings of others."
Qi Meng Sheng narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"So you don't know when the Yun Zhong Jun who spent time with you turned into the Red Ghost King, and you don't know that Hua Xiang Rong doesn't care about the status of the Flying Plume Ambassador or the future position of the Sect Leader. All she cares about is her senior sister. If you did not see the word ‘feelings’ as worthless, with your intelligence, it would be impossible not to think that she would betray you. Because of your cold and ruthlessness, you used Cheng Yan Zhi's feelings to play everyone around. Because of your cold and ruthlessness, you dragged so many people into the abyss for your own selfishness!" After Xie Bi An finished speaking in one breath, his hand pressed on the Junlan sword.
Qi Meng Sheng looked at Xie Bi An's hand that was about to draw the sword, and her gaze sank. She realized something. Her chest visibly rose and fell a few times before slowly calming down. She hung her head in disappointment, and only after a long time did she slowly lift it up.
The two of them looked at each other from a short distance away, and the moment their eyes met, everything was already clear in each other's minds.
Qi Meng Sheng said in a hoarse voice: "What do you want?"
"Hand over the Golden Carved Jade Suit. Hand over the heavenly treasures of the immortal families that you plundered in order to refine cores at Shen Nong Ding, return to Kunlun, and never attack the Central Plains forever."
Qi Meng Sheng was silent for a moment and chuckled again: "I have planned for half a lifetime and poured everything into getting a perfect physical body. Nothing can make me give it up. It's true that what you took can threaten me, but there is also something in my hand that I’m sure you want too."
"What?"
"The Golden Trunk Jade Policy." Qi Meng Sheng looked at Xie Bi An with a fake smile on her face, "Think about it. If I were to make everything about your previous life public ..."
Xie Bi An became stiff. His scalp was going numb, and he stared at Qi Meng Sheng with eyes burning like torches.
Everything about him is recorded in the Golden Trunk Jade Policy. As Qi Meng Sheng said, it's like stripping him naked and parading him through the streets. The world will know what a pathetic, ridiculous and cowardly loser he was, how dirty and illicit he was with the Demon Supreme, and how despicable the Daming Song Clan was. A generation of royalty still had to be torn away from what was left of its honor a hundred years after its demise.
And Fan Wu She will also know the truth about the past life. What will he do? Question? Remorse? Regret? Whatever it is, it will make Xie Bi An feel disgusted from the bottom of his heart.
No way. Everything about his past life should never be known by a third person.
Qi Meng Sheng saw an answer on Xie Bi An's face that satisfied her, and she said, "I'll take the Golden Trunk Jade Policy in exchange for the thing in your hand."
The crowd was in an uproar. There were all sorts of comments about what Xie Bi An had taken from Qi Meng Sheng.
Although the identity of the reincarnated Human Emperor is already widely known to the world, the Golden Trunk Jade Policy is temporarily useless to Qi Meng Sheng, but in the end, it is an ancient magical treasure. There must be other uses in the future. Just bartering like this, it seems that the exchange must have been for something very important. The crowd is very curious, but because of their fear of the Human Emperor and the Demon Supreme, they dare not ask.
Li Bu Yu was already shocked by Qi Meng Sheng's words, and Lan Chui Han did not ask because he had already guessed it. Zhong Kui previously had taken that thing to exchange for him in the first place. An ice coffin exchanged for another ice coffin. Other than him, what else can pin down Qi Meng Sheng?
Fan Wu She said in a commanding tone, "Exchange it." He had always wanted to get the Golden Trunk Jade Policy, but didn't have the chance.
Qi Meng Sheng slowly said two words "All right." "Where is Jiang Qu Lian? It's impossible for you not to know" Xie Bi An asked.
"You want me to stay out of it." Qi Meng Sheng's chin was slightly raised, and she was looking down at Xie Bi An, "Just that after tonight, will you still be alive ..."
Fan Wu She said deeply: "After tonight, will you still be alive?"
Qi Meng Sheng felt the spiritual pressure emanating from Fan Wu She, and her heart choked: "The Demon Supreme without the Heavenly Secret Talisman is ultimately a few moves short, but the Red King has been lining up his troops for a long time."
Li Bu Yu, who had not spoken, let out an old but majestic voice: "With us around, how can we let you guys have your way so easily? Qi Meng Sheng, you have never won before, and today is no different."
"I have never lost before either." Qi Meng Sheng raised her head and looked towards the gradually settling sky, "The sun is about to set."
Everybody in the scene has their own ulterior motives. The moment the sun sets, all the forces will open a grand, bloody banquet for their own purposes. Conspiracy, greed, massacre, and hatred will penetrate Mount Luofeng that spans two realms and circumambulates three thousand miles.
PS: these 2 weeks I have to prepare a presentation before my intern ends so, I'll upload 1-2 chapters per day. chapter is very long...
PS: these 2 weeks I have to prepare a presentation before my intern ends so, I'll upload 1-2 chapters per day. chapter is very long... With vague clues and signs*[ 草蛇灰线]--- A metaphor for something that leaves
vague clues and signs to be found. lit. grass snakes, gray lines